Isaiah 1:26

“And I will restore thy judges as at the first, &c.] This refers not to the times after the Babylonish, captivity, when the Jews had judges and rulers, such as Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, as they had in the times of Moses, Joshua, and the judges, or as in the times of David and Solomon; but it refers, as Kimchi observes, to the times of the Messiah; and is true of the apostles of Christ, who were set on twelve thrones, had power and authority from Christ to preach his Gospel, and to judge the twelve tribes of Israel in a doctrinal way, (<401928>Matthew 19:28) for which they were abundantly qualified, having the spirit of counsel and of judgment resting upon them, as the prophets of old; and will…”

“As the degeneracy had shown itself most in the magistrates (Isa 1:17-23), so, at the "restoration," these shall be such as the theocracy "at the first" had contemplated, namely, after the Babylonish restoration in part and typically, but fully and antitypically under Messiah (Isa 32:1; Isa 52:8; Jer 33:7; Mat 19:28). faithful--no longer "an harlot."”

“And I will restore ... - That is, I will give you such judges as the nation had in former days - in the times of Moses, Joshua, etc. Most of the charges in this chapter are against the magistrates. The calamities of the nation are traced to their unfaithfulness and corruption, Isaiah 1:17-23. God now says that he will remove this cause of their calamity, and give them pure magistrates. Thy counselors - Thy advisers; that is, those occupying places of trust and responsibility. When this should be, the prophet does not say. The Jewish commentators suppose that he refers to the time after the return from captivity, and to such men as Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah; and to the times of Hyrcanus…”

“Thy counsellors - Thy princes shall hearken to wise and faithful counsellors. Called faithful - Thou shalt be such. Isaiah 1:27”

“1:26 The restoration of the community would be marked by new leaders who uphold justice rather than perverting it (see 1:23). Jerusalem would again be pure silver (see 1:22), the Home of Justice and the Faithful City.”

“And I will: Isa 32:1, Isa 32:2, Isa 60:17, Isa 60:18; Num 12:3, Num 16:15; Sa1 12:2-5; Jer 33:7, Jer 33:15-17; Eze 34:23, Eze 34:24, Eze 37:24, Eze 37:25, Eze 45:8 thou shalt: Isa 1:21, Isa 60:21, Isa 62:1; Jer 31:23; Zep 3:9, Zep 3:13; Zac 8:8; Rev 21:27 Isaiah 1:27”

“As the threat couched in the previous figure does not point to the destruction, but simply to the smelting of Jerusalem, there is nothing strange in the fact that in Isa 1:26 it should pass over into a pure promise; the meltingly soft and yearningly mournful termination of the clauses with ayich, the keynote of the later songs of Zion, being still continued. "And I will bring back thy judges as in the olden time, and thy counsellors as in the beginning; afterwards thou wilt be called city of righteousness, faithful citadel." The threat itself was, indeed, relatively a promise, inasmuch as whatever could stand the fire would survive the judgment; and the distinct object of this was to bring…”