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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
The Doom of Babylon. (b. c. 714.)
THE DOOM OF BABYLON. (B. C. 714.) We had one burden of Babylon before (Isaiah 13:1-22); here we have another prediction of its fall. God saw fit thus to possess his people with the belief of this event by line upon line…
The Watchman Interrogated. (b. c. 714.)
THE WATCHMAN INTERROGATED. (B. C. 714.) This prophecy concerning Dumah is very short, and withal dark and hard to be understood. Some think that Dumah is a part of Arabia, and that the inhabitants descended from Dumah t…
The Doom of Arabia. (b. c. 714.)
THE DOOM OF ARABIA. (B. C. 714.) Arabia was a large country, that lay eastward and southward of the land of Canaan. Much of it was possessed by the posterity of Abraham. The Dedanim, here mentioned (Isaiah 21:13), desce…
The Consternation of Jerusalem. (b. c. 718.)
THE CONSTERNATION OF JERUSALEM. (B. C. 718.) The title of this prophecy is very observable. It is the burden of the valley of vision, of Judah and Jerusalem; so all agree. Fitly enough is Jerusalem called a valley, for…
Contempt of Divine Goodness; Contempt of Divine Judgments. (b. c. 718.)
CONTEMPT OF DIVINE GOODNESS; CONTEMPT OF DIVINE JUDGMENTS. (B. C. 718.) What is meant by the covering of Judah, which in the beginning of this paragraph is said to be discovered, is not agreed. The fenced cities of Juda…
The Downfall of Shebna; The Advancement of Eliakim. (b. c. 714.)
THE DOWNFALL OF SHEBNA; THE ADVANCEMENT OF ELIAKIM. (B. C. 714.) We have here a prophecy concerning the displacing of Shebna, a great officer at court, and the preferring of Eliakim to the post of honour and trust that…
The Doom of Tyre. (b. c. 718.)
THE DOOM OF TYRE. (B. C. 718.) Tyre being a sea-port town, this prophecy of its overthrow fitly begins and ends with, Howl, you ships of Tarshish; for all its business, wealth, and honour, depended upon its shipping; if…
The Restoration of Tyre. (b. c. 718.)
THE RESTORATION OF TYRE. (B. C. 718.) Here is, I. The time fixed for the continuance of the desolations of Tyre, which were not to be perpetual desolations: Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, Isaiah 23:15. So long i…
General Desolation Announced. (b. c. 718.)
GENERAL DESOLATION ANNOUNCED. (B. C. 718.) It is a very dark and melancholy scene that this prophecy presents to our view; turn our eyes which way we will, every thing looks dismal. The threatened desolations are here d…
Hope in the End. (b. c. 718.)
HOPE IN THE END. (B. C. 718.) Here is mercy remembered in the midst of wrath. In Judah and Jerusalem, and the neighbouring countries, when they are overrun by the enemy, Sennacherib or Nebuchadnezzar, there shall be a r…
Encouraging Prospects; Degeneracy Predicted. (b. c. 718.)
ENCOURAGING PROSPECTS; DEGENERACY PREDICTED. (B. C. 718.) These verses, as those before, plainly speak, I. Comfort to saints. They may be driven, by the common calamities of the places where they live, into the uttermos…
A Song of Praise. (b. c. 718.)
A SONG OF PRAISE. (B. C. 718.) It is said in the close of the foregoing chapter that the Lord of hosts shall reign gloriously; now, in compliance with this, the prophet here speaks of the glorious majesty of his kingdom…
The Blessings of the Gospel. (b. c. 718.)
THE BLESSINGS OF THE GOSPEL. (B. C. 718.) If we suppose (as many do) that this refers to the great joy which there should be in Zion and Jerusalem when the army of the Assyrians was routed by an angel, or when the Jews…
The Blessings of the Gospel. (b. c. 718.)
THE BLESSINGS OF THE GOSPEL. (B. C. 718.) Here is, I. The welcome which the church shall give to these blessings promised in the foregoing verses (Isaiah 25:9): It shall be said in that day, with a humble holy triumph a…
The Blessings of the Gospel. (b. c. 718.)
THE BLESSINGS OF THE GOSPEL. (B. C. 718.) To the prophecies of gospel grace very fitly is a song annexed, in which we may give God the glory and take to ourselves the comfort of that grace: In that day, the gospel day,…
The Goodness and Justice of God. (b. c. 718.)
THE GOODNESS AND JUSTICE OF GOD. (B. C. 718.) Here the prophet further encourages us to trust in the Lord for ever, and to continue waiting on him; for, I. He will make humble souls that trust in him to triumph over the…
Goodness of God to Israel; Israel Corrected for Sin; Prospects of the Church. (b. c. 718.)
GOODNESS OF GOD TO ISRAEL; ISRAEL CORRECTED FOR SIN; PROSPECTS OF THE CHURCH. (B. C. 718.) The prophet in these verses looks back upon what God had done with them, both in mercy and judgment, and sings unto God of both,…
The Sure Refuge. (b. c. 718.)
THE SURE REFUGE. (B. C. 718.) These two verses are supposed not to belong to the song which takes up the rest of the chapter, but to begin a new matter, and to be rather an introduction to the following chapter than the…
The Doom of Persecutors; The Privilege of Saints. (b. c. 718.)
THE DOOM OF PERSECUTORS; THE PRIVILEGE OF SAINTS. (B. C. 718.) The prophet is here singing of judgment and mercy, I. Of judgment upon the enemies of God's church (Isaiah 27:1), tribulation to those that trouble it, 2 Th…
Correction and Compassion. (b. c. 718.)
CORRECTION AND COMPASSION. (B. C. 718.) Here is the prophet again singing of mercy and judgment, not, as before, judgment to the enemies and mercy to the church, but judgment to the church and mercy mixed with that judg…
Ephraim Reproved and Threatened; The Punishment of Ephraim; (b. c. 725.)
EPHRAIM REPROVED AND THREATENED; THE PUNISHMENT OF EPHRAIM; (B. C. 725.) Here, I. The prophet warns the kingdom of the ten tribes of the judgments that were coming upon them for their sins, which were soon after execute…
The Degeneracy of Judah. (b. c. 725.)
THE DEGENERACY OF JUDAH. (B. C. 725.) The prophet here complains of the wretched stupidity of this people, that they were unteachable and made no improvement of the means of grace which they possessed; they still contin…
Judgments Announced; The Corner-stone in Zion. (b. c. 725.)
JUDGMENTS ANNOUNCED; THE CORNER-STONE IN ZION. (B. C. 725.) The prophet, having reproved those that made a jest of the word of God, here goes on to reprove those that made a jest of the judgments of God, and set them at…
Husbandry a Divine Art. (b. c. 725.)
HUSBANDRY A DIVINE ART. (B. C. 725.) This parable, which (like many of our Saviour's parables) is borrowed from the husbandman's calling, is ushered in with a solemn preface demanding attention, He that has ears to hear…