Berean BlueApp preview

Matthew Poole and continuators on Isaiah 65:3

Annotations upon the Holy Bible. Browse this work.

Isaiah65:3

3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face , that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick .

That the Jews are the People here intended is without question; the Prophet speaking of the calling of the Gentiles upon their rejection, reckons up their sins, which were the causes. For though their rejection and crucifying of Christ, was that sin which was the proximate cause, yet God did but visit on that Generation their Iniquities, and the iniquities of their fathers together, they having by that act filled up their measure. They had provoked God continually to anger to his face.

Either in his Temple, the place where he used to manifest himself: or (considering what followeth) more probably the Phrase signifieth their impudence, not taking notice of Gods Omnipresence, and Omniscience.

The particular provocations instanced in, are deviations in the matter of divine Worship. Sacrificing in gardens is one thing instanced in, and burning incense on brick, or altars of brick, is another, Deut. 12. 13. there was a particular Altar of Gold appointed for Incense, Exod. 40. 5. God commanded, Exod. 20. 24, 25. That his Altars should be made of Earth, or rough stone. This people transgressed both these Laws, sacrificing in gardens, for which the Prophet reflected on them, ch. 1. 29. and again, ch. 66. 17. whether in gardens consecrated to Idols, or in such Gardens as the Heathens worshipped Idols in, is not much material for us to know, and burning incense upon altars of brick, directly contrary to the divine Rule. Their Worship was doubtless Idolatrous, and these Phrases signifie committing Idolatry, but the expressing that sin by these Phrases lets us know that the doing contrary to the direction of the Divine Rule in Gods Worship is a great part of the sinfulness of Idolatry.

Marginal references: Or, upon brick.

Matthew Poole and continuators, Annotations upon the Holy Bible, Isaiah 65:3. Public domain.

Permanent link. Source edition.

Read Isaiah 65. Compare commentaries on this chapter.

Source and publication rights

Text Creation Partnership. Public domain; TCP unrestricted text and encoding. Source edition.

Berean Blue opens December 1, 2026. Explore this passage in the app preview.