i. 1.[The Prophet of the Lord]
i. 2.[Prophecy the Voice of God]
i. 2, 3.[An Appeal and an Argument]
i. 2–6.[God’s Indictment against Israel]
i. 3.[Thoughtlessness]
[Inconsiderateness]
[Things to be Considered]
[Religious Consideration]
[Instinct Followed—Reason Disregarded]
i. 4.[Iniquity a Burden]
[Transmitted Depravity]
[Forsaking the Lord]
i. 5.[Moral Obduracy]
[Needless Stripes]
i. 5–8.[Total Depravity]
i. 9.[God’s Reluctance to Punish]
i. 10.[The Summons to Jerusalem]
i. 11.[Rejected Sacrifices]
i. 11, 16, 17.[True and False Religion]
i. 13.[The Possibilities of Public Worship]
i. 14.[God Oppressed]
i. 15.[Worthless Husks]
[Reasons for the Rejection of Prayer]
[A Startling Charge]
i. 16.[Moral Ablution]
[A Plain Command]
i. 17.[The Great Task]
[The Noblest Art]
[The Oppressed and Their Relief]
[God’s Ideal of Goodness]
i. 18.[God’s Gracious Invitation to Sinners]
[Cleansing for the Vilest]
[Comfort for the Desponding]
[Sin and Grace]
[Self-scrutiny in God’s Presence]
i. 19–20.[Sinners Self-destroyed]
i. 20.[The Certainty of the Destruction of the Impenitent]
i. 21–23.[Moral Declension]
i. 21.[An Illustrious Inhabitant]
i. 22.[The Possible Degeneracy of Valuable Things]
i. 24.[A Terrible Resolve]
i. 24–27.[The Purpose of Punishment]
i. 25, 26.[The Divine Idea of Redemption]
i. 26.[Social Regeneration]
i. 27, 28.[The Twofold Effect of Divine Judgments]
i. 28.[Forsaking the Lord]
i. 28–31.[The Doom of the Apostates]
i. 31.[The Tow and the Spark]
ii. 1–5.[Isaiah’s Vision of the Last Days]
ii. 2–5.[The Latter-Day Glory]
ii. 2.[The Future Triumphs of the Gospel]
ii. 4.[The Cessation of War]
ii. 5.[The Light of the Lord]
[The Walk of the Soul in the Light of the Lord]
ii. 6–22.[A Terrible Picture]
Heb. xiii. 5,
ii. 6.
[God’s People Forsaken]
ii. 6.[Forsaken of God]
ii. 6–9.[The Material and the Moral]
ii. 10.[The Sinner’s Danger and Refuge]
ii. 17.[God Exalted in the Great Day]
ii. 18.[The Great Dethronement]
ii. 22.[Man’s Insignificance and God’s Supremacy]
[Lessons from a National Bereavement]
iii. 1–3.[The Death of Statesmen]
iii. 1–8.[National Greatness]
iii. 9.[Shameless Sinners]
iii. 10, 11.[Cheering Words and Solemn Warnings]
[The Great Law of Recompense]
iii. 12.[The Curse of a Weak Government]
[Blind Leaders]
iii. 15.[Oppression of the Poor]
iii. 13–15.[The Pleader and the Judge]
iii. 16, 17.[Haughtiness]
iii. 16—iv. 1.[Female Pride and Luxury]
iv. 1.[The Desolating and Disorganising Power of War]
iv. 2–6.[The Divine Ideal of Israel Realised]
iv. 2–5.[God’s Perpetual Presence with His People]
iv. 4.[The Cleansing Spirit]
v. 1–7.[The Parable of the Vineyard]
[The Parable of the Vineyard]
[Great Privileges]
v. 2.[Divine Disappointments]
v. 4.[The Inexcusability and Hopelessness of Unbelief]
v. 4–6.[A Sad Canticle]
v. 7, 8.[On the Advantage of Small Allotments of Land to the Poor]
v. 8–21.[Wild Grapes]
v. 8–10.[Covetousness]
v. 8.[God’s Curse on the Covetous]
v. 11.[The Miseries of the Drunkard]
v. 11–17.[National Ungodliness]
v. 11, 12.[Sensuality]
v. 12.[Earthly Amusement]
[Festivity and Forgetfulness]
v. 13–15.[The Evils of Ignorance]
v. 14, 15.[Death and the Grave]
v. 18.[Cords of Vanity]
[Cords and Cart-Ropes]
v. 19.[Scepticism]
v. 20.[The Influence of Language on Character]
[The Sin of Confounding Good and Evil]
[On the Perversion of Right and Wrong]
[The Sin of Using Wrong Names]
[Moral Perversity]
v. 21.[Self-Conceit]
[Intellectual Pride]
v. 22.[The Woe of the Drunkard]
[The Woe of the Drunkard]
[Drink and Its Woes]
v. 24.[The Doom of Despisers]
v. 24–30.[The Doom of Impenitent Israel]
vi. 1–12.[The Prophet’s Call]
vi. 1, 2, 5–7.[The Service of the Seraphim]
vi. 1–3.[The Trinity in Unity]
vi. 1–5.[Revelations of God]
vi. 1–7.[Isaiah’s Vision]
vi. 1–2.[The Seraphim]
vi. 2.[A Glorious Example]
vi. 2–4.[The Seraphim and Their Song]
vi. 5–7.[A Sight of God and a Sense of Sin]
vi. 5–8.[The Moral History of a Rising Soul]
vi. 8.[Volunteer Service]
[Messengers Wanted]
vi. 9, 10.[A Strange and Sad Errand]
[The Rejection of Divine Truth]
vi. 11–13.[The Duration of the Prophet’s Mission]
vii. 1–9.[Fears and Comforts]
[Faith’s Impregnable Citadel]
vii. 1, 2.[Purpose and Panics]
vii. 3–25.[Isaiah’s Interview with Ahaz]
vii. 4.[A Threefold Counsel]
[Heedfulness]
vii. 9.[Faith, The Condition of Firmness]
[Stability through Faith]
vii. 12.[Man’s Imagined Independence of God]
[Momentous Decisions]
[Irreligious Piety]
vii. 13.[Trials of the Divine Patience]
vii. 13–16.[The Virgin’s Son]
vii. 14.[Immanuel]
vii. 15.[The Great Object of Child-Training]
vii. 17–25.[A Sentence of Doom]
viii. 1–4.[Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz]
viii. 5–8.[The Stream Rejected for the River]
viii. 6–8.[The Waters of Shiloah]
viii. 9, 10.[Threatened, But Safe]
viii. 11–15.[Biblical Politicians]
viii. 13.[“Hallowed Be Thy Name”]
viii. 14.[God Our Refuge, or Our Ruin]
[The Stone of Stumbling]
[Sanctuary in God]
viii. 16–18.[The Duty of Teachers of Truth in Times of National Perversion]
viii. 17.[Waiting on the Lord in Desertion and Gloom]
[Penitential Waiting on God]
viii. 19–22.[Necromancy]
viii. 20.[The Law and the Testimony]
viii. 21, ix. 13.[Unsanctified Suffering]
ix. 2–7.[The Remedy of the World’s Misery]
ix. 3.[The Joy of Harvest]
ix. 6.[The Titles and Government of Christ]
[The Government of Christ]
[His Name . . . Wonderful]
[Christ our Counsellor]
[The Mighty God]
[The Everlasting Father]
[The Prince of Peace]
ix. 7.[The Empire of Christ]
[The Security for the Fulfilment of God’s Promises]
ix. 8–x. 4.[The Outstretched Hand of God]
ix. 10.[Wise Lessons from Wicked Lips]
ix. 14.[The Duty of the Afflicted]
ix. 15, 16.[Leadership]
ix. 17.[Two Constant Feelings in the Mind of God]
[Divine Anger]
ix. 19.[The Destructiveness of Sin]
x. 1–4.[Legalised Injustice]
x. 3.[The Day of Visitation]
x. 5–34.[The Assyrian Invasion of Judah]
[The Assyrian]
x. 7–15.[Man Proposes, God Disposes]
x. 20.[A Happy Conversion]
x. 20–23.[The Remnants of Society]
xi. and xii.[Isaiah’s Vision of the King and His Kingdom]
xi. 2.[The Spirit of the Lord]
xi. 3.[The Righteous Judge]
xi. 9.[The Universal Diffusion and Redemptive Power of the Knowledge of God]
[The Diffusion of the Knowledge of God]
xi. 10.[The Ensign of the Nations]
xi. 10–16.[The Reconciler of Men]
xii. 1.[A New Song for New Hearts]
xii. 3.[Wells of Salvation]
xii. 6.[The Duty of Gladness]
xiii. 1.[The Proud City Doomed]
xiii. 6.[The Day of the Lord]
xiii. 16.[The Doom of the Children of Babylon]
xiii. 17.[The Love of Money]
xiii. 18.[Spare the Children]
xiii. 19.[Sodom and Gomorrah]
xiv. 3, 4.[The Joy of Salvation]
xiv. 9–12.[The Grave and Its Mysteries]
xiv. 11.[The Contrasts of Death]
[The Conqueror Conquered]
xiv. 20.[The Seed of Evildoers]
xiv. 32.[A Memorable Answer]
xvi. 4.[God’s Outcasts]
xvi. 12.[Fruitless]
xvii. 5–7.[Diminutions and Changes of Life]
xvii. 7, 8.[Sanctified Affliction]
xvii. 10, 11.[Forgetfulness of God]
xvii. 12.[The Punishment of the Wicked]
xix. 1–3, 14.[True National Greatness]
xix. 18–20.[An Altar and a Saviour for Egypt]
xix. 27[Chastisement]
xxi. 11, 12.[The Burden of Dumah]
[Night and Morning]
[A Momentous Inquiry]
xxi. 15.[The Grievousness of War]
xxii. 18.[The Irresistibleness of God’s Judgments]
xxii. 24.[The Glory of the Messiah]
xxiv. 15.[Glorifying God in the Fires]
xxv. 1.[The Grand Appropriation]
xxv. 6–8.[The Gospel Feast]
[The Blessings of the Gospel]
xxv. 8.[The Triumphs of Christ]
[A Sorrowless World]
xxv. 9.[Advent Thoughts and Joys]
xxv. 10.[The Protecting Hand]
xxvi. 1–2.[Days of Deliverance]
xxvi. 3–4.[Perfect Peace]
[Peaceful Keeping]
xxvi. 7.[The Righteousness of God and His People]
[The Just Man’s Security]
xxvi. 8.[The Way of God’s Judgments]
xxvi. 8, 9.[Trust and Trials]
xxvi. 9.[Night Longings for God]
[The Necessity and Profitableness of Chastisement]
xxvi. 9, 10.[The Use and Abuse of the Judgments of God]
xxvi. 12.[National Peace the Gift of God]
[Holiness Accomplished, Peace Ordained]
[Man’s Holiness, God’s Workmanship]
xxvi. 13, 14.[Spiritual Usurpers Renounced]
xxvi. 16.[Prayer in Trouble]
xxvi. 19.[National Revival]
xxvi. 20.[God’s Invitation to Shelter]
[Chambers of Safety]
[Religious Retirement]
xxvii. 2, 3.[God’s Goodness to the Church]
[The Song to the Vineyard]
xxvii. 4, 5.[A Solemn Disclaimer]
xxvii. 5.[Taking Hold of God’s Strength]
xxvii. 6.[The Future Prosperity of Israel]
xxvii. 8.[The Day of the East Wind]
[The Storms of Life]
xxvii. 7–9.[The Afflictions of God’s People]
xxvii. 9.[The Discipline of Sin]
xxvii. 10, 11.[The Doom of the Incorrigible]
xxvii. 13.[The Gospel Trumpet]
[The Great Trumpet]
xxviii. 1–4.[England’s Crying Sin]
xxviii. 5, 6.[The Believer’s Dignity and Power]
xxviii. 9, 10.[Early Religious Training]
xxviii. 10.[The Power of Littles]
xxviii. 12.[Rejecters of the Gospel Admonished]
xxviii. 16.[The Sure Foundation]
[Our Trust and Our Test]
[A Tested Saviour]
xxviii. 17.[False Refuges]
xxviii. 18.[False Refuges]
xxviii. 20.[The Short Bed and the Narrow Covering]
xxviii. 22.[Irreligious Mockery]
xxviii. 24, 25.[The Parable of the Husbandman]
xxviii. 29.[A Feast for Faith]
xxix. 1.[Ariel]
xxix. 7, 8.[Dreaming]
xxix. 8.[Awakened from the Dream]
[The Futility of Fighting against Mount Zion]
xxix. 13, 14.[Lip-Service Instead of Heart-Worship]
xxix. 19.[The Joy of the Meek]
[Religious Joy]
xxx. 1–3.[The Origin and the End of Sin]
xxx. 7.[Strength in Quietness]
[Some Aspects of Ministerial Duty]
xxx. 9–11.[Dislike to Ministerial Fidelity]
xxx. 15.[Christian Quietness]
xxx. 15, 16.[The Vanity of Earthly Help in Time of Trial, and theProfit of Patient Waiting]
xxx. 15–17.[Divine Salvation Rejected]
xxx. 18.[Waiting, Divine and Human]
[Waiting for the Lord]
xxx. 19.[God’s Readiness to Listen to the Needy]
xxx. 20, 21.[The Bread of Adversity]
xxx. 21.[The Guiding Voice]
xxx. 25, 26.[Rivers of Waters]
xxx. 26.[Growing Light]
xxx. 29–33.[The Earthly Song and the Heavenly Voice]
xxx. 33.[Tophet Ordained of Old]
xxxi. 1–3.[The Only Counsellor]
xxxi. 3.[The Spirituality of the Divine Nature]
xxxi. 6.[A Call to the Revolted]
xxxi. 9.[The Fiery Ordeal of the Church]
xxxii. 2.[The Preciousness of Christ]
[The Christian’s Refuge]
[Rivers of Water in a Dry Place]
[Comfort in Christ]
xxxii. 8.[Christian Liberality]
xxxii. 11.[A Call to the Careless]
xxxii. 13–15.[The Essential Condition of Missionary Success]
xxxii. 15.[The Moral Wilderness Transformed]
xxxii. 17.[Peace the Work of Righteousness]
xxxii. 18.[The Peaceful Habitation]
xxxii. 20.[Spiritual Husbandry]
[The Use of Opportunities]
xxxiii. 1.[Providence]
xxxiii. 2.[The Saint’s Attitude in the Time of Trouble]
xxxiii. 6.[The Importance of Religious Knowledge]
xxxiii. 7–12.[God Avenging His Own Elect]
xxxiii. 15–17.[A Blessed Life]
xxxiii. 15, 16.[Nobility and Security]
xxxiii. 16.[The Blessedness of the Servant of God]
xxxiii. 17.[The Prospect of the Godly]
[The Beauty of Christ’s Character]
xxxiii. 20.[Characteristics of the Church of Christ]
xxxiii. 21.[Enriching Rivers]
xxxiii. 22.[A Controlling Fact]
[The Atonement; or, Salvation Consistent with the Regal and Judicial Character of God]
xxxiii. 23.[The Disabled Ship]
xxxiii. 24.[No Sickness There]
[Recovery from Sickness]
xxxiv. 8.[The Controversy of Zion]
xxxiv. 16.[A Call to Study]
[The Book That Will Endure Testing]
xxxiv. 16, 17.[The Certainty of God’s Judgments]
xxxv. 1, 2, 7.[Transformation]
xxxv. 3, 4.[Encouragement for the Timid]
xxxv. 5, 6.[The Healer and Joy-Giver]
[The Curse Done Away]
xxxv. 7.[Beautiful Visions Exchanged for Realities]
xxxv. 8–10.[The Exiles’ Return]
[The Road to the City]
xxxv. 10.[The Happiness of Heaven]
[The Banishment of Sorrow]
xxxvi. 4.[Modern Rabshakehs, And Their Attempts to TerrifyGod’s People into a Humble Surrender]
xxxvi. 5.[In Whom Art Thou Trusting?]
xxxvi. 21.[Hezekiah’s Prudent Silence]
xxxvii. 1.[A Foolish King and a Wise One]
xxxvii. 14.[A King in Trouble]
[Spreading the Letter before the Lord]
xxxvii. 15–20.[A King’s Prayer]
xxxvii. 20.[A Christian Prayer]
xxxvii. 31.[The Christian Church a Continuation of the Jewish]
xxxviii. 1–19.[Hezekiah’s Prayer]
xxxviii. 1.[Preparation for Death]
[Duties of the Sick and Dying]
xxxviii. 2, 3.[Distress in Prospect of Death]
xxxviii. 10.[The Shortening of Human Life]
xxxviii. 14.[A Cry for Help]
[The Suretyship of Christ]
xxxviii. 15–20.[Hezekiah’s Resolution]
xxxviii. 15.[The Restoration of Belief]
xxxviii. 17.[A Great Deliverance]
[Forgiveness of Sin]
xxxviii. 18, 19.[The Song of Hezekiah]
xxxviii. 19.[Praise for Preservation]
xxxix. 1, 2.[Hezekiah’s Strength and Weakness]
xxxix. 4.[Home Life and Influence]
xxxix. 8.[Hezekiah Tried]
[Submission Under God’s Rebuke]

APPENDIX.

ISAIAH.

INTRODUCTION.

Of Isaiah, “the evangelical prophet,” nothing is known beyond what we are told of him in the Scriptures. Various traditions concerning him are current among the Jews, such as that his father Amoz was brother of King Amaziah, and that he himself died a martyr’s death, being sawn asunder by order of Manasseh; but all that is certain is, that he was the son of Amoz; that his prophetic ministry commenced in the reign of Uzziah, and closed in that of Hezekiah (ch. i. 1); that his wife was a prophetess (ch. viii. 3), and bare him two sons (ch. vi. 3; viii. 3); and that he was the author of a portion of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah (2 Chron. xxvi. 22).

His name signifies The Salvation of the Lord, and this—the salvation which God works for His people from their sins and consequent misery—is the great, though not the exclusive, theme of his prophecy.

The length of his ministry is variously estimated. The lowest estimate would make it comprise forty-nine years, from the last year of Uzziah to the seventeenth of Hezekiah (b.c. 759–710); the highest, sixty-four years, from the fourth year before Uzziah’s death to the last year of Hezekiah (b.c. 762–698).

In the following Commentary it is assumed that the whole of the sixty-six chapters of which the Book of Isaiah is composed, were written by one pen. For clear and conclusive refutations of the theory of a second Isaiah, see the introductions to the Commentaries of Alexander, Delitsch, and Kay, and the article Isaiah in Smith’s, Kitto’s, and Fairbairn’s Dictionaries of the Bible.

Appended are Ewald’s criticisms on Isaiah’s style,[1] and some admirable observations by Dr. Kay on the title of Isaiah’s prophecy, which readers of it will do to bear in mind throughout.[2]