9 Every beast of the field, Come to devour, every beast in the forest. 10 Blind 'are' his watchmen—all of them, They have not known, All of them 'are' dumb dogs, they are not able to bark, Dozing, lying down, loving to slumber. 11 And the dogs 'are' strong of desire, They have not known sufficiency, And they 'are' shepherds! They have not known understanding, All of them to their own way they did turn, Each to his dishonest gain from his quarter: 12 'Come ye, I take wine, And we drink, quaff strong drink, And as this day hath been to-morrow, Great—exceeding abundant!'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 56:9-12
Commentary on Isaiah 56:9-12
(Read Isaiah 56:9-12)
Desolating judgments are called for; and this severe rebuke of the rulers and teachers of the Jewish church, is applicable to other ages and places. It is bad with a people when their shepherds slumber, and are eager after the world. Let us pray the Great Shepherd to send us pastors after his own heart, who will feed us with knowledge, that we may rejoice in his holy name, and that believers may be daily added to the church.