the great Kings and Rulers of the earth to appear to be as nothing and meer vanity before him or by destroying them he brings them to nothing See the Note Job 12.21 Ver. 24. Yea they shall not be planted yea they shall not be sown yea their stock shall not take root in the earth c. As if he had said In what a flourishing Condition soever these great ones seem to be they shall be destroyed as easily and utterly without any memorial of them left behind them as those things are overthrown or blasted that never had any root in the earth as namely a dry dead stock of a tree put into the earth or as grass that shooting up of it self in the superficies of the earth and not having any deep root is soon withered Some I know understand this of their being overturned in the beginning of their Reign before they are well setled in their greatness or before they have any Posterity to leave behind them But the former Exposition I judge the better and most agreeable to that which followeth and he shall also blow upon them and they shall wither c. that is The least breath of Gods displeasure shall soon bring them to nothing See the Note Psal 103.16 Ver. 25. To whom then will ye liken me or shall I be equal c. See the Note above ver 18. Ver. 26. Lift up your eyes on high c. To wit heavenward as becomes men whom God hath created with erect bodies and countenances fit to view the Heavens and not like the Beasts that have their faces always groveling towards the earth and behold who hath created these things to wit these heavenly Orbs and the glorious lights therein Consider of what infinite Power and Wisdom and Majesty that God must needs be that hath made all these things that bringeth out their host by number he calleth them all by names See the Note Psal 147.4 by the greatness of his might for that he is strong in power not one faileth that is By reason of his infinite power when he bringeth out this his heavenly Host it is not with him as with other Generals that when they lead out their Companies into the Fields do usually miss some of their Souldiers not one of his Host from the Creation unto this time hath ever been wanting but they have all been found in their places ready pressed to do whatever God shall enjoyn them Ver. 27. Why sayest thou O Jacob and speakest O Israel c. That is Considering the infinite Power and Wisdom of God before described why should you ever and anon break forth into such words of despair that are Gods Covenant-people his Israel the Posterity of Jacob who because he relied upon God being in danger of an enemy too mighty for him was therefore called Israel my way is hid from the Lord that is say the most of Expositors God takes no notice of or doth not regard the Miseries we endure in Babylon and my judgment is passed over from my God that is He passeth over my cause and minds it not and so he doth not execute Judgment upon those that wrong and oppress me Well but now the words may be understood another way and that very probably My way is hid from the Lord and my Judgment is passed over from my God that is God himself cannot find out a way now to deliver us out of our Captivity the way of judging and avenging us upon our enemies is so far past all hope of being effected that God himself cannot redress it See the Note Job 3.23 And indeed this Exposition some do rather approve because of that which is added in the following verses Ver. 28. Hast thou not known hast thou not heard c. See the Note above ver 21. that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not to wit as men usually do when their strength is worn out with long toil and labor Gods not fainting is alledged to imply covertly that he was able to do as great and wonderful things for his people as he had ever formerly done as being never wearied with what he doth and with respect hereto it is that God is termed here the everlasting God that is That God who from Eternity to Eternity continueth always the same unchangeably and the Lord the Creator of the ends of the earth to imply that being therefore Omnipotent and having the whole World even to the utmost ends of the earth as being the work of his hands under his power and command to govern it as he pleaseth it must needs follow that this immutable God that ceased not to govern the whole World would much less cease to take care of his own Church and people and that he was able to deliver his people even in Babylon and from the uttermost ends of the earth as well as if they had been still in the land of Judea there is no searching of his understanding as if he had said And how then can you think that your way should be hid from such infinite Knowledg Or why should you not think when you do not understand how that which God doth should tend to the good of his people that this may be because the Wisdom of his Proceedings may be far above your reach Ver. 29. He giveth power to the faint c. That is to those that are ready to faint and sink under great Afflictions and Temptations as being no way able to help themselves as it was indeed with the Jews in the Babylonian Captivity Such as these and that have humble thoughts of themselves God doth usually strengthen them and revive and is it likely that he should faint himself that revives the fainting spirits of others Ver. 30. Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall That is The strongest that are may and do often for want of strength to hold out fail of effecting what they undertake which is the rather said because such out of the high conceit they have of their own strength are many times emboldned to undertake things too high for them and so are ruined thereby Ver. 31. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength c. The word in the Hebrew may be translated shall change their strength but the meaning is That they that trust in God and wait patiently and quietly upon him for the accomplishment of his promises though they may sometimes be ready to faint yet being strengthned by grace shall again encourage themselves and go on chearfully resting upon God for Deliverance they shall mount up with wings as Eagles that is By mounting up in their Meditations concerning their God and all his Glorious Attributes and the Glory which in Heaven he hath prepared for his people they shall with great courage and magnanimity of Spirit raise up themselves above all Difficulties and Dangers and Fears and with much confidence
them 2 Kings 19.2 is a clear evidence that he was a Prophet of great Authority and Esteem in his time even his Prophecy it self is justly esteemed to be of greatest eminency not only for the variety of his Visions and the incomparable Majesty of his Style which shews that he was a man learned and eloquent and that it was not without good effect that his lips were touched by a Seraphim with a fiery coal taken from the Altar Chap. 6.6 7. but especially because there are therein more clear and remarkable Prophecies concerning Christ than in all the Prophets besides whence it is that he is oftner cited by Christ and the Apostles than any of the rest and that the first Text which we find that Christ preached upon was taken out of his Prophecy Luke 4.17 18. And the Fathers do usually upon this account call him the Evangelical Prophet yea and sometimes the fift Evangelist so that in this regard his Name Isaiah which signifieth the Salvation of the Lord did notably suit with the Doctrine which he taught As for that which is said 2 Chron. 26.22 that Isaiah did write the Acts of Uzziah first and last see the Note there The Son of Amoz This may seem to have been added purposely to distinguish this our Prophet from some other Person or Persons that were in his time called by the same Name for that this Amoz the Father of Isaiah was the Prophet Amos is altogether improbable because the Name of Amos the Prophet is in the Hebrew written with other Letters than this is neither is there any good ground for that which is laid down as a general Rule by the Rabbins that where any Prophet hath his Father mentioned together with him there both Father and Son were Prophets And as for that which the Jewish Doctors do also commonly affirm that this Amos the Father of Isaiah was the Son of Jâ—ash King of Judah and Brother to Amaziah his Son and Uncle to Azariah or Uzziah that succeeded him and so that Isaiah was of the Royal Stock of the Kings of Judah and Cousin-German to Uzziah in whose days he began to Prophecy and likewise that he was the Father-in-Law of Manassâ—â— considering that they produce no Authentick Proof for these things I conceive we may well look upon them as uncertain Traditions that deserve no great credit Which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem That is the State and People of the Kingdom of Judah under which the Tribe of Benjamin was comprehended and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem who are particularly mentioned not only because Jerusalem was the Metropolis of that Kingdom but also because in bad times it was most disordered and from thence all wickedness did spread it self all the Land over It is true indeed that there are many things spoken in this Prophecy concerning other Nations yet it is called The Vision of Isaiah which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem because it chiefly concerns them and that which is inserted concerning other Nations is mentioned with respect to their instruction Consolation and Benefit In the days of Uzziah Jotham Ahaz and Hezekiah Kings of Judah Considering that Jotham Reigned sixteen years 2 Kings 15.33 and Ahaz as many 1 Kings 16.2 And that Isaiah prophecied all the time of both their Reigns as is here expressed and considering that of the nine and twenty years of Hezekiah's Reign 2 Kings 18.2 he had Reigned at least fifteen years when Isaiah was sent to reprove him for that vain-glorious Act of his in shewing his Treasures to the Babylonian Embassadors 2 Reg. 20.14 for in his foregoing Sickness which occasioned the coming of these Embassadors to him God had promised that he should live fifteen years longer 2 Kings 20.6 it is clear that Isaiah prophecied under the Reign of these three Kings at least seven and forty years And how many years longer he might prophecy both in the days of Hezekiah after the coming of the Babylonian Embassadors to him and before that under the Reign of Uzziah in whose days it is here said he begun to Prophecy cannot be certainly concluded For though some would conclude that Isaiah began not to Prophecy till the last year of Uzziah's Reign because there is a Vision mentioned Chap. 6.1 which he saw in the Year that King Uzziah died at which time when God had said Whom shall I send c. the Prophet answered Here am I send me yet the truth is that this cannot be justly gathered from thence because that might not be intended of his first Call to his Prophetical Office but of that particular message which God required him at that time to deliver to the Jews concerning which see the Notes there The Jewish Doctors do indeed affirm that Isaiah was put to death in the days of Manasseh being sawn asunder with a Wooden Saw whereto some Expositors conceive the Apostle had respect in the mention that he makes Heb. 11.37 of some that were sawn asunder And if this could be taken for granted it would be clear that he prophecied some considerable time above threescore years for besides the time that he should have Prophecied under Uzziah and Manasseh the two and thirty years of Jotham's and Ahaz's Reigns and the nine and twenty years of Hezekiah's do together make up sixty one years But the truth is that this Tradition concerning the death of Isaiah is altogether groundless and not much to be regarded for that this was not done in the days of Manasseh appears by this that there is no mention here made of his Prophecying in Manasseh's time and how unlikely it was that he should be so cruelly put to death in the days of good Hezekiah we may easily conceive That which is most observable here is that it is clear that he was contemporary with Hosea Amos and Micah who were of the first of the Prophets and that notwithstanding he did faithfully discharge his duty so long a time amongst Gods people yet it was with very little success as is evident by that his complaint Chap. 53.1 Who hath believed our Report and to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed Ver. 2. Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth It may well be that the Prophet begins thus in allusion to the same expression used by Moses Deut. 32.1 for which see the Note there The whole frame of the World the Heavens and the Earth and all the Creatures therein are summoned to hear the following sad complaint which the Lord makes concerning his People and that to imply 1. The stupidity of Gods People that the sensless Creatures were more like to hear him than they were see the Note 1 Kings 13.2 2. That these Creatures by which he had done much good for his People might well bear witness on Gods behalf against their horrid ingratitude see the Note Deut. 4.26 And 3. How prodigious and stupendious a thing it was whereof the Lord complains in the following words even such as the sensless
Chap. 6.12 Behold the man whose name is the BRANCH And accordingly they understand this Prophecy thus that after those forementioned calamities when the stock of Davids family seemed in a manner quite withered and dead the Lord should suddenly and unexpectedly cause a Branch to sprout forth from that stem that should be beautiful and glorious which is all one as if he had said that from that family thus decayed and in a manner quite dead God would raise up to his people a Captain and Commander that should turn their sorrow into joy and bring them into a happy condition again for by this Branches being beautiful and glorious to the remnant of Israel may be meant the amiableness and the glory and majesty of Christ as well in regard of the transcendent dignity of his person being the only begotten Son of God that thought it not robbery to be equal with God and every way replenished abundantly for the discharge of his work as likewise in regard of the eminency of his office and the wonderful bliss which thereby redounded to his people he being their head and so the fountain from whence all grace life and salvation was derived to them and so the meaning in effect is this that Christ should restore the remainder of his spiritual Israel to glory and honour by his salvation and grace Again 2ly others understand this place thus That the grace and favour of God or the gifts and benefits and graces which God should bestow upon his people should spring up and be visible amongst them though before in such a desolate condition as a branch beautiful and glorious And indeed we find an expression much to this purpose Psal 85.11 concerning which see the Note there But 3ly very many of our best Expositors do by the branch of the Lord understand the Church and people of God which agreeth with that Chap. 5.7 The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Judah his pleasant plant And 44.3 4. I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring and they shall spring up as among the grass as willows by the water-courses And so they take the meaning of that which is here foretold to be this that whereas the people of God after the calamities before threatned and especially after the Babylonian Captivity should be as a piece of ground wasted and dried and parched never likely to become a people any more much less to recover their ancient splendor and glory yet after that out of these poor remainder of Israel a branch of the Lord should spring forth beautiful and glorious that is this poor despised people should as a new Church sprout out afresh and be restored to as glorious a condition as ever And however this was partly accomplished in the rebuilding of the City and Temple of Jerusalem at their return out of Babylon and more especially in their spiritual glory because they that should be preserved out of the prophane rabble that were destroyed should be purged from their Idolatry and other wickedness and so should become glorious in Gods sight yet doubtless it was principally fulfilled in the glory they attained when they became the people and Kingdom of Christ So that as is said before it is much at one whether we understand this of Christ who was the glory of his Church or of the Church in whom Christ was glorified And to be sure very fit it was that Gods people should for their comfort be put upon the expectation of those glorious days of the Gospel because even after their return from Babylon the state of the Church should be still in many regards so mean and contemptible As for the following clause And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel some understand this also of the excellency and loveliness of Christ and that he is called the fruit of the earth with respect to his manhood See the Note Psal 85.11 And others by the fruit of the earth as before by the branch of the Lord understand the Church and people of God to wit that those poor remainders of Gods Israel that should be left in the land after their return out of Babylon should again grow up to an estate of great excellency and glory like some fruit-bearing plant that should suddenly spring out of a dry parched ground and bring forth rich and goodly fruit which they chiefly apply to that spiritual glory which they should attain by Christ their promised Messias in the days of the Gospel But the most of Expositors do by the fruit of the earth here understand the rich and plenteous gifts of Gods bounty and grace which after that time the people of God should enjoy as namely 1. That the land should yield her fruit in wonderful plenty excellent and goodly under which all other things tending to their outward happiness and glory may be comprehended which whether it were occasioned by the lands lying fallow in most places so many years together during the Babylonian Captivity or by the extraordinary blessing of God upon it did tend much to their bliss and glory in outward respects whence is that Ezek. 36.35 And they shall say This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden c. See the Note also Psal 72.16 And 2ly that they should excel and become most amiable and lovely for the manifold graces of God in them the fruits of the Spirit wherewith they should be most richly adorned for thus the Scripture is wont to speak of the holiness and righteousness of Gods people as of a spiritual fruit springing from an inward principle of grace in the heart and appearing gloriously in their lives and conversation and thence is that Chap. 45.8 Drop down ye heavens from above and let the skies pour down righteousness let the earth open and let them bring forth salvation and let righteousness spring up together And that Chap. 61.3 where the people of God are called the trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified See also again the Note Psal 85.11 Ver. 3. And it shall come to pass c. Here the Prophet sets forth what that glory chiefly was which God should confer upon his Church to wit that he that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem that is those that were left alive not in Babylon for many of those did chuse to continue there despising the liberty that was tendered then for their return into their own land but in Zion and Jerusalem being returned thither from their Captivity in Babylon under which may be comprehended even those that after their return dwelt elsewhere in the land because they also went up yearly to Zion to worship there shall be called holy that is shall be a holy people see the Note Chap. 1.26 when God had destroyed the wicked that were amongst them and
them a quiet and setled habitation Gen. 17.8 being every where hunted and pursued by their enemies hardly bestead and hungry that is suffering many hard and grievous things being stripped and spoiled of all they enjoyed and ready to starve for want of food And it shall come to pass that when they shall be hungry they shall fret themselves and shall curse their King and their God c. That is being overwhelmed with misery out of extream impatience of spirit and being stricken with a kind of desperate rage and madness they shall not only curse their King as judging him the cause of their calamities in that he had called in the Assyrian or had some way ill managed the business with him and so had provoked him against them but their God also to wit because he had not helped them Some indeed conceive that this last is meant of their false gods whom they should curse when they should by experience find how vainly they had expected help from them But I see not but that it might be meant of the true God and that this is purposely added to set forth the extream height of their wickedness and fury according to what is foretold of those desperate wretches under the Beast Revel 16.10 11. They gnawed their tongues for pain and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains But however if we understand it of their Idol-gods very observable is the event of their sin They would not trust in Gods promise but forsook him and placed all their hope in the policy of their King and now the issue is that they come to curse their King and their false gods to whom they with their King had given away the honour of the true God As for the last words and look upward though some would have it imply that being convinced of their former folly in resting upon men they should now begin to look Heavenward for help yet because it is joined so immediately with their cursing of God I cannot think that can be intended And therefore I conceive that either here the Prophet begins to relate the desperateness of their condition in that first they should in vain look upward to God for help for which see the Note 2 Sam. 22.42 and afterwards to as little purpose should look to the earth as it is expressed in the following verse or else rather that this is added the better to set forth the desperate madness of these blaspheming wretches to wit that even with their faces looking Heavenward they should curse God All which most Expositors do understand of that miserable condition whereinto this people were brought in the days of Zedekiah when Jerusalem was taken by the Babylonians 2 King 26.45 c. Ver. 22. And they shall look unto the earth c. They that understand the last words of the foregoing verse and look upward of their looking to Heaven for help do accordingly conceive that here a reason is given why they should at last look Heavenward to wit because on earth there was nothing to be discovered but misery and sorrow But rather the drift of the words is to imply that in the whole land they should find no hope of help and comfort and so if that last Clause in the foregoing verse were to imply that they should in vain look upward to Heaven for help as it is there noted that some hold then these words are added And they shall look unto the earth and behold trouble and darkness to imply that neither in Heaven nor on earth any hope of help should appear so that in their trouble they should be as men in the dark not knowing which way to turn themselves The expressions here used are much like those Chap. 5.30 concerning which see the Note there And to the same purpose are the following words dimness of anguish and so also the last Clause and they shall be driven to darkness for this implies that their misery and their anguish and perplexity of mind in their misery should encrease daily more and more A man driven headlong in the dark must needs fall the more desperately And so the Prophet would imply it should be with them CHAP. IX Vers 1. NEvertheless the dimness shall not be such c. Lest the faithful should be over-pressed with fear and sorrow hearing of such a sad and a black day that was coming upon the land in regard of those grievous miseries and straits that should befall them mentioned in several places of the foregoing Chapter and especially in the last verse where he speaks of the trouble and darkness and dimness of anguish that should come upon them therefore the Prophet doth here add a promise by way of consolation telling them of that which might much allay the bitterness of the calamities which are there threatned Some indeed hold that the promise made to the faithful begins not till the second verse The first verse they conceive it rather inserted by way of aggravating the darkness threatned in the foregoing Chapter Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun c. as if he had said No marvel though it be said that the people shall be in such perplexity as is before described when the calamities there threatned shall come upon them for this affliction when it comes shall darken the land otherwise that is in a far more grievous manner than it was darkened by the invasions of enemies in former times And indeed if the calamities threatned in the foregoing Chapter the dimness here spoken of be understood of the destruction made in the land by the Chaldeans in the days of Zedekiah when the City Jerusalem was taken and the Temple burnt and the people were carried captives into Babylon that was in it self a blacker day of distress than ever had been seen in the land of Israel when the Assyrians had made the saddest havock amongst them Well but yet because this expression the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation seems in an ordinary way of speaking to import that it should not be so great and especially because the following verse seems plainly to be added as a farther explanation of that which is said here The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light c. therefore I rather conceive that the drift of this verse also is to mitigate their fears by assuring them that though the judgments threatned in the foregoing Chapter should fall very heavy upon the land of Israel or Judah yet in some respect it should not be such that is so great as it was in those vexations of the land of Israel by the Assyrians mentioned in the latter part of the verse And accordingly I understand the words thus Nevertheless the dimness to wit that threatned in the foregoing Chapter whether we understand thereby the calamities they underwent in the days of Hezekiah by Sennacheribs
faces as if they were all on a fire But I rather think it is meant of the paleness of their faces through fear which is that the Prophet is here speaking of and that therefore it is said their faces shall be as flames either because their faces should look pale and wan like the flame of a fire or else because their faces should be pale and swarthy and dim and dead-coloured and full of horror even as it useth to be with men that work at the Forge or that stand before some kind of fire that use to look as if they had no blood in their bodies so that this place may well be parallel'd with those Jer. 30.5 6. We have heard a voice of trembling of fear and all faces are turned into paleness and Joel 2.6 Before their faces the people shall be much pained all faces shall gather blackness Ver. 9. Behold the day of the Lord cometh cruel both with wrath and fierce anger c. This is thus expressed to set forth how cruelly God should cause the enemy to deal with them as it is said of Babylons enemies Jer. 50.42 They are cruel and will not shew mercy and that it should be from Gods just wrath against them that they should be so severely handled To lay the Land desolate and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it that is the wicked ungodly inhabitants thereof especially the great ones amongst them Ver. 10. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light c. To wit those figures in the Heavens consisting of many bright Stars such as those mentioned Job 9.9 The Sun shall be darkened in his going forth and the moon shall not cause her light to shine The drift of all these expressions is to set forth that the state of the Babylonians in that day should â—e extreamly sad and dreadful so full of horror confusion and distraction that they should not have neither by day nor by night the least glimps of comfort They may be intended to imply that the calamity of those times should be so grievous and horrible that the Heaven should as it were muffle up it self that it might not behold it Or because when the Sun and other the Heavenly lights do shine clear and bright God seems to smile upon men therefore Gods frowning upon the inhabitants of Babylon may be implyed by this darkning of them But I rather think that all that is implied is that they should be in a most doleful and dismal Condition void of all Comfort and not knowing which way to turn themselves insomuch that the very light of the Sun Moon and Stars which are so pleasing and delightsome to others should be as no light no way comfortable to them but rather displeasing and distastful to them neither should any of the Creatures yield them any refreshing or comfort See the like expressions Ezek. 32.7 Joel 2.10 31 and Matth. 24.29 Ver. 11. And I will punish the World for their evil and the wicked for their iniquity c. By the World is meant the Babylonian Monarchy that had brought the greatest part of the then known World into subjection under them according to that which Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.22 Thy greatness is grown and reacheth unto heaven and thy dominion to the end of the earth And it is the rather thus expressed to imply that no strength that is can stand before God and that if all the world conspire to rebel against him he can easily destroy them as he did the old world and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease and I will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible See the Notes Chap. 2.11 and 10.12 Ver. 12. I will make a man more precious than fine Gold even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir The meaning is either 1. That the enemy should make such a mighty slaughter amongst the Babylonians that there should be but a very few of them left alive a man shall be a rare thing to be found amongst them See the Note 1 Sam. 3.1 Or 2ly That the soldiers should be so cruel to them that they should not spare their lives for the greatest quantities of the purest gold that could be tendered to them according to that which followeth ver 17. Behold I will stir up the Medes against them which shall not regard silver and as for gold they shall not delight in it which may seem the more probable because we read that in that night when Babylon was taken Belshazzar their King was slain Dan. 5.30 And it is likely that with him many of the great ones were likewise cut off that would have been glad to have redeemed their lives at a great rate But yet because we find not either in the Scripture or in any other History that there was such a general slaughter made of the inhabitants when Babylon was taken by the Medes and Persians therefore many learned Expositors do understand both this and that which follows of the utter Destruction of Babylon in future times whereof this subduing of that proud City by the Medes and Persians should be only the beginning yea our Annotations do propound it as considerable whether this that is said here That a man shall be more precious than fine gold may not be spoken with respect to Babylons being utterly deserted in the time of this her great danger by those auxiliary forces which they had taken in for their defence of which the Prophet speaks afterward again ver 14. Ver. 13. Therefore c. To wit that I may be avenged on them for their wickedness mentioned before ver 11. Or by reason of this grievous terror and dread that shall seize upon them when the Medes and Persians shall invade them I will shake the heavens and the earth shall remove out of her place that is they shall be in such extream confusion and destruction that the very Heaven and earth shall seem to them to shake and tremble See the Notes Chap. 5.26 and 2 Sam. 22.8 and Psal 76.8 Ver. 14. And it shall be as the chased Roe and as a Sheep that no man taketh up c. That is Babylon or the Babylonian army shall flee as a Roe chased by some Huntsman or wild beast or shall wander up and down like a stragling sheep that is not able neither by flight nor otherwise to secure it self and that hath no shepherd to take it up or defend it See Ezek. 34.6 The meaning is that they should not be able to bear the sight of the enemy but should presently run away and seek to shift for themselves and that no man should be able to keep them to their colours or to bring them to make a stand or to rally again together or else that no man should dare to receive them into their houses when they fled to shelter and hide them there And indeed that this is chiefly meant of the auxiliary
said my leanness my leanness And so the words contain a very pathetical Expression of the Prophets grief for the desperate wickedness of his own people and the wrath and vengeance which it would certainly bring upon them it is all one in effect as if he had said that he did even continually waste and pine away with grief notwithstanding the great joy which he foresaw would accrue to that escaping remnant of which he had spoken when he took notice how great the wickedness of Gods people was and how dreadful the Judgments were which this would bring upon them which is the more evident by the following Complaint Wo unto me the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously yea the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously which seems clearly to be meant of that peoples treacherous dealing with God to whom they stood obliged for so many singular mercies and to whom they had so often engaged themselves yet I cannot but add that it is not altogether improbable which some say that those words My leanness my leanness c. might be spoken as in the person of the Nation of the Jews to set forth what a thin and small company there should be of them amongst the people of God when the Church should be mightily enlarged by the flowing in of the Gentiles Or that the Prophet might thereby bewail the sad Condition the Church should be in even in the days of the Gospel by the base and treacherous dealing of those that lay in her own bosom Ver. 17. Fear and the pit and the snare are upon thee O Inhabitant of the earth See the Note above ver 1. There seems to be in the words an Allusion to that which was usually done in the hunting of wild beasts wherein first the beasts are roused with a fright and fear by the out-cry and hallowing of the Huntsmen and the barking of the dogs and then fleeing away they fall into some pit that was digged for them or if they escape them they are taken in some toils or snares that were set for them But the meaning is that God would follow the Inhabitants of the earth with variety of Judgments even while he spared that small remnant to whom in the foregoing words he had promised to shew mercy so that the generality of them should be utterly destroyed if they escaped one Judgment another should surprize them as is more fully exprest in the following verse And it shall come to pass that he who fleeth from the noise of the Jews shall fall into the pit c. See the Note Job 20.24 Ver. 18. For the windows from on high are open c. To wit The windows of heaven as it was in Noahs deluge Gen. 7.11 to which the Prophet seems here to allude The meaning is That God would pour down his Judgments from heaven upon them as once upon the old World or upon Sodom and Gomorrha See the Note Psal 42.7 and the foundations of the earth do shake as it were for fear see the Notes 2 Sam. 22.8 and Job 9.6 Both Expressions joyned together clearly imply That God would arm both Heaven and Earth against them so that his Vengeance should break forth upon them both from above and from beneath and therefore there would be no escaping for them Ver. 19. The earth is utterly broken down the earth is clean dissolved the earth is moved exceedingly Having said in the foregoing verse the foundations of the earth do shake with respect hereto he now addeth That the earth and all things thereon should be utterly broken and shattered to pieces But the meaning is That the Kingdoms and States of the earth against which the Prophecy in this Chapter is directed should be utterly and irrecoverably destroyed and left wholly in Confusion and Desolation Ver. 20. The earth shall reel to and fro like a Drunkard c. That is It is near to ruine Or the Inhabitants thereof are at their wits end and know not which way to turn themselves See the Note Chap. 19.14 and shall be removed like a Cottage to wit like some Shed or Tent which Travellers set up to lodg in by night and then in the Morning pull it down and carry it away with them It may be meant of the Ruine and Overthrow of States Towns and Cities or the carrying away of the people into Captivity and the Transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it that is Their grievous sins the cause of all their misery shall bring heavy Judgments upon them and it shall fall and not rise again that is it shall be utterly ruined and shall never recover its former Splendor and Glory Ver. 21. And it shall come to pass in that any that the Lord shall punish the host of the high Ones that are on high c. Some by the host of the high ones whom God would punish do understand the Devils whom the Apostle terms spiritual wickedness in high places Others understand hereby the darkning of the Sun and Moon and Stars the Host of Heaven or any prodigious signs in them thereby to strike the inhabitants of the earth with terror of which the Prophet speaks in the following verse or Gods destroying the Idol-images of these Heavenly lights see the Notes Chap. 17. and 19.1 And again others understand it of the Church and People of God whom God had advanced on high above all other Nations and whom God would punish as well as others But there is no just ground for any of these Expositions That which is most probable and is approved by the best Expositors is that by the host of the high ones that are on high is meant either the Kings and Princes of the earth in general together with their forces that are lifted up high above other men and that shine gloriously in the world like the heavenly lights in the Firmament and then the following words and the Kings of the earth upon the earth seem to be added by way of explaining these or else more particularly those proud Assyrian and Babylonian Monarchs and Potentates such as were Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar with their mighty Armies that were Kings of Kings as one of them is called Dan. 2.37 And then by the following words And the Kings of the earth upon the earth are meant those petty Kings that were Vassals to the other of whom the Prophet speaks as of Princes that had their Thrones on the ground in comparison of the other their great Lords that seemed to have their Thrones above the Clouds and the Stars And so the drift of the whole verse is to shew that there was none amongst the wicked so high but God would pull them down Ver. 22. And they shall be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit and shall be shut up in the Prison c. That is As Malefactors are brought in from several places and clapped up together in the Goal so shall these great ones mentioned in the foregoing verse be
your spoil c. That is The spoil which you O Assyrians have plundered and taken away from other Nations like so many Caterpillers devouring all things where you come and whereof you also are now like to be spoiled Or the spoil which you the people of God shall find in the Assyrian Camp shall be gathered like the gathering of the Caterpillers that is say some As easily as the Caterpillers do gather and eat up all green things where they come But rather the meaning is That the Jews should gather up the spoil in the Assyrian Camp with as much ease and in as great abundance as Country-people even Children amongst others are wont to gather Caterpillers in a time when they abound and to throw them in great heaps into pits which they have digged for the burying of them as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them that is say some As the locusts run to and fro in the fields eating up and destroying all as they go so shall the Angel of the Lord break through the Assyrian Army making dreadful havock amongst them wherever he comes But rather this also is spoken of the spoils before mentioned and so the words are to be understood thus as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them that is As when God sends a Plague of Locusts upon any place the inhabitants are wont with much eagerness to get out from every house old and young and to run up and down in their Gardens Fields and Vineyards and gather up and destroy innumerable multitudes of these harmful Creatures so shall every one of the Jews run up and down in the Camp of the Assyrians to gather up the spoils they shall find there Or rather for that suits best with the Expression here used as the running to and fro of Locusts As the Locusts run to and fro in the field so shall each man that goeth out of Jerusalem run up and down to gather what spoils he can find in the Camp of the Assyrians Ver. 5. The Lord is exalted c. That is He will be exalted to wit by the dreadful Judgment which he will execute upon the Assyrians See the Note Chap. 2.11 for he dwelleth on high and so hath all things both in heaven and earth under his command and can therefore destroy the great ones of the World when ever he pleaseth see the Note Psal 115.3 He hath filled Zion with Judgment and righteousness that is He will there abundantly discover That he is a just and a righteous God by delivering his people according to his promise and executing Judgment upon his and their enemies and they shall every where extol God for these things Or by these things he will cause Jerusalem that was formerly full of all injustice and unrighteousness to abound with judgment and righteousness to wit in the days of Hezekiah when this shall be done See the Note Chap. 32.16 yet this may be extended also to the days of the Gospel Ver. 6. And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times and strength of Salvation c. That is Thy times O Hezekiah for here the Prophet directs his speech as if he had been speaking to him in whose days the great things now foretold were to be done And the meaning is That the true Wisdom and saving Knowledg of God that should abound in his times and more especially his own particular Wisdom and Knowledge and the exercise thereof in that pious and prudent managing the affairs of the Realm should be the means to establish the peace and prosperous condition of their state and a strong safeguard to them in every regard during his reign which agreeth with that which Hezekiah said to Isaiah 2 King 20.19 Is it not good if peace and truth be in my days And indeed in his Son Manasseh's days all fell into Confusion again the fear of the Lord is his treasure that is His piety and care for the worship of God shall be dearer to him than any Treasure Or he shall be in this regard richer than any Treasures could make him yea it shall be the means too of advancing his Wealth exceedingly See 2 Chron. 32.27 28 29. Ver. 7. Behold their valiant ones c. The Prophet doth here set forth the sad condition wherein the Jews should be before God destroyed the Assyrian Army thereby the more to magnifie the greatness and the seasonableness of the following deliverance and withal to fore-arm the faithful against their being overmuch disheartned when they should see the land brought into such distress Their valiant ones shall cry without that is Their valiant Garison-soulders shall with a loud voice and that openly in the very streets bewail their extream danger Or if we read it as it is in the Margin their messengers shall cry without that is Either the Messengers which the King and State of Judah did at first send to Sennacherib to desire terms of peace from him 2 King 18.14 or those they sent afterward to Rabshakeh to parley with him and to see if they could any way appease him ver 18. shall without the City as they return back or in publick in the streets cry out for very anguish of spirit because of the succeslesness of all their endeavours and the desperateness of their dangers And thus this first clause is the same with that which follows the Ambassadors of peace that is That were sent to see if they could make peace and some add too That they were men that were all for making peace with the Assyrian and that they did at first bring back word that there was great hope of peace to wit when Sennacherib agreed to stay his hand upon condition of their paying him a certain sum of money 2 King 18.14 shall weep bitterly to wit when they shall see all their endeavours come to nothing which how it was accomplished we may see 2 King 18.37 where it is said that these Messengers returned to Hezekiah with their clothes rent c. Ver. 8. The high-ways lye waste c. This may be taken as the sad report which the Messengers before mentioned sent to Sennacherib made of the miserable condition wherein the land lay or as a further relation hereof by the Prophet The high-ways lye waste the way-faring man ceaseth to wit no man daring to travel in the common roads because they were so pestered with the Assyrian souldiers See the Note Judg. 5.6 he hath broken the Covenant that is Sennacherib hath broken the Covenant he made with us And this I conceive he is charged with not so much because the Kings of Judah and particularly Ahaz the Father of Hezekiah had made a Covenant with the Assyrian that he should help the Jews against their enemies as because he had agreed with them at this very time that upon the payment of such a sum of money by way of Composition which himself assigned he would withdraw his
come in to besiege and batter those Cities it shall not be so with us because the Lord will be such a River of defence about us wherein shall go no galley with â—ars neither shall gallant ship pass thereby that is No ship or galley great or small shall be able to break through to assail or hurt us See the Note Chap. 8.6 Ver. 22. For the Lord is our Judge c. That is he hath taken us to be his peculiar Covenant people and therefore as our supreme Lord he will surely protect us And observable it is that looking upon this as a sure ground of comfort he repeats it in a triumphant manner three several times the Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Lawgiver the Lord is our King and then concludes he will save us that is As our Soveraign he will safe guard us if we continue Loyal to him and live in obedience to his Laws Ver. 23. Thy tacklings are loosed c. Having said ver 21. That God would be as a broad river about Jerusalem through which no ship or galley should be able to pass to do them any mischief here now keeping to the former metaphor he addresseth his speech to the Assyrian or in particular to Sennacherib as to one that was coming in some great gallioun or with some huge navy of ships against Jerusalem assuring them that they should be all certainly shipwracked and destroyed Thy tacklings are loosed that is Unfastened or broken Or reading it as it is in the Margin They have forsaken thy tacklings that is The mariners mind not thy tacklings they could not well strengthen their mast they could not spread the sail that is The tacklings being loose and broken could neither keep up the mast steady and upright nor spread or turn the sail as occasion required The drift of all these Expressions is to make known to the Assyrians that their condition should be just like that of a ship when the Mariners desparing of safety do give over all care of ordering their tacklings or where tacklings and mast and sails are useless and broken and so the ship must needs be driven up and down by the wind and waves till at last it be swallowed up of the Sea that is They should be all certainly broken in pieces and destroyed then is the prey of a great spoil divided that is Then shall the inhabitants of Jerusalem go forth and seize upon the spoil of the Assyrian Camp even as when some great ship is cast away that was laden with rich Commodities the people that dwell on the coasts where this is done are wont to make a prey of all that by the Sea is driven on shore And it is called a great spoil partly because of the multitude of them that were slain by the Angel in the Camp an hundred fourscore and five thousand 2 King 19.35 and partly because the Assyrians had before that wasted and plundered in a manner the whole land of Judea the lame take the prey the most impotent among them shall be able to take the spoil there shall be no difficulty in it the enemy being all fled or lying dead before them See the Note 2 Sam. 5.6 Ver. 24. And the inhabitants shall not say I am sick c. That is None of the Inhabitants of Jerusalem shall have the least cause to complain of any sickness or weakness which the siege or the invasion of Sennacherib hath brought upon them or more generally The inhabitants of Jerusalem and under this type all the members of Gods Church are intended shall through Gods favour live in a prosperous and comfortable condition free from all things hurtful to them Yet I know many understand it as spoken with respect to that which was said in the foregoing verse That the inhabitants of Jerusalem should run out with all alacrity to seize upon the prey in the Assyrian Camp no man should withdraw himself from going forth under a pretence of being sick or weak the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity and so God being reconciled to them all shall be well with them God will proceed no more in a way of wrath and vengeance against them CHAP. XXXIV VERSE 1. COme near c. This Chapter seems to be a Prophecy of the dreadful vengeance which God would execute upon all the enemies of his Church and people amongst whom ver 5. the Edomites are particularly mentioned And accordingly in the first words Come near ye Nations to hear and hearken ye people either these Nations are summoned to hear the Judgments here denounced against them or else all Nations are called upon to take notice with admiration in what a terrible manner he meant to proceed against the enemies of his people let the earth hear and all that is therein in the Hebrew it is and the fulness thereof for which see the Note Psal 24.1 the world and all things that come forth of it See the Notes Chap. 1.2 and Deut. 32.1 Ver. 2. For the indignation of the Lord is upon all Nations and his fury upon all their armies c. That is It will certainly fall upon them See the foregoing Note he hath utterly destroyed them he hath delivered them to the slaughter that is It shall as certainly so be as if it were done already the decree and sentence is gone out against them Ver. 3. Their slain also shall be cast out c. To wit in away of detestation and there left like the carcases of beasts to rot above ground without burial Or there shall be such multitudes slain that those that are left alive shall not be able to undertake the burial of them and their stink shall come up out of their carcases that is It shall ascend up and inâ—ect the air and the mountains shall be melted with their blood that is blood shall run down from the Mountains as if the very Mountains were melted into blood It is an Hyperbolical expression whereby is hinted 1. That even the Mountains should not save those that fled thither for shelter 2. That abundance of blood should be shed there And 3. that thus it should be with the Mountains as it were out of fear of Gods wrath see the like expressions Psal 97.5 and Amos 9.13 Ver. 4. And all the host of heaven c. See the Note Gen. 2.1 shall be dissolved that is they shall melt and wither away But the meaning is that by reason of the dreadfulness of Gods judgments then inflicted on the enemies of Gods people it should be with them through extream anguish and fear as if there were no such lights in the Heavens see the Notes Chap. 13.10 13. as if they apprehended the whole frame of Heaven would break in pieces and fall upon their heads And indeed it is usual with the Prophets to set forth extraordinary judgments after the manner of the terror of the last judgment when the whole fabrick of Heaven and Earth shall be
O Lord that thou art present amongst us as thine own peculiar people ready to help us and to hear our Prayers of which thine Ark covered with Cherubims is a visible sign to us by delivering us out of the hands of this blaspheming Tyrant and let him see what a bold attempt it is in him to endeavour to dispossess thee of thy dwelling place Ver. 17. Encline thine ears O Lord and hear open thine eyes O Lord and see That is Hear the blasphemous speeches which these wretches have belched out against thee and see the blasphemies that are in this Letter I have spread before thee Ver. 18. Of a truth Lord the Kings of Assyria have laid waste all the Nations and their Countrys So also is this expressed 2 King 19.17 Here indeed it is in the Hebrew all the lands and their Countrys but therefore by lands are meant the Nations inhabiting those lands as we find it explained 2 Chron. 32.13 17. Ver. 21. Then Isaiah the Son of Amos sent unto Hezekiah Most probable it is that this he did by the Messengers whom Hezekiah had sent to him to enquire whether he had received any further word of answer from God Ver. 22. This is the word which the Lord hath spoken concerning him c. That is concerning Sennacherib The Virgin the Daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn See the Notes Chap. 1.8 and 23.12 but especially 2 King 19.21 the Daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee See the Notes Job 16.4 and Psal 22.7 as he had before shaken his hand at her See the Note Chap. 10.32 Ver. 23. Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted up thine eyes on high c. To wit as every way discovering his pride and insolence See the Note Chap. 10.12 It is all one in effect as if he had said Little dost thou think or consider against whom it is that thou hast thus arrogantly advanced thy self even against the holy one of Israel that is The holy God of Heaven and Earth that hath chosen Israel to be a holy people to himself See the Note Chap. 1.4 It is he whom thou hast blasphemed yea in the reproaches thou hast cast upon Hezekiah his anointed and upon his people thou hast indeed reproached the Lord their God Ver. 24. By thy Servants hast thou reproached the Lord c. In 2 King 19.23 it is By thy messengers and then it follows and hast said By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the Mountains to the sides of Lebanon that is I have got over all the hills and mountains that lay in my way even the loftiest of them such as Mount Lebanon was and that not with my foot-forces only but also with my Chariots which must needs be a work of great difficulty and only to be mastered by a mighty Army as namely by cutting out and levelling their way where the ground was steep and rocky and full of trees that obstructed their passage And this may be meant both of the hills and mountains they climbed that they might take the Towns and Forts that stood thereon and of those also which they were necessarily to pass over that they might get into the Countrys that lay beyond them And it might be that he might herein have special respect also to those Mountains that were about Jerusalem Psal 125.2 and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof and the choice fir-trees thereof that is Having thus far subdued the land before me I shall easily do so still their Cedars and Fir-trees he would cut down at his pleasure either to clear his way for his Army to pass or for other uses See the Note Chap. 14.8 That which he intends is this That nothing should hinder him in his approaches to Jerusalem But withal observable it is that whilst Sennacherib here threatens to hew down the lofty trees of Lebanon God had before threatned and foretold that his Lebanon that is his mighty Army should be hewn down See the Notes Chap. 10.33 34. and I will enter into the height of his border in 2 King 19.23 it is into the lodgings of his borders and the forest of his Carmel or as it is in the Margin the forest and his fruitful field Now by the height of his border or the lodgings of his borders some understand the tower of Lebanon Cant. 7.4 which according to our Translation I will enter into the height of his border seems not so probable because it is before said That the Assyrian had already marched over that Mountain And others again understand thereby Jerusalem the Metropolis and chief place of the Kingdom which being taken there would nothing else in a manner remain to be done and by the forest of his Carmel they understand the Country thereabout because for the pleasantness and fruitfulness of it it was like another Carmel and with the abundance of Fruit-trees and Vines growing therein it shewed like a forest Indeed having compared this place with that in 2 King 19.23 this seems to be the most probable Exposition that by the height of his border is meant the City Jerusalem together with the forts and holds on the frontiers thereabouts and by the forest of his Carmel the goodly and pleasant Country in that part of Judea But see the Notes in that 2 King 19.23 Ver. 25. I have digged and drunk water c. In 2 King 19.24 it is I have digged and drunk strange waters and it follows as here and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places for which see the Note 2 King 19.24 The Expression here used of drying up great Rivers with the sole of his feet is doubtless an hyperbolical vaunt as if he should have said That his Army was so numerous that with their feet alone they were able to dry up all the waters where they came or rather That though the Rivers were never so great his souldiers and their beasts were able to drink them all dry However that which is intended hereby was That the waters could no where keep him off from any place which he meant to assault either by diverting their waters some other way or by some such like policy he could take a course that their waters should be no hinderance to him Now thus considering the words there may be therein a threatning covertly couched to wit that he could soon deprive Jerusalem of her waters which Hezekiah had been so careful to secure for them whereby they must needs be forced to yield or else must perish with thirst Ver. 26. Hast thou not heard c Sennacherib had said ver 11. Behold thou hast heard what the Kings of Assyria have done to all lands by destroying them utterly and to this now God replys Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it and of ancient times that I have
would appear with his Almighty power for the Destruction of the Babylonians that so his people mighe have liberty to return into their own Country And to the same purpose is that which follows and his arm shall rule for him that is By his own all-sufficient power he shall exercise that Dominion that belongs to him over all the Creatures by destroying his peoples enemies and delivering them behold his reward is with him that is He will immediately without delay reward the proud Babylonians for all their wickedness See the Notes Chap. 34.8 and 35.4 and make his people amends for their patient waiting upon him during the time of their Captivity which is again repeated in the last clause if we read it as it is in the Margin and the recompence for his work before him but if we read it as it is in our Text and his work before him the meaning is That the work which he intended to do both in delivering his people and destroying their enemies lay plain and open before him there being nothing that could lye as an Obstacle in his way that could hinder him And this may also imply that which some think is here chiefly intended that they to whom he intended a recompence of evil and good lay naked and open before him and were exactly known by him so that he could fully proportion a reward according to the evil or good that he found in them Thus I say this verse is to be understood as it hath respect to the Jews return out of Babylon But now as it hath respect to that which was figured thereby Christ coming into the World to redeem his chosen people I understand it thus Behold the Lord God will come with strong hand and his arm shall rule for him that is the Lord Christ will come with infinite power to vanquish those spiritual enemies under whom his people were held in bondage and to redeem his people out of their power 1 Joh. 3.8 Joh. 12.31 Col. 2.15 and Heb. 2.14 of which even the Miracles that he wrought in casting out Devils and restoring the Dead to life c. were some discovery beforehand with respect whereto it is said that he was mighty in word and deed before God and all the people Luke 24.19 his reward is with him that is he will punish the Devil and his Servants with eternal Damnation and those that embrace him and serve him faithfully he will abundantly reward both here and eternally in his heavenly Kingdom and his work before him that is He will be earnestly intent upon the work which his Father shall send him to do to wit the work of mans Redemption for so Christ used often to speak of it as John 4.34 My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work And 17.4 I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Some I know do otherwise understand the latter part of this verse for some by his reward do understand the ransome paid by him for mans Redemption and some hold that his redeemed ones are here said to be both his work and reward See Chap. 45.11 and 60.21 But the former Exposition I judge the best Ver. 11. He shall feed his flock like a Shepherd c. That is Having gathered together his poor captived people that were dispersed abroad into several places and Countries he will with all care and tenderness carry them home to their own Countrey in one body defending them and providing for them all the way they go thorough those waste places by which they must pass and likewise after they are gotten home so that the weakest and the tenderest amongst them shall receive no prejudice by their Journey which is more fully expressed in the following words he shall gather the Lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young that is He will cherish them with all tenderness as a Shepherd deals with the feeble in his flock that when his Lambs are yeaned far off from the fold or are wandred abroad or wearied with driving is wont to take them into his arms or lap and carry them home and when the Ews are feeble and wearied is very careful not to over drive them See Gen. 33.13 And so likewise under this is set forth Christs tender care over his Church and people to defend them and to provide for them and to guide and govern them and particularly the tender respect he hath to his little ones his poor weak ones and those that are burdened with any heavy load of sin affliction and sorrow Ver. 12. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand c. That is Who but God The Prophet doth here largely undertake to set forth the infinite and incomprehensible Power and Wisdom and Majesty of God by that great work of his creating the world his Wisdom in that he made those vast bodies of the Heaven the Earth and Sea in such due order and proportion as if he had made them all by weight and measure his Power in that when he made these vast bodies the Sea the Heaven the Earth they were as nothing in his hand whence it is said that he measured the Sea in the hollow of his hand and meted out the Heaven with a span and comprehended the dust of the earth so he calls the vast globe of the earth to imply that it was all but as a little light dust before God in a measure a tierce it is in the Hebrew which was it seems some small measure with them and weighed the Mountains and Hills in the scales of a little balance And this the Prophet doth thereby to shew either 1. That there was no cause why the Jews should question the accomplishment of what God had promised concerning the ruine of the Babylonians and their deliverance from their bondage under them out of a groundless fear of their seeming invincible power or any thing which their Idol-gods could do for them for alas What were these before that great God to whom the making of the whole World was a work of no difficulty at all Or 2ly That men had no reason to question the mysteries of the Gospel in the work of mans Redemption because they cannot comprehend the possibility of them and that because we may be sure the God that created the World can do whatever he pleaseth Some indeed think that this large Description of the greatness of God is to set forth the wonder of Christs Incarnation to wit that this great God should vouchsafe to be made man But the account that is before given of the Prophets scope in this place is far more generally approved by Expositors Ver. 13. Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord c. That is Who by any Advice or Counsel given him did direct God in the doing of any thing that he did in the Worlds Creation And this is added more fully
is also added by way of derision for was it not most absurd to rob the true God of his Glory by that which from him received both its being and growth Ver. 15. Then shall it be for a man to burn c. That is when it is thus grown up then it is hewen down to be fuel for the fire for he will take thereof that is of the trees so hewen down or of the chips he cuts off from the Timber and warmeth himself yea he kindleth it and baketh bread yea he maketh a God and worshippeth it c. that is Some part of it he useth for Kitching-service both in the Oven and Chimney and of the other part of it he maketh a god Ver. 16. He burneth part thereof in the fire with part thereof he eateth flesh c. That is say some With part thereof he maketh Tables and Trenchers whereon to eat his meat or rather with part thereof he dresseth his meat for all along he seems only to speak how it was used as fuel for the fire Ver. 17. And the residue thereof he maketh a god even his graven Image he falleth down to it and worshippeth it c. That is He doth not only provide this Idol for the use of others but he himself also worships it and prayeth unto it and saith Deliver me for thou art my God which is so set forth to imply That men cannot worship and pray to an Idol but they own it for their God Ver. 18. They have not known nor understood c. See the Notes Chap. 27.18 and Psal 14.1 for he hath shut their eyes that they cannot see c. that is God hath justly for their sins punished them with judicial blindness Ver. 20. He feedeth of ashes c. That is The Idolater doth as miserably deceive himself as he should do that thinks to slake his hunger and nourish himself with eating ashes for as ashes eaten would be so far from doing men any good in these regards that it would rather hurt them so it is with the Idolater he sets his heart upon that he delights himself and trusts in that and so feeds himself with hopes of Benefit and Comfort from that which will no way profit him but rather do him a great deal of Mischief namely his Idols pieces of wood that shall one day be turned into ashes as well as the rest of the trees of which they are made and therefore no way likely to help them in their straits but rather to draw the wrath of God upon them It is an Expression much like to that Hos 12.1 Ephraim feedeth on wind implying That the Idolater feeds himself with the vain deceits of his own heart a deceived heart hath turned him aside to wit out of the way of truth that he cannot deliver his soul that is He cannot wind himself out of this foolish Error and so save himself from that Vengeance and Damnation which this his Idolatry and Superstition is like to bring upon him nor say Is there not a lie in my right hand that is Is not this Idol which I am forming or which I hold in my right hand an Error and Deceit a meer Fiction no such thing as I have falsely conceited it to be Do I not see and feel and find it to be so Ver. 21. Remember these O Jacob and Israel for thou art my servant c. See the Note Chap. 41.9 Remember these Idolaters of whom I have spoken to wit their gross sottishness or these things which I have now said against them and the Vanity of their Idolatry And that which is intended is That God would have them think seriously of these things that so when they came to dwell long as Captives in Babylon they might not be intangled with their Idolatry I have formed thee thou art my servant which is repeated again to intimate that Idolatry would be worse in them than in the Gentiles because they were his peculiar people and had been traiâ—ed up in the Knowledg of his written Law But see also the Notes Chap. 43.1 21. Ver. 22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins c. That is As a cloud that darkens and hides the Heavens from us and seems to threaten some great storm is many times quite dispersed by the Sun or driven away by the Winds so have I by a free and a full pardon perfectly put away all your sins that have separated beteewn you and your God and have hid his face from you Chap. 59.2 and have thereby cleared 〈◊〉 from all those Terrors and Judgments which your sins might otherwise have brought upon you And doubtless this is mentioned as the foundation of that deliverance which God doth here promise his people their sins the cause of Gods controversie with them being pardoned they might well hope deliverance would come return unto me to wit by Repentance and then fear not for I have redeemed thee and therefore have the best right to thee See the Notes Chap. 43.1 3 4. and Psal 31.5 Ver. 23. Sing O ye heavens c. To set forth how wonderful the work should be of this new Deliverance that is promised to Gods people the Prophet doth here break forth into this Rhetorical invitation of all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth to bless God for it an Expression much like that 1 Chron. 16.31 for which see the Note there Sing O ye heavens for the Lord hath done it to wit that which he had promised the great work of the Redemption of his people and which indeed none but the Lord could do shout ye lower parts of the earth that is say some The Plains and Valleys this being opposed say they to that which follows break forth into singing ye Mountains or rather the earth which lieth below as opposed to the Heavens before mentioned yea the whole Earth even to the very Center for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob which is meant not only of the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon but also especially of the great work of our Redemption by Christ and glorified himself in Israel to wit by delivering them and destroying their enemies Ver. 24. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer c. That is that did formerly deliver thee out of Egypt and will now again deliver thee out of Babylon and he that formed thee from the womb See the Note above ver 2. and 43.1 that stretcheth forth the heavens alone See the Note Psal 104.2 that spreadeth abroad the earth by my self that is without the help or advice of any Ver. 35. That frustrateth the tokens of the liars c. That is Magicians Astrologers and Soothsayers to wit by crossing them in their Predictions whereof they had said That such and such things were sure Signs and Tokens But though this be expressed indefinitely as a thing that God usually doth yet here it is spoken as with reference to what God meant to do amongst
Countries where thou comest as if there were nothing in the way that might in the least hinder thee See the Notes Chap. 40.3 4. I will break in pieces the gates of brass and cut in sunder the bars of iron that is No strength shall be able to withstand thee Ver. 3. And I will give thee the treasures of Darkness and hidden Riches of secret places c. That is The Treasures of those Nations whom he should overcome which he should find locked up and hidden in secret places as amongst others the Treasures of Croesus the King of the Lydians subdued by him of whom Histories report that he was a King of mighty Wealth far above any of those times that thou mayest know that I the Lord which call thee by thy name am the God of Israel that is That thou mayest know that I that have so long before-hand foretold what thou shouldest do even naming thee by thy name as it is above ver 1. and Chap. 44.28 am the only true God and that I own Israel to be my peculiar people See the Note Ezra 1.2 Ver. 4. For Jacob my servants sake and Israel mine elect c. That is Meerly that thou mightest deliver them out of their Bondage in Babylon I have even called thee by thy Name that is say some I have in a special manner owned thee and honoured thee See the Notes Exod. 33.17 But rather it is meant of his mentioning him by name as is noted in the foregoing verse long before he was in the World I have surnamed thee to wit by stiling thee my shepherd Chap. 44.28 and mine anointed as above ver 1. though thou hast not known me that is say some Savingly or rather though then thou couldest have no knowledg of me but wert afterward by the great things I did for thee brought to that knowledg which thou hadst of me Ver. 5. I girded thee c. That is say some I raised thee to thy regal Dignity See the Notes Chap. 22.21 and Job 12.18 or rather I gave thee Power and Might to do the great things thou wert to do or I raised thee up and fitted thee to make War with the Babylonians and other Nations though thou hast not known me that is Though at that time thou wert altogether ignorant of me see the foregoing Note Or though thou little knewest who it was that strengthned and prospered thee and what my Purpose and Counsel was in all that thou didst See the Note Chap. 10.7 Ver. 6. That they may know from the rising of the Sun and from the West that there is none besides me c. That is That from East to West or all the World over for under East and West all other parts of the World may be intended all people may by this great work of my Deliverance of my people out of Babylon by thee be brought to know that I am the only true God This was Gods end in this mighty work and this was in a great measure effected partly by the spreading of the fame of this great work of God far and near in those days and partly by the knowledg which people should come to have of it in future times from the Scripture where it should be recorded But still we must remember that the greater work of mans Redemption by Christ whereof the Deliverance out of Babylon was a Type is here also intended Ver. 7. I form the light and create darkness c. This is mentioned as another thing whereof the Nations should be convinced by that great work of Gods delivering the Jews out of Babylon to wit that as he alone did cause the light of the day and the darkness of the night so he alone was the cause of all the Prosperity and Adversity that befalls men which are usually indeed in the Scriptures expressed by these terms of light and darkness See the Notes Esth 8.16 and Psal 112.4 And to explain this are the following words added I make peace and create evil See the Note Chap. 41.23 Ver. 8. Drop down ye heavens from above and let the skies pour down righteousness c. Under this command a promise is implied of Cyrus his destroying the Babylonian Empire and delivering Gods people from their Bondage there and sending them home again into their own Country which is here called Righteousness because it was a work of great Righteousness in God thus to punish the wicked Babylonians and to deliver his poor oppressed people and because thereby he approved his Faithfulness and Justice in performing what he had before-hand promised them And to the same purpose is that which followeth let the earth open to wit to receive the showrs from above or to let forth that which is to spring up as it follows and let them to wit the earth watered by the Heavens bring forth Salvation and let Righteousness spring forth together As for this figurative Expression whereby this promise is expressed Drop down ye Heavens from above and let the skies pour down Righteousness let the earth open and let them bring forth Salvation and let righteousness spring forth together that is used to imply 1. By whose command this should be done and that to the end Gods people should not look upon this deliverance promised as an impossible thing in regard of the desperate Condition wherein the Jews should be at that time namely That God from Heaven would suddenly and miraculously cause it to be done And 2ly how wonderfully great this Deliverance should be and what an abundant discovery there should be made therein of the goodness righteousness and faithfulness of God for it is all one in effect as if God had said I the Lord who do cause the Heavens to water the Earth and the Earth thereupon to yield all kind of Fruit abundantly will from Heaven afford you so great Salvation and so abundantly manifest my Righteousness therein that it shall be with you as if the Heavens did rain whole showrs of it upon you and as if a plentiful crop of it did every where spring out of the earth See the Note chap. 44.3 And herein also may be comprehended the raising up of Cyrus as a branch of Righteousness springing up according to the like Expressions elsewhere for which see the Note Chap. 4.2 by whom this great Salvation should be wrought for them But however under this promise of the Deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon that greater Deliverance is also promised whereof this was a type namely the Redemption of Gods people from the Bondage of their natural Estate by the Lord Christ and that as the happy effect of that typical Deliverance for indeed had not the outward Polity of the Jews been preserved by their Deliverance out of Babylon Christ could not have sprung up out of the stock of David to be a Saviour for his redeemed as God had promised I know this passage is expounded by some in somewhat a different way For 1. some
of me and ye shall be as sure of it as if it were at your command Or else 2ly by way of upbraiding them for their murmuring at Gods delay of the promised deliverance that striving with their Maker whereof he had spoken ver 9. Ask me of things to come concerning my Sons and concerning the work of my hands command ye me as if he had said If the clay may not contend with the Potter nor the Child with his Parents why do you then that which is no better than a quarrelling with me about my ordering you that are my Children and the work of my hands you had best call me to an account to know how I mean to order my people for the future and prescribe me what I should do as if there were danger lest I should disregard them Ver. 12. I have made the earth and created man upon it I even my hands have stretched out the Heavens c. See the Note Psal 104.2 and all their host have I commanded that is I made them by my word and command and by my command they are continually ordered And the drift of inserting this here is to shew That therefore he must needs be all-sufficient both for the managing and effecting of whatever he had undertaken to do and that it was a high degree of folly and boldness for them to question or mutter against any thing done by him as thinking that he that governed all things as the great Creator of Heaven and Earth would not in a special manner take care of his own peculiar people that were in a more special manner the work of his hands Ver. 13. I have raised him up in righteousness c. To wit Cyrus above named ver 1. See the Notes Chap. 41.2 and above ver 8. and I will direct or make straight all his ways that is I will guide and prosper him and facilitate all his designs to wit in his expedition against Babylon he shall build my City that is he shall order it to be built and give my people much towards the building of it he shall let go my Captives not for price nor reward saith the Lord of host that is He shall give liberty to my people that are now Captives in Babylon by my disposing Will and Providence and shall send them home into their own Country freely without any ransome or consideration received for it But now still we must remember that under this Type of the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon by Cyrus that greater work of our redemption by Christ from our spiritual Bondage is principally here intended for he indeed was raised up of God in righteousness See the Note Chap. 42.6 for the effecting of this great work and had all his ways made straight before him See the Note Chap. 40.4 And by him the spiritual Jerusalem the Church the City of God is built Mat. 16.18 Upon this rock will I build my Church and of his redeemed ones it may well be said that he delivered them not for price nor reward because instead of receiving any thing from them he gave himself as a ransom for their redemption Ver. 14. Thus saith the Lord The labour of Egypt and merchandise of Ethiopia c. That is The wealth which the Egyptians get by their labour and the Ethiopians by their Merchandise and of the Sabeans men of stature That is of great stature tall big and goodly men shall come over unto thee That is shall be brought into thee and thy shall be thine That is not only the riches of the Nations before mentioned but even the Nations themselves shall be thine they that were before thine enemies shall become thy Servants Some and that very probably do understand this as spoken to Cyrus of whom it is clear that he spake in the foregoing verse to wit that as a recompence of the service he should do for God in destroying the Babylonians and setting free his People both these mighty Nations and the wealth of their rich Countrys should together with Babylon fall into his hands But others again take it to be spoken to Gods people to wit That these Nations should bring in their wealth to them and be serviceable to them which they think was partly fulfilled when these Nations at the commandment of Cyrus first Ezra 1.4 and of Artaxerxes afterward Ezra 7.20 c. did out of the tributes which they were to pay to the Emperor of Persia afford them all things requisite for their return home into their own Country and for the work they had to do when they came thither But espcially in the days of the Gospel when both these and other Nations did joyn themselves to the Church and imployed their riches for her advancement See the Notes Psal 45.12 and 68.31 and 72.9 c. And indeed they that understand this as spoken to Cyrus do withal hold that it is principally meant of Christ of whom Cyrus was a Type Nor needs it seem strange that the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon by Cyrus and the redemption of Gods People by Christ should be thus still joyntly intended together because the main end of God's delivering the Jews out of Babylon was that Christ the promised Messiah might spring up of that Nation and so his Kingdom might be established in the World And to the same purpose is that which followeth and they shall come after thee in chains shall they come over to wit as captives are wont to follow the Conqueror in his triumphs and they shall fall down unto thee they shall make Supplication unto thee saying surely God is in thee and there is none else there is no God to wit besides for as this may be literally understood of the Nations crouching before Cyrus and acknowledging that God was apparently wâ—â—h â—im prospering him in all his enterprises so it may be mystically understood of the Gentiles submitting to Christ and to the Church in Christ as acknowledging God Hypostatically in Christ 2 Cor. 5.19 and Col. 2.9 and both God and Christ with the Church even the true God besides whom there is no God Ver. 15. Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour Here the Prophet breaks forth into an admiration of the hidden depths of Gods Dispensations for therefore is God said to be a God that hideth himself 1. Because of the secrecy and unsearchableness of his Councels in the actings of his providences as in the raising up Cyrus against Babylon God's purpose for the deliverance of the Jews thereby would not have been thought of and when it was done Gods hand in doing it had not God revealed it would not have been seen And 2ly Especially because though God be the sure Saviour of Israel his People yet he often stands a-loof for a time and appears not as a Saviour because he prospers their enemies and suffers his People to be miserably oppressed by them as if he regarded them not
And thus by this clause the Prophet doth covertly perswade the Jews not to murmure against God according to what was said before ver 9 10. But patiently to wait upon him for Deliverance in their lowest condition Ver. 16. They shall be ashamed c. Thus the Prophet applieth that which was spoken in the foregoing verse in general terms to the particular condition of Gods People They shall be ashamed and also confounded all of them to wit the idolatrous Babylonians as the following words explain it they shall go to confusion together that are makers of Idols this shall be at last the end of all their flourishing greatness See the Note Psal 42.17 Ver. 17. But Israel shall be saved in the Lord c. That is by the Lord with an everlasting Salvation That is say some in all ages or so that they shall never perish they shall be saved unto eternity which is alledged therefore by Expositors as an evidence that the eternal Salvation purchased by Christ for his People is here also comprehended whereof the deliverance out of Babylon was only a Type ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded World without end That is ye shall not always find your selves disappointed of that Salvation which ye expect from your God as he had said in the foregoing verse it should be with those that worshipped Idols Ver. 18. For thus saith the Lord that created the Heavens God himself that formed the Earth and made it c. See the Note above ver 12. yet some think that Gods creating all things is here mentioned as an evidence that he was the only true God and that therefore they that worshipped him should not be confounded as all idolaters should be as was said in the foregoing verse he hath established it See the Note Psal 93.1 He created it not in vain he formed it to be inhabited to wit by the Children of men And the drift of mentioning this may seem to be hereby to imply that if God hath been thus careful to provide an habitation for all mankind much more will he be sure to provide an habitation for his own peculiar People that must continue on the Earth so long as the Earth shall stand This I conceive is most probably the drift of this place Yet some I know do by the Earth here understand the land of Canaan which God had provided for the habitation of his people the Children of Israel Ver. 19. I have not spoken in secret in a dark place of the Earth c. Because the Oracles of the Heathens were usually in dark caves and dens of the Earth places fit for deceit See the Note Chap. 8.19 And because when People resorted thither for satisfaction in any thing they desired to know the Devil was wont cunningly to return them answers as dark as the Caves wherein they were given obscure and ambiguous that might always be understood several ways that so whatever the event was it might be thought he had foretold the truth therefore in an allusion hereto the Lord intending to profess to his People that he had not spoken to them after such a manner doth thus express himself I have not spoken in secret in a dark place of the Earth as if he should have said I have always from time to time made known my will to you openly plainly and perspicuously and not as the idolatrous nations were informed by their Oracles And it may well be which some have thought that it was with respect to this of the Prophet that Christ spake that of himself John 18.20 I spake openly to the World I ever taught in the synagogue and in the Temple whither the Jews always resort and in secret have I said nothing However the drift of this passage seems probably to be to make known to Gods people that tho' the Lord might seem to hide himself from them as was said before ver 15. by the strange dispensations of his providence towards them yet having so clearly and openly revealed his will to them that if they served him faithfully and fled unto him in their streights and troubles he would certainly deliver them on this they might with confidence rely however things went and that because as his promises were clear and plain so they were sure and faithful which is intended in the following words I said not unto the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain I do not encourage my people to seek unto me in vain and to no purpose by promising that which they shall not find in due time exactly performed I the Lord speak righteousness I declare things that are right That is I speak nothing but what is true and just and what in the event they shall find to be so Ver. 20. Assemble your selves and come draw near together ye that are escaped of the nations c. That is ye of the Heathens both Babylonians and other idolatrous nations that have escaped the destruction that Cyrus had made amongst you And the reason why the Lord doth thus summon these nations together that were spread abroad all the world over is that they might say what they could in the defence of their Idol-gods now when they had seen how unable they were to defend Babylon against the wrath of the God of Israel And accordingly some conceive that the following words they have no knowledg that set up the wood of their graven image and pray unto a god that cannot save are added by way of correction as if he should have said Why do I summon these to say what they can Alas these that worship stocks and stones are very bruits and have no knowledg But rather this seems to be added as a declaration of that which the Heathen nations had experimentally seen by Gods destroying Babylon and delivering his people namely how sottishly ignorant they were that served Idol-gods that could not save them Some indeed take the first words Assemble your selves and come draw near together ye that are escaped of the Nations to be a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles by the Ministry of the Gospel and that these are appealed to as those that were able experimentally to speak in this case having been won from the vanity of serving Idols to the Worship and Service of the true God But the former Exposition is clearly the best as is very evident by the following Verse Ver. 21. Tell ye c. Some conceive that the Heathen Nations are here enjoined to declare to others what they had learnt or found by experience concerning the true God and so to invite them to come in and join themselves to his Church and People But rather here the cause is shown why the Nations were summoned in the foregoing Verse to assemble together and accordingly I conceive that in these first words Tell ye either the Nations are appointed to tell one another of the Assembly intended or enjoined as the following words seem to import Tell ye and bring them
themselves to my Government And indeed the stretching forth of his Arms seems to imply the enlarging of Gods Kingdom And hereto likewise agrees that which followeth the Isles shall wait upon me see the Notes Chap. 41.1 and 42.4 It may imply the miserable condition of the Gentiles in regard whereof it might be said that they waited for Salvation by Christ even as it is said of the bruit Creatures Psal 104.27 that they wait upon God for his giving them their Meat in due season Or rather the readiness of the Gentiles after their Conversion to obey all the commands of Christ And on mine Arm shall they trust that is they shall in all things rely on my Power and Aid Ver. 6. Lift up your Eyes to the Heavens and look upon the Earth beneath c. As if he should have said consider how wonderfully the whole fabrick of the World is by the mighty Power and provident Care of God over it upheld and preserved For the Heavens shall vanish away like Smoke and the Earth shall wax old like a Garment and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner see the Notes Chap. 34.4 and Psal 102.26 But my Salvation shall be for ever and my Righteousness shall not be abolished of all which the meaning is either 1. That though there should be never such horrid overturnings in the World God would not fail to make good his Promises in the Salvation of his People or 2. That though the whole frame of the World should at last be dissolved yet the promised Salvation should not fail but should continue for ever or 3. which most Expositors like the best that the whole World should rather be broken in pieces and come to nothing than God would not make good his Righteousness and Faithfulness in working that Salvation for his People which he had promised them which is the same with that of our Saviour Luke 21.33 Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my Words shall not pass away Though Gods People may chear up themselves by seeing how God preserves and upholds the whole fabrick of the World yet in the unquestionable certainty of his Promises there is a surer Foundation of Hope and Comfort for them Ver. 7. Hearken unto me ye that know Righteousness c. That is That approve and regard it that live Righteously the People in whose Heart is my Law see the Note Psal 37.31 And this is the third time that they are here called upon to hearken to what is said because it is so hard a thing to chear up those that are in great misery and sorrow Fear ye not the reproach of Men neither be ye afraid of their revilings that is when your Enemies shall reproach you for your Piety and Confidence in God fear them not no not the greatest of them Ver. 8. For the Moth shall eat them up like a Garment and the Worm shall eat them like Wool c. That is like a Woollen Cloth or Garment see the Notes Chap. 50.9 and Psal 39.11 But my Righteousness shall be for ever and my Salvation from Generation to Generation see the Note above ver 6. And as this is meant of that great work of our Salvation by Christ the word Righteousness may have also respect to that everlasting Righteousness whereby Gods People are justified and saved Ver. 9. Awake awake put on Strength O Arm of the Lord c. The Prophet and haply in the name of Gods People doth here pray that God would exert the power of his mighty Arm which he had seemed of late to lay by by destroying his Peoples Enemies as he had promised And this may be meant both of the Babylonians and of the spiritual Enemies of Gods People vanquished by Christ who is therefore by some thought to be the Arm of the Lord here spoken of and seems purposely intended to chear the Hearts of Gods People with the remembrance of his Almighty power Awake as in the ancient days in the Generations of old that is as in times of old when thou hast often delivered thy People and destroyed their Enemies Art not thou it that hath cut Rahab see the Note Psal 87.4 and wounded the Dragon that is destroyed Pharaoh see the Notes Chap. 27.1 and Psal 74.13 14. Now because the strength of Gods Arm is unchangeable and not subject to the least decay therefore these Instances are alleadged as a sure proof that he could do the same still for his People Ver. 11. Therefore c. The Church and People of God do here chear up themselves from the consideration of those great things mentioned in the foregoing Verse which God had done for his People Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with Singing unto Zion c. see the Note Chap. 35.10 Ver. 12. I even I am he that comforteth you c. Here the Prophet speaks again to them in the name of God Who art thou that is What a vain foolish heartless Creature art thou That thou shouldest be afraid of a Man that shall die and of the Son of Man that shall be made as Grass To wit having the Eternal and Almighty God to be your Protector and Saviour See the Note Chap. 40.6 Ver. 13. And forgettest the Lord thy Maker c. See the Notes Chap. 44.1.21 that hath stretched forth the Heavens and laid the foundations of the Earth see the Note Psal 104.2 and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the Oppressor as if he were ready or had made himself ready to destroy That is as if the Enemy were sure to destroy because he was fully resolved and had made ready to do it Intimating that it was their great Sin to be so overwhelmed with fear in their greatest dangers having the promise of God for their deliverance and where is the fury of the Oppressor That is say some what is become of the fury of those that formerly oppressed my People As namely of the Egyptian mentioned before ver 9 10. or of Sennacherib the Assyrian of whom see what is said before Chap. 16.4 Though they were ready to destroy did not their fury soon come to nothing And if God destroyed them is not he able to do the like to the Babylonian too But rather it is spoken with respect to the Babylonian and where is the fury of the Oppressor That is assoon as I begin to contend with him what will become of his Fury It will soon come to nothing Or it may be taken more generally that when ever the Enemies of Gods People do oppress them God can suddenly put an end to their Fury and that he will at last so perfectly deliver his People that they shall no more be in danger of being oppressed by them Ver. 14. The Captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed c. That is Gods poor People that are now Captive in a strange Country shall within a short time be delivered the time hasteneth when they
Joh. 18.37 A leader and commander to the People that is one that is to lead them in the way of Life both by his Doctrine and Example and whose commands upon pain of Eternal Damnation all men are bound to obey Matth. 28.20 Ver. 5. Behold thou shalt call a Nation that thou knowest not c. That is Thou O Christ for he it is that was spoken of in the foregoing Verse shalt effectually call in those Nations to believe in thee whom formerly thou didst not own for thy People nor didst regard or take any notice of to wit the Gentiles And indeed this is that which David did long before say of himself as he was a type of Christ a People whom I have not known shall serve me Psal 18.43 and Nations that knew not thee that is that had never heard of thee and so had no knowledge of thee but lived without God and without Christ in the world Eph. 2.12 shall run unto thee See the Note Chap. 2.2 because of the Lord thy God and for the holy one of Israel that is because the Lord thy God which is spoken of Christ with respect to his humane Nature shall clearly manifest himself to be thy God and thy Father and shall make thy Ministry effectual by convincing the Nations that thou art true and very God the Son of God sent to save Sinners for he hath glorified thee to wit by the miraculous passages at his Birth and Baptism by his transcendent holiness and the Miracles that were wrought by him and his and especially after his Passion by his Resurrection and Ascension whereby the Nations were brought in to own Christ to be the only begotten Son of God and Saviour of the World Ver. 6. Seek ye the Lord c. The exhortation in the beginning of this Chapter is here further pressed by the Prophet namely that Men should diligently seek after that Grace and Reconciliation with God which was tendered to them in Jesus Christ Some would have it understood as spoken to the Gentiles only of whom the Prophet had spoken in the foregoing Verse others as spoken to the Jews by way of pressing them to come in by the example of the forwardness of the Gentiles before mentioned But it is rather generally spoken to all lost and miserable Sinners Seek ye the Lord while he may be found that is immediately and without delay whilst yet Mercy and Pardon is tendered to you in the means of Grace and God doth yet by his Spirit move you to accept of it And to the same purpose is that which follows call ye upon him while he is near that is whilst he is near in the means and offers of Grace But See the Notes also Psal 32.6 and Prov. 1.28 Ver. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way c. This is added to shew that though Reconciliation be freely tendered in Christ to the worst of Sinners yet it is tendered upon condition of unfeigned Repentance and that without that no favour can be expected from God Ver. 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts c. God having promised in the close of the foregoing Verse that he would have Mercy on true Penitents that would forsake their Sins and return to him and that he would abundantly pardon them lest poor dejected Sinners should scruple this as judging of God according to what is usual amongst men here he puts them in mind of the infinite disproportion that is betwixt God and Man for my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord that is my thoughts and ways of pardoning and shewing mercy to Sinners must not be measured by the thoughts and ways of mercy that are in men towards those that have offended them 1. Men are many times inexorable And 2. Especially in injuries of a higher Nature And 3. At least they are hardly won to be reconciled and will often have some considerable compensation for the wrongs done them And 4. Their Reconciliations are seldom sincere and perfect And 5. Though they be yet through sickleness they are in danger to repent of their Reconciliations and to revive their old Quarrels But now in all these it is quite contrary with God See Exod. 34.6 7. Matth. 12.21 I know some do otherwise understand these words For they conceive that therein there is a reason given why Sinners must abandon their former thoughts and ways if they desired that God should be at peace with them namely because their thoughts and ways were not Gods thoughts and ways that is such as God had appointed their ways and thoughts should be or because there was such a contrariety betwixt Gods thoughts and ways which were all infinitely holy and just and theirs that were so exceedingly sinful and wicked But this Exposition cannot consist with the following Verse whereby it is clear that the transcendency of Gods Mercy above Mans is here intended Ver. 9. For as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my ways higher c. That is Incomprehensibly higher See the Notes Psal 103.11 The distance betwixt Heaven and Earth doth not fully parallel the distance that is betwixt the Mercies of God and Man because Gods Mercies are infinite but this expression serves to set forth that Gods Mercies are wonderful far above Mans. One Man may exceed others in pity and tender compassion and readiness to pardon Injuries as far as the Mountains are above the Dales but the highest Heavens are not so far above the Center of the Earth as Gods Mercies are above all the Bowels of Mercy that can be imaginably in the most merciful Men. Ver. 10. For as the Rain c. Here the Lord makes good what he had said before concerning the greatness of his Mercy by assuring them of the certainty of what he had promised them For as the Rain cometh down and the Snown from Heaven and returneth not thither to wit without effecting that for which they were sent by the God of Heaven but watereth the Earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give Seed to the Sower and Bread to the Eater that is that it may yield Men not only plenty of Bread for food but also sufficient Seed for the following year It is true that the Rain and Snow may in some Sense be said to return again to the Heavens in the Vapours which from them are exhaled by the Sun or blown up by the Winds and so carried up into the Clouds But this expression here of the Rain and the Snows not returning again intends no more but that they never fail of effecting that for which pleas'd to showr them down upon the Earth Ver. 11. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my Mouth c. That is Every word which my Prophets shall deliver truly from me Yet I conceive this is spoken here with particular respect to that promise which God had made them concerning their deliverance out of Babylon
I conceive to the vain things they vented when they did at any time undertake to teach the People even their own Dreams and not any thing which God had given them in charge However upon these men we must know the blame is particularly laid not because the People were not also extreamly wicked but because the neglect of their Duty was a main cause of the wickedness of the People Ver. 11. Yea they are greedy Dogs which can never have enough c. This may be added as another of their Sins to wit their insatiable Covetousness or else as a reason of that which was said before of them namely That they were blinded with Covetousness and they are Shepherds that cannot understand that is they know not how to order their Flocks aright see the foregoing Note they all look to their own way that is say some they all give up themselves to do every Man of them what they list or rather they are all for themselves minding only their own affairs and profit every one for his gain from his Quarter that is every one from the place of his abode even all the City over from one end to the other Ver. 12. Come ye say they I will fetch Wine and we will fill our selves with strong Drink c. This is another Sin wherewith their Watch-men before mentioned are here charged to wit Their Rioting and Drunkenness And they are brought in here enticing to and encouraging one another in this Sin and perhaps the People too to imply their obstinacy and security herein Come ye say they I will fetch Wine c. as if they had said Let Men say what they will and come what will of it we will thus take our Pleasure And so likewise in the following words and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant which do clearly hold forth a bold and desperate resolution of running on in this their excess day after day though they may also imply a scornful contempt of the threatnings of Gods Prophets as if they had said Come let us drink stoutly and fear nothing if it be well with us to day it shall be as well with us to morrow and it may be better CHAP. LVII VERSE 1. THE Righteous perisheth c. That is They dye it is spoken according to that which is outwardly seen in the Death of Men and no Man layeth it to Heart that is no man minds it or is troubled at it though it be an usual sign of some approaching Judgment when those that are the Pillars to support a Church are taken away and merciful men or Godly Men for the Word in the Original signifieth both are taken away to wit by a natural or a violent Death for some think it is spoken with respect to the Righteous that were cut off by Manassah see the Note 2 Kings 21.16 none considering that the Righteous is taken away from the Evil to come to wit as Husbandmen make speed to House their Corn when they see storms coming So it was with Josiah 2 Kings 22.20 This therefore is another wickedness wherewith he chargeth not their Watch-men only as before in the close of the foregoing Chapter but the whole People in general namely That whereas many it seems of the Faithful Servants of God were at that time taken away they regarded not this warning which God gave them of those dreadful Judgments that were coming apace upon them But withall there is comfort hinted for the despised Righteous Ver. 2. He shall enter into Peace c. That is into the rest and peace of Heavenly Glory where they shall be with God perfectly freed from all the troubles of the World It may indeed be read as in the Margin He shall go in peace and then the meaning may be that they should go out of the World with quiet and peaceable Consciences and before those evil and troublesome times came of which he had spoken in the foregoing Verse they shall rest in their Beds that is in their Graves for as Death is called a sleep so the Graves are termed Beds wherein dead men lye asleep until the general Resurrection when they shall all awake and rise again their Souls being departed into Heavenly rest their Bodies shall rest quietly in their Graves see the Note Job 3.13 each one walking in his own uprightness or before him as it is in the Margin The meaning is that thus it shall be with every one that serves God sincerely see the Note Gen. 17.1 Ver. 3. But c. Having in the foregoing Verses touched upon the happiness of the Righteous that were by Death taken away from approaching Judgments here he turns his Speech to the wicked Wretches of that Generation that rejoiced in their Death rather than grieved for it and triumphed in their surviving of them and condemns and threatens them But draw near hither ye Sons of the Sorceress the Seed of ye Adulterer and of the Where as if he should have said Thus shall it be with my Righteous Servants that are cut off from amongst you but as for you the prophane Crew that survive them and applaud your selves herein draw near and hear your doom And he calls them Sons of the Sorceress with respect to Jerusalem their Mother that was much addicted to those wicked Arts and the Seed of the Adulterer and the Whore because the Inhabitants of that City were also much given to those Sins of uncleanness but especially to that Sin of Idolatry which is often in the Scripture tearmed Spiritual Adultery and Fornication see the Notes Chap. 1.21 and 2 Kings 9.22 And thus these tearms implyed that they were a Wicked and Idolatrous Generation descended from Wicked and Idolatrous Parents both by Fathers and Mothers side and especially that they were no more in Truth the Seed of Israel or Children of God than the Children which a Wife hath by an Adulterer are her Husbands Children Ver. 4. Against whom do ye sport your selves c. As if he had said When you make your selves merry with flouting and jeering at the reproof and threatnings of my Prophets consider well of it it is not poor mortal Men against whom you sport your selves but the immortal and mighty God of Heaven and Earth whose Servants they are and whose Word it is which they Preach to you see 2 Chron. 36.16 Luke 10.16 1 Thes 4.8 for that this is here intended is evident by the following words against whom make ye a wide Mouth to wit in a way of derision see the Notes Job 16.10 and Psal 22.7 and draw out the Tongue which was another gesture used of old by way of mocking as we see by that of Persius Nec linguae quartum sitiat canis Appela tantum Are ye not Children of Transgression That is say some born of Wicked Rebellious Parents as was said before Children of the Adulterer and the Whore or rather Children that are transgressors as Children of Iniquity Hos 10.9
Babylon for this indeed I conceive is primarily here intended as being most agreeable with the Context But yet some extend the Promises here made to that Holy Seed that would rise up to his Church in the Days of the Gospel Ver. 15. And ye shall leave your Name for a curse unto my chosen c. As if he had said You now Glory in the name of being the Seed of Abraham that holy People of God but alas hereafter you shall find it quite contrary Or whereas you hope to leave a Name of great renown behind you instead hereof when you are gone ye shall leave your Name for a curse So that when men shall curse any body they shall instance in you saying Mayest thou be cursed as the wicked Jews were cursed that were carried Captives to Babylon according to that which is said Jer. 29.22 And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the Captivity of Judah which are in Babylon saying The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab whom the King of Babylon rosted in the Fire But see also the Notes Chap. 43.28 and Numb 5.21 For the Lord God shall slay thee as was said before ver 12. and call his Servants by another name that is say some not Jews but Christians But I rather think that hereby is meant either 1. That he would take other Nations to be his People Or 2. That Men should not use their name in cursing as they did the Jews but rather in blessing Or 3. That they should be brought into a Glorious state and condition see the Note Chap. 62.4 Ver. 16. That he who blesseth himself in the Earth c. This is mentioned as the effect of that bliss and joy which in the three foregoing verses God had promised his People to wit that hereupon it should come to pass That he who blesseth himself in the Earth shall bless himself in the God of Truth that is the true God or the faithful God Some understand this thus that he who judgeth himself to be in a blessed and happy Estate and that comforts himself with hope that he is in such an Estate shall ascribe it wholly to God and to his Promises of Grace But rather the meaning is that whosoever shall wish or pray for any blessing upon himself shall wish it of God or pray to the true God for it And though by those words in the Earth may be meant in the Land of Judea and so the intent of the words may be that after that in that Land no Man should bless himself in any other but the true God yet rather it is meant of the whole Earth in general as having respect to the Days of the Gospel to wit that all the World over Men should only bless themselves in the true God And he that sweareth in the Earth shall swear by the God of Truth to wit only and not by any Idol God and see the Note also Chap 19.18 Because the former troubles are forgotten that is because God shall put an end to all his Peoples former troubles or because he shall bring them to such a happy Estate that this shall make them forget all their former Miseries see the Note Chap. 54 4. and because they are hid from mine Eyes to wit because I shall quite take them away as not being able any longer to see my Children in such Misery The inference is this That because they should so plainly see that it was God that had made such a blessed change in their Estate therefore they should own and Worship no other God but him But yet withal we must know that this which is said of the troubles of his People being forgotten and hid from Gods Eyes may be understood also in a Gospel-sense of their being freed from all the Miseries their Sins had deserved partly by a full Pardon of their Sins through Faith in Christ here and compleatly by a perfect Freedom from all evil in Heaven hereafter Ver. 17. For behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth c. See the Note Chap. 51.16 It is as if he had said I am about to make such a wonderful Change in my Church that it shall seem to be as if there were a new World created This was begun at the Deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon A wonderful Change was then made when those that were a little before in such miserable Bondage in Babylon were setled again in their own Land and had rebuilt the City Jerusalem and their Temple therein It might be well then said that God had then created new Heavens and a new Earth The Heavens were not Cloudy and frowning as before but clear and fair the Earth was not Barren and Desart as before but Fruitful and well Inhabited But yet more fully this was done in that far more wonderful Change that was wrought in the World when Christ accomplished the Work of his Peoples Redemption and the Gospel began to be Preached amongst all Nations For then indeed in regard of Doctrine Ordinances Worship and the Gifts and Graces conferred upon Gods People thâ—re seem'd to be a new face and state of things yea there was an alteration for the better in all things whatsoever according to that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.17 Old things are past away behold all things are become new Yea and farther it shall be fulfilled at the Resurection called therefore Acts 3.21 the time of the Restitution of all things See the Note Psal 102.26 As for the following words and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind either it is meant of former troubles and so is the same with what was said in the foregoing Verse or else rather of former Times or former Mercies the former state of things the former Heaven and Earth to wit that the Spiritual excellency of the Church in Gospel Days should so far exceed that which had been in the time of the Law that those former things should not be once minded or thought on see the Note Chap. 43.18 Ver. 18. But be you glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create c. See the Note Chap. 35.10 For behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her People a joy that is I am about to do that for them which shall yield them matter of abundant joy there shall be nothing in a manner but rejoicing amongst them as it is more fully expressed in the next Verse Ver. 19. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem and joy in my People c. This is added either as the main cause why Gods People were in the foregoing verse pressed to be so exceeding joyful Gods Love and Favour being indeed the main ground of his Peoples joy or else as a farther illustration of the Happiness promised them to wit that it should be so great that not only they should rejoice but even God also should rejoice for it together with them And the voice of weeping shall be no more heard
the words is to shew how exceeding ready God is to hear the Prayers of his People Ver. 25. The Wolfe and the Lamb shall feed together and the Lyon shall eat Straw like the Bullock and dust shall be the Serpents meat c. That is being content with that Food they shall no longer hurt either Men or Beasts But see the Note Gen. 3.14 To the same purpose is that Chap. 11.8 And the Sucking Child shall play on the hole of the Asp c. But for this whole Verse see the Notes Chap. 11.6 7 8 9. CHAP. LXVI VERSE 1. THus saith the Lord c. As the Prophet in the beginning of his Prophecy Chap. 1.1 Expostulated with the Jews concerning their carnal confidence in their Temple and Sacrifices so he doth here again toward the close of his Prophecy The Heaven is my Throne to wit because there the Majesty of God is most gloriously set forth and the Earth is my Footstool that is as vast a body as the Earth is it is but a little Foot-stool for me Where is the House that ye build unto me And where is the place of my Rest So the Temple was called See Psal 132.14 This is my rest for ever The drift of the whole passage I conceive is this Because the Jews were a wicked People falsehearted towards God and wholly regardless of obeying his commands and yet in the mean season gloried much in Gods dwelling amongst them in his Temple as if they had thought that God had been included in those Walls and thereupon they had no cause to question his favour and his gracious acceptance of the Service that was there done him or to fear that he would ever forsake them or this his dwelling place therefore the Lord doth here from the infiniteness and immensity of his being which the whole World could not contain shew them what a vain and foolish thing it was in them to think that any House could be built that should hold or contain him or that he should need or be pleased with a House that should be set up for his Habitation and indeed to this purpose doth Stephen cite this place Acts 7.48 c. yea that he must needs be a Spirit infinite in his Essence and consequently that he could only delight in Spiritual Service and that therefore the meer outward pomp of a stately house and Carnal Ceremonies could never be the things that were pleasing in his sight without a pure heart and a pure life no Man can serve God acceptably yea and some think too that under this is also imply'd that there was a time coming when this Temple-Services should be utterly abbrogated as our Saviour saith John 4.21 Ver. 2. For all those things hath mine hand made c. To wit the Heaven and the Earth and all things therein and all those things have been saith the Lord that is they have had their being or they have consisted Col. 1.17 or continued in their being by my hand by being upheld by my power Heb. 1.3 Now the drift of this is to shew that since he made the World and all things therein he needed not a House to dwell in here no more then he did from Eternity before he made these things and that if he did desire a House surely he that mansions in Heaven and Earth needed not to desire them to build him an House see the Notes Psal 50.11 12. but to this Man will I look to wit out of great respect and out of my tender and provident care over him Or as to the House and Temple wherein I will choose to dwell even to him that is Poor and of a contrite Spirit see the Notes Chap. 57.15 and Psal 51.16 and trembleth at my Word that is that fearing me stands in awe of my Word and dares not decline in the least from what I have commanded him It is as if the Lord had said though I be so infinitely great and high and all sufficient in my self yet I overlook all the World to cast mine Eye upon these poor humble ones and these are the Temple that I will dwell in Ver. 3. He that killeth an Oxe is as if he slew a Man c. That is say some when Christ shall have put an end to the Legal Worship the continuance of these Sacrifices will be as hateful to God as the slaying of a Man would be yea and because the Particle of similitude as is not in the Hebrew but it is there He that killeth an Oxe slayeth a Man he that Sacrificeth a Lamb cutteth off a Dogs Neck c. therefore some conceive that the Jews are charged here with this that at the same time when they Srcrificed Oxen and Lambs c. to God according to Gods Law they did also Sacriâ—ce to their Idol-Gods Men and Dogs and Swine as the Heathens did But I make no question but the words are best Rendred with a Note of Similitude as it is in our Translation and that the scope of the place is to shew that whilst they were such a wicked People void of all true fear of God their Sacrifices were not only things unacceptable but even hateful and odious to him see the Notes Chap. 1.11 c. He that killeth an Oxe to wit for Sacrifice is as if he slew a Man that is he doth that which I abhor as much as if he murdered a Man or his killing an Oxe for Sacrifice is no more pleasing to me than if he slew a Man for a Sacrifice as the Heathens are wont to do For it may well be that in this expression and so likewise in those that follow his drift is to shew that the abominable Sacrifices of the Heathens were as acceptable to him as theirs were he that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dogs neck which was not only one of those unclean Creatures that might not be offered in Sacrifice though the Heathens did but always also esteemed base and vile insomuch that whereas the Money that was taken for the Redemption of any unclean Beast might be brought into the Temples Treasury Lev. 27.11 there was express Order that no price of a Dog should be brought into Gods House see the Note Deut. 23.8 he that offereth an oblation as if he offered Swines blood Creatures so unclean that they might not be eaten or touched Lev. 11.7 8. much less might they be offered in Sacrifice as the Heathens did he that burneth Incense as if he blessed an Idol that is praised it or prayed or sacrificed to it yea they have chosen their own ways that is wittingly and knowingly they have chosen to walk in their own ways rather than do what I commanded them where by their own ways may be particularly meant their Will-worships which were of their own devising not of Gods appointment or generally their sinful wicked ways which alone were enough to make God abhor their Sacrifices And so also may the last Clause be understood and
understand it of a mark or sign whereby some Persons may be distinguished from others Namely That when God intended to destroy the Jews he would have a sign or a mark amongst them whereby they should be known whom God had chosen to be rescued and saved from the common destruction that was coming upon that Nation and that herein there is an allusion to the mark of the Blood of the Paschal Lamb upon the Doors of the Israelies in Egypt whereby they were saved from the Sword of the destroying Angel And by this mark or sign might be meant the profession of the Christian Faith or the Word and Sacraments or a Holy Life and Conversation according to the Rule of the Gospel or that inward Seal of Gods Sanctifying Spirit whereby they should be distinguished from counterfeits see Eph. 1.13 and 2 Tim. 2.19 Or rather Gods appointing them to be saved and his watchful providence over them for their preservation which should be as sure a means of safeguarding them from the common destruction as if there had been a sign or mark set upon them for that end and purpose and I will send those that escape of them that is those of the Jews thus preserved unto the Nations to wit to Preach the Gospel to them to Tarshish Pul and Lud that draw the Bow to Tubal and Javan c. for the understanding whereof we must know 1. That by Tarshish may be meant Tarsus in Cilicia or some other remote place or the Ocean Sea in general and so the meaning might be that they should go forth both by Sea and Land to Preach the Gospel And 2. That under the other particular Nations here mentioned whereof it is commonly thought that some lie East and some West and some North and South all other Nations are comprehended all the World over to the Isles a far off that is the Inhabitants of those remote Countries of whom the Jews had little or no knowledge that have not heard my fame neither have seen my Glory that is that had never heard the report of nor seen the glory of God and of his glorious Works see the Note Cap. 52.15 and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles that is the glorious riches of my Grace in Christ the great things I have done for the Salvation of my People and the destruction of their Enemies Ver. 20. And they shall bring all your Brethren c. The Apostles and other Preachers of the Gospel shall bring in the Converted Gentiles your Brethren as being by Faith made the Children of Abraham for an Offering unto the Lord out of all Nations to wit as a People Consecrate to Gods service according to that of the Apostle Rom. 15.16 that the Offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable being Sanctified by the Holy Ghost and again Phil. 2.17 If I be Offered upon the Sacrifice and Service of your Faith I joy and rejoyce with you all and Rom. 12.1 Present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God c. The Heathen that were counted an unclean People being now purified by Faith should be tendred to God as a Holy Sacrifice upon Horses and in Chariots and in Litters and upon Mules and upon swift Beasts which implies both 1. That all possible helps and means should be used to bring them in to believe and joyn themselves to the Church 2. That this should be done with much respect and tender care over them see the Note Chap. 49.22 And 3. That hereby the Gospel should be speedily propagated into many Countries to my holy Mountain Jerusalem saith the Lord that is to the Church of Christ see the Notes Chap. 2.2 3. as the Children of Israel bring an Offering in a clean Vessel into the House of the Lord to wit because these converted Gentiles should be a pure and holy People Ver. 21. And I will also take them for Priests and for Levites saith the Lord c. It is as if he had said Yea some of these Gentiles that were counted so unclean that they might not come into the Temple will I take to be Priests and Levites that is Ministers Pastors and Teachers in my Church Ministers and Deacons say some for that it is not that Spiritual Priest-hood common to all Christians see the Note Ch. 61.6 that is hear meant but that peculiar Office of such as were to be Teachers in the Church as the Priests and Levites were Deut. 33.8 is evident because the promise is only that God would take of them that is some of them for Priests and for Levites whereas in the time of the Law none were imployed in those Holy Callings but those that were of the Tribe of Levi then even Men of all Nations should be set apart to these Holy Services Ver. 22. For as the new Heavens and the new Earth which I will make shall remain before me saith the Lord c. And concerning this promise of new Heavens and a new Earth see the Note Chap. 65.17 so shall your Seed and your Name remain the meaning is that as that new state of the Church should continue unto Eternity even after the World should have an end so should the Seed also of the Church consisting both of Jews and Gentiles and consequently their Name also continue for ever There shall never want a Seed of true believers in this Church but they shall continue for ever even as the Bliss or Happiness of their new Estate shall be Ver. 23. And it shall come to pass that from one new Moon unto another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord. That is all Nations both Jews and Gentiles see the Note Psal 40.5 It is therefore spoken concerning the days of the Gospel when all legal Festivals were to cease and so the meaning is only that in those days the People of God should constantly attend the Worship and Service of God in their Church-Assemblies as it is said they did Acts 2.42 46. only this is expressed in terms borrowed from the solemn meetings of Gods People under the Law as before Ver. 21. where the Ministers of the Gospel are termed Priests and Levites and so frequently in other places Ver. 24. And they shall go forth c. Having spoken in the foregoing Verses of the great good which God would do for his faithful Servants yea and that unto Eternity here the Prophet returns again to denounce Judgments both Temporal and Eternal against those wicked and ungodly wretches whom he had before theatned Ver. 15 16. and promiseth that his faithful Servants should be Eye-witnesses of it And accordingly I conceive that those Words and they shall go forth and lock upon the Carcases of the Men that have transgressed against me may be meant 1. Of the faithful that should escape being slaughtered in that general havock that was made amongst the Jews by the Chaldeans when they surprized Jerusalem and plundered and burnt both their City and Temple to wit that they should go forth out of Jerusalem being to be carried away Captives and should with their Eyes behold as they went along the Carcases of their Idolatrous Brethren lying in great heaps unburied according to what is before noted upon Chap. 34.3 rotted and so full of of crawling Vermine Worms and Maggots and not fit therefore to be removed and carried away but only to be burnt up with Fire and this I judge the more probable because it is clear that these Idolatrous Jews were those that he had before threatened Ver. 16 17. Or 2. Of the Jews that were sent home by Cyrus to their own Land to wit that they should go out of Babylon and see the Carcases of the Babylonians slain by the Persians lying unburied in such a manner as is before said Or 3. of the Saints and Servants of God in the days of the Gospel brought in from among the Gentiles of whom indeed he had spoken in the foregoing Verses to wit that they having been brought into some straits by their Enemies should after they had recovered their Liberty again go forth and look upon that woful spectacle of the Carcases of their Enemies lying in such a rueful and horrid manner as was before described But now withall we must know that many learned Expositors do understand this very probably I conceive of any notable judgments of God which the Righteous should see executed upon wicked ungodly wretches for their Idolatries profaneness and contempt of the Gospel Only these judgments and executions of divine Vengeance upon wicked Men are figuratively set forth by way of resembling them to that dreadful spectacle of a company of dead Corps that lye rotting and stinking above ground full of crawling Worms and so putrified that there was no touching them they were only fit to be burnt with Fire and yet because of their multitude and putrifaction were like to be very long burning ere they would be consumed And they shall go forth and look upon upon the Carcases of the Men that have transgressed against me for their Worm shal not die neither shall their Fire be quenched And indeed this figurative description of the judgments and vengeance of God upon wicked Men is therefore the fitter 1. Because wicked and ungodly Men void of all Grace and Spiritual Life are no better than the stinking Carcases of Men dead whilst they live 1. Tim. 5.6 Let the dead bury their dead saith our Saviour Math. 8.22 And 2. because a main part of that vengeance which God pours forth upon wicked Men consists in those affrightments and terrours of conscience wherewith they are usually tortured as with a Worm alway gnawing on their Hearts and a Fire alway burning within their bosoms partly here in this World but especially afterwards in Hell to all Eternity for hereto doth our Saviour expresly apply this passage of our Prophet Mark 9.43 44. As for the last Clause and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh it may be understood both of their being loathed here in this World by all flesh that is all People that should behold the sad discovery of Gods wrath against them in that horrid condition wherein they lay and likewise especially of their being abhorred by all that shall be Eye-witnesses of their extream and unspeakable misery at the day of Judgment FINIS
world all Types and Prophesies of the Old Testament were at an end and the Doctrine of the Church was setled in an unchangeable way and thence are those expressions which the Apostles used 1 Joh. 2.18 Little children it is the last time and 1 Cor. 10.11 These things are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come Again by the mountain of the Lords house some understand Christ that stone which became a great mountain Dan. 2.34 35. and upon whom the Church is built as a house upon a hill But far more probably the Church is meant hereby being called the mountain of the Lords house in allusion to Mount Zion whereon the Temple the house of the Lord was built and which was a type of the Church and truly resembled to a mountain as is noted Psal 2.6 And of this mountain of the Lords house it is said That it should be established or prepared as it is in the Margent in the top of the mountains and exalted above the hills not only because the Church should be conspicuous to all the World as a city that is set on a hill which cannot be hid Mat. 5.14 the light of the Gospel shining from thence to the enlightening of all Nations but also because it should in regard of Spiritual priviledges and glory excell all the Kingdoms and Estates that were in the world see the Note Psal 68.15 and should be setled in this condition unchangeably all Nations submitting themselves to the Church which is expressed more fully in the next words which contain a clear Prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles And all Nations shall flow unto it that is they shall come in and join themselves to the Church in great numbers voluntarily of their own accord and with great vehemency and fervency of desires like so many rivers running into some one greater stream which is that our Saviour speaks of the Kingdom of Heavens suffering violence Mat. 11.12 See the Notes Psal 34.5 110.3 Ver. 3. And many people shall go and say come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob c. This is added as a farther explanation of the last clause in the foregoing verse and all Nations shall flow unto it for this that multitudes of all Nations should thus encourage one another to join themselves to the Church implys how readily and voluntarily they should flow into it As for this phrase let us go up to the mountain of the Lord c. it is suited to the situation of the Temple to which they went up on every side but yet withal it very fitly expresseth mens joining themselves to the Church which is the Heavenly Jerusalem Heb. 12.22 The Jerusalem which is above Gal. 4.26 to which when men do join themselves they ascend thereby to greater and better things than the greatest do here enjoy and therefore accordingly must take off their hearts from the low and base things of the world and ascend in their affections desires and endeavours to those that are in Heaven prepared for them Phil. 3.20 Col. 3.2 And withal observable it is that in this prediction of the calling of the Gentiles it is clearly hinted that they should join themselves to the Church of the Jews according to that Mat. 8.11 Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven 2. What a great change there should be betwixt the state of the Church under the Gospel and that under the Law in that the people that might not come near to Sinai have here free access given them to come into Sion And 3ly that the great thing that should encourage the Gentiles to come in should be that they should be there taught of God effectually which is expressed in those words And he will teach us his ways and we will walk in his paths For out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem That is the Doctrine of the Gospel Some take this to be also the words of the people encouraging one another to go up to the house of God as was before expressed to wit because the word of God was there only to be found But rather they are the words of the Prophet shewing by what means the Nations should be brought thus to join themselves to the Church namely that it should be by the Preaching of the Gospel which should be first published in Jerusalem and should from thence afterward spread abroad into all the world Luk. 24.47 Act. 1.8 See the Note also Psal 110.2 Now this is mentioned as that whereby Zion should be exalted to a high degree of eminency that now the Doctrine of Salvation should go not out of Sinai but out of Zion And it implys some change that should then be in the Doctrine of the Church though in regard of the substance of it it should still be the same Ver. 4. And he shall judg amongst the Nations c. That is the Lord Christ the very God of Jacob to whose house it was said in the foregoing verse the Gentiles should go up God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 shall have the supreme power of Royal authority given him of the Father which is that Christ said Mat. 11.27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father And Joh. 5.22 The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto his Son and accordingly he shall reign as King judging and governing and protecting his people and punishing their enemies See the Notes Deut. 32.36 But now especially this is meant of that Spiritual jurisdiction and dominion he should exercise in the Consciences of his people to wit that by the Scepter of his Gospel that Law and Word of the Lord mentioned in the foregoing verse that was to go forth out of Zion he should rule and govern as a just King not amongst the Jews only but amongst the Gentiles also and should subdue their hearts to the obedience of his Kingdom and then acquit and absolve them from all their sins See the Notes Psal 2.8 110.2 3 6. And therefore it is added and shall rebuke many people which I conceive is also principally meant of his convincing them of their sins and the truth of the Gospel Joh. 16.8 whereby they should be brought to give up their names to Christ And they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning-hooks c. The meaning is that the converted Nations living as is before said under the Government of Christ though formerly warring continually one against another and seeking to devour and destroy one another should live peaceably together and laying by all thoughts and desires of being hurtful and injurious one to another should only betake themselves to such imployments as tended to the publick good and whereby they should rather promote the welfare than the hurt
purified those that were left by his spirit these should now be a holy Nation even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem that is every one whom God had fore-appointed to survive the calamities of those times and to be found living amongst those that should return from Babylon to Jerusalem Now if it be objected against this Exposition That it was not thus with the Jews when they returned out of Babylon to Jerusalem It is evident by the story of those times that even amongst the little remnant of Gods people there were many wicked ones and therefore they were far from being all holy To this I answer That there was a great Reformation then wrought in the whole body of the people in that they were greatly purged from their Idolatry and other gross sins that were formerly rife amongst them which was a kind of shadow of that thorow Reformation which God intended to work in his Church And 2. That so far as this Prophecy hath respect to that real work of Reformation and Sanctification which is here also promised it must be intended to the intire holy change that was to be wrought in the Church in all succeeding ages which as it was began at that time of the purifying of the people of God when they were delivered out of the Babylonian Captivity and brought home to their own Country for it was to be further carried on in the days of the Gospel till at last it should be perfected at Christs second coming And if thus we understand this Prophecy then by that remnant in Zion and in Jerusalem that shall be called holy we must understand all the members of the Mystical Church who are all truly sanctified by the spirit of Christ and accordingly then the following clause even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem may be meant of such as God had decreed unto holiness here and so unto life eternal in Heaven concerning which see the Notes Exod. 32.32 Psal 69.28 and 87.6 Ver. 4. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion c. That is of the inhabitants of Jerusalem and spiritually the visible Members of the Church Yet it may well be that the Prophet doth the rather use this expression with respect to that which he had said chap. 3.16 concerning the women daughters of Zion which had a great stroak in bringing those sad judgments upon Zion whereof he had before spoken And should this be so observable it were that the bravery and vanity wherein they had so prided themselves is here turned into filth Having before said that the remnant of Gods people should be pure and holy beautiful and glorious excellent and comely here the Prophet sheweth when and how this should be done when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion that is their manifold sins and wickedness and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof where by blood may be meant the same that was before called filth namely their vile and loathsome sins for indeed we look upon nothing as a fouler defilement than when a thing is besmeared with blood therefore the filthiness of sin is sometimes termed blood as Ezek. 16.6 I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood or else rather the blood of Gods Prophets and other innocent men which they had shed in Jerusalem or more generally their bloody oppressions and cruelties which is the more probable because this seems to be spoken with relation to the Prophets foregoing complaints concerning their bloody sins chap. 1.15 21. concerning which see the Notes there As for the following words thereby is shown how their filth and blood should be washed and purged away namely by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning for the understanding whereof we must know that by this word spirit where it is attributed to God is frequently meant in the Scripture the vertue or the fervent and vehement efficacy of every operation of God much the same that is called elsewhere the zeal of God as chap. 9.7 the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this So that in saying that their filth and blood should be washed and purged away by the spirit of judgment the Prophet means that it should be done by Gods severe judgments executed upon them whereby Idolaters and other wicked ones should be cut off and destroyed from amongst them And 2. By Gods preserving and reforming the better sort and bringing things a-again into good order in the Church and so likewise in saying it should be done by the spirit of burning he means that it should be done by a vehement zeal hot and burning like fire both for the destroying of the wicked that were amongst them and burning them up like stubble which some think also is spoken with relation to the burning of the Temple and City of Jerusalem and for the purging away of the sins of his chosen ones even as the dross is purged away by the Refiners fire But see the Notes chap. 1.25 26 27. Ver. 5. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of Mount-Zion and upon her assemblies a cloud and smoak by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night c. As if the Prophet should have said When the Lord shall have purged his Church and people and shall have brought them into that glorious condition here before promised he will then as wonderfully and miraculously guide and protect them in every dwelling-place where any of them shall have their abode and in their publick assemblies where they shall meet together for the worship and service of God as he did the Israelites when he led them through the wilderness by a cloud and smoak by day that is by a cloud black and thick like smoak and the shining of a flaming fire by night concerning which see the Note Exod. 13.21 Even when there should be no appearance of any means for their preservation yet that should not hinder their protection because the Lord as he did then for the Israelites would create means for the sheltring and securing of them And indeed because God did discover such riches of grace to his Israel in the many wonders that he wrought for them in delivering them out of Egypt and in carrying them into the Land of Canaan therefore the Prophets do usually set forth all the great things that God hath promised to do for his Church by expressions that do allude to that great work And to the same purpose is that following clause for upon all the glory shall be a defence that is there shall be a sure defence over that remnant of his people of whom it was before said ver 2. that they should be brought into such a glorious condition or that the glory or glorious condition whereto God would advance his people should be secured and maintained by means of a divine protection
like so many hungry Lions that Nation should be that God would bring upon them and with what dreadful fury and rage and hideous clamours they shall fall upon the Jews as particularly when they came to joyn battel with them or to undertake the storming of any place and with what unresistable violence they should seize upon and carry away both the people and wealth of the Kingdom no body either doing or being able to resist them But see the Notes also Psal 74.4 and Job 4.10 Ver. 30. And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea c. That is they shall break in upon them with a noise like that of the roaring Sea when in a storm it beats upon a Ship or when over-bearing the banks it breaks in and over-flows the land and carries all before it like a mighty deluge and if one look unto the land behold darkness and sorrow or distress that is saith some Expositors if one of this savage Nation shall but look towards them the very terror of his countenance shall over-whelm them with the darkness of extream dread and fear and threaten no less than the bringing of the whole land under most extream misery and sorrow But indeed this is far more generally understood by Expositors of the Inhabitants of the land and if one look to the land behold darkness c. that is so miserable shall be the condition of the whole land by reason of the irruption of so potent and cruel an enemy that if any of the people did look towards any part of the land as it were to view and consider the sad condition whereinto they were brought they should see nothing but darkness over-spreading the whole Country which way soever they should look round about them they should no where discover the least likelihood of help there should not be any light of hope and comfort to be seen And because in the first words of the Verse it was said that the enemy should rear against them like the roaring of the sea therefore some conceive that in these words and if one look to the land c. there is an allusion to a Ship in a great storm at Sea from whence the Mariners look to the land as wishing themselves there but see no hope of escape thereby and to the Heavens of which there was mention indeed in the following words but there is no appearance of the least clearing in the sky But I see not but that without any such allusion the following words and the light is darkened in the Heavens thereof that is in the Heavens over the land of Judea may be added to imply that even from thence they should have no hope of help or comfort but all should be darkness there as well as on the land whithersoever they looked upward or downward they should find themselves in a sad and hopeless condition Or else the meaning may be that if any light of hope did appear raising in them any expectation of help and deliverance that should end in nothing but misery and so should only prove a vexation to them or that their misery should be so great that they should take no comfort in the light of Heaven no more than if it were overspread with darkness yea it should be irksome and displeasing to them And indeed this must I conceive be intended if we read this last clause as it is in the Margin of our Bibles And when it is light it shall be dark in the destructions thereof But see the Note Job 18.6 That affliction and sorrow are termed darkness in the Scripture and prosperity and joy and comfort light is apparent in many places See the Notes 2 Sam. 22.29 Job 18.18 Psa 112.4 and Esth 8.16 CHAP. VI. VERSE 1. IN the year that King Uzziah died c. It is not expresly said whether Isaiah saw this Vision immediately before Uzziah died or presently after his death But yet it seems most probable that it was immediately after the death of Uzziah and that this In the year that King Uzziah died is all one as if he said In the very beginning of the reign of Jothan the son of Uzziah presently after the death of his Father Uzziah 1. Because the death of Uzziah seems purposely to be mentioned to note that it was upon that great change that was made by this Kings death that God did now again confirm the Prophet Isaiah in his Prophetical Office The coming in of new Kings doth many times cause great changes and commotions in Kingdoms and therefore to encourage the Prophet against any fears caused by this change the Lord was pleased by this Vision to confirm him again in his Prophetical Office And 2. Because the Prophet seems all along to divide his Prophecy according to the Reigns of the Kings in whose days he prophecied In chap. 11. he names Uzziah as the first of the Kings under whom he prophesied and accordingly it may be probably thought that from thence unto this place we have had the sum of his Prophecies in the reign of Uzziah Then 2. he tells us the Vision he saw and the charge which God gave him in the year that King Uzziah died that is in the very beginning of the reign of Jotham the son of Uzziah who upon the death of Uzziah succeeded him in the throne Again 3. Chap. 7.1 He begins his Prophecy under the Reign of Ahaz the son of Jotham And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham the son of Uzziah c. And then 4. in chap. 14.28 he adds his Prophecies under Hezekiah the son of Ahaz using the same expression he uses here In the year that King Ahaz died was this burden But may some say If the Prophet intended to shew that this Vision was seen after the death of Uzziah why did he not rather say that it was in that reign or in the beginning of the reign of Jotham I answer Because if he had expressed it so it would have been questionable whether it had been in the beginning of Jothams reign when he reigned together with his father and as his Viceroy during all the time of his leprosie or in the beginning of his reign when he came to be King in his own right after the death of his father Uzziah for which see the Notes 2 King 15.5 32. Indeed because we have here a relation of Isaiahs call to his Prophetical Office and because he speaks here of his seeing the Lord ver 5. as a thing he had not been acquainted with therefore there are some that think that this was his first Vision and should therefore have been placed in the beginning of his Prophecy But 1. it is most improbable that he should begin to Prophecy in the year that Uzziah died concerning whom it is noted that he did write the acts of Uzziah first and last 2 Chron. 26.22 2ly Because the Prophet was here enjoined to
might bring him to be involved in the same punishments together with them Or rather 3ly that he might well think that he had contracted some contagion by living in the midst of such a wicked people it being very hard for a man to converse amongst such and not to be defiled by them but to be as the fish that are fresh and sweet though they live constantly in the salt-sea and haply the contagion which he feared he had contracted in his lips might be that their contumacy had made him either out of a cowardly fear of them or out of despair of doing any good upon them more remiss in contending with them than he should have been For mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts See the Note above ver 1. But why was the Prophet thus affrighted I answer considering the exceeding glory and dread of the Vision it was no wonder though he were for a time thus startled And besides it was one chief end of the Vision by the discovery of Gods Majesty and glory both to humble the Prophet that he might the more reverently attend upon him and receive his commands and likewise to strengthen and encourage him to go on couragiously in his office notwithstanding all the opposition he might meet with in the confidence of the greatness of his Lord that had given him his Commission Ver. 6. Then flow one of the Seraphims unto me c. To wit by the command of God before whom the Seraphims stood waiting still in a readiness to receive his commands having a live câ—al in his hand which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar that is from the altar of burnt-offerings whereon there was fire continually burning that did at first come down from Heaven see the Note Levit. 6.12 Here begins the relation of that which God had ordered to be done to quiet the troubled mind of the Prophet to free him from his fears and to confirm and encourage him in his Prophetical office and particularly in that service that was now to be imposed on him of making known Gods decree concerning the blinding of the â—ews Accordingly this live-â—oal taken from off the altar was intended to be a sign of the purging away his sins as it is explained in the following verse to wit in a way of expiation or remission or in a way of Sanctification or cleansing that as fire doth purge away the dross of metals so by Christ who is our sacrifice of Propitiation and likewise our altar Heb. 13.10 the sin of the Prophet should be pardoned and by the Spirit of Christ and the graces of his Spirit out of whose fulness we all receive Joh. 1.16 he should be enlightned sanctified and cleansed Because the sign was fire from the altar and so fire from Heaven it was the fitter to signifie that no purity of man is from himself but from God in Christ the expiatory sacrifice of Christ and from the sanctify my spirit of Christ which is therefore often compared to fire as Mat. â— 11. He shall 〈…〉 the Holy Ghost and with fire Ver. ◠〈…〉 my mouth and â—aid c. Had not the Angel informed the Prophet why he had touched his lips with a fiery coal from the altar he might have understood the meaning of it and so have been more terrified rather than â—â—motted by what was done he might have apprehended that it had been done in wrath for the fearing rather than the purging of his lips And therefore together with the sign he added a word of information Lâ— this hath touched thy lips and thâ—◠〈◊〉 is taken away and thy sin is purged as surely as tâ—â— coal from Gods altar hath touched thy mouth so surely are all thy sins forgiven thee and particularly the pollution of thy lips whereof thou didst complain and thou shalt be furnished with gifts fitting for the service which shall be enjoined thee See the two foregoing Notes There is no question to be made but that the Prophets sins were pardoned before and that he had been sanctified and set apart and fitted for his holy function and that with his tongue he had already done much holy service for God only by this which was now done he was confirmed in his Prophetical office and assured of a further supply of grace and that in a greater measure than formerly that so he might go on courageously and might not faint or fear because of the difficulty of the service enjoined him And observable it is that the coal is only said to have touched his lips the grace signified thereby is promised as from God Ver. 8. Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying c. To wit the Lord Jehovah whom he then in a Vision saw sitting as a King upon his Throne who now spake not to him as before by one of the Seraphims but immediately by himself Whom shall I send and who will go for us that is in our name and stead upon our service and for our glory We have the like expression Gen. 1.26 for which see the Note there It is spoken after the manner of men and that to imply both what singular abilities are requisite for those whom God sends forth as his messengers to teach a people and how few there are that are fit for that imployment as likewise with what wonderful wisdom and care God doth cull out choice and fit men for the work of the Ministry and particularly that it was thus in his sending the Prophet Isaiah And hereby also he was confirmed and assured that he was sent of God that so he might not stagger at that seeming incredible message he was now to carry concerning the blinding of the Jews Whereupon is the following answer which he presently returned Then said I here am I send me to wit because he was now encouraged and willing to undertake any service which God should impose upon him though never so dangerous and difficult Ver. 9. And he said Go and tell this people c. It is not Go and tell my people but this people which is spoken by way of great indignation See the Notes upon a like expression Exod. 32.7 Hear ye indeed or hear ye without ceasing as it is in the Margent but understand nâ—t It is as if he had said Ye shall have Prophets enough who shall boldly and faithfully make known my will to you whether you will or no and shall be constantly teaching and exhorting you but all shall do you no more good than if they had not spoken at all to you ye shall not effectually understand nor mind nor lay to heart what they say And the like may be said of the following Clause and see ye indeed but perceive not which may be meant of the signs or the miracles which their teachers should work in their sight and of the wonderful works of God which they should see and the judgments which God should bring upon them to wit that they
will with great exaltation triumph in the doing of it And this their valour their gallant success victory and triumph is called Gods Highness 1. because it was by God their Commander in chief that they should so gallantly demean themselves and attain so great glory by subduing and triumphing over the pride of Babylon And 2ly because the infinite eminency of Gods Power and Holiness and Justice as likewise of his Mercy and Faithfulness was gloriously discovered by the just vengeance that he brought upon that wicked and mighty City Babylon and the great deliverance which thereby he effected for his own people Ver. 4. The noise of a multitude c. The Prophet speaks this in such a manner as if he would report that he heard that actually doing which in the foregoing verse the Lord said he had commanded to be done As a Watchman set upon a Watch-Tower is wont first to relate what he hears and afterwards when he discovers what that noise was then to make known that too so doth the Prophet here The noise saith he of a multitude in the Mountains as of a great people as if he should have said Methinks I hear a confused noise upon the Mountains as is wont to be in a place where a great multitude of people are gathered together And then he tells what this noise was and that God was amongst them a tumultuous noise of the Kingdoms of Nations gathered together that is of people of several Nations and Kingdoms which is said because the army gathered against Babylon was to consist of many Nations according to that of the Prophet Jeremy Chap. 50.9 I will raise and cause to come against Babylon an assembly of great Nations from the North-Country And so again Chap. 51.27 28. The Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battel as if he had said And where this King of Nations is Commander in chief it is no marvel though such a numberless multitude come in to him upon the setting up of his standard as was said before ver 2. even a mighty army fit to vanquish such a mighty City As for the mountains here mentioned thereby may be meant either the mountains of Media and Persia where this huge Army was to be first gathered and mustered or else the mountains over which the Army was to march that they might break into Chaldea yet some think the mountains are particularly mentioned because Armies are wont to seize upon them as places of greatest strength and security and from thence their none is most easily heard far abroad according to that Joel 2.5 Like the noise of Chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap Ver. 5. They come from a far Country c. To wit from Media and Persia Countrys far distant from Babylon See the Notes Chap. 1.7 and 5.26 from the end of heaven see the Note Neh. 1.9 even the Lord and the weapons of his indignation that is the armies together with all their warlike Provision wherewith the Lord intends to fight in his wrath against Babylon to destroy the whole Land to wit not only the City but also the whole Country of Babylon Ver. 6. Howl ye c. As if he had said You O Babylonians that are now in so great jollity shall shortly howl for the extream miseries that are coming upon you for the day of the Lord that is the day wherein the Lord hath determined to take vengeance on Babylon See the Notes Job 24.1 and Psal 37.13 is aâ— hand which is spoken as with reference to what the Prophet had said before wherein he had spoken of those that were to execute this vengeance upon Babylon as if they had been already upon their way going thither It is true indeed that Jerusalem's destruction was nearer at hand than Babylon's for it was about two hundred years ere Babylon was destroyed and therefore there might seem to be greater cause to call upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem to howl than the inhabitants of Babylon But for this we must know that the drift of the Prophet here was to comfort the Jews against they came to be Captives in Babylon by letting them know how confidently they might expect that Destruction that is here threatned to Babylon And notwithstanding it was so long ere Babylon was to be destroyed yet 1. with reference to God to whom so long a time was but as a day And 2ly with reference to the security of the Babylonians who were so confident in the strength of their City and Empire it might well be said That this day of the Lord was at hand it being nearer indeed than any of them would have expected and see the Notes on the last verse of this Chapter it shall come as a Destruction from the Almighty that is it shall be inevitable and irreparable so grievous and horrid that every one shall plainly see that it was the work and from the wrath of an Almighty God Ver. 7. Therefore shall all hands be faint and every mans heart shall melt See the Notes 2 Sam. 4.1 Josh 7.5 and Psal 22.14 The Prophet doth here covertly deride the proud confidence of the Babylonians for when God should thus bereave them of all courage and strength what good alas would all their Wealth do them and all the strong Fortifications of their seeming invincible City Ver. 8. And they shall be afraid c. That is extream fear shall surprize them And this is mentioned as the cause of that feebleness and faintness threatred in the foregoing verse Pangs and sorrows shall take hold-on them they shall be in pain as a woman that travelleth that is they shall be inwardly tortured with grievous vexation and anguish of Spirit that shall suddenly seize upon them by reason of their terrors they shall be amazed one at another that is they shall stand silent gazing upon one another as men astonished to wit either as wondring mutually at their fear and faint-heartedness that they that had wont to be so renowned for courage and valour should now be so heartless and cowardly suffering themselves to be enslaved by the Medes and other Nations that had been formerly in subjection to them or else out of desperate perplexity of Spirit as being at their wits end not knowing what to think or what to say or which way to turn themselves though they were able enough to resist their enemies yet they should have no heart to do any thing that might tend thereto but as men overwhelmed with despair they should stand staring one upon another unable to encourage or counsel one another or so much as to express their minds or sorrows their faces shall be as flames that is red like fire say some as blushing for shame at the consideration of their strange distraction dismayedness and base fears according to that Ezek. 7.18 shame shall be upon all faces or as others think as being inflamed with anger and fury which indeed will usually make the blood to come into mens
of this mighty Monarch towards them as fearing lest he would cause as great troubles amongst the dead as he had done amongst the living and that he was coming to subdue them under his dominion as he had done the several Nations of the world above and thereupon was resolved to meet him and to oppose his coming thither Or else 2. That he was moved with awe of his greatness and with care about entertaining him with all requisite solemnity as people use to be when they hear of some great King that is coming towards them and so thought to go forth to meet and to receive him magnificently with all the honour they could afford him Or. 3. That he was moved with astonishment at his fall or with indignation against him for his horrid oppressions and cruelty and so intended to go out to meet him that they might keep him off as unworthy to be buried and lodged amongst them or that he might insult over him for his pride and cruelty which last seems indeeed the more probable because this is afterwards expressed And accordingly we must understand that which followeth it stirreth up the dead for thee even all the chief ones of the earth to wit that Hell or the grave had stirred up all the dead under his power to resist him or to entertain him honourably or to deride and scoff at him and amongst the rest all the great Kings and Monarchs that were amongst the dead to wit either as their King all little enough to resist him or that the presence of those might contribute much to the honour of his entertainment or because those great ones that had been slain by him were fittest to insult over him And indeed observable it is that in the last clause it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations by their thrones are meant their Sepulchers or Royal Monuments wherein their bodies lay interred or the Prophet speaks of them in a Poetical way as if they had thrones in the lower Region as they had when they lived in the world and that phrase of their being raised up from their thrones may seem to imply that as Princes are wont to rise up from their seats to some great Monarch so should these Kings rise up from their graves before the Babylonian as to him that had conquered them their Lord and Soveraign But still all is spoken by way of derision and scorn Ver. 10. All they shall speak and say unto thee c. That is when the dead even the chief among the dead before mentioned that were stirred up to meet thee or to resist thee or insult over thee shall see thee come naked and unarmed not to subdue Hell or the grave but to be there in the same condition with other dead people they shall then say to thee as in a way of derision Art thou also become weak as we Art thou become like unto us As if they should have said What! art thou come amongst us Is it possible How camest thou to die as others dye Thou that wert feared by all Nations as if thou hadst been invincible that wert extolled by thy Parasites as if thou hadst been some Demi God and that wert ready to adore thy self as somewhat more than a man art thou at last found to be a poor mortal creature as we were Ver. 11. Thy pomp is brought down to the grave and the noise of thy viols c. That is all the pomp and glory together with the delights and pleasures wherein thou hast lived and wherein thou wert exalted far above others is now laid in the dust and buried in the grave with thee And it may well be also that in the mention that is made of his Viols there is some respect had to that mighty feast which Belshazzar made for his Princes that jollity whereof we may well think was accompanied with variety of musick at the very time when the City of Babylon was surprised Dan. 5.1 the worm is spread under thee and the worms cover thee That is maggots and worms shall be thy bed or carpets under thee and thy coverlets over thee Instead of a soft bed to lye upon or of rapistry carpets whereon thou wert wont to tread or sit and instead of those rich and gorgeous coverlets wherewith thou wert wont to cover thee thou shalt have worms under thee and worms above thee Yet some there are that refer this wholly to the Babylonians being cast forth without burial to wit that instead of being embalmed and wrapped up in sere-clothes and fine linnen as great Princes used to be that their bodies might be preserved from putrefaction he should be left to rot above ground and to be eaten up of worms Yea some extend it to that of the worm that never dieth Mark 9.44 And here I conceive is the end of the speech of the dead to the Babylonian begun ver 10. and that in the following verse the Prophet proceeds on in that proverbial taunting speech or song began ver 4. Ver. 12. How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer c. Or O day-star see 2 Pet. 1.19 son of the morning that is that art usually the immediate fore-runner of the morning and therefore also called the morning-star see Rev. 2.28 because this is the greatest and brightest of all the stars whence it is observed that the beams of none of the stars do cause a shadow but this only and that this is seen in the Firmament a while after the Sun-rising when none of the stars else can be seen therefore to set forth that the Babylonian Monarch seemed to be advanced as it were to the very Heavens for his riches and glory and did as far exceed all other Kings of the earth in splendor and Majesty as this did excel all the other stars in beauty and brightness and that there seemed to be no more fear of his downfall than there seemed to be of the falling of this day-star out of the Heavens therefore I say is the wonder of the fall of this great Monarch or Monarchy expressed in these terms How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer son of the morning And to the same purpose are the following words how art thou cut down to the ground to wit like some lofty tree that being hewn down is laid along on the earth which didst weaken the nations That is oppress waste and destroy them Ver. 13. For thou hast said in thine heart c. This is added as a reason of the Babylonians downfal to wit that it should be for his proud exalting himself against the great God of Heaven Thou hast said in thine heart I will ascend into Heaven that is I will assume unto my self the honour and glory due only to God I will exalt my self as it is expressed in the following verse as one like the most High as one that intended to fight against God I will exalt my throne above the stars of God that
is the highest or brightest stars see the Note Psal 104.16 Or rather the stars of God's making and which he hath set in the Heaven the place of his own peculiar habitation Now though these things may be said of the Babylonian Monarch or Monarchy with respect to any thought of his wherein out of a presumptuous conceit of his own wisdom and power he arrogated any thing to himself above what could justly be ascribed to man as his affecting the universal Monarchy of the world that he might have all Mankind under his command and his requiring to be owned and worshipped as a God in his image Dan. 3.5 Yet I conceive they are principally spoken with respect to his proud resolving to invade and subdue the Jews Gods peculiar people together with his Temple and Sanctuary never minding the Almighty Power of God whereby he heard they were defended which was all one in effect as if he had resolved to subdue and dethrone God himself And if thus we understand that which is said here then the following words may seem to be added by way of explaining these I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the North see the Note Psal 48.2 That is I will set my Throne upon Mount Sion called here The Mount of the Congregation because there God's people used to assemble themselves together to meet with their God as for the same reasons the Tabernacle was of old called The Tabernacle of the Congregation see the Note Exod. 29.42 And hereby may be meant either that he would assume the same honour to himself which by the Jews was given to God in Mount Sion or else rather that he would bring Jerusalem and the Temple in Mount Sion into subjection under him And indeed Belshazzars proud triumphing in this was the immediate fore-runner of Babylon's ruin For the same night that City was taken by way of insulting over God he sate drinking with his Princes and Concubines in the vessels that had been taken out of the Temple Dan. 5.2 Ver. 14. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds I will be like the most High See the foregoing Note Ver. 15. Yet thou shalt be brought down to Hell c. That is instead of climbing up to Heaven thou shalt be cast down to Hell or the Grave See above vers 9. To the sides of the pit as if it had been said Instead of sitting upon Mount Sion in the sides of the North for to that foregoing brag of the Babylonian vers 13. there is a clear Allusion in this place thou shalt be cast down into the basest room of the infernal Pit or rather into some obscure corner of some common pit digged upon some other occasion and that this shall be to thee instead of a Sepulcher And indeed it is probable that Belshazzar was in the fury of the Surprize of Babylon thus cast out amongst others that were slain without any decent burial Ver. 16. They that see thee c. This may be understood either of the living that should behold the Babylonians carcase so cast out as is beforesaid or else of the dead as formerly ver 13. that should gaze upon him when he came among them They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee and consider thee that is they shall look wistly upon thee to wit as wondring at his great and sudden and unexpected fall doubting whether it were he or no and scarce believing their own eyes Saying Is this the man that made the earth to tremble that raised an earthquake as it were throughout the world that did shake Kingdoms to wit by the terrors the troubles the ruins and alterations which he brought upon them Ver. 17. That made the world as a wilderness and destroyed the Cities thereof c. That is that laid all waste where he came slaughtering the Inhabitants or carrying them into Captivity and burning up the houses where they dwelt That opened not the house of his prisoners that is say some so inhumane he was that he would never suffer his prisoners to stir out of the Prison-doors though with Shackles about their heels But rather the cruelty of the Babylonian here intended is that he would never release those whom he had once cast into Prison either he would slay them or else damn them to perpetual Imprisonment And therefore some read this place as it is in the Margin of our Bibles That did not let his prisoners loose homeward that is never set his prisoners free that they might go away to their own homes which may be said with special respect to the Jews that could never get to be released and sent back to their own Country till the Medes and Persians had subdued and destroyed Babylon Ver. 18. All the Kings of the Nations even all of them lie in glory every one in his own house That is the Kings of all Nations are ordinarily laid up in stately Tombs and Sepulchers which they had before-hand provided for themselves or which belonged of old to their Families and where their Ancestors were buried which usually were in their own lands or possessions See the Notes 1 Sam. 25.1 and 1 Kin. 2.10 Ver. 19. But thou art cast out of thy grave c. That is Thy dead body shall be cast out amongst the carcases of other mean men and shall never be honourably laid up in that Sepulcher which thou preparedst for thy self and wherein thou hopedst to lye amongst thy Progenitors like an abominable branch that is like some fruitless base plant which men are wont to grub up or like some branch of a tree which as being dead and withered and hurtful to the tree as are the suckers especially that sprout out from the root men do therefore cut off and cast away or which being pruned away as good for nothing are suffered to lye rotting upon the ground till they become so loathsom that no body will care to touch them And as the raiment of those that are slain thrust through with a Sword that is the garment of one slain in the battel that is so cut and mangled and besmeared with blood that it is thence-forth good for nothing neither will any man scarce vouchsafe to touch it and therefore they cast it away together with the carcase whereon it was found which is that the Prophet intends in the following words That go down to the stones of the pit that is which slain men together with their garments are unstript cast into the bottom of any pit that is near at hand where stones lye scattered here and there or upon which the dead being laid there they afterward cast a heap of stones As a carcass trodden under foot that is some stinking carrion or the carcase of a man which out of hatred or in the heat and fury of war is not only left to lye and rot above ground but is so trampled upon bruised and broken that no man well can or much
but also that their smoothness might cause the weapons that lighted upon them to glide away and not so easily to enter them Yet some I know hold that in these words the Babylonian Princes are advised Ironically to arise and make them another King that might be a shield to them instead of Belshazzar that was staing or to submit to their King Darius Dan. 5.30 31. For which see the Note Psal 47.9 Ver. 6. For thus hath the Lord said unto me c. Here the Prophet proceeds farther to relate the burdensom vision which God had revealed unto him concerning the Destruction of Babylon and that to assure those to whom he spake that what he had foretold would certainly be neither is there indeed any reason why we should say with some others that this was another Vision and so multiply Visions needlesly when all may as well be understood of the same Vision Go set a Watchman let him declare what he seeth Because when Isaiah foretold this Ruine of Babylon there was no appearance of the least likelihood of any such thing therefore in the Vision that he saw he was appointed to set a Watch-man upon a high Watch-Tower that should faithfully declare what from thence he descried And this I conceive was to imply that though at present there was no appearance of that which he foretold yet he had said nothing but what as Gods Watchman by the revelation of Gods Spirit he had as it were from Heaven fore-seen coming upon the Babylonians and therefore though it were seen as that which was afar off yet assuredly it would come to pass And indeed upon this account Prophets are often called Watchmen in the Scripture as in Ezek. 3.17 Son of man I have made thee a Watchman unto the house of Israel There is much arguing amongst Expositors concerning this Watch-man which Isaiah should set Some think that all intended hereby was that he himself should as a Watchman from his Watch-Tower descry what God would reveal to him and this they would make good from that which followeth ver 10. That which I have heard of the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel have I declared unto you Again others say that Isaiah is here commanded to appoint some other Prophet or some Son of the Prophets as a Watchman to expect what God by Vision would reveal to him concerning this business and faithfully to relate what he had seen But methinks it is clear that all this is only a relation of what Isaiah had seen in his Prophetical Vision namely that God bad him set a Watchman in a Watch-Tower that should faithfully make known what he should see And accordingly in the following Verses he tells us what this his Watchman did in this his prophetical Vision both see and say Ver. 7. And he saw a Chariot with a couple of horsemen a Chariot of Asses and a Chariot of Camels c. That is The Watchman whom in his Vision at Gods Command he had set in a Watch-Tower Now the sight here related which this Watchman saw some understand thus that there was but one Chariot drawn by an Ass and a Camel and therefore called a Chariot of Asses and a Chariot of Camels and two horsemen riding thereon which they say represenâ—ed Cyrus and Darius But in our Translation it seems to be clearly said That he saw three Chariots one drawn by Horses whereon two horsemen rode besides those that were in the Chariot or which was guided or accompanied with a couple of horsemen and the other two were drawn the oâ—e by Asses the other by Camels And some add too That by the couple of horsemen that accompanied the first Chariot is meant two troops of horsemen However this which he saw was doubtless the Armies of the Medes and Persians that were under the Command of Cyrus and Darius to invade Babylon and wherein there were a multitude of Horses and Chariots and Asses and Camels partly for military service and partly for the carriage of their baggage and all manner of Provisions for their Army which must needs be exceeding great both in regard of the many desert places they were to march through and the uncertain length of the siege of Babylon which was so strong a City the main thing they had in design And he hearkned diligently with much heed That is The Watchman before mentioned Ver. 6. proceeded to look about and to hearken with all possible diligence to see if he could discover any thing more and that he might fully inform himself concerning that which he saw as which way they bent their course and what they intended to do And considering that this Watchman did represent Gods Prophet in his making known the destruction that was to come upon Babylon hereby is implyed how solicitously careful he was fully to inform the people of all that God was pleased to reveal to him Ver. 8. And he cried A Lion c. That is The Watchman before mentioned perceiving the military forces approaching to Babylon cried out Behold it is a Lion And this is commonly thought to be meant of Cyrus or Darius who for his fierceness is compared to a Lion as also Jer. 50.44 Behold he shall come up like a lion But now the best of our Interpreters do read these words as it is in the margin of our Bibles And he cried as a Lion and the meaning they say is That being frighted with the sight of such a potent enemy ready to break in upon Babylon he cried out with an exceeding loud voice like the roaring of a Lion thereby as it were to waken the sleepy Babylonians and to make them sensible of the danger they were in that so they might presently betake themselves to their Arms. Now the words that he spake with such a loud voice are those that follow My Lord I stand continually upon the Watch-Tower in the day time and I am set in my ward whole nights And he began with making this profession of his constant vigilancy and faithful discharge of his trust either to the Prophet that had set him in his Watch-Tower or else to the Lord who had appointed Isaiah to do so See the Note before ver 6. that he might the better clear himself from being any way guilty of neglect if there came any danger to the place where he was set to watch And how this also did imply the diligence and faithfulness of the Prophet see in the foregoing Note Ver. 9. And behold here cometh a Chariot of men c. That is a Chariot or Chariots taking the word collectively wherein men use to ride not a Chariot or Waggon used only for carriage Here the Watchman before mentioned proceeds further to tell what he had discovered ver 6. concerning forces that were marching against Babylon Only some conceive that he speaks here as if he desired to make known the more fully to set forth the certainty of Babylons ruine that the forces which he had before
of the earth that is whose Merchants lived in as great state as Nobles and Princes elsewhere used to do yet some I know would have this also included herein that even the Princes and great honourable men of other Nations used to traffick with her Ver. 9. The Lord of hosts hath purposed it c. This is the answer returned to the foregoing question ver 8. and it is all one in effect as if the Prophet had said Wonder not that this should befall Tyre it is the Lord of hosts that hath undertaken it and done it before whom no strength of the Creature can stand And withal he adds the reason why the Lord had done it to stain the Pride of all glory and to bring into contempt all the Honourable of the earth that is To punish and abase the Pride of all the great and honourable ones that do arrogantly exalt themselves by pulling them down as unworthy to be in such a lofty estate and laying their Glory in the dust by bringing them into a base and contemptible condition And this is expressed in these general terms to stain the Pride of all Glory and to bring into contempt all the Honourable of the earth not only to set forth that all the proud ones in Tyre and in other Countrys that were advanced by trading with her should be brought down by this Judgment of God but also to imply 1. That God did no more in the ruine of Tyre than what he had determined to do to all the great ones of the World that should proudly exalt themselves because of their greatness And 2ly that by this Destruction of Tyre it would clearly be discovered what poor and contemptible things all the great ones of the World are when the great God of Heaven comes to contend with them Ver. 10 Pass through the land as a river O daughter of Tarshish c. See the Notes above ver 1. By the Daughter of Tarshish I conceive is meant those Mariners of Merchants of Tarshish or other foreign parts that were in Tyre upon the account of trading there and that with respect to the Judgment and Ruine that was to come upon Tyre these men are here advised to pass through the land where at present they had their abode and to pack away home to their own Countrys as a river that is Speedily and without any delay even as the waters of a river that falling down from higher grounds do pass away with a swift Current and run on without any intermission any stop or stay till they come into the Sea And some think too That by this similitude of their passing away as a river there is implied also the thronging and breaking away of these strangers that were in Tyre in great multitudes like the huge heaps of waters that run crowding away in some great flood They indeed that hold it is Tyre that is here called the Daughter of Tarshish as conceiving that by Tarshish is meant the great Ocean Sea and that Tyre is therefore so called because she lay in the Sea and had all her dealing in the Sea and all her Store and Riches brought in by the Sea as being the chief of all the Sea ports in those parts must needs accordingly hold either that the Inhabitants of Tyre are here advised to flee speedily away as a river somewhere else to seek a shelter for themselves or else that hereby it is foretold how they should be violently hurried away out of their own land into Captivity and so should be scattered abroad like the waters of a river that overflow the banks But the former Exposition is far the clearest As for the following clause there is no more strength that is added as a reason why the Foreigners that were in Tyre are called upon to pack away and not to stay there in hope that Tyre would be able to stand it out against her enemies to wit because Tyre was certainly lost and would be no way able to defend her self because in the Hebrew the words are there is no more girdle therefore some would have the meaning to be That Tyre was so rifled and plundred of all her rich Merchandise that there was not so much as a Girdle left in her which was indeed a Commodity wherewith the Merchants traded much in those times See the Note Prov. 31.24 But questionless the intent of the words are that there was no more strength left in Tyre see the Note Job 12.21 only in the word Girdle there seems to be an Allusion to her being bereft of all those defences wherewith formerly she had been begirt her Walls Bulwarks Ditches and shipping yea the Sea it self which did wholly encompass her till the Enemy did by strange devices and incredible labour joyn this Island to the Continent And this agrees with that which is elsewhere said of the taking and sacking of Tyre Ezek. 26.4 They shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers c. Ver. 11. He stretched out his hand over the Sea he shock the Kingdoms c. That is The Lord of Hosts mentioned before ver 9. And again in the following words in this verse the Lord hath given a Commandment against this Merchant-City And indeed because these last words against the Merchant-City are in the Hebrew against Canaan therefore some think that the Prophet in the foregoing words also speaks here of the great things that God did at the Red Sea and against the Kingdoms of the Canaanites when he carried Israel out of Egypt to plant them in that land which he had promised them and that the reason why those things are mentioned here is only to shew That the great God who then did such mighty things would not find the ruining of Tyre a work too hard for him But certainly the Prophet speaks here still expresly of the Destruction of Tyre it self He stretched out his hand over the Sea to wit to smite and destroy Tyre that is encompassed with the Sea see the Note ver 4. or more generally the Islands and Provinces that lay on the Sea-coasts he shook the Kingdoms that is He shook and shattered the Kingdoms of Tyre and Zidon and others thereabout by the enemies he brought upon them Or he disturbed and terrified the neighbour-Kingdoms by the Destruction which he brought upon Tyre partly through the grief that surprized them for the loss of their gainful Trade with that City and partly as being terrified lest the same ruine would come upon them that was already come upon Tyre The Lord hath given a Commandment against the Merchant-City It is in the Original against Canaan but generally Expositors hold that hereby is meant the Inhabitants of Tyre which they say is here termed Canaan because it lay in the land of Canaan as is evident Josh 19.28 29 where both Tyre and Zidon are reckoned amongst the Cities of Canaan and likewise Matth. 15.21 22. where the Woman that came out of the coasts of
gathered together and kept in safe custody And the meaning of this may be either 1. That they should be held and bound so fast by the Almighty Power of God in that low and base estate whereinto they should be brought that they should be no more able to extricate themselves out of it than Prisoners are able to make an escape out of some strong Dungeon where they are laid together Or 2. that they should be together carried Captives into Babylon their multitude should no way secure them Or 3. that they should be slain and laid up together in the grave the pit whereinto people are frequently in Scripture said to be gathered But now if the words should be understood this last way then the following clause and after many days shall they be visited must necessarily be meant of a farther Visitation in wrath to wit of God's delivering them up at the Day of Judgment when they should be raised out of the pit of the grave to the eternal Torments of Hell Or else that clause must be read as out of Junius we have it in the Margin of our Bibles And after many days shall they be found wanting that is they shall no more of a long time be found lifting up themselves in a way of enmity against God All which being not improbable I doubt not but that this last clause is added as a promise of Grace and Favour And after many days shall they be visited to wit in Mercy And it may be meant either 1. Of the deliverance of those before threatned from the Babylonian bondage to wit that they or their Posterity should after many years be set at liberty by the Medes and Persians See the Note Chap. 23.17 Because they had long provoked by their wickedness therefore they should be a long time kept there in sore Bondage but yet at length after many days deliverance should come Or 2. of God's visiting their Posterity in wonderful Mercy under the Kingdom of Christ by sending him into the world and causing the way of Life through him to be made known to them by the Preaching of the Gospel for that this is here included the following verse doth clearly shew Ver. 23. Then the Moon shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed c. That is When after this execution of Divine Vengeance on his enemies in a manner all the world over God shall at last visit them in mercy as was said in the close of the foregoing verse which though it may be meant initially of God's delivering his people out of Babylon yet it must needs be principally meant of God's gracious visiting his people under the Kingdom of Christ in the days of the Gospel with such exceeding glory and brightness shall the Greatness and Majesty of God shine forth in this Kingdom of Christ that the Sun and Moon shall be ashamed to shew their faces their brightness shall be as no brightness yea as mere darkness in comparison of that when the glory of this Sun of Righteousness and Day-spring from on high shall shine forth in the world it shall darken all the glory and magnificence of all earthly states and worldly things even as a greater light doth darken the less When the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his ancients gloriously That is when God in Christ shall in his Church gathered out of all Nations of which Zion and Jerusalem was a type reign so gloriously and discover so much of his excellent glory in their protection and spiritual Government the holiness which he shall work in them here and the glory and happiness which he shall clothe them with in Heaven hereafter and his Saints taking notice thereof shall be still admiring it and praising his name For though his ancients are only here mentioned his Magistrates and Ministers yet under these as their representatives the whole body of God's people is understood See the Notes Chap. 4.2 3 4 5. CHAP. XXV VERSE 1. O Lord thou art my God c. Some conceive this to be a Song of Praise uttered as in the person of God's Church and people yea of the Church of Believers in the New Testament God's Elders or Ancients mentioned in the close of the foregoing Chapter But I see not why it may not be as well taken as the Prophets own Doxology Being deeply affected and even transported with the consideration of those wonderful works of God foretold in the former Chapter concerning the dreadful Judgments he would execute upon the wicked both amongst his own people and all the Nations about them in a manner all the world over concerning his gracious preservation of a remnant which he would reserve for himself and especially concerning the excellent discovery he would make of his transcendent Majesty and Glory in the Kingdom of Christ the last thing mentioned in the foregoing Chapter here on a sudden he leaves his Prophetical Discourse and breaks forth abruptly as it were into a Psalm of Praise and Thanksgiving as admiring the counsels and courses of God therein O Lord thou art my God as if he should have said Whatever wicked men may do my soul shall wholly cleave to thee I will exalt thee I will praise thy Name see the Note Psal 52.9 For thou hast done wonderful things he speaks of the wonderful things which he had foretold should be done as if they had been done already and see the Notes Chap. 9.6 Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth that is that which thou didst long since foretel or thy Promises and Threatnings wherein thou didst reveal to thy people what from Eternity thou hadst determined to do thou hast most truly and faithfully performed Ver. 2. For thou hast made of a City an heap of a defenced City a ruin c. There is no just ground why this should be restrained as some would have it either to Jerusalem or Samaria or Babylon or Rome the seat of Antichrist It is rather meant generally of God's ruining the Cities threatned in the foregoing Chapter for which see the Note there ver 10. A palace of strangers to be no City it shall never be built that is Thou hast utterly ruined the stately Royal Cities of the Heathens the Seats of their great Kings and that irrecoverably too so that they shall never be built again at least not for many generations see the Note Psal 37.18 Nor in their former Splendor and Glory Ver. 3. Therefore shall the strong people glorifie thee the City of the terrible Nations shall fear thee The meaning is that because of these ruins which God should bring upon Kingdoms and Cities either 1. the remaining and surviving remnant of those ruined people should be forced to acknowledg God's just hand upon them and dread his mighty power Or 2. the neighbour Nations should tremble and be afraid at the consideration of the Glory and Majesty of the great God of Heaven and Earth that had done these
great things yea even the mightiest and most terrible of them as perceiving that no strength of any people could secure them from his wrath and that this should tend much to the Praise and Glory of God Or 3. the fierce and mighty Nations that had before carried themselves most proudly and rebelliously against God being humbled by these Judgments should be converted to the Faith of Christ and so becoming God's people should praise God for his mercy to them and that not with their lips only but with their lives too as being such as should unfeignedly fear and serve him Ver. 4. For thou hast been a strength to the poor a strength to the needy in his distress c. This is mentioned as another of the wonderful works of God for which the Prophet undertakes here to praise his Name namely that as he had destroyed those mighty ones ver 2. so he had also protected and delivered his poor weak afflicted people where by their low condition they were also made low in spirit humbled and so fit for mercy and had been as a strong Fortress to them to secure them from their enemies A refuge from the storm a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall to wit that sorely shatters or overturns the wall or at least beats with such violence upon it that it is likely to carry all before it The deliverance of Jerusalem from the siege of Sennacherib and the Jews from their Captivity in Babylon were remarkable accomplishments of this Promise But I see no reason why the place should be restrained to either of these Ver. 5. Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers c. That is Thou shalt abate or suppress and put an end to the furious commotions and triumphings of the Heathens the enemies of thy people As the heat in a dry place that is as thou dost many times abate and suppress the heat of the Sun in some dry desert where otherwise there would be no refreshing for the poor Traveller neither water to quench his thirst nor shadowy tree to be a shelter to him Even the heat with the shadow of a cloud That is as thou dost allay or suppress the scorching heat of the Sun by the interposition of some thick Cloud and somtimes by the cooling showers that fall from thence so shalt thou abate and cause to cease the burning rage and heat of the enemies of thy people against them see the Note Exod. 13.21 The branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low That is their Posterity also shall be so ruined and brought down that they shall not be able to hurt God's people any more This must needs be the meaning of this last clause according to our Translation But indeed many of our best Interpreters hold that it should rather be rendred The Song or the triumph of the terrible ones shall be brought low Ver. 6. And in this mountain c. The Prophet having ended his Hymn of Thanksgiving in the foregoing verses wherein he had praised God for those wonderful things which he had foretold should be done by him doth here return again to his Prophetical discourse and sheweth what God would farther do in those glorious times whereof he had spoken Chap. 24.13 And in this Mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a Feast of fat things that is Cattel and Fowl fatted usually esteemed the daintiest food A Feast of Wines on the lees that is old and strong Wines not racked but remaining still upon the lees This I conceive our Translation must needs intend And true it is that the remaining of Wines upon the lees for some time doth feed and preserve them and makes them the stronger and the more odoriferous whence is that Jer. 48.11 Moab hath been at ease from his youth and he hath setled on his lees and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel Therefore his taste remained in him and his scent is not changed Yet some I know understand hereby pure refined Wines drawn off from the dregs and lees and therefore not muddy but clear and so hold that the next words are added to explain these Of fat things full of Marrow of Wines on the lees well refined But however all this must be understood Spiritually to wit that in the Church of Christ that Mountain mentioned before Chap. 24.13 whereof Zion was a Type see the Notes Chap. 2.2 3. God would feast his people of all Nations not Jews only but Gentiles too 1. here in this life with the sweet comforts of Christ tendred them in the Gospel and Gospel-Ordinances together with the Gifts and Graces of his Spirit for which see the Notes Psal 22.26 and Prov. 9.2 with respect whereto our Saviour himself doth in like manner compare the preaching of the Gospel to a great Supper Luk. 14 1â— and to a Feast made by a King at the Marriage of his Son Mat. 22.2 â—nd 2. in Heaven hereafter with the fulness of Happiness and Joy wherewith they shall be there satisfied unto all Eternity which Apoc. 19.9 is called the Lambs Marriage-Feast and the Table in the Kingdom of Heaven Luke 2â— 30. and Mat. 8.11 wherewith God shall for ever feast his people See â—â—e Notes Psal 17.15 and 36.8 Some I know would have this understâ—od of God's destroying his and his peoples Enemies But the Context shew plainly that this cannot be here intended And though we should yield â—â— that which others indeed more probably say That the Prophet might have some respect in that which is said here to the occasion which God would give both the Jews and other Nations of exceeding great joy by their deliverance out of the Babylonian Captivity and that in expressing this he compares God to some great King making a Feast to his Nobles and Captains after some great Victory obtained by him Yet certainly this was only looked to as a Type of that greater Spiritual Feast which is here principally intended namely the Celestial Joy which he would bestow upon his people of all Nations in and through Christ first by the glad tydings of the Gospel and afterward by the enjoyment of himself for ever in his Kingdom of Glory Ver. 7. And he well destroy in this mountain c. Here the Prophet begins to recite the dainties they should have in the Feast promised in the foregoing verse that is the benefits that should redound to them by Christ And the first he mentions is that in his Church he will utterly destroy the face of the covering cast over all people and the veil that is spread over all Nations that is he will free his people from that blindness and ignorance that vail of darkness which lies naturally upon the minds of all mankind so that they cannot find the way unto Life Eternal and of which the Apostle speaking as with respect unto the Jews saith Which vail is done away in Christ 2
dissolved as we find it foretold Mat. 24.29 and 2 Pet. 3.10 and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scrole that is they shall seem to pass away so that the lights therein shall be no more seen than the writing in a Parchment-scrole can be seen when it is rolled up together and see the Note Psal 102.26 and all their host shall fall down as the leaf falleth off from the vine and as a falling fig from the fig-tree to wit when they are withered and so are easily blown down Ver. 5. For my sword shall be bathed in heaven c. That is In Heaven it is decreed that my sword shall be bathed with the blood of mine enemies see the Note above ver 2. and Psal 119.89 Or the meaning may be that God from Heaven would cause a sword to be drawn against them that should be bathed in their blood according to that of the Apostle the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness Rom. 1.18 behold it shall come down upon Idumea that is upon the Edomites and all the Churches deadly enemies For these are particularly named only because they were always most bitter enemies to the Jews and their Country bordeâ—ed upon Judea and upon the people of my curse that is even upon this people whom I have accursed or and upon all other people whom I have destined to destruction to judgment that is in a way of taking Vengeance on them Ver. 6. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood it is made fat with fatness c. That is It shall be filled with blood c. to wit by reason of the multitudes of them that should be slain and devoured thereby And their blood and fat are expresly named in allusion to their Sacrifices where the blood and the fat were still offered And upon the same respect is that next expression used and with the blood of lambs and gâ—ats with the fat of kidneys of rams where he terms those that were to be slain Lambs and Goats and Rams to imply that the slaughtering of them should be to them as a sweet smelling Sacrifice acceptable to God see the Note Exod. 32.29 Only I conceive that by these lesser sort of Sacrifices the inferior and common sort of people are meant of several ages and conditions young and old the poorer and richer sort For the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah which was then the Metropolis of Idumea and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea that is he hath determined to keep a solemn Festival-day there which is said because on such days they used to offer a multitude of Sacrifices 1 Kings 8.63 Ver. 7. And the unicorns shall come down with them and the bullocks with the bulls c. That is Together with the inferior sort of people of whom he had spoken in the foregoing verse their great and strong and mighty ones their Princes and Nobles Captains and men of War fierce cruel untameable men shall be knocked down and slain And observable it is that amongst these greater sort of Cattel appointed for Sacrifices he mentions Unicorns that never used to be sacrificed purposely to hint unto us that what he speaks here of Sacrifices was to be understood figuratively and their land shall be soaked with blood and their dust made fatness that is their land even the driest part of it shall be battened as with dung by their blood and the fat of their carcases Ver. 8. For it is the day of the Lords vengeance and the year of recompence for the controversie of Zion That is It is the set time which God hath appointed for taking vengeance on those his enemies and for recompencing abundantly into their bosoms all the wrongs they had done to his people For by the controversie of Zion here is meant the controversie which the Jews had with the Edomites for the mischief they had often done them or the controversie which God would have with them on his peoples behalf Ver. 9. And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch and the dust thereof into brimstone and the land thereof shall become burning pitch That is the streams or the land of Bozrah or Idumea In this Rhetorical description of the devastation of this Country there is certainly an allusion as often elsewhere to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha see the Notes Chap. 13.19 and Deut. 29.23 And the meaning seems to be either 1. that their Cities being set on fire should burn like pitch and brimstone Or 2. that the land should be left desolate the inhabitants and all therein being as it were burnt up that is utterly consumed and destroyed see Obad. 1.8 Or 3. that their whole Country even the most fruitful and best watered places thereof should be dry and parched as if it were all pitch and brimstone or burnt up with showers of fire and brimstone as Sodom and Gomorrha were see the Notes Job 18.15 16. Ver. 10. It shall not be quenched night nor day c. That is The burning of this land shall not be quenched It is an Hyperbolical expression signifying that the wrath of God should continually burn against them like an unquenchable fire the smoke thereof shall go up for ever that is continually for a long time from generation to generation it shall lye waste that is for many generations none shall pass through it for ever and ever that is it shall be no more inhabited but shall be desolate for ever Ver. 11. But the cormorant or the pellican and the bittern shall possess it the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it c. See the Notes Chap. 14. 23. and Psal 102.6 and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion and the stones of emptiness that is the plummet or level of emptiness the ground of which expression is that in those times they used to hang a stone upon the line of the level as we now do a plummet of lead The meaning is either 1 that God would order it so that it should never be built again they that should undertake it should find the issue of their labour to be nothing but confusion and emptiness according to that of the Prophet Mal. 1.4 Whereas Edom saith We are impoverished but we will return and build the desolate places thus saith the Lord of hosts They shall build but I will throw down Or 2. that God would lay their whole land utterly waste and desolate The expression here used of doing this by line and level is taken from workmen either that being to pull down some part of a building are wont by line and level to mark out how far it must be pulled down or else that having quite pulled down a building do use those instruments to see the ground be layed level But see the Note 2 Kings 21.13 Ver. 12. They shall call the Nobles thereof to the Kingdom c. That is They that are left of the Edomites shall
invite the Nobles or look out for some of the Nobles to take the Kingly Government upon them that so they might be ordered and defended by them but none shall be there that is there shall be none of their Nobles to be found as being all destroyed or at least none that will undertake the Government see the Notes Chap. 3.6 7. and all her Princes shall be nothing that is they shall be all found to be slain and destroyed or so poor and contemptible that they shall be found as nothing for the undertaking of such a Dignity And thus the Prophet doth covertly deride their former vaunting in the glory of their Kingdom telling them that now they should have a Kingdom without a King Ver. 13. And thorns shall come up in her palaces nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof c. See the Notes Chap. 32.13 14. and it shall be an habitation of Dragons see the Note Job 30.29 and a court for Owls or Ostriches to wit where their Princes had wont to keep their Courts see the Notes Chap. 13.21 22. Ver. 14. The wild beasts of the desart shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island and the Satyr shall cry to his fellow c. See the Notes Chap. 13.21 22. the shrich-owl also shall rest there and find for her self a place of rest to wit because there shall be no body there to disturb her Ver. 15. There shall the great owl make her nest and lay and hatch and gather c. That is her young ones under her shadow that is say some under the shadow of those ruines where she hath made her nest or rather under the shadow of her wings all which imports that these creatures should have their setled abode there and consequently that this desolation of Idumea should continue for a long time Ver. 16. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord and read c. Some understand this of the book of Gods Law wherein it is often said how tenderly careful God would be of his people and how surely and severely he would punish their enemies and so they take this to be all one as if the Prophet had said Observe whether God hath not there threatned that such desolations shall come upon the wicked enemies of his people as I have foretold Again others understand it of the whole Scripture then written and that because there are many Prophecies therein concerning the destruction of the Edomites see Numb 24.18 Psal 137.7 Amos 1.11 12. But now the most of Expositors and upon better grounds do understand it of the book of the Prophets or rather particularly of the Prophecy of Isaiah which he wrote by the guidance of Gods Spirit as if it had been said When the time shall come of which I have now spoken take the book of the Prophets and read the relation of this which I now prophecy and you shall find that every thing will exactly come to pass which I have now foretold no one of these shall fail that is no one of these beasts and fowl before mentioned none shall want her mate which implies that they should breed and fill the land for my mouth it hath commanded as if he had said I have commanded my Prophet to foretel this or I have ordered it to be done And then speaking in his own person he adds and his spirit it hath gathered them that is God according to what he foretold hath by a secret instinct or by his Almighty power and word of command gathered these creatures together Ver. 17. And he hath cast the lot for them c. That is The wild beasts and fowl before mentioned God hath given them the Land of Iduâ—â—a for their setled habitation and they shall injoy it without disturbance as men do an inheritance that is by lot assigned to them and his hand hath divided it unto them by line that is to each one their several portion see the Notes Psal 16.5 6. they shall possess it for ever from generation to generation shall they dwell therein see the Note before ver 10. CHAP. XXXV VERSE 1. THe wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them c. That is For the destruction of the enemies of Gods people related in the foregoing Chapter and conseqently for the deliverance of his people thereby And the same is intended in the following clause and the desart shall rejoyce and blossom as the rose But now whereas some would have the meaning to be that the very desarts in Judea should rejoyce at this so great a mercy as if the Prophet had said that the very sensless Creatures should triumph for this see the Note Psal 65.12 I rather think that by the wilderness the solitary place and the desart is meant the land of Judea which was by Sennacherib laid waste like a desart see the Note Chap. 33.9 and much more afterwards when the Jews were carried captive into Babylon and consequently that the promise here made that this wilderness and desart should be glad and rejoyce must be understood of the flourishing and joyful condition whereinto this land should be brought when the Assyrians first and the Babylonians afterward should be destroyed Only we must know that under this type a greater mercy is promised to wit That the Church both of Jews and Gentiles under Christ that were in their natural estate as a dry and barren Wilderness void of all goodness and grace should be brought into a blessed flourishing and joyful Condition spiritually and initially in this life but perfectly hereafter in Heaven See the Notes Chap. 32.15 16. And thus even the Edomites that were threatned in the foregoing Chapter to be turned into a wilderness are a part of that desert that should thus triumph in Christs vanquishing of their spiritual Enemies To be sure many Expositors hold That in this mystical sense the Gentiles are principally if not solely intended However ever even in this promise may be included also That when Christ shall destroy the enemies of his Church she that was under those persecutions laid waste as a desert shall then be brought into a flourishing and triumphant Condition Ver. 2. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoyce even with joy and singing c. That is The Wilderness before mentioned See the foregoing Note the glory of Lebanon shall be given to it the excellency of Carmel and Sharon They that understand this of the very deserts of Judea say that hereby is shown how they should rejoyce and sing to wit by becoming as gloriously fruitful as the most fruitful places of the Land which then must needs be taken hyperbolically But now understanding it of the Church under Christ this Expression might be intended to set forth both her exceeding great Glory in general and more particularly that all the Glory and glorious priviledges which the Church of the Jews formerly enjoyed should be transferred upon her as namely those mentioned by the Apostle Rom. 9.4 the
should flourish again But now if we take this as a prediction of the blessed change that should be wrought amongst men in the days of the Gospel the meaning seems to be that the most savage and brutish people men given up to all kind of vices no better indeed than dens of Devils should be made Temples of the Holy Ghost richly furnished with the Graces of Gods Spirit and abundant in good works Ver. 8. And a high-way shall be there and a way c. That is In this land of a wilderness become a fruitful well watered land there shall be a high-way that is a fair common-road-way for those that travel with beasts and carriages and a way that is a smaller path-way for foot-Passengers Or a high-way that is a Cawsey or Castway as there useth to be in watery Countrys such as he had spoken of in the foregoing verse and a way that is another ordinary way But that which the Prophet intended hereby is either that the Jews should have a free and safe passage without encumbrance or molestation in their return from Babylon to Jerusalem or else rather That their Country that had lain waste and desolate like a wilderness should then be quietly and peaceably inhabited again Whereas in Wildernesses and Deserts there is usually no path to be seen it shall not be so with the people of God when God shall have wrought this happy change for them their ways shall be kept fair and fit for all sorts of Travellers and shall not lye desolate as before See the Note Chap. 33.8 but be continually frequented with multitudes that pass up and down in them they shall freely travel from all parts of the land to the Temple and back again and so likewise to other places See the Note Chap. 33 17. and it shall be called the way of holiness to wit because the people that went up and down in it should be a holy people a people that should be much in frequenting the Temple Gods holy place and such as should live as becomes those that are a holy people to the Lord all which may be said too if we understand it of the way of the Jews return from Babylon to Jerusalem the unclean shall not pass over it that is The land shall not be in the possession of impure Infidels of foreign Nations as formerly nor shall the people of God that are there be a sinful wicked people as formerly they have been he alludes in this Expression to that law that forbad the coming of any persons that were legally unclean into the Temple but it shall be for those those holy ones with respect to whom it was before called the way of holiness those regenerate ones upon whom those spiritual Cures should be wrought mentioned before ver 5 6. I know these last words may be read as in the margin for he shall be with them and then the meaning is clear to wit That God would be with them as once he went along with the Israelites in their travelling through the wilderness to Canaan Exod. 13.21 to protect conduct and prosper them by which means they should be preserved in purity and holiness And thereupon it follows the wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein that is it shall be so plain so direct and easie a way that the simplest that are such as Solomon speaks of that know not how to go to the City Eccles 10.15 See the Note there shall not miss of it But now if we understand all this of the days of the Gospel whereof the other was a type then the way here promised is Christ John 14.6 Or the way prescribed in the Gospel for poor sinners to attain that life and salvation which is tendered in Christ the way of faith and holiness of which therefore it is said That it shall be called the way of holiness because it is the way that leads to the Holy of Holies in Heaven and because none go in that way but those that are sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 This way to life eternal is for those and no other for without holiness no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 And then of this way it is said also That the wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein because it is so clearly discovered in the Gospel that the simplest that are need not miss the way unless they will wilfully do it and because men are naturally very fools before by the Gospel they are brought in to Christ Tit. 3.3 But when they are once brought to believe in Christ they are sure by the guidance of his Spirit not so to err in their way though they be never so simple as to miss of life eternal Ver. 9. No Lyon shall be there nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon it shall not be found there c. The meaning is That in their return from Babylon or in their passing up and down in their own land they should not be annoyed with any ravenous wild Beasts to wit such as he had threatned should possess their land Chap. 34.13 14. when it lay waste as a Desert But here again under this type is meant That Christ would secure and protect his in their way to Heaven neither Satan nor any other of their spiritual enemies should make a prey of their souls neither should their wicked enemies the Instruments of Satan be able to hurt them he would carry them on safely in their way till he had lodged them in Heaven but the Redeemed shall walk there to wit the faithful Jews whom God shall deliver out of the hands of their enemies and so likewise those whom Christ shall redeem from the Estate of sin and death Ver. 10. And the ransomed of the Lord c. That is His redeemed ones See the foregoing Note shall return and come to Zion that is from those places whither they had fled to hide and shelter themselves either within the Land or in foreign parts when the Assyrian first invaded the land hearing of the destruction of the Assyrian Army they shall come back to Jerusalem or to the Temple in Zion there to praise God for their deliverance or it may be meant as well of their return from the Babylonian captivity and so the main intent of the words might be to signifie that God having brought them out of Babylon would not leave them till he had brought them safe to Jerusalem with Songs and everlasting joy upon their heads that is Joy of long continuance such as haply was a refreshing to those that were joyed with it so long as they lived or joy that should be for ever remembred in their anniversary Festivals But withal observable is this expression and everlasting joy upon their heads for though by their heads may be meant only the several persons of Gods redeemed ones as usually elsewhere see the Notes Job 29.3 and Prov. 25.22
from the blasphemous Aspersions of the Assyrian and for my Servant Davids sake that is For the love I bear to his seed for his sake and that I may make good the promise I made to him and not because the inhabitants of Jerusalem have deserved any such favour at mine hands But see the Note 2 King 19.34 Ver. 36. Then the Angel of the Lord c. In 2 King 19.35 it is And it came to pass that night which makes it more than probable that this was done the very night after the foregoing promise made Hezekiah concerning the Destruction of Sennacheribs Army and the deliverance of Jerusalem that the Angel of the Lord went out to wit from Heaven or from the Lord as it is said 2 Chron. 32.21 That the Lord sent an Angel and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand See the Note 2 King 19.35 Why this was done in the night we may easily conceive namely that this Judgment might come upon them the more suddenly and with greater terror and so likewise why it was done by an Angel to wit that they might clearly see that it was by the immediate Sword of God for the horrible contempt they had cast upon him for which see the Note Chap. 31.8 A more difficult question is Where the camp of the Assyrians was when the Angel made this slaughter amongst them Now though concerning this we may upon clear grounds determine 1. That it was in the land of Judah according to that Chap. 14.25 I will break the Assyrian in my land and upon my mountains tread him under foot for which see the Note there And 2ly That Sennacherib had not then besieged Jerusalem for above ver 33. it is expresly said That he should never do that yet in what particular place he lay encamped with his Army I find no where expressed Some think it was at Libnah where Rabshakeh found him ver 8. when he went back to him from Jerusalem And again others hold that it was at Nob a Town not far from Jerusalem which I judge the more probable because Chap. 10.32 where our Prophet seems to describe the manner of Sennacheribs marching from one place to another when he went up against Jerusalem Nob is mentioned as the last place where he pitched his Camp and from thence it is said That he shaked his hand against Mount Zion as by way of threatning that he would now presently be with her See the Note in that place So that I say it is most probable that whilst Sennacherib made a stand there that he might put all things in a readiness for the siege of Jerusalem there it was that his Army was miraculously destroyed by an Angel Only withal it is most likely too which others say That this slaughter was made not only in Sennacheribs Camp wherever it was but also amongst those forces which Rabshakeh had from the first left to block up Jerusalem And accordingly of both places that must be understood which followeth and when they arose early in the morning that is The Inhabitants of Jerusalem that looked every moment for the coming of Sennacherib or rather those few of the Assyrians that God would have escape the sword of the Angel and behold they were all that is Their whole Army in a manner dead corpses that is Not sick and dying but stark dead By what manner of death they were destroyed it is no where expressed only some places elsewhere in this Prophecy seem to import That a mighty and terrible tempest fell upon the Camp of the Assyrians at that time when this Havock was made amongst them for which see the Note Chap. 30.30 Ver. 37. So Sennacherib King of Assyria departed and went and returned and dwelt at Niniveh That is He with those few that were not slain by the Angel fled away home into their own Country And thus God was pleased to order it by his providence that he should escape and not fall by the Sword of the Angel 1. That he might to his greater confusion see the dreadful power of the God of Israel whom he had despised and blasphemed clearly discovered in that strange and horrid Judgment which he found executed upon his Army 2ly That he might to his exceeding vexation flee back in so disgraceful a manner the very way that he came See the Note before ver 34. And 3ly that he might be reserved to a death far sadder in many respects than that of his being slain by the Angel as is related in the following verse As for Nineveh that was at present the chief City of Assyria See Gen. 10.11 that strong hold whereunto the Prophet had before foretold he should flee See the Notes Chap. 31.8 9. Ver. 38. And it came to pass as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god that Adramelech and Sharezer his Sons smote him with the Sword c. As the Prophet Isaiah had before foretold it should be ver 7. And some conclude from the Apochryphal Book of Tobit Chap. 1.21 That it was not above five and fifty days after the Destruction of his Army in Judea that this was done However just it was with God that he that had blasphemed the true God should find his Idol-god unable to defend him and they escaped into the land of Armenia and Esarhaddon his Son reigned in his stead who is also called Asnappar Ezra 4.10 and Tobit 1.21 Sarchedonus and by other Writers as some conceive Sardanapalus in whose days ten years after Sennacheribs death the Chaldeans overcame the Assyrians by Merodach their King CHAP. XXXVIII VERSE 1. IN those days was Hezekiah sick unto death c. See the Notes 2 King 20.1 Because ver 6. there is a promise made of delivering the City Jerusalem from the King of Assyria therefore many learned men think that Hezekiahs sickness was before the ruin that fell upon Sennacherib and his Army But the series of the History is clear and how that promise ver 6. must be understood See the Note 2 King 20.6 Ver. 2. Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and prayed unto the Lord. To wit As still trusting in the goodness and fatherly love of God to him notwithstanding he had heard so severe a Sentence so absolutely pronounced against him from the Lord. But see the Note 2 King 38.2 Ver. 3. And said Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight c. As if he had said And therefore do not cut off my life in the midst of my days That this was that which by these words of his he intended to beg of God is evident because in that promise that is afterward made to him ver 5. of lengthning out his days God is said to grant him that which he had prayed for And therefore we may well think that the reason why he did
not go on and express this in his Prayer was because he was not able to speak any longer for weeping as it is immediately added in the Text and Hezekiah wept sore And so what he could not or perhaps was afraid to ask in words because it was contrary to what God had said should be his tears spake and God heard them But see the Note 2 King 20.3 Ver. 4. Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah saying To wit as it is expressed in the Book of Kings afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court so near was the sick bed of this good King to the Throne of God in Heaven even his sighs and groans God heard and was presently careful to have him comforted with a promise of longer life and that for the better strengthning of his faith by the same Messenger that had made known to him the Sentence of Death that God had pronounced against him But see the Note 2 King 20.4 Ver. 5. Go and say to Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord God of David thy Father c. By these words he makes known to Hezekiah that he was mindful of the Covenant he had made with David concerning his continuing of the Kingdom of Judah to his Posterity I have heard thy Prayers I have seen thy tears behold I will add to thy days fifteen years that is To the days thou hast already lived In 2 King there is another particular inserted in the promise here made to wit That on the third day he should go up to the House of the Lord. But for this and the following verse see the Notes 2. King 20.6 Ver. 7. And this shall be a sign unto thee from the Lord c. In 2 King 20.8 It is said that Hezekiah desired a sign of the Prophet Isaiah to assure him that this which he had promised him should certainly be which the Prophet hath likewise noted in the close of this Chapter and that hereupon God by the Prophet made him this promise of a sign for which see the Note there Ver. 8. Behold I will bring again the shadow of the Degrees which is gone down in the Sun-dial of Ahaz ten degrees backward c. In 2 King 20.9 10. it is said that when Hezekiah desired a sign of Isaiah for the strengthning of his faith the Prophet tendered to him two different signs leaving him to his choice which of them he would take namely That the shadow on the Sun-dial should either go forward ten degrees or go backward ten degrees and that when Hezekiah answered That it was a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees and desired rather that the shadow might return backward ten degrees for all which see the Notes in that place hereupon this promise was made him of bringing back the shadow ten degrees the accomplishment whereof is related in the next words so the Sun returned ten degrees by which degrees it was gone down to wit after the Prophet had prayed that it might be so for this is expresly inserted 2 King 20.11 And Isaiah the Prophet cried unto the Lord and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward c. for all which see the Notes there Yet withal this also is here observable that those words so the same returned ten degrees may well induce us to think that the miracle now wrought was not as some would have it in the going back of the shadow in the Dial of Ahaz whilst the Sun kept on its course but in the retrograde motion of the Sun it self And indeed how else could they in Babylon take notice of this Wonder See the Note 2 King 20.12 And beside the Analogy between the sign and the thing signified depends much upon this Princes are in their Kingdoms as the Sun in the World The bringing back therefore of the Sun when it was hasting to its setting and the lengthning of the day thereby beyond its natural time was most fit to signifie that after the same manner how impossible it might seem considering the desperateness of his disease and the Sentence of Death by God himself pronounced against him Hezekiah should be brought back from the Grave whither he was posting and his life be lengthned out beyond expectation Ver. 9. The writing of Hezekiah King of Judah when he had been sick and was recovered of his sickness That is The Song of Thanksgiving which he composed and committed to writing even as his Father David used to do intending to leave it to posterity as a Monument of his own fainting heart in the time of Gods mercy in recovering him out of his sickness and his hearty thankfulness for it Ver. 10. I said in the cutting off of my days c. That is When I perceived partly by the violence of my sickness but especially by the sentence of death which the Prophet had pronounced against me that God was now hewing me down in great displeasure I began to think within my self or I concluded fully within my self as I lay upon my sick bed I shall go to the gates of the grave that is I am now a dead man See the Note Psal 9.13 I am deprived of the residue of my years that is the years I might have lived by the ordinary course of nature Thus in the first place he acknowledgeth his own weakness and the terrors wherewith he was surprized when he saw himself likely to be cut off by an untimely death in the flower of his age the reasons whereof see before in the Note 2 Kin. 20.3 the more hereby to magnifie the mercy of God to him in his recovery Ver. 11. I said c. See the foregoing Note I shall not see the Lord to wit in his Temple See the Notes Psal 27.4 and 42.2 even the Lord it is twice repeated to set forth how vehemently he was afflicted herewith in the land of the living see the Note Psal 27.13 And indeed his particular expressing of this when he desired a sign of his recovery ver 22. What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord doth plainly show that this was one main thing that troubled him when he lay under the terrors of Death I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the World that is I shall no longer live amongst the Children of men here in this World Or as I shall no more behold God in his Ordinances so I shall also be cut off from the Communion of the Church of the living and so I shall not do that good to the people of God that were under my charge that I desired to do Ver. 12. Mine age is departed c. The time of my life and abode here in this World is at an end and gone and is removed from me as a Shepherds tent who use not to stay long in a place but to remove their tents from one place to another See the Note Job 27.18 I have cut off like a Weaver my life
yet to set forth the infinite and incomprehensible Wisdom of God and thereby yet further to imply That it is a folly for men to question any thing which God saith he will do because they cannot conceive how it should be done By the Creation of the World we may see that God can do those things which are far above the reach of our understanding By the Septuagint this is translated Who hath known the mind of the Lord c. And accordingly it is cited by the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.16 to prove the unsearchableness of the Gospel Mysteries by mans natural understanding And again Rom. 11.34 to prove the unsearchableness of his Counsels Ver. 14. With whom took he counsel and who instructed him and taught him in the path of Judgment c. That is In the way how to frame or order the Creatures which he made with such admirable Judgment and Wisdom and Understanding or to govern them when he had made them The drift of this is the same with that in the foregoing verse Ver. 15. Behold the Nations are as a drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the balance c That is They are of no more worth or power before God or in comparison of God And what therefore cannot that God do who is so infinitely great Or how can any Nation hinder any thing that God will have done behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing that is He can if he pleaseth take them up and throw them away he can overturn and destroy them and that easily and in a moment Because Islands are commonly esteemed places of greatest strength and the Inhabitants think themselves most safe and secure therein as being compassed with the Sea therefore these are particularly mentioned Ver. 16. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering To wit if men would think to offer up to God a burnt-offering perfectly besitting his Majesty and fully proportionable to his greatness And the drift of this is still to set forth the infinite and incomprehensible greatness of God Yet some think it may be added more particularly to imply how infinitely short man must needs come of finding out any means to satisfie Gods Justice which is the subject of the Gospel Ver. 17. All Nations before him are as nothing c. That is In his sight and account or in comparison of him and they are counted to him less than nothing and vanity See the Note Psal 62.9 But the drift of this is the same with that before ver 16. Ver. 18. To whom then will ye liken God c. This also tends to set forth the incomprehensible Majesty of God and that still thereby to imply how little cause they had to distrust or doubt of the promises of this their God because of the power of any Heathen people that had none but Idol-gods to rest upon God had indeed made use of these Nations to punish them for their sins but alas when God had a purpose again to rescue his people out of their hands neither they nor their gods were any thing before him This I conceive is the main scope of this place But yet it is clear that together with this the Prophet intended hereby to secure his people that did already or should hereafter live as Captives amongst those Idolatrous Nations from being corrupted with this brutish and abominable sin Ver. 19. The workman melteth a graven Image c. This is spoken by way of deriding the brutish folly of those that can undertake to make themselves gods and the Goldsmith spreadeth it over with Gold and casteth Silver chains to wit to be an Ornament to it or else to fasten it therewith somewhere aloft that it may not fall or stir but stand bolt-upright Ver. 20. He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation c. That is That hath no such rich oblation as is before mentioned to be consecrated toward the making of a God for him to wit Gold or Silver or Brass chooseth a tree that will not rot which is spoken by way of derision he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image that it shall not be moved that is That may stand a long time there being no need to take it down because it is perished and decayed Or that may be so fastned by the Workman that it may not be in danger to totter or fall down Ver. 21. Have ye not known c. To wit That God the Creator of Heaven and Earth is the only true God and of that infinite Majesty that he cannot be represented by any Image As if he had said Surely you cannot but know this have ye not heard that is Hath no body ever told you thus much Or have not ye my people been taught this out of my written word hath it not been told you from the beginning have ye not received this by tradition from your Fathers successively in all Generations even from the first Creation Or have ye not been told this even from your Childhood or from the beginning of Gods revealing himself to your Nation as his peculiar people As if he had said This is no new Doctrine even from the times of Moses and Abraham ye have been taught this have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth that is say some From the time when the Foundations of the earth were first laid But rather the drift of these words is to shew that this truth concerning the infinite Majesty of the only true God was sufficiently discovered to all men by the Creation of the World or particularly by the strange Foundations whereon God hath unmoveably setled the earth from the Creation unto this day Ver. 22. It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth c. That is That hath the Heaven for his Throne and the earth for his footstool Chap. 66.1 the most high God that is infinitely above all the Sovereign Lord Possessor and Governour of the whole earth and the fulness thereof But now this may be read as it is in the Margin Him that sitteth upon the Circle of the earth and then it must be read as joyned to the foregoing verse thus have ye not understood him that sitteth upon the circle of the earth and the Inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers to wit even as to men that stand aloft on some high Mountain things beneath seem very little for to this there is an Allusion in these words that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain See the Note Psal 104.2 and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in that is say most Expositors for men to dwell in who are under the Canopy of Heaven as the covering of a Tent or rather as a Pavilion or palace for himself to dwell in Ver. 23. That bringeth the Princes to nothing he maketh the Judges of the earth as vanity That is He maketh
the preaching of the Gospel he hath setled a Church upon earth and therein hath established his Kingdom even that Government whereby he sets up his Throne in the hearts of his people and works a thorough Reformation in them bringing the whole man to the obedience of his will and whereby he subdueth all contrary powers which resist and oppose the exercise of his Kingly power for the good of his Church and people and with respect unto this last I conceive it is that these words of the Prophet are rendred by the Evangelist till he send forth judgment unto victory Matth. 12.20 and the Isles shall wait for his Law that is even the Gentiles in the remotest parts of the earth shall with all greediness embrace his Gospel the Law whereby he will judge and govern his people Now because they that do so must needs trust in him for life eternal therefore is this clause expressed thus Matth. 12.21 and in his name shall the Gentiles trust Ver. 5. Thus saith God the Lord he that created the Heavens and stretched them out c. See the Note Psal 104.2 Ver. 6. I the Lord have called thee in righteousness c. By God the Fathers calling Christ the like whereto is also said of Cyrus as a type of Christ Chap. 45.4 I have called thee by thy name may be meant either his fore-appointing him to the Office of the Mediator See the Note above ver 1. or his actual bringing him to the undertaking of this Office by his Incarnation and by his inauguration thereto whilst he was upon earth according to the like Expressions we find elsewhere of Gods calling for a Famine 2 King 8.1 and of his calling the Generations from the beginning Chap. 41.4 And if we take it thus we must know that this is spoken of as done already I have called thee only to imply the certainty of it As for those words in righteousness I have called thee in righteousness the meaning thereof is either 1. That Christ was designed to this Office in a just and righteous way namely by commission from God whose will is the sure rule of righteousness as the Apostle saith Heb. 5.4 5. that he took not this Honour to himself and that too not without his own free consent See the Notes Psal 40.7 8. Or 2ly That God called him in faithfulness that he might perform the Promises which he had made unto his people and will hold thine hand and will keep thee that is I will direct support and defend thee See the Notes ver 1. and Chap. 41.13 Psal 16.8 and 73.23 and give thee for a Covenant of the people that is to be the Mediator the Messenger Mal. 3.1 the Surety and the Ratifier of that Covenant of Grace which God hath made with his people i.e. with the people of Israel who are primarily here intended and therefore distinguished here from the Gentiles and then also with all Believers taken into the same Church with them for a light of the Gentiles that is to enlighten their minds and chear up their hearts See the Note Chap. 9.2 Ver. 7. To open the blind eyes c. That is To enlighten mens minds that were by nature spiritually blind See the Note Chap. 35.5 to bring out the Prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darkness out of the Prison-house that is To rescue poor sinners out of the Bondage of Satan Sin and Death and so out of that blindness and woful misery wherein they lay which may well be called the darkness of the Devils Dungeon See the Note Chap. 9.2 Ver. 8. I am the Lord c. It is in the Hebrew I am Jehovah which imports a God that hath his being of himself and from whom all things have their being that is my name that is that peculiar name whereby I have made my self known to my people Israel and whereby I will be distinguished from all Idols and false gods that have their being from others See the Notes Exod. 3.14 and 6.3 and my glory will I not give to another neither my praise to graven Images that is The Glory and Praise of being the only true God or the Glory of an exact accomplishing what I have foretold should be which is that whereby God had before undertaken to prove himself the only true God See the Notes Chap. 41. 22 23 25 c. It seems therefore that the Lord having finished the foregoing Prophecy concerning Christ doth here again hereupon assert That he the God of Israel whose name was Jehovah that had foretold these things was the only true God Ver. 9. Behold the former things are come to pass c. That is The several things which from time to time I have long before-hand foretold my people have been all accomplished in their several seasons and new things do I declare to wit concerning the destruction of Babylon the return of Gods people into their own land and their greater deliverance by Christ before they spring forth I tell you of them that is long before there is any appearance or any probable sign of any such thing It is as if he had said As sure as the former things have been accomplished so surely shall these things also which I now foretel come to pass And thus the Lord doth re-assume his former Argument of proving himself to be the only true God by his foretelling future things See the Notes Chap. 41.22 27. Ver. 10. Sing unto the Lord a new Song c. That is say some an exquisite song or rather a new Song to set forth a new work of wonder which God would work for indeed this is said with reference to that ver 9. and new things do I declare But see the Note Psal 33.3 and his praise from the end of the earth see the Note Chap. 24.16 ye that go down to the Sea to wit Mariners and Merchants see the Note Psal 107.23 and all that is therein that is that dwell in the Islands that are in the Sea as it is explained in the following words the Isles and the Inhabitants thereof The Prophet having foretold the Destruction of Babylon and the Deliverance of the Jews and that which is the chiefest of all the great work of mans Redemption by Christ he now stirs up the Nations that should hear of these things to sing forth Gods praise and that purposely to imply the certainty of these things the better to chear up those whose deliverance was therein concerned And indeed as it was spoken with respect to Christ concerning whom the Prophet had immediately before prophecied it implies a clear prediction how all Nations should praise God upon the preaching of the Gospel amongst the Gentiles Ver. 11. Let the wilderness and the Cities thereof lift up their voice c. See the Note Chap. 35.1 And if by the Wilderness here be meant that vast desart that lay East-ward of Judea as the Sea mentioned in the foregoing verse lay on the
gentelness of Gods afflicting them I have refined thee but not with silver that is not with so hot and fierce and vehement a Fire as the Refiners use in refining their Silver I have afflicted thee but lightly and moderately having respect to thine infirmity rather than to the greatness of thy sin and stubbornness I have not refined so accurately and exactly as Refiners do their Silver who keep it in the Fire till all the Dross be wasted and purged out of it for then they would have been quite consumed I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction That is say some I will make a choice one of thee by purging thee or I have purged thee like choice Silver in the Furnace of Babylon But rather I conceive the meaning is either that God had chosen their captivity in Babylon to be as a Refining Furnace to them or else that in this their affliction he had set his heart upon them and had chosen and called them out as we do things we mean to preserve to be delivered Ver. 11. For mine own sake even for mine own sake will I do it c. see the note before Ver. 9. For how shall my Name be polluted That is otherwise how exceedingly would my name be polluted which I can by no means suffer to wit by the enemies blaspheming my name and I will not give my glory unto another See the Note Chap. 42.8 Ver. 12. Hearken unto me O Jacob c. Here God addresseth himself again to promise them deliverance out of Babylon Hearken unto me O Jacob and Israel my called That is whom I have called to be my peculiar people and whom I cannot but own in regard of the Covenant I have made with you though you indeed deserve not to be called by that name I am he to wit that must deliver thee I am the First I also am the last See the Note Chap. 4.14 Ver. 13. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the Earth c. See the Notes Chap. 40.11 12. and 45.12 and Psal 104.2 and my Right hand hath spanned the Heavens which is spoken after the manner of Workmen that were wont sometimes to measure things by their span when I call unto them they stand up together to wit as my Servants ready to do whatever I command them See the Note Chap 40.26 and this expression is the rather used in relation to that which follows afterward Ver. 15. concerning Gods calling of Cyrus Ver. 14. All ye assembler your selves and hear c That is as it was expressed before Ver. 1 and 11. All ye my people Israel considering I am so great a God as was said in the foregoing verse hearken diligently to what I say some would have it that the Prophet speaks here in his own person because of those words in this verse the Lord loved him But nothing is more usual than for God to speak of himself in the third person It is therefore more probable that as before and after so here also the Prophet speaks in the name of God which among them have declared these things that is which of the Idol gods see the Note before Verse 5. their Diviners or Astrologers have foretold these things that I have foretold See the Notes Chap. 44.7 and 45.21 The Lord hath loved him that is Cyrus named before Chap. 45.1 to wit in that he exalted him so highly and made use of him in so great a Service He will do his pleasure on Babylon See the Note Chap 44.28 and his arm shall be on the Caldeans that is he shall fall heavily on them and destroy them Ver. 15. I even I have spoken c. That is I even I alone who am a faithful God and sure to perform what I say yea I have called him to wit Cyrus as before Ver. 14. to the doing of that great work whereunto I have appointed him I have brought him that is I will bring him and he shall make his way prosperous that is he shall prosper in whatever he undertakes Ver. 16. Come ye near unto me hear ye this c. see the Note before Ver. 14. I have not spoken in secret from the beginning the meaning whereof must needs be this if we take them to be the words of the Prophet as many do and as the last words in this Verse clearly are that from the beginning of Gods calling him to his Prophetical Office he had publickly and plainly made known to them what God had revealed to him and accordingly the following words must also be understood from the time that it was there am I as if the Prophet had said from the time that any thing was revealed to me there still am I as in my watch-tower faithfully and plainly declaring the whole will of God unto his People But this Exposition is somewhat hard rather therefore it is God that speaks here to his People I have not spoken in secret from the beginning that is from the first time that I took you to be my people or from the time that I first began to foretel you future things by my Prophets I have always made known such things to you clearly and in publick see the Note Chap. 45.19 And then agreeably hereto must the following words be understood from the time that it was I am there namely either 1. that from the time that any thing was foretold by his Prophets he was there revealing to them by his spirit the things which they did foretel so that it was he indeed that spake by them Or 2. That from the time that any thing came to pass which was foretold he was there accomplishing the things foretold by his Almighty power as they were foretold so they were also accomplished by him And then for the last clause there as is said before it is clear that the Prophet speaks in his own person and now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me that is as formerly in other things foretold by me and other the Prophets of God so now in this which I say concerning Babylon and Cyrus I say nothing but by commission from God and by the inspiration of his Spirit Ver. 17. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer the holy one of Israel c. See the Note Chap. 1.4 I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit that is who teacheth thee by my Word and Spirit those things which will be for thy welfare which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go that is teaching and directing thee how to order thy conversation And the aim of these words I conceive is this lest the Jews should say If the Lord meant to fetch us back out of Babylon why did he bring us hither Therefore the Lord tells them here that he had done enough to make them a Righteous people which had they improved for good they might have been still in their own Land Ver. 18. O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandments
the rulers used as if he had been the basest of Servants or Slaves Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship that is even the great Kings of the Earth shall at last own thee that wert so despised and abhorr'd to be the Lords annointed and shall stoop to thy Scepter and Soveragnty because of the Lord that is faithful and the holy one of Israel that is the Lord of his faithfulness bringing this about to make good his promise made concerning thee and these Princes being convinced hereof upon this very account submitting themselves to thee and he shall choose thee that is I will choose thee that hast been despised of man to rule over the great Princes of the World But the meaning is this that God would make it evidently appear that he had chosen him to be the Messiah Thus I say these words are certainly to be understood concerning Christ yet withal we must know that many learned Expositors do understand this of Christ and the Primitive Church the Body of Christ jointly together And indeed it may well be said of the Church of Christ that she was despised of Man and abhorred of Nations and a Servant of Rulers or of the Jewish Nation particularly so that they looked upon them as the scum and the off-scowring of all things and made nothing of killing them and yet withal that afterwards even their Kings did honour her and submit to her and that upon the account of her Interest in Christ in whom God hath faithfully made good his promises to her Ver. 8. Thus saith the Lord c. The same having been expressed twice before verse 5. and 7. we may well conceive that it is with respect to the greatness and the strangness of the Mysteries now delivered by the Prophet that this is the third time here repeated And it is doubtless God the Father speaks here again to Christ Thus saith the Lord in an acceptable time have I heard thee and in a day of Salvation have I helped thee and that happily with relation to that which David had long before spoken of himself as a type of Christ My prayer is unto thee O Lord in an acceptable time Psal 69.13 So that the meaning is clearly this that when the set time should come which God of his own free grace had appointed for the accomplishment of the work of mans Redemption by the death of Christ he would then hear his Prayers and Intercession for his people for these words may well comprehend both his Prayers upon Earth such as that John 17. and his intercession in Heaven and that in the execution of that whereto God appointed him he shall be sure of support and assistance from him see the Notes Chap. 42 1-6 and because by the preaching of the Gospel this great work of Mans redemption by Christ was made known and the doing of this in the time determined by God of his free grace for the salvation of his Redeemed ones and that even amongst the Gentiles was a part of the Office of Christ as Mediator even this acceptable time must needs here be comprehended And therefore we see the Apostle doth expresly apply this Prophecy thereto 2 Cor. 6.2 For he saith I have heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of Salvation have I succoured thee behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of Salvation As for the following words they also must be accordingly understood and give thee for a covenant of the People that is to be the Mediator of the Covenant of grace betwixt God and his People see the Note Chap. 42.6 and to make good by thee all the deliverances which by covenants are to be wrought for my People whether Corporal as the deliverance out of Babylon or spiritual from the Bondage of Sin and Satan whereof that other out of the Babylonian Bondage was a shadow and type and so likewise the last clause of the verse to establish or raise up the earth and to cause to inherit the desolate heritages for as this is spoken with relation to the type the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon by the establishing or raising up the Earth must needs be meant the setling of the state of the Land of Judah again or the restoring of it to its former flourishing condition and by causing to inherit the desolate heritages is surely meant the Peoples re-edifying and then their re-posessing of their old inheritances which in the time of their captivity had lain waste and desolate But as it hath respect to mans deliverance by Christ that which is intended thereby is the restitution and establishing of the Church by him which was sunk very low in the Jewish Church by bringing in the Gentiles to be added to the Church that God had given to Christ as his inheritance by raising up and restoring to life earthly dead men according to the Prophecy of Simeons concerning Christ Luk. 2.34 Behold this Child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel by chearing poor sinners oppressed with the bondage and burden of Sin by restoring them to their Heavenly inheritance which they had forfeited lost by their defection from God Ver. 9. That thou mayest say to the Prisoners go forth to them that are in darkness shew your selves c. that is come forth into the light this is still spoken to Christ and as in the type it is meant of the deliverance of the captivtated Jews out of Babylon see the Note Chap. 45.13 so principally in the antitype it is meant of Christs setting free his redeemed ones by preaching of the Gospel the Gentiles especially from that spiritual Bondage and blindness under which they lay by nature see the Note Chap. 42.7 and so likewise the following words they shall feed in the ways and their pastures shall be in all high places under the similitude of a flock of Sheep for whom the Shepherd is wont to provide good pastures and that are wont as they are removed from one place to another to graze on the Road-ways as they go There is a promise made 1. concerning those that were to return out of Babylon both that they should be plentifully provided for by the ways they went of all things necessary and likewise that their Country that had lain long untilled and desolate should every where be abundantly fruitful at their return even in those places that are usually barren And 2. concerning Christs redeemed ones that they should plentifully enjoy the means of Grace at all times and at all places See the Notes Chap. 41.17 18. Ver. 10. They shall not hunger or thirst c. Here the Promise in the last clause of the foregoing Verse is further set forth and that still under the same Metaphor of a Shepherd's providing for his Flock see the Notes Chap. 40.11 and 41.17 18. and 48.21 And here again as in the place last cited there is an allusion to the
provision that God made for the Israelites in the Wilderness by showring down Manna from Heaven upon them and fetching Water for them out of the Rock And so it is likewise in the following words neither shall the heat nor Sun smite them for therein he alludes also to that Pillar of the Cloud that was to the Israelites by day a covering from the heat of the Sun see the Notes Psal 121.5 6. And in the last clause for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them even by the Springs of water shall he guide them he alludes again to the streams of Water that were fetched out of the Rock And how this must be also spiritually understood of Christ's feeding his Flock with the food of their Souls and refreshing them with the Waters of Life and of Gods protecting them so that the scorching heat neither of temptations nor afflictions shall ever be able to hurt them we may easily conceive see the Notes Chap. 41.17 18. and Psal 23.1 2. And because St. John applies the first words to the State of the glorified Saints in Heaven Rev. 7.16 They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more c. It may well be which some Expositors say that under this promise of the good Christ would do for his Church here in this Life the perfecting thereof in Heavenly Glory is also comprehended Ver. 11. And I will make all my Mountains away and my Highways shall be exalted For the meaning of this see the Note upon two like passages Chap. 40.3 4. Yet as it respects Christ some would have the meaning to be that those holy ways of Religion which seemed hard and impossible to them should through Grace become easie to them Ver. 12. Behold these shall come from far c. First it is said in general that they should come from remote Countries and then afterwards some particular quarters of the world are named to imply they should come from all parts of the world on every side and lo these from the north and the west c. This I conceive is clearly the intent of these words according to our Translation But now because most Expositors conceive that three quarters of the world are mentioned in the following mords lo these from the north and the west and these from the land of Sinim that is say they from the South holding that thus the South-quarter is set forth either from the people that dwelt upon the Wilderness of Sin or Sinai Exod. 16.1 or from the Sinites reckoned amongst the posterity of Canaan Gen. 10.17 or from a remote Country in India called Sina or China or from the inhabitants of Sien or Sin a chief City in Egypt Ezek. 30.15 all which they say lay South of Judea therefore they do generally understand the first branch of this Verse thus Behold these shall come from far that is from the East and say that the East-quarter is thus set forth because the Continent reached farthest that way from Judea the Sea being on the West and the North and South not extending so far by reason of the inhabitable Poles But however those whose coming is here promised are certainly the same that were before intended in a place parallel to this Chap. 43.5 6 7. For which see the Notes there Ver. 13. Sing O Heavens c. See the Note Chap. 44.23 This expression of exceeding joy implies the certainty of the Promise Ver. 14. But Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me c. To wit the Church of the Jews by reason of their long continuance in the Babylonian captivity and the grievous miseries they endured there And some add too that they did thus complain because the coming of the promised Messiah was so long deferred Ver. 16. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands c. That is thou art always in mine eye as if I had engraven thee upon the palms of both mine hands so that I am continually mindful of thee and cannot indeed forget thee no more than I can forget my self Some think there is in this expression an allusion to the memorials which men are wont to hang upon their hands or upon their fingers see the Note Exod. 13.9 or to the Signets or Tablets whereon they had the names or pictures engraven of some persons whom they did much affect see the Note Cant. 8.6 thy walls are continually before me that is I continually see in what a sad condition thy Walls lye and do think of having them repaired again And hereby also is meant that God is continually mindful of the preservation of his Chuch her Polity and Government and of the raising her up again when she is in a low condition Ver. 17. Thy Children shall make hast c. That is they shall with great earnestness flock in speedily to thee see the Note Chap. 14.1 thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee that is thine enemies that laid thy Land waste shall no more plead any title to it but give it up wholly to thee or thine enemies that sought thy ruine shall let thee alone and not trouble thee Or it may be meant of Gods ridding them of those wicked oppressors that were amongst them As it respects the Church of Christ it may imply Gods freeing her from all that outwardly by force or within by false Doctrine or scandalous lives should be likely to hurt her Ver. 18. Lift up thine eyes round about and behold all these gather themselves together and come to thee c. See the Note Chap. 14.1 As I live saith the Lord that is as sure as I live thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all as with an ornament to wit because their multitude should be an honour to Zion especially considering they should not be a sordid Company such as are blots and blemishes to a State but such as were eminent for their endowments and graces and therefore of high esteem both with God and man and bind them on thee as a bride doth that is as a Bride puts on her Jewels and other Ornaments all which is chiefly meant of the honour which the coming in of the Gentiles should be to the Church of the Jews And the similitude of a Bride is the rather used to imply that the Lord having so long seemed to have forsaken that Church by his return then to her she should seem to be as it were anew Married to him Ver. 19. For thy waste and thy desolate places and the land of thy destruction c. That is thy destroyed Land shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants as if he should have said when thou shalt again possess thy Land which now lieth waste and desolate it shall be so fully inhabited yea even the most ruinous places of it that there shall scarcely by room for thy people to dwell one by another But this is chiefly meant of the mighty enlargement of the Church by the
be meant of hungring and thirsting after the imputed Righteousness of Christ but rather doubtless of striving to do that which was just and right in Gods Eyes Ye that seek the Lord that is that seek to approve your selves to him and to assure your Interest in him and that seek to him in all your streights Now that which he first assays here to comfort them in is concerning the small number to which they should be brought before that deliverance and restitution of Zion should be wrought which by him God had promised them and hereby may be meant both the fewness of that little Remnant that should come home out of Babylon in comparison of the numerousness of that Nation formerly And likewise the paucity of Believers that should be found in that Nation when Christ the promised Messiah should come to them with the glad tydings of Salvation And that which he saith to encourage them herein is That he adviseth them to remember how miraculously he had formerly multiplied their Nation Look unto the Rock whence ye are hewn and to the hole of the Pit whence ye are digged That is as it is explained in the following Verse Look to Abraham and Sarah out of whose Loins you the Children of Abraham had your descent And the rather we may well think that Abraham is called the Rock and Sarah the hole of the Pit that is the Stone-querry out of which they were hewn and digged with respect to Abrahams dead Body and the deadness of Sarahs Womb Rom. 4.19 They being both in regard of Age like dry and hard Rocks so that there seemed to be no likely yea in a natural way no possibility that they should have any issue until God was pleas'd miraculously to open Sarah's Womb. Now if God did at first from such a dead Stock raise such a numerous Nation as they had been why should they be discouraged at that very small Remnant to which their Church should be brought Ver. 2. Look unto Abraham your Father and unto Sarah that bare you c. This is added by way of explaining the former Words for I called him alone that is I brought him out of Chaldea when he was a lone man one Man and Childless too yea without hope of having any Children by Sarah being barren and at last by reason of Age past any hope of Childing And blessed him and encreased him that is as in many other regards I blessed him so particularly in the mighty encrease of his Posterity so that they became as the Stars in the Heaven or the Sand on the Sea-shore for multitude and hereby is implyed that the same God that did this could likewise encrease and multiply their Church and People though they were brought to never so poor a Remnant See the foregoing Note Ver. 3. For the Lord shall comfort Zion c. To wit with manifold blessings and particularly with an abundant encrease as he did Abraham See the foregoing Notes And this may be meant both of the Jews returning out of Babylon see the Notes Chap. 12.1 and of the Church in the days of the Gospel He will comfort all her waste places that is he will raise up her City and State again and those places that lay desolate shall be inhabited again with multitudes of people And he will make her Wilderness like Eden and her desart like the Garden of the Lord see the Notes Chap. 35.1 2. But now as this is meant of the Church in the days of the Gospel it must needs intend the holy change that should be wrought in Believers and particularly the mighty alteration that should be made in the Apostatised Church of the Jews by the Conversion of a Remnant of them and by the great access of the Gentiles Joy and gladness shall be found therein thanksgiving c. see the Notes Chap. 35.10 and Psal 126.2 But as this hath respect to the days of Christ it is chiefly meant of the great joy that should be wrought in afflicted Consciences by the preaching of the Gospel Ver. 4. Hearken unto me my People and give ear unto me O my Natition c. This is spoken still to the faithful amongst the Jews Gods peculiar People see the Note above ver 1. for a Law shall proceed from me that is say some that would limit this to the Jews that were to come out of Babylon as I will bring home my People to their own Land so I will govern them there as mine own People Do not think that Religion shall be lost amongst them by their long Bondage when I have brought them home they shall be governed by my Law as formerly And accordingly they expound the following Clause And I will make my Judgment to rest for a light of the People that is I will make good my Promises to my People in the sight and to the convincing of all Nations But questionless it is that new Law of the Gospel which God here saith should proceed from him for the governing of his Church for which see the Notes Chap. 2.3 4. And so one main drift of the Words seems to be to shew how the Church of the Jews should be so exceedingly multiplied as was before said namely by the coming in of the Gentiles to them And accordingly we must understand the next Clause And I will make my Judgment to rest for a light of the People that is I will cause my Gospel to rest amongst the Gentiles as a light which the Enemies thereof shall never be able to blow out For it is not strange that the Gospel should be called Gods Judgment because it is the Rule which God hath given us to judge of Good and Evil and the Scepter whereby he governs his Church and Law and Doctrine and Judgment c. are Words ordinarily used in the Scripture promiscuously one for another Ver. 5. My Righteousness is near c. That is The time is near at hand when I will approve my self Righteous and Faithful by performing my promise of saving you out of the hands of your Enemies see the Note Chap. 1.27 And this may be meant both of that deliverance out of Babylon and of our deliverance by Christ from our Spiritual Bondage and Enemies and the last the rather because the expression here used may also imply our being made Righteous by Christ and Christs governing his Church as a Righteous King see the Notes Chap. 40.10 11. My Salvation is gone forth see Chap. 43.19 The expression here used may relate either to the making known Gods Decree to the People by his Prophets or to the approaching and going forth of Cyrus his Decree concerning the Jews deliverance And mine Armes shall judge the People that is by mine Almighty Power I will punish the Nations the Babylonians and others that oppress my Church or by mine own Power accompanying the Ministry of the Gospel Rom. 1.16 and confirmed by many miraculous Works many Nations shall be Converted and shall submit
body as the ground and as the street to them that went over The meaning is That in their Bondage in Babylon their great Lords should trample upon them proudly and contemptuously and without any Compassion and use them just as they pleased themselves they not daring in the least to mutter against them And the like may be said too concerning their sad condition when they were vanquished by the Romans CHAP. LII VERSE 1. AWake awake c. See the Note Chap. 51.17 This is still to chear up the Jewish Church with hope of deliverance from that poor and miserable condition whereinto they were to be brought and it is thus often repeated partly because of the delight the Prophet took in imparting these glad tydings to the People and partly because the People were so hardly wone to embrace the promise in regard that they looked upon their Estate as desperate and past all hope of recovery Awake awake put on thy Strength O Zion that is pluck up a good courage be courageous and strong in the confidence of Gods favour and protection which is indeed properly thy strength put on thy beautiful Garments O Jerusalem the holy City as if he had said Put off thy poor and sad attire wherewith thou wert clad in thy low and captived Estate when thou wert wont to embrace the Dunghill and put on that brave attire again which thou wert accustomed to wear on thy Festivals and other times of Joy and Gladness As for the following words wherein there is a reason given why Gods People are stirred up to be so courageous and joyful for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean though some understand it of the great Reformation that should be made amongst them that no wicked ones should harbour amongst them or of the great holiness of the Church in the days of the Gospel which should be perfected in Heavenly Glory See the Note Chap. 35.8 Yet certainly it is rather meant of their being freed from the Cruelty and Tyranny of their Enemies But how then was this promise ever made good to the Church of the Jews from henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean I answer As this was spoken with respect to their deliverance out of Babylon the meaning cannot be that they should never more be invaded vexed and oppressed by any of the uncircumcised Heathens For it is well known that after that they were sorely afflicted and oppressed by Antioches Epiphanes and others and that at last the Romans did worse to them than ever the Chaldeans had done And therefore if we take this as a promise made to the Jews when they were delivered from their Captivity in Babylon it must be limited to the Babylonians to wit that they should no more be invaded as they had often formerly been nor tyrannized over by that Nation that had then so long held them in Bondage and he tearms them the uncircumcised and the unclean because in their Bondage this did most vex and afflict them that they Gods peculiar People should be made drudges to such a base heathenish uncircumcised People But now if we extend this to the Church of the Jews after they were ruined and destroyed by the Romans namely those that were together with the Gentiles the Church of Christs redeemed ones I see no other way that it can be understood but that their wicked Enemies should never be able to ruine them as the Jewish Church was by the Romans And this is that which Christ said Matth. 16.18 that his Church should stand in the midst of all opposition till she be taken up into Heaven where her Enemies shall trouble and afflict her no more Ver. 2. Shake thy self from the dust c. This seems to be thus expressed with reference to that which had been said in the foregoing Chapter ver 23. See the Note there of their lying on the ground whilst their proud Lords trampled upon them arise and sit down or arise and sit up as it is well rendered in our great Annotations Lie no longer on the ground but sit in a quiet and comfortable condition as formerly As Babylon was commanded to come down and sit in the dust Chap. 47.1 So Jerusalem is here called upon to arise and sit up from the dust loose thy self from the bands of thy neck O captive Daughter of Zion That is cast off thy Yoke But still we must know that the intent of this is to shew that this should shortly be done and that under this type there is also a promise couched of the Spiritual Redemption of the Church of God by Christ See the Note Chap. 42.7 Ver. 3. For thus saith the Lord ye have sold your selves for nought and ye shall be redeemed without Money See the Notes Chap. 45.13 and 50.1 and Psal 44.12 Because the Jews might think it impossible that they should be delivered from their Captivity in Babylon where they had been kept in bondage so long under such a mighty People therefore God tells them here that though they had sold themselves by their Sins that is though he had delivered them up to the Babylonians by way of punishing them for their Sins yet he their Lord and Soveraign had never sold away his interest in them by receiving any price of the Babylonians for them they did not so much as give him thanks for them and that therefore they could alledge no just Title to them but that it was free for him when he pleased to challenge his own just interest in them and to recover them out of their hands again By all which it appeared that there would be no difficulty in the work of their deliverance If God would challenge his just interest in them and deliver them from those that did unjustly keep them in bondage who could hinder him As they were sold for nought so they should be redeemed for nought As they were subdued by the Sword so by the Sword they should be delivered out of their Power And indeed in this too some Expositors endeavour to shew how the deliverance out of Babylon had some shadow in it of our Redemption by Christ Ver. 4. For thus saith the Lord God c. By former examples of the Lords delivering his People from the oppression of their Enemies he sheweth them what good reason they had to believe and wait for that deliverance out of Babylon which he had now promised them my People went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there as if he should have said And ye know how the Egyptians oppressed them there and how he plagued the Egyptians for it and delivered his People out of that their bondage and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause as if he had said and so likewise Sennacherib the Assyrian and some would have all the rest of the Assyrian Kings included that invaded Gods People did mightily afflict them causelesly when my People had
these words are added as in a Parenthesis his visage was so marred more than any man and his form more than the Sons of Men which must not be understood of any deformity in his Countenance or Person but of the contemptibleness and misery of his outward condition above all men whatsoever no way suitable in the Eye of reason for him that was indeed the Lord of Glory as namely in that he was born of such mean Parentage and lived in such a poor and despicable condition and was so scorned and reviled and abused and afflicted all his Life long See Psal 22.6 but especially in regard of his unparallell'd sufferings at his Passion both outwardly in his Body and in the anguish of his Spirit when indeed his outward appearance was as of a man ignominiously rejected both of God and his People and he that was fairer than the Children of Men Psal 45.2 through the imputation of our Leprosie became the most sad and loathsome spectacle that ever was seen amongst the Sons of Men. Ver. 15. So shall he sprinkle c. This is added with reference to the first words of the foregoing Verse As many were astonied at thee so saith he shall he sprinkle many Nations c. Which is all one in effect as if it had been said As many shall be astonished at his base and contemptible condition so shall many also yea many Nations be as much astonished at his Exaltation and the great works that shall be done by him for this is intended by these words So shall he sprinkle many Nations c. for by sprinkling many Nations is meant either that he should distill down the showers of the Gospel and therewith shed forth the dew of his Spirit Act. 2.33 among many Nations whereby they should be converted and brought to submit to his Scepter wherein there is an allusion to the watering of the Earth with Rain or Dew from Heaven See the Note Deut. 32.2 Or else that he should purge and cleanse them by that his Spirit accompanying the Ministry of the Gospel and by his blood through faith applyed unto their Souls for their Justification and Reconciliation with God Heb. 10.22 which is therefore called the Blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 Wherein there is an allusion to those sprinklings of Men in the time of the Law with Water or Blood or both meant together which were for the purifying of those that were legally unclean or rather to that Sacramental washing with Water wherewith Christ appointed the spiritual cleansing of Christians by his Blood and Spirit to be sealed unto them in Baptism And so by those words the Kings shall shut their Mouths at him is meant That even the Kings of the Heathens should be silent before him to wit either as not able to express the greatness of his Majesty and Glory or by way only of admiring his transcendent excellency and reverencing him for it or by way of admiring him for his Doctrine and silent attending upon his Teaching See the Note Job 29.9 not daring any way to gainsay or oppose him but renouncing their own wisdom and submitting themselves chearfully to his Scepter and Government And thus though the Jews should reject him yet the Gentiles should embrace him of which the reason is given in the following words for that which had not been told them shall they see and that which they had not heard shall they consider that is they shall see the accomplishment of those things which the Prophets had foretold whereof they had heard nothing and should hear and seriously meditate of those Gospel Mysteries which in other ages was not made known to the Sons of Men Eph. 3.5 And hence it is that St. Paul alledgeth this place to justifie his Preaching the Gospel amongst the Gentiles Rom. 15.21 But as it is written to whom he was not spoken of they shall see and they that have not heard shall understand CHAP. LIII VERSE 1. WHO hath believed our report c. To wit those good tydings mentioned before Chap. 52.7 which we from God have reported to his People In the Septuagint the word Lord is inserted and so accordingly we find it rendered where this passage is cited in the New Testament Lord who hath believed our report And accordingly we may well conceive it to be spoken by the Prophet in the name of all those who had published or should publish those glad tydings concerning Christ whether the Prophets that had foretold them or Christ and his Apostles that should make known the accomplishment of them and that by way of bemoaning and bewailing to God the incredulity of those to whom they were preached It is indeed commonly held by Expositors that it is the incredulity of the Jews in particular which the Prophet here complains of And it cannot be indeed denied that they are here primarily intended both because this complaint seems to be opposed to that which the Prophet had said ver 17. of the foregoing Chapter concernning the spreading of Christs Kingdom amongst many Nations as if he had said Though the Gentiles shall readily submit to him yet how few of the Jews will be won to believe in him And likewise because the Evangelist saith expresly that this was accomplished in the Jews Joh. 12.37 38. But though he had done so many Miracles before them yet they believed not in him That the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fulfilled which he spake Lord who hath believed our report c. But yet I see not why it might not be intended of the paucity of those that should believe these glad tydings concerning Christ both amongst the Jews and Gentiles for even amongst them there are but a very small Remnant of those that truly believe in comparison of those that believe not And therefore we see St. Paul speaking of his preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles alledgeth this Prophecy to shew that it was no wonder though but a few of the Gentiles did embrace these glad tydings of Salvation Rom. 10.16 But saith he they have not all obeyed the Gospel For Esaias saith Lord who hath believed our report I conceive therefore that this is spoken of the incredulity of all to whom the Gospel should be preached though in the first place and principally of the Jews The Prophet knowing that what he had said and what he was further to say concerning Christ were Mysteries which Flesh and Blood would not nor could not believe unless they were supernaturally enlightned and perswaded thereto by the Almighty power of Gods Spirit he breaks forth into these words who hath believed our Report and which is the same in effect to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed That is to how few shall these things be revealed by the mighty power of God working by Christ and shewing forth it self in Christ and in the Ministry of the Gospel which is therefore called the power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 without which indeed no Man
as they had dealt with Christ that he would bring them to Death and to the Grave as they had brought Christ 2. Others understand it of the efficacy of Christs Death and Burial namely that thereby many wicked men yea many of the great and rich ones amongst them most unlikely to yield should be crucified with him and buried with him to wit Spiritually and so be made new Creatures and be brought to be obedient to the will of his Father or which is all one in effect that they should be brought to be with him and own him though Crucified and Buried as their Lord and as his People to submit to his Scepter and Government Again 3. Some understand it only of his Sufferings but in a several way For 1. Some take it thus That God the Father gave Christ over into the hands of the wicked Jews and the Gentiles even the great ones of those times such as were Caiaphas and Herod and Pontius Pilate that so they might dispose of him how they pleased both in regard of his Death and Burial which agreeth with that of our Saviour Matth. 26.45 Behold the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of Sinners or for so some would have it that He that is the Jewish People gave him up into the hands of the wicked Gentiles Pilate and the Roman Souldiers that they should Crucifie and bury him as they pleased But 2. Others understand it thus that he should be cut off by an untimely Death as a wicked man and accordingly should be Executed amongst other Malefactors in Mount Calvary the ordinary place where such kind of Varlets used to be Executed and Buried according to that which followeth in this Chapter ver 12. And he was numbred with the Transgressours but yet withall the providence of God so disposing of it he should be buried in the Sepulchre of a rich man as Joseph of Arimathea is expresly called Matth. 27.57 the Evangelist thereby pointing as some think to the accomplishment of this Prophecy And this last seems to me the most probable Exposition of this place As for that which follows because he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his Mouth or as it is cited 1 Pet. 2.22 neither was guile found in his Mouth which seems to have special respect to the unquestionable truth of his Doctrine it is given as a reason of that which went before and therefore must be understood according to the several Expositions of the foregoing words as either 1. That God would bring destruction upon those that crucified Christ because they had dealt so cruelly with an innocent man that had never done any thing blame-worthy either in word or deed Or 2. That his Death should be efficacious for the Conversion of wicked Men yea even the greatest and richest of them because he should not dye for any guilt that was in him but as a spotless Lamb that suffered for the Salvation of others Or 3. That God would not suffer him to be buried amongst those notorious Malefactors in that common place appointed for their burial in or about Mount Calvary but provided that he should be honourably laid in a new Sepulchre which a rich and honourable person had provided for himself because he was such a new man indeed as the World had never seen a man that had never sinned neither in word nor deed Ver. 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief c. That is Though there was no fault in him yet it was the will of God that he should suffer sorely to wit because he was to suffer for poor Sinners See the Note before ver 5. when thou shalt make his Soul an offering for Sin that is when thou O God shalt bring it to that that his Soul that is his Life or himself shall be offered up as a propitiatory Sacrifice for sinful men Or as it is in the Margin when his Soul shall make an offering for Sin that is when Christ shall willingly even with all his Soul offer up himself as a Sacrifice for his People to wit in his Death See Gal. 3.13 and 2 Cor. 5.21 he shall see his Seed that is his Spiritual Progeny See the Notes Chap. 9.6 Multitudes of Believers that shall be begotten again by his Word and Spirit It is as if he had said that his Death should not hinder his having a numerous Seed because he should rise from the dead and so should live and see his Seed yea it should be so far from hindering it that it should be the cause of it because reconciliation being made by his Death he shall thereby purchase them to himself which our Saviour intended in that Joh. 12.24 Except a Corn of Wheat fall into the ground and dye it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much Fruit and likewise because it was not till after his Death and Ascension into Heaven that his Spirit was to be so abundantly poured forth both upon those that were to preach the Gospel and upon those to whom it was Preached Joh. 7.39 he shall prolong his days See the Note above ver 8. It is spoken with respect to his reigning long over his Church upon Earth till all his Enemies were subdued and after that together with his Church Eternally in Heaven and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand that is that which it was the Lords good will and pleasure should be done by him to wit the Redemption and Salvation of Men and that which should make way thereto the bringing in of Men to believe in Christ by the spreading of the Gospel through all Nations See Joh. 4.34 and 6.39 Ver. 11. He shall see of the travel of his Soul c. That is He shall for a long time together with much content and delight see and enjoy See the Notes Job 7.7 and Psal 34.12 the effect and fruit of all the toilsome and wearisome pains that he had taken and pains and sorrows he had endured and that especially in his Soul by reason of the pressures of Divine Wrath that lay upon him and put him into a bloody sweat And by this fruit of the travel of his Soul is meant that which in the foregoing Verse was called the prospering of the pleasure of the Lord in his hand as namely the gathering of multitudes of Gods Elect People from amongst the Gentiles together with that transcendency of Glory whereunto himself shall be exalted after his Sufferings and Labours See Phil. 2.8 9. and Luke 24.26 and the Eternal Salvation of all his redeemed ones and shall be satisfied to wit with full content and delight as having obtained that which he earnestly thirsted after and accounting it an abundant recompence for all his Labours and Sufferings even as a Husband-man is satisfied when after all his toil he comes to reap a plenteous Harvest and as a Woman is satisfied when after all her pains in travel she sees
House the Temple or within my Temple and my City Jerusalem But however both by the one and the other is meant the Church of Christ whereof both the Temple and Jerusalem were Types For that which is intended is that unto those Eunuchs before mentioned God would give in his Church here and afterward in Heaven a place and a Name better than of Sons and Daughters that is of greater Honour and Dignity than that which accrews to them that have Sons and Daughters which is accounted a great Honour and Happiness to Men See the Note Prov. 17.6 and in whom their Name is continued when they are dead namely that of being Gods peculiar People his adopted Children a Name more glorious and more durable even that which shall continue unto Eternity as is expressed in the following Words I will give them an everlasting Name that shall not be cut off to wit as the continuance of Mens Names in their Posterity many times is Ver. 6. Also the Sons of the Stranger that joyn themselves to the Lord c. See the Note above ver 3. to serve him and to love the Name of the Lord to be his Servants to wit as counting it an honour to serve him because of the great love they bare to him every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it and taketh hold of my Covenant See the Note above ver 4. Ver. 7. Even them will I bring to my holy Mountain c. That is I will cause them to come in and joyn themselves to my Church See the Note Chap. 2.2 and make them joyful in my house of Prayer to wit my Church of which the Temple was a Type And the meaning is that their Hearts should be joyed by the consideration of their happiness in being admitted to be Gods People and to all the Glorious priviledges which thereby they should enjoy by the chearing of their troubled Consciences with the glad tydings of the Gospel which should be there preached to them and more particularly by the sweet refreshing comforts they should find in their Souls both whilst they were praying and after they had prayed and the gracious answers God should return to their prayers their burnt offerings and their Sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine Altar that is their Spiritual and Evangelical Sacrifices Rom. 12.1 and Heb. 13.15 shall be acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 for mine House that is my Church shall be called the House of Prayer for all People to wit Gentiles as well as Jews yet because the Church of Christ is called Gods House in allusion to its Type the Temple therefore our Saviour cites this place as spoken of the Temple Mark 11.17 Ver. 8. The Lord God which gathereth together the out-casts of Israel saith c. To wit out of Babylon and other Countries where they were scattered See the Note Psal 147.2 yet will I gather others to him that is to Israel besides those that are gathered to him that is that are already gathered to him out of Babylon And it is meant of the Gentiles whom after this would God bring in and make them one Church and People with Israel see Joh. 11.51 52. Ver. 9. All ye Beasts of the Field come to devour c. Very many Learned Expositors hold this to be the beginning of a new Prophecy But if we take it as a part of the foregoing Prophecy as indeed according to the division of the Chapters in our Bibles it seems to be joined with that then we may conceive the connexion to be either 1. That having cheared up the Godly with many precious Promises in the foregoing part of the Prophecy here he turns himself to reprove the wicked party amongst them and that the rather that hereby they might be put in mind that the comfort of the foregoing promises belong'd not to them Or 2. That having made Gods People so many glorious Promises he now shews them that before they should be fulfilled very sad havock should be made in the Jewish State by forreign Nations that so the Godly might not be stumbled when they saw such sad things so contrary to what was now promised to come upon them but might only be stirred up by unfeigned Repentance to approve themselves to God And it may be also there might be an intention to give some light to that which he had said of the out-casts of Israel As for the words themselves All ye Beasts of the Field come to devour yea all the Beasts of the Forrest though they may be un-understood literally as an invitation of all kinds of Beasts of Prey to come and devour the Carcases of Gods slaughtered People intended to imply that there should be such multitudes of them slain by their Enemies that there should be enough to satisfie all the Beasts both of Field and Forrest that would come in to devour Yet I rather think that by these ravenous Beasts are figuratively meant those barbarous cruel Nations that should destroy and devour Gods People and that because in the following Verses the blindness and neglect of the Shepherds is alledged as a motive to encourage them to come in and devour Gods Flock Many I know and I think most probably do understand this particularly of the Chaldeans and the many Nations that joyned with them in their invasion of Judea but yet it may well be extended to all that were after this called in at several times to devour the Jews the Assyrians Babylonians Grecians Romans c. Ver. 10. His watchmen are blind c. That is Israels Rulers both Civil and Ecclesiastical the two Eyes of a Church or State her Priests and pretended Prophets and Teachers especially are blind Seers such as could not foresee approaching Evils and Judgments that they might forewarn the People of them being ignorant and sottish as the following words explain it they are all ignorant that is all of them in a manner are ignorant as to the Law of God and their own Duty they know not how to teach and govern the People such as the Scribes and Pharisees were in our Saviours time blind leaders of the blind they are all dumb Dogs they cannot bark to wit by opposing the Evil of the Times reproving Evil doers and forewarning them of the Judgments they were like to bring upon themselves and that because they were ignorant given to the Vices they should have reproved in others nor willing by doing their duty to expose themselves to the displeasure of Men especially the great ones of the Times in all which there is an allusian to House-Dogs or Shepherds Dogs that are by barking to drive away Thieves and Wolves and waken those that should help to drive them away sleeping lying down loving to slumber that is delighting in sloth and sluggishness and giving up themselves thereto The word indeed which we Translate sleeping is by some rendered as it is in the Margin dreaming or talking in their sleep with reference as
themselves Ver. 11. And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared c. the Original word rendred afraid imports a terrifying fear and the latter rendred feared imports any lesser fear and so it must be understood as if it had been expressed thus Of whom hadst thou any dread or fear at all Some hold that Jerusalem is here charged with the impudency of a Harlot that is so bold in her waies of uncleanness that she fears neither God nor Man Others think that the drift of these words is to charge her with her being void of all true fear of God as the ground of their secure and obstinate running on in their sinful waies notwithstanding the formal profession she made of Religion yet the Lord tells her that she did not indeed fear him because she was fallen away to a false and Idolatrous Worship which was not according to the Rule of his Word But rather the scope of these words is to prevent an excuse she was like to make for her seeking to Forreign Princes for aid namely that she did it when she had just cause to fear that she should have been overcome and ruined by mighty Enemies before whom by her own strength she should be never able to stand for in answer to this God here demands of her what cause she had having him to depend upon for help to fear any Enemies though never so potent so as to fall off from him And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared that thou hast lied That is that thou hast dealt disloyally and fasly with me breaking thy marriage Covenant with me and hast not remembred me that is never minded me neither thinking how able I was to secure thee from the rage of thine Enemies nor what experience thou hadst had hereof in former times nor how perillous the wrath of my Jealousie might be if thou shouldst not carry thy self towards me according to thy duty nor laid it to thy Heart to wit as considering what the issue of these things might be As for the following clause have not I held my peace even of old and thou fearest me not The aim of that is to shew that the true cause why they were so bold to do those things which were directly contrary to his commands was because he had been silent and born with them long and this had so imboldned them that they stood in no awe of him or of his word instead of being bettered by his long-suffering and patience they were the worse for it and feared him the less and therefore it was high time to discover his displeasure against them Ver. 12. I will declare thy righteousness c. As if he had said with reference to what was said in the close of the foregoing Verse I will no longer hold my peace but by my Judgments executed upon thee I will make known what thou art I will declare thy Righteousness that is thy horrid wickedness for it is Ironically spoken and is much like that which God said of Adam Gen. 3.22 for which see the Note there Yet it might be also spoken in a way of deriding the high esteem which they had of themselves as righteous even in respect of their Idolatrous waies for which God abhorred them and thy works to wit wherein thou gloriest so much thy perfidiousness and Spiritual Whoredoms for they shall not profit thee that is whatever thou mayest think of thy unwarrantable ways they shall do thee no good but rather shall prove thy ruine at the last Ver. 13. When thou criest c. To wit to me in those calamities that are coming upon thee let thy Companies deliver thee as if he had said That is all the Answer thou shalt have from me I will turn thee off to the Companies thou hast relyed upon for help And by these Companies some understand the multitude of Idol-Gods which they had gathered from the Nations round about them and indeed we find God elsewhere thus turning off his People to them in a way of indignation and scorn as Judg. 10.14 Go and cry unto the Gods which ye have chosen let them deliver you And see also Jer. 2.28 But rather it is meant of those auxiliary Forces which the Forreign Princes to whom they had sent had promised to afford them but the Wind shall carry them all away that is thy hope in them shall deceive thee when thou lookest for help from them they shall not be found but shall be as Chaff which the Wind hath carried away see the Note Chap. 40.25 Vanity shall take them that is the least thing that is the least breath of Wind shall take them away but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the Land and shall inherit my Holy Mountain which is meant of those that should be brought back out of Babylon into their own Country and injoy Gods Ordinances again in his Temple as appears by the following Verse Ver. 14. And shall say c. To wit Gods People returning out of Babylon by warrant of the Proclamation of Cyrus they shall take order that all things should be removed that might hinder their return into Judea Cast ye up cast ye up See the Notes Chap. 35.8 and 40.3 4. c. Ver. 15 For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity c. That is who alone is truly Eternal Who only hath Immortality as the Apostle expresseth it 1 Tim. 6.16 And therefore also immutable and unchangeable whose Name is Holy see the Note 1 Sam. 2.2 I dwell in the High and Holy place that is in Heaven see the Note Psal 115.3 with him also that is of a contrite and humble Spirit see the Note Psal 34.18 to revive the Spirit of the Humble c. that is to comfort them only the word here used implyes that none can do this but he that can put life into dead men But now the drift of all this is to comfort the poor Jews in their Captivity that they might not question the foregoing promise of deliverance by putting them in mind that though their God was a God of Infinite and Incomprehensible Majesty and Holiness yet in the respect he had to the ordering of all things below he would be still graciously present with those that were humbled and afflicted for their Sins though they dare scarce look up to the most High God yet the most High God would come down to them and dwell in their hearts Ver. 16. For I will not contend for ever neither will I be alwaies wroth c. To wit with those that are of an humble and contrite Spirit see the foregoing Note For the Spirit shall faile before me and the Souls which I have made that is if I should do so the Spirits and Souls of my People would faint away or be overwhelmed with terror and despair the meaning is that even with respect to Mans infirmity and weakness whose life is but a blast God doth many times put
unto thee that is whole Armies or Troops of them shall come in to thee This also in the Type many understand of the forwardness of the Nations to help the Jews at their return out of Babylon and some would have the meaning to be that Judea should become a great Mart for Merchants by Sea But the foregoing Exposition doth most clearly suit with the whole current of this Prophesie Ver. 6. The multitude of Camels shall cover thee c. That is thy Land the Dromedaries of Midian and Ephah that is the Midianites for Ephah was also of the Posterity of Midian Gen. 25.4 who inhabited Arabia see the Note Gen. 37.28 The meaning is that the Converted Gentiles should honour the Lord with their Substance and Consecrate themselves and all that they had to the Service of Christ and his Church And accordingly the several Nations are here said to bring in those things that were the choicest Commodities of their several Countries The meaning here cannot be that these Midianites Embracing the Faith of Christ should ride to Jerusalem upon Camels and Dromedaries but because in those Eastern Countries they used to ride and to carry great Burdens of Wares upon this kind of Cattel and because in those days Men used not to come empty handed to the House of God therefore the Coming in of the Gentiles their submitting themselves and all they had to the Lords disposing and their contributing of their Wealth in abundance to the Church of Christ is thus figuratively expressed that the Land of Gods People should be covered with their Camels and Dromedaries And to the same purpose is that which follows all they from Sheba shall come see the Note Psal 72.10 They shall bring Gold and Incense that is they shall also Consecrate their Wealth to the Lord yea and some would have it that under these Figuratively the dedicating of their Learning and Eloquence their Arts and Sciences to the service of Christ and his Church is also comprehended and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord that is they shall worship God And indeed this last clause sheweth plainly that the mention made in the foregoing Words of their bringing Gold and Incense with them was not with respect to Trading as some have thought but with respect to the worship and service of God Ver. 7. All the Flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee The Rams of Nebaioth shall Minister unto thee c. Because the Kedarens and Nabathaeans Ishmaelites of the Posterity of Kedar and Nebaioth dwelling in Arabia abounded in Flocks of Sheep therefore it is said that from them multitudes of these shall be brought in to Gods People And though in the Type this again may be meant of these Nations supplying the Jews that were come out of Babylon abundantly with Cattel for Sacrifices But certainly it is principally meant of the Converted Gentiles and accordingly we must understand it either that they should zealously promote the Church of Christ and the worship of God therein by contributing abundantly of their Substance thereto or that they should offer up Spiritual Sacrifices unto God for it is usual with the Prophets in speaking to the Jews to set forth the Worship of the Gospel under Figurative tearms taken from their Legal Service they shall come up with acceptance upon mine Altar that is their Services shall be as Sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ and I will glorify the house of my Glory that is in the Type his glorious House the Temple built for his Glory and wherein he had appeared often with great Glory now trodden down by the Gentiles but to be raised up again gloriously at the Jews return from Babylon or rather the Church of Christ the House of God 1 Tim. 3.15 which God did many ways Glorifie but the access of the Gentiles is principally here intended see the Note ver 9. Ver. 8. Who are these c. The Prophet some think in the name of the Church who above ver 4. in this regard was called upon to lift up her Eyes and look about breaks forth here into an admiration at the multitudes of those that should come flocking into Zion And though some understand it of the Jews returning to their own Country at their deliverance out of Babylon as they do a like expression Chap. 49.21 of which see the Note there yet indeed the very words seem to hint that he speaks of the Gentiles coming in to the Christian Church of the Jews because he speaks of them as a People unknown such as were Aliens and Strangers from the Common-Wealth of Israel Who are these that fly as a Cloud and as the Doves to their Windows that is the Lockers where they make their several Nests and breed their Young ones or rather the loover-holes in the Turrets or tops of the Dove-house whereby they fly into it Now the coming in of the Gentiles to the Church may be compared to the flying of a Cloud to imply their coming in from remote Countries because Clouds do many times arise in the farthest parts of the Sky and to the flying in of Doves to their windows because as Doves do usually fly home when they see a storm coming or are in danger of some Bird of prey so it should be the fear of wrath to come that should bring in the Gentiles to the Church as to a place of refuge and safety But questionless the main intent of both Similitudes is to set forth with what eagerness chearfulness and speed see the Note Chap. 19.1 and likewise in what multitudes they should come in like a huge flight of Doves that cover the Air like a Cloud or like a Cloud that sometimes will spread and cover the whole face of the Heavens Ver. 9. Surely the Isles c. That is such as dwell in remote Islands or elsewhere on the Sea-Coast see the Note Chap. 41.1 This seems to be spoken in the Person of God or Christ in answer to the wonder of the Prophet or Church in the foregoing Verse Surely the Isles wait for me that is being convinced of the danger of their natural condition by the Preaching of the Gospel they shall earnestly long to be brought home and reconciled with me and therefore it is no wonder though they come in flocking to me But see the Notes also Chap. 42.4 and 51.5 and the Ships of Tarshish see the Notes 1 Kings 10.22 and Psal 48.7 first that is the Men of Tarshish famous above others for Shipping and Navigation shall be of the first and forwardest that shall be ready to come in to me and serve me to bring thy Sons from far that is thy Children O my Church see the Notes above ver 4. and Chap. 49.22 their Silver and their Gold with them see the Note above ver 6. unto the name of the Lord thy God that is to be consecrated to God or for the Service of his Church or Temple see the Note Deut.
in Prosperity yea in Heaven unto all Eternity Ver. 21. Thy People also shall be all righteous c. That is those that are truly such true Members of the Church even all of them whether Jews or Gentiles shall be righteous to wit perfectly by the imputed righteousness of Christ and really also by inherent righteousness wrought in them which shall be perfected in Heaven But see the Notes also Chap. 4.3 and 59.20 they shall inherit the Land for ever that is as it hath respect to the Jews returning from Babylon they shall possess the Land of Canaan again for many Generations see the Note Psal 37.18 Lest that poor Remnant that were brought back from thence should fear that they should presently be driven out again therefore is this promise added But now as this is spoken with respect to the Church of Christ the meaning of this Inheriting the Land for ever must needs be that they should for ever continue in the World as Gods peculiar Church and People the new World say our Divines in their large Annotations by Christ renewed and restored in a special manner here in full perfection hereafter whereof Gods giving Canaan to the Israelites for their peculiar Inheritance that they might therein abide by themselves separated from all the World was a notable Type As for the following Words the Branch of my planting the Work of mine hands that I may be glorified they are added as a reason why those things must needs be so which he had here foretold concerning Gods People namely because a Graft planted by the great God must needs thrive and prosper the rather because of the great delight he must needs take in them even as Men are wont highly to esteem those Trees that are of their own planting and especially because his aim in planting them was that they might be to his glory But see the Note Chap. 29.23 Ver. 22. A little One shall become a thousand and a small one a strong Nation c. This is a prediction of the miraculous multiplication of Gods People to wit that it should be such that one Man that had but a little small Family should have such a numerous Posterity that his Family should in a short time become like a great Nation And this may be understood as spoken in the Type of the Jews that should return from Babylon that though they were but a small Remnant to speak of yet they should soon become again a very numerous People yet I conceive it is principally meant in the Antitype of the Church of Christ that though that was very little at first yet it should suddenly encrease even to admiration And so indeed it was see the Note Psal 110.3 The Apostles were but a few Yet how soon had they spread the Gospel to the utmost parts of the Earth One Peter by one Sermon won three thousand to the Christian Faith Acts 2.41 And the Apostle Paul that terms himself the least of the Apostles how many Churches were planted by him alone even in remote Countries Some would have the first branch understood of a few growing to great multitudes A little one shall become a thousand and then the second branch and a small one a strong nation of Men of mean condition growing up to be potent and mighty Men. But I rather think that in both branches the same thing is intended for the word rendered strong is sometimes used for numerous see the Note Chap. 16.14 Again some would have the Spiritual sense of these expressions to be that Men even of mean parts and small gifts of grace should bring in multitudes to believe in Christ But the first Exposition seems to me the clearest I the Lord will hasten it in his time that is however impossible this may seem to be yet when the time comes that is appointed for the doing of it I the Lord who have all things under my command will not defer it but speedily dispatch it CHAP. LXI VERSE 1. THE Spirit of the Lord God is upon me c. It is clear that the Prophet Isaiah doth in express tearms speak this of himself That the People might with the more confidence believe what he had said to them he assures them that God had endued him with the Spirit of Prophesie and had sent him to foretel their deliverance out of Babylon for the comfort of his poor People when they should be there in great affliction and misery The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me that is he hath poured forth the Spirit of Prophesie upon me by the enabling whereof I speak because the Lord hath anointed me that is consecrated and set me apart to be his Prophet and accordingly fitted me with gifts suitable thereto whereof the anointing of Kings Priests and Prophets of old was a sign see the Notes 1 Kings 19.15 to preach good tydings unto the meek that is the tydings of their deliverance out of Babylon he hath sent me to bind up that is to heal see the Note Psal 147.3 the broken-hearted that is the poor broken-hearted Captives in Babylon And so we must likewise understand all that follows to proclaim liberty to the Captives c. Well but now as clear it is also that the Prophet speaks this likewise as in the Person of Christ of whom he was a Type and that because in the first Sermon our Saviour preached at Nazareth having read this Text out of Isaiah he told his Hearers that the Prophet spake those words of him Luke 4.21 This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears And of him therefore principally this place must be understood The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me for which see the Note Chap. 11.2 because the Lord hath anointed me that is set me apart to the office of the Mediator and abundantly fitted me for it by the pouring forth of the gifts of his Spirit upon me whereof the anointing of Kings Priests and Prophets was an outward sign But for this see the Note also Psal 45.7 to Preach good tydings unto the Meek or as it is cited Luke 4.18 out of the Septuagint and they or both one and the same in effect to Preach the Gospel to the Poor that is to Men poor in Spirit meekned and humbled with the sight and sense of their Sins and the Miseries they were obnoxious to by reason of their Sins he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted that is to heal them as it is expressed Luke 4.18 To wit by comforting them with the glad tydings of the Gospel to proclaim liberty to the Captives See the Note Chap. 42.7 And the opening of the Prison to them that are bound which last Clause seems to be rendred in Luke 4.18 and recovering of sight to the Blind the reason whereof Expositors usually say is because Men set free out of dark Prisons have as it were their Eyes opened thereby But see the Notes Chap. 42.7 and 49.9 Yea there is one Clause
now as we intend it to that great work of our Salvation by Christ begun here but perfected in Heaven it may be particularly applyed to that Evangelical Righteousnes wherewith Christians may be truly said to be Cloathed for which see the Note Chap. 60.21 This I conceive is the true meaning of this place yet I know there are some that would have nothing else intended thereby but only this that God had changed their Captive Garments into the joyful Attire of those that are delivered out of Captivity Ver. 11. For as the Earth bringeth forth her Bud and as the Garden causeth the things that are sown in it to Spring forth c. To wit when the Winter is gone and the Spring is come So the Lord God will cause Righteousness and Praise to Spring forth before all the Nations that is so though God may hide himself from his People for a time yet when he begins to let the light of his Countenance shine forth favourably upon them again he will cause your Land in the sight of all Nations to abound with Righteousness and Praise that is with the discovery of his Goodness and Faithfulness to you and the Praise that shall thereupon be given to him as if these things did grow and spring up every where out of the Earth see the like expression Psal 72.3 and 85.11 The Land shall be covered with Righteousness and Praise as the Earth is with the Fruits that grow up in the Spring time But see also the foregoing Note The drift doubtless of these Expressions is to shew that how impossible and incredible soever these things might seem which the Prophet had promised â— yet that Almighty God that caused the Earth yearly to yield her Fruit would likewise effect this great Change of which he had spoken CHAP. LXII VERSE 1. FOR Zions sake I will not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake I will not rest c. The Prophet here professeth that out of love and tender respect to Zion and Gods Church and People and out of zeal for their good their comfort and incouragement he would not give over publishing those glad tydings which he had already declared to them to wit concerning their deliverance out of Babylon and their Redemption by Christ and praying to God for the accomplishment of them though he had long time done this yet he would still incessantly go on to do it yea though he should be never so much discouraged by the incredulity hatred and injurious dealing of the people to whom he imparted these glad Tydings or by seeing the Ruine that should come upon them for a time yet â—e would not cease incessantly to proclaim these things that hereby he might raise up their Hearts constantly to wait for this promised deliverance and Salvation though it might be long er'e it came Vntil the Righteousness thereof goeth forth as brightness and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth that is as it respects the Jews in Babylon until by Gods destroying the Babylonians and his Peoples Deliverance the Righteousness of his Peoples Cause which lay hid during their Captivity shall appear so clearly and gloriously that all the Nations about them shall see and acknowledge it Or as it respects the Church of Christ until Christ come who is the Righteousness and Saviour of his People until the great Work of the Righteousness and Salvation of the Church be fully accomplished and do shine forth gloriously in the Ministry of the Gospel to the drawing of all Mens Eyes to it even amongst Gentiles that before sat in gross darkness Some think that this is spoken by the Prophet in the Person of God For Zions sake I will not hold my peace c. To wit that God would not rest till he had pleaded the Righteous Cause of his People and saved them from their Enemies for when he doth forbear to do this he is in the Scripture Phrase said to hold his peace See the Note Chap. 42.14 Yea they say that it cannot be spoken by the Prophet in his own Person because he dyed long before the return of the Jews out of Babylon and much more before the full accomplishment of these things by Jesus Christ But this is not a sufficient reason to disprove what is most generally held by Expositors to wit that the Prophet speaks here in his own Person since his meaning here may be only this that should he live till these things which God had promised his People should come to pass he would never cease to Preach these glad tydings nor to Pray for the speedy performance of them It is not unlike that Speech of the Apostles 1 Thes 4.17 We which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds that is should any of us at that day be found living upon Earth it would be so with us Ver. 2. And the Gentiles shall see thy Righteousness c. To wit that before mentioned which should go forth as brightness for which see the foregoing Note and all Kings thy Glory that is all the great Kings of the Gentiles to whom the knowledge of it shall come shall take notice of the exceeding Glory whereto God hath advanced thee See the Note Psal 138.4 And thou shalt be called by a new Name which the Mouth of the Lord shall Name that is God will give thee a new Name to wit that expressed afterward ver 4. Thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah But the meaning is either that Gods Church and People should through his favour to them become exceeding Famous and Renowned far more than ever formerly Or that God would bring them into a new Estate and Condition far more glorious than ever formerly heard of which was most fully accomplished when they became the Church of Christ Ver. 3. Thou shalt also be a Crown of Glory in the Hand of the Lord and a Royal Diadem in the Hand of thy God The meaning is either 1. That the Lord by his Hand upon them in their Deliverance and in the great things he would do for them as his peculiar People would advance them to great Glory so that they should be eminently conspicuous and renowned even as a Glorious Crown or Royal Diadem in the Eyes of those that behold it or rather 2. That God would own his People to be an Honour and Glory to him even as a Crown or Diadem which a King takes in his Hand and puts upon his Head as being the people over whom he Reigned as their King and Soveraign and consequently that he would make as precious account of them as a King doth of his Crown and as carefully preserve them Ver. 4. Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken c. See the Notes Chap. 49.14 and 54.6 7. Neither shall thy Land any more be termed desolate See the Note Chap. 1.7 and 54.3 But thou shalt be called that is thou shalt be and shalt be owned to be as we see in the like
possessed themselves of the Land which God had given them and had profaned and trodden down Gods Sanctuary do here beg of God going on in the Prayer begun ver 7. of that Chapter that breaking through all impediments he would suddenly and in great fury and indignation come down and destroy the Enemies of his People and deliver his People out of their hands Oh that thou wouldest rent the Heavens that thou wouldest come down that is that thou wouldest come down rending the Heavens all asunder before thee that the Mountains might flow down at thy presence that is might be melted and so flow away like Water or melted Wax where by melting the Mountains may be figuratively meant the destroying and overturning the Babylonians and other the proud and lofty Enemies of his People and the removing of all impediments out of the way of their return home to their own Country see the Note Psal 97.5 Or else it may be spoken by way of allusion to that which was done at the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai where all being on a light flame in that terrible tempest of Thunder and Lightning the Mountains seemed to tremble and melt away see the Note Judg. 5.4 and so the desire of Gods People here may be that in delivering them now he would shew forth some such sign of his Glorious Majesty and Power as he did at the giving of the Law Some I know do understand this concerning Gods rending the Heavens and coming down of the Incarnation of the Son of God and accordingly by the flowing down of the Mountains they understand either the humbling of the Hearts of proud Sinners by the preaching of the Gospel or else the destroying of all the Enemies of his People But if the first coming of Christ be here intended it is but only as his Redemption was typified by the deliverance of Gods People out of Babylon Ver. 2. As when the melting Fire burneth c. This hath reference to the last words of the foregoing Verse where Gods People desired that at Gods appearing for them the Mountains might flow down and there may be still an allusion to Gods causing the Mountains of Sinai to melt away as is noted before namely that this might be done As when a melting Fire which useth to be most vehement burneth to wit the Wood and Coles which are the Fuel of it or burneth or melteth Mettals by the heat of it and as when the Fire causeth the Waters hanged over it to boile to make thy Name known to thine Adversaries See the Note Chap. 63.12 That the Nations may tremble at thy Presence to wit the Babylonians and other Enemies And hereby now is shewn what was meant in the foregoing Verse by the flowing down of the Mountains at Gods Presence Ver. 3. When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for c. That is which our forefathers did never expect thou wouldest have done for them as being things that seemed when done above all credit and belief and such as humane reason could not comprehend thou camest down the Mountain flowed down at thy Presence as if they had said Thou didst then for them that which we at present desire of thee And now by these terrible things done formerly for their Progenitors are doubtless meant all those stupendious miraculous Works which God wrought for the Israelites from the time that Moses was sent to fetch them out of Egypt until they were possessed of the Land of Canaan and amongst the rest more especially those things which were done at Mount Sinai for which see the Note before ver 1. And the drift of this is to imply that since God had done such great things for them formerly they might hope that he would now do the like again for them when they begged it of him Ver. 4. For since the beginning of the World Men have not heard nor perceived by the Eare neither hath the Eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him That is None besides thee O God who didst intend and determine before-hand to do them did ever hear or see or was able to reach or comprehend those wonderful things which thou hast prepared for them that trusting in thee do patiently depend and waite upon thee Or else according to the Translation that is in the Margin of our Bibles there was never humane Ear or Eye that ever did hear or see any God besides thee the God of Israel that hath done or prepared to do such things as thou hast prepared for thy People And this is also added to shew that they might well be incouraged to beg that which they had desired of a God that had formerly done such unheard of such unseen and wonderful things for his People Now by these wonderful things which from the beginning of the World Men had never heard nor seen are meant I conceive those terrible things which they looked not for mentioned in the foregoing Verse which God had done for the Israelites in his carrying them out of Egypt into Canaan for which see the Note there and this may seem the more probable because that which the Prophet saith here doth so fully agree with that which Moses had long since said concerning those wonderful works which God did then for the Israelites Deut. 4.32 33 34. For ask now of the days that are past which were before thee since the day that God created Man upon the Earth and ask from the one side of Heaven unto the other whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is or hath been heard like it c. The Apostle indeed makes use of these words of the Prophet 1. Cor. 2.9 Where speaking of the wisdom revealed in the Gospel he affirms it to be above the reach of Mans understanding Which none saith he of the Princes of this world knew But as it is written Eye hath not seen nor Eare heard neither have entred into the Heart of Man Which Clause is added by the Apostle the better to explain the words of the Prophet the things which God hath prepared for them that love him And by these things some understand the incomprehensible happiness which God hath prepared in Heaven for his Poople but most of the Mysteries revealed in the Gospel which had been formerly hidden even from Gods own People But it is usual with the Pen-men of the New Testament to alledge passages out of the Old only by way of allusion See the like noted Psal 19.4 And besides the words here are so general that they may well comprehend all the incomprehensible Works of God for his People though they might be more particularly intended as is before said of the Wonders formerly wrought in the Deliverance of the Israelites Ver. 5. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness c. That is Those that trusting in thee do rejoice in thee and do their Duty Or those that do joyfully and
in her nor the voice of crying which as it hath respect to the Jews that were brought home out of Babylon must be understood comparatively that there should be no such weeping and crying amongst them as there had been formerly See the Notes Chap. 30.19 and 54.9 and 60.18 But as it is spoken with respect to the People of God in the Days of the Gospel it must be meant of the eminent comfort which they should find here even in their greatest Sorrows and Sufferings because of the joy they have in Eternal things which they cannot lose and likewise of their compleat Freedom from all Sorrow in Heaven See the Notes Chap. 25.8 and 35.10 Ver. 20. There shall be no more thence an infant of Days c. I pass by many Expositions that are given of these Words that have indeed no shew of probability in them Some indeed there are which though I conceive they be not intended in this place yet more is said for them with some appearance of truth than for the other as 1. That the Prophet speaks here of the great Change that should be in those happy times here promised in regard of the Wisdom and Gravity and Holiness that should be found amongst the People of God that there should be none amongst them so Foolish and Childish and Vain and Boyish as there had been their old Men should be such in regard of their prudence and Gravity as might well be looked upon as Men fully of ripe Age and such as had every way carried themselves as became their Years Nay farther even the Child should carry himself as if he were a Man of an hundred years old that is a Man of great Years See the Note Eccles 6.3 But as for those that being old were yet void of saving knowledge that lived vainly and sinfully like old Boys or Children they should be looked upon as abominable and accursed or as such should be cut off by the Hand of God And indeed thus much may be said for this Exposition that Men that are Childish and Vain for Understanding and Manners are termed Children and Babes in the Scripture see the Note Eccles 10.16 Or 2. That this is spoken of the Spiritual Estate of Gods People in the Days of the Gospel to wit that Believers should not always continue in a state of Infancy in Knowledge and Grace but that they should be continually growing up in Grace unto a perfect Man in which Estate without decaying they should continue for ever Eph. 4.12.16 Or 3. That this must be refered to the Resurrection and to the Eternal Estate of Gods People in Heaven wherein there shall be no weakness of Infancy or Child-hood nor Infirmities of old Age but all shall be fresh and flourishing Children shall be raised in a perfect Stature and Old Men in Youthful strength and vigour And as for old sinners unbelieving and impenitent Persons they shall have no share in this blessed Estate But certainly neither of these Expositions can fairely be made to agree with the several branches of this verse Questionless it is long life which is here amongst other Blessings promised to Gods People to wit that neither Young nor Old amongst them should be cut off by untimely Death as they had been but should accomplish the full time which according to the ordinary course of Nature they were like to reach and which others of their condition and constitution did usuallâ— attain There shall be no more from thence an iâ—fant of Days that is there shâ—â—l not hereafter go out or be carried out to Burial any that are but Infants or Children for Days but being healthful and strong they shall grow up to their full stint of years nor an old Man that hath not filled his Days that is that hath not according to the ordinary course of Nature lived to the full Period of his Days For the Child shall dye an hundred years old that is a very old Man but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed as if he had said but yet in the midst of all the Prosperity of Gods Peâ—ple if a Man lives a sinful wicked life though he lives never so long he shall be accursed both here and Eternally hereafter Ver. 21. And they shall build Houses and Inhabit them c. Here together with long life peâ—ce is promised But here still under Temporal many understand Spiritual and Eternal Blessings Ver. 22. They shall not Build and another Inhabit they shall not Plant and another Eat c. This Promise imports not only that they should not be bereaved of these things neither by Forreign Enemies breaking in upon them as was said before Chap. 62.8 9. For which see the Note there Nor by the power of Oppressors too mighty for them nor by being forced through extream Poverty â—o make them away buâ— likewise principally that they should not Build and Plant meerly for Posterity but that they should themselves live to enjoy them as appears evidenâ—â—â— both by the foregoing verses and that which here followeth For as the days of a Tree are the days of my People that is they shall like many long-lived Trees live many years as namely the Oake the Elme the Palm Tree c See the Note Psal 92 12. And mine Elect shall long enjâ—y the work of their Hands to wit by reason of the lengthning out of their Lives See the Note Psal 128.2 Ver. 23. They shall not labour in vain c. To wit as not living to enjoy any benefit by what they had Built or Planted ver 22. See the Note Deut. 28.30 nor bring forth for trouble that is they shall not bring forth Children either 1. To the trouble of themselves as being perplexed with fear in times of War lest their Children should be slain or made Slaves or in times of Pestilence lest they should be swept away by that devouring Sickness or as being troubled to see such Misery befal their Children Or 2. To the trouble of their Children they shall not by the loss of their Parents or any other sad Calamities that may befall them be brought to look upon themselves as born for nothing but grief and trouble As they shall long enjoy their Estates peaceably so their Children too and as they shall live quietly and prosperously so shall their Children also For they are the Seed of the Blessed of the Lord and their off spring with them that is both they and their Posterity are the genuine Children of those Holy Servants of of God that he Promised to bless and therefore both they and their Children shall be blessed of God Ver. 24. And it shall come to pass that before they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear That is before they pray whilest they are only purposing to pray or desiring a Mercy in their Hearts at least before they have finished their Prayer I will come in to their help or supply The drift of
their own disobedience and rebellions against that great God that had done this they began to think how dangrous it was for them that must enjoy constant communion with a God that was so zealous of his glory so severe against sinners and so continually ready to break forth in his wrath as a consuming fire to devour them here yea and to punish them with everlasting burnings in hell heareafter who among us say they shall dwell with that devouring fire c. But I rather think that this is intended concerning the terrors wherewith these sinners in Zion should be surprised upon the marching of the Assyrians against Jerusalem Yet withall this must be added that the fire wherewith these wicked wretches profess themselves to be so exceedingly frighted was not simply the Assyrian Army as concluding that they would come and burn the City Jerusalem and lay all waste before them as they had done wherever they came but the wrath of God who upon this ground is indeed called a consuming fire see the Note Deut. 4.24 breaking forth and clearly discovering it self in this invasion of the Assyrians and their carrying all before them with unresistable violence which as it had before consumed the Ten Tribes and at this time a great part of the land of Judea so their guilty consciences made them apprehend it would now likewise devour them in Jerusalem and would never leave burning till all was consumed by it who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings And indeed it is evident that by everlasting burnings here the fire of Hell cannot be meant because in the following verse it is said that the righteous man shall without fear dwell with this fire He that walketh righteously c. It was I say the wrath and vengeance of God in the fury of the Assyrians which these sinners feared would be a consuming fire to them And observable it is that in this their complaint they charge all their danger upon Gods extream severity and not upon themselves Ver. 15. He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gain of oppression that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes c. That is that rejecteth them with loathing and detestation that stoppeth his ears from heaâ—ing of blood that is that will not endure to hear any motion made of any violence or injury to be offered to the life or livelyhood of his brethren see the Note Chap. 1.15 and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil that is from the sight of any thing that should entice him to evil or that is so far from doing evil himself that he cannot endure to see others do it This is the answer that is returned to that doleful exclamation of the wicked distrustful hypocrites amongst the Jews in the foregoing verse Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire c. Why saith the Prophet He that walketh righteously c. He that will live a holy righteous life may safely dwell with God though he be a consuming fire to wicked ungodly wretches And thus he gives them to understand that if the wrath of God were so terrible to them they must charge it upon their own wickedness not upon Gods severity A good and a righteous man needs not fear it Ver 16. He shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks c. That is Such a man shall be as safe and as fearless as if he dwelt in some impregnable Fort built upon inaccessible Rocks the Church of God shall be as munitions of Rocks to him bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure that is he shall not want meat and drink nor any thing necessary for the support of his life no not in the time when Jerusalem shall be besieged by the Assyrians Ver. 17. Thine eyes c. This is a farther promise made to the righteous man of whom the Prophet had spoken in the two foregoing verses Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty that is Hezekiah Though he may be for a time in a very sad and forlorn condition as he was indeed when the Assyrians had wasted the greatest part of his Kingdom and he was glad to crouch to an insolent Tyrant and beg Conditions of Peace of him 2 Kings 18.14 and yet could not prevail but was only abused and scorned by him and at last besieged by his Forces in the City Jerusalem and when upon this occasion he went up to the Temple to implore Gods help having rent his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth 2 Kings 19.1 yet shall he afterwards Reign in greater Majesty and Glory than ever he did formerly to wit after God had so miraculously destroyed the Assyrian Army after which it is said that many brought presents to Hezekiah so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth 2 Chron. 32.23 they that is thine eyes shall behold the land that is very far off The meaning is that the time should come when they should no longer be cooped up in Jerusalem because the besiegers being all destroyed they might safely and securely go abroad whither they would and travel peaceably into the remotest parts of the land yea if their occasions did so require into foreign Countries Many learned Expositors do otherwise I know understand this last clause as 1. that they should see Embassadors come to Hezekiah from a far Country to wit the Babylonians for which see the Note 2 Kings 20.12 Or 2. that they should see Hezekiah's Kingdom enlarged by the bringing of foreign Countries under his Dominion Or 3. that the Fame of Hezekiah should be carried into Countries a far off But the words of the Text will very hardly bear either of these Expositions And so likewise that which others say that in this whole verse the Prophet speaks to Shebna of whom mention was made before Chap 22.15 telling him that he should see Hezekiah whom he slighted and despised Reigning in great Majesty and Glory and that himself should be banished or carried away Captive into a land a far off it no way suits with the tenor of that which the Prophet is speaking of in this place That which others say is far more probable to wit that under the type of Hezekiah the seeing of Christ in his Glory is here promised to the faithful Though for a time he should live in a low and despised condition and should at last be hanged up between two Thieves upon the Cross when that was fully verified Chap. 53.2 he hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him yet afterwards the eyes of his Servants should see this their King in his Beauty and Glory to wit when as the only begotten Son of God he rose triumphantly out of the Grave and ascended into Heaven but especially when he shall come again at the last day in exceeding great
Glory sitting on his Throne to judg the world As for that of their seeing the land that is very far off some understand it of the enlarging of Christs Kingdom even to the remotest parts of the world others of their seeing the land of rest which in the highest Heavens God hath provided for the inheritance of his people Ver. 18. Thine heart shall meditate terror c. First This may be understood of the terrors wherewith they should be perplexed whilst the City Jerusalem should be blocked up by the Assyrians the Prophet putting them in mind hereof purposely to render them the more thankful for the following deliverance to wit that in that time of danger their minds should be continually running upon those things the thought whereof must needs be terrible to them as namely either that they should be still thinking of the heavy pressures and Taxes that would be put upon them when the Assyrians had taken the City and brought them into bondage And so the words following may be added to represent the fear they should be still in of these exactors coming upon them to peel them of what they had Where is the Scribe to wit the Officer that kept the Roul of the Captives and of the Tribute and Taxes they were to pay where is the receiver that is he that gathered the Tribute or Taxes where is he that counted the towers that is the Officer that was to take a survey of the houses that so taking notice of the fairest and stateliest houses he might set the greater Taxes upon them Or else that they should be continually musing with themselves how little hope there was that they should be able to defend the City against so mighty an Army they having neither Soldiers to muster nor Money to pay them nor Forts fitted to keep off the Enemy where is the Scribe or as we say the Muster-master where is the receiver that is the Treasurer or Pay-master that is to pay the Soldiers where is he that counted the towers that is the Officer that is to take a view of the Towers and other parts of the City that by pulling down some and fortifying others the City might be made the more defensible for which see the Note Chap. 22.10 But 2. It may be likewise understood and I think more probably of their calling to mind after God had destroyed the Assyrians the terrors wherewith they had been formerly perplexed Thine heart shall meditate terrors that is When God hath cut off those enemies that were such a terror to thee then thou shalt often with some contentment sit meditating on those terrors which in those times of thy distress were so dreadful to thee And accordingly the words following Where is the Scribe c. may either be taken as a representation of the despairing Speeches they uttered when they were so distracted with fear according to the Expositions before given of them Or else as an insultation over those enemies that had a while since been such a terror to them Where is the Scribe where is the Receiver that is Where are your Muster-masters and your Pay-masters where is he that counted the towers that is the Engineer whose office it was to view the towers of Jerusalem that so order might be given against which part of the City their batteries might be made or what Towers or Galleries were to be raised in the Camp for the battering and assaulting them as if it had been said What is now become of all the great Officers in Sennacheribs Army they are all now gone and shall be no more a terror to us as it follows in the next verse Neither is it improbable that the Apostle doth at least allude to this place in that Expression of his 1 Cor. 1.20 Where is the Wise Where is the Scribe c Ver. 19. Thou shalt not see a fierce people c. That is This fierce people the Assyrians God will destroy and scatter so that thou shalt be quite rid of them neither shall they return any more to be a trouble and a terror to thee a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive of a stammering tongue that thou canst not understand See the Notes Chap. 28.11 and Psal 81.5 Ver. 20. Look upon Zion c. Having in the foregoing verse assured the faithful Jews that they should never more see those enemies that were such a terror to Jerusalem here he triumphs in the preservation of that City Look upon Zion the City of our solemnities that is The City where God hath appointed his people to meet together to worship him in a solemn manner thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation that is Free from the disturbances that were formerly therein the inhabitans living safely and without fear a tabernacle that shall not be taken down to wit as other tents and tabernacles used to be and then to be removed to other places And therefore we must know that Jerusalem is called a Tabernacle with respect to Gods dwelling there in the Temple in the same manner as formerly he did in the Tabernacle made by Moses and withal to imply that though it were in it self a weak place that might as easily be destroyed as a Tabernacle may be taken down yet through Gods protection it should be preserved as being chosen of God to be his setled dwelling place unto the coming of the Messiah See the Notes Psal 78.68 69. and 1 King 9.3 And to the same purpose is that which follows not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken But now under this type of Jerusalem the perpetual peace and safety of the Church of Christ is intended that therein Gods people shall enjoy a peaceable and quiet habitation See the Note Chap. 9.6 That God would so preserve it here in this World that the gates of Hell should never be able to prevail against it and that at last she should be triumphantly setled in an unchangable estate of happiness in Heaven The Tabernacle of the earthly Zion was removed Lam. 2.6 He hath violently taken away his Tabernacle as if it were of a Garden it is in Heaven only that God hath promised his people a continuing City Ver. 21. But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams c. As if the Prophet had said Though Jerusalem be not compassed about with any great River as Babylon and Niniveh and many other Cities are but hath only a small brook or two for the watering of it yet that shall be no hinderance to our preservation because the Lord is with us and he wâ—ll be unto us instead of many such broad rivers and streams securing us so that no enemy shall come at us to hurt us See the Note Chap. 26.1 Yea whereas such great Rivers that are in some regard a great defence to Cities have yet this discommodity in them that thereby ships do usually
rest upon God even against all opposition that may seem to threaten them in their way But see the Note also Psal 103.5 They shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint that is Though the accomplishment of Gods Promises to them be never so long delayed and though they meet with never so much Discouragement yet resting confidently upon God they shall hold out to the end and couragiously run the Race that is set before them CHAP. XLI VERSE 1. KEep silence before me O islands c. So usually in the Scripture all Transmarine Countries are called See the Notes Gen. 10.5 and Psal 97.1 The scope of this Chapter is much the same with that in the foregoing Chapter to wit to make known to the Jews with what confidence they might expect that deliverance out of Babylon which God had before promised them and doth here again assure them of and so likewise that Redemption by Christ whereof that deliverance was a type and what little cause they had to fear that any power of that Heathen people or their Idol-gods should be able to disappoint God of doing that for his people which he had promised And thus still also by the way they are covertly forewarned to take heed that whilst they continued in Babylon they were not drawn away to their Idolatry Now accordingly here in the beginning of this Chapter God by the Prophet as is evident ver 4. challengeth all the Heathen Nations round about to enter into a fair and equal debate with him that when he had pleaded his cause and they had answered what they had to say for themselves it might be judged and determined whether God had not in all Ages done that for his people as they had often found to their cost which none of their Idol-gods were ever able to do and consequently whether there was not very just ground why his people should quietly expect the accomplishment of that which God had promised to do for them without fearing anything their Idol-gods could do to hinder him therein Keep silence before me O Islands to wit that you may hear what I shall say and let the people renew their strength that is Let them take courage and strengthen themselves with all the Arguments they can See the Note Chap. 40.31 Let them come near then let them speak that is Let them except what they can against what I say and say what they can for themselves and for their Idol-gods that cannot speak for themselves Let us come near together to Judgment that is Let us with fair and equal terms on both sides debate the matter that our Cause may be judged and determined And thus he gives the Jews to understand that the very Heathens might be convinced of the truth of that which he had now to say if they would seriously consider of it Ver. 2. Who raised up the righteous man from the east To wit Abraham whom God called out of Ur in Chaldea that lay Eastward of Judea raising his heart effectually to detest the Idolatry of the place where he lived and readily to obey Gods command for the leaving of his Country and Kindred to go to the Country whereto he would carry him and who is called here the righteous man because being justified by faith Gen. 15.6 he did afterward approve himself a truly righteous man by continuing constant in the Worship of the only true God and by the general Justice and Righteousness of his Conversation in all other regards called him to his foot that is To follow God whithersoever he would lead him not knowing at all whither it would be even as servants being bidden follow their Master though they know not whither he will carry them and being likewise afterwards ready to go to and fro as God was pleased to appoint him gave the Nations before him and made him rule over Kings to wit by vanquishing them See the Note before Chap. 40.10 he gave them as the dust to his sword and as driven stubble to his bow that is He did as easily rout and subdue them as dust or stubble is driven away or scattered by the wind And all this is spoken though more especially of Abraham with reference to that victory of his over the four Kings that had plundred Sodom see Gen. 14.14 yet inclusively also of his Posterity and of the many Kings whom they conquered and subdued and all this to shew with what assured confidence the Jews at present might rely upon their God and how little cause they had to fear the idolatrous Nations or their Idol-gods if they would consider what God had done for their father Abraham and so for his Posterity successively Who raised up the righteous man from the East c. as if he should have said who but the God of Abraham did this Or which of the Heathen gods ever did the like And therefore why should Abrahams Posterity question the deliverance promised them When he was in Chaldea God carried him safely through many dangers into the land of Canaan and did afterward do great things for his Posterity and now you are in bondage in Chaldea why may not God do the same for you I know well that many learned Expositors do understand this of Cyrus who say they was raised out of the East that is Persia that lay Eastward of Babylon and is stiled the righteous man c. because he did justly and faithfully what God would have done in executing vengeance upon the Babylonians and setting Gods people free and sending them home into their own Country And again others understand it of Christ the holy one and the just as he is called Act. 3.14 and who by the Gospel hath vanquished and subdued many Nations But the former Exposition concerning Abraham I conceive is far most probable only Christ may be included in Abraham of whose seed he came Ver. 3. He pursued them and passed safely c. That is Abraham pursued the Kings before mentioned with safety and success and without any considerable loss or damage to him or his followers Gen. 14.15 even by the way that he had not gone with his feet that is In remote Countries where he had never been and must needs therefore be unacquainted with their ways But in this also that which he did in his Posterity may also be included See the foregoing Note Ver. 4. Who hath wrought and done it c. To wit all before mentioned concerning Abraham and his Children successively in all Generations and with respect thereto therefore it follows calling the Generations from the beginning that is Who according to his eternal fore-knowledg and decree hath from the beginning of the World made and raised up the Nations of the World in their several Generations which the Apostle Rom. 4.17 expresseth thus and calleth those things which be not as if they were and hath ordered and disposed of them as he pleased and so amongst others the Posterity of