As the last prophecy of the second book contained all the three elements of prophetic addresses - reproach, threat, and promise - so this, the first prophecy of the third book, cannot open in any other way than with a rehearsal of one of these. The prophet receives the commission to appear as the preacher of condemnation; and whilst Jehovah is giving the reason for this commission, the preaching itself commences. "Cry with full throat, hold not back; lift up thy voice like a bugle, and proclaim to my people their apostasy, and to the house of Jacob their sins. And they seek me day by day, and desire to learn my ways, like a nation which has done righteousness, and has not forsaken the right of their God: they ask of me judgments of righteousness; they desire the drawing near of Elohim." As the second prophecy of the first part takes as its basis a text from Micah (Micah 2:1-4), so have we here in Isaiah 58:1 the echo of Micah 3:8. Not only with lisping lips (1 Samuel 1:13), but with the throat (Psalm 115:7; Psalm 149:6); that is to say, with all the strength of the voice, lifting up the voice like the shōphâr (not a trumpet, which is called חצצרה, nor in fact any metallic instrument, but a bugle or signal horn, like that blown on new year's day: see at Psalm 81:4), i.e., in a shrill shouting tone. With a loud voice that must be heard, with the most unsparing publicity, the prophet is to point out to the people their deep moral wounds, which they may indeed hide from themselves with hypocritical opus operatum, but cannot conceal from the all-seeing God. The ו of ואותי does not stand for an explanatory particle, but for an adversative one: "their apostasy ... their sins; and yet (although they are to be punished for these) they approach Jehovah every day" (יום יום with mahpach under the first יום, and pasek after it, as is the general rule between two like-sounding words), "that He would now speedily interpose." They also desire to know the ways which He intends to take for their deliverance, and by which He desires to lead them. This reminds us of the occurrence between Ezekiel and the elders of Gola (Ezekiel 20:1.; compare also Ezekiel 33:30.). As if they had been a people whose rectitude of action and fidelity to the commands of God warranted them in expecting nothing but what was good in the future, they ask God (viz., in prayer and by inquiring of the prophet) for mishpetē tsedeq, "righteous manifestations of judgment" i.e., such as will save them and destroy their foes, and desire qirbath 'Elōhı̄m, the coming of God, i.e., His saving parousia. The energetic futures, with the tone upon the last syllable, answer to their self-righteous presumption; and יחפצוּן is repeated, according to Isaiah's most favourite oratorical figure, at the close of the verse.

Isaiah 58:8 Parallel Commentaries

thy light

Isaiah 58:10,11 And if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall your light rise in obscurity...

Job 11:17 And your age shall be clearer than the noonday: you shall shine forth, you shall be as the morning.

Psalm 37:6 And he shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noonday.

Psalm 97:11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

Psalm 112:4 To the upright there rises light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more to the perfect day.

Hosea 6:3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come to us as the rain...

Malachi 4:2 But to you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth...

and thine

Isaiah 57:18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.

Jeremiah 33:6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.

Hosea 6:2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

Hosea 14:4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for my anger is turned away from him.

Matthew 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed...

and thy

Psalm 85:13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.

Acts 10:4,31,35 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said to him...

the glory

Isaiah 52:12 For you shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

Exodus 14:19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them...

be thy reward. Heb. gather thee up