all should be consumed that do these things And their thoughts Yea their thoughts And is put here for Yea. It shall come that I will gather all Nations These words relate to and follow those words v. 14. And the Hand of the Lord shall be known towards his servants for as they so these speak of that happy and glorious condition which the godly Jews should enjoy after their return out of Babylon into their own Land It shall come that I will gather all Nations and tongues and they shall come and see my glory i. e. It shall come to passe that I will gather many of all Nations and of all Languages together and they shall come and see those glorious things which I will do for Jerusalem and for my people the Jewes which serve me The meaning is q. d. And it shall come to passe that the glory which I will give my Servants when they come into their own Land shall be so great as that all Nations shall be taken with the fame thereof and many of them shall come to see that their glory which I will give them Note that many of these Nations did not only come to see the glory of the Jewes but did also desire a League of amity with them and many of them also did upon sight of what the Lord had done for them become Proselytes as appeareth v. 2.3 I will gather all Nations i. e. I will gather many of all Nations This he saith to signifie that very many of all Nations and Countries should come to Jerusalem to see the glory which God gave her i. e. the Jews being moved with the fame thereof All Nations i. e. Many of all Nations A Synecdoche Generis Or an Hyperbole God saith here that he would gather all Nations to come and see His Glory because he would bestowe such glory upon Jerusalem and his Servants the Jewes as that all Nations should heare of it and many of all Nations should come and that in great multitudes to Jerusalem to see that glory And all tongues i. e. Men of all Tongues and Languages My glory i. e. That glory which I will give to Jerusalem vers 12. and my Servants the Jewes vers 10. This glory he calleth His because he was the Authour of it 91 And I will set a sign among them i. e. And I will set up an Ensign among the men of Israel that is I will gather the men of Israel together which are scattered abroad and they also shall come and see my glory By them are meant the men of Israel or of the ten Tribes which were scattered abroad whom he calls their Brethren v. 20. and at whom he seemeth to point when he saith I will set a sâ—gn among them And he alludeth here to a Captain or Generall who when he would call his Souldiers together to march any where sets up a Standard or an Ensigne for them to repair to Note here that though the greatest part of the ten Tribes of Israel were destroyed or carried away captive into Assyria and their Common-wealth was brought to naught by Salmaneser 2 Kings 18.11 yet God left a few in the Land of Israel as it were gleaning Grapes and the shaking of the Olive Tree Isaiah 17.6 And besides those that were left in the Land of Israel and those that were carried away Captive into Assyria there were others which fled in their extremity to other Countries to save themselves as to Tarshish Pul Lud c. of which many returned to Jerusalem and lived among their Brethren the Jews when they heard what great things the Lord had done for the people the Jews and what glory he had bestowed upon Jerusalem Among them i. e. By them he meaneth the men of Israel or of the ten Tribes whom he seemeth to point at when he saith among them He maketh particular mention of the men of Israel that is of the ten Tribes because he had said â—e would have no more mercy upon the house of Israel but would utterly take them away Hos 1.6 And I will send those that escape of them to the Nations i. e. And I will send many of the men of Israel which live among the Jewt and have escaped those dangers into which they fell c. These God sent to the Nations not by any express or open command but by his secret providence directing them that way when they had a mind to traffick or the like And God might make these an Instrument of reducing the scattered of Israel rather then any other because of the neer relation which was between them and the dispersed of Israel To Tarshish Tarshish I take to be the same with Tartessus a City in Spain and by a Metonymy the inhabitants of that City Pul Some take Pul to signifie Africa in general others that part of Africa which is neer to Fez and here they take it for the Inhabitants of one or other of these places Lud By Lud is meant the posterity of Lud which were called Lydians of whom Gen. 10.22 That draw the Bow i. e. That are skilful Archers and have strength and knowledge how to draw the Bow well To Tubal By Tubal are meant the children of Tubal which was the son of Japhet Gen. 10.2 To Javan By Javan are meant the children of Javan which was the son of Japhet Gen. 10.2 The Isles afar off q. d. That is To the habitants of the Regions and Countries which are afar off The Hebrews call all Regions and Countries Islands especially if they abut upon the Sea or any great river That have not heard my fame i. e. That have not heard the report of those things which I have done for my servants the Jews Neither have seen my glory i. e. Neither have seen those glorious things which I have done for my servants the Jews Glory is put here per Metonymiam effecti or adjuncti for great acts or things worthy of glory and bringing glory to the author or doer of them And they shall declare my glory amongst the Gentiles i. e. And they shall declare to the Gentiles among whom their Brethren of Israel live the glorious works that I have done for my servants the Jews and the glory which I have bestowed upon Jerusalem 20. And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord i. e. And the Gentiles when they hear of my glory shall come themselves and shall bring all your brethren the men of Israel which live among them with them as an offering to the Lord. That which is here meant is that many of these Nations should become proselytes and that many of the children of Israel or ten Tribes should turn to the Lord and dwell among the Jews He speaks to the Jews and he calleth the men of Israel their brethren a lovely name because they were all descended from the same father Jacob. Note that the Lord useth an Enallage of the person here and speaks here of
because of the destruction which was made of cattle 22. And it shall come to passe for the abundance of milk that they shall give i. e. Yet it shall come to passe for the abundance of milk which the young Cow and two Sheep shall give c. And is put here for Yet as cap. 8. v. 9. They were wont it seems to milk their Ewes as well as Cowes as many do in some places of our Land See Deut. 32. v. 14. He shall eat butter i. e. He and his all shall eat butter to the full For butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the Land Butter and Honey were accounted for dainties among the Jewes so that in this verse the Prophet mingleth as he is wont to doe for the godlies sake a word of comfort among the judgements which he denounceth 23. And it shall come to passe in that day that every place c. This must relate to and follow in construction not the 22. but the 21. Verse Every place shall be Scil. For Briars and Thornes The Prophet doth not perfect his speech here but suspends it to shew what places he speakes of till the latter end of the Verse and there he resumes it and compleates it Where there were a thousand Vines at a thousand silverlings i. e. Where there were many Vines let out for a Sheckel of silver a piece A thousand is put here for many a certain for an uncertain number and by a Silverling he meaneth a Sheckel of silver The Hebrewes were wont to count their Summes by Sheckels as the Romanes were by Sesterees So that as Nummus and Sestertius came at length to be used promiscuously the one for the other among the Romanes so did a Sheckel and a Silverling or a piece of silver among the Hebrewes Now a Sheckel was twenty Gerahs Exod. 30.15 and a Gerah as they say who have been diligent in computing the Hebrew coines with ours was thâ—â—e half pence of our money A Sheckel therefore or a Silverling containing twenty Gerahs was worth two shillings six pence of our coin It shall be even for Briars and Thornes i. e. It shall be full of Briars and Thornes because there shall not be men enough to dress these places and manure them which being not dressed nor manured but neglected produce Briars and Thornes This Paâ—ticle For sheweth not the intent but the event to wit that it should so fall out that Briars and Thornes should come up in those places not that men should purposely set them apart for Briars and Thornes there to grow Or if it signifies the intent it is to be interpreted of the intent not of man but of God thus punishing mans sin 24. With arrowes and bowes shall men come thither q. d. None shall dare to go thither unarmed or without his bow and arrowes forfear of wild Beasts which shall dwell and harbour there among the Briars and Thornes See Lev. 26. v. 22. 25. And on all hills that shall be digged with the Mattock there shall not come thither the fear of Briars and Thornes q. d. And though many Hills shall be digged with the Mattock as they were wont yet they shall not be digged for that end for which they were wont that is to make Vineyards thereon There shall not come thither the fear of Briars and Thornes q. d. There shall not be any Vineyards planted there Note that this word thither is redundant after the Hebrew manner Vineyards were wont to be fenced about with thick hedges of Thornes and Briars to keep out beasts and ill-minded men who seeing such fences would be afraid to venture over or through them for fear of tearing their clothes and doing themselves a mischief Hence he saith There shall not come thither the fear of briars and thornes for there shall be no Vineyards planted there The fâ—ar of Briars and Thornes i. e. Briars and thornes to make men afraid Supple to break through But it shall be for the sending forth of Oxen and for the treading of the lesser Cattle i e. But it shall be that the digging of the Hills with Mattocks shall be for this end to wit that men may send their greater Cattle thither to feed there and the lesser cattle there to walk and graze Note here that because men could keep their Cattle and preserve them from theeves robbers and freebooters better upon Hills which were as natural fortresses than in the Plaines hence many who escaped the sword at that time here spoken of made choice rather of the Hills than of the Plains for the feeding of their Cattle and they especially which lived in the borders of the Land near to the Philistims and Edomites and other their Enemies who were wont as Freebooters to come into their Quarters to steal or plunder their Cattle and carry them away And that their Cattle might have the better food and pasture in more Plenty upon the Hills they grub'd up the bushes and briars which grew in the way and hindered the growing of the grasse and the walks of the Cattle with Mattocks ISAIAH CHAP. VIII TAke thee a great Roul This Roule was to be a great or a large Roule because many things were to be written therein The Ancients had not such manner of books so bound up as we use now but in stead of them they had Parchments or Barkes of Trees or the like which they rouled up like our Chancery Roules From whence even at this day Volumen which signifieth a Roule as having its derivation from Volâ—o which signifieth to roule cometh to signifie a Book With a mans Pen. i. e. With a writing Pen. That which is here rendred a mans Pen Is in the Hebrew Cheret Enosh Where note that Cheret signifieth not onely a writing Pen or Pen which men use to write with but it signifieth also a Crisping-pin or a Pin with which women were wont to crisp their hair as appeareth Chap. 3. vers 22. To distinguish therefore this Cheret as it signifieth a writing Pen or a Pen which men use to write with from that Cheret which signifieth a Crisping-pin or Pin with which women were wont to crispe their hair it may be called Cheret Enosh as if he should say the mans Cheret that is the mans Pen. Where note that the word Enosh is to be taken here for a man in opposition to a woman aâ— it is also taken Gen. 17.27 and Numb 13.3 and elsewhere But if a mans Pen signifieth here no more than a writing Pen and signifieth not some extraordinary writing Pen you will say that these words are needlesse for it was enough to say write in it without saying with a mans Pen. Answ It was enough yet though the Instrument be often intimated sufficiently in the action it is also often added and expressed with the action as Exod. 29.34 Thou shalt burn the remainder with fire And Deut. 7.5 Yee shall burn their graven Images with fiâ—e In both which
vers 1. c. Hezekiah was here a Type and Figure of the Messiah as the deliverance by which Hierusalem was delivered from Sennacherib's Army was a Type and Figure of that Spirituall deliverance by which the faithfull should be delivered from the power of darknesse For as the men of Judah which were in Hierusalem were delivered from Sennacherib's Army for Hezekiah's sake so are the faithfull delivered from the power of darknesse for Christ's sake Hezekiah therefore was a Figure of Christ and these words which are here spoken of Hezekiah in the first sence are also spoken of Christ Jesus in the second and sublime sence yea and they befit Christ better than Hezekiah For in the fullnesse of sence do they appertaine to Christ whereas they appertaine to Hezâ—kiah onely in a narrow and restrained sence and befit him but as a great suite of apparel befitted Xenophons little boy Xenon Lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That therefore the Jewes interpret this of Hezekiah they are not to be blamed but their blame is in this that they interpret it onely of him though the grand Titles here given make some also even of them to interpret it of the Messiah And the Government shall be upon his shoulder i. e. And he shall be King By the government he meaneth the government 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the regall or Kingly government which here he likeneth to a burthen which is carried upon the Shoulder and indeed honos is onus honour is a burthen and the more Eminent the Heavier And his name shall be called i. e. And he shall be Concerning this manner of Phrase where to be called is put for to be See Chap. 7. vers 14. Wonderfull Or Admirable Hezekiah might be called Wonderfull or Admirable because of those admirable and wonderfull Virtues which were in him Or he might be called Wond rfull because of those wonderfull things which God did for him in destroying the Army of the Assyrians Cap. 37. v. 36. And in the bringing back the Sun for his sake Cap 38. v. 8. And promising a lease of life for fifteen yeares Cap. 38. v. 5. For we may admire and wonder at such men for whom God would vouchsafe to do such things Counseller Hezekiah might be called Counseller because of that holy counsell and advice which he gave to the Levites concerning reformation of Religion c. 2 Cron. 29. v 5. And because of the ability which he had to give advice and counsell in Civill affaires See Chapter 11. v. 2. The mighty God i. e. The mighty Potentate Hezekiah might be called a mighty Potentate because the Lord was with him and he prospered whither soever he went forth 2 Kings 18. v. 7. But may a Creature be called by the name of God Answ He may if we speak of the English word as appeareth Psal 82. vers 6. and John 10. v. 34 35. And if we speak of the Hebrew word here used he may also be called EL that is God as appeareth Ezeck 32. v. 21. Which signifieth no more than a Potentate The Hebrew word E L which is here rendered God doth properly signifie strong and powerfull as they which are skillful in the Hebrew teach us It doth not therefore signifie any thing which God hath not communicated to his Creature For God hath communicated power and strength unto him and therefore the name also may in some sence be communicated and given to Hezekiah here especially when he is a Type of Christ who is the true E L and when as it is so given to him as it is also given to Christ and that in a farre more excellent sence than it is to him The everlasting Father Hezekiah might be called the everlasting Father because of his everlasting posterity for from Hezekiah sprang everlasting generations successively For from Hezekiah sprang so many generations as lasted from his time to Christ's Mat. 1. v. 10. And for this reason might these generations be called everlasting as the Priesthood was called everlasting Exod. 40. v. 15. Yea Christ Jesus himself sprang from Hezekiah who liveth for ever and ever Or Hezekiah might be called a Father in respect of his Country of which he had a Fatherly care and might be called everlasting in that he should be had as just men are in everlasting remembrance Psal 112. v. 6. And indeed the memory of no King of Judah is more precious at this day than the memory of Hezekiah Or he may be called the everlasting Father in respect of his long life for the Hebrewes do often tearm that everlasting which is onely of long durance and that by an Hyperbole as Psal 24. v. 7. And though many Kings lived longer than Hezekiah yet they had not while they lived that assurance of life as Hezekiah had See 2 Kings 20. v. 6. Or he might be called the everlasting Father as the righteous is called an everlasting foundation in opposition to the wicked who passeth as the Whirlewind and is no more Prov. 10. v. 25. Or he may be called the everlasting Father because as he was a Father to his People and Countries at the beginning So he continued so long as he lived He did not as many Kings do prove a Father at the beginning of his Reign and a Wolfe or a Lyon afterwards And thus may he be called an everlasting Father as he is said in the next verse to stablish the Throne with Judgement and Justice for ever The Prince of peace Hezekiah might be called the Prince of peace that is a Prince which should enjoy peace and prosperity because of the peace which God gave him cap. 39. vers 8. And of the prosperity which he enjoyed after God had destroyed the Assyrians which invaded his Land Note that this word peace with the Hebrews doth not onely signifie peace as we usually take it but also all manner of prosperity whatsoever 7. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end The increase of his government was by the increase of his Subjects And after the destruction of the Assyrian Army they increased daily for not onely Jewes and Israelites which were scattered abroad in all parts of the Earth but men of all Nations hearing of those great things which God had done for Hezekiah and the great glory and prosperity which he enjoyed came and lived in the land of Judah under his government and thought themselves happy thereby See Notes cap. 2. v. 3 4. And after the aforesaid destruction of the Assyrians Hezekiah enjoyed great peace cap. 39. v. 8. and great plenty cap. 39. v. 2. which encreased more and more to the very end of his life Shall be no end Supple So long as he liveth That Hezekiah was called the Prince of peace and it is said that of the increase of his government and of his peace there shall be no end it is to be understood in relation to the peace and happinesse which he enjoyed after
darknesse comprehended all miseries and Calamities as was said Cap. 5. v. 30. and v. 2. of this Chapter A Present is put here for a Future tense And the people shall be as the fuel of fire i. e. And the people thereof shall be destroyed as the fuell is by the fire No man shall spare his brother He sheweth here how the people shall be as the fuell of fire that is how they shall be destroyed He saith that they shall be destroyed one of another His Brother i. e. His Countrey man or Man of his own Nation q. d. No man shall spare his Country-man or Man of his own Nation though he is his Country man or man of his own Nation The Hebrews called any one which was of their own Nation their Brother according to that which we read Deut. 15. v. 7 12. 20. And he shall snatch And is put here for But and He is put here for These For He hath here the force of a plural number as appeares by the word They following And the words no man going before And he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry i. e. But these shall snatch and tear in pieces their Brethren which stand on their right hand and yet shall not be satisfied but shall go on still and snatch and teare in pieces whomsoever they meet with And he shall eat on the left hand and they shall not be satisfied i. e. And They shall fall upon and devoure their Brethren which are on their left hand and yet shall not be filled but kill and destroy and devoure still Note here the Enalage of the number where he joynes a singular and plural together in the same sentence They shall eat every man the flesh of his own Arme. q. d. They shall devoure or destroy every one his own Brother By the Arme he signifieth Metaphorically a Neighbour or Brother For as the strength of a mans body is in his Arme and with that he helps himself and defends himself when he is assaulted So is one neighbour the strength of another And one Brother the strength of another And Neighbours and brethren when they are assaulted by any force are ready to aide and help one another He saith the flesh of his arme for his arme by a Synecdoche Because the flesh onely is that which is usually eaten What the Prophet said v. 19. that no man should spare his Brother he here amplifieth or proveth under a Metaphor for saith he as Lions or Beares or other wild Beasts which are hunger-bit run raging into the flock or into the heard and there kill and devoure some on this side and some on that and are never satisfied So shall the men of Israel rage and destroy among their Brethren in battle and shall kill all they meet with without mercy 21. Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh i. e. The Children of Manasseh shall eat or devoure the children of Ephraim and the Children of Ephraim shall eat or devoure the Children of Manasseh He persisteth still in the Metaphor of wild Beasts Ephraim and Manasseh are put here by a Metonymie for the Children of Ephraim and Manasseh The Prophet nameth these 2 tribes of Israel the more to exaggerate and set out the greatness of this Calamity For Ephraim Manasseh were not onely the Children of Israel but also the Children of Joseph and therefore neerer allied between themselves than any other Tribes were It is therefore the sign of the greater miserie that they should destroy one another At what time this that the Prophet here prophesieth of came to passe cannot be certainely gathered from the Scripture But this by conjecture Though Salmaneser lead the greatest part of the Children of Israel away Captive and broke the Kingdome of Israel from being any more a Kingdome yet after Salmaneser's departure some of every Tribe were left in the Land of Israel Cap. 17. vers 6. And many which had fled away and hid themselves for fear of Salmaneser returned and dwelt in the Land of Israel againe And between that time and Sennacherib's expedition against Judah they had strengthened themselves and they with others had fortified Samaria for themselves So that Sennacherib had some work there before he marched against Judah as may be gathered with probability out of 2 Kings Cap. 18. v. 23. In that work therefore which Sennacherib had to reduce Samaria and those that rebelled it is likely that he pressed many of the Children of Israel to serve him against Samaria So that now a Child of Israel fought against a Child of Israel and a brother killed and destroyed a brother an Ephramite a Manassite and a Manassite an Ephramite And when he went against Judah It is likely that he carried many of the Children of Israel to serve him and to fight for him in that expedition against Judah And thus it might come to passe which he here saith No man shall spare his Brother they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arme Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh and they together shall be against Judah And they together shall be against Judah This as I said is likely to have been when Sennacherib went in his expedition against Judah and besiedged Hierusalem For Conquerours use to make use of the Conquered to fight their battels and so might he make use of many of the ten Tribes to fight against the Tribe of Judah even against their wills Note that though the men of Israel were enemies to the men of Judah and did often conspire with other nations against Judah while they were a Kingdome and Common-wealth of themselves Yet after their Kingdome was destroyed by Salmaneser and they were no longer a Common-wealth they which remained and dwelt afterwards in the Land did stick close to the men of Judath and were in good Amity and friendship with them And the men of Judah with them againe as affording them such succour and refuge as one wanted and the other could give as may be gathered from Cap. 11. v. 13 14. A great part therefore must it be of the Misery of the ten Tribes that they should be forced to fight against Judah at such a time as Judah and they were such friends and they received all kindnesse at Judah's hands For all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still i. e. For all this his anger will not cease against Ephraim or Israel But he will still stretch out his hand against them and smite them After all the misery which is here spoken of the Children of the ten Tribes did suffer much hardship and bitternesse in the Land of their Captivity and elsewhere ISAIAH CHAP. X. WOE unto them that decree unrighteous decrees This Prophesie is denounced against unjust and corrupt Judges And that write grievousnesse which they have prescribed i. e. And that commanded the Clearks and Registers to write and register the grievous Decrees which they have made That write To write
Land That is because thou hast destroyed the people of thy Land He puts the Land for the People thereof by a Metonymie But how did Sennacherib destroy the People of his Land Answer Perhaps Sennacherib was such a one as Nero was which delighted or sported himself in the death of his People Or therefore might Sennacherib be said to destroy his People because by his pride and blasphemy he provoked God to cut off his mighty Army by an Angel in which Army he had so many of his people as that the Aethiopian said of the Assyrians at that time that they were a Nation scattered and peeled to wit by reason of the great multitude of men which Sennacherib had taken out of Assyria and carried with him to invade Judea Cap. 18. v. 2. And indeed it is a Tradition among the Jewes that Sennacherib's Subjects were extreamly incensed against him for that losse especially they which had any Fathers or Sonnes or Brothers or any near Kinn therein Any of these Reasons may be reason enough to a rabble to ransack the Sepulchres of the dead and to draw out the body of a Tyrant or such as they were incensed against from thence to use it reproachfully The seed of evill doers See Chap. 1. v. 4. Shall never be renowned i. e. Shall never be had in that memory as the righteous shall Psal 109. v. 15. 21. Prepare slaughter for his Children q. d. O yee Medes prepare your selves and come and slay the Children of Sennacherib This Apostrophe is to the Medes who as I said about this time did break in pieces the Empire of the Assyrians of which Sennacherib was late King Note here that he of whom the former part of this Proverb was made was dâ—ad before God called to the Medes to prepare slaughter for his Children and before Babylon was destroyed as will appear to those that attentively read this Proverb or Song And so was Sennacherib He therefore is the subject of the former part of this Proverb or Song and to none doth it agree so well as to him For the iniquity of their Fathers i. e. For the iniquity of Sennacherib their Father Salmanaser their Grand-father and Tiglah-Pilesar their great Grand-father who had grievously oppressed as other people so especially the Children of Israel That they doe not rise Supple To that power and glory which their Father Sennacherib once had Nor possesse the Land Supple Which their Fatheâ— possessed Nor fill â—he 〈◊〉 of the world with Cities i e. And that they build not Cities upon the face of the earth as their Fathers have done Proud Tyrants though they pulld own and destroy Cities in some places yet they build again in other that they may become famous thereby to present and future ages And for the most part they call the Cities which they build after their own names as Alexander Caesarea Antiochia were called from Alexander Caesar and Antiochus 22. The name i. e. All which are called by his name as being of his bloud He puts the name for the party named by a Metonymie And remnant i. e. And those which remain alive of his bloud It is likely that many of Sennacherib's house and race were slain in his warres as it often happeneth to the Kinred and Children of other Princes and therefore he saith the remnant supple of Sennacherib's Kinn And Son and Nephew Supple Of Sennacherib 23. I will make it also a possession for the Bittern i. e. I will also make Babylon it self a place for the Bittern where it may haunt and abide quietly and not be de disturbed by any man A Bittern is a solitary fowl or bird which delighteth in fenny places and waters And pooles of water Babylon stood in a marish and fenny ground yea where Babylon stood it was at first all water called a Sea as Eusebius reporteth in the latter part of the ninth Book of his Evangelicall Preparation out of Abydenus very likely therefore it is that a great part of it if not all lay so low as that it was fain to be defended from the inundation and overflowing of the River Euphrates and other waters by banks which banks being broken down by the Medes Babylon or at least a great part of it must needs become a pool or pooles of water And I will sweep it with the Besome of destruction i. e. And I will utterly destroy every man out of it He alludes to a maide which sweepeth her house that she may purge it and cleanse it from all the dirt and dust and filth that is therein For as such a one so sweepeth her house as that she leaves not the least piece of dust or dirt or filth in it So saith the Prophet will the Lord so cleanse Babylon of the wicked and filthy Inhabitants thereof as that he will leave none in it but destroy them all The besome of destruction i. e. The destructive besome or a besome which shall destroy them He puts a Substantive of the Genitive case for an Adjective as the Hebrews are wont and takes destruction actively Note that this Verse containes an Answer to that Question which was moved vers 4. How is the golden City ceased For here he answers that Babylon the Golden City ceased through the Power of God who made it a possession for the Bittern and Pools of water who also swept it with the besom of destruction Here ends the Proverb which he began v. 5. 24. The Lord of Host hath sworn saying c. This is a Prophesie distinct from that which went before which yet seemes here to be added because it concerns Sennacherib as the former part of this Chapter did As I have thought Supple To do So shall it come to passe Supple Which I have thought of It shall stand A purpose is said to stand which we alter not till we have effected what we purposed 25. That I will break the Assyrian This is that which the Lord thought and shall come to passe And which he purposed and shall stand The Assyrian By the Assyrian he means Sennacherib first who was King of Assyria by way of excellency Then he meanes Sennabherib's Army by a Metonymie In my land i. e. In Judaea Why Judaea was called the land of the Lord See v. 2. And upon my Mountaines id est Upon the Mountaines of Judaea my Land Judaea was a Mountainous Countrey and Hierusalem was encompassed with mountaines Psal 125.2 on which Sennacherib's Army was slaine This was performed 2 Kings Chap. 19.35 Then shall his yoake i. e. The yoake of Sennacherib the Assyrian which he hath put upon the necks of the men of Judah the People of God What he meanes by the yoak See Cap. 9.4 and 10.27 From off them i. e. From off the men of Judah but especially of Hierusalem He puts here a Relative without an Antecedent and seems to point at them of whom he speaks And his burden depart from off their shoulders This is the same for
when it is little thought of For those things which fall out in the night are suddaine and unexpected See of this Phrase 1 Thes 5.2 and 2 Pet. 3.10 Ar of Moab Ar was one of the chief Cityes of the Moabites Numb Chap. 21. v. 28. Is laid waste i. e. Shall be laid waste He speakes of a thing to come as if it were come already And brought to silence i. e. And utterly cut off so that where there were many and great tumults and much noise of people heretofore there shall be now altogether silence Because in the night Kir of Moab i. e. Howle and lament also because in the night Kir of Moab shall be laid waste c. This is another cause why they should howle and lament As Ar was one so Kir was another chief City of the Moabites 2. He is gone up By He understand Moab and by Moab the Children of Moab per Metonymiam efficientis He speakes of a thing to come as if it were present and that Prophetically To Baiith Baiith was a Town or City of the Moabites so called from Baiith that is the House or Temple Supple of their God Chemosh as he is called Numb 21.29 or Baal-Peor as he is termed Numb 25.3 which was there scituate So Fanum fortunae was the name of a City in Italie between Pisaurus and Senogallia so called from the Temple of Fortune which was there And Fanum Minervae was a City of Gaule so called from the Temple of Minerva which there stood This Baiith is called Beth-Baal-Meon Josh 13. ver 17. and in short Baal-Meon Numb 32.38 And indeed it is probable that it was but a Temple at first and for the entertainment of Votaries some Inns were at first built near unto it afterwards other housen added which multipled and grew into a Town or City so have Abbies and Religious houses been occasion of Townes with us as of Roiston Saint Albans c. And to Dibon Dibon is also the name of a Town where some Temple or Altar or Idol was erected and where the Moabites had consecrated a place for the worship of their God The high places i. e. The places of worship Those places where there was any Temple or Altar or where any Idol was erected or where they were wont to worship were called high places because such places were commonly chosen and scituated on high Mountaines They chose high hills for those purposes To weep Supple because of the affliction which shall befall the land of Moab and to see to what pitty and compassion they can move their God to and what aide they can get from him by their weeping Moab shall howle i. e. The Moabites or Children of Moab shall lament Moab for the Moabites or Children of Moab by a Metonymie as before Over Nebo and Medeba Nebo and Medeba were Cityes which belonged to the Reubenites Numb 32. vers 38. Josh 13. vers 16. but wonne from them by the Moabites He saith Moab shall howle over them because he shall lament for them standing over the ruines thereof as men standing over the dead lament their departure On all their heads shall be baldnesse and every beard cut off He alludes to the custome of the Eastern nations which were wont to shave their heads and their beards in the times of Publique Calamities See Cap. 22.12 3. They shall gird themselves with sackcloth It was an ancient Custome to weare Sackcloth in the times of heavinesse Psal 30.11 and 35.13 On the tops of their houses In the Eastern parts of the earth they were wont to build their houses not as we do ridge-wise but flat on the top so that they might walk and do many things thereon Thither they were wont to go up and weep in publique calamities Cap. 22. v. 1 4. And Heshbone shall cry and Elealeh i. e. And the men of Heshbone shall cry for the miseries of Heshbone And the men of Elealeh for the miseries of Elealeh These Cityes Heshbone and Elealeh were Cityes of the Reubenites and by them once possessed Numb 32. v. 37. Josh cap. 13. v. 21. But note that as many Citties were given to the Israelites which they never came to possesse by reason of their owne sloth So they possessed many which afterwards they lost to the Moabites and other people by their owne fault Their voice i. e. The Cry of the men of Heshbone and Elealeh Shall be heard unto Jahaz i. e. Shall be heard unto the uttermost end of their land and so shall be an exceeding great Cry Jahaz stood in the uttermost borders of the land of Moab Numb 21.23 Josh 21.36 Therefore the armed Souldiers of Moab shall cry out q. d. So great shall their Cry and Lamentation be that the very Souldiers of the Land of Moab shall therefore cry out and break forth into weeping because of their Cry and Lamentations Or therefore may be put for yea q. d. Yea the armed Souldiers of Moab shall cry out Or Therefore may signifie because of this q. d. Because of this misery which shall come upon Ar and Kir and Heshbone the armed Souldiers of Moab shall cry Souldiers use to be hard-hearted and not easie to be moved with pitty That the Souldiers therefore should be moved with these cries and lamentations or with these miseries it shewed those cries and lamentations and miseries to be very grievous and lamentable indeed His life shall be grievous unto him i e. their lives shall be grievous unto them He changeth here the number putting a Singular for a Plurall by an Enallage 5. My heart shall cry out for Moab q. d. So grievous shall the misery of Moab be as that it breaks my heart also and makes me cry out to think of it The heart is put for the whole man by a Synechdoche This the Prophet speakes in his own person as the Prophet Jeremie doth in the like case Jer. 48.36 And this is an Argument of the grievousnesse of their misery that the thought thereof should thus afflict the Prophets heart Yet some understand these or the like words here Viz. every one shall say q. d. Every one which heareth of or seeth the misery of Moab shall say my heart shall cry out for Moab And this is no lesse argument of the misery of the Moabites that every one which heareth thereof or seeth it shall weep and lament at the hearing or seeing of it than the other was His fugitives shall flee unto Zoar. By his is meant Moab's and the sence is q. d. For many of his People that is many of the People of Moab shall be faine to flie to save themselves to flie even to Zoar. They which fled in this case he calls Fugitives not in a reproachfull but in a civill sense We must understand the Causall conjunction For in this place q. d. For his Fugitives shall flie unto Zoar. For he gives a reason here why his heart shall cry Zoar was a City in the Coasts of Judah of
made in their march and this place we may understand of the noise or shout or cry which they were wont to make at the onset or joyning of battle of which see Cap. 5. v. 30. and Cap. 42. v. 13. He puts Nations here not for whole Nations but for many of severall Nations which served the Syrians in their Army by a Synechdoche But God shall rebuke them i e. Yet God shall chide them and beat them back and make them flee Here is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more meant than the word signifies A rebuke signifieth onely a chiding But here is more meant than a chiding for there is beating back and causing them to flee also But it sheweth withall the power of the chider that he can doe this that is that he can beat back such an Army with the breath of his mouth onely and cause it thus to flee And they shall flee afarre off i. e. And they shall be put to flight and flee as fast and as farre as every mans feet can carry him Like a rouling thing v. g. As the Thistle-down or the like 14. Behold at even-tide trouble and before the morning he is not By this he sheweth in how short a time the Syrians shall be routed and quite overcome by the Assyrians after the Assyrians and they meet and joyn battle in as short a time as is between the evening and the morning Or it may be that when the Assyrians and Syrians first joyned battle they fought with equall courage and force till towards evening and at even-tide the Syrians were beaten back and were forced to give ground and so had the worst of it but yet they were not quite vanquished because of the night coming on Yet fearing another Conflict they took the benefit of the night and fled out of the field before the morning which the Assyrians perceiving made afâ—er them and pursued them with all the power they could Trouble Because of the meeting of their two Armies and because they to wit the Syrians had the worst of it He is not i. e. They are not supple to be seen in the field because they are all fled He is put for They A Singular for the Plurall number And he meaneth thereby the Syrians and those which served the Syrians in this Army This is the portion of them that spoil us By these spoilers he meanes the Syrians of Damascus and the ten Tribes of Israel and other their neighbour-Nations which were alwayes ill-affected towards the Jewes and did alwayes infest them when they espied their opportunity And the Lot c. By a Lot he signifies a portion in allusion to the portion of the Land which fell to every Tribe of Israel by Lot Josh 14. v. 2 and 15. v. 1 c. Note that these last words are spoken in the person of the Jewes and contain an Epiphonema of the whole Prophesie Note that many interpret this latter part of the Chapter to wit from the twelfth verse hitherto of the overthrow which the Angel gave to the Assyrians 2 Kings 19. v. 35. and the words will very well fit thereto But being that it may be as well understood of the overthrow of the Syrians and those which were joyned with them and it is knit with the burden of the Syrians I had rather interpret it of the overthrow of the Syrians than the Assyrians ISAIAH CHAP. XVIII WOE to the Land shadowing with wings i. e. Woe to Ethiopia which is a land which shadoweth defendeth her Children or Inhabitants with her Mountaines as it were with Wings Ethiopia was a Land environed with Mountaines which are a great defence to the Inhabitants thereof from forraign Invasions These Mountaines he compares to wings and because they are a Defence to the Inhabitants of the Land He saith that the Land shaddoweth her Inhabitants therewith alluding to a Henn which shadoweth her Chicken with her wings and so defendeth them See the like Phrase Psal 17.8 and 36.7 and 57.1 This Prophesie was fulfilled 2 Kings 19.9 when Tirakah King of Aethiopia denounced warre against Assyria and went in expedition against it whilst Sennacherib King of Assyria was absent and busied in his warrs against Judah and Hierusalem The Aethiopian came at this time against the Land of Aethiopia but not against Sennacherib himself who was at this time with his Army making warre in the Land of Judah for the Lord suffered him not to come against Sennacherib first because he would not use his help against Sennacherib That his own immediate Providence for Hierusalem might the better and more clearly appeare And Secondly that the Aethiopians might not partake of the spoiles of the Assyrians which God would give wholy to his own People Which is beyond the Rivers of Aethiopia i. e. Which lyeth by the Rivers of Aethiopia By this he describeth what and he meaneth for what land lyeth by the Rivers of Aethiopia but Aethiopia Concerning the taking of the Preposition Beyond for By or near to See Cap. 9.1 2. That sendeth Embassadors Supple To Assyria to denounce Warre against it By the Sea i. e. By the Red Sea Even in vessells of Bullrushes In Aegypt and in Aethiopia they were wont to make Barkes and Vessells of Bullrushes as we may read in Plinie Diodorus Siculus and others Vpon the waters Supple Of the Sea Go ye swift messengers c. These are the words of the Land of Aethiopia or rather of Tirakah King thereof to the Embassadors which she sends to denounce warre against Assyria q. d. Goe make haste my messengers and denounce warre against Assyria quickly for now I am come and set upon her before she is well prepared for my comming while Sennacherib and his Army are abroad warring in other Countries To a nation scattered and peeled By this Nation he meaneth Assyria which he calleth a Nation scattered because at this time the Assyrians were scattered and dispersed some remaining at home and others being upon service abroad in an expedition against Judah c. And he calls it peeled because at this time Sennacherib as the Ethiopian thought at lest had picked out all the best Souldiers and ablest men thereof to serve him in his warres abroad To a People terrible from their beginning hitherto i. e. To a people which have been terrible of a long time to all Nations which dwell near them For the Assyrians were a warlike people and still adding some dominion or other to their Empire by the sword A Nation meted out and trodden down q. d. But now no longer a terrible People but a People metedouâ— for present destruction and a People which shall be trodden under feet c. This the Aethiopian speakes out of confidence of the occasion and opportunity which he had got that he should destroy Assyria A nation meted out Supple For destruction that is q. d. which God hath appointed to destroy Or rather which I Tirakah have determined to destroy for it is not like that
unwilling to go of themselves or make no such haste as they would have them Into a large Country i. e. Into Assyria which was a large Country and of vast Dominions By these words he signifieth the place into which Shebna shall be carried away captive and intimates that he should endure an hard and cruel captivity for the Assyrians were cruel and without mercy to their captives Cap. 14. The question will be here How and when this Shebna was carryed away captive It is likely that this Shebna was put out of Court and banished the Land being a stranger or the City at least for some displeasure or other which the King conceived against him probably for the reason mentioned in Notes vers 15. And that the Assyrians under Sennacherib meeting with him when they came into Judah took him and sent him away captive among other captives which they had into Assyria or the Dominions thereof There shalt thou dye Hence may that appear which I said before That this Shebna was not that Shebna which was Secretary to Hezekiah Cap. 36. vers 22. though he were of the same name And there i. e. And when thou art there or then for Adverbs of Place be sometimes put for Adverbs of Time The Charets of thy glory i. e. Thy Charets which now thy glory forsooth rideth in in Jerusalem Of thy glory i. e. Of thee which art now so glorious A mans glory may be sometimes put by a Metonymical Periphrasis for a man himself as a Kings Majesty for a King and so may it be put here yet not without a Sarcasm or Irony Again a substantive of the Genitive case is put often by the Hebrews for an adjective and so Of thy glory may be put for glorious q. d. Thy glorious Charets By his glorious Charets is meant the great honor which he received from the King for such was Shebna's honor as that he was the chief of all the Kings Court and so next to the King And the Eastern Kings were wont to honor their Favorites and to shew their love and respect to them by the horses and charets which they gave them to ride in or upon as appears Gen. 41.43 Esth 6.8 Shall be the shame of thy Lords house q. d. Shall be a blot to Hezekiah and his house because he so much honored thee whom the Lord himself shall so abase and dishonor and as it were stigmatize and mark out for thy unworthiness 19. I will drive thee from thy station i. e. I will drive thee from that honorable place in which thou art set He speaks here in the person of God Thy station A station signifies sometimes an Harbor for ships sometimes a place appointed for Soldiers to stand and watch in here it is taken metaphorically for a Place or Office Shall he i. e. The King Hezekiah A Relative is put here without an Antecedent after the manner of the Hebrews or else the Lord speaketh here of himself in the third person In this pulling down of Shebna from his honor God was the principal Cause Hezekiah if yet Hezekiah be here meant was but his instrument 20. In that day Supple In which I shall drive thee from thy station c. He speaks still in the person of God I will call my servant Eliakim c. That which is here spoken of Eliakim you may see fulfilled 2 King 18.18 37. I will clothe him with thy robe i. e. I will place him in thy Office and honor him with that honor which thou now hast in thy Masters the Kings house The robe was an Ensign of an honor and a badge of some eminent place and it is likely that he that was over the Kings house had a peculiar robe appertaining to his Office Thy robe He meaneth either the same individual robe which he wore as though that robe was to pass from hand to hand or else he meaneth a robe like to him and the same every way for fashion to signifie the same Office in which he was And strengthen him with thy girdle As Nobles and men in place had gallant robes according to their place so had they also girdles suitable to their robes wherewith they were girded He saith And strengthen him with thy girdle for And gird him with thy girdle because it is a strength to the back to be girded about the loyns He may also allude to the strength that is to the power which a great man hath by his Office whereof the girdle is here a badge I will commit thy Government into his hands He speaks that plainly here which he spoke in a Figure before Thy Government i. e. The Government which thou hast And he shall be a Father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem i. e. And he shall be a Prince and Ruler over the inhabitants of Jerusalem He saith He shall be a Father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for He shall be a Prince and a Ruler to the inhabitants of Jerusalem to shew that he shall be a good Prince and a good Ruler over the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the house of Judah for a good Prince and a good Ruler ruleth after a fatherly manner and with the like affection to the people as a father beareth to his children It seemeth that he who was the Kings Treasurer and which was over his house was by his place a Prince also and a Magistrate and Ruler over all the people of the Land as the Kings Treasurer and other great Officers heretofore had great authority in our Land by vertue of their places in the Court. The house of Judah i. e. The children of Judah which was the son of Jacob Concerning the sence of the word house and the reason thereof see cap. 3.6 22. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder q. d. And I will give him the chiefest power and authority in the Kings Court. The key or keys are a Symbol or Ensign of the chiefest Power and Authority for he which hath the keys of an house can open and shut the doors thereof and go in and out at his pleasure and let in and keep out whom he will And hence it is that Kings and Conquerors when they take possession of Cities have the keys thereof delivered to them by which Ceremony they are known to be yea they are actually made Lords thereof and the City is become subject to them The Key i. e. The Keys A singular for a plural number Of the house of David i. e. Of the house of Hezekiah the King who was the son of David David is put here per Metonymiam Efficientis for the son of David Or else every King of Judah might be called David from David that pious King and Prophet as every Emperor of Rome was called Caesar from Julius Caesar the first Emperor thereof Will I lay upon his shoulder This he saith either in allusion to Porters of Cities and of great mens houses who having many and those
exhorting the men of Jerusalem to bear the siege of Jerusalem patiently thus bespeaks them Come my people enter thou into thy Chambers and shut the doors about thee hide thy self as it were a little while until the indignation be overpast Cap. 26.20 11. There is a crying for wine in the streets i. There shall be heard in the streets a crying and lamenting for want of wine This cry might come from within the houses though it were heard without in the streets Wine was the ordinary drink of the Hebrews as it is now of many people wherefore being that the Assyrians had spilt all their Wine they must needs cry for want of drink All joy is darkened i. e. All joy shall be turned into mourning The Prophet speaks here of joy as of light which is taken away by darkness and indeed joy is often resembled to light and call'd by the name of light in the Scriptures And the gate i. e. And the Gates of the City A singular for a plural number In the gates of the City their Courts of Justice and publique Assemblies were wont to be held therefore he mentioneth these particularly 13. When thus it shall be i. e. q. d. Yet when thus it shall be In the midst of the Land i. e. In the Land viz. of Israel In the midst of the Land is put for in the Land by an Hebrew Periphrasis Among the people Supple Of the ten Tribes There shall be as the shaking of an Olive tree and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done i. e. There shall be a few of the many thousands of Israel left See cap. 17.6 14. They shall lift up their voyce i. e. Those Jews which live by the sea-coast upon the borders of the Land of Israel shall lift up their voyce by way of rejoycing He seemeth to point at the men of Judah which lived by the sea-coast upon the borders of the Land of Israel when he saith They shall lift up their voyce and so to tell whom he meaneth For the Majesty of the Lord i. e. Because of the Lord that is because of the goodness of the Lord which he will shew at this time towards them in delivering them from the hand of Salmaneser when he shall destroy the ten Tribes The Majesty of the Lord is put here for the Lord himself as when we say of a King the Kings Majesty for the King himself And the Lord is put here for the goodness and mercy of the Lord per Metonymiam Subjecti They shall cry aloud from the Sea He meaneth by these the Jews which lived in Joppa and other places nigh the sea side towards the Land of Israel And he mâ—ntioneth their joy more particularly then he doth the joy of any other of the people of the Jews though all the Jews were delivered at this time because they were nigher the danger then any other of that people were as lying next to the Land of Israel which Salmaneser destroyed and were as is very probable much oppressed with the free quarter of Salmaneseâ—'s Army by Land and forced with the rest of the maritime Towns to provide him a Navy to fight against Tyre by Sea For when Salmaneser had destroyed the Land of Israel he made War against Tyre and put the Maritime Towns to furnish him with a Fleet of ships and to provide for it and afterwards blockt up Tyre five years as we read in Joseph lib. 9. Antiquit. cap. 14. In which time all Maritime Towns suffered no doubt much by the Assyrians 15. Wherefore glorifie ye the Lord in the fires c. I take that which we read in this Verse to be the song which these men sung which song beginneth abruptly as passionate songs and sayings often do whether they proceed from joy or any other passion If it were entire it might be this The Lord hath delivered us from the Assyrians wherefore glorifie ye the Lord in the fires even the Name of the Lord God of Israel ye that dwell in the Isles of the Sea In the fires That is In the fires of understanding and of zeal q. d. Glorifie ye the Lord with understanding as understanding what the Lord hath done for you and with ardency of spirit and true zeal as giving him praise for what he hath done for you not lightly and for fashion sake but feelingly and heartily Note that the Preposition In among the Hebrews serveth in the place of almost all other Prepositions whatsoever and here it may be put for With. Note also that fire by reason of its light may signifie knowledge and understanding and by reason of its heat may signifie zeal and fervency or ardency of spirit by a Metaphor And he may say fires in the plural number not fire in the singular to signifie these two things understanding and zeal Even the Name of the Lord God of Isrâ—el i. e. Even the Lord God of Israel Note that the word Name is here redundant by an Hebrew Elegancy Or that the Name is put for the thing it self whose name it is In the Isles of the Sea i. e. In Joppa and the sea-coasts where ye live and let your songs and exclamations of joy be heard from thence Note that the Hâ—brews call not onely those Lands which are environed and compassed about with the Sea Isles or Islandâ— but also those parts of the Continent which lie neer to the Sea 16. From the utmost part of the Earth have we heard songs i. e. We who live in Jerusalem shall hear songs of rejoycing from the utmost part of our Land By the Earth he meaneth the Land of Judah by a Synecdoche The songs which he meaneth were to be songs of rejoycing because of their deliverance from Salmaneser such as that was vers 15. Even glory to the righteous i. e. Even songs containing the glory of God the righteous One Glory may here signifie any attribute of God which makes him glorious and here it signifies his mercy and goodness to wit his mercy and goodness which he shewed to the Jews and especially those which lived about Joppa in delivering them from Salmaneser per Metonymiam Adjuncti It is also further put for songs which contain or speak of that mercy and goodness of God and the praises thereof per Metonymiam Subjecti To the righteous i. e. To the praise of the righteous One that is to the praise of God By the righteous or righteous One is meant God who as he is called the holy One 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so mâ—y he be called the righteous One He is called the righteous One because of his faithfulness at this time in preserving his people the Jews or because of his goodness at this time to them for righteousness is taken sometimes for goodness even in this sence as when Joseph was said to be a righteous or a just man Matth. 1. vers 19. Note that a song to the righteous signifieth a song sung in the praise of
setting judgment in the Earth See the like phrase Cap. 7.6 And the Isles shall wait for his Law q. d. And when he hath made known my judgments the inhabitants of the Isles shall look for the fulfilling and accomplishment of these my judgments In such credit shall my servant be By Isles the Hebrews mean not onely those places which are environed with the Sea but those also which are neer to the Sea and to great Rivers and Waters as was said cap. 41. v. 1. Yea every particular Land may be called an Isle as we shewed cap. 20.6 But by Isles here are meant not the Isles themselves but the inhabitants of the Isles by a Metonymy His Law The word Law is sometimes taken in a large sence for any Word of God whatsoever See Notes cap. 1.10 And here it is taken first for the judgments of God denounced then by a Metonymy for the fulfilling or accomplishment of those judgments This testimony from the beginning of the Chapter hitherto the Lord gave of the Prophet that his words might finde the better entertainment with them that should hear him while he lived or read his Writings after his death 5. Thus saith the Lord Thus say I the Lord Supple To my servant Isaiah The Lord speaketh here of himself in the third person And stretched them out Supple Like the curtains of a Tent or Tabernacle to dwell in See cap. 40. v. 22. He that spreadeth forth the Earth and that which cometh out of it i. e. I that made the Earth and all things that spring out of it The Prophet alludeth here to the spreading forth of a sheet or some other cloth or to the spreading forth of a garment which was folded up before see Heb. 1.12 And he alludeth to this while he speaketh of Gods making the Earth and all that cometh out thereof Because when God made the Earth and that which cometh out thereof he made them quanta that is he gave them quantity and extension so soon as ever he gave them their substantial Being And spirit to them that walk therein i. e. And Breath to every living creature Spirit is taken here for Breath Therein i. e. Thereon The Lord doth here magnifie his power First That he might the more encourage his Prophet in the execution of that business on which he sets him Secondly That all men may be the better perswaded of the event of what he foretels Thirdly That he might shew himself to be greater then the gods of the Heathen who worshipped Idols 6. I the Lord have called thee i. e. I the Lord have called thee O Isaiah my servant to do the work which I have appointed for thee to do In righteousness i. e. In good-will towards thee or in that wise that thou shalt see my goodness towards thee whilest thou art doing that work to which I have called thee Righteousness is put here for goodness as it is also cap. 41.10 I will hold thine hand i. e. I will preserve thee Supple Until thou hast done all my work Concerning the reason of this phrase see cap. 41.10 And give thee for a Covenant of the people These words must needs be figuratively that is Metonymically understood The meaning therefore of these words is this q.d. I will give thee to be a Remembrancer of my people the Jews that thou mayst put them in minde of the Covenant which they their fathers made with me and they have broken and to be a means to them to renew their Covenant again For a light of the Gentiles i. e. And for a light to the Gentiles Tò And is here to be understood Isaiah was a light to the Gentiles in that he shewed them the vanity of the Idols which they worshipped and taught them that there was but one God who created Heaven and Earth And this he doth in many places of this Book of his Prophecy 7. To open the blinde eyes i. e. To instruct those which are ignorant yea very ignorant ignorant of the Vanity of Idols and ignorant of the Unity of the Godhead c. By eyes he meaneth the eyes of the understanding which are blinde through ignorance Note that these words To open the blind eyes relate to those words which went immediately before viz. For a light to the Gentiles To bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house i. e. And to bring my people the Jews which are in captivity in Babylon out of that their captivity Tò And is here to be understood Note that these words To bring the prisoners from the prisons and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house relate to those words of the sixth Verse I will give thee for a Covenant of the people The Prophet speaks here of the captivity of the Jews as of an Imprisonment and compares the Land of their captivity to a prison both because they could no more get out thence then a prisoner can get out of a prison as also because it was as irksom to them as a prison is to a prisoner Yea it may be that many of them were shut up in houses and there kept to hard work as in prisons The Prophet is therefore said to bring the prisoners out of prison that is the Jews out of their captivity because he did by his admonitions bring the Jews to think of the Covenant which they had broken and the sins which they had committed and bewail them and amend their lives and renew their Covenant with God which moved God to free them and deliver them out of captivity and bring them to their own Land again But you will say that Isaiah was dead before the Jews were carryed captive into Babylon which was a long time before their delivery thence How then could he so admonish them as that they should repent them of their sins and amend their lives and renew their Covenant with God by his Admonitions and so move God to deliver them Ans Though Isaiah were dead yet might he be said to admonish them because of his Writings which he directed to them by a Prophetique Spirit So Moses though he was dead many years before was said to command the Jews which lived in our Saviours time Mark 10.3 And so the Jews called themselves Moses's Disciples Joh. 9.28 And them that sit in darkness out of the prison house Though darkness be oftentimes put figuratively for misery and affliction yet I conceive that the Prophet alludeth here to prisons which use to be dark having but few windows and those small ones too that the walls of the prison might be the stronger and especially to Dungeons which are under ground Note that this is but a repetition of the former sentence 8. I am the Lord q. d. I am the Lord the onely God which created Heaven and Earth who am of my self but give Being to all things c. That is my Name i. e. That is the Name
them Num. 21.6 and did afterwards when he brought them into the land which he promised to their fathers often raise up enemies against them as the Philistines and the Ammonites and the Moabites and Midianites and Syrians c. 11. Then he remembred the daies of old yet he remembred what he did in favour of hiâ— people in the daies of old that he might shew them favour still Then for yet Moses and his people i. e. He remembred what he did for his people by Moses by whoÌ„ he brought them out of Egypt and did so great favours for them in former times Moses i. e. He remembred Moses viz. that he used him as an instrument to do his people good And his people q. d. And he remembred his people viz. That he had done great things for them by the hand of Moses Saying where is he that brought them out of the sea q.d. Saying where is he that divided the Râ—d Sea and brought his people safe through it hath he forgotten his people or forsaken them for whom he did so great things Note here that this is the speech of God arguing with himselfe and stirring up himselfe to pitty his people and to doe for them as he had done formerly for his names sake And God speaks to himselfe of himselfe though he saith where is he c. With the Shepheard of his Flock i. e. with or by the hand of Moses who was as the shepheard of his flock With is put here for by and is a signe of the instrument and Moses is likened to a Shepherd and the children of Israel whom Moses brought out of Egypt to a flock of sheep See Psal 77.20 Where is he that put his holy Spirit within him i. e. Where is that God which put his holy Spirit in Moses for the good of his people By the holy Spirit is meant all those gifts which God gave to Moses to enable him to be a Conductor and Protector of his people as the gift of Prophecy and of Wisdom and of Courage and of Fortitude c. For all the qualities of the Soul the Hebrews call by the name of the spirit and those qualities which the Lord giveth the Spirit of the Lord. 12. That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm That is Which led them like sheep by the hand of Moses Psal 77.20 working many miracles for them by his power With his glorious arm These words signifie the miracles which God did for his people under Moses as the dividing of the Sea c. which miracles he wrought by his glorious arm that is by his power which made him glorious in which work God was the principal Cause and Moses his Instrument Dividing the waters before them i. e. Dividing the waters of the red Sea before them that they might pass through the same to the Land which he had given them See Exod. 14.21 To make himself an everlasting Name i. e. By which he got himself everlasting honor and glory 13. That led them through the deep as an horse in the wilderness i. e. That led them through the red Sea by dividing the waters thereof and drying it by an East-wind Exod. 14.21 as easily and as firmly as an horse goeth or runneth up and down in the hard and dry wilderness That they should not stumble i. e. So that they did not so much as stumble To stumble signifieth by a Metaphor to come to harm as cap. 8.15 But it may be here properly taken for he that goes in muddy places such as is the bottom of the Sea cannot ordinarily make haste but he will stumble in pulling out one foot after another out of the mud But though the channel of the Sea was deep and the Sea were but newly divided for the people of Israel to pass through it yet did God so provide for his people that the mud caused them not to stumble 14. As a beast goeth down into the valley i. e. As a beast which is heavy laden goeth down a steep hill into the valley for he goeth easily and warily and with a great deal of care and circumspection that he fall not The Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest i. e. So did the Lord lead his people to their rest for he led them easily and warily with a great deal of care and circumspection that they should not be over-travelled and fall down by the way through weariness Deut. 8.4 and that they should not come to any other hurt Note that this is spoken in the person of a Jew for whom the Prophet composed this prayer where the Jew attesteth what the Lord said before and beareth witness to it as to the truth and encourageth himself from thence to ask of the Lord the like favors for himself and his brethren in their captivity in Babylon as he the Lord vouchsafed that his people in the days of old The Spirit of the Lord i. e. The Lord. By the Spirit of the Lord is here meant the goodness of the Lord for he speaks of God here as of a man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And all the qualities and passions of a mans Soul the Hebrews call the spirit By the spirit therefore of the Lord is here meant as I said the goodness of the Lord and the spirit or goodness of the Lord is put per Metonymiam adjuncti for the Lord himself Caused him to rest i. e. Led his people to their rest that is to the Land of Canaan which is called their rest Psal 95.11 and Deut. 12.9 because it was the end and period of all their travels The Lord is said to cause his people to rest because he did lead them through the red Sea and through the wilderness to the place of their rest that is to the Land of Canaan And so doth Jeremy also use this phrase Jerem. 31.2 Him That is Israel his people as appeareth by the following sentence So didst thou lead thy people i. e. As a beast goeth down into the valley so I say didst thou lead thy people to their rest The Prophet maketh his Apostrophe here to God in the person of the people of the Jews and repeateth what he said in the words before To make thy self a glorious Name i. e. So that thou didst purchase to thy self great glory and renown by bringing thy people in the Land of Canaan as thou didst 15. Look down from Heaven q. d. Look down therefore from Heaven upon us thy people which are now in captivity as thou didst look upon our Fathers in the days of old Look down from Heaven Supple With the eyes of mercy Behold Supple Us thy people which are in captivity From the habitation of thy holiness i. e. From thy holy habitation A substantive of the Genitive case is put here for an Adjective Heaven is called Gods habitation or dwelling place because God doth there manifest himself in greater glory then in any part of the world
The Jewes the Sonnes of Jacob which are thy People Because they be replenished from the East i. e. Because they abound Viz. with superstitious Rites and Ceremonies and are full of Magick and curious Arts which they have borrowed from the Eastern People which are great Magicians and judiciary Astrologers The Prophet tells us here in expresse words that the house of Jacob was replenished But with what he leaves us to understand And are sooth-sayers i. e. Diviners which observe Times and undertake to tell Fortunes This was forbidden Deut. 18. Vers 10. Like the Ph listines The Philistines dwelt on the West of Judaea and were given to Judiciary Astrology and such vain Arts as the Chaldaeans were which dwelt on the East And they please themselves in the Children of Strangers i. e. And they take delight and pleasure in the Children of Strangers whom they buy and abuse like catamites against nature So some But others had rather interpret it of the manners and customes of Strangers by a Metonymie q. d. And they please themselves in such naughty customes and manners as the Children of Strangers That is as the Nations or the Heathen which are Strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel use Others again take Children here for the Children not of the Body but of the Brain that is for Bookes made or Arts invented by Strangers q. d. And they dâ—l ght themselves in the Books which Strangers have made and the naughty Arts which they have invented Strangers All such as were not of the Seed of Jacob they counted Strangers Deut 17. vers 15. Note here that Children of Strangers as it may be taken for the Sonnes of the Strangers so may it be taken for Strangers themselves as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sonnes of the Graecians is taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Graecians And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sonnes or Children of Physitians for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 physitians 7. Their Land is also full of silver and gold It was expressely forbidden greatly to multiply silver and gold Deut. 17. Vers 17. Neither is there any end of their Treasure q. d. And their Treasures are so great as that there is no end of them These are the same with the former words Their Land is also full of Horses To multiply Horses was expressely forbidden Deut. 17. vers 16. Least they should trust more in the Strength and Power of them than of God Neither is there any end of their Chariots i. e. And their Chariots are so many in number as that they are in a manner numberlesse The Chariots which are here spoken of are such Chariots as they were wont to use in war Such as we read of Judg. 4. vers 3. See Psal 20. vers 7. 8. Their Land also is full of Idols To set up an Idoll was against the Command Exod. 20. vers 4. They worship the work of their own hands i. e. They worship the â—dols which they themselves have made with their own hands as if they were God which is uncreated 9. And the mean man boweth down and the great man humbleth himself By the Mean man and the Great man are meant by a Synechdoche all sorts of Men. q. d. All sorts of men high and low doe bow down to Idols and worship them Boweth down Viz. In the way of worship Humbleth himself i. e. Casteth himself down before the Idoll and so adoreth it Therefore forgive them not q. d. Therefore O God forgive them not but be avenged of them for these their sins and walking in darknesse The Prophet prayeth thus out of zeal to Gods Glory Yet this may be taken Prophetically for a Praediction q. d. Therefore because they commit these things Thou wilt not forgive them but be avenged of them For the Hebrewes doe often use an Imperative Mood for a Future Tense And thus He Prophesieth of their punishment 10. Enter into the Rock The Prophet speakes this by a Sarcasme i. e. Scoffingly q. d. Goe and hide your selves in the Clifts of the Rocks but it shall be to little purpose Rock is put here for Rocks whereof there were many in Judaea And he speaks to the Jewes here as though he had seen the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar by whom God intended to punish the Jewes for the sinnes aforementioned already entred into the Coasts of Judaea or ready to enter to execute Gods Judgements upon the Jewes wherefore he cries to the Jewes to go and hide themselves from their furies Graphically thereby describing in what great fear the Jewes would be in and how they would run and hide themselves when the Babylonians should invade the land indeed and Artificially shewing how God intended to punish them In the dust i. e. In the Caves of the earth The earth is but dust compacted For fear of the Lord. Supple Who commeth with a great and terrible army of Babylonians against you He speaketh of God as of the Generall of an Army And for the glory of his Majesty i. e. Because of the splendor and brightnesse of his Majesty which you shall not be able to endure The Majesty of the Lord signifieth by a Periphrasis the Lord himself for as when we say of a King the Kings Majesty we mean the King himself so when we say the Majesty of the Lord we mean the Lord himself And as in Generall that is called the glory of a thing which maketh or sheweth that thing to be glorious so in Particular the splendor and brightnesse with which God shall be clothed at this time may be called his glory As Exod. 33. Vers 18. Note here that when God doth execute judgement upon the wicked though he doth it not immediately by himself but mediately by his instruments as here he he doth it by the Babylonians yet the Scripture doth oftentimes so describe it as if God were immediately in the action himselfe as chief in a visible manner like a man yea sometimes as though the whole businesse were performed by him alone and this it doth that the praise may be given to God alone and not to his instruments Psal 115.1 And when the Scripture doth speak this of God and imply him in such an action it describes him after a glorious manner that he may appear to be more than man And in their descriptions the Scripture alludeth for the most part to those apparitions by which God did manifest himself and to those wonderous works which he wrought and those accidents which fell out and those judgements which he executed upon the enemies of Israel in their conduct from Aegypt to Canaan A short model whereof you may read Hab. 3.3 c. See for this purpose that Poeticall description which David makes of God Ps 18.7 c. and 2 Sam. 22.8 c. By which nothing else is meant but that God executed his judgements upon Davids enemies though he did not do it immediately and after the manner there described See also Job 40.10 c a place
alone The Lord is said here to be alone exalted not onely in opposition to those lofty and haughty men which should be brought down but also in opposition to the Idols which they did set up in the place of God which should be abolished In that day By that day he meaneth that day which he mentioned Vers 12. And which he called The day of the Lord of Hosts 18. And the Idols He shall utterly abolish St. Hierome observeth that the Jewes did never by any common or publique consent set up any Idoll to worship it after the Babylonish Captivity And the Thalmud Hierosâ—lymitanum affirmeth the same Note that And may be put here for For and be a Causuall rather than a Copulative 19. And they shall goe into the holes of the Rock Here is a Relative again without a formal Antecedent But the Antecedent is easie to be gathered For by They he meaneth those haughty Men which he spoke of vers 11. and 17. When He ariseth Supple As a man out of sleep whereby he is refreshed and so the more able and fit for any imployment Or as a man which hath sate patient a long time and both heard and seen himself abused with patience but now being no longer Patient ariseth up in Fury Or as a Lion which couched quietly but now is roused up When He ariseth to shake terribly the Earth The Earth is to be taken properly here for the Earth we tread upon not Metaphorically for earthly minded men Yet not for the whole earth but for the Land of Judah and Benjamin onely which is but a part of the whole earth per Synecdochen Integri To arise to shake the Earth is to arise to make the earth to tremble The meaning therefore of the words are q. d. When he ariseth and begâ—nneth to execute dreadfull and terrible Judgements in the Land of Judah For understanding of the Phrase note that it is the manner of the Scripture to speak of the Earth though it be an insensible and inanimate thing as if it were apprehensive of those great things which are done in it or upon it and variously affected according to the apprehension thereof For if great and notable things of Joy be done in it it is said to rejoyce and be glad if great and notable matters of sorrow to be sorry and mourn If dreadfull and terrible things be wrought in it to shake and tremble for fear Hence it is that it is said Let the Earth be glad Psal 96. vers 11. And let the Earth rejoyce 1 Chron 16 v. 31. And be joyfull O earth and break forth into singing O Mountains Isai 49. v 13. Hence it is that the Prophet Jeremie saith that the earth shall mourn Jer 4. v. 28. And again the wayes of Sion doe mourn Lam. 1. v. 4. And hence it is written At his wrath the earth shall tremble Jer. 10. v. 10 And again he hath smitten his people and the Hills did tremble Isai 5. v. 25. See the like 2 Sam. 22. v. 8. Psal 18. v. 7. and 60.2 Job 9. v. 6. and 26.11 and Hab. 3. v. 10. Now because the Scripture speaketh thus of the Earth by a Metaphor or Prosopopocia It goeth on further to signifie by the rejoycing of the earth the joyfull things done in the earth And by the mourning of the earth to signifie the heavy and sorrowfull things done in the earth And by the fearful shaking and trembling of the earth to signifie the dreadful and terrible things which are done on the earth and that per Metonymiam Effecti putting these Passions which are caused in the earth for the things themselves which caused them And thus To arise to shake terribly the earth signifieth here to arise and begin to execute dreadfull and terrible Judgements in the Land which shall make the very earth to tremble and shakâ— for fear 20. In that day See Verse 11. and 17. Shall a man cast his Idols which are made of silver and his Idols which are made of gold whicâ— they made each one for himself to worship to the Moles and to the Batts i. e. In that day shall a man fling away his Idols though they are made of silver and of gold the most pretious mettals that are and though they made them their Gods to worship them in dark holes and dirty corners where they use to fling such things as they make no account of And this they shall do out of contempt of their Idols and out of indignâ—tion that they cannot save them in the time of their adversity To the Moles and to the Batts By Moles and Batts are to be understood Metonymice dark and dirty or filthy holes and corners such as Moles and Batts use to frequent and make their nests in Some observe that the Prophet jesteth here upon these men as if the Prophet should say they shall fling their curious costlâ— and pleasant idols which have been the delightfull object of their eyes to Moles and Batts which either cannot see or see but dimly 21. To go into the clifts of the rocks i. e. That he may make haste to go into the clifts of the rocks The Prophet repeateth here what he said vers 10. and vers 19. And this he repeateth the oftener that being terrible it migbt the better work upon his auditors 22. Cease ye from man i. e. Cease ye from putting any trust or confidence in man as though he could deliver you at this time This the Prophet speakes because the Jewes were to prone to put their trust in the arme of flesh that is in the wisdome and pollicy and strength of men when any calamity was threatned Whose breath And by consequence whose life for no longer is there life in man then there is breath in his body Whose breath is in his nostrils i. e. Whose breath consisteth in his nostrils as in a most necessary instrument Or whose breath is i. e. passeth in i. e. by his nostrills So that if his nostrils be but stopped which is easily and quickly done man must needs perish These words shew the vanity of man and containe a reason why we should cease from putting any trust or confidence in him The inward part of a mans nose is divided by a middle partition into two holes or passages and these two holes or passages are called the nostrills Wherein i. e. In what thing or for what thing Is he to be accounted of i. e. Should any one so account of him or so highly esteem him as to put his trust and confidence in him against any eminent danger Note that this Interrogative hath the force of a Negative q. d. In nothing is he to be accounted of especially if we compare him or oppose him to God as here he is to be compared and opposed When God threatneth ruine or misery in vaine do we trust in man to prevent it or keep it off ISAIAH CHAP. III. FOR behold c. This hath referrence to the last
of these which lived in our Saviours dayes or in the dayes of the Gospel And as there was but a tenth onely saved of those which lived in Isaiah's dayes v. 13. So in the dayes of the Gospel a remnant onely are saved according to the Election of Grace Rom. 9. v. 27. 11. How long Supple Shall this People hear and not understand and see and not perceive The Prophet asketh this Question not out of any Curiosity but out of grief for their misery and out of a desire which he had of their conversion that they might be healed Vntill the Cityes be wasted What is meant by the wasting of Cityes the words next following shew Viz. Their being without inhabitants The vastation here spoken of was that vastation of the Cityes of Judah which was made by Sennacherib 12. And the Lord have removed men farre away i. e. And untill the Lord hath removed the men which dwell in the Cities out of the land from their Cities and from their housen and dwelling places and that either by making them flie into other Countryes for fear or by sending them into Captivity by the hands of their enemyes And there shall be a great forsaking in the midst of the Land This word Forsaking may be taken either Actively or Passively It may be taken Actively and that either for God's forsaking his People and giving them over into the hand of their enemies Or for the Peoples forsaking their dwellings or habitations Or it may be taken Passively for the Lands being forsaken of its Inhabitants and so a forsaking and desolation will be for sense the same thing In the midst of the land This is put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for In the land to wit the land of Judah 13. But yet in it shall be a tenth i. e. But yet for all that desolation and forsaking which shall be in the midst of the land a small remnant shall be left alive and safe there By a tenth he meaneth a small remnant and as it were a tenth part in respect of the whole People putting a certaine for an vncertaine Number This remnant were they which were in Hierusalem when Sennacherib warred against Judah For when Sennacherib invaded Judâ—h many fled out of all parts of the land to Hierusalem for safety and were safe there for Hierusalem could not be taken by the Aâ—syrians He mitigates here the severity of the former judgement And it shall return and be eaten i. e. And it shall be eaten againe But what shall be eaten againe Answ The tenth or remnant which shall be left shall be eaten againe that is shall be consumed and devoured againe by their enemies So most understand this place And it is true the Jewes which were left were afterward consumed and devoured againe by the Babylonians under Nebucadnezzar But under correction I conceive that it is the Land which is here said shall be eaten againe Which he saith shall return and be eaten or eaten againe because it should be plowed and sowed and planted and the fruits thereof eaten againe by the tenth that is by the remnant of the people which should be left and because it should be enjoyed by them againe This place is the same for sence with the 17th Verse of the fifth Chapter Viz. With that Then shall the lambes feed after their manner And the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat the Notes on which place see Observe the manner of Phrase which the Prophet here useth when he saith And it shall return and be eaten For he saith It shall return and be eaten for it shall be eaten againe The like manner of Phrase is used Psal 78.41 Where we read they turned back and tempted God for they tempted God againe And Gen. 30. v. 31. Where we read I will againe feed and keep thy flock Whereas it is in the Hebrew I will return feed and keep thy flock The like may be observed Judg. 2. vers 19. and 8. v. 43. Where to return and do a thing is to do a thing againe As a Tile tree and as an Oake whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves This Sentence is Defective and with its Supplement makes this sence q. d. As a Tile tree and as an Oake which have their vegetative soul within them in the winter time when they cast their leaves though they seem to be dead yet they are not dead but spring againe and flourish in the Summer by reason of that vegetative soul which is in them c. Note that the Prophet might have instanced aswell in any other kind of tree which did cast its leaves in the winter as in the Tile tree and in the Oake but it seemâ— that these trees were most common in those parts Note here that they which say that it is the tenth which is here said shall return and be eaten do understand here these words Yet neverthelesse q. d. Yet neverthelesse as a Tile tree and as an Oake c. Which they need not understand which say that it is the land not the tenth which is here said shall be eaten Whose substance By substance here understand the vegetative soul which giveth life to those trees or plants So the Holy seed shall be the substance theâ—eof i. e. So the Holy seed shall be to the People of the Jewes as the vegetative Soul is to these trees For as the Vegetative soul which is in these trees is the cause that these trees die not in the winter though they cast their leaves and that they revive and spring and flourish againe in the Summer So the Holy men which are among the People of the Jewes and Hezekiah by name shall be the cause that the Nation of the Jewes shall not wholly perish and be destroied in that desolation which Sennacherib shall make though their case may seem desperate but that they shall flourish and encrease and multiplie againe If you ask how the holy seed which was among the Jewes was the cause why the whole Nation of the Jewes was not destroyed I answer It was because God did rebuke the furie of Sennacherib for that seeds sake and would not suffer him to root out the Nation of the Jewes utterly from being a People The holy seed i. e. The holy and righteous men among the Jewes He saies seed for men per Metonymiam materiae Or he calls the holy ones among the Jewes the holy seed because they were reserved as it were for seed to be sowen out of which should spring up a plentifull harvest of men Shall be the Substance i. e. Shall be as the Substance or vegetâ—tâ—ve â—oul The note of similitude is here left to be understood Thereof i. e. Of the people of the Jewes A Relative without a near adjoyning Antecedent Or thereof that is of the land But by the land understand Metonymice the people of the land Or thereof that is of the tenth before mentioned ISAIAH CHAP. VII AND it came to
in One against Ahaz Which thou abhorrest Viz. Because of the Enmity which their Kings and People bear against thee Shall be forsakâ—n of her Kings i e. Shall be rid of Rezin and of Pekah both which shall die a violent death Of Pekahs death we read 2 Kings 15. v. 30. and of Rezins 2 Kings 16. v. 9. 17. The Lord shall bring upon thee c. Because Ahaz would not believe for all this nor rely upon God but would rely upon Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria for help against Rezin and Pekah 2 King 16. v. 7. therefore the prophet breaks out here into a threatning Prophesie against him saying The Lord shall bring upon thee c. Dayes that have not come i. e. Such dayes as the like have not been for misery and calamity to you and your People and your Fathers house From the day that Ephraim departed from Judah i. e. Since the day or time that the ten Tribes of Israel revolted from the Tribe of Judah and made them a King of their own and a Kingdome distinct from that of Judah which was done by Jeroboam in the dayes of Rehoboam the Son of Salomon 1 Kings 12. Ephraim is taken here for the ten Tribes see notes verse 2. Even the King of Assyria Here we must repeat those words The Lord shall bring upon thee that the sense may be this The Lord shall bring upon thee even the King of Assyria Supple which shall more sorely afflict thee than ever thou wast afflicted since the dayes of Rehoboam The King of Assyria here meant was Sennacharib 18. In that day Supple In which he intendeth thus to afflict thee A Relative without an Antecedent He shall hisse for the flie that is in the utmost part of the Rivers of Egypt He puts the flie here for flies and part for parts Singular for Plurall Numbers And by the utmost parts of the Rivers of Egypt he meaneth the brimms or brinks of Nilus and other the Rivers of Egypt where flies were wont to breed and abide in great abundance By the flies that are in the utmost parts of the Rivers of Egypt are here Metaphorically meant the Egyptians themselves which he signifieth here by the Metaphor of flies because of the abundance of flies which were in Aegypt by reason of the store of Rivers and waters which were there in which kind of places flies doe breed and multiply abundantly Or because as the flie is an impudent creature So were the Egyptians an impudent People Or because the flies use the wings and so are speedy and because they usually are in swarms and so are many Therefore doth be signifie the Egyptians under the Metaphor of flies to shew the great number of them which should come and their speed in coming against Judah He shall hisse for This sheweth how easily God can doe this For he shall but hisse for them and they shall come And for the Bee that is in the Land of Assyria The Bee is put here for Bees a Singular number for a Plurall By the Bees in the Land of Assyria are Metaphorically meant the Assyrians themselves perhaps because Assyria abounded with Bees as Aegypt did with Flies Or he calls the Assyrians Bees because of the great number of them which should come into Judaea and the speed which they should use As he called the Aegyptians Flies Or he might call the Assyrians Bees because of the dexterity which they had to hurt as Bees have to sting Or because of their strength and order in war as Bees are in their kind strong and orderly in which two things as Bees do excell Flies So did the Assyrians excell the Aegytians Note here that he speakes not of the Aegyptians and Assyrians as of two distinct Armies under two distinct Generalls But as two Nations joyned in one and the same Armie of Sennacherib 19. And they shall come and shall rest all of them in the desolate Vallies in the holes of the rocks c. He persists in the Metaphor of Flies and Bees and alludeth to their nature in saying They shall rest in the desolate Vallies and in the holes of the rocks and upon all thornes and upon all bushes But under this Metaphor he meaneth that the Army of the Assyrians should come up against Judah in such a number as that they should fill all Judaea so that no place should be free from them 20. In the same day shall the Lord shave with a Rasor that is hired By a Rasor that is hired he meaneth a sharp Rasor For those things which we use to hire are of the best in their kind and fittest for our purpose What he meaneth by shaving with a Rasor that is hired he explaineth in the next words By them beyond the River i e. By the Assyrians which dwell beyond the River Euphrates The Assyrians are they which are meant by the Rasor By the King of Assyria q. d. That is By the Forces of the King of Assyria The King of Assyria who was the head of his Army is put here for his whole Army per Synecdochen And these words explain the former and tell us that by them beyond the River he meaneth the Assyrians The head i. e. The hair of the head Metonymia subjecti And the hair of the feet By the hair of the feet is meant the hair of the privy members For so the Hebrewes use to speak out of modesty and call the privy members the feet The Prophet compareth the Land of Judah to the body of a man and the men of that land to the hair of that body And this he saith that as the hair of the body useth to be shaved with a Rasor so shall the men of Judah be cut off and slain by the Assyrians And it shall consume the beard q. d. Yea the Rasor shall also cut off the beard Note that the Prophet doth here allude to the manner of the ancient Hebrews who as Vatablus tells us were wont to shave their heads and their privy parts but to let their beards grow long And when he saith that the Lord will shave with a Rasor that is hired the head and the hair of the feet his meaning is that the Lord will cut off and kill all high and low and when he addeth and it shall also consume the beard his meaning is q. d. and he shall spare none 21. And it shall come to passe in that day By this day he meaneth the day or time after this invasion and desolation made by the Assyrians He useth a Relative here without a Antecedent as the Hebrewes often doe A man shall nourish a young Cow and two Sheep i. e. A man shall have but onely one young Cow and but onely two sheep to nourish This sheweth the paucity of Cattel which should be left after this for after this a man had not heards of kine and beasts and flocks of sheep as before but a man had onely one young Cow and two Sheep to keep
22. And they shall look unto the earth To wit for succour from other men or Nations being their King cannot succour them And behold trouble and darknesse q.d. But whether they look up to heaven to God or downwards to the earth to men They shall find no aid or relief but they shall see trouble and darknesse on every side For God will be angry with them from above and their enemies shall possesse all things and keep all things from them in the earth beneath c. And is put here for But. Darknesse i. e. Calamity and Misery A Metaphor Dimnesse of anguish i. e. Sore vexing and tormenting Misery or Calamity Note that it is usuall with the Hebrewes to put a Substantive of the Genitive Case for an Adjective Wherefore when he saith Dimnesse of anguish it is as if he had said Sore vexing and tormenting dimnesse i. e. Sore vexing and torminting misery or calamity Note that both Darknesse and Dimnesse do signifie here the same thing Viz. Misery or Calamity For the Hebrewes do usually put words which signifie darkness to signifie all kind of Misery or â—alamity See Cap. 5. v 30. Note also that this word Dimnesse doth not signifie lesse in this place than the word Darknesse doth But is put here for Darknesse and with these words Of anguish added to it It signifieth more than the word Darknesse signifieth by it self For the Prophet useth a Gradation here q. d. Behold trouble and darknesse yea dimnesse or darknesse of anguish q. d. Behold trouble and Miserie yea sore vexing and tormenting trouble and misery And they shall be driven into darknesse Viz. As wild beasts are driven into a net or Toile which they cannot escape Into darknesse The word Darknesse signifieth otherwise here than it did in the former sentence Nor is it wonder being that Metaphoricall words signifie variously in the former sentence therefore the word Darknesse signified Miserie but here it signifieth a state or condition of mind in which a man knoweth not what to do or what course or counsel to take being even at his wits ends And that by a Metaphor drawn from bodily darknesse For as in such a case we cannot see to do any thing with our bodily eyes so in this case we cannot see with the eyes of our mind what to do ISAIAH CHAP. IX NEverthelesse the dimnesse shall not be such c. This dependeth upon the former Chapter and containeth a mitigation of the great calamity affliction which was there threatned against the men of Judah For in the last Verse of that Chapter he said that there should be in Judah dimnesse of anguish and here he saith That Neverthelesse the dimnesse shall not be such as was in her vexation c. The dimnesse shall not be such as was in her vexation i. e. The Misery and Calamity which shall befall the Land of Judah shall not be so great as the Misery and Calamity which shall befall the Land of Israel in the time of Her vexation As was in her vexation i. e. As shall be in the time of the Vexation of the Land of Israel He puts a Relative here without an Antecedent as the Hebrews use often pointing as it were to the Land of Israel when he saith Her vexation And he puts a Preterperfect for a Future tense When this time of Vexation was the next words shew When at first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Nepthali i. e. When he shall lightly afflict the Land of Zebulun and the Land of Nepthali The Land of Zebulun and the Land of Nepthali were parts of Galilee Zebulun of the lower Galilee and Nepthali of the upper Galilee and are here put by a Synecdoche to signifie all Galilee consisting of the upper and lower which Galilee was a part and but a part of the land of Israel or of the Kingdome of the ten Tribes This lighter affliction which is here prophesied of was that which was made by Tiglah-Pilesser who came against the King of Israel and grievously afflicted that part of the Land of Israel which was called Galilee 2 King 15. v. 29. And this part of the affliction of the Land of Israel here spoken of seemeth to have been wrought by Tiglah-Pilesser when Ahaz hired him to come up and save him out of the hand of the King of Syria and the King of Israel 2 Kings 16.7 And afterwards did more grievously afflict her i. e. And shall afterwards more grievously afflict the Land of Israel He useth a Preterperfect or Preterimperfect tense for a Future By the way of the Sea By the way of the Sea is meant the Tract or Region of Land which borders upon the Sea And by the Sea is meant the Sea of Tyberias which is also called the Lake of Gennasaret Beyond Jordan i. e. Near to Jordan For so is this praeposition observed to signifie John 1.28 and elsewhere in relation to the Hebrew Jordan was the chiefest and most noted river of all the Land of Canaan It arose neer unto Mount Libanus which was in the utmost parts of the Land of Israel where were two fountaines or springs one called Jor the other Dan which after a little space joyned their waters and made and named the River Jordan This river ran into the Sea of Tyberias and then breaking out of that Sea ran along with a greater streame while it fell into the dead Sea In Galilee of the Nations By Galilee of the Nations some take the Vpper some the Lower Galilee and both give their particular reasons why the Galilee which they mean should distinctively be called Galilee of the Nations But I rather take Galilee of the Nations for all Galilee conteining the Vpper and Lower Galilee together And Galilee so taken is called Galilee of the Nations not as by a Note of distinction but as by a note of declaration as if he should say in Galilee which is so populous and frequented and inhabited with men of divers Countries and Nations Galilee was frequented and inhabited by men of other Countries and Nations because it was a rich and fertile Countrey and convenient for merchandise because of the convenience of the Seas and the Rivers for Galilee reached from the Sea of Tiberias to the Mediterranean Sea so that it invited many forreign Merchants and Strangers thither And the Prophet seemeth to mention this populousnesse of Galilee here that he might make the desolation more grievous which should be begun by Tiglah-Pileser and should be finished therein by Salmaneser For note that this latter affliction was wrought by Salmanâ—ser of which you may read 2 King 17. v. 5. Note here that this affliction and desolation which Salmaneser made by the way of the Sea and beyond Jordan in Galilee of the Nations must be understood by a Synecdoche of the affliction and desolation of all the Land of Israel for Salmaneser made a desolation in all the Land and carried all away captive though it
seemes he begun with Galilee and shewed the greatest spight there which made that alone to be named here Or that alone is here named because Galilee was the richest and most populous of all the Land of Israel and it will move the more lamentation to tell that so rich a Countrey shall be spoiled and so populous a Countrey wasted then to tell of the spoiling and desolation of a Land which is not so rich and populous Note that neither of the two afflictions which are spoke of in this verse were light in themselves But when Israel was afflicted by Tiglah-Pileser he was said to be lightly afflicted in comparison of that affliction which he suffered afterwards by Salmaneser which of the two was farre the most grievous affliction Note also that when it is said that the dimnesse or affliction of Judah wherewith Sennacharib shall afflict him shall not be so great as the affliction of Israel wherewith Tiglah-Pileser first and afterwards Salmaneser shall afflict him The affliction of Israel by Tiglah-Pileser and the affliction of Israel by Salmaneser are not to be taken severally as though either of them two were greater than the affliction of Judah by Sennacharib for the affliction of Israel by Tiglah-Pileser seemes not to have been greater than the affliction of Judah by Sennacharib but joyntly q. d. Yet shall not the affliction of Judah by Sennacharib be so grievous as the affliction of Israel by Tiglah-Pileser and Salmaneser For Tiglah-Pileser shall begin to destroy the Israelites and to carry them into Captivity out of which they shall not be redeemed And what he hath begun Salmaneser shall make an end of For he shall carry the residue into perpetuall captivity and destroy Israel from being any more a People or a Kingdome But Sennacharib shall not be able to deal thus with the Jewes for though he shall over-run all Judea yet he shall not prevail against Hierusalem So that out of Hierusalem shall Judea be peopled again and flourish 2. The People that walked in darknesse i. e. For the People of Judah and especially of Hierusalem which shall be grievously afflicted by Sennacharib and his Host c. By Darknesse he meaneth Misery and Affliction which the Hebrewes often signifie by the Metaphor of Darknesse Note here that he puts a Praeterperfect Tense for a Future as before He gives a Reason here in this and the following verses why the dimnesse or affliction of Judah should not be so great as the affliction of Israel in his vexation Have seen a great light i. e Shall receive great comfort and a great deliverance Here again a Praeterperfect Tense is put for a Future And by light he meaneth comfort For as the Hebrewes doe often put darknesse to signifie misery and affliction So they doe put light to signifie comfort and prosperity and both by a Metaphor This was fulfilled when the Lord destroyed by his Angel the huge host of the Assyrians which had wasted the Land of Judah and did at that time besiedge the chief City Hierusalem of which you may read 2 Kings Cap. 18. and 19. They that dwell in the Land of the shadow of death i. e. They that shall dwell in the Land which is overspread with the dark and dreadful night or with black and dreadful darknesse That is they which shall be grievously afflicted This Phrase is every whit the same for sense with that which went a little before namely with that The People that walked in darknesse By the shadow is meant the night or darknesse For darknesse is nothing else but the shadow of a thick dark body interposed between the light and the thing darkened And the night is nothing else but the shadow of the earth interposed between the light of the Sun and the Air or whatsoever else is thereby made dark He calls that the shadow of death which is such a shadow or night or darknesse as is as dreadful as death or which affrights a Man with the terrour of death or which is such as death brings for upon whom death seizeth him it depriveth of all light Wherefore a dead man is called Lumine cassus i. e. one deprived of light by the Prince of Latine Poets And on the contrary Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery saith Job Job 3.20 That is why doth he live Again by the shadow of death may be meant such darknesse as the dead have in their Sepulchres for death is put sometimes for the dead per Metonymiam adjuncti as cap. 28. v. 18. and Sepulchres are wholly dark without any light at all The Prophet Amos speaking of the night useth the very same Phrase as is here used saying Seek him that maketh the seven Stars and Orion and turneth the shadow of death that is the night into the morning Amos 5. v. 8. And Job useth the shadow of death for a great darknesse when he saith Let darknesse and the shadow of death stain it Job 3. v. 6. Vpon them hath the light shined i. e. Upon them shall the light shine He alludes here to the light of the Sun or Morning And by it doth Metaphorically understand comfort as before It was a Maxime received among the Hebrewes that the Redemption from their temporal enemies such as were the Aegyptians Midianites Philistines Assyrians c. was a Type and Figure of the Redemption which was to be expected in the dayes of the Messiah and accordingly the Redemption here spoken of was the Type and Figure of the spirituall Redemption which was wrought in the dayes of the Messiah Mat. 4. v. 15. Where note that the spiritual Redemption here prefigured was not more peculiar to those which inhabited the Land of Zebulun and the Land of Nepthali and Galilee of the Nations than it was to others though it may seem to concern them more than others at the first reading of Mat. cap. 4. v. 14 15. for the Evangelist by mentioning the Land of Zebulun and the Land of Nepthali and Galilee of the Nations doth onely upon occasion apply this General to those Particular Men and make use of these words Viz. The Land of Zebulun the Land of Nepthali by the way of the Sea beyond Jordan Galilee of the Nations to shew what particular Men he meant though they are not the words of the same sentence because those words were nigh the sentence which he quoted and which concerned his purpose 3. Thou hast multiplied the Nation i e. Thou wilt multiply the Nation of the Assyrians by adding many Nations to it i. e. Thou wilt get together many Nations He puts a Praeterperfect for a Future Tense He useth also here an Apostrophe to Sennacharib who mustered a great Army out of many Nations and marched with it against Judah But not increased the joy q.d. But though thou wilt get many Nations together yet thou shalt not make thy joy the greater Sennacharib when he had gathered a mighty Army together out of almost all Nations
whose light is inherent because he saith the light of Israel shall be for a fire For we kindle fire with fire Shall be for a fire Supple To kindle that burning spoken of before v. 16. God is said to be for a fire to kindle that burning by which Sennacherib's Army was destroyed because he sent his Angel to destroy it and so was the principall cause of its destruction And his holy one for a flame By his holy one is meant God who is called the holy one of Israel So that this is but a repetition of the former sentence And it shall consume and devoure i. e. and he shall consume and destroy He speakes of God under the Metaphor of a fire or flame and therefore he saith it for he His thornes and his briars i. e. The common and meanest Souldiers of his that is of Sennacherib's Army The Prophet compareth Sennacherib's Army to a forrest and the common Souldiers to the thornes and briars thereof And the Captaines and Officers to the high Tree In one day i. e. In one naturall day whereof the night is a part in which this Army was destroyed This here spoken of was fulfilled 2 Kings 19. v. 35. 18. The glory of his forrest By the glory of his forrest are meant the high trees and tall Cedars which grew in the forrest which are indeed the glory and grace of the whole forrest And by the high Trees and tall Cedars of the forrest he meaneth Metaphorically the Captaines and Officers of Sennacherib's Hoste which he compareth to a forrest Of his fruitfull field He compared Sennacherib's Army to a forrest of trees and bushes immediately before for the majesty thereof Now he compareth it to a fruitfull field of Corne because of the riches thereof with which it abounded Of the forrest the tall trees were the Glory Of the fruitfull field the full and large and tall eares of standing Corne are the grace Both soul and body i. e. Utterly This Phrase is Proverbial and containeth an Hyperbole It is spoken of man properly and commonly of trees but improperly and unusually There is therefore here a Confusion of Metaphors And they i. e. And all the men of Sennacherib's Army Both Captaines and Officers which were called the glory of the forrest And the common Souldiers which were termed thornes and briars Shall be as when a Standard-bearer fainteth i. e. Shall be utterly discomfited ruined and destroyed A Standard-bearer is said to faint either when his courage failes him and he flies or when he is wounded and so his vitall and animall spirits faile him and he falls down dead And when he fainteth his whole company is soon disordered ruined and destroyed being persecuted and slain by the enemy And as it is with one company so it is with the whole Army also if all the Standard-bearers thereof faint because the Army hath no meanes left to bring or keep it self in Order hence the losse of all its Colours or Standards is put often to signifie the losse and destruction of an whole Army A Standard-bearer i. e. The Standard-bearers A Singular for a Plurall number 19. And the rest of the Trees of his forrest i. e. And the rest of the Souldiers of Sennacherib's Army which shall escape the fire that is the destruction which the Angel shall make He persists in his Metaphor still Shall be so few that a Child shall write them i. e. Shall be so few in number as that a Child who hath no skill in Arithmetick shall easily number them and make a List or a note of them 20. And it shall come to passe in that day i. e. And it shall come to passe after this Here is a Relative without an Antecedent exprest The Remnant of Israel i. e. The Remnant of the men of Judah which were the Children of Jacob who was called Israel which shall remaine after the destruction which Sennacherib shall make This Remnant were they which were in Hierusalem which Sennacerib could not take Shall no more stay upon him that smote him i. e. Shall no more rely upon the King of Assyria which smote them as heretofore they did when Ahaz relyed upon Tiglah-Pileser 2 Kings 16. v. 7. Note that though they were divers Kings of Assyria of whom he speakes here yet he speakes of them as if they were the same person because they were in the same place and Kings of the same Kingdome wherein they succeeded the one the other In truth i. e. Truly and sincerely without hypocrisie 21. Shall return unto the mighty God i. e. Shall relie and stay upon the mighty God For this is but a repetition of the former words repeated here for the greater confirmation of what he said They forsake God who leave him to relie upon the arme of flesh And they return to him who leave the arme of flesh to make him their stay 22. For though thy people Israel i. e. For though thy people O Israel So some making this an Apostrophe to Jacob and taking Israel in the Vocative case Or though thy People O Hezekiah which are the Children of Israel So others who make this an Apostrophe to Hezekiah and make Israel of the same case with thy people by Apposition taking Israel by a Metonymie for the Children of Israel Or which is the same for sense though thy people O Israel that is O Hezekiah who art a true Son of Israel Be as the sand of the Sea Supple for number or multitude Yet a remnant shall return i. e. Yet onely a remnant of them shall escape and return unto the Lord. This Particle Onely is often left by the Hebrewes to be understood The Prophet giveth a reason here why he said in the former verses A remnant of Israel He said it because there should be but a remnant that is a very few saved out the hands of the Assyrians The Consumption decreed shall overflow i. e. The Consumption which God hath decreed and determined to bring upon the Land of Judah for the sinnes thereof by the hand of Sennacharib shall overflow the Land like a mighty River and take away most of the Inhabitants thereof He alludes here to a great River which overflowes it's banks after a great Rain With righteousnesse Righteousnesse is sometimes taken for Justice in opposition to Mercy and so if we take it here we may interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Righteousnesse q. d. with all severity Again Righteousnesse is sometimes taken for Truth in fulfilling and performing what a man hath spoken and so if we take it here the sense will be as if he should say according as he hath decreed 23. Even determined i. e. Even such a Consumption as he hath determined to make which is a great one In the midst of the Land i. e. In the Land supple of Judah The Land in general is taken here by a Synechdoche or by way of excellency for the Land of Judah in particular And he saith In the midst of
the Land by an Hebraisme for in the Land 24. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Hosts c. This relateth to the 20. and 21. verse where the Prophet saith that a Remnant shall return For because a Remnant shall return he comforteth the Inhabitants of Sion and wisheth them not to be afraid of Sennacherib King of Assyria and his forces q. d Being therefore that a Remnant shall returne thus saith the Lord God of Hosts O my people that dwellest in Sion be not afraid of the Assyrians c. But you will say what comfort is it to the Inhabitants of Sion more than to any other that a Remnant shall return Answ If a remnant shall returne a remnant shall be saved to return and that remnant which was saved were they which were in Hierusalem at this time For they and they onely of all the Land were safe from Sennacherib That dwellest in Sion i. e. That dwellest in Hierusalem Sion is put here by a Synecdoche for Hierusalem Be not afraid of the Assyrian i. e. Though Sennacherib the Assyrian doth besiege thee and vex thee yet be not afraid of him He shall smite thee with a rod and shall lift up his staffe against thee after the manner of Aegypt i. e. He shall vex thee and oppresse thee indeed with Taxes and Tributes and with a siege as the Aegyptians did thy fore-fathers By the Rod and the Staffe is meant in generall any kind of Oppression and Vexotion by a Metonymie and a Synecdoche And by Aegypt is meant by a Metonymie the Aegyptians the people of Aegypt Yet Note that the Prophets meaning is not that Sennacherib vexed them and oppressed them after the same special manner as the Aegyptians vexed and oppressed their fore-fathers but onely after the same manner in generall For yet a little while i. e. But after a little while For for But as it is often in the old Testament The indignation Supple which I conceive against you and for which I have sent the Assyrians to vex you And mine anger Supple towards you In their destruction i. e. In that destruction of the Assyrians which vex and oppresse you The sence is q. d. After a little while I will be appeased with you and my fury shall breake out against them and destroy them which vex you 26. And the Lord of Hosts i. e. For the Lord of Hosts And for For. Note here the Enallage of the person from the first to the third Shall stir up a scourge for him i. e. Shall raise up a scourge for the Assyrians to whip them out of thy Land Note here the Enallage of the Number which hath been charged thrice in these three last verses By this scourge he meaneth Metaphorically the Angel which scourged yea destroyed fourscore and five thousand of the Army of the Assyrians 2 Kings 19. c. upon the seeing and hearing of which the rest which escaped took their heels and fled According to the slaughter of Midian q. d. Yea he shall slay him according to the slaughter of Midian i. e. Yea he shall make a slaughter among them like to the slaughter which he made among the Midianites of which see Judges Chap. 7. v. 22. Midian the Father of the Midianites is put here by a Metonymie for the Midianites themselves The slaughter of the Assyrians and the Midianites were alike in these respects First that as the hand of God was seen in the slaughter of the Midianites so it was in the slaughter of the Assyrians Secondly that as the Midianites were slaine without losse of any of the Israelites so were the Assyrians without any losse of the men of Judah and Hierusalem Thirdly that as the whole Army of the Midianites was over-thrown so was the whole Army of the Assyrians Fourthly that as the Midianites were overthrown on a suddaine when their thoughts were at the highest so were the Assyrians At the Rock Oreb The Rock Oreb was scituate in the Tribe of Ephraim and was called the Rock Oreb because Oreb one of the Princes of the Midianites was slaine there Judges 7. v. 25. And as his Rod was upon the Sea i. e. And as he smote the Red Sea with his rod by the hand of Moses and made it return to his strength and over-flow the Aegyptians in the middest thereof when they were pursueing after the Israelites thorow it Exod. 14. v. 26 27. So shall he lift it up Supple Against the Assyrians and overthrow them After the manner of Aegypt i. e. As he did lift it up against the Aegyptians at the Red Sea and over-threw them Aegypt is taken here for the Aegyptians the Countrey for the Men thereof Note that after the manner of Aegypt signifieth otherwise here than it did vers 24. For there of Aegypt was Genitivus Efficientis here it is Genitivus Patientis Note that though the Assryrians were overthrown and destroyed but one way yet the Prophet describes it many wayes in allusion to many overthrowes and destructions which God hath wrought upon the enemies of Israel For the Hebrews use to expresse like things by like and one victory and destruction and desolation by another as was observed Cap. 4.5 Sometimes by this sometimes by that 26. That his burthen i. e. That the Burden which Sennacherib layes upon your shoulders And his yoak i. e. And the yoak which he hath put upon your neck By Sennacherib's burden and yoak he meaneth the Tributes Taxes Siedge and other vexations with which he vexed the Jewes and especially the men of Hierusalem which vexations were to them as heavy as a burden is to the shoulder of the Porter or to the back of the Beast and as grievous as the yoak to the neck of the Heifer The affliction with which the Aegyptians afflicted the Israelites in Aegypt is also likened to a yoak Levit. 26. v. 13. And to a burden Exod. 1.11 and 66. and Psal 81. v. 6. To which happily the Prophet here alludes From off thy shoulder He useth an Apostrophe to the people of Judah Because of the annointing i. e. Because of the King namely King Hezekiah whom the Lord will favour and for whose sake he will doe this The annointing is put here for the annointed an Abstract for a Concrete per Metonymiam adjuncti And by the annointing or annointed he meaneth the King and it commeth so to signifie because the King of Israel and Judah were wont to be annointed with oyle at their taking upon them the kingly office 28. He is come to Aiah i. e. Sennacherib is come to Aiah Here is a Relative without an Antecedent yet the Antecedent is easie to be understood Aiah was the Region in which Ai stood Josh 8. It was in the Tribe of Benjamin neer Bethel and Bethaven What the Prophet speakes here he speakes in the Person of a Messenger or Scout which was sent to learn Sennacharibs motion who brings word thereof to the King which sent him The Prophet hereby describeth the marches
meanes they lived not onely peaceably but also were near to the Temple to worship And this they did chiefly then when the Angel of the Lord had miraculously destroyed Sennacherib's Army and when the Lord had shewed a miracle for Hezekiah's sake in the Sun and had promised Hezekiah by his Prophet peace so long as he lived To it shall the Gentiles seek i. e. To that Root or to that Ensigne by which he meaneth Hezekiah shall the Gentiles seek Supple That they may live in Judaea under his protection The Gentiles By the Gentiles are meant all that were not of the seed of Abraham And h s rest i. e. And the peace and quiet which he shall enjoy from his enemies Or by his rest may be understood the place of his habitation or the place where he resteth that is where he dwelleth by a Metonymie Shall be glorious The peace and quiet which he shall enjoy shall be glorious because many shall admire it and speak of it and desire to partake of it And Hierusalem which shall be the place of his habitation shall be glorious by reason of that Prosperity and those blessings which it shall enjoy by him 11. In that day i. e. In the day of which he spoke v. 10. The Lord shall set his hand againe the second time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria and from Aegypt and from Pathros c. q. d. As God did once put his hand to redeem his people when he delivered them out of Aegypt and brought them into the land of Canaan by the hands of Moses and Joshua So shall he now againe set his hand to recover his people which are or shall be led away Captive into Assyria or fled into Aegypt and into Pathros and other places for fear of their enemies from the places to which they were either carried away captive or fled and bring them back againe into their own land Note that when he saith the Lord shall set his hand againe the second time to recover the Remnant of his People which shall be left from Assyria and from Aegypt and from Pathros c. These Relative words relate not to the place or places from which the Lord did recover them either in the first or second recovery But onely to the Recovery it self q. d. As the Lord did set his hands to recover his people once in the dayes of Moses so shall he now set his hands the second time to recover them in the dayes of Hezekiah For the places from which he did recover them were not all the same in the first and second recovery no nor yet was the manner of the recovery the same The Lord shall set his hand againe the second time to reâ—over The first time at which God set his hand to recover his people was when he set his hand and shewed his power for their delivery out of Aegypt from under Pharaoh by Moses The remnant of his people which shall be left By this he meaneth those Children of Israel which were left alive after that desolation and destruction which was made of them by Tiglah-Pileser Salmanaser and Sâ—nnacherib and which were dispersed abroad in foreigne lands The Lord is said to recover the remnant of his people In that he allured and heartned them to return into the land of Canaan by the prosperity and peace which he gave to Hezekiah And in that he sent troubles among the Assyrians by reason of which many of the Israelites and Jewes which were there Captives had opportunity to escape and returne to their own land Of which more Cap. 14. v. 1. From Assyria and from Aegypt c. By these places understand other places also whether the Israelites Jewes were either led Captives or fled to save their lives These words From Assyria and from Aegypt c. relate to the word to recover From Pathros By Pathros some understand the land of Pharusii near to Aethiopia And from Cush By Cush is meant Aethiopia where the Children of Cush lived which Cush is mentioned Gen. Chap. 10. v. 5. From Elam By Elam is meant the Land of the Elamites which were neighbours adjoyning to the Medes whose fore-father was Elam of whom Gen. 10. v. 22. And from Shinar By Shinar is meant Chaldaea or Babylonia And from Hamah Hamah was scituate under Mount Lebanon not farre from Damascus in Syria And from the Islands of the Sea By the Islands of the Sea he meanes Cyprus and Creete as also Macedonia and parts of Asia bordering upon the Sea For the Hebrewes call not those lands onely which are environed round about with the Sea Islands of the Sea But those Lands also which border upon the Sea though they are not environed with it 12. And he shall set up an Ensigne for the nations c. The Prophet repeateth here what he said in the former verses for the greater confirmation of what he said For the Nations i e. For the People or Gentiles mentioned v. 10. The Out-casts of Israel i. e. Many of those of the ten Tribes of Israel that were either carried away Captive or ranne out of their own Land to save themselves in the dayes of Tiglah-Pileser and Salmaneser The dispersâ—d of Judah i. e. Those of the Tribe and Kingdome of Judah which fled in the dayes of Sennacharib into forraign Countries to save themselves From the four Corners of the Earth i. e. From the East and from the West from the North and from the South parts of the Earth He speakes of the Earth as of a Quadrangular or four-square body after a vulgar manner 13. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart i. e. The envy also and hatred with which the men of Israel were wont to be incensed against the men of Judah and to persecute them shall cease and vanish away Ephraim is put here for the Tenne Tribes of Israel as Chap. 7. vers 2. Great was the envie and hatred and enmity which the ten Tribes of Israel did bear against the Tribe or Kingdome of Judah as appeares as by other places so by 2 Kings 16.5 and Isaiah Cap. 7.1 c. But this envy and hatred and enmity ceased in Hezekiah's dayes for they which returned stuck close to the Jewes either by reason of their common danger Or because Hezekiah and the men of Judah were a refuge for them in their affliction And the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off i. e. And the adversaries of the Tribe or Kingdome of Judah shall be cut off By the adversaries of Judah we may understand the Nations or Gentiles which were the enemies of that Tribe or Kingdome such as were the Philistines and Edomites and Moabites and Ammonites whom Hezekiah subdued according to what is prophesied verse 14. and then these words are left here to be read with a Parenthesis Or we may understand by the adversaries of Judah those of Ephraim that is of the ten Tribes of Israel which bore inveterate
said in the eleventh Chapter Thou shalt say i e. Thou which art delivered and thou which art brought home againe to thine own Countrey for to such the Prophet makes this Apostrophe shallt say I will praise thee Supple For thy great mercies shewed to me Though thou wast angry with me Supple When thou diddest afflict me or carry me away or make me fly into a strange Land for fear of the Assyrians 2. God is my salvation i. e. God is my Saviour which saveth me from destruction Salvation is put here per Metonymiam effecti for a Saviour I will trust Supple In him And not be afraid Supple Of the Assyrians or any other man for what they can do unto me Is my strengh i. e. Doth strengthen me and make me able to withstand whatsoever any man can do to me He saith he is my strength for he doth strengthen me per Metonymiam effecti And my Song i. e. And the subject of my Song His meaning is that he is his Deliverer For when God delivered any of his People out of any great affliction they were wont to make and to sing Songs in praise of God and their delivery He is become my Salvation i. e. He is become my Saviour 3. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of Sâ—lvation q. d. And because God is become my Salvation All ye that trust in him be assured and confident of his Salvation in your distresse For he will abundantly save you and ye shall receive salvation from him in a plenitfull manner In this Epiphonema he encourageth by this example those that trust in the Lord not to break off their trust but still to trust in him for he will save them at length which trust in him Shall ye i. e. Ye which trust in God and rely on him For to such doth the Singer here make an Apostrophe in this his Song Note that he puts a Relative here without an Antecedent a thing usuall with the Hebrewes With joy shall ye draw water out of the wels of Salvation In this Metaphor he compares God our Saviour to a Well And the Salvation which he bestowes upon his servants to the waters of that well The wells of Salvation He saith Wells in the Plural for the Well in the Singular Number because God is as many wells unexhaustible 4. And in that day i. e. Moreover in that day The day which he meaneth is the same with that which he mentioned Verse 1. And he puts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And for Moreover Shall ye say Hee changeth his number here for in ver 1. he said Thou shalt say and here he saith Ye shall say though he speakes to the same The Prophet useth often the like Enallage Call upon his Name i. e. Call upon him The Hebrews often put the name of God per Metonymiam adjuncti for God himself To call upon God is put here for to give thankes to God for we call upon God aswell when we give thankes to him as when we aske any thing at his hands Matt. 11.25 Dan. 2.23 1 Chron. 29.13 Note here that they which are mindfull of the goodnesse which God hath shewed unto them and are glad thereof think their own thankes and praises not sufficient for so good a God And therefore they invite others to praise God also in their behalf Declare his doings among the People i. e. Declare among the heathen as occasion shall serve what wonderfull things he hath done for us that the heathen may take notice of them Make mention that his name is exalted q. d. Tell abroad that he hath done marvelous matters for which he is exalted of us Jewes He saith his name is exalted for he is exalted putting his name for him as a little before He saith he is exalted for he hath done marvelous matters for which he is exalted per Metonymiam adjuncti For he that doth marvelous matters is exalted and praised for his doing and gets himself renowne thereby 5. This is knowne i. e. This that he hath done excellent things for us is known In all the earth An Hyperbole 6. Cry out and Shout Supple For joy Thou Inhabitant of Sion Sion was a Hill within Hierusalem and here it is taken for all Hierusalem by a Synechdoche Hierusalem I say which the Lord preserved from Sennacherib's fury and therefore is here particularly called upon to cry out and shout for joy For great is the holy One of Israel i. e. For the Lord is great and hath shewed himself great by what he hath done for thee The holy one of Israel i. e. God even the God which Israel worshipeth In the middest of thee i. e. Which dwelleth with thee or in thee The Hebrews use often to say The middest of thee for Thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God may be said to dwell in Sion not onely because of his especiall manifestation of himself in his Temple there but also because he was at hand with his people of Hierusalem and ready at all times to them See Psal 46.5 ISAIAH CHAP. XIII THE burthen of Babylon The grievous misery and affliction which shall befal Babylon Or the Vision of that greivous misery and affliction which shall befal Babylon Note that this word Burthen is here put Metaphorically by the Prophet for a great and heavy misery and â—ffliction which affliction and misery he calleth a burden because it is grievous to him whom it doth befall as an heavy burthen is to him that beares it yea it is put for the Vision of that grievous misery and affliction By a Metaphoricall Metonymie Isaiah the sonne of Amos. See Chap. 1. v. 1. Saw Supple In a trance Note that this verse is as it were a Title of the whole Chapter Josephus in the tenth book of his Antiquities Chapter 3. tells us that the Empire of the Assyrians was broken in pieces by the Medes in the dayes of Hezekiah not long after the destruction of Sennacherib's Army before Hierusalem And surely at the same time was this Prophesie fullfilled against Babylon for Babylon according to this Prophesie was to be destroyed by the Medes v. 17. And Babylon was at this time belonging to the King of Assyria 2 Kings 17.24 And being it was a Royall City of the Assyrians it was like to be set upon by the Medes if it did not yeeld to them the sooner and to suffer deeply if it were taken by storme and it is most probable that it yeelded not but was taken by storme and so suffered deeply almost to an utter ruine at this time as we shall shew v. 20. Add to this that there was no long time to be between the manifestation of this Prophesie and the fullfilling thereof as appeares verse 22. Therefore it is most likely that this Prophesie was fullfilled at this time we now speak off to wit when the Medes broke the Assyrian Empire as Josephus tells 2. Lift ye up a Banner These words are spoken
as weak man cannot make but sheweth it self to be the work of God by the greatnesse and inevitablenesse thereof 7. Therefore shall all hands be faint i. e. All the hands of the Babylonians shall be faint and not able to hold up a weapon against the Medes And every mans heart i. e. Every Babylonians heart Synechdoche Generis Every mans heart shall melt Supple As Ice Josh 7.5 or as melting Wax Psal 22.14 to wit for fear The heart is put here for the courage And then a mans courage is said to melt when he hath not courage enough to resist his enemy but flies away from him and stands not to him Things which melt wax soft and things which are soft cannot resist the Agents which presse upon them as hard things can And therefore because a fearfull man flies from his enemie and is not able to withstand him his heart is said to melt by a Metaphor from ice or wax which being hard in themselves grow soft being melted and so not able to resist the Agent which presseth upon them And that this is the reason of this Metaphor we may learn from Job who saith I am afraid of him for God maketh my heart soft Job 23. v. 15 16. And Caesar speaking of the Gaules saith Vt ad bella suscipienda Gallorum alacer ac promptus est animus Sic mollis ac minime resistens ad calamitates perferendas mens eorum est Caes Com lib. 3. pag. 63. As the courage of the Gaules is chearfull and ready to undertake warres So their heart is soft and of little resistance to undergoe miseries 8. Pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth q. d. Great sorrow and trouble and anxiety and vexation of mind shall lay hold upon them The pangs and sorrows and pains of a woman in travail are Metaphorically here to be understood of the sorrow and trouble and anxiety and vexation of the mind They shall be amazed one at another Supple To see themselves so timorous faint-hearted and cowardly now which use to be so valiant at other times And such shall be their amazement as that they shall not be able to counsell or encourage one another Their faces shall be as flames i. e. They shall blush for shame to see themselves so faint-hearted and cowardly so that their faces shall be as red as flames that is as red as fire with blushing Because these passions may seem incompatible to the same subject at the same time understand them of the same subjects at severall times or of severall subjects at the same time 9. Behold the day of the Lord cometh See verse 6. Cruell both with wrath and fierce anger He speaks here of a day as of an angry man By a Metaphor or Prosopopeia A day if we will speak without a Metaphor is said to be cruell for no other reason than because cruell things are done in it And though the things which were done by the Medes at this time were cruell indeed in respect of them yet in respect of God they were just To lay the Land He meaneth the Land of Babylon See verse 5. 10. For the Starres of Heaven and the Constellations thereof shall not give their light i. e. For such shall be the miseries and calamities that that day shall bring upon the men of Babylon and their Land as that the Heavens and Constellations thereof shall not give their light but they shall cloth themselves with darknesse and mourn as being affected and much moved with the miseries and calamities which shall befall Babylon and the men thereof at that time See notes Cap. 2. v. 19. and Cap. 5. v 25 30. This is to be referred to those words The day of the Lord cometh cruell both with wrath and fierce anger to lay the land desolate and is as an argument to prove the cruelty and the wrath and the anger which shall be shewed in that day The Constellations thereof A Constellation is a certain number of starres which goes to the making up of one Sign in the Heavens such as is Aries Taurus Gemini Virgo c. In his going forth i. e. At his rising When the Sun riseth it is said to goe forth as a Bridegroom out of his Chamber by a Metaphor Psal 119. v. 5. 11. And I will punish i. e. For I will punish And for For as it is often used by the Hebrews The Prophet speaks here in the Person of God The world i. e. The Land or the Sinners of Babylon Synechdoche integri hyperbolica Of the proud i. e. Of the proud Babylonians Synechdoche Generis Of the terrible i. e. Of the Babylonians who haue been a terrour to their adjoyning Neighbours And in a speciall mannen to the people of Israel 12. I will make a man more pretious than fine gold q. d. I will either cut off so many of the Babylonians with the sword of the Medes or make them flie from their own houses and land to save their lives abroad for fear of the Medes as that I will leave but very few Babylonians in the Land of Babylon so few as that a man shall be more scarce than a apiece of fine gold A man i. e. A Babylonian Synâ—chdoche generis More pretious i. e More rare or scarce for every thing which is rare and scarce is pretious Metonymia effecti Even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir This is a repetition of the former sentence Ophir was the place whither Salomon sent his shipps for gold 1 Kings 9.28 No wonder therefore if they had gold in the wedge from thence being that there were Mines of gold there Ophâ—r is thought to have been some part or other of the East Jndies 13. Therefore I will shake the heavens q. d. Therefore that I may do this or bring this to passe i. e. That I may make a man more pretious than gold even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir I will do such terrible things in the Land of Babylon as shall make the very heavens over it to tremble I will shake the heavens i. e. I will do such terrible things as shall make the heavens to shake See Notes Cap. 2.19 c. 5.25.30 and here Cap. 13.10 And the earth shall remove out of her place q. d. And the earth tremble for fear to see all those direfull things that I will do upon her yea it shall even remove out of her place for fear In the wrath i. e. At the wrath or to see the wrath of the Lord of Hosts which he will execute upon the men of Babylon Or In the wrath i. e. In the day of that wrath Of the Lord of Hosts Note here the Enallage of the person from the first to the third 14. And it shall be as the chased Roe i. e. And Babylon shall be as a Roe-deer which is chased with hounds and huntsmen for as a Roe which is so chased flies from it's
Shepheards and their dogs And I will kill thy root But I will kill thy principall men O Palestina with famine He puts And for But And by the root he meaneth the principall men by a Metaphor from a tree whose principall part is the root He speakes here in the person of God And he shall slay thy remnant i. e. And Hezekiah shall slay with the sword those that escape the famine By He he meaneth the Cockatrice and fiery flying Serpent that is Hezekiah whom he signifieth by those Metaphors 31. Howle O Gate q. d. Lament ye Cityes of the Philistines or Palestina for the miseries which shall come upon you He saith howle for lament by a Metaphor from doggs and wolves which howle and make a dolefull noise He saith O Gate for O ye Cityes or O ye which inhabite the Cityes of Palestina where first he puts a Gate for Gates A Singular for a Plural number Then by Gates he meaneth the Townes and Cityes which have Gates by a Synechdoche Then by the Townes and Cityes he meaneth the Inhabitants of those Townes or Cityes by a Metonymie Thou whole Palestina art dissolved i. e. All ye Inhabitants of Palestina shall faint and melt away with fear By Palestina he meaneth the Inhabitants of Palestina by a Metonymie And he saith that they are dissolved for they shall be dissolved after a Prophetique way Putting a Praeterperfect tense for a Future And he saith ye shall be dissolved or melted as he said and every mans heart shall melt Cap. 13.7 The Notes upon which place see For the Phrase and Metaphor is the same with this There shall come from the North a smoak By this Smoak he meaneth either Hezekiah whom he signifieth by smoak because as smoak is quick in its motion and hurteth the eyes So Hezekiah was quick in his expedition against the Philistines and was very hurtfull to them and did sore vex them Or by this smoak he meaneth a great Armie of the men of Judah marching against the Philistines by a Metonymie For great Armies in their march raise a dust which is seen a farre off like a Cloud or Smoak From the North. i e. From Judaea or the land of Judah which lay North of Palestina or the land of the Philistines But did not Palestina or the land of the Philistines lye West of Judaea or the land of Judah Cap. 11.14 How then is it here said that the land of Judah or Judaea lay North of the land of the Philistines or Palestina Answer Palestina did neither lie directly West nor directly South from Judaea but between the South the West points So that to speak without exactnesse and as they commonly speak it might indifferently be said to lye either South or West of Judaea and Judaea North or East of that And none shall be alone i. e. And none shall separate himself and abide apart from the rest of his brethren the Jewes but all shall march together as one man with one mind against Palestina He seemeth here to allude to a stragling sheep which separates herself from the flock and keeps alone In his appointed times i. e. In the times which Hezekiah shall appoint for a muster or for his expedition against Palestina By his times he meaneth the times of Hezekiah who was signified above by a Cockatrice and fiery flying Serpent that is the times which Hezekiah should appoint for his Armies mustering or marching Not his times who should be appointed to muster or march at such times 32. What shall one then answer the messenger of the Nation q. d. And at that time the Nation of the Philistines shall send Messengers or Embassadors into the Land of Judah to Hezekiah to make peace with him and his people and shall plead hard for peace putting Hezekiah and his People in mind of the uncertainty of warre but when they shall speak of the uncertainty of warre what Answer shall be given them What shall one then answer c. i. e. And what Answer shall be given them And seems to be left here to be understood Of the Nation i. e. Of the Nation of the Philistines That the Lord hath founded Zion i. e. To the messengers of the Nation i. e. Of the Philistines that shall come to entreat a peace and put Hezekiah and his People in mind of the uncertainty of warrs that thereby they may obtaine a peace This Answer shall be given Viz. That the Lord hath founded Zion The Lord hath founded Zion i e. The Lord hath given Zion a promise of certaine victory By Zion and Hill a part of Hierusalem is meant Hierusalem it self by a Synechdoche And by Hierusalem are meant the Inhabitants of Hierusalem by a Metonymie and by the Inhabitants of Hierusalem which were but part of the Inhabitants of Judah all the men or Inhabitants of Judah are meant by a farther Synechdoche And by the Inhabitants of Judah the hope of these men by another Metonymie God is said to found Zion that is to settle or build the hopes of Zion upon a sure foundation Because he gave her his promise upon which she built her hope as upon a firme foundation And the poor of his people i. e. And his poor People the Jewes which now are in a low and a poor condition This Phrase the poor of his people is like that of Saint Paul's the signe of Circumcision Rom. 4.11 For as the signe of Circumcision is no more than this Circumcision which is a signe So the poor of his people is no more than this his people which are poor Shall trust in it i. e. Shall trust in that foundation i. e. In that promise and build their hopes upon it The Antecedent Viz. Foundation which is the Antecedent to this Relative It is not formally and plainly here expressed But yet it may be plainly understood from the fore-going words The foundation which is here meant is as I said Gods Promise made to the poor Jewes of certaine Victorie over the Philistines upon which Promise the Jewes did rely and build their hope as it were a Superstructure upon a sure Foundation and therefore would not hearken to their mortall Enemies the Philistines when they desired peace by their Embassadors and pleaded for it by arguments fetcht from the uncertainty of warre The Promise that the Jewes should prevaile over the Philistines is contained in the 29 and 30 Verses of this Chapter ISAIAH CHAP. XV. THE burden of Moab What is meant by the burden here learn from Chap. 13. vers 1. Moab is put here for the Moabites the the Father for the Children Moab was the Sonne of Lot which he had by his eldest daughter Gen. 19. v. 36.37 Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste Here is somewhat to be understood Viz. Howle or lament ye Moabites So that the full sentence is this Howle O ye sonnes of Moab because Ar of Moab shall be laid waste in the night In the night That is suddainly and
which you may read Gen. 19.22 And it sheweth that the Moabites were sorely persecuted which would flie to a City of Judah for Refuge For the Moabites were in enmity with Judah at this time and would not pay him the Tribute which was due to him from them Cap. 16. v. 1 6. But what will not fear do Accipitrem metuens pennis trepidantibus ales Audet inhumanas fessa venire sinus Nec se vicino dubitat committere tecto Quae fugit infestos territa cerva canes Ovid de Ponto Lib. 2. Eleg. 2. Shall flie Roaring and crying as they goe An heifer of three yeares old i. e. As an Heifer of thrâ—e yeares old The Hebrewes often leave the Note of similitude to be understood An Heifer of this age is strong and lusty and therefore will run stoutly and bellow loudly as it runneth Therefore to such an Heifer may they be well likened which flie with all speed and cry aloud for fear and grief as they flie along For by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they goe it up i. e. For they shall goe up to Luhith with great weeping and lamentation as they goe This Causall For is to be referred to those words my heart shall cry for Moab as relating to them immediately And so it must as often as it is repeated in this Chapter For in every place where it is repeated it sheweth a Cause why the Prophets heart and every ones heart else should cry for Moab Shall they goe it up This Relative It is here redundant after the Hebrew manner By the mounting up of Luhith i. e. As they goe up by the ascent of Luhith The way which led to Luhith was on an ascent or mounting up For Luhith was a City scituate on a Hill near unto Heshbon not farre from Arnon Shall they i. e. Shall the people of Moab Although there is no formall Antecedent here to this Relative yet it is easie to be understood By the way of Horonaim i. e. By the way which leadeth to Horonaim which also was a City of the Moabites Shall they i. e. Shall the Moabites or People of Moab The meaning is not all the People of Moab shall go up to Luhith and weep as they go And that all the People of Moab shall go to Horonaim and weep as they go But the meaning is that they that goe up to Luhith shall weep as they goe and they that goe to Horonaim shall cry as they go c. A cry of Destruction i. e. A grievous and lamentable cry such as they use to make which see their Countrie and wives and Children and whatsoever is near unto them destroyed It may be that Luhith and Horonaim were Cityes of Defence and well fortified whether those Moabites that could betook themselves in this Publique Calamity Or else there were high places there whether they went to weep as they were wont to Baiith and Dibon v. 2. 6. For the waters of Nimrim We read of Nimrah a City of the Gadites Numb 32.3 which is also called Beth-nimrah Numb 32.36 and Josh 13.27 Which City although it appertained to the Gadites yet was possessed by the Moabites at this time this is that City which is here called Nimrim or the waters of Nimrim For by the waters of Nimrim may be meant Nimrah or Nimrim it self And it may be called the waters of Nimrim because it was scituate upon the waters and therewith encompassed as Tire is called the Sea Cap. 23.3 because it was scituate upon the Sea and therewith girded Shall be desolate i. e. Shall be forsaken of its Inhabitants and left desolate without any people in it Note that this Conjunction For depends immediately upon these words My heart shall cry for Moab For the Hay is withered away Note that this also relates immediately unto those wordes My heart shall cry for Moab He puts Hay here for Grasse of which they make Hay per Metonymiam mateteriae How came the hay to wither away and the grasse to faile and every green thing to consume away in the land of Moab at this time Answer From the multitude of their enemies which even with their multitude of horse and men partly devoured the grasse and every green thing and partly trod them down and trampled them under feet You may observe here how the Present or Preterperfect tense is confounded in this Verse with the Future which is a thing usuall with the Prophets because the things which they speak of though they are not yet come shall as assuredly come as if they were come already 7. Therefâ—re the abundance they have gotten and that which they have laid up shall they carry away to the brook of the willowes i. e. Therefore the abundance of cattle and wealth which the Moabites have heretofore gotten by their labour and industry and the silver and gold which they have heretofore laid up for themselves and their Children shall these enemies of the Moabites which are now Masters of it being they cannot quarter any longer in the land of Moab for want of provision carry away to the brook of the Willowes q d. And because the hay in the Land of Moab is dryed up and the grasse faileth and there is no green thing there these enemies of the Moabites having eaten up and spoiled all the Provision in the land of Moab shall seek fresh Quarters and goe with all the plunder which they have spoiled the Moabites of to the Brooke of the Willowes Note that there be divers Relatives here without Antecedents which is usuall with the Hebrewes who leave the Antecedents to be gathered by the circumstances of the place As what the Prophet saith in this Verse may be an argument ab effectu to make good what he saith of the failing of the grasse and the hay and every green thing So may it shew a new misery of the Moabites for which he may justly cry and lament To the brook of the Willowes This was some noted Brook about which grew great store of Willowes which are wont to grow in watery grounds and delight therein About this brook it is likely that there were good store of rich Pastures and feedings and therefore these enemies of the Moabites went out of the land of Moab and carried all that they had plundered or taken thither there to refresh themselves their horses and Cattle This Place or Brook of the Willowes was not in the Land of Moab It is commonly thought to have been in a Valley of Arabia and to have been in the way from the land of Moab to Assyria Howsoever certainly it was the most convenient place these enemies of the Moabites could chuse for prosecuting of their Victories over the Moabites 8. For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab i e. For a grievous cry and lamentation is heard in all the borders of Moab round about This relates also and depends upon those wordes My heart shall cry for Moab
own person as vers 9. or else these words are heer to be understood Viz. every one shall say q. d. Wherefore every one which heareth of the misery of Moab and Kirhareseth shall say my bowells shall sound like an Harpe for Moab and my inward parts for Kirhareseth And my inward parts i. e. And my Bowells Supple Shall sound like an Harpe This is a Repetition of the former words Note that that which the Prophet saith here to wit my bowells shall sound like an harpe for Moab and my inward parts for Kir-hareseth the Prophet Jeremie expresseth thus Mine heart shall sound for Moab like pipes and mine heart shall sound like pipes for Kirhareseth Jer. 48.36 From whence you may understand what is chiefly meant by my bowells here 12. And it shall come to passe This relates not to the Verse immediately going before but rather to the eighth Verse and in construction to follow that And it shall come to passe when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place c. Here is somewhat to be understood by a Sylepsis For the whole sentence should have been thus expressed And Moab shall go to his ordinary high places to pray to his Idols there to deliver him out of his misery and calamity and it shall come to passe when he is weary with praying on these high places because he sees no fruit of his prayer that he shall attempt to come to his Sanctuary to pray there c. Moab is to be taken here for the Moabites which were the Children of Moab by a Metonymie And the high place is to be taken Collective for the high places and those ordinary ones What is meant by high places See Cap. 15.2 He shall come to his Sanctuary to pray i. e. He shall attempt to come to his Sancturay to pray The thing it self is put here for the attempt of the thing per Metonymiam To his Sanctuary By â—is Sanctuary is meant that famous Temple of Chemosh or Baalpeor the Idol or God as they esteemed it of the Moabites which Temple is called Beth-Baal-Meon Josh 13.17 and Baal-Meon Numb 32.38 c. See Notes Cap. 15. v. 2. Note that the word Sanctuary was a word appropriated by the People of God first to the Tabernacle which was made by Moses and afterwards to the Temple which was built by Salomon which succeeded in the place of the Tabernacle which were the dwellings of the true God Therefore it is attributed to the Temple of Châ—mosh onely by a Catacrâ—sticall Metaphor because the Temple of Chemosh was such among the Moâ—bites as the Tabernacle of God made by Moses and the Temple of God built by Salomon was among the people of Is ael Note that Idolaters were wont to build Altars and to exercise their Idolatrie in Groves upon high hills and there to erect and set up their Graven Images But besides these the Moabites had a fair built house or Temple for their God Châ—mosh where Chemosh was graven and set up in a more stately manner and of which place they had a more religious esteem than of any other And this place the Prophet calls here the Sanctuary of Moab Note that what is spoken here and in the former Chapter of the Moabites is not to be understood Câ—llective but Distributive not all of all the Moabites or every thing of every one of them but some things of some of them and other of others of them So though some went up to Baiith where their Sanctuary was yet others though they attempted it could not get thither But he shall not prevaile Supple To come thither for the enemy shall hinder him 13. This is the word c. q. d. This which I have spoken from the first verse hitherto is the word c. Which the Lord hath spoken Supple Unto me Isaiah or by me Isaiah Since that time q. d. Since that time which he spoke the burden of Moab contained in Cap. 15. That time He puts a Relative here without an Antecedent And leaves the Antecedent to us to gather From hence observe that though the burden or calamity denounced against Moab in this Chapter was the same with that which was denounced in the former Chapter yet they were not spoken or revealed at the same time 14. But now the Lord hath spoken saying c. This speech is defective and some words are left here to be understood by a Sylepsis The sentence therefore compleate sounds thus q. d. Now when he spoke first concerning Moab and the miseries and calamities which should befall him He made no mention of the time when they should befal him But now when he spoke of him the second time he revealed the time also when they should befall him saying c. Within three yeares as the yeares of an hireling That is within three precise years An hireling which is hired by the day will see that he doth not work longer than he is hired And he that hireth him will see to it that he shall work so long Hence the time of an hireling signifies such or such a time precisely And the glory of Moab This Particle And is redundant The glory of Moab By the glory of Moab I conceive that the Nobles of Moab are here meant Moab is put here for the Moabites And Glory is put by a Metonymie for the Nobles of which they gloryed or for which they were renowned Shall be contemned i. e. Shall be made contemptible With all that great multitude Supple Of men in which they trust They shall be made contemptible because they shall be diminished and brought down And the remnant Scil. Of that great Multitude which shall be left alive Shall be small Supple For Number And seeble Scil. For strength Concerning the fulfilling of this Prophesie when or by whom it was fulfilled and Moab thus laid waste I can find no certainty but certainly it was not fulfilled when Sennacherib first invaded Judah yet it may be that when Sennacherib had made a good progresse in the conquest of Judah and had subdued most of the Townes and Cittyes thereof he sent a great power of men into the land of Moab to subdue that and appointed fresh forces newly raised to joyne with them and by them was Moab brought to the misery here Prophesied of ISAIAH CHAP. XVII THE burden of Damascus i. e. The Vision of the miseries and calamities which God will bring upon Damascus and upon the ten Tribes of Israel Note that by Damascus we must not understand here Damascus onely but the ten Tribes of Israel also by a Sylepsis for the miseries and calamities of them both are here joyned together in this Chapter because they were both joyned together in hostility against Judah Cap. 7.1 2. 2 Kings 16.5 And the calamities of them both befell them at the same time Damascus was the chief City of the Kingdome of Syria and it was taken by Tiglah-Pileser 2 Kings 16.9 but it was ruined
by Salmaneser because of the league which the Syrians had there with the ten Tribes against Assyria 2 Kings 18.9 c. Is taken away for being a City i. e. Shall be destroyed and be no City but an heap of rubbish He puts a Preterperfect for a Future tense as Prophets are wont And it shall be a ruinous heape i. e. And it shall be reduced to a heape of stones and rubbish 2. The Cityeâ— of Aroer are forsaken i. e. The Câ—tyes of Aroer shall be forsaken and left desolate because the Inhabitants shall either flie away or be slaine or carried into Captivity Aroer Aroer was a Tract of land by the brink of the River Arnon which the Reubenites and Gadites and Manassites did possesse of which Deut. 2.36 And of this Aroer do some interpret this place thinking it to have been held by the Syrians at this time Others had rather take it of a Tract of land in Syria called also by the Hebrews Aroer by Ptolomie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall be for flocks i e. Sheep and other Cattle shall feed and lodge there They shall lie down Supple Quietly And none shall make them afraid Because there shall be left none of those Cityes to disquiet them 3. The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim i. e. Samaria also shall be taken away from the ten Tribes of Israel which was the Royall City of that Kingdome By the Fortresse is meant Samaria which he calleth a Fortresse from the strength and Fortifications thereof For it was as strong and as well fortified as if the whole City had been a Fortresse so strong and well fortified it was as that Salmaneser besiedged it three yeares before he took it 2 Kings 18.9 10. By Ephraim he meaneth the ten Tribes of Israel See Cap. 7.2 Because Ephraim and Syria joyned in their sin they are here joyned in their punishment and are both so distressed as that the one is not able to help the other And the Kingdome from Damascus So that Damascus shall not be a Royall City and head of a Kingdome as before And the remnant of Syria Supple So that none of the Syrians which shall be left shall come to be Kings of Syria or of the Syrians They shall be as the glory of the Children of Israel i. e. The Syrians though they are very many for number glory of their multitude yet they shall be as the glory or multitude of the Children of Israel that is they shall be brought low and diminished as the Children of Israel shall That is q. d. The Syrians and the Children of Israel though now they are exceeding many for number yet both of them shall be brought low they shall become few in number The glory of a Nation consisted in the multitude of a People And that most commonly the Prophet calls a Nations glory either because they gloried in it themselves or were renowned abroad for it by others That therefore that the Prophet saith here is this as I said viz. that the great multitudes of the Syrians shall become as the great multitudes of the ten Tribes of Israel If you ask what became of the great multitudes of the ten Tribes of Israel he will tell you in the next following verses that they were diminished and brought to a small number Note that the Prophet gives a reason here why he said the remnant of Syria q. d I said the remnant of Syria for the great multitudes and glory of the Syrians shall be as the glory of the Children of Israel it shall be diminished and brought to a remnant as they shall Note that there is no formall Antecedent here going before this Relative They but the Antecedent may easily be understood 4. And in that day it shall come to passe For In that day it shall come to passe c. He puts And for For For he sheweth here in what he likened the Syrians or the glory of Syria to Children of Israel or the glory of Isra l. In that day i. e. At that time in which the Lord wiil scourge the Israelites by Salmaneser The glory of Jacob shall be made thinn i. e. The great multitude of the ten Tribes of Israel shall be diminished and brought low and left as but a remnant This is the sense of these words but the Prophet useth a Metaphor here and puts Jacob the Father for the ten Tribes of Israel which were the Children of Jacob by a Metonymie As Jacob therefore was a single man so doth he there speak of all the ten Tribes as if they were but one single man yet a bigg fat and corpulent man and the multitude and great numbers of the ten Tribes he likeneth to the corpulency and fatnesse of that man For as a man groweth big by his corpulency and the fatnesse of his flesh So doth a Nation or Kingdome by the multitude of its People And as a man growes thin and slender when the corpulency and fatnesse of his flesh abateth So is a Kingdome or Nation diminished and brought low when the multitude of its People is destroyed The glory of Jacob. By the Glory of Jacob is here meant the Corpulency and bignesse of the naturall body of Jacob by which as I said is meant the multitude of the politique body of the people of Israel which multitude is a Peoples glory And the fatnesse of his flesh i. e. And the fatnesse of Jacob's flesh by which he meaneth the multitude of the children of Israel as he did by the glory of Jacob. For as man groweth big by the fatnesse of his flesh so doth a People wax great by their multitude Shall be made lean i. e. Shall be diminished or brought low 5. And it shall be as when the harvest man gathereth the Corn and reapeth the eares with his arme i. e. And the glory that is the multitude of the Children of Israel shall be as when the harvest man gathereth the corn and reapeth the eares with his arme For as the harvest man gathereth the corn and reapeth the eares with his arme that he may carry them out of the field into the barne So shall Salmaneser gather the great multitude of the Children of Israel and fetch them from their severall dwellings to carry them out of their own land into Assyria Note that the Antecedent to this Relative It is the glory or multitude of Israel likened to the glory or fatnesse of Jacobs flesh v. 4. For the Prophet often passeth from the thing signifying to the thing signified Note that these two Phrases gathereth the Corn and reapeth the Eares Are but repetitions and signifie the same thing for the Prophet loves to repeat the same thing by diverse words Or if they signifie divers things by gathering of the corn is meant the gathering and grasping of the standing corn with the left hand in reaping that he may the better cut or reap it with the right hand And by the reaping of the eares is meant the
the Aethiopian would speak so religiously of Gods providence Or to speak as Heathens use to speak which the Fates or Destiny have appointed to destruction This he speakes as I said because of the great opportunity which he had got to goe against Assyria whilst Sennacherib and all his men of warre were abroad as though heaven had given him this opportunity for no other end than that he should destroy Assyria Note that this meted out is used here Metaphorically for appointed to destruction By a Metaphor from Artehitects who when they are to pull down part of a building they mete or measure with a line or rule so much as they are to pull down As for the Phrase you may read the like 2 Sam. 8.2 And trodden down i. e. And subdued or vanquished He alludes to the manner of Conquerours who were wont to tread upon the necks of those which they have vanquished Or to straw upon the Dunghill or dirt in the streets which is trodden of every foot And note that he useth here a Preterperfect tense for a Future because he made himself as sure to destroy them and vanquish them as if he had done it already Whose land the Rivers have spoiled Assyria lay low a great part of it and was washed as with other so with those great and violent Rivers Tigris and Euphrates which washed away much ground from Assyria and did it much hurt certainely by its overflowings and breaking downe the banks thereof which were made by the labour and industry of men to preserve their ground and Cityes from the violence of the waters And it is probable that at this time some great hurt and desolation was made in Assyria by the inundation of the Rivers there that makes him to call it a Land which the Rivers had spoiled Note that the Embassage or Message it self which was given to these Messengers is not here expressed but left to be understood And the circumstances of the Place shew that the Substance of the Embassage was to denounce warre in the name of Tirakah King of Aethiopia against Assyria 3. All ye Inhabitants of the world c. These are the words of the Prophet in his own Person exhorting the world to observe what the event will be of the Ethiopians boasting and great confidence See ye when he lifteth up an Ensigne on the Mountaines i. e. When Tirakah King of Aethiopia lifteth up an Ensigne upon the Mountaines for his Souldiers to come together into a body that they may march into Assyria then observe what the event will be When he bloweth a Trumpet hear ye This is a Repetition of the former-words Perhaps he refers the lifting up of an Ensigne to the Foot And the blowing a Trumpet to the Horse forces 4. For so the Lord said unto me i. e. For thus hath the Lord spoken unto me I will take my rest q. d. I will tarry at home and take my ease I will not goe with Tirakah King of Aethiopia and his Army to Assyria This Rest is a Rest secundum quid And the Prophet brings in God speaking here as a man And I will consider in my dwelling place Supple What the Assyrians doe there against that and against my People which dwell before me By Gods dwelling place understand Hierusalem where God dwelt in the Temple which was his house At this time Sennacherib King of Assyria had sent his Lieutenants to besiedge or block up Hierusalem intending himself to follow with the rest of his Army when he had cleared all other places therefore the Lord saith I will consider in my dwelling place Like a clear heate upon the hearbs and like a Cloud of dew in the heat of harvest q. d. To which dwelling place of mine and the People which dwell there before me I will be a comfort and refreshing against the Assyrians A clear heat upon the hearbs is comfortable to the hearbs and refresheth them after a great and cold raine And a mist or a dewie Cloud refresheth the harvest man as he is labouring in the field in a hot harvest day hence a clear heat upon hearbs Supple after a great raine and a Cloud of dew in the heat of harvest are put Metaphorically for a comfort and refreshing A Cloud of dew i. e. A dewie Cloud A Substantive of the Genitive case is put here for an Adjective Note here that when the Prophet saith that God said He would take his rest and would not goe along with Tirakah King of Aethiopia in that long expedition against Assyria He prophesieth that Tirakah shall be beaten by the Assyrians and his Army destroyed For they prosper not with whom God will not goe along And when he saith that God said he would be to Hierusalem like a clear heat upon hearbs and like a Cloud of dew in the heat of harvest He prophesieth that Sennacherib and his Army which warred against Hierusalem should be overthrown by the hand of God 5. For afore the harvest i. e. But yet afore the harvest For is put here for But or But yet Afore the harvest i. e. Before the great hopes which Tirakah King of Aehiopia hath of destroying Assyria be accomplished The harvest literally taken signifies here the ripe Grapes or fruit of the Vine q. d. But before the Grapes are full ripe and fit to be gathered But Allegorically it signifieth the accomplishment of Tirakahs hopes Note that this and the next verse consisteth altogether of Allegories where Tirakah King of Aethiopia is likened to a Vine his Army to the spriggs and branches of that Vine the hopes which he had of subduing and destroying Assyria to the perfect budd ' and flower of the Vine The full accomplishment of his hopes to the harvest or ripe fruit of the Vine The Assyrian to a Gardner which useth to cut down the sprigs and branches of his Vines yea and the Vines themselves to when he sees good c. When the budd is perfect i. e. When the bud of the Vine is perfect that is when it is full and ready to blow into a flower that is when Tirakah's hopes are at the heigth By this bud is meant Allegorically the great hopes which Tirakah the King of Aethiopia had of subdueing and destroying Assyria which hopes grew after the advantage he took of Sennacherib's absence from the greatnesse of his own Army for from thence these his hopes sprange as the bud and the grapes spring from the branch of the Vine c. And the sowre Grape is ripening in the flower Grapes when they are young and small are sowre hence he saith sowre grapes for grapes which are young And grapes when they are first in the flower are grapes onely in potentia though they begin actually to knot in the flower and to encrease in the flower as the flower doth decrease By sowre grapes in the flower are meant the aforesaid hopes of Tirakah King of Aethiopia And the ripening of these grapes signifieth his endeavours
of bringing his hopes to passe He shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks and take away and cut down the branches By this He is meant Allegorically Esarhaddon the Sonne or the Lieutenant of Sennacherib King of Assyria who made head against Tirakah King of Aethiopia when he invaded Assyria whom he here compareth to a Gardner And a Relative is put here without an Antecedent By the Sprigs are meant the mean men and Common Souldiers of Tirakah's Army By the Branches the great men and Commanders and Officers thereof 6. They shall be left together i. e. And they both sprigs and branches shall be left all of them c. Together i. e. All of them as Chap. 1. v. 28. They shall be left together unto the foules of the Mountaines and to the Beast of the earth For what end they shall be left to them the next wordes signifie And the fowles shall summer upon them Birds use to feed upon the sprigs and branches of trees that therefore which he saith here is this that the Birds shall find meat for themselves upon the sprigs and branches of this Vine when they shall be cut down all the summer following And all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them Beasts use to browse upon the sprigs and branches of trees especially in Winter when grasse is short That therefore which he saith here is this that the beasts of Assyria shall brouse and feed upon the sprigs and branches of this Vine all the Winter And the meaning of these two Phrases is this that the Carkases of the Aethiopians shall be meat for the foules of the Mountaines and the beasts of the field a Summer and a Winter that is a whole year Where note that the Assyrians did cast out the Aethiopians which they had slaine and would not give them a buriall In that time i. e. Yet in that time He meaneth the time in which the aforesaid things should be done in Assyria that is in which the Army of Tirakah should be destroyed in Assyria in the absence of Sennacherib by the Assyrians Shall the present be brought unto the Lord of Hosts of a people scattered and peeled c. q. d. The Assyrians which are abroad with Sennacerib warring against Hierusalem shall be overthrown and part of their spoiles shall be brought by the men of Judah and Hierusalem as a Present to the Lord of Hosts He alludes here to the gift or present which was wont to be offered to the Lord out of the Spoiles and Prey which was taken in warre of which read Numb 31.28 and 2 Sam. 8.11 Of a people scattered and peeled That is of the Assyrians See v. 2. The Prophet here repeateth all those contumelious words which Tirakah King of Aethiopia used in the description of the Assyrians v. 2. approving them as true but yet such as might be better used by others than by the Aethiopians Therefore he repeates them with a kind of Sarcasme deriding thereby Tirakah and Aethiopia who first used them A Nation meted out These words are governed of those from a people terrible by Apposition Meted out i. e. Appointed by God himself to destruction Whose land the Rivers have spoiled See v. 2. To the place of the name of the Lord of Hosts i. e. To the Temple of God which is his place The name of the Lord is put here Periphrastically or Metonymically for the Lord himself Or To the place of the Name of the Lord of Host may signifie To the place which is called by the name of the Lord of Hosts which place is his Temple and is called the Temple of the Lord of Hosts The Mount Sion This is governed of the former words by Apposition Mount Sion was a Mount in Hierusalem upon which the Temple of God was built and may here be put for the Temple it self by a Metonymie ISAIAH CHAP. XIX THE Burden See Chap. 13.1 The Lord rideth upon a swift Cloud i e. The Lord will ride upon a swift Cloud as upon an Horse That is The Lord will come with spred into Egypt And the Idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence i. e. And the Idols of Egypt shall be moved with fear and trembling to see him come He speakes of Idols though they be but stocks and stones as of men by a Metaphor or Prosopopoeia And the heart of Egypt i. e. And the heart of the Egyptians Egypt is put by a Metonymie for the Egyptians the Inhabitants of Egypt The heart of Egypt shall melt See the meaning and reason of this Phrase Chap. 13. v. 7. In the middst of it i. e. In it or them A Periphrasis of the Hebrews 2. And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians i. e. I will set the Egyptians at variance and at fighting one with the other The prophet speakes here in the Person of God This Prophesie relates near unto the same times to which the former Prophesies did For Sethon the Priest of Vulcan King of Egypt was Contemporary with Sennacherib King of Assyria for Sennacherib waged warre against Sethon After the death of Sethon Egypt was divided under twelve Kings whereof Psammitichus was one which Psammitichus the other eleven expelled and banished into the Marshes of Egypt but he at length got a power of men and made warre against all the other eleven Kings and overcame them and slew them and so came to rule all Aegypt over which he ruled Lordly at first that he might be feared as many Conquerours use to do and that he might suppresse them which had a hand in his banishment though the latter part of his Raigne was with much Clemency And Kingdome against Kingdome He speakes this by Anticipation for as yet Egypt was in one Kingdome 3. And the spirit of Egypt shall faile i. e. And the judgement or counsell of the Egyptians shall faile By the Spirit is meant here sound judgement or counsell For the Hebrewes among many significations which they have of this word spirit any habit or quality of the mind they call by the name of Spirit By Aegypt is meant the Aegyptians by a Metonymie In the midst thereof See v. 1. And thâ—y shall seek to Idols Supple For Counsell and direction in these their streights The Devils were wont to be in the Idols of the Heathen and give Answers to those that came to aske counsell of the Idols Hence Saint Paul speaking of Sacrificing to Idols saith that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice to Idols they sacrifice to Devills 1 Cor. 10.20 And to the charmers and to them which have familiar spirits and to wizzards Happily by these he meaneth the Priests and Mystae of the Idols But see Chap. 8. verse 19. 4. And the Egypians will I give over into the hand of a cruell Lord. By this Lord is meant Psammitichus who when he was in subduing the eleven Kings and their Party Lorded it with cruelty though when he had quitted all he Raigned mildly
this verse But he means that Desert which lay neer to Media through which the Medes marched when they came first against Babylon and then against Edom. From a terrible Land This may be a repetition of the former words and by the terrible Land he may mean the Desert or Wilderness next before said which was terrible because of the wild beasts which were therein Or by this terrible Land he may mean Media it selfe which proved terrible to Edom and many other people and so this terrible Land may signifie the place from which this calamitie first came and the Desert the place through which it came This is the direct burthen of the desert of the sea to wit the great calamitie or destruction and desolation which shall come upon it by the Desert from a terrible Land 2. A grievous vision is declared unto me i. e. Grievous things are declared to me in a vision concerning Babylon c. He puts a vision here per Metonymiam Actus for the things declared by a vision And note that he makes the object of these visions not onely things seen but also things heard It may be here asked of what and of whom this vision is meant But the answer to this is plain it was of Babylon and her calamitie and fall as appears verse 9. A second question will be Whether this vision of the fall and calamitie of Babylon is to be taken as a new burthen distinct from the burthen of the Desert of the sea mentioned in the first verse or as a part of that burthen Answer If any one vvill take it for a nevv burthen I quarrel him not but yet I take it as a part of the former burthen to wit as part of the burthen of the Desert of the Sea A third question therefore vvill be How the burthen or fall of Babylon will concern the burthen of those which lived in the Desert of the sea Answer It will concern them as the burthen of Rezin and Syria concerned the burthen or calamitie of the ten Tribes of Israel Cap. 9. verse 11. For as it was a great part of the calamitie of the ten Tribes that Rezin and Syria which were their confederates should be engaged in a Warre yea overcome when they had need of their help So it was to Edom that Babylon should be overcome from whom they expected aide against all that did oppose them or make War upon them when they had need of her help Again it is very likely that many of the Desert of the sea did serve the Babylonians in their martiall affairs and therefore the fall of Babylon must needs be their calamitie Again the fall of Babylon was a forerunner of the calamitie of the Edomites for in that day that Babylon should be destroyed by the Medes the Lord would beat off from the channel of the River unto the streame of Egypt saith our Prophet Cap. 27.12 That is he would make all Lands desolate which were in league with the Assyrians from Euphrates in Assyria to Nilus in Egypt For the connexion therefore of these words with the former it may be this q.d. Neither can Babylon or the Assyrians your confederates help you for a grievous vision is declared unto me c. The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously Here begins the relation of the vision and these words concern the reason why such miseries should befall Babylon By the treacherous dealer he meaneth the Assyrian which was treacherous in all his dealings making leagues and covenants and contracts with other Nations but keeping none of them longer then he could get advantage by them and breaking them when it was advantagious for him Thus dealt he with other Nations thus dealt he with the Jewes Cap. 33.8 and 2 Kings 18. vers 14 15 16 17. c. Where he took a great price to leave his hostility and to return out of Judah and yet he returned not but wasted it and besieged Jerusalem Dealeth treacherously i. e. Hath dealt treacherously with all nations and especially with the Jewes and so continueth Note that whereas treacherous dealing is one part of hostility for dolus an virtus quis in hoste requirit it may be put here by a Synecdoche for all manner of hostilitie The spoyler i. e. The Assyrian which is wholly given to spoile Nations Cap. 10. 7. Spoileth Hath and doth continue to spoile Nations and among them the Jewes which are my people Note that these words are spoken in the Person of God Go up O Elam q. d. Therefore go up O Elam and fight against Babylon the royal Citie of the Assyrian that treacherous dealer and spoiler O Elam Elam is put here for the Elamites which were the children of Elam mentioned Gen. 10.22 per metonymiam efficientis The Elamites were next neighbors to the Medes and therefore they joyned with the Medes in their expedition against Babylon Besiege Supple Babylon O Media O ye Medes He puts the Land of Media here for the Inhabitants of the Land of Media Note that that which is here prophesied against Babylon is the same with that which is prophesied against it Cap. 13. 17. For the same Prophesies are often repeated All the sighing thereof i. e. All the sighing which Babylon hath made by her oppression in the nations which live about her This is Genitivus Efficientis Have I made to cease i. e. I will make to cease by destroying Babylon He puts a Praeterperfect tense for a Future 3. Therefore are my loines filled with pain Note that these words are not part of the vision but the Prophet in the midst of his narration of the vision inserts these words to shew the greatness of the miserie which should befall Babylon which was such as that he himself at the hearing of it and every one which heard of it was sorely afflicted at the hearing thereof We may say with some that the Prophet speaks these words in his own person Or with others that here are these words to be understood viz. Every one which seeth it or heareth of it especially they which dwell in the desert of the Sea shall say q. d. Therefore every one which seeth the misery of Babylon or heareth of it especially they which dwell in the desert of the sea shall say my loines are filled with paine c. so great shall the miserie thereof be My loines are filled with pain These words are allegorical alluding to a woman in travile as Cap. 13. v. 8. And by the pains of a woman in travaile he would signifie the grief of the minde by a Metaphor I was bowed down Yea I was pained as a Woman when she is in her strongest travel He alludes to the gesture of travelling Women vvhen they are in their strongest travel See 1 Sam. 4.19 At the hearing of it i. e. At the hearing of this dreadfull news of Babylon 4. My heart panted Supple for fear The night of my pleasure i. e. The night vvhich vvas vvont to be pleasant
into the ground The Lord speaks here of himself in the third person by an Enallage and useth the Preterperfect tense for a Future 10. O my threshing and the corne of my floor The Prophet speaks here in his own person and useth this Apostrophe to the Jewes whom he calls threshing and corn in the floor because of their divers afflictions with which they had been and were and should be afflicted by the Assyrians The word threshing is to be taken here passively for the thing threshed and by the threshing the corn in the floor he meaneth one and the same thing viz. the corn of the floore vvhich is laid on the floor to be threshed It is usual in the Scripture to call Affliction metaphorically by the name of threshing and those which are afflicted threshed See Cap. 41.15 Jer. 51.33 Mich. 4.13 And so doth the Prophet call them here But why doth he call them his threshing and the corn of his floor Answer Because they were his brethren and kinsmen of the same blood and nation and living in the same Land with him so that by saying thus it is as if he should say O my afflicted brethren or O the persecuted and oppressed men of my countrey That which I have heard of the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel Supple Concerning Babylon and those which live in the Wilderness neer unto the Red Sea which are your deadly enemies and which have threshed you as the corn is threshed on the floor c. Have I declared unto you Supple For this end that you may receive comfort thereby when you hear that they which afflict you are your deadly enemies shall be themselves afflicted and destroyed 11. The burthen of Dumah i. e. The burthen of the Ismaelites which descended from Ismael by Dumah Dumah was the Son of Ismael Gen. 25.14 and is put here by a Metonymy for the Sons of Dumah which were Ismaelites He called to me out of Seir i. e. A certain Edomite of Mount Seir called to me who am an Ismaelite out of Mount Seir as I passed along thereby saying c. They which dwelt in Mount Seir were Edomites the Sons of Esau who was called Edom Gen. 36. verse 7 8 9. Mount Seir was either directly in the way from Babylon to the Land of the Ismaelites or else this Ismaelite took his way by Mount Seir homeward because he thought it the safest way That which the Prophet here tells of was shewed to him by the Lord in a vision and what he saw or was represented to him in that vision was an Ismaelite descended from Ismael by Dumah speaking as he here speaks in these two verses That therefore which is here spoken is spoken in the person of a Son of Dumah an Ismaelite who being in Babylon as a Souldier when Babylon was taken and destroyed by the Medes made an escape and hasted as for life homeward travelling night and day he took his way from Babylon to his own Countrey by Mount Seir where a certain Edomite of Mount Seir seeing him travelling thus in the night and guessing him to be a Souldier by his habit and somewhat marvelling why he travelled so late in the night and imagining that it was upon more then an ordinary occasion that he thus travelled asked him the cause of his so late travelling the Ismaelite tells him that he was a Souldier in Babylon and that Babylon was taken and destroyed by the Medes and that the Medes had sent out armies to subdue not onely Babylon but all that had any confederacy with Babylon from the River Euphrates even to the River Nilus and that he escaped and ran for his life to his own Countrey The Edomite some that were with him hearing him tell that the Medes had taken and destroyed Babylon and had sent out Armies to subdue all the confederates of Babylon from Euphrates even to Nilus would not altogether beleeve him but made as if they would go towards Babylon to enquire the truth of the Ismaelites words whereupon the Ismaelite saith unto them if ye will enquire enquire But the Edomites were not gone far but they fall into a doubt whether they should go or no which the Ismaelite perceiving calls to them to return saying Return come intimating thereby that it was true which he had told them and that all was lost they were undone To me i. e. To me who am an Ismaelite and a son of Dumah as I passed by Mount Seir homewards from Babylon where I was a Souldier and from whence I escaped when Babylon was taken and destroyed by the Medes Watchman i. e. Souldier Souldiers may be called Watchmen in an honourable way because they lie abroad in the fields and observe the motions of the enemy and watch over the City or Land which they fight for that they may preserve it What of the night i. e. Why or what is the reason that thou travellest thus in the night This phrase is curt and short and thus to be understood Note that the Particle Of is not here a note or signe of the Genitive Case but a Praeposition and answereth to the Hebrew Praefix Mem and to the Latin Praeposition De and as the Hebrew Praefix Mem doth sometimes signifie In as Job 19. vers 26. And the Latin Praeposition De doth sometimes signifie the like as when Plautus saith de die in the day and Iuvenalde nocte in the night so doth Of in this place and of the night is as much as in the night What of the night The Edomite doubteth his question here out of the great desire he had to know why this Souldier travelled so late for he guessed it to be an extraordinary occasion which made him travel so in the night and perhaps he asketh as one that had heard of the Medes expedition against Babylon and desired to know what the event thereof was and thought that this Souldier could resolve him therefore seeing the Souldier travelling so fast on his way he asketh him the question twice out of earnestness as we use to double our question in the like case 12. The Watchman said i. e. I said The Souldier speaks of himself in the third person The morning cometh and also the night q. d. The morning cometh to some and the night to others that is Some rise and some fall and in particular the Medes they rise having got a great victorie over Babylon and Babylon is fallen and we and all that were confederates with her are undone and shall fall with her The morning signifieth prosperity rising and encreasing Prosperity as I may call it in its spring the night adversity adversity after a time or state of prosperity But secondly the morning may not onely signifie prosperity but it may signifie Gods judgements also and so it signifieth Ezech. 7.7 in these words The morning is come unto Thee O Thou that dwellest in the Land Where the morning is put for judgements in allusion to that that
to make provision for themselves 16. For thus hath the Lord said unto me i. e Moreover thus hath the Lord said unto me For is put here for Moreover as verse 6. Within a year according to the years of an Hireling i. e. Within one precise year See cap. 16. v. 14. From what time this year should begin whether from the time of the Prophets delivering this Prophesie or whether from the time that they should come to passe which he prophesied against Arabia Petraea is doubtful I think it probable that it takes its beginning from the time that the Assyrians invaded Arabia Petraea and laid it wast for within a year after that it is probable that the Ethiopians did wage Warre upon and destroyed the Kedarens So that within a year is as if he had said within a year after this And all the glory of Kedar shall faile i. e. All the glory of Kedar shall be cut off The Particle And is here redundant as it is also in Cap. 16.14 The glory i. e. The great multitude in which they glory Metonymia Effecti Of Kedar i. e. Of the Kedarens the children of Kedar Kedar was the son of Ismael Gen. 25.13 Whose posterity from him were called Kedarens These Kedarens dwelt in Arabia Deserta and dwelt in Tents Psal 120.5 And they may be taken here for all the Arabians of that Arabia by a Synecdoche 17. And the residue of the number of Archers It appears by this that these Kedarens had most of their Soldiers slain before the time here prophesied of but by whom they were slain it is not certain yet it may be that they were slain by the Assyrians which wasted Arabia Petraea while they followed those Arabians into Arabia Deserta who yet destroyed not all the Inhabitants of Arabia Deserta but having greater employments elsewhere admitted of their submission and yeelding themselves and so departed for which submission and yeilding of themselves to the Assyrians it is not unlikely that the Ethiopians set upon the Kedarens or Arabians of Arabia Deserta in the way as they marched against Assyria and that by them was this prophesie fulfilled Of Archers It seemes that the chiefest strength of the Kedaâ—ens or Arabians of Arabia Deserta consisted in their Bow-men or Archers Shall be diminished viz. By the Ethiopians as Tirakah King of Ethiopia marcheth against Assyria 2 Kings 19.9 ISAIAH CHAP. XXII THe burthen of the valley of vision i. e. The miserie or a Prophesie of that miserie which shall befall Jerusalem Jerusalem is here called the valley of vision because it did abound with visions which the Lord sent to it by his Prophets though few did regard those visions as a fruitful valley abounds with corn He puts vision here for visions a singular for a plural number Or therefore it is called the valley because Jerusalem was scituate in a valley at least a great part of it for a great part of it was scituate at the foot of Mount Sion and the Psalmist saith that the Mountains stood round about Jerusalem Psal 125.2 And therefore the valley of visions because it abounded with visions of the Lord as was said before What aileth thee now i. e. What is the matter with thee now These are the words of the Prophet himself though in a vision to Jerusalem which though it were a Citie consisting of many of all ages yet he speaks to it here as one single person by a Prosopopoeia What aileth now The Prophet saw in a vision all the people of Jerusalem weeping and wailing upon their house tops about the time that Salmaneser invaded the Land of Israel and made such havock of the people thereof and seeing them so to weep and waile upon their house-tops he expostulates with them in a vision to know what was the reason of that their weeping and when they tell him the cause of their weeping he taking occasion from their answer prophesieth that they shall have the same cause of weeping themselves for themselves ere long were That thou art wholly gone up to the house tops i. e. That thou art wholly men women and children gone up to the house tops to weep The houses of Jerusalem and of the Eastern people were built flat on the tops so that a man might walk on the tops thereof and do many things thereon thither were they wont to go up to lament and weep every one in the dayes of publique calamitie Cap. 15.3 Jer. 48.38 2. Thou that art full of stirs i. e. Thou that art usually ful of stirs proceeding froÌ„ mirth A tumultuous City i. e. A City where there is usually much meeting and much noise of Pipes and Viols and all manner of musick and dancing and revelling A joyous City i. e. A City in which there is wont to be shown much joy The slain men are not slain with the sword nor dead in battel q. d. If there should be War in thy Land and thy children within thee should be slain with the sword or dye in battel I would not wonder that thou art wholly gone up to the house-tops to weep and lament But now because there is no such matter but they which dye in thee dye not by the sword nor are slain in battel I much wonder that thou art gone up thither and dost so lament 3. All thy Rulers are fled together Between this and the former Verse I conceive that these words are to be understood viz. And what aileth thy Rulers for c. q. d. And what aileth thy Rulers for all thy Rulers are fled together All thy Rulers i. e. All the Rulers and chief men of thy Land which lived in several places of the Land for the good of the people especially they which lived in the utmost part thereof towards the Land of Israel Are fled Supple From their own dwellings into thee as into a strong hold for safety Therefore did these Rulers flee to Jerusalem for safety because they were afraid of Salmaneser and his Army lest they should come and fight against the Cities of Judah and destroy them as they had fought against the Cities of the ten Tribes of Israel and destroyed them Note that what the Prophet asketh here he asketh not out of ignorance but that he might take occasion from Jerusalems answer to prophecy what he had to prophecy against her Together i. e. Every one of them See Cap. 1.28 This relates to the word all q. d. All thy Rulers every one of them They are bound by the Archers i. e. They are as men which are taken and bound by the Soldiers of their Enemies to be carryed away into captivity for as such men look pitifully and weep and lament so do they The note of similitude viz. As is here to be understood See cap. 21.8 By the Archers understand any kinde of Soldiers If the Rulers of the Land were thus fearful and did look so pitifully and so lament what must be thought of the common people Are
Jerusalem for there was an upper and a lower City thereof And the houses i. e. The houses of Jerusalem which ye shall make choice of to pull down for their materials Have ye broken down i. e. Will ye break down Note that in all this place he puts a Praeterimperfect and Preterperfect tense for a Future after the Prophetique manner To fortifie the wall i. e. To repaire and fortifie the wall Supple of the City of David wherein were many breaches through the long neglect which peace causeth He puts wall for walls a singular for a plural number 11. Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old poole i. e. Ye will also make a deep trench or ditch between the two walles therein to receive the water of the old poole The reason why they gathered these waters into a ditch or trench was that they might have plenty of waters themselves when they were besieged and that they might debarre the Assyrians the besiegers of as much water as they could See 2 Chron. 32. verse 3 4. Between the two walls These two walls may happily be those which we read of 2 Kings 25.4 Of the old poole This old poole was that which is also called the upper Poole cap. 7.3 and cap. 36.2 But ye have not looked unto the maker thereof q. d. But ye will not look up unto him that is the author of that that is of Sennacheribs discovering the coverings of Judah and fighting against him Note that these words But ye have not looked to the maker thereof relate to those Thou didst look in that day to the Armour of the house of the Forrest c. and they contain an Antithesis to them as if he should say when ye shall hear that Sennacherib is come against Judah and discovereth the covering of Judah ye will look in that day to the Armour of the house of the Forrest c. But ye will not look to him which is the cause or author of Sennacheribs coming against Judah to humble your selves before him and request his help yet will look unto your weapons and fortifications that ye may strengthen your selves by them But ye will not look to the Lord to make him your strength who is able to turne Sennacherib and his Host back as being the author of their coming and to preserve you against his whole Armie Vnto the maker thereof i. e. Unto him which is the cause thereof and which made Sennacherib and his Armie to come against Judah and to discover the coverings thereof He borroweth this word Maker from a Potter and useth it here metaphorically for the cause or author of a thing Thereof That is of Sennacheribs coming into Judah and discovering the coverings thereof This sentence is the Antecedent to this Relative thereof which is not yet here formally set down but to be gathered from the eight verse That the Hebrews do often leave the Antecedent of the Relative to be understood is not unknown and here it is so left but not hard as you see to be understood The maker thereof That the Lord was the author of Sennacheribs and his Assyrians comming into the Land of Judah and fighting against the Cities thereof and discovering the coverings thereof you may see cap. 10. v. 5 6. cap. 37.26 By saying The Maker thereof The Prophet intimates that the Lord was able to preserve them from Sennacherib and his Army For if he was the author of their coming he might be the cause of their going back again That fashioned it long agoe i. e. That contrived it in his minde and decreed it long agoe v. 2. that Sennacherib and the Assyrians should invade Judah and fight against it and discover the covering thereof He alludes here in the word fashioned to a Potter fashioning his pots upon his wheel as he did to a Potter in the word maker See the like manner of Allusion or Metaphor for the same purpose Cap. 37.26 Note that what the Prophet speaks here he speaks not of all the Inhabitants of Jerusalem but of some of them for many of them were good and godly and sought the Lord and relyed upon him for preservation against the Assyrians though many were such as he here describeth and looked not to the Lord for help but trusted in their Armor and in their wals and fortifications and because there were in Jerusalem good and bad he speaks of Jerusalem sometimes as of a good and sometimes as of a wicked person as he hath occasion to speak sometimes of the good sometimes of the evill of her Inhabitants 12. And in that day i. e. And in that day in which the fore-mentioned things shall come to passe Did the Lord of Hosts call to weeping i. e. Shal the Lord of Hosts call you to weeping God called them to weeping at that time by his Prophets whom he sent opportunely to exhort them to bewaile their sins when his judgements were upon them yea when he sends his judgements upon a people he may be said to call them to weeping by his very judgement for the judgements of God are to humble us and make us sorry for our offences To baldness i. e. To shave their heads To shave the head was a sign of great sorrow and used in the dayes of publick calamity But you will say that God did forbid his people to shave their heads Levit. 19. vers 27. and Deut. 14.1 Answer God did forbid his people to shave their heads and to make themselves bald for the dead as those alledged places testifie but he did not utterly forbid them so to do in all cases for they might lawfully shave their heads and make themselves bald in the case of a common or publick calamity as appeareth Micah 1.16 And at such a time did they make themselves bald and shave off their haire because the haire is a great ornament and in time of publick calamitie they laid aside all ornaments And to girding with sackcloth i. e. And to put on sackcloth and to gird it to you with a girdle of leather or the like In the time of mourning they were wont to put on sackcloth as appeareth Psal 30.11 and 35 13. and 1 Chron. 21 16. 13. And behold i. e. But behold And for But. Slaying of Oxen Supple For Feasts Let us eat and drink i. e. And crying one to another and saying let us eat and drink that is let us be mery while we have time to live For to morrow i. e. For after a little while We shall dye Supple By the hand of the Assyrians These are the words of most desperate wicked men Note that these sinners seem not to be the same with those which he spoke of before v. 11. for though they looked not to God yet they looked to the house of their armour and to their fortifications and trusted in them against their enemie But these men trusted neither in God nor in their armoury and fortifications but
made account that as the Assyrians had vanquished all places that they fought against so they would vanquish Jerusalem therefore they thought to rejoyce whilst they might and to recompence the shortness of their life with the fill they intended to take in pleasure 14. And it was revealed Therefore it was revealed And for Therefore It was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of Hosts q. d. This which followeth was spoken by the Lord of Hosts in my hearing saying The Prophet speaks here in his own person This iniquity That is this iniquity which is mentioned v. 11 12 13. Shall not be purged from you i. e. Shall not be forgiven you He alludes to the legal purgations for expiation of offences Till ye dye That is so long as ye live for plagues shall follow you after plagues and miserie after miserie and cross after cross to your dying day It may be objected against what is here said that the Prophet saith that the Inhabitants of Jerusalem which shall be in Jerusalem when Sennacheribs Army besiegeth it shall be forgiven their iniquities Cap. 33.24 How therefore doth he here say That their iniquities shall not be purged from them For answer to this see notes on cap. 33.24 15. Thus saith the Lord God of Hosts Supple to me Isaiah Here beginneth a new Sermon or at least a new matter Vnto this Treasurer i. e. Unto this man which is the Treasurer of the Kings Treasure Even to Shebna This Shebna was not that Shebna of which we read Cap. 36.22 but another though of the same name Which is over the house Supple Of the King to govern and rule all the Kings family It is believed that the reason why the Lord denounced that which is here written against Shebna was because Shebna distrusting the providence of God and his Word concerning Judah when Salmaneser was depopulating and destroying the Ten Tribes thought it best for the men of Judah to send to Salmaneser and to render themselves to him lest otherwise he should come and destroy them as he had done the men of the Kingdom of Israel and to this he would have perswaded the men of Judah and Jerusalem 16. What hast thou here i. e. What Land of inheritance hast thou here No stranger which was not of the seed of Jacob could by right inherit or possess any of that Land which was given to the sons of Jacob. And whom hast thou here i. e. And whom hast thou here of kin to thee q. d. Thou hast no inheritance here nor hast thou any kinred here for thou art a stranger as Doeg was 1 Sam. 21.7 therefore thou shouldst not have made thee such a magnificent sepulcher here as thou hast made It seemeth that Shebna being of great honor in the Kings Court in his life-time was desirous of a glorious and magnificent Monument in or neer to Jerusalem after his death but knowing that the wills of the dead are not so punctually performed as they intended would make himself such a Monument while he himself was living a Monument too too glorious and magnificent for him considering what he was by birth a stranger and a stranger of base parentage as is thought though his wit and natural parts raised him That thou hast hewed thee out a sepulcher here i. e. That thou hast caused so magnificent and glorious a sepulcher to be hewn out for thee here out of a Rock in such an eminent place Here i. e. In or about Jerusalem the chief City of the Land As he that heweth himself a sepulcher on high i. e. As a King or some great man of the Land who causeth his sepulcher to be hewn out of some eminent rock And that graveth c. This is a repetition of the former sentence and from these two sentences I guess that among the men of Judah ordinary men had their sepulchers ordinarily on the plain ground but the Kings and Nobles and great men had their sepulchers in eminent rocks and places That graveth i. e. That heweth or cutteth out or causeth to be hewed or cut out An habitation i. e. A sepulcher For a sepulcher is as an house or place of habitation to the dead For himself Supple To dwell in when he is dead In a rock Whereof there were many in Judah 17. Behold the Lord will carry thee away with a mighty captivity q. d. It seemeth by thy hewing out for thy self such a sepulcher in or neer to Jerusalem that thou believest that as thou livest here so thou shalt dye here but behold the Lord will carry thee away with a mighty captivity he will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large Country and there shalt thou dye With a mighty captivity So that thou shalt not escape out of their hands which carry thee away captive And will surely cover thee i. e. And then he will clothe thee with a witness To cover signifieth here to clothe Shebna was at this time adorned with a robe of honor a robe befitting the chiefest man in the Kings Court vers 21. A long robe which happily had a long train appendant to it in which Shebna did pride himself and with which he was puffed up above all that were in the Kings Court. The sence therefore is q. d. Thou art now clothed with a robe of honor and a long robe with a train appendant to it which makes thee proud and high-minded but then when the Lord shall carry thee away captive he shall clothe thee with a witness for he shall clothe thee as captives are clothed that is with base and ragged garments and garments of disgrace garments which shall scarce cover thy buttocks and that shall pull down thy proud and haughty minde But yet it may be that it is not this robe which the Prophet jerks at but some mantle or covering which Shebna out of his pride and stateliness might use which might be gorgeous and as rich as could be bought or made for the matter of it and unusual and altogether affected for the fashion of it These words And will surely cover thee are to be read as it were with a parenthesis and were occasioned by that word captivity going next before them For captives used to wear clothes so short as would scarce cover their buttocks See cap. 20.4 18. He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large Country q. d. As a ball is tossed to and fro in play and is easily struck or banded afar off so shalt thou be tossed to and fro and shalt be carryed away afar off into a large Country Captives are tossed to and fro from one place to another and delivered from one hand to another as the Army marches or as their Convoy are employed in service now one way now another Violently i. e. This signifieth that they shall drive Shebna before them perhaps with knocks and blows as hard-hearted Soldiers drive their prisoners which draw back or are
and all the honourable men of Tyre shewed that the pride of all the glory and all the honourable men of the whole earth could be pulled down as easily and therefore that their lofty estates were but fickle and uncertain which was a blot and a staine to them and made them contemptible and to be despised Here he sheweth not onely that this affliction of Tyre was from God but the end also why he afflicted her 10. Passe through thy Land as a River O Daughter of Tarshish These words are Ellyptiall or defective and thus to be made up q. d. Passe through the sea from Tyre to thine own land with all speed O Daughter of Tarshish As a River i. e. Speedily for a River is speedy in its course and stayeth not O Daughter of Tarshish i. e. O ye Citizens of Tartessus He speaks to such Tartessians as were in Tyre when it was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar By Tarshish he meaneth Tartessus as before vers 1. and 6. And by the Daughter of Tarshish he meaneth the City of Tartessus as cap. 1. v. 8. And by the City of Tartessus the Citizens and Merchants thereof as Kir is taken for the Inhabitants of Kir Cap. 22.6 So that by the reason of the Merchants of Tartessus which were at Tyre the daughter of Tartessus might be said to be at Tyre and be admonished to flee from thence as Tyre by reason of her Inhabitants might be said to travell a farre off upon her feet to sojourn abroad v. 7. There is no more strength Supple Left in Tyre to withstand or drive away her enemies and so by consequence it will not be safe to stay there We may guess by this that Tyre and her friends the Tartessians made all the strength they could to oppose the Babylonians and did encounter them but in the encounter were worsted yea broken to peeces and not able to make any head against them again 11. He stretched out his hand over the Sea Supple To smite it By He is meant the Lord of Hosts by the Sea is meant Tyre as vers 4. and so the Tyrians And when he saith he stretched out his hand over the sea he alludes to a man which stretcheth out his hand that he might strike He shooke the Kingdoms i. e. He shall make the neighbouring Kingdomes which shall hear what he doth to the Tyrians to shake and tremble for fear for they seeing or hearing what God doth to Tyre the strength of the sea shall justly fear lest the like should befall them The Lord hath given a Commandement against the Merchant City to destroy the strong Holds thereof God is brought in here as a General or Commander in chief commanding such and such a Regiment or Companie of Soldiers to storme or pull down such and such Forts of the enemy What Commandement God gave here he gave to the Babylonians which he sent against Tyre which yet is not so to be understood as though God gave them any open or express command for this speech is but metaphoricall but onely so as that God by his secret providence did direct the Babylonians to the pulling down of these strong Holds of Tyre and enable them for it The Merchant City i. e. Tyre The strong holds thereof i. e. The strong Holds and Walls and Bulwarks thereof 12. Thou shalt no more rejoyce i. e. Thou shall not rejoyce yet a while Note that the Hebrews are often very Hyperbolicall in their expressions of times as was observed cap. 2. v. 2. And so is the Prophet here for though these words may seem to signifie as much as never and to exclude all time yet they signifie only not for a while and exclude but onely some time as may appear by the seventeenth verse So we read 2 Kings 6.23 That the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel yet in the very next verse it followes And it came to passe after this that Benhadad King of Syria gathered all his Host and went up and besieged Samaria which was the chief City of the Land of Israel Virgin He calls Tyre Virgin either because of her worldly beauty and glory by a Metaphor from Virgins which are the fairest and most beautifull of their Sex Or because she was never subdued and ravished as it were before with Forreign forces The Daughter of Sidon By the daughter of Sidon he meaneth Tyre which he calls the Daughter of Sidon because it came as it were out of the bowells of Sidon as the Daughter doth out of the bowells of her Mother For Tyre was a Colonie of the Sidonians built by the Sidonians and peopled at first by the people which came out of Sidon Where note that the Daughter of Sidon signifies otherwise here then when it is said the Daughter of Tarshish vers 10. and the Daughter of Sidon cap. 1.8 and the Daughter of Jerusalem cap. 37.22 Passe over to Chittim i. e. Passe over the sea to Cyprus Chittim is Cyprus so called from Chittim the Son of Javan See verse 1. He mentioneth Chittim because of thr neer alliance which was before the Cypriots and Tyrians There also shalt thou have no rest q. d. But there shall thou have but little rest and quiet These words shew that the former were spoken by a Rhetoricall concession q. d. Go passe over to Chittim thy dear friend that there thou maist be at quiet but for all that when thou comest thither thou shalt have but little rest The Babylonians had taken Cyprus at the time here prophesied of and Lorded it there which was the reason that the Tyrians could have no rest or joy there 13. This people Supple Which once dwelt in the Wilderness but now dwelleth in that Land to wit the Land of the Caldeans Was not Supple In the Land of the Caldeans where now they dwell Till the Assyrians founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness i. e. Till the Assyrian gave it to them which dwelt in the Wilderness to dwell in who now dwell in it and inhabit it There is a Metaphor in the word founded for because a house is built and the foundations thereof laid that it might be an habitation for man Therefore is the Assyrian said here to found that is to lay the foundations of the Land of the Caldeans for these men to dwell in because he provided it for them and gave it to them for a dwelling place Note that it was the manner of the Assyrians when they vanquished any Land to remove the old Inhabitants thereof out of it into some remote Countries and to bring farre dwellers to dwell there See 2 Kings cap. 17.24 The Assyrians therefore when they had vanquished the Land of the Caldeans did remove the antient Inhabitants thereof and brought them which dwelt in the Wilderness before to dwell there in their roome Them that dwell in the Wilderness i. e. Them which dwelt in the Wilderness Dwell is put here for dwelt By these words
he sheweth what they were whom the Assyrian brought into the Land of the Caldeans to dwell when he carried the Caldeans thence they were such as lived in the Wilderness in Tents like the Arabes Scenitae and Scythians Note here that these words according to their right order should follow those this people and the order and sence of this verse hitherto is this Behold the Land of the Caldeans this people that dwelt first in the Wilderness and now dwell in it that is in the Land of the Caldeans was not in it that is in the Land of the Caldeans till the Assyrian founded it for them The like trajection of words we shall finde 2 Cor. 4.4 where we read In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of them which beleeve not for to them which beleeve not in whom the God of this world hath blinded their mindes They set up the Towers thereof i. e. The Caldeans built the strong Towers and places of refuge in Caldea Here is a Relative without an Antecedent nigh to it They raised up the Pallaces thereof i. e. The Caldeans built the stately Pallaces which were in the Land of the Caldeans And he brought it to ruine i. e. And the Assyrian did ruine and destroy them It for them a singular for a plural number The sence of this place is this the Caldeans built strong Towers of defence and large Pallaces and Buildings in their Land and rooted themselves there yet notwithstanding their towers of defence and their Pallaces the Assyrian brought their Land to ruine That which the Prophet saith here is this that the Caldeans were an antient people and had in their Land many Towers of defence and large Buildings of strength yet notwithstanding the Assyrians did vanquish them and destroy their Land And he saith it for this end that he might make it appear that if the Assyrians were able to vanquish the Caldeans which were an antient and strong people and had many places of strength and defence in their Land the Babylonians would be able to vex and afflict the Tyrians as here he prophesieth of it and lay Tyre waste also 14. Howle ye ships of Tarshish q.d. Howle therefore ye Ships of Tarshish See verse 1. For your strength is laid wast i. e. For Tyre which you said was so strong shall be laid wast See vers 1. He puts strength here in the Abstract for strong in the Concrete to signifie the exceeding strength of that which he speaks q. d. Your exceeding strong Citie Tyre c. And he calls it their strength Or their exceeding strong Citie because it should prove to be so exceeding strong onely in their report and in their sayings it should not prove so indeed So when we heare a man speake highly of any thing which proveth otherwise we say to him that is or this was your so and so 15. In that day i. e. At the time in which she shall lye wast Tyre shall be forgotten Supple Of her lovers The meaning is that Tyre shall not be frequented with Merchants and Traffiquers as she wont to be Note that from this place to the end of the Chapter the Prophet speakes of Tyre under an Allegory wherein he compareth Tyre to an Harlot The Merchants and Traffiquers which were wont to trade with Tyre to her lovers the gain which she got by those Merchants and Traffiquers to the hire which an Harlot hath for prostituting her body c. Seventy years according to the dayes of one King q. d. Seventy years to wit so long as one King and his Seed or Race shall reign By this King and his Seed or Race is meant Nebuchadnezzar and his seed for Nebuchadnezzars seed was extinguished by Cyprus King of Persia at which time in all probability Tyre began to flourish again as her Neighbour Jerusalem did and this was seventie yeares after Nebuchadnezzar had smitten them Jer. 25. v. 11 and 12. Of one King i. e. Of one King and his Seed or Race for often times though one individall person be onely named or mentioned yet his seed or race or children are also tacitely included So God said to Abraham I am the Lord which brought thee out of Vr of the Caldees to give thee this Land meaning the Land of Canaan to inherit it Genes 15.7 But this latter Pronoune Thee though it signifieth onely Abrahams person yet it includeth Abrahams Seed also as appeareth Gen. 13. 15. So Galat. 3.18 Paul saith that God gave the Inheritance to Abraham by promise wherein Abraham is included and Abrahams seed also as appeareth Galat. 3. verse 16. So 2 Sam. cap. 7. vers 16. The Lord said to David Thy Kingdom shall be established for ever before thee thy throne shall be established for ever where in that word Thy which signifies plainly David onely Davids Sonnes are also included as appeareth in the twelfth verse of that Chapter Shall Tyre sing c. He speaks of Tyre as of a Woman by a Prosopopoeia Sing as an Harlot i. e. Sing merrily as an Harlot useth to sing when she would allure Lovers to turn in to her saying 16. Take an harp c. This is the Song which Tyre should sing at that time in which Song Tyre stirreth up her self to mirth Go about the City i. e. Go about the streets of the City Thou Harlot These are the words of Tyre to her selfe who calls her self an Harlot for the reason expressed in the next verse Thou hast bin forgotten viz. Of thy Lovers The meaning of this Metaphoricall phrase is that she had not bin frequented with Forreigne Merchants as she was wont to be but had bin as one quite forgotten by them That thou maist be remembred i. e. That thou maist be remembred of thy Lovers and that they may come again and visit thee He persists in his Metaphor and the meaning is q. d. That thou mayst be frequented by Merchants as thou wert heretofore 17. After the end of seventy years See verse 15. The Lord will visit Tyre To wit In favour and mercy by delivering her from the oppression and cruelty of her enemies And she shall turne to her hire i. e. And she shall turne to her again which she was wont to make by Traffique and Merchandize with other people which came thither to buy and sell their rich Commodities The Prophet continueth his Metaphor of an Harlot and calls her gaine her hire because she got gaine of those with whom shee traffiqued by her Merchandize as an Harlot doth her hire of her Lovers by the use of her body c. And shall commit fornication with all the Kingdomes of the World i. e. And she shall trade and traffique and Merchandize with all the Kingdomes of the World by which she shall get gain as an Harlot doth an hire by her fornication By her Fornification therefore he meaneth Metaphorically her dealing and traffiquing with those Merchants which came to her With all the Kingdoms
words are an exposition of those words which went before in this Verse 5. The Earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof q. d. For not onely the inhabitants of this Land are defiled but so great is their wickedness as that the Land it self which is under them is also defiled therewith This contains the reason or cause why God will afflict the Land of Israel as is here prophecyed This phrase savoreth of an Hyperbolical Metaphor for nothing can be truly polluted with sin but the reasonable Creature The like phrase to this we read Lev. 18.27 and Numb 35.33 by which the Holy Ghost would onely set forth the enormity of the sins there committed Because they have transgressed the Laws Supple Which God gave them to keep By the Laws understand the Moral Laws which God gave them for direction of their life and actions and the judicial Laws which he gave them for the well governing of the Commonwealth Changed the Ordinance i. e. Changed the Ordinances A singular for a plural number By the Ordinances understand the Prescripts of the Ceremonial Law which concerned the worship of God and especially that Ordinance whereby God commanded his people that they should offer their burnt-offerings onely in the place which the Lord made choyce of Deut. 12.14 which was Jerusalem 2 Chron. 6.6 which Jeroboam foully changed when he set up his golden Calves the one at Bethel the other at Dan that the people might not worship the Lord at Jerusalem but their gods as he called them at those places 1 King 12.28 And that whereby God appointed the sons of Aaron onely to be Priests and gave them the Priests Office Numb 18.7 which Jeroboam changed when he made Priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Aaron no not of the sons of Levi 1 King 12.31 Broken the everlasting Covenant By the everlasting Covenant is here meant that Covenant which God made with the Israelites by Moses in which the Israelites promised for their parts to do all that God commanded them and to obey him Exod. 24.7 8. which because they did not they are said hereto break the Covenant Note That the breaking of this Covenant was no more then the transgression of the Laws and changing and not observing of the Ordinances wherefore he doth repeat here in other words what he said before the more to exaggerate their sin Object But how could that Covenant which God made with the Israelites by Moses be called an everlasting Covenant when as that was to have an end Ans It might be called an everlasting Covenant either because it was continually to be kept during the time that it was in force though it were not to be in force for ever or because it was to abide a great while to wit till the coming of Christ who was the Mediator of the New Covenant For the Hebrews call that everlasting which is to continue any long time So the Priesthood under the Law was called an everlasting Priesthood Num. 25.13 though it were ordained to last but for a time and was afterwards to be changed Heb. 7. 6. Therefore hath the curse devoured the Earth i. e. Therefore shall the curse of God devour the Land of Israel He puts a preterperfect tense for a future As Dei benedicere is benefacere so Dei maledicere is malefacere for God doth but speak the word and it cometh to pass whether for good or evil I mean the evil of punishment The word Devour is a Metaphorical word and is borrowed from ravenous beasts which devour and eat up the prey which they take Are desolate i. e. Shall be destroyed by whose destruction the Land shal become desolate and without inhabitants He useth here Metonymia Effecti Therefore the inhabitants of the Earth are burned i. e. Therefore the inhabitants of the Land of Israel shall be consumed This is a repetition of the former sentence and an inference from the fifth verse as that is And are burned i. e. And shall be consumed A Metaphor from wood or other combustible matter which is consumed by fire 7. The new wine mourneth q. d. The new wine shall be spilt upon the ground in every place by the Assyrians who in despite of the Israelites and out of their hatred towards them shall break out the heads of their Wine vessels and let the Wine run out upon the ground The Prophet useth here an Hyperbolical Metaphor giving sense to an inanimate thing And because the Wine if it had sense and reason would mourn if it were thus delt with and spilt therefore doth the Prophet put the mourning of the Wine for the spilling of the Wine per Metonymiam Effecti The Vine languisheth i. e. The Vines shall be broken down and troden under foot The Prophet putteth here Vine for Vines and useth the same Metaphor and Figure as he did just before Do sigh i. e. Shall figh for sorrow 8. The mirth of Tabrets i. e. The mirth arising from hearing the sound of Tabrets 9. They shall not drink wine with a song i. e. They shall not have their Feasts and banquets and merry meetings as they are wont The Hebrews were wont to have musick and singing at their Feasts and merry meetings to which the Prophet here alludes Strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it i. e. They shall take no more pleasure in strong drink then they do in the thing that is bitter Grief takes away all joy and dâ—light which we have in the most delightful objects yea it doth disaffect the pallate it self that it cannot taste and relish things as they are 10. The City of confusion is broken down i. e. The City of confusion shall bâ— broken down with Rams and Engines of War A preterperfect for a future tense By the City of confusion understand Bethel where Jeroboam set up one of his golden Calves 1 King 12. v. 29. which name was given to that place by Jacob Gen. 28.19 and called Bethel that is the House of God because God there appeared to him in a dream This name the Israelites continued but the men of Judah when once Jeroboam King of Israel had set up a Calf there to be worshipped called it no more Bethel that is the House of God but Beth-Haven as Hos 4.15 and 5.8 and 10.5 that is the house of vanity or the house of iniquity and Kiriath-Tohu as here that is the City of confusion because of the confused worship which was there used to the Calves which Jeroboam set up in that City Every house Supple In this City to wit the City of Confusion Shall be shut up In the time of a siege the inhabitants of the City besieged were wont to shut up their doors as having no joy to walk abroad and converse with their neighbors but choosing rather to weep and lament at home as also to avoyd the violent and sudden breakings in of Soldiers into their houses wherefore the Prophet
the righteous See Notes cap. 5.1 But I said i. e. But I Isaiah foreseeing in the spirit what miserie would in a short time after befall my Tribe the men of Judah for their sins by the Assyrians under Sennacherib said My leanness my leanness i. e. O the sorrow and grief of my heart O the sorrow and grief of my heart Because extream grief and sorrow make the body lean for a merry heart doth good like a medicine but a broken spirit dryeth the bones Prov. 17.22 therefore is leanness put here for grief and sorrow per Metonymiam Effecti The Prophet from this place to the end of the Chapter prophecyeth of the calamity which Sennacherib should bring upon the Jews and of their delivery at the last The treacherous dealers have delt treacherously i. e. The Assyrians which are treacherous dealers will deal treacherously with the Jews See Notes cap. 21. v. 2. He puts a preterperfect for a future tense What was here prophecyed of was fulfilled in the days of Sennacherib of which read 2 King 18.19 17. Fear and the pit and the snare are upon thee O inhabitant of the Earth i. e. O ye men of Judah such miseries and calamities are coming upon you as you cannot avoyd This speech is Metaphorical and explained in the next Verse Fear Fear is taken here by a Metonymy for that which causeth fear such are those noises which Hunters make to affright the Deer or wilde beasts which they hunt O inhabitants of the Earth i. e. O ye inhabitants of the Land of Judah He puts inhabitant in the singular number for inhabitants in the plural number and the Earth for the Land of Judah the whole for a part per Synecdochen Integri Note here that the Prophet makes his Apostrophe not to all the men of Judah but to those onely which dwelt out of Jerusalem for as for those which dwelt in Jerusalem he speaks of them in the 22 Verse 18. And it shall come to pass i. e. For it shall come to pass And is put for For. He who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit and he that cometh out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare i. e. The meaning of this place is That none shall escape for altogether but he that escapes one danger shall fall into another This speech is Metaphorical taken from Hunters who fright wilde beasts with noises that they may flee from them and fall into the pits which they have digged for them and covered over with some light matter or other that they might not discern the pit before they are faln into it and who set snares beyond the pits that if by any way the wilde beasts escape the pits they may fall into the snares Out of the midst of the pit i. e. Out of the pit This word midst doth often abound among the Hebrews For the windows from on high are opened i. e. For the windows of Gods wrath shall be opened from Heaven and he will pour down great showres of his indignation upon the inhabitants of Judah In this expression the Prophet alludes to the windows of Heaven which were opened at the Deluge in the days of Noah Gen. 7.11 And the foundations of the Earth do shake q. d. And so terrible shall the wrath of God be as that the very foundations of the Earth shall shake because thereof He speaks here Metaphorically of the Earth as of an house which hath foundations And by a further Metaphor gives unto it sense and apprehension and fear as if it were a living creature See Notes cap. 2.19 The Prophet alludes in this to Psal 18. vers 7. 19. The Earth That is The inhabitants of the Earth that is of the Land of Judah Is utterly broken down i. e. Shall be utterly destroyed A metaphor taken from a stone wall which is flung down and dasht all to pieces in the fall See the same Metaphor used cap. 30. v. 13. The Earth is clean dissolved i. e. The inhabitants of the Land of Judah shall quite perish A Metaphor taken from a potters vessel or some other solid body which is beaten to pieces for the dissolution here spoken of is not the gentle melting of a thing either against the fire or upon the fire in water or wine or the like but the violent beating of it into little pieces of which as having quantity it did consist and the parting of every whole into his parts howsoever it be effected may be called a dissolution The Earth is moved exceedingly i. e. The inhabitants of the Land tremble exceedingly See cap. 7.2 20. The Earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard i. e. The inhabitants of the Land shall now think of one thing now another and shall not tell what course to take See cap. 19.14 Or the inhabitants of the Land shall run now one way now another and shall not tell what way to go for safety And shall be removed like a cottage i. e. And as a Tent or Tabernacle is pitcht in one place over night and taken down in the morning and removed to another place so shall they lodge in one place in the night and remove from thence in the morning and the next night lodge in another place shifting their places and their lodgings that they not be taken by their Enemies And the transgressions thereof shall be heavy upon it i. e. And the punishment due to the Earth that is due to the inhabitants of the Land of Judah by reason of their transgression shall fall heavy upon it that is upon them Transgression is here put for the punishment which is due to transgression per Metonymiam Efficientis And it shall fall and not rise again i. e. And the inhabitants of the Land shall fall and not rise again He alludes to a man falling under an heavy burden and not able to rise again because the burden lieth heavy upon him and to such a burden did he liken the punishment of their sin just before That which is here spoken of the men of Judah is not to be understood of them as one aggregate body or body politique for the body politique of Judah flourished after this punishment as much or more then ever before but of the particular men or members of that body whereof many fell and rose not again either because they recovered not their former happy estate or because they were slain with the sword and so went down to the grave And as the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more Job 7.9 21. And it shall come to pass i. e. But yet it shall come to pass And for But yet The Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high By the host of the high ones that are on high we may understand the Sun and the Moon and the Stars which are also called the host of Heaven Deut.
metaphoricall and do signifie that the Jewes which were in Jerusalem should be speedily freed from the danger in which they were and from the siege with which they were begirt and should be at liberty to go whither they would So that these words do signifie under a metaphor the same as those words signifie plainly Thou hast removed it farre into all the ends of the earth vers 15. He speaks of the Jews here under the metaphor of dead men because they were accounted no better then dead men and men appointed to be slain by the sword of the Assyrian 15. Enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doors about thee Shut thy doors and keep thee close a little He alludes to the manner of those which are besieged who were wont to shut up their doors and keep within during the siege as having no joy to walk abroad but chusing rather to weep and lament at home in their chambers and in their closets as also thinking by this to avoid the violence and fury of Souldiers that might chance to rush in upon them unawares See Cap. 24.10 That which is here spoken is spoken in the person of the Prophet who by occasion of Gods words mentioned in the two former verses exhorts the people of Jerusalem to bear the siege and oppression of the Assyrians patiently because they should last but a little time Vntill the indignation i. e. Untill the indignation and anger of God towards thee Cap. 10.25 21. The Lord cometh out of his place i. e. The Lord will come straight-way out of his place By the place of the Lord may be meant heaven or by the place of the Lord may be meant the Mercy-seat which was between the Cherubins in the Sanctum Sanctorum for there was the Lord wont to sit 1 Sam. 4.4 Psal 80.1 and 99.1 He speaks here of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as of a man The Inhabitants of the earth i. e. The Assyrians He calls the Assyrians the Inhabitants of the earth here as he called them the Inhabitants of the world v. 18. The earth also shall disclose her blood i. e. For the earth also c. q. d. for even the earth also shall disclose the blood of the Jewes which the Inhabitants of the earth that is the Assyrians have shed and she hath drunk up that God may revenge it This seems to contain a reason why God would punish the Inhabitants of the earth The earth also q. d. For not onely those Jewes themselves which survive shall complain how many of their brethren have bin slain by the Assyrians and cry for vengance against them but the earth also shall disclose her blood c. And shall no more cover her slain i. e. And shall no longer cover and so conceal the slain which are buried in her but shall lay open the bodies of those Jews which the Assyrians have slain to the eyes of God and reveale them and call for vengeance upon the Assyrians for killing them He speaks of the earth as of a man or woman which is indued with reason by a Metaphor or Prosopopoeia and of God as of a man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though the slaughter of the Jews which the Assyrians made who in this were Gods rod was just in respect of God who punished them for their sins yet it was not so in regard of the Assyrians who waged war upon the Jewes for they did it out of ambition and tyranny See cap. 10.7 c. ISAIAH CHAP. XXVII IN that day i. e. At that time in which the Assyrians shall make war upon Judea and besiege Jerusalem A Relative is put here without an Antecedent Leviathan Leviathan signifieth a Whale Psal 104.26 but allegorically it signifieth a Tyrant or great King which oppresseth and devoureth lesser Kings and people as the Whale doth lesser fish In particular Leviathan doth allegorically signifie in this place Sennacherib King of Assyria that great Tyrant and Hunter of men whom God punished when he destroyed his Army by the Ministry of an Angel and him himself by Adramelech and Sharezer his sons 2 King 19.35 36 37. The piercing serpent A serpent is a name which the Hebrews use as well of fishes as of those creatures which we call commonly serpents for as serpents creep and glide along on the ground so do fishes in the waters See Gen. 1.20 in the margin there A Whale is called a piercing serpent or a piercing fish because of his great sharp teeth which pierce when he biteth Sennacherib is called metaphorically the piercing serpent because of his cruelty That crooked serpent The Whale is no more crooked then other fish yea as straight as any he is crooked onely while he swimmeth and bendeth his tail or hinder part of his body to and fro The Prophet considereth the Whale in that posture here and by his crookedness signifieth allegorically the fraud and treachery of Sennacherib who was not straight and upright in his dealings but very treacherous and fraudulent And he shall slay the Dragon that is in the Sea i. e. Yea he shall slay the Dragon that is in the Sea He puts And for Yea. A Dragon is one of the greatest kindes of Land-serpents that are and is a name which we use onely of that kinde of Serpents which lives on the Land never of any Serpent which lives in the waters Whereas therefore we read here of the Dragon in the Sea it seems to be a borrowed name and given to the Whale being one of the greatest sort of fishes which are in the Sea by a Metaphor from the Dragon which is one of the greatest kinde of Serpents which are on the Land So that the Dragon here signifieth the same as Leviathan did before that is a Whale and both of them by an Allegory signifie Sennacherib King of Assyria which ruled among many people as the Whale lives among many waters in the Sea This Leviathan this Dragon even Sennacherib King of Assyria did the Lord punish when he destroyed his Army and made him himself to fly to his strong hold 2 Kings cap. 27. vers 35 36. And then slew him by the hands of his sons Adramelech and Sharezer who smote him as he was worshipping in the house of his God Nisroch 2 King 27. vers 37. In the Sea By the Sea may be meant metaphorically the many people among which Sennacherib lived and over which he ruled 2. Sing ye unto her i. e. Sing ye to her praise or to her comfort He speaks of Jerusalem here though he nameth her not A vineyard of red wine q. d. There is a vineyard of red wine Here begins the Song A vineyard of grapes which yield red wine was the best kinde of vineyard for the Scripture commends wine for the redness of it Genes 49.12 Prov. 23. v. 31. And Jerusalem was to be commended at this time for the Faith and Patience which the righteous Nation which was therein shewed This is spoken
people i. e. For the Assyrians which are Lords of Babylon are a people c. Here is a Relative without an Antecedent Of no understanding The Assyrians are said to be a people of no understanding because they understood not that they were but Gods Instrument in punishing those which he would punish by them and therefore they did lift up themselves and think that what they did they did by their own power and wisdome c. And so they oppressed even the Lords people to their own ruine See Cap. 10. from verse 5. to verse 19. He that made them i. e. God who made them into so great and powerfull a Kingdom And he that formed them This is a repetition of the former sentence Note that these words making and forming are usually spoken of making and forming a man naturally in the womb or rather of making and forming a pot but our Prophet doth often use it metaphorically for the making and bringing of a people into one civill body Kingdom or Common-wealth 12. It shall come to passe in that day i. e. It shall come to passe at that time in which Babylon shall be thus wasted made desolate The Lord shall beat off from the channel of the River unto the stream of Egypt i. e. The Lord will by the hand of the Medes which shall wast Babylon make all that have any reference to the Assyrians and dwell between the River Euphrates and the River of Egypt to flee and leave their dwellings Shall beat off i. e. Shall drive away Supple from their dwellings This phrase is metaphoricall taken from Olives or other fruit which are beaten from their trees with cudgells c. From the channel of the River i. e. Them that dwell from the Channell of Euphrates c. To the stream of Egypt That is even to Nâ—lus And ye shall be gathered one by one i. e. And ye shal be carefully gathered together and brought safe into your own Land c. When the people which had relation to the Assyrians fled by reason of the Medes the Jews or Children of Israel which they had in captivity and bondage had occasion and opportunity to return into their own Land again These words are Metaphoricall and are taken from Olives or Apples or the like fruits which are gathered one by one and so laid up in some place appointed which Olives or Apples or other fruit so gathered last better then they which are beaten off or shook down from the tree and more care there is taken about such as are so gathered then there is about that which is beaten or shaken down He seems to oppose this gathering one by one to that beating off mentioned in this verse O ye Children of Israel Supple Which are or shall be captives to the Assyrians between this time and that 13. And it shall lome to passe in that day that the great Trumpet shall be blown Supple in Jerusalem And they shall come c. q. d. And it shall come to passe at that time at which the Lord shall beat off from their dwellings all that live from the Channel of the River to the stream of Egypt that it shall be with the Children of Israel as it is with Soldiers when the great Trumpet is blown for as when the great Trumpet is blown all the Souldiers gather themselves together so shall all the Children of Israel which were in captivity to the Assyrians or which were in exile in any place from Euphrates to the streame of Egypt retreat and return home and gather themselves together to Jerusalem The great Trumpet He saith the great Trumpet alluding to some great Trumpet waiting upon the Generall which was greater then those which did wait upon ordinary Captains or else he saith a Great Trumpet because a great Trumpet is heard farthest off and they dwelt farre off from Jerusalem even in Assyria and Egypt which were to hear it And they i. e. And they of the Children of Israel Shall come Into their own Land Which were ready to perish Through hard usage In the Land of Assyria Where they were Captives When the Assyrians were so hard put to it as that they were fain to flee themselves to save their lives their Slaves and Captives had opportunity to escape and return into their own Country again And the out-casts in the Land of Egypt i. e. Those of the Children of Israel which ran through fear for safety into Egypt when Salmaneser first and Sennacherib afterwards invaded the Land of Israel and were there as exiles from their own home shall come to their own home again That which brought these out-casts back out of Egypt was the report of those great things which the Lord had done for the Jews and the prosperity which he had given them in their own Land yet if any were in hard bondage in Egypt on this side Nilus they had opportunity to escape when all were beat off from the channel of the river to the stream of Egypt vers 12. And shall worship the Lord As they were wont In the Holy Mount i. e. In Mount Sion where the Temple stood i. e. In the Courts of the Temple ISAIAH CHAP. XXVIII WO to the crown of pride c. In this verse there is a great transposition of words and sentences which being ordred according to their construction run thus q. d. Wo to the crown of Pride whose glorious beauty is a fading flower To the Drunkards of Ephraim which are in the head of the fat vallies of them that are overcome with wine Wo to the Crown of Pride The Crown which he here speaks of was such a Crown or Garland of Roses and other fair flowers as Drunkards were wont to use and to wear upon their heads in their drinkings which crown he cals here a Crown of Pride that is a proud Crown by a Metaphor because of the beauty and gaynesse of it This was first invented and used by the Heathen and of them did the Israelites learn it Of Pride That is Proud or gay He puts here a Substantive of the Genitive case for an Adjective By this Crown he means those Drunkards of Ephraim of whom he here speaks and that either because they wore such a crown as the Heathen did in their drinkings or because as the Crown is wore upon the head so were they seated upon the head of the fat vallies To the Drunkards of Ephraim i. e. To the Drunkards of Israel He explains here what he meant by the Crown of pride Of Ephraim i. e. Of Israel or of the Ten Tribes How Ephraim comes to be taken for Israel or the Ten Tribes See Cap. 7. v. 2. Whose glorious beauty is a fading flower These words relate to those viz. The Crown of pride whose glorious beauty he saith is a fading flower because it was made of the flowers of the field or of the gardens which are fading by nature By this is signified that the estate of these
in saying We have made lyes our refuge and under falshood have we hid our selves he speaks rather as the Truth was and as he interpreted it then as they spoke for they would not have called their specious doings lyes and falsehood Note again that it is plain from hence that many which were in Jerusalem and they chief men too because they believed not the Word of the Lord spoken by Isaiah concerning the safeguard of Jerusalem when the Assyrians should come against Judah and because they feared the power of the Assyrians and thought that Jerusalem would not be able to stand out against it betook themselves to humane policy and leaving Jerusalem thought to comply with the Assyrians and to make their peace with them who nevertheless failed in their purpose and were destroyed when as they might have been safe if they had never stirred out of Jerusalem 16. Therefore thus saith the Lord God i. e. Yet thus saith the Lord God Take Therefore for Yet and put an emphasis upon the words The Lord God for he opposeth these to those words Because or Though ye have said Vers 15. q. d. Though ye have said c. yet thus saith the Lord c. Behold I lay in Sion c. q. d. Behold I lay indeed in Jerusalem a foundation for those which believe but yet I lay judgment to the line for the wicked which believe not c. This is the sence in brief of this and the following Verse Sion i. e. Jerusalem See cap. 1.8 I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tryed stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation By the foundation and stone here mentioned may be meant the Word of Promise which God made to the inhabitants of Sion that is to the inhabitants of Jerusalem that notwithstanding the threatenings of the Assyrians they should be safe For as a house which is built upon a strong foundation is safe notwithstanding the blowing of the winds and the falling of the rain and the beating of the floods because it is founded upon a strong foundation So were as many safe as were in Jerusalem and relyed upon the Word of Promise which God made notwithstanding the fury and threatenings of the Assyrians because they relyed upon the Word of God which is as a sure foundation and which endureth for ever See the like Metaphor Cap. 14.32 Yet because in the second and more sublime sence this foundation is interpreted of Christ 1 Pet. 2.6 We may interpret and perhaps with more probability this of Hezekiah who as in other things and elsewhere he is a Type of Christ so may he be in this and here And Hezekiah may be said to be layd in Sion for a foundation because he was the foundation of safety against the Assyrians to all which remained in Jerusalem For God promised to save Jerusalem and all that kept themselves within her for his sake and he might be well called the foundation of that safety of which he was so principal a Cause by a Metaphor A stone He means such a stone which used to be layd for a foundation of a building which is great and durable A tryed stone i. e. A stone tryed and found fit for such an use as to lie for a foundation A precious corner stone i. e. A corner stone or chief stone of great worth And Hezekiah might be called a precious corner stone because of his great vertues In the Hebrew dialect the corner signifieth that part of a building which by its own strength alone sustaineth and upholdeth the whole structure Hence Magistrates and Princes which are the props and upholders of the Commonwealth are called the corners Judg. 20.2 1 Sam. 14.38 Isai 19.13 The corner stone therefore in the Hebrew phrase is as much as a sure foundation-stone So that all these words A stone a tryed stone a corner stone signifie but one and the same thing A sure foundation Hezekiah might be called a sure foundation because as a sure foundation cannot easily be shaken or overthrown so Hezekiah could not be shaken in his faith by the threats of the Assyrians nor could the Assyrians with all their power overthrow him or Jerusalem which God had given him by force of Arms. He that believeth Supple That which I say or that Promise which the Lord hath made Shall not make haste Shall not need to make haste or will not make haste Supple Out of Jerusalem to run into Egypt or Pathros or Cush or Elam or into any other far Country to save himself as many which believed not did at the hearing of Sennacheribs coming against Judah with a mighty Army nor will he make haste to comply with the Assyrians and make his peace with them as many others did but will abide in Jerusalem and shall be safe there What is spoken here of Hezekiah in the first sence is spoken of our Saviour Christ in the second and more sublime sence as appears 1 Pet. 2.6 and Rom. 9.33 For as we have often observed and shall often observe the temporal deliverance of the Jews was a type of the spiritual deliverance of the Christians As therefore the temporal deliverance of the Jews was a type of the spiritual deliverance of the Christians So they which were any way the cause of the temporal deliverance of the Jews were a type of Christ our Saviour so far forth as they were the causes of that temporal deliverance And the Holy Ghost while it speaks of them doth so order the words of the Scripture as that the same words which are spoke of them may oftentimes be applyed to Christ also yea oftentimes be more properly applyed to Christ then to them 17. Judgment also will I lay to the line q. d. But yet judgment also will I lay to the line and bring desolation and destruction upon you according as I have threatened you By judgment is here meant that desolation and destruction which God brought upon the men of Judah by Sennacherib and by the line is meant the threats of that judgment which God gave out by his Prophets by whom he threatened a great desolation and destruction of all in the Land of Judah excepting those which believed and were in Jerusalem onely Now as a Carpenter frames his Work to his Line so God saith here that he would bring his judgments to pass according to those his threats And righteousness to the Plummet This is a repetition of the former sentence And as by judgment he meant the desolation and destruction which the Lord brought upon the Land of Judah by Sennacherib so also doth he mean by righteousness And that desolation and destruction he calls judgment and righteousness per Metonymiam adjuncti because it was just and right and no other then the men of Judah deserved To the Plummet By the Plummet understand the line also to which the Plummet is appendent by a Syllepsis And the hail shall sweep the refuge of lyes The sence is q. d.
And all your flattery and counterfeiting shall do you no good neither shall they save you from the Assyrians for the Assyrians shall destroy you being out of Jerusalem among other the men of Judah for all your lyes and flatteries In these last words by the hail understand the Assyrians whom he calls the hail by a Metaphor because as the hail destroys the fruits of the Earth so did the Assyrians destroy both men and cattel in the Land of Judah yea and in other Lands also When he saith The hail shall sweep away he deviates from the Metaphor of Hail with which he began and alludes to the Metaphor of a Broom By the refuge of lyes he meaneth lyes which they made as a refuge of both which see vers 15. As when the refuge is taken away to which we betake our selves in a storm we are liable and open to the injuries of the storm so were these men obnoxious to the fury of the Assyrians when their refuge of lyes was taken away Then did the Assyrians sweep away the refuge of lyes to which these men betook themselves when they did turn away their ears from their flatteries and from their tales and would hear none of them but destroyed them notwithstanding their lyes And the waters shall overflow the hiding places This is a repetition of the former sentence By the waters he means the waters of a flood and by them the Assyrians because the Assyrians did beat down all before them as do the waters of a flood By the hiding place he means the falshood and lyes in which they trusted Vers 15. which lyes and falshood of theirs he likens to a hiding place because these men did think to avoyd the fury of the Assyrians by their lyes and falshood as they which get into an hiding place think to defend themselves from the storm When he saith The waters shall overflow the hiding place he alludes to the overflowing of waters which either beats down little cottages that stand in the way or drives the inhabitants from their houses by overflowing their habitations 18. And your Covenant with death shall be disanulled q. d. And ye shall dye by the sword of the Assyrians as well as others He alludes here to what he said Vers 15. Ye have said We have made a Covenant with Death If by the covenant which they made with Death Vers 15. death was not to seize upon them and kill them then if that covenant be disanulled death may as freely seize upon them and kill them as any other And your agreement with Hell shall not stand q. d. And the grave shall swallow you up as well as others He alludes here to those words of the 15 verse Ye have said With Hell we are at agreement If by that agreement which they made with Hell that is with the grave v. 15. Hell or the Grave was not to swallow them up then if that agreement doth not stand Hell or the Grave may as lawfully swallow them up as it doth others When the overflowing scourge shall pass thorow See Vers 15. Then ye shall be troden down by it See this phrase expounded vers 3. 19. From the time that it goes forth it shall take you q. d. From the time that the scourge goes forth supple before the time that it returns again it shall take you one after another so that none of you shall escape It shall take you Supple As an overflowing flood taketh a Traveller it comes in so fast upon him that he cannot escape Morning by morning i. e. Day by day or every day He puts the morning which is but part of the day for the whole day by a Synecdoche Shall it pass over Supple The Land and destroy and cast down as it passeth over as a flood doth Onely to understand the report i. e. Onely to hear it reported what destruction and desolation the scourge maketh in the Land as it passeth over it 20. For the bed is shorter then that a man can stretch himself upon it i. e. For all your lyes and all your tricks and devices shall not save you Between this and the former Verse we may understand these or the like words viz. Ye shall not therefore be safe nor escape q. d. Ye shall not therefore be safe nor escape the scourge though ye said Ye should live safely in your Land because of your lyes and falshood vers 15. For all your lyes and all your tricks and devices shall not be able to save you This speech is a proverbial kinde of speech the meaning whereof as it is here used is this That their lyes and tricks which they intended to make use of should not be able to save them or do them any good Then that a man can stretch himself upon it A man stretcheth out himself upon his bed for his ease but upon a bed which is too short for him he cannot thus ease himself And the covering narrower then that he can wrap himself in it This is a Proverbial kinde of speech as the former was and signifieth the same thing By the covering he means the bedclothes as Coverlet Blankets Sheets with which we enwrap or cover our selves when we go to sleep 21. For the Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perizim i. e. For the Lord shall rise up against you and destroy you as he rose up against the Philistins and destroyed them in Mount Perizim See the story 2 Sam. 5. vers 20. He shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon q. d. He shall be wroth with you and destroy you as he was with the Amorites and destroyed them in the valley of Gibeon in the days of Joshua Josh 10.12 And as he was angry with the Philistins and destroyed them in the days of David in the same valley 1 Chron. 14.16 That he may do his work i. e. That he may do that work upon you which he hath determined with himself to do His strange work The work which God determined to do upon the men of Judah was to destroy them whom he was wont usually to protect and defend and therefore it is called his strange work 22. Now therefore be ye not mockers i. e. Now therefore cease ye to mock He alludes to Vers 13. Lest your bonds be made strong i. e. Lest there be no means left for you to escape these judgements These words are Metaphorical taken from a prisoner which is kept in bands and fetters against the Assizes or day of his tryal whose bands are made the stronger the greater and more apparent his offence is and the more likely he is to be condemned and suffer that he may by no means escape For how much the more likely he is to be condemned and suffer by so much the more will he endevor to make an escape The judgments which God threateneth and denounceth by his Prophets are for the most part Hypothetical and such as it pleaseth God to recall upon our
repentance and amendment But if we repent not nor amend our lives they will surely fall upon us we shall not escape them Hence it is that the Prophet saith Now therefore be ye not mockers any longer lest your bands be made strong A consumption i. e. That there shall be a cosumption By a consumption he meaneth a general destruction and desolation Even determined i. e. Even a consumption which he hath determined to bring Vpon the whole Earth i. e. Upon the whole Land of Judah Supple If you go on in mocking and in other sins and repent not The Earth is put here for the Land of Judah by a Synecdoche the whole for a part 23. Give ye ear and hear my voyce c. The Prophet here and in the residue of the Chapter prevents an Objection which the Jews might make against what he had said for he had said That God would bring a consumption even a consumption determined upon the whole Land of Judah Against which they might object That the Lord was not wont to deal so with the Land of Judah as to bring a consumption upon it but to defend it and to protect it and therefore would not change from what he had been from a Protector to be a Destroyer of the Land To which the Prophet here answereth that God is wise and knows how in wisdom to vary his actions according as he sees men to vary in their manners and not to do always one and the same thing and this he proves by a similitude taken from Husbandry where they do not always the same thing nor handle all seeds after the same manner but now do one thing now another and handle one seed after this manner another after that and that according to the discretion which God hath given them 24. Doth the plowman plow all day to sow All day signifies sometimes at all times as Psal 25.3 sometimes it signifies continually as Psal 32.3 sometimes it signifies dayly or every day as Psal 71.8 15. Isai 65.2 And it comes to signifie so either because All is taken in such places for Every or because the day is put for time in general q. d. All his time Sometimes again a day is taken in a special manner for the time of a mans life So Aristotle takes it in the second of his Rhetoriques cap. 12. when he speaks of young men saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They seem to remember nothing in the first part of their life time Any of these sences will well agree with this place For the sence of this place is this Doth the plowman do nothing else but plow Doth he open Supple His ground with his plow And break the clods of his ground Supple All his days 25. When he hath made plain the face thereof i. e. When he hath plowed the ground and broken the clods thereof and made it plain Doth he not cast abroad the fitches c. i. e. Doth he not sow the fitches and other seeds and grain thereon In their place i. e. In the ground which is most fit for every one of them 26. For his God doth instruct him to discretion q. d. Yea he doth for his God doth instruct him to do all these things with judgment and discretion And doth teach him Supple To do these things wisely and discreetly The Prophet leaves us here to understand that if God can instruct the Husbandman to this discretion and teach him to do these several things wisely in their several but due seasons he himself must much more know how to do wisely and yet do variously For he that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know Psal 94. vers 10. 27. For fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument i. e. Moreover the Fitches are not wont to be threshed with a threshing instrument wherewith they thresh Wheat For for Moreover as Cap. 7.16 and 28.11 A threshing instrument was sharp having teeth cap. 41.15 And though this instrument were fit to thresh out some kinde of grain it was not so fit to thresh out other Neither is a Cart-wheel turned about upon Cummin i. e. Neither is a Cart-wheel wont to be turned about upon Cummin to get out the seed thereof as it is wont to be turned about upon bread-corn to get out the grain thereof They were wont to get out their corn with a Cart-wheel whereas we beat it out onely with a Flail But how the Cart-wheel was used we cannot very well tell that use being now forgotten With a rod. The rod is lighter then a staff and therefore the Cummin was beat out with a rod whereas the Fitches were beat out with a staff because the Cummin yieldeth a lesser and tenderer seed then the Fitches do and therefore cannot bear blows as the Fitches can 28. Bread corn is bruised q. d. And bread corn though it is forced or beaten out of the straw by a threshing instrument or by the turning of a Cart-wheel about upon it or else by the treading of horses yet it is bruised to meal in a mortar Prov. 27.22 or in a mill Numb 11.8 and not with a threshing instrument or with a Cart-wheel or with horses Because he will not ever be threshing it i. q. d. The Husbandman will not bruise it to meal with a threshing instrument because he will not ever be threshing it For though bread corn may be got out of the straw in a convenient time with a threshing instrument yet it is an endless piece of work to go about to bruise Wheat or other bread corn to meal with a threshing instrument upon a floor besides the loss of the finest flower which will come thereby Nor break it with the wheel of his Cart nor bruise it with his horsemen q. d. Nor will he break it with the Wheel of his Cart c. Therefore they would not break the bread-corn to meal with the wheel of a Cart nor bruise it to meal with the feet of horses and other cattel because if they should do so the finest of the flower besides other inconveniencies would have flown all about and so have been lost yea perhaps to have done this would have proved labor in vain because they could never beat it out to meal this way With horsemen i. e. With horses He puts horsemen which either ride upon or lead Horses for Horses upon which they ride or which they lead by a Metonymy By Horses we may understand other beasts and cattel also which were wont to tread out the corn by a Syllepsis See Deut. 25.4 By this it appeareth that the Husbandman hath and makes use of variety of instruments 29. This also cometh from the Lord of Hosts q. d. This also hath the Husbandman received from the Lord of Hosts viz. That he can manage these things after so various a manner with such wisdom and discretion This also c. This word also relates to what was said Vers 24 25 26. Note that what the Prophet saith here vers
him Or of corrupt Judges who had taken a bribe of his Enemies to condemn him whose wickedness was the greater that they would be corrupted to do such a piece of injustice for a small matter How these men were consumed we told Vers 14. 22. Therefore thus saith the Lord c. This relates to the 17 18 19 20 and 21 Verses as an inference deduced from thence q. d. And because Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forrest and because the deaf upon that shall hear the words of the Book c. Therefore thus saith the Lord who redeemed Abraham concerning the House of Jacob c. Who redeemed Abraham God redeemed Abraham out of Vr of the Caldees from Idolatry Genes 12.1 and he redeemed him out of danger in Egypt Genes 12.20 and he redeemed him out of the like danger in Gerar Gen. 20.9 And Abraham is mentioned as redeemed here because as the Lord redeemed him so for his sake would he redeem his posterity at this time Concerning the house of Jacob i. e. Concerning Jacob and his children the Jews For the Father is part yea the chief part of the house Jacob shall not now be ashamed i. e. Being that the Lord will turn Lebanon into a fruitful field and the fruitful field into a forrest so that the deaf shall hear the words of the Book c. when this cometh to pass Jacob shall not now be ashamed though he hath been ashamed heretofore The Prophet useth a Prosopopoeia here whereby he brings in Jacob as though he were alive though he were dead long before Jacob shall not now be ashamed Supple For the disobedience and infidelity and unbelief of his children For they which would not believe the Vision mentioned vers 14. shall be all consumed and all they which watch for iniquity shall be cut off but the meek shall survive and all they that have erred shall return into the right way The misdemeanor of the son is the shame of the Parents in allusion to which he here saith Jacob shall not now be ashamed Nor shall his face now wax pale Supple For fear q. d. Neither shall he now be afraid as he hath been lest his children should be utterly destroyed by the Assyrians through the wrath of God so that they be no more a people for the Assyrian is brought to nought vers 20. 23. When he seeth his children the work of mine hands i. e. When he seeth his children whom I have delivered out of the hands of the Assyrians A deliverance out of eminent and unavoydable danger of death is as it were a new Creation therefore doth the Lord call the Jews the work of his hands because he delivered them from the Assyrians In the midst of him i. e. In the midst of the Land which I gave him Gen. 28.13 Jacob himself is put here by a Metonymy for the Land which God gave Jacob as Moab is put for the Land of Moab Jerem. 40.11 Note that in the midst of the Land is put by an Hebrew redundancy for in the Land They shall sanctifie my Name q. d. They to wit his children shall sanctifie and praise my Name for their deliverance out of the hands of the Assyrians And if they shall sanctifie his Name He shall see them sanctifying it and so shall not be afraid for them but rejoyce rather My Name i. e. Me. An Hebraism And shall fear the God of Israel i. e. And they shall fear to offend the God of Israel and shall serve him and worship him And if they shall fear the God of Israel Jacob shall see that they fear him and so he shall not be ashamed for their sakes 24. They also that erred in spirit i. e. They also that erred in judgment and opinion thinking that Jerusalem would not have been delivered out of the hands of the Assyrians and that the Assyrians would not have been destroyed as they were He speaks of such that erred rather out of weakness and by being ignorantly misled then out of pride and malice as those scorners did mentioned vers 20. Shall come to understanding i. e. Shall experimentally know that what the Prophet prophecyed concerning the deliverance of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Assyrians was true They that murmured It is probable that many otherwise none of the worst when they were distressed and found some hardship in the siege of Jerusalem did murmur against Isaiah who prophecyed of the deliverance of Jerusalem and did what he could to hold up their drooping spirits with that hope Shall learn doctrine i. e. Shall learn the Instruction of the Lord which shall teach them not to murmur any more at his Prophets in whatsoever case they are ISAIAH CHAP. XXX WO to the rebellious children i. e. When the report was first spred abroad of Sennacheribs intent to march out of Assyria with an huge Army the Jews which lived out of Jerusalem in other parts of the Land of Judah and many also which lived in Jerusalem were distracted and in doubt what to do to preserve themselves Some thought it best to comply with the Assyrians and to practise with them for the surrender or giving up of the whole Land into their hands Others thought it best to call in the Egyptians to their ayd And this did they both in so foul a manner as that the one scrupled not to profess the Religion of the Assyrians and the other of the Egyptians to save their lives Onely King Hezekiah and some few with him chose rather to trust in the promises of God which he had promised by Isaiah then to do as the others did Against those which thought it best to call in the ayd of the Egyptians and endeavored to bring them into help them doth the Prophet here inveigh To the rebellious children It is rebellion in man to do any thing against the Will of God as these men did by distrusting God and trusting in the arm of flesh See cap. 1.20 That take counsel Supple How to save themselves from the fury of Sennacherib and the Assyrians But not of me q. d. But not of my Prophets whose counsel is my counsel That cover with a covering but not of my Spirit Note that the word Spirit is a word of many significations with the Hebrews but among the many significations which it hath any act of the Will or Understanding is called the spirit And any quality or ability of doing is called the spirit so that the spirit may here signifie counsel and advice or it may signifie power and protection And the meaning of this place may be this q. d. And which cover themselves with a covering but not of my advising or to which I advised them Or the meaning of this place may be this q. d. And which cover themselves with a covering but not with the covering of my power and protection that is which get themselves ayd to defend
drink measured out to him which he must not exceed that the store of the place may last out the longer Yet shall not thy Teachers be removed into a corner any more q. d. Yet do not thou evil entreat thy Teachers and drive them away into corners by thy evil usage and persecuting of them I take these words and the words following to verse 23. to be rather an Admonition then a Prediction and it is well known that the Hebrews put a future tense of the Indicative Mood for an Imperative In general that which the Prophet here admonisheth this people is to waite on the Lord though he doth afflict them which admonition is seasonable because in afflictions we are apt to be impatient and fly off from God What should I waite for the Lord any longer said the King of Israel when Samaria was long and hard besieged 2 Kings 6.33 And in particular he admonisheth them not to offer any discourtesie to â—he Ministers of the Lord and persecute them so that they should be fain to hide themselves and this admonition is also seasonable for many had thus evil intreated the Prophets and persecuted them cap. 29. v. 20 21 22. And when men expect any deliverance from the Lord and it comes not according to their expectation they wax angry and vent their anger upon the Lords servants thus Jehoram because God did not deliver Samaria from the Syrians which besieged it as he expected threatned Elisha the man of God saying God do so and more also to me if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day 2 Kings 6.31 He admonisheth them also to abandon their Idolatry both because it was most displeasing to God as also because many were too ready to seek to idols in their afflictions cap. 8.19 No man can truly waite for the Lord or his help but he must waite in the way of his Law that is he must be careful to do his Will and observe his Commandments Therefore while he admonisheth this people to use the Lords Prophets well and to cast away the raggs of their Idolatry he doth admonish them in effect to waite still for the Lord and his help But thine eyes shall see thy Teachers i. e. But let thine eyes gladly see thy teachers q. d. But be thou glad to see the Prophets of the Lord whom the Lord shall send to thee to instruct thee 21. And thine eares shall hear a word behinde thee saying this is the way walk ye in it when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left q. d. And let thine eares gladly hear the voice of the Prophets telling you that you do amiss when ye do amiss and directing you into the right way This is the sence of these words and the order of them is this And when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left thine eare shall hear i. e. Let thine eares gladly hear the word behinde thee saying this is the way walk ye in it Note that the words of this verse are metaphoricall taken from guides which follow children and direct them in the way which they walk in who if they see them turn out of the way either to the right hand or to the left tell them that they are out of the way and shew them the right way saying This is the right way walk ye in it 22. Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven Images of Gold q. d. Do ye also cast away as a thing polluted and defiled the very covering of thy graven Images which are made of silver and gold To defile signifies here to cast away as a thing polluted and defiled Note that the graven Images of Idolaters were adorned with Coverings that is with Mantles and Robes of great value For Dionysius the Tyrant took away such a Covering from the Idol of Jupiter Olympius which was very weighty with Gold saying That it was too heavy for the God to weare in the Summer and too cold for him to weare in the Winter Thou shalt cast them away i. e. Do thou cast them away As a menstruous cloth i. e. As a cloth which is stained which the menstruous blood of a woman then which nothing was accounted more unclean under the Law Lev. 15.19 20 21. Thou shalt say unto it Get thee hence i. e. Say thou unto it in detestation of Idolatry Get thee hence To it i. e. To them Observe here the Enallage of the number 23. Then shall he give thee i. e. Then shall the Lord give thee The rain of thy seed i. e. That rain which shall be requisite to make thy seed to grow And bread i. e. And wheat and other corn of which thou art wont to make bread Metonymia Materiae Of the encrease of the Earth i. e. Which shall spring up and encrease out of the Earth The Prophet prophecyeth here of the great abundance and fertility which should be in Judea after the destruction of the Assyrians and that for the comfort of those which should survive For great was the waste and desolation which the Assyrians were like to make in the Land and great was the scarcity which the Jews were like to endure at that time And a Land which is so wasted and spoyled by an Enemy as Judea was like to be by the Assyrians doth not quickly recover it self and bring forth fruit as it was wont to do To shew therefore how gracious God would be to his people he tells them for their comfort that after the Assyrians are destroyed there should abundance of all things spring up presently in Judea c. 24. Clean provender i. e. Provender which is cleansed from the chaff This signifies great plenty and abundance when they shall have no need of chaff to mingle among the provender of their cattel but winnow it out of it 25. And there shall be upon every high mountain and every high hill rivers and streams of water i. e. There shall plenty of Rain fall upon the high hills and high mountains which are naturally dry yea it shall fall like Rivers and streams of waters and make them fruitful which were naturally barren In the day of the great slaughter i. e. After the day of the great slaughter which the Angel shall make in the Camp of the Assyrians 2 King 19.35 In is to be taken here for After When the Towers fall i. e. When the Towers are faln By the Towers he meaneth the Assyrians or the Princes and chief of the Assyrians which were high and haughty and which were accounted as a tower invincible 26. The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun i. e. And the Moon shall shine as bright as the Sun doth ordinarily shine And the light of the Sun shall be seven-fold i. e. And the light of the Sun shall be seven times brighter then it useth to be As the light of seven days i. e. It
of Israel but destroyed the first-born of the Egyptians 6. Turn ye to him Turn ye therefore unto him O ye inhabitants of Jerusalem From whom the children of Israel i. e. From whom the men of Judah I take Israel here for the two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin as cap. 1.3 which two Tribes go often under the name of the men of Judah because Judah was the chief of the two and they two onely of all the Tribes of Israel were faithful to the heirs of David King of Judah Have deeply revolted By forsaking him and seeking to Egypt vers 1. 7. For in that day i. e. And in that day Supple That the Assyrians shall distress you and besiege you For is put here for And. Every man shall cast away his Idol i. e. Let every man cast away his Idols He puts a future tense of the Indicative mood for an Imperative See Cap. 30. vers 22. For a sin q. d. Whereby ye have sinned against God This Particle For is a sign not of the intent but of the event 8. Then shall the Assyrian i. e. Then shall the Assyrians which besiege Jerusalem He puts the Assyrian for the Assyrians the singular for a plural number Not of a mighty man Supple But of an Angel See 2 King 19.35 Not of a mean man Supple But of a mighty Angel When he saith neither of a mighty man nor of a mean man he excludeth all sorts of men But he i. e. But Sennacherib himself King of Assyria Sennacherib was not come to Jerusalem he was coming when the Angel destroyed his Army but was no further then Nob cap. 10.32 He puts a Relative here without an Antecedent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sennacherib himself was not slain by the Angel as appears 2 King 19.36 but escaped and fled into Assyria with fear and shame enough which to a generous nature was worse then death it self From the Sword Supple Of the Angel And his young men i. e. And his Court attendance or they which wait upon him Or by his young men may be meant that part of his Army which did attend him which certainly was of the most able bodyed men though the Commanders thereof might be old and such are young men 2 Sam. 2.14 Shall be discomfited i. e. Though they brag and boast and are very lustie shall be discouraged and become so heartless as that they shall tremble and be afraid at the moving of every leaf 9. And he shall passe over to his strong hold for fear i. e. And Sennacherib himself shall run and not stay for fear till he gets to Nineveh that strong City and to the Castle of that City 2 Kings 19.36 And his Princes i. e. And his Nobles and chief Commanders of that part of his army which was with him Shall be afraid of the Ensign i. e. Shall be afraid if they do but see an Ensign thinking when they see it that some company of their enemies are nigh at hand or do pursue them Whose fire is in Sion i. e. Who hath fire in Sion wherewith to destroy the adversaries thereof or thus whose Altar is in Sion whereon the fire burneth continually to burn the Burnt-offerings which are offered to him Or thus who dwells in Sion for where a man keeps his fire there is his habitation If God have fire in Sion he will use it against the enemies of Sion if he be honored by sacrifice in Sion he will preserve Sion for his honors sake If he dwells in Sion he will not suffer the Assyrians to cast him out of his house but will defend his dwelling place In Sion i. e. In Jerusalem A Synecdoche of the part for the whole And his furnace at Jerusalem By his furnace may be understood his dwelling place by a Metaphor from such tradesmen which use a furnace in their Trade which furnace for their more convenience they have at their dwelling houses yea whatsoever is meant by fire before may be meant by the furnace here because a furnace is of no use without fire and so these may be a repetition of the former words ISAIAH CHAP. XXXII BEhold a King shall reign in righteousness By this King he meant Hezekiah King of Judah whose praises he here declareth but in a more sublime sence is meant Christ Jesus who was King of righteousness and of whom Hezekiah was a Type Note that this cohereth with the former Chapter and containeth a reason why the Lord would destroy the Assyrians namely for Hezekiahs sake See the same reason of the same thing cap. 9.6 and cap. 10.27 and cap. 11.1 Note that as the Lord did destroy the Assyrians which were the enemies of Jerusalem and delivered the Jews for Hezekiahs sake So doth the Lord destroy the spiritual enemies of his Church redeem his faithful people for Christs sake yea and through Christ In righteousness i. e. With righteousness administring Justice equally to every man And Princes By Princes he meaneth such as this King to wit Hezekiah should make Princes that is Judges and Magistrates in the Land In judgement i. e. With Justice 2. And a man c. He repeateth here what he said before and whereas he said a King before he saith a man here but meaneth the same man viz. Hezekiah As an hiding place from the wind i. e. Shall be as a place in which a man may hide himself or keep himself from the blustring wind What is meant by this we shall shew in the latter end of the Verse A covert from the tempest i. e. A covert in which a man may hide or save himself from the tempest As rivers of water in a dry place Rivers of water must needs be a great comfort to Travellers which travel in dry places where they may have the waters of those Rivers to quench their thirst withall As a shadow of a great rock in a weary Land A shadow or shady place is a great refreshing to those which travel in the Summer time in a hot scorching wilderness when they are even scorched with the heat of the Sun He mentioneth the shadow of a rock rather then of a tree because he speaks of a wilderness where there are more rocks then trees In a weary Land i. e. In an hot scorching wilderness which tireth and wearyeth those which travel in it Metonymia Effecti By all these Metaphorical expressions the Prophet meaneth that Hezekiah should right those that suffer wrong and be a great comfort to those that are afflicted in their misery 3. The eyes of them that see By them that see he meaneth Judges and Magistrates whom he called Princes vers 1. whose duty is to see and look though not upon persons yet into the Causes which are brought before them and that throughly too before they give sentence Shall not be dim Their eyes shall not be dim because they shall look acutely into the Causes which are brought before them they shall not be blinded either with ignorance or affection or
because they maintain his Cause The needy i. e. He to wit the poor 8. But the liberal i. e. But he which is liberal in his actions and nature as well as in his appellation and title Deviseth liberal things i. e. Deviseth such things as are beseeming him which is liberal in his actions and nature as well as in his appellation and title and so by consequence those things which are beseeming a truly upright and honest Judge And by liberal things i. e. And because he deviseth liberal things He shall stand i. e. He shall keep his place and office and shall not be put out of it What is here spoken from the first verse of this Chapter hitherto was fulfilled when Hezekiah came to the Crown who was himself a pious and a just King and reformed not only the house of God and Religion but the Kingdom also and the Courts of Justice and the Magistracy putting out those which were corrupt and putting honest and just men in their roome 9. Rise up ye women that are at ease Here the Prophet beginneth a new Prophecy Rise up He bids them rise up either to denote thereby their lasie posture for delicate women were wont to sit yea sometimes to ly along on their Couches and beds of ease Or because he would have them the more attent to what he speaks for we are more attent to what is spoken when we stand up then we are when we sit or lye along or he bids them rise up because he would have them reverence the Word of God which he had to tell them for they were wont to rise up in reverence to the Word of God when a Message was brought them from the Lord. See Judg. 3.20 That art at ease i. e. That take your ease and pleasure Ye careless daughters i. e. Ye women which take care for nothing This word Daughters though it be a Relative terme yet the Hebrews do often use it for an Absolute viz. women This Prophesie is peculiarly against the women of Judah by reason of their pride and ease and fulness of bread Many dayes and years i. e. Before many dayes and years I understand the Preposition Tò Before here for the Hebrews leave the Prepositions sometime to be understood as appeareth cap. 33.14 where these Prepositions Amongst and With are left to be understood in the Original though they be expressed in the translation This Prophesie was fulfilled when Sennacherib entred with his Army and depopulated Judea For the Vintage shall cease i. e. For ye shall have no Grape-gathering for the Assyrians shall spoile your Vine-yards and your Vintage The gathering Supple Of your Grapes and other fruit 11. Tremble viz. Because of the miseries which shall come upon you Be troubled To wit In minde through grief Strip you To wit Of your brave and delicate Apparel Gird sackcloth upon your loins q. d. Put on sach-cloth and gird it about your loins Sackcloth was the garment for mourners 12. They shall lament c. Observe the Enallage of the person here how he passeth from the second to the third for by They he means the careless women which he spoke to in the former verses For the Teats Take the Teats here metaphorically for the pleasant Fields and fruitful Vines as the Prophet seems to interpret them in the next words for as the Infant is nourished by the two Teats of the Mother so was this people by the pleasant Fields and fruitful Vines one affording meat and the other drink For the Teats i. e. For want of the Teats For the pleasant Fields i. e. For want and miss of the pleasant Fields For the fruitful Vine i. e. For the want and miss of the fruitful Vines 13. Vpon the Land of my people i. e. Upon the Land of Judah where the Jews which are my people dwell He speaks in the person of God or if he speaks in his own person he calls the Jewes his people because they were his Brethren Shall come up thorns and briars See cap. 7.24 Vpon all the houses i. e. Upon all the ground where the houses stand or upon all the houses which shall be ruined that is Upon the ruines of all the houses The houses of joy i. e. The joyous houses He calls them joyous houses or houses of joy because the Inhabitants thereof were wont to make merry in them In the joyous City i. e. In the Cities of Judah which are wont to be full of joy and mirth He saith City for Cities a Singular for a Plural number 14. Because the Pallaces shall be forsaken q. d. I say that upon all the houses of joy in the joyous City thorns and briars shall come up because the Pallaces and all the Houses in the Cities shall be forsaken This is Causa sine qua non as the Logicians speak of that which he said in the former verse to wit of that that upon all the houses of the joyous Cities should come up briars and thornes By Pallaces may be meant here not only the Houses of Kings but also the Houses of Nobles and meaner men which he may call Pallaces because they were like the Pallaces of Princes for stateliness Shall be forsaken viz. Of their Inhabitants and that either because the Inhabitants shall run into Forreign Lands for fear of the enemy at home or shall be slain by the sword of the enemy or shall be carried away captives into the enemies Land The multitude of the City i. e. The Cities which are inhabited with a multitude of men He useth an Hypallage here and saith the multitude of the City or Cities for the City or Cities of the multitude that is The City or Cities which are inhabited with a multitude or very great number of people He also puts City for Cities by an Enallage as before v. 13. Shall be left i. e. Shall be forsaken of that multitude which doth inhabite it For Forts and Towers shall be for Deus i. e. The Forts and Towers shall be beaten down and the ruines thereof shall be for Dens for wild Beasts When Forts and Towers or any other Buildings are beaten down there happeneth often times to be hollow places caused by cross-falling of the timber these places he saith shall be for Dens of wilde beasts For ever i. e. For a time An Hyperbole usual with the Hebrews yet it may be that many of those places which the Assyrians ruinated were never built up again A joy of wilde Asses i. e. Places in which the wilde Asses will rejoyce Metonymia Adjuncti A Pasture of Flocks i. e. Places in which Flocks of Sheep and other Cattle may feed without fear They might feed there because Grasse should grow therein and they might feed without fear because there should be no man left to make them afraid 15. Vntill the spirit be powred upon us i. e. Untill the love and goodness of God be poured upon us in its effects that is Untill God sheweth his love and
his goodness towards us Among many significations of this word spirit it is often taken of the Hebrews for any quality or passion of the minde and here it is taken for goodness or love He likeneth here the blessings of God and the works effects of his mercy and goodness to plenty of waters because of the abundance thereof when he saith the spirit shall be poured forth Vpon us viz. Jews From on high i. e. From Heaven And the Wilderness be a fruitful Field i. e. And our enemies the Assyrians which are exalted like a Wilderness be brought low like a fruitful Field or Valley which lyeth low See notes cap. 29.17 The fruitful Field be counted for a Forrest i. e. And the Jews which at this time shall be in a low condition and oppressed by their enemies the Assyrians and therefore like a fruitful Field which lyeth low be delivered from their low condition and exalted as a Forrest yea as the Forrest of Lebanon which was on high on an high hill See cap. 29.17 Be counted for a Forrest i. e. Become as a Forrest even the Forrest of Lebanon See cap. 29.17 Note that Wildernesses and Forrests are for the most part the barrenest places of the earth and therefore are scituate upon Hills and Mountains and the highest parts of the earth which are least fruitful as being furthest from springs and streams to water them however sure we are that the Wildernesses and Forrests about Judea and which were best known to the Jews were seated on Hills as the Forrest of Lebanon to which the Prophet seemeth chiefly to allude 16. Then judgement shall dwell in the Wilderness i. e. Then will God inflict his judgments or punishments upon our enemies the Assyrians and make them as it were to dwell among them Judgment is put here for judgment which produceth punishment By the Wilderness he meaneth the Forrest or Hill of Lebanon and by that the enemies of the Jews the Assyrians who were lifted up with pride and who were at this time high in power and wealth c. See v. 15. and cap. 29.17 He saith judgment shall dwell in the Wilderness to shew that it shall not be a light judgment which passeth away but such as shall continue upon them till it hath consumed them The effects of this judgment were inflicted by the Angel of God 2 Kings 19.35 And righteousness remain in the fruitful Field i. e. And the goodness and mercy of God shall shew it self to the Jews which were at this time like a fruitful field or valley which lyeth low in respect of their low condition by the effects thereof By righteousness is meant goodness and mercy to wit the goodness and mercy of God for righteousness is taken sometimes for goodness and mercy as Psal 112. v. 3 9. and 2 Cor. 9.9 10. In which sence also Joseph as called a just or righteous man Mat. 1.19 By the fruitful field is meant metaphorically the Jewes in their low condition as v. 15. The righteousness here spoken of is said to remain in the fruitful field because of the continuance of it to the Jews as judgment was said to dwell in the wilderness because of the continuance thereof among their enemies the Assyrians Note that he speaks of judgment and righteousness here as of two persons by a Metaphor or Prosopopoeia 17. And the work of righteousnes shall be peace i. e. And the effect or fruit of the aforesaid righteousness which shall remain in the fruitful field shall be peace and prosperity And the effect of righteousness c i. e. This is a repetition of the former words Assurance Viz. Of peace and prosperity For ever i. e. For a long time 18. My people See v. 13. In sure dwellings i. e. In dwellings which shall be safe 19. When it shall hail coming down on the Forrest i. e. When on the contrary the wrath of God shall come down and fall upon their enemies the Assyrians like storms of hail Hail doth often signifie by a Metaphor the wrath and anger of God and the effects thereof as cap. 28.2 and elsewhere By the Forrest are meant metaphorically the Assyrians which were the enemies of the Jews as v. 13. and cap. 27.10 c. Coming down i. e. The hail coming down with much violence And the City shall be low in a low place That is And Babylon shall be brought down to a low condition By the City is meant Babylon which was the greatest or one of the greatest Cities which were under the Assyrians and this City was brought low soon after the defeat of Sennacheribs Army before Jerusalem for soon after that it was taken by the Medes See cap. 13 Yet by Babylon we may understand here not the material City of Babylon but the Assyrians who were the Lords of Babylon and who at this time warred against Judah and perished before Jerusalem as by Kir a chief City of the Medes was meant the Medes which served under Salmaneser against Samaria cap. 22.6 20. Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters that send forth thither the feet of the Oxe and the Asse q. d. O ye men of Judah ye shall also at that time be happy for ye shall sow your seeds in grounds which shall be watered and therefore very fruitful and the Corn which you sow shall yield such increase and be so rank as that ye shall be fain to send in your cattle to eat it down All waters i. e. Abundance of waters or many waters All for Many Thither Supple Where ye have sowed your seed The feet of the Ox and Asse i. e. The Ox and the Asse there to feed and eat down your over-rank Corn. He puts the feet of the Oxe and Asse by a Synechdoche for the Oxe and the Asse themselves ISAIAH CHAP. XXXIII WO to thee that spoylest This place is also to be understood of Sennacherib to whom the Prophet makes this Apostrophe That spoylest Supple The Land of Judah and all other Lands And thou wast not spoyled i. e. When thou wast not spoyled by them whom thou hast spoyled whereby thou shouldst be provoked to spoyl them again And dealest treacherously Supple With the Jews and other people See Cap. 21. vers 2. And they have not delt treacherously with thee i. e. When they with whom thou hast delt treacherously have not delt treacherously with thee whereby they should provoke thee to deal treacherously with them When thou shalt cease to spoyl i. e. When thou shalt have spoyled so much and so long time as God will suffer thee to spoyl others and the time appointed for that is come to an end c. that is as the Prophet speaks Cap. 10.12 when the Lord hath performed his whole work which he will perform by thee upon Mount Sion and on Jerusalem c. Thou shalt be spoyled Understand this of Sennacherib in respect of his Army which was destroyed by the Angel 2 King 19.35 and the spoyls thereof taken
perhaps any part should stick thereunto whereupon to shake the hand of or from such a thing comes to signifie by a Metaphor and Metonymy together to hate that thing That stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood i. e. Which will by no means hear of any counsel or perswasion which tends to the shedding of innocent blood Blood is put here for a counsel or perswasion to shed innocent blood per Metonymiam Objecti And shutteth his eyes from seeing evil i. e. That shutteth his eyes that he may not be delighted with the sight of evil that is which detesteth all manner of injustice Seeing is put here for seeing with delight 16. He shall dwell on high i. e. He shall dwell in safety notwithstanding the devouring fire and everlasting burnings and be as safe as he which dwelleth in a Castle founded upon an high rock which no force can approach to He shall dwell on high i. e. He shall dwell as it were on high and so safely for high places are safe His place of defence shall be the munition of rocks i. e. The place and City of defence where he is shall be against the Assyrians as strong as any place which is fortified and environed with inaccessible and impregnable rocks His place of defence i. e. The fenced City wherein he is By this place of defence or fenced City is meant Jerusalem as will appear as by other circumstances of the Text so by that that the sinners which asked the question vers 14. dwelt in Sion and asked it concerning those which dwelt in Sion For who amongst us say they that is who amongst us which dwell in Sion or in Jerusalem shall dwell safely with devouring fire c. The munition of rocks i. e. As a place fortified and environed with rocks He puts munition here for a place munited that is fortified An Abstract for a Concrete per Metonymiam Adjuncti Bread shall be given him i. e. He shall not be starved out of his strong hold as many are who though they are in such Castles and Forts and strong holds as no Enemy can approach unto yet are fain to yield at length for want of victuals He prevents an Objection here For they might say Though the Assyrians cannot take Jerusalem by force yet may they in time starve out the men thereof His water shall be sure i. e. His water shall not fail This he saith because many who have been besieged in strong places have been fain to yield for want of water whom no power could hurt 17. Thine eyes c. He useth an Apostrophe here to the faithful in Jerusalem which were such as he described Vers 13. Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty i. e. Thou shalt see King Hezekiah in his glory again He says thine eyes for thou by a Synecdoche of a part for the whole The glory of King Hezekiah was obscured when Jerusalem was besieged by the Assyrians and he did lay aside his royal robe and put on sackcloth 2 King 19.1 but when the Assyrians were destroyed his glory appeared greater then ever They shall behold i. e. Thine eyes shall behold i. e. Thou shalt behold The Land that is very far off q. d. Though thou art besieged for a while and shut up in Jerusalem by the Assyrians yet after a while when they are destroyed by the Angel thou shalt be at liberty to go whither thou wilt thou mayst then if thou wilt visit the parts of the Land which are far distant from Jerusalem Here he prevents another Objection which they might make For they might object and say Suppose that Jerusalem could not be taken by force nor the men thereof starved out yet will the Assyrians always besiege it and so the King will live in a sordid condition and the rest of the people will live as prisoners and such a life is little better then death 18. Thine heart shall meditate terror i. e. Thou shalt think upon the fear which the Assyrians did put thee in by his threats 2 King 18.17 c. Supple with a great deal of joy and pleasure It is a great deal of joy and delight for a man to think in what danger he was or hath been in when the danger is perfectly past Thine heart i. e. Thou He puts a Synecdoche of the part for the whole man Shall meditate Supple With joy and delight Terror i. e. The terror and frights thou wert in by the threats of the Assyrians Where is the Scribe c. q. d. Thou shalt insult over the Assyrians and say Where is the Scribe For the Angel of the Lord shall destroy them all and then thou mayst insult and ask where they are for they shall not be any where to be found Where is the Scribe c. By the Scribe may be meant the Secretary of Sennacheribs Army It is believed that Saint Paul alludes to this place in 1 Cor. 1.20 and most likely it is that he doth so but he alludeth onely to the words not to the sence a thing usual with all sorts of men to allude to the words of an Author or Writer and yet not to the sence of those words Where is the Receiver By the Receiver may be meant he which received the Pay to pay the Army Where is he that counted the Towers By him that counted the Towers may be meant the Master of the Engines who gives out and takes in and keeps an Account of all the Engines of War by tale For in old time they used movable Towers which went upon wheels and other devices which they could drive to the walls of a Town either to scale them or do some other mischief to the Town And by this one kinde of Engine may synecdochically be understood all other kindes of warlike Engines whatsoever Or by him that counted the Towers may be meant he which counted the Towers which stood upon the walls of Jerusalem that he might proportion strength and Engines thereto for the taking of them 19. Thou shalt not see a fierce people i. e. For after a while thou shalt not see the Assyrians which are a fierce people besieging thee and warring against thee for the Angel of the Lord shall destroy them A people of deeper speech then thou canst perceive i. e. A people whose language thou canst not understand By this he also means the Assyrians whose language the Jews understood not 2 King 18.26 Of a stammering tongue i. e. A people of a strange tongue By a stammering tongue is meant a strange tongue for Outlandish men seem to them which understand not their language to stutter and stammer See Cap. 28.11 This Verse contains a reason of what was said in the former Verse that is a reason why the people of Jerusalem might insult over the Assyrian and say Where is the Scribe where is the Receiver where is he that counted the Towers For they might thus insult over the Assyrian when the Assyrian was not to be
and the air shall become so thick by reason of dark and thick fogs or mists or vapors arising out of the blood and putrefaction of the dead carcasses of the Assyrians An Hyperbole And the Heavens shal be rolled together as a scroll i. e. And the Heavens shall be as a scroll that is rolled together For as in a Scroll which is rolled together the words and letters which are therein written cannot be seen so in the Heavens neither the Sâ—n nor the Moon nor the Stars shall be perceived because of the darkness of the ayr intervening between the Earth and them By a Scrol he meaneth a parchment which the ancients were wont to use in stead of books which parchment was writ on but on one side and when they used it not they rolled it up as we do our Chancery rolles and Common Court rolles and so laid it by And all their Host shall fall down as the leaf falleth from the Vine and as a falling Fig from the Fig-tree This is but a repetition of those words The Host of Heaven shall be dissolved and that and this and the middle sentence signifie all one and the same thing viz. that the Heavens shall be darkened and the Host thereof the Sun and the Moon and the Stars shall not be seen The Heavens have their light by the benefit of the Sun and Moon and Stars which are therein so that if these should drop down or fall out of the Heavens the Heavens would be dark hence to signifie that the Heavens shall be dark at the time which he here speaketh of he saith that all their Host shall fall down as if he should say and the Heavens shall be as dark as if all their Host by which they have their light should fall down out of them As a falling Fig i. e. As a Fig which being either worm-eaten or blighted falls from the tree 5. For my sword c. i. e. Moreover my sword He puts For for Moreover as cap. 7.16 and speaks in the person of God My sword shall be bathed in Heaven Note that these words in Heaven are not to be referred to those which go next before them viz. be bathed for we must not think that God made this slaughter in Heaven but to those My sword and in particular to that possessive Pronoune My as it virtually containes in it a Primitive Pronoune Me or Of me q. d. My sword or the sword of me who am in heaven shall be bathed in blood c. He mentioneth here his dwelling place Viz. Heaven to shew that he is God and that he will punish the Edomites not as a man but as God Almighty See cap. 13.6 and cap. 47.3 Shall be bathed Supple In the blood of the Edomites whom I will slay By this he sheweth that he will shed abundance of blood and slay very many men Vpon Idumea This judgement befell the Edomites because they were the most bitter of all the nations against the Jews whereas they ought least of all to have bin so bitter against them being their brethren according to the flesh for the Jews were the Children of Jacob and the Edomites were the Children of Esau Jacobs Brother That which is here prophesied against Idumea was brought to passe by the Ethiopians as they marched against Assyria for they marched in an expedition against Assyria See cap. 18. By Idumea understand the Edomites which dwell in Idumea by a Metonymy Vpon the people of my curse i. e. Upon the people whom I have cursed Genitivus Adjuncti By the people of his curse he meaneth the people of Idumea or the Edomites whom he cursed at this time To judgment i. e. That I may execute my judgment upon them 6. The Sword of the Lord is filled with blood it is made fat with fatness i. e. The Sword of the Lord shall be filled with blood and made fat with fatness c. The Prophet speaketh here in his own person and useth a Present for a Future tense He speaks also of the Sword of the Lord as of a Lion or some other ravenous beast by a Metaphor which drinks the blood and feeds upon the flesh of other beasts as he doth also Cap. 31.8 And yâ—t he alludâ—s too to the Sacrifices and to the Altar in that he saith It shall be filled with the blood and made fat with the blood of Lambs and Goats and with the fat of the kidneys of Râ—ms For the blood of these beasts were sprinkled upon the Altar and the fat and the kidneys therâ—of were burnt upon the Altar as a burnt offering made with fire to the Lord Lev. 3.4 10.15 and on them did the Altar feed as a Lion upon his prey for which it is called Ariel that is the Lion of the Lord cap. 29.1 2. Where note as hath been often observed That the Prophet is very frequent in joyning or mingling Metaphors And with the blood of Lambs and Goats with the fat of the kidneys of Rams â— e. That is With the blood of the Lambs c. And is a Note of Explication here and is put for That is The Prophet compareth the Edomites here to Sacrifices and those kinde of Sacrifices especially in which the blood of the beasts sacrificed was to be sprinkled round about upon the Altar and the fat and the kidneys were to be burnt upon the Altars Lev. 7.4 For the Lord hath a Sacrifice in Bozra i. e. For the Lord hath a Sacrifice of many beasts to make in Bozra In Bozra Bozra was the chief City of Idumea A great slaughter in Idumea i. e. A great slaughter to make of beasts for Sacrifice in Idumea The Prophet speaks of the Lord here as of a man yea of a Levite or Priest rather And by this Metaphor he meaneth that the Lord would make a great slaughter and destruction of the Edomites 7. The Vnicorns shall come down with them By the Vnicorns which were accounted strong beasts he means Metaphorically the mighty and potent men of Idumea these he saith shall be brought down that is shall be slain with them that is with the Lambs and Goats and Rams mentioned Vers 6. which because they were of the lesser sort of Cattel do signifie here by a Metaphor the poor and meaner sort of men of the said Idumea Note here that the Vnicorns were not appointed for any kinde of Sacrifice therefore the Prophet sticks not close to one Metaphor but mingles Metaphors as even now and often before we observed And the Bullocks with the Bulls i. e. And the Bullocks shall come down that is shall be slain together with the Bulls A Bullock is little in respect of a Bull therefore by the Bullocks he meaneth metaphorically the poorer and meaner sort of people and by the Bulls the great and rich and mighty men of Idumea So that this is a repetition of the former words with which kinde of repetition the Prophet is much delighted And their Land i. e.
his similitudes doth often give more respect in his expressions to the thing signified by his similitude then to the thing from which his similitude is taken 12. They shall call the Nobles to the Kingdom i. e. After this slaughter and desolation the common people which are left alive shall hearing of the death of their King call for the Nobles of the Land to govern the Kingdom or to choose a King out of them By They are meant the Commons of the Land of Idumea which are left alive where a Relative is put without an Antecedent and by the Kingdom is meant the Government of the Kingdom But none shall be there i. e. But none of the Nobles shall be left in the Land All her Princes shall be nothing i. e. All the Nobles of Idumea shall be nothing that is they shall be slain Whom he called Nobles before be calls Princes here 13. And thorns shall come up in her palaces i. e. And thorns shall come up in the places where now her palaces stand See Cap. 32.13 14. In the fortresses i. e. In the compass of ground where her Fortresses and strong Cities stood 14. The wilde beasts of the desart shall also meet with the wilde beasts of the Islands Supple There i. e. All manner of wilde beasts shall meet there The wilde beasts of the Desart i. e. The wilde beasts which use to live in the Desart and Wilderness With the wilde beasts of the Islands i. e. With strange wilde beasts such as inhabit Islands and remote places neer the Sea See Cap. 13.22 The Satyre See Cap. 13.21 The Satyre shall cry to his fellow i. e. One Satyre shall cry there to another so that there shall be more Satyres there then one Shall cry The cry here meant is a cry of mirth and joy See Cap. 13.21 15. Gather under her shadow i. e. Gather her young ones under her wings He putteth her shadow for her wings per Metonymiam Effecti because birds cover their young ones with their wings as with a shadow The Vultures The Vulture is a ravenous bird which loveth desolate places 16. Seek ye out of the Book of the Lord and read q. d. When this desolation shall come to pass which I have spoken of in this Chapter then take ye into your hands the Book of this my Prophecy and read it and mark it well and observe from thence what solitary creatures I have said shall dwell in Idumea after this desolation He calls the Book of this his Prophecy the Book of the Lord either because he did write it at the commandment of the Lord or because he wrote nothing in it but what he heard of the Lord. Not one shall fail i. e. Not one of these solitary creatures shall fail of being there None shall want her mate q. d. Every one shall be there with her mate or fâ—llow and their being there every one with their mate or fellow sheweth that they shall not come thither to fly away again presently but shall make their abode there For my mouth it hath commanded it i. e. For I will command them every one to come and dwell there with her mate The Prophet speaks here in the person of God and yet speaks of God as of a man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and puts the mouth for the whole man by a Synecdoche he puts also a preterfect for a future tense It hath commanded it The Particle It is redundant here after the Hebrew manner Commanded it i. e. Commanded that every one shall come and dwell there And his Spirit i. e. And the Lord. The Prophet speaks here in his own person and he speaks of God as of a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and puts the spirit which is but part for the whole man Or by his Spirit he meaneth his power for any quality or ability of doing do the Hebrews call Spirit It This Pronoun It is redundant here by an Hebraism as it is once before in this Verse Hath gathered them i. e. Will gather these solitary creatures together in Idumea when it is layd desolate mate with mate And he hath cast the lot for them i. e. And he will give them every one an inheritance and a several place of abode in that Land viz. the Land of Idumea He puts here a preterperfect for a future tense and he alludes here to the division of the Land of Canaan to the Tribes of Israel by lot of which you may read Josh 18.8 c. where Joshua did cast lots when the Land was divided into several divisions which division should be given to which Tribe for his inheritance And his hand hath divided it unto them i. e. And he will divide it unto them He puts the hand for he a part for the whole man and by he he meaneth the Lord of whom he speaks as of a man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Prophet persists still in his allusion to the division of the Land of Canaan for an inheritance to the several Tribes of Israel where the Land was first divided into so many parts then the lot was cast which Tribe should inherit which part Joshua cap. 18. Note here that the division which we spoke of was before the casting of lots for the Land of Canaan was first divided into so many parts then did Joshua cast lots what Tribe should inherit what part The Prophet therefore useth here an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he doth also Cap. 1.6 and elsewhere By line He alludes here to the manner of measuring and dividing Lands which was wont to be done by a line See Josh 17.5 14. and 19.9 where the Hebrew hath it line and lines whereas it is rendered portions by our Translators See also Psal 78.55 where the Kingly Prophet speaking of the division of Canaan to the Tribes of Israel and the manner thereof saith He cast out the Heathen also before them and divided them an inheritance by line and made the Tribes of Israel to dwell in their Tents From generation to generation See vers 10. ISAIAH CHAP. XXXV THe wilderness and the solitary places shall be glad for them This cohereth with the former Chapter and seemeth to have been delivered at the same time And the sence of this place is this q.d. And when the indignation of the Lord shall have passed upon all Nations Cap. 34.2 and his Sword shall have come down upon Idumea Cap. 34.5 then shall the happiness of the Jews be such as that the very Earth or Land of Judah shall be glad and rejoyce for this their happiness The wilderness c. By the wilderness he meaneth Judea which the Assyrians made like a wilderness in the days of Hezekiah by depopulating and laying waste the Cities and Towns cutting down the trees and hedges treading down the Vines and Vineyards trampling under feet the grass and fruit of the field and killing and driving out the Husbandmen thereof so that there were none
left to till and manure the ground Object The Prophet did Cap. 32.15 compare the Assyrians to the wilderness and the Jews to the fruitful field How cometh he therefore to compare Judea here to a Wilderness and a Desart Ans The Prophet when he compared the Assyrians to the wilderness and the Jews to the fruitful field had respect not to the qualities but to the scituations of the wilderness and fruitful field For because a wilderness being a dry barren ground is scituated for the most part on hills and the higher parts of the Earth higher surely then the fruitful field and the fruitful field is scituate in the valleys where it may be fed and refreshed with waters therefore did he compare the Assyrians which were high and proud of heart and Lords and Conquerors whithersoever they came to the wilderness and the Jews which were at that time in a poor and low condition to the fruitful field But here he compares Judea to a wilderness not in regard of the scituation but in regard of the qualities of a wilderness for because a wilderness is untilled unmanured unhusbanded uninhabited barren and fruitless and the Assyrians did depopulate and lay waste Judea as I said before therefore doth he here compare Judea to a wilderness And the solitary place By this also he meaneth Judea which he might call a solitary place because Sennacherib had made it waste and desolate and solitary at this time and driven out and slain all the inhabitants thereof those onely excepted which were in Jerusalem For them i. e. For the Jews because of the happiness which shall befall them He puts a Relative here without an Antecedent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Desart shall rejoyce and blossom as a Rose By the Desart he means the Land of Judah as he did by the wilderness and solitary place and this is in a manner a repetition of the former sentence When he saith the Desart shall rejoyce he speaks of the Land of Judah as of a man by a Metaphor or Prosopopoeia And because in man a merry heart makes a chearful countenance Prov. 15.13 therefore the Prophet in allusion to that saith that the Desart shall rejoyce and blossom as a Rose as if its rejoycing should make it blossom and put on a new and more chearful face Where by the By he prophecyeth also of the great abundance of fruit and the great fertility which shall be in Judea after the destruction of the Assyrians of which he also prophecyed Cap. 30.23 And blossom i. e. And flourish He useth here a Synecdoche speciei For though all trees and things which blossom do also flourish yet all things which flourish do not blossom Or else he alludeth to the blossoming of a Rose 2. It shall blossom abundantly i. e. It shall flourish abundantly and be exceeding fruitful Even with joy By this understand more then ordinary joy The glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it the excellency of Carmel and Sharon i. e. For the glory of Lebanon shall be given to it Understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For here Lebanon was a famous Forest abounding with tall Cedars and other trees very pleasant to the eye See Cap. 33.9 Carmel was also a most fruitful hill of which see also Cap. 33.9 Sharon was a place of most rich pastures of which also Cap. 33.9 When therefore the Prophet saith The glory of Lebanon shall be given to the Wilderness or Desart that is to Judea and the excellency of Carmel and Sharon the meaning That every part of Judea shall flourish and bear fruit exceedingly the woods as Lebanon the hills as Carmel the Dales as Sharon c. They shall see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God i. e. The Jews the inhabitants of Judea shall see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God But how shall they see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of their God Ans They shall see it in the effects thereof that is in the great store and abundance of all manner of fruit which the Lord shall give to the Land of Judah 3. Strengthen ye the weak hands q. d. Comfort ye therefore those which are fearful and faint-hearted at the thought of what they shall suffer by the Assyrians with these tydings That the Lord will destroy the Assyrians and when he hath destroyed them he will make the Land to flourish and to bring forth all manner of fruit in abundance This is spoken to all Prophets and all good men by an Apostrophe and this inference is drawn as well from the former Chapter as from this Fear makes a man to tremble and his hands to shake as though there were no strength in them for it causeth the spirits to retire towards the heart and to leave the outward parts destitute Hence he takes the weak hands here per Metonymiam Effecti Synecdochen partis for the fearful man Because comfort takes away fear by which the spirits return from the heart to the outward parts again and strengthen them hence he saith Strengthen the weak hands for Comfort them that are fearful Comfort the feeble knees This is a repetition of the former sentence Fear causeth the knees as well to be feeble and smite one against another as to hands to be weak and tremble See Dan. 5.6 4. Behold For behold Your God will come with vengeance i. e. Your God will come and take vengeance upon the Assyrians and those that take part with them against you c. Even God with a recompence i. e. Even your God will come with a recompence to recompence your Enemies for the mischief they have done or shall do you Save you Supple Out of the hands of the Assyrians and all other which joyn with the Assyrians against you 5. Then the eyes of the blinde shall be opened q. d. And then when he hath taken vengeance of the Assyrians and hath saved you they which do not now believe what I have so often spoken concerning our deliverance from the Assyrians and the blessings of God towards us shall see that that is true which I have so often spoken See Cap. 29.18 c. And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped This is the same for sence with the former sentence q. d. Then they which are dull of hearing and will not hear the joyful news of our delivery from the Assyrians because they believed it not shall have their ears unstopped and their unbelief taken away for they shall see the truth of this which they will not now believe See Cap. 29.18 6. Then shall the lame man leap as an Hart i. e. Then shall he which sat as a lame man pensive and moping by reason of grief and sorrow which he conceived from the miseries which the Assyrians brought or would bring upon the Land of Judah leap for joy as an Hart leapeth which is one of the nimblest of all creatures And the tongue of
strength but our trust is in the Lord our God Is it not he whose high places and whose Altars Hezekiah hath taken away and said to Judah and to Jerusalem Ye shall worship before this Altar Supple Hezekiah therefore hath offended him and provoked him to anger by doing this How therefore can Hezekiah or ye look for strength from him Note that Rabshakehs Argument is here faulty and that he assumes that which is false For though Hezekiah took away many high places and Altars 2 King 18.4 yet those high places and Altars which he took away were not consecrated to the God of Israel but to Idols yea to Devils Before this Altar Supple Onely He meaneth the Altar of burnt offerings which was in the Temple at Jerusalem 8. Now therefore give pledges q. d. But perhaps you will say that we trust not in Egypt nor in the Lord God for strength but we trust in our own strength now therefore if you do so Give pledges c. As he endevored to prove in the two former Verses that Hezekiahs trust in Egypt and in God was vain and so that he could not trust in foreign ayd So he endevors to prove here that he had no strength of his own at home in which he might trust Give pledges I pray thee to my Master the King of Assyria and I will give thee two thousand horses if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them q. d. So certain I am of the small number of Soldiers which thou hast as that I will give thee two thousand horses if thou art able on thy part to set riders thereon if thou wilt but give pledges to my Master the King of Assyria that thou wilt restore them presently to him again if thou hast not so many riders to sit upon them A question will be here How it came to pass that there were so few Soldiers in Jerusalem Ans Though there were many Soldiers in Jerusalem yet there might be but few fit to ride horses for want of experience for horses were rare in Judea especially among the common people But secondly Consider who it is which saith that there were not two thousand in Jerusalem able to ride horses it is Rabshakeh who was an Enemy and a Braggadocio and therefore not to be believed in what he saith were there more or less 9. How then wilt thou turn away the face of one Captain c. q. d. If thou hast not riders sufficient to set upon two thousand horses how canst thou be able to put to flight one of the least of those Captains which serve my Master in his Wars that I may not say my Masters whole Army Supple with thine own Forces or strength How wilt thou turn away the face i. e. How wilt thou put to flight For to turn a mans face away signifieth to put a man to flight and make him to turn his back One Captain of the least of my Mastâ—rs servants i. e. One Captain which is counted among the least of those Captains which are servants to my Master The Captains which he here speaks of were the Governors and Princes of those Provinces which were under Sennacheribs Dominion which were many These Princes and Governors raised many Soldiers out of their several Provinces to serve Sennacherib in these his Wars and had the command of them themselves under Sennacherib which they raised And these Princes had more or less Soldiers under them as the Provinces which they governed were greater or lesser Of my Masters servants These Captains he calls his Masters servants either because they served him now in his Wars or else because Sennacherib ruled as well over them as all other his Subjects with an Arbitrary Government and so they were in that regard but as servants to go when he bad them go and to come when he bad them come And put thy trust on Egypt for Charets and for Horsemen q. d. And being that Egypt is as a staff of a broken reed how then wilt thou put thy trust on Egypt for Charets and for Horsemen Here is a Brachylogy or compendiousness of speech used by reason of which we are left to repeat those words here which are used in the beginning of the Verse How then wilt thou c. Note that these words are an inference drawn from what he said concerning the Egyptians in the sixth Verse as the words immediately going before were an inference drawn from what he said concerning the smallness of Hezekiahs Forces in the eighth Verse For here Rabshakeh makes an application of what he said and infers from thence that which was for his purpose against that which Hezekiah might rely upon 10. And am I now come up without the Lord c. Rabshakeh should here have applyed what he said in the seventh Verse and have drawn this or the like inference from thence And how then canst thou say We trust in the Lord our God for strength But he adds here another reason first why they had no reason to trust in the Lord before he makes his application and inference after which he would have made his application and inference as before had he not been interrupted by Eliakim and Shebna and Joah and had he not been transported with anger upon his interruption and so forgot it The sence of these words is q. d. And am I now come up with my Army against this Land without the Command of the Lord your God He puts the Lord for the command of the Lord by a Metonymy Rabshakeh lyeth egregiously here when he saith He came not up without the command of the Lord against the Land of Judah to destroy it for the event did shew that the Lord would not destroy Jerusalem by Sennacherib but rather destroy Sennacherib One might wonder to see Rabshakeh attribute so much to the Lord here whom he did so much vilifie and contemn v. 20. But consider what Rabshakeh was an Infidel a Vaunter a Braggadocio and then it is no wonder to see him so inconstant in his words The Lord said unto me Go up against this Land and destroy it The Devils were wont to vent their Oracles in their Idols not onely to the Inhabitants of the Land where they worshipped but also to strangers And Rabshakeh might conceive the like of the Lord the God of Israel and therefore say as he doth here The Lord said unto me Go up against this Land to destroy it Note here that Rabshakeh should have made here the like application of what he said concerning the Lord in this and in the seventh Verse as he did of what he said concerning Egypt in the sixth Verse and concerning the strength of the men of Jerusalem in the eighth Verse And as he brought Arguments to prove that Hezekiah had no reason to say that he had strength for War So should he have brought Arguments to prove that he had no reason to say he had counsel for War For this was propounded
to be spoken of vers 5. but Eliakim and Shebna and Joah did here interrupt him and their interrupting him put him into a passion which made him forget what he had in hand 11. Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh Speak I pray thee unto thy servants in the Syrian language for we understand it and speak not to us in the Jews language in the ears of the people that are on the wall Eliakim and Shebna and Joah would not have Rabshakeh to speak so as that the people might understand what they said doing therein as wise Embassadors For it is the duty of Embassadors as much as in them lieth to see to it that what they have in Command or what they have in Treaty be not divulged to the people before it be made known to the King and he be pleased to divulge it For many things are better kept close from the people then imparted to them Speak unto thy servants in the Syrian language They mention the Syrian language rather then any other because it was Rabshakehs native language In the ears of the people which are on the wall These people were set on the wall to defend it who being vulgar Jews understood whatsoever was spoken in the Jews language but not what was spoken in any other tongue 12. To thy Master and to thee Supple Onely Rabshakeh directs his speech to one of those three Eliakim Shebna or Joah which spoke to him entreating him to speak in the Syriac language For they three did not all speak together for that would be confusion but one was the mouth of the rest yet all are said to speak in the former Verse because what one spoke was the sence of all Hath he not sent me to the men which sit upon the wall Supple Also See 2 Chron. 32.9 That they may eat their own dung and drink their own piss with you That is That they may know that they shall be forced to eat their own dung and drink their own piss with you Supple If they harken not to the great King the King of Assyria He saith That they may eat their own dung and drink their own piss for That they may know that they shall eat their own dung and drink their own piss per Metonymiam Subjecti By eating their own dung and drinking their own piss he signifieth by an Hyperbole such a famine caused by the siege which Sennacherib would continue about Jerusalem as that they should be glad to eat and drink the vilest and most stinking things that can be thought of 13. Then Rabshakeh stood and cryed So far was Rabshakeh from harkening to the just desires of Hezekiahs Embassadors as that he spake the louder in the Jews language and shewed more indignation and insolency then before 14. Hear ye c. He speaks to those which sat upon the wall Thus saith the King i. e. Thus saith Sennacherib the King of Assyria by me to you Let not Hezekiah deceive you Supple By telling you that ye shall be delivered from the Assyrians 16. Harken not to Hezekiah q. d. Harken not I say to Hezekiah but harken rather to the King of Assyria Make an agreement with me by a Present q. d. Make an agreement with me to surrender up your City and your selves into my hands and to become my Subjects and confirm this your agreement and surrender of your selves with a Present Or thus Come and bring me a Present in token that you have agreed to surrender your City into my hands and to acknowledge me for your King To bring or carry Presents was a thing most usual among the Eastern people and among other ends which they had in so doing one was this To acknowledge that they were willingly subject and did take him for their King to whom they did carry or bring their Presents and this among many other places may be proved by these two or three following as Psal 72.8 9 10 11. where we read He shall have dominion also from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the Earth They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him and his Enemies shall lick the dust the Kings of Tarshish and of the Islands shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts Where we have these phrases signifying all one and the same thing He shall have dominion They shall bow down before him and lick the dust They shall bring presents and offer gifts to him And 2 Chron. 17.5 where we read that the Lord established the Kingdom in the hands of Jehoshaphat and all Judah brought Presents to him where by their bringing Presents to him they did acknowledge that they took Jehoshaphat for their King So 1 Sam. 10.27 We read thus But the children of Belial said How shall this man save us And they despised him and brought him no Presents Whence we may easily gather that they which accepted of Saul for their King brought him Presents and by that did manifest themselves that they did own him for their King but the children of Belial would not carry him any Presents and so did shew thereby that they did despise him and would not that he should reign over them When therefore it is said here in the person of Sennacherib Make an Agreement with me by a Present there is an allusion to that end which thâ—y had in bringing or carrying Presents who therefore did carry them or bring them that they might acknowledge him for their King and themselves his subjects to whom they did carry them or bring them And come out to me Supple And bring me your Present and do homage and fealty to me as to your King and give me possession of your City These seem to be reasons why he would have them to come out unto him That they which surrendred up their City were wont to come out of it and for these ends see 2 King 24.12 and Jer. 38.17 18. This speech of Rabshakeh to the people was popular and apt to stir them up to sedition for it did put the power in them to consult and agree of publique affairs without the Kings leave if not against his will And eat ye every one of his vine q. d. And then will I break up my siege and you may eat every one of his vine c. Eat ye c. This is vox concedentis non imperantis the voyce not of command but of giving leave and permitting q.d. Then shall ye eat freely c. The waters of his own cistern In Judea there were many pits and cisterns made to keep rain-water in which they made use of for necessary uses being Judea was a great part of it a mountainous and so a dry place 17. Vntil I come and take you away It was the manner of the Kings of Assyria and other Eastern Kings when they did subdue any people to carry them away from their Native Country into some other Land for fear
laughed thee to scorn i. e. Shall despise thee and laugh thee to scorn A Preterperfect for a Future Tense The Jews might well despise Sennacherib when all his Army was slain and his forces and strength destroyed and laugh at him when he fled for fear to his strong Holds See cap. 31.8 9. and cap. 33.18 The Daughter of Jerusalem i. e. Jerusalem See cap. 1.8 Hath shaken her head at thee i. e. Shall deride thee and mock thee He alludes to the gesture of those which mock and deride who shake their head at those whom they deride and mock as Mat. 27.39 And he puts a Preterperfect Tense for a Future 23. Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed c. He giveth a reason here in this and the six verses following why the condition of Sennacherib should be made both despicable and ridiculous and the reason is this to wit because Sennacherib had reproached and blasphemed the Lord and arrogantly assumed that to himselfe which was the Lords doing and had boasted that he would take Jerusalem by force which the Lord had said that he would preserve for which reasons the Lord would pull him down and make him an object of contempt and laughter This speech is directed to Sennacherib by an Apostrophe And lifted up thine eyes on high i. e. And carried thy selfe proudly He alludes to the gesture of proud men who lift up their eyes and their head and scornfully look upon those whom they despise Even against the Holy One of Israel i. e. Even against the Lord the only God whom the Children of Israel worship as the holy and onely God 24. By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord c. i. e. By Rabshakeh and his companions whom thou sentest to Hezekiah hast thou reproached the Lord. And hast said What followeth in this and the next verse is spoken in the person of Sennacherib by a Mimesis By the multitude of my Charets am I come up to the height of the mountains c. Sennacherib speaks here as he did cap. 10.13 attributing that which he had done wholly to himselfe and not acknowledging the hand of God therein though what he did he did by the hand of God as Gods instrument which was a reproach to God and a blaspheming of his name By the multitude of my Charets am I come up to the height of the mountains q. d. I am come up to the height of the Mountaines by mine own power and strength which is great and which none is able to resist To the height of the mountains Judea was very mountainous and hilly and most of the Cities thereof were seated upon hills and mountains By the height of the mountaines therefore we may understand either the most inaccessable places of Judea or 〈◊〉 may understand the Cities thereof and in particular Jerusalem which was the chiefest City of that Land and the greatest seated as is probable To the sides of Lebanon q. d. Yea to the Walls of Jerusalem Lebanon was a famous Forrest in the North of the Land of Canaan which was set not onely with ordinary Trees but was famous also for tall Cedars and choice Firre-trees And from this Forrest is Jerusalem here called Lebanon by a Metaphor Because Jerusalem was inhabited by much people as Lebanon was beset with many ordinary Trees and because the King and the Nobles and the Princes of the Land most of them dwelt there as many tall Cedars and Firre-trees grew on Lebanon Therefore doth he liken Jerusalem to Lebanon For it is usuall to compare a City to a Forrest and the multitude of the people to the multitude of the ordinary trees and the King and Nobles to the tallest trees thereof Aad I will cut down the tall Cedars thereof and the choice Firre-trees thereof i. e. Of Lebanon q. d. And I will destroy the Nobles and Princes of Jerusalem I will enter into the height of his border i. e. I will enter into the very highest part of Lebanon i. e. of Jerusalem Note that these words The height of his border are as if he should say The very height of his highest part For The Border signifieth the utmost part of a thing On the highest places of Jerusalem stood the Temples of the Lord and the Pallace and stately buildings of the Kings of Judah which Solomon built for they were built upon Mount Sion Into the Temple therefore and into the Pallace of the King of Judah doth Sennacharib threaten to enter or boast that he will enter when he saith I will entter into the height of his Border And into the Forrest of his Carmel He saith And into the Forrest of his Carmel For And into the Carmel of his Forrest By an Hypallage or Hyperbaton And the sense of this place is q. d. I will enter into the height of his Border yea into the Carmel of his that is of Lebanon's Forrest That is into the Carmel of Lebanon which is a Forrest Note here that And is put for Yea and is a note of asseveration or confirmation of what he said just before Carmel was a most excellent and pleasant Hill of which see cap. 33. v. 9. and cap. 35. v. 2. And it is here taken figuratively for Mount Sion which was scituate within Jerusalem and on which the most pleasant objects of Jerusalem were seated as the Temple the Kings Pallace and nigh unto that those goodly Gardens and Orchards which the Preacher speaks of Eccles 2. ver 4 5. I say Carmel is taken here figuratively for this Mount Sion as Lebanon is taken for Jerusalem it self a little before Of his border of his Carmel The Antecedent to this Relative His is Lebanon and His is as much as It s and the Carmel of his or its Forrest is no more then His or Its Carmel For the Forrest of Lebanon is but a periphrafis of Lebanon which was a Forrest 25. I have digged and drunk water q. d. For so great an Army have I as that when I have come into dry places where there hath bin no more water to be had I have digged Wells by the multitude of my Soldiers and have come at water enough to suffice me and my whole Army for drink and other necessaries Sennacherib may seem here obliquely to slight that policy of Hezekiah in cutting off the waters about Jerusalem hereby to distresse him when he came to besiege it 2 Chron. 32. v. 3 4. And with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the Rivers of besieged places Understand this place so that Sennacherib boasteth here that whensoever he came to besiege any place he came with so great a number of Soldiers as that they did presently drink all the Rivers of the place dry as if he should say So soon as ever I come to besiege any place and set my foot neer to the rivers thereof I have with the multitude of my men drunk them up dry immediately A Thrasonicall expression With the sole of my feet
Out of heaven or from the presence of the Lord who commanded him to slay the Assyrians And when they arose And in the morning when those Assyrians which escaped the sword of the Angel arose Or when the men of Jerusalem arose A Relative put without an Antecedent Behold they were all dead Corpses i. e. Behold those hundred fourscore and five thousand which the Angel had smitten were all dead Corpses q. d. Behold these Assyrians which escaped the sword of the Angel or the men of Jerusalem when they arose early in the morning saw those hundred fourscore and five thousand which the Angel had smitten all dead Corpses lying dead upon the ground 37. And Sennacherib King of Assyria Supple When he heard of this slaughter Departed Out of the Land of Judah with much fear And went and returned i. e. And returned Those words And went are redundant See the like cap. 2.3 At Nineveh Nineveh was the chief City of Assyria 38. Adramelech and Sharezer his sonnes smote him with the sword It is a tradition among the Jewes that Adramelech and Sharezer killed their Father because he had vowed to offer them as a Sacrifice to his God Nisroch if he would appease the mindes of those which were angry with him For many who had lost their Sonnes and Brothers and Kinsmen in that slaughter which the Angel made of the Assyrians were discontented with Sennacherib for it as being the cause thereof They escaped into the Land of Armenia This their escape was for feare lest they should be punished for their Parricide ISAIAH CHAP. XXXVIII IN those days was Hezekiah sicke c. Hezekiah fell sick of this disease of his about the 14th or beginning of the 15th year of his reign for after this he reigned fifteen yeares v. 5. And in all he reigned twenty nine yeares 2 Kings 18.2 Take fifteen therefore out of twenty and nine and there remaines fourteen In the latter end therefore of the fourteenth or beginning of the fifteenth year did this sicknesse happen It happened therefore while Sennacherib was warring in Judea which also appeareth from the sixth verse of this Chapter Sick unto death Hezekiah was said to be sick unto death at this time because his Disease was in its own nature deadly and brought him as we say to the point of Death Set thine house in order i. e. Set the affairs of thine house in order as thou wouldst have them disposed of after thy death q. d. Make thou thy Will and dispose of thy goods as thou pleasest For thou shalt die and not live A Question will presently arise upon these words why Hezekiah dyed not when as the Lord said to him by his Prophet Thou shalt dye and not live The Answer is because this sentence of the Lord was not absolute but conditionall and so Hezekiah took it as is evident by his praying to God for mercy herein upon which prayer the Lord restored him to his health It is frequent with God to promise and threaten in termes which seem absolute but include a Condition or have an exception tacitly involved which condition or exception the Lord concealeth that they whom the Promise or Threat concerneth may be the more earnest with the Lord to hasten his Promise or remove his Threats 2. Then Hezekiah turned his face towards the Wall and prayed c. Hezekiah turned his face towards the Wall as he lay in his bed that he might pray to God with the more intention of minde while he turned his face from those which stood by and removed his eyes from distracting Objects And prayed unto the Lord. to wit to spare his life 3. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee c. To walk before God is so to live as if we had God alwayes before our eyes And they that so live strive to please him as a servant is alwayes diligent and carefull to please his Master when he is in his Masters sight In truth And not in shew and appearance onely With a perfect heart With an heart free from hypocrisie Have done that which is good in thy sight Have done that which pleaseth thee After these words understand these words to wit Remember this O Lord I beseech thee and because I have done this be gracious unto me and spare thou my life and cut not off my dayes at this time Note here first that holy men did sometimes make mention of their good deeds before the Lord in their prayers to him as did Nehemiah Nehem. 13.14 and Jeremiah Jerem. 15.15 and Hezekiah here Note secondly that when they did make mention of their good deeds before the Lord they did it for the most part when they were in troubles and tribulation Note thirdly that though they did make mention of their good deeds they did not mention them as meritorious causes of what they prayed for And this is plain by Nehemiah who when he had in the fifth and sixth Chapter of his Book and in the thirteenth Chapter and fourteenth verse and else-where entreated the Lord that he would remember him according to his good deeds in the thirteenth Chapter and the two and twentieth verse he saith Remember me O my God concerning this also and spare me according to the greatnesse of thy mercy Note fourthly that the reason why they mention their good deeds at such time is first That they might the more incline the Lord to mercy For the Lord is more readie to shew mercy to those which endeavour to live according to his Laws then to those which neglect them Secondly that they might sustain themselves against the Pusillanimity and faint-heartednesse which might assaile them being prone by nature thereto for the testimony of a good Conscience produceth boldnesse towards God 1 Pet. 3.21 But besides these Hezekiah might have a speciall reason to move him to mention his good deeds and that is this because the Lord made a promise to David saying If thy Children take heed to their way to walke before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soule there shall not faile thee a man on the Throne of Israel 1 Kings 2.4 And at this time Hezekiah had not a Childe to succeed him in the Throne And Hezekiah wept sore viz. Because God had said unto him Thou shalt dye and not live v. 1. It may be asked here why Hezekiah should weep sore to hear that he should dye Answ A generall reason may be this Because in the time of the Law in which Hezekiah lived the hope of eternall life was not so great as it is under the Gospel because the glory to come was not so fully revealed then as it is now Ephes 3.5 therefore was death more feared then now it is But besides this Hezekiah might have many particular reasons for which he wept at the hearing of his death As first because if he should dye then he should leave Judah and Jerusalem under the pressure
and danger of Sennacherib and must not see the delivery of it Secondly because he had no Sonne as yet to succeed him in his Throne And it might be a cause of sorrow to him to think that the Promise made to David and Solomon 1 Kings 8.25 should not appertain to him and his posterity yea it is inbred by Nature even in good men to grieve to think that they should dye Childlesse and that their Inheritance should come to strangers See an example of this in Abraham Gen. 15.2 Adde to this that Hezekiah knew that the Messiah was to arise out of the seed of David therefore if he should live to have issue he might hope that the Messias might arise out of that from which hope he should be cut off by dying at this time Thirdly he might imagine that they which had ascribed the calamities of his times to him because he brake downe the Altars and the Images c. might be more bold to ascribe it to him if he should now dye and others would be more prone to believe them as if his sinne in this had hastened his death Fiftly He might think that God did intend to cut him off in displeasure which could not be but grievous to him to think of because the Prophet came as Gods Herald to threaten him with death And for this reason perhaps among the rest he doth here mention how he had walked before God in truth c. 5. Thus saith the Lord the God of David thy Father David is said to be the Father of Hezekiah because Hezekiah descended from David though after many Generations Matth. 1. v. 6 9. And the Lord in sending to Hezekiah the promise of Recovery stiles himselfe the God of David his Father that Hezekiah might know that he was mindful of the promise which he the Lord made to David 1 Kings 2.4 which Hezekiah did tacitely minde him of in his prayers v. 3. I have seen thy tears i. e. I have taken speciall notice of thy tears and am moved to compassion by them I will adde unto thy dayes fifteen yeares i. e. I will adde to the dayes which thou hast already lived fifteen yeares 6. And I will deliver thee and this City out of the hands of the King of Assyria It appeares from hence that this sicknesse befell Hezekiah while Jerusalem was besieged by Sennacherib's Army And if yee would know a reason why then it was not recorded amongst those things which were done in that time cap. 37. the reason is plaine viz. Because that so briefe an History should not be interrupted with passages which concerned it not Note here that either Hezekiah prayed for the deliverance of Jerusalem from the pressure of Sennacherib's Army as well as for the continuance of his own life Or that such is the goodness of our gracious God as that he gives more to his then they ask for 8. Behold I will bring c. q.d. Behold I the Lord will bring c. I will bring again the shadow of the degrees which is gone downe in the Sunne-Diall of Ahaz ten Degrees backward By the Sun-Diall of Ahaz is meant the Sun-Dial which Ahaz the Father of Hezekiah made or caused to be made in one of the Courts of the Royal Pallace By the Degrees which were in the Diall are meant the lines which were cut or painted in that Diall wherewith the halfe houres were marked So that while the shadow passed from one of these Lines or Degrees to the Line or Degree next to it was half an hour And while it passed on from that Line or Degree to the next was another half hour c. By the Shadow of the degrees is meant the shadow which the Gnomon or hand of the Sunne-Diall casteth when the Sun shineth upon the Diall which shadow as the Sun goeth forward from East to West ordinarily goeth from one degree to another that is from one Line in the Diall to another and so sheweth how the day passeth and is therefore called The shadow of Degrees The going backward of this shadow ten Degrees was when the shadow went backward ten of these Lines which was caused by the miraculous going back of the Sun from the West towards the East For I conceive that the Sun it selfe went back at this time And so much I gather from 2 Chron. 32.31 And Ecclus. 48.23 So the Sunne returned ten Degrees By the Sunne is meant the shadow of Degrees which is caused by the Sun Per Metonymiam efficientis By which Degrees it was gone downe The Shadow is said to goe downe by Degrees when it passeth from Lines which signifie more early so Lines signifying later times in the day which is caused by the going of the Sun from the East towards the West 10. In the cutting off of my dayes i. e. When the Lord was about to cut off my dayes and to take away my life When he saith In the cutting off of my dayes he alludes to the manner of Weavers who when they have made an end of their Webbe cut it off from the Thrum I shall go to the gates of the grave i. e. I shall dye Metonymia Effecti For they which dye are carried to the grave there to be buried Note that the Sepulchres of the dead especially among the Jews had their doores and their gates which were made fast for their Sepulchers were hollow places either cut out of rocks or arched with brick or stone or the like as appeareth by the Sepulcher of Christ which was cut out of a rock Mat. 27.60 and into which John and Peter entred John 20. v. 6 8. and into which those three women which brought their spices went in Luke 24.3 as appeareth also by the Tombes out of which the two possessed with Devils came Mat. 8.28 and in which they dwelt Mar. 5.3 Hence cometh the phrase of the gates of the grave and the gates of death c. I am deprived of the residue of my years The age of man is threescore years and ten saith the Psalmist Psal 90.10 to this doth Hezekiah seem here to allude and as many years of threescore and ten as he had not lived he calls the residue of his years Or by the residue of years he meaneth that time which he might have lived after this by the course of nature had it not bin for this violent sicknesse 11. I shall not see the Lord i. e. I shall not visit the Temple of the Lord. He puts the Lord for the Temple of the Lord by a Metonymy In the Land of the Living i. e. On the earth which is the land and place of the Living I shall behold man no more i. e. I shall never see any man again With the Inhabitants of the world As they doe which live and dwell in the world 12. Mine age is departed i. e. That part of the threescore years and ten which I have not yet lived is departed from me See notes vers 10. for he
wait upon the Lord c. And the young men shall utterly fall i. e. And the young men may so fall through faintness and weariness that they shall never rise up again 31. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength i. e. But they that wait upon the Lord and rely upon him and stay his good time and leasure though they are weary yet shall they gather new strength He tacitely adviseth the Jews here to wait upon the Lord notwithstanding the length of their captivity They shall mount up with wings i. e. They shall be so lusty as that they shall mount up as it were with wings As Eagles Which are the strongest and highest-flying of all birds ISAIAH CHAP. XLI KEep silence before me O Islands The Prophet alludeth here to the manner of a Court in which Causes are pleaded For he brings in God pleading with those which worship Idols concerning his Divinity and the Divinity of Idols that it may be known which of them is the true God He the Lord or Idols Keep silence before me i. e. Hold ye your peace while I plead for my self that ye may hear what I can say for my self and what Arguments I can bring to prove my Divinity These words are spoken in the person of God as appears by the fourth Verse though God speaks as a man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Islands i. e. O ye Inhabitants of the Islands A Metonymy The Hebrews call not onely those Lands which are environed with the Seas Islands but those Lands also which lie by Seas and Rivers Yea here Islands may be taken for any Land or Country whatsoever See Notes Cap. 20. v. 16. And let the people renew their strength q. d. And when I have said what I can for my self in my Cause then let the people which make and worship Idols strengthen themselves afresh with the best arguments they have either to refute my speech or defend their own cause which they have undertaken in defence of their Idols By that that he saith Let them renew their strength he intimateth a former contention in which the Idolaters were too weak in Arguments to defend their Cause Let them come neer Supple That they may hear me Then let them speak q. d. Then when they have heard what I shall say let them speak what they have to say Let us come neer together to judgment i. e. Let the people and me come neer together that after the pleading and discussing or arguing the case our case may be judged and sentence given thereon 2. Who raised up the righteous man from the East i. e. Who rouz'd up Abraham and made him go out of Vr of the Caldees By the righteous man here is meant Abraham whose righteousness Moses speaks of Gen. 15.6 18.19 23.16 By the East is meant Vr of the Caldees which was in the East in respect of Judea See the story Gen. 11.31 cap. 12.1 Here the Lord begins to plead for himself and his Divinity against Idols and Idolaters Called him to his foot i. e. Called him to follow him as it were at his heels or called him to travel and make use of his feet See Genes 12.1 Josh 24.3 Hebr. 11.8 how God called Abraham to follow him Gave the Nations before him i. e. Subdued the Nations before him And made him rule over Kings i. e. And gave him victory over Kings Because that Conquerors do for the most part rule over those whom they conquer and lord it over them therefore to rule over Kings is put here for to conquer Kings And yet the posterity at least of Abraham did not onely conquer Kings but also rule over them And that which is here spoken may be understood not onely of Abraham in his own person but of Abraham in his posterity For being that Abrahams children were in his loyns when God called him God may be said to call them also as they are also said for the same reason to pay Tythes to Melchisedec Hebr. 7.9 10. See more Vers 9. The Kings over which God gave Abraham the victory in his person were Chedorlaomer King of Elam Tidal King of Nations Amraphel King of Shinar and Arioch King of Ellasar whom Abraham subdued Gen. 14.15 And the Nations here meant were those Nations which served under those Kings in that expedition which they undertook against the King of Sodom and others and whom Abraham overthrew with their Kings Gen. 14.2 But note that the victory which is here said to be given to Abraham over Kings and Nations may not be understood onely of that victory which God gave to Abraham in person but of those victories also which God gave to Abrahams children as to Moses Joshua and other Israelites and that which God gave to them he was said to give to Abraham as he is said to have given the Land of Canaan to Abraham Gen. 13.15 which yet he gave not to Abraham but to Abrahams seed But therefore he was said to have given it to Abraham because he gave it to Abrahams seed then being in the loyns of Abraham Now to Abraham that is to Abrahams children God gave many victories as victory over the Egyptians and over the Amalekites and Moabites and Ammonites and the Canaanites and th◠Philistins and other Kings and Nations which they conquered and ruled over He gave them as the dust to his Sword and as driven stubble to his Bow q. d. Who made those Nations and Kings to scatter themselves and fly before the Sword and before the Bow of the Righteous man as the dust and the stubble which are scattered and fly before the wind A prepositive Pronoun is put here for an Interrogative He for Who. He mentioneth the Sword and the Bow because they were the warlike weapons then in use Gen. 48.22 Psal 44.3 6. 3. He pursued them i. e. The Righteous man even Abraham pursued them And passed safely even by the way that he had not gone with his feet i. e. And he passed safely as he pursued them even by a way which he never passed in his life before because God was his guide 4. Who hath done it q. d. Who hath raised the Righteous man from the East c. and gave him such victories as these are Calling the generations from the begining q. d. And who hath not onely done this that is raised the righteous man from the East and given him these victories but also hath called the generations from the beginning For he that did the one did the other also Calling the generations from the begining i. e. Ruling and having ruled and bore sway over all people from the begining of the World hitherto By generations he means men which are generated or begotten of men by a Metonymy Or by the generations he meaneth the men of all generations that is of all ages By calling he meaneth ruling or bearing sway over For they which bear good sway and have good command
e. Abominable is he He puts an Abstract for a Concrete by a Metonymy That chooseth you Supple To be his gods 25. I have raised one up from the North and he shall come The Lord speaks this after an insulting manner as before to shew that He can do what the Idols of the Heathen cannot I have raised up i. e. I will raise up He puts a preterperfect tense here for a future to shew that what he saith shall come to pass as surely as if it were already done One from the North He meaneth Cyrus whom the Lord raised up that he might wage war against the Babylonians and overcome them and so free the Jews from the captivity in which they were in under them c. And he shall come Supple At my call From the rising of the Sun shall he call upon my Name i. e. He shall call upon me from the East Supple To know what my will and pleasure is for him to do The Name of God is put here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for God himself as Cap. 30.27 And the Prophet alludeth here to the manner of good servants who when they would have something to do call upon their Master to know what work he hath for them to do Note here that we must not think by reason of this that Cyrus did enquire of God while he was in the East what work it would please the Lord to employ him in for Cyrus knew not God cap. 45.5 But this is onely that which is meant by this place That Cyrus should do the will and pleasure of God as truly and as fully as if he had asked the Lord what his will and pleasure was For this speech is onely an allusion to what good servants do And he shall come upon Princes c. i. e. And he shall come from thence that is from the East by my direction and tread upon Princes A question will be here asked How God raised Cyrus out of the North and how he is said to come from the East or Sun-rising For are the North and the East all one Ans Cyrus was a Mede by his Mothers side for his Mother was Mandane Daughter of Astyages King of the Medes And he was a Persian by his Fathers side for he was the son of Cambyses King of the Persians and he succeeded his Grandfather in the Kingdom of the Medes and his Father in the Kingdom of the Persians and both out of Media and Persia did he raise Soldiers when he warred against Babylon As therefore he was a Mede and King of Media and raised men out of Media when he came against Babylon he may be said to come out of the North for Media lay North both of Judea and Babylon And as he was a Persian and King of Persia and levyed men out of Persia when he came against Babylon he may be said to have come out of the East as from the Sun-rising for Persia lies East both of Babylon and Judea And he shall come upon Princes as upon mortar i. e. And he shall come and tread upon Princes as men tread and stamp upon mortar By these Princes he meaneth more especially the King of Babylon and the Kings and Princes which were subject unto him and served him And as the Potter treadeth clay Supple So shall he tread upon them The Prophet seemeth to allude to the manner of ancient Conquerors who were wont to tread upon the necks of them whom they conquered See Joshua cap. 10. v. 24 25. Observe here that God doth clearer and clearer explain the manner how he would restore the Jews out of the Babylonish captivity 26. Who hath declared from the begining q. d. Who or which of all the Idols or of all the gods of the Heathen hath dâ—clared this heretofore or before it cometh to pass From the beginning From the beginning being put absolutely signifieth From the Begining of the World in the Grammatical sence but by a Rhetorical Hyperbole it signifieth any antecedent or foregoing time and signifieth here Heretofore That we may know Supple That he is righteous as it followeth in the next sentence And before times i. e. And heretofore or before the time that it cometh to pass q. d. And who hath told of this before it cometh to pass That we may say that he is righteous i. e. That we may confess that he is righteous and pronounce in judgment that he hath justly assumed to himself the Name of God The word righteous in this place is a Law-term and signifieth such a one as hath the best in a Controversie or Suit of Law Yea there is none that sheweth i. e. Verily there is none among you all O ye Idols of the Heathen which sheweth the thing that I say shall come to pass Yea there is none that declareth This is a repetition of the former sentence Yea there is none that heareth your words i. e. Yea ye are all mute so that no man can hear you speak a word concerning the Deliverance of the Jews which yet I have foretold yea no man can hear you speak any one word at all 27. The first shall say to Sion c. q. d. The Lord shall say to Sion by his messenger The Lord speaks here of himself in the third person and calls himself the First as he doth also vers 4. the Notes whereof read Yet by the first may be meant the first messenger that cometh from Babylon to Judea q. d. The first messenger that cometh from Babylon to Judea shall say to Sion c. So that by this is shewed that the Jews should speedily be delivered out of their captivity He still insulteth over the Heathen Idols Sion Sion was part of Jerusalem and is here put for the whole City And here he speaks to it as to a woman yea a mother by a Prosopopeia Behold behold them i. e. Behold behold the Jews thy children which are scattered all abroad in the Land of their captivity gather themselves together and come to thee See Cap. 49. vers 18. He puts a Relative here without an Antecedent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tydings For I the Lord will send to Jerusalem a messenger that shall bring good tydings to wit that her children the Jews are delivered out of the captivity in which the Babylonians held them and that they are upon their return to their own own Land again And is put here for For. 28. For I beheld and there was no man Between this and the former Verse we must understand these or the like words as spoken by God giving sentence in the Caâ—se between himself and the Idols of the Heathen viz. I therefore am God alone for as for the Idols of the Nations they are no gods q. d. I therefore am God alone for as for the Idols of the Nations they are no gods For I beheld and there was no man even among them and there was
by his name whereas they call an ordinary servant not by his name but with an hisse or a whistle or the like Thou art mine i. e. Thou art my servant yea my peculiar servant and therefore I will have a care of thee These words contain the meaning of those that went immediately before 2. When thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee c. This and the other sentences which follow in this verse are proverbiall kinds of speeches and signifie all one and the same thing namely that the Lord will keep him safe in all dangers 3. Thy God And therfore will protect thee and provide for thee I gave Egypt for thy ransome Ethiopia and Seba for thee i. e. When Senacherib King of Assyria warred against thee and left Ashardhaddon his sonne to govern Assyria in his absence and to supply him with men and all things necessary for the absolute conquest of Judaea And Asharhaddon thought now to doe his utmost for subduing thee and destroying thy Land I diverted him and imployed his forces against Tirakah King of Ethiopia and the Egyptians and Sabaeans which accompanied him in his expedition against Assyria all whom I made a prey to the Assyrians sword and so I preserved thee Concerning Tirakah King of Egypt his expedition against Assyria See Cap. 37.9 and Cap. 18. where the event of his Expedition is foretold which was that hee should be overcome by the Assyrians Egypt By Egypt understand the Egyptians by a Metonymy And by the Egyptians those Egyptians which warred under Tirakah King of Ethiopia when he went in expedition against Assyria by a Synechdoche For thy ransome i. e. That I might deliver thee from the danger of the Assyrians and preserve thee A ransome properly taken is the price which is given for the redemption of a Captive by the mutuall consent of the redeemer and him of whom the Captive is redeemed when therefore he saith He gave Egypt for thy ransome c. He speaketh Metaphorically Ethiopia Ethiopia is a large Region lying beyond Egypt Southward Here it is taken by a Metonymy for the Ethiopians those Ethiopians which served under Tirakah their King against Assyria Seba. Seba was the Son of Cush Gen. 10.7 which was the father of the Sabaeans which inhabited Arabia the Happy And it is taken here for the Sabaeans the children of Seba or Laba even these Sabaeans that served under Tirakah King of Ethiopia in the expedition aforesaid For Thee i. e. For thy ransome or that I might deliver thee from the fury of the Assyrians Since thou wast precious in my sight i. e. Since the time that I made thee a peculiar Treasure to my selfe Exod. 19.5 That is since the time that I brought thee out of Egypt and cast a favourable eye upon thee Thou hast been honourable i. e. Thou hast been honourable in the sight of the Nations by reason of these great things which I have done for thee And I have loved thee i. e. And I have shewed my love unto thee Metonymia Efficientis Therefore will I give men for thee q. d. I am I say The Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Saviour and I have given Egypt for thy ransome c. and I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee c. God is not like man but whom he loveth he loveth to the end Iohn 13.1 And his former blessings are a motive to blesse againe whom he hath blest before I will give men for thee i. e. I will give men for thy ransom that I may redeeme thee out of the Babylonish captivity This was fulfilled when God gave the Babylonians as a prey to Cyrus by reason of which the Jewes which were held Captives by the Babylonians were delivered out of that Captivity And people for thy life i. e. And people to save thy life This is a repetition of the former Sentence 5. I will bring thy seed from the East and gather thee from the West c When the Babylonians invaded Iudaea they carried many of the Jewes away Captive into Babylon which lay Eastward from Iudaea and many of the Iewes fled Westward and many Northward and many Southward to save their lives and there lived in a kinde of Exile These therefore doth God here promise to bring backe againe into their own Land And he brought those of the Captivity into their own Land by the meanes of Cyrus Ezra 1. And the other hearing how mercifully God had dealt with them of the Captivity returned to their own Countrey againe not without joy and gladnesse of heart I will bring thy Seed i. e I will bring thy children O Iacob c. Metonymia Materiae And gather thee i. e. And gather thy Children Metonymia Efficientis 6. I will say to the North i. e. I will say to the Northerne people or people which dwell in the North parts of the earth Give up i. e. Give up my people which is among you into mine hands Bring my sonnes from farre i. e. All you which live a farre off bring the children of Israel which are to me as my sonnes which dwell among you into their owne Land 7. Even every one that is called by my name i. e. Bring yee even every one that is mine What is Gods is called by Gods name as v.g. The Son of God the Daughter of God As that which is Pauls is called by the name of Paul as Pauls cloake And what is Peters is called by the name of Peter as Peters sword c. And every thing which is owned is called by the name of its owner For I have created him i. e. I have made him For my glory i. e. That my glory That is that my power and my fidelity and my goodnesse may appeare in his preservation And that he may glorifie me and serve me onely because of these great things which I have determined and will doe for him I have formed him yea I have made him supple that I may be glorified in him and by him 8. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes and the deafe that have eares Bring forth the Idolls that have â—yes but see not and have eares but heare not Psa 115.6 This manner of speaking carrieth contempt with it As the Lord when he had told what he would doe for his people the Iewes and how he would deliver them out of the Babylonians Captivity made that his telling or foretelling of this an argument of his divinity And called upon the Idolaters and their Idols to bring what reasons they could The Idols to prove their own divinity and the Idolaters to prove the divinity which they gave to their Idols and in particular to shew whether they did ever foretell of that which God said He would bring to passe namely the delivery out of the Babylonish Captivity and bringing them to their own Land againe Cap. 42. v. 21 22 c. So doth he here and so often as he
to punish any one man or people It must follow that the Lord is God and God only He hath not his equall The Lord intimateth here by the By for the comfort of the Iewes which were held Captive by the Babylonians that he would surely destroy the Babylonians by Cyrus and that no power should be able to deliver the Babylonians out of his hands I will work i. e. I will doe what I please 14. Thus saith the Lord your redeemer The Prophet returneth here to the Subject which he treated of in the beginning of the Chapter to wit the redemption of the Iewes out of the Babylonish Captivity which he intermitted at the eighth verse to argue against Idols and Idolatry upon the occasion there spoken of For your sakes I have sent to Babylon i. e. For your sakes I will send Cyrus with an Army to Babylon to fight against it and take it He puts here a preterperfect Tense for a future to signifie the certainty of what he speakes of This sending of Cyrus with an Army against Babylon was advantageous to the Iewes which were in Captivity for by this meanes the Babylonians who held them Captives were destroyed and they were delivered And have brought downe all their Nobles i. e. And will bring downe all the Nobles of the Babylonians which doth oppresse you and keep you in an hard Captivity and will tread upon them as mortar See Cap. 41.25 And the Chaldaeans In the Babylonish Empire the Chaldaeans were the chiefe of any other people the Emperour himselfe being a Chaldaeans and Babylon the head City of the Empire being in Chaldaea And hence it may be that he mentioneth the Chaldaeans by name in this place Or therefore may he mention the Chaldaeans here because they had more of the Captive Iewes then any other people under them and used them more hardly Whose cry is in the ships q.d. Who shall be heard to cry and howle in the ships He puts a Present Tense for a Future here as he puts a preterperfect tense for a Future a little before Babylon and Chaldaea have two great Rivers Tygris and Euphrates running through them or close to them navigable Rivers and certainely as able to beare as great Vessels as our Thames which beares Vessels of the greatest bulke yea Chaldaea reacheth to the Persian Gulfe where the greatest ships may ride and saile At the time which Babylon was taken by Cyrus no doubt but every Babylonian and Chaldaean endeavoured to escape as well as he could And as some endeavoured to escape by Land so others attempted to escape by water in ships and of these latter may he say Their cry is in the ships Or he may say that their Cry is in the ships or shall be in the ships not because they which cryed were or should be in the ships but because their cry should be so great as that it should be heard to the Sea of those which sailed in their ships Againe it was the custome of the Eastern people when they subdued a Nation to transplant the Inhabitants thereof an example whereof you may see 2 Kings 17.6 Cyrus therefore might send many of the Babylonians away in ships and they as they were in the ships might howle and cry for the misery which was come upon them 15. Your holy One i. e. He whom you have made choyce of to be your God and whom alone you worship and therefore will preserve and blesse you Your King See Cap. 33.22 This verse relates to that which went before in the fourteenth verse and containes a reason of what is there said q. d. For your sake I will send to Babylon and will bring downe all their Nobles For I am the Lord your Holy One the Creatour of Israel your King 16. Thus saith the Lord q. d. Yea thus saith the Lord. Which maketh a way in the Sea Rather which made a way in the Sea for this must be understood in the Preterperfect Tense God made a way for his people in the red Sea when he brought them out of Egypt Exod. 14. v. 21 22. And of this it is which he makes mention in this place And a Path in the mighty waters The Lord when the children of Israel passed over Jordan divided the River Jordan and made a way for them to passe over dry foot even when Jordan was so high as that it overflowed all his Banks Iosh 3. v. 15 16 17. Some therefore understand this place of this dividing Jordan and of the way which he made in it at this time But I rather take this to be a Repetition of the former Sentence Because our Prophet delighteth in such Repetitions and because in the next words he mentioneth that which fell out at the dividing of the red Sea and making a way for his people through it when their enemies were drowned 17. Which bringeth forth the Charet and Horse the Army and the Power Rather which brought forth the Charets and the Horses the Army and the Power supple of Pharaoh to their destruction When the Lord brought the children of Israel out of Egypt he hardened Pharaohs heart so that Pharaohs heart and the heart of all his people was turned against the children of Israel and they said why have we done this that we have let Israel goe from serving us And Pharaoh pursued after the children of Israel with 600. chosen Charets and all the Charets of Egypt and in the pursuit followed the children of Israel into the midst of the Sea and there were drowned Exod. 14. This is that which the Lord here mentioneth and these things doth he mention in this place to wit His dividing of the Sea for the Israelites and his drawing out of Pharaohs host that he might drown it in the red Sea to put the Jews in minde of his power which is such as that no difficulty can hinder him from redeeming or delivering his people at any time and of that love which he bore to his people that they remembering these things might the more easily be induced to believe those things which he said he would do for them namely That he would deliver them out of the Babylonish captivity and destroy the Babylonians their Enemies They shall lie down together i. e. The Nobles of Babylon and the Caldeans shall lie down all of them in the dust of the Earth that is they shall be all brought down to the Grave Death is both in sacred and profane Writers often likened to a sleep and the Grave to the Bed in which we sleep and the Prophet alludes to the same here when he saith They shall lie down together for he alludeth to men lying down in a bed to sleep But his meaning is that they shall be slain and brought down to the pit They shall i. e. The Nobles of Babylon and the Caldeans shall lie down c. of whom he spoke vers 14. They shall not rise q. d. They shall not awake and rise any more
his care and protection of them above others he may be said to sanctifie them and they which are thus separated may be said to be sanctified and holy See Notes cap. 4.3 As God therefore may be said to sanctifie a people when he separates them and puts a difference between them and others by his care and protection So when he deprives them of the care and protection which once he afforded them he may be said to profane them or pollute them The Princes of the Sanctuary By the Princes of the Sanctuary understand the chief Priests which ministred in the Temple and ordered things concerning the worship of God there who were called the Princes of the Sanctuary because they had inferior Priests and Levites and Nethinims to serve and attend them in their high Calling And given Jacob to the curse i. e. And have given the children of Jacob the Jews to destruction By Jacob understand the Jews the children of Jacob by a Metonymy And the curse here spoken of is such a curse whereby the thing accursed or the the thing given to the curse was to be destroyed as Josh 6.17 How Jacob that is how many of the Jews which were the children of Jacob were killed and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and his servants see 2 King 25. v. 7 21 c. And Israel i. e. And the Jews the children of Jacob who also was called Israel To reproaches i. e. To the reproach of their Enemies who in their captivity taunted them jeered them and reproached them ISAIAH CHAP. XLIV YEt now hear O Jacob c. This is to be continued with the former Chapter And the sence is q. d. But although I have profaned the Princes of the Sanctuary and have given Jacob to the curse and Israel to reproach because of their sins yet now seeing your repentance Hear O Jacob my servant O Jacob my servant By Jacob he meaneth the Jews which were the children of Jacob the same also he meaneth by Israel 2. That made thee and formed thee from the womb i. e. That made thee a people from the first time that thou wast a people He speaks not of the making and forming of any one particular man which is made and formed in his mothers womb but of the making of a company of men into a people or Body politique yet he aliudes to the making and framing of a man in the womb of his mother Which will help thee Supple In all thy misery and distress Fear not Supple The Babylonians and their gods though thou art a Captive and hardly used in the Land of thy captivity For I will deliver thee and they shall not be able to hinder me See vers 8. And thou Jesurun This name Jesurun is taken out of Deut. 32. vers 15. where Moses gives it to the people of Israel and it signifieth right And it is therefore given to that people because God called them to lead a right or upright life and conversation Yet some think it to be an Hebrew diminutive of the Hebrew word Israel and to signifie as much as Little Israel as though the Lord had called his people here by a diminutive name as Fathers use to call their little children 3. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty The four sentences contained in this Verse signifie all one and the same thing namely That though the Jews were at this time in a poor decayed estate yet God would so bless them as that they should be delivered out of it and should revive and flourish again As the dry and thirsty ground though it be unpleasant and ill-favored to see to while it is so yet being watered it is hereby refreshed and recovereth its greenness and is clothed again with its former lustre I will pour water c. by water is meant rain the plenty whereof is signified by the word pour Vpon him i. e. Upon every Jew He speaketh of a Jew here as of a ground Metaphorically Vpon him that is thirsty i. e. Upon him that is as a thirsty Land that is upon him that is in misery and wants comfort Note that the thirstiness here mentioned is not the thirstiness of a man which is hot and dry and desireth drink to quench his thirst but the dryness of the ground for a dry ground is also called a thirsty ground Cap. 35.7 And to such a ground is the Jew in the depth of his misery and captivity here compared And floods upon the dry ground This is a repetition of the former sentence I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed i. e. I will greatly bless thy children By the Spirit of God is here meant Gods blessing as may appear by the following words which are but a repetition of these And the blessing of God is called the Spirit of God by a Metonymy because it proceedeth from the Spirit of God or from God who is a Spirit By seed are meant here children per Metonymiam Materiae 4. And they shall spring up as among the grass i. e. They shall spring up as young Trees or Plants among the grass which have moysture enough to nourish them and make them flourish 5. One shall say I am the Lords c. q. d. Such blessings will I pour upon them as that they shall confess that I am their God and that they are my servants because of the care I have of them and the favors that I shew to them though now they say My way is bid from the Lord my judgment is passed over from my God as Cap. 40. v. 27. I am the Lords Supple Servant And therefore shall call himself the Lords servant because he shall be sensible of the care which God hath of him and the blessing which he bestoweth upon him and shall in way of recompence resolve to serve the Lord so long as he shall live Another shall call himself by the name of Jacob And therefore shall he call himself by the name of Jacob because he shall see that the Lord hath as great respect to him as he had to Jacob and because he shall resolve to serve the Lord for the blessings which the Lord hath bestowed upon him as Jacob vowed to serve the Lord and did accordingly Gen. 28.21 Another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord Supple That he is his servant and will serve him And sirname himself by the name of Israel Israel is the name of Jacob and it was given to him because of the power which he had with God and prevailed with him Gen. 32.28 For the same reason as one named himself by the name of Jacob in the former part of this Verse doth another sirname himself by the name of Israel in this latter part And for the same reason as one said I am the Lords for the same reason doth the other subscribe with his hand unto the Lord. 6. Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel That the Jews might the more firmly believe what the Lord had
Armies For by the River Euphrates and the Rivers thereof may be meant the King of Bâ—byl n and his Armies as by the River and â—s watâ—rs is meant the King of Assyria and thâ— gâ—eâ—t mâ—ltitude of men which the King o Assâ—ria brought â—p with him against Iudah Cap. 8.7 Againe we may observe that many take this place lâ—terally and interpret it of that Stratâ—gem which by the Lordâ— providence Cyrus used when he tooke Babylon for when Cyrus tooke Babylon he divided the waters of the River Euphâ—ates and divided them into certaine deep pits and great hollow places which he had made for that purpose by which meanes the Channell of Euphrates was passable by foot through which he led his Army into Babylon and so tooke that great City Which when he had took he set the Iewes free and did accommodate them in a most honourable manner for their returne into their own Land 28. That saith os Cyrus he is my Shepheard Cyrus is called here the Lords Shepâ—eaâ—d because the Lord appointed him to be as a Shepheard to gather his dispersed Sheep of the house of Iudah together and bring them home into the Land of Iâ—dah as into their owne Sheep-fold And this did Cyrus not by his own labour and paines but by his command and authority Ezra 1. And shall performe all my pleasure Supple Concerning the delivering of my people the Iewes out of Captivity and bringing them back into their own Land Even saying to Hierusalem i. e. That even say to Hierusalem Thou shalt be built That Hierusalem was ruined by the Chaldees or Babylonians we read 2 Chron. 36.19 and that it was built againe by the Iewes we read Nehem. 2. And to the Temple thy foundation shall be laid That the Temple of the Lord which was at Hierusalem was qâ—ite destroyed we read 2 Chron. 36.19 2 Kings 25.9 And that it was built againe by the Iewes we read Ezra Cap. 4.5 6. The foundations shall be laid i. e. Thou shalt be built For by the Foundations understand the whole building by a Metonymy ISAIAH CHAP. XLV THus saith the Lrd to his annointed Cyrus is here called the Lords annointed because the Lord intended to make him a King yea a great King And by calling him His annointed he alludeth to the Kings of Israel and Iudah who at their Inauguration were wont to be annointed with oyle And were therefore called the Lords annointed as 1 Sam. 26.16 c. Or Cyrus might be called the Lords annointed because of those eminent gifts which God gave him as memory wisedome courage c. by which he surpassed ordinary men For such gifts by which one man surpasseth another may be well compared to Oyle which being mixt with other liquours alwayes floateth at the top Or when he saith Thus saith the Lord to his annointed it may be as if he should say Thus saith the Lord to his sanctified one as Cap. 13.3 That is to him whom he hath separated and set apart for this service To wit to subdue and destroy the Babylonians and to deliver the Iewes out of Captivity and bring them into their owne Land againe And him whom the Lord hath Sanctified That is He whom he hath or separated and set apart may be called The Lords annointed in allusion both to those Persons and those things which were Sanctified that is which were separated and set apart for Gods service in the Temple For they were so separated and set apart both persons and things were consecrated by Annoinâ—ing Exod. 40. verse 9.13 To Cyruâ— i. e. Even to Cyrus This Cyrus was King of Persia and he is here and in other places of this Prophet called by this name a long time yea above 200. yeares before he was borne the like we reade of Iâ—siah he was called Iosiah long before his birth 1 Kings 13.2 Cyrus is a Persian name and in the Persian Language signifieth the Sunne so that this name did portend the great glory which Cyrus should be in For he which gave him this name was able to give him glory also sutable to his name Note that in these words Thus saith the Lord to his annointed the Lord speaketh and he speaketh of himselfe in the third person Whoâ—e right hand I bave holden i. e. Whose right hand I will hold Note here that he puts a Praeterperfect Tense for a Future To hold ones right hand may signifie to preserve or keep safe by a Metaphor from a man which layeth hold on a Childs arme or hand when he is in any danger to keep him safe therein and bring him out thereof Or from a man which taketh hold of the arme or hand of an old feeble man that so he may sustaine him and keep him up from falling And indeed the Lord did preserve Cyrus and keep him safe in the midst of all dangers even untill he had wrought the whole work which he had for him to worke Or to hold ones right hand may signifie to strengthen a man by a Metaphor from a man taking hold of the hand of a Child when he striketh that he may adde vigour thereto and make his blow or stroke the greater To subdue Nations before him i. e. That I may subdue many Nations before him That is That he may subdue many Nations by my helpe Cyrus did Conquer and subdue many Nations for he Conquered and subdued the Syrians and Assyrians and Arabians and Cappadâ—cians and Phrygians and Lydians and Carians and Phaenicians and Babylonians c. see Zenoph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 1. And I will loose the Loines of Kings i. e. And for whose sake I will strike feare and terrour into Kings Feare looseth the Loines and the joynts of those which are terrified or put in feare as appeareth Dan. 5.6 Therefore he saith I will loose the Loines of Kings for I will strike feare and terrour into Kings To open before him the two-leaved Gates i. e. That they may open to him the Gates of their Cities and take him in as their Conquerour The two-leaved Gates By the two-leaved Gates he meaneth the Gates of Fenced Cities for the Gates of such Cities doe usually consist of two leaves And the Gates shall not be shut q.d. And the Gates of their Cities shall be surely opened to receive him they shall not be shut against him 2. I wil go before thee This is that which the Lord saith to his annointed even to Cyrus And the Lord speakes here in the person of a way maker which is sent sometimes before a King and his Court sometimes before a General and his Army to make their wayes even and straight that they may finde no rub or hinderance in their way And make the crooked places straight i. e. And make the crooked wayes straight that thou mayest passe by them with the greater speed See Cap. 40.3 I will breake in pieces the Gates of Brasse q.d. I will breake in pieces the Gates of those Cities which shut their Gates
was well pleased In a day of salvation have I helped thee q. d. And thou hast prayed to me for help against thine Enemies in a day as it were of salvation and I have granted thy request for I will help thee against them In a day of salvation What he calleth an acceptable time before he calls a day of salvation here and he calls it a day of salvation in allusion to the day in which a King had received some great salvation and deliverance Have I helped thee i. e. I have promised to help thee That Isaiah did pray unto God at this time is intimated in that that God saith that he had heard him But what was it which he prayed for Ans We may gather from the following words what he prayed for That therefore that he prayed for was this First That it would please God to preserve him and keep him safe from his Enemies which were many until he had performed his Ministry Secondly That it would pleale him so to bless his Ministry about which he was sent that thereby the people of the Jews which were carryed into Babylon by reason of their sins might be reduced to their obedience and so redeemed out of the Babylonish captivity and return safe into their own Land again It may be here objected That Isaiah was dead long before the Babylonish captivity how therefore could he reduce the captive Jews to their obedience and so bring them out of captivity again Ans Though Isaiah were dead a long time before the captivity of the Jews in Babylon yet may he be said to reduce them to obediâ—nce and so bring them out of captivity again because they were reduced to their obedience by the reading of his Writings which he by a Prophetique Spirit wrought for them and to them and when they returned to their obedience the Lord raised up Cyrus to deliver them out of captivity and send them home free So was Moses said to teach and to be a Master Mark 10.3 Joh. 9.28 though he was dead long before That the Jews in their captivity had these Prophecies and Writings of Isaiah among them and read them and believed them and were bettered by them is evident by that that they shewed Cyrus out of them those things that concerned himself by which he was not a little moved to deliver them and send them home free out of captivity That which is here spoken of Isaiah is in a more sublime sence spoken also of Christ as well appears 2 Cor. 6.2 of whom Isaiah was here a Type As therefore Isaiah prayed to God that He would preserve him against his Enemies that they might not destroy him until he had performed his Ministry and God heard him So did Christ pray that God the Father would save him from death and was heard in that he feared Heb. 5.7 And as Isaiah was a Covenant to the people and prayed that the Jews might be delivered out of their captivity by his Ministry and was heard So was Christ a Covenant to the people in that he was the Mediator of the new Covenant between God and man and he makes continual intercession for us that we may be delivered out of the power of darkness and come to his heavenly Kingdom Heb. 7.25 and is heard in this his intercession I will preserve thee i. e. For I will preserve thee out of the hands of thine Enemies so that they shall not destroy thee until thou hast finished my work And give thee for a Covenant of the people i. e. And I will make thee a Restorer or Reviver of the Covenant which was between my people and me Isaiah is said to be a Covenant of the people because he was the Restorer or Reviver of the Covenant which was between the people of the Jews and their God But how did Isaiah restore or revive the Covenant which was between the people of the Jews and their God Ans He did it by his Sermons to the Jews For whereas the Jews had broken and forsaken the Covenant which they had made with God by their sins and were therefore sent into captivity By reading of Isaiahs Sermons they were touched in heart and repented them of their sins and renewed their Covenant with God as they had done before this in the days of Josiah and as they did after this in the days of Nehemiah Of the people i. e. Of the people of the Jews To establish the Earth i. e. That thou mayst make the Land of Judah stable and sure that I destroy it not for the sins of my people but preserve it for my people to dwell in See cap. 45.18 Upon the repentance of the Jews and their renewing their Covenant with the Lord the Lord would not destroy the Land of Judah but preserve it for the Jews to dwell in Wherefore because the Jews repented and renewed their Covenant by Isaiahs Ministry Isaiah is said to establish the Earth that is the Land of Judah The Earth By the Earth is meant the Land of Judah which was but part of the whole Earth per Synecdochen Generis To cause to inherit the desolate heritaâ—es i. e. That thou mayst cause the people of the Jews which are carryed away captive into Babylon and who have left their heritages which they had in the Land of Judah desolate to return into their own Land and inherit their desolate heritages again He speaks as if the Jews were captives even then when he spoke As Isaiah was said to establish the Earth so is he here said to cause to inherit the desolate heritages 9. That thou mayst say to the prisoners Go forth Supple Out of prison that is That thou mayst bring the Jews which are captive in Babylon out of the Land of their captivity By the prisoners he meaneth the Jews which were captives for captives are often resembled to prisoners and the Land of their captivity to a prison See cap. 42. vers 7. To them that sit in darkness i. e. To the Jews which are in sorrow by reason of their captivity or to the Jews which are in dark places such as prisons are They which are overwhelmed with sorrow do love to get into dark places where they may neither see nor be seen there to weep See cap. 47.5 Hence they that are in darkness may be put here for them which are in great sorrow And yet as I said the Prophet by darkness may mean Prisons per Metonymiam adjuncti For prisons are usually dark and this darkness the Jews made not choyce of but were forced to Shew your selves i. e. Come out of the dark places in which you have hid your selves and shew your selves in the light They which get into dark places by reason of sorrow come not out thence into the light until they have shook off their sorrow When therefore he saith Shew your selves it is as if he should say You have no longer cause to be sad be ye therefore joyful Yet if we
take darkness for prisons the meaning of these words are Come ye out of prison out of the prison which was dark and wherein no man could see you into the light where ye may be seen They shall feed in the ways c. Between this and that which went immediately before we must understand these or the like words For the Jews which are prisoners in Babylon shall come forth out of their prisons and they which are there in darkness shall shew themselves and shall return into their own Land to inherit the desolate heritages thereof and as they go they shall feed in the ways home-ward c. The Prophet sheweth here how plentifully the Lord will provide for the Jews in their return out of captivity into their own Land See the like cap. 48.21 They shall feed i. e. They shall have abundance of food whereon to feed He alludeth here to the feeding of sheep or cattel but speaks of the Jews themselves They shall feed in the ways And if God provideth food for them in the ways they need not go out of their way nor slack their journey for want of food And their pastures shall be in all high places q. d. And though they travel over Hills and Mountains which are usually dry and barren yet shall all the Hills and the Mountains over which they travel yield them pastures in abundance He alludeth still to the feeding of sheep or cattel 10. They shall not hunger and thirst Supple By the way which they go though their way be through the desarts See cap. 48.21 Neither shall the heat nor the Sun smite them q. d. Though they are to travel through an hot scorching Wilderness as they travel from Babylon to the Land of Judah yet shall not the heat nor the Sun hurt them or offend them Neither the heat nor the Sun i. e. Neither the heat of the Sun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he that hath mercy on them shall lead them i. e. For the Lord who hath mercy on them shall lead them Supple as a careful and skilful shepherd leadeth his flock The Lord speaks here of himself in the thiâ—d person and alludes to a shepherd leading his sheep for shepherds were wont not onely to follow their sheep and drive them but also to go before them and lead them See Psal 80.1 Even by the springs of waters shall he guide them He persists still in the Metaphor of a shepherd Where springs of waters are there are waters enough to quench and keep from thirst there are pastures for food adjoyning to the springs by reason of the moysture and there are vapors arising from the springs to allay the extremity of heat with their coolness and Willows growing thereby to shadow from the scorching beams of the Sun 11. And I will make all my mountains a way i. e. And I will pull down all my mountains by which they are to go and make them low that I may make away over them yea an easie way for the Jews to pass See cap. 40.4 The meaning of this phrase is That the Jews shall find nothing to hinder them in their way home-ward no not in the mountainous Wilderness The Lord speaks here of himself in his own person though he spoke of himself in the third person in the Verse before He speaks also of himself as of a way-maker which maketh a way for a King and his Court or for a General and his Army whereas he spoke of himself before as of a shepherd And my high-ways shall be exalted And my high-ways or Causey-ways Supple which lie through the valleys shall be exalted that the mountains being pulled down and the high-ways or causey-ways of the valleys exalted the whole way from Babylon to Judea may be plain and even without Hill or Dale In valleys because the grounds are for the most part moorish and rotten they use to make a way of stones and the like higher then the surface of the ground which therefore he calls an High-way and we usually a Causey Behold these shall come from far q. d. And moreover behold these Jews which are now in the East shall come from the East to their own Land By these he meaneth the Jews which were in the East after the Land of Judah was wasted by the Babylonians whom he nameth not because he doth as it were point at them with his finger From far i. e. From the East for so doth the Context require that we should interpret it The Prophet therefore useth a Synecdoche generis and putteth a far place in general for the East in special And lo these from the North i. e. And lo these Jews which are now in the North shall come from the North to their own Land And from the West i. e. And these which are in the West shall come from the West c. And these from the Land of Sinim i. e. And these which are in the South shall come from the South c. The Land of Sinim Sinim is the name of a people which are also called Sinites Gen. 10.17 These dwelt in the South of Judea about the Wilderness of Sin Wherefore their Land in particular is put here for any Southern Land in general Though when the Babylonians invaded Judea they carryed away most of them which escaped the sword captives into Babylon yet many escaped into all the quarters of the Earth where they lived as Exiles until they heard of the delivery of their Countrymen out of Babylon and of Cyrus's favor to them at the hearing of which they also returned to their own home again 13. Sing O Heaven and be joyful O Earth He speaks to the material Heaven and the material Earth as though they had sense and reason by a Prosopopoeia as he doth cap. 1.2 The Prophet speaketh here in his own person and having shewed his authority from God and Gods respect to him in order to his Ministry in the former part of this Chapter he doth here begin to tell the message which God gave him in charge to tell and which was part of his Ministry For God hath comforted his people i. e. For God will comfort his people the Jews which have suffered much misery and sorrow by reason of the Babylonians He puts here a Preterperfect for a Future tense Vpon his afflicted i. e. upon his afflicted people the Jewes The comfort and mercy which is here promised consisted in bringing the afflicted Jewes home to their own Land yea even to Hierusalem after the Babylonish captivity 14. But Sion i. e. But Hierusalem Hierusalem was the mother of the Jewes as St. Paul intimates Gal. 4.25 By Sion is meant Hierusalem and the materiall City of Hierusalem is brought here in the person of a woman yea of a mother speaking and complaining c. by a Prosopopoeia as Cap. 40.9 And under the feigned person of Sion is shewed the State and condition of the Jewes at the time here spoken of But Zion said
the Lord hath forsaken me c. In the former verse it was said that God would comfort his people and would have mercy upon his afflicted but Zion when she heard of it did hardly believe it but saith she here surely that is not so for the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me And this she saith in a kind of despaire having been sorely oppressed by the Babylonians But it may be asked what it concerned Zion to heare that God would comfort his people and shew mercy upon his afflicted and what she should be the better for it that she should say when she heard of it in despaire Surely it will not be so for the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Answ The comfort and mercy which is here spoken of was the bringing in of the afflicted Jewes into their own Land again and to Sion the holy City And if they were once brought into their own Land again and to Sion the holy City then should Sion have joy in their prosperity as a mother in the prosperity of her children and then should her walls and her houses which the Babylonian had broken down be builded up again And then should her inhabitants be to her again as the ornament of a bride V. 18. But Zion said c. But Zion hath said heretofore and saith still c. This word said denoteth a continuall saying and signifies not onely the time past but also the present time by a Syllepsis The Lord hath forsaken me aad my Lord hath forgotten me i. e. The Lord hath cast me off and will take no more care of me nor any way pitty me How then can he comfort his peoplâ— and have mercy upon his afflicted for their comfort is my comfort and their joy is my joy When the Lord hath cast any one off so that he will take no more care of him or shew him any pity he is said in the Scripture-phrase to have forsaken him and forgot him 15. Can a woman forget her sucking childe The Prophet speaketh this in the person of God and answereth to the complaint of Sion and sheweth that the Lord hath not forgotten her Or the Sonne of heâ— wombe i. e. Or her Sâ—cking child which is a Sonne and a Sonne of her owne wombe Yea they may forget q. d. Verily though it be unlikely yet women may forget their Sucking children and the Sonnâ—s of their wombe Note here the Enallage of the numbâ—r how he passeth from a Singular to a Pâ—urall number 16. I have graven thee upon the palmes of my hands i. e. I have writ Sion upon the palme of my hands that it may bâ— to me as a memoriall of thee and so often as I see or read it I may remember thee By this he would shew that he is alwayes mindfull of Sion And he alludeth to those who that they may remember some one thing or businesse which they would not forget put some signe or memoriall thereof upon their hands which some doe by tying a thred about their fingers Others by writing the thing or name of the thing which they would remember upon some part of the hand either backe or palme c. See Exod. 13.9 I have graven c. That is I have written thy name upon the palmes of my hand so that it cannot be blotted out He useth a Metaphor from a Graver in Stone or Brasse or the like whose engravings are not easily blotted out or defaced Thee i. e. Thy name viz. Sion Thy walls are continually before me i. e. Thy ruined walls are continually in my thoughts yea in my sight and it pittieth me to see them in the dust 17. Thy children shall make hast q. d. Therefore thy children which shall build up thy walls againe shall make hast to come unto thee By the children of Sion are meant the Jewes which were in Captivity in Babylon or else where in exile Thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall goe forth of thee i. e. The Babylonians which destroyed thee and laid thee waste shall goe forth of thee and give place to thy children Note that when the Iewes were carried away Captive into Babylon many Babylonians inhabited their Cities either of their own private voluntary minde or by the publike authority of their King who when he conquered a Countrey and carried away the Inhabitants thereof sent other of his own Subjects to Inhabit there And these saith the Lord to Sion shall goe forth of thee 18. Cast up thine eyes round about i. e. Looke towards the East and towards the West towards the North and towards the South He speakes still to Sion And behold He speakes as though the Jewes which were scattered abroad by the comming of the Babylonians into Judaea were even then gathering themselves together to returne into Judaea againe in kenne of eye All these gather themselves together and come to thee q. d. All these whom thou seest are Jewes which gather themselves together to come to thee He speakes as though he pointed at them with his finger In the former verse he said to Sion that her children should make hast to come to her here he saith that they are comming already Thou shalt surely cloth thy selfe with them all as with an ornament q. d. They shall all come and when they are all come they shall be as great an Ornament and a glory to thee by reason of their multitude as the Robe is to a King or Queene He alludeth to a glorious Robe wherewith a King or Queene is clothed when he saith Thou shalt cloth thy self with them all as with an Ornament When he saith Thou shalt surely cloth thy selfe with them all as with an Ornament He speaketh not so much of their quality as of their number as may appeare by the content For the glory of a City consisteth also in the number and multitude of the Inhabitants And binde them on thee as a Bride doth Supple Her Jewells or Bracelets or her head attire q. d. And they shall be as great an Ornament to thee by reason of their number as the Jewells or Bracelets or Head attire which shee bindes on her are to a Bride These are the same for sense with the former words only the Metaphor or Allusion is different 19. For thy waste and thy desolate places and the Land of thy destruction shall even now be too narrow by reason of the Inhabitants q. d. For they which shall come and inhabite thee shall be so many in number and their multitude shall be so great as that thy waste and thy desolate places and the Land of thy destruction shall even now be too narrow to containe the Inhabitants thereof because of their number and multitude Thy waste and desolate places i. e. Those places which lay waste and desolate in thee for want of Inhabitants The Land of thy destruction i. e. Thy Land which is destroyed by the Babylonians He saith the
should not dye in the dungeon as many of his Brethren have dyed through such hardness as he hath there suffered heretofore and which you are now afraid of By the pit is meant that part of the prison which is called the Dungeon which is as a pit under ground But by this also he meaneth Babylon or the Land of the Jews captivity by a Metaphor Nor that his bread should fail i. e. And that he might not be starved in captivity for want of bread as many of his brethren have been and which you now fear Supple And he shall prevail 15. But I am the Lord thy God that divided the Sea c. The Lord prevents an Objection here which Sion might make For Sion might say But for all this I have cause to be afraid and to fear continually every day for the Babylonians are men which are maliciously bent against me and their fury is such as that it cannot be withstood To which the Lord here answers saying I 'l grant that the Babylonians are men maliciously bent against thee but yet I am the Lord who am more mighty then all the men of the Earth thy God who will have a care of thee and protect thee whose friendship is more to be esteemed of then their enmity to be feared who divided the sea whose waves roared and therefore am able to chastise them be their fury never so great and tumultuous against thee The Lord of Hosts is my Name therefore can I give victory to whom I please and trample under feet whom I will That divided the sea whose waves roared He alludes to the division which he made in the red Sea for his people Israel to pass through which he divided notwithstanding the roaring of the waves Exod. 14. v. 16 21. The Lord of Hosts is his Name i. e. The Lord of Hosts is my Name He putteth here the third for the first person for the Lord speaketh here of himself This Name The Lord of Hosts intimateth a great deal of power and the Lord mentioneth it here to uphold Sion against the conceit which she had of the great power of the Babylonians her Enemies or Oppressors 16. And I have put my words in thy mouth c. And that it may be known that I have not onely power to redeem thee O Zion and thy children the Jews but will also to restore all prosperity and joy to you and where power and will meet together the effect must needs follow I have put my words in thy mouth O Isaiah The Lord maketh a sudden Apostrophe to Isaiah And have covered thee with the shadow of mine hand See cap. 49.2 That I may plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth q. d. That I may plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth Supple As I have determined to plant and lay them upon the Jews repentance i. e. That I may make new Haevens and a new Earth according to what I have decreed when the Jews have repented That these words are not literally to be understood but onely Metaphorically is plain and manifest and denyed by none Quest. But what is it which is meant by them Answ The meaning is as if he should say that I may put a new face on things and make the Heavens to give their light and the Earth to flourish and be verdant as when they were at first created that is That I may bring back all joy and gladness into the Land of Judah where there is now sorrow and grief c. For the understanding of which sence note that the Scripture saith of the Heavens in times of great calamity that they are darkened and that the Stars of Heaven give not their light neither doth the Sun and the Moon cause their their light to shine as cap. 50.30 cap. 13.10 And on the contrary in times of great prosperity it saith of the Heavens that they give their light and that the light of ths Moon is as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun is seven-fold as the light of seven days c. as cap. 30. v. 26. Therefore to make new Heavens is to make the Heavens to give their light as brightly and as clearly as when they were at first created and that signifieth to give or reduce great prosperity and great joy And as for the Earth during the time of the Babylonish captivity the Land of Judah was accounted as a Wilderness and as a Desart because of the barrenness and squalidity thereof vers 3. When therefore the Lord saith that he will lay the foundations of the Earth his meaning is that he will make the Earth to flourish and be as verdant as when it was at first created and that signifieth that he will take away that barrenness and squalidity under which the Land of Judah lay during the captivity and make it as Eden yea even as the Garden of the Lord as it was at the first Creation as is said vers 3. Where note that by the Heavens are particularly here meant the Heavens which were over the Land of Judah as cap. 5.30 And by the Earth is particularly meant the Land of Judah as cap. 24.17 c. and that by a Synecdoche By this therefore that the Lord saith That he will plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth is meant that he will make the Land of Judah a joyful and a fruitful Land But it may be here asked How it is to be understood that the Lord here saith that he put his words into Isaiabs mouth c. that he the Lord might plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth that is That he the Lord might give great prosperity and joy to the Land of Judah and make the Land of Judah a joyful and a fruitful Land Ans As the Lord took away all prosperity and joy out of the Land of Judah and made it a barren and a doleful Land because of the sins of the Jews which dwelt therein so he was determined to reduce all joy and prosperity into it and to make it a fruitful and a flourishing Land again if the Jews would repent them of their sins That therefore they might be induced to repent he put his words into Isaiahs mouth and covered him with the shadow of his hand that upon his words they might repent and upon their repentance he the Lord might bring back all joy and fruitfulness into the Land of Judah And thus is the Lord said to put his words into Isaiahs mouth that he the Lord might plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth That I may plant the Heavens Here is a Metaphor taken from a Gardiners planting Trees or Herbs And lay the foundations of the Earth Here is a Metaphor from a Builder And say unto Sion thou art my people This might the Lord say when he had brought back the Jews out of Babylon to Sion and clothed Sion with them as
c. Therefore I will divide him a portion c. I will divide him a portion with the great i. e. I will divide him a portion with the Babylonians which are great in power For when the Babylonians have overcome Judah and Jerusalem and taken the spoyls thereof they shall give Jeremy a portion of the spoyls and of the Land which they have taken And he shall divide the spoyl with the strong This is a repetition of the former sentence Because he hath poured out his Soul unto death i. e. Because he did not fear death but did willingly hazard his life in preaching the Word which I gave him to preach and in performing the work in which I employed him See Jerem. 26. vers 13 14 15. And he was numbered with the transgressors i. e. And because he was accounted as a Malefactor for doing my work and preaching my Word and was imprisoned and used as a Malefactor And he bare the sin of many And because he bore the sin of many Jeremy may be said to bear the sin of many either because he brought them to repentance and so bore that is took away their sin of which see vers 11. Or because he suffered many grievous things at the hands of the Iews through their hatred and malice towards him of which see vers 5. And in this last sence the sin of many is taken for the hard usage and punishment which they did inflict upon Ieremy through their sin that is through their hatred and malice which they bore against him by a Metonymie And this last Sense seemeth most agreeable to this place And made intercession for the transgressours i. e. And because he made intercession and prayed to God to have mercy upon them who did persecute and imprison him VERSE 2. For he shall grow up before him Having interpreted this Chapter from the second verse hitherto in the first meaner sense I returne to the Second verse to interpret this Chapter from thence to the end in the second and more sublime sense For he shall grow up i. e. Now the Messiah called the Servant of the Lord Cap. 52.13 shall grow up Before him i. e. In his Service As a tender Plant and as a root out of a dry ground i. e. As a tender Plant and as a root which springeth out of dry ground For as a plant or root which springeth out of a dry ground doth not thrive so well as that which groweth out of a fertile soile neither is so luxuriant but is small and slender and skragged So Christ shall not be in regard of worldly riches any great man neither shall he abound with worldly wealth So farre was Christ from having any abundance of worldly riches as that he had not of his own where to lay his head Matth. 8.20 By saying that he shall grow up as a tender plant he intimateth that the Messiah should be imployed in the Lords worke in his tender yeares and so he was Luke 2.46 He hath no forme and comelinesse and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him This some would have to be understood of Christ all the time of his mortality And they which do so do and must apply it to the outward condition and estate of Christ in respect of wealth and honour and worldly pompe For they cannot apply it to the feature and form and beauty of his body For it is generally received that Christ was a man of a goodly countenance and frame of body and to him do many apply that of the Psalmist according to the letter Thou art fairer than the Children of men grace is powred into thy lips c. Psal 45.2 Others would have this to be understood of Christ only in his latter dayes and dayes of his suffering in which dayes though Christ was naturally beautiful of a lively countenance his beauty was much marrâ—d and his countenance dâ—formed by the spittings buffettings wounds and griefs which he susteined 3. He is despised and rejected of men i. e. He shall be despised and rejected of men He useth a Praeterperfect Tâ—nse for a Future after a Prophetique manner to shew the certainty of what he speaks of Christ was sufficiently despised when they said of him in contempt This fellow Mat. 12.24 and 26.61 And when they called him Glutton Wine-bibber A friend of Pvblicanes and Siners Matth. 11.19 And when they said he was a Samaritane and had a Divell Iohn 8.48 And when they put a Crowne of Thornes upon his head and a robe upon his back and a Reed in his hand and bowed the knee before him and mockt him saying Haile King of the Jewes Matth. 27.29 c. And rejected of men To omit how often Christ preached unto the people and was not heard and how often he would have gathered Jerusalem as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings but she would not Matth. 23.37 Then was he rejected to the full when they asked Barabbas and refused Jesus Matth. 27. v. 17.20 A man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefes Then was Christ truly a man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefe when he was wounded with Thornes bâ—ffeted and spit upon and forced to carry his own Crosse and at last was crucified as a Malefactor Matth. Cap. 26.27 And we hid as it weâ—e our faces from him Supple Oâ—t of our hard hearts as not affording him any pitty Or out of disdaine as not vouchsafing to give him a kinde look This is spoken in the person of those Jewes and others whose heart God had touched with the sight and hearing of Christs sufferings and which did afterwards believe in him See Luke 23. v. 47.48 4. Surely he hath borne our griefes and carried our sorrowes q. d. He hath borne many griefes and carried many sorrowes especially on the Crosse But surely those griefes and these sorrowes which he hath borne and which he hath carried are our griefes and our sorrowes that is are griefes and sorrowes which he susteined for us and for our sins See 1 Pet. 2.24 By Griefes and Sorrowes are meant Metonymiâ—e the Torments and punishments which Christ suffered which torments and punishments caused griefes and sorrows and those torments and punishments they call theirs beca se Chriâ—t suffâ—red them for their sins St. Matthew applyeth this passage of the Prophet to Christs delivering those which were vexed with Divells and healing all those which were sick Matth 8. v. 16 17. As though the Prophet had foretold these things of Christ in these wordes But how can St. Matthew say that these words are to be understood of Christs casting out Divells and healing those which were sicke when as they are to be understood of Christs sufferings Ans What Christ suffered he suffered for this end that he might take away our sinnes and all the miseries which are come upon us by reason of our sins such as is the power of the Devill over us sicknesse diseases death
by reason of the Assyrians Cap. 11.11 And which will gather together these sonnes of Israel which are now captive in Babylon and which fled or now remaine in other places of the earth for feare of the Babylonians when they invaded the Land of Judah Of Israel By Israel he meaneth the Jewes the children of Israel and those Iewes which were dispersed upon the comming of the Assyrians and Babylonians into the Land of Judah he calls the Out-casts of Israel because they were as exiles in a strange Land and driven out of their own countrey by their enemies Yet will I gather others to him besides those that are gathered to him q.d. I have gathered some Proselytes to my people who worship me and I will yet gather other Proselytes to them besides those which are already gathered that they also may worship me Note here that when the Assyrians invaded the Land of Judah and many Jewes fled for safety into other countries God when he had slaine the Army of the Assyrians brought those Jewes back againe into their owne Land and when he brought them back many others of other Nations joyned themselves with them which afterwards aboade by the Jewes and ranne the same fortune as they did See Cap. 14. v. 1 2. And these are they which are here intimated to have beene first gathered to Israel That is to the Jewes the children of Israel Note secondly that when the Jewes were delivered out of the Babylonish captivity by Cyrus many Babylonians and men of other Nations being wonne by the conversation of the holy and religious Jewes went along with them and did enter themselves into the worship of God and these are they which he saith should be gathered unto Israel besides the former It may be asked here why and to what purpose and upon what occasion the Lord saith here The Lord God which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith yet will I gather others to him besides those that are gathered to him Ans He saith it upon occasion of those words Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people vers 7. For the Lord having said Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people sheweth here that he will gather of all people to Israel That is to his people the Jewes to worship him with them in his house of prayer That is in his Temple And he saith it to shew that he will accept of the Gentiles which come unto him and will by no meanes cast them off 9. All ye beasts of the Field come to devoure Note here that this is the beginning of a new Sermon or Prophesie And that this and the next Chapter following would have been better put into one than thus disjoyned Note Secondly that the Prophet doth here and in the next Chapter shew the reason of the Jewes captivity and this he doth first to cleare the justice of God and to make it appeare that it was not for nought that he gave them over into the Babylonians hands Secondly that he might shew the Jewes that they had need to turne to God by repentance who had gone so farre from him by their sins Note Thirdly that while he sheweth the reason of the Iewes captivity in Babylon he speakes as if the Iewes were then committing those sinnes for which they were afterwards carried into Babylon And againe while he shewes by what meanes they which were in captivity might be delivered out of their captivity he speakes of the delivery of those which repented out of captivity as though the time of their delivery were even then at hand joyning as it were these times together which were many yeares distant the better to shew the dependency of one matter upon the other and seeing both these as neer at hand by a prophetique spirit All yee beasts of the Field ccme to devoure i. e. All ye Beasts which frequent the Fields come and destroy Israel Yea all ye beasts in the Forrest i. e. Yea all ye beasts which dwell in the Forrest come and devoure him The Prophet compareth here the enemies of Israel That is of the Jewes which were the children of Israel to wilde beasts And Israel or the Jewes to a flock of sheep and when he calls to the wilde beasts of the Field to devoure By the wild beasts of the field he seemeth to meane Foxes and Badgers such as were wont to frequent the fields and to prey upon the sheep which fed therein but not to make such a slaughter among them and to destroy them with sueh a destruction as the beasts of the Forrest were wont And by the beasts of the Forrest he seemeth to meane Lions and Beares and Dragons whose might and fury was greater than that of the Foxes and Badgers and which when they fell upon a flock of sheep made a greater slaughter among them and were not so easie to be driven away By the beasts therefore of the field are signified more impotent enemies and such as doe lesse hurt And by the beasts of the Forrest more potent enemies and such as could hurt more particularly by the beasts of the field may be meant the Moabites and Ammonites and Edomites and Philistins By the beasts of the Forrest may be meant the Chaldaeans or Babylonians which did overcome the Land of Judah and burne the Cities thereof with fire and carry away the Inhabitants captive So that the sense of this place is q. d. Yee Moabites and Ammonites and Amalekits and Edomits and Philistines come yee and devoure Israel yea rather come yee Babylonians and yee Nations which serve them and devoure him 10. His watchmen are blinde i. e. The Watchmen of Israel are blinde Here is a Relative without an Antecedent By Watchmen he meaneth the Priests and the Prophets That is The teachers of the people And therefore doth he terme them Watchmen because as Watchmen were set to watch and to give notice of the approach of an enemy So was it the duty of the Priests and Prophets to watch over the people for their spirituall good and to forewarne them of sinne and of those judgements which were like to fall upon them for their sinne He giveth a reason here why he would have all the beasts of the fielde yea all the beasts of the Forrest to come and devoure Are blinde That is are ignorant For so he expounds himselfe in the next words Blindnesse is properly of the eye of the body but by a Metaphor it is translated to the understanding which is as the eye of the minde and signifieth ignorance They are all ignorant Supple Of that which they ought to know and teach the people That is They are ignorant of the Law of God They are all dumbe doggs they cannot bark They are all like dumbe Dogs which cannot barke The note of similitude is here left to be understood He likeneth the Priests and the Prophets to dumb dogs which cannot barke because they did not reprehend the people
of others To know signifieth here to know with approbation and the Indicative is put for the Potential mood Note here that Saint Paul maketh use of the seventh and part of the eighth Verse of this Chapter in the 15 16 and 17 Verses of the third Chapter to the Romans But you may ask To what purpose St. Paul maketh use of these places there Ans He maketh use of these places there not alone but with other the like places to shew that all men have sinned some after this manner and some after that For whereas he had said out of the Psalms that there is none righteous no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God they are all gone out of the way they are altogether become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one he addeth out of other Psalms and this place of our Prophet Their throat is an open sepulcher with their tongues they have used deceit the poyson of Asps is under their lips their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness their feet are swift to shed blood destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of peace they have not known As if he should say The throat of some is as an open sepulcher others have used deceit with their tongues others carry the poyson of Asps under their lips the mouth of others is full of cursing and bitterness the feet of others are swift to shed blood destruction and misery are in the way of others and the way of peace they have not known For note that neither St. Paul there nor our Prophet here doth mean that all these vices and sins were in all and singular men but that some were in some and others in others yet so as that all had sinned and gone out of the way and that there was none righteous no not one But how can Paul prove from these and the like particular places as these are That all have sinned Ans Because these and the like places speak of the sins of such as had the best means to make them good For thus Paul argueth q. d. If they which had the best means to make them good have proved so extream bad it is not credible that they were good who had not means to be good in the least degree answerable to theirs Saint Pauls Argument therefore from these and the like places is Argumentum a minus credibili ad magis credibile 9. Therefore is judgment far from us neither doth juâ—tice overtake us q. d. Because we have done these things and there is no judgment in our goings therefore is judgment far from us neither doth justice overtake us Note that this is spoken in the person of the captive Jews but of such of them as were not of the wicked crue who excuse not but accuse themselves and judge themselves worthy to suffer what God hath layd upon them Note also that the word judgment is otherwise to be taken here then it was vers 8. and that judgment and justice signifie here both one and the same thing and that that which is called judgment and justice here is called judgment and salvation vers 11. By judgment and justice therefore is meant salvation and deliverance out of the hands of the Babylonians But how cometh judgment and justice to signifie salvation and deliverance Ans By a Metonymy of the cause for if the Jews had observed judgment and justice God who had delivered them over into the Babylonians hands for their injustice would have sent them salvation and deliverance again as a reward for that their judgment and justice Therefore as works are sometimes put for a reward of works as cap. 40.10 and 60.11 So is judgment and justice put for the reward of judgment and justice which as I said had been in particular to these men their deliverance and salvation out of captivity For of this it is said Behold his reward is with him and his work before him Cap. 40.10 and cap. 60.11 We wait for light but behold obscurity i. e. We look for prosperity but behold we are still kept in adversity For brightness but we walk in darkness i. e. We look for redemption but we are held still in captivity and misery Note that the Hebrews by light and brightness do often signifie any happy and joyful estate and by night and darkness and obscurity any kinde of misery or miserable estate whatsoever 10. We grope for the wall like the blinde i. e. We feel for salvation and grope after it as the blinde man feeleth for and gropeth after the wall For as the blinde man gropeth after the wall and cannot meet with it so do we grope after salvation but cannot finde it This is a Proverb and it is well here used for well might those Jews be compared to blinde men groping after the wall for they felt after salvation as blinde men do after the wall for they went but blindly to work because they believed not the Prophets but thought to obtain salvation in that sinful estate in which they were in by their hypocrital fasts and outward observances either not knowing that God would not save them so long as they were in that estate in which they were in or else not knowing what and how sinful their estate and condition was Moreover as the wall brings ease and rest to a weary man so would salvation have brought ease and rest to these Jews And we grope as if we had no eyes q. d. Yea I say we grope as if we were stark blinde And is put for Yea. We stumble at noon-day as in the night i. e. We are exceeding blinde and which way soever we go we hurt our selves as he which stumbleth at a stone in the night and falleth and comes to hurt He must needs be exceeding blinde which cannot see his way in the day and that time of the day which is the lightest which is at noon when the Sun is at the highest and which seeth no more then if it were midnight These Jews were as it were in the light yea the light of the noon-day when the Prophets did preach unto them the Word of the Lord and tell them what they should do to be delivered out of captivity for the Word of the Lord is a shining light but they were blinde in that they did not believe that Word nor were attentive thereunto and came to hurt in that they followed not the Word of the Lord but their own fond conceits for Redemption whereby they provoked the Lord to add to their afflictions and to keep them yet faster in captivity We are in desolate places as dead men i. e. We are in the Land of our captivity as dead men are in their graves or in their sepulchers for as dead men have no eyes no more have we for we want the eye of Faith to see and behold the Promises of God and other parts of his Word and as
out of the Babylonish captivity to their own homes again As the Doves to their windows By windows understand here the windows or lover-holes of the Dove-houses or Pigeon-houses by which the Doves or Pigeons go in or out of their houses to wit the Pigeon-houses or Dove-houses 9. Surely the Isles shall wait for me and the ships of Tarshish first to bring thy sons from far i. e. Surely the Inhabitants of the Isles and the Merchants of Tarshish shall wait upon me as servants upon their Master that they may bring thy sons to me at my command The Isles By the Isles he meaneth the Inhabitants of the Isles that is of the sea-coasts by a Metonymy The ships of Tarshish By the ships of Tarshish he meaneth the Merchants of Tarshish who traffique by sea in ships What Tarshish was see cap. 2.16 First i. e. Before they do any other thing or take any voyage either for themselves or any other To bring thy sons from far i. e. To bring thy sons O Zion from those far Countries into which they were fled or were carryed when the Babylonians invaded Judea Thy sons He makes Zion here as a Mother and the Jews as her sons Their silver and their gold with them i. e. And to bring their silver and their gold with them This may be understood either of the silver and gold of the Merchants which they should bring with them to traffique within Jerusalem as vers 6. or of the silver and gold of the Jews which either they had gained by their labor or carryed with them when they fled for fear of the Babylonians or which had been given them by the benevolence of others for their Gods sake as Ezra 1.6 Note that these ships of Tarshish might have been employed to bring the Jews to Jerusalem not onely from Tarshish but from any other part of the World besides Vnto the Name of the Lord thy God That is To the dwelling place of the Lord thy God Note here that by the Name of the Lord God is meant the Lord God himself by a Metonymy Then by the Lord is meant the dwelling place of the Lord by another Metonymy as Vcalegon in the Poet is put for the house or dwelling place of Vcalegon Jam proximus ardet Vcalegon Virgil. Aenead lib. 2. Then by the dwelling place of the Lord is meant Jerusalem see Psa 76.2 To the holy One of Israel i. e. To the dwelling place of God who is the holy One of Israel This is a repetition of the former sentence Note here the Enallage of the person and how God speaketh of himself in the third person Because he hath glorified thee i. e. Because he hath honored thee and will honor thee in the sight of all the Nations 10. And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls i. e. And strangers shall build up thy walls The sons of strangers are put for strangers by an Hebraism And those he calls strangers which were not Israelites born The walls of Jerusalem were beat down by the Babylonians 2 Chron. 36.19 and they were built up again after the Babylonish captivity by the favor and liberality of Cyrus Darius Hystaspis and Artaxerxes Ezra cap. 6 7. and by the hands of many Proselytes And their Kings shall minister unto thee i. e. And the Kings of strangers shall minister unto thee those things which are necessary for that worke Supple Of building up thy Walls For in my wrath I smote thee i. e. For I smote thee because I was angry with thee for thy sinnes Then he smote her when he gave her over into the hands of the Babylonians 11. Therefore thy gates shall be opened continually i. e. Moreover thy gates shall stand open continually Therefore for Moreover That men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles i. e. That the Armies of the Gentiles may be brought to thee as Captives in chaines He sheweth here the reason or end why the gates of Jerusalem should stand open continually night and day to wit that the captives which they took in warre should be brought thither And by saying that the gates shall stand open continually day and night he intimates the frequent victories which the Jewes should have and their often conquests over the Gentiles And that their Kings may be brought supple To thee as captives in linkes of Iron Note that what is here said of Sion in the first sence is to be understood of the Church of Christ in the second and sublime sense of which Sion was here a Type Revel 21.15 12. That will not serve thee i. e. That will not doe offices of civillity and kindenesse to thee but rather injure thee and wrong thee and give thee just cause to make warre upon them And when thou doest so make warre upon them will not submit to pay Tribute to thee and doe other conditions which thou shalt require of them Note that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to serve signifieth sometimes to doe offices of civillity and kindenesse to another as Cap. 19. v. 23. So that he that will not doe offices of civillity and kindenesse to another may be said to deny to serve him Yea to deny to serve a man may sometimes signifie to injure and wrong a man by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Note further that to pay tribute and to performe other conditions which a potent Prince or People exacteth of another Prince or People doth usually fall under the name of service And tributaries are frequently called servants so that not to serve may signifie also not to pay tribute and not to submit to such conditions as a more powerfull Prince or People shall exact See 2 Sam. 10.9 1 Kings 4.21 2 Kings 18.7 Shall perish Supple From being a Nation or Kingdome of it selfe and living under its owne Lawes for thou shalt subdue it and bring it into captivity to thy selfe Yea those Nations Supple That will not serve thee Shall be utterly wasted Supple By thy sword Josephus writes of the victory of the Jewes over the Tyrians and those of Ptolemais as also of their victory over the Ammonites and Gileadites lib. 12. Antiq. Cap. 16. He writes also of the subversion of Pella by the Jewes lib. 13. Antiq. Cap. 23. In the book of Macchabees also we read of the victories of the Jewes by Judas Macchabaeus 1 Macchab. Cap. 5. c. All which tend to the fulfilling of this Prophecy 13. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee By the glory of Lebanon is meant the Cedar which is the tallest and stateliest of all Trees and it is called the glory of Lebanon because it brought a great deale of renoune to Lebanon which bore it and upon which it grew and made it famous Per metonymiam efficientis Lebanon was an high hill scituate on the North side of the Land of Canaan which brought forth as other godly Trees so especially the Cedar hence the Cedar of Lebanon went for a kinde of proverbe 2
giver of light such light as shall farre exceed the light of the Sun and of the Moon and that an everlasting light too Light is taken here for the giver of light Per metonymiam efficientis by which figure the Sun is also called a light as a little before so also Gen. 1.16 The Lord is called the everlasting light because he is a light that is a Sun which never goeth downe See Psal 84.11 Whereas the Lord is here said to be a light or giver of light By light understand prosperity And thy God thy glory This is a repetition of the Sentence going immediately before and what he called light there he calleth glory here For light is a glorious thing God therefore is said here to be Sions glory Per metonymiam efficientis Because he gave glory that is light that is prosperity to Sion which light that is which prosperity might be called glory Per metonymiam adjuncti because it was glorious and Sions glory Per metonymiam efficientis because it rendred Sion glorious The Lord is said in this sense to give glory Psal 84.11 Note here that St. John in his revelation Cap. 21. v. 23. alludeth to this verse of our Prophet but he doth not only allude to it as to words which he may turne to his purpose but he alludes to it also as to a place principally intended to set out the glorious state of Christs Church And indeed so these words are intended in the second and sublime sense For though in the first sense they speake only of the prosperity which the Jewes should have after their captivity in Babylon Yet in the second and sublime sense they speake the glory and Blisse which Christs Church should receive after her delivery from sinne and ignorance and the power of the Devill For those temporall and bodily blessings which God bestowed upon the Jewes after their captivity were a Type of those spirituall and eternall blessings which God would give unto Christs Church after their delivery from sinne and ignorance and the power of the Devill And these words being understood of that blisse which the Church of Christ shall enjoy in Heaven may be understood as they said without any figure for in Heaven the Sunne shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light c. 20. Thy Sun shall no more goe downe Thy Sun shall no more goe downe as the Sun in the firmament useth to goe downe and set daily Sions Sun went downe when God withdrew his favour from her and delivered her into the hands of the Babylonians to be afflicted and oppressed by them But it rose againe when he delivered them again out of the hands of the Babylonians by Cyrus and vouchsafed her his favour Neither shall thy Moon withdraw it selfe Neither shall thy Moon set any more as the Moon in the firmament useth to set when it goeth under the earth For the Lord shall be thine everlasting light i. e. For the Lord shall be thy Sun and thy Moon which shall be above thine Horizon and shine upon thee everlastingly without intermission By light understand here the Sun and the Moon which are called lights because they give light as Genes 1.16 But the Lord is called Sions Sun and Moon onely by a Metaphor because he gave light that is prosperity and joy day and night to Sion as the Sun imparts his light by day and the Moon imparts her light by night to the Inhabitants of the Earth And the dayes of the mourning shall be ended He speaks of that mourning which the Babylonians caused by their oppression and hard usage of her in her captivity By this we may understand what he meant by light to wit prosperity and joy 21. Thy people also shall be all righteous i. e. Most of thy children which shall returne out of Babylon and come and dwell in thee shall be righteous All is put here for the greater part not for All without exception The greatest part of those which returned to Sion out of captivity were righteous and good men though the most part of those which went into captivity were wicked because the Sword and the Famine and diseases had consumed the greatest part of the wicked and many of them which remained alive returned not but remained still in Babylon Cap. 57. v. 20 21. See the like Cap. 1.25 See also Cap. 4.4 Note here that in these words thy people also shall be all righteous the Verbe shall be is supplyed by the Interpreter so that the words of themselves are these thy people all righteous which may be as if he should say thy people to wit all the righteous so that the meaning of this plurall may be this q. d. Thy people that is to say all the righteous shall inherit the Land for ever c. They shall inherit the Land for ever i. e. And they shall inherit the Land of Judah for a long time The Branch of my planting q. d. Even the branch of my planting c. This is governed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they to wit Thy people by Apposition And he calleth the people of Sion here the branch of his planting by Anticipation But the branch of his planting hee calls them because hee would though he had not as yet plant them in their own land and cause them there to take root downwards and beare fruit upwards as he speaks Chap. 37.31 The work of my hands This also is governed of the former words by Apposition God calls the people of Sion the work of his hands because he would bring them out of their miserable thraldome and give them great prosperity and joy yea because he would plant them as a young slip or Tree in their own land and there cause them to flourish That I may be glorified Supple for that which I will doe to them that is to thy people A little one shall become a thousand i. e. And so I will blesse them as that a little Family in or among thy people shall grow into a thousand families And a small one a strange Nation i. e. And a small familie shall become a mighty Nation This is a repetition of the former sentence I the Lord will hasten it in his time i. e. I the Lord will make hast to accomplish this which I have said that it may be fulfilled in the due time that I have appointed for it His time i. e. My time or the time that I have appointed for it Here is an Enallage of the person where the Lord on a sudden speaks of himselfe in the third person See the like Chap. 51.15 ISAIAH CHAP. LXI THe Spirit of the Lord is upon me i. e. By the Spirit of the Lord is meant that Spirit of prophecie which is the gift of God q.d. The Lord God hath endued me with the gift of Prophecie c. Note that among the
which he saith here is this That they shall not need to toyl and moyl as Countrymen use to do about their Cattel and about their Corn and about their Vineyards but they should sit still and have all done to their hands So that they should feed of the flock and eat of the field and drink of the Vineyard without sweat and labor But how should the Jews have strangers thus to moyl and toyl for them and they themselves fit still Ans They should take some captives in war and make them their servants others they should hire for their mony for they should be rich enough to do it so that one way or other they should have all their moyling Country-work done for them without any trouble of their own 6. But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord And why shall they be named or called the Priests of the Lord Ans Because as the Priests of the Lord the sons of Aaron were maintained by the labor of the other Tribes and labored not in Husbandry as the other did for the Lord gave them the Tythes of the Flock and of the Herd and of the Corn and the Oblations which were offered that they might the better wait upon their Ministry So should the whole Nation of the Jews live by the labors of the strangers and have their meat and their bread and their wine brought in to them without any pains at all by them taken But ye There is an emphasis in this Pronoun Ye Men shall call you the Ministers of our God This is a repetition of the former sentence for he meaneth hereby those Ministers and Servants of God which minister at the Altar and serve him in holy things Ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles i. e. For ye shall eat of the Flocks and of the Herds of the Gentiles about which you took no pains See cap. 60.7 The riches of many people of old consisted chiefly in Flocks and in Herds therefore are riches put here for Flocks and for Herds This is another reason to shew why they should be called the Priests of the Lord and the Ministers of their God in the sence given For the Prophet doth often follow that with one reason which he ushered in with another And in their glory shall ye boast your selves i. e. And ye shall enjoy and rejoyce in their riches This is a repetition of the former sentence What he called riches just before he calleth glory here per Metonymiam Effecti because riches were the Gentiles glory i. e. They were that in which they gloryed themselves and that for which they were renowned by others Shall ye boast your selves i. e. Shall ye rejoyce To boast of a thing sometimes signifieth to joy or delight ones self in a thing because they which boast of a thing take joy and delight in what they boast of 7. For the shame ye shall have double Supple Honor q. d. Ye have been put to shame by the Babylonians whose bondmen ye have been but for that your shame ye shall receive twice as much Honor. And for confusion they shall rejoyce in their portion i. e. And for the confusion which they have suffered God will give them a great portion of Honor in which portion of Honor they shall rejoyce This is a repetition of the former sentence onely he changeth the second person into the third for this belongeth to those Jews to whom he spoke before For confusion Confusion signifieth the same thing as shame did In their portion i. e. In that portion of Honor which God will give them so great shall it be Therefore in their Lord they shall possess the double i. e. For whereas they have been put to shame in a strange Land to wit in Babylon they shall possess twice as much Honor in their own Land as they have suffered shame in a strange Land Therefore is put here for For or Because as Cap. 26.14 The double i. e. A portion of Honor which shall be double to the shame which they have suffered Everlasting joy shall be unto them i. e. And the cause of this their joy shall proceed as from other blessings so partly from this that their God shall make them honorable See cap. 43.4 8. For I the Lord love judgment i. e. For I the Lord love upright dealing I love common Justice which giveth to every one his own and reward it wheresoever I finde it I hate robbery for burnt-offerings i. e. But I hate robbery though it be committed for this end that he that robbeth might buy a burnt-offering with that which he hath taken by robbery and offer it unto me I say I hate robbery and will punish it in whomsoever I see it By this God intimateth that he would not spare those Jews of the captivity which were given to robbery and unjust dealing And this he speaks occasionally and by the By for his main scope is contained in those words I love judgment By Judgment understand by a Synecdoche all good by robbery all evil Note that this is spoken in the person of the Lord and the Lord giveth a reason here why he will do so great things for them to whom he sent Isaiah his Prophet and why he will so honor them and the reason is because he findes Judgment and Justice in them q. d. For I the Lord love Judgment and I will reward it wheresoever I finde it and because I see it in these my people I will reward them for it Note that though most of the Jews which were carryed away captives were unjust robbers and fraughted with all manner of wickedness yet all were not so but some were upright honest men And of those which were naught some turned from their naughtiness and became good of these therefore which either persisted in their goodness or turned from their wickedness and those onely doth the Lord and his Prophet here speak And I will direct their work in truth i. e. I will direct their reward who follow after Judgment in truth Their work i. e. Their reward or the reward of their work The work is put here for the reward of the work per Metonymiam efficientis In truth i. e. According to truth Then is the reward directed according to truth when the reward is answerable and proportionable to the work which is to be rewarded Or In truth that is according to my sayings who am true in all my sayings And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them i. e. And I will renew my Covenant with them which for my part shall be everlasting for I will never break it When a Covenant is broken on any part he that breaks it can no more lay claim to it wherefore the renewing of it is as the making of a new Covenant This Covenant the Lord renewed by his Prophets and Nehemiah and others sealed to it in the name of the whole people Nehem. 10. 9. And their seed shall be known
that He was an hungred and thirsty c. Matth. 25. v. 35.40 And we read Iudg. 5.23 Of one saying curse yee bitterly the Inhabitants of Meroz because they came not to the helpe the helpe of the Lord against the mighty when they came not to the helpe of the people of the Lord. And I wondred that there was none to uphold i. e. And I wondred that there was none to helpe me He saith to uphold for to helpe by a Metaphor from a staffe which upholdeth him and so helpeth him that leaneth upon it that he falls not The Lord speaketh here of himselfe as of a man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so he might well wonder that there was none of all the Nations that would helpe him that is as I said would helpe his people being he had been so beneficiall to them and his people had not wronged them at all but so farre were they from helping as that they would have destroyed him that is his people if they could 1 Machab. 5.2 Though God can subdue any Nation himselfe by the blast of his mouth yet he will not work miracles when he can use secondary and ordinary meanes therefore if any of the Nations would have offered their help to the subduing of Edom God would not have rejected it Therefore mine own arme brought salvation unto me See what I said in Cap. 59. v. 16 17. Mine own arme He saith his own arme in opposition to the arme of the Nations and to signifie that he had not the least help or furtherance in this his expedition from them And my Fury it upheld me q.d. And I armed my selfe with fury that is I put on courage There is nothing better to encourage a man and to make him valiant than anger and fury is the height of anger And there is no better armour to preserve a man then courage and valour for quo timoris minus est eo minus ferme e◠periculi saith Livie lib. 22. By how much the lesse feare there is by so much the lesse danger there is for the most part For the farther understanding of this phrase And my fury it upheld me see what I said on those words And his righteousnesse it susteined him Cap. 59.16 6. And I will tread downe the people in mine anger i. e. And I resolutely said I will tread downe the people of Edom in mine anger and all the people that joyne with them And make them drunke Supple with calamities and miseries It is frequent with the Hebrewes to liken calamities and miseries to a cup of wine or strong drinke and to say that he is made drunke with that cup who is sorely afflicted with those calamities and miseries See Cap. 51. v. 21 22 23. and Psal 75.8 I will bring downe their strength to the Earth i. e. I will overthrow all their strength and all their power 7. I will mention the loving kindenesses of the Lord Many make this the beginning of a new chapter howsoever certainly it is the beginning of a new matter And this part of this and the whole next chapter are a prayer composed by the Prophet to be used by a lew in his Captivity in Babylon I will mention the loving kindenesses of the Lord i. e. I will declare abroad and speake of those many great kindenesses which the Lord hath shewed to me This is that which God lookes for for his kindnesses to his people that they should acknowledge them and speake of them and so praise him for them And the praises of the Lord i. e. And the praises which are due unto the Lord. And the great goodnesses toward the house of Israel i. e. And I will mention the great goodnesse which he hath shewed towards the children of Israel 8. For he said i. e. For the Lord said concerning the house or children of Israel when he was about to bring them out of the Land of Egypt Surely they are my people i. e. Surely the house of Israel are my people whom I have chosen of all the people of the earth to serve me Deut. 7.6 Here he beginneth to praise the Lord and to mention the kindnesses of the Lord which the Lord had shewed to Israel so that the seventh verse was an Exordium to these praises of the Lord. Children that will not lie i. e. Children that will keepe the Covenant which they have made with me See Cap. 30.9 Cap. 59.13 concerning what it is to lie By this God shewed what good hope he had at first of the children of Israel And he speaks here as a man who knoweth not secret things and things to come but hopeth the best By an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So he was their Saviour i. e. So he took upon him to be their Saviour and Protectour 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted i. e. When he saw them afflicted he was grieved at it so tender was he over them Thi is spoken of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Angel of his presence saved them And he sent an Angel even an Angel of his presence to save them and he saved them from the fury of the Egyptians Exod. 14.19 c. The Angel of his presence By this he meaneth some eminent Angel which stood in the sight of God or in his presence and by consequence was a mighty Angel or an Angel of great might and power Such an Angel doth he call an Angel of Gods providenc by a Metaphor taken from the custome of Kings who admit not every common servant into their presence but their Noble and their great ones onely As 1 Kings 10.8 To which custome our Saviour also allvdeth Matth. 18.10 Where speaking of the Angels of the faithfull he saith That they see the face of their father which is in Heaven In his love and in his pitty the redeemed them Lhough the love and the pitty which he had towards them when he saw their misery in Egypt he redeemed them out of the hands of the Egyptians by his Angel And he bare them and carried them As a nurse beareth and carrieth her child in her armes or as an Eagle beareth and carrieth her young ones on her wings Exod. 19. v. 4. or Deut. 32.11 All the daies of old i. e. All the daies of their infancy 10 But they rebelled Supple against God and were disobedient to him Understand this not onely of those rebellions which we read of Exod. 15.24 16.2 Num. 14.11 21.5 c. But of those other Rebellions also which they shewed afterwards in the time of the Judges and of the Kings And vexed his holy Spirit i. e. And vexed him who is the holy one of Israel with their sins He speakes of God as of a man and puts the spirit which is but part for the whole man Therefore was he turned to be their enemy and fought against them Therefore did God shew himself their enemy and fought against them for he sent fiery Serpents amongst
fathers upon their children not because he layeth more upon their children then their children deserve by their own proper sins but because being they are wicked children of wicked Parents he doth not deal so mercifully with them as if they were the children of pious Parents For though the sins of children be equal yet God doth often punish the children of pious Parents with a great deal more mercy then he doth the children of wicked Parents even for their Parents sake And thus to punish the iniquities of the fathers upon their children may very well stand with the Justice of God Which have burnt incense upon the mountains He speaks of those which lived in the days of Amaziah 2 Chron. 25.14 and in the days of Manasseh For note that he speaks to the Jews as if they were even then in captivity And blasphemed me upon the hills Supple By the sacrifices and worship which they have given to other gods The blasphemy here spoken of is a blasphemy of deeds not of words For by sacrificing to and worshipping other gods they gave Divinity which is due onely to the God of Israel to Gods of their own invention by which they said in effect That not the holy One of Israel but they whom they worshipped and to whom they did sacrifice were the true Gods Yet at the doing of such sacrifices the Lord was blasphemed in word too For the Idolaters which lived about Judea were wont to ascribe their wealth and their victories to their Idols and to mock the holy One of Israel whose custom these men imitated Therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom i. e. Yea I will repay the wages due to the works of their Fathers into the bosom of them their children The work is put here for the wages due to the work per Metonymiam efficientis And therefoâ—e is to be taken for Yea. He alludeth to an housholder paying his laborer in corn for his wages which corn he measureth to him c. See Notes vers 6. Their former works He meaneth the punishment due to the sins of the fathers which sins because they were before the sins of the children are therefore called former works Into their bosom i. e. Into the bosom of those which are their children See concerning this phrase vers 6. 8. Thus saith the Lord i. e. Yet for all this Thus saith the Lord. Note that the Particle Yet is here to be understood As the new wine is found in the cluster That is As some good grapes are found in a cluster of naughty grapes By new wine are meant good grapes which have in them and will yield good new wine per Metonymiam Continentis or Efficientis And by the cluster is meant a cluster of naughty grapes in which most of the grapes are naught and which the Lord of the Vineyard is ready to fling away And one saith i. e. And one which seeth the new wine that is the good grapes in the cluster which the Master of the Vineyard is ready to fling away saith Destroy it not q. d. Fling it not away For a blessing is in it i. e. For there is new wine in it that is there are some grapes in it which will yield good wine What he called new wine before he calleth a blessing now for whatsoever is conducible to the life of man the Hebrews call a blessing See Deut. 28.2 Joel 2.14 So will I do Between these and the former words understand these or the like words And thereupon the Lord of the Vineyard picketh off from the naughty cluster the good grapes which will yield good wine and reserveth them So will I do i. e. So will I gather those which are good out of this rebellious people For my servants sake See Cap. 63.17 That I may not destroy them all i. e. That I may not destroy all the people of the Jews but save a remnant of them 9. And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob i. e. For I will bring out of those Jews which are captives in Babylon a remnant and that remnant will I place again in their own Land And is put here for For. By a seed he meaneth a little remnant or small number of the Jews which God would save though he destroyed the rest And those few he calleth a seed because a seed is but a little thing in respect of the whole plant and also because he would so bless them as that they should multiply and encrease and become a great Nation as great store of fruit and great trees spring out of a little seed By Jacob are meant the Jews the children of Jacob per Metonymiam Efficientis And out of Judah i. e. Out of the Jews which were the children of Judah By Judah are meant the Jews which were the children of Judah who was the son of Jacob Gen. 49.1 8. An inheritor of my mountains i. e. A seed or a remnant which shall inherit the mountains of Judea Judea was a mountainous Country therefore he putteth the mountains for the whole Land of Judah by a Synecdoche and God calleth that Land his Land because he kept a peculiar right in it See Cap. 63.17 And mine Elect i. e. For those which I make choyce of to inherit my mountains which are such as fear me and have sought me And for For as before Shall inherit it i. e. Shall inherit my mountains or my Land Note here the Enallage of the numbers how he changeth the plural into a singular number And my servants i. e. And they which worship me and serve me Shall dwell there Supple In peace and in rest though now they are captives in Babylon and there oppressed These did God bring out of Babylon and seat in this Land by Cyrus Ezra 1. 10. And Sharon shall be a field of flocks i. e. And Sharon though it be now desolate and without cattel shall abound so with sheep for their sakes as that it shall be as one great fold of sheep it shall be so full of sheep as sheepfolds use to be Concerning Sharon see cap. 35.2 And the vally of Achor a place for herds to lye down in The valley of Achor was a fruitful valley neer Jericho where Achan was stoned to death Josh 7.25 26. This valley the Lord saith shall become a fruitful walk for cattel to walk and quietly to lie down in though at the time he speaketh it was desolate through the desolation that the Babylonians had made For my people that have sought me i. e. For the good of my people which have sought me in their affliction This he adds lest that that fertility which he speaks of may be thought to be intended for the good of the Babylonians and others under them which inhabited the Land of Judah during the time that the Jews were captives in Babylon and not for the Jews 11. But ye are they which forsake the Lord The Lord makes this Apostrophe to the wicked
deliverance They did comply with the Babylonians in their Religion and their abominations And because the Babylonians did sacrifice in Gardens and burn Incense upon Altars of brick they also would sacrifice in Gardens and burn Incense upon Altars of brick Cap. 65.3 And because the Babylonians did prepare a Table and furnish a drink-offering to the Host of Heaven they also would prepare a Table to that troop and furnish a drink-offering to that number Cap. 65.11 And because the Babylonians did use Sorceries and Necromancy they also would do the like Cap. 65.4 And because the Babylonians did eat all unclean meats they also would eat them Cap. 65.4 thinking by this means to gain the favor of the Babylonians and to prevent the miseries which they feared Because the Babylonians promised them that they would deal better with them if they would comply with them in these things then they would with other Jews which would not comply with them Therefore the Lord threateneth them with this That by doing this wickedness they should gain nothing but should be deluded by the Babylonians For notwithstanding this their complying with the Babylonians in these their abominations and the Babylonians promise the Babylonians should afflict them and should deal as bad with them as with others I will choose their delusions i. e. I will choose this That they shall be deluded by the Babylonians How they should be deluded by the Babylonians I said immediately before Note that this word Delusions is to be taken here not in an active but in a passive sence or signification And they are called their delusions not because they did delude others thereby but because they were thereby deluded themselves And will bring their fears upon them q. d. And whereas they are afraid that they shall never be delivered out of Babylon and that their misery will be day by day greater in the Land of their captivity and therefore they strive to prevent these their fears by complying with the Babylonians in their abominations they shall not prevent them but for all their abominations I will bring their fears upon them I will bring their fears upon them i. e. I will bring those things upon them which they are afraid of and then their delight shall come to an end Note that the word Fears is to be taken here objectivè for the things feared And where such things befall a man he can have no pleasure or delight in any thing Because when I called c. He adds another reason here why he would chuse their delusions and bring their fears upon them When I called none did answer See cap. 65.12 5. Hear the Word of the Lord ye that tremble at his Word q. d. But as for you which tremble at the Word of the Lord hear the word of comfort which the Lord speaks unto you Ye that tremble at his Word See Notes vers 2. Your Brethren that hated you By these their Brethren he meaneth those ungodly Jews to whom and of whom he spoke in the four first Verses whom he calleth their Brethren because they were all brethren according to the flesh and were all descended from the same Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob who for all this did hate these their brethren which feared the Lord. That cast you out c. Viz. Of their company as though ye were impure and would defile them if you drew nigh to them and did converse with them See Cap. 65.5 For my Names sake i. e. For my sake that is because ye cleave to my Commandments and live according to them Said Supple In derision and mockery of you Let the Lord be glorified Though the ungodly party of the Jews did not believe that the Lord could deliver those which were in captivity in Babylon out of their captivity yet most of the godly party did and out of the fulness of their heart did often say that the Lord would be glorified in their deliverance according to what the Lord said by his Prophet cap. 44.23 and cap. 60.21 The ungodly party therefore which hated the godly party as for other things so for this that they believed that the Lord would deliver them out of the hands of the Babylonians because they themselves could not think it were wont to mock the godly party with this saying Let the Lord be glorified Supple In your deliverance as though they believed and looked for that which God could not do But he shall appear to your joy i. e. But he shall shew himself in your deliverance to your joy And they shall be ashamed To wit That they mocked you with this saying Let God be glorified when they shall see that God hath delivered you to his glory 6. A voyce of noise from the City a voyce from the Temple q. d. I hear a voyce of a noise of rejoycing from the City of Jerusalem and a voyce of singing and thanksgiving from the Temple The Prophet speaks this as if he had heard on a sudden a noise of rejoycing made by the Jews from Jerusalem and a noise of praise and thanksgiving made by the Levites from the Temple for their redemption out of the Babylonish captivity By which he signifieth that the godly Jews should be certainly redeemed and brought to their own Land again and that they should build again the waste places of Jerusalem and that they should raise up the Temple which the Babylonians had destroyed and rejoyce in all this A voyce of the Lord that rendreth recompence to his Enemies q. d. I hear the voyce of the Lord who recompenceth his Enemies according to their deserts In those Psalms of praise and thanksgiving which were wont to be sung in the Temple many passages were made and sung in the person of God triumphing over his Enemies and threatening them with due vengeance as Psal 68.22 23. 132.18 81.14 c. 89.23 c. And to such passages as these may the Prophet allude when he saith A voyce of the Lord that rendereth recompence to his Enemies Yet that which followeth in the three next Verses may be the voyce and song of rejoycing which the Prophet heard which song is sung in the person of the Lord or at least part thereof as appeareth vers 9. And those words That rendereth recompence to his Enemies may be added here not to denote any passage in the song but as an Epithite of the Lord an Epithite opportunely added because the wicked part of the Jews thought that God was not able to punish the Babylonians But if the song here sung was not sung in the person of God yet the subject thereof was the acts of the Lord whatsoever the song was And those words Of the Lord may as well signifie the subject matter as the Author of the voyce or song which uttereth the voyce or singeth the song That rendereth recompence to his Enemies This is meant especially of the Babylonians whom the Lord accounted his Enemies because they did use
his people the Jews with all cruelty when they were in captivity and upon whom he poured out vengeance when he delivered his people by Cyrus Before she travelled she brought forth i. e. The Jews which were in captivity were delivered out of captivity and brought back to Sion sooner then any one could expect This is the meaning of the words which are proverbial and where Sion is compared to a teeming woman yea to a woman bringing forth before her pains came upon her and the Jews which were in captivity and brought home again to the children brought forth by such a woman Note that by she is meant Sion or Jerusalem of which he speaks as of a woman by a Prosopopoeia But the Relative She is put without an Antecedent which is a thing ordinary with the Hebrews Before her pain came she was delivered of a man-childe This is a repetition of the former words Of a man-childe The birth of a man-childe makes the joy the greater Joh. 16. vers 21. But whom doth he mean by this man-childe Ans He meaneth the whole people of the Jews for he speaks often of a people as of one individual man as Cap. 17.4 Or a man-childe may be taken collectivè for men-children q. d. Before her pain she was delivered of many men-children 8. Who hath heard such a thing q. d. Who ever heard or saw such a thing Who hath seen such things i. e. Supple as this That a woman should bring forth before she travelled and that she should be delivered before she was in pain as Sion was that is That a City should be so suddenly redeemed out of so great captivity and so suddenly filled with people which was so utterly desolate before as Jerusalem was when she was redeemed by Cyrus Shall the Earth be made to bring forth in one day i. e. Shall a Land be made to bring forth in one day people enough to inhabit it The whole Earth is put by a Synecdoche for one Land and Country Or shall a Nation be born at once Or shall a whole Nation be suddenly born at one birth For as soon as Sion travelled she brought forth her children i. e. Yet Sion did all on the sudden bring forth all these her children which are more then enough to inhabit her cap. 49.20 By this Metaphor of Sion travelling and bringing forth the Prophet meaneth that Jerusalem was replenished in a moment with inhabitants which was desolate before multitudes of people returning on a sudden out of Babylon into her as if a whole Nation had been born in her in one day For is put here for Yet A question may here be asked How he can say As soon as Sion travelled she brought forth when as he said vers 7. Before she travelled she brought forth Ans These two phrases are both proverbial To bring forth before she travelled and To bring forth as soon as she travelled and both these may signifie one and the same thing viz. To bring forth of a sudden And this is all which is intended by this place to wit to shew the suddenness of Sions bringing forth her children And therefore he may say As soon as Sion travelled and Before Sion travelled she brought forth without any contradiction or contrariety So Cap. 65.24 The Lord saith Before they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear By which phrases is onely meant that the Lord would be forward to help them when they stood in need of him So we read Matt. 10.10 that our Saviour whâ—n he sends forth his Disciples bids them carry no staves yet Mark 6.8 our Saviour tells them that they should take nothing for their journey save a staff onely in which words there is no contradiction if we look to the sence for by both phrases our Saviour intendeth that his Disciples should have nothing but what was necessary for the present and that Matthew signified when he said no staves for every poor man hath a staff And Mark when he said nothing save a staff onely for he that hath onely a staff hath nothing superfluous 9. Shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth q. d. Shall I cause Sion to conceive and shall I perfect her fruit within her and bring it to the birth and shall I not cause her to bring it forth that is Shall I give Sion hopes of having her children return to her out of captivity and shall I not bring it to pass Shall I cause to bring forth and shut the womb q. d. Shall I cause all mothers to bring forth and be fruitful and shall I shut the womb of my beloved Sion so that she shall not bring forth No I will not but I will open her womb and make her more fruitful then any mother in the world besides for I will make her very populous Or thus q. d. Shall I say that I will cause Sion to bring forth and yet shut her womb I will not do it To cause to bring forth in this last interpretation is taken for To say that he would cause to bring forth and To shut her womb for To suffer her womb to be shut 10. Rejoyce ye with Jerusalem and be glad with her all ye which love her Supple Because of the happiness and prosperity which she shall enjoy He speaks to the captive Jews which sought the Lord and served him who therefore loved Jerusalem because the Lord had chosen it for the place of his worship And hereby he prophecyeth both of theirs and of Jerusalems prosperity All ye that mourn for her Supple Now in the time of her affliction and desolation because she lieth waste and desolate without Altar and without Temple to serve God in 11. That ye may suck and be satisfied with the brest of her consolation i. e. For though ye be now afflicted ye shall be partakers of her comfort This phrase is Metaphorical and alludeth to children which when they cry and weep the mother to quiet them and comfort them layeth them to the brest to suck Note that the Particle that signifieth here as often elsewhere either the connexion and consequence or else the cause of rejoycing That ye may milk out i. e. For ye shall milk out of her brests abundance of glory And be delighted with the abundance of her glory i. e. Ye shall eat and be delighted with the abundance of her glory that is of her prosperity and happiness By glory he meaneth prosperity and happiness per Metonymiam Effecti or Adjuncti because prosperity and happiness make him glorious who hath them And he compareth this glory that is this prosperity and happiness here to the milk of the brest 12. I will extend peace to her like a river i. e. I will give her that is Jerusalem abundance of prosperity and happiness The word peace signifieth in the Hebrew language all manner of prosperity and happiness And the word extend noteth abundance and continuance of
is not onely understood immediately by the letter of the mercy of God in reserving a few Jewes in the Land of Judah from the destruction and desolation which Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel should make of the Jewes But also of the mercy of God in saving a remnant according to the election of grace from everlasting destruction by Christ Jesus Rom. 9.29 And what we read Cap. 8.18 I and the Children which the Lord hath given me is understood of Isaiah and his children by him begotten for Isaiah there speakes in his own person But it is not onely understood of Isaiah but also of Christ of whom Isaiah was a Type Heb. 2.13 And those words which we read Cap. 25.8 He will swallow up death in victory And these the Lord God will wipe away teares from all faces Though they are understood of that joy which should be to the Iewes and all the neighbouring people upon the slaughter of the Assyrians which laid Iudah waste and besiedged Hierusalem Yet they are to be understood also of that joy which the Redeemed of Christ should enjoy when He had put their spirituall Enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15. v. 55. Rev. 7. v. 17. and 21. v. 4. And what we read Cap. 53. v. 7. How beautifull are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace that bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth salvation Though it be understood according to the letter of those which brought good tidings of the delivery of the Iewes out of Babylon Yet it is understood also and according to the letter too of the Preachers of the Gospel Rom. 10. v. 15. I shall not need to bring any more examples of this for they which shall read this our Exposition may have the opportunity to observe many Notes of this kind as of the others also which I have propounded But it may be objected against these Observations and asked here If the Word of God carry a double sense with it and the sentences of the Scripture may have a double meaning are they not like the Oracles of the Devill which carried a double sense and had with them a double meaning Answ God forbid For first the Oracles of the Devill though they had a double meaning and carried a double sense with them yet their double meaning and double sense was concerning one and the same thing But the Word of God where it hath a double meaning or a double sense relateth not to one and the same thing but to severall things whereof one is as the Type and Figure of the other Secondly Though the Word of God doth carry a double sense with it in many places yet is each part of the sense determined to its proper subject and not left in suspense and doubtfull But the double sense which the Oracles of the Devill had were not determined to any one truth but left in suspense and doubtfull that the Devill upon the Event of the thing of which he gave his Oracle might apply it as he list to save his credit with his followers Thirdly The double sense of the Oracles which the Devill gave was contradictory the one part thereof to the other and could not both parts of it be possibly true in the event because they implied a Contradiction But though many parts of the Word of God and many sentences thereof doe carry with them a double sense or double meaning yet are both of the senses and meanings true there is no disagreeing between them in that matter Examples of the Word of God which carry a double sense with them I have given divers a little before Now take one instance of the Devils Oracles and by that judge of the rest When Pyrrhus King of Epirus had a mind to goe to battle against the Romans he was desirous to know what successe he was like to have before he went to battle and therefore asked counsell of Apollo who gave him this answer Aio te Aeacide Romanos vincere posse which I render thus I say that Pyrrhus the Romans can overcome which answer hath a double sense for the sense may be this that Pyrrhus can overcome the Romanes or this that the Romanes can overcome Pyrrhus where you see first that this double sense is concerning one and the same subject Secondly That the sense is not determined but left in suspense and doubtfull for he doth not determine whither Pyrrhus can overcome the Romans or the Romans Pyrrhus And thirdly One part of the sense is contradictory to the other and therefore cannot both parts be true in the event For if it be true that Pyrrhus can vanquish the Romans then cannot it be true that the Romans can vanquish Pyrrhus And if it be true that the Romans can vanquish Pyrrhus it cannot be true that Pyrrhus can vanquish the Romans The Fourth thing that I desired might be taken notice of was That though in many Histories and Prophesies of these holy Writers there be sometimes one sometimes more sentences which signifie immediately by their words some passage or passages which appertain not onely to the First Literall Historicall or Meaner â—ense But also some passage or passages which appertain to the Second Mysticall or Sublime Sense yet the words are not alwayes to be taken after the same manner but sometimes in a different manner in one from that in which they were taken in the other sense And this we may see illustrated and verified by divers examples The sixty ninth Psalm was a Psalm which David made when he was in distresse and therein he complaineth grievously of his Enemies being no doubt in great streights and pressure at that time Now as David was a Type of Christ so doth this Psalm which sets forth the afflictions of David prophesie of the afflictions and miseries which Christ should suffer while he was on the earth by the Sonnes of Men And as the whole Psalm in the first sence concerneth David so in the second and sublime sense it concerneth Christ and some particular sentences are understood acording to the words as well of Christ as they are of David but of David in a Proverbiall and Figurative of Christ in a proper kind of speech For that sentence In my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink Vers 21. Is spoken of David onely figuratively and in the manner of a Proverb and signifies that when he had need of comfort they did in stead of comforting him adde sorrow to his grief But it is spoken of Christ properly and foretels that his enemies should give him vinegar indeed to drink and it was fulfilled while he hung upon the Crosse Iohn 19. vers 28 29. So Psal 19. v. 4. It is written according to our old Translation and according to the Septuagint and according to Saint Paul's reading Rom. 10. v. 18. Their sound is gone out into all Lands And their words into the ends of the world which are spoken in the First
or Literall or Historicall or Meaner sense of the Heavens and that Metaphorically And the Heavens are said to sound out and speak the praises of God all the world over because they are seen to all the world to be so excellently made as that men may understand thereby the eternall power and God-head of him that made them But as they are spoken in the First or Literall or Historicall or Meaner sense of the Heavens Metaphorically So are they spoken of the Apostles who preached the Gospel in all the world in the Second Mysticall and Sublime sense properly Rom. 10. v. 18. And note here that Saint Paul alledgeth these words of the Psalmist in that place of the Romanes not by Accommodation onely that is not because they are words fit for his purpose without any relation to the intent of the Prophet David in that place but he alledgeth them as words intended by the Prophet David as a man inspired by the Holy Ghost to signifie that for which he there alledgeth them as he that seriously considereth the Text and Context must needs confesse But if you ask me how the Prophet David though inspired by the Holy Ghost can signifie by those words in that place the preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles throughout the world Take these my Notions such as they are in a place of much difficulty and controversie The work of Christ in the whole redemption of Man is as a new Creation and hath resemblance thereunto intended by the Holy Ghost Hence we read 1 Cor. 5. v. 1 7. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Old things are passed away behold all things are become new And Gal. 6. v. 15. In Christ Jesus neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new Creature The Psalmist therefore while he speakes of the Heavens which is the highest and lightest and chiefest part of the materiall world and the glory which they bring to God their Maker doth in a mysticall sense foretell of the Apostles and the glory which they shall bring to the Lord who gave them to be Apostles by their preaching For in the new world which Christ framed that is in the Church of Christ the Apostles are the highest and chiefest Creatures hence in the similitude of an house they are likened to the foundations which are the chiefest parts and most to be regarded in a building Ephes 2.20 And they are the lightest also for our Saviour saith to them Yee are the light of the world Matth. 5. vers 14. But to return to that from which we may seem to have digressed That which our Prophet saith of himself in the first sense Cap. 18. v. 12. I and the children which thou hast given me is said also by Christ of himself in the Second and Sublime sense Heb. 2. v. 13. But it is spoken by Isaiah otherwise than it is by Christ for it is spoken by Isaiah properly for he was the naturall father of these children which he speakes of But Christ is called the Father of these Children which he speakes of onely by a Metaphor So in these woâ—ds Isaiah 25. v. 8. He will swallow up death in victory Death as the words are considered in the First Literall Historicall and Meaner sense is to betaken Metonymically for Sorrow Or if Death be taken for that which deprives a man of life the meaning of the words is this That the Lord will destroy death that it shall kill no more But as the words are taken in the Second Mysticall and Sublime sense as they are taken 1 Cor. 15. v. 55. Death is to be taken properly for the deprivation of life And the sense of the words is That the Lord will so destroy death and triumph over it as that he will restore those which are dead to life again So Isaiah 35. v. 4. In the words which we read there to wit Then shall the lame leap as an Hart and the tongue of the dumb shall sing The lame and the dumb as the words are taken in the First or Literall or Historicall and Meaner sense are taken Metaphorically for those that are in such extremity of grief as that they have no desire either to talke or to walk but sit as dumb and lame men But in the Second Mysticall and Sublime sense they are taken properly for him that is lame indeed And him that is dumb indeed Matth. 11. vers 5. The Fifth and last thing that I desired to betaken notice of was this That though in many Histories â—as I may call them and Prophesies of those holy Writers there be sometimes one sometimes more sentences which signifie immediately by their words not onely some passage or passages which appertain to the First Literall Historicall or Meaner Sense But also some passage or passages which appertain to the Second Mysticall and Sublime Sense Yet it is not necessary neither is it alwayes so yea it is very seldome so that every sentence of the whole Prophesie or History as I may call it doth signifie immediately by its words those passage or passages which appertain to the Second Mysticall or Sublime sense as they doe those passages which appertain to the First or Historical or Meaner Sense Which some not observing where they have assuredly found a sentence belonging to some passage of the Sublime sense thinking therefore that the whole Context must necessarily thereunto appertain word by word have attempted to construe the Context word by word accordingly and have rack'd the words yet have they not made them speak good sense But that it is not necessary nor is it alwayes true that where one sentence is found appertaining word by word to the Second Mysticall or Sublime sense the sentences adjoyning must therefore appertain to the same sense word by word is evident by these examples following for Exod. 12. v. 46. Those words Neither shall yee break a bone thereof appertain in the Second Mysticall and Sublime sense to our Saviour Christ John 19. v. 36. But though that sentence appertaineth word by word to our Saviour Christ in the Second Mysticall and Sublime sense yet cannot the sentences preceding or following be construed of him word by word as he which readeth them must needs confesse So that sentence 2 Sam. 7.14 I will be his Father and he shall be my Sonne is spoke of our Saviour Christ in the Second Mysticall and Sublime sense Heb. 1. v. 5. Yet cannot the words following in that verse be understood of him to wit If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men So those words Isaiah 1. v. 9. Except the Lord of Hosts had left unto us a very small remnant we should have been as Sodome and we should have been like unto Gomorrah signifie in the and Second Mysticall and Sublime sense that many should perish through unbelief and that a Remnant onely should be saved according to the election
People He mentioned onely clothing in the Argument but he mentioneth bread also in the Answer thereunto which maketh the Answer the stronger Note that these words For in my house is neither bread nor clothing must in construction come after those words Make not me a Ruler of the People though they are set before them for they contain a Reason of those words Make me not a Ruler of the Peâ—ple q. d. Make m not a Ruler of the People for in my house is neither bread nor clothing 8. For Hierusalem is ruined i. e. For Hierusalem shall come to ruine These are not the words of him which excuseth himself from being a Ruler but of the Prophet who useth here a Preterperfect Tense for a Future to shew that what he speaks of shall as surely come to passe as if it were already done Because their tongue The tongue is put here Metonymice for words proceeding from the tongue To provoke the eyes of his glory q. d. So that they doe thereby provoke the Glorious Lord to anger against them Note that the word To in To provoke signifieth not the intent of these Men but the event of their words and doings Note also that when he saith The eyes of his Glory he speaks of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and putteth the Eyes by a Metonymie for the whole Man And therefore doth he put the Eyes for the whole rather than any other part in this place Because he would intimate that their sinnes were openly and impudently committed And because that which is done against a man before his eyes and in his presence doth more provoke him than that which is done against him in his absence and behind his back Note thirdly that the tongue or words of a man are here made the Object of the eyes or sight as well as his Doings of which see Chap. 2. v. 1. Note fourthly that in these words of his Glory the Glory of God is put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for God himself as when we speak of a King and say the Kings Majesty we mean the King himself See the like Chap. 2.10 So that the sense of these words To provoke the eyes of his Glory is this to provoke his eyes or Him who is Glorious Or else of His Glory is put for Glorious a Substantive of the Genitive case for an Adjective so that the eyes of his Glory may signifie his glorious eyes as the yoke of his burthen signifieth his burthensome yoak Chap. 9. v. 4. 9. The shew of their countenance doth witnesse against them Supple that they are wicked men q. d. You may guesse by their very countenance that they are naughty and wicked men so impudent they are c. And they declare their sin as Sodome i. e. They declare their sin as the men of Sodome did We read Gen. 19.5 That when two Angels came to Sodome at even and were entertained by Lot the men of Sodom all of them compassed the house round and called unto Lot and said unto him where are the men which came to thee this night Bring them unto us that we may know them i. e. That we may abuse them against nature Thus did the Sodomites without shame and blushing declare the filthy sin which they would commit As these were not ashamed to tell of their sin no more weâ—e the men of Judah ashamed to tell what they would doe And as it was likely that the Sodomites did boast of their sin when they had at any time committed it So it is likely that the men of Judah boasted of theirs when they had committed it Woe unto their soul i. e. Woe to them The soul is put here by a Synecdoche for the whole man For they have rewarded evill unto themselves q. d. For they have brought evill upon themselves as a reward of their sinnes 10. Say ye to the Righteous c. This is either spoken by God to His Prophets or by the Prophet to other Men. For they shall eat the fruit of their doings q. d. For they shall receive their reward according to their doings Here is a Metaphor taken from a man which eateth of the fruit of an Orchard or Vine-yard which he himself planted Note that the prophet speakes in this part of the verse in the Plurall number whereas he spoke in the former part hereof in the Singular number though he relates to the same thing But this kind of Enallage or Confusion of Numbers is frequent 11. The reward of his hands i. e. The punishment which is due to him as the reward of his works He puts the hand here per Metonymiâ—m Efficientis for the works of the hands And by the works of the hands he meaneth by a Synecdoche all evill workes whatsoever whether they be done by the hands or any other member 12. As for my People c. What he said in General of the wicked in the former verse That the reward of their hands shall be given them He sheweth here in Particular of the Princes and Rulers which oppressed the People Vers 12. c. And of the proud women of Hierusalem who were holden with pride v. 16 c. As for my People c. This speech beginneth abruptly as Patheticall Speeches use to doe And it is the Pitty and Compassion which he had of the People to see them so oppressed which made hâ—m thus begin By which kind of abrupt speech he sets out also the greatnesse of the Oppression which the Princes and Râ—lers used toward his People He calls the Jewes his People because he called them to be a pecâ—liâ—r People to himself and did special favours for them Children By Children are meant men which have no more understanding to govern as they ought than Children have Children are their Oppressors He should have said Children are their Princes as v. 4 But because their Princes which were set over them for Good did nothing else but oppresse them and abuse their Power that way he saith not what they were by their Places Princes but what they were by abuse of their Places Oppressors But what are they Children and yet Oppressors Answ The Prophet calls them Children because they were but Children for true knowledge and understanding how to manage the Places which they filled And Oppressors Because they were men of Crafty devices to know which way to fleece and oppresse the people and did it accordingly And the Prophet seemeth of purpose to put these as it were Contradictory termes together to shew the strange temper of these Men what fools they were one way and yet how crafty and subtile another Note that the Children which here he speakes of are not the same with those which he spoke of Vers 4. For these wh ch he speakes of here were now in actuall being when he spoke these words But they which he speakes of there were not yet in actuall being but to arise or be a great wâ—ile after And they were such as the
sin of these men bâ—ought as a Scourge upon the Land Note also that at this time though there were many wise Princes or Rulers as appeareth by Vers 2 3. yet there were also many unwise as appeareth by this place And Women By Women he meaneth Men which were impotent and unable to bridle and oversway their lusts and affectâ—ons and which like women would lust after and affect and covet every thing they saw and would bend all their power to compasse and obtain what they had a mind to And Women rule over them Whose Rule must needs be grievous and oppressive They which lead thee i e. Thy Princes and Rulers Princes and Rulers are called the Leaders of their People by a Metaphor of a Shepheard which goeth before his Sheep and leadeth them when they goe to Pasture and back again See Numb 27. v. 17. Or Princes and Rulers may be said to lead the people because People doe for the most part follow the example of their Princes and Rulers Cause thee to erre i. e. Cause thee to sin He alludeth to that Metaphor which compareth the Law of God to a way of which see Chap. 2. v. 3. Princes and Rulers may cause their People to erre many wayes As first By commanding them to doe those things which are contrary to the Word of God Secondly By persecuting those which are good and godly and disallowing their wayes and yet tolerating the wicked and their doings Thirdly By favouring if not hiring false Prophets to prophesie happinesse to them whom God abhorreth Fourthly By perswading the People both by themselves and their Parasites that they govern in righteousnesse when they doe nothing lesse Fiftly By alluring and inducing them by their â—xample to sin as to Idolatry or the like And this last seemeth especially to be the Prophets meaning in this place The Prophet taxed the Rulers with oppression in the first part of this verse Here he sheweth them guilty of more wickednesse than that And destroy the way of thy Paths i. e. And destroy the way in which thou shouldst walk This way is the Law of God according to which we should direct our lives The Law of God is compared to a strait and narrow way Now as such a way is easily marr'd and destroyed by the continuall crosse-trampling of cattle and crosse-walking of Men so that no man can see that way to walk directly in it So is the Law of God marr'd and destroyed at least in the true sense of it by the sinnes and transgressions of Râ—lers so that they which look upon their example cannot discerne between the Commandements of God and corrupt usage of men but call evill good and good evill Hence hath Idolatry been taken for the service or worship of God and other things which have been sinnes in their own nature have been taken for matters of Indifferency 13. The Lord standeth up to plead Subaudi But. q. d. But the Lord standeth up to plead the cause of his People And standeth to judge the People Supple which are thus oppressed by their Rulers The sense of this verse is q. d. But the Lord is ready to relieve those which are oppressed and to deliver them from their Oppressors Note that to plead a mans cause is often taken for to deliver a man from oppression and wrong for so it is taken 1 Sam. 24. vers 15. and 1 Sam. 25. vers 39. and Psal 35. v 1. and Psal 43. v. 1. c. And as to plead a mans cause so to judge a man or to give Sentence in his cause is taken for to deliver a man from oppression and wrong c. For so it is taken 1 Sam. 24. v. 15. Psal 43. v. 1. and Psal 10. v. 18. And these words come thus to be taken by a Metaphor drawn from the usage and customes of Courts of Justice For because a man which is arrested and troubled upon a false action when his cause is pleaded by a good and honest Lawyer and Sentence given therein by a just Judge is relieved and delivered from further molestation and trouble in that Suite Hence to plead a mans cause and to judge him come Metaphorically to signifie or to be taken for to deliver a man any way from the oppression and wrong which he suffereth But you will object that to judge signifieth to punish and to plague For so it signifieth Heb. 13. v. 4. and Psal 9. v. 19. How then can it signifie to deliver from oppression and to relieve a man for these seem contrary Answer To judge signifieth both to relieve and deliver from oppression and wrong and also to punish and to plague and both from the same Metaphor But the diversity of the signification cometh from the diversity of men or of the causes which are judged For if a Mans cause be good and he in the mean time suffereth wrong then is he when he is judged and sentence is given in his cause relieved and delivered out of trouble But if a mans cause be naught and he hath done the wrong then when he is judged and sentence is given in his cause he is doomed to some punishment or other And hence it is that this word cometh to signifie so contrarily The Lord standeth up to plead i. e. The Lord is ready to plead or about to plead He alludeth to the Posture of a Counsellor or Advocate when he is about to plead For though He sate down before yet when He is about to plead He riseth from his Seat and standeth up and pleadeth standing He standeth to Judge What we said of a Counsellor or Advocate we say the like of a Judge when he is about to given Sentence for then he usually standeth up though he sate before 14. The Lord will enter into judgement with the Ancients of his People Judgement is taken here for the Judgement Hall or Court or Place where Causes were pleaded and judged And to enter into Judgement is like to that Phrase of the Latins In jus ambulare Note that because a Malefactour or he that hath done wrong when he is cited or brought into Court it is for this end that he might there receive the sentence of the Judge according to his desert and might be punished according to that Sentence Hence by putting the Antecedent for the Consequent to enter into Judgement with the Anciens of the People signifieth here to punish them or to have them punished for their oppression c. With the Ancients of his People i. e. With the Rulers of his People The Rulers of a People are called the Ancients thereof because they are for the most part chosen out of Ancient Men Or because they were chosen out of such at first Hence were the Senators of Rome sâ— called because they were Senes that is Ancient men which were at first chosen to that place Hence were the Lacedaemonian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called And hence are the Prime Rulers in a City or
pass And is redundant here See Notes Cap. 2. v. 2. It came to passe in the dayes of Ahaz The story of this you may read 2 Kings 16. v 5. But could not prevaile against it This is spoken by Anticipation for thaâ— which followeth came to passe before this 2. And It was told the house of David i. e. It was told to Ahaz the King and to the nobility of the Kingdome of Judah which were of the lineage of David c. This which he speakes of was told them before Rezin and Pekah came against Judah and Hierusalem yea so soon as ever they had made this confederacy Syria is confederate with Ephraim q. d. Syria and the ten Tribes have made a league between themselves and have agreed to joyn their forces together with an intent to cut off Judah from being any more a People It was the intent of Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel in joyning their forces against Judah utterly to have cut off the People of Judah from being a People or Common-wealth or Kingdome of themselves any more For if they had taken Hierusalem they would have made the son of Tabeal King Vers 6. And so have cut off the house of David And those which they did take in the Land of Judah they carried away captive 2 Chron. 28. v. 8. Intending to have peopled the Land of Judah with some of their own People as the Eastern Conquerors were wont to doe when they intended that a People should be no more a People or Common-wealth of themselves but live dispersed here and there as slaves to others With Ephraim i. e. With the ten Tribes of Israel Ephraim which was the son of Joseph Gen. 41.52 and the grand-child of Jacob and by him adopted and made as one of his own sonnes Gen. 48. v. 5. â—is put here for the Tribe of Ephraim per Metonymiam efficientis And the Tribe of Ephraim for the ten Tribes of Israel by a Synecdochen membri And this Tribe rather than any other because Jeroboam which was the first King of Israel was of this Tribe As also because this was the chiefest Tribe of the ten And his heart was moved i. e. And Ahaz trembled and quaked for fear The heart is put here for the whole man by a Synecdoche And the heart of his People i. e. And all his People when they heard of it trembled and quaked also The fear of Ahaz and of his People was least they should be utterly destroyed and be no more a People which fear was the greater in them because they trusted not in God nor believed his Prophets who prophesied the contrary 3. Then said the Lord unto Isaiah goe forth now to meet Ahaz Isaiah is sent to Ahaz the King because Ahaz was most afraid and because this message concerned the good of the Kingdome whereof he was head Thou and Shear-jashub thy son Shear-jashub signifieth a remnant shall return and this name was given by Gods appointment to one of the sons of Isaiah to signifie that though the Jewes should be brought into a miserable condition by their enemies yet a remnant at least should return to their former happiness and should enjoy the priviledge of being a People and Common-wealth of themselves And though the Jewes should be expelled and driven from their dwellings by the prevailing of their enemies yet a remnant of them at least should return to their dwellings again and there live and increase and enjoy the happinesse of being a People and Common-wealth of themselves Because Ahaz feared that he and his People would be utterly destroyed and cut off from being a People when Rezin and Pekah had both agreed to joyn their Armies and forces together against them Therefore was it that God commands Isaiah to go meet Ahaz and carry Shear-jashub his son with him for the sonnes of Isaiah were for signes and wonders in â—srael cap. 8. v. 18. that Isaiah might confirm him and his people not with words onely but with a sign of comfort also from God that Rezin and Pekah should not utterly cut them off from being a People or Common-wealth any more of themselves At the end of the Conduit of the upper pool Ahaz had gone out thither either to walk or to see how that place was fortified or might be made advantagious for the defence of the City against the enemy There were two Pooles near Hierusalem whereof one was called the upper Poole the other the nether Poole from their scituation In the high-way of the Fullers field i. e. In the high-way which is near to the fullers field Or which goeth through the fullers field Fullers use much water in their trade and therefore are wont to dwell near some Pool or river and they had need of some open field to dry their clothes in when they were wet and such a kind of field was it which is here called the fullers field 4. Take heed Supple That thou distrust's not God and send'sts to the King of Assyria for aid against Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel And be quiet i. e. And sit quietly at home and neither goe thou nor send thou to Assyria for help When Ahaz heard that Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel made a confederacy against him he trembled and quaked notwithstanding the good word of the Lord to him and would not be quiet but thought either to go or to send messengers to Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria for help 2 Kings 16. v. 7. From this therefore doth the Prophet dehort him in these words Take heed and be quiet q. d. Take heed and send not for aid abroad neither be thou moved but put thy confidâ—nce in God For in rest shalt thou be saved in quietnesse and confidence shall be thy strength See the like Cap. 30 v. 15. For the two tailes of these two smoaking fire-brands i. e. By reason of the two tailes of these two smoaking fire-brands q. d. Let not the two tailes of these two smoaking fire-brands thus disquiet thee and make thee to send for aid abroad What he meaneth by the two tailes of the smoaking firebrands he telleth in the next words By the two tailes of the smoaking firebrands he meaneth Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel whom he calleth firebrands because of their rage and fury against Judah and smoaking fire-brands because they could but smoak they could not burn They could but terrifie they could not destroy Judah And he calls them tailes or ends of fire-brands because as the tailes or ends of fire-brands are soon spent and consumed so should they shortly come to an end and perish For the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria q. d. that is by reason of the fierce anger of Rezin King of Syria and his people the people of Syria He explaineth what he meant by the former words Of the son of Remaliah i. e. Of Pekah Son of Remaliah King of Israel He giveth Pekah
that when they were return home they whom they had subdued should rebel again and be no longer subject to them 19. Of Hamah and Arphad What Hamah and Arphad were see Cap. 10.9 Of Sepharvaim Some take Sepharvaim to have been a City of Syria neer the Sea others to have been a City seated upon the River Euphrates And have they Supple Which are the Gods of Samaria Here is a Relative put without an Antecedent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 20. That the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand i. e. That any one should say that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand 21. But they held their peace i. e. But the people which sat upon the wall to whom Rabshakeh directed this speech held their peace See 2 King 18.36 The Kings commandment was saying Answer him not Hezekiah being a more wise King foresaw that the Assyrian being proud by his own nature and more proud by reason of his Victories would carry himself proudly and insolently therefore he commanded the people which sat upon the walls if they should hear Rabshakeh speak proudly to them not to answer him a word lest they should by their Answer the more exasperate him if it were rough or terrifie the rest of the people if their Answer should savor of fear Again by enjoyning them silence Rabshakeh could not so well practise with them or know their mindes who would have done any thing to gain the City at this time 22. With their clothes rent The rending of their clothes was a sign of grief and sorrow among the Hebrews as Gen. 37.34 and 2 Sam. 1.11 Job 2.11 and particularly a sign of grief and sorrow together with an holy indignation for the blasphemy which they heard as Matth. 26.65 Acts 14.14 The reason of the rending their clothes for such occasions was to signifie thereby that their Soul was rent for very grief These men rent their clothes here both because of the blasphemies with which they heard Rabshakeh blaspheme God and also for sorrow and grief that they were like to make no peace with the Assyrians Cap. 33.7 ISAIAH CHAP. XXXVII HE rent his clothes To wit Because of Rabshakehs blasphemy which was related to him and for grief of what was like to happen by the breaking off of the Treaty by the Assyrians if the Lord did not avert it And went into the House of the Lord. i. e. Into the Temple there to call upon God for his ayd in this time of trouble 2. And he sent Eliakim c. unto Isaiah the son of Amos For what end Hezekiah sent to Isaiah we may gather from the fourth Verse he sent to him to pray for the remnant of the men of Judah which were left after the desolation which the Assyrians had made and he sent to him rather then to any other because he knew his holiness of life and that the gift of Prophecy was in him and that he had in fore-time delivered to him that the Lord would preserve Jerusalem from the Assyrians 3. This day is a day of trouble i. e. This time is a time of trouble a time of trouble because of the destruction of so many Cities of Judah and because of the siege and vexation of Jerusalem And of rebuke i. e. And a time of reproach in which we are reproached For Rabshakeh doth bitterly reproach and taunt both me the King of Judah and my people As for Rabshakehs reproach of the King see Cap. 36.14 15 16 18. This word Rebuke though it often signifies a reproving or chiding after a friendly manner yet here it is taken for reproaching and taunting in a spiteful way And of blasphemy i. e. And a day or time of blasphemy for Rabshakeh blasphemeth the living God Of Rabshakehs blasphemy see Cap. 26.15 20. For the children are come to the birth and there is no strength to bring forth Before these words understand those Lift up thy prayer for us For I conceive that the Prophet useth a Brachylogy and that these words Lift up thy prayer for us are to be understood from the following Verse for otherwise it will not be easie to finde on what this sentence doth depend except we take For for And or for Moreover The children are come to the birth and there is no strength to bring forth This is a Proverbial kinde of speech used when men are in extream danger or anguish and have no humane help to bring them out of it And it is taken from a woman in travel when the childe is come to the birth that is to the strait and narrow neck of the womb at what time she is in her greatest pain and the greatest danger and the womans strength then fails her so that she cannot bring her childe forth into the world that she might be eased of her pains and freed from her danger 4. Will hear the words of Rabshakeh i. e. Will take notice of the words of Rabshakeh And will reprove the words which the Lord thy God hath heard i. e. And will punish Rabshakeh and his Master who sent him for those their words which the Lord thy God hath heard and taken notice of To reprove or rebuke when it is spoken of God is taken most often for to punish as 1 Chron. 12.17 Psal 6.1 And to reprove words is to reprove or punish a man for his words as to punish sin is to punish a man for his sin Wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left Supple That God would punish the Assyrians and spare them For the remnant that is left By the remnant that is left he meaneth those men of Judah and Jerusalem which were left after that havock of men which Sennacherib and his Army had made in the Land of Judah 6. Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard wherewith the servants of the King of Assyria have blasphemed me q. d. Though Rabshakeh and his company did by the command of their Master blasphemously say cap. 36. verse 15 20. That I could not deliver you out of the hand of their Master the King of Assyria yet be not thou afraid by reason of these words for I will deliver you 7. Behold I will send a blast upon him q. d. I will send a blast of wind upon him which shall blow him out of this Land as the Dust or Chaff is blown before the wind This phrase shews how easily God could rid the Land of Sennacherib and his Forces And it is Metaphorically to be understood And what is meant by the Metaphor is explained in the next words And he shall heare a Rumour i. e. For he shall heare a rumour The rumour which he heard and which turned him into his owne Land was the rumour of the destruction of 185000 of his Army in one night For note that though Sennacherib himselfe was upon a speedy march with that part of his Army which was with him towards Hierusalem to put in execution all