Verse 1

In the year that king Uzziah died a I saw also the Lord sitting upon a b throne, high and lifted up, and his c train filled the temple.

(a) God does not show himself to man in his majesty but according as man's capacity to comprehend him, that is, by visible signs as John the Baptist saw the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove.

(b) As a judge ready to give sentence.

(c) Of his garment, or of his throne.

Verse 2

Above it stood the d seraphims: each one had six wings; with two he covered his e face, and with two he covered his f feet, and with two he g flew.

(d) They were angels so called because they were of a fiery colour, to signify that they burnt in the love of God, or were light as fire to execute his will.

(e) Signifying that they were not able to endure the brightness of God's glory.

(f) By which it was declared that man was not able to see the brightness of God in them.

(g) Which declares the prompt obedience of the angels to execute God's commandment.

Verse 3

And one cried to another, and said, h Holy, holy, holy, [is] the LORD of hosts: the whole i earth [is] full of his glory.

(h) This often repetition signifies that the angels cannot satisfy themselves in praising God, to teach us that in all our lives we should give ourselves to the continual praise of God.

(i) His glory not only appears in the heavens but through all the world, and therefore all creatures are bound to praise him.

Verse 4

And the posts of the door k moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

(k) Which was to confirm the prophet, that it was not the voice of man: and by the smoke was signified the blindness that would come on the Jews.

Verse 5

Then said I, l Woe [is] me! for I am undone; because I [am] a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

(l) He speaks this for two reasons, the one because he who was a mortal creature and therefore had more need to glorify God than the angels, did not do it, and the other because the nearer that man approaches to God, the more he knows his own sin and corruption.

Verse 6

Then one of the seraphims flew to me, having a live coal in his hand, [which] he had taken with the tongs from off the m altar:

(m) Of the burnt offerings where the fire never went out.

Verse 7

And he laid [it] upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thy iniquity is taken away, and thy n sin purged.

(n) This declares that man cannot render due obedience to God, till he has purged us.

Verse 9

And he said, Go, and tell this people, o Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

(o) By which is declared that for the malice of man God will not immediately take away his word, but he will cause it to be preached to their condemnation, when as they will not learn by it to obey his will, and be saved: by this he exhorts the ministers to do their duty, and answers to the wicked murmurers, that through their own malice their heart is hardened, (Matthew 13:14) ; (Acts 28:26) ; (Romans 11:8).

Verse 11

Then said I, Lord, p how long? And he answered, Until the cities shall be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,

(p) As he was moved with the zeal of God's glory, so was he touched with a charitable affection toward the people.

Verse 13

But yet in it [shall be] q a tenth, and [it] shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, r and as an oak, whose substance [is] in them, when they cast [their leaves: so] the holy seed [shall be] the substance of it.

(q) Meaning, the tenth part: or as some write, it was revealed to Isaiah for the confirmation of his prophecy that ten kings would come before their captivity, as were from Uzziah to Zedekiah.

(r) For the fewness of them they will seem to be eaten up: yet they will later flourish as a tree, which in winter loses leaves, and seems to be dead, yet in summer is fresh and green.