Therefore the Lord will not rejoice over their young men, neither will he have compassion on their fatherless and widows; for everyone is profane and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men,.... Take no delight and pleasure in them; but, on the contrary, detest and abhor them, and so destroy them, being depraved and corrupted by the bad instructions and examples of their parents: neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows; who are objects of pity and compassion; yet these being wicked, as well...
The Lord sends warning before He wounds; He spoke through His prophets, but Israel refused to hear. Those willingly ignorant of God's wrath revealed against sin shall be made to know it by feeling it. The people's insolence defies justice itself: they say, let God do His worst, we will hold our ground, rebuild stronger than before. They will not repent at the word, so they shall learn through the blow.
AI summary
Commenting on Isaiah 9:8-21
Isa 9:13-17 Strophe 2. “But the people turneth not unto Him that smiteth it, and they seek not Jehovah of hosts. Therefore Jehovah rooteth out of Israel head and tail, palm-branch and rush, in one day. Elders and highly distinguished men, this is the head; and prophets, lying teachers, this is the tail. The leaders of this people have become leaders astray, and their followers swallowed up.
Commenting on Isaiah 9:13-17