“The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.”
Amos. His name is written in a different manner, in Hebrew, from that of the third among the minor prophets, (Worthington) though St. Augustine has confounded them. — Ezechias. He wrote this title towards the end of his life, or it was added by Esdras, &c.
“Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.”
Earth. He apostrophises these insensible things, (Calmet) because they contain all others, and are the most durable. (Theodoret) (Deuteronomy xxxi. 1.)
“Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. revolt: Heb. increase revolt”
Sad. This was spoken after Ozias had given way to pride, when the Ammonites, &c., began to disturb Juda, (4 Kings xv. 37., and 2 Paralipomenon xxvii. 7.) under Joathan, who was a good prince, but young. (Calmet) — Enemies. At the last siege, (St. Jerome) or rather when Jerusalem was taken by the Chaldeans. (Calmet) — Many, from the highest to the lowest, had prevaricated: but God always preserved his Church. (Worthington)
“And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.”
Cucumbers. Or melons, which grew in the fields, and huts were erected for guards, till they were gathered.
“Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.”
Sodom. Juda is so styled reproachfully, (Calmet) because the princes imitated the crimes of that devoted city, Ezechiel xvi. 49., and infra[Isaias] chap. ii. 6., and iii. 9. (Menochius)
“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. he goats: Heb. great he goats”
Victims. Without piety, they are useless. God tolerated bloody victims to withdraw the people from idolatry, but he often shewed that they were not of much importance, in order that they might be brought to offer the sacrifice of the new law, which eminently includes all the rest. (St. Jerome) (Psalm xlix. 9., Amos v. 21., and Jeremias vi. 20.) (Theodoret)
“Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.”
Bearing. Hebrew, &c., “pardoning,” (Calmet) or “bearing.” Septuagint, “I will no longer pardon your sins.” (Haydock)
“Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;”
Wash. Interiorly. (Calmet) — He seems to allude to baptism. (Eusebius) (Theodoret)
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
Accuse me. If I punish you without cause.
“Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water:”
Water. There is no sincerity in commerce. (Calmet) — Teachers give false interpretations of the law. (St. Jerome) — Iniquity abounded before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans and Romans. (Worthington)
“Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:”
Ah! God punishes with regret. (Menochius) — Comfort. I will take complete vengeance under Joathan, (4 Kings xv. 37.) Achaz, &c.
“And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: purely: Heb. according to pureness”
Tin. I will reform abuses in the reign of Ezechias, but much more by establishing the Church of Christ, which shall be the faithful city. (Calmet)
“And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.”
Judges. The Jews explain this of the judges, and priests, who governed after the captivity; though it refer rather to the apostles, &c. (St. Jerome) (Worthington)
“For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.”
Idols. Protestants, “oaks, which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens,” &c. (Haydock) — The groves were sacred to Venus, and the gardens to Adonis, and were scenes of the greatest immorality and profanation, chap. lxv. 3.
“And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them. maker: or, and his work”
It. The efforts of Achan and Ezechias against the enemy proved in vain. (Calmet)