of our best Expositors are of opinion that there was some part of Arabia that was called Dumah after the name of the Son of Ishmael and that it was these Arabians the posterity of Ishmael inhabiting this Country of Dumah against whom Isaiah did here prophecy And whereas it may be objected against this with great shew of Reason That v. 13. there followeth another Prophecy particularly directed against Arabia To this they answer That that might be against the Arabians inhabiting about Kedar and this agaâ—nst those that dwelt about Dumah But whether it were the Ishmaelites of Arabâ—a or the Edâ—mites that are here meant which last seems to me most probable because of the mention that is here made of Seir the reason why God was pleased by the Prophet to foretel the Jews these Judgments that were to come upon these foreign Nations may seem to be That they might hereby be assured before-hand that those great charges and overturnings that were shortly to come upon all the Countries about them were ordered and appointed by Divine Providence and perhaps also that when troubles came upon themselves they might not think as they were apt to do of flying to Dumah or elsewere to secure themselves He calleth c. Here begins the Prophet's burdensome Vision against Dumah He calleth to me out of Seir as if he should have said I hear the voice of one calling to me out of Seir. And the most Expositors take these to be the words of the Prophet relating what he had heard in his Vision concerning Dumah as before he had related what had been revealed to him concerning Babylon But because these two short Prophecies concerning Dumah and Arabia might well be revealed to him at the same time with that which he hath before related concerning Babylon I see not why this may not be added as in ralation to that which went before ver 16. namely as the words of that Watchman whom in his Vision God had appointed the Prophet to set in a Watch-tower who having related before what he had seen concerning Babylon doth now also tell that he also heard one call to him out of Seir Watchman what of the night Watchman what of the night Only indeed what is meant hereby whether we take them as spoken to the Prophet or as spoken to that Watchman or to any other is very questionable The opinions of Expositors herein are very different and many I will only mention those that seem most probable They that hold the Ishmaelites the inhabitants of Dumah to be the persons against whom the Judgment here threatned is denounced can give no other reason why the Prophet or the Watchman in the Prophets Vision should say That one called to him out of Seir but only this that the Edomites are mentioned as making this enquiry either as a people ready armed and prepared to go out upon a design of invading or surprizing Dumah and therefore longing for break of day that they might be upon their march or else because being near neighbours to these Ishmaelites of Dumah they were afraid of being involved in the same misery together with them and so were eagerly inquisitive to know what the Watchman had in the night descried But now if by the inhabitants of Dumah the Edomites be meant then there can be no question made why their miseries should be foretold by the Prophet's or Watchman's relating what one said that called to him out of Seir and what he answered him And indeed this makes me the more inclinable to think that it is the Idumeans that are here meant by the inhabitants of Dumah Only still it is questionable what was intended by these words he heard Watch-man what of the night Watchman what of the night Some hold that this was spoken to the Prophet himself as one of the Jews Spiritual Watchmen and that Ironically the words being redoubled to imply the greater derision Watchman what of the night Watchman what of the Night As if they should have said Thou that professest thy self to be a Watchman appointed by God to look out from thy Watch-tower and foresee the evils that are to come upon us and other Nations what saist thou of that night of great tribulation and distress which thou and other thy Fellow-Prophets have often told us was coming upon us You have often threatned us with a dismal night of darkress and calamity that should befal us and yet we on the contrary do still enjoy a fair Sun-shining day of Peace and Prosperity and so have done ever since we cast off the yoke of your King Joram and have had a King of our own See the Note 2 Kin. 8.20 And therefore what saist thou now Hast thou any farther tidings of this night that is to come upon us Again others hold that this is that which the Edomites said to the Watchman whom the Prophet in his Vision had set upon a Watch-tower and that hereby is represented in what continual perplexity and fear they were by reason of the enemies that were wasting their Country or were ready to break in upon them for this which this Watchman relates as spoken to him is to set forth how the Edomites were continally calling and crying thus to their Watchmen Watchman what of the night Watchman what of the night That is What have you seen concerning this Night Hath the enemy attempted any thing against us Or are they ready to assault us Are we in a better or a worse condition than we were Or What time of the night is it Or as if they had said fearing the enemy would by night break in upon them When will it be morning Or When will the morning of our deliverance come Shall the Enemy always thus make havock in our land Yea some understand it as the cry of the Edomites being now carried away Captives by the Assyrians Watchman what of the night That is When will our Captivity come to an end Is there no Day-light appearing no hope of comfort As for this redoubling of these words Watchman what of the night Watchman what of the night I conceive that this is done Either 1. after the custom of those that call to them that stand on some high place far above who are wont to repeat the questions they propound to them for fear at first they were not heard Or 2. to imply That the Inhabitants of Dumah by reason of their great anxiety and terrors should be continually wearying the Watchmen with this question sometimes one of them sometimes another or that they should run up and down to make this enquiry of them Or 3. the better to express their exceeding great fear and desire to be satisfied of that concerning which they enquired And indeed this last Exposition that makes this enquiry of the Inhabitants of Dumah to be an expression of the great terror and fear they were in because of the enemy I judge most probable Ver. 12. The Watchman said c. That
things in the persons here threatned did not proceed from natural ignorance and infirmity but from obstinacy and malice they did it against Conscience in things that were manifest evident and clear to the judgment of all men as if they should say that light were darkness or bitter were sweet and so on the contrary a man may be deceived in judging of things that are somewhat like one another but who can mistake in judging between light and darkness and bitter and sweet A blind man cannot through mistake say in the night that he sees it light and a sick man cannot think that is sweet which is bitter though through the distemper of his palateâ— he may judg that to be bitter which is sweet Ver. 21. Wo unto them that are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sighâ— Some limit this to those that out of an high conceit of their own wisdom refuse the instruction of their teachers or that despise Gods threatnings thinking by their great wisdom to prevent the judgment threatned or at least to secure themselves But I think it is best to extend it to all that out of an overweening concern â—â— their own wisdom do in any thing otherwise than as God in his word hath directed them See the Note Prov. 3.7 Ver. 22. Wo unto them that are mighty to drink wine c. As if he should have said That are only men of might for drinking great quantities of wine stout fellows at the board but cowards in the field very able and mighty men for gusling down huge measures of wine but such as if they should be called out to appear in the field for the defence of their Country would be found feeble and faint-hearted enough And to the same purpose is the following clause and men of strength to mingle strong drink that is to drink strong drink Because they used in those Countries to prepare and make ready the wine and other strong liquors they were to drink by mingling of them see the Note Prov. 9.2 and so when they were once thus prepared and mixed then they drank them up therefore in the Scripture by mingling wine or strong drink is meant the pouring it out as upon the same ground Isa 19.14 God is said to have mingled that is to have poured out upon or into the Egyptians a perverse spirit that made them err and stagger like a drunken man And to be sure the mingling here mentioned is not meant of mingling their wine or other strong liquor with water for that tended to allay the strength and heat of it whereas the strength of these men the Prophet here speaks of consisted in their being able to swallow down and bear the strongest drinks There was a wo denounced before against this sin of drunkenness in this very Chapter ver 11. but that seems to be intended against their sensuality and excessive jollity in their drinkings and revellings but this seems to be particularly directed against those that gloried in their being able to drink abundance and carry it away without sinking under it that vaunted in this as a matter of great strength and valour and laboured to outstrip others Yet I confess because by mingling of strong drink may be meant the preparing and making it ready for others therefore some Expositors would have the first clause understood of their might in drinking excessively themselves and the second of their pressing it upon others and their contending to overcome others in drinking Ver. 23. Which justifie the wicked for reward c. See the Note Chap. 1.23 This seems to be spoken of those drunkards mentioned in the foregoing verse that were mighty to drink wine c. because having there spoken of such men he immediately here addeth which justifie the wicked for reward c. and there is not a particular wo here prefixed and indeed if their Judges were given to drunkenness it were no wonder though they should do any thing that were most unjust But yet I rather think that another wo is here left to be understood as if it had been thus expressed Wo unto them also which justifie the wicked for reward that is that pronounce him just and give sentence for him as if his cause were just see the Note Job 13.18 or that undertake any way to plead for assert or maintain his cause to be just Ver. 24. Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble and the flame consumeth the chaff c. It is in the Original as the tongue of fire devoureth the stubble the ground of which expression is because the flame of fire both in the red colour and likewise in the shape of it hath much of the resemblance of a tongue when it ascends up and this is the very reason why it is said Act. 2.3 that the Holy Ghost came upon the Apostles in the appearance of tongues of fire and why the fire is usually said to lick up those things that are consumed by it as 1 King 18. 38. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt-sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked up the water that was in the trench But however the main thing intended by this similitude is that as stubble and chaff do suddenly take fire and being once set on fire are easily soon and utterly consumed so the wrath of God should break forth suddenly and unexpectedly upon this people that had provoked God so exceedingly and should easily suddenly utterly and irrecoverably destroy them see the Notes Exod. 15.7 Job 21.18 whereby also the Prophet doth covertly tax and deride their foolish security and confidence in thinking themselves to be in such a safe and sure condition so their root shall be rottenness and their blossom shall go up as dust that is they shall be destroyed root and branch Having in the beginning of this Chapter compared the people of Israel to a vine in allusion thereto he speaks here accordingly of their destruction some by the root understand the parents and by the blossom their children according to that Hos 9.16 Ephraim is smitten their root is dried up they shall bear no fruit yea though they bring forth yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb Others by the root understand the strong ones amongst them that were well rooted and by the blossom the weak ones that as a blossom were easily blown away Again others say that by their root and blossom is meant both their open and surest strength or by their root the strength of their Nation that which did bear them up as the root doth the tree and by the blossom all wherein the pomp and beauty and glory of the Nation did consist But that which I conceive is intended by these expressions is that they should be utterly destroyed that as when the root of a fruit-tree is rotted in the earth the whole tree presently dieth and withereth so that the very blossoms are
this land should be called an Isle which seem not to me to have the least probability in them as because Judea was the Lord's peculiar Inheritance separated from the rest of the world as an Island from the Mainland or because it had the Mediterranean-Sea on the West the Red-Sea Jordan the Sea of Genesareth and the Dead-Sea on other sides of it But indeed the most that can be probably said for this is that it is called an Isle because it bordered upon the Sea-coasts And considering that the word here used in the Original is in several other places of Scripture used even concerning Inland Countries I conceive it is better rendered here as it is in the Margin of our Bibles And the inhabitant of this Countrey shall say in that day However those words this Isle or this Countrey seem clearly to import that the Prophet speaks here of his own Country-men that they should say Behold such is our expectation whither we flee for help to be delivered from the King of Assyria As if they should have said You see what is become of those Nations by whom we expected to be aided against the Assyrians and how shall we escape That is If the Assyrians have destroyed these mighty Nations on whom we relied how shall we escape their fury They that were not able to secure themselves are no way likely to defend us And indeed when Sennacherib had vanquished these their confederates and over-run Judea and was set down with a mighty Army before Jerusalem the condition of the Jews was desperate enough in the eye of Reason had not God miraculously delivered them CHAP. XXI VERSE 1. THE burden c. See the Notes Chap 13.1 and 2 Kings 9.25 of the desert of the sea that is of Chaldea or Babylon as is evident both by the express mention that is made of Babylon ver 9. Babylon is fallen is fallen and by the naming of the Nations by whom Babylon was destroyed to wit the Medes and Persians ver 2. Several reasons are given by Expositors why it is here called the desert of the sea as 1. That it is called a desert either 1. Because there was a great desert betwixt Judea and Babylon and so the Prophet speaks here of Babylon as with respect to the desert beyond which it lay Or 2. Because though Babylon was a very rich and fruitful Country yet there was a great and a vast desert that lay between Chaldea and the land of Media and Persia the inhabitants whereof were the Enemy that was to break into Chaldea and to destroy Babylon Or 3. rather Because by this invasion of the Medes and Persians which the Prophet here foretells it was to be laid waste and desolate and turned into a very desert see Chap. 13.19.22 and so the land which had made the world a wilderness was to be made a wilderness it self And 2. That it is called the desertt of the sea either 1. Figuratively because Babylon was like a huge sea for the multitude of the people and riches that were therein a sea of wealth all the Nations and Kingdoms under that vast Monarchy bringing in their treasures to Babylon as the Rivers do all pour their waters into the Sea as likewise with respect to the turbulent temper of that State that was never quiet but continually breaking forth with great rage against other Nations and to her insatiable covetousness and ambition being herein like the Sea which is never full though all the Rivers run into it Eccles 1.7 Or else 2. Literally and that either with respect to the scituation of Babylon near to the Banks of that greater River Euphrates or to the huge fens and lakes which that River made in the land of Chaldea in several places whence is that expression concerning Babylon Jer. 51.13 O thou that dwellest upon many waters especially after Nitocris a Queen of Chaldea had by diverting the river of Euphrates in deep Channels digged for that purpose winding it up and down in several places turned a great part of the Country into a very Fen to stop the violence of that river when it ran right forward or as others say purposely to prevent the breaking in of the Medes and Persians upon Babylon on that side of the Country As whirlwinds in the South pass through c. That is As Whirlwinds that do usually arise suddenly in the South called therefore Whirlwinds of the South Zech. 9.14 according to that Job 37.9 Out of the South cometh the whirlwind do pass on with mighty violence so that nothing can stand before them So it cometh from the desert from a terrible land that is so this burden I am now to foretel this heavy calamity that will light upon Babylon cometh from the desert from a terrible land which may be meant either of that part of Chaldea about Babylon which Nitocris had turned into a very Fen and desert place by drawing Euphrates into it or of that Desert which lay on the South between Chaldea and Media and Persia through which indeed Cyrus was to pass with his Army Or else of the land it self of Media and Persia the Northerly parts whereof were waste and mountainous and might well be called a terrible land because these Nations were indeed a very fierce and savage people See Chap. 13.17 18. and the State of Babylon was very much afraid of them That therefore which is intended by this clause is that as formerly the Babylonians had broke in like a violent Tempest upon Judea so now the Medes and Persians should on a sudden from the South break in like a violent Tempest upon Babylon Ver. 2. A grievous Vision is declared unto me c. To wit that which he had before called The burden of the desert of the Sea And this begins in the following words wherein the Prophet relates what the Lord had said to him in the Vision The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously and the spoiler spoileth Now some conceive that the first branch of this The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously is meant of the Babylonians and that the next and the spoiler spoileth is meant of the Medes and Persians who should thereby punish the treachery of the Babylonians And others understand both the one and the other of the Medes and Persians and to shew how they dealt treacherously with the Babylonians they tell us how some of the Babylonian Captains revolted to them of which Gadatas and Gobrias are named and did much help forward the taking of Babylon Yea some say what can hardly be made good out of any History to wit that the Medes and Persians were not only in League with the Babylonians at that time when they invaded Chaldea but also that they were upon a treaty of Peace with them when they took Babylon and were invited by Belshazzar to a great Feast and taking advantage of this slew him and surprized the City But with most Expositors I rather think that this is meant of the
of the great streights whereinto this City was brought within a short time after by Salmanasser and Sennacherib the Kings of Assyria which seems not to me so probable at least that this was not all that was here intended because the Prophet speaks here expresly of this City's being laid waste whereas the utmost that any History reports concerning the Assyrians attempts against Tyre is That they blocked it up for five years and some add too That the Assyrians were at last overcome in a Sea-fight wherewith the Tyrians were exceedingly puffed up Again others under the calamity wherewith Tyrus is here threatned do comprehend the taking sacking and destroying of Tyre by Alexander the great of whom indeed it is reported by several Historians that after a long and hard siege he at length filled up that branch of the Sea that was betwixt the continent and Tyre that so his Army might approach her walls and by this means took it and utterly ruined it But it is not I conceive very probable that this is intended neither and that because ver 15. of this Chapter there followeth a promise That seventy years after the ruine here threatned the Tyrians should recover their liberty again which we do not find was ever done after Alexander had destroyed it And therefore in the last place the most of Expositors do understand it of the desolation that was brought upon this City by Nabuchadnezzar which indeed seems most probable 1. Because in Ezekiel's Prophecy against Tyre which agreeth in many passages with this it is expresly said Behold I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon c. Because the seventy years of the Syrians Captivity do sute so well with the seventy years of the Jews Captivity in Babylon And observable it is that elsewhere two sins are particularly mentioned as the principal cause of the ruine that God here threatens to bring upon this City to wit her excessive Pride in her riches and great strength And 2ly her insulting over Jerusalem when she was before destroyed by the same King see Ezek. 26.2 and 28.2 and Joel 3.4 c. Howl ye ships of Tarshish c. Figuratively this may be spoken to the ships themselves but rather it is meant of those in the ships Howl ye ships of Tarshish that is mourn and lament bitterly O ye Seamen and Merchants that are still passing in your ships by way of trading between Tyre and Tarshish and other foreign parts and indeed Tarshish is expresly mentioned amongst those that traded with Tyre Ezek. 27.12 but for the ships of Tarshish see the Notes 1 King 10.22 and Psal 48.7 for it is laid waste to wit Tyre and the Island wherein it stood and therefore all the Merchandise you left therein is utterly lost and the rich trading you had wont to have with that famous City is now at an end so that there is no house no entring in that is No house to entertain you no going in or coming out by way of trading from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them that is They of the land of Chittim who being nearer to Tyrus did first hear of it revealed it to those of Tarshish And who are meant by those of the land of Chittim See Numb 24.24 Other Expositions I know are given of that last clause but according to our Translation that which I have given seems the clearest Ver. 2. Be still ye inhabitants of the Isle c. Some hold that Isle is here collectively put for Islands and accordingly that it is the inhabitants of the Islands of the Midland-Sea that are here advised to be still that is to rest quietly in their several places and not to think of making any more voyages to Tyre that was utterly destroyed or to sit down silent mourning with her and for her But they are rather the Inhabitants of Tyre that are here spoken to which was an Isle till Alexander the Great as Histories report joyned it to the continent see the foregoing Notes Be still ye inhabitants of the Isle that is Boast not so proudly O ye Tyrians as you had wont to do in your great riches and the invincible strength of your City make not your City to ring with your revelling and rioting as you have used to do but rather let the astonishment horror and grief that is befallen you stop your mouths and make you sit down in silence as mourners use to do See the Note Job 2.13 Or thuâ— Be still ye inhabitants of the Isle as if he had said There shall not be that tumult and noise amongst you which there hath been by reason of the multitude of shipping and trading you had formerly there because your City being laid desolate there will be nothing but still silence there thou whom the Merchants of Zidon that pass over the Seas have replenished that is Who art filled with Merchants and all kind of Merchandise from beyond the Sea And Zidon is particularly named because being a haven-Town and near to Tyre and joyned in strict League and Confederacy with Tyre whence it is that in the Scripture they are still joyned together as if they had been but one it â—e though they had indeed several Kings Jer. 27.2 the Zidonian Merchants were still in greatest number there The drift of these last words is to imply that notwithstanding her great state and riches she should be laid waste and desolate But observable withal it is that Ezek. 26.2 Tyrus is brought in insulting over Jerusalem when she was destroyed with these very words I shall be replenished now she is laid waste Ver. 3. And by great waters the seed of Sihor the harvest of the river is her revenue c. Sihor is usually taken to be a small river that divided Egypt from Palestina Numb 34.5 and Josh 13.3 And accordingly some hold that by the seed of Sihor here is meant the seed of Egypt which is here called Sihor because this river Sihor was its utmost bounds But now because it seems no way probable that Egypt should be called Sihor only because of a small brook of that name that went through the skirts of that Country and for several other reasons that they give for it many learned men do with much confidence affirm that it is Nilus that is here called Sihor it may be with respect to a small branch of it that ran out to the borders of Canaan that was there called Sihor and that by the seed of Sihor here is meant the several fruits which the seed sown in Egypt by the river Nilus yieldeth to them as all kind of Corn Flax and such like And so the meaning of the words seems to be plainly this That the Wheat and other grain and fruit that either grew abundantly in Egypt by the great waters of Nilus the water-courses that were drawn from thence called therefore the harvest of the river Or that were transported by the great waters of the Ocean-Sea was the Revenue of
see the Notes there But methinks the words in this place seem rather to set forth the desolation of their Country than the destruction of the Inhabitants Ver. 11. When the boughs thereof are withered they shall be broken off c. According to what is noted in the foregoing Verse some understand this also figuratively of the withering breaking off and burning the boughs of Gods Vine his Israel But rather this is added farther to set forth the desolation of their Town and Cities by shewing that as the Beasts should crop the Shrubs that grew there when they were green as was said in the former verse so being withered the boughs thereof should be broken off for firing as is expressed in the following words the women come and set them on fire For it is a People of no understanding c. that is a foolish People that will be made wise by nothing but stripes See the Notes Chap. 5.12 and Deut 32.28 Probable it is that this they are charged with more especially with respect to their brutish ignorance in forsaking the living God to go after Idol-gods therefore he that made them See the Notes Chap. 22.11 and Deut. 32.6 will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour that is say some who understand it of those whom God by this severity intended to reform God will not at all spare them but will proceed with some more than ordinary severity against them even as far as the rigour of fatherly chastisement may extend But I rather think that this is spoken of the body of the People of the Jews upon whom God poured forth his wrath without any mixture of mercy though withall he shewed mercy to a remnant amongst them as is shewn in the following verse Ver. 12. And it shall come to pass in that day c. to wit when God shall have proceeded with so great severity against his own People as is said in the two foregoing Verses and shall have thereby in some measure reformed them but see also the Note Chap. 11.11 that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt that is from Euphrates See the Note Chap. 7.20 unto the River Sihor which lay before Egypt Josh 13.3 or unto the River of Nilus either of which may be meant by the River of Egypt See the Notes Chap. 23.3 and Gen. 15.18 And the meaning seems to be that God would sever and take out his People from the Nations amongst whom they were scattered in all those Countries that lay between Euphrates and Nilus Assyria and Egypt for when the Jews were carried captives into Babylon many of them fled into Egypt See the Note Chap. 11.11 even as the Husbandman by beating severs the Fruit from the Trees or as by threshing he beats out the grain from the ears and straw or as by winnowing he beats out the corn from the chaff Some indeed do understand this of the Lords beating out the Israelites from their dwelling places all over the Land of Canaan which we find sometimes bounded by the River Euphrates and the River of Egypt and others of the beating over of all those Countries that lay between Euphrates and Nilus by the Medes and Persians when they subdued Babylon But the former exposition is far the clearest and best agrees with that which followeth and ye shall be gathered one by one O ye children of Israel to wit as Fruit is gathered up that is beaten off the Tree or as the Corn is gathered up when it is threshed and winnowed and laid up in Garners the meaning whereof is that though they were exceedingly dispersed yet they should be gathered together into one body and placed again in their own Land And this expression of their being gathered one by one is used purposely to intimate 1. the paucity of those that should be delivered in comparison of those that were at first carried away and scattered abroad according to a like expression Jer. 3.14 I will take you one of a City and two of a Family and will bring you to Zion And 2. the exact bringing in of all that were to have a share in this deliverance though they were severed never so far asunder that God would pick them up one out of one place and another out of another not one of them should be neglected and lost as it is said also Ezek. 39.28 I have gathered them unto their own land and have left none of them any more there But withall we must know that under this bringing home of the Jews to their own Land a greater mystery was intended by the Prophet whereof that was a type and shadow even the bringing in of God's elect People to the Church in the days of the Gospel first the Jews and afterward the Gentiles dispersed throughout the whole World as was said of Christ Joh. 11.52 that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad Ver. 13. And it shall come to pass in that day c. See the foregoing Note that the great trumpet shall be blown that is As by the sound of trumpets a King gathers an Army or a Captain calls his Souldiers together that were scattered abroad so will I saith the Lord gather my people together that are dispersed in several Countries which though it were primarily meant of God's bringing home the Jews after the Babylonian captivity into their own Country yet under this as is already said in the foregoing verse the spiritual gathering in of Gods People to the Church of Christ is chiefly intended And therefore as by the trumpet is meant the Proclamation which Cyrus made for giving liberty to the Jews to return home into their own Country Ezra 1.1 2. so also the preaching of the Gospel that Evangelical Trumpet which was to be sounded all the World over for the bringing in of Gods Elect to Christ which may therefore the more fitly be called a great Trumpet And in this expression there may be an allusion either 1. to the silver Trumpets whereby the Israelites used to be called together to the Tabernacle or rather 2. to the Jubilee Trumpet by the sounding whereof there was liberty proclaimed to Captives and freedom for all to return to their Inheritances and Possessions which had been alienated for a time from them Or 3. to that Heavenly Trumpet wherewith at the last day all Gods Elect shall be gathered together to enter upon the full fruition of their purchased inheritance Mat. 24.31 As for the following words they set forth who they were that amongst others should be gathered in by this Trumpet and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria that is that were in Assyria which yet may be also meant of the Empire of Babylon as a lost People dispersed without hope of being ever restored to their own Country and the outcasts in the land of Egypt to wit such
Abraham making them a great and numerous people and doing great and wonderful things for them in their several Ages and Generations It is as if he had said It was none of your Idol-gods that did this or were able to do it but I the Lord Jehovah whom alone he and his faithful Posterity have always worshipped I the Lord the first and with the last I am he that is I the eternal and ever-living God who having my being of my self was before all things and that shall govern and dispose of all things to the last and subsist after all things have an end the first cause and the last end of all things Rom. 11.36 it is I that have done all these things Ver. 5. The Isles saw it and feared the ends of the earth were afraid c. Some apply this particularly to the astonishment of the Nations afar off when they heard of Abrahams Victory over the Kings that had invaded the plain of Sodom mentioned before ver 2 3. But I see no likelihood how that victory could be such a terror to Nations so remote as seems here to be intended However should that be included certainly it must be principally meant of the wonderful works which God wrought for the Israelites the posterity of Abraham and their prevailing over the Kings that opposed them when God delivered them out of Egypt and carried them into Canaan to wit that when the inhabitants of remote Countries see the Note above ver 1. saw what God had done for this his people they were amazed and affrighted see Exod. 15.15 and Josh 5.1 Or that they saw that the God of Israel that had done these things was the true God and that their Idols were nothing and were startled at this As for the following words that they drew near and came they are added to shew that though they were thus far convinced yet they would not stoop and yield but that either they combined and gathered themselves together to fight against the Israelites or else that they assembled together to encourage one another in their Idolatry which last agreeth best with that which follows ver 7. concerning their eagerness to make new Idols Ver. 6. They helped every one his neighbour and every one said to his Brother Be of good courage That is Notwithstanding their fore-mentioned Conviction and Astonishment yet they continued obstinately in their Idolatry and encouraged one another to oppose and fight against the Israelites for whom they saw God had done such wonderful things or to hold fast to their former Religion and to proceed on to the making of new Idols Ver. 7. So the Carpenter encouraged the Goldsmith c. To wit to make ready and bring the Gold or Silver plates wherewith the wooden Idol which he had made was to be overlaid and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil that is He that polisheth the plate encouraged him that wrought at the Forge saying It is ready for the sodering that is It is now sufficiently beaten out at the Anvil and now it is fit to joyn the pieces together with soder that they may be fairly polished or this clause may be read as it is in the Margin saying of the soder it is good that is Having joyned and sodered the pieces together they were wonderfully well pleased and delighted with their work saying So so this is very handsom the pieces are neatly sodered together and he fastned it with nails that it should not be moved that is The Workman fastned with nails either the frame or plates sodered together to the wooden stock underneath it that the pieces might hold the firmer together or the Idol it self being thus finished to some nail or post that it may stand fast See the Notes Chap. 40.19 20. The scope of this whole passage was to shew That the Nations being thus eargerly bent to go on in their Idolatry the Workmen whose Trade it was to make Idols were very ready to take hold of this opportunity to be set on work for the forging of new Gods for them Ver. 8. But thou Israel art my servant Jacob whom I have chosen the seed of Abraham my friend So Abraham is called because of his frequent communion and covenanting with God Having hitherto shewed purposely thereby to comfort the Jews That the Heathens themselves could not say that ever their Idol-gods had done such great things for them as he the Lord had done for Abraham and his Posterity hereupon now he addresseth his speech directly to them and with many affectionate Expressions of love perswades them not to fear their deliverance out of Babylon which God had now promised them and consequently also that greater Deliverance by Christ whereof the other was a type Ver. 9. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth c. Some understand this of Gods bringing up the Israelites out of Egypt and accordingly they also understand the following words and called thee from the chief men thereof of the King and Nobles of Egypt out of whose hands God delivered the Israelites But it is rather meant as with reference to what was said before ver 2. of Gods bringing the Jews to wit in the loins of Abraham out of Chaldea and of Gods chusing Abraham to be the Father of his people rather than of the great ones in the Country and them his Posterity to be his peculiar people rather than any of the great and mighty Nations in the World besides and said unto thee Thou art my servant that is I took thee to be my Covenant-people that thou shouldest serve me according to the Law I gave thee I have chosen thee and not cast thee away that is I have not rejected and passed by thee as I did others or rather since I took thee to be my people I have never forsaken thee or cast thee off as many times thou hast given me just cause to do Ver. 10. Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismaied for I am thy God c. That is Though thou comest to be in never so sad and forlorn Condition yet be not dismayed I will strengthen thee yea I will help yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness that is with my righteous right hand to wit mine Almighty power wherewith I will faithfully make good my promises delivering thee and executing just Vengeance on all thine Enemies only we must remember that what is promised here to the Posterity of Abraham and Israel must all along also be extended to Believers under the Gospel the true seed of Israel Ver. 11. Behold all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded c. That is Be they never so many they shall be all overthrown even the mightiest of them See the Note Psal 40.14 Ver. 12. Thou shalt seek them and shalt not find them c. That is They shall be utterly destroyed so that there shall be no
as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 8.4 We know that an Idol is nothing in the World that is As to yâ—â—r being that which men would pretend you to be gods all your Deities depend meerly upon the phancy and imagination of those that worship you And much to the same purpose is that which followeth and your work of nought that is your Workmanship the shape or figure which men put upon you is nothing worth or hath nothing divine in it or your work is of nought that is you can do nothing neither good nor evil But now the whole verse may be read as it is in the Margin Behold ye are worse than nothing to wit because so much wickedness was committed in them and your work worse than of a viper that is say some as having your original from the Devil or you not only do no good but indeed you do much mischief to those that worship you Ver. 25. I have raised up one from the North and he shall come c. Having in the foregoing verses derided the Vanity of the Heathens Idol-gods by challenging them to foretel future things or to do good or evil neither of which it was sure they could do here now by both those evidences God doth again assert himself to be the only true God namely because he had foretold and doth here again foretel the great things he would do for his people in future times I have raised up one from the North that is I have determined he shall be raised up c. and he shall come from the rising of the Sun shall he call upon my name it is a very difficult place and therefore Expositors differ much in their Judgments concerning the person here intended First some understand this one to be the Chaldean or Nebuchadnezzar their King who are usually said in the Prophets to have come from the North as we see Jer. 1.13 15. and so in many other places and yet it might be withal said that from the rising of the Sun that is from the East he should call upon Gods name because Chaldea as some say lay North-east from Judea and because Nebuchadnezzar did there acknowledg the God of Israel to be the most High God that ruleth and governeth the whole World and spake very honourably of him See Dan. 3.26 28 29. and 4.34 37. and to his great Victories not only over Judea but likewise over many other Nations that in the last words may well be applied and he shall come upon Princes as upon mortar c. that is He shall subdue them and trample upon them as easily as Mortar is trodden under mens feet Secondly others understand the first clause I have raised up one from the North and he shall come as is before said of the Babylonians that from the North were called against Judea and the second clause from the rising of the Sun shall he call upon my name of Cyrus who was raised up of God against Babylon and whose people say they lay Eastward of Babylon And thus they conceive that two great changes are here foretold which none at this time could have imagined to wit 1. That God would raise up the Babylonians in the North that should become a mighty Empire and should be a sore scourge to Judea and carry away Gods people Captives into a strange Country And 2ly that the Medes and Persians should afterwards from the East break in pieces the Empire of Babylon and dismiss the Jews from their Captivity And indeed against this Exposition there can be nothing well objected but that in our Translation both clauses seem apparently to speak of one and the same person I have raised up one from the North and he shall come from the rising of the Sun shall he call upon my name Thirdly others therefore do rather understand both clauses of Cyrus who came against Babylon with an Army of Medes that lay more northerly from Babylon and Persians that lay more easterly to it and therefore is here said to be raised up of God from the North and from the rising of the Sun and trampled the Princes of that great Empire like mortar under his feet and may well be said to have called upon Gods name with reference to that Proclamation of his Ezra 1.2 when he gave liberty to the Jews to return into their own Country wherein he did plainly acknowledge the Lord Jehovah the God of Heaven to be the Author of all his Victories But fourthly others hold and I think most probably that God doth here again assert as an evidence of that his Omniscience and Omnipotency which could not be found in the Idol-gods that which he had said before ver 2. concerning his calling of Abraham and in him his Posterity out of Chaldea which lying North-east of Palestina it is therefore said that God raised him from the North and from the rising of the Sun and making them victorious over so many Nations And thus under this seed of Abraham even Christ also may be comprehended who should subdue all his peoples spiritual enemies Sin Death and the Devil the Prince of the World and by the preaching of the Gospel bring all Nations to the obedience of the Faith or rather the Church of Christ the true seed of Abraham who should be gathered from all quarters of the World for though the North and East are only mentioned as in like manner the East and the West Matth. 8.11 under these all other parts are comprised as we find it more fully afterwards expressed Chap. 43.5 6. I will bring thy seed from the East and gather thee from the West I will say to the North Give up and to the South Keep not back and should serve God and call upon his name and so by his aid and assistance should subdue all their enemies and tread them under their feet Ver. 26. Who hath declared from the beginning that we may know c. That is Who of all your Idol-gods hath from their first beginning or long before as it is in the following branch foretold things to come as I have done in those things that I have foretold concerning Abraham and his seed See the foregoing Note or particularly concerning their deliverance out of Babylon that we may know to wit which of them it is that hath so done or what the things are which he did so foretel and whether they came to pass accordingly and so whether he be indeed a God as he is pretended to be and before time that we may say He is righteous that is who of your Idol-gods have before time made known such future things that we may acknowledg that he hath rightly foretold them and that he is to be justified and allowed of in his claim to a Godhead And this indeed agreeth with that expression of our Saviours Wisdom is justified of her Children Mat. 11.14 yea there is none that sheweth that is There is never an one of their Idols that ever did
the Babylonians whose Magicians were exceeding famous all the World over and it may well be with particular respect to some Predictions of theirs concerning the perpetual continuance of their Empire and perhaps that when the Medes and Persians threatned Babylon they should not prevail against her namely That all these predictions should be found to be lies And hereby also might be covertly hinted how short their Predictions came of the Predictions of Gods Prophets that were always so exactly accomplished and maketh diviners mad that is That makes their Divinations no more to be regarded than the ravings of mad men or rather that makes them mad to see all fall out contrary to what they foretold that turneth wise men backward to wit by crossing them in all their Counsels and Courses and bringing all their Plots and Endeavours to nothing or by confounding them so that they are ashamed to shew their faces and maketh their Knowledg foolish to wit say some By discovering the folly of their Predictions But see the Note Job 12.17 Ver. 26. That confirmeth the word of his servant c. To wit Isaiah or his Servants the Prophets in general and so the next clause may be added as by way of explaining this and performeth the counsel of his messengers that is The Predictions of his Prophets concerning those things which it was the Will and counsel of God should be And though this must be understood generally of all their Prophecies yet we may well think it was spoken with special relation to that Prophecy that Cyrus should subdue Babylon and send home Gods people into their own Country and that which went still along therewith as signified thereby their Prophecy concerning our Redemption by Christ And this return of the Jews is therefore particularly added in the next words that saith to Jerusalem Thou shalt be inhabited and to the Cities of Judah Ye shall be built under which also may be intended the raising up of the Church of Christ when ever she is brought low by her enemies and I will raise up that is build again or cause to flourish the decayed places thereof that is all the ruinous and desolate places in the Land Ver. 27. That saith to the deep Be dry and I will dry up thy rivers That is That can remove any Obstructions that are like to hinder the return of my people so that though there should be a Sea lying in their way even that can I dry up and all the streams thereof And most probable it is that God by this way of expressing his Almighty Power doth allude to his drying up of the Red Sea first and the River Jordan afterwards before the Israelites as before Chap. 43.16 of which see the Note there and that he doth likewise covertly hint the manner how Cyrus should take Babylon namely by Cyrus his drawing away the waters of Euphrates in several Channels he had digged for that purpose that so his Army might pass over and storm and surprize the City This is I conceive the cleaâ— meaning of this place for which see the Notes also Chap. 40.3 4. But yet some Expositors take it to be a directly figurative Prediction of the Destruction of Babylon A deep they say she is called as before the desert of the Sea Chap. 21.1 for which see the Note there because she lay in a deep valley full of waters and by drying up this Sea and her Rivers is meant they say the destroying and plundering this great City together with other Provinces Cities and Towns belonging thereto Ver. 28. That saith of Cyrus He is my shepherd c. So he is called because as a Shepherd he was to take care of the Jews Gods precious flock to rescue them from the tyranny of the Babylonians even as Sheep from the mouths of ravening Wolves to gather them together that were scattered abroad in Babylon and other Countrys and to carry them out into the large and fresh pastures of Judea that had been shut up in Babylon as in a pinfold and shall perform all my pleasure that is All that God had decreed and willed should be done both concerning the ruine of Babylon the return of his people and their re-edifying their City and Temple as is expressed in the following words even saying to Jerusalem Thou shalt be built and to the Temple Thy foundation shall be laid And indeed in Cyrus his time there was no more done but only the laying of the foundation However most observable it is That to the end the Jews might know it was God that had wrought that great deliverance for them when they were set free out of Babylon and so might also believe his other Prophecies concerning Christ of whose Redemption that deliverance was a Type God doth here tell them the very Name of the Man by whom they should be delivered as he had formerly foretold the name of Josiah 1 King 13.2 And this was about an hundred and seventy years at least before it was accomplished for Manasseh reigned five and fifty years 2 King 21.1 Amon two ver 19. Josiah one and thirty 2 King 22.1 Jehoiakim eleven 2 King 23.36 at what time Nebuchadnezzar began to captivate the Jews and then their Captivity in Babylon lasted seventy years So that doubtless when the Jews first heard of one Cyrus that was preparing to invade Babylon the remembrance of this Prophecy must needs make them with great joy to conclude That their Deliverance was then drawing nigh But see the Note Ezra 1.2 CHAP. XLV VERSE 1. THus saith the Lord to his anointed to Cyrus c. Though Cyrus was a Heathen idolatrous King yet the Lord calls him his Anointed 1. Because he was ordained and appointed of God to be King of Persia and Babylon no less than the Kings of Judah that were anointed with oyl See the Note Ezra 1.2 And 2ly because he was as it were consecrated and strengthned of God to be a Saviour and Deliverer of his people and was therein a type of Christ whose right hand I have holden that is whom I will guide and strengthen carrying him on succesful and causing him to prosper in all his great undertakings See the Notes Chap. 41.13 and 42.6 to subdue Nations before him that is the Babylonians and many other Nations that were under the command of Babylon or that opposed him in his way thither and I will loose the loins of Kings that is Disarm degrade and weaken them See the Notes Chap. 11.5 and 23.10 and Job 12.18 to open before him the two-leaved gates and the gates shall not be shut that is So that they shall presently open to him the Gates of their Cities and strong holds together with their Palaces and private Houses they shall not dare to shut a door against him but upon the terror of his approach all shall fly open before him Ver. 2. I will go before thee and make the crooked places straight c. That is Thou shalt over-run the
invading the land with such a mighty army or the grievous destruction that was brought upon them by the Chaldeans in the days of Zedekiah shall not be such that is in every respect so great as was in her vexation that is as it was when the land was vexed and afflicted by those two Invasions of the Assyrians mentioned in the following words when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali which may be meant either first of that Invasion of the land of Israel when Pul the Assyrian made an inroad into the Country in the days of Menahem and then was presently hired with a sum of money to be gone again for which see the Notes 2 King 15.19 which seems to me most probable or else 2. of that Invasion made by Tiglath-pileser which fell chiefly indeed upon the Tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali and wherein they might well be said to be more lightly afflicted because then only some of the Tribes about five of them were carried away captives and not all of them as they were afterwards by Salmanasser for which see the Note 2 King 15.29 And afterward did more grievously afflict her which may be meant of that more grievous hand of God upon the whole Kingdom of the Ten Tribes in the days of Hoshea when by Salmanasser Samaria was taken and the whole people of Israel in a manner were carried away captives into Assyria 2 King 17.3 c. for which see the Notes there Or rather of the Invasion of Tiglath-pileser which may be termed more grievous with respect to the foregoing inroad of Pul which I think is far most probable for whereas it may be and it is usually objected that the Prophet speaks here of calamities that had formerly come upon the land of Israel and it is clear that neither the Invasion by Tiglath-pileser nor that by Salmanasser were come to pass when the Prophet spake this though indeed he lived to see them both accomplished Though to this it may be answered that it was usual with the Prophets to speak of things to come as if they were past and done already only to imply the certainty of them yet I should think that this objection may be better prevented by holding that the Prophet speaks here of two Invasions of the land of Israel that were in a manner past already to wit that of Pul and that of Tiglath-pileser which was now immediately coming upon them and in a manner in being And indeed the following description of that part of the land of Canaan which was to feel the misery of this more grievous affliction agrees best with the Invasion of Tâ—glath-pileser and cannot so well be understood of that of Salmanasser when the whole Kingdom of the Ten Tribes was over-run and dispeopled as first in that this is said to have been by the way of the Sea for this cannot so well be meant of the midland-Sea called the great Sea Josh 1.4 which was the utmost border of the land of Israel westward and very far remote from Jordan which is also here mentioned And that which is said by some is altogether uncertain to wit that the tract of land of which he speaks here is said to have been by the way of the Sea because there was a high-way in those parts about Jordan whereby they carried their wares which were to be transported through the land to the Sea-side which was hereupon called the way of the Sea And therefore I rather think it is meant of that part of the Country which lay upon the Lake of Gennesareth as it is called Luk. 5.1 which was also called the Sea of Cinnereth Josh 13.27 or the Sea of Gennesareth and Mat. 4.18 The Sea of Galilee and Joh. 21.1 The Sea of Tiberias And the like may be said of the following words Beyond Jordan in Galilee of the Nations or as some translate it in populous Galilee for though the whole land of Galilee was divided into two parts the one whereof was called the upper Galilee and the other the lower and some think the lower Galilee is here meant which was in the Tribe of Zebulun and that it was called populous Galilee because it was so full of people and others think the upper Galilee is here meant which was in the Tribe of Naphtali which they say was called Galilee of the Nations because there were many of the Heathens usually inhabiting there in regard that it was near to the Tyrians and Zidonians or for some other reason for which see the Notes Gen. 14.1 Josh 12.23 Judg. 4.2 1 King 9.11 Yet first because it is evident that the Prophet speaks here of a storm that fell upon those parts of the land that lay near to Jordan and not upon the whole Kingdom of the Ten Tribes as that Invasion of Salmanasser did 2. Because it is clear that Tiglath-pileser did indeed subdue and carry into captivity the Tribes without Jordan and those within Jordan to wit on the East-side of it even all the inhabitants both of the upper and lower Galilee which may therefore be here said to be beyond Jordan with respect to those without Jordan that were at the same time carried away into captivity see the Note 2 King 15.29 And 3. because the Evangelist citing this passage of Isaiah Mat. 4.14 15 16. seems to speak of those places about Jordan where our Saviour first Preached the Gospel therefore it seems to me most probable that the Prophet speaks here of the Invasion of Tiglath-pileser Well but however whether this more grievous affliction of the land of Israel be meant of the Invasion of Tiglath-pileser or of that of Salmanasser yet if that judgment which the Prophet in the foregoing Chapter foretold should come upon Judah be meant of that destruction which was made by Nebuchadnezzar in the days of Zedekiah when Jerusalem was taken and both the City and the Temple it self was sacked and burnt and the Jews for the generality were all carried away captives into Babylon which was doubtless the greatest blow that was ever given to the land how can it be said that the dimness then was not such that is so great as it was in her vexation by those two foregoing Invasions of the land of Israel by the Assyrians Indeed if the judgment threatned against Judah in the foregoing Chapter were the Invasion of Sennacherib in the days of Hezekiah which many think most probable that might well be said to be not so great as were the two foregoing Invasions of the land of Israel by the Assyrians But if that threatned in the foregoing Chapter were that dreadful ruin that was made in Jerusalem and in the land of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar how can that be said to have been not so great as those two Invasions of the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes by the Assyrians I answer 1. Because this dimness was not perpetual as the other was The Jews that were carried captives into
the earth It is in the Herew from the four wings of the earth that is from all parts of the world even from the utmost skirts of the earth wherein there is a clear Allusion to that promise made to the Israelites concerning Gods bringing them home upon their Repentance from the uttermost parts of the world Deut. 13.3 4. Ver. 13. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart c. That is in the days of the Messiah they of the ten Tribes shall not envy those of Judah as now they do and the Adversaries of Judah shall be cut off that is As they shall not be any longer enemies one to another so also their Foreign enemies shall be destroyed that so they may every way enjoy the greater peace Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not vex Ephraim The sum of all is briefly this By foretelling the ceasing of all envy and discord between Ephraim and Judah who had been so many years contending about the Kingdom of Israel that which the Prophet intends is That the people of God under Christ should live peaceably together as well Jews as Gentiles without any discord or enmity one against another How the truth of this Prophecy can consist with the great Dissentions and Wars that have been and are still amongst Christians see in the foregoing Note verse 9. and in the Notes Chap. 2.4 The Prophet speaks only of real Christians and doth comprehend in these words that peaceable estate whereto all shall be brought to at last Ver. 14. But they shall flee upon the shoulders of the Philistines towards the west c. That is The people of God both of Ephraim and Judah shall joyntly together with much speed and fervency of zeal fall upon the Gentiles by the preaching of the Gospel even as an Eagle or Hawk doth fall upon the shoulders of any thing Lamb or Kid or smaller Bird which they seize upon as their prey and some of them they shall bring in to Christ and others they shall at least render inexcusable yet indeed this expression of fleeing upon the shoulders of the Philistines may imply the bringing of them under the yoke and dominion of Christ Matth. 11.28 because the yoke or burden on the shoulder is an Emblem of servitude See the Notes Chap. 9.4 and 10.27 They shall spoil them of the East together that is They shall gather in Gods elect from amongst them in despite of all the mighty men of the world that shall oppose them See the Note Chap. 2.6 They shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab that is They shall seize upon them and subdue them according to that expression Psal 89.26 I will set his hand also in the Sea and his right hand in the Rivers And some think too that this implies how suddenly and easily they should be subdued by the Gospel even with as much ease as a man may put his hand into a birds-nest to take the young ones from thence And so there may be an Allusion to what the Assyrian had said before in a vaunting way Chap. 10.14 and the children of Ammon shall obey them to wit by embracing the Doctrine of of the Gospel The drist therefore of all these expressions is to shew how the remnant of the Jews that should believe in Christ should immediately with all chearfulness and diligence bestir themselves to spread abroad the Gospel for the Conversion of the Gentiles But in expressing this he mentions only those neighbouring Nations that were making War upon the land of Israel the Philistines the Edomites and Moabites either because the Christian Jews did first carry the Gospel into those neighbouring Countrys and then afterwards into the remoter parts of the world as indeed we read of Philips preaching of the Gospel at Azotus or Ashdod Act. 8.40 and Peters at Lydda Act. 9.32 and at Joppa Act. 10.5 which were Cities in the Country of the Philistines or else to imply that when this blessed peace foretold should be wrought amongst them by the Gospel even those Nations that were now continually afflicting them should by them be subdued to the Scepter of Christ Ver. 15. And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian Sea c. By the tongue of the Egyptian Sea here is meant the Red-Sea that out of the main Ocean shoots up into the land between Arabia and Egypt in the form and fashion of a tongue broader at the first but growing narrower still by degrees and licking the land as it goeth along for having before ver 11. compared that second deliverance there promised them to wit their deliverance from their spiritual bondage and the reducing of them to the obedience of their Messiah the Lord Christ to the first deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt suitable hereunto he doth in these words promise that as in that first deliverance God made way for his people to go into Canaan by dividing the Red-Sea before them so in that second here promised he would not divide but destroy the tongue of the Egyptian Sea that is utterly dry it up that it should be no more But the meaning is only that he would in the days of the Gospel utterly remove all lets and obstacles that might hinder the bringing of his people unto Christ by whom a way was opened for them into the Heavenly Canaan and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the River and shall smite it in the seven streams and make men go over dry-shod that is he shall utterly dry up the River Nilus in her seven streams as formerly by a mighty wind he divided the Red-Sea before the Israelites Exod. 14.21 It is evident by many ancient Writers that Nilus called the River of Egypt Josh 15.4 did as it drew near to the Sea divide it self into seven Channels which were commonly called the seven Mouths of Nilus whereby it emptied it self into the Sea Now because the passages out of Countrys are chiefly for the most part shut up by Seas and Rivers therefore to imply that nothing should be able to hinder the Apostles and others from spreading the Gospel over all the world and from bringing in Gods Elect to Christ from all Nations the Prophet in a figurative expression saith here that to the Red-Sea and the River Nilus even near the Sea when it was deepest should be dried up before them As for that expression of shaking his hand with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the River either it is mentioned as a gesture of threatning see the Note Chap. 10.32 Or else by way of alluding to Moses lifting up his Rod over the Red-Sea when it was thereby divided before the Israelites Ver. 16. And there shall be a high-way for the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria c. That is a plain easie Causey-way Because the Israelites of the ten Tribes that were already carried into Assyria when the Prophet spoke this or were
to Zoar as holding that she is compared to an heifer of three years old either to imply that this City however little at first was become by degrees a place of much strength and beauty that had never yet been subdued and that this was the cause why the Moabites fled thither for refuge or else to imply that her inhabitants had lived as a wanton Heifer in great plenty and pleasure and had never seen sorrow though then she should share in the misery that was come upon the whole Country And indeed in Jer. 48.34 it seems to be Zoar that is there compared to an Heifer of three years old from Zoar even unto Hâ—ronaim as an heifer of three years old And some also apply it to Moab or the fugitives of Moab and so apprehend the meaning to be that though Moab had hitherto lived in great abundance and wantonness and had never been brought under the yoke of her enemies like a young heifer yet then she should flee before her enemies even to Zoar or else that they should flee to Zoar as a young Heifer is wont to run from one place to another when she wants any thing lowing and crying out as she runs Thus I say this difficult passage may be understood as it is rendered in our Translation But now if we read it according to the Translation that is set in the Margin of our Bibles My heart shall cry out for Moab to the borders thereof unto Zoar even as an heifer of three years old then the meaning seems to be that his heart should cry out aloud after the lowing of a lusty strong Heifer so that it should be heard even to Zoar which was in the borders of Moab And taking these to be the words of the Moabitish soldiers as is before said then that which some say may be the meaning to wit That they should cry aloud to the flying Moabites to stay and defend the strong places in the borders of Moab and that their crying with so loud voice as a lusty strong heifer was because otherwise their voice would not have been heard in the midst of that out-cry and howling that was amongst the people For by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up c. that is as they go up this high hill they shall cry and weep all the way as they go And to the same purpose is the following clause for in the way of Horonaim concerning which place see the Note Neh. 2.10 they shall raise up a cry of destruction that is they shall cry out as people use to do when enemies are killing and destroying them And this is here added as some think to shew why the soldiers should cry out with such a loud voice for the staying of the people as is said in the foregoing Note But I rather think that the drift of it is to set forth that as the people fled to the mountains or as they fled to Zoar or that all the land over all places should be filled with weeping and outcries Ver. 6. For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate c. See the Note Numb 32.3 The meaning is that even Nimrim though a place so gallantly watered and therefore exceeding pleasant and fruitful and populous should lye utterly desolate both the Inhabitants and their cattel being either slain or carried away For the hay is withered away that is the grass which should have grown up for hay The grass faileth that is the herbage newly grown up There is no green thing to wit because the Pastures should be quite spoiled as being either eaten up by the enemies horse oâ— trampled into the mire with their feet This I conceive to be the true meaning of this place and that this is added to imply what just cause there should be of that general out-cry in the land foretold in the foregoing Verses Yet because this which is said here That there should be no green thing seems to be added with reference to that which went before for the waters of Nimrah shall be desolate Therefore some hold that by the desolation of the waters of Nimrah is meant that the waters of Nimrim should by the enemy be diverted elsewhere in other channels and so the land thereabouts should become dry and barren And others again would have the meaning of the whole verse to be only this That by the destruction which the enemy should make amongst the Inhabitants even the rich pastures and land about Nimrim should lye as desolate as if there were neither waters nor grass growing there for the use of them that should dwell in that place Ver. 7. Therefore the abundance they have gotten and that which they have laid up shall they carry away to the brook of the willows First this may be understood either of the inhabitants of Nimrim mentioned in the foregoing verse that they because there was no water nor pasture there should remove their cattel and other goods to some well-watered grounds elsewhere called The brook of the willows or else of the Moabites in general That they when the enemy should break in with such rage upon them should carry away what they could of the great riches which they had stored up and hide it in some obscure place amongst the Willows or it may be in the very River it self to wit so much of it as might be kept there without damage in hope afterwards to find it there again and that because there was no place of strength in the land where they could hope to secure it from the enemy But Secondly it may rather be understood of the enemy to wit that they should carry away the abundance and mighty spoil which they had gotten from the Moabites to some place in or near to the land of Moab called The brook of the willows and there to leave it together under some guard with a purpose afterward to go thither again when they had done pillaging the Country and to divide the booty amongst themselves Yea and some that understand this of the enemies carrying away the riches of Moab to the brook of the willows do yet think that the foregoing words The abundance they have gotten and that which they have laid up must be understood of the Moabites and so would have the meaning of the place to be this that though the Moabites should get in all the wealth and provision they could that they might be the better able to hold it out in their strong places against their enemies when they should besiege them yet their enemies should break in upon them and empty all their Store-houses and carry all away with them Or that though the Moabites should hide in abundance so much of the best of their wealth and treasures as they could possibly get together at least of that which was left yet their enemies should find it seize upon it and carry it away to the brook of the willows And besides because the words
their plundering and carrying away all the wealth which with much labour they had gathered together is also comprehended Ver. 12. Wo to the multitude of many people c. Some understand this of the multitude of the Israelites and Syrians that under the command of Pekah and Rezin invaded the Land of Judah in the days of Ahaz Chap. 7.1 And others again understand it of the Assyrians and others with them that invaded the Israelites of the ten Tribes For say they having in the foregoing part of this Chapter spoken of the destruction of the Syrians and Israelites by the Assyrians see the Note above ver 1. here he foretels how even these Assyrians should likewise afterward be destroyed And that this wo is denounced by the Prophet against them even out of pity to Israel upon whom these Assyrians should exercise so great cruelty But now because of that which followeth ver 13 14. in the description of the destruction of these Assyrians the most Expositors understand this of that numerous Army made up of many several Nations that brake into the Land of Judah under Sennacherib and this is added to comfort them against that havoch that should be made by the Assyrians amongst the Ten Tribes For lest they should think when they have vanquished the Syrians and Israelites as is before related what if they should break into our Country too To this the Prophet answers that though indeed they should so do yet God would then destroy them Wo to the multitude of many people which make a noise like the noise of the Seas and to the rushing of Nations that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty or many waters where the breaking in of the Assyrians with a mighty and confused no sâ— into the Land of Judah is compared to the breaking in of the Seas or an overflowing Deluge of many waters to imply with what violence and on a sudden their numerous Army should over-run their whole Country so that no body should be able to escape them or stand before them See the Notes Chap. 5.30 and 8.7 and 13.4 and Psal 93.3 Ver. 13. The Nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters c. See the foregoing Note But God shall rebuke them In great fury and indignation God shall destroy them See the Notes Psal 6.1 and 2.5 and 119.21 Even as he rebukes the raging of the roaring Seas so shall he still their fury see the Note Psal 65.7 And this was done in the destruction of Sennacherib's Army See the Note 2 Kin. 19.35 And they shall flee far off to wit Sennacherib and some few with him that escaped and fled back into their own Country and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind which is far more easily and suddenly blown away than the chaff or dust that is in the Valleys because there the wind hath most power And See also the Note Job 21.18 and Psal 35.5 And like a rolling thing before the whirlwind That is like a round wisp of stubble or some other light thing first gathered together in a bundle and then carried away with a Whirlwind But now by some this last clause is rendred and like thistle-down before the whirlwind which is a thing indeed that must needs be easily driven away and scattered Ver. 14. And behold at evening-tide trouble and before the morning he is not c. This may be understood of the Assyrians that in the night which is somtimes called the Evening see the Notes Gen. 1.5 were terribly affrighted and put into a confused tumult by the sudden and unexpected slaughter which an Angel made amongst them and before morning were all slain or fled See the Notes 2 Kin. 19.35 36. And perhaps too the evening-tide is mentioned because then the Angel began to slay them But I conceive it is rather spoken of the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to wit that they should be over night in great terror and trouble because of Sennacherib's mighty Army that had besieged the City and because of some late blasphemies and menaces of Rabshakeh and yet before morning he and all his numerous Army are all dead or gone away there 's not an enemy to be seen The Prophet seems to imply that the fury of the Assyrians of which he had spoken in the foregoing verse should be but like a Tempest that ariseth in the Evening and is gone in the Morning as they should on a sudden invade the Land of Judea so on a sudden they should be destroyed This is the portion of them that spoil us and the lot of them that rob us That is The like to this shall befal all that make a prey of God's people and that by the decree and appointment of God according to that of the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.8 Whereunto also they were appointed See also the Note Job 20.19 CHAP. XVIII VERSE 1. WO to the Land shadowing with wings which is beyond the Rivers of Ethiopia This Chapter is throughout very obscure and the difficulty of it is chiefly from hence that it is very questionable what Nation it is against whom the wo here mentioned is denounced Several reasons are given by Expositors why the land here threatned is called a land shadowing with wings As 1. Because it was shadowed with huge high Mountains that were spread out like wings in the utmost coasts of the Country Or 2. Because it abounded with swarms of flies and bees and locusts and huge flights of fowl that out of colder Countries flew thither in great flocks by reason whereof the air was often darkned Or 3. Because they used to cover over the lands whither they went with their huge Armies winged with troops of horsmen see the Note Chap. 8.8 like so many thick clouds of Locusts of which indeed we have a notable instance 2 Chron. 14.9 where there is mention of an Army of Ethiopians that came against Asa the like whereof for number we read not of either in the Scripture or I think in any other History Or 4. Because the Inhabitants of this Land were wont to extend their power for the protecting and shadowing of their neighbouring Nations or at least to promise that they would with their Auxiliary-forces shelter them from their enemies and so caused them the people of God especially to trust much in the shadow of their protection And indeed it is usual in the Scripture to speak of any defence or protection under this Figurative expression of a shadow or covering and shadowing with wings See the Note Numb 14.9 Judg. 9.15 Psal 91.1 4. and Ruth 2.12 Or 5. Because it was a Land that abounded with Ships that shadowed the Sea where they lay and when they were carried before the Wind or the Seas seemed like so many flying Birds both in regard of the swiftness of their motion and because their Sails were thereon like wings according to that of the Poet Velorum pandimus alas But then the great Question is What
after the death of Sethon divided the Kingdom of Egypt into twelve petty Kingdoms and did each of them in their several Dominions by causeless huge Taxes and their civil Broils amongst themselves mightily oppress the people And accordingly the next clause And a fierce King shall rule over them they understand of Psammitichus who at last subdued them all and tyrannized cruelly over the whole Land of which see the Note before ver 2. But now many again understand both the one and the other of foreign Kings that often vanquished the Egyptians and made slaves of them and sometimes subdued the Land Thus some think the Assyrian to be the cruel Lord and the fierce King here intended according to that which is said in the following Chapter ver 4. So shall the King of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners and others think it is meant of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon who amongst other Nations did at last subdue and cruelly waste the whole Land of Egypt according to that which we find often foretold by the Prophets as in Jer. 46.26 where God saith of the Egyptians I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar c. And Ezek. 29.19 Behold I will give the Land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar King of Babylon c. And indeed we may the rather think that this is here intended because the expression here used in the Hebrew seems to imply a total and perfect subduing of Egypt which was effected by Nebuchadrezzar And the Egyptians will I shut up into the hand of a cruel Lord That is I will give them up so absolutley into his power that he shall mightily oppress them and they shall be no way able to shake off his yoke or to rescue themselves out of their bondage Yea some hold that all the several evils before-mentioned that came upon the Egyptians may be here included For say they the drift of this Prophecy being to shew the Folly of the Jews in relying so much upon Egypt which they did even to the reign of the Sons of Josiah the Prophet doth accordingly foretel what a succession of sad times were coming upon Egypt wherein they should not be able to secure themselves and much less to help the Jews Ver. 5. And the waters shall fail from the Sea c. By the Sea here some understand the River Nilus because the Hebrews call all great waters Seas and so they make it the same with that which followeth And the river that is Nilus see the Note Chap. 11.15 shall be wasted and dried up But others again understand it as the words do plainly seem to import the first clause of the sinking or failing of the waters of the Sea and the second of the drying up of the waters of Nilus But what was the failing of the waters of the Sea and Nilus that is here threatned I answer 1. It may be understood to be only Figuratively and Hyperbolically spoken Because say some the Egyptians thought the Sea and Nilus such a sure defence unto their Country that there was no fear of their being invaded by foreign Enemies therefore by the expression here used the Prophet would imply that these should be no defence to them but that the Assyrians or Chaldeans should break in upon them as easily as if the waters of the Sea and the river Nilus were dried up Or say others because the wealth and plenty of Egypt did much depend upon their Traffique by Sea and upon the overflowings of Nilus which instead of rain watered their grounds and by such slimy stuff as it brought down with it made the Soyl exceeding fruitful Therefore by this expression the Prophet intimates that partly by their Civil Wars and partly by the invasion of Foreign Enemies Egypt should be brought into as poor and forlorn and miserable a condition as if the wateâ—s should fail from the Sea and the river Nilus should be wasted and dried up see the Note 2 King 19.24 But 2. it may be understood Literally as namely either 1. of a great drought that God should bring upon Egypt whereby and that especially by the low ebb that should be in the river Nilus there should be a sore Dearth and Famine all over the land Or 2. of that great check that was given to the overflowing of Nilus and the manifold detriment which thereby redounded to the whole land when those twelve Kings of Egypt mentioned in the foregoing verse drained the river in several places and by several channels for the more conveniency of their building those two huge Pyramids and a Labyrinth not far from them which were in after-times for their bigness and workmanship the wonder of the world and some say too for the making of that vast Lake called the Lake of Moeris or Meroe all which they did merely to satisfie their own Lust and Ambition mightily thereby oppressing the people whom they imployed in these stupendious works and impoverishing the land in many regards by weakning the river so that it could not overflow the Country as it had formerly done And this indeed suits well with the description given us in the following verses of the manifold mischiefs which Egypt underwent by the failing of their waters Ver. 6. And they shall turn the rivers far away c. That is The seven streams of Nilus see the Note Chap. 11.15 Or rather the brooks or water-courses drawn from thence It is spoken of those that by draining the river had been the cause of the failing of the waters mentioned in the foregoing verse And this expression of turning the rivers far away as if they minded them not seems to imply their slighting and disregarding the common good of the land in the overflowings of Nilus And the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up That is The brooks or rivers drawn out of Nilus which were a great defence to Egypt or which were purposely drawn out for the environing and defending many of their Cities and strong Holds or the brooks which were defended or kept in with strong banks The meaning is that the brooks of Nilus should be dried up where they were widest and deepest and where the river ran with the strongest stream The reeds and flags shall wither to wit for want of moisture And these are the rather mentioned because the Egyptians did many ways make great use of them for of these they made darts mats for their beds weeles for their fishing baskets and many such things yea their boats and barks See the Note before Chap. 18.1 Ver. 7. The Paper-reeds by the brooks by the mouth of the brooks c. By Paper-reeds here are meant reeds of whose rind or skin they made Paper which was a great commodity in Egypt in those days and by the mouth of the brooks is meant the bank or brink of the brooks where these canes or reeds used to grow For it seems not so probable which
foresee nor to prevent the ruin that was coming upon them And 3. That being unable to do any thing that might procure Gods favour which only could tend to true happiness their wisdom in all other regards was no better than folly How say ye unto Pharaoh I am the son of the wise the son of ancient Kings This the Prophet speaks to the Princes and Counsellors of the King of Egypt and some would restrain it to Sithon a foolish King who they say was invaded by the Assyrian in the days of Hezekiah and others to Psammiâ—iâ—hus under whose tyranny much of the calamities here threatned came upon Egypt But it is better I think to understand it of their Kings in general However either it may be taken as an expression of the way how they flattered their King labouring thereby to puff him up with a vain conceit of his own eminent wisdom and of the antiquity of his stock drawn down by a continued line through many generations How say ye unto Pharaoh I am the son of the wise the son of ancient Kings That is why do ye prescribe this form of glorying to him Why do ye perswade him to say thus of himself as if because of this he must needs be well instructed or as if Wisdom together with his Regal Power were his by inheritance and that therefore there was no cause why he should fear any foreign Power Or else it may be taken as spoken to their King by way of vaunting of their own great Wisdom thereby commending themselves to him that they might procure the greater respect to their counsel How say ye unto Pharaoh That is with what face can you that are Pharaoh's Princes and Counsellors say every one of you to him in a boasting way I am the son of the wise the son of ancient Kings That is I have been the Scholar of wise men as those that were trained up in the Schools of the Prophets were called the sons of the Prophets see the Note 1 Kings 20.35 or literally I am descended from wise men and ancient Kings because the Egyptians boasted much of their great Learning as if all Nations had received the knowledg they had in all Arts and Sciences from them and likewise of the antiquity of their Nation and Kingdom that they were many thousand years before any other People which they grounded upon this pretence that Egypt where there was no rain was not drowned as the rest of the world was in the general deluge and because the ancient Kings of those Eastern Countries were men of eminent Wisdom and Learning and had left many Monuments thereof behind them and that especially for Magick and Divination and so others in after-times professed themselves their Scholars or that they were of their Families therefore the Prophet derides them for their vain boastings How say ye unto Pharaoh I am the son of the wise c. as if he should have said Why do ye brag thus as if you were sure to defend the Kingdom by your Wisdom whereas the event will indeed be that you will destroy it by your foolish counsels Ver. 12. Where are they c. This the Prophet speaks to the King of Egypt by way of insulting over him Where are they That is they that boasted themselves to be the Sons of the wise and of ancient Kings Ver. 11. Where are thy wise men That is thy wise Counsellors thy Wizzards and Diviners that pretend to so much skill in foretelling future things What is become of these men now Why do they not appear in this time of thy great danger And let them tell thee now that is As becomes wise and faithful Counsellors let them advise thee of the evil that is coming upon thee and what thou shouldst do to prevent it And let them know what the Lord of Hosts hath purposed upon Egypt that is let them see if they can find out and so tell thee what God hath determined to do unto Egypt Ver. 13. The Princes of Zoan are become fools and the Princes of Noph are deceived c. See the Note before ver 11. This Noph was another of Egypts Chief and Royal Cities the same that is elsewhere called in the Hebrew Moph Hos 9.6 Where by our Translators it is rendered Memphis as it is commonly called by profane Writers near unto which the Pyramids were built according to that of the Poet Barbara pyramidum sileat miracula Memphis And it is thought to be the same that at this time is called Grand-Cairo Now having said that the Princes of this City were deceived to wit by the proud and high conceit which they had of themselves or by the just Judgment of God upon them he adds They have also seduced Egypt that is the people of Egypt by their Flatteries and foolish Counsels and false Predictions of peace and prosperity yea by their not foretelling the calamities that were coming upon them Even they that are the stay of the Tribes thereof that is of the several Provinces or Precincts of Egypt for the Prophet in calling them Tribes speaks only after the language and custom of his own Country It is in the Hebrew Even the corners of the tribes thereof that is say some all Egypt from one end to the other Or rather the Princes thereof And that which is intended seems to be that the Princes of Zoan and Noph that were by their place to have been the support and glory of Egypt as the corner-stones are the supports and beauty of a building were the men that had deceived and destroyed the land See the Notes Psal 118.22 and Job 38.6 Ver. 14. The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof c. It is in the Hebrew a spirit of perversities that is an erring foolish giddy mind or spirit carrying them away into crooked and cross counsels and courses and putting them upon doing things contrary to all reason and to what they intended tending to the ruin of their State which they thought to advance In the Phrase here used The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit there seems to be an Allusion to the mingling preparing or giving to men a cup of Wine or strong Liquor see the Notes Chap. 5.22 and Prov. 9.2 whereinto something is put that makes men giddy-headed or outrageous and mad And indeed the Judgments of God upon wicked men are often compared hereto in the Scripture see the Notes Job 21.20 Psal 60.3 and 75.8 And thence it followeth here And they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof That is to mistake and act foolishly in every thing they do as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit that is as a man that staggereth that is so extremely drunk that he goes up and down vomiting as he goeth or as a man tumbles about in his vomit As the more such a man rowls himself in his vomit the more he is defiled so the more busling they shall make the worse and
descried a far off were even whilst he was speaking those few foregoing words to the Lord drawn so high that they were now as it were breaking in upon Babylon And behold here cometh a Chariot of men with a couple of horsemen see the Note before ver 7. Some indeed there are that do understand these Chariots and Horsemen seen by the Watchman of the people of God flying out of Babylon with bag and baggage But it is far more probable that the Prophet doth all along foretel the Destruction of Babylon And he answered and said Babylon is fallen is fallen c. Some think that this is spoken by the Watchman as giving Babylon for lost upon the sight which he had seen But because of this word answered I do rather think that it was the man which the Watchman had seen in the Chariot that spake this as triumphing in the taking of Babylon or that it was the Prophet that had by Gods appointment in his Vision set this Watchman to watch upon his Watch-Tower But that which seems most probable is That it was the Lord himself that answered this thereby making known to the Prophet what the meaning was of all this Vision which he had seen Babylon is fallen is fallen The redoubling of the word seems to imply both that it should be certainly and suddenly done as likewise what a matter of wonder and joy it would be to those that heard of it and with what attention it was fit to be hearkned to and all the graven Images of her gods even those which Belshazzar had praised Dan. 5.4 he hath broken unto the ground to wit God or the Enemy which God had brought upon them the Mede and Persian and that either by way of making a prey of the Gold and Silver whereof they were made or wherewith they were adorned or by way of triumphing over them as desiring hereby to shew that they had vanquished not only the people of Babylon but their Gods too Now this is added not only to imply what was one great cause of Babylons downfall to wit her horrid Idolatry and why her ruine was proclaimed with so much joy but also as hinting to Gods people that they should beware that they did not ruine themselves by the same sin Ver. 10. O my threshing and the Corn of my Floor c. Some take this as spoken in the name of God to Babylon and that she is called his threshing that is that which was to be threshed by him even as corn is threshed in the Floor as appears by the second clause and the corn of my floor or as it is in the Hebrew the Son of my floor that which comes out of the floor which is added to explain the foregoing words by way of foretelling how she was to be beaten and bruised by the Medes and Persians according to those like Expressions Chap. 41.14 15. Fear not saith the Lord to the men of Israel Behold I will make thee a new sharp threshing Instrument having teeth thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small and shalt make the hills as Chaff And Mic. 4.13 Arise and thresh O Daughter of Zion Because the ruine of that mighty Monarchy of Babylon might seem impossible in the Eye of Reason therefore the Lord speaks thus to her O my threshing c. to imply that if God undertook to do it who is with respect hereto in the following words called the Lord of Hosts and the God of Israel it should soon be done as if he had said O Babylon as thou hast threshed my people and many other Nations so thou shalt be now threshed thy self Or O Babylon I will trample thee under my feet as the Corn is trodden on in the floor for in those parts they used to tread out the Corn by the treading of men and oxen and the drawing of Carts over it And indeed in Jer. 51.33 we find the Destruction of the Babylonians threatned under the very same figurative Expression The Daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor it is time to thresh her yet a little while and the time of her harvest shall come But yet I conceive it is the Jews to whom this is here spoken O my threshing and the Corn of my floor And because the following words are clearly the words of the Prophet That which I have heard from the Lord of hosts the God of Israel have I declared unto you therefore I conceive this must be taken as spoken by the Prophet too and that in a way of pitying them for the sad Condition wherein they would be when they were Captives in Babylon and yet withal to chear them up against that time of their sore Calamity O my threshing and the Corn of my floor as if he should have said O my much pitied Countrymen and Brethren that have been so often threshed as Corn in the floor and so are like to be again when you are Captives in Babylon know for your Comfort that this which I have said concerning the Destruction of Babylon shall certainly come to pass that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts the God of Israel have I declared unto you And therefore you may be fully assured of it Though God may thresh you for a time by wicked men that shall tyrannize over you purposely to purge you from your straw and chaff to cut off the wicked from amongst you and to cleanse you from your sins yet the time shall come when Babylon shall be utterly destroyed as it hath been foretold And it is a clear discovery of Gods Love that he is pleased thus beforehand to reveal this to you Some I know would have it that the Prophet calls the Jews his threshing only because he had foretold how sorely they should be afflicted in Babylon according to that Jer. 1.10 See I have this day set thee over the Nations and over the Kingdoms to root out and to pull down and to destroy c. But I think that which is before said is sufficient for the satisfying of that Scruple Ver. 11. The burden c. See the Notes Chap. 13.1 and 2 Kings 9.25 of Dumah that is the Inhabitants of Dumah But now what place this Dumah was against which this burdensom prophecy was denounced it is hard to determine Many hold that by Dumah here is meant Idumea As say they Aram in a shorter way of speech is called Ram 1 Chron. 2.9 and so likewise Abram See the Note Job 32.2 so here Idumea is called Dumah which may seem the more probable because in the following words wherein the Prophet begins to relate the burdensom Vision which he had seen concerning Dumah there is mention made of Seir which was in the Country of the Edomites see the Notes Gen. 32.3 and Deut. 2.4 But now because in Gen. 25.14 we find that one of the Sons of Ishmael was called Dumah and it is well known that Ishmaels posterity seated themselves in Arabia therefore many
Tyre wherewith her own Inhabitants were maintained and wherewith she traded into other Countries Though she had no grounds comparatively of her own yet Nilus in Egypt afforded her yearly a plentiful Crop and Harvest and she is a mart of Nations that is That great Mart-Town whither all Nations in a manner far and near do daily resort for trading as is largly set forth Ezek. 27. All which is here inserted to imply That notwithstanding she was so rich and abundantly supplied with all kind of Provision yet this should not save her from ruine Ver. 4. Be thou ashamed O Zidon c. To wit either 1. because as some say Zidon who was the mother of Tyre had not defended that her daughter but was forced to sit still and look on whilst she was laid waste by her enemies And indeed we find in some Historians that the Zidonians being vanquished by the King of Ascalon did transport themselves by shipping to the Island of Tyre and there seated themselves and built that City Or 2ly because the same Desolation and Destruction that was fallen upon Tyre was fallen upon them the enemy was not like to spare such a considerable neighbour City and Port-Town nor were they likely to stand out against an enemy that had subdued the stronger City of Tyre and the same wickedness that had provoked God against Tyre was also rife amongst them And 3ly because Zidon that had gloried so much in Tyre as a Colony that of old had issued forth from her and that had rested so much upon her aid and defence and had promised her self such great matters by her trading with her was now bereaved of all Glory and disappointed of all her hopes by that utter ruine that was come upon Tyre And that this was intended appears by the reason subjoyned for the Sea hath spoken that is Tyre that lay in the midst of the Sea Ezek. 28.2 and as a Queen had the rule and command of the Sea even the strength of the Sea that is the strongest of all Sea-Towns as being built on a rock and environed with the Sea saying I travail not nor bring forth children neither do I nourish up young men nor bring up Virgins that is I am as if I had never brought forth Sons and Daughters being left desolate and waste and all my Inhabitants being cut off and destroyed or carried away captives I am never like to send forth great Colonies into other Countrys as I have formerly done Or it is all one with me as if I had never brought forth Sons and Daughters there being none of them that have appeared in my defence Ver. 5. As at the report concerning Egypt so shall they be shortly pained at the report of Tyre That is As the neighbour Nations were of old sorely troubled and affrighted at the report of Gods destroying Egypt in Moses's time for which see Exod. 15.14 15 16. so shall all the great Cities and Kingdoms near to Tyre be perplexed and terrified when they hear of the Destruction of Tyre This is I conceive the plain meaning of this place yet some rather think that the Prophet speaks of a later Destruction of Egypt by the Chaldeans and so would have the words to be understood thus That the neighbour Cities and Countries should be as much disquieted and scared with the report of Nebuchadnezzars taking Tyre as they would be afterward at the report of his subduing Egypt and that because thy esteemed it such an invincible place that they would be ready to conclude that having taken that no other place could stand before him but he would deal with them all as he had done with Tyre And indeed if it be Nebuchadnezzar's prevailing against Egypt that is here intended the words must be understood thus for to be sure Tyre was subdued by him before Egypt as is evident Ezek. 29.18 19 20. where Egypt is promised him as his wages for his great service against Tyre Ver. 6. Pass ye over to Tarshish c. This may be spoken to the several Nations that used to come to Tyrus for Traffick to wit That Tyrus being destroyed they should now betake themselves to Tarshish or some other Mart-Town to set up a way of trading there or else to the Inhabitants of Tyre themselves that as many of them as could should flee away to Tarshish and see the Notes above ver 1. yea why may not both of them be here intended And as for the following clause Howl ye inhabitants of the Isle See the Note above ver 2. Ver. 7. Is this your joyous City whose antiquity is of ancient days c. As if he had said Is all your jollity and all your glorying in the Antiquity of your City come to this at last Thus doth the Prophet upbraid the Tyrians for their Pride and vain confidence in the antiquity of their City as if there could be no fear of any change because she had continued so long in such a prosperous Condition And indeed we find that Tyre was of great Antiquity In Joshua's time it was called the strong City Tyre Josh 19.29 But this was no ground of security when God would contend with her and therefore is that added her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn that is Her proud inhabitants that had wont to pass the Seas in their stately ships and at other times to be carried up and down in great pomp from place to place shall be glad to trot a foot as poor slaves and beggars are wont to do into some remote Country which may be meant either of those that should flee away from the enemy into Foreign parts and there wander up and down in a forlorn Condition whithersoever their feet would carry them or of those that should be carried away Captives either into Babylon or some of her Provinces and there be sold and driven away it may be further off not being long suffered to rest in any place Ver. 8. Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre c. That is who is of that power and confidence as to dare to undertake the subduing of such a gallant invincible City as Tyre seemed to be and that hath continued so long in such strength and glory as if the Prophet had said Who would ever have thought that this would have been done to this mighty City the crowning City that is say some Expositors That by her wealth is grown up to be a Royal City Jer. 25.22 or that carrieth her self as a Princess or Queen over all the Cities and Sea-ports round about her or that hath enriched other Cities so as to make them Royal Cities But rather she is called the crowning City because she crowned her Merchants and Inhabitants and those likewise that traded with her with exceeding wealth and magnificence so that they lived more like Princes than men of ordinary rank for so the following words seem to explain this whose Merchants are Princes whose Traffickers are the honourable
Cor. 3.14 Some I know by this destroying the face of the covering cast over all people do understand Christ's destroying Death and that in the expression here used there is an Allusion to the Face-cloth wherewith the faces of dead men are wont to be covered Joh. 11.44 or to the custom of covering the faces of condemned Malefactors see the Note Esth 7.8 But this of Christ's destroying Death is added in the next verse and the former therefore is rather here intended namely the freeing of his people from that ignorance under which they lay by Nature by the enlightning of the Gospel which was signified by the rending of the Veil of the Temple at the Death of Christ And all this is said should be done in this mountain as before not only because it should be done in the Church made up both of Jews and Gentiles but also because the Gospel whereby this was to be done was at first to go out of Mount Zion See the Notes Chap. 2.3 Ver. 8. He will swallow up death in victory c. That is He will destroy Death for ever as the word in the Original here translated in victory doth properly signifie so that it shall never more prevail over his redeemed ones but Christ shall reign this his last Enemy being destroyed for ever and ever Now though this was done partly by the Death of Christ whereby he abolished Death 2 Tim. 1.10 having by his suffering Death delivered his people â—â—om that Death which their sins had deserved Heb. 2.15 yet it shall chiefly bâ— accomplished at the Resurrection of the just when they shall pass into Lifâ— Eternal after which there shall be no more death Rev. 21.4 for so the Apostâ—â— saith expresly 1 Cor. 15.54 When this corruptible shall put on incorruption and thâ— mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass that Saying â—â—at is written Death is swallowed up in victory And the like may be said of thâ— following words And the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces to wit of his people even as a tender Mother wipes away the tears of her weeping little Child For though God doth this partly by the comforts of his Word and Spirit here yet it is not completely done till they be taken up into Heaven to which estate therefore this passage is applied by St. John Revel 7.17 and 21.4 And so likewise in the next clause And the rebuke or reproach of his people shall be taken away from off all the earth the meaning is that God would free his people from that extreme scorn and contempt which was cast upon them all the world over and from the worlds base and despightful usage of them in their continual afflicting and persecuting of them as if they were a people not worthy to live upon the face of the earth But now the accomplishment of this here principally intended is the exceeding Glory whereunto God's people shall be advanced in Heaven For when God shall take them into this blessed and glorious condition then indeed all the Inhabitants of the earth shall be effectually taken off from that vile and base esteem which they formerly had of them Many good Expositors do I know apply all this to the deliverance of God's people out of Babylon But it is only as looking upon that as a Type of this far greater deliverance promised to God's redeemed ones in and through the Lord Christ Ver. 9. And it shall be said in that day c. That is In that day when these Promises shall be accomplished the people of God shall say to wit with wonder and exceeding great joy for this is as it were the language of the Guests at the Feast mentioned before ver 6. Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us c. Which may be understood 1. in the Type of the rejoycing of God's people at the Lord 's delivering them out of Babylon which they had long expected and came at last to pass according to God's Promise and their earnest expectation And taking it thus observable it is that in this expression of their present joy and confidence in God they do withal covertly judg and condemn themselves because before their being carried into Babylon by their disobeying God's Laws and seeking to foreign Princes for help in their dangers they had not carried themselves towards the Lord as now they found they should have done Or 2. of the people of God's owning Christ at his coming in the flesh and embracing him by Faith when tendred to them in the Gospel as the true God their Lord and Saviour long ago promised them with great joy because of the peace made by him between God and them Or 3. of the Churches triumphing in Christ when he shall come to judge the world and to receive them into his Kingdom of Glory Ver. 10. For in this Mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest That is His powerful Providence shall be constantly and continually over his Church to protect and bless them See the Note Psal 80.17 It is the same in effect with that of our Saviour Mat. 28.20 And lo I am with you alway unto the end of the world And Moab shall be trodden down under him c. That is under his feet Psal 110.1 Moab is here particularly mentioned because none were more constantly and more fiercely bent upon doing mischief to God's people than they were but under these by a Synecdoche all the wicked enemies of his people are intended Even as straw is trodden down for the dunghil to wit the worst of the straw not fit to be reserved for any other use The word which we render trodden down some translate threshed and accordingly they read this verse thus And Moab shall be threshed under him even as straw is threshed in Madmenah and then take Madmenah to be a City of Moab called Madmen Jer. 48.2 and hold that because this City being scituate in a rich corn-Corn-country where there was abundance of straw which was the less regarded thence the Prophet useth this expression here of straw threshed in Madmenah Ver. 11. And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim c. Some hold that this is spoken of Moab with relation to the last words in the foregoing verse to wit That as the Swimmer stretcheth forth his hands to swim so he being trodden down by his enemies should in the midst of them stretch forth his hands to beg for mercy both of God and his enemies Or that he should though in vain strive with all possible endeavours to save himself from utter ruin even as a ship-wrack'd man being fallen into the Sea laboureth with all his might by swimming to escape drowning But clearly as I conceive this is spoken of God That he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth
should flourish again But now if we take this as a prediction of the blessed change that should be wrought amongst men in the days of the Gospel the meaning seems to be that the most savage and brutish people men given up to all kind of vices no better indeed than dens of Devils should be made Temples of the Holy Ghost richly furnished with the Graces of Gods Spirit and abundant in good works Ver. 8. And a high-way shall be there and a way c. That is In this land of a wilderness become a fruitful well watered land there shall be a high-way that is a fair common-road-way for those that travel with beasts and carriages and a way that is a smaller path-way for foot-Passengers Or a high-way that is a Cawsey or Castway as there useth to be in watery Countrys such as he had spoken of in the foregoing verse and a way that is another ordinary way But that which the Prophet intended hereby is either that the Jews should have a free and safe passage without encumbrance or molestation in their return from Babylon to Jerusalem or else rather That their Country that had lain waste and desolate like a wilderness should then be quietly and peaceably inhabited again Whereas in Wildernesses and Deserts there is usually no path to be seen it shall not be so with the people of God when God shall have wrought this happy change for them their ways shall be kept fair and fit for all sorts of Travellers and shall not lye desolate as before See the Note Chap. 33.8 but be continually frequented with multitudes that pass up and down in them they shall freely travel from all parts of the land to the Temple and back again and so likewise to other places See the Note Chap. 33 17. and it shall be called the way of holiness to wit because the people that went up and down in it should be a holy people a people that should be much in frequenting the Temple Gods holy place and such as should live as becomes those that are a holy people to the Lord all which may be said too if we understand it of the way of the Jews return from Babylon to Jerusalem the unclean shall not pass over it that is The land shall not be in the possession of impure Infidels of foreign Nations as formerly nor shall the people of God that are there be a sinful wicked people as formerly they have been he alludes in this Expression to that law that forbad the coming of any persons that were legally unclean into the Temple but it shall be for those those holy ones with respect to whom it was before called the way of holiness those regenerate ones upon whom those spiritual Cures should be wrought mentioned before ver 5 6. I know these last words may be read as in the margin for he shall be with them and then the meaning is clear to wit That God would be with them as once he went along with the Israelites in their travelling through the wilderness to Canaan Exod. 13.21 to protect conduct and prosper them by which means they should be preserved in purity and holiness And thereupon it follows the wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein that is it shall be so plain so direct and easie a way that the simplest that are such as Solomon speaks of that know not how to go to the City Eccles 10.15 See the Note there shall not miss of it But now if we understand all this of the days of the Gospel whereof the other was a type then the way here promised is Christ John 14.6 Or the way prescribed in the Gospel for poor sinners to attain that life and salvation which is tendered in Christ the way of faith and holiness of which therefore it is said That it shall be called the way of holiness because it is the way that leads to the Holy of Holies in Heaven and because none go in that way but those that are sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 This way to life eternal is for those and no other for without holiness no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 And then of this way it is said also That the wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein because it is so clearly discovered in the Gospel that the simplest that are need not miss the way unless they will wilfully do it and because men are naturally very fools before by the Gospel they are brought in to Christ Tit. 3.3 But when they are once brought to believe in Christ they are sure by the guidance of his Spirit not so to err in their way though they be never so simple as to miss of life eternal Ver. 9. No Lyon shall be there nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon it shall not be found there c. The meaning is That in their return from Babylon or in their passing up and down in their own land they should not be annoyed with any ravenous wild Beasts to wit such as he had threatned should possess their land Chap. 34.13 14. when it lay waste as a Desert But here again under this type is meant That Christ would secure and protect his in their way to Heaven neither Satan nor any other of their spiritual enemies should make a prey of their souls neither should their wicked enemies the Instruments of Satan be able to hurt them he would carry them on safely in their way till he had lodged them in Heaven but the Redeemed shall walk there to wit the faithful Jews whom God shall deliver out of the hands of their enemies and so likewise those whom Christ shall redeem from the Estate of sin and death Ver. 10. And the ransomed of the Lord c. That is His redeemed ones See the foregoing Note shall return and come to Zion that is from those places whither they had fled to hide and shelter themselves either within the Land or in foreign parts when the Assyrian first invaded the land hearing of the destruction of the Assyrian Army they shall come back to Jerusalem or to the Temple in Zion there to praise God for their deliverance or it may be meant as well of their return from the Babylonian captivity and so the main intent of the words might be to signifie that God having brought them out of Babylon would not leave them till he had brought them safe to Jerusalem with Songs and everlasting joy upon their heads that is Joy of long continuance such as haply was a refreshing to those that were joyed with it so long as they lived or joy that should be for ever remembred in their anniversary Festivals But withal observable is this expression and everlasting joy upon their heads for though by their heads may be meant only the several persons of Gods redeemed ones as usually elsewhere see the Notes Job 29.3 and Prov. 25.22
O Lord that thou art present amongst us as thine own peculiar people ready to help us and to hear our Prayers of which thine Ark covered with Cherubims is a visible sign to us by delivering us out of the hands of this blaspheming Tyrant and let him see what a bold attempt it is in him to endeavour to dispossess thee of thy dwelling place Ver. 17. Encline thine ears O Lord and hear open thine eyes O Lord and see That is Hear the blasphemous speeches which these wretches have belched out against thee and see the blasphemies that are in this Letter I have spread before thee Ver. 18. Of a truth Lord the Kings of Assyria have laid waste all the Nations and their Countrys So also is this expressed 2 King 19.17 Here indeed it is in the Hebrew all the lands and their Countrys but therefore by lands are meant the Nations inhabiting those lands as we find it explained 2 Chron. 32.13 17. Ver. 21. Then Isaiah the Son of Amos sent unto Hezekiah Most probable it is that this he did by the Messengers whom Hezekiah had sent to him to enquire whether he had received any further word of answer from God Ver. 22. This is the word which the Lord hath spoken concerning him c. That is concerning Sennacherib The Virgin the Daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn See the Notes Chap. 1.8 and 23.12 but especially 2 King 19.21 the Daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee See the Notes Job 16.4 and Psal 22.7 as he had before shaken his hand at her See the Note Chap. 10.32 Ver. 23. Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted up thine eyes on high c. To wit as every way discovering his pride and insolence See the Note Chap. 10.12 It is all one in effect as if he had said Little dost thou think or consider against whom it is that thou hast thus arrogantly advanced thy self even against the holy one of Israel that is The holy God of Heaven and Earth that hath chosen Israel to be a holy people to himself See the Note Chap. 1.4 It is he whom thou hast blasphemed yea in the reproaches thou hast cast upon Hezekiah his anointed and upon his people thou hast indeed reproached the Lord their God Ver. 24. By thy Servants hast thou reproached the Lord c. In 2 King 19.23 it is By thy messengers and then it follows and hast said By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the Mountains to the sides of Lebanon that is I have got over all the hills and mountains that lay in my way even the loftiest of them such as Mount Lebanon was and that not with my foot-forces only but also with my Chariots which must needs be a work of great difficulty and only to be mastered by a mighty Army as namely by cutting out and levelling their way where the ground was steep and rocky and full of trees that obstructed their passage And this may be meant both of the hills and mountains they climbed that they might take the Towns and Forts that stood thereon and of those also which they were necessarily to pass over that they might get into the Countrys that lay beyond them And it might be that he might herein have special respect also to those Mountains that were about Jerusalem Psal 125.2 and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof and the choice fir-trees thereof that is Having thus far subdued the land before me I shall easily do so still their Cedars and Fir-trees he would cut down at his pleasure either to clear his way for his Army to pass or for other uses See the Note Chap. 14.8 That which he intends is this That nothing should hinder him in his approaches to Jerusalem But withal observable it is that whilst Sennacherib here threatens to hew down the lofty trees of Lebanon God had before threatned and foretold that his Lebanon that is his mighty Army should be hewn down See the Notes Chap. 10.33 34. and I will enter into the height of his border in 2 King 19.23 it is into the lodgings of his borders and the forest of his Carmel or as it is in the Margin the forest and his fruitful field Now by the height of his border or the lodgings of his borders some understand the tower of Lebanon Cant. 7.4 which according to our Translation I will enter into the height of his border seems not so probable because it is before said That the Assyrian had already marched over that Mountain And others again understand thereby Jerusalem the Metropolis and chief place of the Kingdom which being taken there would nothing else in a manner remain to be done and by the forest of his Carmel they understand the Country thereabout because for the pleasantness and fruitfulness of it it was like another Carmel and with the abundance of Fruit-trees and Vines growing therein it shewed like a forest Indeed having compared this place with that in 2 King 19.23 this seems to be the most probable Exposition that by the height of his border is meant the City Jerusalem together with the forts and holds on the frontiers thereabouts and by the forest of his Carmel the goodly and pleasant Country in that part of Judea But see the Notes in that 2 King 19.23 Ver. 25. I have digged and drunk water c. In 2 King 19.24 it is I have digged and drunk strange waters and it follows as here and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places for which see the Note 2 King 19.24 The Expression here used of drying up great Rivers with the sole of his feet is doubtless an hyperbolical vaunt as if he should have said That his Army was so numerous that with their feet alone they were able to dry up all the waters where they came or rather That though the Rivers were never so great his souldiers and their beasts were able to drink them all dry However that which is intended hereby was That the waters could no where keep him off from any place which he meant to assault either by diverting their waters some other way or by some such like policy he could take a course that their waters should be no hinderance to him Now thus considering the words there may be therein a threatning covertly couched to wit that he could soon deprive Jerusalem of her waters which Hezekiah had been so careful to secure for them whereby they must needs be forced to yield or else must perish with thirst Ver. 26. Hast thou not heard c Sennacherib had said ver 11. Behold thou hast heard what the Kings of Assyria have done to all lands by destroying them utterly and to this now God replys Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it and of ancient times that I have
rest upon God even against all opposition that may seem to threaten them in their way But see the Note also Psal 103.5 They shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint that is Though the accomplishment of Gods Promises to them be never so long delayed and though they meet with never so much Discouragement yet resting confidently upon God they shall hold out to the end and couragiously run the Race that is set before them CHAP. XLI VERSE 1. KEep silence before me O islands c. So usually in the Scripture all Transmarine Countries are called See the Notes Gen. 10.5 and Psal 97.1 The scope of this Chapter is much the same with that in the foregoing Chapter to wit to make known to the Jews with what confidence they might expect that deliverance out of Babylon which God had before promised them and doth here again assure them of and so likewise that Redemption by Christ whereof that deliverance was a type and what little cause they had to fear that any power of that Heathen people or their Idol-gods should be able to disappoint God of doing that for his people which he had promised And thus still also by the way they are covertly forewarned to take heed that whilst they continued in Babylon they were not drawn away to their Idolatry Now accordingly here in the beginning of this Chapter God by the Prophet as is evident ver 4. challengeth all the Heathen Nations round about to enter into a fair and equal debate with him that when he had pleaded his cause and they had answered what they had to say for themselves it might be judged and determined whether God had not in all Ages done that for his people as they had often found to their cost which none of their Idol-gods were ever able to do and consequently whether there was not very just ground why his people should quietly expect the accomplishment of that which God had promised to do for them without fearing anything their Idol-gods could do to hinder him therein Keep silence before me O Islands to wit that you may hear what I shall say and let the people renew their strength that is Let them take courage and strengthen themselves with all the Arguments they can See the Note Chap. 40.31 Let them come near then let them speak that is Let them except what they can against what I say and say what they can for themselves and for their Idol-gods that cannot speak for themselves Let us come near together to Judgment that is Let us with fair and equal terms on both sides debate the matter that our Cause may be judged and determined And thus he gives the Jews to understand that the very Heathens might be convinced of the truth of that which he had now to say if they would seriously consider of it Ver. 2. Who raised up the righteous man from the east To wit Abraham whom God called out of Ur in Chaldea that lay Eastward of Judea raising his heart effectually to detest the Idolatry of the place where he lived and readily to obey Gods command for the leaving of his Country and Kindred to go to the Country whereto he would carry him and who is called here the righteous man because being justified by faith Gen. 15.6 he did afterward approve himself a truly righteous man by continuing constant in the Worship of the only true God and by the general Justice and Righteousness of his Conversation in all other regards called him to his foot that is To follow God whithersoever he would lead him not knowing at all whither it would be even as servants being bidden follow their Master though they know not whither he will carry them and being likewise afterwards ready to go to and fro as God was pleased to appoint him gave the Nations before him and made him rule over Kings to wit by vanquishing them See the Note before Chap. 40.10 he gave them as the dust to his sword and as driven stubble to his bow that is He did as easily rout and subdue them as dust or stubble is driven away or scattered by the wind And all this is spoken though more especially of Abraham with reference to that victory of his over the four Kings that had plundred Sodom see Gen. 14.14 yet inclusively also of his Posterity and of the many Kings whom they conquered and subdued and all this to shew with what assured confidence the Jews at present might rely upon their God and how little cause they had to fear the idolatrous Nations or their Idol-gods if they would consider what God had done for their father Abraham and so for his Posterity successively Who raised up the righteous man from the East c. as if he should have said who but the God of Abraham did this Or which of the Heathen gods ever did the like And therefore why should Abrahams Posterity question the deliverance promised them When he was in Chaldea God carried him safely through many dangers into the land of Canaan and did afterward do great things for his Posterity and now you are in bondage in Chaldea why may not God do the same for you I know well that many learned Expositors do understand this of Cyrus who say they was raised out of the East that is Persia that lay Eastward of Babylon and is stiled the righteous man c. because he did justly and faithfully what God would have done in executing vengeance upon the Babylonians and setting Gods people free and sending them home into their own Country And again others understand it of Christ the holy one and the just as he is called Act. 3.14 and who by the Gospel hath vanquished and subdued many Nations But the former Exposition concerning Abraham I conceive is far most probable only Christ may be included in Abraham of whose seed he came Ver. 3. He pursued them and passed safely c. That is Abraham pursued the Kings before mentioned with safety and success and without any considerable loss or damage to him or his followers Gen. 14.15 even by the way that he had not gone with his feet that is In remote Countries where he had never been and must needs therefore be unacquainted with their ways But in this also that which he did in his Posterity may also be included See the foregoing Note Ver. 4. Who hath wrought and done it c. To wit all before mentioned concerning Abraham and his Children successively in all Generations and with respect thereto therefore it follows calling the Generations from the beginning that is Who according to his eternal fore-knowledg and decree hath from the beginning of the World made and raised up the Nations of the World in their several Generations which the Apostle Rom. 4.17 expresseth thus and calleth those things which be not as if they were and hath ordered and disposed of them as he pleased and so amongst others the Posterity of
having formed them for himself and for his own Glory he was engaged to deliver them even out of respect to his own honour that he might have a people to praise his Name Ver. 22. But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob c. That is say some You my people the seed of Israel have not called upon me in your troubles as having indeed no confidence in my protection and help But rather by calling upon God here as usually elsewhere the whole worship of God is meant and accordingly I take these words But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob to be all one in effect as if he had said You think that you have called upon me and so have yielded me that honour for which I made you my people as it is said in the foregoing verse but it is not so you have not called upon me but upon an Idol-god of your own feigning a god which will be content meerly with external Worship which I abhor Chap. 29.13 nor do ever own those Prayers as service done to me which are not offered with the inward Devotion of a believing holy and obedient heart and so thou hast not called upon me but thou hast been weary of me O Israel that is it hath been a burden to thee to serve me And the drift of the Lords alledging this is say some to shew what just cause he had to cast off them and take in the Gentiles to be his people But rather it is to shew that their deliverance out of Babylon now promised them and likewise the great work of our deliverance by Christ would be meerly of Gods free Grace and not because they had desired any such favour from him Ver. 23. Thou hast not brought me the small cattel of thy burnt-offerings neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices c. That is say some Thou hast not offered them to me but to Idols And so they understand also the following clause I have not caused thee to serve with an offering nor wearied thee with incense that is I have not exacted such abundance of these kind of oblations of thee as therewith to over-burden thee and to make thee weary of my service no it is thine Idols for whom thou hast been at so much cost and upon whom thou hast tired out thy self with offering them such a multitude of Sacrifices But rather the meaning is that because they did not offer them in a right manner God did not own them as sacrifices offered to him See the Notes Chap. 1.11 c. they were not the service which he had given them in charge Ver. 24. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money c. To wit for the precious Ointment Exod. 30.23 or for the Incense Exod. 30.7 wherewith it is therefore joyned Jer. 20.6 It is thought to be the same that is elsewhere called Calamus Ezek. 27.19 and it is spoken of as a costly thing because it grew not in their own land but was brought from far Countries neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices that is Thou hast not satisfied nor delighted me with thy sacrifices I never regarded them See the foregoing Note but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities as if he should have said I have not caused thee to serve with imposing upon thee too great a burden of sacrifices but thou hast caused me to serve with thy wickedness to wit because thy sins have been as great a grief and trouble and burden to me as it is to men to serve under hard Task-Masters and I have been as much wearied with bearing with thee as such a man can be with enduring such a hard service Ver. 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake c. And not in regard of any desert of yours and see the Notes Psal 51.1 Ver. 26. Put me in remembrance c. That is If you have any thing to alledge or reply against this which I have charged you let me know it Or if there be any thing wherewith you have deserved your deliverance and the Remission of sins promised put me in mind of it for it may be I have forgotten it and therefore you shall do well to bring it into my remembrance which is spoken by way of a sharp ironical derision let us plead together to wit that the truth betwixt us may be known See the Note Chap. 1.18 declare thou that thou mayest be justified that is Say what you can for your selves alledge what it is whereby you have deserved that I should work so great a deliverance and so great salvation for you that hereby you may be justified Ver. 27. Thy first Father hath sinned c. Some understand this of Adam the first Father of all Mankind and think that this is mentioned because sin being traduced from him to all his Posterity they that were descended from such a corrupt stock must needs be sinners themselves Again because this seems to be spoken with more special respect to the Jews others understand it of Abraham and that with respect to his being an Idolater before his calling see the Notes Josh 24.2 And indeed Abraham is usually spoken of in the Scripture as the first Father of that Nation because he was first circumcised which was the sign whereby they were always afterwards distinguished from other Nations as Chap. 51.2 Look unto Abraham your Father And they used to glory much in this see Matth. 3.9 and John 8.39 But indeed the most of our best Expositors hold That hereby is meant their Ancestors in general Thy first Father which is all one as if he had said Thy fore-father hath sinned and the word Father being usually taken collectively as it is Ezek. 16.3 Thy Father was an Amorite it is all one as if it had been said Thy fore-fathers have sinned And so for the following words and thy teachers have transgressed against me thereby I conceive is plainly meant their Priests and Prophets and that this is added as an aggravation of the wickedness both of them and their Fathers that even they that taught others and so should have been themselves most exemplary for good were even as bad as others And so the drift of the whole verse I conceive is to shew that seeing their fore-fathers had been great Transgressors as well as themselves they could not ascribe the great deliverances which God had now promised to any goodness that God had found either in them or in their Fathers Indeed this people did use to glory much in their Fathers but God gives them to understand that had there been nothing else to move him to shew them mercy they had been destroyed long ago Ver. 28. Therefore I have profaned the Princes of the Sanctuary c. Reading this as it is in our Bibles I conceive it is clearly meant of those at least the chief of those that in
House the Temple or within my Temple and my City Jerusalem But however both by the one and the other is meant the Church of Christ whereof both the Temple and Jerusalem were Types For that which is intended is that unto those Eunuchs before mentioned God would give in his Church here and afterward in Heaven a place and a Name better than of Sons and Daughters that is of greater Honour and Dignity than that which accrews to them that have Sons and Daughters which is accounted a great Honour and Happiness to Men See the Note Prov. 17.6 and in whom their Name is continued when they are dead namely that of being Gods peculiar People his adopted Children a Name more glorious and more durable even that which shall continue unto Eternity as is expressed in the following Words I will give them an everlasting Name that shall not be cut off to wit as the continuance of Mens Names in their Posterity many times is Ver. 6. Also the Sons of the Stranger that joyn themselves to the Lord c. See the Note above ver 3. to serve him and to love the Name of the Lord to be his Servants to wit as counting it an honour to serve him because of the great love they bare to him every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it and taketh hold of my Covenant See the Note above ver 4. Ver. 7. Even them will I bring to my holy Mountain c. That is I will cause them to come in and joyn themselves to my Church See the Note Chap. 2.2 and make them joyful in my house of Prayer to wit my Church of which the Temple was a Type And the meaning is that their Hearts should be joyed by the consideration of their happiness in being admitted to be Gods People and to all the Glorious priviledges which thereby they should enjoy by the chearing of their troubled Consciences with the glad tydings of the Gospel which should be there preached to them and more particularly by the sweet refreshing comforts they should find in their Souls both whilst they were praying and after they had prayed and the gracious answers God should return to their prayers their burnt offerings and their Sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine Altar that is their Spiritual and Evangelical Sacrifices Rom. 12.1 and Heb. 13.15 shall be acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 for mine House that is my Church shall be called the House of Prayer for all People to wit Gentiles as well as Jews yet because the Church of Christ is called Gods House in allusion to its Type the Temple therefore our Saviour cites this place as spoken of the Temple Mark 11.17 Ver. 8. The Lord God which gathereth together the out-casts of Israel saith c. To wit out of Babylon and other Countries where they were scattered See the Note Psal 147.2 yet will I gather others to him that is to Israel besides those that are gathered to him that is that are already gathered to him out of Babylon And it is meant of the Gentiles whom after this would God bring in and make them one Church and People with Israel see Joh. 11.51 52. Ver. 9. All ye Beasts of the Field come to devour c. Very many Learned Expositors hold this to be the beginning of a new Prophecy But if we take it as a part of the foregoing Prophecy as indeed according to the division of the Chapters in our Bibles it seems to be joined with that then we may conceive the connexion to be either 1. That having cheared up the Godly with many precious Promises in the foregoing part of the Prophecy here he turns himself to reprove the wicked party amongst them and that the rather that hereby they might be put in mind that the comfort of the foregoing promises belong'd not to them Or 2. That having made Gods People so many glorious Promises he now shews them that before they should be fulfilled very sad havock should be made in the Jewish State by forreign Nations that so the Godly might not be stumbled when they saw such sad things so contrary to what was now promised to come upon them but might only be stirred up by unfeigned Repentance to approve themselves to God And it may be also there might be an intention to give some light to that which he had said of the out-casts of Israel As for the words themselves All ye Beasts of the Field come to devour yea all the Beasts of the Forrest though they may be un-understood literally as an invitation of all kinds of Beasts of Prey to come and devour the Carcases of Gods slaughtered People intended to imply that there should be such multitudes of them slain by their Enemies that there should be enough to satisfie all the Beasts both of Field and Forrest that would come in to devour Yet I rather think that by these ravenous Beasts are figuratively meant those barbarous cruel Nations that should destroy and devour Gods People and that because in the following Verses the blindness and neglect of the Shepherds is alledged as a motive to encourage them to come in and devour Gods Flock Many I know and I think most probably do understand this particularly of the Chaldeans and the many Nations that joyned with them in their invasion of Judea but yet it may well be extended to all that were after this called in at several times to devour the Jews the Assyrians Babylonians Grecians Romans c. Ver. 10. His watchmen are blind c. That is Israels Rulers both Civil and Ecclesiastical the two Eyes of a Church or State her Priests and pretended Prophets and Teachers especially are blind Seers such as could not foresee approaching Evils and Judgments that they might forewarn the People of them being ignorant and sottish as the following words explain it they are all ignorant that is all of them in a manner are ignorant as to the Law of God and their own Duty they know not how to teach and govern the People such as the Scribes and Pharisees were in our Saviours time blind leaders of the blind they are all dumb Dogs they cannot bark to wit by opposing the Evil of the Times reproving Evil doers and forewarning them of the Judgments they were like to bring upon themselves and that because they were ignorant given to the Vices they should have reproved in others nor willing by doing their duty to expose themselves to the displeasure of Men especially the great ones of the Times in all which there is an allusian to House-Dogs or Shepherds Dogs that are by barking to drive away Thieves and Wolves and waken those that should help to drive them away sleeping lying down loving to slumber that is delighting in sloth and sluggishness and giving up themselves thereto The word indeed which we Translate sleeping is by some rendered as it is in the Margin dreaming or talking in their sleep with reference as
unto thee that is whole Armies or Troops of them shall come in to thee This also in the Type many understand of the forwardness of the Nations to help the Jews at their return out of Babylon and some would have the meaning to be that Judea should become a great Mart for Merchants by Sea But the foregoing Exposition doth most clearly suit with the whole current of this Prophesie Ver. 6. The multitude of Camels shall cover thee c. That is thy Land the Dromedaries of Midian and Ephah that is the Midianites for Ephah was also of the Posterity of Midian Gen. 25.4 who inhabited Arabia see the Note Gen. 37.28 The meaning is that the Converted Gentiles should honour the Lord with their Substance and Consecrate themselves and all that they had to the Service of Christ and his Church And accordingly the several Nations are here said to bring in those things that were the choicest Commodities of their several Countries The meaning here cannot be that these Midianites Embracing the Faith of Christ should ride to Jerusalem upon Camels and Dromedaries but because in those Eastern Countries they used to ride and to carry great Burdens of Wares upon this kind of Cattel and because in those days Men used not to come empty handed to the House of God therefore the Coming in of the Gentiles their submitting themselves and all they had to the Lords disposing and their contributing of their Wealth in abundance to the Church of Christ is thus figuratively expressed that the Land of Gods People should be covered with their Camels and Dromedaries And to the same purpose is that which follows all they from Sheba shall come see the Note Psal 72.10 They shall bring Gold and Incense that is they shall also Consecrate their Wealth to the Lord yea and some would have it that under these Figuratively the dedicating of their Learning and Eloquence their Arts and Sciences to the service of Christ and his Church is also comprehended and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord that is they shall worship God And indeed this last clause sheweth plainly that the mention made in the foregoing Words of their bringing Gold and Incense with them was not with respect to Trading as some have thought but with respect to the worship and service of God Ver. 7. All the Flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee The Rams of Nebaioth shall Minister unto thee c. Because the Kedarens and Nabathaeans Ishmaelites of the Posterity of Kedar and Nebaioth dwelling in Arabia abounded in Flocks of Sheep therefore it is said that from them multitudes of these shall be brought in to Gods People And though in the Type this again may be meant of these Nations supplying the Jews that were come out of Babylon abundantly with Cattel for Sacrifices But certainly it is principally meant of the Converted Gentiles and accordingly we must understand it either that they should zealously promote the Church of Christ and the worship of God therein by contributing abundantly of their Substance thereto or that they should offer up Spiritual Sacrifices unto God for it is usual with the Prophets in speaking to the Jews to set forth the Worship of the Gospel under Figurative tearms taken from their Legal Service they shall come up with acceptance upon mine Altar that is their Services shall be as Sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ and I will glorify the house of my Glory that is in the Type his glorious House the Temple built for his Glory and wherein he had appeared often with great Glory now trodden down by the Gentiles but to be raised up again gloriously at the Jews return from Babylon or rather the Church of Christ the House of God 1 Tim. 3.15 which God did many ways Glorifie but the access of the Gentiles is principally here intended see the Note ver 9. Ver. 8. Who are these c. The Prophet some think in the name of the Church who above ver 4. in this regard was called upon to lift up her Eyes and look about breaks forth here into an admiration at the multitudes of those that should come flocking into Zion And though some understand it of the Jews returning to their own Country at their deliverance out of Babylon as they do a like expression Chap. 49.21 of which see the Note there yet indeed the very words seem to hint that he speaks of the Gentiles coming in to the Christian Church of the Jews because he speaks of them as a People unknown such as were Aliens and Strangers from the Common-Wealth of Israel Who are these that fly as a Cloud and as the Doves to their Windows that is the Lockers where they make their several Nests and breed their Young ones or rather the loover-holes in the Turrets or tops of the Dove-house whereby they fly into it Now the coming in of the Gentiles to the Church may be compared to the flying of a Cloud to imply their coming in from remote Countries because Clouds do many times arise in the farthest parts of the Sky and to the flying in of Doves to their windows because as Doves do usually fly home when they see a storm coming or are in danger of some Bird of prey so it should be the fear of wrath to come that should bring in the Gentiles to the Church as to a place of refuge and safety But questionless the main intent of both Similitudes is to set forth with what eagerness chearfulness and speed see the Note Chap. 19.1 and likewise in what multitudes they should come in like a huge flight of Doves that cover the Air like a Cloud or like a Cloud that sometimes will spread and cover the whole face of the Heavens Ver. 9. Surely the Isles c. That is such as dwell in remote Islands or elsewhere on the Sea-Coast see the Note Chap. 41.1 This seems to be spoken in the Person of God or Christ in answer to the wonder of the Prophet or Church in the foregoing Verse Surely the Isles wait for me that is being convinced of the danger of their natural condition by the Preaching of the Gospel they shall earnestly long to be brought home and reconciled with me and therefore it is no wonder though they come in flocking to me But see the Notes also Chap. 42.4 and 51.5 and the Ships of Tarshish see the Notes 1 Kings 10.22 and Psal 48.7 first that is the Men of Tarshish famous above others for Shipping and Navigation shall be of the first and forwardest that shall be ready to come in to me and serve me to bring thy Sons from far that is thy Children O my Church see the Notes above ver 4. and Chap. 49.22 their Silver and their Gold with them see the Note above ver 6. unto the name of the Lord thy God that is to be consecrated to God or for the Service of his Church or Temple see the Note Deut.
at his pleasure break them in pieces as the Potter may his Pots yet that he would rather spare them and deal favourably with them both out of respect to the frailty of their condition see the Note Psal 143.10 and especially because of the interest he had in them as being his Children and the work of his hands see the Note Psal 119.73 Ver. 9. Be not wrath very sore O Lord neither remember iniquity for ever c. As if they had said Though this we have deserved yet deal more favourably with us see the Note Psal 6.1 behold see we beseech thee see the Note Chap. 63.15 we are all thy People that is thou hast taken us to be thy Covenant People and therefore spare us Ver. 10. Thy holy Cities are a wilderness c. That is the Cities of Judea which are called holy Cities as the whole Country is called the holy Land Zach. 2.12 because of the special interest which God had in them as having given them for an habitation to his holy People Israel wherein they were to serve and Worship God as they did constantly in their Synagogues every Sabbath both in Prayer and hearing the word Preached Act. 15.21 Some indeed hold that the following words Zion is a Wilderness Jerusalem a Desolation are added to shew what were the holy Cities they intended to wit Zion and Jerusalem where the Temple was wherein God was especially served and which were sometimes spoken of as two distinct Cities Zion being more peculiarly called the City of David However by mentioning the desolation of these Cities they seek to move God to pity them and to destroy their Enemies though not for their sakes that had deserved so ill at his hands yet with respect to his own Glory and to his own Concernments Ver. 11. Our holy and our beautiful house where our Fathers praised thee is burnt with Fire c. This is added as a farther aggravation of their misery that not only their Cities even Zion and Jerusalem amongst the rest but even the Temple also was burnt with Fire that goodly house which God had given them to be the peculiar place for his Worship and Service and which was far dearer to them than their own private Houses But now withall there are two things hinted very observable in that Clause where our Fathers praised thee as namely 1. That being as it were ashamed to alledge their own serving of God there because they had been so regardless of their duty therein and had done what they did in such a manner as might well render it loathsome to God yet they put him in mind how formerly in better times their Forefathers had duly served him there And 2. How sad a thing it was that they should now weep and lament over the ruines of that House wherein their Ancestors with such triumphant joy used to praise God for his goodness to them and all our pleasant things are laid waste that is say some all the choice things wherein we took pleasure are spoiled and carried away But the word laid waste doth rather import that they speak hear of their goodly Palaces and great Houses publick and private which were likewise by the Enemy burnt down and destroy'd Ver. 12. Wilt thou refrain thy self for these things O Lord c. That is Canst thou contain thy self from coming in to our help and from avenging thy self upon our Enemies when thou seest us thy People in such a miserable condition and our Enemies offering so much wrong to thy self and thy Concernments Though we have deserved to be punished severely yet wilt thou not vindicate thine own glory CHAP. LXV VERSE 1. I Am sought of them that asked not for me c. Many Expositors take this to be Gods Answer to the Prayer of his People in the foregoing Chapter wherein by his seeking out those that minded not him he assures them that he would have been ready enough to have hearkened to the Prayers of his People had they called upon him in a right manner and had they not by their obstinate wickedness caused him to disregard their Prayers But now others not improbably say that the main scope of this place is to foretell the rejection of the Jews and the just cause God had so to deal with them Only lest they should hence infer the making void of the Covenant which God had made with their Fathers he first promiseth this concerning the calling of the Gentiles in whom the Covenant should be made good they being by Faith ingratifted into the Stock of Israel I am sought of them that asked not for me I am found of them that sought me not that is the Gentiles that in former times did neither know me nor inquire nor seek after me do now upon the Preaching of the Gospel to them won thereto by my preventing Grace both seek after me and find me and worship me for that it is the calling of the Gentiles that is here intended is evident because it is by the Apostle Paul expresly applyed thereto Rom. 10.20 But Esaias is very bold to wit in that he durst tell the Jews of that which was so hateful to them the taking in the Gentiles in their stead to be the People of God and saith I was found of them that sought me not I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me They are the very same words in effect with those of the Prophet here only the two branches are transposed As for the following Words here added by the Prophet they are to the same purpose with that which went before I said behold me behold me unto a Nation that was not called by my Name that is I was willing to manifest my self to them and to receive and own them as my People which before they were not or as some loe here I am ready still to hear you and to satisfie your desires when you call upon me But see the Note also Deut. 32.21 The Ingemination behold me behold me is to imply either Gods great forwardness to hear and help them when they should seek to him or the wonder of Gods grace herein and how incredible it would seem to the Jews Ver. 2. I have spread out my hands c. See the Note Prov. 1.24 all the day that is for a long time together constantly and continually even in a long Succession of Ages first by my Prophets and afterward by my Son unto a Rebellious People to wit the Jews for so the Apostle expounds it Rom. 10.21 But to Israel he saith all day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying People which is here in the Prophet which walketh in a way that was not good that is in ways very bad wicked waies see 1 Sam. 2.24 and Psal 36.4 after their own thoughts that is as seems good in their own Eyes according to the inclination and desires of their own naughty Hearts And herein it is like their following