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Selected Verse: Isaiah 57:17 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Isa 57:17	Strong Concordance	For the iniquity [05771] of his covetousness [01215] was I wroth [07107], and smote [05221] him: I hid [05641] me, and was wroth [07107], and he went on [03212] frowardly [07726] in the way [01870] of his heart [03820].
	King James	For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
covetousness--akin to idolatry; and, like it, having drawn off Israel's heart from God (Isa 2:7; Isa 56:11; Isa 58:3; Jer 6:13; Col 3:5). hid me-- (Isa 8:17; Isa 45:15). went on frowardly--the result of God's hiding His face (Psa 81:12; Rom 1:24, Rom 1:26).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

covetousness--akin to idolatry; and, like it, having drawn off Israel's heart from God (Isa 2:7; Isa 56:11; Isa 58:3; Jer 6:13; Col 3:5).

hid me-- (Isa 8:17; Isa 45:15).

went on frowardly--the result of God's hiding His face (Psa 81:12; Rom 1:24, Rom 1:26).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
For the iniquity of his covetousness - The guilt of his avarice; that is, of the Jewish people. The word rendered here 'covetousness' (בצע betsa‛) means "plunder, rapine, prey"; then unjust gains, or lucre from bribes Sa1 7:3; Isa 33:15; or by any other means. Here the sense is, that one of the prevailing sins of the Jewish people which drew upon them the divine vengeance, was avarice, or the love of gain. Probably this was especially manifest in the readiness with which those who dispensed justice received bribes (compare Isa 2:7). See also Jer 6:13 : 'For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness.' And smote him - That is, I brought heavy judgments on the Jewish people. I hid me - I withdrew the evidences of my presence and the tokens of my favor, and left them to themselves. And he went on frowardly - Margin, 'Turning away.' That is, abandoned by me, the Jewish people declined from my service and sunk deeper into sin. The idea here is, that if God withdraws from his people, such is their tendency to depravity, that they will wander away from him, and sink deeper in guilt a truth which is manifest in the experience of individuals, as well as of communities and churches.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
This general law of His action is most especially the law of His conduct towards Israel, in which such grievous effects of its well-deserved punishment are apparent, and effects so different from those intended, that the compassion of God feels impelled to put an end to the punishment for the good of all that are susceptible of salvation. "And because of the iniquity of its selfishness, I was wroth, and smote it; hiding myself, and being angry: then it went on, turning away in the way of its own heart. I have seen its ways, and will heal it; and will lead it, and afford consolations to it, and to its mourning ones." The fundamental and chief sin of Israel is here called בּצע, lit., a cut of slice (= gain, Isa 56:11); then, like πλεονεξία, which is "idolatry" according to Col 3:5, or like φιλαργυρία, which is "the root of all evil" according to Ti1 6:10, greedy desire for worldly possession, self-seeking, or worldliness generally. The future ואכּהוּ, standing as it does by the side of the perfect here, indicates that which is also past; and ואקצף stands in the place of a second gerund: abscondendo (viz., pânai, my face, Isa 54:8) et stomachando. When Jehovah had thus wrathfully hidden His gracious countenance from Israel, and withdrawn His gracious presence out of the midst of Israel (Hos 5:6, מהם חל), it went away from Him (שׁובב with שׁובב, like עולל with עולל), going its own ways like the world of nations that had been left to themselves. But Jehovah had not seen these wanderings without pity. The futures which follow are promising, not by virtue of any syntactic necessity, but by virtue of an inward necessity. He will heal His wounded (Isa 1:4-6) and languishing people, and lead in the right way those that are going astray, and afford them consolation as a recompense for their long sufferings (נחוּמים is derived from the piel נחם, and not, as in Hos 11:8, from the hiphal hinnâchēm, in the sense of "feelings of sympathy"), especially (Vav epexeget.; Ges. 155, 1) its mourning ones (Isa 61:2-3; Isa 66:10), i.e., those who punishment has brought to repentance, and rendered desirous of salvation.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

This general law of His action is most especially the law of His conduct towards Israel, in which such grievous effects of its well-deserved punishment are apparent, and effects so different from those intended, that the compassion of God feels impelled to put an end to the punishment for the good of all that are susceptible of salvation. "And because of the iniquity of its selfishness, I was wroth, and smote it; hiding myself, and being angry: then it went on, turning away in the way of its own heart. I have seen its ways, and will heal it; and will lead it, and afford consolations to it, and to its mourning ones." The fundamental and chief sin of Israel is here called בּצע, lit., a cut of slice (= gain, Isa 56:11); then, like πλεονεξία, which is "idolatry" according to Col 3:5, or like φιλαργυρία, which is "the root of all evil" according to Ti1 6:10, greedy desire for worldly possession, self-seeking, or worldliness generally. The future ואכּהוּ, standing as it does by the side of the perfect here, indicates that which is also past; and ואקצף stands in the place of a second gerund: abscondendo (viz., pânai, my face, Isa 54:8) et stomachando. When Jehovah had thus wrathfully hidden His gracious countenance from Israel, and withdrawn His gracious presence out of the midst of Israel (Hos 5:6, מהם חל), it went away from Him (שׁובב with שׁובב, like עולל with עולל), going its own ways like the world of nations that had been left to themselves. But Jehovah had not seen these wanderings without pity. The futures which follow are promising, not by virtue of any syntactic necessity, but by virtue of an inward necessity. He will heal His wounded (Isa 1:4-6) and languishing people, and lead in the right way those that are going astray, and afford them consolation as a recompense for their long sufferings (נחוּמים is derived from the piel נחם, and not, as in Hos 11:8, from the hiphal hinnâchēm, in the sense of "feelings of sympathy"), especially (Vav epexeget.; Ges. 155, 1) its mourning ones (Isa 61:2-3; Isa 66:10), i.e., those who punishment has brought to repentance, and rendered desirous of salvation.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Covetousness - Of which sin the Jews were eminently guilty. But this comprehends all those sins for which God contended with them. He went - Yet he was not reformed, but trespassed more and more.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth "Because of his iniquity for a short time was I wroth" - For בצעו bitso, I read בצע betsa, a little while, from בצע batsa, he cut of, as the Septuagint read and render it, βραχυ τι, "a certain short space." Propter iniquitatem avaritiae ejus, "because of the iniquity of his avarice," the rendering of the Vulgate, which our translators and I believe all others follow, is surely quite beside the purpose.

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²⁶ For [1223] this [5124] cause God [2316] gave [3860] them [846] up [3860] unto [1519] vile [819] affections [3806]: for [1063] even [5037] their [846] women [2338] did change [3337] the natural [5446] use [5540] into [1519] that which is against [3844] nature [5449]:

²⁴ Wherefore [1352] God [2316] also [2532] gave [3860] them [846] up [3860] to [1519] uncleanness [167] through [1722] the lusts [1939] of their own [846] hearts [2588], to dishonour [818] their own [846] bodies [4983] between [1722] themselves [1438]:

¹² So I gave them up [07971] unto their own hearts [03820]' lust [08307]: and they walked [03212] in their own counsels [04156].

¹⁵ Verily [0403] thou art a God [0410] that hidest [05641] thyself, O God [0430] of Israel [03478], the Saviour [03467].

¹⁷ And I will wait [02442] upon the LORD [03068], that hideth [05641] his face [06440] from the house [01004] of Jacob [03290], and I will look [06960] for him.

⁵ Mortify [3499] therefore [3767] your [5216] members [3196] which [3588] are upon [1909] the earth [1093]; fornication [4202], uncleanness [167], inordinate affection [3806], evil [2556] concupiscence [1939], and [2532] covetousness [4124], which [3748] is [2076] idolatry [1495]:

¹³ For from the least [06996] of them even unto the greatest [01419] of them every one is given [01214] to covetousness [01215]; and from the prophet [05030] even unto the priest [03548] every one dealeth [06213] falsely [08267].

³ Wherefore have we fasted [06684], say they, and thou seest [07200] not? wherefore have we afflicted [06031] our soul [05315], and thou takest no knowledge [03045]? Behold, in the day [03117] of your fast [06685] ye find [04672] pleasure [02656], and exact [05065] all your labours [06092].

¹¹ Yea, they are greedy [05794] [05315] dogs [03611] which can [03045] never have [03045] enough [07654], and they are shepherds [07462] that cannot understand [0995]: they all look [06437] to their own way [01870], every one [0376] for his gain [01215], from his quarter [07097].

⁷ Their land [0776] also is full [04390] of silver [03701] and gold [02091], neither is there any end [07097] of their treasures [0214]; their land [0776] is also full [04390] of horses [05483], neither is there any end [07097] of their chariots [04818]:

¹⁵ He that walketh [01980] righteously [06666], and speaketh [01696] uprightly [04339]; he that despiseth [03988] the gain [01215] of oppressions [04642], that shaketh [05287] his hands [03709] from holding [08551] of bribes [07810], that stoppeth [0331] his ears [0241] from hearing [08085] of blood [01818], and shutteth [06105] his eyes [05869] from seeing [07200] evil [07451];

³ And Samuel [08050] spake [0559] unto all the house [01004] of Israel [03478], saying [0559], If ye do return [07725] unto the LORD [03068] with all your hearts [03824], then put away [05493] the strange [05236] gods [0430] and Ashtaroth [06252] from among [08432] you, and prepare [03559] your hearts [03824] unto the LORD [03068], and serve [05647] him only: and he will deliver [05337] you out of the hand [03027] of the Philistines [06430].

¹⁰ Rejoice [08055] ye with Jerusalem [03389], and be glad [01523] with her, all ye that love [0157] her: rejoice [07797] for joy [04885] with her, all ye that mourn [056] for her:

² To proclaim [07121] the acceptable [07522] year [08141] of the LORD [03068], and the day [03117] of vengeance [05359] of our God [0430]; to comfort [05162] all that mourn [057];
³ To appoint [07760] unto them that mourn [057] in Zion [06726], to give [05414] unto them beauty [06287] for ashes [0665], the oil [08081] of joy [08342] for mourning [060], the garment [04594] of praise [08416] for the spirit [07307] of heaviness [03544]; that they might be called [07121] trees [0352] of righteousness [06664], the planting [04302] of the LORD [03068], that he might be glorified [06286].

⁸ How shall I give thee up [05414], Ephraim [0669]? how shall I deliver [04042] thee, Israel [03478]? how shall I make [05414] thee as Admah [0126]? how shall I set [07760] thee as Zeboim [06636]? mine heart [03820] is turned [02015] within me, my repentings [05150] are kindled [03648] together [03162].

⁴ Ah [01945] sinful [02398] nation [01471], a people [05971] laden [03515] with iniquity [05771], a seed [02233] of evildoers [07489], children [01121] that are corrupters [07843]: they have forsaken [05800] [0853] the LORD [03068], they have provoked [05006] [0853] the Holy One [06918] of Israel [03478] unto anger [05006], they are gone away [02114] backward [0268].
⁵ Why should ye be stricken [05221] any more? ye will revolt [05627] more and more [03254]: the whole head [07218] is sick [02483], and the whole heart [03824] faint [01742].
⁶ From the sole [03709] of the foot [07272] even unto the head [07218] there is no soundness [04974] in it; but wounds [06482], and bruises [02250], and putrifying [02961] sores [04347]: they have not been closed [02115], neither bound up [02280], neither mollified [07401] with ointment [08081].

⁶ They shall go [03212] with their flocks [06629] and with their herds [01241] to seek [01245] the LORD [03068]; but they shall not find [04672] him; he hath withdrawn [02502] himself from them.

⁸ In a little [08241] wrath [07110] I hid [05641] my face [06440] from thee for a moment [07281]; but with everlasting [05769] kindness [02617] will I have mercy [07355] on thee, saith [0559] the LORD [03068] thy Redeemer [01350].

¹⁰ For [1063] the love of money [5365] is [2076] the root [4491] of all [3956] evil [2556]: which [3739] while some [5100] coveted after [3713], they have erred [635] from [575] the faith [4102], and [2532] pierced [4044] themselves [1438] through [4044] with many [4183] sorrows [3601].