Isa 1:6-9 | JFB | STEP | 6. From the lowest to the highest of the people; "the ancient and honorable, the head, the prophet that teacheth lies, the tail." See . He first states their wretched condition, obvious to all ( ); and then, not previously, their irreligious state, the cause of it. wounds-- judicially inflicted ( ). mollified with ointment-- The art of medicine in the East consists chiefly in external applications ( ; ).

‏ Isaiah 1:6-9

6. From the lowest to the highest of the people; "the ancient and honorable, the head, the prophet that teacheth lies, the tail." See Is 9:13-16. He first states their wretched condition, obvious to all (Is 1:6-9); and then, not previously, their irreligious state, the cause of it.

wounds--judicially inflicted (Ho 5:13).

mollified with ointment--The art of medicine in the East consists chiefly in external applications (Lu 10:34; Jas 5:14).

7. Judah had not in Uzziah's reign recovered from the ravages of the Syrians in Joash's reign (2Ch 24:24), and of Israel in Amaziah's reign (2Ch 25:13, 23, &c.). Compare Isaiah's contemporary (Am 4:6-11), where, as here (Is 1:9, 10), Israel is compared to "Sodom and Gomorrah," because of the judgments on it by "fire."

in your presence--before your eyes: without your being able to prevent them.

desolate, &c.--literally, "there is desolation, such as one might look for from foreign" invaders.

8. daughter of Zion--the city (Psa 9:14), Jerusalem and its inhabitants (2Ki 19:21): "daughter" (feminine, singular being used as a neuter collective noun), equivalent to sons (Is 12:6, Margin) [Maurer]. Metropolis or "mother-city" is the corresponding term. The idea of youthful beauty is included in "daughter."

left--as a remnant escaping the general destruction.

cottage--a hut, made to give temporary shelter to the caretaker of the vineyard.

lodge--not permanent.

besieged--rather, as "left," and Is 1:9 require, preserved, namely, from the desolation all round [Maurer].

9. Jehovah of Sabaoth, that is, God of the angelic and starry hosts (Psa 59:5; 147:4; 148:2). The latter were objects of idolatry, called hence Sabaism (2Ki 17:16). God is above even them (1Ch 16:26). "The groves" were symbols of these starry hosts; it was their worship of Sabaoth instead of the Lord of Sabaoth, which had caused the present desolation (2Ch 24:18). It needed no less a power than His, to preserve even a "remnant." Condescending grace for the elect's sake, since He has no need of us, seeing that He has countless hosts to serve Him.