Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 48:2
For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts [is] his name.
2. of (or by) the holy city ] The phrase is here applied to Jerusalem for the first time in the O.T. It occurs again in ch. Isa 52:1, elsewhere only in the books of Nehemiah and Daniel (comp. Mat 4:5).
3 6 a inculcate the lesson of the “former things,” i.e. the events that have now taken place, especially the appearance of Cyrus. These were predicted in advance, that Israel might not be able to say they were done by the false gods ( Isa 48:5).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For they call themselves of the holy city – Of Jerusalem (see Isa 52:1; Neh 11:1; Mat 4:5; Mat 27:53; Rev. 21:2-27). The word rendered for here, ( ky) means, as it often does, although; and the sense is, although they call themselves of the holy city, they do not worship God in sincerity and truth. Jerusalem was called the holy city, because the temple, the ark, and the symbol of the divine presence were there, and it was the place where God was worshipped. It was deemed sacred by the Jews, and they regarded it as sufficient proof of goodness, it would seem, that they had dwelt there. Even in Babylon they would pride themselves on this, and suppose, perhaps, that it entitled them to divine protection and favor.
And stay themselves upon the God of Israel – In time of danger and trial they profess to seek him, and to commit their cause to him.
The Lord of hosts is his name – (See the notes at Isa 1:9). The object of the prophet in here mentioning his holy name is, probably, to show them the guilt of their conduct. He was Yahweh, the source of all existence. He was the God of all the hosts of heaven, and all the armies on earth. How wicked, therefore, it was to come before him in a false and hypocritical manner, and while they were professedly worshipping him, to be really offering their hearts to idols, and to be characteristically inclined to relapse into idolatry!
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
For; or, as others render it, and this particle frequently signifies, Though. And so this is added as a great aggravation of their want and neglect of truth and righteousness.
They shall call themselves of the holy city: they glory in this, that they are citizens of Jerusalem, a city sanctified by God himself to be the only place of his true worship and gracious presence; which as it is a great privilege, so it laid a great obligation upon them to walk more holily than they did.
Stay themselves; not by a true and well-grounded faith, but by a vain and presumptive confidence, flattering themselves, as that people commonly did, that they should enjoy peace and safety, notwithstanding all their wickedness, because they were the Lords people, and had his temple and ordinances among them; which disposition the prophets frequently observe and sharply censure in them.
The Lord of hosts is his name; or, whose name is the Lord of hosts.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. ForYe deserve thesereproofs; “for” ye call yourselves citizens of “theholy city” (Isa 52:1), butnot in truth (Isa 48:1; Neh 11:1;Dan 9:24); so the inscription ontheir coins of the time of the Maccabees. “Jerusalem the Holy.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For they call themselves of the holy city,…. The city Jerusalem, so called because the temple, the place of divine worship, was in it, the residence of the Holy One of Israel: they valued themselves, not only upon their being of the family of Jacob, and of the tribe of Judah, but that they were inhabitants of Jerusalem, the holy city; as many now call themselves fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, when they are strangers both to God and his people in the experimental knowledge of things:
and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; professed to trust in the Lord, and lean upon him, and rely upon his power and providence, his mercy and goodness, and expect all needful things from him, renouncing all confidence in the creature; and yet at the same time acted an hypocritical part, their faith was feigned: see Mic 3:11.
The Lord of hosts is his name; whom they professed to be their God and Father, their Lord and Husband, their Saviour and Redeemer; who has all power in heaven and in earth, and does according to his will in both worlds, having the hosts of angels and armies of men at his command, and therefore so called.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
2. For from the holy city they are called. He continues the same subject, and by different words exposes their false boasting; for they falsely boasted that they were the citizens of “the holy city,” which they defiled by their vices and crimes. Jerusalem ought to have been “holy,” for God had consecrated her to himself; but she had prostrated herself to iniquities, so great and so numerous, that she scarcely retained any holiness. We see in Psa 15:2, what the true citizens of Jerusalem ought to be; but because the Jews were not ashamed of mocking God, they reckoned it enough to be protected by the shadow of the Temple.
And rely on the God of Israel. When he says that they “rely on Jehovah,” he does not speak of sincere belief, but of empty confidence; for, as good men rely on God, and trust him with their whole heart, so hypocrites falsely make pretensions to his name, and are intoxicated by unfounded belief, and fearlessly despise everything, and even boast confidently of these words, “God will assist us, he will not cast off his people;” as if God wished to encourage their wickedness. In a word, by trampling him under their feet, they loudly declare that they rely on themselves for safety; but, lest they should think that they will not be punished for this mockery, the Prophet assures them that God loses nothing of his authority, when he is thus misrepresented by hypocrites; for, when he calls him Jehovah of hosts, he adds this by way of threatening, that they might know that God, under whose name they falsely sheltered themselves, was strong enough to punish them, and at length would not permit them to make him the subject of mockery.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) They call themselves of the holy city . . .The words of praise are spoken, as the preceding words show, with a touch of irony. Those who so boasted were not true citizens of Zion (Psa. 15:1; Mat. 3:9). They did not enter into all that was implied in their confession of Jehovah Sabaoth.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 48:2 For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts [is] his name.
Ver. 2. For they call themselves of the holy city. ] Inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah; yea, they swore by their city and temple, as appeareth in the gospel, and cried out, ad ravim usque, “The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord,” Jer 7:4 like as the Romists now do, The Church, the Church, glorying in the false and empty title of Roman Catholics. Sed grande est Christianum esse, non dici, saith Jerome; and it is a great vanity, saith the poet,
“ Respicere ad fumos et nomina vana Catonum. ”
And stay themselves.
The Lord of hosts is his name.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
they call: Isa 52:1, Isa 64:10, Isa 64:11, Neh 11:1, Neh 11:18, Psa 48:1, Psa 87:3, Dan 9:24, Mat 4:5, Mat 27:53, Rev 11:2, Rev 21:2, Rev 22:19
and stay: Isa 10:20, Jdg 17:13, 1Sa 4:3-5, Jer 7:4-11, Jer 21:2, Mic 3:11, Joh 8:40, Joh 8:41, Rom 2:17
The Lord: Isa 47:4, Isa 51:13, Jer 10:16
Reciprocal: 1Sa 14:36 – Then said the priest Psa 50:16 – What Isa 1:21 – the faithful Isa 26:3 – stayed Isa 29:13 – Forasmuch Isa 51:15 – The Lord Isa 54:5 – the Lord Isa 58:2 – they seek Jer 4:2 – shalt swear Jer 7:10 – come Jer 31:35 – The Lord Jer 44:26 – The Lord God Jer 46:18 – saith Eze 40:2 – on the south Hos 8:2 – General Amo 4:13 – The Lord Amo 5:14 – as Mic 2:7 – named Zep 3:11 – that rejoice Mat 7:21 – shall Mat 25:3 – foolish Luk 3:8 – We Joh 4:23 – true Joh 8:54 – ye say Rom 2:28 – For he 2Ti 3:5 – a form
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
48:2 For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves {c} upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts [is] his name.
(c) They make a show, as though they would have no other God.