Verse 15

Vers. 15. Yea truth faileth, and he that refraineth himself from evil maketh himself a pray: and when the Lord saw it, it displeased him, that there was no judgement.

Vers. 15. Yea truth faileth, and hee that refraineth himselfe from euill maketh himselfe a pray: and when the Lord saw it, it displeased him, that there was no iudgement.

BY this it sufficiently appears,¹ that Isaiah spake not in the former verse of the punishments which the people sustained: For he prosecutes the very same discourse with the former: and shows that the people had no cause to complain of the rigour of their chastisements, seeing they had so grossly offended and provoked the Lord. He confirms his former speech then: namely, that truth was fallen, justice had no more place: and here he amplifies the same further, in adding that he which refrained himself from evil, made himself a pray. The most of the expositors among the Hebrews read this part of the ⟨p. 608⟩verse with a breath, thus; Truth is fallen, and was made a pray, in refraining it self from evil. But I see no reason why they have accepted of this sense. Saint Jeromes ²exposition (which I also have followed) is much better, and more agreeable. This phrase of speech is very frequent in Scriptures, as we see in Job 1.1. of whom it is said, that he was an upright and just man, fearing God, and eschewing evil. Solomon also saith, Prou. 14.16. That a fool rageth; but the wise man feareth; and departeth from evil. Well, the Prophets meaning is, that all honest courses were so hated and abhorred, that the small remnant of the faithful could not live in safety. As if he should say, Whosoever mean in these times to have society with men, must of necessity be as wicked as they: according to the old proverb;