many Learned Expositors it is held that together with the Enemies of the Jews here more especially intended not only all the Enemies of Gods Church in all Ages are comprehended which is the more probable because of the following Clause to the Islands he will repay recompence that is to the Enemies of his People in the remotest Parts and where they think themselves safest from all danger See the Note Chap. 41.1 but also their Spiritual Enemies as with respect to Christs Victory over them which Exposition indeed the following Verses seem much to favour Ver. 19. So shall they fear the Name of the Lord from the West and his Glory from the rising of the Sun c. That is By occasion of this Glorious Work of God mentioned in the foregoing Verse in delivering his People by executing vengeance upon their Enemies Men shall fear the Lord and the Name and Glory of God shall be renowned throughout the World See the Note Psal 113.3 And indeed as was hinted in the foregoing Note though this may be meant primarily of that terror wherewith all the Nations in the World in a manner should be struck upon the Destruction which God would bring on the Enemies of the Jews yet the words do so clearly seem to intend also that filial fear wherewith upon the conversion of the Gentiles the Church of Christ throughout the whole World should fear God that whereas now God was despised by his own People he should then be honoured by the Nations all the World over whence it is also that in the following words there is a Promise added of Gods aiding them against their Enemies that this doth much confirm that more general Exposition given in the foregoing Note of the revenge which God would bring upon the Enemies of his People When the Enemy shall come in like a Flood that is when-ever the Devil and his Instruments shall break in upon my Church like a Flood see the Notes Chap. 8.7 8. The Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him or as it is in the Margin put him to flight that is God by his Divine and Almighty Power shall take part with his People and raise up Forces against these their Enemies wherewith he will oppose and vanquish them See the Notes Chap. 5.26 and 11.12 and 49.22 Or God with a blast of his Breath only shall cause them to flee yea the meaning may be if we understand it of the Spiritual Enemies of Gods People that he would by his Holy Spirit so assist and strengthen his People that they should be able to withstand and overcome these their mighty Adversaries Eph. 6.13 Ver. 20. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion c. That is God will send one that shall redeem his People out of their Bondage and Misery Now as hereby the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon was intended Cyrus was questionless this Redeemer But as this was also intended as a Promise of the Spiritual Redemption whereof the other was a Type Christ was the Redeemer And that this was intended is clear by the Apostles citing this place according to the Translation of the Septuagint to prove that certainly the Jews should at last be converted and made partakers of the Redemption that is by Christ Rom. 11.26 27. And so that is when the fullness of the Gentiles is come in all Israel shall be saved that is the generality of the Nation of the Jews As it is Written There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob For this is my Covenant unto them c. It is as if the Apostle had argued thus The Prophet Isaiah foretold that Christ should come as a Redeemer to the Church and Nation of the Jews who as yet do despise and reject him and therefore certainly there shall a time come when the Nation of the Jews shall embrace Christ as their Redeemer As for the following Words and unto them that turn from Transgression in Jacob as they are spoken with respect to the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon they imply both that that deliverance should be wrought chiefly for the sake of that little Remnant amongst them that were reformed by their Captivity and that it should be to them only a real Mercy But as they are spoken with respect to Mans Redemption by Christ they plainly shew that none can justly challenge any Interest therein but only those that forsakeing their Sins do turn unto the Lord. Ver. 21. As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord c. To wit with his People whom the Redeemer mentioned in the foregoing Verse should redeem My Spirit that is upon thee c. That is say some upon Christ the Redeemer And so they take it as a promise made by God the Father to Christ that his Word and Spirit should be for ever continued to his Seed concerning whom See the Note Chap. 53.10 But I rather conceive that this is spoken either to the Prophet Isaiah and then the meaning must be either 1. That this which God had now promised by him should be so accomplished that the memory of it should be continued unto all Posterity Or 2. That the Spirit which God had put upon him and that Gospel-promise which he had published should be continued to the Prophets and others that should succeed him in the Work of the publick Ministry even to the end of the World Or rather to the Church the Redeemed ones in his Zion to whom God here turns his Speech My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed c. that is My Word and Spirit shall still be with thee for thine instruction and direction unto the Worlds end there shall be always of my Messengers Prophets Apostles and other Ministers and Teachers that shall successively Preach my Word faithfully to you and my Spirit shall go along with their Ministry to make it work effectually upon you so that there shall be still a profession of my Truth among you A clear proof that though Councils may err yet the true Catholick Church shall never err CHAP. LX. VERSE 1. ARISE c. This is spoken to Zion to whom Ver. 20. of the foregoing Chapter God had promised the Redeemer should come and consequently according to what is there noted in the Type it is spoken to the Jews in the Babylonian Captivity but in the Antitype to the Primitive Church of the Jews as is evident because afterward Ver. 3. it is said the Gentiles should joyn themselves to her Arise to wit taking it as spoken to the Jews in Babylon out of the Dust that low and sad condition wherein thou hast lain for a long time rouse up thy self and enter into that happy change and advancement which thy God will now bring thee into see the Note Chap. 51.17 Shine be
Glory sitting on his Throne to judg the world As for that of their seeing the land that is very far off some understand it of the enlarging of Christs Kingdom even to the remotest parts of the world others of their seeing the land of rest which in the highest Heavens God hath provided for the inheritance of his people Ver. 18. Thine heart shall meditate terror c. First This may be understood of the terrors wherewith they should be perplexed whilst the City Jerusalem should be blocked up by the Assyrians the Prophet putting them in mind hereof purposely to render them the more thankful for the following deliverance to wit that in that time of danger their minds should be continually running upon those things the thought whereof must needs be terrible to them as namely either that they should be still thinking of the heavy pressures and Taxes that would be put upon them when the Assyrians had taken the City and brought them into bondage And so the words following may be added to represent the fear they should be still in of these exactors coming upon them to peel them of what they had Where is the Scribe to wit the Officer that kept the Roul of the Captives and of the Tribute and Taxes they were to pay where is the receiver that is he that gathered the Tribute or Taxes where is he that counted the towers that is the Officer that was to take a survey of the houses that so taking notice of the fairest and stateliest houses he might set the greater Taxes upon them Or else that they should be continually musing with themselves how little hope there was that they should be able to defend the City against so mighty an Army they having neither Soldiers to muster nor Money to pay them nor Forts fitted to keep off the Enemy where is the Scribe or as we say the Muster-master where is the receiver that is the Treasurer or Pay-master that is to pay the Soldiers where is he that counted the towers that is the Officer that is to take a view of the Towers and other parts of the City that by pulling down some and fortifying others the City might be made the more defensible for which see the Note Chap. 22.10 But 2. It may be likewise understood and I think more probably of their calling to mind after God had destroyed the Assyrians the terrors wherewith they had been formerly perplexed Thine heart shall meditate terrors that is When God hath cut off those enemies that were such a terror to thee then thou shalt often with some contentment sit meditating on those terrors which in those times of thy distress were so dreadful to thee And accordingly the words following Where is the Scribe c. may either be taken as a representation of the despairing Speeches they uttered when they were so distracted with fear according to the Expositions before given of them Or else as an insultation over those enemies that had a while since been such a terror to them Where is the Scribe where is the Receiver that is Where are your Muster-masters and your Pay-masters where is he that counted the towers that is the Engineer whose office it was to view the towers of Jerusalem that so order might be given against which part of the City their batteries might be made or what Towers or Galleries were to be raised in the Camp for the battering and assaulting them as if it had been said What is now become of all the great Officers in Sennacheribs Army they are all now gone and shall be no more a terror to us as it follows in the next verse Neither is it improbable that the Apostle doth at least allude to this place in that Expression of his 1 Cor. 1.20 Where is the Wise Where is the Scribe c Ver. 19. Thou shalt not see a fierce people c. That is This fierce people the Assyrians God will destroy and scatter so that thou shalt be quite rid of them neither shall they return any more to be a trouble and a terror to thee a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive of a stammering tongue that thou canst not understand See the Notes Chap. 28.11 and Psal 81.5 Ver. 20. Look upon Zion c. Having in the foregoing verse assured the faithful Jews that they should never more see those enemies that were such a terror to Jerusalem here he triumphs in the preservation of that City Look upon Zion the City of our solemnities that is The City where God hath appointed his people to meet together to worship him in a solemn manner thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation that is Free from the disturbances that were formerly therein the inhabitans living safely and without fear a tabernacle that shall not be taken down to wit as other tents and tabernacles used to be and then to be removed to other places And therefore we must know that Jerusalem is called a Tabernacle with respect to Gods dwelling there in the Temple in the same manner as formerly he did in the Tabernacle made by Moses and withal to imply that though it were in it self a weak place that might as easily be destroyed as a Tabernacle may be taken down yet through Gods protection it should be preserved as being chosen of God to be his setled dwelling place unto the coming of the Messiah See the Notes Psal 78.68 69. and 1 King 9.3 And to the same purpose is that which follows not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken But now under this type of Jerusalem the perpetual peace and safety of the Church of Christ is intended that therein Gods people shall enjoy a peaceable and quiet habitation See the Note Chap. 9.6 That God would so preserve it here in this World that the gates of Hell should never be able to prevail against it and that at last she should be triumphantly setled in an unchangable estate of happiness in Heaven The Tabernacle of the earthly Zion was removed Lam. 2.6 He hath violently taken away his Tabernacle as if it were of a Garden it is in Heaven only that God hath promised his people a continuing City Ver. 21. But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams c. As if the Prophet had said Though Jerusalem be not compassed about with any great River as Babylon and Niniveh and many other Cities are but hath only a small brook or two for the watering of it yet that shall be no hinderance to our preservation because the Lord is with us and he wâ—ll be unto us instead of many such broad rivers and streams securing us so that no enemy shall come at us to hurt us See the Note Chap. 26.1 Yea whereas such great Rivers that are in some regard a great defence to Cities have yet this discommodity in them that thereby ships do usually
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
the Cause of the Widow come unto them Ver. 24. Therefore saith the Lord the Lord of Hosts the mighty One of 〈◊〉 c. That is The mighty God or Lord Protector of Israel as before he was called v. 4. The Holy One of Israel and Gen. 49.24 the mighty God of Jacob. By which Title he seeks to beat them off from their vain confidence in God by giving them to understand that he that had formerly been the mighty Defence of Israel would now manifest the same Almighty power in punishing and destroying them which he had formerly manifested in preserving them and destroying their Enemies and so to make the following Vengeance threatned the more dreadful and terrible to them since it must needs be a fearful thing to fall under the wrath of an Almighty God and they might be well assured that were they never so mighty and great he would be easily able to crush and destroy them Ah I will ease me of mine Adversaries and avenge me of mine Enemies This is spoken after the manner of men to whom Revenge is sweet and pleasing for as vexation and indignation is a burden to mens Spirits and puts them into a restless condition so when men have satisfied their minds by revenging themselves upon those that have so injured and provoked them that is an ease to them and quiets their spirits And hence are the like expressions used concerning the Lord when he speaks of punishing wicked men as in Ezek. 5.13 I will cause my fury to rest upon them and I will be comforted And Chap. 16.42 So will I make my fury towards thee to rest and I will be quiet and will be no more angry And therefore though this Particle Ah be sometimes used as an expression of Grief as Jer. 22.18 and 34.5 and it is true which several Expositors do note from hence that when God punisheth his People he doth it with grief as being constrained to do it by their Obstinacy yet here I conceive it is rather an Expression of the Lords Indignation and of his Triumphing in the ruin of his people that were now turned to be his enemies and so it likewise implies the soreness of the Judgments he meant to bring upon them but see the foregoing Note v. 4. and that also Deut. 28.63 Ver. 25. And I will turn my hand upon thee c. If we consider how much good God promiseth here to do for his Church by purging her and restoring her to a far better condition than at present she was in it will be evident that the Lord adds this as by way of mitigating or at least moderating the severity of the former threatning ver 24. And therefore though otherwise by turning his hand upon her might be meant as some have thought that his hand which had wont to be stretched forth in her defence for the ruin of her Enemies should now be stretched forth upon her to be avenged on her for her Rebellion against him yet I rather conceive that here it is spoken in a way of mercy agreeably to that which follows to wit that he would once again set himself by the Judgments he would bring upon her to endeavour the Purging and Reforming of her He had said before ver 5. Why should ye be stricken any more Ye will revolt more and more But now he resolves to turn his hand to this work again And I will turn my hand upon thee and accordingly he adds and purely purge away thy Dross and take away all thy Tinn which is spoken with relation to what he had said v. 22. Thy Silver is become Dross and that which is intended thereby is that by those calamities he would bring upon them he meant to purge and refine them partly by destroying those that were incorrigibly wicked from amongst them which are as the refuse of a Stat◠see the Note Psal 119.119 and partly by Reforming the rest by purging 〈◊〉 from the wickedness of their hearts and from the Idolatry and other corruptions that were in their Lives Yet by Tinn here which looks like Silver may be meant their Hypocrisie or the Hypocrites that were amongst them whom he would destroy as well as those that were openly prophane As for those words purely and all I will purely purge away all thy Dross and take away all thy Tinn it must not be understood so as if the Church were to have no ungodly ones or Hypocrites left in her or that the godly should have no dross of corruption and sin left in them the Church is never thus purely purged here in this world All that is intended hereby is that God would bring them to such a degree of Purity as that he might again delight in them as in his people that they should no more content themselves with hypocritical shews of Piety but should sincerely shine forth in all holiness of Conversation Ver. 26. And I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning c. That is thou shalt have Magistrates and Governors and Counsellors to be assistant to them by giving them advice in their way of Government that are faithful and just and incorrrupt not such as they are now and have been of late loving Gifts and following after Rewards as was said before v. 2.3 but such as thou hadst in the first constitution of thy State and Commonwealth to wit such as thine ancient Judges were Moses Joshua and Samuel c. and thy former good Kings David Solomon Jehoshaphat and Asa And some hold that this was fulfilled in the Reformation that was made in the days of Hezekiah and Josiah but I conceive it is spoken rather with relation to the times after the Captivity when they were Governed by Joshua and Zorobabel Ezra and Nehemiah and other good Rulers Yea some say that this was principally accomplished in the days of the Gospel Afterward thou shalt be called the City of Righteousness the faithful City that is when God hath thus purged thee then the faithful City that was become a Harlot as was said before v. 21. shall again become eminently righteous in regard of her just dealing with men and faithful in regard of her stedfast piety towards God insomuch that she shall be famous in this regard and commonly magnified as a City of Righteousness a faithful City Ver. 27. Zion shall be Redeemed with Judgment and her Converts with Righteousness By Zion here is meant the people that dwelt in or about Jerusalem or more generally that worshipped God in Zion By their being Redeemed is meant that they should be delivered from the Judgments before threatned or particularly from the Babylonian Captivity and therefore to that word which we translate her Converts meaning thereby those that should be converted to God in those troubles being Reformed from their former Evil courses others translate they that return of her to wit from Babylon And then that Phrase of their being Redeemed with Judgment may
therein Ver. 12. For the day of the Lord of hasts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty c. That is upon all the proud and great ones amongst them See the foregoing Note Ver. 13. And upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up and upon all the oaks of Bashan Lebanon was famous for goodly tall Cedars See the Note 1 King 5.4 and so was Bashan for mighty strong oaks Ezek. 27.6 Of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine Oars Now though the most of Expositors do here by these cedars and oaks understand figuratively the great and weighty and lofty ones that were amongst them their Princes and Nobles their rich and potent men that exalted themselves against God as indeed the Scripture doth elsewhere frequently speak thus of such men as Ezek. 31.3 Behold the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches and with a shadowing shroud c. See also the Note Judg. 9.15 and others do understand hereby their stately buildings made of the timber of these trees as indeed the Prophet Zachary speaks after this manner of the destruction of the gallant houses in Jerusalem Zach. 11.1 2. Open thy doers O Lebanon that the fire may devour thy cedars Howl firr-tree for the cedar is fallen because the mighty are spoiled Howl O ye oakes of Bashan Yet because it seems apparent that the Prophets design in this part of the Chapter is first to foreshew the destruction of the Inhabitants even the greatest amongst them which he hath already done in the three foregoing verses and then afterwards the ruin of all things that were of greatest note and excellency in their land whereof they did most glory and wherein they put the greatest confidence therefore I do not see why this should not be understood literally of the havock the enemy should make in burning up and hewing down the Cedars and Oaks and other stately Trees that grew there in abundance and that the rather with respect to the Idolatry that was daily committed in their Groves where these Trees grew wherewith God was highly offended for which see the Notes Chap. 1.29 30. Ver. 14. And upon all the high mountains and upon all the hills that are lifted up Hereby also some understand great and rich men such as were of great eminency and did over-look and over-top the meaner fort as mountains do the plains And indeed the Scripture doth often speak thus of the great ones of the world figuratively as in Zach. 4.7 Who art thou O great mountain before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain And Isa 41.15 Thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small and make the hills as chaff But here I rather conceive it is meant of the hilly and mountainous parts of the land upon which the Prophet threatens that vengeance should come the rather because their high places were usually there and to let them know that these places which they deemed of impregnable strength and wherein they did so exceedingly glory and trust as places of sure retreat in times of danger should be no refuge to them at all Ver. 15. And upon every high tower and upon every fenced wall Even this also some understand figuratively of men of great strength and power alledging for the proof hereof another place in our Prophet where the same figurative expression is used to wit Chap. 30.25 And there shall be upon every high mountain and upon every high hill rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter when the towers fall But I conceive the meaning of these words is only this that no fortifications or place of strength should be any defence to them Ver. 16. And upon all the ships of Tarshish c. See the Note 1 King 10.22 and Psal 48.7 Because they prided themselves much in these their ships of great bulk and burden the defence they were to the Kingdom and the exceeding wealth they brought into them by way of merchandizing the Prophet foretels that these should be also taken or destroyed by the enemy And upon all pleasant Pictures that is all the curious Pictures wherein they so much delighted under which may also be comprehended their Tapistry and Arras Hangings of Image-work their curious wrought Plate and all other the bravery of their houses Some indeed because this is joined here with the ships of Tarshish do particularly restrain this to the goodly Pictures and carved Images wherewith they adorned their ships and that this custom of beautifying their ships was very ancient we may see by that of the Poet Pictasque innare carinas or else to the choice rarities which in their ships they brought from the remote Ports of the world But I think it may better be understood of all their pleasant houshold-ornament or that if any particular be intended it may be their Idolatrous Pictures Ver. 17. And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down c. As if he had said And by this universal destruction which God shall bring upon these things before mentioned wherein ye have gloried so much and put so much confidence that shall be accomplished which was before foretold ver 11. The lofty locks of man shall be humbled c. of which see the Note there Ver. 18. And the Idols he shall utterly abolish As if he had said Both you and your Idols before which you have humbled your selves shall be destroyed together so far they shall be from helping you that they shall not be able to secure themselves yet it may be meant of their being destroyed not only by the enemies but also by those that made and worshipped their Idols where they should see with shame how little good they had done them See the Note Chap. 1.31 Ver. 19. And they shall go into the holes of the rocks c. See the Note above ver 10. And from thence that expression seems to have been taken which our Saviour useth Luk. 23.30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains fall on us and to the hills cover us The meaning is that being affrighted with the dreadfulness of Gods Judgments they should be glad to creep into any hole to hide themselves in When he ariseth to shake terribly the earth that is to break in upon them with such fury that their State shall be in a manner shattered to pieces and the hearts of the people shall tremble and shake as it were with an Earthquake Yea because we read of a dreadful Earthquake that was in the days of Uzziah Amos 1.1 Zach. 14.5 we may well think that hereby God did foreshew that terrible concussion of the land whereof the Prophet here speaks Ver. 20. In that day a man shall cast his Idols of silver and his Idols of gold which they made each man for himself to worship to the moles and to the bats To wit as being gods blinder than moles and fitter to lye in darkness and not to come abroad into
his assistance the Prophet breaks forth here into a holy insultation over their enemies assuring them that all they did should end at last in their own utter ruin hereby seeking to chear up the faithful that were like to be much dejected with the misery which the enemy for a time were like to bring upon Judea As for the following words and give ear all ye of far countries some take that also to be spoken Ironically as if he had said O ye Nations afar off if you long to be broken in pieces give ear to the Assyrian when he invites you to join with him for the invading of Judah But others and I think better understand it as a warning to those Nations to attend to what the Prophet now said and so to beware of joining with those that should invade Gods people lest they perished together with them Not that there was any hope that they should come to hear what the Prophet had said but only the more emphatically hereby to express how certain it was that all that joined in that attempt should be ruined and destroyed as we see it came to pass in that miraculous destruction and routing of the Assyrian army 2 King 19.35 To which end he doth again and again repeat that holy insultation gird your selves that is arm your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces to wit either to set forth the undoubted certainty of it or that the words might make the deeper impression upon those that heard them or else to imply that though being rooted they should muster new forces they should get nothing thereby but a second routing yea that though they should never so often invade and assault Gods people all should be in vain Ver. 10. Take counsel together and it shall come to nought c. This is added to shew that as the enemy should not prevail against Gods people by their great-power so neither by their crafty consultations and plots Speak the word that is determine never so resolutely what you will do and it shall not stand that is you shall never be able to effect it For God is with us that is God through Christ is with us to protect and defend us He alludes to the name Immanuel concerning which see the Note Chap. 7.14 Ver. 11. For the Lord spake thus to me c. Here the Prophet gives a reason why he had in the foregoing words spoken with such contempt and scorn of all the consultations and preparations of the enemies of Gods people against them and had thereby sought to encourage the faithful not to fear them For saith he the Lord spake thus â—â— me with a strong hand that is he spake thus to me and made a strong impression upon my heart by accompanying his word with the mighty power of his spirit in me to wit thereby to hearten me against the terrors of the generality of the unbelieving Jews who were so extreamly affrighted with the Confederacy of the two Kings of Syria and Israel against them that I might not be discouraged by their infidelity nor carried away with their fears but might rather encourage those that were faithful amongst the people against them And observable it is that by alledging with how strong a hand he was confirmed herein he implys how hard a thing it is not to be carried away in an evil course when the generality of a people amongst whom men alive do unnimously run on therein and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people that is that I should not say as they said nor do as they did that I should not join with them in their unbelieving fears and in their desires and design to call in the Assyrians that by them they might be enabled to withstand the feared invasion of the Israelites and Syrians Ver. 12. Say ye not A confederacy to all them to whom this people shall say A confederacy c. That is say some Expositors Let not the faithful in the land talk as men affrighted as the generality of the people do saying Oh there 's a confederacy there 's a confederacy of the two mighty Kings of Israel and Syria against us and therefore we shall be utterly ruined we shall never be able to stand before them for that this say they is intended here we may see by that which is added by way of explaining this neither fear ye their fear nor be afraid that is fear not that which are they afraid of But according to our Translation I conceive it must be understood of making a confederacy with the Assyrians Say ye not a confederacy to all them to whom this people shall say a confederacy that is Do not thou say nor let not the faithful in the land say as this people do Oh! we must make a confederacy with the Assyrian or else we shall never be able to withstand these two Kings that are coming against us Whenever this people are in any danger of enemies they are still talking of making a league with some potent State or other the Egyptian or Assyrian or some other Nation by whose aid they may hope to secure themselves and so it is now there is nothing almost to be heard amongst them but about a confederacy with the Assyrian that 's the only way they can take to preserve their Country But do not ye so much as by a word of your mouths join with them herein Neither fear ye their fear nor be afraid that is fear not your enemies with such an unbelieving excessive fear as they do be not affrighted and dismayed as men that have no hope nor confidence in God Thus the words must be understood here subjectively of the fear which was in Ahaz and his people though indeed in 1 Pet. 3.14 where the Apostle doth plainly allude to this place the fear intended is to be understood effectively of the fear wherewith the enemy sought to affright Gods people Be not afraid of their terror neither be troubled Ver. 13. Sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself c. That is make it evident that you acknowledg him the great and holy God that doth rule and govern the whole world and that is faithful to make good all his promises and so glorifie and advance his great name to wit by resting upon him his promise and protection without dreading the power of any creature and by fearing him with a filial fear of offending him and exposing your selves to his fatherly chastisements by distrusting his promises and being frighted with the power and rage of your enemie 〈◊〉 so causing the name of â—od to â—e blasphemed by your means See the Notes Leviâ— 10.3 Numb 2â— 12 And so the following words are added by way of explaining these that went before and let him be your fear and let him be your dread that is fear him so as to fear nothing else in comparison of him And just so the
will with great exaltation triumph in the doing of it And this their valour their gallant success victory and triumph is called Gods Highness 1. because it was by God their Commander in chief that they should so gallantly demean themselves and attain so great glory by subduing and triumphing over the pride of Babylon And 2ly because the infinite eminency of Gods Power and Holiness and Justice as likewise of his Mercy and Faithfulness was gloriously discovered by the just vengeance that he brought upon that wicked and mighty City Babylon and the great deliverance which thereby he effected for his own people Ver. 4. The noise of a multitude c. The Prophet speaks this in such a manner as if he would report that he heard that actually doing which in the foregoing verse the Lord said he had commanded to be done As a Watchman set upon a Watch-Tower is wont first to relate what he hears and afterwards when he discovers what that noise was then to make known that too so doth the Prophet here The noise saith he of a multitude in the Mountains as of a great people as if he should have said Methinks I hear a confused noise upon the Mountains as is wont to be in a place where a great multitude of people are gathered together And then he tells what this noise was and that God was amongst them a tumultuous noise of the Kingdoms of Nations gathered together that is of people of several Nations and Kingdoms which is said because the army gathered against Babylon was to consist of many Nations according to that of the Prophet Jeremy Chap. 50.9 I will raise and cause to come against Babylon an assembly of great Nations from the North-Country And so again Chap. 51.27 28. The Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battel as if he had said And where this King of Nations is Commander in chief it is no marvel though such a numberless multitude come in to him upon the setting up of his standard as was said before ver 2. even a mighty army fit to vanquish such a mighty City As for the mountains here mentioned thereby may be meant either the mountains of Media and Persia where this huge Army was to be first gathered and mustered or else the mountains over which the Army was to march that they might break into Chaldea yet some think the mountains are particularly mentioned because Armies are wont to seize upon them as places of greatest strength and security and from thence their none is most easily heard far abroad according to that Joel 2.5 Like the noise of Chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap Ver. 5. They come from a far Country c. To wit from Media and Persia Countrys far distant from Babylon See the Notes Chap. 1.7 and 5.26 from the end of heaven see the Note Neh. 1.9 even the Lord and the weapons of his indignation that is the armies together with all their warlike Provision wherewith the Lord intends to fight in his wrath against Babylon to destroy the whole Land to wit not only the City but also the whole Country of Babylon Ver. 6. Howl ye c. As if he had said You O Babylonians that are now in so great jollity shall shortly howl for the extream miseries that are coming upon you for the day of the Lord that is the day wherein the Lord hath determined to take vengeance on Babylon See the Notes Job 24.1 and Psal 37.13 is aâ— hand which is spoken as with reference to what the Prophet had said before wherein he had spoken of those that were to execute this vengeance upon Babylon as if they had been already upon their way going thither It is true indeed that Jerusalem's destruction was nearer at hand than Babylon's for it was about two hundred years ere Babylon was destroyed and therefore there might seem to be greater cause to call upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem to howl than the inhabitants of Babylon But for this we must know that the drift of the Prophet here was to comfort the Jews against they came to be Captives in Babylon by letting them know how confidently they might expect that Destruction that is here threatned to Babylon And notwithstanding it was so long ere Babylon was to be destroyed yet 1. with reference to God to whom so long a time was but as a day And 2ly with reference to the security of the Babylonians who were so confident in the strength of their City and Empire it might well be said That this day of the Lord was at hand it being nearer indeed than any of them would have expected and see the Notes on the last verse of this Chapter it shall come as a Destruction from the Almighty that is it shall be inevitable and irreparable so grievous and horrid that every one shall plainly see that it was the work and from the wrath of an Almighty God Ver. 7. Therefore shall all hands be faint and every mans heart shall melt See the Notes 2 Sam. 4.1 Josh 7.5 and Psal 22.14 The Prophet doth here covertly deride the proud confidence of the Babylonians for when God should thus bereave them of all courage and strength what good alas would all their Wealth do them and all the strong Fortifications of their seeming invincible City Ver. 8. And they shall be afraid c. That is extream fear shall surprize them And this is mentioned as the cause of that feebleness and faintness threatred in the foregoing verse Pangs and sorrows shall take hold-on them they shall be in pain as a woman that travelleth that is they shall be inwardly tortured with grievous vexation and anguish of Spirit that shall suddenly seize upon them by reason of their terrors they shall be amazed one at another that is they shall stand silent gazing upon one another as men astonished to wit either as wondring mutually at their fear and faint-heartedness that they that had wont to be so renowned for courage and valour should now be so heartless and cowardly suffering themselves to be enslaved by the Medes and other Nations that had been formerly in subjection to them or else out of desperate perplexity of Spirit as being at their wits end not knowing what to think or what to say or which way to turn themselves though they were able enough to resist their enemies yet they should have no heart to do any thing that might tend thereto but as men overwhelmed with despair they should stand staring one upon another unable to encourage or counsel one another or so much as to express their minds or sorrows their faces shall be as flames that is red like fire say some as blushing for shame at the consideration of their strange distraction dismayedness and base fears according to that Ezek. 7.18 shame shall be upon all faces or as others think as being inflamed with anger and fury which indeed will usually make the blood to come into mens
faces as if they were all on a fire But I rather think it is meant of the paleness of their faces through fear which is that the Prophet is here speaking of and that therefore it is said their faces shall be as flames either because their faces should look pale and wan like the flame of a fire or else because their faces should be pale and swarthy and dim and dead-coloured and full of horror even as it useth to be with men that work at the Forge or that stand before some kind of fire that use to look as if they had no blood in their bodies so that this place may well be parallel'd with those Jer. 30.5 6. We have heard a voice of trembling of fear and all faces are turned into paleness and Joel 2.6 Before their faces the people shall be much pained all faces shall gather blackness Ver. 9. Behold the day of the Lord cometh cruel both with wrath and fierce anger c. This is thus expressed to set forth how cruelly God should cause the enemy to deal with them as it is said of Babylons enemies Jer. 50.42 They are cruel and will not shew mercy and that it should be from Gods just wrath against them that they should be so severely handled To lay the Land desolate and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it that is the wicked ungodly inhabitants thereof especially the great ones amongst them Ver. 10. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light c. To wit those figures in the Heavens consisting of many bright Stars such as those mentioned Job 9.9 The Sun shall be darkened in his going forth and the moon shall not cause her light to shine The drift of all these expressions is to set forth that the state of the Babylonians in that day should â—e extreamly sad and dreadful so full of horror confusion and distraction that they should not have neither by day nor by night the least glimps of comfort They may be intended to imply that the calamity of those times should be so grievous and horrible that the Heaven should as it were muffle up it self that it might not behold it Or because when the Sun and other the Heavenly lights do shine clear and bright God seems to smile upon men therefore Gods frowning upon the inhabitants of Babylon may be implyed by this darkning of them But I rather think that all that is implied is that they should be in a most doleful and dismal Condition void of all Comfort and not knowing which way to turn themselves insomuch that the very light of the Sun Moon and Stars which are so pleasing and delightsome to others should be as no light no way comfortable to them but rather displeasing and distastful to them neither should any of the Creatures yield them any refreshing or comfort See the like expressions Ezek. 32.7 Joel 2.10 31 and Matth. 24.29 Ver. 11. And I will punish the World for their evil and the wicked for their iniquity c. By the World is meant the Babylonian Monarchy that had brought the greatest part of the then known World into subjection under them according to that which Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.22 Thy greatness is grown and reacheth unto heaven and thy dominion to the end of the earth And it is the rather thus expressed to imply that no strength that is can stand before God and that if all the world conspire to rebel against him he can easily destroy them as he did the old world and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease and I will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible See the Notes Chap. 2.11 and 10.12 Ver. 12. I will make a man more precious than fine Gold even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir The meaning is either 1. That the enemy should make such a mighty slaughter amongst the Babylonians that there should be but a very few of them left alive a man shall be a rare thing to be found amongst them See the Note 1 Sam. 3.1 Or 2ly That the soldiers should be so cruel to them that they should not spare their lives for the greatest quantities of the purest gold that could be tendered to them according to that which followeth ver 17. Behold I will stir up the Medes against them which shall not regard silver and as for gold they shall not delight in it which may seem the more probable because we read that in that night when Babylon was taken Belshazzar their King was slain Dan. 5.30 And it is likely that with him many of the great ones were likewise cut off that would have been glad to have redeemed their lives at a great rate But yet because we find not either in the Scripture or in any other History that there was such a general slaughter made of the inhabitants when Babylon was taken by the Medes and Persians therefore many learned Expositors do understand both this and that which follows of the utter Destruction of Babylon in future times whereof this subduing of that proud City by the Medes and Persians should be only the beginning yea our Annotations do propound it as considerable whether this that is said here That a man shall be more precious than fine gold may not be spoken with respect to Babylons being utterly deserted in the time of this her great danger by those auxiliary forces which they had taken in for their defence of which the Prophet speaks afterward again ver 14. Ver. 13. Therefore c. To wit that I may be avenged on them for their wickedness mentioned before ver 11. Or by reason of this grievous terror and dread that shall seize upon them when the Medes and Persians shall invade them I will shake the heavens and the earth shall remove out of her place that is they shall be in such extream confusion and destruction that the very Heaven and earth shall seem to them to shake and tremble See the Notes Chap. 5.26 and 2 Sam. 22.8 and Psal 76.8 Ver. 14. And it shall be as the chased Roe and as a Sheep that no man taketh up c. That is Babylon or the Babylonian army shall flee as a Roe chased by some Huntsman or wild beast or shall wander up and down like a stragling sheep that is not able neither by flight nor otherwise to secure it self and that hath no shepherd to take it up or defend it See Ezek. 34.6 The meaning is that they should not be able to bear the sight of the enemy but should presently run away and seek to shift for themselves and that no man should be able to keep them to their colours or to bring them to make a stand or to rally again together or else that no man should dare to receive them into their houses when they fled to shelter and hide them there And indeed that this is chiefly meant of the auxiliary
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 pleasure Or that seeketh to bring all the Nations round about into subjection to them to impose what yoke what Laws and conditions they please upon them or else they tread them under foot whose land the rivers have spoiled or as it is in the Margin whose Land the Rivers despise that is whose land the Ethiopians despise as being so compassed about with great Rivers that they have no cause at all to be afraid of the Assyrians Thus I say several Expositors understand this passage of the Ethiopians sending out their Messengers to denounce War against the Assyrians whom they describe in this manner A Nation scattered and peeled c. Purposely to imply that their expedition against them would be easie and just because against a Nation scattered and peeled and from whom the scituation of their own Country being environed with great Rivers would surely defend them and just because against a Tyrannous People that were fit to be opposed and curbed And the drift of all this say they is to discover the folly of the Ethiopians confidence who in the trust of their own strength and the strength of the Egyptians their associates did thus slight the Assyrians by whom not long after they should be utterly ruined Again 2ly Others understand this of Embassadors sent by the Ethiopians to the Jews with promises of aid and supplies from themselves and from the Egyptians for their defence against the Assyrians Go ye swift Messengers say they to a Nation scattered and peeled that is to the poor Jews a Nation miserably afflicted and exceedingly exhausted by divers devastations that have been made in their Country To a people terrible from their beginning hitherto that is to a people that from their first being a people or their first being God's peculiar people unto that present time had been ever and anon in such a sad and dreadful condition by reason of the Judgments executed upon them for their sins that they were an astonishment to other Nations Deut. 28.37 it was enough to terrifie and affright men to behold into what a dismal plight they were brought Or rather to a people that from their first beginning unto that time had been terrible to other Nations in regard of the great and wonderful works God had wrought for them in all ages and the strange Judgments he had executed upon their Enemies A Nation meted out and trodden down that is that hath been often by their Enemies subdued and destroyed or that is now by the Assyrians designed to be utterly wasted and destroyed Whose land the rivers have spoiled that is the Nations breaking in upon them like an overflowing Torrent that carrieth all before it See the Note Chap. 8.7 And now they that thus understand this place of the Ethiopians sending Ambassadors to the Jews with a promise that they would come in to their aid against the Assyrian do accordingly conceive that by inserting this the Prophet's drift is covertly to tax the folly of the Jews in resting so much upon these vaunting promises of the Ethiopians that were themselves to be destroyed by the Assyrians as well as they But 3ly Others hold that the Messengers here mentioned are supposed to be sent by the Ethiopians to the Egyptians or by the Eastern Ethiopians that dwelt in Arabia a part of Asia where the Seat of that great Kingdom was to the Western Ethiopians that inhabited a part of Africa on the South of Egypt and were divided from the Eastern Ethiopians by the Red-sea or the Gulf of Arabia and that these Messengers were sent either to stir them up which some think to invade and vex the Jews or else rather to inform them of the great preparations made by the Assyrians against those parts and to perswade them to levy Forces that they might aid the Jews against the Assyrians and so withal secure their own Countries against such a potent prevailing Enemy that having subdued Judea would be likely enough presently to over-run their Countries too And accordingly they understand the description here given us by the Prophet of the Nation to whom they were sent Go ye swift Messengers to a Nation scattered and peeled that is to the Egyptians or rather to the Ethiopians who are called a scattered Nation or as it is the Margin out-spread because of their large Territories or the great extent of Land that was overspread by them and peeled or polished because they were a beardless smooth-skin'd people or because they were to be peeled and plundered of all they had by the Assyrians or scattered and peeled because they were an abject base Nation commonly sold up and down for Slaves as indeed the Moors use to be To a people terrible from their beginning hitherto that is that from the first had been a grim fierce and savage people and so still were A Nation meted out and trodden down or that meteth out and treadeth down that is a Nation that is designed of God to be destroyed or that useth to subdue and level all before them where they came Whose land the rivers have spoiled to wit the great Rivers of Ethiopia by their mighty Inundations or rather whose land the rivers despise that is the Assyrians who making account to break in upon Ethiopia like some mighty overflowing rivers as they have been wont to do upon other Countries as is before noted do despise and slight the strength of the Land not doubting but that they shall easily over-run and subdue it And indeed this last Exposition of this verse I judge the most probable to wit that the Ethiopians are the Nation here described they being the people against whom the Prophet here denounceth a Wo and that either by way of comforting the Jews by foretelling the utter destruction of these their enemies or rather by way of hinting the folly of the Jews in relying with so much confidence upon the Egyptians and Ethiopians that were shortly to be destroyed by the Assyrians as well as themselves Ver. 3. All ye inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the earth see ye when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains and when he bloweth a trumpet hear ye Very many learned Expositors do understand this of God's overthrowing the Assyrians The Prophet say they having in the foregoing verses foretold the woful destruction that should come upon the Ethiopians thereby covertly taxing the folly of his people in relying upon them and their Associates for help that should not be able to defend themselves from the Assyrians here he adds for the comfort of his people that though they should be disappointed of the help which they vainly expected from Ethiopia and Egypt yet the Lord should so wonderfully deliver them and destroy their Enemies the Assyrians that all the Nations far and near should see and acknowledg that it was God that had fought against them in the defence of his people whom they sought to destroy But I rather conceive with others that the Prophet doth
here still proceed in setting forth the woful destruction that should come upon Ethiopia and her Associates and that by calling upon all the inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the earth to see when he lifteth up an ensign upon the mountains and to hear when he bloweth a trumpet he implies Either 1. That several of all Nations far and near should come in to serve in the War which was made by the Assyrians or Chaldeans against Ethiopia as readily as if the Lord had by the sound of Trumpets or the lifting up of an Ensign upon the mountains summoned them to come in See the Notes chap. 5.26 and 13.2 Or 2. That all the Nations round about should see the Assyrians or Chaldeans returning triumphantly and in great jollity with Colours flying and sound of Trumpets from the conquest of Ethiopia which tends to assure God's people of the certainty of this which in regard of the strength of Ethiopia might seem to them impossible Or 3. That the judgment of God upon the Ethiopians should be so strange and wonderful that all the world in a manner should ring of it yea and all Nations should take notice of it and be as fully satisfied that it was God that had brought this ruin upon them as if they had seen the Lord lifting up an Ensign on the Mountains and blowing a Trumpet by way of gathering his Armies and leading them on against that people Ver. 4. For so the Lord said unto me I will take my rest c. That is I will sit quietly in my house and not interpose my self to hinder or cross the proceedings of my peoples enemies The Lord speaks here of himself after the manner of man I will take my rest and I will consider in my dwelling-place that is in my Temple the place which I have chosen for my setled habitation Psal 132.13 14. Or rather in Heaven my set dwelling as it is here called in the Hebrew I will sit quietly and only from thence behold and consider what is done upon earth Divers of our best Expositors hold that the drift of this verse is merely to assure the Jews That in the midst of the confusions that should be amongst them and the Heathen Nations round about them God would take care to bless and chear up and prosper them The Prophet say they having threatned destruction to the Ethiopians and their Associates in the foregoing verses to which he returns again in the verse after this in this verse he interposeth a promise concerning the care that he would take of his people in the midst of these confusions I will take my rest and I will consider in my dwelling place As if he had said I will indeed for a time sit still and take my rest in my dwelling-place as if I minded not what the Enemy intended and did against my people I will suffer the Assyrian to go on in subduing many Nations and to invade and waste Judea yea to go up to the besieging of Jerusalem and when the Ethiopians and their Associates shall raise up Forces to withstand the Assyrians and to aid Judea I will suffer the Assyrians to vanquish and destroy these Auxiliary Forces that were coming in to the aid of my people and will only look on as a Spectator of that bloody Tragedy But in the mean season I will in my dwelling-place consider of what I see done when the Assyrians after this conquest of the Ethiopians come flying upon the Jews I will take notice of their doings and their rage as it is said 2 Kin. 19.27 I know thy abode and thy going out and thy coming in and thy rage against me and I will consider of the danger of my people and my dwelling-place in Jerusalem and what is fit to be done that so though I do not presently exert my power in driving away the Assyrians yet I may seasonably secure my people and my dwelling-place and not suffer my self to be dispossessed thereof by the Assyrian And then to shew what should be the effect of his provident care over his peopleâ— even when he seemed to sit still and nor to mind them he adds those last words I will consider in my dwelling-place like a clear heat upon herbs or after-rain and like a Cloud of dew in the heat of harvest That is as the heat of the Sun shining upon herbs in a clear day or after rain doth refresh the herbs and cause them to spring up and flourish very sweetly and as a shadowy cloud that doth not pour down hurtful showers of rain but only distil a cooling dew doth comfortably allay the extremity of Harvest-heat and so doth refresh not the Husbandman only but the Corn also and make it the more flowry so the Lord 's provident care over his people will at last manifest it self by shining comfortably on them when arising from his rest he shall destroy the Assyrians and so by a timely deliverance shall revive and refresh them after all their fears and dangers by reason of the heat of their Enemies Invasion And some think too that there may be an Allusion in the words to that Pillar of a Cloud and Fire that went before the Israelites in the Wilderness for which see the Note Chap. 4.5 Thus I say divers learned Expositors understand this verse as inserted merely for the comfort of the Jews by setting forth the care that God would take of them even whilst he seemed not to mind them but to suffer the enemy to go on as they pleased And therefore also some do read the foregoing words as it is in the Margin not I will consider in my dwelling-place but I will regard my set dwelling that is I will however take care for Zion But because the Prophet seems clearly to intend the same thing in this and the two following verses I conceive it is better understood by others Either 1. Of the Ethiopians and their Confederates that whilst they mustered great Forces and went out with great Pride and Confidence against the Assyrians God would sit still and seem to shine favourably from his dwelling-place upon them Like a clear heat upon herbs and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest till thereby they became ripe for that destruction when the Assyrians overthrew them and made such a dreadful slaughter amongst them Or else 2. Of the Assyrians that when they invaded the Land of Israel God would not presently oppose them but would rather be unto them like a clear heat upon herbs and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest which are the ordinary means whereby the Corn and other Fruits of the earth are cherished and that cause them to prosper and flourish and hasten the ripening of them And so the meaning is That God would suffer them to go on prosperously and successfully as they did in their vanquishing the Ethiopians that were coming in to the aid of Judea and with a great deal of
triumphant joy to proceed in their intended design for the subduing of Jerusalem and yet after all this would suddenly cut them off I know that divers Expositors do understand this last clause I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest of Gods destroying the Ethiopians or Assyrians to wit that God would be unto them as a torrid heat that scorcheth and parcheth herbs or as those Dews that in Harvest-time do rot and blast the corn But I see no probable ground for this Exposition The drift of the words is rather to shew that even when God seems to sit still in his dwelling-place as if he minded not the Government of the world nor what became of his people yea whilst he seems to shine favourably upon his and his peoples enemies yet even then by the secret working of his Providence he makes way to their ruin and doth only ripen them for destruction Ver. 5. For afore the harvest c. Under Harvest the Vintage is here also comprehended as before Chap. 17.11 because they usually are together when the bud is perfect that is when the bud that first appears is become a perfect but a green grape and the sowre grape is ripening in the flowre that is when the grapes that are grown out of the flower and are yet sowr begin to ripen to wit when the Harvest or Vintage is nigh at hand He shall cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks and take away and cut down the branches that is he shall cut down both the smaller twigs and the greater boughs or branches together with the green grapes growing thereon Now some understand this of the Assyrian to wit that when he had vanquished the Ethiopians and thereupon should begin to think that his design for the taking of Jerusalem did ripen apace as making full account that it was in a manner his own and that he should reap a rich harvest of all his labours on a sudden the Lord should mow down his mighty Army both Captains and common Soldiers 2 Kin. 19.35 and so all his endeavours should be frustrate before they came to maturity But rather this is spoken of the Ethiopians whose destruction is set forth all along in this Chapter and that as an effect of that which the Prophet had said in the foregoing verse concerning the Lords taking his rest in his dwelling-place and suffering the Ethiopians to prosper yea his seeming to shine favourably upon them namely that when they had raised a great Army to beat off the Assyrians and were gone forth with great assurance of breaking them in pieces before they had effected what they intended they should be cut down and destroyed by the Assyrians great and small fathers and children even as when the sprigs and greater branches of a Vine are lopped in the prime of her pride when she was full of grapes but green and not fit to be eaten The same thing therefore that was said in the foregoing verse is here asserted again under other Figurative expressions to wit That God doth not always cut off his enemies presently but suffers them to flourish for a time yet afterward when their hopes are greatest of bringing their Designs to perfection he suddenly heweth down both them and their Posterity But indeed some understand this here of the destruction that was brought upon the Ethiopians by the Babylonians Ver. 6. They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains and to the beasts of the earth c. That is Those Vine-sprigs and branches mentioned in the foregoing verse with the branches of unripe grapes thereon being cut down and cast away shall be left lying on heaps together for the fowls that usually breed and abide on the Mountains to feed on and for the beasts of the field to browse on And the fowls shall summer upon them and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them that is both the fowls and beasts shall abide on them as finding harbour and food there all the year long both Summer and Winter Now this some understand of the wealth of the land or the people therein still abiding being left as a prey to their Conquerors and new Lords or to Thieves and Robbers as it usually falls out in Countries that have been lately subdued and wasted by the invasion of enemies But according to the Exposition of the foregoing verse it is better understood of the dead carcases of the Assyrians say some slain by the Angel 2 King 19.35 but rather of the Ethiopians slain by the Assyrians and indeed some extend it to both together to wit that they should be meat for Eagles and Vulturs and such like fowls of prey here called Fowls of the mountains and for the beasts of the earth and that for a whole year together by reason of the multitudes of those that shall be slain and that there shall be none left to bury them which is implied in those last words And the fowls shall summer upon them and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them Ver. 7. In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people scattered and peeled c. According to the Exposition before given of the second verse to which the Prophet doth here clearly allude we must certainly understand this also 1. They that hold that it is the Assyrians that are there called A Nation scattered and peeled c. do accordingly understand these words thus That at that time when the Assyrians should be destroyed by the Angel of the Lord as they conceived is foretold in the foregoing verses from the spoil of that their ruined Army who should then indeed be a people scattered and peeled the Jews should bring Presents to the Lord at Zion See the Note Psal 76.11 Again 2. They that say that by a Nation scattered and peeled c. is meant the Jews do likewise understand this place of them to wit thus Either 1. That they that were looked upon with pity and contempt as a people scattered and peeled when they should see that though the Ethiopians were destroyed by the Assyrians on whose help they had vainly relied yet the Lord had miraculously delivered them from their proud enemies should thereupon go with a Present of Praise and Thanksgiving Sacrifices and other Gifts and Offerings unto the dwelling-place of God in Zion Or else 2. That after that time when the Lord had destroyed the Ethiopians and Assyrians a remnant of God's people then indeed a scattered and peeled people should by Cyrus be sent home out of Babylon with many rich Gifts and so should be brought as a Present to the Lord at Mount Zion But 3. Because the whole Argument of this Chapter is concerning the Ethiopians therefore it seems more probable that as before verse 2. so here also they are The people scattered and peeled c. of whom the Prophet
worse their condition should still be The meaning of all is That it was no wonder though the wise men of Egypt should thus play the fools because the Lord should infatuate them Ver. 15. Neither shall there be any work for Egypt which the head or tail branch or rush may do That is Neither the King nor his Wizzards neither high nor low shall be able to advise or do any thing or at least to effect any thing intended or desired that may be any advantage to them to save or help them See the Notes Chap. 9.14 15. Ver. 16. In that day shall Egypt be like unto women c. That is the Egyptians shall be fearful and faint-hearted see the Note above ver 1. and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts which he shaketh over it That is because the Lord God whose wrath and power is irresistible shall by raising up the Assyrians to invade them terrifie Egypt and as it were threaten to destroy it see the Note Chap. 10.32 In this expression of the the Lords shaking his hand over it there seems to be an allusion to Moses his stretching out his hand at Gods command over the Red-sea for the bringing back of the waters thereof upon the Egyptians whereby they were drowned and destroyed Exod. 14.26 27. Ver. 17. And the Land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt c. As if the Prophet had said Yea before the Assyrians shall invade Egypt when the Egyptians shall hear of the Assyrians prevailing in the Land of Judah and the great havock they had made there that Hezekiah had sent the Treasures of his Kingdom and of the Temple to him and had tendered to become his Tributary Vassal and yet could not by all this purchase Peace from him concerning all which see 2 King 18.13 14. this shall exceedingly affright the Egyptians the land of Judah being thus sorely afflicted and endangered shall be a terror unto the land of Egypt 1. Because Judea being such a near neighbouring Country and standing as a wall between them and the Assyrians the land of Judah being subdued there would be a clear way opened for the Assyrian to enter Egypt and little hope there would be that they alone should be able to withstand such a potent Enemy 2. Because of the strict Confederacy that had often been betwixt these two States of Egypt and Judea and the readiness of the Egyptians upon all occasions to help the Jews see 2 King 17.4 and 18.21 which might provoke the Assyrian the more against Egypt And 3. Because if God had not spared his own people the Egyptians might well think that he would much less spare them This I conceive is the true meaning of this place And accordingly it followeth Every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself That is every Egyptian yea some extend this to all other Nations that shall have occasion to speak of the land of Judah to wit of the miseries that are befallen that Country shall be struck with terror the very thinking of the place shall make them tremble Because of the counsel of the Lord of Hosts which he hath determined against it that is because of God's determinate Counsel for the destruction of the Land of Judah which they shall see executed upon it Or because by the ruin brought upon the Land of Judah they shall see that he hath determined also to destroy Egypt Some I know understand this whole verse of the fear wherewith the Egyptians should be surprized when they should hear how wonderfully God had destroyed the Assyrian Army that under Sennacherib had invaded Judea to wit that finding hereby what a mighty God the Jews had to defend them they should not only fear the Lord but also the people of the Lord according to that which the Egyptians said of old Exod. 14.25 Let us flee from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians and that Deut 28.10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the Name of the Lord and they shall be afraid of thee See also 2 Chron. 32.23 But the former Exposition I judg the more genuine Yet some that understand it so hold it is meant of the destruction brought upon the Land of Judah by the Chaldeans not of the waste that was made therein by the Assyrians Ver. 18. In that day c. That is after these judgements have been fully executed upon Egypt see the Note Chap. 4.2 shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan that is the Hebrew tongue the language which the people of God spake that were planted by God in the Land of Cannaan which is therefore also called the Jews language Neh. 13.24 See the Note also Gen. 11.1 But the meaning is that the inhabitants of certain Cities in Egypt such as God had ordained unto life eternal should embrace the Religion of the Jews and become one people with them professing the same Faith and conversing together with them as if they had been the same people and spake all the same tongue notwithstanding the deadly enmity that had formerly been between the Egyptians and the children of Israel of which see Gen. 43.32 Yea and that they should by their praying to God and praising of God and by the holiness of their speech in every regard manifest themselves to be the people of the Holy God of Israel according to that Zeph. 3.9 Then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent As for the number of five cities here mentioned In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan I do not think that this is spoken with reference to the five Principalities that were formerly in the Land of Egypt 1 Sam. 6.4 for in the times the Prophet was immediately before speaking of Egypt was divided into Twelve Kingdoms Nor that the Prophets intent was hereby to imply that a fith part in five of the Cities of Egypt should embrace the Faith which some hold because of the following clause one shall be called the City of destruction It is only I conceive a certain number put for an uncertain and that which is only intended is that a considerable number of the Cities of Egypt should embrace the Religion of Gods people And because he speaks of the conversion of Cities in general this must needs be meant of their conversion to the Faith in the days of the Gospel not of some few that might be won to embrace the Jewish Religion in the days before Christ by those Jews that should fly into Egypt for shelter upon occasion of any troubles that should be in the Land of Judah And so likewise we must understand those following words and swear to the Lord of hosts to wit that the Egyptians should
of the earth that is whose Merchants lived in as great state as Nobles and Princes elsewhere used to do yet some I know would have this also included herein that even the Princes and great honourable men of other Nations used to traffick with her Ver. 9. The Lord of hosts hath purposed it c. This is the answer returned to the foregoing question ver 8. and it is all one in effect as if the Prophet had said Wonder not that this should befall Tyre it is the Lord of hosts that hath undertaken it and done it before whom no strength of the Creature can stand And withal he adds the reason why the Lord had done it to stain the Pride of all glory and to bring into contempt all the Honourable of the earth that is To punish and abase the Pride of all the great and honourable ones that do arrogantly exalt themselves by pulling them down as unworthy to be in such a lofty estate and laying their Glory in the dust by bringing them into a base and contemptible condition And this is expressed in these general terms to stain the Pride of all Glory and to bring into contempt all the Honourable of the earth not only to set forth that all the proud ones in Tyre and in other Countrys that were advanced by trading with her should be brought down by this Judgment of God but also to imply 1. That God did no more in the ruine of Tyre than what he had determined to do to all the great ones of the World that should proudly exalt themselves because of their greatness And 2ly that by this Destruction of Tyre it would clearly be discovered what poor and contemptible things all the great ones of the World are when the great God of Heaven comes to contend with them Ver. 10 Pass through the land as a river O daughter of Tarshish c. See the Notes above ver 1. By the Daughter of Tarshish I conceive is meant those Mariners of Merchants of Tarshish or other foreign parts that were in Tyre upon the account of trading there and that with respect to the Judgment and Ruine that was to come upon Tyre these men are here advised to pass through the land where at present they had their abode and to pack away home to their own Countrys as a river that is Speedily and without any delay even as the waters of a river that falling down from higher grounds do pass away with a swift Current and run on without any intermission any stop or stay till they come into the Sea And some think too That by this similitude of their passing away as a river there is implied also the thronging and breaking away of these strangers that were in Tyre in great multitudes like the huge heaps of waters that run crowding away in some great flood They indeed that hold it is Tyre that is here called the Daughter of Tarshish as conceiving that by Tarshish is meant the great Ocean Sea and that Tyre is therefore so called because she lay in the Sea and had all her dealing in the Sea and all her Store and Riches brought in by the Sea as being the chief of all the Sea ports in those parts must needs accordingly hold either that the Inhabitants of Tyre are here advised to flee speedily away as a river somewhere else to seek a shelter for themselves or else that hereby it is foretold how they should be violently hurried away out of their own land into Captivity and so should be scattered abroad like the waters of a river that overflow the banks But the former Exposition is far the clearest As for the following clause there is no more strength that is added as a reason why the Foreigners that were in Tyre are called upon to pack away and not to stay there in hope that Tyre would be able to stand it out against her enemies to wit because Tyre was certainly lost and would be no way able to defend her self because in the Hebrew the words are there is no more girdle therefore some would have the meaning to be That Tyre was so rifled and plundred of all her rich Merchandise that there was not so much as a Girdle left in her which was indeed a Commodity wherewith the Merchants traded much in those times See the Note Prov. 31.24 But questionless the intent of the words are that there was no more strength left in Tyre see the Note Job 12.21 only in the word Girdle there seems to be an Allusion to her being bereft of all those defences wherewith formerly she had been begirt her Walls Bulwarks Ditches and shipping yea the Sea it self which did wholly encompass her till the Enemy did by strange devices and incredible labour joyn this Island to the Continent And this agrees with that which is elsewhere said of the taking and sacking of Tyre Ezek. 26.4 They shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers c. Ver. 11. He stretched out his hand over the Sea he shock the Kingdoms c. That is The Lord of Hosts mentioned before ver 9. And again in the following words in this verse the Lord hath given a Commandment against this Merchant-City And indeed because these last words against the Merchant-City are in the Hebrew against Canaan therefore some think that the Prophet in the foregoing words also speaks here of the great things that God did at the Red Sea and against the Kingdoms of the Canaanites when he carried Israel out of Egypt to plant them in that land which he had promised them and that the reason why those things are mentioned here is only to shew That the great God who then did such mighty things would not find the ruining of Tyre a work too hard for him But certainly the Prophet speaks here still expresly of the Destruction of Tyre it self He stretched out his hand over the Sea to wit to smite and destroy Tyre that is encompassed with the Sea see the Note ver 4. or more generally the Islands and Provinces that lay on the Sea-coasts he shook the Kingdoms that is He shook and shattered the Kingdoms of Tyre and Zidon and others thereabout by the enemies he brought upon them Or he disturbed and terrified the neighbour-Kingdoms by the Destruction which he brought upon Tyre partly through the grief that surprized them for the loss of their gainful Trade with that City and partly as being terrified lest the same ruine would come upon them that was already come upon Tyre The Lord hath given a Commandment against the Merchant-City It is in the Original against Canaan but generally Expositors hold that hereby is meant the Inhabitants of Tyre which they say is here termed Canaan because it lay in the land of Canaan as is evident Josh 19.28 29 where both Tyre and Zidon are reckoned amongst the Cities of Canaan and likewise Matth. 15.21 22. where the Woman that came out of the coasts of
was tortured with is no way eased as they are that are delivered of a true birth but continues still in great torment so hath it been with us we are quite deceived of the fruit we expected and so there is no end of our sorrows but out of one affliction we fall into another And thus is this explained in the following words we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth That is We have not effected any thing for the succour or deliverance of our selves or of our Country neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen that is We have not been able to subdue our enemies the heathen who in opposition to the Jews Gods peculiar people are called the inhabitants of the world Ver. 19. Thy dead men shall live c. Frequently in the Scripture men in extremity of misery and that seem to be in a lost Condition past all hope of recovery are spoken of as dead men yea as men dead and buried and turned into dust see the Notes Psal 31.12 and 22.15 and 88.5 6. and accordingly also the raising up men from such a sad desperate and hopeless Condition putting them into a more comfortable Estate is spoken of as a reviving of such dead men and a kind of Resurrection see the Notes Psal 71.20 and 80.18 And in this sense I conceive these words are spoken here of the raising of Gods faithful people out of a forlorn and lost condition such as was that of their deliverance out of Babylon and bringing them again into a chearful and comfortable Estate and that this is added as in opposition to that which was said before of the irrecoverable Destruction of their Enemies ver 14. They are dead they shall not live they are deceased they shall not rise I know that very many Expositors of great note do understand this expresly of the Resurrection of the faithful to life at the last day And indeed though it were primarily meant of the deliverance of the Jews out of the Babylonian Captivity as was also that Prophecy of Ezekiels concerning the Resurrection of dry bones Ezek. 37.1 c. yet by the Expressions here used it may seem most probable that there is at least an Allusion herein to that Resurrection of the faithful at the day of Judgment yea if this song were intended to set forth as most Expositors hold not only the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon but also that greater deliverance of our Redemption by Christ whereof that other was a type as is before noted ver 1. then I see not why under this great work of the deliverance of Gods people by Christ the raising of them up to life at the last day should not be comprehended which shall be the full perfecting of that deliverance The greatest difficulty in the words is to know by whom and to whom they are spoken Now to this I answer 1. That they may be taken as spoken to the Church and people of God either in the person of God or in the person of the prophet speaking to them from God And if we understand them thus then we must suppose that in the foregoing verse the song is ended that began ver 1. and that here in answer to that which they had said therein there is a promise made to them from God in Christ that he would certainly raise them from that dead and hopeless Condition wherein they lay Thy dead men shall live And accordingly also we must then understand the following words as they are in our translation together with my dead bodys shall they arise either of the dead body of Christ as if it had been said in the person of Christ As sure as my dead shall arise out of the grave so surely shall thy dead men arise or else of the whole body of his Church and people thereby to imply that not one of them should fail to have their share in this joyful Resurrection But 2ly the words may be taken as the words of Gods people and so as the close of the foregoing song wherein they make profession to God of their confident assurance that he would revive them and raise them up from that forlorn and hopeless Condition wherein at present they lay Thy dead men shall live as if they had said Thy poor people that seem to be now as so many men dead and buried thou wilt revive again and raise them up out of this their low and seeming desperate Condition even as at the last day those that dye in thee being true members of thy mystical body the Church shall be raised out of their grave unto life eternal And taking the words thus the following words must likewise be understood accordingly together with my dead body shall they arise either of the City Jerusalem as some would have it to wit that as that their City that was at present as a dead carcase should be raised up out of the dust so should Gods people also together with it or of the whole body of the Church or as if the Prophet had set forth the unquestionable certainty of this promise by comparing it with his full assurance concerning the raising again of his dead body see Job 19.25 Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust c. That is you that are as so many dead carcases that have lain long in the Grave for thy dew is as the dew of herbs which may be also taken either as spoken by the Prophet to the people of God telling them that their dew that is the love that God had shewed to them would be to them as dew to the herbs or else as the speech of Gods people to God rendring a reason why they expected such a mighty change in their Estate to wit Because his favour would be a sure means to effect this as the dew is to quicken the dying and withering herbs See the Note Psal 72.6 it being as easie for God to raise up his people from their seeming hopeless Estate to a comfortable and flourishing Condition yea to raise the very dead out of their Graves as it is by a dew that falls in the night to revive the herbs that were in a manner withered by the scorching of the sun and to cause them sweetly to sprout out again and the earth shall cast out the dead that is It shall give up her dead even as the dew causeth the dead roots of herbs to sprout forth afresh as formerly Ver. 20. Come my people c. The foregoing song of Gods people being ended the Lord doth here by his Prophet advise them to take care to provide for the sheltring of themselves from that general storm that was coming upon the world before those joyful times whereof he had hitherto spoken and observable it is that this is expressed in such a manner as if God would tender himself to go along with them and to conduct them to such a place of safety Come my people enter thou into thy
should be for a time like a tree that seems in the winter to be dead and withered only there is life in the roots yet like such a tree it should at length grow up again and flourish exceedingly and fill the face of the World with fruit to wit the fruit of her mighty encrease which though it were initially fulfilled at the deliverance out of Babylon yet not fully till the coming in of the Gentiles to the Church of Israel Ver. 7. Hath he smitten him as he smote those that smote him c. That is Hath God smitten his Israel his people as he smote those that were their enemies that smote them as if it had been said Certainly no God doth not proceed with the same severity and rigor when he contends with his people as he doth when he comes to take vengeance on their enemies whom he hath used as his Instruments to smite and correct his people And the same is repeated again in the next clause though that be not so clear as the former or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him that is say some Is his Israel slain according to the slaughter of those that are slain by him that is The Babylonian Israels enemy as if it had been said That God did not slay his people with that cruelty or envy as that great Leviathan the Babylonian slew the Jews and others against whom he prevailed Or as others say Is his Israel slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him to wit by Israel that is for his sake But rather by them that are slain by him is meant them that are slain by God and so that which is intended is That God had not slain his people according to the slaughter wherewith he had slain his and their enemies of whose slaughtering he had spoken of before ver 1. and Chap. 26.14 namely in wrath and fury utterly to destroy them The drift of all this is still to make good that which was said ver 4. That God was not furious against his people Ver. 8. In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate it c. Here is shewn wherein God deals otherwise with his vine his own people than with their enemies even when he doth smite and correct his people for their sins he will do it in measure that is gently and with much moderation not according to what he is able to lay upon them See the Note Job 23.6 nor according to what their sins have deserved Ezra 9.13 but with respect to their strength that their sufferings may not be greater or of longer continuance than they are well able to bear 1 Cor. 10.13 whereas when he falls upon his and their enemies he lays on without any regard or stint or measure As for those words when it shooteth forth therein as before Gods people are spoken of as a Vineyard The words indeed may be read as they are in the margin In measure when thou sendest it forth thou wilt debate with it and so this expression may be used with respect to Gods sending forth his people into captivity to wit that even then God would debate with this his Vineyard moderately though he seemed to have cast them quite off yet he had still thoughts of peace towards them as it is with a Father that turns away his Son or a Husband that for some offence dismisseth his Wife for a time when yet both the one and the other intend after a while to receive them back again But if we read the words as they are in our Bibles In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it the meaning seems to be that though God may contend with his Vineyard when her branches grow luxuriant or when she is springing and growing up very fairly yet he will do it in measure though he may cut off her branches he will not grub her up by the root yea even in pruning her he will do it warily so as not to spoil the heart of the Vines And to the same purpose tend the following words he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind that is If he bring some terrible storm upon her like a rough East wind which is particularly named because that wind in those Countries used to be most violent yet he will so allay or slacken the boisterousness of this Storm that it shall not break up the Vines by the roots though it may beat down or break off some of her branches Ver. 9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged c. This is mentioned as another great difference betwixt Gods smiting his people and his and their enemies to wit that whilest he smites their enemies meerly in a way of vengeance to destroy them he smites his people out of pity and fatherly love that he may pardon and reform them and this is all the fruit to take away his sin that is all the fruit that God propounds to himself in correcting his people and all the benefit that redounds to his people thereby is the reforming of them when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalk-stones that are beaten asunder that is when Jacob Gods people shall manifest the truth of their repentance by pulling down and breaking to shivers with much zeal even as men break Chalk-stones in pieces to make Lime all their Altars and other idolatrous Monuments the Groves and Images or Sun-Images shall not stand that is they also shall be hewed and broken down But see the Note Chap. 17.8 Ver. 10. Yet the defenced City shall be desolate c. As if it had been said though God will not proceed as is before said with his people as he doth with their enemies in punishing them but will onely seek the reforming of them yet that they may be reformed he will be forced to correct them with great severity The defenced City shall be desolate that is Samaria and Jerusalem and other the strong Cities both in Israel and Judah shall be laid waste and the habitation forsaken and left like a wilderness that is all other their habitations in the Land shall be left without Inhabitants there shall the calf feed and there shall he lie down that is Gods people shall be cast out and bruit Beasts shall be brought in to feed and dwell there in their stead and consume the branches thereof that is they shall browse upon the Plants and Shrubs that shall grow up where their Houses and Cities had wont to be Some I know understand this of Gods proceeding in greater fury against the enemies of his people than against his people but that doth not suit so well with our Translation And again some think that the state of Israel being compared to a Vine the destruction of the People is here intended by saying that Beasts should consume the branches thereof according to a like figurative expression chap. 10.33 34. for which
become tributaries to the Chaldeans and so afterwards to other Nations For we do not find that upon this overthrow of Sennacherib's great Army the Assyrians became tributaries to the Jews Ver. 9. And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear c. It is in the Hebrew thus And his rock shall pass away for fear and therefore some understand the place thus that the remainder of his Army or his Princes and Commanders the chief rock and strength whereon he relied should flee away for fear But according to our Translation the meaning is plain that Sennacherib should flee into his own Country and betake himself to his strong holds there or rather to Niniveh his best fortified City not daring to stay any where till he came thither 2 Kings 19.36 and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign that is either 1. That they should be afraid as men are wont to be when they see their enemies marching up against them with displayed Ensigns Or 2. That they shall be so afrighted that if they saw an Ensign though it were when they were come into their own Country or though it were only some Ensign set on the top of some Watch-tower by the way they would be afraid as if some Troops of their Enemies were pursuing them Or 3. rather that they should be afraid of the Ensign or Standard which God had as it were by his Angel lifted up against them when he fought against their Army and made such dreadful havock amongst them And then for the last words his princes shall be afraid of the ensign saith the Lord whose fire is in Zion and his furnace in Jerusalem the meaning of that is either 1. That in that City was the house wherein he dwelt continually to wit the Temple where he had his fire continually burning upon his Altar and therefore he would not suffer himself to be turned out of doors by the Assyrians Or 2. That there his people were constantly waiting upon him in the duties of his worship their sacrifices and their incense were still burning upon his Altar and that therefore he was engaged in point of Honour to appear for their defence Or 3. That God was there as a consuming fire to burn up the enemies that should come upon them to destroy them As in Zion he had his fire and furnace for the trying and purging of his people so also for the utter destroying of his and their Enemies against whom if they attempted to wrong his people his vengeance would be still ready to break forth as a devouring fire see the former Notes Chap. 10.17 and 30.30 CHAP. XXXII VERSE 1. BEhold a king shall reign in righteousness c. It is not certain whether this be a new Prophecy distinct from that which went before or whether rather it be not added as a farther supplement to that Many Expositors hold that primarily and literally Hezekiah is the King here intended and that as he was a type of Christ But with one consent all Christian Expositors hold it is Christ that is here principally and mystically meant under the type of Hezekiah Taking it to be a distinct Prophecy by it self I see not why it might not be prophecied in the days of Ahaz purposely to comfort the people under his abominable tyranny with a promise of a better King shortly to come and that therefore this particle of admiration Behold was prefixed it being a thing very remarkable that the Son of such a wicked Father should prove such a good just and gracious King But if we do take it as prophecied even when Hezekiah sate already in the Throne there is no incongruity in saying of him Behold a King shall reign in righteousness and his Princes in judgment to wit with respect to that far greater care which he and his Princes should take to govern the People with all possible righteousness and judgment after the Lord had wrought that wonderful deliverance for them by the destruction of the Assyrian Army But however most exactly and clearly was this accomplished in the Lord Christ Behold a King shall reign in righteousness that is he shall govern his people with perfect righteousness see the Notes Chap. 11.5 Psal 45.6 7. and 72.1 2. and his Princes shall rule in judgment that is they that shall minister unto Christ in the Government of his Church shall do it most justly according to the Rule of the Gospel But see the Note also Psal 45.16 Ver. 2. And a man shall be as a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest c. To wit Hezekiah that man before spoken of or more indefinitely Hezekiah and each one of his Princes shall be as a place where one may cover himself from the violence of some rough wind or as a haven where ships may be shelter'd from all damage in great storms and tempests The meaning is that by the righteous and wise government of Hezekiah and his Princes the People should be defended from all violence and oppression and that their government should be as welcome and acceptable to the Subjects as such a hiding place is wont tribe to men in such tempestuous times Yea this might be spoken with particular respect to the destruction of Sennacheribs army For such a hiding place was Hezekiah to the poor Jews in those stormy days when by his prayers he prevailed with God for the breaking of that army and so Jerusalem was secured and the enemies were kept from making such havock all the land over as they had done in some parts of it And so likewise the following words set forth how chearing and comforting yea how abundantly comfortable this government should be unto them as Rivers of water in a dry place which do not only moisten the parched ground and make it pleasant and fruitful but also yield great refreshing to the thirsty traveller that is the wronged and oppressed who are wont earnestly to thirst to have Justice done them shall be exceedingly joyed by the relief the Magistrate shall afford them as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land See the Note Psal 63.1 It shall be as great a refreshment to them as it is to one that travelleth in the scorching heat of the Sun thorough a desert where there are no houses or trees to shelter him to get within the hollow cave of some great rock or to stand under the shadow of it But now this is principally meant of the man Christ He is a hiding place by his merits from the wrath of God Satan Sin Death and Hell And so likewise he shelters and safeguards his people in the windy days of affliction and persecution of outward troubles and inward temptations from all dangers and evils and discouraging fears and terrors He is as rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land to wit in that by his grace he cools and suppresseth the distempered heats
the effecting of his wicked practises his Servants and Ministers are as base and vile likewise as he is he makes use of no other but such as himself is Or rather all the tricks and artificial devices and means he useth to effect his designs are stark naught for so this seems to be explained in the following words he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words that is By false Informations and Witnesses or by unjust Censures proceedings wherein Justice is pretended when nothing but injustice and oppression is intended even when the needy speaketh right that is When his cause is just and he desireth and pleadeth nothing in his defence but what is most equal and just Indeed this last clause may be read as it is in the Margin when he speaketh against the poor in judgment and then the meaning is That the Churl will not stick to destroy the poor with lying words even when the poor man stands before Judgment seat which should be a Sanctuary for innocent persons Ver. 8. But the liberal deviseth liberal things c. That is The charitable man is continually studying and contriving how to do good bountifully for this is added in opposition of what was said before of the covetous Churl See the Notes before ver 5 6 7. Indeed some would have it understood of such a Prince as really deserveth the title of bountiful and liberal But it is clear that our Translators did intend it of all liberal persons in general and by liberal things shall he stand or be established that is The more liberal he is the surer he shall stand the more firmly he shall be setled in a prosperous condition Ver. 9. Rise up ye Women that are at ease c. Having in the foregoing part of the Chapter promised a time of mercy and deliverance to the faithful here the Prophet returns again to threaten the Jews with those grievous Calamities that should come upon them before those comfortable times should come of which he had now spoken Rise up ye Women that are at ease hear my voice ye careless Daughters c. Some by the Women here spoken to understand the Cities of Judea and by the Daughters the Villages belonging to those Cities But I see not why it should not be understood literally of the Women amongst the Jews and those especially that living in great plenty idleness and luxury were most void of all care and fear for to these the Prophet might purposely address his speech 1. Because such are apt to live most at ease and to be most secure 2ly Because Women are most likely to be affrighted with the prediction of approaching Calamities and would be most unable to bear what in such times they were like to endure And 3ly especially to imply the greatness of the vengeance that was coming upon them wherein the very Women should not be spared no the greatest or richest of them though best provided to make an escape should be able to get out of the enemies hands but should suffer with the common sort As for that expression Rise up ye Women that are at ease it is used to imply either 1. with what great attention and reverence it was fit they should hearken to what he would say to them as being of matters of great concernment and given him in charge by the Lord their God See the Note Numb 23.18 Or 2ly the folly of their security in a time of so great danger It was no time for them to sit still as fearless and careless as they were it would not belong ere God would rouze them up Ver. 10. Many days and years shall ye be troubled ye careless Women c. That is ye that are now so careless and fearless shall then be piteously troubled And because it is said of the Judgment here threatned that it should continue a long time many days and years therefore many Expositors hold That a long succession of several calamities is here intended and so that it must not be restrained only to Sennacheribs invading of Judea and blocking up Jerusalem but must be extended to the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and the seventy years of the Babylonian Captivity yea to the utter desolation that was afterwards brought upon this land and people by the Romans And indeed some of the following passages must necessarily be understood in this large extent for the vintage shall fail the gathering shall not come to wit Either because of the havock the enemy should make in their Country or because it should afterward lye desolate and untilled and without inhabitants See the Notes Exod. 23.16 and Levit. 26.34 Ver. 11. Tremble ye women that are at ease be troubled ye careless ones c. As if he had said As fearless as ye are now ye shall be troubled and tremble Strip ye and make ye bare and gird sackcloth upon your loyns that is put off your ordinary attire and clothe your selves with sackcloth as mourners use to do yet this last clause may be intended as by way of foretelling how they should be used by their enemies when they prevailed over them Ver. 12. They shall lament for the teats c. That is Because the Womens breasts and some would extend it also to kine and sheep were dried up for want of food and so they wanted milk for their little ones And so indeed it was when Jerusalem was besieged by the Babylonians Lam. 4.3 4. Even the Sea-monsters draw out the breast they give suck to their young ones the daughter of my people is become cruel like the Ostriches in the wilderness The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst c. But yet very many Expositors by the teats here do understand their fields and vineyards the two breasts which did continually yield plenty of nourishment to the inhabitants and thus say they the Prophet explains himself in the following words for the pleasant fields for the fruitful vine But this may be added as a further cause of their sorrow to wit That they should mourn as for the driness of their breasts so also for the want of the fruit of their Fields and Vineyards Ver. 13. Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briars c. The Expression here used seems to intend That the land of Judea should be wholly overgrown with briars and thorns See the Notes Chap. 7.23 24 and that notwithstanding it was the land which God had appointed to be the inheritance of his peculiar people so that there was no cause upon that account to flatter themselves that it should not be so yea upon all the houses of joy in the joyous City that is even in those places where those gallant houses stand in the City of Jerusalem see the Note Chap. 22.2 where there is nothing now but pleasure and mirth and great jolity shall briars and thorns grow up the houses themselves being burnt down by
As for the next clause If we read it as it is in the margin and the city shall be utterly abased then the intendment of it must be the same with that which went before to wit either that Gods people should be safe and fearless when the Cities of Gods and his peoples enemies or Babylon in particular should be utterly ruined see the Note Chap. 26.5 or that the Church of Christ should enjoy the peace promised them when other places should be like Cities levelled with the ground But if we read it as it is in our Bibles and the city shall be low in a low place the words seem to be added as a farther illustration of the safety and peace of Gods people namely that they should not need to build their Cities on high and steep places as men use to do that they may be made the more defensible because even in those Cities that were in Plains and Valleys and seemed to lye most open to invasion they should be through Gods protection safe and without all fear of danger Ver. 20. Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters c. This may be understood 1. literally as spoken by way of admiring the great plenty wherewith the Prophet foresaw God would bless the land of Judah after those times of peace of which he had now prophecied Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters As if he should have said Happy shall they be that shall live to see that day when your land that was wasted by the Assyrians or that lay over-grown with briars and thorns during the Babylonian Captivity shall be so fruitful that it shall yield as rich Crops to those that sow their seed therein as those grounds usually do that lye by great Rivers or are any way best watered that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass to wit to till and plow and harrow the Grounds and so to fit them for the sowing of seed in them or to tread out their Corn after it is reaped with the feet of those Cattel Or the meaning may be that their land should yield them such plenty of Corn that they should not need to spare it to grow up for Harvest but should turn out their Cattel to â—eed in their Corn-fields as in their Pasture-grounds or at least that they should put in their Cattel to crop it for a time because it should grow up so exceeding rank But 2. It may be understood mystically as spoken with respect to Gospel-times Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass that is Blessed shall they be that shall in those days be sent forth to sow the seed of the Gospel and that because they shall to their great joy find the hearts of the people where their seed is sown to be as fat and well watered ground that shall bring forth fruit abundantly Some indeed by sowing beside all waters do understand sowing the seed of the Gospel among all Nations But I conceive it is only the fruitfulness of the soil that is implied by that expression CHAP. XXXIII VERSE 1. WO to thee that spoilest and thou wast not spoiled and dealest treacherously and they dealt not treacherously with thee c. Some understand this of the Babylonian and the rather because the same words in a manner are before spoken of the Babylonians see the Note Chap. 21.2 But it is rather the Assyrian and it may be Sennacherib particularly over whom the Prophet doth here insult denouncing a War against them because they had wasted and destroyed so many Countries and of late the land of Israel being no way provoked thereto by any injury which those Nations had offered to them and because they had dealt perfidiously with those that had no way dealt so with them And this last some would have to be purposely added with respect to Sennacherib's proceeding on to waste the land of Judea after he had taken a great sum of money of Hezekiah to withdraw his Army But for that see the Notes 2 Kings 18.7 14 17. The wo denounced is set forth in the following words when thou shalt cease to spoil thou shalt be spoiled and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously they shall deal treacherously with thee that is when God shall put an end to thy rapine and treachery the same shall be done to thee which thou hast formerly done to others And that which is said of others dealing treacherously with him may be looked upon as accomplished when Sennacherib was slain by his own Sons as he was worshipping in the house of Nizroch his God 2 Kings 29.37 Ver. 2. O Lord be gracious unto us c. The Prophet having foretold the destruction of the Assyrians or other the enemies of Gods people doth here suddenly as not able any longer to contain himself break forth into a prayer either as in his own name or the name of the Church in general desiring the speedy performance of that destruction upon the enemy which he had now foretold And this he doth as foreseeing the great misery and danger his people would be in until this deliverance came and withal as acknowledging the just hand of God therein upon them and shewing that it was by praying unto God for mercy that the deliverance promised must be obtained O Lord be gracious unto us we have waited for thee see the Note Chap. 8.17 be thou their arm that is their mighty defence and strength for the subduing of their enemies see the Note Psal 89.21 every morning that is constantly and without delay see the Notes Job 7.17 and Psal 73.14 our salvation also in the time of trouble to wit say some as thou hast been to thy people in former times Ver. 3. At the noise of the tumult the people fled c. Here the Prophet returns again to speak of the destruction threatned before ver 1. speaking of that which was to be as if it were done already Some understand it of the tumult raised amongst the Babylonians by the Medes and Persians when they ruined that great Monarchy But the most of Expositors by far understand it of the ruine of the Assyrian Army 2 King 19.36 At the noise of the tumult the people fled that is At the noise of the tumult raised in the Assyrian Camp when the Angel came upon them in such a dreadful manner See the Note Chap. 30.30 and struck them with a pannick fear and made such a slaughter amongst them they that were not yet slain fled away at the lifting up of thy self that is say some When thou didst ascend thy Tribunal to pronounce sentence of Judgment against them or when thou didst appear in thy mighty power to execute vengeance upon them having before seemed to sit still and not to mind them the Nations were scattered to wit the several Nations that served in the Assyrian Army But see the Note Psal 68.1 Ver. 4. And
come in to besiege and batter those Cities it shall not be so with us because the Lord will be such a River of defence about us wherein shall go no galley with â—ars neither shall gallant ship pass thereby that is No ship or galley great or small shall be able to break through to assail or hurt us See the Note Chap. 8.6 Ver. 22. For the Lord is our Judge c. That is he hath taken us to be his peculiar Covenant people and therefore as our supreme Lord he will surely protect us And observable it is that looking upon this as a sure ground of comfort he repeats it in a triumphant manner three several times the Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Lawgiver the Lord is our King and then concludes he will save us that is As our Soveraign he will safe guard us if we continue Loyal to him and live in obedience to his Laws Ver. 23. Thy tacklings are loosed c. Having said ver 21. That God would be as a broad river about Jerusalem through which no ship or galley should be able to pass to do them any mischief here now keeping to the former metaphor he addresseth his speech to the Assyrian or in particular to Sennacherib as to one that was coming in some great gallioun or with some huge navy of ships against Jerusalem assuring them that they should be all certainly shipwracked and destroyed Thy tacklings are loosed that is Unfastened or broken Or reading it as it is in the Margin They have forsaken thy tacklings that is The mariners mind not thy tacklings they could not well strengthen their mast they could not spread the sail that is The tacklings being loose and broken could neither keep up the mast steady and upright nor spread or turn the sail as occasion required The drift of all these Expressions is to make known to the Assyrians that their condition should be just like that of a ship when the Mariners desparing of safety do give over all care of ordering their tacklings or where tacklings and mast and sails are useless and broken and so the ship must needs be driven up and down by the wind and waves till at last it be swallowed up of the Sea that is They should be all certainly broken in pieces and destroyed then is the prey of a great spoil divided that is Then shall the inhabitants of Jerusalem go forth and seize upon the spoil of the Assyrian Camp even as when some great ship is cast away that was laden with rich Commodities the people that dwell on the coasts where this is done are wont to make a prey of all that by the Sea is driven on shore And it is called a great spoil partly because of the multitude of them that were slain by the Angel in the Camp an hundred fourscore and five thousand 2 King 19.35 and partly because the Assyrians had before that wasted and plundered in a manner the whole land of Judea the lame take the prey the most impotent among them shall be able to take the spoil there shall be no difficulty in it the enemy being all fled or lying dead before them See the Note 2 Sam. 5.6 Ver. 24. And the inhabitants shall not say I am sick c. That is None of the Inhabitants of Jerusalem shall have the least cause to complain of any sickness or weakness which the siege or the invasion of Sennacherib hath brought upon them or more generally The inhabitants of Jerusalem and under this type all the members of Gods Church are intended shall through Gods favour live in a prosperous and comfortable condition free from all things hurtful to them Yet I know many understand it as spoken with respect to that which was said in the foregoing verse That the inhabitants of Jerusalem should run out with all alacrity to seize upon the prey in the Assyrian Camp no man should withdraw himself from going forth under a pretence of being sick or weak the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity and so God being reconciled to them all shall be well with them God will proceed no more in a way of wrath and vengeance against them CHAP. XXXIV VERSE 1. COme near c. This Chapter seems to be a Prophecy of the dreadful vengeance which God would execute upon all the enemies of his Church and people amongst whom ver 5. the Edomites are particularly mentioned And accordingly in the first words Come near ye Nations to hear and hearken ye people either these Nations are summoned to hear the Judgments here denounced against them or else all Nations are called upon to take notice with admiration in what a terrible manner he meant to proceed against the enemies of his people let the earth hear and all that is therein in the Hebrew it is and the fulness thereof for which see the Note Psal 24.1 the world and all things that come forth of it See the Notes Chap. 1.2 and Deut. 32.1 Ver. 2. For the indignation of the Lord is upon all Nations and his fury upon all their armies c. That is It will certainly fall upon them See the foregoing Note he hath utterly destroyed them he hath delivered them to the slaughter that is It shall as certainly so be as if it were done already the decree and sentence is gone out against them Ver. 3. Their slain also shall be cast out c. To wit in away of detestation and there left like the carcases of beasts to rot above ground without burial Or there shall be such multitudes slain that those that are left alive shall not be able to undertake the burial of them and their stink shall come up out of their carcases that is It shall ascend up and inâ—ect the air and the mountains shall be melted with their blood that is blood shall run down from the Mountains as if the very Mountains were melted into blood It is an Hyperbolical expression whereby is hinted 1. That even the Mountains should not save those that fled thither for shelter 2. That abundance of blood should be shed there And 3. that thus it should be with the Mountains as it were out of fear of Gods wrath see the like expressions Psal 97.5 and Amos 9.13 Ver. 4. And all the host of heaven c. See the Note Gen. 2.1 shall be dissolved that is they shall melt and wither away But the meaning is that by reason of the dreadfulness of Gods judgments then inflicted on the enemies of Gods people it should be with them through extream anguish and fear as if there were no such lights in the Heavens see the Notes Chap. 13.10 13. as if they apprehended the whole frame of Heaven would break in pieces and fall upon their heads And indeed it is usual with the Prophets to set forth extraordinary judgments after the manner of the terror of the last judgment when the whole fabrick of Heaven and Earth shall be
dissolved as we find it foretold Mat. 24.29 and 2 Pet. 3.10 and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scrole that is they shall seem to pass away so that the lights therein shall be no more seen than the writing in a Parchment-scrole can be seen when it is rolled up together and see the Note Psal 102.26 and all their host shall fall down as the leaf falleth off from the vine and as a falling fig from the fig-tree to wit when they are withered and so are easily blown down Ver. 5. For my sword shall be bathed in heaven c. That is In Heaven it is decreed that my sword shall be bathed with the blood of mine enemies see the Note above ver 2. and Psal 119.89 Or the meaning may be that God from Heaven would cause a sword to be drawn against them that should be bathed in their blood according to that of the Apostle the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness Rom. 1.18 behold it shall come down upon Idumea that is upon the Edomites and all the Churches deadly enemies For these are particularly named only because they were always most bitter enemies to the Jews and their Country bordeâ—ed upon Judea and upon the people of my curse that is even upon this people whom I have accursed or and upon all other people whom I have destined to destruction to judgment that is in a way of taking Vengeance on them Ver. 6. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood it is made fat with fatness c. That is It shall be filled with blood c. to wit by reason of the multitudes of them that should be slain and devoured thereby And their blood and fat are expresly named in allusion to their Sacrifices where the blood and the fat were still offered And upon the same respect is that next expression used and with the blood of lambs and gâ—ats with the fat of kidneys of rams where he terms those that were to be slain Lambs and Goats and Rams to imply that the slaughtering of them should be to them as a sweet smelling Sacrifice acceptable to God see the Note Exod. 32.29 Only I conceive that by these lesser sort of Sacrifices the inferior and common sort of people are meant of several ages and conditions young and old the poorer and richer sort For the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah which was then the Metropolis of Idumea and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea that is he hath determined to keep a solemn Festival-day there which is said because on such days they used to offer a multitude of Sacrifices 1 Kings 8.63 Ver. 7. And the unicorns shall come down with them and the bullocks with the bulls c. That is Together with the inferior sort of people of whom he had spoken in the foregoing verse their great and strong and mighty ones their Princes and Nobles Captains and men of War fierce cruel untameable men shall be knocked down and slain And observable it is that amongst these greater sort of Cattel appointed for Sacrifices he mentions Unicorns that never used to be sacrificed purposely to hint unto us that what he speaks here of Sacrifices was to be understood figuratively and their land shall be soaked with blood and their dust made fatness that is their land even the driest part of it shall be battened as with dung by their blood and the fat of their carcases Ver. 8. For it is the day of the Lords vengeance and the year of recompence for the controversie of Zion That is It is the set time which God hath appointed for taking vengeance on those his enemies and for recompencing abundantly into their bosoms all the wrongs they had done to his people For by the controversie of Zion here is meant the controversie which the Jews had with the Edomites for the mischief they had often done them or the controversie which God would have with them on his peoples behalf Ver. 9. And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch and the dust thereof into brimstone and the land thereof shall become burning pitch That is the streams or the land of Bozrah or Idumea In this Rhetorical description of the devastation of this Country there is certainly an allusion as often elsewhere to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha see the Notes Chap. 13.19 and Deut. 29.23 And the meaning seems to be either 1. that their Cities being set on fire should burn like pitch and brimstone Or 2. that the land should be left desolate the inhabitants and all therein being as it were burnt up that is utterly consumed and destroyed see Obad. 1.8 Or 3. that their whole Country even the most fruitful and best watered places thereof should be dry and parched as if it were all pitch and brimstone or burnt up with showers of fire and brimstone as Sodom and Gomorrha were see the Notes Job 18.15 16. Ver. 10. It shall not be quenched night nor day c. That is The burning of this land shall not be quenched It is an Hyperbolical expression signifying that the wrath of God should continually burn against them like an unquenchable fire the smoke thereof shall go up for ever that is continually for a long time from generation to generation it shall lye waste that is for many generations none shall pass through it for ever and ever that is it shall be no more inhabited but shall be desolate for ever Ver. 11. But the cormorant or the pellican and the bittern shall possess it the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it c. See the Notes Chap. 14. 23. and Psal 102.6 and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion and the stones of emptiness that is the plummet or level of emptiness the ground of which expression is that in those times they used to hang a stone upon the line of the level as we now do a plummet of lead The meaning is either 1 that God would order it so that it should never be built again they that should undertake it should find the issue of their labour to be nothing but confusion and emptiness according to that of the Prophet Mal. 1.4 Whereas Edom saith We are impoverished but we will return and build the desolate places thus saith the Lord of hosts They shall build but I will throw down Or 2. that God would lay their whole land utterly waste and desolate The expression here used of doing this by line and level is taken from workmen either that being to pull down some part of a building are wont by line and level to mark out how far it must be pulled down or else that having quite pulled down a building do use those instruments to see the ground be layed level But see the Note 2 Kings 21.13 Ver. 12. They shall call the Nobles thereof to the Kingdom c. That is They that are left of the Edomites shall
That of themselves unless when they are quickned and revived by the spirit of grace they are poor dying perishing Creatures unable to do any thing toward their recovery out of this Condition that so they might be fit to go out of themselves and embrace the Salvation tendred to them in the Gospel through Jesus Christ And indeed till men be made sensible of their own lost Estate they are not capable of the Consolations which ver 1. were appointed to be propounded to them Ver. 7. The grass withereth the flower fadeth because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it c. As if he had said As these things wither away if a little sharp breath of wind doth but blow upon them See the Note Psal 103.16 so when God is but pleased in his anger to blow upon men they and all their glory are soon brought to nothing surely the people is grass that is All the people in the World are no better than grass before God whereby what is intended see in the foregoing Note Yet it may be more peculiarly meant of Gods own people to wit that even they also however they might pride themselves in their carnal priviledges had in their natural Estate no advantage in this regard above others Ver. 8. The grass withereth the flower fadeth but the word of our God shall stand for ever The meaning of this may be in general that however the Plots and Resolutions of poor perishing men might come to nothing yet the Decrees and Promises of God should certainly stand firm for ever But now as this is spoken with particular respect to the Jews return out of Babylon that which was intended must needs be either that how firm soever the Glory of the Babylonian Monarchy might seem yet that should wither and be ruined but the word of promise which God had spoken concerning their return out of Babylon and wherewith he had enjoyned his Servants to comfort his people should surely be accomplished or that though the glory of the State of Judah should be brought to nothing in the Babylonian Captivity yet that should not hinder what God had spoken concerning their re-establishment again in their own land And as it hath reference to the days of the Gospel the meaning is either that Gods promise and Decree concerning the coming of Christ to redeem poor sinful perishing man should certainly be fulfilled or else that the word of Christ published by the Ministry of the Gospel and received by a lively Faith into the hearts of trâ—â— Believers should sanctifie and regenerate those poor dying Creatures and so should as an incorruptible â—eed work in them an incorruptible and immortal life and so should bring them to be everlastingly glorious in Heaven And so indeed the Apostle applieth this passage 1 Pet. 1.23 24 25. Ver. 9. O Zion that bringest good tidings get thee up into the high mountain c. This may be read as it is in the Margin O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion get thee up into the high mountain and so likewise in the following words O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem lift up thy voice c. and being thus read it seems to be a repetition of the charge before given ver 1. Comfort ye comfort ye my people to wit That they should proclaim to Gods people those glad tidings wherewith they were appointed to comfort them for which see the Note there But now reading it as it is in our Text O Zion that bringest good tidings get thee up into the high mountain it is rather Zion and Jerusalem it self that is the Church of the Jews belonging to Zion the place of Gods publick Worship though now Captives in Jerusalem that are here enjoyned to spread abroad as far as they could which is implied by willing them to get up into a high mountain the glad tidings they had received concerning the liberty granted them for their return out of Babylon into their own Country And to the â—ame purpose is that which followeth O Jerusalem that bringest good tidings lift up thy voice with strength that is Cry aloud as they use to do that have good tidings to proclaim that as many as may be may hear thee lift it up be not afraid to wit as any way questioning the certainty of your tidings or as fearing any that may be enraged against your return say unto the Cities of Judah that is Those that were once the inhabitants of the Cities of Judah though now in Captivity and scattered abroad into several Countries and are now to raise up the several ruined Cities of Judah again Behold your God that is Lo you shall now see or you have now seen your God with whom your enemies have so often twitted you and of whose help you have been so often ready to despair appearing gloriously to destroy your enemies and to deliver you This I conceive is the meaning of this whole verse as it was spoken with respect to the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon But now as it respects the accomplishment of the long expected promise concerning the Messiah I conceive Gods Zion the faithful that were first comforted with the tidings of the coming of Christ are here enjoyned to get up into a high Mountain and to lift up their voice with strength that is chearfully openly freely and confidently to spread abroad the glad tidings of the Gospel first to the Cities of Judah that is the Jews the lost sheep of the house of Israel Matth. 10.6 but then afterwards even to all Nations throughout the VVorld without any fear of those that should oppose or persecute them for so doing And this is just that which Christ said to the Apostles Matth. 10.27 28. What ye hear in the ear that preach ye upon the house tops And fear not them which kill the body c. And again Mark 16.15 Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospel to every creature And thus understanding it by those words Behold your God may be meant either the Son appearing visibly in mans nature as when the Baptist pointed him out to the people Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the World or else meerly his coming into the World to accomplish that great work of mans Redemption which they had so long expected Ver. 10. Behold the Lord God will come with strong hand c. This may be read as in the Margin Behold the Lord God will come against the strong that is Against the mighty enemies of his people the Babylonians Or taking it as spoken of Christ against the Devil who is called Matth. 12.29 the strong man that was to be subdued by Christ and cast out of his house But indeed the sense is the same if we read it as it is in our Text Behold the Lord God will come with strong hand for if we refer it to the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon the meaning is That God
West then this is all one in effect as if it had been said That from the rising unto the setting of the Sun God should be praised the villages that Kedar doth inhabit See the Notes Chap. 21.16 Psal 120.5 and Cant. 1.5 let the Inhabitants of the rock sing that is The Inhabitants of Arabia Petrea or of Petra the chief City in those parts See the Note Chap. 16.1 or rather those that inhabit mountainous Countries as the following words shew let them shout from the top of the mountains However as this is spoken with respect to the days of the Gospel it clearly implies That the most barbarous Nations should then praise God Ver. 13. The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man c. That is having long withdrawn himself as if he minded them not he shall at last go forth in great fury to wit against the Babylonians See the Notes Job 16.14 and Psal 78.65 He shall stir up jealousie like a man of war that is As men stir and blow up a fire so shall the Lord stir up the fire of his jealousie to wit his fierce wrath and indignation against his idolatrous enemies proceeding from his ardent love to his people and zeal for his own glory he shall cry to wit as soldiers are wont to shout when they assault their enemies yea roar to wit like a Lyon But now this may be spoken with reference to Christ that he should go forth as a mighty man it is an Expression which our Saviour himself used John 16.28 I came forth from the Father and am come into the world namely to vanquish all his peoples spiritual enemies Satan Sin Death and Hell and to destroy all those that obstinately oppose him and are the implacable enemies of his Church and people Ver. 14. I have long time holden my peace c. God himself is here brought in complaining of his enemies abusing his long-suffering and patience and promising Deliverance to his people I have long time holden my peace I have been still and refrained my self to wit as the following similitude seems to imply as a travelling Woman bites in her pains and forbears crying out as long as ever she is able and the meaning is That he had long forborn taking vengeance on his peoples enemies and suffered his people to be still kept in Bondage by them now will I cry like a travelling Woman that is as such a Woman when she comes to the extremity of her pain the Child being brought to the very birth is then forced to cry aloud and many times breathes out her cries the louder because she had before suppressed them and kept them in thereby striving to help forward her deliverance till when she can expect no ease nor rest so will I with all earnestness hasten the Deliverance of my people as if I travelled and were in pain until they were delivered and will fall with the greater fury upon their enemies because of my former forbearance And indeed this similitude doth notably set forth 1. Gods tender affection to his people even like that of a Mother to the Child in her Womb. 2ly His earnest desire of their deliverance And 3ly that though the Lord had hitherto only groaned in a more silent manner for their sad Condition yet now the set and appointed time being come they should speedily be delivered as the Child is when the Mothers cries are loudest As for those last words I will destroy and devour at once either the meaning is That the Lord would destroy their Enemies Land and devour the Inhabitants or that he would speedily make an end of them all together as it is with hungry ravenous wild beasts that as soon as they have killed their prey do immediately devour it Ver. 15. I will make waste mountains and hills and dry up all their herbs c. That is the herbage which the Mountains and all other parts of the Land afforded both for man and beast and I will make the rivers Islands that is Dry them up so that here and there the dry land shall appear like so many Islands The drift of the whole verse is to set forth the horrid Desolation that God would make in the land of the Chaldeans when he undertook the Deliverance of his people from thence And to this end he speaks of his Vengeance therein as a devouring Fire that would burn up all before it See the Notes Deut. 4.24 and 32.22 And the particular mention that is made of laying waste their Mountains and Hills is either because there usually they had their idolatrous Temples and Altars or rather because there they had their greatest Cities and places of strength And the same may be said for the mentioning of the drying up of their Rivers which were the great safeguard of their Country all is to imply that all the strength and Riches of their Country should not hinder God from destroying them and delivering his people out of their hands one particular whereof is noted by some Expositors to have been accomplished when Cyrus made the great River Euphrates passable for his Army when they took Babylon And then as this Prophecy refers to Christ the same is meant that is said before ver 13. That he should destroy the Kingdom of Satan and all the great enemies of his people and ruine all the Riches and Pomp and State of those that should exalt themselves against him Ver. 16. And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not c. As this is meant of the Jews return out of Babylon they are termed blind because they saw nothing of their approaching Deliverance they saw no likelihood of escaping out of that sad Condition wherein they lay and so regarded not Gods promises but as men stupified and hopeless were in continual perplexity not knowing which way to turn themselves and of their return into Judea it might well be said That they were led by a way they knew not and in paths they had not known because the generality of them were born in Babylon and so had never gone that way before But as it is meant of Christs redeemed ones whether Jews or Gentiles it was accomplished in the enlightning of their blind minds See the Note Chap. 35.5 and bringing them into the way of Salvation whereof they knew nothing before And the like may be said of the following words they may be meant of the Jews returning out of Babylon I will make darkness light before them that is I will bring them out of an afflicted and sad Estate into a joyful and prosperous Condition See the Notes Esth 8.16 and Psal 112.4 or rather I will make their way clear before them wherein otherwise they might have been often brought to a stand not knowing which way to turn themselves and crooked things straight that is their way shall be easie and plain free from those troubles and difficulties which otherwise they might have found in it But under this
type is surely also meant That Christ would enlighten and chear up his Servants by his word and spirit and turn them from their crooked wicked ways into the straight ways of Holiness and Righteousness These things will I do to wit how impossible soever men may deem them and not forsake them that is though because of their long Captivity in Babylon I may seem to have quite cast them off yet I will not forsake them nor leave them always in bondage or having delivered them out of Babylon I will not then leave them till I have brought them safe home to their own Country And of Christ likewise this is most true because he never forsakes his but whom he loves he loves unto the end John 13.1 Ver. 17. They shall be turned back they shall be greatly ashamed that trust in graven Images c. This is spoken of the idolatrous Babylonians to wit that they should not be able to stand before Gods avenging hand but should fly with shame before their enemies Or that they should be turned back as men that are ashamed to shew their faces when they should see how they were disappointed of their hopes how unable their Idol-gods were to save them or to do that for them which the God of Israel had done for his people But see the Notes Chap. 1.29 Psal 35.4 and 40.14 and 97.7 Ver. 18. Hear ye deaf and look ye blind that ye may see Some few Expositors would have it that the Heathens are here willed to yield and be convinced by the great things which they should see done by the Lord for his poor people of which mention was made in the foregoing verses But by the whole sequel of the Chapter it seems clear that the Prophet doth here address himself to expostulate with the Jews and either it is meant of the spiritual Blindness and Stupidity of the Jews in that Age that both then when the Prophet now prophecied to them and so afterward from time to time were deaf to all the Instructions and Warnings of Gods Prophets and blind as to a serious Consideration of all the great works that God had wrought amongst them and so ran on impenitently till the Lord was forced to bring a barbarous Nation upon them that should carry them Captives into Babylon Or else it may be meant principally of the Jews in the days of the Gospel this being a matter of greatest wonder that when Christ the promised Messiah came into the World as was foretold in the beginning of this Chapter the Gentiles should see and embrace the Salvation tendered in him by the Ministry of the Gospel and the Jews Gods peculiar people to whom he had been so long promised should continue obstinately blind and despise that great Salvation that was offered to them Ver. 19. Who is blind but my Servant c. They that understand the foregoing verse as spoken to the heathen Nations do accordingly hold that this is added by way of Correction as if it had been said Why do I check the Gentiles for their blindness none are in truth blinder than mine own people But rather this is added to confirm what was said before concerning the Jews blindness Who is blind but my servant to wit mine own people the Jews or deaf as my messenger that I sent that is My Priests and Levites whom I have set apart for the instructing of others according to that of the Prophet the Priests lips should keep knowledg and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts Mal. 2.7 Who is blind as he that is perfect c. that is Those that ought to have been perfect in the Knowledg of Gods will or that think and boast themselves to be perfect above others And this may be meant of the Jews in general who had indeed greater means of Knowledg than other Nations and gloried much therein Rom. 2.17 20. Behold thou art called a Jew and restest in the Law and makest thy boast of God and knowest his will and art confident that thou thy self art a guide of the blind c. or else of their Teachers who indeed had means of being eminently kowing men above others and were herein highly conceited of themselves as we may see by the Pharisees taking so great offence at our Saviours charging them with blindness John 9.40 Are we say they blind also The sum of that which is here said is this That even these men were blinder and more stupid than the very Heathens because under so much light and means of Knowledg they became never a whit the wiser for their own good Ver. 20. Seeing many things c. This is added to shew what blindness and deafness it was that in the foregoing Verses the Jews were charged with to wit spiritual blindness and deafness seeing many things but thou observest not opening the ears but he heareth not that is They minded not the great works that God wrought amongst them nor what God spake to them by his Prophets no more than if they had been indeed blind and deaf See the Notes Chap. 6.9 10. Ver. 21. The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake c. This is a very hard passage and therefore Expositors differ much concerning the meaning of it But because it is not otherwise expressed what it was that God was well pleased with I conceive it most probable that this is spoken with reference to the following clause he will magnifie the Law and make it or him honourable as if it had been all jointly together expressed thus That the Lord for his righteousness sake that is purposely to approve himself righteous in all his dealings with his people was well pleased to magnifie his law amongst them and make it honourable But how was God well pleased for his righteousness sake to magnifie his Law and make it honourable I answer 1. Some understand it thus That God was willing and well pleased to do his people good and to have upheld them in a prosperous and flourishing Condition that hereby he might manifnst his Righteousness in making good his promises and they might be brought highly to esteem and reverence his Law finding how well it fared with them because of their careful observance of it and hence it is that some read the last words thus to magnifie his Law and make him that is his people honourable And thus say they the Prophet implies That God being so ready to do them good if they came to be in any great misery they must ascribe it to their own obstinacy and stupidity and rebellion against God Again 2ly others understand it thus that God was pleased to give them over in his wrath to that Blindness and Deafness and Stupidity mentioned in the foregoing Verses that so he might manifest his Righteousness in bringing those Judgments upon them wherewith he had threatned them in his Law and so might bring them the more to reverence
from others to be a holy people unto my self and as a People that had by their wickedness made themselves unfit indeed to be my people and delivered them up into thine hands an unclean uncircumcised people that thou mightest carry them out of my Land whithersoever thou pleasedst See the Note Chap. 43.28 Thou didst shew them no mercy upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke The accomplishment whereof see Lam. 5.11 12. The drift therefore of these words is clear namely to shew that though he was willing that his people should smart for their sins yet he was highly offended with their cruel usage of them Yea and this also is hinted that if God spared not his own people when they sinned against him much less would he spare them Ver. 7. And thou saidst I shall be a Lady for ever c. This is added as another cause of Babylons destruction to wit her security and presumptuous confidence concerning the perpetuity of her greatness and which was indeed the root of her pride and cruelty So that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart that is say some That Israel was my peculiar people and that therefore though I made use of thee to correct them for their sins yet there was no likelihood that I would cast them off for ever and consequently thou didst not lay to heart the cruelties thou didst exercise towards them But rather the things they did not lay to heart were the things which were now foretold them those woful miseries which their inhumane dealing with Gods people would at last bring upon them which is further confirmed from the last clause neither didst remember the latter end of it That is what would at length befal thee for thy cruelty to them yet some understand this too of the end of Jerusalem or the people of God namely that they did not bethink themselves that God would at last deliver his people Ver. 8. Therefore hear now this thou that art given to pleasures that dwellest carelesly c. To wit without fear of any change see the Note Judg. 18.7 that sayest in thine heart I am to wit the great Monarch and Empress of the world and none else besides me that is there is no Kingdom like me either for magnificence or sure stability all other are not worth the naming and are as nothing in comparison of mine An arrogant and blasphemous expression wherein she ascribes that to her self which God often mentions as his transcendent peculiar dignity I shall not sit as a Widow neither shall I know the loss of Children that is I shall not sit desolate as a Widow nor want of the Royal issue to sit upon the Throne Or I shall never want a King that shall be as a Husband to me nor be deprived of that numerous people which as my Children live in subjection to me See Rev. 18.7 Ver. 9. But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day c. To wit in that day when Babylon was taken by Cyrus which was done so suddenly and unexpectedly that there was no place for counsel or escape The loss of Children and Widowhood that is the destruction of thy people and thy King Belshazzar amongst the rest See Dan. 5.30 See the feregoing Note They shall come upon thee in their perfection that is both the one and the other shall be fully and to the utmost accomplished upon thee even to the utter destruction of thy Kingdom for the multitude of thy sorceries and for the great abundance of thine enchantments that is for all thy magical arts and practices wherein the Caldeans did abound So that this is mentioned as another cause of their destruction Ver. 10. For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness c. To wit either their wicked policies their rapines and oppressions and all other the wicked ways whereby they had raised themselves to their present greatness and whereby they might still hope to secure themselves against all fears and dangers Or 2ly the riches and power which they had gotten by such ways of wickedness Or 3dly all their Magick Arts mentioned in the close of the foregoing Verse and much afterward insisted on whereon they relied much because they thought their Magicians able to foresee and foretel future things and heard nothing but assurance of good from them and likewise able by their Sorceries and Witchcrafts to help them and prejudice their enemies Thou hast said none seeth me That is thou hast flattered thy self as if neither God nor Man could take notice of thy sinful ways and policies See the Notes Chap. 29.15 and Psal 64.5 Thy wisdom and thy knowledg it hath perverted thee That is thy trusting to that which thou esteemest great wisdom and knowledg thy carnal policy or thy great skill in Magick Arts hath deceived thee and mislead thee emboldening thee in thy hardness and causing thee to chucker thy self with groundless hopes and thou hast said in thine heart I am and none else besides me see the Note above ver 8. So that all things considered the drift of this Verse seems to be to shew what was the Root and Spring of that pride and security in the Babylonians mentioned before Ver. 7. as the cause why God would destroy them Ver. 11. Therefore shall evil come upon thee thou shalt not know from whence it riseth c. It is in the Hebrew Thou shalt not know the morning thereof and therefore some take the meaning to be either that they should not know what day it should come or that they should take no notice of the apparent signs of their approaching destruction though there should be many things that should be as clear tokens of their approaching ruine as the first dawning of the morning is a token that the Sun is about to rise yet they should never observe them And because the words may be rendered Thou shalt not know the rising thereof it may be the more probably thought that there is a secret nip here given to the practice of their Magicians and Astronomers on whom they so much relied who in their Figure-casting were wont studiously to observe the rising and aspect of the Planets as if it had been said you that by the rising of the Planets pretend or foretel what all days will prove whether fatal or prosperous shall not be able to foresee the rising or the morning of the day of your own destruction And again it may be spoken with reference to the sudden surprisal of Babylon that was taken before the Inhabitants began to fear any danger as all Histories reports But because our Translators have rendred the word thou shalt not know from whence it riseth it is clear that they understand it of their not knowing from what Nation or Countrey their destruction should come upon them the Babylonians not dreaming at that time of any quarrel or evil intention that Cyrus had against them And mischief shall fall upon thee
the strong man arm'd Luk. 11.21 22. we may easily conceive Ver. 26. And I will feed them that Oppresseth thee with their own Flesh and they shall be drunken with their own Blood as with Sweet Wine c. Some would have the meaning of these words to be only this that by destroying Gods People they should bring destruction upon themselves or that as they had destroyed Gods People and thereby had as it were eat their-Flesh and drunk their Blood so they also should be destroyed and their cruelty should be in a manner satisfied with their own Flesh and Blood which some think might be the more fitly said because Cyrus brake in upon them and destroyed them when they were Feasting together Dan. 5. But rather the meaning is that they should destroy and tear one another in peices as eagerly as if it were meat and drink yea sweet wine to them and so the People of God should need to do nothing themselves towards their deliverance See the Note Chap. 9.20 And indeed thus it was at the Destruction of Babylon those nations that had formerly helped the Caldeans to destroy the Jews did then joyn with Cyrus in destroying the Caldeans yea as Histories report the Caldeans here divided among themselves in so much that many of them fell off to Cyrus and had a principal stroke in the destruction of Babylon And all Flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer the mighty one of Jacob and therefore able to deliver you from all your mightiest Enemies CHAP. L. Ver. 1. THus saith the Lord where is the Bill of your Mothers divorcement whom I have put away c. Because the Jews in Babylon and very many apply it also to those that should live when the Romans had broken that Nation in pieces after their Crucifying of Christ did complain of Gods casting them off who had formerly been as a Husband to them never Charging it upon their own Wickedness whereby they had provoked him to such displeasure against them therefore in allusion to that Law Deut. 24.12 for which see the Notes there whereby the Husband that put away his wife was enjoyned to give her a bill of divorce and was disabled for ever taking her again and by warrant or pretence whereof the Jews did usually put away their wives upon very slight occasions even upon any dislike which they took against them the Lord in a way of derision doth here challenge them to produce the bill of divorce whereby he had divorced them where saith he is the Bill of your divorcement whom I have put away intending thereby either that he had not cast them off but that they had treacherously left him or that he had not cast off the Church of the Jews in a way of divorce at least not their whole Nation nor for ever never to receive her for his wife again or else which seems most probable that he had not put them away without any just cause as they used to put away their wives out of inconstancy or over-much austerity only because it was his pleasure so to do but upon very just grounds for her base adulteries and breach of the Marriage-Covenant with him And to the same purpose tend the following words or which of my Creditors is it to whom I have sold you for there likewise in allusion to that law Exod. 25.7 for which see the Note there by warrant whereof many parents to help themselves in their want or pay their debts were wont to sell their Children and their Creditors when they were no other way able to satisfy them took their Children for their debts 2 Kings 4.1 The Lord requires them to name which of his Creditors it was to whom he had sold them implying that it was most absurd for them to think of him as of one that could be indebted to any man or that should through poverty be constrained to sell his Children And this some understand of selling their Children to those of another Nation for when they sold them to any of their Brethren these were always to be set free at the year of Jubile Behold for your iniquities have you sold your selves and for your transgressions is your Mother put away that is you have sold your selves to Satan and Sin see the note 1 Kings 21.25 or rather by your wickedness you have brought your selves into the state of Bondage you are in and have provoked God to cast you off Ver. 2. Wherefore when I came was there no man when I called was there none to answer c. This is spoken of the obstinacy of the Jews in not receiving God when he came to them by his prophets and not minding him nor hearkning to him when by them he shewed them how they might be delivered and so did as it were tender to rescue them out of their Bondage and so likewise as some think of their farther obstinacy in their slighting and disregarding God when by his own Son he came to them and taught them the way of Life and Salvation and there was none in a manner amongst them that regarded him or his Doctrine or miracles according to that John 1.11 He came unto his own and his own received him not Now accordingly though some think this is added to make good the charge in the foregoing verse that by their wickedness they had provoked God to cast them off and so had brought themselves into Bondage if they would have minded God when he called upon them by his prophets by the Lord Christ and his Apostles they had never come into such a sad condition yet I rather think that this is added as a farther Charge to wit that as they had brought themselves into Bondage so they themselves also were the cause why they were not delivered God had by those he sent to them shown them the way how they might be saved but they would not hearken to him For thereto tends that which is added Is my hand shortned at all that it cannot redeem or have I no power to deliver namely to shew that they must needs yield that it was their stubborness in not hearkning to his instructions and counsels that was the cause why they continued in their Bondage and were not delivered because certainly they would not dare to say that his hand was shortned and could not reach to the working of as great deliverances as he had formerly wrought for his people to which purpose it is that he mentoins those wonderful works of his in drying up the Red-Sea first and Jordan afterwards before the Israelites For hereto the following words have clear reference I dry up the Sea I make the Rivers a Wilderness see the Note Psal 106.9 Their Fish stinketh because there is no water and dieth for thirst and indeed we might well think that this might well be so at those miraculous dryings up of the Sea and Jordan if we consider how long they lay dry and
body as the ground and as the street to them that went over The meaning is That in their Bondage in Babylon their great Lords should trample upon them proudly and contemptuously and without any Compassion and use them just as they pleased themselves they not daring in the least to mutter against them And the like may be said too concerning their sad condition when they were vanquished by the Romans CHAP. LII VERSE 1. AWake awake c. See the Note Chap. 51.17 This is still to chear up the Jewish Church with hope of deliverance from that poor and miserable condition whereinto they were to be brought and it is thus often repeated partly because of the delight the Prophet took in imparting these glad tydings to the People and partly because the People were so hardly wone to embrace the promise in regard that they looked upon their Estate as desperate and past all hope of recovery Awake awake put on thy Strength O Zion that is pluck up a good courage be courageous and strong in the confidence of Gods favour and protection which is indeed properly thy strength put on thy beautiful Garments O Jerusalem the holy City as if he had said Put off thy poor and sad attire wherewith thou wert clad in thy low and captived Estate when thou wert wont to embrace the Dunghill and put on that brave attire again which thou wert accustomed to wear on thy Festivals and other times of Joy and Gladness As for the following words wherein there is a reason given why Gods People are stirred up to be so courageous and joyful for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean though some understand it of the great Reformation that should be made amongst them that no wicked ones should harbour amongst them or of the great holiness of the Church in the days of the Gospel which should be perfected in Heavenly Glory See the Note Chap. 35.8 Yet certainly it is rather meant of their being freed from the Cruelty and Tyranny of their Enemies But how then was this promise ever made good to the Church of the Jews from henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean I answer As this was spoken with respect to their deliverance out of Babylon the meaning cannot be that they should never more be invaded vexed and oppressed by any of the uncircumcised Heathens For it is well known that after that they were sorely afflicted and oppressed by Antioches Epiphanes and others and that at last the Romans did worse to them than ever the Chaldeans had done And therefore if we take this as a promise made to the Jews when they were delivered from their Captivity in Babylon it must be limited to the Babylonians to wit that they should no more be invaded as they had often formerly been nor tyrannized over by that Nation that had then so long held them in Bondage and he tearms them the uncircumcised and the unclean because in their Bondage this did most vex and afflict them that they Gods peculiar People should be made drudges to such a base heathenish uncircumcised People But now if we extend this to the Church of the Jews after they were ruined and destroyed by the Romans namely those that were together with the Gentiles the Church of Christs redeemed ones I see no other way that it can be understood but that their wicked Enemies should never be able to ruine them as the Jewish Church was by the Romans And this is that which Christ said Matth. 16.18 that his Church should stand in the midst of all opposition till she be taken up into Heaven where her Enemies shall trouble and afflict her no more Ver. 2. Shake thy self from the dust c. This seems to be thus expressed with reference to that which had been said in the foregoing Chapter ver 23. See the Note there of their lying on the ground whilst their proud Lords trampled upon them arise and sit down or arise and sit up as it is well rendered in our great Annotations Lie no longer on the ground but sit in a quiet and comfortable condition as formerly As Babylon was commanded to come down and sit in the dust Chap. 47.1 So Jerusalem is here called upon to arise and sit up from the dust loose thy self from the bands of thy neck O captive Daughter of Zion That is cast off thy Yoke But still we must know that the intent of this is to shew that this should shortly be done and that under this type there is also a promise couched of the Spiritual Redemption of the Church of God by Christ See the Note Chap. 42.7 Ver. 3. For thus saith the Lord ye have sold your selves for nought and ye shall be redeemed without Money See the Notes Chap. 45.13 and 50.1 and Psal 44.12 Because the Jews might think it impossible that they should be delivered from their Captivity in Babylon where they had been kept in bondage so long under such a mighty People therefore God tells them here that though they had sold themselves by their Sins that is though he had delivered them up to the Babylonians by way of punishing them for their Sins yet he their Lord and Soveraign had never sold away his interest in them by receiving any price of the Babylonians for them they did not so much as give him thanks for them and that therefore they could alledge no just Title to them but that it was free for him when he pleased to challenge his own just interest in them and to recover them out of their hands again By all which it appeared that there would be no difficulty in the work of their deliverance If God would challenge his just interest in them and deliver them from those that did unjustly keep them in bondage who could hinder him As they were sold for nought so they should be redeemed for nought As they were subdued by the Sword so by the Sword they should be delivered out of their Power And indeed in this too some Expositors endeavour to shew how the deliverance out of Babylon had some shadow in it of our Redemption by Christ Ver. 4. For thus saith the Lord God c. By former examples of the Lords delivering his People from the oppression of their Enemies he sheweth them what good reason they had to believe and wait for that deliverance out of Babylon which he had now promised them my People went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there as if he should have said And ye know how the Egyptians oppressed them there and how he plagued the Egyptians for it and delivered his People out of that their bondage and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause as if he had said and so likewise Sennacherib the Assyrian and some would have all the rest of the Assyrian Kings included that invaded Gods People did mightily afflict them causelesly when my People had
no way injured them for though Hezekiah had at first revolted from him yet he afterward submitted himself to him and by mutual agreement made him satisfaction and ye know how God destroyed him and his mighty Army and delivered his People from their Rage and Fury Thus I conceive is the meaning and drift of this Verse There is a hint here given the Jews of two former deliverances that God had wrought for his People and then in the following Verse he shews what might be inferred from hence concerning the sadder condition of his People in Babylon I know indeed that several Expositors do judge otherwise concerning the second clause and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause For some think that by the Assyrian there Pharaoh King of Egypt is meant and so they would have the meaning of the whole Verse to be this That the Israelites going down into Egypt only to sojourn there the King of that Country did without cause sorely oppress them But this opinion is built upon meer groundless and improbable conjectures as namely that that Pharaoh that knew not Joseph Exod. 1.8 was a Stranger even an Assyrian or else that all Tyrants were in those days by a Proverbial way of speaking called Assurs Others therefore say that by the Assyrian the Babylonian is meant and that he is here called the Assyrian because the Kingdom of Babylon was always formerly a branch of the Assyrian Empire and all Assyria was at present under the Dominion of the King of Babylon yea the rather too because the Assyrians frequent invading Judea in former times did open a Door to that absolute Conquest which the Babylonians did afterward make of that People and their carrying them away Captives into Babylon And so accordingly they make the Sense of the whole Verse to be this That the Egyptians did of old wrongfully oppress the Israelites when they sojourned amongst them and that the Babylonians had now done the like But the former Exposition is far the clearest to wit that there are here two Instances given of Gods pleading the Cause of his oppressed People formerly and that God argues from hence by an Argument taken from the greater to the less that if God punished the Egyptians for dealing so hardly and inhumanly with his People that went down into that Country voluntarily of their own accord that they might sojourn there though the King of Egypt had some pretence for what he did because they were in his Dominions and under his Jurisdiction And so again if God destroyed the Assyrians that only invaded and wasted the Land of Judea and afflicted them there in their own Country much more will he punish the Babylonians who without cause invaded their Country and carryed them away Captives into a strange Land Ver. 5. Now therefore what have I here saith the Lord that my People is taken away for nought c. The first words are very concise in the original and therefore may be understood several ways As 1. With reference to that which was said before ver 3. Now that my People hath been forcibly carried away into Babylon without any price paid to me for them what have I here that is what gain and advantage do I get by their being here in bondage As if he should have said Surely nothing at all it was not a bargain of my making neither do I get any thing by it and therefore why do I delay the rescuing of my People from this their Captivity Or 2. With respect to the foregoing Verse Seeing I could not endure the Egyptians and Assyrians that oppressed my People but punished them what have I here in Babylon that should move me to spare them that have carried them away Captive into a strange Country which the other did not Or what have I here to do but to destroy Babylon and to hasten the deliverance of my People from their greater oppression here Or 3. As bewaling the desolations of Judea having no People left me here in Judea what do I here Why do I not go away to Babylon and fetch my People from thence Or 4. With respect to their Bondage in Babylon what have I here in Babylon that I should be as it were as a Captive here amongst my People and not carry them back again to my Temple at Jerusalem And lastly some take it as spoken with respect to the state of the Jews when Christ their promised Messiah was sent unto them why do I stay any longer amongst this People sold over for nought and not remove from them and gather to my self another People Or what do I speak of what my People suffer here in Babylon seeing they lye under a far greater oppression of their Spiritual Enemies Why do I not hasten to deliver them from that bondage All these several ways these first words are understood by Expositors not without some ground of probability But the first I conceive doth best suit with our Translation However according to what is said in this first branch of this Verse we must understand the following words they that rule over them make them to howl saith the Lord to wit because of their cruel oppressing them both outwardly and in their Consciences also and my name continually every day is blasphemed to wit by the wicked Enemies of my People who continually insult as if I were not able to deliver my People out of their hands Indeed the Apostle affirms that this might be applyed to the Enemies blaspheming Gods name because of the wickedness of those that profess themselves his People Rom. 2.24 But doubtless the Prophet intended here the Heathens blaspheming the God of Israel by their boasting that he was not able to protect or deliver his People according to what we find also in Ezek. 36.20 And when they entered unto the Heathen whither they went they profaned my holy name when they said to them these are the People of the Lord and are gone forth out of his Land Ver. 6. Therefore c. That is Because my People have been thus carried away for nought and have been thus cruelly oppressed and especially because their Enemies have thus blasphemed my Name my People shall know my Name that is they shall experimentally know that I am the Lord Jehovah the only true God of Infinite Power and faithful to make good all my promises according to that which followeth therefore they shall know in that day to wit when my People shall be delivered out of Babylon as I have promised and when all things shall be accomplished by Christ that were foretold of him by the Prophets that I am he that doth speak behold it is I that is that it is I the Lord God that do now foretell these things by my Prophets in that I will exactly then accomplish what I now foretell Ver. 7. How beautiful upon the Mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tydings c. That is How welcome delightful and acceptable shall
themselves Ver. 11. And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared c. the Original word rendred afraid imports a terrifying fear and the latter rendred feared imports any lesser fear and so it must be understood as if it had been expressed thus Of whom hadst thou any dread or fear at all Some hold that Jerusalem is here charged with the impudency of a Harlot that is so bold in her waies of uncleanness that she fears neither God nor Man Others think that the drift of these words is to charge her with her being void of all true fear of God as the ground of their secure and obstinate running on in their sinful waies notwithstanding the formal profession she made of Religion yet the Lord tells her that she did not indeed fear him because she was fallen away to a false and Idolatrous Worship which was not according to the Rule of his Word But rather the scope of these words is to prevent an excuse she was like to make for her seeking to Forreign Princes for aid namely that she did it when she had just cause to fear that she should have been overcome and ruined by mighty Enemies before whom by her own strength she should be never able to stand for in answer to this God here demands of her what cause she had having him to depend upon for help to fear any Enemies though never so potent so as to fall off from him And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared that thou hast lied That is that thou hast dealt disloyally and fasly with me breaking thy marriage Covenant with me and hast not remembred me that is never minded me neither thinking how able I was to secure thee from the rage of thine Enemies nor what experience thou hadst had hereof in former times nor how perillous the wrath of my Jealousie might be if thou shouldst not carry thy self towards me according to thy duty nor laid it to thy Heart to wit as considering what the issue of these things might be As for the following clause have not I held my peace even of old and thou fearest me not The aim of that is to shew that the true cause why they were so bold to do those things which were directly contrary to his commands was because he had been silent and born with them long and this had so imboldned them that they stood in no awe of him or of his word instead of being bettered by his long-suffering and patience they were the worse for it and feared him the less and therefore it was high time to discover his displeasure against them Ver. 12. I will declare thy righteousness c. As if he had said with reference to what was said in the close of the foregoing Verse I will no longer hold my peace but by my Judgments executed upon thee I will make known what thou art I will declare thy Righteousness that is thy horrid wickedness for it is Ironically spoken and is much like that which God said of Adam Gen. 3.22 for which see the Note there Yet it might be also spoken in a way of deriding the high esteem which they had of themselves as righteous even in respect of their Idolatrous waies for which God abhorred them and thy works to wit wherein thou gloriest so much thy perfidiousness and Spiritual Whoredoms for they shall not profit thee that is whatever thou mayest think of thy unwarrantable ways they shall do thee no good but rather shall prove thy ruine at the last Ver. 13. When thou criest c. To wit to me in those calamities that are coming upon thee let thy Companies deliver thee as if he had said That is all the Answer thou shalt have from me I will turn thee off to the Companies thou hast relyed upon for help And by these Companies some understand the multitude of Idol-Gods which they had gathered from the Nations round about them and indeed we find God elsewhere thus turning off his People to them in a way of indignation and scorn as Judg. 10.14 Go and cry unto the Gods which ye have chosen let them deliver you And see also Jer. 2.28 But rather it is meant of those auxiliary Forces which the Forreign Princes to whom they had sent had promised to afford them but the Wind shall carry them all away that is thy hope in them shall deceive thee when thou lookest for help from them they shall not be found but shall be as Chaff which the Wind hath carried away see the Note Chap. 40.25 Vanity shall take them that is the least thing that is the least breath of Wind shall take them away but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the Land and shall inherit my Holy Mountain which is meant of those that should be brought back out of Babylon into their own Country and injoy Gods Ordinances again in his Temple as appears by the following Verse Ver. 14. And shall say c. To wit Gods People returning out of Babylon by warrant of the Proclamation of Cyrus they shall take order that all things should be removed that might hinder their return into Judea Cast ye up cast ye up See the Notes Chap. 35.8 and 40.3 4. c. Ver. 15 For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity c. That is who alone is truly Eternal Who only hath Immortality as the Apostle expresseth it 1 Tim. 6.16 And therefore also immutable and unchangeable whose Name is Holy see the Note 1 Sam. 2.2 I dwell in the High and Holy place that is in Heaven see the Note Psal 115.3 with him also that is of a contrite and humble Spirit see the Note Psal 34.18 to revive the Spirit of the Humble c. that is to comfort them only the word here used implyes that none can do this but he that can put life into dead men But now the drift of all this is to comfort the poor Jews in their Captivity that they might not question the foregoing promise of deliverance by putting them in mind that though their God was a God of Infinite and Incomprehensible Majesty and Holiness yet in the respect he had to the ordering of all things below he would be still graciously present with those that were humbled and afflicted for their Sins though they dare scarce look up to the most High God yet the most High God would come down to them and dwell in their hearts Ver. 16. For I will not contend for ever neither will I be alwaies wroth c. To wit with those that are of an humble and contrite Spirit see the foregoing Note For the Spirit shall faile before me and the Souls which I have made that is if I should do so the Spirits and Souls of my People would faint away or be overwhelmed with terror and despair the meaning is that even with respect to Mans infirmity and weakness whose life is but a blast God doth many times put
more in that place of Luke where our Saviour is said to have read this Text out of Isaiah which is not here to set at liberty them that are bruised of which therefore some say that it had been added in the Margin of the Septuagint by way of explaining the foregoing words and so was read also by our Saviour Ver. 2. To proclaim the acceptable Year of the Lord c. That is the set time when God would accept of his People into his favour again which though it might be intended of the time appointed for the deliverance of his People out of Babylon yet questionless it is principally meant of that set time appointed by God the Apostle calls it the fullness of time Gal. 4 4. Wherein God was pleased of his own free Grace upon satisfaction made by Christ to tender unto poor Sinners forgiveness of Sins and full Reconciliation with himself by the Preaching of the Gospel which is indeed a time welcome and acceptable unto those poor Souls that lay groaning under a heavy burden of Sin 1 Tim. 1.15 and Rom. 10.15 See the Note Chap. 49.8 It is probable that in the words there is an allusion to the year of Jubile which was a Type of the Days of the Gospel for which see the Notes Lev. 25.10 c. And the day of Vengeance of our God that is the time when our God will take vengeance on the Babylonians the Enemies of his people or Mystically when Christ will destroy the Spiritual Enemies of his People Satan Sin and Death and so rescue his PeoPle out of their Bondage See the Notes Chap. 59.17 18. Yet some understand it of the day of Judgment when God will cast all the Enemies of his Church together with Satan into Eternal Damnation To comfort all that Mourn to wit with the glad tydings formerly mentioned And to the same purpose are all the several Expressions added in the following Verse Ver. 3. To appoint unto them that Mourn in Zion to give unto them Beauty for Ashes c. That is goodly and beautiful Garments instead of Ashes wherein they sat and wherewith they sprinkled themselves in Times of Sorrow See the Note Chap. 58.5 The Oyl of Joy for Mourning See the Note Psal 45.7 and 104.15 The Garment of Praise for the Spirit of heaviness that is such Garments as Men are wont to praise for their Beauty and Bravery or such Garments as Men are wont to weare on Festivals and times of Triumph when thy meet together to praise God for some great Mercies that they might be called Trees of Righteousness that is that those that were as Trees cut down to the ground or spiritually dead might sprout up again and flourish and both be and be esteemed a Righteous People The planting of the Lord that he might be Glorified See the Note Chap. 60.21 Ver. 4. And they shall Build the old wastes c. See the Notes Chap. 58.12 and 60 10. Ver. 5. And Strangers shall stand and feed your Flocks c. that is you shall be in such a prosperous condition that the Heathens whether taken in War or bought or hired by you shall chearfully and readily serve you even in the meanest and most servile Imployments and see also the Notes Chap. 14.1 2. But now as this is spoken with respect to the Days of the Gospel many Learned Expositors understand it thus that even from amongst the Gentiles many should be raised up that should be Teachers in the Church of Christ Ver. 6. But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord Men shall call you the Ministers of our God c. Some I conceive without any just ground would have this understood particularly of the Priests and Levites thus that they should be no more despised and abused as they had been in Babylon it is like above the other Captives but that they should be highly esteemed amongst the People as the Priests of the Lord and the Ministers and Servants of God for questionless the Prophet speaks here as before to the whole people of the Jews and accordingly the intent of the words is to shew them that however basely they had been used and esteemed in Babylon yet 1. When God delivered them from thence they should be honoured abroad and in as great repute as if they had been all Priests a Holy People consecrated to Gods Service and in special favour with God See the Notes Exod. 19.6 And 2. When they came to Embrace Christ in the Days of the Gospel they should be advanced to be Priests unto God in a more peculiar and Spiritual manner as it is said Revel 1.6 That Christ hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father even to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices to him see Rom. 12.1 and 15.16 Heb. 13.15 and 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye shall eat the Riches of the Gentiles See the Notes Chap. 60.5 6 7.1.16 and 45.15 And in their Glory shall ye boast your selves that is in their Riches and all that shall be Glorious amongst them their Learning Eloquence Gifts and Graces and in a word in all the Glory which from them shall redound to you But see also the Notes Chap. 49.18 and 60.9 Ver. 7. For your shame you shall have double c. That is as it is spoken to the Jews with respect to their Captivity in Babylon for the shame you underwent in the Land of your Captivity ye shall have double Glory that is abundant Glory see the Note Chap. 40.2 For this seems to be added with reference to the last Clause of the foregoing Verse And in their glory shall ye boast your selves or a double portion for the Dammages and Losses ye had formerly sustained And thus some conceive that the following words are added by way of explaining these and for confusion they that is the Jews the person is changed as often elsewhere in this Prophet for the reproach they underwent shall rejoyce in their Portion that is in their returning to and possessing again that Land which God had of old given them for their Portion and Inheritance therefore in their Land they shall possess the double that is double Glory as is before said or a double Portion in the Land to wit in regard of the extraordinary Blessing of God upon that which they enjoyed or in regard of the large extent of each ones Portion in comparison of what they formerly held because there was but only a small Remnant of them that returned a Tenth of them only Chap. 6.13 the greatest part of them being wasted and destroyed partly by the Sword and Famine in their own Land before they were carried away Captives and partly in their Captivity by reason whereof they that returned had the First-borns Portion a double Portion Everlasting joy shall be unto them See the Note Chap. 35.10 Well but now there was but only a beginning of the performance of this promise in the deliverance of Gods People out of Babylon and their return
believing Jews or Zions Watchmen before mentioned ver 6. the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel are here called upon to go out of her Gates to make way for the Gentiles to come into the Church Again others understand it of the Jews encouraged hereby to press and throng in through the Gates of Jerusalem which though formerly broken down or burnt should at their return ftom Babylon stand open before them ready to receive them And under this Type they conceive that the flocking in of the Gentiles on all sides to the Church is comprehended see the Notes Chap. 26.2 and 60.11 But because in the following Words there is mention made of preparing the way for the Jews return out of Babylon it is not so probable that their pressing into the Gates of Jerusalem should be here set before that it may be rather thought that the Jews are here pressed to hasten speedily and to go through the Gates of the several Cities where they were in Captivity and to get away to their own Country which indeed agreeeth well with that which is said elsewhere see the Notes Chap. 48.20 and 52.11 Yea and some too think that it may be spoken to those to whom the following Words are directed prepare you the way of the People cast up cast up the high-way gather out the Stones for which see the Note Chap. 40.3 lift up a standard for the People see the Note Cap. 49.22 Ver. 11. Behold the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the World c. To wit that which follows say ye to the Daughter of Zion see the Note 2 Kings 19.21 Behold thy Salvation cometh that is thy Redemption and Deliverance or thy Saviour that shall deliver thee for that this last is at least implied is evident by the following Words behold his reward is with him c. Now as this is spoken with respect to the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon the meaning is either that the Lord had by the Proclamation of Cyrus enjoyn'd all Nations should give liberty to his People to return home to their own Land which agrees well with that expression of Cyrus in his Proclamation Ezra 1.2 Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia the Lord God of Heaven hath given me all the Kingdoms of the Earth c. or else that the Lord by the wonderful manner of that deliverance of the Jews would cause all Nations even to the end of the World to understand that it was done by his Will and Command But now as it is spoken with respect to that great Work of Mans Redemption by Christ whereof the other was a Type the meaning is that the Lord had by the preaching of the Gospel Proclaimed unto all Nations the coming of the promised Messiah that so they might come in and joyn themselves to his Church and indeed that passage say ye to the Daughter of Zion behold thy Salvation cometh is expresly applyed to Christ by the Evangelists Math. 21.5 behold his Reward is with him and his Work before him see the Note Chap. 40.10 Ver. 12. And they shall call them the Holy People the Redeemed of the Lord c. That is upon their miraculous deliverance men shall own them to be the People whom God had Sanctified and set a part to himself to be his own peculiar People see the Note Exod. 19.6 and whom he had made a Holy People and redeemed out of the power of their Enemies see the Notes Chap. 4.3 and 60.21 and thou shalt be called to wit thou O Zion sought out that is of her Husband that had cast her off see the Notes Chap. 34.6 7. Or one over whom God took special care to look after her and recover her when she was lost Or the meaning may be that she should be sought after as one that was in high esteem to wit by the Gentiles that should seek to joyn themselves in one Church with her and so it should be no more said of her as formerly it was this is Zion whom no Man seeketh after Jer. 30.17 A City not forsaken that is neither cast off by God nor left desolate without People as formerly she seemed to be see the Note above ver 4. CHAP. LXIII VERSE 1. WHO is this that cometh from Edom c. Having in the foregoing Chapter Ver. 11. spoken of the Lords coming to save his People as of a thing ready to be done immediately say ye to the Daughter of Zion Behold thy Salvation cometh behold his reward is with him c. Here the Church say some or the Prophet rather as if he had seen in a Vision this great Saviour of his People the Lord God like some great Prince coming from the Slaughter of his Enemies whom he had vanquished in Fight with his Garments all stained with their Blood breaks forth into this expression of admiration who is this that cometh from Edom with Died Garments from Bozrah and that still to assure Gods People that it would not be long ere he would come and deliver them by destroying their Enemies It is questioned by Expositors why it is said that he came from Edom and from Bozrah which was the chief City of Edom. That which was commonly said by the Ancients that the Prophet speaks this of Christ ascending triumphantly into Heaven after his Bloody passion cannot certainly be here intended because it is expresly said afterwards ver 3. that his Garments were Red not with his own Blood but with the Blood of his Enemies Nor is there much probability in that which is said by others that because Edom signifieth Red and Bozrah signifieth a Vintage nothing else is intended by saying that he came from Edom and Bozrah but that his Garments were Blood-red like one that having trod a Winepress hath his Garments all over besprinkled with the Blood of the Grapes it is therefore far more probable which some others say that it is to be understood Literally concerning the destruction of the Edomites that were always bitter Enemies to the Jews Psal 137.7 Or rather that the Edomites are put for the Enemies of Gods People in General especially the Babylonians and that because the Edomites had been successively in all Ages professed deadly Enemies to the Jews and so had manifested themselves to be when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians and by reason of their near Neighbourhood were best known to them see the Notes Ch. 34.5 6. This I conceive is the genuine meaning of the place that this is spoken of God coming like some Victorious Prince from the destruction of the Babylonians and other his Peoples Enemies having his Garments besprinkled with their Blood yet I question not but that under these Victories of God over the Babylonians and other Enemies of his People Christs Victories over their Spiritual Enemies were also Typified As for the following Words they contain a farther Description of this great Saviour of his People this that is glorious in his Apparel that is Clothed with
near or else that they are challenged to tell and say what they could by way of defending their Idol-gods yea after they had met and consulted together about it which is certainly intended in those words bring them near yea let them take Counsel together And then in the following words the particular is expressed whereby they are challenged to prove their Idol-gods to be true Gods who hath declared this from ancient time that is Which of your Idol-gods have foretold things to come long before they came to pass as I have foretold this concerning the destruction of Babylon and the deliverance of my people and so other things before mentioned even from Abraham unto this time Who hath told it from that time that is from ancient time as was before said but see also the Note Chap. 44.8 have not I the Lord and there is no God else besides me a just God and a Saviour that is a true God a God indeed able to save those that seek to him It is the very same Argument whereby often before it was proved that Idol-gods were no true Gods namely because they could not foretel future things nor save those that served them as the true-God did See the Notes Chap. 41.22 26. and 43.9 12. Ver. 22. Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth c. As if he had said Look not to your Idol-gods that cannot save you but look unto me that is own me to be the only true God worship me and seek unto me and trust in me see the Notes Psal 123.1 2. and so ye shall be saved to wit both temporally from your streights and dangers here in this World and Eternally hereafter and doubtless this is spoken with reference to Gods purpose of calling the Gentiles to be his people as is clear by the following verse Ver. 23. I have swore by my self c. Upon occasion of the foregoing invitation of all Nations to own the true God to let them see that it would be their wisest course so to do here the Lord makes his Purpose and Decree concerning his bringing in of all Nations to be his People and because this might seem strange and incredible especially to the Jews that looked upon themselves as chosen of God to be his peculiar people therefore he confirms it with an Oath I have sworn by my self having no greater to swear by saith the Apostle Heb. 6.13 the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness that is say some upon good and righteous grounds it being unquestionably a most just and righteous thing that all men should own and worship the true God or rather in truth and faithfulness as being fully resolved to do what I say and shall not return that is the word I have spoken is a Decree irrevocable I will never reverse it or it shall certainly be accomplished it shall not return without effect as men often do that go out upon some enterprise but are not able to effect what they designed that unto me every knee shall bow every tongue shall swear that is I will so manifest my self to be the only true God the multitudes of all Nations that have formerly worshipped Idol-gods and sworn by them shall then know and worship me and swear by my Name or swear Fealty and Allegiance to me see the Note Chap. 19.18 This is undoubtedly the true meaning of this place The Apostle indeed cites this place as a proof that all mankind throughout the World shall at the day of Judgment be brought into subjection under the power of God in Christ and shall stand crouching before him as being forced to acknowledg him their Lord and Judg Rom. 14.10 11. We shall all stand before the Judgment-seat of Christ for it is written As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God But considering that the bowing of all Nations before God in Christ at the last day by way of owning his Soveraignty and Dominion over them was a full accomplishment of that universal subjection of all Nations to him which was begun in the conversion of the Gentiles What wonder is it that this which is here foretold by the Prophet concerning the calling of the Gentiles and their owning of the Soveraignty of God in Christ should by the Apostle be applyed to the whole Worlds acknowledging of it and being forced to submit to it when he shall come to judg both quick and dead of all Nations Ver. 24. Surely shall one say c. It is in the Margin Surely he shall say of me In the Lord is all righteousness and strength and according to this Translation the meaning is that the faithful among the Gentiles even every one of them that shall turn unto God in Christ and shall own and serve him shall upon all occasions be ready to acknowledg and profess with much rejoicing that in him is abundance of Righteousness that is Justice Truth and Faithfulness and an All-sufficiency of Power to do for them whatever he pleaseth this they shall find experimentally and so to their comfort shall see how much better it is with them than when they served Idol-gods but now if we read it as it is in our Translation Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness and strength there the meaning seems to be that those Converts before spoken of should be still ready to glory in this that all their righteousness both imputed and inherent and all the strength they had to obey Gods Commandments was wholly from the Lord of themselves they had nothing that was good in them nor were able to do any thing that was good in Gods sight As for that which follows even to him shall men come and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed some understand the first branch of it even to him shall men come of the Converts before mentioned to wit that they should come in embracing the advice before given them ver 22. and join themselves to God and his people see the Note Psal 65.4 though before Aliens and Heathens and then the second Clause and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed they understand of those wicked Wretches that did obstinately despise God and oppose him and his Truth to wit that they should be destroyed and thereby be brought to shame and confusion of face But then others again understand both branches of these that will not stoop to God but stand out against him and provoke him to Wrath to wit that they should perforce come before Gods Tribunal and there shall be put to Everlasting Shame and Confusion Ver. 25. In the Lord shall all the Seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Some hold the genuine sense of this place to be That the innocency of the main body of the Jews or of the faithful amongst them should be justified by the Lords Pleading their Cause against their Enemies by rescuing
them out of the hands of their Oppressors and taking vengeance on them that had so sorely wronged and vexed them and that they should glory and triumph in this according to that Jer. 51.10 The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness come and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God And indeed the word justified is sometimes so taken as Chap. 50.8 He is near that justifieth me saith the Prophet to wit against the false aspersions of mine Adversaries Who will contend with me But because there is in the foregoing Verses such a clear Prophecy of the Calling and Conversion of the Gentiles I rather do understand it with the general current of Expositors of that Justification whereby those that come to God in Christ are discharged from their Sins and owned as Just in his sight and some conceive that this is added by way of confirming that triumphing of the faithful in the foregoing verse Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness and affirming that so it should indeed be In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory See the Note Chap. 44.5 yea and it may well be which some conceive that by calling those Converts that should be justified and glory in the Lord the seed of Israel the Prophet did purposely seek to prevent the Jews any thought that he intended that God would cast off the Jews and take the Gentiles to be his people in their stead No God would own them still as his first-born People and the Gentiles should be ingrafted into their Stock and made the Children of Abraham the Seed of Israel together with them CHAP. XLVI VERSE 1. BEL boweth down Nebo stoopeth c. These were the principal Idol-gods of the Babylonians those doubtless which they esteemed their great Tutelary Gods but under these all the rest of their forged Deities are comprehended for the drift of the Prophet here is to shew that God would destroy together with Babylon even their Idol-gods too in whom they trusted See the Note Chap. 21.9 And this might be mentioned also as a figure of the utter ruine of Idolatry throughout the World by the Gospel of Christ the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon being by all acknowledged to be a figure of that great work of our Redemption by Christ Of Bel we read Jer. 50.2 Babylon is taken Bel is confounded c. and again 41.4 I will punish Bel in Babylon and in Pliny there is express mention of an Idol called Jupiter Belus yea and probable it is that with some respect to this Idol-god it was that Daniel was called Belteshazzar when he was brought a Captive into Babylon Dan. 1.7 because of that Nebuchadnezzar saith of him Dan. 4.8 But at the last Daniel came in before me whose name was Belteshazzar according to the name of my God Indeed of the other Idol Nebo we find no mention elsewhere in the Scripture but we find a City so called from one of their Idol-gods See the Note Numb 32.38 And many of the Babylonian Princes and Nobles seem to have had their Names from this Idol Nebo as Nebuchadnezzar Naburadan Nabopolassar and others The word Nebo according to the Hebrew imports Prophecy and therefore it is generally thought that this Idol was an Oracle amongst them to whom they resorted for information concerning future things As for that which is said of these Idols Bel boweth down Nebo stoopeth it is clearly a Prophecy of the ruine and destruction of these Chaldean Idols when Babylon should be taken by Cyrus some indeed would have these terms of bowing down and stooping only to imply that these Idols that had been so magnified and highly esteemed should now decline and sink in their Credit and others that they should stoop to the Yoke of Captivity but the following words do plainly shew that it is meant of the Persian Souldiers beating them down being made of Silver and Gold that they might carry them away as a rich Booty Indeed considering that this was spoken when Babylon and her Idols were yet in their height of Glory it may well be which some say that these Expressions are used to imply that their downfal drew nigh Bel boweth down Nebo stoopeth as if he had said they are falling they are falling they begin to totter and will not stand long however it is certainly spoken in a way of derision as importing that those lofty Idols before whom the Heads and Knees of the proud Babylonians had so often bowed should now bow and fall down themselves their Idols were upon the beasts and upon the cattel that is they were by the Persians laid as so much luggage upon their beasts or tumbled into Waggons that they might be carried as a rich prize into their own Country your carriages were heavy loaden they are a burden to the weary beast This may be taken as spoken either to the Persians or to the Idols as terming the carriages wherein they were carried away their carriages However this is all spoken by way of derision as if it had been said Surely these are weighty gods the poor weary beasts have much ado to carry them Ver. 2. They stoop they bow down together c. Some understand this of the weary beast that carried the Babylonian Idols to wit that they fainted and sunk under the weight of them and so likewise the following words they could not deliver the burden which they would have to be all one as if it had been said The poor beasts could not free themselves from their burthen Or they could not carry the Idols to the place where they were to deliver up that their burden But rather it is meant either 1. of the Babylonians that they stooped and hung the head they could not deliver the burthen that is they could not save their Idols from being carried away when they saw the Persians lading their beasts with them Or rather 2. Of the Idol-gods For the first words They stoop they bow down together are in effect no more but a repetition of what was said in the beginning of the foregoing verse to wit that both Bel and Nebo and all the rest of their Idols together with them did stoop and bow down that is were broken down by the Persians and carried away upon their beasts And accordingly they understand that which follows they could not deliver the burden that is say some they could not keep themselves from being a burthen to the weary beasts Or rather they could not deliver the burden wherewith the beasts were laden out of the hand of the enemy that is they could not deliver themselves but themselves are gone into captivity That is even their Idol-gods so far they were from delivering the People that they themselves together with the People were carried Captives It is in the Hebrew their Souls are gone into captivity which is an Hebraism intending no more than what is said in our Translation themselves