Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 2. Above it stood the seraphim] µypr seraphim, from Pr seraph, to burn. He saw says Kimchi, the angels as flames of fire, that the depravity of that generation might be exhibited, which was worthy of being totally burnt up.
He covered his feet "He covereth his feet"] By the feet the Hebrews mean all the lower parts of the body. But the people of the East generally wearing long robes, reaching to the ground, and covering the lower parts of the body down to the feet, it may hence have been thought want of respect and decency to appear in public and on solemn occasions with even the feet themselves uncovered. Kempfer, speaking of the king of Persia giving audience, says, Rex in medio supremi atrii cruribus more patrio inflexis sedebat: corpus tunica investiebat flava, ad suras cum staret protensa; discumbentis vero pedes discalceatos pro urbanitate patria operiens. - Amoen. Exot. p. 227. "The king sat on the floor cross-legged, as is the custom of the country. He was covered with a yellow garment, which reached down to the feet when standing, but covered the feet for decency when sitting with his slippers off." Sir John Chardin's MS. note on this place of Isaiah is as follows: Grande marque de respect en orient de se cacher les pieds, quand on est assis, et de baisser le visage. Quand le souvrain se monstre en Chine et a Japon, chacun se jette le visage contre terre, et il n'est pas permis de regarder le roi; "It is a great mark of respect in the East to cover the feet, and to bow down the head in the presence of the king."
Matthew Henry Commentary
- The state and conduct of the Jewish nation. (Is. 5:1-7) The judgment which would come. (Is. 5:8-23) The executioners of these judgments (Is. 5:24-30)
Is. 5:1-7 Christ is God's beloved Son, and our beloved Saviour. The care of the Lord over the church of Israel, is described by the management of a vineyard. The advantages of our situation will be brought into the account another day. He planted it with the choices vines; gave them a most excellent law, instituted proper ordinances The temple was a tower, where God gave tokens of his presence. He se up his altar, to which the sacrifices should be brought; all the mean of grace are denoted thereby. God expects fruit from those that enjo privileges. Good purposes and good beginnings are good things, but no enough; there must be vineyard fruit; thoughts and affections, word and actions, agreeable to the Spirit. It brought forth bad fruit. Wil grapes are the fruits of the corrupt nature. Where grace does not work corruption will. But the wickedness of those that profess religion, an enjoy the means of grace, must be upon the sinners themselves. The shall no longer be a peculiar people. When errors and vice go withou check or control, the vineyard is unpruned; then it will soon be grow over with thorns. This is often shown in the departure of God's Spiri from those who have long striven against him, and the removal of his gospel from places which have long been a reproach to it. The explanation is given. It is sad with a soul, when, instead of the grapes of humility, meekness, love, patience, and contempt of the world, for which God looks, there are the wild grapes of pride passion, discontent, and malice, and contempt of God; instead of the grapes of praying and praising, the wild grapes of cursing an swearing. Let us bring forth fruit with patience, that in the end we may obtain everlasting life.
Is. 5:8-23 Here is a woe to those who set their hearts on the wealth of the world. Not that it is sinful for those who have a house and a fiel to purchase another; but the fault is, that they never know when the have enough. Covetousness is idolatry; and while many envy the prosperous, wretched man, the Lord denounces awful woes upon him. Ho applicable to many among us! God has many ways to empty the mos populous cities. Those who set their hearts upon the world, will justl be disappointed. Here is woe to those who dote upon the pleasures an the delights of sense. The use of music is lawful; but when it draw away the heart from God, then it becomes a sin to us. God's judgment have seized them, but they will not disturb themselves in their pleasures. The judgments are declared. Let a man be ever so high, deat will bring him low; ever so mean, death will bring him lower. The frui of these judgments shall be, that God will be glorified as a God of power. Also, as a God that is holy; he shall be owned and declared to be so, in the righteous punishment of proud men. Those are in a wofu condition who set up sin, and who exert themselves to gratify their base lusts. They are daring in sin, and walk after their own lusts; it is in scorn that they call God the Holy One of Israel. They confoun and overthrow distinctions between good and evil. They prefer their ow reasonings to Divine revelations; their own devices to the counsels an commands of God. They deem it prudent and politic to continu profitable sins, and to neglect self-denying duties. Also, how ligh soever men make of drunkenness, it is a sin which lays open to the wrath and curse of God. Their judges perverted justice. Every sin need some other to conceal it.
Is. 5:24-30 Let not any expect to live easily who live wickedly. Sin weakens the strength, the root of a people; it defaces the beauty, the blossoms of a people. When God's word is despised, and his law cas away, what can men expect but that God should utterly abandon them When God comes forth in wrath, the hills tremble, fear seizes eve great men. When God designs the ruin of a provoking people, he can fin instruments to be employed in it, as he sent for the Chaldeans, an afterwards the Romans, to destroy the Jews. Those who would not hea the voice of God speaking by his prophets, shall hear the voice of their enemies roaring against them. Let the distressed look which wa they will, all appears dismal. If God frowns upon us, how can an creature smile? Let us diligently seek the well-grounded assurance that when all earthly helps and comforts shall fail, God himself wil be the strength of our hearts, and our portion for ever _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew שׂרפים8314 עמדים5975 ממעל4605 לו שׁשׁ8337 כנפים3671 שׁשׁ8337 כנפים3671 לאחד259 בשׁתים8147 יכסה3680 פניו6440 ובשׁתים8147 יכסה3680 רגליו7272 ובשׁתים8147 יעופף׃5774
