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
understand it thus That Heaven and Earth should concur to afford their help for the effecting of that great Deliverance which God had now in hand And 2ly others understand it both of the abundant bliss safety and righteous dealing which Gods people should enjoy by the favour of Cyrus to them and likewise of that fulness of all spiritual Blessings which the Church should enjoy under the Kingdom of Christ But the Exposition formerly given I conceive is the best yet see the Notes Psal 72.6 7. and 85.11 As for the last clause I the Lord have created it it seems added with reference to that which went before ver 7. and that to assure them that how impossible soever that might seem to be which he had promised yet it should certainly come to pass to which purpose he speaks of it as done already I the Lord have created it as if he had said I the Lord who do by mine Almighty power what I please will effect this Ver. 10. Wo unto him that striveth with his Maker c. To wit either by way of opposing what God hath determined to do or by way of murmuring against any Dispensation of his Providence And this might be spoken as by way of declaring in general the evil and danger of opposing or muttering against any Counsel or Acting of Divine Providence upon occasion of that which God had said before that all that was done in the World was done by his all-ruling Providence ver 7. I form the light and create darkness c. yet it seems rather to have been intended more particularly either against the Babylonians to shew that nothing but misery and wo would be the Issue of their opposing what God intended to do or rather against the murmuring of the Jews in Babylon especially as to that which God had now promised to do for them Because the poor Captives in Babylon might think with themselves Why should the Lord bring us his peculiar people under the tyrannical Bondage of such a barbarous Nation if he meant afterward to destroy them and to deliver us and send us back into our own Country Or why should he defer our Deliverance so long Or why should he not raise up one of our own Nation to do it as he hath formerly done even this also some add but bring a Prince from so remote a Country to set us free And so likewise for that which God had promised concerning that great Deliverance by Christ because men might argue within themselves Why was Christ sent no sooner or why should the Jews be cast off and the Gentiles called into their room Against these and all such Arguings with God this is here opposed Wo unto him that striveth with his Maker and then he adds let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it What makest thou that is What intendest thou to make of me Or why dost thou undertake that which thou art not able to effect or rather Why hast thou made me thus as the Apostle hath expressed it Rom. 9.20 Or thy work He hath no hands that is He hath no hands to do what he hath undertaken or rather He hath no hands fit to undertake such a work or surely he that made me thus rudely and bunglingly either had no hands or made no use of his hands And the drift of this is to shew that if it would be an unreasonable and monstrous thing to think that the clay should quarrel with the Potter about his Workmanship or call him to an account concerning the work he made of it much more unreasonable would it be for man whom God formed out of the earth as the Potter doth his Vessels of clay to contend with his Maker about any thing he doth to him and that the rather because the clay was not made by the Potter whereas man had not only his form and shape but his very being from God and therefore it must needs be free for the Creator to do whatever he pleased with his Creatures But see the Note also Chap. 29.16 Ver. 10. Wo unto him that saith unto his Father What begettest thou c. That is Why dost thou beget me To what end dost thou do it Or why hast thou begotten me so weak so sickly so unhandsome so deformed or of so mean inward parts as I am Or why hast thou begotten me subject to the same Miseries as other men are The drift of the words is the same with that in the foregoing verse to wit to imply that it is as base a thing to call God to an account for any thing he doth as it is for a Child to quarrel with his Parents about their begetting him Ver. 11. Thus saith the Lord the holy one of Israel and his Maker c. To wit as the Potter makes his Vessels of clay for to that said before ver 9. he alludes But see the Notes Chap. 1.4 and 43.1 As for that which follows Ask me of things to come concerning my Sons and concerning the work of my hands command ye me it is differently understood by Expositors for some understand it as spoken to the Idolatrous enemies of Gods people and that Ironically as if he had said If you would know what I mean to do with my people the work of my hands or what the work is I mean to do for them you had best enquire of me by my Prophets wherein also there may be again a covert deriding of them because their Idol-gods were not able to foretel future things as he the God of Israel was as before Chap. 41.22 c. and in several places afterward and if you like not what you shall hear I mean to to do you had best command me to do otherwise and so hinder me from doing what I intended or Ask of me c. that is You had best call me to an account and lay your Command upon me not to deliver my people by Cyrus as I have said I will do But others again hold which seems to me more probable that this is spoken to Gods people and that either 1. as seriously advising them what they should do in their fears and low Condition namely That they should seek to him their Father and Maker and commit themselves to his care and expect help from him Ask me of things to come c. as if he had said Instead of seeking to Soothsayers and Magicians enquire of me for which see also the Note Chap. 8.19 Therefore you are overwhelmed with grief in your Miseries because you will not ask Counsel of me whereas if you would enquire of me in this you might as it were command me so ready I would be to inform you and so you might hear what might comfort you how careful I am for you and what a good issue I will give to your troubles Or rather instead of murmuring against me and striving with your Maker ask what you will
everlasting Father shall call his name The Prince of Peace But the words as they are in the Hebrew will not bear such a reading as many of their own do acknowledg for they stand clearly in the order as they are rendered in our Translation And his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God c. First Wonderful to wit with respect to that incomprehensible wonder of his two natures the Divine and Humane nature united together in one person as likewise with respect to the wonder of his Concepton Death Resurrection and Ascension together with all the miraculous works that were done by him and especially that great and astonishing work of mans Redemption which the Angels themselves did admire 1 Pet. 1.12 2ly Counsellor as being abundantly furnished to reveal all truths to his people and in all things to counsel and direct them what to do See the Note Prov. 8.14 3ly The mighty God which shews clearly that this cannot be understood of Hezekiah or any other mortal man but only of the Lord Christ 4ly The Everlasting-Father to wit because it is he that regenerates the faithful in all ages and is the father of eternity the author of life eternal to all that believe on him And 5ly The Prince of Peace to wit because he should not advance his Kingdom by force of arms but in a way of peace because he makes our peace with God and united Jews and Gentiles together as one people and because he is the sole author of all the peace of his people outward and inward temporal and eternal See the Note Chap. 2.4 Ver. 7. Of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end c. This is added with respect to the last Title given to Christ in the foregoing verse The Prince of Peace to wit that the extending of his Principality and Government and the peace and prosperity thereof should never come to an end but should still proceed farther and farther which is especially accomplished by the enlargement of his Kingdom amongst the Gentiles See the Note Psal 2.8 And observable it is that by foretelling the increase of the peace of his Kingdom together with the great extent of his dominions these singular priviledges are implied 1. That his Kingdom should be carried on not by the sword but by the Gospel of peace And 2. that whereas the enlargement of other Princes Kingdoms do usually tend to their ruin it should not be so with his As for that which followeth 1. It is said that this his Government should be upon the throne of David and upon his Kingdom because Christ was Davids son and heir and Davids Kingdom was a type of Christs see the Notes 2 Sam. 7.11 16. Ps 72.1 132.11 And accordingly even in Jerusalem the seat of Davids Kingdom Christ Preached the Gospel and was owned as the Son of David and vanquished the spiritual enemies and from thence the Gospel of the Kingdom went forth into all the world 2ly It is said that this should be to order it and to establish it that is for the well-ordering the strengthening and setling of his Church and Kingdom with judgment and with justice that is with just judgment or by punishing the wicked and protecting and rewarding the righteous See the Notes Psal 89.14 Prov. 16.12 And 3ly it is said that this shall be from henceforth even for ever that is from the time that Christ in mans nature shall undertake the Government of his Church unto all eternity And 4ly because the accomplishing of these great things which he had promised might in the declining estate of Davids Kingdom seem impossible therefore he addeth that clause The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this for which see the Notes 2 King 19.31 Ver. 8. The Lord sent a word in to Jacob c. It is not a matter of any concernment to know whether this be a new Prophecy or a continuation of that which went before clear it is that after the interlacing of the foregoing comfortable promises the Prophet here returns to foretell the judgments that were coming upon the men of Israel and that for the comfort of Judah who were now terrified with the confederacy of Israel with Rezin King of Syria against them The Lord sent a word into Jacob that is the Lord hath by me or rather by the many Prophets that have been sent to them made known the ruin that is coming upon the posterity of Jacob in the Ten Tribes and it hath lighted upon Israel that is it shall light upon Israel however they flatter themselves even upon them it shall fall it shall certainly come upon them as it hath been foretold See the Note before ver 7. Yet there are some Expositors that would have it understood thus and it hath lighted upon Israel that is the word sent unto them was accordingly delivered to them and known amongst them falling amongst them as the seed doth on the ground where it is sown Ver. 9. And all the people shall know c. That is when the judgment threatned shall come upon them then they shall all know to their cost experimentally that it was indeed the word of God that was spoken to them though now they will not believe it but do vainly flatter themselves even Ephraim see the Note Psal 78.9 and the inhabitants of Samaria that is of the Kingdom of Samaria to wit the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes of Israel or rather the inhabitants of the City Samaria the Royal and chief City of that Kingdom who are particularly mentioned by way of intimating to them that they should not escape by the strength of their fortifications but should the rather be destroyed for their vain confidence therein as is more clearly set forth in the following words that say in the pride and stoutness of heart to wit that which is added in the next verse Ver. 10. The bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewn stones c. That is our enemies have beaten down our brick-buildings but we will build them again of hewn stones which will be far more costly and strong and stately the Sycomores are cut down but we will change them into cedars that is they have hewn and broken down our houses made of the timber of Sycamore-trees which was of no great reckoning but we will build others of Cedar-Timber far more stately and lasting Some I know understand this last Clause of planting Cedars in the room of those Sycamore-trees which the enemies had cut down when they made all the spoil they could in the Countrey which cannot so probably be thought to be here intended But however the meaning of these Proverbial Expressions is that though their State and Land had suffer'd much by their Enemies yet they would soon bring all things into a more splendid and glorious condition than ever they had been in before insomuch that the ruines the Enemy had made should prove an advantage to them
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
Cor. 3.14 Some I know by this destroying the face of the covering cast over all people do understand Christ's destroying Death and that in the expression here used there is an Allusion to the Face-cloth wherewith the faces of dead men are wont to be covered Joh. 11.44 or to the custom of covering the faces of condemned Malefactors see the Note Esth 7.8 But this of Christ's destroying Death is added in the next verse and the former therefore is rather here intended namely the freeing of his people from that ignorance under which they lay by Nature by the enlightning of the Gospel which was signified by the rending of the Veil of the Temple at the Death of Christ And all this is said should be done in this mountain as before not only because it should be done in the Church made up both of Jews and Gentiles but also because the Gospel whereby this was to be done was at first to go out of Mount Zion See the Notes Chap. 2.3 Ver. 8. He will swallow up death in victory c. That is He will destroy Death for ever as the word in the Original here translated in victory doth properly signifie so that it shall never more prevail over his redeemed ones but Christ shall reign this his last Enemy being destroyed for ever and ever Now though this was done partly by the Death of Christ whereby he abolished Death 2 Tim. 1.10 having by his suffering Death delivered his people â—â—om that Death which their sins had deserved Heb. 2.15 yet it shall chiefly bâ— accomplished at the Resurrection of the just when they shall pass into Lifâ— Eternal after which there shall be no more death Rev. 21.4 for so the Apostâ—â— saith expresly 1 Cor. 15.54 When this corruptible shall put on incorruption and thâ— mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass that Saying â—â—at is written Death is swallowed up in victory And the like may be said of thâ— following words And the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces to wit of his people even as a tender Mother wipes away the tears of her weeping little Child For though God doth this partly by the comforts of his Word and Spirit here yet it is not completely done till they be taken up into Heaven to which estate therefore this passage is applied by St. John Revel 7.17 and 21.4 And so likewise in the next clause And the rebuke or reproach of his people shall be taken away from off all the earth the meaning is that God would free his people from that extreme scorn and contempt which was cast upon them all the world over and from the worlds base and despightful usage of them in their continual afflicting and persecuting of them as if they were a people not worthy to live upon the face of the earth But now the accomplishment of this here principally intended is the exceeding Glory whereunto God's people shall be advanced in Heaven For when God shall take them into this blessed and glorious condition then indeed all the Inhabitants of the earth shall be effectually taken off from that vile and base esteem which they formerly had of them Many good Expositors do I know apply all this to the deliverance of God's people out of Babylon But it is only as looking upon that as a Type of this far greater deliverance promised to God's redeemed ones in and through the Lord Christ Ver. 9. And it shall be said in that day c. That is In that day when these Promises shall be accomplished the people of God shall say to wit with wonder and exceeding great joy for this is as it were the language of the Guests at the Feast mentioned before ver 6. Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us c. Which may be understood 1. in the Type of the rejoycing of God's people at the Lord 's delivering them out of Babylon which they had long expected and came at last to pass according to God's Promise and their earnest expectation And taking it thus observable it is that in this expression of their present joy and confidence in God they do withal covertly judg and condemn themselves because before their being carried into Babylon by their disobeying God's Laws and seeking to foreign Princes for help in their dangers they had not carried themselves towards the Lord as now they found they should have done Or 2. of the people of God's owning Christ at his coming in the flesh and embracing him by Faith when tendred to them in the Gospel as the true God their Lord and Saviour long ago promised them with great joy because of the peace made by him between God and them Or 3. of the Churches triumphing in Christ when he shall come to judge the world and to receive them into his Kingdom of Glory Ver. 10. For in this Mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest That is His powerful Providence shall be constantly and continually over his Church to protect and bless them See the Note Psal 80.17 It is the same in effect with that of our Saviour Mat. 28.20 And lo I am with you alway unto the end of the world And Moab shall be trodden down under him c. That is under his feet Psal 110.1 Moab is here particularly mentioned because none were more constantly and more fiercely bent upon doing mischief to God's people than they were but under these by a Synecdoche all the wicked enemies of his people are intended Even as straw is trodden down for the dunghil to wit the worst of the straw not fit to be reserved for any other use The word which we render trodden down some translate threshed and accordingly they read this verse thus And Moab shall be threshed under him even as straw is threshed in Madmenah and then take Madmenah to be a City of Moab called Madmen Jer. 48.2 and hold that because this City being scituate in a rich Corn-country where there was abundance of straw which was the less regarded thence the Prophet useth this expression here of straw threshed in Madmenah Ver. 11. And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim c. Some hold that this is spoken of Moab with relation to the last words in the foregoing verse to wit That as the Swimmer stretcheth forth his hands to swim so he being trodden down by his enemies should in the midst of them stretch forth his hands to beg for mercy both of God and his enemies Or that he should though in vain strive with all possible endeavours to save himself from utter ruin even as a ship-wrack'd man being fallen into the Sea laboureth with all his might by swimming to escape drowning But clearly as I conceive this is spoken of God That he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth
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
12.4 and to the Holy one of Israel see the Note Chap. 12.6 because he hath glorified thee to wit by the great things he hath done for thee and particularly by enlarging thy Church by the access of the Gentiles But see the Notes before ver 5 6 7. Ver. 10. And the Sons of Strangers shall build up thy Walls c. This in the type was accomplished when at the Jews return from Babylon the forreign Nations did afford them Free-will-offerings towards the building of their City Jerusalem and the Temple being encouraged thereunto by the Proclamation of Cyrus see the Note Ezra 1.4 notwithstanding the opposition that was made against them herein by the Samaritans at their return home yet thus far by the help afforded them by strangers this Prophecy was fulfilled and likewise when the Proselytes of other Nations returning with them did join with them in repairing both their City and Temple and the like may be said of the following words and their Kings shall minister unto thee that was accomplished in the favour afforded the Jews by Cyrus and some of his Successors But now in the Antitype this was clearly fulfilled when God raised up even amongst the Gentiles Learned Men that by their preaching and writing and Princes that by their bounty and favour should much promote the Edification of the Church and advance her strength and glory see the Note Chap. 49.23 for in my wroth I smote thee but in my favour have I had mercy on thee This was spoken of the Jewish Church whom for their sins God did often sorely afflict for a time but afterward of his Free-grace shewed favour to them both in their deliverance out of Babylon and in that greater Mercy of their Redemption by Christ Ver. 11. Therefore thy Gates shall be open continually they shall not be shut day nor night c. To wit that the Gentiles may from every side come in and join themselves in one Church with thee none being excluded that shall in a right manner tender themselves and that they may by night as well as by day bring in their Wealth to thee And indeed that this is intended appears by the following words which are added to explain that which went before that men may bring unto thee the forces or wealth of the Gentiles see the Note above ver 5. and that their Kings may be brought that is that not only the common sort of People but even their Kings also who are usually fierce and not easily won this way or that to do any thing contrary to their own Wills may be brought in to thee to stoop to the Gospel and Scepter of Christ And indeed the word here used in the Original may be understood either of their being brought in to the Church in the State and with the attendance of Kings or of their being brought in as Captives subdued by the Preaching of the Gospel to stoop to the yoke of Christ see the Note Psal 149.8 Even this also indeed some understand of the Type As namely that it is said that the Gates of Jerusalem should stand open continually c. to imply the great confluence of the Nations round about thither upon the Jews return thither from Babylon and of the readiness both of the People and their Kings to contribute liberally to their help But we may easily see how much more clearly this suits with the coming in of the Gentiles upon the Preaching of the Gospel And as for the Evangelist St. John's citing this place Rev. 21.25 to set forth the peace of the Church triumphant in Heaven the ground of that is only because the Apostle knew that the Prophet speaks here of that Glory of the Church of Christ which shall be perfected in the Kingdom of Heaven Ver. 12. For the Nation c. As if he had said nor shall these thy open Gates endanger thee by letting in thine Enemies upon thee for the Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee that is all People that will not submit to the Gospel and Scepter of Christ erected in thee shall perish c. that is shall everlastingly perish Nor can this indeed be any way well understood of the Church of the Jews returning out of Babylon but with respect to what she should come afterward to be in the days of the Gospel Ver. 13. The Glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee c. That is that all Cedars and other goodly Trees which make Lebanon look so Gloriously shall be brought in to thee the Firre-tree and the Pine-tree and the Box together see Chap. 41.19 to beautifie the place of my Sanctuary to wit the Temple at Jerusalem see Ezra 7.27 and I will make the place of my Feet glorious that is my Foot-stool my Temple as is before said for though the Ark is in some places more especially called Gods Foot-stool for which see the Notes 1 Chron. 28.2 and Psal 99.5 yet the Temple is else-where also called Gods Foot-stool as in Lam. 2.1 where the destruction of the Temple is thus set forth That the Lord remembred not his Foot-stool in the day of his anger and so likewise Ezek. 43.7 So that in the Type the rebuilding and beautifying of the Temple after their return from Babylon is clearly here meant see Ezra 3.7 But in the Antitype it is certainly meant of the edifying of the Church of Christ his Spiritual Temple and Foot-stool his setled dwelling-place and God here promiseth a continual supply of whatever might tend to the strengthening and adorning of it Ver. 14. The Sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy Feet c. Though there was some dark shadow of the accomplishment of this in the great respect and honour which was yielded to the Jews after their return from Babylon by many Nations with their Kings that had formerly been their bitter Enemies yet the full and clear accomplishment of it was in the great honour which the Gentiles and their Kings should yield to Christ and his Church see the Note Chap. 49.23 and they shall call thee the City of the Lord c. that is they shall own the special interest which thou hast in God being convinced by his appearing so wonderfully for thee Ver. 15. Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated so that no man went through thee c. That is disregarded and in a desolate condtion see the Notes Chap. 3.26 and 3.11 12. I will make thee an eternal excellency or a lasting excellency that is I will bring thee into a most excellent and glorious estate and this I conceive must be understood of the Jewish Church from the time of her deliverance out of Babylon till she came to be made glorious by becoming the Spouse of Christ and so on forward unto the end of Christs Kingdom It is meant of the Spiritual excellency of the Church here and of
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
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
how long c. That is how long shall this people continue in this sad condition being blinded and hardened yea and made more and more rebellious and refractory by the Preaching of thy servants the Prophets whom thou sendest unto them as if he had said is there no end or period set to this their rejection And this it seems the Prophet spake both by way of wondering at this judgment denounced out of a sollicitous care for this people and out of pity and compassion towards them and likewise as being carried thereto by a secret instinct from God that in the answer which God returned it might be made known with what great severity he meant to proceed against them Until the cities to wit of Judah be wasted without inhabitant and the houses without man and the land be utterly desolate that is until by the incursion of several enemies under the reign of the several Kings that shall successively sit in the Throne of Judah the inhabitants of the land shall be exceedingly wasted and destroyed so that at last both cities and particular houses standing by themselves shall be in a manner left desolate without any to inhabit them And this extream desolation and havock that was made amongst them might be intended concerning that great destruction which was brought upon them by the Babylonians and yet it may be extended also to that extream devastation that was made in that land by the Romans namely by Titus and Vespasian first and afterwards by Hadrian the Emperour But see the Notes Chap. 1.7 5.9 Ver. 12. And the Lord have removed men far away c. To wit the inhabitants of the land whom the Lord in his wrath shall cause to be carried away captives into Assyria and Babylon Countries far remote from the land which God had given them The same expression is again afterward used concerning the Captivity of the Jews in Babylon Chap. 26.15 Thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land that is and by this means the land shall be in a great measure totally in a manner forsaken of her inhabitants and so shall be left desolate It is not therefore Gods forsaking of this people as some think but the lands being forsaken of the people which the Prophet here intends and that was when the people were forcibly carried away into Babylon Yet some I know extend this as is said in the foregoing Note to that great desolation that was made in the land by the Romans when they that were left were dispersed and scattered all the world over Ver. 13. But yet in it shall be a tenth Some learned Expositors do understand this of a tenth King that should sit in the Throne of Judah or of a Decade of Kings that should successively reign in the Kingdom of Judah before that desolation was to come upon the land that was threatned in the foregoing verses And indeed from the time when this was prophesied which was in the days of Jotham the Son of Uzziah see the Note above ver 1. unto the time when the people were carried captives into Babylon by the Chaldeans there were just ten Kings that swayed the Scepter of Judah to wit Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah Manasseh Amon Josiah Jehoahaz Jehojakim Jehojachin and Zedekiah But by the general current of Expositors it is far better understood of a small remnant of the people as it were one in ten that should be left in the land according to a like expression Amos 5.3 The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred and that which went forth by a hundred shall leave ten to the house of Israel Lest the faithful should be too much dejected at the mention of that utter devastation that should be made in the land this promise is annexed for their comfort that the people should not be so universally destroyed and rooted out but that there should be a small remnant of them left which may be meant both of those few that were left in the land when the generality of the people were carried away captives into Babylon or of that remnant that should be brought back out of Babylon and setled again in their own land And it may well be that these are the rather called a tenth with respect to the reformation that should be wrought in those that were reserved or to Gods preserving the faithful amongst them from the common destruction thereby to imply that they should be as indeed the tythes of the land was holy to the Lord see the Notes Chap. 4.2 3. And it shall return and shall be eaten c. Some read this as it is in the Margent of our Bibles When it is returned and hath been broused and they take the meaning of the words to be that when that remnant should return out of Babylon that had been so miserably eaten and broused cropt and destroyed both before and in the captivity there should be but a tenth of them in comparison of what they formerly were But if we read the words as they are in our Translation then either no more is intended by this It shall return and shall be eaten then if it had been said it shall be eaten again meaning that this remnant should be again wasted For this is an Hebraism frequent in the Scripture as in Dan. 9.25 the street shall return and be built for the street shall be built again Or else the meaning must needs be that after the return of this remnant this tenth out of Babylon even they should be much wasted and consumed which was often done by the rage of their enemies against them after their return from the Babylonian captivity As a teil-tree and as an oak whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof That is as when these trees do cast their leaves in winter and so seem to be in a manner quite dead for the time yet there is a lively sap remaining in the root or body of the trees which keeps them alive and so is the substance or subsistence of them by reason whereof in the spring they sprout out again so when my people shall seem to be utterly wasted and destroyed yet there shall be a small remnant left a holy seed see the Note Chap. 1.9 a seed of Saints which shall be as the life and the substance and subsistence of this people by reason of whom this my Church and people shall be continued in all succeeding times so that they shall never be utterly raced out and destroyed Some think the teil-tree or line-tree and the oak are here particularly instanced in because these trees buding forth later in the spring than other trees are longer ere they lose their leaves in the Autumn and so were fitter to represent the Kingdom of Judah which continued in a safe condition after the people of the Ten Tribes
were carried away But I rather think that because the teil-tree by reason of its spreading branches and exceeding florid beauty and the oak being a strong tree deeply rooted in the earth and usually very long lived seem most unlike to become as dead in winter therefore they are chosen to set forth the ruin of the State and Kingdom of Judah which by reason of her prosperous and flourishing condition seemed most unlike to be brought so low Or rather because the Church and people of God when they came to spring up again should like these trees spread forth their boughs and branches very far But see the Note also Chap. 1.30 CHAP. VII Vers 1. ANd it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham the son of Uzziah c. See the Note Chap. 6.1 This Ahaz whose father and grandfather Jotham and Uzziah are here mentioned because under these and these only Isaiah had hitherto Prophesied was one of the most wicked Kings of Judah yet in his reign the Prophet Isaiah was sent with many comfortable Prophesies to him and to the people for the support and eneouragement of the faithful as we may well think in those evil times amongst which this is one which is here related the occasion whereof is said to be that Rezin King of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah King of Israel Nations that were usually at great enmity one against another went up towards Jerusalem to war against it for being encouraged by the successful invasions they had already made upon the land of Judah each of them severally by their own forces wherein they had slain many of their great ones that were a chief stay and support of their State and huge multitudes of the flower of the people besides they assured themselves that if they now joined their forces together they should easily subdue this disheartened broken people and thereupon resolved to go up together and besiege Jerusalem which accordingly they did chuckering themselves no doubt with hope of a full conquest and the huge spoil they should carry away from Jerusalem concerning all which see the Notes 2 King 16.5 but could not prevail against it which is premised before-hand to hint how causless those their fears were which are here afterward related and how base their incredulity was and neglect of God Ver. 2. And it was told the house of David saying Syria is confederate with Ephraim c. That is tidings were brought to the Court of Judah to Ahaz the King who was of the lineage of David and to the other Princes and Officers of his Court and State that the Syrians and the Israelites of the Ten Tribes who are here called Ephraim for which see the Note Psal 78.9 had made a confederacy together against Jerusalem But why is this expressed thus that it was told the house of David and not that tidings were brought to Ahaz or to the House or Court of Ahaz I answer that probably we may think it was either 1. To hint the reason why this confederacy against Ahaz should come to nothing namely because he was the lawful heir of the Crown being descended from David and God would make good his promise to David concerning the perpetuity of his Kingdom see the Note 2 Sam. 7.16 Or else as some think to imply how far Ahaz was degenerated from the courage of David and other his holy ancestors as was discovered in that base fear of his at this time which is related in the following words and his heart was moved and the heart of his people as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind that is as the leaves of trees will quiver and shake with the first breathing of the wind when a tempest is rising so did their hearts tremble and shake as we use to say like an aspin leaf at the first breath of that report that was brought to them concerning the preparations that were made against them by these two Kings all which is expressed to shew that the deliverance of this people at this time was only of God or to set forth the wonder of the deliverance where both Princes and people were so faint-hearted that they were no way able to make any resistance against the mighty forces that were breaking in upon them Ver. 3. Then said the Lord unto Isaiah c. Though Ahaz sought not to God or his Prophets for help or counsel yet he sent his Prophet to him with a message that he would deliver him and his people from the danger they were in 1. To magnifie the riches of his long-suffering and mercy towards the worst of men 2. To render Ahab and his people the more inexcusable And 3. for the support and comfort of the faithful that were amongst them Go forth now to wit out of the city as appears by that which follows to meet Ahaz he was sent to Ahaz both in regard of the greatness of his terrors and in regard the care of providing for the publick safety lay chiefly upon him Nor was he to stay till the King came back to the City but to go forth to meet him both to express that respect and reverence which was due to him as King and because this was suitable for him that had such good tidings to carry to the King And as for that command that is given the Prophet for carrying his Son along with him Go forth now to meet Ahaz thou and Shear-jashab thy Son we must know 1. That Shear-jashab is being interpreted the remnant shall return 2. That this name had been before given to this Son of the Prophet either by the express command of God or by the secret instinct of Gods Spirit purposely as a sign either 1. of a remnant that should return from the Babylonian captivity which the Prophets did often foretell See the Notes before Chap. 6.13 Or 2. of a remnant that should repent and return unto God from whom they had departed after Sennacheribs army was destroyed before Jerusalem according to that express place Chap. 10.21 The remnant shall return even the remnant of Jacob unto the mighty God for which see the Note there And indeed many of those that returned out of Babylon were such as had been purged and reformed by their afflictions and brought home unto God See the Notes Chap. 4.2 3. 6.13 And 3ly that the Prophet was enjoined to take this his Son Shear-jashab along with him that he might stand by as a visible sign of the deliverance now promised and of the ground of it to wit Gods purpose still to preserve a remnant in this people that should be as a holy seed for the perpetuating of the Church in future times See the Notes Chap. 1.9 6.13 and upon the 15 and 16 verses of this Chapter And hence it seems probable that the reason why this name Shear-jashab was given to this Prophets Son was commonly known for else his going along with his father to the King
of the Scripture Gen. 6.4 29.23 30. that he lay carnally with her and thereupon it follows and she conceived and bear a Son But however clear it is that if this which is here related concerning the birth of this Son of the Prophet was presently after the writing of the forementioned Prophetical roul then his going in to the Prophetess and her conception thereupon was long before and so should rather have been rendred And I had gone in to the Prophetess and she conceived and on the other side if this his going in to the Prophetess was after the writing of this roul then it was well nigh a twelvemonth after e're this his Son was born and that God gave him that following command concerning his name Then said the Lord to me call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz And therefore I question not but that this was a different passage from that related in the two foregoing verses and that some time after the setting up of this roul upon the birth of this his Son he was enjoined to call him by that mysterious name which was written in the roul and that to confirm that foregoing Prophecy and that this name of his child might be a continual memorial of that Prophecy written in the forementioned roul concerning the destruction of the Syrians and the Israelites Ver. 4. For before the child shall have knowledg to cry My father and my mother c. Some understand this indefinitely as they did the like expression before Chap. 7.16 concerning which see the Note there of any new-born child But methinks it is clearly spoken with reference to that which was said in the foregoing verse to wit that before that new-born Son of the Prophets whom God had appointed to be named Maher-shalal-hash-baz should begin to discern his Parents from strangers and be able to speak that which was intended by that name should come to pass and so in these words there is a reason given why God appointed this name to be given to his child namely to make known how suddenly that foretold destruction should come upon those two Kings and their chief Cities For before the child that is this new-born child of the Prophets called Maher-shalal-hash-baz shall have knowledg to cry My father and my mother that within a year or a year and a half or thereabouts the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the King of Assyria that is the Kingdoms of Syria and Damascus shall be plundered and wasted in his sight and at his command or in these words before the King of Assyria there may be an allusion to the custom of carrying the rich spoils they had gotten from any vanquished people before the Conqueror when he returned in triumph into his own Country And it may be read too as it is in the Margent of our Bibles He that is before the King of Assyria that is his Officers and Ministers or his Captains and Commanders shall take away the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria But however it is clear I conceive that the accomplishment of this was when in or about the fourth year of Ahaz Tiglath-pileser the King of Assyria took Damascus and slew Rezin their King and carried away the people into captivity 2 King 16.9 at which time he made great havock also in the land of Israel 1 King 15.29 though he did not take and destroy Samaria as he did Damascus for that was done sometime after by Salmaneser in the days of Hoshea 2 King 17.6 and this some conceive to be the reason why it is said here that the riches of Damascus should be taken away by the Assyrian and that he should only take some spoil in Samaria Ver. 5. The Lord spake also unto me again saying To wit in the same or some other Vision afterwards Ver. 6. Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly c. That is that run on gently and silently not with any such violence and noise as other great rivers do We read of the pool of Siloam Joh. 9.7 and of the tower in Siloam Luk. 13.4 and it is generally said that this Siloam or Shiloah was the same that is else-where called Gihon see the Note 1 King 1.33 a little brook at the foot of Mount Sion which running into Jerusalem or about some part of it must needs be a great refreshing to the inhabitants but could be no great defence to the City and that therefore the weak estate of the Kingdom of Judah at this time is here intended by the waters of Shiloah that go softly concerning which see the Note Psal 46.4 The great question is what people it is of whom the Prophet here saith For so much as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliahs Son the most Expositors understand it of the people of Judah to wit that the generality of them for there were some â— a better temper amongst them whom the Lord afterwards ver 16. calls his Disciples did either 1. Approve of Ahaz his sending for the Assyrian as distrusting their own weak estate and not minding the promise which God had made for their deliverance against the threatned invasion of the two Kings of Syria and Israel and relying wholly upon the mighty army which he would bring with him the warlike noise whereof is here opposed to the soft running of the waters of Shiloah in the confidence whereof they should even rejoice to be fighting with Rezin and Pekah Or 2ly did wish themselves to be in such a rich and flourishing estate as the Israelites and Syrians were and under the command of such potent Kings as Rezin and Pekah were Or 3. that considering to what a low ebb the Kingdom of Judah was brought and how unable they should be to resist the invasion of these two mighty Kings they did indeed desire that these Kings might reign over them or at least that Son of Tabeal mentioned before Chap. 7.6 whom they intended to leave as their Viceroy amongst them and for the better effecting hereof had under-hand some treacherous compliance with them But now because we find not the least mention in the Sacred story of any such intended defection of the men of Judah from Ahaz and the House of David and because it cannot be thought without manifest forcing the Text how it should be well said that the people of Judah did rejoice in Rezin and Remaliahs Son that were coming out against them with such fury and bloody intentions therefore I conceive that others do far better understand by this people here mentioned the people of Israel for so much as this people that is this army of the Israelites and Syrians that are now combined against Judah refuseth the waters of Shiloah that goeth softly that is do slight and scorn the weak estate of Jerusalem that hath no great river for its defence but only the small brook of Shiloah
invading the land with such a mighty army or the grievous destruction that was brought upon them by the Chaldeans in the days of Zedekiah shall not be such that is in every respect so great as was in her vexation that is as it was when the land was vexed and afflicted by those two Invasions of the Assyrians mentioned in the following words when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali which may be meant either first of that Invasion of the land of Israel when Pul the Assyrian made an inroad into the Country in the days of Menahem and then was presently hired with a sum of money to be gone again for which see the Notes 2 King 15.19 which seems to me most probable or else 2. of that Invasion made by Tiglath-pileser which fell chiefly indeed upon the Tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali and wherein they might well be said to be more lightly afflicted because then only some of the Tribes about five of them were carried away captives and not all of them as they were afterwards by Salmanasser for which see the Note 2 King 15.29 And afterward did more grievously afflict her which may be meant of that more grievous hand of God upon the whole Kingdom of the Ten Tribes in the days of Hoshea when by Salmanasser Samaria was taken and the whole people of Israel in a manner were carried away captives into Assyria 2 King 17.3 c. for which see the Notes there Or rather of the Invasion of Tiglath-pileser which may be termed more grievous with respect to the foregoing inroad of Pul which I think is far most probable for whereas it may be and it is usually objected that the Prophet speaks here of calamities that had formerly come upon the land of Israel and it is clear that neither the Invasion by Tiglath-pileser nor that by Salmanasser were come to pass when the Prophet spake this though indeed he lived to see them both accomplished Though to this it may be answered that it was usual with the Prophets to speak of things to come as if they were past and done already only to imply the certainty of them yet I should think that this objection may be better prevented by holding that the Prophet speaks here of two Invasions of the land of Israel that were in a manner past already to wit that of Pul and that of Tiglath-pileser which was now immediately coming upon them and in a manner in being And indeed the following description of that part of the land of Canaan which was to feel the misery of this more grievous affliction agrees best with the Invasion of Tâ—glath-pileser and cannot so well be understood of that of Salmanasser when the whole Kingdom of the Ten Tribes was over-run and dispeopled as first in that this is said to have been by the way of the Sea for this cannot so well be meant of the midland-Sea called the great Sea Josh 1.4 which was the utmost border of the land of Israel westward and very far remote from Jordan which is also here mentioned And that which is said by some is altogether uncertain to wit that the tract of land of which he speaks here is said to have been by the way of the Sea because there was a high-way in those parts about Jordan whereby they carried their wares which were to be transported through the land to the Sea-side which was hereupon called the way of the Sea And therefore I rather think it is meant of that part of the Country which lay upon the Lake of Gennesareth as it is called Luk. 5.1 which was also called the Sea of Cinnereth Josh 13.27 or the Sea of Gennesareth and Mat. 4.18 The Sea of Galilee and Joh. 21.1 The Sea of Tiberias And the like may be said of the following words Beyond Jordan in Galilee of the Nations or as some translate it in populous Galilee for though the whole land of Galilee was divided into two parts the one whereof was called the upper Galilee and the other the lower and some think the lower Galilee is here meant which was in the Tribe of Zebulun and that it was called populous Galilee because it was so full of people and others think the upper Galilee is here meant which was in the Tribe of Naphtali which they say was called Galilee of the Nations because there were many of the Heathens usually inhabiting there in regard that it was near to the Tyrians and Zidonians or for some other reason for which see the Notes Gen. 14.1 Josh 12.23 Judg. 4.2 1 King 9.11 Yet first because it is evident that the Prophet speaks here of a storm that fell upon those parts of the land that lay near to Jordan and not upon the whole Kingdom of the Ten Tribes as that Invasion of Salmanasser did 2. Because it is clear that Tiglath-pileser did indeed subdue and carry into captivity the Tribes without Jordan and those within Jordan to wit on the East-side of it even all the inhabitants both of the upper and lower Galilee which may therefore be here said to be beyond Jordan with respect to those without Jordan that were at the same time carried away into captivity see the Note 2 King 15.29 And 3. because the Evangelist citing this passage of Isaiah Mat. 4.14 15 16. seems to speak of those places about Jordan where our Saviour first Preached the Gospel therefore it seems to me most probable that the Prophet speaks here of the Invasion of Tiglath-pileser Well but however whether this more grievous affliction of the land of Israel be meant of the Invasion of Tiglath-pileser or of that of Salmanasser yet if that judgment which the Prophet in the foregoing Chapter foretold should come upon Judah be meant of that destruction which was made by Nebuchadnezzar in the days of Zedekiah when Jerusalem was taken and both the City and the Temple it self was sacked and burnt and the Jews for the generality were all carried away captives into Babylon which was doubtless the greatest blow that was ever given to the land how can it be said that the dimness then was not such that is so great as it was in her vexation by those two foregoing Invasions of the land of Israel by the Assyrians Indeed if the judgment threatned against Judah in the foregoing Chapter were the Invasion of Sennacherib in the days of Hezekiah which many think most probable that might well be said to be not so great as were the two foregoing Invasions of the land of Israel by the Assyrians But if that threatned in the foregoing Chapter were that dreadful ruin that was made in Jerusalem and in the land of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar how can that be said to have been not so great as those two Invasions of the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes by the Assyrians I answer 1. Because this dimness was not perpetual as the other was The Jews that were carried captives into
come and destroy the Iâ—raelites according to the Commission which God in his anger against Israel had given him or else as in a way of lamenting the sad miseries that were coming upon his people when the Assyrian should be used as his rod to punish them for their sins which is also repeated in the following words and the staff in their hand is mine indignation The meaning whereof seems to be That as the Assyrians were Gods Rod to correct his people so the staff in their hand the weapons wherewith they came armed and all the power which they had wherewith to fight against the Israelites were but the Instruments of Gods Indignation for the punishing of the people Indeed if we read the first words as they are in the margin of our Bibles Wo to the Assyrian the rod of mine anger then the next clause may be read also as it is there rendred though the staff in their hand is mine indignation And then the drift of this clause must be to imply that though God in his just indignation would make use of the Assyrian for the punishing of his people yet woful destruction would at last come upon the Assyrians for all that so that this is clearly added for the comfort of Gods people to whom the very name of the Assyrians must needs be dreadful because of some incursions they had formerly made into the land of Israel Ver. 6. I will send him against an hypocritical Nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge c. That is against the people of Israel that do continually and without ceasing provoke me to wrath against them and against whom therefore I am highly offended and have determined to pour forth my wrath upon them yea this expression the people of my wrath may seem to imply that there was nothing in them but what might justly stir up Gods indignation against them to take the spoil and to take the prey c. which is fully an explanation of what was signified by that Prophetick name given lately to the Prophets Son Maher-shalal-hash-baz for which see the Note Chap. 8.1 Ver. 7. Howbeit he meaneth not so neither doth his heart think so c. To wit That he is imployed by me as the Rod of mine anger or that he is sent by me to punish the wickedness of my people no such thought will ever come into his heart All that he will mind will be the satisfying of his cruel and ambitious desires by conquering Kingdoms and destroying the people As for that which may be objected how then did Rabshakeh say to Hezekiah 2 Kin. 18.25 Am I now come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it the Lord said to me Go up against this land and destroy it see how this may be answered in the Note there Ver. 8. For he saith Are not my Princes altogether Kings That is Are not my Nobles and Princes that attend upon me every way equal to Kings in riches glory state and power Or Are not the several King that I have subdued become my Princes holding me as their Soveraign and serving under my command And thus from the pride of the Assyrian the confidence he had in his own greatness and power the Prophet proves what he had said in the foregoing verse that he minded not God in his expedition against the land of Israel but went forth meerly in the proud confidence he had of his own unresistible power Ver. 9. Is not Calno as Carchemish Is not Hamath as Arpad Is not Samaria as Damascus As if he should have said Have not I my Father and other Progenitors subdued all these strong Cities and Provinces as well the one as the other When any one of them stood out against us were they not brought under our power as the other before had been And thus from his prevailing over these he intends to infer that he should certainly prevail over others whom he had not yet subdued and particularly over Jerusalem In 2 King 18.34 we find a like vaunting speech uttered by Rabshakeh wherein some of the places here named are also mentioned And because that and divers other of the vaunting and blasphemous speeches of his there recorded are so like to these wherewith the Prophet doth here set forth the blasphemous pride and self-confidence of the Assyrian it seems most probable that it is that Invasion of Sennacherib that is here pointed at Because Calno or Calneh Amos 6.2 is said to have been in the land of Shinar Gen. 10.10 and Carchemish is expresly said to be a City lying by Euphrates 2 Chron. 35.20 therefore it is thought the most of the places here named were in those parts Ver. 10. As my hand hath found the Kingdoms of the Idols c. That is As I have subdued and gotten to my self by my great power several Kingdoms that were under the patronage and protection of their several Gods and whose graven Images did excel them of Jerusalem and Samaria that is were mightier Gods than theirs But for the better understanding of this passage we must know 1. That to set forth how easily he subdued these Kingdoms he useth this expression As my hand hath found the Kingdoms of the Idols he found it no harder work to take these Kingdoms than it is for a man to take up a birds-nest that he finds in his way as he doth afterwards express himself ver 14. 2ly That his intention was blasphemously to insult not only over the Nations whom he had vanquished and also over their Gods whom he also esteemed Gods not able to defend their people purposely that he might in like manner reproach the God of Jerusalem on whose aid he knew Hezekiah and his people did with much confidence rely for agreable hereto were these blasphemous vauntings of Rabshakeh 2 King 18.33 34 35. and 19.12 3ly That he calls their gods Idols and Graven-Images either because it was the constant course of the heathens to worship their gods in and before Idols and graven Images or else as by way of contempt as not accounting their gods worthy the name of gods in comparison of their great God Nizrech 2 King 19.37 that had advanced the Assyrian Empire to such a mighty height 4ly That the reason why he doth so peremptorily aver that the graven Images of the Kingdoms whom he had vanquished did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria was because they judged of the greatnese and power of their Gods according to the multitude and greatness the riches and prosperity the success and victories of the people that worshipped them and it may be to according to the multitude of Sacrifices that were offered them and the Pomp and Solemnity used in their Worship And observable also it is herein with what horrid Blasphemy by preferring those Idols before the God of Jerusalem this Miscreant makes thr true God less than nothing for an Idol is nothing saith the Apostle 1 Cor.
from whence the promised Messiah the Lord Christ was to spring and because the accomplishment of the great promise of sending Christ into the World was the foundation fountain and cause of all other mercies and deliverances which God should at any time afford his people And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots that is when Davids Family shall be in a manner utterly ruined so that there shall not be the least appearance of any Regal Dignity in it but it shall be reduced to a very mean and low estate like the stub the trunk or stump of a tree that is cut down almost close to the ground so that there is nothing left of it but a little dead stock that hath its roots still in the ground then unexpectedly there shall spring up a small weak contemptible twig or branch out of this seeming dry and dead stump and shall grow up that at last in and by him the family and Kingdom of David yea that whole seed of Abraham shall mount up to a greater estate of Glory than ever formerly they enjoyed And observable it is that â—â—e better to set this forth it is said That this rod or sprig should come forth out of thâ— stem â—ot of David but Jesse to imply that when this should be done Davids Family should be in as low a condition as it was in the days of his Father Jesse who was a mean obscure man see the Note 1 Sam. 10.27 Now of Hezekiah as the Jews would have it this cannot be meant because in his days the Family of David was never brought so low And far greater things are here spoken of this branch than can with any shew of reason be applied to Zorobabel or any other Ruler of the Jews after their return from the Babylonian Captivity But now in Jesus Christ this was fully accomplished because by the mean condition of the Virgin Mary his Mother who at her Purification brought the Offering of the poorer sort of people Luke 2.24 and his Foster-father Joseph to whom she was married a poor Carpenter it appears plainly that the Royal Family of David from whom they both were lineally descended was at that time brought to a very contemptible condition even like to the dry and dead stump of a tree And accordingly the outward condition of Christ the weak and poor twig that sprung from this withered stub was very base in the eye of the world But yet we see to what a height of Spiritual Glory the Kingdom of David was in Christ soon advanced by the preaching of the Gospel By the last clause and a branch shall grow cut of his roots the same in effect I conceive is meant yet some would have it That by growing out of his roots is meant his being descended from Abraham and others the Progenitors of David to whom the Messiah was promised And because the Hebrew word here translated a Branch is Nezer therefore some conceive there is an allusion herein to the City Nazareth where Christ usually dwelt Matth. 2.23 Ver. 2. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him c. That is the Holy Ghost and therewith the gifts of the Holy Ghost shall take up its perpetual uninterrupted residence with him and in him which was signified at the Baptism of Christ when the Holy Ghost came down upon Christ in the likeness of a Dove and as the Baptist said it abode upon him Joh. 1.32 Indeed we read of the Spirit 's resting upon others as upon the seventy Elders that were chosen to assist Moses in the government of the people Numb 11.25 upon Elisha 2 King 2.15 yea upon all real Christians 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you But we must know that the Spirit rested upon Christ in a more special and singular manner than it doth or ever did upon others 1. Because in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 2ly Because the gifts of the Holy Ghost were conferred upon his human nature in all perfection both for number and measure Joh. 3.34 See the Note Psal 45.7 Amongst men some have some gifts of the Spirit and others have other gifts but Christ had all that others have and more than all others have And again others have gifts requisite for the members of the Church some in a greater measure and some in a less but now Christ had gifts requisite for the head proper and peculiar to himself And 3ly Because the Spirit so rested upon him even in regard of his person that it was impossible it should ever be removed from him However observable it is how clearly it is hereby implied That the Kingdom of Christ was to be wholly a spiritual Kingdom in that the Prophet having in the foregoing verse spoken of his first coming into the World and then undertaking here to shew how he should be in his person fitted for the discharge of the Office of the Messiah he mentions this as that wherein the whole Power and Glory and Majesty of his Kingdom should consist That the Spirit of God should in so eminent a manner rest upon him and that he should be so superabundanly furnished with spiritual gifts even that he might be as an everlasting treasure from whence these gifts should be continually imparted to his Church And accordingly the Prophet does here recite some of the choice endowments wherewith he should be fully replenished both for the managing of his spiritual Kingdom and the constant supply of his people the Spirit of wisdom and understanding whereby men are enabled to understand things aright and to order all things wisely and prudently the Spirit of Counsel and might whereby men are inabled to judge rightly in difficult cases and straits and courageously to undertake and go through with any thing they are called to do or to suffer in a just cause See also the Notes Chap. 9.6 The Spirit of Knowledge and of the fear of the Lord that is the power of discerning the most hidden things and a reverential fear towards God But now we must know that under these all other the manifold gifts of the Spirit are by a Synechdoche comprehended only these seem to be particularly mentioned with respect to Christs Regal Power for judging his people whereto these gifts here named are principally requisite Ver. 3. And shall make him of quick understanding c. That is the Spirit of the Lord that shall rest upon him shall make him exceedingly yea infallibly sagacious in discovering persons and things for the Prophet having in the foregoing verse shown the excellent endowments of the person of Christ here he proceeds to shew how he should exercise these his gifts and endowments in the Administration of his Regal power It is in the original And he shall make him sent or smell in the
fear of the Lord which therefore some expound thus That by reason of this his being so abundantly anointed with the holy Spirit of God he should breathe forth nothing but what was sweetly pious and religious or that in all his courses he should send forth a sweet sent suitable to the precious savour of his spiritual unction But rather by this figurative expression is only meant that which we have in our Translation And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. By the smell we discover things more secret than those things are which appear to the eye or ear and likewise by the smell we discover things more easily and quickly than any other way so that when it is said That the Spirit should make Christ sent or smell in the fear of the Lord This seems to intend that he should be of a sharp and quick understanding certainly and presently to discover the truth of things as in our ordinary speech we use to say of a man that doth quickly find out a thing That he hath soon smelt out the matter As for that which is added concerning the fear of the Lord and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord thereby is shown wherein the quickness of his understanding should be discovered to wit not in earthly things which are far beneath his Cognizance but in the things that appertain to Religion and the fear of God and in judging of mens persons as to the inward frame of their Spirits that looking into their hearts he would soon discover whether they were such as did truly fear the Lord or such as did not fear God even when they did hypocritically make the fairest shews of Piety yea and some would have this also farther included in that expression That he should judge of men in these regards according to the fear of God that is justly and uprightly acquitting and saving those that truly fear God and judging and condemning those that are void of his fear and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes neither reprove after the hearing of his ears that is he shall not be carried away with respect of persons neither shall he acquit or condemn any man meerly upon outward appearances the looks or gestures or words of men or what is rumoured reported or affirmed by others but according to the clear knowledg which he shall have of their hearts Men that have no other way to judge but according to what they see or hear are often mistaken in judging But so it could not be with Christ because he should of himself know all things yea even the thoughts and intentions of mens hearts Ver. 4. But with righteousness shall he judge the poor c. See the Note before Chap. 2.4 and likewise the Notes Psal 72.1 2. The meaning is That he should do justice to the poor as well as to the rich though he should not favour them in any unjust thing because of their poverty or that he should as a righteous King rule and govern his people poor broken-hearted self-condemned sinners protecting them against all their enemies temporal and spiritual And much to the same purpose is the following clause and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth to wit That he should plead the cause of his poor people that were meek and gentle under their sufferings rebuking and punishing their proud Oppressors Or that he would correct his own meek ones but it should be with gentleness and moderation as intending to reform and not to destroy them And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked This may be understood 1. of the preaching of the Gospel which as it is elsewhere called the word of his mouth Rev. 2.16 and 19.15 so here it is called the rod of his mouth and the breath of his lips to wit that with this word as with the Scepter of his Kingdom Christ should sharply smite those that dwell on the earth as with a rod reproving and convincing them of their sins with such mighty efficacy that some should thereby be brought to submit themselves and so his word should be the savour of life unto life to them and others should be mortally wounded even to despair and so the Gospel should be the savour of death unto death to them And 2ly of the Almighty Will the sovereign sentence and command of God to wit That Christ should only with a word of his mouth smite the earth that is wicked earthly-minded men the enemies of God and his people and should utterly destroy them as we know it is peculiarly said of Antichrist That the Lord shall consume him with the Spirit of his mouth 2 Thes 2.8 Ver. 5. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loyns c. Because in those times 1. men did constantly use girdles to bind their loose Garments close to their bodies And 2ly by binding up their long Garments about their loyns they were the better fitted and strengthened for the dispatch of any work or service they undertook And 3ly they wore also their Girdles as a choice Ornament and there was a Belt or Girdle that was usually the special Ornament of Princes for all which see the Notes Job 12.18 therefore it is said here That righteousness should be the Girdle of Christs loyns and faithfulness the Girdle of his reins to imply 1. That he should be constantly and eminently fitted and funished with righteousness and faithfulness for the execution of the Office which God had imposed upon him 2ly That he should most justly faithfully and industriously manage and perfect the work he had undertaken for the Salvation of his people And 3ly This should be an honour and glory to him throughout the world These glorious endowments of Gods Spirit should be to him instead of those outward Ornaments that are usually wore by the great Princes and Potentates of the World Ver. 6. The Wolf also shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lye down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lyon and the fatling together c. That is those men that were before of a proud fierce cruel and savage disposition most untractable most brutish and ravenous and shameful in the places where they lived more like Wolves and Lyons and Leopards than men when they shall once be subdued by the Gospel and Spirit of Christ and give up their names to him shall become meek and gentle tame and tractable so that they shall live and converse together in the same Church with other poor Christians quietly and harmlesly and the weakest that are shall not need to fear them Now this is mentioned as one of the strangest and most glorious effects of the Kingdom and Government of Christ that thereby the most wicked and mischievous men should be changed as if they were transformed out of beasts into men and so
accommodations for their Journey as Cyrus had commanded See the Note Ezra 1.4 and see also Neh. 2.7.9 And the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the Lord see the Note Exod. 15.17 for servants and handmaids that is many of these people shall become servants to the Jews when they are setled in their own Land And this some understand of those Proselites or Strangers that had joyned themselves to the Jews either that they should be as serviceable to the Jews as any servants could be or else that in process of time some of them or their children should be sold to them for servants which was indeed agreeable to God's Law concerning Servants Levit. 25.44 45 46. And others again understand it of the Babylonians who being vanquished by the Medes and Persians should be sold by them to the Jews for slaves or by reason of their penury should voluntarily yield themselves up to be their servants Whereupon it follows And they shall take them captives whose captives they were and they shall rule over their oppressors that is those Nations should be servants to the Jews to whom the Jews had formerly been in bondage which some also extend to the Jews vanquishing and bringing into bondage those Nations after their return out of Babylon in the days of the Maccabees as had before lorded over them But now most Expositors understand all this spiritually as well they may of the conversion of the Gentiles by the Ministry of the Jews in the days of the Gospel to wit that the Jews should by the Preaching of the Gospel bring those Nations under the yoke of Christ to whom they had formerly been captives and hereupon the Gentiles should shew great respect to them as owning them to be God's first-born people and should submit themselves to the word of the Gospel and should be subservient to the believing Jews in labouring to establish Christ's Kingdom in the world and in gathering in his Elect to his Church So that the Dominion here promised to the Jews over the Gentiles is not a Temporal Dominion but a Spiritual their ruling over them in the Lord. See 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5. Lâ—ke 22.25 26. 2 Cor. 1.24 and 1 Pet. 5.3 Ver. 3. And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow c. That is when thou shalt be delivered from thy Captivity in Babylon and from all the griefs and fears and sore miseries thou there enduredst Ver. 4. That thou shalt take up this Proverb c. or taunting speech See the Note Numb 21.27 against the King of Babylon to wit Belshazzar the last of the Babylonian Monarchs together with whom that State fell and say How hath the Oppressor ceased the golden City ceased That is the City that was so full of Gold and was so confident in her excessive wealth And therefore set forth by a head of Gold Dan. 2.32 38. and by a golden cup Jer. 51.7 Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lords hand It is spoken by way of deriding Babels pride and confidence as if it had been said How is it possible that this cruel Tyrant and his golden Monarchy should be thus ruined in one night and so by that means the poor people of God be delivered from their bondage That which we render the golden city some translate the exactress of gold that is the City that drained all the gold from other Nations But our Translation I conceive is the best However observable it is that the word in the Original seems to be Syriack the language then used amongst the Chaldeans Dan. 2.4 and so the Prophet mocks the Chaldees with a word taken from the Chaldean tongue Ver. 5. The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked and the Scepter of the Rulers See the Notes Chap. 9.4 and 10.5 This is in answer to the foregoing question vers 4. as if the Prophet had said Wonder not at the sudden destruction of Babel It is the Lord that hath done it by way of taking vengeance on them for their horrid wickedness and oppression Ver. 6. He who smote the people in wrath c. To wit Not in a way of Justice but of Rage and Fury with a continul stroak that is immoderately and implacably and with extreme cruelty He never thought he had laid on load enough neither was there any pacifying his wrath And therefore the Prophet adds that the like should be done to him He that ruled the Nation in anger is persecuted and none hindereth that is he shall be destroyed inevitably and irreparably he shall not be able to defend himself and for others they shall not be able neither shall they have any mind to do it Ver. 7. The whole earth is at rest and quiet c. That is the Inhabitants of the world that could never be quiet for this proud City They break forth into singing to wit for the downfal of this great oppressing Empire Ver. 8. Yea the Fir-trees rejoice at thee c. Some understand this Figuratively of those States and Princes that had been oppressed formerly by the Babylonians See the Note Chap. 2.13 But it is better understood literally that it should be a joy as it were to the trees of the Forest that the Babylonian was destroyed because he had wont to make such havock in felling down the Fir-trees and as it follows the cedars of Lebanon that were so far from him partly to make passages for his Armies and partly for the building of his Houses and Ships and for the raising of his Bulwarks and other uses in his Wars whereas now the Babylonian being hewed down they should stand quietly in their places without any molestation Since thou art laid down say they no feller is come up against us And indeed it may well be that this is spoken with reference to that which had been said before Chap. 2.13 concerning the great havock that should be made by the Babylonian in the forest of Israel Ver. 9. Hell from beneath c. Or rather the grave from beneath because this agrees best with that which followeth ver 11. Thy pomp is brought down to the grave the worm is spread under thee and the worms cover thee Having related how all the inhabitants of the earth yea even the senseless creatures the trees should rejoyce at the down-fall of the Babylonian Monarch the Prophet now proceeds to shew in a like poetical strain that not only the living but the dead also from beneath should rejoice at his ruin and death and insult over him To which end he speaks here of Hell or the grave as under the person of some great Prince or King having the dead under his dominion and command Hell or the grave from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy comming whereby seems to be meant either 1. That this Prince of the lower Regions was moved with fear to wit at the report of the coming
hath been spoken before Chap. 7. But now if this was prophecied as it is thought by most Expositors in the days of Hezekiah then it may be that Damascus was again taken and totally ruined and destroyed by Shalmaneser in that expedition of his wherein he took Samaria 2 King 18.9 Or else by Sennacherib as he went against Jerusalem 2 King 18.13 For we see before Chap. 10.9 Shalmaneser as it is commonly thought is brought in boasting of the conquest of Damascus by him or his Father And if the City were so ruined at that time and the Inhabitants so slaughtered or carried away captives that it ceased to be a City yet certainly it was repaired and fortified again And therefore we read of another destruction brought upon Syria and Damascus by the Babylonians Jer. 49.23 c. And some think this is that which is here foretold by our Prophet Ver. 2. The Cities of Aroer are forsaken c. Some think this Aroer was a Country in Syria near the River Arnon But others more generally hold that by the Cities of Aroer here are meant the Cities in the land of Israel without Jordan near unto the City Aroer which was scituated by the banks of the River Arnon See Deut. 2.36 and Numb 32.34 Only some hold that those Cities were in the possession of the Syrians when this desolation came upon them and others say that the Prophet here threatens the destruction of the Israelites together with the Syrians because they should be both destroyed together However the meaning of that which is said here that these Citiâ—s of Aroer should be forsaken is that they should be left desolate the Inhabitants being slain or carried away Captives by the Assyrians upon the invasion of Tiglath-pileser or Shalmaneser Whereupon it followeth They shall be for flocks which shall lye down and none shall make them afraid to wit because the Inhabitants should be all gone and so there should be no body to disturb them Ver. 3. The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim c. That is say some Damascus being destroyed the Israelites of the ten Tribes see the Note Psal 78.9 shall lose that which was wont to be their fortress and refuge they being wont in their dangers and troubles still to fly to the Syrians of Damascus for defence and succour But I rather conceive that the Prophets intent here is to foretel that the Israelites and Syrians should both be destroyed that were so often joyned together against Judah The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim that is Samaria and all other the strong holds in the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes shall be ruined and destroyed And the Kingdom from Damascus and from the remnant of Syria that is Damascus shall cease to be a Royal City the seat of the Kings of Syria nor shall the Syrians that are left after the ruine of Damascus be a Kingdom any longer or have a King to reign over them their King Rezin being slain see 2 King 16.9 but shall become a Province belonging to Assyria And observable the difference is which the Prophet makes between the destruction of Damascus and Ephraim to wit in this that because the Israelites of the ten Tribes continued a Kingdom even after Tiglathpileser had made great havock amongst them which Damascus did not see the Note 2 King 16.9 Therefore he doth not say That the Kingdom should cease from Ephraim as he doth of Damascus but only that Ephraim's Fortresses should be beaten down and destroyed And then it follows They shall be as the glory of the children of Israel that is the Syrians shall be in the same glorious condiâ—ion with the children of Israel which is spoken Ironically and the meaning is that the Syrians should be stripped of all wherein they had formerly gloried their multitude strength and riches even as the Israelites were The glory of the Israelites came at last to this that they were utterly ruined and carried away captives and so shall it be with Damascus Ver. 4. And in that day it shall come to pass that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin c. This is added by way of explaining that which the Prophet had said in the foregoing verse that the Syrians should be as the glory of the children of Israel to wit that as the glory of the Israelites should be exceedingly impaired so should it be with the Syrians too and that much about the same time See the Note also Chap. 16.14 And the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean See the Note Chap. 10.16 Deut. 32.15 Job 15.27 and Psal 22.29 Ver. 5. And it shall be as when the harvest-man gathereth the corn and reapeth the ears with his arm c. That is When the Judgment before threatned shall be executed on the Israelites it shall be that as the harvest-man doth easily cut down the corn though it grow never so thick and binds and carries it away by whole arm-fulls so shall the Assyrians with ease partly mow down with the Sword and partly carry away into Captivity even the whole body of Israel in a manner though there be never so great multitudes of them so that the Land of Israel shall be left as a corn-field that is newly reaped a very few a little gleaning of them being only left and this was done partly by Tiglath-pileser 2 Kin. 15.29 but more fully by Shalmaneser 2 Kin. 17.6 And it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim that is afterwards those few that are left shall also be carried away even as the scattered ears that are left in a corn-field are with all diligence gathered up and carried away by poor people And this was done by Ezarhaddon Ezra 4.2 As for the valley of Rephaim a valley on the North-side of Jerusalem rendred the valley of Giants Josh 15.8 is expressed by name only because it was famously known for its great fruitfulness Ver. 6. Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it c. That is Though the Assyrians shall thus again and again carry away the Israelites captive out of their Land as is before-said yet shall they not make such a clear riddance of them but that there shall be a gleaning there some few that shall be still left in the Land See the Note Chap. 6.13 As the shaking of an Olive-tree two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof saith the Lord God of Israel which last words are added not only to assure them that what the Prophet had now foretold should certainly come to pass but also to imply that because God's Covenant was with Israel as well as with Judah that he would for ever be their God therefore even of them also there should be a remnant left Ver. 7. At that day shall a man look to his Maker c. That is In that day of their calamity several of the Israelites owning and repenting of their former Idolatry
worse their condition should still be The meaning of all is That it was no wonder though the wise men of Egypt should thus play the fools because the Lord should infatuate them Ver. 15. Neither shall there be any work for Egypt which the head or tail branch or rush may do That is Neither the King nor his Wizzards neither high nor low shall be able to advise or do any thing or at least to effect any thing intended or desired that may be any advantage to them to save or help them See the Notes Chap. 9.14 15. Ver. 16. In that day shall Egypt be like unto women c. That is the Egyptians shall be fearful and faint-hearted see the Note above ver 1. and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts which he shaketh over it That is because the Lord God whose wrath and power is irresistible shall by raising up the Assyrians to invade them terrifie Egypt and as it were threaten to destroy it see the Note Chap. 10.32 In this expression of the the Lords shaking his hand over it there seems to be an allusion to Moses his stretching out his hand at Gods command over the Red-sea for the bringing back of the waters thereof upon the Egyptians whereby they were drowned and destroyed Exod. 14.26 27. Ver. 17. And the Land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt c. As if the Prophet had said Yea before the Assyrians shall invade Egypt when the Egyptians shall hear of the Assyrians prevailing in the Land of Judah and the great havock they had made there that Hezekiah had sent the Treasures of his Kingdom and of the Temple to him and had tendered to become his Tributary Vassal and yet could not by all this purchase Peace from him concerning all which see 2 King 18.13 14. this shall exceedingly affright the Egyptians the land of Judah being thus sorely afflicted and endangered shall be a terror unto the land of Egypt 1. Because Judea being such a near neighbouring Country and standing as a wall between them and the Assyrians the land of Judah being subdued there would be a clear way opened for the Assyrian to enter Egypt and little hope there would be that they alone should be able to withstand such a potent Enemy 2. Because of the strict Confederacy that had often been betwixt these two States of Egypt and Judea and the readiness of the Egyptians upon all occasions to help the Jews see 2 King 17.4 and 18.21 which might provoke the Assyrian the more against Egypt And 3. Because if God had not spared his own people the Egyptians might well think that he would much less spare them This I conceive is the true meaning of this place And accordingly it followeth Every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself That is every Egyptian yea some extend this to all other Nations that shall have occasion to speak of the land of Judah to wit of the miseries that are befallen that Country shall be struck with terror the very thinking of the place shall make them tremble Because of the counsel of the Lord of Hosts which he hath determined against it that is because of God's determinate Counsel for the destruction of the Land of Judah which they shall see executed upon it Or because by the ruin brought upon the Land of Judah they shall see that he hath determined also to destroy Egypt Some I know understand this whole verse of the fear wherewith the Egyptians should be surprized when they should hear how wonderfully God had destroyed the Assyrian Army that under Sennacherib had invaded Judea to wit that finding hereby what a mighty God the Jews had to defend them they should not only fear the Lord but also the people of the Lord according to that which the Egyptians said of old Exod. 14.25 Let us flee from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians and that Deut 28.10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the Name of the Lord and they shall be afraid of thee See also 2 Chron. 32.23 But the former Exposition I judg the more genuine Yet some that understand it so hold it is meant of the destruction brought upon the Land of Judah by the Chaldeans not of the waste that was made therein by the Assyrians Ver. 18. In that day c. That is after these judgements have been fully executed upon Egypt see the Note Chap. 4.2 shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan that is the Hebrew tongue the language which the people of God spake that were planted by God in the Land of Cannaan which is therefore also called the Jews language Neh. 13.24 See the Note also Gen. 11.1 But the meaning is that the inhabitants of certain Cities in Egypt such as God had ordained unto life eternal should embrace the Religion of the Jews and become one people with them professing the same Faith and conversing together with them as if they had been the same people and spake all the same tongue notwithstanding the deadly enmity that had formerly been between the Egyptians and the children of Israel of which see Gen. 43.32 Yea and that they should by their praying to God and praising of God and by the holiness of their speech in every regard manifest themselves to be the people of the Holy God of Israel according to that Zeph. 3.9 Then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent As for the number of five cities here mentioned In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan I do not think that this is spoken with reference to the five Principalities that were formerly in the Land of Egypt 1 Sam. 6.4 for in the times the Prophet was immediately before speaking of Egypt was divided into Twelve Kingdoms Nor that the Prophets intent was hereby to imply that a fith part in five of the Cities of Egypt should embrace the Faith which some hold because of the following clause one shall be called the City of destruction It is only I conceive a certain number put for an uncertain and that which is only intended is that a considerable number of the Cities of Egypt should embrace the Religion of Gods people And because he speaks of the conversion of Cities in general this must needs be meant of their conversion to the Faith in the days of the Gospel not of some few that might be won to embrace the Jewish Religion in the days before Christ by those Jews that should fly into Egypt for shelter upon occasion of any troubles that should be in the Land of Judah And so likewise we must understand those following words and swear to the Lord of hosts to wit that the Egyptians should
descried a far off were even whilst he was speaking those few foregoing words to the Lord drawn so high that they were now as it were breaking in upon Babylon And behold here cometh a Chariot of men with a couple of horsemen see the Note before ver 7. Some indeed there are that do understand these Chariots and Horsemen seen by the Watchman of the people of God flying out of Babylon with bag and baggage But it is far more probable that the Prophet doth all along foretel the Destruction of Babylon And he answered and said Babylon is fallen is fallen c. Some think that this is spoken by the Watchman as giving Babylon for lost upon the sight which he had seen But because of this word answered I do rather think that it was the man which the Watchman had seen in the Chariot that spake this as triumphing in the taking of Babylon or that it was the Prophet that had by Gods appointment in his Vision set this Watchman to watch upon his Watch-Tower But that which seems most probable is That it was the Lord himself that answered this thereby making known to the Prophet what the meaning was of all this Vision which he had seen Babylon is fallen is fallen The redoubling of the word seems to imply both that it should be certainly and suddenly done as likewise what a matter of wonder and joy it would be to those that heard of it and with what attention it was fit to be hearkned to and all the graven Images of her gods even those which Belshazzar had praised Dan. 5.4 he hath broken unto the ground to wit God or the Enemy which God had brought upon them the Mede and Persian and that either by way of making a prey of the Gold and Silver whereof they were made or wherewith they were adorned or by way of triumphing over them as desiring hereby to shew that they had vanquished not only the people of Babylon but their Gods too Now this is added not only to imply what was one great cause of Babylons downfall to wit her horrid Idolatry and why her ruine was proclaimed with so much joy but also as hinting to Gods people that they should beware that they did not ruine themselves by the same sin Ver. 10. O my threshing and the Corn of my Floor c. Some take this as spoken in the name of God to Babylon and that she is called his threshing that is that which was to be threshed by him even as corn is threshed in the Floor as appears by the second clause and the corn of my floor or as it is in the Hebrew the Son of my floor that which comes out of the floor which is added to explain the foregoing words by way of foretelling how she was to be beaten and bruised by the Medes and Persians according to those like Expressions Chap. 41.14 15. Fear not saith the Lord to the men of Israel Behold I will make thee a new sharp threshing Instrument having teeth thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small and shalt make the hills as Chaff And Mic. 4.13 Arise and thresh O Daughter of Zion Because the ruine of that mighty Monarchy of Babylon might seem impossible in the Eye of Reason therefore the Lord speaks thus to her O my threshing c. to imply that if God undertook to do it who is with respect hereto in the following words called the Lord of Hosts and the God of Israel it should soon be done as if he had said O Babylon as thou hast threshed my people and many other Nations so thou shalt be now threshed thy self Or O Babylon I will trample thee under my feet as the Corn is trodden on in the floor for in those parts they used to tread out the Corn by the treading of men and oxen and the drawing of Carts over it And indeed in Jer. 51.33 we find the Destruction of the Babylonians threatned under the very same figurative Expression The Daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor it is time to thresh her yet a little while and the time of her harvest shall come But yet I conceive it is the Jews to whom this is here spoken O my threshing and the Corn of my floor And because the following words are clearly the words of the Prophet That which I have heard from the Lord of hosts the God of Israel have I declared unto you therefore I conceive this must be taken as spoken by the Prophet too and that in a way of pitying them for the sad Condition wherein they would be when they were Captives in Babylon and yet withal to chear them up against that time of their sore Calamity O my threshing and the Corn of my floor as if he should have said O my much pitied Countrymen and Brethren that have been so often threshed as Corn in the floor and so are like to be again when you are Captives in Babylon know for your Comfort that this which I have said concerning the Destruction of Babylon shall certainly come to pass that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts the God of Israel have I declared unto you And therefore you may be fully assured of it Though God may thresh you for a time by wicked men that shall tyrannize over you purposely to purge you from your straw and chaff to cut off the wicked from amongst you and to cleanse you from your sins yet the time shall come when Babylon shall be utterly destroyed as it hath been foretold And it is a clear discovery of Gods Love that he is pleased thus beforehand to reveal this to you Some I know would have it that the Prophet calls the Jews his threshing only because he had foretold how sorely they should be afflicted in Babylon according to that Jer. 1.10 See I have this day set thee over the Nations and over the Kingdoms to root out and to pull down and to destroy c. But I think that which is before said is sufficient for the satisfying of that Scruple Ver. 11. The burden c. See the Notes Chap. 13.1 and 2 Kings 9.25 of Dumah that is the Inhabitants of Dumah But now what place this Dumah was against which this burdensom prophecy was denounced it is hard to determine Many hold that by Dumah here is meant Idumea As say they Aram in a shorter way of speech is called Ram 1 Chron. 2.9 and so likewise Abram See the Note Job 32.2 so here Idumea is called Dumah which may seem the more probable because in the following words wherein the Prophet begins to relate the burdensom Vision which he had seen concerning Dumah there is mention made of Seir which was in the Country of the Edomites see the Notes Gen. 32.3 and Deut. 2.4 But now because in Gen. 25.14 we find that one of the Sons of Ishmael was called Dumah and it is well known that Ishmaels posterity seated themselves in Arabia therefore many
Army and yet when he had gotten the money from them he proceeded in the same hostile manner against them as he did before for which see the Notes 2 King 18.14 17. I know some would have this understood of the people of Judah's breaking Covenant with God and others would have it to be a complaint of the people concerning Gods breaking Covenant with them But it is clear the Prophet speaks this of the Assyrian and so likewise that which follows he hath despised the Cities to wit in that in a boasting way he slighted their strength and rejected their Messengers when they sued to him for peace and made nothing of destroying them utterly and levelling them with the ground not caring to preserve them for himself or his people he regardeth no man that is He neither fears any man nor pitieth any man but as a man void of all humanity makes havock of all where he comes And it may be as some think that in this last clause the Prophet had particular respect to Sennacheribs speaking so reproachfully of Hezekiah and to the scorn he put upon his Nobles when having received that great sum of money of them which Hezekiah had sent him for the purchase of his peace he sent them away in a disgraceful manner without doing that which he had promised See 2 King 18.14 17 22. c. Ver. 9. The earth c. That is The whole land of Judea mourneth and languisheth to wit as being laid waste by the Assyrians See the Note Chap. 24.4 Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down that is It is ashamed because all her lofty trees are hewn down Sharon See the Note Cant. 2.1 is like a wilderness to wit as being in a manner wholly left desolate without man or beast and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits that is They are as a tree that is left bare and hath lost her fruit by reason of the great waste the enemy hath made there The end of the Prophet in naming these particular places was certainly to imply That all the most goodly and fruitful places in the kingdom should be thus destroyed And if that could be made good which some say That Lebanon was in the utmost North parts of Judea and Carmel in the South Basan in the East and Sharon in the West we might well think that these places were purposely singled out to shew that the whole land should be left desolate and waste Some indeed say That the two last here named were not in the Kingdom of Judah but in that of the ten Tribes and therefore hold that by Bashan and Carmel here are figuratively meant the exceeding fruitful and pleasant places in Judea such as Bashan and Carmel were But it is clear that there was a Bashan in Judah's portion See the Note 1 Sam. 25.2 And then besides considering that the whole Kingdom of Israel had been already destroyed in a great measure by the Assyrians the Prophets aim being to shew that the whole land God had given to be the portion of his people should be thus over-run it is no wonder though some places are named that were in the Kingdom of Israel Ver. 10. Now will I rise saith the Lord now will I be exalted now will I lift up my self That is Now that my people are brought into such seeming desperate extremities and now their enemies are grown so exceeding insolent now will I arise and glorifie my self in the destruction of their enemies see the foregoing Notes ver 3 5. and Psal 68.1 Ver. 11. Ye shall conceive chaff ye shall bring forth stubble c. This is spoken to the Assyrians And the words may be understood two several ways either 1. that the Plots which they had conceived against Jerusalem and against Gods people were foolish and the event should be accordingly vain and to no purpose like chaff and stubble nothing worth as if they had sown chaff and stubble had grown up instead of Corn. Or else 2. that their designs against Jerusalem should prove the occasion of their own utter ruine Chaff and stubble are very combustible matter and therefore by saying they should conceive chaff and bring forth stubble is meant that they should plot and bring forth that which should be the means of consuming them And hereto agrees that which follows your breath as fire shall devour you that is as a man by blowing kindles a fire so you by the rage which you breathe forth against God and against his people shall by provoking Gods wrath against you bring destruction upon you and so the fire which you thought to kindle for the burning of others shall consume your selves see the Note Job 15.35 Ver. 12. And the people shall be as the burnings of lime c. That is As hard Chalk-stones are burnt in Kilnes till they become Lime so shall the Lord consume the stoutest of the Soldiers that serve in the Assyrian Army as thorns cut up shall they be burnt in the fire that is they shall be easily and suddenly destroyed even as thorns not growing and green but cut up and seare will soon take fire and are speedily burnt and consumed which is meant of the sudden destruction of the Assyrian Army 2 Kings 19.35 But see the Notes Chap. 27.4 11. and 2 Sam. 23.6 Ver. 13. Hear ye that are far off what I have done c. This may be meant of those Nations that dwelt in Countries far remote from Judea to whom the report should be brought of this great work of God in destroying the Assyrians and delivering Jerusalem And then in the following clause and ye that are near acknowledg my might by those that are near is meant those neighbouring Nations that being nearer to them might have fuller and clearer information and assurance of what God had done Or else by those that are far off may be meant all foreign Nations and by them that are near the Jews that were eye-witnesses of this work of wonder The drift of these words is to imply that the vengeance which God would execute upon the Assyrians should be talked of with admiration far and near all the world over see the like expression Chap. 18.3 Ver. 14. The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites c. That is those wicked wretches in Jerusalem that professing themselves Gods people had yet formally slighted and derided Gods Prophets when they foretold the Judgments that were coming upon them When the evil threatned did come upon them then these secure men were overwhelmed with terrors who among us say they shall dwell with the devouring fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings And some think they are supposed to speak this upon occasion of that dreadful slaughter which the Angel of the Lord did in one night make in the Assyrian Camp 2 Kings 19.35 which many hold was done by thunder and lightning from Heaven to wit that being terrified herewith as being conscious to themselves of
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
yet I rather think that here this Expression is used to imply that their joy should be discovered in the chearfulness of their countenances their going up and down with their heads lifted up and perhaps with Crowns and Garlands ever green upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away that is Their former grief and mourning shall vanish quite away as if they had never been But now most fitly may all this be applyed to that great work of our Redemption by Christ whereof those deliverances of the Jews were types and shadows as namely That all Christs redeemed ones turning from their sins shall first come in and joyn themselves to his Church with exceeding great joy yea with everlasting joy joy that shall overcome and swallow up all their sorrows and which no man shall ever be able to take from them Joh. 16.22 And then again that Christ having thus called them to himself would never leave them till he had lodged them in the heavenly Jerusalem where indeed their joy shall be everlasting and without any mixture of sorrow Rev. 21.4 CHAP. XXXVI VERSE 1. NOw it came to pass c. Here the Prophet inserts an Historical relation of Sennacheribs invading the land of Judah and of the wonderful deliverance of Jerusalem by Gods miraculous destroying the Assyrian Army and that purposely to shew how exactly all came to pass herein according to what he had long before foretold concerning these things as they are set down in the foregoing Chapters of this his Prophecy that so this might be a seal to confirm his Prophetical Office to the people and might let them see with what assurance they might expect that all other things which he had foretold or shall foretel hereafter even those things which concern Christ and the days of the Gospel should certainly also be accomplished in their season We have the very same relation almost word for word in 2 King 18.13 c. which makes it very probable that this part of that History was composed by Isaiah and the chief thing requisite to be known for the understanding thereof may be found in the Notes there or in 2 Chron. 32.1 c. Only in that which is said here concerning the time of Sennacherebs invading Judea that it was in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah this is further observable that it was therefore within a while after this good King had made such a Reformation in the Land as never any King before him had made that this grievous storm fell upon him and his Kingdom which must needs be both a great tryal and a great stumbling-block to many But see I say the Notes 2 King 18.13 c. Ver. 2. And the King of Assyria sent Rabshakeh c. and stood by the Conduit of the upper pool in the high way of the Fullers field For this place see the Note before Chap. 7.3 Ver. 3. Then came forth unto him Eliakim Hilkiahs son which was over the house and Shebna the scribe c. What is noted before concerning these two Eliakim and Shebna we may see Chap. 22.15 and 2 King 18.18 Questionless this Eliakim was the same of whom the Prophet had before prophecied that he should be surely setled in that place of high preferment in Hezekiahs Court which now it seems he was in Shebna that was formerly in it being removed See Chap. 22.20 21. c. And we may well think what a shaking it was to the faith of this good man concerning this promise when he was now to go out to beg terms of peace of the proud Tyrant Sennacherib ready in a manner to yield to any Conditions almost which he would be pleased to put upon them As for Shebna here mentioned I conceive as before that it was not Shebna into whose place Eliakim was put because it seems not very probable that Hezekiah would imploy such a wicked wretch so likely to be discontented and so justly therefore to be suspected in such a weighty service as this was Ver. 4. And Rabshakeh said unto them Say ye now to Hezekiah Thus saith the great King the King of Assyria What confidence is this wherein thou trustest That is What confidence is it that hath emboldned thee first to rebel against me and now to stand out against me when I am come with such a mighty Army to reduce thee under my power Ver. 5. I say sayest thou but they are but vain words I have counsel and strength for war In 2 King 18.20 this passage is expressed thus Thou sayest but they are but vain words I have counsel and strength for the war and therefore there it is clear that Rabshakeh chargeth Hezekiah with boasting to the people that they should be well enough able to defend the City against Sennacheribs forces as being sufficiently furnished both with Counsel and Strength for War and withal tells him that these were but vain words that is such as Hezekiah himself knew were but meer boasting words that had no ground of truth in them and therefore would be of no avail for the saving of the City And so likewise if we read that passage in the History of the Kings as it is there rendred in the Margin of our Bibles Thou talkest but they are vain words counsel and strength are for the War according to that Translation of the words it is also clear that Rabshakeh told Hezekiah that he talked at a high rate and uttered many big words thereby to hearten and encourage the people as namely that the Egyptians would come in to their help or that however the Lord Jehovah would surely deliver them if the people would earnestly call upon him for help and that withal he added That all this was to no purpose such vain words would not defend the City there was more requisite for the guarding of the City than so counsel and strength are for the war Well but why is this passage rendred here not as there Thou sayest but I say c I answer That though it be Rabshakeh that saith here I say yet he speaks this in the person of Hezekiah as if he should have said I know well enough what thou talkest and pratest to wit I say I have counsel and strength for war but these are but vain words And therefore indeed those words sayest thou are for the clearing of this well inserted by our Translators I say sayest thou c. now on whom dost thou trust that thou rebellest against me as if he should have said If it be not a vain confidence of thine own sufficient strength whereon thou reliest on whose help is it then that thou trustest in the hope whereof thou hast emboldned thy self to rebel against me Ver. 6. Lo thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed on Egypt c. He terms Egypt or the King of Egypt a staff of reed by way of allusion to those Reeds and Canes of Reeds which grew
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
Chap. 40.25 27. Here he proceeds on in these his Prophecies concernning Christ Behold my servant to wit Christ who though he were the only begotten Son of God yet is here called Gods Servant with respect to his humane nature wherein he took upon him the form of a servant Phil. 2.7 and as man was bound to serve God in a thorough obedience to his Laws but especially because of that singular Office of the Mediator which God had imposed upon him whom I uphold to wit That he may not sink under my wrath which he is to bear for sinners nor under any other difficulty or discouragement which he shall meet with in the discharge of his Office but may thoroughly fulfil it mine elect that is whom from eternity I elected to this service and who is indeed both in regard of the transcendent dignity of his Office and the dearness of his person and his exact discharge of his Office my choice Servant in whom my soul delighteth that is whom I dearly love and through whom and for whose sake only I am well pleased with others Eph. 1.6 I have put my spirit upon him See the Note Chap. 11.2 he shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles that is He shall cause his Gospel to be published not to the Jews only but also to the Gentiles and thereby set up his Kingdom amongst them and rule and govern them as his peculiar people See the Notes Chap. 2.3 4. Ver. 2. He shall not cry nor lift up nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets It is expresly noted of Christ that sometimes in his preaching he lifted up his voice and spake very loud as John 7.37 In the last day that great day of the feast Jesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink The meaning therefore of that which is here prophecied concerning Christ is rather 1. That this great King of the Church should make no great noise in the World that he should come to his people in an humble and low Condition without any of that stir or noise that useth to be where earthly Kings and Potentates come in Pomp and State to any place Or 2ly That he should be most humble and meek and gentle not seeking the applause of men in a boasting way not seeking to awe and keep under his people by loud clamours and threatnings as earthly Kings often use to do nor endeavouring to carry on his Cause in a passionate and clamorous way as men are wont to do that not being able to convince men by strength of Argnment do then assay to overbear men by passionate and loud speaking whence it is that the Apostle joyns wrath and anger and clamour together Eph. 4.31 And this Exposition may seem indeed the more probable because in Matth. 12.19 this place is cited thus He shall not strive nor cry c. and it is purposely cited by the Evangelist in that place to shew how fully that was accomplished in Christ which our Prophet had foretold concerning the Humility Meekness and Calmness of Spirit that should be in the promised Messiah for having related how the Pharisees were enraged against him for a Miracle that he had wrought and how Christ thereupon did not so much as contend with them but only withdrew himself from thence to another place that he might not when they were in such a rage provoke them any further ver 14 15. and charged the people not to make known the Miracles that presently after he wrought in another place ver 16. he adds ver 17 18 19. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet saying Behold my Servant whom I have chosen c. He shall not strive nor cry neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets Ver. 3. A bruised reed shall he not break c. That is Those that are as a cracked and bruised Cane or Reed which men are wont to break in pieces and throw away as good for nothing and the smoking or dimly burning flax shall he not quench that is Those that are as the wick of a Candle that burns dimly or as a snuff that hath more smoke than light and is even ready to go out which men are wont to cast away or at least to put them quite out They that understand this of Cyrus as a type of Christ do apply it thus That he did not despise and destroy the people of God whom he found in Babylon in a low Condition under extream Bondage and Slavery but on the contrary was very tender over them and rescued them out of the hands of their Oppressors and sent them home with honour into their own Country But it is questionless meant of Christ And though it may be extended to his patience and gentleness and forbearance towards the worst as appears by the Evangelists citing this place with respect to Christs yielding-carrage towards the Pharisees See the foregoing Note yet I conceive it is chiefly meant of Christs Gentleness and Clemency towards the weaker sort of Christians and those that are sorely troubled and wounded in Conscience for sin 1. He will not drive those to despair by dealing over-rigorously and roughly with them that are poor brooken-hearted sinners and that are through the Affrightments of Sin and Satan and the weakness of their Faith ready to sink in despair like a wick of a Candle that is even ready to go out but will rather cherish and encourage them and blow up that spark of Faith that is in them And 2ly he will not cast off those that have but a weak measure of Grace Piety and Goodness that are like smoking flax in that the light of Grace is hardly discernable by reason of those strong corruptions wherewith it is in a manner overwhelmed but will bear with them and cherish them till Grace grow stronger in them As for the last clause he shall bring forth Judgment unto truth it is much the same with that ver 1. he shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles and the meaning therefore seems to be That by the preaching of the Gospel he should set up his Kingdom among his people faithfully according to what he had promised or that he should judge and govern his people truly according to the rule of the Gospel And thus this may be added by way of explaining the former words namely by shewing that though Christ should deal very gently with the weakest of true Believers and true Penitents yet he would not cherish any in their sins nor shew any favour to Hypocrites and profane obstinate Despisers of the grace that was tendered them Ver. 4. He shall not fail nor be discouraged c. That is He shall not faint nor be disheartned from going on in his work by any hard labor or grievous sufferings yea though all the World oppose him he shall courageously go on till he have set Judgment in the earth that is Till by
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
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
can believe See the Notes Chap. 51.9 and 52.10 The expression here used to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed seems to be taken from Workmen that are wont to strip up their Sleeves and make bare their Arms when they set themselves to work Ver. 2. For he shall grow up c. Here the reason is given why so few of the Jewish Nation should believe the glad tydings of the Prophets and Apostles concerning Christ and accordingly why so few should entertain him as the promised Messiah namely because of the mean and contemptible condition both of his Person and Kingdom outwardly They expected a Messiah that should come in Princely State as some mighty Monarch that should deliver them from their bondage under the Roman Empire and therefore seeing no such thing â—â— Christ but the quite contrary he being so exceeding low and mean in the World they could not endure to think that he should be their promised Messiah For he shall grow up to wit Christ in his humane Nature of whom the Prophet had spoken in the close of the foregoing Chapter before him that is before God who had sent him into the World as his Servant and so it may be spoken as with relation to that in the foregoing Chapter ver 13. Behold my Servant c. and under whose provident Eye and Protection and Blessing he grew up Or before him that is before the People of the Jews that did so scorn and despise him as a tender Plant and as a Root out of a dry ground a Succour as we usually call them and so the Hebrew word here signifies that springs out of the root of a Tree that grows in a dry sandy barren ground a poor slender Twig in danger to be trodden down by every foot See the Note Chap 11.1 The meaning is That he should be amongst the great ones of his time as such a poor shrivelled Twig amongst many tall and stately Trees he hath no form nor comeliness that is there was no splendor outwardly either in his personal state or in his Kingdom See the Note Chap. 42.14 and when we shall see him this is spoken as in the person of the Jews and as setting forth what the Judgment of Flesh and Blood in all men would have been there is no beauty that we should desire him that is there was no sightliness nothing that was desirable in him at least nothing that should induce Men to desire him as the promised Messiah He lived for thirty years together unknown and in a poor and mean condition and his Church was at first poor and of no esteem and because of this he that was the desire of all Nations Hag. 2.7 was looked upon as one that had nothing desirable in him Ver. 3. He is despised and rejected of men c. Not only not desired as was said in the foregoing Verse but also despised and rejected as a vile abominable person which was that St. Peter charged the Jews with Act. 3.14 But ye denied the holy one and the just c. A man of sorrows that is full of all sorts of sorrows all his life long but especially at his passion so that he might seem to be even made up of sorrows and acquainted with grief that is inured and accustomed to grief all manner of griefs and sufferings were familiar and ordinary with him And we hid as it were our Faces from him which is again spoken of the generality of the Nation of the Jews Some indeed read this as it is in the Margin he hid as it were his face from us and they that render it so understand it of Christs hiding his Face as it were out of shame because of his sad and despicable condition as the Lepers by the Law were appointed to hide and cover their Faces Lev. 13.45 But it is far better rendered in our Translation and we hid as it were our Faces from him to wit by way of loathing him as an abominable Person whom they could not endure to behold or by way of hatred and detestation as being ashamed to own him or to converse with him or lastly by way of disregard or contempt as not thinking him worthy to be in the least minded or looked after And that this last is chiefly intended the following words may incline us to think which seem to be added for the explaining of this he was despised and we esteemed him not whence it is that the Apostle saith Phil. 2.7 That he made himself of no reputation c. Ver. 4. Surely c. Here the Prophet shews why Christ was to live in such a mean and contemptible Estate and to suffer that abundance of grief and sorrow mentioned before ver 3. hereby also to imply the folly of those that stumbled at this namely because he was to take upon him the guilt of our Sins and the punishment which our sins had deserved Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows that is the guilt of our Sins the diseases of the Soul as the word here used in the Original doth properly signifie and all those infirmities griefs sorrows and pains which mans Nature in general is subject and liable to because of Sin for those personal infirmities arising from the several constitutions and complexions of men Christ did not take upon him for thus St. Peter expresseth this as is most probable in allusion to this place 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our Sins in his own body The great question concerning this place is how it is by St. Matthew applyed to the bodily Cures which Christ wrought if it be to be understood as is before related Matth. 8.16 17. He cast out the Spirits with his word and healed all that were sick That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet saying Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses But to this two answers are given by Expositors The first which most agree in is That the Evangelist saith that this Prophecy was fulfilled in these miraculous Cures of Christ because they were a type and sign that he was come to cure them of and deliver them from their Sins the Spiritual diseases of their Souls by these miraculous cures he taught them as it were that he was come to satisfie the Justice of God by bearing the punishment due to their Sins that so their Sins might be pardoned and God being reconciled to them might shew mercy in curing them of their bodily diseases But then the second answer is which seems to me far the clearest and plainest that St. Matthew saith That this Prophecy of Esaias was fullfilled when Christ cured such a multitude of sick and diseased Persons because by his tender pity and bowels of compassion towards those sad afflicted Creatures he shewed plainly that together with our Nature he had assumed the penal infirmities of our Nature and therefore had a sad fellow-feeling of the pains and griefs which those poor wretches
be confirmed by Oaths and Gods Promises are as firm as any Oath can be therefore is this expression here used so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee to wit say some in a way of vengeance to cast thee off and utterly to destroy thee See the Note Psal 6.1 for otherwise God is angry with and doth very sharply rebuke those whom he loves most dearly yea and thus not to be angry and not to chastise men is the greatest wrath See Ezek. 16.42 Or rather that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee again so as it was in the Babylonian Captivity This shall be to me as the Waters of Noah I will never bring you into such a condition any more And indeed considering the desolate and lost condition of the Church of the Jews in Babylon when they were scattered and mingled amongst the Nations that they were no longer a People by themselves nor had any thing of the form or appearance of a Church amongst them we may well say that though the People were many times after their deliverance out of Babylon brought into a very low and miserable condition yet it was never so with them as it was in Babylon no not to the coming of Christ and what they have since endured is not to be mentioned because since that the Israel of God hath been continued in the Christian Church as the Jews have been cast off And indeed some understand this of the Covenant which God made with the Church of the New Testament that this should be to God as the Waters of Noah namely that he would never cast off them from being his People as he did the Nation of the Jews Ver. 10. For the Mountains shall depart and the Hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee c. That is The Mountains and Hills shall be overturned and lost rather than my kindness towards thee shall fail See the Note upon a like expression Chap. 51.6 Neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed to wit whereby I will engage my self to be at peace with thee and to bless and prosper thee which seems also to be said in relation to what had been before spoken of Gods Covenant with Noah saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee and therefore of his free mercy will do what he hath promised Ver. 11. Oh thou afflicted tossed with tempest c. To wit as a Ship driven up and down with tempestuous Winds for it may well be that in these words there is respect had to Noah's Ark of whom mention was made before ver 9. and which was indeed a type of the Church 1 Pet. 3.21 or as a poor Cottage shaken with stormy Winds for that may be intended as in opposition to that which is here promised that this weather-beaten Cottage should be a most glorious building and not comforted that is having none to comfort thee And this may be meant principally of their Captivity in Babylon whither they were driven as with a tempest of Gods Indignation and wherein they were scattered abroad and carried from one place to another but withall of all the miseries they endured afterward unto the coming of Christ As for the following words behold I will lay thy Stones with fair colours and lay thy Foundations with Saphires c. It contains a promise of Gods raising his Church which should lye for a time in such a poor and sad condition to a state of most transcendent and almost incredible excellency and Glory namely That God would build her up like some stately costly Palace or City made up wholly in a manner of precious stones under which Figurative description is doubtless meant the spiritual excellency of the structure of the Church of Christ begun here on Earth but perfected in Heaven and accordingly by the Stones of this building must needs be meant the faithful who as living Stones 1 Pet. 2.5 are built upon Christ the only foundation of the Church 1 Cor. 3.11 Or which is all one in effect upon the foundation of the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Eph. 2.20 whence it is that the twelve Apostles are tearmed the twelve foundations of the Church Rev. 21.14 And they are compared to several precious Stones with respect to the manifold Gifts and Graces of Gods Spirit and the several degrees thereof wherewith they should be adorned here and the unconceiveable Glory wherewith they shall be cloathed in Gods Heavenly Kingdom Ver. 12. And I will make thy Windows of Agates c. Some by these Windows would have the Preachers of the Gospel meant by whose teaching Gods People are enlightned and so likewise in the following words and thy Gates of Carbuncles and all thy Borders that is all thy Walls wherewith thou art bounded and shut in of pleasant Stones by her Gates and Walls they understand Divine Protection But that these things were particularly intended it is hard to say Ver. 13. And all thy Children shall be taught of the Lord c. That is Not only by the Preaching of the Gospel outwardly which is clearly enough hinted in that they are called the Churches Children but also by the Spirit of the Lord inwardly For to this purpose is this place alledged by our Saviour Joh. 6.45 where having said that none could come unto him except they were drawn unto him by God the Father he adds It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God So that this is clearly a promise made to the Church only concerning the Elect of God whom God had appointed to be Israelites indeed and that too with respect to the time of the New Testament wherein God intended to bring in more to the Church and to give them Knowledge and Grace more abundantly than in former times and great shall be the peace of thy Children that is their prosperity and happiness in every regard See the Note Chap. 48.18 or their inward Spiritual Peace yea in the midst of afflictions Ver. 14. In righteousness shalt thou be established c. This may be understood 1. Of Gods Righteousness or Faithfulness to wit that he as a just and righteous God would perform his promises to them and so settle them in a peaceable and happy condition See the Note Chap. 51.5 2. Of the stability of the righteousness of Gods Church and People to wit that it should be permanent and stable not fluid and vanishing which may be meant both of the imputed and inherent righteousness of Christians Or 3. Of the Justice and Righteousness that should be exercised and practised amongst them righteousness being here opposed to oppression to wit that they should have just and righteous Governours to rule over them such as were Zorababel Joshua Ezra and Nehemiah and that the People should likewise be just and righteous in their dealings and that hereby they should be established as upon a sure foundation in a good and happy
shall never thirst 4. That by these words And he that hath no Money come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without Money and without price to wit any thing given in exchange for them instead of Money I say hereby is not so much meant as I conceive that the Poor are invited to come as well as the Rich as that all are invited to come freely and to accept of that Mercy and Life that is tendered in Christ though they are nothing though they have nothing and can do nothing towards the obtaining of this bliss and happiness even those that are most sensible of their Spiritual Poverty and Indigency in this regard The same that was before meant by coming to the Waters is here again meant by buying Wine and Milk only it is expressed by these other kinds of Food to imply the sweet and comfortable refreshing that Men shall find in this Spiritual Food and that all good that Sinners can want or desire is to be had in Christ and that there is provision for all sorts of People Milk for Children and Wine for those that are of grown years yea and that they shall have as sure an interest in what is tendered without Money and without Price as if they had bought it And 5. That by the frequent repeating and urging of this Invitation is implyed both Mens backwardness in accepting the Grace here tendered them and Gods earnestness that they should be perswaded and won to accept it Ver. 2. Wherefore do ye spend Money for that which is not Bread c. That is That which is not true Food See the Note Chap. 3.1 and your labour that is the Money you have gotten by your labour for that which satisfieth not that is that which will neither asswage your hunger nor nourish you and cause you to live It is as if he had said Why do you so eagerly pursue sparing neither cost nor labour that which will no way profit you that is that which will afford no furtherance for the obtaining of that Soul-satisfying bliss and happiness which in Christ is tendered to you And hereby is meant 1. The greedy pursuit of the things of the World which a Man is not sure to obtain and cannot long hope to enjoy and which whilst he doth enjoy them cannot satisfie the thirst and desires of his Soul nor make him happy 2. All strictness and diligence in false superstitious Will-worships which would provoke God to displeasure instead of pleasing him and were never like to bring them to Life Eternal Matth. 15.9 And 3. All false Doctrines concerning the way of attaining Gods favour here and Eternal Life and Happiness such as that of the Scribes and Pharisees of Mens being saved by their own works and righteousness See Tit. 3.5 Hearken diligently unto me as if he should have said And by a constant observing the direction of my word you shall be sure to prevent all such mistakes and eat you that which is good that is that which is really good that which is Bread indeed that which will indeed procure Gods Love and Favour comfort you here and preserve you unto Life Eternal and let your Soul delight it self in fatness that is you shall have abundance of the choicest and chiefest good even that which will fully delight and satisfie your Soâ—ls See the Note Psal 36.8 Ver. 3. Incline your Ear and come unto me c. See the Note above ver 1. and Psal 45.10 hear and your Souls shall live See the Note Psal 22.26 and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you wherein is implyed 1. A renewing and confirming of that Covenant of Grace which God had made with their Fathers in and through the Lord Christ which was for the substance of it an everlasting Covenant as if he should have said Though you have on your part broken Covenant with me and though in the Babylonian Captivity I may seem to have cast you off and the Kingdom setled upon Davids Posterity may seem to be utterly ruined yet fear not I will renew and confirm that my Covenant with you And 2. The making of a new Covenant with them to wit the Covenant of the New Testament confirmed with the blood of Christ which though it were the same in substance with that which God made with his People under the Old Testament yet it was a new Covenant in regard of the new manner of the dispensation of it many ways and may be here called an everlasting Covenant in opposition to that which was before because it was to continue for ever and not to be abrogated as that which God made with the Jews was As for the following words even the sure Mercies of David some by David here understand Christ as he is elsewhere called Ezek. 34.25 and Hos 3.5 because he was that Messiah whom God had promised of the seed of David and accordingly by the sure Mercies of David they understand those stable Mercies which God had promised and covenanted in and through the Lord Christ the Mediator of the Covenant See the Note Chap. 49.18 to confer upon his People But again others understand it of King David and so by the sure Mercies of David they understand either Mercies that should as surely be performed to his People as those were for which he had engaged himself by Covenant to David or else rather the very Mercies which he had promised to David and in and through him as the Father and Type of Christ unto his Church and People 2 Sam. 7. c. and Psal 89.4 35 c. namely that God would give unto David a Son that should save his People and that should reign over them for ever And hence it was that the Apostle Paul alledged this place to prove the Resurrection of Christ Act. 13.34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the Dead now no more to return to Corruption he said on this wise I will give you the sure Mercies of David For the Promise made to Christ or to David concerning Christ the Eternity of his Kingdom and the Mercies he should procure for his People could not have taken effect if after he was Crucified he had not been raised again from the dead Ver. 4. Behold I have given him c. To wit Christ See the Note Chap. 9.6 who in the foregoing Verse was called David or at least intended as the Son and Successour of David the Mediator of the Covenant the Mercies whereof are there called the sure Mercies of David I saith God the Father have ordained him for a witness to the People that is to make known and testifie to the Gentiles the Counsel of God concerning Mans Salvation and by accomplishing what God had foretold should be to testifie and make good the Faithfulness of God Whence was that of our Saviour to Pilate To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the World that I should bear Witness unto the Truth
and their Redemption by Christ signified thereby and more especially that above Ver. 7. concerning his pardoning penitent Sinners it shall not return unto me void c. that is without effecting what I have said shall be Ver. 12. For ye shall go out with joy c. This is mentioned as the word of promise of which he had said in the foregoing Verse that it should not return void but should surely be accomplished for which see the Notes Chap. 52.11 and ye shall be led forth with peace that is ye shall be led along from Babylon to Judea peaceably and quietly See the Notes Chap. 52.11 under which also may be intended mystically that inward Peace which Christians should enjoy in their passage to Heaven And there seems also to be an allusion in the words to the leading of the Israelites by a Pillar of Cloud as they went through the Wilderness to Canaan The Mountains and the Hills shall break forth before you into singing and all the Trees of the Fields shall clap their Hands that is they shall rejoyce at your joy and welfare See the Notes Chap. 35.1 and 44.23 and 49. Yet there may be an Allusion also in the words to the Mountains ringing with and ecchoing back the joyful shouting and singing of Gods People and to the pleasant noise made in the Arms the Branches and Twigs of the Trees by the sweet gales of Wind which God should send for the refreshing of his People as they went along Ver. 13. Instead of the Thorn shall come up the Firr-Tree and instead of the Briar shall come up the Myrtle-Tree c. Some understand this of Gods making the way of the Jews in their return homeward from Babylon convenient and comfortable and that they should meet with nothing that should be any an annoyance or hindrance to them even as they should go through those vast barren Desarts that lay in their way And so they make this parallel with that Chap. 41.19 for which see the Note there But then others again understand it and I think better of the mighty change that should be in the Land of Judea at their return thither Having say they assured the Jews that their return should be safe and peaceable and comfortable here the Prophet adds That though their Land had so many years in their absence lain desolate over-grown with Briars and Thorns for want of People to till the Ground yet at their return home it should be exceeding fruitful abounding with all useful and pleasant Trees and Plants and that the Face of their Country and State should be every way changed for the better But for this and how it may be also understood spiritually of the great change that should be wrought amongst Christs redeemed ones in the days of the Gospel whereof their return out of Babylon was a type See the Notes Chap. 4.2 and 35.1 2. and 49.11 and it shall be to the Lord for a name that is this deliverance and restitution of his Church and People and this glorious change that shall be wrought amongst them shall bring much Glory to God for an everlasting Sign that shall not be cut off that is it shall be an Everlasting monument of his glorious Power and Goodness to his People by means whereof the Lord shall be for ever praised and his People shall be confirmed in their confidence that God will never forsake them CHAP. LVI VERSE 1. THVS saith the Lord keep ye Judgment and do Justice c. That is Do you all Judges and others that which is exactly just and right The exhortation to repentance begun in the former Chapter Ver. 6 7. is farther here pressed For my Salvation is near to come and my righteousness to be revealed See the Notes Chap. 46.13 and 51.51 It is the same in effect with that which the Baptist Preached Math. 3.2 and Christ also Mark 1.15 The Kingdom of God is at Hand repent ye and believe the Gospel Ver. 2. Blessed is the Man that doth this c. That is That keepeth Judgment and doth Justice as was said in the foregoing Verse See the Note Psal 106.3 and the Son of Man that layeth hold on it that is that doth zealously and constantly keep close to the doing of this that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it that is that is careful to worship God as he hath appointed them for the sanctifying of the Sabbath is here put for the exercising of all the Duties of Religion and Piety and that haply the rather because this they might observe in their Captivity in Babylon whereas many other parts of Gods Worship were only to be performed in the Temple at Jerusalem and keepeth his hand from doing any evil to wit to his Neighbour Ver. 3. Neither let the Son of the Stranger that hath joined himself to the Lord c. That is Let not any Gentile that by Faith in Christ hath joyned himself to my Church and People Speak saying The Lord hath utterly separated me from his People to wit because I am as an Alien and a Stranger and not of the Stock of the Jews neither let the Eunuch say Behold I am a dry Tree that is like a dry Tree barren and without possibility of Issue Because by that Law Deut. 23.1 c. for which see the Notes there an Eunuch and Proselytes that came in from other Nations and joyned themselves to the Church of the Jews were debarred from being admitted into full communion with the Common-wealth and Church of Israel left therefore the Eunuchs or Heathens should think that surely they should not have any share in the Priviledges here promised but only those that were born of Israel and had not any such Note of Infamy upon them and indeed we see how exceedingly even the believing Jews stumbled at the taking in of the Gentiles into the Church of Christ Act. 10.45 and 11.2 3. therefore the Lord doth here assure them that in the days of the Gospel of which he had spoken there should be no such distinction betwixt Jew and Gentile betwixt Person and Person but that those that seemed most vile and contemptible if they came into Christ should be admitted to the same Priviledges with the rest of his People Ver. 4. For thus saith the Lord unto the Eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths c. See the Note above ver 2. and chuse the things that please me that is that upon Judgment rightly informed do sincerely set themselves to do those things that I have commanded them for both Will-worships and Hypocrisie are hereby excluded and take hold of my Covenant that is that do imbrace the mercy tendered to them in my Covenant of Grace and carefully observe to do those things that by their Covenant with me they are bound to do and so adorn their profession of Christianity with a holy Conversation Ver. 5. Even unto them will I give in my House and within my Walls c. To wit within the Walls of my
which are rendred in our Bibles The brook of the willows may be translated as it is in the Margin The valley of the Arabians therefore the meaning may be either that the Arabians should carry away the spoil of the Moabites Country either as serving under the Assyrians or Babylonians or as afterwards entring the land to pillage and carry away what the Assyrians or Babylonians had left or else that the Assyrians and Babylonians should carry away the prey they had gotten from the Moabites to the valley of the Arabians their Confederates there to be kept a while by them intending afterwards to convey them from thence into their own Countrey But however clear it is that this is mentioned as one cause of the great outcry in the land of Moab of which the Prophet is here speaking Ver. 8. For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab c. That is Because of these grievous miseries that shall come upon the Moabites there shall be a dreadful outcry amongst them all the land over both of them that are slain and of them that flee from the enemy The howling thereof unto Eglaim and the howling thereof unto Beer-elim that is the howling of this cry shall reach unto these places See the Notes Numb 21.16 Ver. 9. For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood c. To wit with the blood of the slaughtered Moabites So that this is also added as a reason of that great out-cry before spoken of that should be in the land Whether Dimon be the name of a River or of a City is altogether uncertain for we find it no where else mentioned However it seems that there was in this place some greater slaughter made amongst the people than in any other part of the land either because they here stood out longest in the defence of some place against the enemy or for some reason that is not expressed And some think that Dimon is the same City that was before ver 2. called Dibon the name being changed and of Dimon called Dibon which signifieth bloody upon that occasion Yea and very many learned Expositors hold that there is an Allusion in these words to the Story in 2 King 3.20 21 23. concerning a stream of water that came running down from the land of Edem into the Wilderness where there was an Army of three Kings that were going against the Moabites which appeared to the Moabites to be blood and were afterward indeed died red with their blood as if the Prophet would have said That as then the stream was onee before died with blood so it should be again Whereas to me it seems more than probable that the waters mentioned in that place were miraculously sent of God for the refreshing of those Armies and were not the waters of a River that did constantly run thorow that Wilderness And therefore for those following words For I will bring more it is in the Original additions upon Dimon I do not think the meaning of that is that whereas those waters were made red with blood at that time when those three Kings slew the Moabites now there should be more blood there because the slaughter of the Moabites by the Babylonians should be far greater than that formerly was by those three Kings The meaning of those words rather is either 1. That God would add streams of blood to the waters of Dimon which running into it from several places should make the river rise and swell more and more Or 2. that God would bring more and greater vengeance upon Dimon than upon other parts of the land the slaughter should be greater there and so more blood should be shed there than in any other place besides Or 3. that God would bring more evils upon Dimon than what he had hitherto spoken of concerning the spoiling of their pastures and the plundering of their goods ver 6 7. even this here mentioned the shedding of their blood in so great abundance yea say some more than that here mentioned to wit that after the miseries brought upon them by the Assyrians the Babylonians should also in process of time utterly destroy them Or 4. That to the judgment here threatned that the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood he would add yet more to wit the judgment set forth in the following words Lions upon him that escapeth of Moab and upon the remnant of the land which though some understand of men fierce and savage as Lions as namely the Babylonian or the Assyrian who though he was only as a Bear to other parts of Moab yet he would be as a Lion to Dimon Yet I rather think it is to be understood literally to wit that those Moabites that had escaped the Sword and were left in the land should be slain by Lions and other wild beasts to wit either in the wilderness whither they should flee to escape the Sword or in their own land which lying desolate Lions should breed in it as it was with the Colonies in Samaria 2 King 17.25 CHAP. XVI VERSE 1. SEnd ye the Lamb to the Ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness unto the mount of the daughter of Zion There are only two Expositions of this place which can consist with our Translation The first is that by the Lamb here is meant a Sacrifice of Atonement which the Moabites are here stirred up to send to the Temple at Jerusalem Only there is this difference amongst those that do thus conceive of the Lamb to be sent 1. That some think the Prophet doth here seriously advise the Moabites to send Lambs and other such like cattel to be offered up in Sacrifice to God the Ruler of the whole world at the Temple at Jerusalem there to pacifie God's displeasure against them And 2. that others take it to be Ironically spoken and by way of insulting over the Moabites as if he had said You that had wont to despise and blaspheme the God of Israel now that you see your selves in such desperate danger now that you are so miserably destroyed you had best send your Sacrifices to the Ruler of the world at the Temple in Mount Zion But alas if you had a mind to do so it is now you see too late But then the 2. is that by the Lamb which the Moabites are here advised to send to the Ruler of the land is meant the Tribute which they were wont to pay to the King of Judah Because it is evident that the Moabites were subdued by David and became Tributaries to him See the Notes 2 Sam. 8.2 And it is most probable that the Tribute agreed upon was that which is mentioned 2. King 3.4 An hundred thousand Lambs with an hundred thousand Rams with the wool which it seems they paid duly to the Kings of Israel after that Kingdom was divided from the Kingdom of Judah till after the death of Ahab when they refused to pay their Tribute any longer either to
Ahaziah or Joram his Son See the Notes 2 King 1.1 and 35. Therefore it is thought the Moabites are here advised to pay their wonted Tribute again to the King of Judah Send ye the Lamb that is the Tribute which you formerly paid of Lambs and other cattel to the Ruler of the Land that is to the King of Judah to whom of right you are Vassals ever since David subdued you From Sela some chief City in the South-borders of the Land of Moab which was afterwards taken by Amaziah King of Judah and called Joktheel See the Note 2 King 14.7 To the wilderness that is the wilderness of Jordan in the North-border Unto the mount of the daughter of Zion that is to Jerusalem See the Note Chap. 1.8 Which is all one therefore as if he had said Let all the people all the Land over gather up this Tribute and send it But indeed many Expositors understand this as spoken in a way of derision as if the Prophet had said You had best to prevent the ruin that from Judah will be brought upon you to send the old Tribute again you had wont to pay to Hezekiah the Ruler of the land and it is like in your straits you will think of doing so but alas it will do no good that will not then keep off the destruction which will certainly come upon you Ver. 2. For it shall be that as a wandring bird cast out of the nest or as a nest forsaken so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon A river in the utmost borders of the land of Moab Numb 21.13 The meaning therefore seems to be that as a wandring bird driven out of her nest or as a brood of young birds forsaken of their damme or cast out of their nest do fly up and down not having any body to protect them not knowing whither to go or where to take up their rest so the daughters of Moab that is the Inhabitants of the Towns of Moab or the Moabitish women see Chap. 3.16 17. and Luk. 13.34 even they as well as the men shall flee away out of their Country and wander up and down in desart places not knowing where to settle themselves Or they shall be carried away captives into Assyria over the River Arnon But now we must know that this may be taken as spoken only conditionally to wit that thus it should be with the Moabites if they did not hearken to the advice given them in the foregoing verse But others that understand that which is said in the foregoing verse as spoken Ironically do accordingly understand this as added to shew why there would be no thinking to send a Lamb either by way of pacifying God's anger by Sacrifices or by way of procuring their Peace by paying their former Tribute because instead of that they should flee in great dread from the Sword of the Enemy or should be carried away by the Enemy into Captivity as easily as a bird is driven out of her nest Ver. 3. Take counsel c. That is say some Expositors Consult together how you may escape the destruction that is coming upon you And they that do understand these first words thus do accordingly hold that in the next words the Prophet tells them what would be the best course they could take if they desired to prevent their approaching ruin namely to be courteous and kind to the out-casts of God's people in their distress Execute Judgment make thy shadow as the night c. But I rather conceive that these first words do intend the same thing with those that follow after Take counsel that is Consider with your selves and consult together to wit how you may any way protect and relieve and procure the good of my people in their affliction and distress Execute judgment that is Do that for them which in all Justice and Equity you ought to do be not injurious to my people in their distresses as you have formerly been but shew them that compassion which is due to a people in such misery Make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noon-day that is when my people are driven out of their Country and flee to you to shelter them from their enemies let them be concealed and hidden by you that even at Noon-day they may be as if they were covered with the darkness or shadow of the night when no body can see them or find them out or rather let the harbour and entertainment they find amongst you be as a safe and sweet refuge and refreshment against the noon-day heat of the Assyrians breaking in upon them even as the pillar of the cloud to which haply this Expression doth allude was a covert to the Israelites against the heat of the Sun as they travelled through the VVilderness to Canaan hide the out-casts bewray not him that wandereth that is Hide those that being driven out of their own Land wander up and down amongst you to seek for some place of shelter and do not deliver them up into the hands of their enemies But now all this is understood by many as spoken Ironically Take counsel execute Judgment c. as if he had said Now when the enemy is broken in upon you it may be you will wish you had done what it was indeed your duty to have done to Gods poor people when they were persecuted and pursued by their enemies But alas it is now too late you had wont to reject them and to deal cruelly with them at such times and now you will meet with the same hard measure Ver. 4. Let mine outcasts dwell with thee Moab c. That is those of my people that are driven out of the land which I had given them and that I own still as my people though I have at present in just displeasure against them cast them out for their sins Be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler as if he should have said As at the first bringing of my people out of Egypt you did discover your spleen against them See the Notes Deut. 23.4 so you have done ever since being still ready to side with their enemies that have prevailed against them and to deal hardly with them in their distress but beware do not so still but rather let them have a hiding-place amongst you to shelter them from the rage of their enemies to wit the Assyrians as most Expositors do here conceive But now the drift of all this is only to shew what in all reason the Moabites ought to have done and as some think to insult over their destruction because they had not done so for the Extortioner is at an end the spoiler ceaseth the oppressors are consumed out of the land that is the Land of Judea shall be quite freed from the enemy that came to spoil and oppress her which I say most Expositors understand of the quick dispatch that God made of Sennacherib and his army
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