Matthew Poole and continuators on Isaiah 58:5

5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen ? a day for a man to afflict his soul ? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him ? wilt thou call this a fast , and an acceptable day to the LORD ?

Approve of, accept, or delight in, by a Metonymy, because we delight in what we freely chuse.

Or, to afflict his Soul for a day: It is an Hypallage, and so it may be understood, either for a man to take a certain time to afflict his Soul in, and that either from even to even, Lev. 23. 32. or from morning to evening, Iudg. 20. 26. 2 Sam. 3. 35. or else, to afflict his Soul for a little time.

Or, keep himself low, or chassi[illegible: 1+ letters]e the Body for want of Food, viz. outwardly without any inward sorrow, or compunction for sin working a true Humiliation in the sight of God.

Put here Synecdochically for the Body or Person, as is usual in Scripture, Gen. 46. 18, 22, 25. Lev. 2. 2, 4. & 7. 20, 21, 27. & 22. 11.

The Jews to express their sorrow, made use of Sackcloth and Ashes two ways: 1. Sometimes by putting on Sackcloth upon their Bodies, as 1 Kin. 21. 27. Ps. 69. 11. and casting ashes upon their Heads, 2 Sam. 13. 19. And 2. Sometimes by spreading Sackcloth under them, and lying down upon Ashes, Esth. 4. 3. Iob 2. 8. The Intent of Sackcloth was to afflict the Body by its unpleasing harshness, and of Ashes to represent their own vileness, as being but Dust and Ashes; their putting of them on might note their uneasiness under sin, and laying on them their self-abhorrency, shaming themselves for it. Quer. Are such Rites now convenient on a day of Humiliation to help us in our afflicting of our selves? Answ. Gospel Services neither require them, or need them, respecting more the Inward afflicting of the Soul with godly sorrow, and deep contrition; yet may they carry this instruction along with them, that our Ornaments, our best and gawdy Apparel, ought to be laid aside, as not suiting either the ground and cause, or the end and design of days of Humiliation.

i. e. Canst thou upon a rational account as a meer man call it so? Canst thou think, suppose, or believe it to be so?

It being such an one as hath nothing in it, but the lifeless skeleton and dumb signs of a Fast, nothing of deep Humiliation appearing in it, or, real Reformation proceeding from it: Not that the Prophet blames them for these external Rites in this outward way of afflicting themselves. For this he commands, Lev. 23. 27, 31, 32. and appoints certain Rites to be used, Lev. 16. 19, 21. And these particular Rites were frequent in their solemn Humiliations, 1 Kin. 21. 27. Esth. 4. 3. Dan. 9. 3. used also by the Heathen, Ion. 3. 5, 6. See Mat. 11. 21. But that which he condemns is their Hypocrisie in separating true Humiliation from them: for bodily exercise profiteth little, 1 Tim. 4▪ 8.

A day that God will approve of, as before. Heb. a day of acceptance, or that will turn to a good account on your behalf.

y Here the Prophet sets down those ext[illegible: 1+ letters]al gestures and postures in particular, which they did join with [illegible: 1+ letters]eir hypocritical fasts, as he had mentioned it before in general. To bow down, bowing is the posture of Mourners, Psal. 35. 14. and here it is either, as if through weakness of Body their Heads did hang down; or counterfeitly, to represent the posture of true penitents, moving sometimes their Heads this way, and that way, as the word signifieth, not unlike the ballance of a Clock, as the Bullrush moved by the Wind boweth itself down, waving to and fro, in a kind of circular, or semicircular motion, the contrary motion of lifting up the Head being an Indication of Pride, ch. 3. 16. It is the guise of Hypocrites to put on affected Countenances, Mat. 6. 16.

Marginal references: Zech. 7. 5.; Lev. 16. 2[illegible: 1+ letters].; Or, to afflict his soul for a day.