And your strength shall be as the ashes of tow, and your work as a spark: and both shall burn together, and there shall be none to quench it.

“the[ir] strength with which they take from the poor by force and rob them and strengthen themselves with the money. That money will become as tow, which is shaken out of the flax, which is light and easily ignited. and its perpetrator The one who amasses this power will become as a spark of fire, and they will burn, one with the other. as a spark Heb. וּפֹעֲלוֹ לְנִיצוֹץ, estencele in O.F. [etincelle in modern French], a spark. Jonathan renders וְעוֹבַד יְדֵיהוֹן, and the work of their hands. This does not follow the Hebrew, however, for, were it so, it would have to be voweled וּפָעֳלוּ with a ‘kamatz- chatuf,’ a hurried ‘kamatz,’ and it would be explained as an expression of work. Now, that it is voweled with a ‘cholam,’ it is an expression of a worker, or perpetrator. with no one to extinguish Jonathan renders: And no one will pity them.”

“החסון. The strong. Adjective; the substantive is חוסן strength. נעורת Tow. That which is shaken off (נער to shake) from the flax. לניצוץ As a spark (comp. Ez. 1:7). This verse refers to the idols, which are made strong, that they should not shake, but which those who formed them will burn in time of trouble, because they helped not; but the workmen themselves will likewise be burnt; .. this is meant by and they will both burn. (Comp. Exod. 3:3.) And none shall quench. And none shall help.”

“How is she become a harlot. Here he shows their sin according to the turning away from justice toward one's neighbor: and concerning this he does three things. First he describes the fault; second he threatens the punishment, at the place, Therefore thus saith the Lord; third, the sequel of the punishment, at the place, And I will restore. Concerning the first, first he reproves the sin of the people; second, the sin of the priest, at thy silver; third, the sin of the prince, at thy princes. In the people he reproves two things, aggravating by comparison to their former state: namely, venality by comparison to their former fidelity: whence, how is she become a harlot? Jer. 2: under every leafy tree and upon every high hill thou didst lie down, a harlot: and cruelty by comparison to justice and judgment, which is the execution of justice. Ps. 93: until justice be turned into judgment. Whence he says: but now murderers. Hosea 4: cursing and lying and killing and theft and adultery have overflowed, and blood hath touched blood. The sin of the priest he reproves in two things. In the corruption of the truth of doctrine: whence he says: thy silver is turned into dross. Ps. 11: the words of the Lord are pure words, silver tried by the fire, proved from the earth, refined seven times. Jer. 5: the prophets have prophesied a lie. Second, in the remission of the severity of discipline, which is signified in the wine: for this is the wine which the Samaritan poured in: Luke 10. Whence he says: thy wine. Ezech. 13: woe to them that sew. Thy princes. Here he reproves the sin of the princes: and first he shows them unfaithful in the execution of their office, in that they carry it out for their own advantage and not that of the people. Amos 6: anointed with the best ointment, drinking wine in bowls. Ezech. 34: woe to the shepherds of Israel, that feed themselves. Should not the flocks be fed by the shepherds? And for this he says, faithless. Second he shows them transgressors in the harboring of evildoers: companions of thieves, by defending them and affording them patronage: Hosea 6: as the throats of robber men, the princes of the priests. Prov. 1: son, walk not with them. Third he shows them corrupted in the receiving of gifts. Below, 5: Woe to you that justify the wicked for gifts, and take away the justice of the just from him. Whence he says: they love gifts — received ones; they follow after — things promised or hoped for. Fourth, he shows them unjust in the repulsion of the poor, saying they judge not for the fatherless. Jer. 5: they have not judged the cause of the widow, they have not directed the cause of the fatherless. Therefore thus saith the Lord. Here he threatens the punishment: and first, of the prelates; second, of the subjects, at and I will turn. Concerning the first he sets down three things. First, the power of the one punishing, in authority, saying, the Lord. Malachi 1: if I be the Lord, where is my fear? saith the Lord. In the multitude of ministers: of hosts. Job 25: is there any numbering of his soldiers? In strength, mighty. Job 9: he is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace? Second he sets down the will of the one punishing. Ah, namely to them, I will comfort myself, since their punishment will be a consolation. Below, 63: the day of vengeance is in my heart, the year of my recompense is come. Third he sets down the cruelty of the punishment: at and I will take vengeance on my enemies: as if to say: I will punish you as enemies. Deut. 32: I will render vengeance to my enemies, and repay them that hate me. And I will turn. Here he threatens the punishment of the subjects. And first is set down the preparation of the one punishing, at and I will turn my hand upon thee to punish thee, which, in sparing, I had held as it were folded up. Job 19: the hand of the Lord hath touched me. Second, the completion of the punishment: I will melt away, by the fire of tribulation, to the pure, until whatever is to be purged is purged. Matt. 5: thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing. Third, the multitude of punishments: I will take away all thy tin: because for every sin, below, 40: she hath received of the hand of the Lord double for all her sins. And I will restore. Here he sets down the sequel of the punishment: and first, as regards those corrected, renewal; second, as regards the obstinate, consumption, at and he shall crush. For by the same fire (as Augustine says) gold is proved, and straw smokes. Concerning the first he does three things. First he promises renewal as regards the amendment of the prelates; second, as regards the restoration of good name, at after this thou shalt be called; third, as regards the observance of justice, at Zion in judgment. He says therefore: I will restore the judges, as regards the secular princes, whose office it is to judge the people, and thy counsellors, that is, the priests, whose office it is to minister the counsels of God to the peoples: Malachi 2: the lips of the priests keep knowledge, and they seek the law at his mouth: because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts: as they were before, as Moses and Joshua, who pleased God. Jer. 3: I will give you pastors according to my own heart, and they shall feed you with knowledge and doctrine. And thou shalt be called, that is, thou shalt recover thy fame, so that thou art called such as thou wast before, the city of the just, that is, in which justice is kept. Below, 62: thou shalt no more be called Forsaken, neither shalt thou any more be called Desolate; but thou shalt be called My will is in her. Zion in judgment, through the execution of justice, shall be redeemed, from those who wrong her; and they shall bring her back in justice; for judgment is to bring back to equality, in which justice consists. Ps. 71: to judge thy people with justice, and thy poor with judgment. Jer. 23: a king shall reign (...) and shall do justice and judgment in the land. And he shall crush. Here is set down the destruction of the obstinate; and concerning this he does three things. First he foretells the destruction; second, the manner of the destruction, at they shall be confounded; third, he takes away the hope of escape, at and thy strength shall be. And since the punishment is ordered against the fault, therefore concerning the first he touches on the fault in two ways. On the part of turning, as regards the crime of idolatry: whence he says, the wicked; and as regards the sin of pleasure and luxury: whence he says, sinners: because men are most prone to such things; against which he ordains the punishment of crushing, wherein a punishment is marked out to match the wrong inflicted. Jer. 17: crush them with a double destruction; as it were for a double sin. Second, on the part of turning away, because they have forsaken the Lord; against which he ordains the punishment of consumption, saying, they shall be consumed; in which he designates the punishment of desertion: for what is consumed goes into nothing, and all things would fall into nothing, unless the hand of the Lord held them together; as Gregory says. Jer. 17: O Lord, all that forsake thee shall be confounded: they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth: because they have forsaken the vein of living waters, the Lord. They shall be confounded. Here he sets down the manner of the destruction: and first, as regards the confusion of sin; second, as regards the taking away of good, at when you shall be. Concerning the first, against idolatry he ordains confusion, saying: they shall be confounded for the idols, that is, on account of the idols. Ps. 96: let them all be confounded that adore graven things: against pleasure, shame, when he says: you shall be ashamed of the gardens, that is, of the pleasurable places, which you had chosen, of your luxury. Rom. 6: what fruit had you in those things, of which you are now ashamed? For confusion regards more the evil; but shame regards the fault. For carnal sins (as Gregory says) are of lesser fault and greater infamy. And the reason is, that they are according to the baser powers, and most material ones: and yet they are innate and connatural and subject to passion. When you shall be. Here is set down the taking away of good: and first, of that which pertains to protection and adornment, which is signified in the taking away of leaves; second, of that which pertains to fruit, at as a garden without water, barren. And in contrast it is said of the just man, Ps. 1: he shall be as a tree which is planted near the running waters. And it shall be. Here he takes away from them the hope of escape: and he sets down three things. First he takes away from them the support of their own strength: whence he says: thy strength shall be as the ash of tow, which is quickly consumed. Ecclus. 21: the congregation of sinners is like tow heaped together. Second, the help of idols, saying: your work, namely of idols, which your hands have wrought, as a spark, which is of no consequence. Deut. 32: where are their gods, in whom they trusted? And yet it is burnt up: whence follows, and it shall be kindled. Below, 50: walk in the light of your fire. Third, the help of men: and there shall be none to quench it. Ezech. 20: the flame of the kindling shall not be quenched, and every face shall be burnt in it, from the south even to the north; and all flesh shall see.”

“And the strong shall be as tow,.... "that strong one", who is eminently so; the little horn, whose look is more stout than his fellows, Dan 7:20 the beast who had great power and authority given by the dragon, Rev 13:2 who shall be cast alive into the lake of fire; when he will be like tow in those devouring flames, easily, quickly, and irrecoverably consumed, Dan 7:11, Rev 19:20. and the maker of it as a spark, or "his work"; so the Targum, "and the work of their hands shall be as a spark of fire;'' or like the embers and ashes of a coal, which are blown away and lost at once: so antichrist, and all his evil works, as well as all his evil workers under him, will be entirely consumed: or, as it may be rendered, "he that wrought him": that is, Satan, for his coming is after the working of Satan; he has his seat, power, and authority, from the dragon, the old serpent, and the devil, and may be truly called a creature of his, Th2 2:9. and they shall both burn together; both the pope and the devil in the lake of fire and brimstone, into which they will both be cast, Rev 20:10. and none shall quench them; that fire will be unquenchable and everlasting; they will be tormented for ever and ever, and so will all the worshippers of the beast, Mat 25:41. The Chaldee paraphrase is, "so the wicked shall be consumed, and their evil works, and there shall be no mercy upon them.'' Next: Isaiah Chapter 2”

“It. The efforts of Achan and Ezechias against the enemy proved in vain. (Calmet) Bible Text & Cross-references: The prophet complains of the sins of Juda and Jerusalem: and exhorts them to a sincere conversion. 1 The vision of Isaias, the son of Amos, which he saw concerning Juda and Jerusalem in the days of Ozias, *Joathan, Achaz, and Ezechias, kings of Juda. 2 Hear, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken. I have brought up children, *and exalted them, but they have despised me. 3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel hath not known me, and my people hath not understood. 4 Woe to the sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a wicked seed, ungracious children: they have forsaken the Lord, they have blasphemed the holy One of Israel, they are gone away backwards. 5 For what shall I strike you any more, you that increase transgression? the whole head is sick, and the whole heart is sad. 6 From the sole of the foot unto the top of the head, there is no soundness therein: wounds and bruises, and swelling sores: they are not bound up, nor dressed, nor fomented with oil. 7 *Your land is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your country strangers devour before your face, and it shall be desolate as when wasted by enemies. 8 And the daughter of Sion shall be left as a covert in a vineyard, and as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, and as a city that is laid waste. 9 *Except the Lord of hosts had left us seed, **we had been as Sodom, and we should have been like to Gomorrha. 10 Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom, give ear to the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrha. 11 *To what purpose do you offer me the multitude of your victims, saith the Lord? I am full, I desire not holocausts of rams, and fat of fatlings, and blood of calves, and lambs, and buck-goats. 12 When you came to appear before me, who required these things at your hands, that you should walk in my courts? 13 Offer sacrifice no more in vain: incense is an abomination to me. The new moons, and the sabbaths, and other festivals, I will not abide, your assemblies are wicked. 14 My soul hateth your new moons, and your solemnities: they are become troublesome to me, I am weary of bearing them. 15 And when you stretch forth your hands, I will turn away my eyes from you: and when you multiply prayer, I will not hear: *for your hands are full of blood. 16 *Wash yourselves, be clean, take away the evil of your devices from my eyes: cease to do perversely, 17 Learn to do well: seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge for the fatherless, defend the widow. 18 And then come, and accuse me, saith the Lord: if your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow: and if they be red as crimson, they shall be white as wool. 19 If you be willing, and will hearken to me, you shall eat the good things of the land. 20 But if you will not, and will provoke me to wrath: the sword shall devour you, because the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. 21 How is the faithful city, that was full of judgment, become a harlot? justice dwelt in it, but now murderers. 22 Thy silver is turned into dross: thy wine is mingled with water. 23 Thy princes are faithless, companions of thieves: they all love bribes, they run after rewards. *They judge not for the fatherless: and the widow’s cause cometh not in to them. 24 Therefore, saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the mighty one of Israel: Ah! I will comfort myself over my adversaries: and I will be revenged of my enemies. 25 And I will turn my hand to thee, and I will clean purge away thy dross, and I will take away all thy tin. 26 And I will restore thy judges as they were before, and thy counsellors as of old. After this thou shalt be called the city of the just, a faithful city. 27 Sion shall be redeemed in judgment, and they shall bring her back in justice. 28 And he shall destroy the wicked, and the sinners together: and they that have forsaken the Lord, shall be consumed. 29 For they shall be confounded for the idols, to which they have sacrificed: and you shall be ashamed of the gardens which you had chosen. 30 When you shall be as an oak with the leaves falling off, and as a garden without water. 31 And your strength shall be as the ashes of tow, and your work as a spark: and both shall burn together, and there shall be none to quench it.”

“Isa 1:31 shows in a third figure where this spark was to come from: "And the rich man becomes tow, and his work the spark; and they will both burn together, and no one extinguishes them." The form poalo suggests at first a participial meaning (its maker), but החסון would be a very unusual epithet to apply to an idol. Moreover, the figure itself would be a distorted one, since the natural order would be, that the idol would be the thing that kindled the fire, and the man the object to be set on fire, and not the reverse. We therefore follow the lxx, Targ., and Vulg., with Gesenius and other more recent grammarians, and adopt the rendering "his work" (opus ejus). The forms פּעלו and פּעלו (cf., Isa 52:14 and Jer 22:13) are two equally admissible changes of the ground-form פעלו (פּעלו). As Isa 1:29 refers to idolatrous worship, poalo (his work) is an idol, a god made by human hands (cf., Isa 2:8; Isa 37:19, etc.). The prosperous idolater, who could give gold and silver for idolatrous images out of the abundance of his possessions (Châson is to be interpreted in accordance with Isa 33:6), becomes tow (talm. "the refuse of flax:" the radical meaning is to shake out, viz., in combing), and the idol the spark which sets this mass of fibre in flames, so that they are both irretrievably consumed. For the fire of judgment, by which sinners are devoured, need not come from without. Sin carries the fire of indignation within itself. And an idol is, as it were, an idolater's sin embodied and exposed to the light of day. The date of the composition of this first prophecy is a puzzle. Caspari thoroughly investigated every imaginary possibility, and at last adopted the conclusion that it dates from the time of Uzziah, inasmuch as Isa 1:7-9 do not relate to an actual, but merely to an ideal, present. But notwithstanding all the acuteness with which Caspari has worked out his view, it still remains a very forced one. The oftener we return to the reading of this prophetic address, the stronger is our impression that Isa 1:7-9 contain a description of the state of things which really existed at the time when the words were spoken. There were actually two devastations of the land of Judah which occurred during the ministry of Isaiah, and in which Jerusalem was only spared by the miraculous interposition of Jehovah: one under Ahaz in the year of the Syro-Ephraimitish war; the other under Hezekiah, when the Assyrian forces laid the land waste but were scattered at last in their attack upon Jerusalem. The year of the Syro-Ephraimitish war is supported by Gesenius, Rosenmller (who expresses a different opinion in every one of the three editions of his Scholia), Maurer, Movers, Knobel, Hvernick, and others; the time of the Assyrian oppression by Hitzig, Umbreit, Drechsler, and Luzzatto. Now, whichever of these views we may adopt, there will still remain, as a test of its admissiblity, the difficult question, How did this prophecy come to stand at the head of the book, if it belonged to the time of Uzziah-Jotham? This question, upon which the solution of the difficulty depends, can only be settled when we come to Isa 6:1-13. Till then, the date of the composition of chapter 1 must be left undecided. It is enough for the present to know, that, according to the accounts given in the books of Kings and Chronicles, there were two occasions when the situation of Jerusalem resembled the one described in the present chapter.”