Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
Ver. 10. Hear the word of the Lord, ye princes of Sodom.] Having mentioned Sodom and Gomorrah, Isa 1:9 he maketh further use thereof, probrosa hac appellatione auditores suos conveniens; sharping up his hearers in this sort, whom he knew he should not wrong at all by so calling them. see Ezekiel 16:46 ; Eze 16:48 Non tam ovum ovo simile; like they were, both princes and people, to those of Sodom and Gomorrah; (1.) In their ingratitude toward God; (2) In their cruelty toward men. Our prophet, therefore, is "very bold," as St Paul also testifieth of him, Rom 10:20 fearing no colours, although for his boldness he lost his life, if at least that be true which Jerome a out of the Rabbis telleth us - viz., that this prophet Isaiah was sawn asunder, first, Because he said he had seen the Lord; Isa 6:1 secondly, Because he called the great ones of Judah princes of Sodom, &c., giving them a title agreeable to their wicked practices. The like liberty of speech used Athanasius toward Constantius; Agapetus toward Justinian; Johannes Sarisburiensis toward the Pope, &c.
a Jerome in Isa. i.