gathered together and kept in safe custody And the meaning of this may be either 1. That they should be held and bound so fast by the Almighty Power of God in that low and base estate whereinto they should be brought that they should be no more able to extricate themselves out of it than Prisoners are able to make an escape out of some strong Dungeon where they are laid together Or 2. that they should be together carried Captives into Babylon their multitude should no way secure them Or 3. that they should be slain and laid up together in the grave the pit whereinto people are frequently in Scripture said to be gathered But now if the words should be understood this last way then the following clause and after many days shall they be visited must necessarily be meant of a farther Visitation in wrath to wit of God's delivering them up at the Day of Judgment when they should be raised out of the pit of the grave to the eternal Torments of Hell Or else that clause must be read as out of Junius we have it in the Margin of our Bibles And after many days shall they be found wanting that is they shall no more of a long time be found lifting up themselves in a way of enmity against God All which being not improbable I doubt not but that this last clause is added as a promise of Grace and Favour And after many days shall they be visited to wit in Mercy And it may be meant either 1. Of the deliverance of those before threatned from the Babylonian bondage to wit that they or their Posterity should after many years be set at liberty by the Medes and Persians See the Note Chap. 23.17 Because they had long provoked by their wickedness therefore they should be a long time kept there in sore Bondage but yet at length after many days deliverance should come Or 2. of God's visiting their Posterity in wonderful Mercy under the Kingdom of Christ by sending him into the world and causing the way of Life through him to be made known to them by the Preaching of the Gospel for that this is here included the following verse doth clearly shew Ver. 23. Then the Moon shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed c. That is When after this execution of Divine Vengeance on his enemies in a manner all the world over God shall at last visit them in mercy as was said in the close of the foregoing verse which though it may be meant initially of God's delivering his people out of Babylon yet it must needs be principally meant of God's gracious visiting his people under the Kingdom of Christ in the days of the Gospel with such exceeding glory and brightness shall the Greatness and Majesty of God shine forth in this Kingdom of Christ that the Sun and Moon shall be ashamed to shew their faces their brightness shall be as no brightness yea as mere darkness in comparison of that when the glory of this Sun of Righteousness and Day-spring from on high shall shine forth in the world it shall darken all the glory and magnificence of all earthly states and worldly things even as a greater light doth darken the less When the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his ancients gloriously That is when God in Christ shall in his Church gathered out of all Nations of which Zion and Jerusalem was a type reign so gloriously and discover so much of his excellent glory in their protection and spiritual Government the holiness which he shall work in them here and the glory and happiness which he shall clothe them with in Heaven hereafter and his Saints taking notice thereof shall be still admiring it and praising his name For though his ancients are only here mentioned his Magistrates and Ministers yet under these as their representatives the whole body of God's people is understood See the Notes Chap. 4.2 3 4 5. CHAP. XXV VERSE 1. O Lord thou art my God c. Some conceive this to be a Song of Praise uttered as in the person of God's Church and people yea of the Church of Believers in the New Testament God's Elders or Ancients mentioned in the close of the foregoing Chapter But I see not why it may not be as well taken as the Prophets own Doxology Being deeply affected and even transported with the consideration of those wonderful works of God foretold in the former Chapter concerning the dreadful Judgments he would execute upon the wicked both amongst his own people and all the Nations about them in a manner all the world over concerning his gracious preservation of a remnant which he would reserve for himself and especially concerning the excellent discovery he would make of his transcendent Majesty and Glory in the Kingdom of Christ the last thing mentioned in the foregoing Chapter here on a sudden he leaves his Prophetical Discourse and breaks forth abruptly as it were into a Psalm of Praise and Thanksgiving as admiring the counsels and courses of God therein O Lord thou art my God as if he should have said Whatever wicked men may do my soul shall wholly cleave to thee I will exalt thee I will praise thy Name see the Note Psal 52.9 For thou hast done wonderful things he speaks of the wonderful things which he had foretold should be done as if they had been done already and see the Notes Chap. 9.6 Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth that is that which thou didst long since foretel or thy Promises and Threatnings wherein thou didst reveal to thy people what from Eternity thou hadst determined to do thou hast most truly and faithfully performed Ver. 2. For thou hast made of a City an heap of a defenced City a ruin c. There is no just ground why this should be restrained as some would have it either to Jerusalem or Samaria or Babylon or Rome the seat of Antichrist It is rather meant generally of God's ruining the Cities threatned in the foregoing Chapter for which see the Note there ver 10. A palace of strangers to be no City it shall never be built that is Thou hast utterly ruined the stately Royal Cities of the Heathens the Seats of their great Kings and that irrecoverably too so that they shall never be built again at least not for many generations see the Note Psal 37.18 Nor in their former Splendor and Glory Ver. 3. Therefore shall the strong people glorifie thee the City of the terrible Nations shall fear thee The meaning is that because of these ruins which God should bring upon Kingdoms and Cities either 1. the remaining and surviving remnant of those ruined people should be forced to acknowledg God's just hand upon them and dread his mighty power Or 2. the neighbour Nations should tremble and be afraid at the consideration of the Glory and Majesty of the great God of Heaven and Earth that had done these
and their Redemption by Christ signified thereby and more especially that above Ver. 7. concerning his pardoning penitent Sinners it shall not return unto me void c. that is without effecting what I have said shall be Ver. 12. For ye shall go out with joy c. This is mentioned as the word of promise of which he had said in the foregoing Verse that it should not return void but should surely be accomplished for which see the Notes Chap. 52.11 and ye shall be led forth with peace that is ye shall be led along from Babylon to Judea peaceably and quietly See the Notes Chap. 52.11 under which also may be intended mystically that inward Peace which Christians should enjoy in their passage to Heaven And there seems also to be an allusion in the words to the leading of the Israelites by a Pillar of Cloud as they went through the Wilderness to Canaan The Mountains and the Hills shall break forth before you into singing and all the Trees of the Fields shall clap their Hands that is they shall rejoyce at your joy and welfare See the Notes Chap. 35.1 and 44.23 and 49. Yet there may be an Allusion also in the words to the Mountains ringing with and ecchoing back the joyful shouting and singing of Gods People and to the pleasant noise made in the Arms the Branches and Twigs of the Trees by the sweet gales of Wind which God should send for the refreshing of his People as they went along Ver. 13. Instead of the Thorn shall come up the Firr-Tree and instead of the Briar shall come up the Myrtle-Tree c. Some understand this of Gods making the way of the Jews in their return homeward from Babylon convenient and comfortable and that they should meet with nothing that should be any an annoyance or hindrance to them even as they should go through those vast barren Desarts that lay in their way And so they make this parallel with that Chap. 41.19 for which see the Note there But then others again understand it and I think better of the mighty change that should be in the Land of Judea at their return thither Having say they assured the Jews that their return should be safe and peaceable and comfortable here the Prophet adds That though their Land had so many years in their absence lain desolate over-grown with Briars and Thorns for want of People to till the Ground yet at their return home it should be exceeding fruitful abounding with all useful and pleasant Trees and Plants and that the Face of their Country and State should be every way changed for the better But for this and how it may be also understood spiritually of the great change that should be wrought amongst Christs redeemed ones in the days of the Gospel whereof their return out of Babylon was a type See the Notes Chap. 4.2 and 35.1 2. and 49.11 and it shall be to the Lord for a name that is this deliverance and restitution of his Church and People and this glorious change that shall be wrought amongst them shall bring much Glory to God for an everlasting Sign that shall not be cut off that is it shall be an Everlasting monument of his glorious Power and Goodness to his People by means whereof the Lord shall be for ever praised and his People shall be confirmed in their confidence that God will never forsake them CHAP. LVI VERSE 1. THVS saith the Lord keep ye Judgment and do Justice c. That is Do you all Judges and others that which is exactly just and right The exhortation to repentance begun in the former Chapter Ver. 6 7. is farther here pressed For my Salvation is near to come and my righteousness to be revealed See the Notes Chap. 46.13 and 51.51 It is the same in effect with that which the Baptist Preached Math. 3.2 and Christ also Mark 1.15 The Kingdom of God is at Hand repent ye and believe the Gospel Ver. 2. Blessed is the Man that doth this c. That is That keepeth Judgment and doth Justice as was said in the foregoing Verse See the Note Psal 106.3 and the Son of Man that layeth hold on it that is that doth zealously and constantly keep close to the doing of this that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it that is that is careful to worship God as he hath appointed them for the sanctifying of the Sabbath is here put for the exercising of all the Duties of Religion and Piety and that haply the rather because this they might observe in their Captivity in Babylon whereas many other parts of Gods Worship were only to be performed in the Temple at Jerusalem and keepeth his hand from doing any evil to wit to his Neighbour Ver. 3. Neither let the Son of the Stranger that hath joined himself to the Lord c. That is Let not any Gentile that by Faith in Christ hath joyned himself to my Church and People Speak saying The Lord hath utterly separated me from his People to wit because I am as an Alien and a Stranger and not of the Stock of the Jews neither let the Eunuch say Behold I am a dry Tree that is like a dry Tree barren and without possibility of Issue Because by that Law Deut. 23.1 c. for which see the Notes there an Eunuch and Proselytes that came in from other Nations and joyned themselves to the Church of the Jews were debarred from being admitted into full communion with the Common-wealth and Church of Israel left therefore the Eunuchs or Heathens should think that surely they should not have any share in the Priviledges here promised but only those that were born of Israel and had not any such Note of Infamy upon them and indeed we see how exceedingly even the believing Jews stumbled at the taking in of the Gentiles into the Church of Christ Act. 10.45 and 11.2 3. therefore the Lord doth here assure them that in the days of the Gospel of which he had spoken there should be no such distinction betwixt Jew and Gentile betwixt Person and Person but that those that seemed most vile and contemptible if they came into Christ should be admitted to the same Priviledges with the rest of his People Ver. 4. For thus saith the Lord unto the Eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths c. See the Note above ver 2. and chuse the things that please me that is that upon Judgment rightly informed do sincerely set themselves to do those things that I have commanded them for both Will-worships and Hypocrisie are hereby excluded and take hold of my Covenant that is that do imbrace the mercy tendered to them in my Covenant of Grace and carefully observe to do those things that by their Covenant with me they are bound to do and so adorn their profession of Christianity with a holy Conversation Ver. 5. Even unto them will I give in my House and within my Walls c. To wit within the Walls of my
having formed them for himself and for his own Glory he was engaged to deliver them even out of respect to his own honour that he might have a people to praise his Name Ver. 22. But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob c. That is say some You my people the seed of Israel have not called upon me in your troubles as having indeed no confidence in my protection and help But rather by calling upon God here as usually elsewhere the whole worship of God is meant and accordingly I take these words But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob to be all one in effect as if he had said You think that you have called upon me and so have yielded me that honour for which I made you my people as it is said in the foregoing verse but it is not so you have not called upon me but upon an Idol-god of your own feigning a god which will be content meerly with external Worship which I abhor Chap. 29.13 nor do ever own those Prayers as service done to me which are not offered with the inward Devotion of a believing holy and obedient heart and so thou hast not called upon me but thou hast been weary of me O Israel that is it hath been a burden to thee to serve me And the drift of the Lords alledging this is say some to shew what just cause he had to cast off them and take in the Gentiles to be his people But rather it is to shew that their deliverance out of Babylon now promised them and likewise the great work of our deliverance by Christ would be meerly of Gods free Grace and not because they had desired any such favour from him Ver. 23. Thou hast not brought me the small cattel of thy burnt-offerings neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices c. That is say some Thou hast not offered them to me but to Idols And so they understand also the following clause I have not caused thee to serve with an offering nor wearied thee with incense that is I have not exacted such abundance of these kind of oblations of thee as therewith to over-burden thee and to make thee weary of my service no it is thine Idols for whom thou hast been at so much cost and upon whom thou hast tired out thy self with offering them such a multitude of Sacrifices But rather the meaning is that because they did not offer them in a right manner God did not own them as sacrifices offered to him See the Notes Chap. 1.11 c. they were not the service which he had given them in charge Ver. 24. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money c. To wit for the precious Ointment Exod. 30.23 or for the Incense Exod. 30.7 wherewith it is therefore joyned Jer. 20.6 It is thought to be the same that is elsewhere called Calamus Ezek. 27.19 and it is spoken of as a costly thing because it grew not in their own land but was brought from far Countries neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices that is Thou hast not satisfied nor delighted me with thy sacrifices I never regarded them See the foregoing Note but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities as if he should have said I have not caused thee to serve with imposing upon thee too great a burden of sacrifices but thou hast caused me to serve with thy wickedness to wit because thy sins have been as great a grief and trouble and burden to me as it is to men to serve under hard Task-Masters and I have been as much wearied with bearing with thee as such a man can be with enduring such a hard service Ver. 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake c. And not in regard of any desert of yours and see the Notes Psal 51.1 Ver. 26. Put me in remembrance c. That is If you have any thing to alledge or reply against this which I have charged you let me know it Or if there be any thing wherewith you have deserved your deliverance and the Remission of sins promised put me in mind of it for it may be I have forgotten it and therefore you shall do well to bring it into my remembrance which is spoken by way of a sharp ironical derision let us plead together to wit that the truth betwixt us may be known See the Note Chap. 1.18 declare thou that thou mayest be justified that is Say what you can for your selves alledge what it is whereby you have deserved that I should work so great a deliverance and so great salvation for you that hereby you may be justified Ver. 27. Thy first Father hath sinned c. Some understand this of Adam the first Father of all Mankind and think that this is mentioned because sin being traduced from him to all his Posterity they that were descended from such a corrupt stock must needs be sinners themselves Again because this seems to be spoken with more special respect to the Jews others understand it of Abraham and that with respect to his being an Idolater before his calling see the Notes Josh 24.2 And indeed Abraham is usually spoken of in the Scripture as the first Father of that Nation because he was first circumcised which was the sign whereby they were always afterwards distinguished from other Nations as Chap. 51.2 Look unto Abraham your Father And they used to glory much in this see Matth. 3.9 and John 8.39 But indeed the most of our best Expositors hold That hereby is meant their Ancestors in general Thy first Father which is all one as if he had said Thy fore-father hath sinned and the word Father being usually taken collectively as it is Ezek. 16.3 Thy Father was an Amorite it is all one as if it had been said Thy fore-fathers have sinned And so for the following words and thy teachers have transgressed against me thereby I conceive is plainly meant their Priests and Prophets and that this is added as an aggravation of the wickedness both of them and their Fathers that even they that taught others and so should have been themselves most exemplary for good were even as bad as others And so the drift of the whole verse I conceive is to shew that seeing their fore-fathers had been great Transgressors as well as themselves they could not ascribe the great deliverances which God had now promised to any goodness that God had found either in them or in their Fathers Indeed this people did use to glory much in their Fathers but God gives them to understand that had there been nothing else to move him to shew them mercy they had been destroyed long ago Ver. 28. Therefore I have profaned the Princes of the Sanctuary c. Reading this as it is in our Bibles I conceive it is clearly meant of those at least the chief of those that in
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
not be unfitly said that it was from these Eastern Nations that they had learnt their Idolatry and other gross sins yet the corrupt customs and rites here meant wherewith they had been replenished from the East seem to be their Magick Arts Sorceries Divinations and such like superstitious practices for which the Arabians the Syrians and Chaldeans were famous in those times as we see amongst others in Balaam that egregious Sorcerer who was of Pethor of Mesopotamia Deut. 23.4 and brought by Balak out of the mountains of the East Numb 23. and herewith that suits well which followeth and are soothsayers like the Philistines only withal observable it is that because the Philistines who were also much addicted to these Superstitions see 1 Sam. 6.2 bordered on the west of the Jews as the Syrians and Chaldeans did on the East this is all one in effect as if the Prophet had complained that they had filled their land with these Heathenish practises from all the Nations that were round about them and they please themselves in the children of strangers that is they follow the rites and customs of outlandish people with much delight and are pleased to be like to them for though some Expositors understand this of their abusing themselves with the children of strangers in the horrid sin of Sodomy a vice too common even amongst the Jews in those times 2 King 23.7 and others of their priding themselves in having many servants to attend them that were of foreign Nations yet it is far more probable that the Prophet intended hereby that they were much affected with conforming themselves to those their wicked rites and customs or perhaps that they were pleased with having commerce and joining themselves to them by Covenants and Marriages But now for the dependance of these words upon that which went before Some conceive that this sad complaint which the Prophet here enters into of the woful condition whereinto the Jews had brought themselves by their great sins tends to shew the reason why in the foregoing verse he had invited them to turn unto the Lord by unfeigned repentance namely because God had in a manner forsaken them for their horrid wickedness and exposed them to the fury of their cruel enemies and so they were in danger to be utterly cast off and destroyed if they did not prevent it by a serious and timely returning to their God And some add too that herein a reason is hinted why he had inserted the foregoing Prophecy of the Calling of the Gentiles But I rather conceive that this is added as by way of correcting what he had said in the foregoing verse O house of Jacob come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord as if he had said But alas to what end do I invite this people to repentance seeing for their manifold horrid sins God hath rejected them and so they are in a hopeless condition Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob because c. He the rather directs his speech to God to imply the stupidity of the people and what little likelihood there was of prevailing with them Ver. 7. Their land also is full of silver and gold c. As if he should have said In this also they carry themselves more like the Heathens that are round about them than as becomes the Israel of God Instead of seeking Gods favour they are all for heaping up riches and filling their houses and land with silver and gold this they set their hearts upon as putting all their confidence for their safety herein and in this they pride themselves lavishing it out upon themselves and upon all that belongs to them yea even upon their Idols see Hos 2.8 It is not therefore their having such abundance of silver and gold but their insatiable covetouss and priding themselves and trusting in their riches that is here taxed And accordingly the following Clause may also imply this Neither is there any end of their treasures that is their covetous desire after these things is insatiable they never think they have enough of them though I think that is chiefly intended to set forth the uncountable abundance of their wealth And the like we must conceive of that which is added concerning their horses Their land is also full of horses neither is their any end of their chariots to wit that they gloried and trusted in these and minded not Gods favour But see the Notes Deut. 17.16 17. Ver. 8. Their land also is full of Idols c. This expression is used to imply both how openly this sin was practised amongst them and likewise how violently they were addicted to it every corner of their land was full of these vanities They worship the work of their own hands that which their own fingers have made an high degree of blindness and madness that they that were the workmanship of God should adore an Image which their own hands had made instead of God their Creator Ver. 9. And the mean man boweth down and the great man humbleth himself c. That is all sorts of men high and low do basely prostrate themselves to these Idol-gods therefore forgive them not that is let that vengeance which thou hast threatned fall upon the body of this people that those that are not incurable may be reclaimed But for such imprecations see the Notes Psal 28.4 and Neh. 4.5 Ver. 10. Enter into the rock and hide thee in the dust for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty Hereby the Prophet foreshews that a day of vengeance was nigh at hand wherein though their land were full of Horses and Chariots as he had said before vers 7. neither that nor any thing else should do them any good all the poor refuge that should be left them would be that as desperate men that had no hope in God nor no outward power whereby to resist their enemies they should endeavour to hide themselves in rocks and caves in the earth a poor refuge by reason of the dread that should fall upon them when the Lord should appear in such dreadful Majesty to punish them by the Chaldeans for all their wickedness Ver. 11. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down c. That is he shall pull down the pride of those that have exalted themselves against God The chief thing intended is that they that basely bowed down before their Idols should now be justly humbled and laid low by the just judgments of God And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day that is the Lord before whom such base Idols are now preferred shall then be alone exalted because he shall then be known to be the only true God and all the power and pride of man shall be found to be nothing before him they all confessing that it is he that hath brought these judgments upon them and admiring his infinite justice and power
will give children to be their Princes c. As if he had said Instead of those men of worth that shall be taken away silly and childish men shall be brought to rule over them And this might be spoken with respect to Ahaz and Manasseh or rather to the four last Kings of Judah that did indeed manage their affairs very weakly But see the Note Eccles 10.16 Ver. 5. And the people shall be oppressed every one by another and every one by his neighbour c. This is added to set forth what tumults disorder and confusion there should be in the land amongst people of all ranks without any respect of age or state of neighbourhood or friendship when those that were the stay of the State were taken away and men so unfit to rule should have the reins of Government put into their hands when there should be no Governour or such as should be as bad as none Ver. 6. When a man shall take hold of his brother c. The drift of this passage is to shew that in that confusion described in the foregoing verse the state of things should be so miserable and in such a desperate condition that no man should be willing to undertake the Government a thing which at other times men are wont most ambitiously to affect though he were never so earnestly pressed to do it When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father as if he had said In that confusion men shall be ready to tender the Government to some one of their fathers family and kindred And so too it may imply that this should be done factiously in several places to the disturbance of the common peace some chusing one and some another every one seeking to advance one of his own family without any respect to the publick good However this expression of taking hold a man shall take hold of his brother doth clearly imply how earnestly they should urge and press and importune him as those that would have no denial but would in a manner force him to undertake that Government saying Thou hast clothing that is thou hast better apparel than any of us have an expression which may imply that they should be brought to such a low and poor condition that if any man was but a little better clothed than the common sort were they should proffer to make him their ruler Or clothing may be mentioned figuratively to imply an estate fit for a chief Magistrate Thou hast clothing as if they should have said Thou art well bred and hast been generously brought up thou hast an estate convenient for a Governour at least thou art not so low brought as we are but hast somewhat left to maintain thy state Be thou our ruler as if they should have said We chuse thee to be our ruler and therefore without any delay undertake this charge and let this ruin be under thy hand that is undertake thou the charge and support of this ruinous and declining state The meaning is that they should endeavour to affect him to compassionate them in their misery saying Thou seest we are like to be utterly ruined put to thy helping hand to prevent it by thy power do what thou canst to bear us up and to uphold us from that ruin that is apparently coming upon us Ver. 7. In that day c. That is in that day of Gods vengeance before mentioned or in that very day when the supreme Government shall be tendered to men as was said in the foregoing verse the man to whom it is tendered shall presently so soon as the motion is made to him without taking any time to deliberate or consult about the business refuse the tender that is made to him he shall swear saying I will not be an healer that is he shall not only refuse the Government but to shew how resolved he was herein he shall refuse it with an Oath It is in the Original In that day shall he lift up to wit his hand but thereby is meant In that day shall he swear for which see the Notes Jer. 14.22 Deut. 32.40 saying I will not be a healer in the Hebrew it is a binder up but for that see the Note Psal 147.3 the meaning is that to make them know that he would never be drawn to take the Government upon him he should tell them plainly that he was no way able to heal the breaches that were in their ruined State I will not be a healer as if he had said These wounds and breaches in your State exceed my skill and are too hard for me to cure I am no way fit to undertake such a dangerous and difficult charge For in my house is neither bread nor clothing make me not a ruler of the people that is Whatsoever you may think I have not an estate fit for such a charge which tends much to set forth the low and desperate condition of the State at that time whether it were a false oath meerly out of fear that he might decline the danger of accepting the Government tendered or whether he spake truly and so those should be found to want necessaries for the support of their own families that were thought fit to be chosen to the highest places of Magistracy amongst them Ver. 8. For Jerusalem is ruined and Judah is fallen c. This may be taken as the continued speech of the party spoken of in the foregoing verse that should refuse the supreme Government tendered to him wherein he gives this as the reason of his refusal that the state of the land was so far ruined that it was not in his power to uphold it Or rather as the words of the Prophet foretelling the certainty of theâ—r ruin by speaking of it as if it were done already and withal giving reason why it must need be so Because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory that is his glorious eyes the eyes of his glorious Majesty and who hath manifested himself amongst them to be a God of infinite glory See the Notes Chap. 1.4 Ver. 9. The shew of their countenance doth witness against them c. As if he had said Not only their words and deeds but even their very countenance their Whores forehead as it is called Jer. 3.3 the open profession which they made of their impiety did sufficiently discover what impudent and vile wretches they were there needs no other witnesses to convince them And they declare their sin as Sodom they hide it not that is they are no way ashamed of it but openly avow it boasting of it and glorying in it as the Sodomites did Wo unto their soul that is wo to them See the Note Psal 3.2 For they have rewarded evil to themselves See the Note Prov. 11.17 Ver. 10. Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with him c. That is let this be said to those that are
Chap. 6.12 Behold the man whose name is the BRANCH And accordingly they understand this Prophecy thus that after those forementioned calamities when the stock of Davids family seemed in a manner quite withered and dead the Lord should suddenly and unexpectedly cause a Branch to sprout forth from that stem that should be beautiful and glorious which is all one as if he had said that from that family thus decayed and in a manner quite dead God would raise up to his people a Captain and Commander that should turn their sorrow into joy and bring them into a happy condition again for by this Branches being beautiful and glorious to the remnant of Israel may be meant the amiableness and the glory and majesty of Christ as well in regard of the transcendent dignity of his person being the only begotten Son of God that thought it not robbery to be equal with God and every way replenished abundantly for the discharge of his work as likewise in regard of the eminency of his office and the wonderful bliss which thereby redounded to his people he being their head and so the fountain from whence all grace life and salvation was derived to them and so the meaning in effect is this that Christ should restore the remainder of his spiritual Israel to glory and honour by his salvation and grace Again 2ly others understand this place thus That the grace and favour of God or the gifts and benefits and graces which God should bestow upon his people should spring up and be visible amongst them though before in such a desolate condition as a branch beautiful and glorious And indeed we find an expression much to this purpose Psal 85.11 concerning which see the Note there But 3ly very many of our best Expositors do by the branch of the Lord understand the Church and people of God which agreeth with that Chap. 5.7 The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Judah his pleasant plant And 44.3 4. I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring and they shall spring up as among the grass as willows by the water-courses And so they take the meaning of that which is here foretold to be this that whereas the people of God after the calamities before threatned and especially after the Babylonian Captivity should be as a piece of ground wasted and dried and parched never likely to become a people any more much less to recover their ancient splendor and glory yet after that out of these poor remainder of Israel a branch of the Lord should spring forth beautiful and glorious that is this poor despised people should as a new Church sprout out afresh and be restored to as glorious a condition as ever And however this was partly accomplished in the rebuilding of the City and Temple of Jerusalem at their return out of Babylon and more especially in their spiritual glory because they that should be preserved out of the prophane rabble that were destroyed should be purged from their Idolatry and other wickedness and so should become glorious in Gods sight yet doubtless it was principally fulfilled in the glory they attained when they became the people and Kingdom of Christ So that as is said before it is much at one whether we understand this of Christ who was the glory of his Church or of the Church in whom Christ was glorified And to be sure very fit it was that Gods people should for their comfort be put upon the expectation of those glorious days of the Gospel because even after their return from Babylon the state of the Church should be still in many regards so mean and contemptible As for the following clause And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel some understand this also of the excellency and loveliness of Christ and that he is called the fruit of the earth with respect to his manhood See the Note Psal 85.11 And others by the fruit of the earth as before by the branch of the Lord understand the Church and people of God to wit that those poor remainders of Gods Israel that should be left in the land after their return out of Babylon should again grow up to an estate of great excellency and glory like some fruit-bearing plant that should suddenly spring out of a dry parched ground and bring forth rich and goodly fruit which they chiefly apply to that spiritual glory which they should attain by Christ their promised Messias in the days of the Gospel But the most of Expositors do by the fruit of the earth here understand the rich and plenteous gifts of Gods bounty and grace which after that time the people of God should enjoy as namely 1. That the land should yield her fruit in wonderful plenty excellent and goodly under which all other things tending to their outward happiness and glory may be comprehended which whether it were occasioned by the lands lying fallow in most places so many years together during the Babylonian Captivity or by the extraordinary blessing of God upon it did tend much to their bliss and glory in outward respects whence is that Ezek. 36.35 And they shall say This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden c. See the Note also Psal 72.16 And 2ly that they should excel and become most amiable and lovely for the manifold graces of God in them the fruits of the Spirit wherewith they should be most richly adorned for thus the Scripture is wont to speak of the holiness and righteousness of Gods people as of a spiritual fruit springing from an inward principle of grace in the heart and appearing gloriously in their lives and conversation and thence is that Chap. 45.8 Drop down ye heavens from above and let the skies pour down righteousness let the earth open and let them bring forth salvation and let righteousness spring up together And that Chap. 61.3 where the people of God are called the trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified See also again the Note Psal 85.11 Ver. 3. And it shall come to pass c. Here the Prophet sets forth what that glory chiefly was which God should confer upon his Church to wit that he that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem that is those that were left alive not in Babylon for many of those did chuse to continue there despising the liberty that was tendered then for their return into their own land but in Zion and Jerusalem being returned thither from their Captivity in Babylon under which may be comprehended even those that after their return dwelt elsewhere in the land because they also went up yearly to Zion to worship there shall be called holy that is shall be a holy people see the Note Chap. 1.26 when God had destroyed the wicked that were amongst them and
overshadowing every part of it for herein also that Prophet seems to allude to that clouds covering the Tabernacle which was in it self a glorious representation of the Church as it was Gods dwelling-place as usually at all times where the people rested Numb 9.16 So it was always the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night or else especially at that time when the Tabernacle was first set up when it was in a miraculous manner filled with the glory of God Exod. 40.34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle Ver. 6. And there shall be a tabernacle c. This may be added with reference to and as an explication of that foregoing verse as if it had been said And that cloud which the Lord shall create or that defence which shall be upon all the glory shall be a tabernacle to shelter them from all danger Or this may be another figurative expression to set forth how safely they should be protected And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day-time from the heat and for a place of refuge and for a cover from storm and from rain wherein there seems to be an allusion to the tents or tabernacles which shepherds were wont to provide to keep them and their flocks from the heat of the Sun by day and to shelter them from storms and from rain both by day and by night yet some conceive that there is an allusion herein to God's Tabernacle and that the drift hereof is to signifie either that Gods people should be under the defence before promised as safe as they that fled for shelter to the sanctuary whereto agreeth that promise Ezek. 11.16 I will be to them as a little sanctuary see the Note Psal 27.5 or else that as the Tabernacle was by the covering that was thereon defended from all annoyances of wind and weather both storms and rain so should the Church be defended by the provident care of God over rhem from all evils whatsoever both greater and lesser evils for which see also the Notes Psal 121.5 6. CHAP. V. VERSE 1. NOw will I sing c. This is another Prophecy distinct from that which went before and it is composed in the way of a mournful ditty setting forth the great care and cost that God had bestowed upon his people the Church of the Jews and how ill they had requited him for all that good that he had done for them And why God would have such like passages as this expressed in songs may be seen in the Note upon Deut. 31.19 Now will I sing to my well-beloved c. Some Expositors hold that this is spoken in the person of God the Father the Lord of the Vineyard and consequently that it is Christ his well-beloved Son his dear Son the Son of his love Col. 1.13 of whom he speaks here Now will I sing to my well-beloved see the Note 2 Sam. 12.25 But I see no reason at all why we should not take these words as spoken by the Prophet in his own name Now will I sing that is I will compose recite and publish in the way of a Song to my well-beloved that is to the Lord Christ whom with my soul I love For the Prophets and Apostles are in a special manner with respect to their office termed the friends of the Bridegroom Joh. 3.29 15.15 And in saying Now will I sing to my well-beloved his purpose is to shew that he composed this Song for his sake that it might be to his praise and glory according to that expression of Davids Psal 101.1 To thee O Lord will I sing that he had not done it out of a desire to cast any aspersions thereby upon the Jews but out of love to God in Christ and zeal to his glory as grieving to see him dishonoured and despised by a people for whom he had done such great things and that he might bring them to repentance or at least leave them inexcusable and might however vindicate Gods justice in punishing such an unworthy and ungrateful people And then for the words that follow A Song of my beloved touching his Vineyard they are added to set forth the subject-matter of the Song to wit that though it were written in the way of an elegant Parable yet it was intended concerning his beloved the Lord Christ and touching his Vineyard the Church of the Jews it was written in his name and by the inspiration of his Spirit and that to shew what he had done for his people and how ill they had requited the care that he had taken of them and the abundant means that he had used to do them good And indeed the Church of God is frequently in the Scripture compared to a Vineyard see the Notes Psal 80.8 c. and Cant. 8.11 12. 1. Because the Church are in themselves a weak and feeble people as the Vine in comparison of other Trees is a poor weak plant not able to bear up it self 2. Because God doth so highly prize and dearly love his Church above all people even as men are wont to esteem and delight in their Vineyards more than all their possessions besides 3. Because no part of mens husbandry do stand in need of so much care and cost as the Vineyards do And 4. because the fruit of the Vine is so precious and the stem thereof so useless if it bear no fruit in regard whereof as in sundry other respects the Church may well be compared to the Vine And very probable it is that hence Christ took those Parables concerning Vineyards Mat. 20.1 21.28 33 c. My beloved hath a Vineyard in a very fruitful hill Here the Song begins where there is in the first place mention made of the Vineyards being planted in a very fruitful hill because indeed Vines thrive best in hills if they be of a good soil Bacchus amat colles whence is that expression Psal 80.10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it and herein it seems he alludes either to the exceeding great fruitfulness of the land of Canaan Psal 80.8 9. or rather to that eminent and happy estate whereinto God had brought that people Ver. 2. And he fenced it c. To wit both with a hedg and with a wall without that as is evident by that which is said afterward ver 5. I will take away the hedg thereof and break down the wall thereof for which see the Note Psal 80.12 And gathered out the stones thereof and planted it with the choicest Vine and built a tower in the midst of it to wit as a watch-tower from whence the keepers of the Vineyard might over-look the whole ground round about it and watch that no thieves or beasts did break into it and also made a winepress therein to wit as making no question but that he should in time reap the fruit of his Vineyard as a
afterwards he speaks of these ver 19. under this expression Let him make speed and hasten his work Yet I see not but that this may also be extended to their not considering Gods works of Creation and Providence in general concerning which see the Notes Psal 28.5 92.5 6. so that this may be added to imply the reason why they did so wholly give up themselves to pleasure as if they had nothing else to do in the world to wit because they did not by a due consideration of his work lay to heart how great the Lord was whom they provoked by their sins Or because they did not consider that God the work of whose hands they were and who had made and by his Providence brought in to them all those necessary Provisions wherewith they were sustained had therefore done this that they might fear and serve him and not live as brutishly as the beasts do And indeed well might such men be charged with disregarding the works of God because gluttony and drunkenness do so overwhelm men and even drown reason in them that they mind nothing but their bellies whence is that of our Saviour Luk. 21.34 Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfeiting and drunkenness and so that day come upon you unawares Ver. 13. Therefore my people are gone into captivity c. That is they shall certainly go into captivity it is as sure as if it were done already It may be indeed the Ten Tribes were already carried away but it is the Babylonian captivity that is here threatned as the punishment of those sins which the Prophet had now reproved because they have no knowledg to wit to take notice of the danger they are in by a due consideration of the judgments either incumbent on them or impendent over them and so this may be spoken with respect to what he had said in the foregoing verse they regard not the work of the Lord c. or because they are such a sensual sensless and brutishly ignorant people and therefore it is that by way of aggravating this their wilful ignorance from the special means which God had afforded them to make them an understanding people they are here called Gods peculiar people Therefore my people are gone into captivity because they have no knowledg as if he had said Though I have given them my Law to enlighten them and sent my Prophets to teach them yet through their profaneness and sensuality they are as brutish as the very bruit beasts Wine and new wine take away the heart saith the Prophet Hos 4.11 and therefore they shall be carried away for slaves into a strange land And their honourable men are famished it is in the Original their glory are men of famine but the meaning is That the great ones amongst them that were in greatest esteem and lived in all pomp and plenty being generally accounted the glory of their Nation should be starved for want of necessary food Because in times of scarcity such men might hope by their wealth and greatness to secure themselves therefore the famishing of these is particularly expressed And their multitude that is the common people dried up with thirst which I conceive is meant of the streights they should be brought into both for meat and drink when Jerusalem should be besieged by the Babylonians And this is threatned as a just reward of their sin They that had wasted and abused Gods good Creatures when they had them in abundance by luxury gluttony and drunkenness should come at last not to have bread to eat or water to drink Ver. 14. Therefore c. That is say some Expositors because of the mortality that shall be amongst the people by reason of the famine mentioned in the close of the foregoing verse or rather because of their drunkenness and luxury before taxed and their not considering the work of the Lord Hell that is the grave or the place of the damned see the Notes Psal 55.15 86.13 hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure that is hath swallowed up innumerable multitudes of people men and women that died by sword famine and pestilence and their glory that is their great ones and their multitudes for both which see the foregoing Note and their pomp that is the pomp and jollity of their great ones in their feasting and triumphs for the meaning is that all their state and glory should perish together with them and he that rejoiceth shall descend into it that is the whole crew of those that spent their days in such revelling mirth and jollity drowning all fears and cares in rioting and carnal pleasures Some conceive that the drift of this place is to shew that because they had with such unsatiable greediness swallowed up the houses lands and estates of their neighbours therefore the Grave or Hell should as greedily swallow up them But I rather think that this is spoken with reference to the sin last mentioned ver 11. and so the drift of the place to be this that because they had been so insatiable in their gluttony and drunkenness and had opened their mouths and throats without measure to gusle down wine and strong drink therefore the Grave or Hell should open her mouth without measure to swallow them down in huge multitudes together with all their pomp and glory Ver. 15. And the mean man shall be brought down and the mighty man shall be humbled c. Before the same words in a manner are used to set forth their base crouching and bowing befor their Idols Chap. 2.9 The mean man boweth down and the great man humbleth himself that are here used to set forth the Lords bringing them down and laying them low by his judgments whereby we may see how God is wont to suit his judgments upon men according to their sins and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled see the Note Chap. 2.11 Ver. 16. But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment c. That is by the judgments which he shall execute upon them see the Note again Chap. 2.11 Psal 58.11 And God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness that is by his just proceedings against them in punishing them for their wickedness he shall be declared and acknowledged to be a just and holy God and men shall thereby be brought to fear and serve him See the note Levit. 10.3 Ver. 17. Then shall the lambs feed after their manner c. I see not but that this might be understood literally and that as an illustration of the judgments before threatned ver 13 14. to wit that when the inhabitants of the land were slain or carried away captive then cattel sheep and lambs should after their manner graze freely where ever they pleased all lands lying now open without any Inclosures and there being no body left to restrain them or keep them out Yea and some add too that they should feed even
denounce that judgment that God had past against the Jews that they should be given up to blindness of mind and hardness of heart ver 9. it may be clearly from hence gathered that he had Prophesied to them many years under Uzziah and had experienced their obstinacy for which this sentence was pronounced against them And 3ly this Vision therefore was not his first call to his Prophetical Office but to confirm and encourage him herein against all the opposition he had met with or might meet with therein as we see the Apostles Commission was again and again renewed to them for their greater encouragement And indeed considering with what Majesty and Glory God presented himself to the Prophet in this Vision it is no wonder though he were more than ordinarily astonished and it may be he became hereby more sensible of the great weight of his Office than he had been before But it doth not follow that God never revealed himself to him as a Prophet before I saw also c. To wit in a spiritual extasie or rather waking in an outward corporeal apparition whence is that which the Prophet afterward saith ver 5. Mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts see the Notes Gen. 15.1 Exod. 3.2 24.10 11. Numb 12.7 the Lord that is the Lord Jehovah one God in three persons whence is that afterward ver 8. Whom shall I send and who will go for us see the Note Gen. 1.26 And therefore the Evangelist St. John doth expresly affirm that it was the Lord Christ that appeared to our Prophet in this Vision Joh. 12.41 where having alledged that very sentence which is here pronounced by the Lord ver 9 10. concerning the blinding of the Jews he adds These things said Isaias when he saw his glory and spake of him And the Apostle Paul alledging the very same passage saith Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the Prophet It was therefore the only true God who is Father Son and Holy Ghost that now appeared to Isaiah sitting upon a throne as the great King and Judg of the world and ready now to pronounce a judicial sentence against the Jews his peculiar people High and lifted up that is exceeding high as before to express the exceeding height of the cedars of Lebanon it was said they were high and lifted up or high may have respect to the great height of the Throne in regard of the frame and making of it and lifted up to the situation of it in that it was seen aloft in the air very high above the earth both being to set forth the incomprehensible Majesty of God and how transcendently far this Heavenly judg is above all the Kings and Monarchs of the earth And his train that is the skirts of his royal robes or the skirts thereof as it is in the Margent that is the utmost parts of the Throne whereon he sate or that which hang down of the covering which lay upon the Throne filled the Temple that is the lower parts of the Temple It seems clear by this that this vision was seen in the Temple or in a representation of the Temple as likewise by that which follows ver 4. where it is said that the posts of the door moved at the cry of the Seraphim and that the house was filled with smoke and ver 6. that one of the Seraphims had a live coal in his hand which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar and that this was to signifie that it was that holy God whom they served in the Temple that now appeared to the Prophet and that the Jews might see how vainly they boasted so much in the Temple whereas in this very Temple that dreadful sentence mentioned ver 9 10. was now pronounced against them As for that which is said of his Trains filling the Temple that might be to signifie that the least ray of the Majesty of God was greater than all the glory of man or that the glory of God is spread throughout the Church or that the benefits of Christs Mediatorship do redound from him to the replenishing of the whole Church Ver. 2. Above it stood the Seraphims c. That is above the Throne right over against the Lord whose head and upper parts in that humane shape wherein he appeared were lifted up far above the Throne And these were Angels who appeared also in humane shape as is evident by the mention that is made of their face and feet and ver 3. of their humane voice and therefore also it is said that they stood to wit before the Lord in a way of reverence as attending upon him as Nobles are wont to stand about a King and as ministring spirits always ready to do whatever he shall enjoin them all being intended to set forth the astonishing glory of the Majesty of God As for the name that is here given them Seraphims which signifieth burning it is probable that they are so called either from their ardent love to God or zeal for God see the Note 2 King 2.11 or from their purity the swiftness and agility of their motion and their unresistable power see the Note Psal 104.4 or rather because they appeared like flaming fire as was suitable for the discovery of Gods fiery indignation against the Jews which is afterward set forth in that dreadful judgment which ver 9 10. is pronounced against them We cannot therefore say as some boldly do that these Seraphims were a peculiar order of Angels the highest and nearest to God of all for though it may be probably gathered from some other places of Scripture that there is some order amongst the Angels yet this word Seraphims setting forth the nature qualities and imployments of the Angels in general it cannot be concluded from hence that the Seraphims were an order of Angels distinguished from the rest of the Angels by that name Concerning their number there is nothing expressed That there were but two of them as some say answerable to the Cherubims upon and before the Mercy-seat in the Tabernacle and Temple Exod. 37.7 10. 1 King 6.27 cannot be concluded from that which is said ver 3. that one cried to another see the Note rather we may probably think there were great multitudes of them this tending most to set forth the infinite Majesty of God Each one had six wings c. And this also was as was the four wings of the Cherubims in Ezekiels Vision Ezek. 1.6 to set forth the agility of their nature and the swiftness of their motions as likewise it may signifie their mounting aloft in the knowledg of God and their conversing on high With twain he covered his face not as if the holy Angels do not at all see God for our Saviour saith expresly Mat. 18.10 That in Heaven the Angels do always behold the face of his Father but to imply how unable they were and how unworthy fully to behold the resplendent brightness of Gods
glory and with twain he covered his feet which might be to imply either 1. That the nature and motions of the Angels is hidden from men below and that as the Angels are unable to behold the glory of God so neither are men able to behold the glory of the Angels And 2. that they do not satisfie themselves in their Ministry and in the service which they perform to God as being conscious to themselves and ashamed of their imperfection and infirmity in comparison of the infinite purity and perfection of God concerning which see the Notes Job 4.18 15.15 and with twain he did fly that is they stood with their wings stretched forth and perhaps fluttering continually as ready to fly for it is not probable that the Prophet saw them flying to and fro and hereby was signified their readiness to do and their swiftness in doing whatsoever God enjoins them Ver. 3. And one cried unto another c. That is say some Expositors they cried together with one consent or they cried out by turns as two Quires of Singers are wont to do thereby exciting as it were and stirring up one another as it is said the men and women did in that Song of Thanksgiving wherewith they blessed God after their miraculous passage through the Red-sea see the Note Exod. 15.21 And said Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts Now this threefold repetition of the word holy is commonly said to imply the Trinity of the Persons in the unity of the Godhead But I rather conceive that the intent thereof was to signifie 1. The superlative and transcendent eminency of Gods Holiness both in himself see the Note 1 Sam. 2.2 and in all his ways and works yea and particularly in the judgment which was now to be pronounced against the Jews It is as if they had said Holy yea thrice-holy infinitely and unchangeably holy unto all eternity is the Lord of Hosts 2. The zeal and unwearied diligence of the Angels in setting forth the Praises of God And 3. how base a thing it was in the Jews to forsake this holy God and to follow after Idols The whole earth is full of thy glory see the Notes Psal 8.1 Yet some conceive that by this Clause the folly of the Jews is covertly taxed who carried themselves as if the glory of the Lord had been shut up and were only to be seen in the Temple at Jerusalem Ver. 4. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried c. That is at the voice of every one of the Seraphims as they cried which expression I conceive is proper enough though many of them cried out jointly together see the Note above ver 3. Or at the voice of God that cried to wit either by a voice that came immediately from him or by the voice of the Seraphims singing his Praise for though it be meant of the cry of the Angels yet this may be called the voice of God crying by them because it was by his power and not theirs that this was effected as it was Gods power that caused the walls of Jericho to fall down at the sound of the Rams-horns Josh 6.20 It is in the Hebrew And the posts of the Transomes or the Thresholds moved that is those pieces above and beneath the door whereto the side-posts were fastned But the meaning is that all the posts together with the door of the Temple that hung thereon did shake and tremble And this was questionless to signifie the terribleness of Gods anger now discovered and the dreadfulness of the judgment now to be denounced against the Jews see the Note above Chap. 5.25 and the fearful commotion and trembling it should when it was accomplished bring upon the people Yea and some add too that it was a sign of the overthrow of the Temple together with the ceasing of the Ceremonies that were used therein And the like may be said concerning the following Clause and the house was filled with smoke for this smoke filling the Temple might be to signifie the wrath of God against the Jews as in Psal 8.8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils c. and that in the burning of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Chaldeans yet as the Cloud that filled the Temple 1 King 8.10 so this smoke filling the Temple might be to signifie Gods presence there and so to assure the Prophet that it was the Lord that pronounced the following dreadful sentence against the Jews yea and some add that the smoke signified the blinding of them Ver. 5. Then said I wo is me for I am undone c. The meaning of this is that upon the sight of that glorious apparition wherein the Lord had presented himself to him and the hearing of that dreadful voice of the Angels owning and admiring the infinite purity and holiness of God and the discovery that was made of Gods indignation mentioned in the foregoing verse the Prophet was astonished and terrified as apprehending his very life to be endangered thereby concerning which see the Notes Gen. 16.13 Judg. 6.22 Exod. 33.20 and that the rather because these things did cause him presently to reflect upon his own baseness and impurity as rendring him unworthy to stand before so glorious and so pure a God as he expresseth it in the following words Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips But why doth he complain only of the uncleanness of his lips I answer 1. Because he was a Prophet and so might apprehend that he had been too remiss in reproving the sins both of Princes and people and consequently might fear that he had been in part the cause of the people 's not being reclaimed from their sins and so of the Lords breaking forth now in such high displeasure against them Or 2. to imply generally that he was all over a poor unclean wretch and one therefore that might justly fear lest the wrath of so holy a God might consume and destroy him In confessing the pollution of his lips he doth withal imply that corruption of his nature which had tainted his tongue for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Mat. 12.34 and so likewise the whole man and it is therefore all one in effect as if he had said I am all over unclean and therefore unable as to speak any thing from God or to God as I ought to do so also to perform any service to him or for him for which he might not justly be offended with me But wherefore doth he add that and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips I answer It may be only to imply first that he was naturally no better than they and that both he and they were a company of unclean creatures whom God might justly destroy Or 2. that besides his own pollution he might justly fear that his very dwelling amongst a people so horribly wicked and prophane
might bring him to be involved in the same punishments together with them Or rather 3ly that he might well think that he had contracted some contagion by living in the midst of such a wicked people it being very hard for a man to converse amongst such and not to be defiled by them but to be as the fish that are fresh and sweet though they live constantly in the salt-sea and haply the contagion which he feared he had contracted in his lips might be that their contumacy had made him either out of a cowardly fear of them or out of despair of doing any good upon them more remiss in contending with them than he should have been For mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts See the Note above ver 1. But why was the Prophet thus affrighted I answer considering the exceeding glory and dread of the Vision it was no wonder though he were for a time thus startled And besides it was one chief end of the Vision by the discovery of Gods Majesty and glory both to humble the Prophet that he might the more reverently attend upon him and receive his commands and likewise to strengthen and encourage him to go on couragiously in his office notwithstanding all the opposition he might meet with in the confidence of the greatness of his Lord that had given him his Commission Ver. 6. Then flow one of the Seraphims unto me c. To wit by the command of God before whom the Seraphims stood waiting still in a readiness to receive his commands having a live câ—al in his hand which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar that is from the altar of burnt-offerings whereon there was fire continually burning that did at first come down from Heaven see the Note Levit. 6.12 Here begins the relation of that which God had ordered to be done to quiet the troubled mind of the Prophet to free him from his fears and to confirm and encourage him in his Prophetical office and particularly in that service that was now to be imposed on him of making known Gods decree concerning the blinding of the â—ews Accordingly this live-â—oal taken from off the altar was intended to be a sign of the purging away his sins as it is explained in the following verse to wit in a way of expiation or remission or in a way of Sanctification or cleansing that as fire doth purge away the dross of metals so by Christ who is our sacrifice of Propitiation and likewise our altar Heb. 13.10 the sin of the Prophet should be pardoned and by the Spirit of Christ and the graces of his Spirit out of whose fulness we all receive Joh. 1.16 he should be enlightned sanctified and cleansed Because the sign was fire from the altar and so fire from Heaven it was the fitter to signifie that no purity of man is from himself but from God in Christ the expiatory sacrifice of Christ and from the sanctify my spirit of Christ which is therefore often compared to fire as Mat. â— 11. He shall 〈…〉 the Holy Ghost and with fire Ver. ◠〈…〉 my mouth and â—aid c. Had not the Angel informed the Prophet why he had touched his lips with a fiery coal from the altar he might have understood the meaning of it and so have been more terrified rather than â—â—motted by what was done he might have apprehended that it had been done in wrath for the fearing rather than the purging of his lips And therefore together with the sign he added a word of information Lâ— this hath touched thy lips and thâ—◠〈◊〉 is taken away and thy sin is purged as surely as tâ—â— coal from Gods altar hath touched thy mouth so surely are all thy sins forgiven thee and particularly the pollution of thy lips whereof thou didst complain and thou shalt be furnished with gifts fitting for the service which shall be enjoined thee See the two foregoing Notes There is no question to be made but that the Prophets sins were pardoned before and that he had been sanctified and set apart and fitted for his holy function and that with his tongue he had already done much holy service for God only by this which was now done he was confirmed in his Prophetical office and assured of a further supply of grace and that in a greater measure than formerly that so he might go on courageously and might not faint or fear because of the difficulty of the service enjoined him And observable it is that the coal is only said to have touched his lips the grace signified thereby is promised as from God Ver. 8. Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying c. To wit the Lord Jehovah whom he then in a Vision saw sitting as a King upon his Throne who now spake not to him as before by one of the Seraphims but immediately by himself Whom shall I send and who will go for us that is in our name and stead upon our service and for our glory We have the like expression Gen. 1.26 for which see the Note there It is spoken after the manner of men and that to imply both what singular abilities are requisite for those whom God sends forth as his messengers to teach a people and how few there are that are fit for that imployment as likewise with what wonderful wisdom and care God doth cull out choice and fit men for the work of the Ministry and particularly that it was thus in his sending the Prophet Isaiah And hereby also he was confirmed and assured that he was sent of God that so he might not stagger at that seeming incredible message he was now to carry concerning the blinding of the Jews Whereupon is the following answer which he presently returned Then said I here am I send me to wit because he was now encouraged and willing to undertake any service which God should impose upon him though never so dangerous and difficult Ver. 9. And he said Go and tell this people c. It is not Go and tell my people but this people which is spoken by way of great indignation See the Notes upon a like expression Exod. 32.7 Hear ye indeed or hear ye without ceasing as it is in the Margent but understand nâ—t It is as if he had said Ye shall have Prophets enough who shall boldly and faithfully make known my will to you whether you will or no and shall be constantly teaching and exhorting you but all shall do you no more good than if they had not spoken at all to you ye shall not effectually understand nor mind nor lay to heart what they say And the like may be said of the following Clause and see ye indeed but perceive not which may be meant of the signs or the miracles which their teachers should work in their sight and of the wonderful works of God which they should see and the judgments which God should bring upon them to wit that they
god to come to their help And this now is added in the close of all the Judgments threatned against the Moabites as the height of their misery to wit that when in their distress they should seek to their gods for succour they should be ashamed and confounded because all would be lost labour the longer they wearied themselves therein the worse things should still go with them And indeed so this is expressed by the Prophet Jeremy Chap. 48.13 And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh c. Ver. 13. This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning Moab since that time That is this which hath hitherto been foretold concerning the Moabites is the word which God hath spoken since that time that the Judgment which God had passed against them was first revealed to me That which follows ver 14. was after revealed Yet I do not see but that these words may be the entrance into the following Prophecy wherein the precise time is set down when this destruction now threatned should come upon the Moabites Having largely related the burden of Moab Chap. 15.1 that is the Prophecy which God had revealed to him concerning the miseries that were coming upon Moab as in reference to that now he adds This that is this Prophecy that followeth in the next verse is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning Moab since that time that is since the revelation of the foregoing Prophecy Ver. 14. But now the Lord hath spoken saying c. As if he should have said Since the time of the revelation of the foregoing Prophecy God hath now further made known his Will concerning Moab But now the Lord hath spoken saying Within three years as the years of an hireling and the glory of Moab shall be contemned with all that great multitude and the remnant shall be very small and feeble That is Three years hence at the end of three years the glory of Moab in the multitude of his people wherein he now prideth himself and whereon he relies with so much confidence shall be brought very low by the great destruction which their enemies shall make amongst them And as for those words As the years of an hireling they are added to imply that this Calamity should come upon them precisely at the end of three years neither sooner nor later even as an hireling goeth away from his Master just at the expiring of the time for which he was hired sooner than that his Master will not let him go and a day longer than that he will not stay it being usual with such hired Servants earnestly to long for the expiring of the time of their services for which see the Notes Job 7.1 and 14.5 The great question is concerning the three years the time prefixed for the destruction here threatned Indeed if we should understand these words within three years as some do of the space of time that should be spent by the enemy in the destroying of it there would then be no difficulty in the words because they might be understood of any three years at any time whatsoever But questionless the Prophet doth here determine the time when Moab should be wasted as is here foretold and that purposely for the encouragement of God's people by letting them know how soon this ruin should come upon these their proud enemies the Moabites And therefore too I cannot think that this is meant as some would have it of Nebuchadnezzars destroying the Moabites three years after he had destroyed Jerusalem The foregoing Prophecy is rather meant of the destruction of Moab by the Babylonians at least principally of that see the Notes Chap. 15.1 And this is added as another Prophecy distinct from that and revealed to the Prophet since that and therefore must be meant of some destruction brought upon them by the Assyrians three years after the promulgation of this Prophecy First therefore Some hold that this was prophecied in the beginning of Hezekiah's Reign and that it was fulfilled accordingly in the fourth year of Hezekiah when Shalmaneser went against Samaria 2 King 18.9 and so as he went thither might subdue and destroy the Moabites that he might not leave an enemy behind his back Or else that this was foretold by the Prophet when Shalmaneser did first besiege Samaria and that when he had taken Samaria which was after he had besieged it three years 2 Kin. 17.5 he went against the Moabites and brought this calamity upon them that is here foretold which last seems of the two the most probable because those foregoing passages Chap. 16.3 4. seem to upbraid the Moabites for their former inhumane dealing with God's people when they fled to them for shelter which may be meant of those of the ten Tribes that fled to them upon that invasion of their land by Shalmaneser Again 2ly Some hold that the Prophet foretold the destruction here threatned about the eleventh year of Hezekiah and it was executed upon the Moabites by Sennacherib when three years after to wit in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah he invaded the land of Judah 2 Kin. 18.13 to wit that as he marched with his Army out of Assyria with a purpose to subdue Jerusalem he fell upon the Moabites by the way which might be though Rabshakeh makes no particular mention of Moab amongst the people whom his Master had vanquished 2 Kin. 18.34 For indeed after the siege of Jerusalem it could not be because his Army was then so miraculously destroyed And thirdly Others think that this was threatned by the Prophet about the fourteenth or fifteenth year of Hezekiah and executed upon Moab about the seventeenth or eighteenth year of Hezekiah and that by Ezarhaddon the Son of Sennacherib when he swept away the remainder of the Israelites that were left in their land and so might well destroy the Moabites at the same time for which see the Note before Chap. 7.8 CHAP. XVII VERSE 1. THe burden of Damascus c. The chief City of Syria Chap. 7.8 So that under this the ruin of the whole Land of Syria is threatned And see the Notes also Chap. 13.1 and 2 King 9.25 Behold Damascus is taken away from being a City and it shall be a ruinous heap As if the Prophet should have said How impossible soever it may seem to you yet assure your selves the time shall come when you shall see that great Damascus of which you are now so exceedingly afraid to be made a very heap of stones and rubbish When this was effected it is hard to determine We find that Damascus was taken and sacked and the Inhabitants carried into Captivity by Tiglath-Pileser in the days of Ahaz See the Note 2. King 16.9 And indeed because in this place the destruction of Israel is threatned together with the destruction of Syria it may well be that the intent of this Prophecy was to comfort the men of Judah against the invasion of the two Kings of Syria and Israel whereof so much
whereas it should be nothing so God having determined that he should be deposed from his place of Honour and be carried into a far Country where he should die and be laid up in the earth far enough from that glorious Tomb which he had erected for himself as is more largely set forth in the following verses Ver. 17. Behold the Lord will carry thee away c. Some would have this rendred as it is in the Margin Behold the Lord who covered thee with an excellent covering and clothed thee gorgeously which must be understood of the Robes he wore proper to that place of Honour whereunto God had advanced him shall surely turn and toss thee as it followeth in the next verse But questionless the Translation in our Bibles is the best Behold the Lord will carry thee away with a mighty Captivity It is in the Hebrew with the Captivity of a man but thereby is meant a mighty Captivity and that say many Expositors because men-Captives are commonly used more hardly and carried farther away than those of the weaker Sex are It is as if he had said Thou makest full account to live and die in Jerusalem but God will certainly send thee packing into a far Country and there thou shalt end thy days he will make thee famous in another manner than that which thou affectest and thou shalt not be buried in an ordinary way but with contempt and disgrace and will surely cover thee that is he will even overwhelm thee with shame and confusion And herein there may be an Allusion to the Custom of Covering the faces of those that were condemned to die See the Note Esth 7.8 And this no doubt with all that which followeth in this Prophecy was in due time accomplished but how and when it came to pass the Scripture doth no where express Some think that he went out secretly and perfidiously to Sennacherib upon a design of betraying Jerusalem to him at which time the Assyrian Army being miraculously destroyed Sennacherib in a great rage carried him away with him Others conceive that he was carried away by the Babylonians together with Manasseh And others say that he was banished by Hezekiah or that he went away of his own accord into Foreign parts being displaced and cast out of the Court and there lived and died miserably But all these are but Conjectures Ver. 18. He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large Country c. That is as a ball being thrown with great strength in a large plain where there is nothing to stop it will fly and run very far way or may be tossed up and down from one place to another because the place is very spacious every way so the Lord will be sure to send thee far away from the place of thy present abode into the Territories of some great King that hath large Dominions and there thou shalt be driven up and down from place to place in an afflicted and restless Condition there shalt thou die in a strange land not in Jerusalem where thou hast provided thy self such a stately Sepulcher And there the Chariots of thy Glory shall be the shame of thy Lords house that is say some Thy former Glory shall be turned into extream contempt which shall redound much to the shame of thy Lord whilst it shall be said of him in his poor and wretched estate That once he lived as a Prince in Hezekiah's Court Or rather thy rich and glorious Chariots wherein thou now ridest up and down in great pomp and state shall then tend to the dishonour of thy Lord and of his house too over which thou art set in that it shall be spoken of to his disgrace that such a vile wretch as he should be so highly advanced and live in so great Grandeur in Hezekiah's Court. Ver. 19. And I will drive thee from thy station c. This is spoken in the person of God Though thou thinkest thy self firmly setled in Jerusalem I saith the Lord will drive thee from thence and from thy state that is thy Office and place of Dignity shall he pull thee down that is the King yet it may well be as many others think that even this also is meant of God the Prophets speaking here of God in the the third person And for the place from which Shebna was to be removed See the Note above ver 15. Ver. 20. And it shall come to pass in that day c. To wit when thou O Shebna shalt be removed from thy place in the Court of Judah that I will call my servant Eliakim that is I will cause Hezekiah to advance him that he may in thy place serve me faithfully and this was done before Rabshakeh summoned Hezekiah to deliver up Jerusalem to him See the Note 2 Kin. 18 18. and the Note above ver 15. Ver. 21. And I will clothe him with thy robe and strengthen him with thy girdle c. To wit the robe and girdle which belonged to thee as Lord High Steward of the Kings house See the Notes Chap. 11.5 and Job 12.18 21. he shall be advanced to the place of Honour which now thou enjoyest for so this Expression is explained in the following words and I will commit thy Government into his hand All which was now made known to Shebna the more deeply to wound his heart for though it must needs be sad tidings to such an ambitious wretch to hear of his being deposed from so high a dignity yet it is like enough that it added to his vexation to be told of the man that should be honoured with his place And it may well be too as some conceive That this Prophecy of Isaiah might hasten both the downfall of the one and the advancement of the other and he shall be a Father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah That is he shall with much Fatherly Affection and Care govern the people of the land to wit as a prime Counsellor under the King and they shall love and honour him as a Father Ver. 22. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder c. By the house of David is meant the King's Court or Houshold see the Note Chap. 7.2 And it was commonly so called because God had so often promised that the Soveraignty and Kingly Power in that Nation should be setled in the Family of David and accordingly by laying the key of the house of David upon the shoulder of Eliakim is meant that he should be made Lord High-Steward or Comptroller of the King's Court and should have the Supreme Power under the King of ordering and disposing all things in his house and in governing his Family Because he that hath the just command of the keys in a house hath power to dispose of all things therein at his pleasure and no man can come into the house or go out but by his leave whence it is
that the possession of houses and the supreme command over Towns and Cities is usually given unto men by the delivering up the keys to them therefore even in these times they that have chief Charge and Government in the Courts and Houses of Kings have usually a Golden Key as the sign and badg of their Office And some think that it was so with Eliakim at least that he wore the figure of a key made with embroidered work upon his cloak and that thence it is said that the Key of the house of David should be laid upon his shoulder But these are mere conjectures The true reason why it is said that this Key of Government should be laid upon his shoulder was to signifie the great weightiness and burden of that charge which was hereby imposed upon him see the Notes Chap. 9.6 And to hint it may be the abilities wherewith God had furnished him for so great a service that God had given him shoulders fit to bear such a burden So he shall open and none shall shut and he shall shut and none shall open that is he shall have absolute Power for the governing of the Royal Family and for the ordering of all things therein Nothing shall be done without him nor shall any man have power to cross or hinder him in what he will have done And herein was Eliakim a type of Christ whence it is that St. John clearly in reference to this place doth set forth the Supreme Power of Christ in and over the Church in these very terms Rev. 3.7 He that hath the key of David he that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth Ver. 23. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place c. To wit As a nail which men use to fasten surely in some wall or post that they may thereon hang their houshold Utensils see the Note Ezra 9.8 The meaning is that God would so settle him in that Office whereto he was to be advanced that he should never be removed from thence as Shebna should be As he would make him constanly iust and faithful in his place that he should no way deserve to be removed so he would also secure him from being injuriously or causelesly thrust out And he shall be for a glorious Throne to his Fathers house That is he shall be an exceeding great honour to the Tribe of Judah of which he is say some or rather to all his Kindred and Family and by his means they shall live in very great splendor and glory as great in a manner as if they were of the Blood Royal. And this is opposed to that which was before said of Shebna ver 18. that he should be the shame of his Lords house Ver. 24. And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his fathers house the off-spring and the issue c. That is All his Kindred and Allies even they and their Posterity together with all the Honour and places of Dignity they enjoy shall wholly depend upon Eliakim that nail in a sure place as he was called in the foregoing verse and they shall willingly acknowledg that all their glory was derived to them from him And then the more fully yet to express how they should all even to the meanest of them receive some benefit by his greatness in the Kings Court following still the same metaphor he adds all vessels of small quantity from the vessels of Cups even to all the vessels of flagons or as it is in the margin instruments of viols that is both Cups and Pots of several weights and sizes and likewise all kind of musical instruments And the meaning is that not only the greater ones in his Family that were of most note and fittest for honourable Imployments should be preferred and upheld by him but that all of what rank and condition soever they were even to the very Servants of their Families should receive some advantage either in some imployment assigned or some respect given to them by reason of their Relation to him and dependance upon him Those I know that by his Fathers house do understand more generally the whole Tribe of Levi do accordingly expound these words in a larger extent to wit That all the people rich and poor should depend upon Eliakim and willingly submit to him and that he should uphold and defend not the Nobles and Rich and Great Ones only but even the poorest and meanest amongst them and all that belonged to them and that the benefit that should redound to the people by his wise ordering the Affairs of the Realm should continue from one Generation to another the off-spring and the issue Again others would have the meaning to be That all the Officers at Court even to the meanest of them should depend upon him and be at his disposing and be under his power and government But the former Exposition is clearly the most genuine Ver. 25. In that day saith the Lord of Hosts shall the nail that is fastned in the sure place be removed and be cut down and fall c. That is Shebna that seems now to all men to be so surely setled in his place that there is no likelihood of removing him even as a nail is nailed and fastened in a sure place and is himself most confident of it as appears by the stately Sepulchre he hath in Jerusalem built for his dead body ver 16. even he shall be thrust out of his Office that Eliakim may succeed in his place and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off that is All that had their dependance upon him shall sink with him and all the hopes of his wicked faction that rested and relied on him shall together with him fall to the ground CHAP. XXIII VERSE 1. THE Burden of Tyre c. See the Notes Chap. 13.1 and 2 King 9.25 Tyre was a City in Phoenicia lying upon the midland Sea yea in a manner encompassed with the Sea as Venice is and so was a Port and Mart-Town of greatest note in those times Ezek. 27.3 4. Say unto Tyrus O thou that art situate at the entry of the Sea which art a Merchant for the people of many Isles Thy borders are in the midst of the Seas See also the Note Psal 45.12 when Canaan was divided by Joshua this City fell to the lot of Ashur Josh 19.29 and that it was not far from Galilee is evident because it is said Matth. 15.21 That Jesus went thence into the Coasts of Tyre and Sidon But it seems being a place of exceeding great strength and therefore called in that Josh 19.29 the strong City Tyre And in 2 Sam. 24.7 The strong hold of Tyre The Israelites were afraid to attempt it and so it continued still in the possession of the old inhabitants But now what the Judgment was wherewith this great City Tyre is here threatned in this burdensom Prophecy is very questionable Some hold it is meant
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
great things yea even the mightiest and most terrible of them as perceiving that no strength of any people could secure them from his wrath and that this should tend much to the Praise and Glory of God Or 3. the fierce and mighty Nations that had before carried themselves most proudly and rebelliously against God being humbled by these Judgments should be converted to the Faith of Christ and so becoming God's people should praise God for his mercy to them and that not with their lips only but with their lives too as being such as should unfeignedly fear and serve him Ver. 4. For thou hast been a strength to the poor a strength to the needy in his distress c. This is mentioned as another of the wonderful works of God for which the Prophet undertakes here to praise his Name namely that as he had destroyed those mighty ones ver 2. so he had also protected and delivered his poor weak afflicted people where by their low condition they were also made low in spirit humbled and so fit for mercy and had been as a strong Fortress to them to secure them from their enemies A refuge from the storm a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall to wit that sorely shatters or overturns the wall or at least beats with such violence upon it that it is likely to carry all before it The deliverance of Jerusalem from the siege of Sennacherib and the Jews from their Captivity in Babylon were remarkable accomplishments of this Promise But I see no reason why the place should be restrained to either of these Ver. 5. Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers c. That is Thou shalt abate or suppress and put an end to the furious commotions and triumphings of the Heathens the enemies of thy people As the heat in a dry place that is as thou dost many times abate and suppress the heat of the Sun in some dry desert where otherwise there would be no refreshing for the poor Traveller neither water to quench his thirst nor shadowy tree to be a shelter to him Even the heat with the shadow of a cloud That is as thou dost allay or suppress the scorching heat of the Sun by the interposition of some thick Cloud and somtimes by the cooling showers that fall from thence so shalt thou abate and cause to cease the burning rage and heat of the enemies of thy people against them see the Note Exod. 13.21 The branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low That is their Posterity also shall be so ruined and brought down that they shall not be able to hurt God's people any more This must needs be the meaning of this last clause according to our Translation But indeed many of our best Interpreters hold that it should rather be rendred The Song or the triumph of the terrible ones shall be brought low Ver. 6. And in this mountain c. The Prophet having ended his Hymn of Thanksgiving in the foregoing verses wherein he had praised God for those wonderful things which he had foretold should be done by him doth here return again to his Prophetical discourse and sheweth what God would farther do in those glorious times whereof he had spoken Chap. 24.13 And in this Mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a Feast of fat things that is Cattel and Fowl fatted usually esteemed the daintiest food A Feast of Wines on the lees that is old and strong Wines not racked but remaining still upon the lees This I conceive our Translation must needs intend And true it is that the remaining of Wines upon the lees for some time doth feed and preserve them and makes them the stronger and the more odoriferous whence is that Jer. 48.11 Moab hath been at ease from his youth and he hath setled on his lees and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel Therefore his taste remained in him and his scent is not changed Yet some I know understand hereby pure refined Wines drawn off from the dregs and lees and therefore not muddy but clear and so hold that the next words are added to explain these Of fat things full of Marrow of Wines on the lees well refined But however all this must be understood Spiritually to wit that in the Church of Christ that Mountain mentioned before Chap. 24.13 whereof Zion was a Type see the Notes Chap. 2.2 3. God would feast his people of all Nations not Jews only but Gentiles too 1. here in this life with the sweet comforts of Christ tendred them in the Gospel and Gospel-Ordinances together with the Gifts and Graces of his Spirit for which see the Notes Psal 22.26 and Prov. 9.2 with respect whereto our Saviour himself doth in like manner compare the preaching of the Gospel to a great Supper Luk. 14 1â— and to a Feast made by a King at the Marriage of his Son Mat. 22.2 â—nd 2. in Heaven hereafter with the fulness of Happiness and Joy wherewith they shall be there satisfied unto all Eternity which Apoc. 19.9 is called the Lambs Marriage-Feast and the Table in the Kingdom of Heaven Luke 2â— 30. and Mat. 8.11 wherewith God shall for ever feast his people See â—â—e Notes Psal 17.15 and 36.8 Some I know would have this understâ—od of God's destroying his and his peoples Enemies But the Context shew plainly that this cannot be here intended And though we should yield â—â— that which others indeed more probably say That the Prophet might have some respect in that which is said here to the occasion which God would give both the Jews and other Nations of exceeding great joy by their deliverance out of the Babylonian Captivity and that in expressing this he compares God to some great King making a Feast to his Nobles and Captains after some great Victory obtained by him Yet certainly this was only looked to as a Type of that greater Spiritual Feast which is here principally intended namely the Celestial Joy which he would bestow upon his people of all Nations in and through Christ first by the glad tydings of the Gospel and afterward by the enjoyment of himself for ever in his Kingdom of Glory Ver. 7. And he well destroy in this mountain c. Here the Prophet begins to recite the dainties they should have in the Feast promised in the foregoing verse that is the benefits that should redound to them by Christ And the first he mentions is that in his Church he will utterly destroy the face of the covering cast over all people and the veil that is spread over all Nations that is he will free his people from that blindness and ignorance that vail of darkness which lies naturally upon the minds of all mankind so that they cannot find the way unto Life Eternal and of which the Apostle speaking as with respect unto the Jews saith Which vail is done away in Christ 2
Cor. 3.14 Some I know by this destroying the face of the covering cast over all people do understand Christ's destroying Death and that in the expression here used there is an Allusion to the Face-cloth wherewith the faces of dead men are wont to be covered Joh. 11.44 or to the custom of covering the faces of condemned Malefactors see the Note Esth 7.8 But this of Christ's destroying Death is added in the next verse and the former therefore is rather here intended namely the freeing of his people from that ignorance under which they lay by Nature by the enlightning of the Gospel which was signified by the rending of the Veil of the Temple at the Death of Christ And all this is said should be done in this mountain as before not only because it should be done in the Church made up both of Jews and Gentiles but also because the Gospel whereby this was to be done was at first to go out of Mount Zion See the Notes Chap. 2.3 Ver. 8. He will swallow up death in victory c. That is He will destroy Death for ever as the word in the Original here translated in victory doth properly signifie so that it shall never more prevail over his redeemed ones but Christ shall reign this his last Enemy being destroyed for ever and ever Now though this was done partly by the Death of Christ whereby he abolished Death 2 Tim. 1.10 having by his suffering Death delivered his people â—â—om that Death which their sins had deserved Heb. 2.15 yet it shall chiefly bâ— accomplished at the Resurrection of the just when they shall pass into Lifâ— Eternal after which there shall be no more death Rev. 21.4 for so the Apostâ—â— saith expresly 1 Cor. 15.54 When this corruptible shall put on incorruption and thâ— mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass that Saying â—â—at is written Death is swallowed up in victory And the like may be said of thâ— following words And the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces to wit of his people even as a tender Mother wipes away the tears of her weeping little Child For though God doth this partly by the comforts of his Word and Spirit here yet it is not completely done till they be taken up into Heaven to which estate therefore this passage is applied by St. John Revel 7.17 and 21.4 And so likewise in the next clause And the rebuke or reproach of his people shall be taken away from off all the earth the meaning is that God would free his people from that extreme scorn and contempt which was cast upon them all the world over and from the worlds base and despightful usage of them in their continual afflicting and persecuting of them as if they were a people not worthy to live upon the face of the earth But now the accomplishment of this here principally intended is the exceeding Glory whereunto God's people shall be advanced in Heaven For when God shall take them into this blessed and glorious condition then indeed all the Inhabitants of the earth shall be effectually taken off from that vile and base esteem which they formerly had of them Many good Expositors do I know apply all this to the deliverance of God's people out of Babylon But it is only as looking upon that as a Type of this far greater deliverance promised to God's redeemed ones in and through the Lord Christ Ver. 9. And it shall be said in that day c. That is In that day when these Promises shall be accomplished the people of God shall say to wit with wonder and exceeding great joy for this is as it were the language of the Guests at the Feast mentioned before ver 6. Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us c. Which may be understood 1. in the Type of the rejoycing of God's people at the Lord 's delivering them out of Babylon which they had long expected and came at last to pass according to God's Promise and their earnest expectation And taking it thus observable it is that in this expression of their present joy and confidence in God they do withal covertly judg and condemn themselves because before their being carried into Babylon by their disobeying God's Laws and seeking to foreign Princes for help in their dangers they had not carried themselves towards the Lord as now they found they should have done Or 2. of the people of God's owning Christ at his coming in the flesh and embracing him by Faith when tendred to them in the Gospel as the true God their Lord and Saviour long ago promised them with great joy because of the peace made by him between God and them Or 3. of the Churches triumphing in Christ when he shall come to judge the world and to receive them into his Kingdom of Glory Ver. 10. For in this Mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest That is His powerful Providence shall be constantly and continually over his Church to protect and bless them See the Note Psal 80.17 It is the same in effect with that of our Saviour Mat. 28.20 And lo I am with you alway unto the end of the world And Moab shall be trodden down under him c. That is under his feet Psal 110.1 Moab is here particularly mentioned because none were more constantly and more fiercely bent upon doing mischief to God's people than they were but under these by a Synecdoche all the wicked enemies of his people are intended Even as straw is trodden down for the dunghil to wit the worst of the straw not fit to be reserved for any other use The word which we render trodden down some translate threshed and accordingly they read this verse thus And Moab shall be threshed under him even as straw is threshed in Madmenah and then take Madmenah to be a City of Moab called Madmen Jer. 48.2 and hold that because this City being scituate in a rich Corn-country where there was abundance of straw which was the less regarded thence the Prophet useth this expression here of straw threshed in Madmenah Ver. 11. And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim c. Some hold that this is spoken of Moab with relation to the last words in the foregoing verse to wit That as the Swimmer stretcheth forth his hands to swim so he being trodden down by his enemies should in the midst of them stretch forth his hands to beg for mercy both of God and his enemies Or that he should though in vain strive with all possible endeavours to save himself from utter ruin even as a ship-wrack'd man being fallen into the Sea laboureth with all his might by swimming to escape drowning But clearly as I conceive this is spoken of God That he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth
ways and make their way plain and even before them so that they may go on comfortably therein Or 2. that comparing together the upright ways of the righteous with the perverse and false ways of the wicked he doth prosper the one and destroy the other Or 3. that he doth so afflict them by their enemies when they go astray that he is very ready to deliver them again from their enemies upon their Repentance I know many understand this whole verse of God's making the way of his people by his Providence fair and plain before them and accordingly that word which we translate uprightness they render evenness or streightness The way of the just is evenness and suitably they render also the following words Thou most upright dost level the path of the just But according to our Translation the meaning of the place seems clearly to be that which is before said Ver. 8. Yea in the way of thy Judgments O Lord have we waited for thee Having spoken in the foregoing verse of the tender respect which God hath always to his righteous Servants here he sheweth what their assured confidence concerning this had wrought in them to wit that even in the way of his Judgments that is under his forest chastisements they waited upon God in hope that of his infinite Goodness and Mercy he would at last deliver them and receive them again into his favour Now the afflictions which God had brought upon his people he calls Judgments because therein God seems to carry himself as a Judg punishing them for their sins but yet in despensing of them he doth all with judgment and moderation and wholly with a purpose to do them good according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.32 But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world And this expression In the way of thy judgments is because it is God's usual and constant way to afflict his people when they go astray for their spiritual advantage I know some understand this thus That the faithful waited upon God in the Way of his Judgments that is in a way of constant obeying his Commandments or in a way which he had prescribed them in his word But the whole Context sheweth it is meant of the chastisements wherewith he had chastised his people See the Note above ver 1. The desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee That is Even in our greatest troubles our affections were not taken off from thee see the Note Psal 44.17 nor did we cast off our confidence in thee but still our thoughts were upon thee thy word and promises We still panted after thy favour and sought after and waited for thy help and deliverance earnestly desiring that the glory of thy Name might thereby be advanced Ver. 9. With my Soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early That is I have desired thy favour thy gracious presence and help at all times even by night whilst others slept and so still will do with all possible diligence And this is spoken as in the name of every several person amongst the righteous that in this Song are brought in praising God's Name For when thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness This is added to shew how they had been brought so to seek after God as was said in the foregoing words namely by the Judgments they had lain under mentioned before ver 8. In the way of thy judgments O Lord have we waited for thee It is as if they had said And indeed it is usual with men all the world over to be brought by thy Judgments to learn Righteousness Yet the meaning is not that all men are by God's Judgments won to true Repentance but that usually when Mercies do no good upon men yet Judgments bring them in either seriously to repent and amend their lives or at least to make an outward shew of doing so See the Note Psal 83.16 which is farther set forth in the following verse Ver. 10. Let favour be shewed to the wicked c. Having said in the foregoing verse what effect the Judgments of God do commonly work in men to wit that thereby they are bâ—â—ught to learn righteousness for which see the foregoing Note here they add that indeed some wicked wretches will not be brought to learn Righteousness neither by Mercies nor Judgments How little Mercies prevail with them is shown in this verse Let favour be shewed to the wicked yet will he not learn righteousness in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly whereby may be meant either Judea called the Holy Land which God had given as an inheritance to his own peculiar people whom he required to be a righteous holy people or the Church of Christ where uprightness of Life and Conversation is strictly required and practised but see the Note Psal 143.10 And will not behold the Majesty of the Lord that is though the Lord doth by never so many wonderful works clearly discover the Glory and Majesty of all his Divine Attributes yet will they take no notice of it See the Note Psal 28.5 And then how little they were better'd by God's Judgments is shewn in the next verse Ver. 11. Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see c. That is Though thou dost punish them never so sorely with the strokes of a hand lifted up or rather though thy Judgments be executed upon them in such a manner that it is most apparent that thou hast a special hand therein every one may see that they are the stroaks of Divine Vengeance yet they will not take any notice of it But they shall see that is they shall be foreed to take notice of it and be ashamed for their envy at the people or towards thy people that is their envying the welfare of God's people and spiteful endeavouring to do them all the mischief they could Yea the fire of thine enemies shall devour them That is the vengeance wherewith as with fire thou art wont to destroy thine enemies shall consume them See the Notes Psal 21.9 and 97.3 Ver. 12. Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us c. As if they had said Whilst thou destroyest our enemies thou wilt order it so that we thy people shall be in a prosperous and happy condition As thou hast afflicted us so thou wilt now also ordain peace for us see the Note above ver 3. and Chap. 9.6 For thou also hast wrought all our works in us that is all the good we have done or do with respect whereto we hope thou wilt afford us this peace thou hast wrought it in us by thy Holy Spirit But indeed the most and best Expositors would have this read as it is in the Margin of our Bibles For thou also hast wrought all our works for us and
as fled thither contrary to Gods express command when they were invaded and overcome by the Babylonians as is said in the foregoing Note and see the Notes also Chap. 16.3 and Psal 14.7.2 and shall worship the Lord in the holy Mount at Jerusalem and not Idol-gods as they had formerly done and under this the coming in of Gods Elect to the Church of Christ is comprehended CHAP. XXVIII VERSE 1. WO to the crown of pride c. Here begins a new Prophecy Wo to the crown of pride to the Drunkards of Ephraim See the Note Psal 78.9 that is wo to the Prince-like pride wherein the ten Tribes do so highly exalt themselves or rather wo to the proud State and Kingdom of the ten Tribes or wo to Samaria the royal City of the Kingdom of Israel that are even drunk with prosperity and so infatuated with the high conceit of their wealth and strength that like so many drunken mad men they are fearless of all evil regardless both of God and Man and carry themselves in every regard as a people void of all reason and understanding This I conceive may be meant by calling them the Drunkards of Ephraim Yet it may well be that as they are here threatned for their pride as often elsewhere Hos 5.5 and 7.10 so also for their Luxury and Drunkenness as Hos 7.5 In the day of our King the Princes have made him sick with bottles of wine And this seems the more probable because of the following words wherein the Prophet gives a hint why he had denounced this wo against them whose glorious beauty is a fading flower that is the splendor and glory of whose State wherein they do so exceedingly pride themselves is but like the beauty of a flower that will be quickly withered and gone to wit because the Assyrians were immediately to invade them who would soon put an end to all their gallantry and pride And it may well be that in this expression there is an allusion to the Crowns and Garlands of Flowers which they used to wear at their drunken Feasts which are on the head of the fat valleys that is say some which flowers grow in the best and chief of the Valleys as if it had been said The glory of these ten Tribes is but like the beauty of those flowers which are in those rich Valleys wherein they dwell But according to our Translation this relative which must needs be referred to the persons against whom this woe is denounced which are on the head of the fat Valleys of them that are overcome with wine or as it is in the Hebrew broken with wine to wit as being by their excessive drinking becomes Fools and stupid and made useless for any thing that is which Drunkards of Ephraim dwell in the chief and principal part of the Vale of Israel for the main body of the Land of Israel may be spoken of as a Valley because it lay beneath Mount Lebanon and was a very fat and fruitful Country or which abide in the Mountain of Samaria for Samaria was built indeed on a Hill in those fat Valleys See the Note 1 Kings 16.14 And so the Prophet may hereby seem to strike principally at the Princes and great Ones that had their residence in the Court and Royal City of Samaria However those words on the Head of the fat Vallies are certainly used with respect to those in the beginning of the verse Wo to the crown of pride c. Ver. 2. Behold the Lord hath a mighty and strong one c. to wit Salmaneser the Assyrian which as a tempest of Hail and a destroying storm as a floud of mighty waters overflowing shall cast down to the earth with the hand that is shall suddenly and easily overthrow and destroy all the glory of Israel the fading flower before mentioned for with respect to that he compares the Invasion of the Assyrians to a tempest even as a drunken man is easily thrust down with the push of a hand or with the hand that is by main might with unresistable force and violence And indeed the subduing and destroying of Samaria and the ten Tribes was effected with great speed and violence Ver. 3. The crown of pride the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under foot that is even this crown on the head shall with all possible scorn and contempt be trampled under the feet of their proud enemies But see the Note before ver 1. Ver. 4. And the glorious beauty which is on the head of the fat valley shall be a fading flower c. See again the Note above ver 1. and as the hasty fruit before the Summer that is say some rathe ripe fruits which is commonly as we use to say soon ripe and soon rotten and therefore not kept long for store but presently spent or rather as the early and first ripe fruit which for the novelty of it because by many it is much longed for and earnestly desired is commonly gathered betimes and eaten greedily many times before it be thoroughly mellow whence is the expression Mic. 7.1 My soul desired the first ripe fruit for that this is meant appears by the following words which when he that looketh upon it seeth it while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up that is as soon as ever he spieth it he presently plucks it and never lays it by but immediately eats it up And all this is to set forth how soon the ten Tribes should be ripe for ruine and how easily with what eagerness delight and speed the Assyrians should destroy them Ver. 5. In that day c. to wit When the ten Tribes shall be thus destroyed shall the Lord of Hosts be for a crown of glory and for a diadem of beauty unto the residue of his people that is He will be an exceeding great ornament and honour to the Kingdom of Judah This is opposed to that which he had said of the ten Tribes ver 1. Wo to the crown of pride c. And the meaning is that whereas Gods People might seem to be brought to a very low and contemptible condition when ten of their Tribes should be destroyed as is aforesaid God would be a sufficient honour and glory to the poor remnant of his People in the two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin to wit by his saving them from being destroyed with the other and continuing them to be his Church and People by that miraculous destruction of the Assyrian Army when Sennacherib should seek likewise to subdue them and by a happy re-establishment of his Church under Hezekiah which last is farther set forth in the next verse Ver. 6. And for a spirit of judgment c. Here the Prophet sets forth in part the means whereby God would make the state of Judah so eminently honourable and glorious both in peace and war And for a Spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment that is God will give their Kings and
other subordinate Judges that sit in the seat of justice a Spirit of justice an ability to judge rightly of the causes that are brought before them and strength to them that turn the battel to the gate that is and so likewise courage and strength to them that go out to withstand an invading enemy so that they shall not only vanquish them and drive them back but also pursue them to the very gates of their Cities and other strong holds whither they shall flee to shelter themselves and there block them up and it may be take their places of defence as Hezekiah did to the Philistines 2 Kings 18.8 And all this now is added for the comfort of the faithful amongst the Jews that they might not be overwhelmed with grief and fear when they should see their brethren in the neighbour kingdom of Israel as had been now foretold wholly destroyed and carried away Captives Ver. 7. But they also have erred through wine and through strong dring are out of the way c. That is though they have had so fair a warning by the destruction of the ten tribes though Gods Mercy was so wonderful in preserving them from being over-run by the same overbearing enemies that destroyed Israel and though they had Gods Word and Worship continued amongst them which the other tribes had not yet even they of Judah also the Prophet speaks it with a kind of Admiration have trod in the same steps of wickedness wherein the Israelites had gone before them for this may be understood either of their brutish stupidity by reason whereof they carried themselves like so many drunken men void of understanding or rather literally of the sin of drunkenness it self see the Note above ver 1. The Priest and the Prophet to wit their false Prophets have erred through strong drink see the Note Prov. 20.1 They are swallowed up of wine that is as we use to say they are drowned in drink they have swallowed up wine so long that at last they themselves are swallowed up of wine and cease to be reasonable Creatures they are out of the way through strong drink they err in vision they stumble in judgment the first is meant principally of their Prophets and the second of the their Priests see Deut. 17.9 And the Note 2 Chron. 19.8 Ver. 8. For all Tables are full of vomit and filthiness so that there is no place clean That is they spue on their very Tables and all places where they sit and revel together are bespitted and bespawled and every way defiled for the word here translated filthiness doth properly signify or dure or dung so that all tends to shew into what a height of excess and impudency they were grown in regard of this sin Ver. 9. Whom shall be teach Knowledge and whom shall he make to understand Doctrine c. To wit God of whom mention was made before Ver. 5.6 The Lord of hosts shall be for a Crown of Glory and for adiadem of beauty unto the residue of his People c. But rather this is spoken indefinitely and is added as another sad effect of their excess and sensuality as if the Prophet had said the generality of the men of Judah both Priests and Prophets and People being become such drunken sots so stupid and desperately wicked how can any man hope by teaching them to do any good upon them them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts as if he had said one had as good undertake to teach Children a while a go weaned from the breast as to teach such a blockish and self-willed People as these are become Ver. 10. For precept must be upon precept percept upon precept line upon line line upon line here a little and there a little That is As it is with such young Children that are taught to read or to write they must have the same directions and lessons repeated again and again and one day after another if they be taught to read they must be taught letter by letter and line by line a little at one time and a little at another and the same thing over and over many and many times and if they be taught to write the Master must lead their hand letter by letter and line by line and they must write over the same Copy many times and yet when they have thus wearied their Teachers it is little or nothing which they learn so it is with this People what ever course be taken with them whatever diligence is used in teaching them all will be to no purpose Ver. 11. For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this People This is otherwise read by some as it is in the margin For with stammering lips and another tongue he hath spoken to this People and they make the meaning of the words to be either 1. that God by his Prophets had spoken to them as Mothers and Nurses use to speak to their little Children for still say they the Prophet goeth on in the similitude used in the foregoing verses that is he had made known his will to them in a plain and familier manner stooping to their Capacity even as Mothers and Nurses are wont to use new devised words most easy to be pronounced and to speak in a kind of stammering imperfect way as Children use to speak that they may the better teach their Children to speak and that they may the better be understood by them Or 2ly that such was thesottishness of the Jews that in all that God had spoken to them he had been to them as one that stutters or stammers or as an outlandish man that speaks in an unknown Tongue neither of which are understood by those that hear them meaning that they were stupid and brutish and regarded his word no more than if they had not understood one word of what was spoken to them Or 3ly that by way of punishing them for their wickedness he had caused their land to be invaded by nations whose language they understood not But now reading it as it is in our Traslation as a commination of what God would do for with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this People the meaning must needs be either that since the word that God had spoken to them by his Prophets had done no more good upon them by reason of their stupidity than if one should undertake to teach new-weaned Children therefore the Lord would take another course with them and speak to them in a rougher way namely by bringing in the Babylonians upon them a nation whose language they should not understand as was long since threatned Deut. 28.49 Or 2ly that he would give them over to such a Spirit of stupidity that no instruction should for the time to come do any good upon them And indeed either of these may well agree with that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.21 where he seems to cite this place In the Law
like publick service or as a mast of a Ship is seen a far off standing up alone by it self when no part of the Ship besides is seen and as an ensign on an hill to wit set up there as a Trophy of some Victory there obtained or a sign to shew Soldiers that are gathering together whither they should come The meaning is that being overcome by their Enemies there should be very few of them left alive or at least left in a Company together but that they should be dispersed and straggle about here one and there another or that they should be so generally carried away Captives that there should be but a few of them left in the land and that their destruction should be notable and conspicuous so that they should be a gazing-stock to all Nations for the strange judgments inflicted on them as such a beacon or mast used to be gazed at by those that pass by it But now some understand this of Jerusalem to wit that any other Cities of Judea round about her being destroyed she should be left alone on the hill whereon she stood as a beacon or a mast of a Ship And indeed if this were spoken with respect to that havock which Sennacherib should make in the land for which see the Note this Exposition may seem the more probable Ver. 18. And therefore c. Here the Prophet begins to comfort the faithful amongst his people And therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you But yet the meaning of the words is questionable 1. Some understand it of the Lords waiting by way of forbearing a while to bring that ruin upon them before threatned to see if they would repent and turn unto him that so he might be gracious to them according to that which is said 1 Pet. 3.20 that the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing And thus they conceive that a Reason is here given why the judgments here threatned were not presently executed upon them It was because God was pleased to wait for their repentance And therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you as if he should have said Do not flatter your selves that you shall never see this come to pass because you see it not presently done therefore only will the Lord suspend the judgment threatned for a time that he may wait for your repentance and so then may receive you again into his favour But then 2. Some understand it and I think upon better grounds of Gods deferring to come in to their help when their enemies did so far prevail over them and so sorely distress them to wit that therefore the Lord would suffer their enemies to proceed so far and to bring them to so low an ebb that he might wait for a fit opportunity when he might most seasonably appear for their deliverance as namely when they being broken with these evils were humbled and brought to repent of their evil ways and to turn unto the Lord or when it might be done with most advantage of glory to himself good and joy to them and shame and confusion to their enemies And much to the same purpose is that which followeth and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you For though some understand by Gods being exalted his withdrawing himself as it were into the Heavens above his hiding himself and standing aloof from the help of his people purposely that he might take a fit time to shew mercy to his people Yet I rather think that hereby is meant that God would be exalted either 1. by the strange and wonderful destruction wherewith he meant to destroy the Assyrians or 2. by his peoples humbling themselves and abandoning their sinful ways and turning to the Lord Or 3. by those judgments upon them whereby he would bring them to be so reformed his end in all these being chiefly this that he might be gracious and merciful to them For the Lord is a God of judgment c. That is When God punisheth his people he is not transported with rage and fury as men are but doth it with moderation and judgment so as it may do them good according to that O Lord correct me but with judgment not in thine anger c. Jer. 10.24 Blessed are all they that wait for him to wit as knowing that God as is before said is wont to wait to be gracious to his people Ver. 19. For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem c. This may be added as a proof of that which was said in the close of the foregoing verse blessed are all they that wait for him And though some understand it as a promise of the Jews dwelling again at Jerusalem after their return out of Babylon yet I conceive it is primarily meant of that which was more shorâ—ly to be accomplished to wit that Sennacherib should not prevail against Jerusalem but that the people of God should continue to dwell safely and peaceably there though I would not deny but that the other may be included also in Zion at Jerusalem that is say some not only in that strong Fort of Zion but also in the City Jerusalem thou shalt weep no more that is thou shalt give over weeping or thou shalt not weep as formerly thou didst he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry c. to wit when thou art besieged by the Assyrians or as others when thou art in captivity in Babylon Ver. 20. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction c. See the Note 1 Kings 22.27 yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more which though some understand barely as a promise that they should not be destitute of faithful Teachers to instruct them though they might suffer great harship in regard of their bodily food they should be however well provided for spiritual food yet more seems to be intended hereby to wit that thenceforth they should not despise and persecute their Teachers and drive them into corners to hide themselves as they had formerly done this those words any more seems to imply see the Notes before ver 10 11. but thine eyes shall see thy teachers to wit with great content and delight intentively fixing thine eyes upon them when they are instructing thee Thou shalt eagerly look after them that before were but eye-sores to thee Now all this I conceive is mentioned as an effect that should follow upon the Reformation which the judgment inflicted on them should through grace work in them And therefore we need not limit it as many do to the great streights they were in either when Jerusalem was besieged by Sennacherib or after their return out of Babylon Ver. 21. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it when ye turn to the right hand and
certainly as he had said destroy both those that would need seek to Egypt for help against the Assyrians and the Egyptians likewise that helped them yet he would as certainly preserve Jerusalem from being surprized by the Assyrians and so would save a remnant of his People from being destroyed And the drift of this is to make it clear to them how safely they might have rested upon him alone without ever looking after the Egyptians for help Like as the Lion and young Lion roaring on his prey when a multitude of Shepherds is called forth against him he will not be afraid of their voice nor abase himself for the noise of them to wit by letting go his prey or fleeing from them So shall the Lord of hosts come down to wit from Heaven to fight for mount Zion and for the hill thereof that is the hill Morias where the Temple stood which is particularly expressed to imply Gods tender care over the place where he was worshipped The drift of the similitude is to set forth that Jerusalem should find the Lord as able and as earnestly intent to save her out of the hand of the Assyrians though their army were never so numerous as a Lion is to hold fast and not to part with the prey he hath gotten though never such a multitude of Shepherds be gathered together against him Ver. 5. As birds flying so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem c. That is say some God will so defend Jerusalem that she shall be as safe as birds are when they are flying But rather the meaning is either 1. That God would come in to the help of Jerusalem when the Assyrians should come against her with as much speed as Birds are wont to flee to the defence of their young ones when they see them in any danger Or 2. That God would with as much affection and tender care and earnestness provide for the securing of Jerusalem from the Assyrians as birds are wont to shew toward their young ones when they flutter over them to shelter them or flee up and down to beat off those as well as they can who they fear would annoy them So that in this comparison there may be an allusion to that which Chap. 10.14 is said of the Assyrian's boasting of his victories implying that tho' he had bragged how he had surprized the several Nations of the Earth as a birds-nest and spoiled them of their riches none daring to peep or to wag the wing yet when he came to Jerusalem he should not find it so As for that which follows defending also he will deliver it and passing over he will preserve it those words passing over may be used as with respect to the similitude he had used of Birds flying to signifie that Gods Eye would be upon them to preserve them according to the care that Birds have of their young ones when they fly this way and that over them to secure them Or it may import only the suddenness of their deliverance that God would but pass over them and they should be presently delivered But most generally it is thought by Expositors that in those words there is an allusion to the deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt to wit that as then an Angel passing over the Houses of the Israelites did in one night slay all the first-born of the Egyptians So it should be now an Angel passing over them should in one night make a mighty Slaughter in the Assyrian's Camp and so Jerusalem should be delivered Ver. 6. Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted That is You that hope to have a share in this promised deliverance repent and turn unto the Lord from whom the body of this people who will yet needs glory in the name of the children of Israel have deeply revolted to wit as by other heinous sins so more particularly by your incredulity and forsaking of God and seeking to Egypt for help This expression that they had deeply revolted we have also Hosea 9.9 they have deeply corrupted themselves the meaning whereof is that they had greatly or extreamly apostatised from God as we use to say that such a man is deep in such a Treason or other Villany when he hath had a great hand in it But the drift of this expression here might be to hint unto them that though they had thus dangerously revolted from God yet if they would now have been as deep in their sorrow as they had formerly been in their sin God would remember his covenant made with their fathers and shew them mercy and own them for his children Ver. 7. For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver c. Some think that is mentioned as an effect of their sincere repentance upon the Assyrians invading of their Land or upon the wonderful destruction which God would bring upon the Assyrian Army But the word for doth plainly shew that this is added as a motive to press them to hearken to the foregoing exhortation to repentance Repent saith he and turn to the Lord for in that day to wit when the Assyrian shall make such havock in your land being convinced of the vanity both of your Idol-worship and of your resting upon the aid of the Egyptians every man shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold see the Note Chap. 2.18 which your own hands have made unto you see the Note Chap. 2.8 for a sin that is that you might therewith sin against God and thereby draw down his vengeance upon you Ver. 8. Then shall the Assyrian fall c. That is Sennacherib's Army shall be destroyed with the sword not of a mighty man and the sword not of a mean man shall devour him that is not by the sword of any man one or other but by the sword of Divine vengeance laid on by the Ministry of an Angel 2 Kings 19.35 but he shall flee from the sword that is Sennacherib himself shall flee from the sword from Heaven wherewith he shall find his Army destroyed or as it is in the margin for fear of the sword to wit as not knowing how that havock came to be made in his Army and his young men shall be discomfited that is those of the youth and flower of his Army that by reason of their youth use to be most hot and furious and that shall escape the stroke of the Angel shall be glad to flee for their lives It is in the Hebrew and his young men shall be for melting the meaning thereof must needs be either that their multitude melted away as it is said 1 Sam. 14.16 or that their hearts through fear fainted and melted away see the Notes Josh 7.5 As for the Translation in the margin and his young men shall be tributaries I know not what can be probably intended thereby unless it be that after this defeat the Assyrians should in process of time
adoption and the glory and the covenants c. they shall see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God that is The Wilderness and Desert before mentioned or the faithful people of God that were before as a Desert and Wilderness Some understand this also as that before as spoken in a hyperbolical way of the Deserts themselves But it is rather meant of Gods people to wit that in Gods destroying their enemies and delivering them when they were in such a forlon Condition they should through faith experimentally see and own the glorious power and other excellencies of God as clearly discovered to them See the foregoing Note And observable it is with what joy the Prophet expresseth this as with respect to their peculiar interest in God and the excellency of our God But now if we understand this of the Church under Christ then by these words they shall see the glory of the Lord c. may be meant That they even the blind Gentiles also with the rest should see and acknowledg both the Glory of Christs person according to that John 1.14 And we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father and likewise of that great work of Redemption which he came to perform Ver. 3. Strengthen ye the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees See the Note Job 4.3 Having told them how God would destroy his peoples enemies and deliver them this is added to encourage them hereupon against all base incredulous fears And it may be taken as spoken either to the Prophets in those times that they should chear up the people whose hearts were ready to sink for fear of their enemies and to the Teachers in the Church in Gospel-times that they should comfort afflicted trembling Consciences or else to the faithful people themselves that they should hearten one another or chear up their own fearful hearts And indeed in this last sense the Apostle seems to apply these words Heb. 12.12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees Ver. 4. Say to them that are of a fearful heart Be ye strong fear not c. That is as some would have it Say so to your own fainting hearts But for this see the foregoing Note Behold your God will come with vengeance as if he had said However your enemies deride you for your confidence in your God yet your God will surely come to take vengeance on your enemies to wit the Assyrians or Babylonians even God with a recompence See the Note Chap. 34.8 he will come and save you that is say some He will not save you from the Assyrians by the Ethiopians as you expect but by his own immediate hand from Heaven But now referring this to the days of the Gospel there is more implied in these words for behold your God will come with vengeance c. may be understood not only of Christs taking vengeance on those that persecute and oppress his Church and people but also of his first coming into the World for the Redemption of his people that he might vanquish and be avenged on their spiritual enemies Sin Satan Death and Hell that so his people being delivered out of the hands of these their enemies might serve him without fear Luke 1.74 See the Note Chap 9.4 and see also 1 John 3.8 Eph. 4.8 and Col. 2.15 And as this hath respect to the Gentiles there is a special Emphasis in those words Behold your God will come with vengeance as if he had said He that will be now your God as well as ours he will come and save you that is Even he himself in his own person Ver. 5. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped How this is to be understood of the holy change that should be wrought in the Jews after the vengeance executed upon the Assyrians or the Babylonians and the deliverances of Gods people that followed thereupon See the foregoing Notes Chap. 29.18 and 32.3 But questionless under this type there is a Prophecy couched of the miraculous cures that Christ should work and therefore we find that the accomplishment of this is alledged by our Saviour as a clear proof that he was the promised Messiah Matth. 11.4 5. Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see The blind receive their sight and the lame walk c. And likewise of that greater wonder he should work in curing those that were spiritually blind and deaf by the preaching of the Gospel And indeed Christs miraculous Cures upon the bodies of men were but pledges of the spiritual Cures which Christ was come to work upon the souls of Believers Ver. 6. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart and the tongue of the dumb sing c. To wit for Joy This may be understood as hyperbolically spoken of the joy that would be amongst the Jews upon the slaughter made in the Assyrian Army or upon their return out of Babylon But withal under this type is foretold the miraculous Cures of Christ the punctual accomplishment whereof we find in the Cripple's leaping when he was cured of his lameness Act. 3.8 and with all the spiritual Cures that should be wrought upon men by the Ministry of the Gospel to wit That they that were before cripled and lame for doing any thing that was truly good should with all chearfulness run in the ways of Gods Commandments and that those that were before dumb for speaking of spiritual and heavenly things should discourse freely of such things and gladly sing forth the praises of God for this is added to shew the reason of such exceeding great joy in the wilderness shall water break out and streams in the desert that is Judea that was as a wilderness shall become as a fruitful and well watered land and that which is implied is that there shall be a blessed and joyful change in their state and no want of any thing they could desire And then also under this type is signified how exceeding fruitful and happy the state of the Church should be at the coming of Christ and that by the abundant pouring forth of the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit upon them which we find often compared to streams of water in the Scripture as Joh. 4.10 c. and 7.38 and may be here compared to waters breaking forth in a wilderness as in allusion to the waters that gushed out of the Rock which Moses struck in the wilderness But for this see the Notes ver 1 2. and Chap. 12.3 Ver. 7. And the parched ground shall become a pool and the thirsty land springs of water c. See the foregoing Note in the habitation of Dragons who delight in desert and dry places where such lay shall be grass with Reeds and Rushes which always grow in moist and watery places Job 8.11 So that the meaning is That the most desolate and waste places
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
danger of their recovering themselves to trouble thee again Ver. 13. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand c. That is I will be as it were thy Confederate See the Note Prov. 11.21 Or rather I will be thine aid upon all Occasions as when a man takes his Friend by the hand and undertakes to lead him on his way to stand by him to support defend and help him See the Note Psal 73.23 Or I will make thee couragious and strong saying unto thee Fear not c. that is chearing thee up by my Word and Spirit Ver. 14. Fear not thou worm Jacob c. That is Though thou art a poor despicable people in thine own eye and in the Judgment of others cast down to the very earth see the Notes Job 25.6 and Psal 22.6 yet be not afraid And to the same purpose is that which followeth and ye men of Israel that is Though ye be but poor mortal men and but few in number in comparison of your enemies for so some read it as it is in the Margin ye few men of Israel yet fear them not Ver. 15. Behold I will make thee a new sharp threshing Instrument having teeth c. That is As poor a worm as thou art thou shalt break thine enemies in pieces even as a new sharp threshing Instrument having teeth of which see the Notes before Chap. 28.27 28. doth break the straw and chaff in threshing the Corn when being new it is therefore the stronger and sharper the pegs or teeth not having been yet worn or blunted thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small and shalt make the hills as chaff that is Thou shalt subdue and destroy the greatest the loâ—tiest and mightiest of thine enemies But when after this Prophecy of Isaiah's did the Posterity of Jacob do this I answer 1. Some say this was accomplished when the Babylonians were destroyed because though the Jews did not do it yet God did it upon their Prayers and for their sakes 2ly Some understand it of those glorious victories which God at some times gave the Jews over their enemies after their return from the Babylonian Captivity in the days of the Maccabees And 3ly others hold it is meant of the Victories of Christ and his people in the days of the Gospel both spiritual in the subduing of all nations and bringing them under the Dominion of Christ by the preaching of the Gospel that sharp threshing instrument which pierceth to the very soul and breaks the hard hearts of the most obstinate sinners and external when the Church hath wonderfully broken her Adversaries in pieces even like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors Dan. 2.35 Yea and some also take in the Saints judging the wicked together with Christ at the last day 1 Cor. 6.3 And indeed I conceive these Victories of Christ and his people in Gospel-times is chiefly here intended concerning which see also the Notes Psal 149.6 7 8. Ver. 16. Thou shalt fan them and the wind shall carry them away and the whirl-wind shall scatter them c. That is Thou shalt not only vanquish them and break them in pieces but also disperse and scatter them and thou shalt rejoyce in the Lord c. to wit as acknowledging the Glory of all to belong to him Ver. 17. When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them That is Because I am their God I will provide for them And this may be meant of Gods taking care of the poor afflicted Jews either whilst they were Captives in Babylon where most of them were in a very poor Condition destitute of all things necessary even as men ready to perish for thirst and no way able to supply themselves in their wants or else in their return homeward from Babylon when indeed they went through many dry deserts to wit That God would provide that they should not perish for want of a supply of whatever should be necessary for them But withal I conceive it is principally meant of Christs refreshing poor souls troubled for sin and scorched with the fear of Gods fiery indignation poor in Spirit and thirsting after Righteousness with the reviving Consolations of his Gospel and Spirit which indeed are no where else to be found Ver. 18. I will open rivers in high places and fountains in the midst of the valleys c. That is In all places high and low Hills and Valleys yea in the most desert places as it follows in the next words I will make the wilderness a pool of water c. But the meaning is That rather than the Lord would not supply his peoples wants according to what is said in the foregoing Note yea and that abundantly too he would provide for them in a supernatural and miraculous way yea and under this there is also a promise made of those living waters wherewith in the days of the Gospel the souls of poor sinners all the World over yea even amongst the Gentiles should obtain that refreshing which was no where else to be had But for this see the Note Chap. 35.6 Ver. 19. I will plant in the wilderness the Cedar the Shittah-tree c. To wit a chief sort of Cedar as it is commonly said of the wood whereof the boards and the utensils of the Tabernacle were made See the Note Exod. 25.5 and the myrtle and the oyl-tree c. that is the Olive-tree or more generally as some will have it any tree of the fruit whereof Oyl is made The meaning is That God by his Providence would so provide for his people that their passage homeward from Babylon to Judea should be as commodious and convenient even when they travelled through the wildest deserts as if the way had been all along planted with store of pleasant shadowy trees under which they might shelter themselves from the scorching of the Sun But now as this is to be referred to Gospel-times it must needs signifie the enlargement of the Church and the propagation of the Gospel even amongst the Gentiles that were before as a wild and barren Wilderness amongst whom there should be many men of eminent gifts and graces trees of Righteousness as they are called Chap. 61.3 or there should be in the Church plenty of spiritual Ordinances Gifts and Graces that should be a shelter to men against the scorching heat of Temptations Ver. 20. That they may see and know and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord hath done this c. As if he had said The things before mentioned I will do that all men not mine own people only but the Gentiles also may upon due consideration be together full satisfied and convinced that I the Lord Jehovah the God of Israel have done these things for my people and so may be satisfied concerning mine Almighty power in that my works
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
see the Note Chap. 41.22 let them bring forth their witnesses that they may be justified to wit those that can witness that they have truly foretold things to come see the Note Chap. 41.26 or let them hear and say It is truth that is Let them hearken to what I have said and be convinced thereby and yield that they are indeed no gods Or let them hear what I say or what my witness shall testifie and so confess it to be true that I am God alone Ver. 10. Ye are my witnesses c. Having in the foregoing verse challenged the Idolatrous Nations to produce their witnesses that might testifie what those future things were which their Idol-gods had foretold thereby to prove that they were indeed Gods here he undertakes on his own behalf to do the like ye are my witnesses saith the Lord that is ye my people that have heard so many future things foretold by me and have afterward seen them accomplished Indeed the following words and my servant whom I have chosen are diversly understood by Expositors For 1. some joyning it to the foregoing words take it thus That the Jews were his Witnesses and his Servant whom he had chosen See the Notes Chap. 41.8 and 42.19 2ly Others understand it of the Prophets in general Gods peculiar Servant 3ly Others hold that it is Isaiah in particular to whose Testimony God here speaks because he had by Revelation from God foretold so many things that came exactly to pass But because it may seem probable that this is spoken with reference to that which was said before Chap. 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth therefore I rather think that it is the same choice Servant of whom he there spake that is here intended to wit either Cyrus as some there think who indeed gave a glorious Testimony to God in this regard See the Note Ezra 1.2 Or else rather Christ in whom the chief things now foretold by Isaiah was fulfilled and who is often mentioned in the Scripture as Gods peculiar choicest Witness See Chap. 55.4 John 18.37 Revel 1.4 that ye may know and believe me and understand that I am he as if he had said I appeal to your seeing the things accomplished which I have foretold that hereby ye may be fully assured that I am the only true God and I appeal to the promised Messiah because by him ye shall be further confirmed in the truth of that which I now call you to attest before me there was no God formed neither shall there be after me that is There was never any of your Idol-gods before me gods of mens forming nor shall there be any God after me because I am the only everlasting and eternal God Ver. 12. I have declared and have saved c. That is I have foretold that I would deliver you from your enemies and accordingly did deliver you and this indeed was another evidence whereby the Idol-gods were challenged to prove themselves true Gods See the Note Chap. 41.23 and I have shewed that is I have by my Prophets made these things known to my people when there was no strange God among you to wit that could foretel those things at that time See the Note Deut. 32.12 Ver. 14. Thus saith the Lord your Redeemer the holy one of Israel c. See the Note Chap. 1.4 for your sake I have sent to Babylon to wit Cyrus with his Medes and Persians and have brought down all their Nobles to wit from that heigth of Glory wherein they formerly lived It is in the Hebrew All their bars and so some understand it of Cyrus his beating down Babylons strong Walls and Fortifications because these were as bars to keep out an Enemy from breaking into their City See the Note Chap. 45.1 yet it may be as well meant of their Nobles or men of War who are usually accounted the strength and great defence of a City and the Chaldeans whose cry is in the ships to wit either 1. because they used to make a great shouting in their ships by way of glorying and vaunting herein wherein they abounded by means of their two great Rivers Euphrates and Tygris Or 2ly because of the confused and sad out cry that was in their ships when they fled thither to preserve themselves the City being taken especially when they perceived they could not sail in their ships the waters of Euphrates being so far drained away by Cyrus Or when the poor captive Chaldeans were shipped by the Conqueror to be sold for slaves in other Countries And all this we must know the Prophet speaks of as of a thing done already the better to set forth the certainty of it To which some add That the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon is mentioned as a pledge of their greater Redemption by Christ that had been now promised them Ver. 15. I am the Lord your holy one the Creator of Israel your King See the Note above ver 1. Ver. 16. Thus saith the Lord which maketh a way in the Sea and a path in the mighty waters This last clause some understand of the Lords dividing Jordan before the Israelites even at that time when there was a mighty inundation of the waters thereof see the Note Josh 3.15 But I rather think that both branches are meant of Gods carrying the Israelites dry-shod thorough the mighty waters as they are called Exod. 15.10 of the Red Sea and that because in the following verse he seems clearly to speak of the Egyptians being drowned therein And the reason why God puts them in mind of this is hereby to let them see that they had no cause to question their promised deliverance out of Babylon what he had formerly done for their Fathers he could do again for them Ver. 17. Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse the army and the power c. That is Who at his pleasure doth by his all-ruling providence bring forth the great and mighty Armies of Princes meerly that he might destroy them even as by hardning the heart of Pharaoh his Princes and People for by the dependance of this upon the foregoing verse it is clear that hereto the Prophet alludes he brought them forth to pursue the Israelites into the Wilderness and afterward to follow them into the Red Sea they shall lye down together they shall not rise that is They shall be irrecoverably destroyed to wit as Pharaoh and his Army were And because this was done by drowning them in the Red Sea therefore are the following words added they are extinct they are quenched as tow that is They are as easily and suddenly destroyed as the snuff of a Candle See the Note Chap. 42.3 is extinguished when it is thrown into the water which doth notably set forth the destroying of Pharaoh and his Army in the Red Sea when they came out with such burning rage against the Israelites And some think that this Comparison of quenching
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
Note Chap. 42.9 All which is alledged as often formerly see the Note Chap. 46.10 to make it clear to them that hereby he had sufficiently approved himself to them to be the only true God And what his aim was in asserting this here is set forth in the following Verses Ver. 4. Because I knew that thou art obstinate and thy neck is an iron sinew and thy brow brass Here the reason is given why he had by foretelling things before he did them prov'd himself to be the only true God as is said in the foregoing Verse and repeated again in that which follows namely because he knew that they were a stubborn stiff-necked impudent people that would hardly be brought to believe his words by his Prophets and very prone to rebel against him and so to prevent this and that meerly of his own free grace notwithstanding this their wickedness he had thus clearly manifested himself to them even from their first being his people unto that present time when he had foretold them their captivity in Babylon the destruction of Babylon by Cyrus and their deliverance from thence Ver. 5. I have even from the beginning declared it to thee before it came to pass I shewed it thee c. See the two foregoing Notes lest thou shouldest say mine Idol hath done them c. And this is mentioned as one of the main effects of their stubborness which God sought to prevent by foretelling before-hand what he meant to do in future times namely their ascribing the great things which he did to their Idol-gods Ver. 6. Thou hast heard see all this c. That is you have heard how in all Ages I have foretold what should come to pass in future times and how all things have exactly come to pass as they were foretold now mark and consider all this and lay it seriously to heart And will not ye declare it That is will ye not declare unto others this which you have heard concerning my Predictions and the accomplishment of them and so bear witness to the truth that it may be seen that I have omitted no necessary means of manifesting my self to you I have shewed thee new things from this time even hidden things and thou didst not know them As if he should have said As formerly so now also I have foretold thee new things which were wholly hidden and which of thy self thou couldest never have known to wit the destruction of Babylon and thy deliverance from thence Ver. 7. They are created now and not from the beginning c. That is they are now revealed and brought to light as things are when created and not in former times see the Notes Ver. 3 5. Even before the day when thou heardest them not That is before the time when thou hadst heard any thing of them lest thou shouldest say behold I knew them that is lest thou shouldest say when they came to pass I knew well enough that these things would be Ver. 8. Yea thou heardest not c. Some would have the meaning of this whole Verse to be that God had revealed these new things to them of which mention was made in the forgoing Verse to wit the destruction of Babylon and the deliverance of his people when they heard not c. when they obstinately stopped their ears and would not hear what he said to them But it is rather a continuation of what he had said before yea thou heardest not that is the things that I now reveal to thee are things which thou hadst never heard before from thy Star-gazers or Soothsayers or any body else yea thou knewest not That is thou knewest them not any other way Yea from that time that thine ear was not opened That is even when the least of this business had never yet come to thine ear for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously As if he should have said Therefore do I repeat this and press this so often upon thee that it is I that have foretold thee these future things that shall befall thee to make sure thou shouldest know that it was I that caused thee to be carried away into Babylon and that it was I that delivered thee from thence and that because I knew that thou wouldest not own mine hand in all that befel thee but wouldest treacherously ascribe it to other things And wast called a transgressor from the womb That is that hast been a transgressor from the womb to wit say some from thy Nativity or from thy first coming out of Egypt when God first took thee upon Mount Sinai to be his covenant-people but see also the Note Chap. 46.3 and therefore mayest deservedly be so called rather than as it is said Ver. 1. they were commonly called by the name of Israel Ver. 9. For my names sake will I defer mine anger c. As if God said though thou art and hast always been so wicked as is before said yet will I stay and suppress mine anger for my names sake That is say some because thou art called by my name as being accounted my people Or rather for mine own sake see the Note Psal 25.11 That is with respect to mine own glory It was not because you deserved not to be destroyed but that men might not question mine Almighty power and faithfulness towards my people or say the gods of the Gentiles were mightier than I. See the Note also Deut. 32.20 And for my praise will I refrain for thee that I cut thee not off That is I will for thy good withhold my self from destroying thee that I may be praised for my mercy and faithfulness to thee All which is inserted for the comfort of the faithful amongst Gods people and that when they were delivered they might ascribe it wholly to Gods free Grace Ver. 10. Behold I have refined thee c. As if the Lord had said Though with respect to mine own Glory I would not utterly destroy thee as was said in the forgoing Verse yet with respect to thy good I have sought to purge away thy Dross in the fire of Affliction The greatest difficulty is in the following words which some read as they are in the Margin I have refined thee but not for silver and so understand it that it was not for any gain or advantage that God got by it that he cast them into the furnace of Babylon and indeed we have the like expressions Chap. 45.13 and Psal 44.12 for which see the Notes there But by most interpreters the words are rendered as in our Translation I have refined thee but not with silver which though some understand of the succeslesness of Gods afflicting them to wit that though he had sought to refine them in the furnace of affliction yet it had not been with them as it is with Silver which is purged from its dross in the Refiners furnace they being still as wicked as before yet the most and best Expositors understand it of the
these words are added as in a Parenthesis his visage was so marred more than any man and his form more than the Sons of Men which must not be understood of any deformity in his Countenance or Person but of the contemptibleness and misery of his outward condition above all men whatsoever no way suitable in the Eye of reason for him that was indeed the Lord of Glory as namely in that he was born of such mean Parentage and lived in such a poor and despicable condition and was so scorned and reviled and abused and afflicted all his Life long See Psal 22.6 but especially in regard of his unparallell'd sufferings at his Passion both outwardly in his Body and in the anguish of his Spirit when indeed his outward appearance was as of a man ignominiously rejected both of God and his People and he that was fairer than the Children of Men Psal 45.2 through the imputation of our Leprosie became the most sad and loathsome spectacle that ever was seen amongst the Sons of Men. Ver. 15. So shall he sprinkle c. This is added with reference to the first words of the foregoing Verse As many were astonied at thee so saith he shall he sprinkle many Nations c. Which is all one in effect as if it had been said As many shall be astonished at his base and contemptible condition so shall many also yea many Nations be as much astonished at his Exaltation and the great works that shall be done by him for this is intended by these words So shall he sprinkle many Nations c. for by sprinkling many Nations is meant either that he should distill down the showers of the Gospel and therewith shed forth the dew of his Spirit Act. 2.33 among many Nations whereby they should be converted and brought to submit to his Scepter wherein there is an allusion to the watering of the Earth with Rain or Dew from Heaven See the Note Deut. 32.2 Or else that he should purge and cleanse them by that his Spirit accompanying the Ministry of the Gospel and by his blood through faith applyed unto their Souls for their Justification and Reconciliation with God Heb. 10.22 which is therefore called the Blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 Wherein there is an allusion to those sprinklings of Men in the time of the Law with Water or Blood or both meant together which were for the purifying of those that were legally unclean or rather to that Sacramental washing with Water wherewith Christ appointed the spiritual cleansing of Christians by his Blood and Spirit to be sealed unto them in Baptism And so by those words the Kings shall shut their Mouths at him is meant That even the Kings of the Heathens should be silent before him to wit either as not able to express the greatness of his Majesty and Glory or by way only of admiring his transcendent excellency and reverencing him for it or by way of admiring him for his Doctrine and silent attending upon his Teaching See the Note Job 29.9 not daring any way to gainsay or oppose him but renouncing their own wisdom and submitting themselves chearfully to his Scepter and Government And thus though the Jews should reject him yet the Gentiles should embrace him of which the reason is given in the following words for that which had not been told them shall they see and that which they had not heard shall they consider that is they shall see the accomplishment of those things which the Prophets had foretold whereof they had heard nothing and should hear and seriously meditate of those Gospel Mysteries which in other ages was not made known to the Sons of Men Eph. 3.5 And hence it is that St. Paul alledgeth this place to justifie his Preaching the Gospel amongst the Gentiles Rom. 15.21 But as it is written to whom he was not spoken of they shall see and they that have not heard shall understand CHAP. LIII VERSE 1. WHO hath believed our report c. To wit those good tydings mentioned before Chap. 52.7 which we from God have reported to his People In the Septuagint the word Lord is inserted and so accordingly we find it rendered where this passage is cited in the New Testament Lord who hath believed our report And accordingly we may well conceive it to be spoken by the Prophet in the name of all those who had published or should publish those glad tydings concerning Christ whether the Prophets that had foretold them or Christ and his Apostles that should make known the accomplishment of them and that by way of bemoaning and bewailing to God the incredulity of those to whom they were preached It is indeed commonly held by Expositors that it is the incredulity of the Jews in particular which the Prophet here complains of And it cannot be indeed denied that they are here primarily intended both because this complaint seems to be opposed to that which the Prophet had said ver 17. of the foregoing Chapter concernning the spreading of Christs Kingdom amongst many Nations as if he had said Though the Gentiles shall readily submit to him yet how few of the Jews will be won to believe in him And likewise because the Evangelist saith expresly that this was accomplished in the Jews Joh. 12.37 38. But though he had done so many Miracles before them yet they believed not in him That the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fulfilled which he spake Lord who hath believed our report c. But yet I see not why it might not be intended of the paucity of those that should believe these glad tydings concerning Christ both amongst the Jews and Gentiles for even amongst them there are but a very small Remnant of those that truly believe in comparison of those that believe not And therefore we see St. Paul speaking of his preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles alledgeth this Prophecy to shew that it was no wonder though but a few of the Gentiles did embrace these glad tydings of Salvation Rom. 10.16 But saith he they have not all obeyed the Gospel For Esaias saith Lord who hath believed our report I conceive therefore that this is spoken of the incredulity of all to whom the Gospel should be preached though in the first place and principally of the Jews The Prophet knowing that what he had said and what he was further to say concerning Christ were Mysteries which Flesh and Blood would not nor could not believe unless they were supernaturally enlightned and perswaded thereto by the Almighty power of Gods Spirit he breaks forth into these words who hath believed our Report and which is the same in effect to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed That is to how few shall these things be revealed by the mighty power of God working by Christ and shewing forth it self in Christ and in the Ministry of the Gospel which is therefore called the power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 without which indeed no Man
the word which we Translate Prison some understand the restraint under which he was held after they had apprehended him yea including his imprisonment in the Grave where his dead Body was sealed up and watched by a guard of Souldiers And some add too those bonds of anguish and anxiety that were upon the Soul of our Saviour from the apprehension of Gods wrath when in his Agony he sweat drops of Blood Luke 22.44 and when upon the Cross he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27.46 And then by Judgment they understand as is before said the Judgment that was pronounced against him and executed upon him And thus they make the meaning of this first branch of the Verse to be this That he was taken from all his sufferings rising again triumphantly out of the Grave and then ascending up into Heavenly Glory But 2. Others understand it only of what he suffered from his Enemies namely that the intent thereof is to shew either that after they had him under restraint and had pronounced sentence of Judgment against him he was taken away by death and some think too that in the expression here used there is relation to his being taken up to the Cross according to a like expression used else-where Joh. 12.32 or else the violence and precipitancy of their proceedings against him to wit that after they had him once under restraint they presently carried him away to the Judgment Seat and when Pilate had pronounced Judgment against him immediately without any delay they hurried him away to Execution so that as it is clear in the Evangelists all was done in a violent hurry they apprehended him but over night and he was condemned and executed the very next day And indeed because the Prophet both before and after these words speaks of his sufferings this last Exposition I judge the best But then for the following words and who shall declare his generation It is confessed that most of the ancient Writers have understood it either of the generation of Christ of God the Father from all Eternity as he was the only begotten Son of God See the Notes Psal 2.7 and Prov. 8.24 or of his Conception and Birth as man of the Virgin Mary without the knowledge of man And indeed both these are wonderful Mysteries which no man is able to comprehend or express But why in this place they should be mentioned it is hard to conceive And therefore the most of our later Expositors do understand it otherwise and that three several ways For 1. Some by his generation do understand the duration or continuance of his Life and Kingdom as indeed the word is sometimes taken Chap. 13.20 Having said in the foregoing words say some that he was from his sufferings taken up into Heavenly Glory he adds here expressing it by way of admiration that after that the continuance of his Age his Life and Kingdom would be uncountable even unto all Eternity it should not be with him as with them who being delivered from Death do yet afterwards dye again because Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more Death hath no more dominion over him Rom. 6.9 Yea and some extend this also to the Life everlasting of his Church and People which indeed agreeth well with that which follows ver 10. He shall see his Seed he shall prolong his days Or say others Having in the foregoing words spoken of his being taken away by Death here he adds as in opposition thereto but who shall declare his generation as if he had said Though he lived so short a time and was cut off in the flower of his age yet who can count his age who shall live and reign even unto Eternity 2. Others by his generation understand the Men of that generation wherein he lived and so make the meaning of the words to be this who shall declare his generation that is who is able to set forth the monstrous impiety and wickedness of that generation of men that could deal thus with the Lord of Glory that came to save them And 3. Others by his generation understand his Spiritual Seed or Issue as the word is taken Psal 22.30 And this too is conceived to be added as in opposition to the foregoing branch thus Though he shall be taken away by Death yet oh what an innumerable generation shall spring from him In an ordinary way when a man is slain there is an end put to the enlarging of his Posterity but it shall not be so with him no man shall be able to count the Spiritual generation that shall spring up to him after his Death to wit of those that shall believe in him which is that is said afterwards ver 10. He shall see his Seed c. And then for the last Clause for he was cut off it is the very same word that is used concerning the death of the Messiah Dan. 9.26 from the Land of the Living See the Note Psal 27.13 for the transgression of my People was he stricken therein a reason is given why he should not be quite destroyed by Death but should be taken up into Heavenly glory for as is said before so some understand the first words of this Verse and should live and see his Seed or Generation unto Eternity namely because he should not dye for any wickedness of his own but in obedience to his Father and that to bear the punishment due to the Sins of Gods People that is the Sins of Gods Elect People say some See 2 Tim. 2.10 Or the Jews amongst others that put him to death And thus the Prophet might call them his People Though indeed because of those words for the transgression of my People many Expositors hold that these last words are spoken in the Person of God the Father Ver. 9. And he made his Grave with the wicked and with the rich in his Death c. It is in the Hebrew in his Deaths because of his many grievous sufferings which were as so many Deaths to him as the Apostle said of himself that he was in Deaths oft 2 Cor. 11.23 Not only because he was often in danger of Death but also because his Afflictions and Sufferings were as sore and bitter as Death it self There are many Expositions given of these words which seem to me extreamly forced and some which our Translation can by no means admit I will only mention those that may consist with our Translation and which have some appearance of probability in them 1. Some understand it of the just vengeance which befell the Jews for their Crucifying of Christ when they were destroyed by the Romans to wit that God the Father or Christ would bring that wicked People even the greatest and richest of them who are particularly mentioned because such being puffed up with their greatness and riches are usually most boldly wicked and oppressive of others to be as harshly and cruelly dealt with by others
as they had dealt with Christ that he would bring them to Death and to the Grave as they had brought Christ 2. Others understand it of the efficacy of Christs Death and Burial namely that thereby many wicked men yea many of the great and rich ones amongst them most unlikely to yield should be crucified with him and buried with him to wit Spiritually and so be made new Creatures and be brought to be obedient to the will of his Father or which is all one in effect that they should be brought to be with him and own him though Crucified and Buried as their Lord and as his People to submit to his Scepter and Government Again 3. Some understand it only of his Sufferings but in a several way For 1. Some take it thus That God the Father gave Christ over into the hands of the wicked Jews and the Gentiles even the great ones of those times such as were Caiaphas and Herod and Pontius Pilate that so they might dispose of him how they pleased both in regard of his Death and Burial which agreeth with that of our Saviour Matth. 26.45 Behold the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of Sinners or for so some would have it that He that is the Jewish People gave him up into the hands of the wicked Gentiles Pilate and the Roman Souldiers that they should Crucifie and bury him as they pleased But 2. Others understand it thus that he should be cut off by an untimely Death as a wicked man and accordingly should be Executed amongst other Malefactors in Mount Calvary the ordinary place where such kind of Varlets used to be Executed and Buried according to that which followeth in this Chapter ver 12. And he was numbred with the Transgressours but yet withall the providence of God so disposing of it he should be buried in the Sepulchre of a rich man as Joseph of Arimathea is expresly called Matth. 27.57 the Evangelist thereby pointing as some think to the accomplishment of this Prophecy And this last seems to me the most probable Exposition of this place As for that which follows because he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his Mouth or as it is cited 1 Pet. 2.22 neither was guile found in his Mouth which seems to have special respect to the unquestionable truth of his Doctrine it is given as a reason of that which went before and therefore must be understood according to the several Expositions of the foregoing words as either 1. That God would bring destruction upon those that crucified Christ because they had dealt so cruelly with an innocent man that had never done any thing blame-worthy either in word or deed Or 2. That his Death should be efficacious for the Conversion of wicked Men yea even the greatest and richest of them because he should not dye for any guilt that was in him but as a spotless Lamb that suffered for the Salvation of others Or 3. That God would not suffer him to be buried amongst those notorious Malefactors in that common place appointed for their burial in or about Mount Calvary but provided that he should be honourably laid in a new Sepulchre which a rich and honourable person had provided for himself because he was such a new man indeed as the World had never seen a man that had never sinned neither in word nor deed Ver. 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief c. That is Though there was no fault in him yet it was the will of God that he should suffer sorely to wit because he was to suffer for poor Sinners See the Note before ver 5. when thou shalt make his Soul an offering for Sin that is when thou O God shalt bring it to that that his Soul that is his Life or himself shall be offered up as a propitiatory Sacrifice for sinful men Or as it is in the Margin when his Soul shall make an offering for Sin that is when Christ shall willingly even with all his Soul offer up himself as a Sacrifice for his People to wit in his Death See Gal. 3.13 and 2 Cor. 5.21 he shall see his Seed that is his Spiritual Progeny See the Notes Chap. 9.6 Multitudes of Believers that shall be begotten again by his Word and Spirit It is as if he had said that his Death should not hinder his having a numerous Seed because he should rise from the dead and so should live and see his Seed yea it should be so far from hindering it that it should be the cause of it because reconciliation being made by his Death he shall thereby purchase them to himself which our Saviour intended in that Joh. 12.24 Except a Corn of Wheat fall into the ground and dye it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much Fruit and likewise because it was not till after his Death and Ascension into Heaven that his Spirit was to be so abundantly poured forth both upon those that were to preach the Gospel and upon those to whom it was Preached Joh. 7.39 he shall prolong his days See the Note above ver 8. It is spoken with respect to his reigning long over his Church upon Earth till all his Enemies were subdued and after that together with his Church Eternally in Heaven and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand that is that which it was the Lords good will and pleasure should be done by him to wit the Redemption and Salvation of Men and that which should make way thereto the bringing in of Men to believe in Christ by the spreading of the Gospel through all Nations See Joh. 4.34 and 6.39 Ver. 11. He shall see of the travel of his Soul c. That is He shall for a long time together with much content and delight see and enjoy See the Notes Job 7.7 and Psal 34.12 the effect and fruit of all the toilsome and wearisome pains that he had taken and pains and sorrows he had endured and that especially in his Soul by reason of the pressures of Divine Wrath that lay upon him and put him into a bloody sweat And by this fruit of the travel of his Soul is meant that which in the foregoing Verse was called the prospering of the pleasure of the Lord in his hand as namely the gathering of multitudes of Gods Elect People from amongst the Gentiles together with that transcendency of Glory whereunto himself shall be exalted after his Sufferings and Labours See Phil. 2.8 9. and Luke 24.26 and the Eternal Salvation of all his redeemed ones and shall be satisfied to wit with full content and delight as having obtained that which he earnestly thirsted after and accounting it an abundant recompence for all his Labours and Sufferings even as a Husband-man is satisfied when after all his toil he comes to reap a plenteous Harvest and as a Woman is satisfied when after all her pains in travel she sees
righteousness shall go before thee that is thou shalt plainly see the reward of thy Righteousness thy Righteousness shall direct and prosper thee in all thy ways that is it shall procure for thee that the Lord shall direct thee and teach thee what to do and shall prosper and bless thee in all things whatsoever he shall bring all things into a just and righteous order so that by all things that befall thee it shall appear that thou art a just and righteous Person the Glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward that is say some after a Life spent Righteously here thou shalt at last be brought to Heavenly Glory but rather the meaning is either that the Glorious God or the Glorious power and providence of God should gather them up if they were scattered abroad and protect them as a Shepherd doth his Flock or else that by the constant Love and Favour of God to them they would be Glorious and Renowned whereas formerly for the Judgments of God upon them they had been infamous Ver. 9. Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer thou shalt cry and he shall say Here I am c. As if he had said Then therefore thou shalt no more complain as before ver 3 that I hear thee not when thou fastest and prayest if thou take from the midst of thee to wit that no such shall be found amongst you the yâ—ke that is every heavy pressure imposed upon your Brethren whether by fraud or violence see the Note before ver 6. the putting forth of the Finger that is either 1. Pointing the Finger at Men whom they are at that time reviling and slandering or by way of scorning and deriding the Prophets and other the Holy Servants of God or 2. Laying their Hands upon Mens Persons by way of striking them the fist of wickedness before mentioned ver 4. or their Estates by way of any unjust seizure or 3. Putting off and putting by with a Finger stretched out and turned aside in a way of denial to those that sue to them for Mercy forbearing them or mitigating any of their hard proceedings against them or 4. Which seems most probable the reaching forth the Hand or lifting up the Finger by way of Threatning Men as if he had said If you do forbear not only all acts of Violence and threatning language but all expressions and gestures tending thereto and speaking Vanity that is say some lying or flattering or any kind of wicked or vain speaking or rather considering the context in this place any thing that was like to be grievous and hurtful to their Brethren Ver. 10. And if thou draw out thy Soul to the Hungry c. That is if thou dost relieve them freely willingly and chearfully with much fervent affection and tender Bowels of Compassion and satisfie the afflicted Soul that is if thou relieve the Poor Man not sparingly but bountifully to the full supply of his wants and so that his Soul may be refreshed thereby then shall thy Light rise in Obscurity see the Note above ver 8. and that also Psal 112.4 And thy Darkness shall be as Noon-day that is and thine afflicted estate shall be turned into very great prosperity see the Notes Psal 37.6 and Job 11.17 Ver. 11. And the Lord shall guide thee continually c. That is assist and direct and prosper thee in all thy ways see the Note above ver 8. and satisfie thy Soul in drought see the Notes Psal 103.5 Prov. 11.25 and Psal 37.19 It is spoken here with reference to what was said in the foregoing Verse that if they would satisfie the afflicted God would satisfie them and make fat thy Bones that is he will make thee healthful and strong the expression here used hath respect either to the Bones being full of Marrow where persons are healthful Job 21.24 Or to the store of Fat that will be upon the Bones that are well Fatted And thou shalt be like a Watered Garden and like a Spring of Water whose Waters fail not that is like a Garden watered with an ever-flowing Fountain or like a Garden and an ever-flowing Spring and the meaning is that God would abundantly bless them that he would bring them into and continue them in a very plentiful and comfortable Estate so that they should be a delight and refreshing to many see the Note Numb 24.6 Ver. 12. And they that shall be of thee c. As if he had said even of thy Posterity how low soever you may be brought there shall some arise that shall build the old waste places that is the Ruines of Jerusalem and other the Cities of Judea that had lain long waste and desolate Thou shalt raise up the Foundations of many Generations that is thou shalt rear up those Cities where nothing was left but the very Foundations that had lain waste and desolate for many Generations or thou shalt raise up those Buildings that shall last for many Generations and thou shalt be called the Repairer of the Breach to wit the many Breaches in their Walls see the Note Chap. 48.8 the restorer of Paths to dwell in to wit say some in that they made those ruines which the Enemy had made by beating their Houses down to the very Foundation and over which they used to pass to and fro at their pleasure to be Places wherein they might again inhabit or rather in that by reedifying their Cities it came to pass that the paths to those Cities were frequented again by Travellers that had long lain over-grown and untrodden But now many there are that would have all this understood mystically also of the Building of the Church of Christ by those that were first sent forth to Preach the Gospel all the World over whereby the breach was made up betwixt the Jews and Gentiles Ver. 13. If thou turn away thy Foot from the Sabbath c. That is if thou avoid the doing of those things on the Sabbath day wherewith the Sabbath must needs be polluted to wit 1. The doing of those things which though they might lawfully be done on other days yet were forbidden on that day as Travelling which some think the Phrase here used of turning away the Foot doth especially intend or doing any servile Work and following any Worldly imployment And 2. All their sinful ways and courses And indeed this last I conceive is here principally intended for as his aim before was to shew them that their outward fasting was not enough unless they did also Mourn for and abandon their sinful courses so here likewise it seems his drift is to shew them that it was not enough for them to forbear their ordinary Worldly Imployments on the Sabbath day if they did in the mean time prophane them with their wicked and sinful waies if they should be never so strict not to go a Journey nor dress Meat on the Sabbath day and yet at the same time oppress the Poor this the Lord would
thou now or thou shalt be now in a joyful prosperous and glorious condition For the Light is come and the Glory of the Lord is risen upon thee That is the Night of thine Adversity being at an end the Day of thy Prosperity begins to dawn and the Lord is beginning to shew forth his Glory as the Sun doth where it riseth in delivering thee out of thy Captivity to settle thee again in thine own Land or to make thee renowned and glorious But indeed the expression here used seems to allude to those Times when the Glory of the Lord used to appear upon the Tabernacle and in the Temple But now under this Type the great bliss of the Primitive Church of Christ is here principally intended in regard whereof the Church of the Jews is here stirred up to arise and shine or to be enlightened as it is in the Margin namely with respect to that Spiritual Happiness and Glory whereto she should be raised from an estate of Sin and Misery under the Messiah which is set forth in the following words for the Light is come or as it is in the Margin thy Light cometh and the Glory of the Lord is risen upon thee that is Christ Joh. 8.12 long since promised to them and in whom they had in many respects a special Interest Or the Gospel which was to succeed in the stead of the abrogated Law called the light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ 2 Cor. 4.4 Or that blessed and joyful estate whereto the Church of the Jews was then advanced Ver. 2. For behold the Darkness shall cover the Earth and gross Darkness the People c To wit you the whilst enjoying great and marvellous light as it followes in the next words But the Lord shall arise upon thee and his Glory shall be seen upon thee And this is added the better to set forth the greatness of their approaching happiness that whilst other Nations should be overwhelmed with thick darkness as the Egyptians were in Egypt they should be as the Israelites that were in Goshen that had Light in their Dwellings Now though this in the Type was accomplished when the Jews were in a lightsome comfortable condition at their deliverance out of Babylon the Lord then appearing graciously amongst them and shining favourably upon them and causing his Glory to be clearly discovered upon them in that their wonderful deliverance whilst the Babylonians and other Neighbour Nations were under the dismal darkness of sore tribulations being subdued and wasted by Cyrus who set them free Yet questioneless it is principally meant of the happiness of the Church of the Jews when Christ should come to them above all the Nations of the World besides in that whilst this Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 should arise and shine upon them and dispel all the Darkness of their blindness and misery by the light of the Gospel whilst all the World besides should lye in darkness and the shadow of Death Ver. 3. And the Gentiles shall come to thy Light c. In the Type this may be meant of the great respect that should be shewn to the Jews in their wondrous and glorious return out of Babylon by Forreign Nations and Kings See the Notes Chap. 49.6 7. But with respect of the Antitype it is principally doubtless meant of the Conversion of the Gentiles and their being enlightened by the Gospel first Preached amongst the Jews see the Note Chap. 2.3 Even these Nations should be so far from being Enemies to the Jews as formerly they had been that they should joyn themselves to them and profess the same Faith and be one People with them and Kings to the brightness of thy rising that is Heathen Kings shall come in to thee because of the brightness that shall rise upon thee or because of thy brightness when thou shalt arise in great Glory from a low condition see the Note Chap. 49.23 Ver. 4. Lift up thine Eyes round about and see all they gather themselves together they come to thee c. This is spoken to set forth as by way of admiration the Multitude of the Gentiles mentioned in the foregoing Verse that should from all Countries round about come flocking in and joyn themselves to the Primitive Church of the Jews see the Notes Chap. 2.3 and 14.1 and 43.5 but especially Chap. 49.22 though they were of several Nations and formerly at great enmity amongst themselves yet should come in willingly together and joyn themselves to be one Church with the Christian Jews Some I know understand this of the Jews flocking home from all Countries whither they had fled or were carried Captives But if this should be intended in the Type yet certainly it is chiefly meant of the Conversion of the Gentiles as the relation the words have to the foregoing Verse doth clearly shew And so I understand also the following words Thy Sons shall come from far and thy Daughters shall be nursed at thy side that is carried in thine Arms and Bosom namely that the Children of the Gentiles should be brought into the Church of Christ as their Mother Ver. 5. Then thou shalt see c. That is thou shalt feed thine Eyes with this pleasing sight of the Multitude of the Gentiles that shall come in to thee it is spoken with reference to that in the foregoing Verse Lift up thine Eyes round about and see and flow together that is flock together to behold such a joyful sight and thine Heart shall fear to wit with admiration at the unexpectedness of the thing done and the consideration of the High and Glorious Estate whereto God had suddenly raised them especially by the access of the Gentiles And indeed wonderful and unexpected joys do usually work a kind of fear and trembling of Heart in Men see Gen. 45.26 27. Whence is that they shall fear and tremble for all the Goodness and for all the Prosperity that I procure unto it Jer. 33.9 And therefore are these here joyned together and thine Heart shall fear and be inlarged to wit with joy See the Note Psal 119.32 And indeed though the believing Jews did at first grudge at the admitting of the Gentiles into the Church before they understood the will of God herein yet afterward they did greatly rejoice in it see Acts 10.45 and 11.18 Because the abundance of the Sea c. It is in the Margin because the noise of the Sea shall be turned toward thee that is a Multitude of People shall come in like a Sea upon thee But reading it as it is in our Bibles Because the abundance of the Sea shall be Converted unto thee the meaning is that the Church of the Christian Jews should be affected as is before said because such Multitudes of Forreign Nations should embrace their Religion and be kindly affected to them whom they hated before bountifully imparting of their Riches for the service of Christ and his Church and People The Forces of the Gentiles shall come
now as we intend it to that great work of our Salvation by Christ begun here but perfected in Heaven it may be particularly applyed to that Evangelical Righteousnes wherewith Christians may be truly said to be Cloathed for which see the Note Chap. 60.21 This I conceive is the true meaning of this place yet I know there are some that would have nothing else intended thereby but only this that God had changed their Captive Garments into the joyful Attire of those that are delivered out of Captivity Ver. 11. For as the Earth bringeth forth her Bud and as the Garden causeth the things that are sown in it to Spring forth c. To wit when the Winter is gone and the Spring is come So the Lord God will cause Righteousness and Praise to Spring forth before all the Nations that is so though God may hide himself from his People for a time yet when he begins to let the light of his Countenance shine forth favourably upon them again he will cause your Land in the sight of all Nations to abound with Righteousness and Praise that is with the discovery of his Goodness and Faithfulness to you and the Praise that shall thereupon be given to him as if these things did grow and spring up every where out of the Earth see the like expression Psal 72.3 and 85.11 The Land shall be covered with Righteousness and Praise as the Earth is with the Fruits that grow up in the Spring time But see also the foregoing Note The drift doubtless of these Expressions is to shew that how impossible and incredible soever these things might seem which the Prophet had promised â— yet that Almighty God that caused the Earth yearly to yield her Fruit would likewise effect this great Change of which he had spoken CHAP. LXII VERSE 1. FOR Zions sake I will not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake I will not rest c. The Prophet here professeth that out of love and tender respect to Zion and Gods Church and People and out of zeal for their good their comfort and incouragement he would not give over publishing those glad tydings which he had already declared to them to wit concerning their deliverance out of Babylon and their Redemption by Christ and praying to God for the accomplishment of them though he had long time done this yet he would still incessantly go on to do it yea though he should be never so much discouraged by the incredulity hatred and injurious dealing of the people to whom he imparted these glad Tydings or by seeing the Ruine that should come upon them for a time yet â—e would not cease incessantly to proclaim these things that hereby he might raise up their Hearts constantly to wait for this promised deliverance and Salvation though it might be long er'e it came Vntil the Righteousness thereof goeth forth as brightness and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth that is as it respects the Jews in Babylon until by Gods destroying the Babylonians and his Peoples Deliverance the Righteousness of his Peoples Cause which lay hid during their Captivity shall appear so clearly and gloriously that all the Nations about them shall see and acknowledge it Or as it respects the Church of Christ until Christ come who is the Righteousness and Saviour of his People until the great Work of the Righteousness and Salvation of the Church be fully accomplished and do shine forth gloriously in the Ministry of the Gospel to the drawing of all Mens Eyes to it even amongst Gentiles that before sat in gross darkness Some think that this is spoken by the Prophet in the Person of God For Zions sake I will not hold my peace c. To wit that God would not rest till he had pleaded the Righteous Cause of his People and saved them from their Enemies for when he doth forbear to do this he is in the Scripture Phrase said to hold his peace See the Note Chap. 42.14 Yea they say that it cannot be spoken by the Prophet in his own Person because he dyed long before the return of the Jews out of Babylon and much more before the full accomplishment of these things by Jesus Christ But this is not a sufficient reason to disprove what is most generally held by Expositors to wit that the Prophet speaks here in his own Person since his meaning here may be only this that should he live till these things which God had promised his People should come to pass he would never cease to Preach these glad tydings nor to Pray for the speedy performance of them It is not unlike that Speech of the Apostles 1 Thes 4.17 We which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds that is should any of us at that day be found living upon Earth it would be so with us Ver. 2. And the Gentiles shall see thy Righteousness c. To wit that before mentioned which should go forth as brightness for which see the foregoing Note and all Kings thy Glory that is all the great Kings of the Gentiles to whom the knowledge of it shall come shall take notice of the exceeding Glory whereto God hath advanced thee See the Note Psal 138.4 And thou shalt be called by a new Name which the Mouth of the Lord shall Name that is God will give thee a new Name to wit that expressed afterward ver 4. Thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah But the meaning is either that Gods Church and People should through his favour to them become exceeding Famous and Renowned far more than ever formerly Or that God would bring them into a new Estate and Condition far more glorious than ever formerly heard of which was most fully accomplished when they became the Church of Christ Ver. 3. Thou shalt also be a Crown of Glory in the Hand of the Lord and a Royal Diadem in the Hand of thy God The meaning is either 1. That the Lord by his Hand upon them in their Deliverance and in the great things he would do for them as his peculiar People would advance them to great Glory so that they should be eminently conspicuous and renowned even as a Glorious Crown or Royal Diadem in the Eyes of those that behold it or rather 2. That God would own his People to be an Honour and Glory to him even as a Crown or Diadem which a King takes in his Hand and puts upon his Head as being the people over whom he Reigned as their King and Soveraign and consequently that he would make as precious account of them as a King doth of his Crown and as carefully preserve them Ver. 4. Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken c. See the Notes Chap. 49.14 and 54.6 7. Neither shall thy Land any more be termed desolate See the Note Chap. 1.7 and 54.3 But thou shalt be called that is thou shalt be and shalt be owned to be as we see in the like
at his pleasure break them in pieces as the Potter may his Pots yet that he would rather spare them and deal favourably with them both out of respect to the frailty of their condition see the Note Psal 143.10 and especially because of the interest he had in them as being his Children and the work of his hands see the Note Psal 119.73 Ver. 9. Be not wrath very sore O Lord neither remember iniquity for ever c. As if they had said Though this we have deserved yet deal more favourably with us see the Note Psal 6.1 behold see we beseech thee see the Note Chap. 63.15 we are all thy People that is thou hast taken us to be thy Covenant People and therefore spare us Ver. 10. Thy holy Cities are a wilderness c. That is the Cities of Judea which are called holy Cities as the whole Country is called the holy Land Zach. 2.12 because of the special interest which God had in them as having given them for an habitation to his holy People Israel wherein they were to serve and Worship God as they did constantly in their Synagogues every Sabbath both in Prayer and hearing the word Preached Act. 15.21 Some indeed hold that the following words Zion is a Wilderness Jerusalem a Desolation are added to shew what were the holy Cities they intended to wit Zion and Jerusalem where the Temple was wherein God was especially served and which were sometimes spoken of as two distinct Cities Zion being more peculiarly called the City of David However by mentioning the desolation of these Cities they seek to move God to pity them and to destroy their Enemies though not for their sakes that had deserved so ill at his hands yet with respect to his own Glory and to his own Concernments Ver. 11. Our holy and our beautiful house where our Fathers praised thee is burnt with Fire c. This is added as a farther aggravation of their misery that not only their Cities even Zion and Jerusalem amongst the rest but even the Temple also was burnt with Fire that goodly house which God had given them to be the peculiar place for his Worship and Service and which was far dearer to them than their own private Houses But now withall there are two things hinted very observable in that Clause where our Fathers praised thee as namely 1. That being as it were ashamed to alledge their own serving of God there because they had been so regardless of their duty therein and had done what they did in such a manner as might well render it loathsome to God yet they put him in mind how formerly in better times their Forefathers had duly served him there And 2. How sad a thing it was that they should now weep and lament over the ruines of that House wherein their Ancestors with such triumphant joy used to praise God for his goodness to them and all our pleasant things are laid waste that is say some all the choice things wherein we took pleasure are spoiled and carried away But the word laid waste doth rather import that they speak hear of their goodly Palaces and great Houses publick and private which were likewise by the Enemy burnt down and destroy'd Ver. 12. Wilt thou refrain thy self for these things O Lord c. That is Canst thou contain thy self from coming in to our help and from avenging thy self upon our Enemies when thou seest us thy People in such a miserable condition and our Enemies offering so much wrong to thy self and thy Concernments Though we have deserved to be punished severely yet wilt thou not vindicate thine own glory CHAP. LXV VERSE 1. I Am sought of them that asked not for me c. Many Expositors take this to be Gods Answer to the Prayer of his People in the foregoing Chapter wherein by his seeking out those that minded not him he assures them that he would have been ready enough to have hearkened to the Prayers of his People had they called upon him in a right manner and had they not by their obstinate wickedness caused him to disregard their Prayers But now others not improbably say that the main scope of this place is to foretell the rejection of the Jews and the just cause God had so to deal with them Only lest they should hence infer the making void of the Covenant which God had made with their Fathers he first promiseth this concerning the calling of the Gentiles in whom the Covenant should be made good they being by Faith ingratifted into the Stock of Israel I am sought of them that asked not for me I am found of them that sought me not that is the Gentiles that in former times did neither know me nor inquire nor seek after me do now upon the Preaching of the Gospel to them won thereto by my preventing Grace both seek after me and find me and worship me for that it is the calling of the Gentiles that is here intended is evident because it is by the Apostle Paul expresly applyed thereto Rom. 10.20 But Esaias is very bold to wit in that he durst tell the Jews of that which was so hateful to them the taking in the Gentiles in their stead to be the People of God and saith I was found of them that sought me not I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me They are the very same words in effect with those of the Prophet here only the two branches are transposed As for the following Words here added by the Prophet they are to the same purpose with that which went before I said behold me behold me unto a Nation that was not called by my Name that is I was willing to manifest my self to them and to receive and own them as my People which before they were not or as some loe here I am ready still to hear you and to satisfie your desires when you call upon me But see the Note also Deut. 32.21 The Ingemination behold me behold me is to imply either Gods great forwardness to hear and help them when they should seek to him or the wonder of Gods grace herein and how incredible it would seem to the Jews Ver. 2. I have spread out my hands c. See the Note Prov. 1.24 all the day that is for a long time together constantly and continually even in a long Succession of Ages first by my Prophets and afterward by my Son unto a Rebellious People to wit the Jews for so the Apostle expounds it Rom. 10.21 But to Israel he saith all day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying People which is here in the Prophet which walketh in a way that was not good that is in ways very bad wicked waies see 1 Sam. 2.24 and Psal 36.4 after their own thoughts that is as seems good in their own Eyes according to the inclination and desires of their own naughty Hearts And herein it is like their following
their own devices in their manifold Will-worships may be principally intended because of that which follows Ver. 3. A People that provoketh me to anger continually to my Face c. To wit by their Superstitions and Idolatries say some which they had brought into the very Temple the place of Gods special presence Or 2. by doing boldly and impudently that which was contrary to what God in his Word had expresly enjoyned them or 3. by sinning openly and confidently not in the least fearing Gods allseeing Eye that Sacrificeth in Gardens see the Note Chap. 1.29 and burneth Incense upon Bricks so it is in the Hebrew that is upon Altars of Bricks as the Word is rendered in our Translation of which happily they chose to build their Altars that they might be the more curiously Hewed and Carved But yet as in a way of contempt with respect to their leaving his Golden Altar to burn incense upon them God calls them barely Bricks I know there are some that do otherwise understand this last clause namely that it is meant of the Bricks or Tiles wherewith their flat-roofed Houses were covered where indeed these Idolaters used to burn Incense to their Idols or at least of the Altars of Brick which for that purpose they were wont to build there see the Note 2 Kings 23.12 Ver. 4. Which remain among the Graves and lodge in the Monuments c. That is That haunted places where the dead had been buried and sometimes continued there a long while together even lodging there by Night perhaps for the greater secresie to wit that they might raise up their Ghosts and consult with them or receive Answers from them in their sleep by Revelations and Divinatory Dreams Or that they might Consult with evil Spirits that usually delight to appear to Men in such doleful solitary places see the Notes Chap. 8.19 and Deut. 18.11 Which eat Swines flesh expresly against the Law of God Lev. 7.11 and Broth or pieces of abominable things are in their Vessels that is of things unclean by the Law of God which they kept either to eat or else as some think to pour it as a Drink-Offering upon their Idolatrous Sacrifices Ver. 5. Which say c. To wit to the Prophets or others that undertook to reprove them for the sins before mentioned or that any way sought to reclaim them or generally to all that were not of their way though the choicest of Gods Servants Stand by thy self that is Take care of thy self meddle not with me or keep apart by thy self touch not me which they speak out of a proud conceit of their own holiness and contempt of others as appears by the following words come not near to me for I am holier than 〈◊〉 And this above all God abhored in them These saith he are a Smoke in my Nose that is they provoke me to anger or make my anger smoke against them there seems to be an allusion in the Phrase to the Breath that will from the Nose puff forth like smoke in those that are angry Or rather these are a vexation a trouble and offence to me as smoke useth to be to Mens Eyes and Noses a Fire that burneth all the day that is they cause mine anger to burn like Fire against them continually or even unto Eternity and to burn them like so much combustible matter with a Fire say some that shall never be quenched See the Note◠Deut. 32.22 Some understand the first Clause of Gods dispelling them in his anger like Smoke But the former Expositions are the best Ver. 6. Behold it is written before me c. Some refer this to that which follows concerning Gods punishing them and so would have the meaning to be that God had determined and decreed that he would be avenged on them for their wickedness See the Note Jer. 13.26 But it is rather meant of their Evil ways before mentioned to wit that they were kept upon Record before God and were ever in his Eye I will not keep silence that is I will forbear them no longer see the Note Chap. 42.14 but will recompence even recompence into their Bosome that is say some by striking them with such terrors of Conscience that they shall feel what it is to sin against me Or rather it is meant of punishing them abundantly the Expression being taken from those that when they would give of any thing plentifully to others are wont to pour it into their Laps not standing to court or measure what they give See the Note Psal 79.12 Ver. 7 Your Iniquities c. This depends upon the foregoing Verse What would he recompence into their Bosomes Why your Iniquities and the Iniquities of your Fathers together saith the Lord God to wit by punishing you both for the one and the other But how can it stand with the Justice of God to punish Children for the Sins of their Parents I answer 1. That God never punisheth any particular Persons for the sins of their Parents unless they run on in ways of wickedness as their Parents did before them 2. That he never brings any evil upon any wicked persons but what their own Sins have abundantly deserved 3. That yet it is no impeachment to the Justice of God to punish wicked Men the more severely and remarkably even with respect to the wickedness of their Parents that haply escaped in their time that so it may be observed that vengeance though delayed for a time doth usually at length fall upon the Race of the Wicked And 4. that in cutting off a Nation when they have filled up the measure of their Iniquities Gen. 15.16 it is no injustice in God thereby to punish the sins both of that present Age and of former Generations which that is which Fathers of yours have burnt Incense upon the Mountains and Blasphemed me upon the Hills to wit by these their Idolatrous Courses whereby the Lord was indeed really Blasphemed 1. By that base contempt which they cast upon him in that they slighted him and his Law and minded not what was there enjoined them 2. In that they gave away the Glory due to him to such base Idols And 3. By forsaking him to follow the Idol Gods of the Heathens Therefore will I measure their former work into their Bosome that is I will punish them for their sins long since committed yea even by their Fathers Ver. 8. Thus saith the Lord c. Here a Promise of mercy is added concerning the saving of a Remnant in that common Destruction that was coming upon the Jews As the new Wine is found in the Cluster and one saith Destroy it not that is As when a Man is going about to cut down a blasted or barren Vine and one espying some one good Cluster of Grapes on some Bough of it doth call upon him to spare it Destroy it not for a Blessing is in it that is Destroy not this Bunch for there is some good Wine some juice and
advancing this their deliverance above 〈◊〉 of their deliverance out of Aegypt that being effected with much â—â—â—ugling and striving but this without any Labour on their parts Cyrus of his own accord giving them liberty to be gone And 2. Of the mighty and sudden encrease of the Church by the Conversion of the Gentiles for which see the Notes Chap. 49.18 21. and 60.4 before her pain came she was delivered of a manchild that is a great and mighty People And besides as this is intended concerning the encrease of the Church of Christ it may imply that the Believers in those days added to the Church should be strong in Faith manly and stout and couragious for the Truth and likewise what exceeding joy there should be for that great encrease of the Church as when a Child especially a man-child is born Ver. 8. Who hath heard such a thing Who hath seen such things c. To wit as that mentioned in the foregoing Verse see the Note Chap. 64.4 Shall the Earth be made to bring forth in one day That is the Fruits which are usually a long time sprouting out and growing till they come to ripeness and perfection Or as some would have it shall all the Women in a Country or in the whole Earth be made to bring forth together in one day Or shall a Nation be born at once That is is it possible for one Woman to bring a Nation at one Birth Or for several Women to bring forth a Nation together at one time for as soon as Zion travelled c. as if he had said yet so it is here as soon as Zion travelled she brought forth her Children that is as soon as the time of her Travel came she brought forth multitudes as it were a whole Nation at once or in one day for which see the foregoing Note Ver. 9. Shall I bring to the Birth and not cause to bring forth saith the Lord c. Some read it as it is in the Margin Shall I bring to the birth and not beget And so reading it the meaning must needs be shall I that cause other Women to conceive and bring their Conceptions to the birth continue Childness my self and not beget me Children of my Zion But reading it as it is in our Bibles the meaning seems rather to be this Shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth that is shall I bring my People to the throes and pangs of a Child-bearing Woman and shall I not withall afford her deliverance see the Notes 2 Kings 19.3 Or shall I undertake to bring forth my People out of Captivity and not fully accomplish it Shall I set upon a work and not go through with it And to the same purpose is the following Clause Shall I cause to bring forth and shut the womb saith thy God That is shall I confer upon Mankind the power of propagation and shall I withold this blessing from my Zion Or having begotten Children upon my Zion shall I shut up her Womb that she cannot bring them forth Ver. 10. Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad with her all ye that love her c. It is the Well-willers and Friends of Jerusalem after the return of her People from Babylon and consequently also of the Church of Christ after her mighty encrease by the Conversion of the Gentiles that are here invited to rejoyce with her to wit as Friends are wont to rejoice with Women after they are safely delivered especially if it have been of a man-child as was before figuratively said of the Church ver 7. rejoice for joy with her all ye that mourn for her that is that did mourn for her when she was in an afflicted and distressed estate Ver. 11. That ye may suck c. That is say some in that ye shall suck and be satisfied c. for they take this to be added as the cause of the joy whereto they were exhorted in the foregoing Verse But considering that it was the Faithful that were there exhorted to rejoice in the prosperity of the Church I conceive this may be added as the end of their rejoicing with the Church even that ye may suck and be satisfied with the Breasts of her Consolations that ye may suck your fill see the Note Psal 22.26 that is that you may partake with her in her Salvation Prosperity and Glory that as a Mother she may with full Breasts plentifully feed and nourish you up that you may be nursed up in Knowledge and Grace here till ye come to be sharers with her in the Glory of Heaven hereafter With respect to that which was before said ver 7. concerning the Churches bringing forth Children the Prophet doth here likewise speak of her as of a Mother giving suck that ye may suck and be satisfied with the Breasts of her Consolations to wit those Gospel-Consolations wherewith she shall be comforted of God and wherewith she shall comfort her Children the sincere Milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 refreshing as Milk for poor troubled Consciences Yea because there is mention made in the close of the foregoing Verse of those that mourned for Jerusalem some think that in these words that ye may suck c. there is an allusion to Mothers giving their Children suck to still them when they cry As for the next Clause that ye may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her Glory that is the Churches Glory see the Notes Chap. 60.1 2 3. Ver. 12. For thus saith the Lord Behold I will extend Peace to her like a River c. See the Note Chap. 48.18 and the Glory of the Gentiles as a flowing stream see the Note Chap. 61.6 then shall ye suck ye shall be born upon her sides and dandled upon her knees see the Notes Chap. 49.22 23. and 60.4 Ver. 13. As one whom his Mother comforteth so will I comfort you c. As if he had said You shall not only be comforted by the Church your Mother but I also will be to you as a tender Mother herein For as an affectionate Mother is wont by kind speeches and by hugging and embracing her Child and by all possible expressions of her love to labour to quiet and still it and chear it up again when it cries and weeps because of some hurt it had taken or because she had formerly chid it or beaten it so will I comfort you my People after I had for a time corrected you and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem that is though Jerusalem hath lain so long in such a desolate condition yet shall her prosperous and flourishing Estate be matter of great comfort and rejoicing to you Ver. 14. And when ye see this c. This is thus expressed to imply the undoubted certainty of it with their Eyes they should see it accomplished your heart shall rejoice that is you shall rejoice heartily and your bones shall flourish like an herb that is your Strength and
exceedingly enriched and made powerful and mighty is ruined and destroyed Ver. 17. And it shall come to pass in that day c. That is At that time when this Prophecy against Tyre shall be accomplished that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years that is just for so many years she shall lie in her ruines desolate and forsaken not minded nor regarded either by God or man see the Note Psal 13.1 Because in the following verse Tyre is compared to a harlot forgotten of her Lovers it may well be that in Allusion thereto it is here said That Tyre shall be forgotten that is That her Merchants should no more come at her for traffick But yet the Expression may well be understood more generally as including also Gods disregarding of her of whom it is therefore said afterward ver 17. that he would visit her as it were remembring her again in mercy As for the seventy years the time here prefixed for Tyres lying desolate I question not but that they must be counted from the time that Tyre should be taken by Nebuchadnezzar unto the ruine of the Chaldean Empire and consequently that they are in a manner just the same with the seventy years of the Jews captivity in Babylon and that because we find the Prophets foretold that at the same time when Nebuchadnezzar should destroy Judea and Jerusalem he should also subdue the other neighbouring Nations round about and particularly Tyre See Jer. 25.15 22. and 27.2 3. and Ezek. 26.7 And it is most probable that as the Jews were restored to their liberty upon the breaking of the Babylonian yoke by the Persians so it might be with other Nations too that were under the same bondage And this being so observable it is that Tyre who was punished for rejoycing at Jerusalems Destruction Ezek. 26.2 lay just as many years desolate as Jerusalem did As concerning those words that are added that for seventy years Tyre should be forgotten according to the days of one King Some would have the ground of this Expression to be That threescore and ten years are commonly accounted the time of a mans life that lives long See Psal 90.10 and consequently also of the life of one King and so they would have the words to be the same in effect as if it had been said according to the days of one man But because there is little or no strength in the Reasons they give why it is said according to the days of one King and not of one man I cannot approve of this Exposition The true meaning of the words is That Tyre should lie desolate and forgotten seventy years according to the days of one King that is of one Kingdom so Dan. 7.17 by four Kings is meant four Kingdoms or four different successions of Kings and Dan. 8.21 by the King of Grecia is meant a Succession of the several Kings of Greece and so that which is intended is That Tyre should lye waste so long as the Babylonian Empire should continue After the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot It is in the Hebrew It shall be unto Tyre as the song of an harlot But the meaning is either 1. That Tyre being rebuilt and become a famous Mart again should be as jocund and jolly as ever formerly she had been and as Harlots use to be when they are singing and sporting themselves amongst their Lovers Or 2ly That she should by all the art and skill she could use and by all the fair and pleasing Invitations and Promises she could make seek to win the Nations far and near to return to their old way of trading with her again even as an Harlot that having been forsaken of her Companions by reason of some foul Disease she lay under or some such other occasion doth upon her recovery by singing and all kind of flatteries and wantonness labour to entice and allure her youngsters to return to her again Or 3ly the meaning may be only That she should eagerly buckle her self again to her old way of Traffick wherein she is compared to a singing Harlot not only as I conceive to imply her eager intending her gain and profit which is the only thing the Harlot minds but also the fair and flattering Speeches the Frauds and Deceits wherewith Traders are wont too often to put off their Wares even as Harlots are wont to entice men to be dealing with them Ver. 16. Take an harp go about the City thou harlot that hast been forgotten c. Persisting in the Metaphor began in the last words of the foregoing verse the Prophet speaks here to Tyre as to some forsaken Harlot because it was it seems usual with such Strumpets thus to go playing and singing up and down the Cities thereby to entice their former Customers to look after them again Make sweet melody sing many songs that thou mayest be remembred that is That they may know thou art still living and where thou art to be had But that which is intended hereby is to foretel that Tyre being raised again out of her Ruines should like such an Harlot return again to her old Trade and use all the Devices she could to bring in the Nations to traffick with her again as formerly c. See the foregoing Note And it may well be also that the Prophet doth the rather use these Expressions Take an harp make sweet melody and in Allusion to this City's being formerly much addicted to such kind of Musick whence is that of the Prophet Ezekiel concerning Tyre Chap. 26.13 I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease and the sound of thy harps shall be no more heard See also Chap. 28.13 Ver. 17. And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years c. See the Note above ver 15. that the Lord will visit Tyre to wit in mercy raising her up to a prosperous estate again and she shall turn to her hire that is She shall return to her old gainful Trade of Merchandizing and shall commit Fornication with all the Kingdoms of the World c. that is as a Strumpet entertains all comers so shall she have Commerce with all Nations throughout the World and shall as greedily pursue her old filthy Gain by unjust and fraudulent Courses as ever she did Ver 18. And her Merchandise and her hire shall be Holiness to the Lord c. This is by the consent of almost all Expositors spoken of the times when the Inhabitants of Tyre should embrace the Christian Faith to wit That in those times they should consecrate their Merchandise and the Gain they got thereby to the service of God In those words Holiness to the Lord there seems to be an Allusion to that Motto that was engraven on the High Priests golden Frontlet Exod. 28.36 as there is also in Zach. 14.20 In that day shall there be upon the Bells of the Horses HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD but the meaning is That the Tyrians should then bestow
a great part of their Wealth for pious uses as might be most for Gods Glory and for the good of his Church and people And indeed we find in the first spreading of the Gospel the Apostle Paul found some at Tyre that had already embraced the Christian Faith Act. 21.3 4. See also the Note Psal 87.4 It shall not be treasured nor laid up that is they shall not covetously hoard up all they get meerly for themselves as formerly they have done for her Merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord that is They shall lay out very much of their Wealth for the relief and support of the Ministers of the Gospel and others the poor members of Christ for though the Prophet expresseth this according to the Language of the Old Testament for them that dwell before the Lord as if he had been speaking of the Priests and Levites that did continually wait upon the Lord in the Temple yet his meaning is That when the Tyrians were once come into the Church though they should not heap up Wealth by unjust ways as formerly yet what they got in an honest way they should willingly expend it for the support of the Lords special Servants the Ministers that attend upon him in his House and others of his Houshold of Faith who are indeed a holy Priesthood to the Lord and do continually endeavour to walk with him and to approve themselves to him in all their ways yea and this the Prophet saith they should do so freely and bountifully that both the one and the other should be comfortably and sufficiently supplied with Means and Maintenance both for Food and good Raiment for that is intended in those last words to eat sufficiently and for durable clothing CHAP. XXIV VERSE 1. BEhold the Lord maketh the earth empty c. This following Prophecy some would have restrained to the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes and the Desolation which Salmanasser was shortly to bring upon it and others to the Land both of Judah and Israel with respect to the Destruction thereof first by the Assyrians and afterwards by the Babylonians But that this Prophecy is more comprehensive than so is evident by those Expresions v. 4. The World languisheth and fadeth away and verse 21. The Lord shall punish the Kings of the earth upon the earth Nor yet can it be meant as some others would have it of Gods destroying the whole World at the day of Judgment because ver 13. the Prophet addeth a passage concerning a remnant that should be delivered from this common Destruction It is therefore far more probably field by the most of Expositors that the Prophet having in the foregoing Chapters from Chap. 13. hitherto denounced many sore Judgments against Judah and Israel and the neighbour Nations round about them severally as the Moabites the Syrians the Egyptians c. doth here now denounce Desolation and Destruction against them all jointly together Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty and maketh it waste c. as if he should have said What should I speak any longer of the Destruction of particular Cities and Countries The Lord hath purposed to bring Ruine and Devastation upon the whole earth in a manner It is true indeed that because the Prophet in foretelling this to the Jews did more especially aim at the awakening of them and the calling of them to Repentance therefore in this general denuntiation he inserts many passages with respect to them particularly who were included amongst the rest as appears ver 2 and 5. where there is mention of their Priests and Laws and Covenant But yet questionless the Prophecy is intended concerning that havock that was to be made amongst the Nations before severally threatned and it may be others also even all that were seated in those parts of the World first by the Assyrians and then by the Chaldeans and then after that by the Medes and Persians There is a Prophecy much like to this Jer. 25.9 Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty and maketh it waste that is He will empty the earth of the Inhabitants thereof and of all wherewith it is replenished and adorned and leave it quite desolate See the Note Chap. 3.26 It is as if he had said That the earth was even over-burthened with an innumerable company of wicked wretches and therefore God would ease her of her burden and turneth it upside down which is in the Hebrew and perverteth the face thereof that is It shall be so ruinated that it shall not have the face that formerly it had and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof that is some fleeing and some being carried away Captives they shall be dispersed abroad amongst several Nations Ver. 2. And it shall be as with the people so with the Priest as with the servant so with his master c. That is The Judgments threatned shall fall upon all sorts and Conditions none shall be spared in regard of any preheminence they have above others Ver. 3. The land shall be utterly emptied c. See the Note before ver 1. Ver. 4. The earth mourneth c. That is The Inhabitants of the earth See the Note above ver 1. Or the earth it self by reason of the sad plight whereinto it is brought See the Note Chap. 3.26 And fadeth away to wit as plants that wither away See the Note Chap. 1.30 The World languisheth and fadeth away that is All the Nations round about Judea against whom the foregoing Prophecies were denounced lye desolate and forsaken See the Note upon the like Expression Chap. 13.11 and see also Chap. 16.8 The haughty people of the earth do languish that is The great and lofty ones amongst the people see the Notes Chap. 2.11 12. yet because it is in the Hebrew the heigth of the people doth languish therefore some do understand hereby the Jews whom God had advanced by spiritual priviledges above all other people Ver. 5. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof c. To wit by the Blood and Carcases of men slain Or rather by the abominable wickednesses that were committed by the inhabitants as it is said of the Land of Canaan Levit. 18.25 that it was defiled by the horrid sins that were committed therein by the Canaanites In the Exposition there seems to be an Allusion to those things that by the Law of God were to be looked upon as polluted because they had touched any persons or things legally unclean By the earth some understand the Land of Israel and Judah particularly placing the Emphasis of the words in this That this land had not been kept pure as a land so peculiarly consecrated to God ought to have been But I see not why it may not still be understood as in the foregoing verses of the whole earth generally yet indeed it is very clear that though the Prophet doth here foretel Judgments that were coming upon all the Nations round about yet all along he doth still
through the Mediation of Christ it cannot seem strange that from the prediction of the deliverance he should now proceed to this promise concerning Christ The Lord hath called me from the Womb c. That is Even from the Womb he designed me to the Office of the Mediator yet the meaning is not that God did not appoint him thereto till he was conceived or born for he was by Gods decree chosen and separated to be the Messiah from all Eternity but that in his conception and birth there was a tendency to the accomplishment of this which God had decreed concerning him to that end he was born Thus it was with Isaiah in regard of his Prophetical Office as it was with Jeremy also Jer. 1.5 and with St. Paul Gal. 1.15 and thus it was with Christ From the bowels of my Mother hath he made mention of my Name that is from my very birth or before I was born he assigned me my name and did thereby make known the Work and Office whereunto I was appointed see Matt. 1.21 Luk. 1.31 and 2.21 Ver. 2. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me and made me a polished shaft in his Quiver hath he hid me For the understanding of this we must know first that Christs Word and Preaching and Typically the Prophet Isaiahs too is here compared to a sharp sword and to a Polished shaft which wounds not only near at hand but also at a great distance very far off be cause it should be of such power and efficacy to wound and pierce the hearts of Men both by working effectually upon some for their conversion and by convincing vexing and galling of others yea even of the Gentiles to the utmost parts of the World the accomplishment whereof we see in many things recorded in the Gospel concerning Christs preaching as where it is said of Christ that he was mighty in word Luk. 24.19 and where his very enemies confessed Never Man spake like this Man Joh. 7.46 and in that which is said concerning the Doctrine of the Gospel Heb. 4.12 that it is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword c. see the Notes also Chap. 11.4 and Psal 45.6 And 2dly that by saying that God had hid him in the shadow of his hand c. is meant that God would shelter him under the covert of his Almighty power and protect him from the rage of his enemies until the time came fore-appointed by God where he was to dye for the sins of his people see the Notes Chap. 18.1 and 42.1 And indeed considering how sharply Isaiah dealt with the Jews and that for so long a time together under so many several Kings as when he called them Princes of Sodom and People of Gomorrah Chap. 10. and so in many other places he might well say that God had hid him in the shadow of his hand c. For otherwise how could he have been so long secured against their Rage and Fury Ver. 3. And said unto me Thou art my Servant O Israel c. In our great Annotations another Translation is approved as best And he said thou art my Servant It is Israel in whom I will be glorified But this cannot be the meaning of the words according to our Translation of those therefore that adhere to our Translation some hold that this is spoken of Isaiah and that he is called Israel as owning him to be the only one in a manner amongst his people that in those times of general defection deserved to be called by that name an Israelite indeed as Nathaniel is called Joh. 1.47 but far most generally it is understood of Christ Thou art my Servant O Israel for Servant See Chap. 42.1 The greater question is why Christ should be here called Israel Some say it is because he was descended of the Stock of Israel which is not improbable it being manifest that elsewhere in like manner he is called David Hos 3.5 Others because he was the true Israel who wrestled with God to pacifiy his wrath against poor sinners and prevailed as Jacob once wrestled with the Angel and prevailed and was thereupon called Israel Gen. 32.28 And others again because he was the Seed to wit of Abraham and Israel to whom the promise is made Gal. 3.16 And so they hold that both Christ as the Head and the faithful as his Members are here joyntly together called Israel as elsewhere Christ together with the whole Church is called Christ 2 Cor. 12.12 But this seems not so probable because it is so clear in the foregoing Verse that one particular person is here spoken to However the ground of the following words In whom I will be glorified as they have respect to Christ is clearly because 1. by his making God known and the riches of his Grace towards poor sinners and 2ly by his accomplishing the great work of their Redemption and triumphing therein over Satan Death and Hell And 3dly by his performing all that had been foretold by the Prophets God was exceedingly Glorified whence was that of our Saviour Joh. 17.4 I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Ver. 4. Then I said c. To wit Christ though indeed the following complaint might well be Isaiahs also as a type of Christ I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain to wit in regard I could prevail with so few of the Jews to embrace the glad tidings of the Gospel see Joh. 3.32 Yet surely my Judgement is with the Lord that is he it is that can and will judge my cause and to him I willingly refer my self and my work with my God that is he knows the Commission I had from him and how faithfully I have discharged my trust labouring therein even to the spending of my strength and therefore I know that he will reward me not according to the success of my Labours but according to my faithfulness in the discharge of my duty Ver. 5. And now saith the Lord that formed me from the Womb to be his servant c. That is that appointed and fitted me from the Womb to be his Servant and indeed then Christ took upon him the form of a servant see the Notes above Verse 2 3. to bring Jacob again to him that is to convert the Jews to bring them by Faith and Repentance to return to the Lord their God from whom they were strayed Though Israel be not gathered c. Some read this as it is in the Margin that Israel may be gathered to him and I may be glorious c. and so make it a farther declaration of Gods end in sending Christ namely the gathering of the Jews in to God But reading the words as they are in our Bibles Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord the meaning is plain as if
he had said it would have been indeed a great glory to me had I been the means of converting Israel according to that which the Apostle saith of those that were converted by him 1 Thes 2.20 ye are our glory and joy and when God seems to curse the labours of his Servants by making them ineffectual for the good of a People it is some kind of a dishonour to those his Servants but yet though Israel be obstinate and will not be gathered in by me according to that of our Saviour Math. 23.37 How often would I have gathered thy Children together even as a hen gathereth her Chickens and ye would not yet will God highly esteem of me and of my labour in my Ministry yea and some think that under those words yet shall I be glorious that glory may also be comprehended where with God honoured him by his resurrection and the glory that followed thereupon and by the bringing in of the Gentiles upon the preaching of the Gospel amongst them and my God shall be my strength to wit 1. to support and comfort me against the ingratitude and incredulity of the people to whom I am sent 2. To defend me from the rage of mine enemies And 3. to inable me for the whole work that shall be impos'd on me Ver. 6. And he said c. That is God said as before verse 5. It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my Servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob that is say some that understand it of the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon to raise up the Commonwealth of Israel that is ruin'd and broken down and to set them up again in their former State in their own Countrey Or as others say that understand it of their spiritual conversion to raise up the Church of Israel that by their apostatising from God is in a manner broken to pieces and to make them again a holy people to the Lord their God and to restore the preserved or the desolations of Israel that is say some to restore that little remnant that is left in Babylon whom God hath hitherto preserved in the midst of those great desolations that have been made amongst them and to bring them home again to their own Land Or as others to bring home to God that little remnant of his elect whom God had in all ages preserved for himself with special care even as the apple of his own eye I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my Salvation unto the end of the Earth that is say they that understand the foregoing words of the Prophets foretelling the destruction of Babylon and deliverance of his People this mercy of the deliverance of my people shall not be the only effect of the ruine of Babylon even to many of the remote nations of the Gentiles shall it bring great joy because even they shall thereby be delivered from that fear and Bondage they had formerly been in But this exposition is nothing so clear as that which most follow concerning Christs enlightning the Gentiles by the preaching of the Gospel to them see the Notes Chap. 9.1 2. and 4.26 for to this Paul and Barnabas applied these words Act. 13.46 47. where they told the Jews that because of the rejecting the Gospel they would turn to the Gentiles and gave this reason for it For so hath the Lord commanded us saying I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the Earth And accordingly I conceive the words of the Prophet may be understood as if he had said though it be a great matter that thou shouldest convert the Jews and so raise up the tribes of Jacob which implies that some even amongst them should be converted by Christ yet this is but a light and a small matter in comparison of that which thou shalt do for by thee the Gentiles shall be enlightened and be brought in to be one Church together with the Jews and partake of the same common Salvation together with them Ver. 7. Thus saith the Lord the redeemer of Israel c. to wit that hath often redeemed them out of many dangers and distresses and his holy one see the Note Chap. 1.4 to him whom man despiseth c. or as it is in the Margin to him that is despised in Soul that is that is apprehensive in his own Soul how exceedingly he is scorned and despised according to the complaint of the Jews in Babylon of whom some understand this place Psal 123.4 Our Soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at case and with the contempt of the proud But the great question is Of whom and to whom this is spoken Some understand it of the Prophet Isaiah to him whom man despiseth to him whom the nation abhorreth a servant of Rulers and that say they because he was despised and abhorred by the generality of the Nation of the Jews and used like some poor contemptible Servant by their Princes and Rulers and that out of their rage against him for his bold and sharp reproving their sins And indeed I see not why this might not be spoken with respect to him as he was a type of Christ the greatest difficulty is in applying the following words to him Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship But even that might be spoken with respect to that reverent esteem they should have of him and the honour they should do him when they should see many things come to pass exactly as he had foretold them as it was particularly in the case of Sennacharib Again others understand it of the Jews in Babylon whose deliverance they say the Prophet here foretels who were used there indeed as a most despicable and abominable people and were perfect slaves to their great Lords and accordingly they also understand the following words Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship to wit that Kings should take notice of the wonder of their deliverance and upon the account thereof should afford them much respect and honour which they say was accomplished in the great respect they had from Cyrus Darius and others after their return out of Babylon because of the Lord that is faithful and the holy one of Israel and he shall choose thee because they should see the promises that God had made to them faithfully performed the Lord thereby owning them and appearing for them as his peculiar people But questionless it is Christ that is here principally intended to him whom man despiseth that is whom every man in a manner despiseth as it is said afterward again of Christ Chap. 53.3 He is despised and rejected of men See the Notes also Psal 22.6 7. to him whom the Nation abhorreth to wit the Nation of the Jews as was most evident in their bitter prosecuting of Christ at his death to a Servant of rulers that is Christ whom