Edomites that they might solace themselves in the thoughts thereof From Edom Edom is the name of Esau Genes 25.30 but is here put for Idumaea the country where Esau dwelt With died garments from Bozrah i. e. With garments died red from Bozrah Bozrah was the chiefe City of Idumaa This that is glorious in his apparrell i. e. This that is clothed in a brave coat armour or coat of maile or the like The Apparrell here meant is not ordinary Apparell but such Apparell as Generalls and Captaines were wont to wear by which they were distinguished and knowne from other men Travelling in the greatnesse of his strength i. e. Walking or stalking according to the greatnesse of his strength so that he sheweth what his strength is by his gate and by the Majesticke steps which he taketh In is put here for according to I that speake in righteousnesse Here the Lord giveth an answer to the question which the Prophet asked and telleth him who he is saying I am he that speaketh in righteousnesse c. By this character the Lord describeth himself and distinguished himself from the Idoll-gods of the heathen Cap. 45.19 which place see Mighty to save q. d. I am he which is of great power and might to save my people from their enemies 2. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparell i. e. Wherefore is thy apparell thus dyed with red and how commeth it so to passe His apparell was dyed with red through the bloud of the Edomites which he had slaine whose bloud in the slaughter spouted out upon his garments as he tells in the next verse Note that the Prophet speakes this in his own person who upon an answer to his first asketh a second question And thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat This is a repetition of the former sentence for they which tread in the wine-fat are all besprinkled with the juice of the Grapes which being red dieth his garments red who is besprinkled therewith 3. I haâ—e trod the wine presse This is an answer to Isaiahs second question and the meaning of it is q.d. I have fought with the Edomites vanquished them and trodden them under my feet as grapes are trodden in the wine presse and hence it is that I am red in my apparell and that my garments are like him that treadeth in the wine presse for I am all besprinkled with their bloud By occasion of those words in the second vers viz. Wherefore are thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat he giveth his answer in these Metaphoricall words saying I have trod the wine presse alone Where the Lord compareth his enemies and the enemies of his people to the grapes in a wine presse which are there pressed that the juyce thereof may run out and himselfe to the treader whose treadings breaketh the grapes and squeezeth them and maketh the juyce to flow out and this Metaphor is the apter to signifie the subduing and vanquishing of an enemy being that the subduing and vanquishing of an enemy is often set forth by treading and trampling upon them as Cap. 41.25 Psal 60.12 Understand not therefore the wine-presse here without grapeâ— but the wine presse as it was full of grapes Alâ—ne This addeth to the reason why he was red in his apparell and why his garments were like him that treadeth in the winefat for if he had trodden the winefat with company his garments must have needs been stained with the juyce of the grapes but much more being that he trod the wine-presse alone for as he underwent the whole labour of treading so all the sprinkling of the grapes flew up upon him alone But how can the Lord say that he trod the winefat alone whereas as we said this victory over the Edomites was atchieved by the Jewes under the conduct of Judas Machabaeus Answ The Lord saith that he trod the wine presse alone that is that he vanquished the Edomites alone not to exclude the Iewes his own people but onely to exclude the Gentiles and the Nations that dwelt about Iudaea and Idumaea as will appeare by the next words following For the Lord and his people are to be taken at one in this matter and so they are taken Iudges 5.23 And the Lord here speakes as a Generall or as a Captaine of his people Of the people there was none with me i. e. Of all the Nations there was not one Nation that took part with me Note that the word people is here a word of the Plurall number and so containeth many people and Nations This the Lord addeth to encourage his people and to beare up their spirits notwithstanding all Nations should be their enemies at this time as they were 1 Macchab Cap. 5. For I will tread them in mine anger i. e. For I said though there is none of the people with me yet I will tread downe the Edomites in mine anger c. Note that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I said is here to be understood Note Secondly that this relative them is put here without any formall Antecedent But the Antecedent may be understood from the first verse which teacheth that by this them are meant the Edomites the Inhabitants of Edom and Bozrah Note thirdly that by treading and trampling the Edomites is meant subduing and vanquishing and destroying them as was observed a little before And their bloud shall be sprinkled upon my garments q. d. And I will make my garments red with the bloud of their slaine And I will staine all my raiment Supple With their bloud so many will I slay and treade and trample upon 4. For the day of vengeance is in my heart For I said I meditate and thinke upon a day of vengeance to avenge my selfe upon the Edomites for all the injuries which they have done to my people the Iewes He saith the day of vengeance is in mine heart for I meditate and think upon a day of vengeance And the yeere of my redeemed is come i. e. And the time in which I will avenge my redeemed upon the Edomites is now come He calls the Iewes his redeemed because he had redeemed them out of Egypt and would redeem them as out of the captivity of Babylon so from the vexations which the Edomites had or should vexe them with 5. And I looked Supple Among all the Nations to see whether any would help me against the Edomites And there was none to helpe i. e. And I saw none among all the Nations that would helpe me But you will say doth the Lord need help Answ The Lord needed not helpe in himselfe but his people the Iewes might need helpe and therefore what they stood in need of he may be said to have stood in need of and what was done or not done to them the Lord might take as done or not done to himselfe For the Lord in heaven cannot be an hungry or thirsty c. Yet because her brethren were hungry and thirsty he saith
is not onely understood immediately by the letter of the mercy of God in reserving a few Jewes in the Land of Judah from the destruction and desolation which Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel should make of the Jewes But also of the mercy of God in saving a remnant according to the election of grace from everlasting destruction by Christ Jesus Rom. 9.29 And what we read Cap. 8.18 I and the Children which the Lord hath given me is understood of Isaiah and his children by him begotten for Isaiah there speakes in his own person But it is not onely understood of Isaiah but also of Christ of whom Isaiah was a Type Heb. 2.13 And those words which we read Cap. 25.8 He will swallow up death in victory And these the Lord God will wipe away teares from all faces Though they are understood of that joy which should be to the Iewes and all the neighbouring people upon the slaughter of the Assyrians which laid Iudah waste and besiedged Hierusalem Yet they are to be understood also of that joy which the Redeemed of Christ should enjoy when He had put their spirituall Enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15. v. 55. Rev. 7. v. 17. and 21. v. 4. And what we read Cap. 53. v. 7. How beautifull are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace that bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth salvation Though it be understood according to the letter of those which brought good tidings of the delivery of the Iewes out of Babylon Yet it is understood also and according to the letter too of the Preachers of the Gospel Rom. 10. v. 15. I shall not need to bring any more examples of this for they which shall read this our Exposition may have the opportunity to observe many Notes of this kind as of the others also which I have propounded But it may be objected against these Observations and asked here If the Word of God carry a double sense with it and the sentences of the Scripture may have a double meaning are they not like the Oracles of the Devill which carried a double sense and had with them a double meaning Answ God forbid For first the Oracles of the Devill though they had a double meaning and carried a double sense with them yet their double meaning and double sense was concerning one and the same thing But the Word of God where it hath a double meaning or a double sense relateth not to one and the same thing but to severall things whereof one is as the Type and Figure of the other Secondly Though the Word of God doth carry a double sense with it in many places yet is each part of the sense determined to its proper subject and not left in suspense and doubtfull But the double sense which the Oracles of the Devill had were not determined to any one truth but left in suspense and doubtfull that the Devill upon the Event of the thing of which he gave his Oracle might apply it as he list to save his credit with his followers Thirdly The double sense of the Oracles which the Devill gave was contradictory the one part thereof to the other and could not both parts of it be possibly true in the event because they implied a Contradiction But though many parts of the Word of God and many sentences thereof doe carry with them a double sense or double meaning yet are both of the senses and meanings true there is no disagreeing between them in that matter Examples of the Word of God which carry a double sense with them I have given divers a little before Now take one instance of the Devils Oracles and by that judge of the rest When Pyrrhus King of Epirus had a mind to goe to battle against the Romans he was desirous to know what successe he was like to have before he went to battle and therefore asked counsell of Apollo who gave him this answer Aio te Aeacide Romanos vincere posse which I render thus I say that Pyrrhus the Romans can overcome which answer hath a double sense for the sense may be this that Pyrrhus can overcome the Romanes or this that the Romanes can overcome Pyrrhus where you see first that this double sense is concerning one and the same subject Secondly That the sense is not determined but left in suspense and doubtfull for he doth not determine whither Pyrrhus can overcome the Romans or the Romans Pyrrhus And thirdly One part of the sense is contradictory to the other and therefore cannot both parts be true in the event For if it be true that Pyrrhus can vanquish the Romans then cannot it be true that the Romans can vanquish Pyrrhus And if it be true that the Romans can vanquish Pyrrhus it cannot be true that Pyrrhus can vanquish the Romans The Fourth thing that I desired might be taken notice of was That though in many Histories and Prophesies of these holy Writers there be sometimes one sometimes more sentences which signifie immediately by their words some passage or passages which appertain not onely to the First Literall Historicall or Meaner â—ense But also some passage or passages which appertain to the Second Mysticall or Sublime Sense yet the words are not alwayes to be taken after the same manner but sometimes in a different manner in one from that in which they were taken in the other sense And this we may see illustrated and verified by divers examples The sixty ninth Psalm was a Psalm which David made when he was in distresse and therein he complaineth grievously of his Enemies being no doubt in great streights and pressure at that time Now as David was a Type of Christ so doth this Psalm which sets forth the afflictions of David prophesie of the afflictions and miseries which Christ should suffer while he was on the earth by the Sonnes of Men And as the whole Psalm in the first sence concerneth David so in the second and sublime sense it concerneth Christ and some particular sentences are understood acording to the words as well of Christ as they are of David but of David in a Proverbiall and Figurative of Christ in a proper kind of speech For that sentence In my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink Vers 21. Is spoken of David onely figuratively and in the manner of a Proverb and signifies that when he had need of comfort they did in stead of comforting him adde sorrow to his grief But it is spoken of Christ properly and foretels that his enemies should give him vinegar indeed to drink and it was fulfilled while he hung upon the Crosse Iohn 19. vers 28 29. So Psal 19. v. 4. It is written according to our old Translation and according to the Septuagint and according to Saint Paul's reading Rom. 10. v. 18. Their sound is gone out into all Lands And their words into the ends of the world which are spoken in the First
against the Lord. 2 Chron. 28.22 The whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint He proves here that though the men of Judah should be smitten yet they would revolt more and more And he proves it from former experience for experience shewed that though God had smitten them that they should amend yet for all that they were not the better for it And where men grow not the better they grow worse and worse The Prophet compareth the people of Judah here to the body of a man and the calamities and plagues which God had laid upon them to wounds and bruises and putrifying sores and other sicknesses By the head of this body are meant the King and Princes and Judges and other the Rulers of the Common-wealth and by the heart he meaneth the Priests and Levites 6. From the soal of the foot even to the head Here he includes all the members of the naturall body and by them he understands all the members of the body Politique q. d. There is none from the highest to the lowest in all the Kingdome or Common-wealth of Judah which hath not been smitten by the hand of God There is no soundness The soundness here spoken of is opposed to the wounds bruises and putrifying sores spoken of in the next words In it That is In the body Note that this Relative It is put here without an Antecedent And indeed it is usuall with the Hebrewes to put a Relative without an Antecedent and to leave the Antecedent to be gathered by the Circumstances of the place But wounds and bruises and putrifying sores These are opposed to the soundness spoken of just before And by these are meant all the calamities and plagues which had been of late inflicted upon the Jewes They have not been closed These words relate especially to the wounds before spoken of and by closing here is meant the â—queezing of the lips of the wounds together that the crude and raw bloud which is in them might be got out that they might heal the better Note that this praepositive Pronoune They is put for the Subjunctive Which q. d. Which have not been closed Neither bound up Supple with swathes and clothes as wounds and bruises and sores use to be bound up by Chyrurgians to keep them from the aire and to keep them warm Neither mollified with ointment Neither suppled with ointment Wounds and sores cause a hardnesse or stiffness in the adjacent parts through the afflux of humours which hardnesse or stiffness is mollified and supled with fit ointment Note that the Prophet is not curious in observing the method of Chyrurgians in this place For the binding up of wounds or sores is the last thing which the Chyrurgians do though here it be put before mollifying them with oyntment Those wounds and bruises and putrifying sores which have not been closed nor bound up nor mollyfied with ointment must needs be grievous And by these is meant that the plagues and miseries which the Lord had brought upon the Jewes were still grievous and lay heavie upon them even at this time when he spake Note that the Prophet leaves somewhat here to be understood to complete the sense And it is this Viz And yet ye are never the better but rather worse and worse and revolt more and more 7. Your Country is desolate Understand here yet neverthelesse q d. But though ye will revolt more and more if ye be stricken and are never awhit the better for all the calamities which have been brought upon you yet neverthelâ—ss ye shall undergoe more calamities and ye shall be stricken againe for your Country shall be desolate A Country is said to be desolate when it is spoiled of its Inhabitants which should manure it And when the Cities and dweling places thereof are ruined and the Vineyards and Gardens cut down and laid waste Note that the Prophet useth a present tense in this place for the future And so do Prophets use to do often to signifie thereby that that which they speak of shall as certainly come to passe as if it were already come The desolation and misery here prophesied of was that which the King of Syria and Israel brought upon the land of Judah 2 Chron. 28. Verse 5. c. A Question might here be asked why God said Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more And yet for all that did strike them againe Answer When God tells them here that they wâ—ll revolt more and more if they be stricken he doth it for this end that they might not revolt And herein he imitates a careful Father which asketh an untowardly son why he should scourge him and tells him he will be never the better for scourging And this he doth that his son may be the better for he scourgeth him for all that that he may reclaim him Secondly Though God doth see the meanes which he useth will do but little good yet neverthelesse he will use them that it may appear that not He but man is the cause of his own perdition Thirdly Though the greatest part were like to revolt more and more upon the Lords striking them againe yet it was likely that some few of the best of them would returne and repent and for these few sakes the Lord might strike them Your Cities are burnt with fire Here he puts againe a Present or a Praeterperfect tense for a Future and so he doth throughout this and the next Verse Your land strangers devoure it q. d. Your land and whatsoever is therein strangers shall devoure Note that the Relative Pronoune It is often redundant as it is here in this place In your presence i. e. before your face which will cause the greater grief And it is desolate as overthrown by strangers That desolation is the greatest which is made by strangers For strangers do more waste a Country by warrs than inhabitants of the Country do For strangers have not that love of a Country which the natives and inhabitants thereof have neither do they hope for that good from it in times to come as the inhabitants do therefore they spoile it and devoure it so that they may either enrich themselves for the present or hurt their enemies for the future 8. And the daughter of Sion Sion was a famous hill within the walls of Hierusalem upon which the Palace of the Kings of Judah was built and that which was called the City of David 2 Sam. Chap. 5. Vers 7. But by a Synechdoche it is here taken for Hierusalem it self By the daughter of Sion or the daughter of Hierusalem is meant the City of Sion or the City of Hierusalem as we say the City of London For the Hebrewes do usually speak of a City as of a woman by a Metaphor or Prosopopeia and because among the sex of women the Daughters that is the young Maides and Virgins are commonly the fairest therefore they do call a City sometimes a Daughter sometimes
of Israel but destroyed the first-born of the Egyptians 6. Turn ye to him Turn ye therefore unto him O ye inhabitants of Jerusalem From whom the children of Israel i. e. From whom the men of Judah I take Israel here for the two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin as cap. 1.3 which two Tribes go often under the name of the men of Judah because Judah was the chief of the two and they two onely of all the Tribes of Israel were faithful to the heirs of David King of Judah Have deeply revolted By forsaking him and seeking to Egypt vers 1. 7. For in that day i. e. And in that day Supple That the Assyrians shall distress you and besiege you For is put here for And. Every man shall cast away his Idol i. e. Let every man cast away his Idols He puts a future tense of the Indicative mood for an Imperative See Cap. 30. vers 22. For a sin q. d. Whereby ye have sinned against God This Particle For is a sign not of the intent but of the event 8. Then shall the Assyrian i. e. Then shall the Assyrians which besiege Jerusalem He puts the Assyrian for the Assyrians the singular for a plural number Not of a mighty man Supple But of an Angel See 2 King 19.35 Not of a mean man Supple But of a mighty Angel When he saith neither of a mighty man nor of a mean man he excludeth all sorts of men But he i. e. But Sennacherib himself King of Assyria Sennacherib was not come to Jerusalem he was coming when the Angel destroyed his Army but was no further then Nob cap. 10.32 He puts a Relative here without an Antecedent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sennacherib himself was not slain by the Angel as appears 2 King 19.36 but escaped and fled into Assyria with fear and shame enough which to a generous nature was worse then death it self From the Sword Supple Of the Angel And his young men i. e. And his Court attendance or they which wait upon him Or by his young men may be meant that part of his Army which did attend him which certainly was of the most able bodyed men though the Commanders thereof might be old and such are young men 2 Sam. 2.14 Shall be discomfited i. e. Though they brag and boast and are very lustie shall be discouraged and become so heartless as that they shall tremble and be afraid at the moving of every leaf 9. And he shall passe over to his strong hold for fear i. e. And Sennacherib himself shall run and not stay for fear till he gets to Nineveh that strong City and to the Castle of that City 2 Kings 19.36 And his Princes i. e. And his Nobles and chief Commanders of that part of his army which was with him Shall be afraid of the Ensign i. e. Shall be afraid if they do but see an Ensign thinking when they see it that some company of their enemies are nigh at hand or do pursue them Whose fire is in Sion i. e. Who hath fire in Sion wherewith to destroy the adversaries thereof or thus whose Altar is in Sion whereon the fire burneth continually to burn the Burnt-offerings which are offered to him Or thus who dwells in Sion for where a man keeps his fire there is his habitation If God have fire in Sion he will use it against the enemies of Sion if he be honored by sacrifice in Sion he will preserve Sion for his honors sake If he dwells in Sion he will not suffer the Assyrians to cast him out of his house but will defend his dwelling place In Sion i. e. In Jerusalem A Synecdoche of the part for the whole And his furnace at Jerusalem By his furnace may be understood his dwelling place by a Metaphor from such tradesmen which use a furnace in their Trade which furnace for their more convenience they have at their dwelling houses yea whatsoever is meant by fire before may be meant by the furnace here because a furnace is of no use without fire and so these may be a repetition of the former words ISAIAH CHAP. XXXII BEhold a King shall reign in righteousness By this King he meant Hezekiah King of Judah whose praises he here declareth but in a more sublime sence is meant Christ Jesus who was King of righteousness and of whom Hezekiah was a Type Note that this cohereth with the former Chapter and containeth a reason why the Lord would destroy the Assyrians namely for Hezekiahs sake See the same reason of the same thing cap. 9.6 and cap. 10.27 and cap. 11.1 Note that as the Lord did destroy the Assyrians which were the enemies of Jerusalem and delivered the Jews for Hezekiahs sake So doth the Lord destroy the spiritual enemies of his Church redeem his faithful people for Christs sake yea and through Christ In righteousness i. e. With righteousness administring Justice equally to every man And Princes By Princes he meaneth such as this King to wit Hezekiah should make Princes that is Judges and Magistrates in the Land In judgement i. e. With Justice 2. And a man c. He repeateth here what he said before and whereas he said a King before he saith a man here but meaneth the same man viz. Hezekiah As an hiding place from the wind i. e. Shall be as a place in which a man may hide himself or keep himself from the blustring wind What is meant by this we shall shew in the latter end of the Verse A covert from the tempest i. e. A covert in which a man may hide or save himself from the tempest As rivers of water in a dry place Rivers of water must needs be a great comfort to Travellers which travel in dry places where they may have the waters of those Rivers to quench their thirst withall As a shadow of a great rock in a weary Land A shadow or shady place is a great refreshing to those which travel in the Summer time in a hot scorching wilderness when they are even scorched with the heat of the Sun He mentioneth the shadow of a rock rather then of a tree because he speaks of a wilderness where there are more rocks then trees In a weary Land i. e. In an hot scorching wilderness which tireth and wearyeth those which travel in it Metonymia Effecti By all these Metaphorical expressions the Prophet meaneth that Hezekiah should right those that suffer wrong and be a great comfort to those that are afflicted in their misery 3. The eyes of them that see By them that see he meaneth Judges and Magistrates whom he called Princes vers 1. whose duty is to see and look though not upon persons yet into the Causes which are brought before them and that throughly too before they give sentence Shall not be dim Their eyes shall not be dim because they shall look acutely into the Causes which are brought before them they shall not be blinded either with ignorance or affection or
earth and lick up the dust of thy feet This as some think is not to be understood of the same Kings and Queens which were nursing fathers and nursing mothers to Sion But of others as of the Kings of Edom and of Moab whom the Jewes subdued after their return out of the Babylonish captivity for to bow down so low as to the earth and to lick the dust of the feet is not the gesture say they of Kings which are friends and benefactors but of enemies which are subdued and of such as worship rather out of feare and flattery than of love as will appeare Psal 72.9 Isaiah 60.14 Exod. 11.8 The sense therefore is say they q. d. And those Kings and Queens which will not be as nursing fathers and nursing mothers to thee shall bow down to thee with their face to the earth and shall lick the dust of thy feet for thou shalt subdue them and bring them under thee When therefore he saith They shall bow down to thee He doth as it were point at those which would not be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to Sion but would rather envy her and hate her But though these phrases taken in their prime and proper sense signifie as they aforementioned say yet by an Hyperbolicall Synecdoche putting one species of respect for any respect in generall they may signifie such respect as Kings which are friends and benefactors shew even to their inferiours And then the same Kings which are nursing fathers to Sion and the same Queens which are nursing mothers may be said to bow down to her with their faces towards the earth and lick up the dust of her feet because of that civil respect which they they gave unto her They shall bow down with their face towards the earth This sheweth respect and reverence to him to whom we bow but a submissive respect and reverence in the prime and proper sense of the words And lick up the dust of thy feet Many to shew their extream submission and reverence and respect to others have kissed the very footsteps where they have trod and licked up the dust which clove to their feet And thou shalt know that I am the Lord i. e. And thou shalt know by those things which I will doe for thee that I am the onely God for I will doe such things for thee as none but the true God can doe For they shall not be ashamed which wait for mee i. e. For they which wait with patience upon me in expectation and hope of salvation from my hand shall not be disappointed of their hope and expectation They which hope and look for great matters if they faile of their hope and expectation they are ashamed Hence he may be said not to be ashamed which obtaineth what he hopeth for 24. Shall the prey be taken from the mighty q. d. The Babylonians are mighty in power and I and my children are their prey They have taken us by the sword and kept us captive and hath any one so great strength as to deliver us out of their hands This is spoken in the person of Sion who doubts of the Lords sayings concerning the coming of her children to her again of her own happiness after their coming to her because of the great power which the Babylonians had and therefore doth she object thus against the Lord Shall the prey be taken from the mighty That which made Sion doubt of the delivery of her children v. 14. was the distrust which she had of the love of God That which makes her doubt here was the conceit which she had of the great power of the Babylonians which she thought invincible Or the lawful captive delivered Supple From the terrible This is but a repetition of the former words The lawful captive That is called a lawful captive here which is taken in a lawful war and that is called a lawful war which is denounced between people and people according to the Law of Arms before it be begun though otherwise that same War may be very unjust and injurious in respect of the Law of God and of the Moral Law Now a Captive which is taken in such a war as is denounced before it be begun sheweth the power of the Conqueror more then that Captive doth which is taken in a war which was not denounced For in a war which is denounced before it is begun he that begins the war relieth upon the greatness of his own strength and believeth that he can master the Enemy by meer force and therefore is more terrible in power But he that wageth a war and denounceth it not hath more confidence in the unpreparedness of his Enemy and such like advantages then in his own power and therefore is not so much to be feared for his strength as the other is 25. But thus saith the Lord even the captives c. This is the Lords Answer to Sions Objection Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away i. e. Thou and thy children though ye be lawful captives of the mighty Babylonians yet shall ye be taken away out of their hands And the prey of the terrible shall be delivered q. d. And though ye be the pâ—ey of the Babylonians which are a terrible Nation yet shal ye be delivered from them For I will contend with him that contendeth with thee i. e. For I the Lord who am Almighty and can do whatsoever I please will fight against the Babylonians which fight against thee Concerning this phrase see cap. 41.12 and cap. 54.17 26. I will feed them which oppress thee with their own flesh they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine i. e. I will set the Babylonians which oppress thee with hard captivity one against another and they shall fight one with another and slay one another in great number The phrases here used are metaphorical taken from wilde beasts which fight with and kill one the other and when they have killed one the other eat the flesh and suck the blood one of the other Their own flesh Their own blood This is not to be understood of the flesh and blood of their own natural and individual bodies but of the flesh and blood of their Kinsmen and Country-men For these especially Kinsmen are said to be of the same flesh and of the same blood because they came out of the loyns of the same forefathers That which is here spoken might be fulfilled not onely by the Civil Wars of the Babylonians if any such were for we have not Records extant of all things memorable but also when many Babylonians served under Cyrus against other the Babylonians The mighty One of Jacob. i. e. The mighty One whom Jacob serveth and who protecteth Jacob. By Jacob he meaneth the Jews the children of Jacob. The Lord though he calleth himself most usually the holy One of Israel and the holy One of Jacob as cap. 29.23 yet here he calleth himself the
should not dye in the dungeon as many of his Brethren have dyed through such hardness as he hath there suffered heretofore and which you are now afraid of By the pit is meant that part of the prison which is called the Dungeon which is as a pit under ground But by this also he meaneth Babylon or the Land of the Jews captivity by a Metaphor Nor that his bread should fail i. e. And that he might not be starved in captivity for want of bread as many of his brethren have been and which you now fear Supple And he shall prevail 15. But I am the Lord thy God that divided the Sea c. The Lord prevents an Objection here which Sion might make For Sion might say But for all this I have cause to be afraid and to fear continually every day for the Babylonians are men which are maliciously bent against me and their fury is such as that it cannot be withstood To which the Lord here answers saying I 'l grant that the Babylonians are men maliciously bent against thee but yet I am the Lord who am more mighty then all the men of the Earth thy God who will have a care of thee and protect thee whose friendship is more to be esteemed of then their enmity to be feared who divided the sea whose waves roared and therefore am able to chastise them be their fury never so great and tumultuous against thee The Lord of Hosts is my Name therefore can I give victory to whom I please and trample under feet whom I will That divided the sea whose waves roared He alludes to the division which he made in the red Sea for his people Israel to pass through which he divided notwithstanding the roaring of the waves Exod. 14. v. 16 21. The Lord of Hosts is his Name i. e. The Lord of Hosts is my Name He putteth here the third for the first person for the Lord speaketh here of himself This Name The Lord of Hosts intimateth a great deal of power and the Lord mentioneth it here to uphold Sion against the conceit which she had of the great power of the Babylonians her Enemies or Oppressors 16. And I have put my words in thy mouth c. And that it may be known that I have not onely power to redeem thee O Zion and thy children the Jews but will also to restore all prosperity and joy to you and where power and will meet together the effect must needs follow I have put my words in thy mouth O Isaiah The Lord maketh a sudden Apostrophe to Isaiah And have covered thee with the shadow of mine hand See cap. 49.2 That I may plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth q. d. That I may plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth Supple As I have determined to plant and lay them upon the Jews repentance i. e. That I may make new Haevens and a new Earth according to what I have decreed when the Jews have repented That these words are not literally to be understood but onely Metaphorically is plain and manifest and denyed by none Quest. But what is it which is meant by them Answ The meaning is as if he should say that I may put a new face on things and make the Heavens to give their light and the Earth to flourish and be verdant as when they were at first created that is That I may bring back all joy and gladness into the Land of Judah where there is now sorrow and grief c. For the understanding of which sence note that the Scripture saith of the Heavens in times of great calamity that they are darkened and that the Stars of Heaven give not their light neither doth the Sun and the Moon cause their their light to shine as cap. 50.30 cap. 13.10 And on the contrary in times of great prosperity it saith of the Heavens that they give their light and that the light of ths Moon is as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun is seven-fold as the light of seven days c. as cap. 30. v. 26. Therefore to make new Heavens is to make the Heavens to give their light as brightly and as clearly as when they were at first created and that signifieth to give or reduce great prosperity and great joy And as for the Earth during the time of the Babylonish captivity the Land of Judah was accounted as a Wilderness and as a Desart because of the barrenness and squalidity thereof vers 3. When therefore the Lord saith that he will lay the foundations of the Earth his meaning is that he will make the Earth to flourish and be as verdant as when it was at first created and that signifieth that he will take away that barrenness and squalidity under which the Land of Judah lay during the captivity and make it as Eden yea even as the Garden of the Lord as it was at the first Creation as is said vers 3. Where note that by the Heavens are particularly here meant the Heavens which were over the Land of Judah as cap. 5.30 And by the Earth is particularly meant the Land of Judah as cap. 24.17 c. and that by a Synecdoche By this therefore that the Lord saith That he will plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth is meant that he will make the Land of Judah a joyful and a fruitful Land But it may be here asked How it is to be understood that the Lord here saith that he put his words into Isaiabs mouth c. that he the Lord might plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth that is That he the Lord might give great prosperity and joy to the Land of Judah and make the Land of Judah a joyful and a fruitful Land Ans As the Lord took away all prosperity and joy out of the Land of Judah and made it a barren and a doleful Land because of the sins of the Jews which dwelt therein so he was determined to reduce all joy and prosperity into it and to make it a fruitful and a flourishing Land again if the Jews would repent them of their sins That therefore they might be induced to repent he put his words into Isaiahs mouth and covered him with the shadow of his hand that upon his words they might repent and upon their repentance he the Lord might bring back all joy and fruitfulness into the Land of Judah And thus is the Lord said to put his words into Isaiahs mouth that he the Lord might plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth That I may plant the Heavens Here is a Metaphor taken from a Gardiners planting Trees or Herbs And lay the foundations of the Earth Here is a Metaphor from a Builder And say unto Sion thou art my people This might the Lord say when he had brought back the Jews out of Babylon to Sion and clothed Sion with them as
reflexion of that light The meaning is q. d. Be thou happy and glorious through that happiness with which thy God will bless thee The Prophet seemeth to allude here to the Moon or to some Star which is enlightened by the Sun and compareth the Lord to the Sun and Sion to the Moon or Star enlightened by the Rays of the Sun It is a common thing with the Prophet to put light for prosperity and happiness By light therefore received understand the prosperity and happiness which the Lord would vouchsafe Sion by his favor And because the Moon and the Stars do shine by the reflexion of that light which they receive from the Sun understand by Sions shining the glory which Sion should have by the happiness which the Lord would vouchsafe her For thy light is come i. e. For thy God which will give thee light that is Prosperity and Redemption is come supple to give thee light By light understand God who is here likened to the Sun which is called a light because it giveth light Gen. 1.16 Because the Prophet doth often call prosperity light and God was to be the Author of Sions prosperity and redemption he likeneth God here to the Sun which giveth light to the Moon and to the Stars when he saith Thy light is come And the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee i. e. And the glorious Lord is risen upon thee as the Sun riseth upon the Moon and the Stars by casting his rays upon them By the glory of the Lord understand the glorious Lord himself as cap. 58. vers 8. which he saith is risen upon thee by a Metaphor drawn from the Sun in which he persists 2. The darkness shall cover the Earth By darkness is understood misery and calamity by the Earth is understood the Land of Babylonia by a Synecdoche the whole Earth being put for a part thereof and by a Metonymy the inhabitants of that earth to wit the Babylonians And gross darkness the people i. e. And exceeding great misery and calamity the people which inhabit Babylonia This came to pass when Cyrus conquered and subdued Babylon He prophecyeth misery to the Babylonians because the Babylonians did mightily oppress Sion and her children the Jews in their captivity 3. But the Lord shall arise upon thee i. e. But the Lord shall arise upon thee by casting the beams of his favor upon thee as the Sun ariseth upon the Moon and the Stars by casting his rays upon them And his glory shall be seen upon thee i. e. And he shall be seen upon thee Supple by the light and brightness of the beams of his favor which he shall cast upon thee He compareth here the Lord to the Sun and the redemption and prosperity which he gave to Sion to the beams and brightness which proceedeth from the body of the Sun Then did the Lord arise upon Sion when Cyrus did vanquish the Babylonians and set the Jews free and do such great things for them as we read of in the book of Ezra His glory i. e. He. See vers 1. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light i. e. And so great shall thy glory and thy prosperity be as that the Gentiles shall come to thee because of the greatness of thy glory and prosperity to joy thee and to be partakers with thee of that thy prosperity or at least to behold it and admire it To thy light By light as I said is meant prosperity c. But he alludeth here to the light of the Moon or some glorious Star to which he here resembleth Sion And Kings to the brightness of thy rising i. e. Yea Kings shall come to thee by reason of thy brightness when thou shalt rise for brightness like to the Moon or some glorious Star enlightened by the beams and rays of the Sun The brightness of thy rising is put per Metonymiam Adjuncti for Sion her self rising in brightness 4. Lift up thine eyes round about i. e. Behold and look towards all the parts of the Earth Here he beginneth to shew in particular what the light and brightness that is what the prosperity and glory of Sion should be All they gather themselves together they come to thee i. e. All they which thou seest gathering themselves together in all the parts of the Earth are Jews thy children and they gather themselves together to come to thee He speaks here to Sion as if he had her in an high Watch-tower from whence she could see all the quarters of the Earth Thy sons shall come from far i. e. Thy sons shall come to thee from far even from Babylon where they were captive and from other parts of the world whither they fled when the Babylonians invaded thy Land The Jews which were captive in Babylon returned to Jerusalem by the favor of Cyrus which conquered Babylon and set them free The Jews which were in other parts of the Earth when they heard what Cyrus had done for their Countrymen were invited by their good success to return home and did return and take part with them of their happiness And thy daughters shall be nursed by thy side q. d. And thy daughters shall be no more taken away from thee but they shall be nursed up by thy side or in thy presence He speaks to Sion as to a most indulgent Mother 5. Then shalt thou see and flow together i. e. Then shalt thou see supple thy sons and thy daughters in thine own house and shalt flow together with them with abundance of joy and riches Shalt thou see Supple Thy sons and thy daughters within thine own walls And flow together i. e. And thou shalt flow together with them or thou and they together with thee shall flow with abundance of joy and riches Flow There is a Metaphor in this word taken from a river which floweth with abundance of waters to which waters he likeneth the joy and riches of Sion and her children And thine heart shall fear and be enlarged because the abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee i. e. And thou shalt fear and rejoyce because of the abundance of people that shall come to thee A question will here be asked How the Prophet can say that she shall fear and rejoyce for these two are contrary passions and cannot happen upon the same occasion in the same person at the same time Ans The Prophet here alludeth to the manner of men who when they see a great company approaching toward them and toward their dwellings and knowing not what they are are dismayed and fear that they are some Enemies especially if they have been frighted before with companies of Enemies as Sion had been with the Babylonians but when they perceive upon their neer approach by their carriage and by their words that they are friends come to serve them their fear is turned into joy Sion then might fear when she saw so many coming to her while they are yet afar off
suspecting that they were Enemies and that by their multitudes they intended evil against her but when she is assured of the contrary that they are friends come with Presents to her and offering her all kinde services her fear is turned into joy So that Sion did not fear and joy here upon the same occasion at the same time but her joy succeeded her fear upon a several apprehension And be enlarged i. e. And shall rejoyce Fear and sorrow do contract the heart but joy enlargeth it he saith therefore Thine heart shall be enlarged for Thine heart shall rejoyce or thou shalt rejoyce per Metonymiam Effectus Because of the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee i. e. Because of the abundance of the Tyrians and those which live by the Sea-side and in the Islands thereof which shall direct their way to thee and come to thee Of the sea i. e. Of those which live neer the Sea or in the Sea in the Islands there Metonymia subjecti or adjuncti Shall be converted unto thee i. e. Shall turn their way to thee and come to thee with their merchandize whereas they were wont to go to other Cities In the word Converted some think there is a change of minde intimated as well as a bodily coming as if these people were once ill-affected to the Jews but should now be well disposed towards them The Forces of the Gentiles shall come to thee i. e. Whole Armies as it were of the Gentiles shall come to thee and bring their merchandize to thee By Forces understand great multitudes of men for such doth he call Forces here by a Metaphor from an Army which in warlike terms is called the Forces of such or such a Nation or such and such a Prince That the Tyrians or people of Tyre brought fish and all manner of ware to sell in Jerusalem see Nehem. 13.16 And what the Tyrians did that we may say all the other Nations did which dwelt about Judea that is That every one brought the commodities of their Land thither there to sell 6. The multitude of Camels shall cover thee i. e. So many Camels shall come into thee laden with rich commodities as that they shall even cover the ground of thy streets so thick shall they stand there The Eastern people were wont to carry their Carriages and such commodities as their Countries afforded as Gold Silver Spices sweet Odors c. upon the backs of Camels so that the Prophet meaneth by this which he saith here of the Camels that great abundance of merchandize and commodities of the East shall be brought into Jerusalem The Dromedaries of Midian and Ephah i. e. Even the Dromedaries of Midian and Ephah These words seem to limit the former words q. d. The multitude of Camels shall cover thee I mean the Camels of Midian and Ephah A Dromedary is a kinde of Camel so called from its swiftness for it is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to run Midian Midian is put here for the Midianites which were the children of Midian the son of Abraham by Ketura Gen. 25.1 per Metonymiam efficientis Ephah Ephah is taken here for the children of Ephah who was the son of Midian Gen. 25.4 by the like Metonymy as before The Midianites and Ephaites or children of Ephah dwelt beyond Arabia All they from Sheba shall come i. e. Many of them which are descended from Sheba shall come unto thee This universal Particle All hath not always an universal signification Sheba was the son of Raamah the son of Cush the son of Ham the son of Noah Genes 10. v. 7 6 1. He dwelt in Arabia Foelix from whom a certain Region thereof was called Sheba of which she which came to see Solomon 1 King 10.1 was Queen They shall bring Gold and Incense Arabia Foelix was noted for Gold and Incense India mittit ebur molles sua thura Sabaei And they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord. q. d. And as in times past the Queen of Sheba when she saw what the Lord had done for Solomon 1 King 10.9 So shall many of the people of Sheba when they see what great things the Lord hath done for thee praise the Lord in thy behalf 7. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee i. e. Many of the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to be brought in unto thee and sold in thy Markets Of Kedar By Kedar are meant the children of Kedar which were called Kedarens per Metonymiam Efficientis which Kedar was the son of Ishmael Genes 25. vers 13. Kedar and his children the Kedarens inhabited part of Arabia Petraea and abounded with flocks and herds of Cattel The Rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee i. e. The children of Nebaioth shall bring their Rams to be sold in thy streets so that their Rams shall be at thy service and they shall yield burnt sacrifices to thee for thee to sacrifice to me Of Nebaioth Nebaioth is put here for the children of Nebaioth which were called Nabataei and Nebathites 1 Mac. 5.27 per metonymiam efficientis which Nebaioth was the son of Ishmael Genes 25.13 Nebaioth and his children the Nabataeans or Nabathites did inhabit part of Arabia Petraea and were rich in flocks and herds as the Kedarens were They shall come up with acceptance upon mine Altar q. d. Thou shalt offer them for burnt-sacrifices upon mine Altar where I will accept of thee and of those thy sacrifices And I will glorifie the house of my glory i. e. And I will make my Temple glorious by those Rams which Nebaioth shall bring to thee and thou shalt offer therein to me The more the sacrifices were which were offered in the Temple the more glorious was the Temple accounted and the higher esteemed of The house of my glory i. e. The house of me that is my house The glory of the Lord is put here per metonymiam adjuncti for the Lord himself who is glorious as vers 1. By this house of the Lord is meant the Temple 8. Who are these that flee as a cloud and as the Doves to their windows i. e. Who are these which flee to thee as fast as a cloud before the wind or as a flock of Pigeons to their house I said vers 4. that he spake unto Sion as if he had had her in an high Watch-tower from whence she could see all the Quarters of the Earth Now as though they were in the same Watch-tower still and espyed on a sudden a great company hasting towards Jerusalem he cries Who are those that flee as a cloud and as Doves to their window◠He knew them to be the Jews returning homeward but as men use to do in such a case he asketh Sion whether she knew who they were or no that he might assure her that they were her children the Jews hasting unto her By this the Prophet would shew the certain return of the Jews
suck the milk of the Gentiles and shalt suck the breast of Kings I will also make thine Officers peace i. e. I will also give thee such Officers to beare rule in thee and govern thee as shall be meek and peaceable men This was fulfilled when the Lord made Ezra Zorobabel Nehemiah c. Rulers and Officers in Hierusalem Peace Peace is put here for most peaceable men as excellency was for most excellent Vers 15. And thine exactors righteousnesse i. e. And those which shall be appointed to leavie the Taxes and Tributes which are to be leavied in thee shall be righteous and just men such as will not impose nor exact more then they ought and is convenient and needfull God promiseth not Hierusalem that she shall be freed from Taxes for Taxes and Tributes must be leavied in all Kingdomes and Commonwealths as occasion requires for the pâ—blique good But he promiseth her here that they which impose or levy the Taxes or Tributes shall not be such as she felt during the Babylonish captivity who were cruell and unjust Extortioners but righteous Taxers which shall impose no more then necessity requireth and shall not exact what is imposed with rigour Righteousnesse i. e. Most righteous Righteousnesse is put here for most righteous as before peace for most peaceable and Excellency for most excellent Note that the Prophet preventeth an objection here for whereas he saith in the person of God in the former part of the verse For Brasse I will bring Gold and for Iron I will bring Silver and for Stones Iron Sion might say But what shall I be the better for this for if I had never so much such officers as I have now meaning those that ruled in Hierusalem under the King of Babylon during the Babylonish captivity and such exactors would wring it all from me This objection therefore the Prophet prevents in the person of the Lord saying I will also make thy Officers peace and thine Exactors Righteousnesse 18. Violence shall be no more heard in thy Land i. e. Nor shall violence be any more heard in thy Land for though there hath been much violence used in thy land by the Babylonians yet now thou shalt be free from the violence of all forraine enemies He seemeth to speak of violence as of a scolding woman by a Prosopopeia Wasting and destruction within thy borders Nor wasting and destruction within thy borders as they have been heard since the Babylonians first invaded these thy borders Here in this verse he promiseth security to Sion But thou shalt call thy walls salvation q. d. But thy walls shall be safe and shall keep all thy children within thee safe yea they shall be as safe as salvation and keepe thy children within thee as safe as salvation her selfe can keep them So that thou maist justly call thy walls Salvation He speaks of Salvation here as of a person or at least as of a thing subsisting by it selfe And what is more safe then salvation which if she could be hurt were not salvation and what can keep us more safe than Salvation For so long as salvation encompasseth us we must needs be safe otherwise salvation were not salvation And thy gates praise By praise he meaneth salvation for this is but as it were the former sentence repeated But how commeth praise to signifie salvation Answ Per metonymiam effectus for salvation produceth praise to God And Per metonymiam adjuncti for salvation is worthy of praise it selfe And not onely salvation but any other thing which doth either produce praise or is worthy of praise may be called praise Note that the Prophet presents another objection here in this verse for whereas the Lord had said That for brasse he would bring gold and so for Iron he would bring silver and for wood brasse and for stones Iron And had prevented an objection which Sion might have made saying But I shall be nothing the better for these for such officers and such exactors as I am now under will extort and wring all that I shall have away from me He prevents an other objection For Sion might say though I shall have peaceable officers and righteous exactors so that I may enjoy all that thou givest me for any thing I need feare from Officers within me Yet I have cause to fear the violent man and the destroyer I mean the forraign Souldier from without for I have felt them and their violence but lately for they have burnt downe my gates and broken downe my walls c. This objection therefore the Lord prevents and takes away in this verse Saying Violence shall be no more heard in thy Land wasting nor destruction within thy borders but thou shalt call thy walls salvation and thy gates praise 19. The Sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light q. d. The Lord shall give unto thee continually greater light by many degrees than the Sun doth give thee by day or the Moon by night For understanding of this place know first that the Hebrewes when they make comparison between two things and therein preferre one thing before another they affirme that which they preferre and deny that before which it is preferâ—ed So I desired mercy and not sacrifice is put for I desired mercy more than sacrifice Hosea 6.6 And I am a worme and no man is put for I am a worme rather than a man Psal 22.6 According to which rule these words The Sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light Are put to signifie That the Lord would give Sion more light conâ—inually than the Sun could give her by day or the Moon by night Note secondly that whereas the Lord is said to be Sions everlasting light By light is meant prosperity For as I have often said the Hebrewes call prosperity light by a Metaphor Note in the third place that when the light which the Lord will here be to Sion is compared with the light of the Sun light metaphorically taken is compared with true naturall light and so the Hebrewes often compare things only so called by a Metaphor or figure with things properly so called as you may see Cap. 58.8 Ecclus 23. v. 19. The Sun By the Sun is meant the Sun which is placed in the Firmament of the Heavens Thy light i. e. The giver of light to thee Light is taken here for the giver of light Per metonymiam efficientis Neither for brightnesse i. e. Neither in respect of any brightnesse which the Moon shall have For her brightnesse shall be eclipsed or obscured by the brightnesse of the Lord. Shall the Moon give light unto thee Supple By night But the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light i. e. But the Lord shall be unto thee a