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Text -- Isaiah 29:21 (NET)

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Context
29:21 those who bear false testimony against a person, who entrap the one who arbitrates at the city gate and deprive the innocent of justice by making false charges.
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: Uncharitableness | Sennacherib | Rulers | Persecution | OFFENCE; OFFEND | Malice | Israel | Isaiah | ISAIAH, 1-7 | GATE | Church | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Wesley , JFB , Clarke , Calvin , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Keil-Delitzsch , Constable , Guzik

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: Isa 29:21 - -- That condemn a man, as if he was a great criminal.

That condemn a man, as if he was a great criminal.

Wesley: Isa 29:21 - -- For God's faithful prophets and ministers.

For God's faithful prophets and ministers.

Wesley: Isa 29:21 - -- There the people used to assemble, both upon civil and sacred accounts, and there prophets used to deliver their prophecies.

There the people used to assemble, both upon civil and sacred accounts, and there prophets used to deliver their prophecies.

Wesley: Isa 29:21 - -- From his right.

From his right.

Wesley: Isa 29:21 - -- The faithful ministers of God.

The faithful ministers of God.

Wesley: Isa 29:21 - -- Not for any great advantage, but for a trifle.

Not for any great advantage, but for a trifle.

JFB: Isa 29:21 - -- Rather, "Who make a man guilty in his cause" [GESENIUS], that is, unjustly condemn him. "A man" is in the Hebrew a poor man, upon whom such unjust con...

Rather, "Who make a man guilty in his cause" [GESENIUS], that is, unjustly condemn him. "A man" is in the Hebrew a poor man, upon whom such unjust condemnations might be practiced with more impunity than on the rich; compare Isa 29:19, "the meek . . . the poor."

JFB: Isa 29:21 - -- Rather, "pleadeth"; one who has a suit at issue.

Rather, "pleadeth"; one who has a suit at issue.

JFB: Isa 29:21 - -- The place of concourse in a city, where courts of justice were held (Rth 4:11; Pro 31:23; Amo 5:10, Amo 5:12).

The place of concourse in a city, where courts of justice were held (Rth 4:11; Pro 31:23; Amo 5:10, Amo 5:12).

JFB: Isa 29:21 - -- One who has a just cause; or, Jesus Christ, "the Just One" [HORSLEY].

One who has a just cause; or, Jesus Christ, "the Just One" [HORSLEY].

JFB: Isa 29:21 - -- Rather, "through falsehood," "by a decision that is null in justice" [BARNES]. Compare as to Christ, Pro 28:21; Mat 26:15; Act 3:13-14; Act 8:33.

Rather, "through falsehood," "by a decision that is null in justice" [BARNES]. Compare as to Christ, Pro 28:21; Mat 26:15; Act 3:13-14; Act 8:33.

Clarke: Isa 29:21 - -- Him that reproveth in the gate "Him that pleaded in the gate" - "They are heard by the treasurer, master of the horse, and other principal officers ...

Him that reproveth in the gate "Him that pleaded in the gate" - "They are heard by the treasurer, master of the horse, and other principal officers of the regency of Algiers, who sit constantly in the gate of the palace for that purpose:"that is, the distribution of justice. - Shaw’ s Travels, p. 315, fol. He adds in the note, "That we read of the elders in the gate. Deu 21:15; Deu 25:7; and, Isa 29:21; Amo 5:10, of him that reproveth and rebuketh in the gate. The Ottoman court likewise seems to have been called the Porte, from the distribution of justice and the dispatch of public business that is carried on in the gates of it."

Calvin: Isa 29:21 - -- 21.That make a man an offender for a word We have formerly stated who were the persons with whom the Prophet had to do, namely, with hypocrites and p...

21.That make a man an offender for a word We have formerly stated who were the persons with whom the Prophet had to do, namely, with hypocrites and profane scorners, who set at nought all the reproofs and threatenings of the Prophets, and who wished to frame a God according to their own fancy. Such persons, desiring to have unbounded license, that they might indulge freely in their pleasures and their crimes, bore very impatiently the keen reproofs of the prophets, and did not calmly submit to be restrained. On this account they carefully observed and watched for their words, that they might take them by surprise, or give a false construction. I have no doubt that he reproves wicked men, who complained of the liberty used by the prophets, and of the keenness of their reproofs, as if they had intended to attack the people, and the nobles, and the priests; for hence arise the calumnies and false accusations which are brought even against the faithful servants of God. Hence arise those doubtful and ensnaring questions which are spread out as snares and nets, that they may either bring a righteous man into danger of his life, or may practice some kind of deceit upon him. We see that the Pharisees and Sadducees did so to Christ himself. (Mat 21:23; Joh 8:6.)

Who have laid a snare for him that reproveth in the gate This latter clause, which is added for the sake of exposition, does not allow us to interpret the verse as referring generally to calumnies, and other arts by which cunning men entrap the unwary; for now the Prophet condemns more openly those wicked contrivances by which ungodly men endeavor to escape all censure and reproof. As it was “in the gates” that public assemblies and courts of justice were held, and great crowds assembled there, the prophets publicly reproved all, and did not spare even the judges; for at that time the government was in the hands of men whom it was necessary to admonish and reprove sharply. Instead of repenting, as they ought to have done when they were warned, they became worse, and were enraged against the prophets, and laid snares for them; for “they hated,” as Amos says, “him that reproveth in the gate, and abhorred him that speaketh uprightly.” (Amo 5:10.) This relates to all, but principally to judges, and those who hold the reins of government, who take it worse, and are more highly displeased that they should receive such reproofs; for they wish to be distinguished from the rank of other men, and to be reckoned the most excellent of all, even though they be the most wicked.

Who have laid snares Commentators differ as to the meaning of the word! יקשון , ( yĕkōshūn;) for some render it “have reproved,” and others “have reproached,” as if the Prophet censured the obstinacy of those who resort to slanders, in order to drive reprovers far away from them. But I trust that my readers will approve of the meaning which I have followed.

And have turned aside the righteous man for nothing, that is, when there is no cause. 281 By wicked and deceitful contrivances, they endeavor to cause the righteous to be hated and abhorred by all men, and to be reckoned the most wicked of all; but, after having thus sported with the world, they will at length perish. Such is the consolation which the Lord gives, that he will not suffer the wickedness of the ungodly to pass unpunished, though they give way to mirth and wantonness for a time, but will at length restrain them. Yet “we have need of patience, that we may wait for the fulfillment of these promises.” (Heb 10:36.)

TSK: Isa 29:21 - -- make : Jdg 12:6; Mat 22:15; Luk 11:53, Luk 11:54 and lay : Jer 18:18, Jer 20:7-10, Jer 26:2-8; Amo 5:10-12, Amo 7:10-17; Mic 2:6, Mic 2:7 and turn : P...

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Isa 29:21 - -- That make a man an offender - literally, ‘ who cause a man to sin’ ( מחטיאי machăṭı̂y'ēy ); that is, who hold a m...

That make a man an offender - literally, ‘ who cause a man to sin’ ( מחטיאי machăṭı̂y'ēy ); that is, who hold a man to be guilty, or a criminal. Lowth renders this singularly enough:

‘ Who bewildered the poor man in speaking.’

Grotius supposes it means, ‘ Who on account of the word of God, that is, the true prophecy, treat men as guilty of crime.’ Calvin supposes it means, ‘ Who bear with impatience the reproofs and denunciation of the prophets, and who endeavor to pervert and distort their meaning.’ Hence, he supposes, they proposed artful and captious questions by which they might ensnare them. Others suppose that it refers to the fact that they led people into sin by their new doctrines and false views. The connection, however, seems to require that it should be understood of judicial proceedings, and the sense is probably correctly expressed by Noyes:

‘ Who condemned the poor man in his cause.’

This interpretation is also that which is proposed by Rosenmuller and Gesenius. According to the interpretation above suggested, the word rendered ‘ who make an offender,’ means the same as who holds one guilty, that is, condemns.

A man - ( אדם 'âdâm ). It is well known that this word stands in contradistinction to אישׁ 'ı̂ysh , and denotes usually a poor man, a man in humble life, in opposition to one who is rich or of more elevated rank. This is probably the sense here, and the meaning is, that they condemned the poor man; that is, that they were partial in their judgments.

For a word - ( בדבר be dâbâr ). "In"a word; denoting the same as "a cause"that is tried before a court of justice. So Exo 18:16 : ‘ When they have "a matter"( דבר dâbâr "a word"), they come unto me.’ So Exo 18:22 : ‘ And it shoji be that every great "matter"(Hebrew every great "word") that they shall bring unto me.’ So Exo 22:8 (in the English version 9): ‘ For all manner of trespass,’ Hebrew for every word of trespass; that is, for every suit concerning a breach of trust. So also Exo 24:14 : ‘ If any man have "any matters"to do,’ (Hebrew, ‘ any "words, ‘ ") that is, if anyone has a law suit.

And lay a snare - To lay a snare is to devise a plan to deceive, or get into their possession; as birds are caught in snares that are concealed from their view.

That reproveth - Or rather, that "contended"or "pleaded;"that is, that had a cause. The word יכח yâkach means often to contend with any one; to strive; to seek to confute; to attempt to defend or justify, as in a court of law Job 13:15; Job 19:5; Job 16:21; Job 22:4. It is also applied to deciding a case in law, or pronouncing a decision Isa 11:3-4; Gen 31:37; Job 9:33. Here it means one who has brought a suit, or who is engaged in a legal cause.

In the gate - Gates of cities being places of concourse, were usually resorted to for transacting business, and courts were usually held in them Gen 23:10, Gen 23:18; Deu 17:5, Deu 17:8; Deu 21:19; Deu 22:15; Deu 25:6-7; Rth 4:1. The sense is, they endeavored to pervert justice, and to bring the man who had a cause before them, completely within their power, so that they might use him for their own purposes, at the same time that they seemed to be deciding the cause justly.

And turn aside the just - The man who has a just or righteous cause.

For a thing of nought - Or a decision which is empty, vain ( בתהו batôhû ), and which should be regarded as null and void,

Poole: Isa 29:21 - -- That make a man an offender; that condemn and punish a man as if he were a great criminal. For a word for a verbal reproof, as appears from the ne...

That make a man an offender; that condemn and punish a man as if he were a great criminal.

For a word for a verbal reproof, as appears from the next clause.

For him that reproveth for God’ s faithful prophets and ministers, whose office it is to reprove ungodly men, such as these were.

In the gate publicly; which they took for a great affront and disgrace; although the reproof ought to be public, where the sin is public and scandalous. He mentions the gate , because there the people used to assemble, both upon civil and sacred accounts, and there prophets used to deliver their prophecies; of which see Jer 7:2 17:19 .

Turn aside to wit, from judgment , as this phrase is more fully delivered, Isa 10:2 , or from his right; which is elsewhere called the perverting , or overturning, or overthrowing of a man’ s right or judgment, as Deu 27:19 Pro 17:23 Lam 3:35 .

The just the faithful prophets and ministers of God, and among others Christ, who is oft called the just or righteous one, both in the Old and New Testament.

For a thing of nought not for any great advantage, but for a trifle, which is a great aggravation of their injustice. Or, with vanity , i.e. with vain and frivolous pretences, or without any colour of reason or justice.

Haydock: Isa 29:21 - -- Gate. False prophets rose up against those who spoke the truth, and condemned them unjustly. (Calmet) --- The just, Christ. (Menochius)

Gate. False prophets rose up against those who spoke the truth, and condemned them unjustly. (Calmet) ---

The just, Christ. (Menochius)

Gill: Isa 29:21 - -- That make a man an offender for a word,.... Inadvertently spoken, unwarily dropped, without any bad design or ill meaning; or for a word misplaced or ...

That make a man an offender for a word,.... Inadvertently spoken, unwarily dropped, without any bad design or ill meaning; or for a word misplaced or misconstrued; or for preaching and professing the word of God, the Gospel of salvation, and adhering to it; which is the true character of the persecutors of good men in all ages: some render the words, "who make a man sin by a word" e; by their words and doctrines; and so apply it to the false prophets, as Jarchi does; and very well agrees with the Pharisees in Christ's time, who made men to sin, to transgress the word of God, by their traditions. The Targum is,

"who condemn the sons of men by their words;''

or for them; particularly for their words of reproof, for which they make them offenders, or pronounce them guilty, as follows:

and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate; either for just judges, who sat in the gate of the city, and faithfully reproved and punished men for their sins; or for such that had boldness and courage enough to reprove wicked men openly, and before all, for their wickedness, the gate being a public place, where people pass and repass; and such that sin openly should be reproved openly; and particularly the true prophets of the Lord may be referred to, who sometimes were sent to publish their messages, which were frequently reproofs of the people, in the gates of the city; but, above all, Christ seems to be respected, who in the most public manner inveighed against the Scribes and Pharisees for their wickedness, on account of which they sought to entangle him in his talk, and to lay snares for his life; see Mat 22:15,

and turn aside the just for a thing of nought; the Targum is,

"that falsely pervert the judgment of the innocent;''

that turn away their judgment, decline doing them justice, but condemn them on frivolous pretences, for just nothing at all, what is mere emptiness and vanity: Christ is eminently the "just" One, righteous in himself, and the author of righteousness to others; yet, on account of things for which there were no foundation, and contrary to all justice, he was proceeded against as a criminal.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Isa 29:21 Heb “and deprive by emptiness the innocent.”

Geneva Bible: Isa 29:21 That make a man an offender for a ( q ) word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nothing. ( q...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Isa 29:1-24 - --1 God's heavy judgment upon Jerusalem.7 The unsatiableness of her enemies.9 The senselessness,13 and deep hypocrisy of the Jews.17 A promise of sancti...

MHCC: Isa 29:17-24 - --The wonderful change here foretold, may refer to the affairs of Judah, though it looks further. When a great harvest of souls was gathered to Christ f...

Matthew Henry: Isa 29:17-24 - -- Those that thought to hide their counsels from the Lord were said to turn things upside down (Isa 29:16), and they intended to do it unknown to God;...

Keil-Delitzsch: Isa 29:17-21 - -- But the prophet's God, whose omniscience, creative glory, and perfect wisdom they so basely mistook and ignored, would very shortly turn the present...

Constable: Isa 7:1--39:8 - --III. Israel's crisis of faith chs. 7--39 This long section of the book deals with Israel's major decision in Isa...

Constable: Isa 13:1--35:10 - --B. God's sovereignty over the nations chs. 13-35 This major section of the book emphasizes the folly of ...

Constable: Isa 28:1--33:24 - --3. The folly of trusting the nations chs. 28-33 Chapters 28-35 are somewhat similar to chapters ...

Constable: Isa 29:1-24 - --Two woes against Jerusalem ch. 29 There are two more "woes" that deal with Jerusalem in this chapter (vv. 1-14, 15-24) in addition to the one in chapt...

Guzik: Isa 29:1-24 - --Isaiah 29 - The Cause and Cure of Spiritual Blindness A. The coming distress upon Jerusalem. 1. (1-4) The LORD humbles a proud Jerusalem. "Wo...

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Introduction / Outline

JFB: Isaiah (Book Introduction) ISAIAH, son of Amoz (not Amos); contemporary of Jonah, Amos, Hosea, in Israel, but younger than they; and of Micah, in Judah. His call to a higher deg...

JFB: Isaiah (Outline) PARABLE OF JEHOVAH'S VINEYARD. (Isa. 5:1-30) SIX DISTINCT WOES AGAINST CRIMES. (Isa. 5:8-23) (Lev 25:13; Mic 2:2). The jubilee restoration of posses...

TSK: Isaiah (Book Introduction) Isaiah has, with singular propriety, been denominated the Evangelical Prophet, on account of the number and variety of his prophecies concerning the a...

TSK: Isaiah 29 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Isa 29:1, God’s heavy judgment upon Jerusalem; Isa 29:7, The unsatiableness of her enemies; Isa 29:9, The senselessness, Isa 29:13. and...

Poole: Isaiah (Book Introduction) THE ARGUMENT THE teachers of the ancient church were of two sorts: 1. Ordinary, the priests and Levites. 2. Extraordinary, the prophets. These we...

Poole: Isaiah 29 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 29 . The temple and city of Jerusalem destroyed, Isa 29:1-6 . Her enemies unsatiable, Isa 29:7,8 ; their senselessness, Isa 29:9-12 , and de...

MHCC: Isaiah (Book Introduction) Isaiah prophesied in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. He has been well called the evangelical prophet, on account of his numerous and...

MHCC: Isaiah 29 (Chapter Introduction) (Isa 29:1-8) Judgements on Jerusalem and on its enemies. (Isa 29:9-16) The senselessness and hypocrisy of the Jews. (Isa 29:17-24) The conversion of...

Matthew Henry: Isaiah (Book Introduction) An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of The Book of the Prophet Isaiah Prophet is a title that sounds very great to those that understand it, t...

Matthew Henry: Isaiah 29 (Chapter Introduction) This woe to Ariel, which we have in this chapter, is the same with the " burden of the valley of vision" (Isa 22:1), and (it is very probable) poi...

Constable: Isaiah (Book Introduction) Introduction Title and writer The title of this book of the Bible, as is true of the o...

Constable: Isaiah (Outline) Outline I. Introduction chs. 1-5 A. Israel's condition and God's solution ch. 1 ...

Constable: Isaiah Isaiah Bibliography Alexander, Joseph Addison. Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah. 1846, 1847. Revised ed. ...

Haydock: Isaiah (Book Introduction) THE PROPHECY OF ISAIAS. INTRODUCTION. This inspired writer is called by the Holy Ghost, (Ecclesiasticus xlviii. 25.) the great prophet; from t...

Gill: Isaiah (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH This book is called, in the New Testament, sometimes "the Book of the Words of the Prophet Esaias", Luk 3:4 sometimes only t...

Gill: Isaiah 29 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 29 This chapter contains a prophecy concerning the destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem by the Romans; the charac...

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