Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 5. Wo is me! for I am undone] ytymdn nidmeythi, I am become dumb. There is something exceedingly affecting in this complaint. I am a man of unclean lips; I cannot say, Holy, holy, holy! which the seraphs exclaim. They are holy; I am not so: they see God, and live; I have seen him, and must die, because I am unholy. Only the pure in heart shall see God; and they only can live in his presence for ever, Reader, lay this to heart; and instead of boasting of thy excellence, and trusting in thy might, or comforting thyself in thy comparative innocence, thou wilt also be dumb before him, because thou hast been a man of unclean lips, and because thou hast still an unclean heart.
I am undone "I am struck dumb"] ytymdn nidmeythi, twenty- eight MSS. (five ancient) and three editions. - I understand it as from µwd dum or µmd damam, silere, "to be silent;" and so it is rendered by the Syriac, Vulgate, Symmachus, and by some of the Jewish interpreters, apud Sal. b. Melec. The rendering of the Syriac is yna rywt tavir ani, stupens, attonitus sum, "I am amazed." He immediately gives the reason why he was struck dumb: because he was a man of polluted lips, and dwelt among a people of polluted lips, and was unworthy, either to join the seraphim in singing praises to God, or to be the messenger of God to his people.
Compare Exod. iv. 10; vi. 12; Jer. i. 6.
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 ואמר559 אוי188 לי כי3588 נדמיתי1820 כי3588 אישׁ376 טמא2931 שׂפתים8193 אנכי595 ובתוך8432 עם5971 טמא2931 שׂפתים8193 אנכי595 יושׁב3427 כי3588 את853 המלך4428 יהוה3068 צבאות6635 ראו7200 עיני׃5869
