Geneva Study Bible Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. For your hands are defiled with {a} blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath uttered perverseness.
(a) Read Isa 1:15. None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. None calleth for justice, nor any {b} pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and {c} bring forth iniquity.
(b) All men wink at the injuries and oppressions and none go about to remedy them. (c) According to their wicked devices, they hurt their neighbours. They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. They hatch {d} eggs of an adder, and weave the spider's {e} web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.
(d) Whatever comes from them is poison, and brings death. (e) They are profitable to no purpose. Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.
Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.
The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace. The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. Therefore is {f} judgment far from us, neither doth {g} justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.
(f) That is, God's vengeance to punish our enemies. (g) God's protection to defend us. We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. We grope for the wall like the {h} blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.
(h) We are altogether destitute of counsel, and can find no end to our miseries. We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us. We all roar like {i} bears, and mourn bitterly like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us.
(i) We express our sorrows by outward signs, some more and some less. For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them; For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our {k} sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;
(k) This confession is general to the Church to obtain remission of sins, and the prophets did not exempt themselves from the same. In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of {l} falsehood.
(l) That is, against our neighbours. And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. And {m} judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
(m) There is neither justice nor uprightness among men. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself {n} a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.
(n) The wicked will destroy him. And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: {o} therefore his arm brought {p} salvation to him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
(o) Meaning, to do justice, and to remedy the things that were so far out of order. (p) That is, his Church or his arm helped itself and did not seek aid from any other. For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke. For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an {q} helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
(q) Signifying that God has all means at hand to deliver his Church and to punish their enemies. According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the {r} isles he will repay recompence.
(r) That is, your enemies who dwell in various places, and beyond the sea. So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall {s} come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
(s) He shows that there will be great affliction in the Church, but God will always deliver his. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and to {t} them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.
(t) By which he declares that the true deliverance from sin and Satan belongs to none but to the children of God, whom he justifies. As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever. As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, {u} shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever. (u) Because the doctrine is made profitable by the virtue of the Spirit, he joins the one with the other, and promises to give them both to his Church for ever. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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