formed it that is That all that thou and thy Ancestors have done was indeed done by me by my decree and all-ruling providence which accordingly therefore I did long ago make known by my Prophets as Chap. 10.5 O Assyrian the rod of mine anger c. and that you therefore were but the instruments in mine hand to do what I would have done and shall the ax boast it self against him that heweth therewith c. Chap. 10.15 Now have I brought it to pass that thou shouldest be to lay waste defenced Cities into ruinous heaps But for this whole verse see the Note 2 King 19.25 Ver. 27. Therefore their inhabitants were of small power they were dismaied and confounded c. See the Notes for this and the following verse 2 King 19.26 27. they were as the grass of the field and as the green herb See the Note Psal 102.4 as the grass on the house tops which the higher it stands the sooner it is burnt up and withered See the Note Psal 129.6 Ver. 29. Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears therefore will I put my hook in thy nose c. In these words there seems to be an Allusion either to fish-hooks wherewith when they have struck some great fish through the nose they use to draw it along this way and that to the end that having thus wearied it they may the better take it up for the proof whereof that passage is usually alledged Ezek. 29.3 4. I am against thee Pharaoh King of Egypt the great Dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers But I will put my hooks in thy chaws or else to those rings which men are wont to put into the noses of Bears and Bufales that they may the better over-master them and carry them up and down which way they list It is all one in effect as if God had said Because thou ragest against me like some furious wild beast therefore I will use thee like a beast therefore will I put my hook in thy nose and my bridle in thy lips and I will turn thee back by the way which thou camest And indeed because men mad with rage are wont to discover their fury by the puffing of their nostrils and the foming of their mouths it may well be that in reference hereto the Lord doth the rather use this Expression therefore will I put my hook in thy nose and my bridle in thy lips Ver. 30. And this shall be a sign unto thee c. That is To thee O Hezekiah ye shall eat this year such as groweth of it self and the second year that which springeth of the same and in the third year sow ye and reap c. Now though it cannot well be questioned that this was given as a sign for the strengthning of his and the peoples faith concerning the foregoing promise of the destruction of the Assyrian and the deliverance of Jerusalem yet withal it is clear that this tended also to the comforting of them both against the fear of Sennacheribs returning again with a fresh Army because they are hereby assured that after his departure they should live peaceably and quietly in the land and likewise especially against that great distress they must needs be in thinking how they should be provided for food if they were rid of their enemies when they had so far spent their old store and the enemy had spoiled that which was growing in the field and had it may be hindred them that year from sowing their seed which might have yielded them a Crop at harvest-time But for this sign and how it must be understood see in the Note 2 King 19.30 and see also the Note before Chap. 7.14 Ver. 31. And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward That is They shall multiply exceedingly and being setled in the land shall prosper and flourish both in their outward estate and spiritually too which was indeed accomplished in the remainder of Hezekiahs reign But see the Note 2 King 19.30 Ver. 32. For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant and they that escape out of mount Zion c. As if it had been said As for Jerusalem in particular of which the Assyrian had said that God himself should not defend it they that were shut up in her shall go out freely and fearlesly wherever they please they that were fled thither shall return to their own habitations and the rest whithersoever their occasions shall call them yet it may also have respect to their going forth to gather the spoils of the Assyrians See the Notes Chap. 33.23 24. and to those that should be sent forth from Jerusalem to repair the great ruines that had been made in many Cities in the land And how this may be also mystically applied to that small remnant that should go out of Zion in the days of the Gospel to encrease the number of Gods Israel amongst the Gentiles we may see in the Note Chap. 1.9 the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this that is the zeal of God Almighty who can do what he pleaseth will do this But see the Notes 2 King 19.31 Ver. 33. Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the King of Assyria c. To wit because the Lord is thus resolved to preserve his people He shall not come into this City nor shoot an arrow there nor come before it with shields nor cast a bank against it the meaning is that he should never come to make any assault upon it nor so much as to lay siege to it By coming before it with shields is meant drawing up men that were to scale the walls and to enter the City who used to be armed with shields therewith to cover and shelter themselves from any thing that might be cast upon them or any strokes that might be made at them by those on the wall And by banks cast up may be meant those banks which the souldiers cast up under the Covert whereof they were to make their approaches to the City or Mounts cast up out of which they were to shoot into the City But see the Note 2 King 19.32 Ver. 34. By the way that he came by the same shall he return To wit with great dishonour and disgrace with shame of face as it is expressed 2 Chron. 32.21 as indeed it must needs be a matter of great reproach to him to flee away with a few scattered Troops through those very parts by which he had a while before marched in so great State and Fury with such a gallant and numerous Army Ver. 35. For I will defend this City to save it for mine own sake c. That is For mine own Glory because I have taken them of mine own free grace to be mine own Covenant-people and determined that Jerusalem shall be the setled place of my Worship and that I may vindicate mine own glory
heart amongst the people is ready to faint Ver. 6. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores c. That is the whole land and all the people therein from the lowest to the highest are in a sad condition having been plagued with variety of judgments over and over so that in the whole body from top to toe there is no part free they have not been closed neither bound up neither mollified with ointment that is there is no means used for the removing of these judgments that are come upon them See the Note Psal 147.3 As that their Neighbours and Confederates never minded to afford them any relief so neither had they power or skill to help themselves and as for that which was the only sure way to cure them of their evils namely their turning to the Lord by unfeigned repentance that was never minded but they obstinately ran on still in their sins and that either because they whose work it was to have administred these means of their cure neglected their duty or else because the people would not follow their direction The drift of all is to shew that the condition of Israel was at present in a manner hopeless and desperate Ver. 7. Your Country is desolate c. What was before expressed figuratively is here repeated in plain terms It is in the Original only your Country desolate or a desolation and therefore some render it in the future tense your Country shall be desolate c. and accordingly conceiving that he spake this in the days of Uzziah because they find it in the beginning of his Prophecy they conceive it to be a Prediction of the desolation that was to come upon the land of Judah in the days of Hezekiah Ahaz and others that succeeded him even unto the Babylonian Captivity Yea and some that read it in the present tense Your Country is desolate c. do yet understand it of the desolation which the Chaldeans should make in the land and conceive that it is expressed as done already only to shew how certainly it should be But because it seems far most probable that the Prophet still proceeds to shew that God had proceeded so far in a way of punishing them that it was in vain to smite them any more therefore I conceive it is best rendered in the present tense Your Country is desolate your Cities are burnt with fire and that it must be understood of desolations past or present when the Prophet spake this to wit of the devastations made either by Tiglath-Pileser in the land of Israel in Jothams days 2 King 15.29 or by Râ—zin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel in the land of Judah in the days of Ahaz see the Notes 2 King 16.5 and by the Philistines 2 Chron. 28.17 or by the Assyrians both in the land of Israel and Judah in the days of Hezekiah 2 King 18.9 13. Isaiah Prophecyed in those times when all these devastations were made both in the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel and therefore this might be spoken with respect to all or either of them there being no necessity why we should conclude that all his Prophesies are set down in order as he delivered them Your land strangers devour it in your presence c. That is foreign Nations yea and some of them such as are of Countries very far off from you as were the Babylonians Deut. 28.4 5. having invaded your land do eat up and consume the fruit of it and that to the great increase of your grief before your faces you being no ways able to help your selves herein And it is desolate as overthrown by strangers which is in the Hebrew And it is desolate as the overthrow of strangers and so some understand it thus That God had made their land desolate according to the destruction which he used to bring upon Heathens such as were meer strangers to God as were those of Sodom and Gomorrha mentioned in the next verse But the meaning rather is That the desolation of their land was according to the overthrow which foreigners and strangers are wont to make in a land who because they expect no benefit from the Country in future times do therefore barbarously make all the havock they can wasting and destroying all that is before them where ever they come Ver. 8. And the Daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a Vineyard c. The Prophet having spoken of the misery of the land in general here he sets forth the misery of Jerusalem the chief City thereof in particular Sometimes the people or inhabitants of Jerusalem are called the Daughter of Zion for which see the Note 2 King 19.21 But here it is the City it self that is so called because the chief part of Jerusalem where the Temple stood was built upon Mount Zion and so with respect to the former splendor and stateliness of that City is compared to a fair and beautiful damsel standing by her mother or with respect to the tender respect that God bare to her And in saying that she was left as a cottage in a Vineyard as a Lodg in a garden of cucumbers he alludes to the custom of that Country where they used to build little Cottages Sheds or Lodges in their Vineyards and Fruit-gardens that those who were appointed to watch their Grapes and other Fruits might lodg there by night and by day might shelter themselves from the rain and from the heat which after the Vintage and the ingathering of their Summer-fruit were usually left ruinated tattered and defaced or at least empty and desolate no body then abiding in them and that because by reason of the wast and havock that was made in the Country round about Jerusalem either by the Assyrians in the days of Hezekiah Chap. 7.17 20. 36.1 2. or by the Syrians and the Israelites and others in the days of Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. and by reason the City it self had suffered much it was become a sad spectacle base and contemptible more like one of those poor forlorn cottages and lodges when all the Vines in the Vineyards and all the Fruit in the Gardens were cut up and carried away than such a stately and glorious City as it had formerly been To which purpose also that eighth clause is added as a besieged city implying that the Country was wasted and destroyed round about and Jerusalem it self so exceedingly straitned that there was scarce any going in or out of it in safety as usually it is when the chief City of any Country is besieged Ver. 9. Except the Lord of Hosts c. See the Note Gen. 2.1 Having spoken of the devastation of the land and the low and contemptible estate whereinto the City Jerusalem was brought in comparison of what it had been in former times Here the Prophet adds what mighty havock had been made amongst the inhabitants of the land
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
dissolved as we find it foretold Mat. 24.29 and 2 Pet. 3.10 and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scrole that is they shall seem to pass away so that the lights therein shall be no more seen than the writing in a Parchment-scrole can be seen when it is rolled up together and see the Note Psal 102.26 and all their host shall fall down as the leaf falleth off from the vine and as a falling fig from the fig-tree to wit when they are withered and so are easily blown down Ver. 5. For my sword shall be bathed in heaven c. That is In Heaven it is decreed that my sword shall be bathed with the blood of mine enemies see the Note above ver 2. and Psal 119.89 Or the meaning may be that God from Heaven would cause a sword to be drawn against them that should be bathed in their blood according to that of the Apostle the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness Rom. 1.18 behold it shall come down upon Idumea that is upon the Edomites and all the Churches deadly enemies For these are particularly named only because they were always most bitter enemies to the Jews and their Country bordeâ—ed upon Judea and upon the people of my curse that is even upon this people whom I have accursed or and upon all other people whom I have destined to destruction to judgment that is in a way of taking Vengeance on them Ver. 6. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood it is made fat with fatness c. That is It shall be filled with blood c. to wit by reason of the multitudes of them that should be slain and devoured thereby And their blood and fat are expresly named in allusion to their Sacrifices where the blood and the fat were still offered And upon the same respect is that next expression used and with the blood of lambs and gâ—ats with the fat of kidneys of rams where he terms those that were to be slain Lambs and Goats and Rams to imply that the slaughtering of them should be to them as a sweet smelling Sacrifice acceptable to God see the Note Exod. 32.29 Only I conceive that by these lesser sort of Sacrifices the inferior and common sort of people are meant of several ages and conditions young and old the poorer and richer sort For the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah which was then the Metropolis of Idumea and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea that is he hath determined to keep a solemn Festival-day there which is said because on such days they used to offer a multitude of Sacrifices 1 Kings 8.63 Ver. 7. And the unicorns shall come down with them and the bullocks with the bulls c. That is Together with the inferior sort of people of whom he had spoken in the foregoing verse their great and strong and mighty ones their Princes and Nobles Captains and men of War fierce cruel untameable men shall be knocked down and slain And observable it is that amongst these greater sort of Cattel appointed for Sacrifices he mentions Unicorns that never used to be sacrificed purposely to hint unto us that what he speaks here of Sacrifices was to be understood figuratively and their land shall be soaked with blood and their dust made fatness that is their land even the driest part of it shall be battened as with dung by their blood and the fat of their carcases Ver. 8. For it is the day of the Lords vengeance and the year of recompence for the controversie of Zion That is It is the set time which God hath appointed for taking vengeance on those his enemies and for recompencing abundantly into their bosoms all the wrongs they had done to his people For by the controversie of Zion here is meant the controversie which the Jews had with the Edomites for the mischief they had often done them or the controversie which God would have with them on his peoples behalf Ver. 9. And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch and the dust thereof into brimstone and the land thereof shall become burning pitch That is the streams or the land of Bozrah or Idumea In this Rhetorical description of the devastation of this Country there is certainly an allusion as often elsewhere to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha see the Notes Chap. 13.19 and Deut. 29.23 And the meaning seems to be either 1. that their Cities being set on fire should burn like pitch and brimstone Or 2. that the land should be left desolate the inhabitants and all therein being as it were burnt up that is utterly consumed and destroyed see Obad. 1.8 Or 3. that their whole Country even the most fruitful and best watered places thereof should be dry and parched as if it were all pitch and brimstone or burnt up with showers of fire and brimstone as Sodom and Gomorrha were see the Notes Job 18.15 16. Ver. 10. It shall not be quenched night nor day c. That is The burning of this land shall not be quenched It is an Hyperbolical expression signifying that the wrath of God should continually burn against them like an unquenchable fire the smoke thereof shall go up for ever that is continually for a long time from generation to generation it shall lye waste that is for many generations none shall pass through it for ever and ever that is it shall be no more inhabited but shall be desolate for ever Ver. 11. But the cormorant or the pellican and the bittern shall possess it the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it c. See the Notes Chap. 14. 23. and Psal 102.6 and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion and the stones of emptiness that is the plummet or level of emptiness the ground of which expression is that in those times they used to hang a stone upon the line of the level as we now do a plummet of lead The meaning is either 1 that God would order it so that it should never be built again they that should undertake it should find the issue of their labour to be nothing but confusion and emptiness according to that of the Prophet Mal. 1.4 Whereas Edom saith We are impoverished but we will return and build the desolate places thus saith the Lord of hosts They shall build but I will throw down Or 2. that God would lay their whole land utterly waste and desolate The expression here used of doing this by line and level is taken from workmen either that being to pull down some part of a building are wont by line and level to mark out how far it must be pulled down or else that having quite pulled down a building do use those instruments to see the ground be layed level But see the Note 2 Kings 21.13 Ver. 12. They shall call the Nobles thereof to the Kingdom c. That is They that are left of the Edomites shall
should flourish again But now if we take this as a prediction of the blessed change that should be wrought amongst men in the days of the Gospel the meaning seems to be that the most savage and brutish people men given up to all kind of vices no better indeed than dens of Devils should be made Temples of the Holy Ghost richly furnished with the Graces of Gods Spirit and abundant in good works Ver. 8. And a high-way shall be there and a way c. That is In this land of a wilderness become a fruitful well watered land there shall be a high-way that is a fair common-road-way for those that travel with beasts and carriages and a way that is a smaller path-way for foot-Passengers Or a high-way that is a Cawsey or Castway as there useth to be in watery Countrys such as he had spoken of in the foregoing verse and a way that is another ordinary way But that which the Prophet intended hereby is either that the Jews should have a free and safe passage without encumbrance or molestation in their return from Babylon to Jerusalem or else rather That their Country that had lain waste and desolate like a wilderness should then be quietly and peaceably inhabited again Whereas in Wildernesses and Deserts there is usually no path to be seen it shall not be so with the people of God when God shall have wrought this happy change for them their ways shall be kept fair and fit for all sorts of Travellers and shall not lye desolate as before See the Note Chap. 33.8 but be continually frequented with multitudes that pass up and down in them they shall freely travel from all parts of the land to the Temple and back again and so likewise to other places See the Note Chap. 33 17. and it shall be called the way of holiness to wit because the people that went up and down in it should be a holy people a people that should be much in frequenting the Temple Gods holy place and such as should live as becomes those that are a holy people to the Lord all which may be said too if we understand it of the way of the Jews return from Babylon to Jerusalem the unclean shall not pass over it that is The land shall not be in the possession of impure Infidels of foreign Nations as formerly nor shall the people of God that are there be a sinful wicked people as formerly they have been he alludes in this Expression to that law that forbad the coming of any persons that were legally unclean into the Temple but it shall be for those those holy ones with respect to whom it was before called the way of holiness those regenerate ones upon whom those spiritual Cures should be wrought mentioned before ver 5 6. I know these last words may be read as in the margin for he shall be with them and then the meaning is clear to wit That God would be with them as once he went along with the Israelites in their travelling through the wilderness to Canaan Exod. 13.21 to protect conduct and prosper them by which means they should be preserved in purity and holiness And thereupon it follows the wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein that is it shall be so plain so direct and easie a way that the simplest that are such as Solomon speaks of that know not how to go to the City Eccles 10.15 See the Note there shall not miss of it But now if we understand all this of the days of the Gospel whereof the other was a type then the way here promised is Christ John 14.6 Or the way prescribed in the Gospel for poor sinners to attain that life and salvation which is tendered in Christ the way of faith and holiness of which therefore it is said That it shall be called the way of holiness because it is the way that leads to the Holy of Holies in Heaven and because none go in that way but those that are sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 This way to life eternal is for those and no other for without holiness no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 And then of this way it is said also That the wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein because it is so clearly discovered in the Gospel that the simplest that are need not miss the way unless they will wilfully do it and because men are naturally very fools before by the Gospel they are brought in to Christ Tit. 3.3 But when they are once brought to believe in Christ they are sure by the guidance of his Spirit not so to err in their way though they be never so simple as to miss of life eternal Ver. 9. No Lyon shall be there nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon it shall not be found there c. The meaning is That in their return from Babylon or in their passing up and down in their own land they should not be annoyed with any ravenous wild Beasts to wit such as he had threatned should possess their land Chap. 34.13 14. when it lay waste as a Desert But here again under this type is meant That Christ would secure and protect his in their way to Heaven neither Satan nor any other of their spiritual enemies should make a prey of their souls neither should their wicked enemies the Instruments of Satan be able to hurt them he would carry them on safely in their way till he had lodged them in Heaven but the Redeemed shall walk there to wit the faithful Jews whom God shall deliver out of the hands of their enemies and so likewise those whom Christ shall redeem from the Estate of sin and death Ver. 10. And the ransomed of the Lord c. That is His redeemed ones See the foregoing Note shall return and come to Zion that is from those places whither they had fled to hide and shelter themselves either within the Land or in foreign parts when the Assyrian first invaded the land hearing of the destruction of the Assyrian Army they shall come back to Jerusalem or to the Temple in Zion there to praise God for their deliverance or it may be meant as well of their return from the Babylonian captivity and so the main intent of the words might be to signifie that God having brought them out of Babylon would not leave them till he had brought them safe to Jerusalem with Songs and everlasting joy upon their heads that is Joy of long continuance such as haply was a refreshing to those that were joyed with it so long as they lived or joy that should be for ever remembred in their anniversary Festivals But withal observable is this expression and everlasting joy upon their heads for though by their heads may be meant only the several persons of Gods redeemed ones as usually elsewhere see the Notes Job 29.3 and Prov. 25.22
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
purified those that were left by his spirit these should now be a holy Nation even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem that is every one whom God had fore-appointed to survive the calamities of those times and to be found living amongst those that should return from Babylon to Jerusalem Now if it be objected against this Exposition That it was not thus with the Jews when they returned out of Babylon to Jerusalem It is evident by the story of those times that even amongst the little remnant of Gods people there were many wicked ones and therefore they were far from being all holy To this I answer That there was a great Reformation then wrought in the whole body of the people in that they were greatly purged from their Idolatry and other gross sins that were formerly rife amongst them which was a kind of shadow of that thorow Reformation which God intended to work in his Church And 2. That so far as this Prophecy hath respect to that real work of Reformation and Sanctification which is here also promised it must be intended to the intire holy change that was to be wrought in the Church in all succeeding ages which as it was began at that time of the purifying of the people of God when they were delivered out of the Babylonian Captivity and brought home to their own Country for it was to be further carried on in the days of the Gospel till at last it should be perfected at Christs second coming And if thus we understand this Prophecy then by that remnant in Zion and in Jerusalem that shall be called holy we must understand all the members of the Mystical Church who are all truly sanctified by the spirit of Christ and accordingly then the following clause even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem may be meant of such as God had decreed unto holiness here and so unto life eternal in Heaven concerning which see the Notes Exod. 32.32 Psal 69.28 and 87.6 Ver. 4. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion c. That is of the inhabitants of Jerusalem and spiritually the visible Members of the Church Yet it may well be that the Prophet doth the rather use this expression with respect to that which he had said chap. 3.16 concerning the women daughters of Zion which had a great stroak in bringing those sad judgments upon Zion whereof he had before spoken And should this be so observable it were that the bravery and vanity wherein they had so prided themselves is here turned into filth Having before said that the remnant of Gods people should be pure and holy beautiful and glorious excellent and comely here the Prophet sheweth when and how this should be done when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion that is their manifold sins and wickedness and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof where by blood may be meant the same that was before called filth namely their vile and loathsome sins for indeed we look upon nothing as a fouler defilement than when a thing is besmeared with blood therefore the filthiness of sin is sometimes termed blood as Ezek. 16.6 I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood or else rather the blood of Gods Prophets and other innocent men which they had shed in Jerusalem or more generally their bloody oppressions and cruelties which is the more probable because this seems to be spoken with relation to the Prophets foregoing complaints concerning their bloody sins chap. 1.15 21. concerning which see the Notes there As for the following words thereby is shown how their filth and blood should be washed and purged away namely by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning for the understanding whereof we must know that by this word spirit where it is attributed to God is frequently meant in the Scripture the vertue or the fervent and vehement efficacy of every operation of God much the same that is called elsewhere the zeal of God as chap. 9.7 the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this So that in saying that their filth and blood should be washed and purged away by the spirit of judgment the Prophet means that it should be done by Gods severe judgments executed upon them whereby Idolaters and other wicked ones should be cut off and destroyed from amongst them And 2. By Gods preserving and reforming the better sort and bringing things a-again into good order in the Church and so likewise in saying it should be done by the spirit of burning he means that it should be done by a vehement zeal hot and burning like fire both for the destroying of the wicked that were amongst them and burning them up like stubble which some think also is spoken with relation to the burning of the Temple and City of Jerusalem and for the purging away of the sins of his chosen ones even as the dross is purged away by the Refiners fire But see the Notes chap. 1.25 26 27. Ver. 5. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of Mount-Zion and upon her assemblies a cloud and smoak by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night c. As if the Prophet should have said When the Lord shall have purged his Church and people and shall have brought them into that glorious condition here before promised he will then as wonderfully and miraculously guide and protect them in every dwelling-place where any of them shall have their abode and in their publick assemblies where they shall meet together for the worship and service of God as he did the Israelites when he led them through the wilderness by a cloud and smoak by day that is by a cloud black and thick like smoak and the shining of a flaming fire by night concerning which see the Note Exod. 13.21 Even when there should be no appearance of any means for their preservation yet that should not hinder their protection because the Lord as he did then for the Israelites would create means for the sheltring and securing of them And indeed because God did discover such riches of grace to his Israel in the many wonders that he wrought for them in delivering them out of Egypt and in carrying them into the Land of Canaan therefore the Prophets do usually set forth all the great things that God hath promised to do for his Church by expressions that do allude to that great work And to the same purpose is that following clause for upon all the glory shall be a defence that is there shall be a sure defence over that remnant of his people of whom it was before said ver 2. that they should be brought into such a glorious condition or that the glory or glorious condition whereto God would advance his people should be secured and maintained by means of a divine protection
another that is to purchase several houses and several fields That which the Prophet condemns is their insatiable covetousness that they never had enough but were still seeking to enlarge their possessions not caring how unjustly they did it by fraud or violence wresting other mens possessions from them And because by the Law of God it was unlawful for the Jews to alienate their lands from one Tribe to another see Levit. 25.23 Numb 36.7 it may well be that this encroaching upon other mens possessions is here amongst others intended see the Note 1 King 21.3 Till there be no place that is say some Expositors till there be no place left which they have not gotten into their possession or rather till there be no place left for their poor neighbours to dwell near them as if the land had been given only for them to dwell in which is implied in those last words That they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth Ver. 9. In mine ears said the Lord of hosts c. That is the Lord spake this which I shall now tell you in my hearing which agreeth with that expression of our Saviours Luk. 4.21 This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears or The Lord revealed it secretly to me by the inspiration of his Spirit Yet many translate it as it is in the Margent of our Bibles This is in mine ears saith the Lord of hosts and then the meaning must needs be that the cry of their oppressions in joining house to house c. as he had said in the foregoing verse or the cry of those that were oppressed by them was gone up into the ears of the Lord though they thought he regarded it not And it may well be that from hence the Apostle James borrowed that expression of his Chap. 5.4 Behold the hire of your labourers which have reaped down your fields which is of you kept back by fraud crieth and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath that is the Lord of hosts See also the Note Ezra 9.6 Of a truth many houses shall be desolate even great and fair without inhabitant to wit because their owners should be slain or carried into captivity which was fully accomplished at the Chaldeans taking of Jerusalem when after a great slaughter amongst all sorts of people the Princes Nobles and rich men were carried captive into Babylon and so no body was left to dwell in their stately houses And this is mentioned as a punishment proportioned to their sin in joining house to house as was before said All the benefit they should reap by the multiplying and enlarging their houses in such a way was that they should be taken away from the enjoying of them and their houses should be left desolate and without an inhabitant It is expressed in the Hebrew with a conditional particle If many houses shall not be desolate c. But this is an Emphatical form of swearing usual in the Scriptures wherein somewhat is left to be understood by those that hear it which is not expressed It is as if the Lord had said If this comes not to pass as I have said let not me be owned for the true God or let me not be deemed a just God a God of truth c. And therefore it is well rendered in our Translation Of a truth many houses shall be desolate c. Ver. 10. Yea ten acres of Vineyard shall yield one bath c. Which was about eight gallons see the Note 1 King 7.26 so that an acre of ground planted with vines should not yield to the owner one whole gallon of wine And the seed of an homer which was much about our bushel shall yield an ephah and that was Ezek. 45.11 the tenth part of an homer and therefore consequently the meaning must needs be that their land should not yield them above the tenth part of the seed that was sown in it Indeed Exod. 16.36 it is said expresly that an homer is the tenth part of an ephah But therefore I conceive the Omer and the Homer were two different measures as indeed they are differently also written in the Hebrew The Omer was a smaller measure the tenth part of an Ephah but the Homer was a far greater measure the same with the Bath Ezek. 45.11 containing ten Ephahs and therefore it was a very heavy curse of God upon their land when they should reap but one Ephah where they had sown an Homer which was ten Ephahs As in the foregoing verse the desolation of their houses was allotted as the punishment of their joining house to house so here the barrenness of their land is threatned as a just and fit reward of their laying field to field yet it may be also added as the cause why their houses should be left desolate And besides this is inferred fitly upon the foregoing Parable Because God had lost his cost and labour bestowed upon them that were his Vineyard therefore they should lose the cost and labour they bestowed upon their lands and Vineyards Ver. 11. Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning to follow strong drink c. To wit as pursuing it with all eagerness being never well till they be at it see the Note Eccles 10.16 That continue until night which is in the Original until twilight and so the meaning may be that they sate at it either from morning to evening or from morning to morning till wine inflame them to wit with unnatural heat and so instead of quenching increaseth their thirst and so they many times fall into burning fevers and are as it were set on fire with anger and fury and inflamed with burning lusts See Prov. 23 29-33 Ver. 12. And the harp and the viol the tabret and pipe and wine are in their feasts c. That is they give up themselves wholly to these carnal delights not minding the Lord nor their duty to him The things here named were not mentioned as evil in themselves but it is their excess herein and their abuse of them that is here condemned And therefore it follows but they regard not the work of the Lord neither consider the operation of his hands that is his judgments to wit either those which God had already brought upon their land for it is most probable that this was spoken when in the days of Ahaz the Syrians Pekah and the Philistims had made great havock in Judea yea when the Ten Tribes were already carried away captives into Assyria And we see the Prophet Amos condemns the same jollity upon this very ground of their not laying to heart the sad calamities that were befallen the Ten Tribes But they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph Amos 6.6 Or else those which did at this time hang over their heads which God had threatned by his Prophets and to which he had already begun to make way which seems most probable because
immediately parched and blow away like so much dust into the air and there is no possibility that ever it should bear fruit again so should it be with this Nation their root shall be rottenness and their blossom shall go up as dust see the Note Job 18.16 But yet we must not understand this so as if the whole Nation should be destroyed for a root of them were reserved that returned out of Babylon besides those that were left alive in the land but either it must be meant of the wicked multitude or rather of the state of Israel in general which in the Babylonian Captivity was indeed for a time so ruined dissipated and scattered that in an ordinary way there seemed to be no hope of their recovery And the reason of this is given in the following words because they have cast away the Law of the Lord and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel that is they did not only in some few things through ignorance and infirmity transgress Gods commands but they did maliciously cast off all respect to his Law Ver. 25. Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people c. See the Note Chap. 3.14 And he hath stretched forth his hand against them and hath smitten them the Prophet intending here to foretell that dreadful judgment wherewith God had determined to accomplish that utter ruin threatned in the foregoing verse he first begins with putting them in mind how terribly God had already of late years discovered his great indignation against them Some indeed would have it that the Prophet speaks here of that dreadful judgment that was coming upon them and that he expresseth it as if it were done already He hath stretched forth his hand and hath smitten them only to imply how certainly it should be see the Note Chap. 3.1 But the Context seems clearly to carry it which is also the judgment of the most and best Expositors that first the Prophet speaks here of the judgments he had brought upon them already and then afterwards of that utter desolation which God had determined ere long to bring upon them and that because by the mention of what they had suffered lately he might best hint unto them both their desperate obstinacy in that they were not at all reformed by the sad judgments that had already befallen them and likewise their folly and madness in those speeches mentioned before ver 19. Let him make speed and hasten his work that we may see it c. And though some refer that which is here said of the strokes wherewith God had smitten them already to the great havock which the Syrians had made in Judah in the days of Joash see the Notes 2 King 12.12 17. ver 20. and which the Israelites had made in the days of Amaziah 2 King 14.13 14. yet it is better referred by others to those grievous devastations and butcheries which had been made amongst them of later times in the days of Ahaz by the Syrians and Israelites by the Philistims and Edomites and by the Assyrians also 2 King 16.5 6 c. And the hills did tremble as if he should have said so dreadful were the strokes of his displeasure that they might have made the hills to tremble It is an Hyperbolical expression the better to set forth the stupidity of the people that were not at all moved with these terrible Judgments and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets to wit with the wounds they received when they were hacked and slain or when they were hewed in pieces by their enraged enemies after they were dead But the chief thing intended in these words is to set forth that the multitude of those that were slain was so great that they were not able to bury them but they were left mangled in a pitiful manner putrifying and rotting in their very streets and therefore some do translate this passage thus and their carcases were as dung in the midst of the streets and then it follows to make way to the judgment threatned in the following verse for all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still that is he is again ready to fall upon them with a more dreadful judgment Ver. 26. And he will lift up an ensign to the Nations from far c. Having in the foregoing verse put them in mind how God had punished them already here now the Prophet makes known what that more terrible judgment was which ver 24. he had told them that God had determined farther ere long to bring upon them and for the inflicting whereof he had said in the foregoing verse that his hand was stretched out still And because this judgment intended was to be by an invasion of foreign enemies from a very remote Country as God had long before threatned by Moses Deut. 28.49 for which see the Notes there therefore he useth this military word that God would lift up an ensign or a standard to the Nations from far meaning that as some Prince or great Commander doth by setting up his standard invite Soldiers to come in and list themselves for his service and by lifting up an ensign doth call or lead out his Soldiers to march along or to make an assault upon the enemy so the Lord would by his secret Providence cause an army to be raised among the Nations that were afar off and cause them to march out against the land of Israel and to execute his Judgments upon his people And to the same purpose are the next words and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth only this expression and will hiss or whistle to them is used I conceive to imply how easily and quickly he could gather them together and bring them upon his people there would be no need of giving them an alarm by the sounding of trumpets if he did but hiss or whistle for them that would be enough In the word hiss or whistle there seems to be an allusion to those that have any so at their beck as we use to say that upon the least notice given they are presently ready to come in to them as to a master of a ship who is thus by a whistle wont to call the Mariners about him to do what he commands them or a shepherd that doth thus call in his stragling sheep or to those that are wont by this way to call in those that are out of sight they know not where or how far off or at least that are so far off that they cannot hear what they would say to them And accordingly this expression And he will hiss or whistle unto them from the end of the earth may be used either with respect to the remoteness of the Nations that God should call in because a hiss or whistle is heard far off or with respect to the secret working of Gods Providence in fetching in these Nations to destroy the Jews
how long c. That is how long shall this people continue in this sad condition being blinded and hardened yea and made more and more rebellious and refractory by the Preaching of thy servants the Prophets whom thou sendest unto them as if he had said is there no end or period set to this their rejection And this it seems the Prophet spake both by way of wondering at this judgment denounced out of a sollicitous care for this people and out of pity and compassion towards them and likewise as being carried thereto by a secret instinct from God that in the answer which God returned it might be made known with what great severity he meant to proceed against them Until the cities to wit of Judah be wasted without inhabitant and the houses without man and the land be utterly desolate that is until by the incursion of several enemies under the reign of the several Kings that shall successively sit in the Throne of Judah the inhabitants of the land shall be exceedingly wasted and destroyed so that at last both cities and particular houses standing by themselves shall be in a manner left desolate without any to inhabit them And this extream desolation and havock that was made amongst them might be intended concerning that great destruction which was brought upon them by the Babylonians and yet it may be extended also to that extream devastation that was made in that land by the Romans namely by Titus and Vespasian first and afterwards by Hadrian the Emperour But see the Notes Chap. 1.7 5.9 Ver. 12. And the Lord have removed men far away c. To wit the inhabitants of the land whom the Lord in his wrath shall cause to be carried away captives into Assyria and Babylon Countries far remote from the land which God had given them The same expression is again afterward used concerning the Captivity of the Jews in Babylon Chap. 26.15 Thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land that is and by this means the land shall be in a great measure totally in a manner forsaken of her inhabitants and so shall be left desolate It is not therefore Gods forsaking of this people as some think but the lands being forsaken of the people which the Prophet here intends and that was when the people were forcibly carried away into Babylon Yet some I know extend this as is said in the foregoing Note to that great desolation that was made in the land by the Romans when they that were left were dispersed and scattered all the world over Ver. 13. But yet in it shall be a tenth Some learned Expositors do understand this of a tenth King that should sit in the Throne of Judah or of a Decade of Kings that should successively reign in the Kingdom of Judah before that desolation was to come upon the land that was threatned in the foregoing verses And indeed from the time when this was prophesied which was in the days of Jotham the Son of Uzziah see the Note above ver 1. unto the time when the people were carried captives into Babylon by the Chaldeans there were just ten Kings that swayed the Scepter of Judah to wit Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah Manasseh Amon Josiah Jehoahaz Jehojakim Jehojachin and Zedekiah But by the general current of Expositors it is far better understood of a small remnant of the people as it were one in ten that should be left in the land according to a like expression Amos 5.3 The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred and that which went forth by a hundred shall leave ten to the house of Israel Lest the faithful should be too much dejected at the mention of that utter devastation that should be made in the land this promise is annexed for their comfort that the people should not be so universally destroyed and rooted out but that there should be a small remnant of them left which may be meant both of those few that were left in the land when the generality of the people were carried away captives into Babylon or of that remnant that should be brought back out of Babylon and setled again in their own land And it may well be that these are the rather called a tenth with respect to the reformation that should be wrought in those that were reserved or to Gods preserving the faithful amongst them from the common destruction thereby to imply that they should be as indeed the tythes of the land was holy to the Lord see the Notes Chap. 4.2 3. And it shall return and shall be eaten c. Some read this as it is in the Margent of our Bibles When it is returned and hath been broused and they take the meaning of the words to be that when that remnant should return out of Babylon that had been so miserably eaten and broused cropt and destroyed both before and in the captivity there should be but a tenth of them in comparison of what they formerly were But if we read the words as they are in our Translation then either no more is intended by this It shall return and shall be eaten then if it had been said it shall be eaten again meaning that this remnant should be again wasted For this is an Hebraism frequent in the Scripture as in Dan. 9.25 the street shall return and be built for the street shall be built again Or else the meaning must needs be that after the return of this remnant this tenth out of Babylon even they should be much wasted and consumed which was often done by the rage of their enemies against them after their return from the Babylonian captivity As a teil-tree and as an oak whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof That is as when these trees do cast their leaves in winter and so seem to be in a manner quite dead for the time yet there is a lively sap remaining in the root or body of the trees which keeps them alive and so is the substance or subsistence of them by reason whereof in the spring they sprout out again so when my people shall seem to be utterly wasted and destroyed yet there shall be a small remnant left a holy seed see the Note Chap. 1.9 a seed of Saints which shall be as the life and the substance and subsistence of this people by reason of whom this my Church and people shall be continued in all succeeding times so that they shall never be utterly raced out and destroyed Some think the teil-tree or line-tree and the oak are here particularly instanced in because these trees buding forth later in the spring than other trees are longer ere they lose their leaves in the Autumn and so were fitter to represent the Kingdom of Judah which continued in a safe condition after the people of the Ten Tribes
and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliahs Son that is in the power of these two great Kings by whose conjoined forces they made account they should certainly subdue the Jews and bring Jerusalem under their power And observable it is with what contempt these two Kings are still mentioned Rezin and Remaliahs Son see Chap. 7.4 in whose great strength these invaders of Judah did so exceedingly triumph Ver. 7. Now therefore behold the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river strong and many c. They that understand the foregoing verse of the people of Judahs distrusting their own weak estate and desiring the aid of the Assyrian to help them against the two Kings of Syria and Israel do accordingly understand this verse of the havock which the Assyrians should make in the land of Judah to wit that since the people of Judah were not satisfied with their own defences the waters of Shiloah that go softly notwithstanding Gods express promise for their deliverance but desired the great strength of other potent Princes and that the Assyrian should be hired to come into their aid therefore God would by those forces of Assyria as with a mighty flood over-run and waste their land And accordingly they understand the last Clause And he shall come up over all his channels and go over all his banks to wit that the Assyrian would not keep to the Promises and Oaths and Covenants whereby he had bound himself to Ahaz when he hired him to come into his help but would break thorough them all and do them much mischief as it is said 2 Chron. 28.20 The King of Assyria came unto him and distressed him but strengthened him noâ— But now understanding it according to what is said in the foregoing Note of the people of Israel together with their associates the Syrians the meaning of the words is plainly thus Because this army of Rezin and Pekah despised Jerusalem for her weakness the waters of Shiloah that go softly therefore saith the Prophet the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river strong and many that is of the river Euphrates see the Note Chap. 7.20 meaning the Assyrian army which as a mighty strong river should presently over-run them and sweep them away for so he explains himself in the next words even the King of Assyria and all his glory that is his army consisting of many glorious Princes brave Captains and Soldiers that should make a gallant shew when they came marching into the land and in whom the King of Assyria would exceedingly glory and boast according to that which is said Chap. 10.8 13. Are not my Princes altogether Kings and he shall come up over all his channels and go over all his banks that is he shall come out of Assyria as a river that in a great flood swells up above all his channels and goeth over all his banks and so shall invade and over-run the whole land of Israel And how this was accomplished first by Tiglath-pileser and afterwards by his successors see in the foregoing Note vers 4. and likewise Chap. 7.17 20. Ver. 8. And he shall pass through Judah c. That is the Assyrian having over-run the land of Israel shall also break into the land of Judah He shall over-flow and go over that is as an over-flowing river he shall over-run that Country also which though it may include that damage which Tiglath-pileser brought upon Judea when he came to aid Ahaz against the Syrians and Israelites 1 Chron. 28.20 yet it must needs be principally meant of that Invasion of the Assyrians in the days of Hezekiah when Sennacherib entred the land with a mighty army and took in a manner all their fenced Cities 2 King 18.13 as is evident in the following words He shall reach even to the neck the meaning whereof is either 1. That the Assyrian army having almost over-run the whole land round about for still they are in their proceedings compared to the inundation of some great river should at last swell so high that they should come up to the very walls of Jerusalem which was their Head-city Or 2ly that they should prevail so far that all Judah should be in danger to be utterly lost being in the condition of a man upon whom a deluge of waters breaking in they rise and swell up at last to his very neck so that he hath much ado to keep his head above water and is in apparent danger of being wholly over-whelmed and drowned and indeed the like expression we find else-where used to set forth a dangerous and even desperate condition as Chap. 30.28 His breath as an over-flowing stream shall reach to the midst of the neck see also Habbak 3.13 And the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land O Immanuel that is his numerous troops and companies of Soldiers which we still usually call the wings of an army shall over-spread and subdue the whole land of Judea which is neither his nor theirs but thine O Christ see the Note Chap. 7.14 The Prophet calls it his land not so much because he was to be born there as because he had given it to be the habitation of his peculiar people his Church amongst whom he was to reign as King according to that Psal 2.6 I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion and that Joh. 1.11 He came unto his own and his own received him not And had setled it to be the peculiar place of his Worship Yet the drift I conceive of this turning his speech to Christ was not only to imply the indignity of the fact that his land should be so surprized and wasted by his proud enemies but also to hint this comfort to the faithful that though they should prevail far in Judea yet they should not be able to hinder the coming forth of their Immanuel there as likewise an earnest desire and hope that they should not be able to cast him out of his inheritance but that their Immanuel would protect them from the present Invasion of Râ—zin and Pekah as is afterwards expressed ver 10. and that when the Assyrian should break out in greatest rage against them Judah should not be wholly over-whelmed by them as Israel should be Ver. 9. Associate your selves O ye people c. It is in the Original peoples in the Plural number and thereby is meant both the Syrians and Israelites that were combined against Judah and Jerusalem as likewise the Assyrians that afterwards invaded Judea in the days of Hezekiah see the Note Chap. 7.18 whose army consisted of several Nations Yea I conceive it is purposely expressed in such general terms to imply that this which is here foretold should be the issue of the associations of all the enemies of Gods Church and people Associate your selves O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces Having made mention of Immanuel in the latter end of the foregoing verse in the confidence of
Babylon returned afterward back again into their own Country which the Israelites that were carried away by the Assyrians never did at which time both the City and Temple at Jerusalem were rebuilt again And 2. Because some few years after the promised Messiah should come and then they should enjoy the light of the Gospel which to the faithful should yield so great comfort that it would make them forget all their former sufferings and sorrows And indeed it is clear that the Evangelist St. Matthew doth in the place above cited apply that which he saith there concerning the springing up of the light of the Gospel to the places here mentioned by the Prophet implying that as those parts first tasted of the miseries here spoken of so they should be first revived by the bright shining of the Gospel amongst them Ver. 2. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light c. This was in part accomplished first when Sennacheribs army was destroyed wherewith he had besieged Jerusalem in the days of Hezekiah and so the siege was broken up and the enemies were forced to fly out of the land with great confusion and shame for then the people of Judea might well be said to have seen a great light not only because their joy must needs then be exceeding great after such a dark time of extream distress and sorrow but also because their deliverance in such a miraculous way was so apparently the mighty hand and work of God 2. When the Jews were delivered out of Babylon and brought back again into their own land at which time some of the Ten Tribes also returned in regard whereof it may be spoken of the whole Nation of Israel And indeed considering that when by Nebuchadnezzar the City and Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed and so the people were wholly taken off from the publick Worship of God it might seem hereby that the Covenant betwixt God and them was broked off and the hope they had of the promised Messiah was at end therefore when the Lord had brought them back again from the land of their captivity their joy must needs be exceeding great see Psal 126.2 3. But 3. principally and most clearly by the coming of Christ and the breaking forth of the light of the Gospel when the Jews and Gentiles too were enlightened by the shining of that Sun of Righteousness amongst them and delivered from that blindness and that bondage under sin and Satan wherein formerly they abode whereof the Babylonian captivity was a type and brought into an estate of clearer knowledg and greater joy than ever that people had enjoyed before in the time of the Law And indeed as is partly noted before this I conceive is the chief reason why Zebulun and Naphtali and the land about Jordan were particularly mentioned in the foregoing verse to wit because the light of the Gospel did first break forth in those parts and there Christ wrought his first Miracles and the chief of his Apostles were there first called And the same is intended in the following words They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death upon them hath the light shined for this also may comprehend both the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon where they seemed to have been in as hopeless a condition as men are that lye dead in their graves according to that which is said of them Ezek. 37.12 O my people I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves and bring you into the land of Israel And likewise more especially the deliverance of Christs redeemed ones from that darkness of sin and death both temporal and eternal under which they lay by nature see the Note Job 3.5 And observable it is that to express how certain it was that this should be the Prophet still speaks of that which was to come to pass many years after as if it were done already Ver. 3. Thou hast multiplied the Nation and not encreased the joy c. The Prophet still proceeds in a Prophetical strain speaking of future things as if they were past already The words may be read as it is in the Margent of our Bibles Thou hast â—â—â—â—ipliâ—â—â—he Nation and to him encreased the joy as if he had said Thou wilt multiply this Nation and wilt increase their joy And indeed whether we understand this of the joy of the Jewish Nation either 1. at their deliverance from Sennacheribs army that had besieged Jerusalem Or 2. at their deliverance from the Babylonian captivity Or 3ly at their deliverance by Christ their promised Messiah these two may well be joined together concerning the multiplying of the Nation and the increasing of their joy Because 1. When Sennacherib had made great havock amongst the people in the land after his army was destroyed so miraculously to the great joy of that Nation God was pleased to cause them to multiply and thrive again according to that promise made to Hezekiah Chap. 37.31 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward 2ly Because after their joyful return out of Babylon through the blessing of God upon them the people did great multiply as was foretold by the Prophets Jer. 31.27 Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast And Zach. 2.4 Jerusalem shall be inhabited as Towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattel therein And 3ly Because at the coming of Christ which was a time indeed of greatest joy the people of God were exceedingly multiplied by the confluence of multitudes of the Gentiles that joined themselves to the Church of Christ See the Notes Chap. 3.1 2. Psal 17.1 c. And this Marginal reading of the Text I cannot but judg far the most probable because according to this Translation of the words the meaning of the place is so clear and easie whereas if we read it as it is in our Bibles Thou hast multiplied the Nation and not increased the joy there seems to be a manifest contradiction betwixt this and the following words They joy before thee according to the joy in harvest and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil Whence it is that so many ways have been found out by Expositors to salve this seeming contradiction For first some understand the first part of the verse of the Assyrian to wit that though the Assyrian had raised or though God by his Providence had suffered him to raise a very numerous army yet their joy was not answerable thereto because by the sword of an Angel there was such havock made amongst them as they lay before Jerusalem and so they returned not home rejoicing and triumphing in their victory as they thought to have done And then the following words they understand of the Jews to wit that they had cause of
And consequently is delighted to see their young men to grow up and prosper as being a chief stay and strength for them Now on the contrary because of their sins he would not rejoyce in them nor in their young men nor in any thing that should be for their welfare but as being grieved at their wickedness Psal 95.10 He would not spare them nor shew them any favour but would punish and destroy them This I conceive is the full intent of this expression Yet it may be understood Figuratively thus The Lord shall have no joy in their young men that is he will detest and abhor them Neither shall have mercy on the fatherless and widows as if he should have said Though these even bloody enemies are sometimes wont to spare or though God be usually very favourable to these and very tenderly careful and watchful over them yet now he will not spare them he will regard neither Sex nor Age nor State For every one is an hypocrite and an evil dâ—er and every mouth speaketh folly or villany as it is in the Margin The meaning is That they were not ashamed openly and impudently to declare their wickedness For all this his anger is not turned away c. See the Note Chap. 5.25 Vers 18. For wickedness burneth as the fire c. Some understand this meerly of the growth of wickedness amongst the Israelites to wit that as a fire in combustible matter doth spread and rise higher and higher so had all kind of wickedness grown and increased amongst that people so that it had overspread the whole land and was grown up to a mighty height But the words seem plainly to intend the destruction of a people And therefore I take this to be the meaning of them that as a fire kindled in the underwood the briers and thorns in some great wood or forest doth first devour them and then afterward taking hold of the higher trees doth likewise consume them which is expressed in these words It shall devour the briers and thorns it shall kindle in the thickets of the forest so this peoples wickedness by reason of the wrath of God it would bring upon men should consume and destroy the whole people even in the most populous places from the lowest to the highest see the Notes Deut. 32.22 Psal 97.3 83.14 And they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke that is the people being made the fuel of Divine vengeance shall be utterly consumed and vanish away to nothing See the Note Psal 37.20 yet some add that hereby may also be implied that their punishments should be a terror to all that were about them Vers 19. Through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts is the land darkned c. That is the land of Israel shall be brought into a very calamitous sad dreadful and hopeless condition see the Notes Chap. 5.30 8.22 In this expression I conceive the Prophet alludes to the last words of the foregoing verse they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke as is the more evident by the following words and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire concerning which see the foregoing Note No man shall spare his brother that is as men in the dark they shall fall foul upon one another and consume and destroy one another The land shall be full of uproars seditions and civil dissentions wherein they shall mutually spoil and destroy one another not sparing their nearest relations which yet cannot be meant of those civil outrages mentioned 2 King 15. because they were before this was Prophecyed Lest the people should flatter themselves with a vain hope that none of the evil here threatned by the Prophet should come upon them because there was no appearance nor likelihood of any enemy that should invade them therefore they are told that rather than God would want those that should execute his vengeance upon them he would arm them against themselves and make every one destroy his brother Ver. 20. And he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry and he shall eat on the left hand and they shall not be satisfied c. That is they shall spoil and plunder all that are about them on every side without making any difference of the persons of whom they make a prey whether they be rich or poor strangers or near relations like so many famished starved men they shall snatch at every thing they come nigh and yet after all this they shall still be hungry and unsatisfied which is added either to imply the extream scarcity that should be in the land in that those that used such violence to supply their wants should not be able to get enough to satisfie the necessity of nature or else to imply their insatiable covetousness or cruelty and the apparent curse of God that was upon them They shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm that is they shall prey upon their nearest Relations being herein like so many distracted men or so many men turned mad with extremity of hunger that gnaw and eat their own flesh Yea because by spoiling and destroying their Brethren they spoiled and destroyed those that might have been a defence to them therefore it is said that they should eat not only their own flesh but also the flesh of their own arm Ver. 21. Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh c. Manasseh shall rob and eat and devour Ephraim and Ephraim shall do the same to Manasseh These two Tribes are particularly mentioned because they were obliged to one another by somewhat a more singular relation as being not only descended from Jacob as the other Tribes also were but likewise as being both of them the Posterity of Joseph which the other Tribes were not And therefore it was the worse in them mutually to spoil and destroy one another And they together shall be against Judah that is They shall both joyn together to destroy their Brethren of the Tribe of Judah though that were the Tribe to whom God had assigned the Regal Power and from whom God had promised their Messiah should descend And this haply might be accomplished when the Israelites of the ten Tribes were subdued by the Assyrians and so might serve under the command of Sennacherib Eswhaddon or Nebuchadnezzar when they invaded the Land of Judah As for that clause which was before twice inserted vers 12 and 17. For all this his anger is not turned away c. See the Notes chap 5.25 CHAP. X. VERSE 1. WO unto them that decree unrighteous decrees c. Here again the Prophet returns to mention some notorious Sins for which the Judgments before threatned should come upon them as namely the Oppressions of their Magistrates which he the rather insists on to let them know that as they had a chief hand in the Sins of the Land so they should be the first or the chief in the Punishment Wo unto them that decree unrighteous decrees
come and destroy the Iâ—raelites according to the Commission which God in his anger against Israel had given him or else as in a way of lamenting the sad miseries that were coming upon his people when the Assyrian should be used as his rod to punish them for their sins which is also repeated in the following words and the staff in their hand is mine indignation The meaning whereof seems to be That as the Assyrians were Gods Rod to correct his people so the staff in their hand the weapons wherewith they came armed and all the power which they had wherewith to fight against the Israelites were but the Instruments of Gods Indignation for the punishing of the people Indeed if we read the first words as they are in the margin of our Bibles Wo to the Assyrian the rod of mine anger then the next clause may be read also as it is there rendred though the staff in their hand is mine indignation And then the drift of this clause must be to imply that though God in his just indignation would make use of the Assyrian for the punishing of his people yet woful destruction would at last come upon the Assyrians for all that so that this is clearly added for the comfort of Gods people to whom the very name of the Assyrians must needs be dreadful because of some incursions they had formerly made into the land of Israel Ver. 6. I will send him against an hypocritical Nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge c. That is against the people of Israel that do continually and without ceasing provoke me to wrath against them and against whom therefore I am highly offended and have determined to pour forth my wrath upon them yea this expression the people of my wrath may seem to imply that there was nothing in them but what might justly stir up Gods indignation against them to take the spoil and to take the prey c. which is fully an explanation of what was signified by that Prophetick name given lately to the Prophets Son Maher-shalal-hash-baz for which see the Note Chap. 8.1 Ver. 7. Howbeit he meaneth not so neither doth his heart think so c. To wit That he is imployed by me as the Rod of mine anger or that he is sent by me to punish the wickedness of my people no such thought will ever come into his heart All that he will mind will be the satisfying of his cruel and ambitious desires by conquering Kingdoms and destroying the people As for that which may be objected how then did Rabshakeh say to Hezekiah 2 Kin. 18.25 Am I now come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it the Lord said to me Go up against this land and destroy it see how this may be answered in the Note there Ver. 8. For he saith Are not my Princes altogether Kings That is Are not my Nobles and Princes that attend upon me every way equal to Kings in riches glory state and power Or Are not the several King that I have subdued become my Princes holding me as their Soveraign and serving under my command And thus from the pride of the Assyrian the confidence he had in his own greatness and power the Prophet proves what he had said in the foregoing verse that he minded not God in his expedition against the land of Israel but went forth meerly in the proud confidence he had of his own unresistible power Ver. 9. Is not Calno as Carchemish Is not Hamath as Arpad Is not Samaria as Damascus As if he should have said Have not I my Father and other Progenitors subdued all these strong Cities and Provinces as well the one as the other When any one of them stood out against us were they not brought under our power as the other before had been And thus from his prevailing over these he intends to infer that he should certainly prevail over others whom he had not yet subdued and particularly over Jerusalem In 2 King 18.34 we find a like vaunting speech uttered by Rabshakeh wherein some of the places here named are also mentioned And because that and divers other of the vaunting and blasphemous speeches of his there recorded are so like to these wherewith the Prophet doth here set forth the blasphemous pride and self-confidence of the Assyrian it seems most probable that it is that Invasion of Sennacherib that is here pointed at Because Calno or Calneh Amos 6.2 is said to have been in the land of Shinar Gen. 10.10 and Carchemish is expresly said to be a City lying by Euphrates 2 Chron. 35.20 therefore it is thought the most of the places here named were in those parts Ver. 10. As my hand hath found the Kingdoms of the Idols c. That is As I have subdued and gotten to my self by my great power several Kingdoms that were under the patronage and protection of their several Gods and whose graven Images did excel them of Jerusalem and Samaria that is were mightier Gods than theirs But for the better understanding of this passage we must know 1. That to set forth how easily he subdued these Kingdoms he useth this expression As my hand hath found the Kingdoms of the Idols he found it no harder work to take these Kingdoms than it is for a man to take up a birds-nest that he finds in his way as he doth afterwards express himself ver 14. 2ly That his intention was blasphemously to insult not only over the Nations whom he had vanquished and also over their Gods whom he also esteemed Gods not able to defend their people purposely that he might in like manner reproach the God of Jerusalem on whose aid he knew Hezekiah and his people did with much confidence rely for agreable hereto were these blasphemous vauntings of Rabshakeh 2 King 18.33 34 35. and 19.12 3ly That he calls their gods Idols and Graven-Images either because it was the constant course of the heathens to worship their gods in and before Idols and graven Images or else as by way of contempt as not accounting their gods worthy the name of gods in comparison of their great God Nizrech 2 King 19.37 that had advanced the Assyrian Empire to such a mighty height 4ly That the reason why he doth so peremptorily aver that the graven Images of the Kingdoms whom he had vanquished did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria was because they judged of the greatnese and power of their Gods according to the multitude and greatness the riches and prosperity the success and victories of the people that worshipped them and it may be to according to the multitude of Sacrifices that were offered them and the Pomp and Solemnity used in their Worship And observable also it is herein with what horrid Blasphemy by preferring those Idols before the God of Jerusalem this Miscreant makes thr true God less than nothing for an Idol is nothing saith the Apostle 1 Cor.
formerly made for the preservation of the seed of Abraham and the raising of the Messiah out of his stock This I conceive is the clear meaning of this clause and that this is purposely added to shew why he had said in the foregoing words that only a remnant of them should return But yet many others hold that by the consumption decreed is meant that little remnant that should be left of the people thus wasted and destroyed and that it is said that this consumption decreed should overflow with righteousness because this remnant being reclaimed and refined by their Afflictions should abound in Holiness and Righteousness which they say was partly fulfilled in the remnant that returned unto the Lord in Hezekiah's days when God had so miraculously delivered Jerusalem from the Assyrian Army but most remarkably in that eminent Grace that was so conspicuous in that remnant of the Jews that embraced the Faith of Christ the Apostles and other Christians of the Primitive Church Yea others would extend this further namely that this small remnant left of the consumption decreed should cause Holiness and Righteousness to overflow the whole world to wit by their spreading of the Gospel amongst all Nations Ver. 23. For the Lord God of Hosts shall make a consumption even determined in the midst of all the Land That the Jews might not slight all the Prophet had spoken either in the confidence of their own strength or as pretending it to be incredible that God should bring such a consumption and destruction upon his people to whom he had made so many gracious Promises and with whom he had made an everlasting Covenant the Prophet doth here yet once again assure them that so it should be the Lord even the Lord of Hosts would certainly bring this desolation upon them even in the midst of all the Land that is all the Land over or even in the heart and inmost places of the Land Where the Apostle Paul cites some part of the foregoing verse to prove that there would be only a remnant of the Jews converted and saved he adds also the words of this verse but according to the Translation of the Septuagint Rom. 9.28 For he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth wherein though the words seem to differ much from these here which are rendred according to the Hebrew yet the sense is the same the drift of the Apostle being thereby to shew that what the Prophet did of old foretel should be fulfilled in those times because God had proposed to make a short work of the business even speedily and within a short time to cut off in a manner the whole Nation of the Jews to wit by the Romans and so then likewise only a remnant should be saved Ver. 24. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Hosts c. See the Note above ver 16. Because the Prophet had spoken of such an universal consumption that should be amongst the people of the Land lest the faithful amongst them should be overmuch disheartned and discouraged thereby he now by commission from God chears up them and because the immediate storm that was coming and was most likely to be dreadful to them was the Siege of Jerusalem therefore he addresses his Speech particularly to the Inhabitants of that City together with those that had fled thither for refuge O my my people that dwellest in Zion be not afraid of the Assyrian that is be not extremely terrified when the Assyrian shall come to invade you and besiege you because of this which I have said to which purpose observable it is that in these words he owns them still as his people and hints to them the tender respect he had to Zion which he had chosen to be his dwelling-place He shall smite thee with a rod and shall lift up a staff against thee after the manner of Egypt This hath respect to that which he had said before vers 5. O Assyrian the rod of mine anger c. for which see the Notes there And the meaning is that as formerly God suffered the Egyptians to oppress them sorely but did not suffer them to destroy them or to keep them in perpetual bondage but did at last destroy Pharaoh and deliver them so it should be with the Assyrian God would use him as a rod to scourge his people and as a staff to beat them but not as a Sword to slay them he should not be able utterly to ruine them as he intended but God would at last seasonably deliver them and destroy Sennacherib as he did Pharaoh And so likewise under this might be implyed that at the near approaching Invasion of the Assyrians by Sennacherib they should not take Jerusalem he should only lift up his staff against them and threaten them sorely as it is said afterwards ver 32. He shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion and that they should not carry away the people into Captivity as they had carried away the ten Tribes of Israel But now if we read this passage according to the Translation that is set in the Margin of our Bibles He shall smite thee with a rod but he shall lift up his staff for thee after the manner of Egypt then the meaning must needs be clearly this that though God would sharply chastise them by the Assyrian his rod as he did their Forefathers by Pharoah yet as then by the lifting up of Moses's Rod upon the Red-Sea he did save their Fathers and destroy Pharaoh and all his mighty Army so he would now lift up his staff for the defence of Jerusalem and his people when they should seem to be in as desperate danger as the Israelites were in at the Red-Sea they should only stand still and see the Salvation of God the Lord of Hosts himself would lift up a staff for the securing of them and for the utter destruction of Sennacherib and his terrible Army Ver. 25. For yet a very little while and the indignation shall cease and mine anger in their destruction That is It shall be but a very little while before I will utterly destroy the Assyrian and so in his destruction there shall be an end of mine anger and indignation against mine own people But now because there was not an end of God's anger against the Jews upon the destruction of Sennacherib's Army therefore some would extend this very little while to the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon But I conceive there is no necessity of that Upon the destruction of Sennacherib's Army God did no more for a time afflict the Jews by the Assyrians and this may be all that is intended in this Promise Ver. 26. And the Lord of Hosts c. See the Note before ver 16. These words may be taken either as the words of God speaking of himself in a third person or else rather as the
the earth It is in the Herew from the four wings of the earth that is from all parts of the world even from the utmost skirts of the earth wherein there is a clear Allusion to that promise made to the Israelites concerning Gods bringing them home upon their Repentance from the uttermost parts of the world Deut. 13.3 4. Ver. 13. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart c. That is in the days of the Messiah they of the ten Tribes shall not envy those of Judah as now they do and the Adversaries of Judah shall be cut off that is As they shall not be any longer enemies one to another so also their Foreign enemies shall be destroyed that so they may every way enjoy the greater peace Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not vex Ephraim The sum of all is briefly this By foretelling the ceasing of all envy and discord between Ephraim and Judah who had been so many years contending about the Kingdom of Israel that which the Prophet intends is That the people of God under Christ should live peaceably together as well Jews as Gentiles without any discord or enmity one against another How the truth of this Prophecy can consist with the great Dissentions and Wars that have been and are still amongst Christians see in the foregoing Note verse 9. and in the Notes Chap. 2.4 The Prophet speaks only of real Christians and doth comprehend in these words that peaceable estate whereto all shall be brought to at last Ver. 14. But they shall flee upon the shoulders of the Philistines towards the west c. That is The people of God both of Ephraim and Judah shall joyntly together with much speed and fervency of zeal fall upon the Gentiles by the preaching of the Gospel even as an Eagle or Hawk doth fall upon the shoulders of any thing Lamb or Kid or smaller Bird which they seize upon as their prey and some of them they shall bring in to Christ and others they shall at least render inexcusable yet indeed this expression of fleeing upon the shoulders of the Philistines may imply the bringing of them under the yoke and dominion of Christ Matth. 11.28 because the yoke or burden on the shoulder is an Emblem of servitude See the Notes Chap. 9.4 and 10.27 They shall spoil them of the East together that is They shall gather in Gods elect from amongst them in despite of all the mighty men of the world that shall oppose them See the Note Chap. 2.6 They shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab that is They shall seize upon them and subdue them according to that expression Psal 89.26 I will set his hand also in the Sea and his right hand in the Rivers And some think too that this implies how suddenly and easily they should be subdued by the Gospel even with as much ease as a man may put his hand into a birds-nest to take the young ones from thence And so there may be an Allusion to what the Assyrian had said before in a vaunting way Chap. 10.14 and the children of Ammon shall obey them to wit by embracing the Doctrine of of the Gospel The drist therefore of all these expressions is to shew how the remnant of the Jews that should believe in Christ should immediately with all chearfulness and diligence bestir themselves to spread abroad the Gospel for the Conversion of the Gentiles But in expressing this he mentions only those neighbouring Nations that were making War upon the land of Israel the Philistines the Edomites and Moabites either because the Christian Jews did first carry the Gospel into those neighbouring Countrys and then afterwards into the remoter parts of the world as indeed we read of Philips preaching of the Gospel at Azotus or Ashdod Act. 8.40 and Peters at Lydda Act. 9.32 and at Joppa Act. 10.5 which were Cities in the Country of the Philistines or else to imply that when this blessed peace foretold should be wrought amongst them by the Gospel even those Nations that were now continually afflicting them should by them be subdued to the Scepter of Christ Ver. 15. And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian Sea c. By the tongue of the Egyptian Sea here is meant the Red-Sea that out of the main Ocean shoots up into the land between Arabia and Egypt in the form and fashion of a tongue broader at the first but growing narrower still by degrees and licking the land as it goeth along for having before ver 11. compared that second deliverance there promised them to wit their deliverance from their spiritual bondage and the reducing of them to the obedience of their Messiah the Lord Christ to the first deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt suitable hereunto he doth in these words promise that as in that first deliverance God made way for his people to go into Canaan by dividing the Red-Sea before them so in that second here promised he would not divide but destroy the tongue of the Egyptian Sea that is utterly dry it up that it should be no more But the meaning is only that he would in the days of the Gospel utterly remove all lets and obstacles that might hinder the bringing of his people unto Christ by whom a way was opened for them into the Heavenly Canaan and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the River and shall smite it in the seven streams and make men go over dry-shod that is he shall utterly dry up the River Nilus in her seven streams as formerly by a mighty wind he divided the Red-Sea before the Israelites Exod. 14.21 It is evident by many ancient Writers that Nilus called the River of Egypt Josh 15.4 did as it drew near to the Sea divide it self into seven Channels which were commonly called the seven Mouths of Nilus whereby it emptied it self into the Sea Now because the passages out of Countrys are chiefly for the most part shut up by Seas and Rivers therefore to imply that nothing should be able to hinder the Apostles and others from spreading the Gospel over all the world and from bringing in Gods Elect to Christ from all Nations the Prophet in a figurative expression saith here that to the Red-Sea and the River Nilus even near the Sea when it was deepest should be dried up before them As for that expression of shaking his hand with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the River either it is mentioned as a gesture of threatning see the Note Chap. 10.32 Or else by way of alluding to Moses lifting up his Rod over the Red-Sea when it was thereby divided before the Israelites Ver. 16. And there shall be a high-way for the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria c. That is a plain easie Causey-way Because the Israelites of the ten Tribes that were already carried into Assyria when the Prophet spoke this or were
will with great exaltation triumph in the doing of it And this their valour their gallant success victory and triumph is called Gods Highness 1. because it was by God their Commander in chief that they should so gallantly demean themselves and attain so great glory by subduing and triumphing over the pride of Babylon And 2ly because the infinite eminency of Gods Power and Holiness and Justice as likewise of his Mercy and Faithfulness was gloriously discovered by the just vengeance that he brought upon that wicked and mighty City Babylon and the great deliverance which thereby he effected for his own people Ver. 4. The noise of a multitude c. The Prophet speaks this in such a manner as if he would report that he heard that actually doing which in the foregoing verse the Lord said he had commanded to be done As a Watchman set upon a Watch-Tower is wont first to relate what he hears and afterwards when he discovers what that noise was then to make known that too so doth the Prophet here The noise saith he of a multitude in the Mountains as of a great people as if he should have said Methinks I hear a confused noise upon the Mountains as is wont to be in a place where a great multitude of people are gathered together And then he tells what this noise was and that God was amongst them a tumultuous noise of the Kingdoms of Nations gathered together that is of people of several Nations and Kingdoms which is said because the army gathered against Babylon was to consist of many Nations according to that of the Prophet Jeremy Chap. 50.9 I will raise and cause to come against Babylon an assembly of great Nations from the North-Country And so again Chap. 51.27 28. The Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battel as if he had said And where this King of Nations is Commander in chief it is no marvel though such a numberless multitude come in to him upon the setting up of his standard as was said before ver 2. even a mighty army fit to vanquish such a mighty City As for the mountains here mentioned thereby may be meant either the mountains of Media and Persia where this huge Army was to be first gathered and mustered or else the mountains over which the Army was to march that they might break into Chaldea yet some think the mountains are particularly mentioned because Armies are wont to seize upon them as places of greatest strength and security and from thence their none is most easily heard far abroad according to that Joel 2.5 Like the noise of Chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap Ver. 5. They come from a far Country c. To wit from Media and Persia Countrys far distant from Babylon See the Notes Chap. 1.7 and 5.26 from the end of heaven see the Note Neh. 1.9 even the Lord and the weapons of his indignation that is the armies together with all their warlike Provision wherewith the Lord intends to fight in his wrath against Babylon to destroy the whole Land to wit not only the City but also the whole Country of Babylon Ver. 6. Howl ye c. As if he had said You O Babylonians that are now in so great jollity shall shortly howl for the extream miseries that are coming upon you for the day of the Lord that is the day wherein the Lord hath determined to take vengeance on Babylon See the Notes Job 24.1 and Psal 37.13 is aâ— hand which is spoken as with reference to what the Prophet had said before wherein he had spoken of those that were to execute this vengeance upon Babylon as if they had been already upon their way going thither It is true indeed that Jerusalem's destruction was nearer at hand than Babylon's for it was about two hundred years ere Babylon was destroyed and therefore there might seem to be greater cause to call upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem to howl than the inhabitants of Babylon But for this we must know that the drift of the Prophet here was to comfort the Jews against they came to be Captives in Babylon by letting them know how confidently they might expect that Destruction that is here threatned to Babylon And notwithstanding it was so long ere Babylon was to be destroyed yet 1. with reference to God to whom so long a time was but as a day And 2ly with reference to the security of the Babylonians who were so confident in the strength of their City and Empire it might well be said That this day of the Lord was at hand it being nearer indeed than any of them would have expected and see the Notes on the last verse of this Chapter it shall come as a Destruction from the Almighty that is it shall be inevitable and irreparable so grievous and horrid that every one shall plainly see that it was the work and from the wrath of an Almighty God Ver. 7. Therefore shall all hands be faint and every mans heart shall melt See the Notes 2 Sam. 4.1 Josh 7.5 and Psal 22.14 The Prophet doth here covertly deride the proud confidence of the Babylonians for when God should thus bereave them of all courage and strength what good alas would all their Wealth do them and all the strong Fortifications of their seeming invincible City Ver. 8. And they shall be afraid c. That is extream fear shall surprize them And this is mentioned as the cause of that feebleness and faintness threatred in the foregoing verse Pangs and sorrows shall take hold-on them they shall be in pain as a woman that travelleth that is they shall be inwardly tortured with grievous vexation and anguish of Spirit that shall suddenly seize upon them by reason of their terrors they shall be amazed one at another that is they shall stand silent gazing upon one another as men astonished to wit either as wondring mutually at their fear and faint-heartedness that they that had wont to be so renowned for courage and valour should now be so heartless and cowardly suffering themselves to be enslaved by the Medes and other Nations that had been formerly in subjection to them or else out of desperate perplexity of Spirit as being at their wits end not knowing what to think or what to say or which way to turn themselves though they were able enough to resist their enemies yet they should have no heart to do any thing that might tend thereto but as men overwhelmed with despair they should stand staring one upon another unable to encourage or counsel one another or so much as to express their minds or sorrows their faces shall be as flames that is red like fire say some as blushing for shame at the consideration of their strange distraction dismayedness and base fears according to that Ezek. 7.18 shame shall be upon all faces or as others think as being inflamed with anger and fury which indeed will usually make the blood to come into mens
that neither the Arabians nor any other Shepherd should seek to fleed their cattel there See Jer. 50.3 to wit either because there should be no grass where the ruines of the City lay but only nettles and thorns and briars should grow up there or because of those terrible and hurtful Creatures that should lodg there as is expressed in the following verse or as some think because the very soil of the land thereabouts should be accursed of God However the drift of these words is to set forth the wonderful change that God would bring upon Babylon in that thievish Arabians and poor shepherds shall not vouchsafe to have their abode there where Kings and Princes had wont to dwell Ver. 21. But wild beasts of the desert shall lye there c. That is such as use to lodge in desert places The word in the Original Ziim is derived from an Hebrew word which signifieth a wild and waste place Psal 68.6 And therefore it is sometimes used for people that inhabit such dry and desert places as in Psal 72.8 where this word is translated they that dwell in the wilderness But here it must needs be meant of some wild Creatures living in such solitary places for which see the Note also Psal 74.14 and their houses shall be full of doleful Creatures Octim it is in the Hebrew which seems to be derived from an Interjection of exclaiming and crying out in a time of affrightment and fear or else of mourning or groaning and consequently Interpreters hold that the word imports either Creatures of such a terrible aspect that they should make men when they see them cry out for fear or else such as make a mournful doleful noise and Owls shall dwell there see the Note Job 30.29 It is in the Hebrew the daughters of the Owle that are wont to make a dreadful skreeking noise when their Dams are from them especially when they want food But that may be only an Hebraism and Satyrs shall dance there whereby I conceive is meant either some kind of strange monstrous ugly beasts which seems the more probable because elsewhere the Prophet speaks of them as of beasts that are wont to cry one to another Chap. 34.14 The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the Island and the Satyr shall cry to his fellow or else Divels appearing to men like hairy shag Creatures See the Note Lev. 17.7 such as it may well be the Satyrs were of whom the Ancients speak so often that used to haunt Woods and Deserts having faces and hands like men and going upright as men do but yet were horned and hairy and cloven-footed like Goats And indeed such unclean Spirits love to appear and to haunt men in such solitary places because there men are most apt to lie struck with terror and thence may that be Math. 12.43 When the unclean Spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places And that Prophecy concerning mystical Babylon is fully parallel with this Revel 18.2 Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a â—â—ge of every unclean and hateful bird Ver. 22. And the wild beasts of the Islands c. That is that breed or keep in Islands void of Inhabitants and whereto others do seldom or never come Shall cry in their desolate houses and Dragons in their pleasant Palaces that is shall answer one another with a loud cry See the foregoing Note And her time is near to come c. That is the time of the beginning of the miseries here threatned against her when Babylon was to be taken by the Medes and Persians See the Note above ver 6. And so likewise in the following words And her days shall not be prolonged either the same is again repeated to wit that the day of her overthrow should not long be deferred or the meaning may be that the days of her prosperity should not continue much longer CHAP. XIV VERSE 1. FOR the Lord will have mercy on Jacob c. This is given as a reason why God would hasten the destruction of Babylon foretold in the foregoing Chapter as he had said he would do in the last words of that Chapter to wit that the Jews might by Cyrus who was to subdue Babylon be sent home again into their own Country See the Note Ezra 1.1 For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob and will yet choose Israel and set them in their own Land that is He will yet again receive them into his favour whom he had cast off for a time as if he had chosen them anew or He will by appearing wonderfully for them make it evident that they were his chosen people or He will chuse or pick out the remnant of his people whom he intends to deliver out of the places where they were dispersed And by Jacob and Israel are meant the Posterity of Jacob the Jews principally those of the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin but together with them those likewise of the ten Tribes that came in to those of Judah in the days of Hezekiah and so were with them carried into Babylon and afterward sent back with them into the Land of Judea And the strangers shall be joyned with them and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob that is many of the Heathens amongst whom they had lived in Babylon Chaldeans Medes and Persians being converted to the Jewish Religion either by the instruction and perswasion of the Jews or by observing the holiness of their lives or by taking notice of the wonder of their deliverance out of Babylon see the Note Psal 126.2 shall joyn themselves to them and go along with them to Jerusalem see Ezra 2.65 as it was with the Israelites when they went out of Egypt see the Note Exod. 12.38 But though this was partly thus accomplished as in a Type by strangers joyning themselves to the Jews in their return into their own Land yet the conversion of the Gentiles in the days of the Gospel when they joyned themselves to the Church of the Jews is the principal thing here intended Ver. 2. And the people shall take them and bring them to their place c. That is say some Expositors the several Tribes and Families of the Jews shall take those strangers those Proselites mentioned in the foregoing verse that had joyned themselves to the house of Jacob and receiving them into their company and society shall carry them along with them into the Land of Israel But the meaning rather is that the people of several Nations the Babylonians Medes and Persians with others that dwelt in the way whereby the Jews were to return home into their own Country should afford the Jews all the respect and help they could in and for their return into Judea entertaining them and encouraging them on their way and furnishing them with cattel and carriages and all other necessary
accommodations for their Journey as Cyrus had commanded See the Note Ezra 1.4 and see also Neh. 2.7.9 And the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the Lord see the Note Exod. 15.17 for servants and handmaids that is many of these people shall become servants to the Jews when they are setled in their own Land And this some understand of those Proselites or Strangers that had joyned themselves to the Jews either that they should be as serviceable to the Jews as any servants could be or else that in process of time some of them or their children should be sold to them for servants which was indeed agreeable to God's Law concerning Servants Levit. 25.44 45 46. And others again understand it of the Babylonians who being vanquished by the Medes and Persians should be sold by them to the Jews for slaves or by reason of their penury should voluntarily yield themselves up to be their servants Whereupon it follows And they shall take them captives whose captives they were and they shall rule over their oppressors that is those Nations should be servants to the Jews to whom the Jews had formerly been in bondage which some also extend to the Jews vanquishing and bringing into bondage those Nations after their return out of Babylon in the days of the Maccabees as had before lorded over them But now most Expositors understand all this spiritually as well they may of the conversion of the Gentiles by the Ministry of the Jews in the days of the Gospel to wit that the Jews should by the Preaching of the Gospel bring those Nations under the yoke of Christ to whom they had formerly been captives and hereupon the Gentiles should shew great respect to them as owning them to be God's first-born people and should submit themselves to the word of the Gospel and should be subservient to the believing Jews in labouring to establish Christ's Kingdom in the world and in gathering in his Elect to his Church So that the Dominion here promised to the Jews over the Gentiles is not a Temporal Dominion but a Spiritual their ruling over them in the Lord. See 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5. Lâ—ke 22.25 26. 2 Cor. 1.24 and 1 Pet. 5.3 Ver. 3. And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow c. That is when thou shalt be delivered from thy Captivity in Babylon and from all the griefs and fears and sore miseries thou there enduredst Ver. 4. That thou shalt take up this Proverb c. or taunting speech See the Note Numb 21.27 against the King of Babylon to wit Belshazzar the last of the Babylonian Monarchs together with whom that State fell and say How hath the Oppressor ceased the golden City ceased That is the City that was so full of Gold and was so confident in her excessive wealth And therefore set forth by a head of Gold Dan. 2.32 38. and by a golden cup Jer. 51.7 Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lords hand It is spoken by way of deriding Babels pride and confidence as if it had been said How is it possible that this cruel Tyrant and his golden Monarchy should be thus ruined in one night and so by that means the poor people of God be delivered from their bondage That which we render the golden city some translate the exactress of gold that is the City that drained all the gold from other Nations But our Translation I conceive is the best However observable it is that the word in the Original seems to be Syriack the language then used amongst the Chaldeans Dan. 2.4 and so the Prophet mocks the Chaldees with a word taken from the Chaldean tongue Ver. 5. The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked and the Scepter of the Rulers See the Notes Chap. 9.4 and 10.5 This is in answer to the foregoing question vers 4. as if the Prophet had said Wonder not at the sudden destruction of Babel It is the Lord that hath done it by way of taking vengeance on them for their horrid wickedness and oppression Ver. 6. He who smote the people in wrath c. To wit Not in a way of Justice but of Rage and Fury with a continul stroak that is immoderately and implacably and with extreme cruelty He never thought he had laid on load enough neither was there any pacifying his wrath And therefore the Prophet adds that the like should be done to him He that ruled the Nation in anger is persecuted and none hindereth that is he shall be destroyed inevitably and irreparably he shall not be able to defend himself and for others they shall not be able neither shall they have any mind to do it Ver. 7. The whole earth is at rest and quiet c. That is the Inhabitants of the world that could never be quiet for this proud City They break forth into singing to wit for the downfal of this great oppressing Empire Ver. 8. Yea the Fir-trees rejoice at thee c. Some understand this Figuratively of those States and Princes that had been oppressed formerly by the Babylonians See the Note Chap. 2.13 But it is better understood literally that it should be a joy as it were to the trees of the Forest that the Babylonian was destroyed because he had wont to make such havock in felling down the Fir-trees and as it follows the cedars of Lebanon that were so far from him partly to make passages for his Armies and partly for the building of his Houses and Ships and for the raising of his Bulwarks and other uses in his Wars whereas now the Babylonian being hewed down they should stand quietly in their places without any molestation Since thou art laid down say they no feller is come up against us And indeed it may well be that this is spoken with reference to that which had been said before Chap. 2.13 concerning the great havock that should be made by the Babylonian in the forest of Israel Ver. 9. Hell from beneath c. Or rather the grave from beneath because this agrees best with that which followeth ver 11. Thy pomp is brought down to the grave the worm is spread under thee and the worms cover thee Having related how all the inhabitants of the earth yea even the senseless creatures the trees should rejoyce at the down-fall of the Babylonian Monarch the Prophet now proceeds to shew in a like poetical strain that not only the living but the dead also from beneath should rejoice at his ruin and death and insult over him To which end he speaks here of Hell or the grave as under the person of some great Prince or King having the dead under his dominion and command Hell or the grave from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy comming whereby seems to be meant either 1. That this Prince of the lower Regions was moved with fear to wit at the report of the coming
less will undertake the burying of it And all this is thus expressed to shew how abominable the Babylonian should be unto all men for his Pride and Cruelty Ver. 20. Thou shalt not be joyned with them in burial c. That is Thou shalt not have that honour done thee in thy burial which other Kings of the Nations have usually done for them for this is spoken with reference to that which was said before ver 18. Thou shalt not be laid in such a stately Sepulchre amongst thy Progenitors nor be carried thereto with that Pomp and Solemnity as other Kings use to be because thou hast destroyed thy land and stain thy people to wit the land of Babylon and his subjects there For though some would have this to be understood of the land and people which he had made his by Conquest and others that understand it of his Hereditary Kingdoms do withal hold that he is said to have destroyed this his land and to have slain his people only because by his wickedness he had provoked God to destroy them yet I rather conceive that this it is that is here intended as a great aggravation of his Tyranny that not content with the ruin that he brought upon other Kingdoms and Nations he did likewise destroy his own Land and his own people to wit by the sore burdens and exactions wherewith he oppressed them and by the cruelties he exercised amongst them as bloody Tyrants are wont to do The seed of evil doers shall never be renowned That is instead of being renowned the memory of them shall be abhorred yea the remembrance of them shall utterly perish See the Note Prov. 10.7 They shall by degrees be cut off so that at last there shall not be one left to be called by their name neither shall there be any mention made of them And this though delivered in general terms is here inserted with relation to Belshazzar and his wicked Progenitors as a reason why he was cut off and after him all his posterity too as is farther threatned in the following Verses Ver. 21. Prepare slaughter for his children c. That taunting Speech or Song begun ver 4. being ended with the foregoing verse here the Prophet doth again proceed to foretel the destruction of the Babylonian and his Posterity Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers see the Note Josh 7.25 Now this is spoken as to the Medes and Persians that did at first surprize Babylon as that before Chap. 13.2 so to all others that were in after-times to execute farther vengeance upon Babylon till it was utterly destroyed That they do not rise nor possess the land nor fill the face of the world with Cities that is that they may not grow up in their fathers stead and raise up again that State and Empire which God had overturned and replenish the world with another wicked generation that might dom neer and make as much havock in the world and enlarge their Dominion by building and beautifying many Cities called by their names as their Fathers had done before them Ver. 22. For I will rise up against them saith the Lord of hosts c. Having in the foregoing verse enjoyned the Medes Persians and others to cut off the issue of the Babylonian King that they might not rise nor possess the land here he assures them that this should be effected how incredible soever it might seem in an eye of reason because the Lord himself would rise up against them who would certainly bring it to pass and cut off from Babylon that is from the King of Babylon the name and remnant that is all his Posterity see the Notes Psal 9.5 1 King 14.10 and so it is expounded in the following words and Son and Nephew But yet there are very many Expositors understand this more generally that God would cut off from Babylon the name that is the great fame and glory which that City had gotten by the renown of their King and remnant and Son and Nephew that is the Posterity of the inhabitants of Babylon Ver. 23. I will also make it a possession for the Bittern c. A kind of water-fowl that thrusting her bill into the mire or some broken cane doth thereby several times together make a most hideous noise like the braying of an Asse which translation of the original word seems the more probable because of the following words and pools of water and because elsewhere the Bitter and the Cormorant another water-fowl are joyned together Chap. 34.11 But the Cormorant and the Bittern shall pâ—ssess it and so also Zeph. 2.14 As for that which is said here of making Babylon pools of water the most Expositors hold that this was occasioned by Cyrus his letting out the River Euphrates into many ditches which he had cut for that purpose that so he might with his Army pass over that great River and surprise Babylon by means whereof the Country or Land thereabouts that was low and watry before became much more moorish and fenny especially in after-times when by degrees the dams and sluces came to be more and more neglected and the dikes to be choaked up and I will sweep it with the besome of destruction saith the Lord to wit by clearing it of all the riches and inhabitants thereof See the Notes Chap. 13.19 20. and 1 Kings 14.10 Ver. 24. The Lord of hosts hath sworn saying Surely as I have thought so shall it come to pass c. See the Note Chap. 5.9 Ver. 25. That I will break the Assyrian c. The rod of Gods anger as the Prophet had before called him Chap. 10.5 in my land that is the land of Judea which God had given to his people and where he had promised to dwell amongst them and upon my mountains that is the mountains of Judea or those about Jerusalem tread him under foot as in great wrath and contempt See the Note Psal 44.5 And this I conceive is meant of the destruction of Sennacherib King of Assyria and his Army related 2 Kings 19.35 36. which was done not far from Jerusalem which they were come to besiege that hereby it might be the more apparent that it was the God of Israel that destroyed him and that for seeking to ruine his people then shall his yoke depart from off them and his burden depart from off their shoulders that is then shall the Assyrian yoke be taken from off my people See the Note Chap. 10.27 Some indeed hold that it is the Babylonian that is here called the Assyrian See the Note Ezra 6.22 to wit because the Assyrian Empire was translated to the Babylonians when they subdued the Assyrians and because when the Babylonian invaded the land of Judea his Army consisted chiefly of the Assyrians who were then under his command and nearest to Judea and upon pretence of whose old quarrel against the Jews it may well be that he took occasion to invade them But this
which are rendred in our Bibles The brook of the willows may be translated as it is in the Margin The valley of the Arabians therefore the meaning may be either that the Arabians should carry away the spoil of the Moabites Country either as serving under the Assyrians or Babylonians or as afterwards entring the land to pillage and carry away what the Assyrians or Babylonians had left or else that the Assyrians and Babylonians should carry away the prey they had gotten from the Moabites to the valley of the Arabians their Confederates there to be kept a while by them intending afterwards to convey them from thence into their own Countrey But however clear it is that this is mentioned as one cause of the great outcry in the land of Moab of which the Prophet is here speaking Ver. 8. For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab c. That is Because of these grievous miseries that shall come upon the Moabites there shall be a dreadful outcry amongst them all the land over both of them that are slain and of them that flee from the enemy The howling thereof unto Eglaim and the howling thereof unto Beer-elim that is the howling of this cry shall reach unto these places See the Notes Numb 21.16 Ver. 9. For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood c. To wit with the blood of the slaughtered Moabites So that this is also added as a reason of that great out-cry before spoken of that should be in the land Whether Dimon be the name of a River or of a City is altogether uncertain for we find it no where else mentioned However it seems that there was in this place some greater slaughter made amongst the people than in any other part of the land either because they here stood out longest in the defence of some place against the enemy or for some reason that is not expressed And some think that Dimon is the same City that was before ver 2. called Dibon the name being changed and of Dimon called Dibon which signifieth bloody upon that occasion Yea and very many learned Expositors hold that there is an Allusion in these words to the Story in 2 King 3.20 21 23. concerning a stream of water that came running down from the land of Edem into the Wilderness where there was an Army of three Kings that were going against the Moabites which appeared to the Moabites to be blood and were afterward indeed died red with their blood as if the Prophet would have said That as then the stream was onee before died with blood so it should be again Whereas to me it seems more than probable that the waters mentioned in that place were miraculously sent of God for the refreshing of those Armies and were not the waters of a River that did constantly run thorow that Wilderness And therefore for those following words For I will bring more it is in the Original additions upon Dimon I do not think the meaning of that is that whereas those waters were made red with blood at that time when those three Kings slew the Moabites now there should be more blood there because the slaughter of the Moabites by the Babylonians should be far greater than that formerly was by those three Kings The meaning of those words rather is either 1. That God would add streams of blood to the waters of Dimon which running into it from several places should make the river rise and swell more and more Or 2. that God would bring more and greater vengeance upon Dimon than upon other parts of the land the slaughter should be greater there and so more blood should be shed there than in any other place besides Or 3. that God would bring more evils upon Dimon than what he had hitherto spoken of concerning the spoiling of their pastures and the plundering of their goods ver 6 7. even this here mentioned the shedding of their blood in so great abundance yea say some more than that here mentioned to wit that after the miseries brought upon them by the Assyrians the Babylonians should also in process of time utterly destroy them Or 4. That to the judgment here threatned that the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood he would add yet more to wit the judgment set forth in the following words Lions upon him that escapeth of Moab and upon the remnant of the land which though some understand of men fierce and savage as Lions as namely the Babylonian or the Assyrian who though he was only as a Bear to other parts of Moab yet he would be as a Lion to Dimon Yet I rather think it is to be understood literally to wit that those Moabites that had escaped the Sword and were left in the land should be slain by Lions and other wild beasts to wit either in the wilderness whither they should flee to escape the Sword or in their own land which lying desolate Lions should breed in it as it was with the Colonies in Samaria 2 King 17.25 CHAP. XVI VERSE 1. SEnd ye the Lamb to the Ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness unto the mount of the daughter of Zion There are only two Expositions of this place which can consist with our Translation The first is that by the Lamb here is meant a Sacrifice of Atonement which the Moabites are here stirred up to send to the Temple at Jerusalem Only there is this difference amongst those that do thus conceive of the Lamb to be sent 1. That some think the Prophet doth here seriously advise the Moabites to send Lambs and other such like cattel to be offered up in Sacrifice to God the Ruler of the whole world at the Temple at Jerusalem there to pacifie God's displeasure against them And 2. that others take it to be Ironically spoken and by way of insulting over the Moabites as if he had said You that had wont to despise and blaspheme the God of Israel now that you see your selves in such desperate danger now that you are so miserably destroyed you had best send your Sacrifices to the Ruler of the world at the Temple in Mount Zion But alas if you had a mind to do so it is now you see too late But then the 2. is that by the Lamb which the Moabites are here advised to send to the Ruler of the land is meant the Tribute which they were wont to pay to the King of Judah Because it is evident that the Moabites were subdued by David and became Tributaries to him See the Notes 2 Sam. 8.2 And it is most probable that the Tribute agreed upon was that which is mentioned 2. King 3.4 An hundred thousand Lambs with an hundred thousand Rams with the wool which it seems they paid duly to the Kings of Israel after that Kingdom was divided from the Kingdom of Judah till after the death of Ahab when they refused to pay their Tribute any longer either to
Ahaziah or Joram his Son See the Notes 2 King 1.1 and 35. Therefore it is thought the Moabites are here advised to pay their wonted Tribute again to the King of Judah Send ye the Lamb that is the Tribute which you formerly paid of Lambs and other cattel to the Ruler of the Land that is to the King of Judah to whom of right you are Vassals ever since David subdued you From Sela some chief City in the South-borders of the Land of Moab which was afterwards taken by Amaziah King of Judah and called Joktheel See the Note 2 King 14.7 To the wilderness that is the wilderness of Jordan in the North-border Unto the mount of the daughter of Zion that is to Jerusalem See the Note Chap. 1.8 Which is all one therefore as if he had said Let all the people all the Land over gather up this Tribute and send it But indeed many Expositors understand this as spoken in a way of derision as if the Prophet had said You had best to prevent the ruin that from Judah will be brought upon you to send the old Tribute again you had wont to pay to Hezekiah the Ruler of the land and it is like in your straits you will think of doing so but alas it will do no good that will not then keep off the destruction which will certainly come upon you Ver. 2. For it shall be that as a wandring bird cast out of the nest or as a nest forsaken so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon A river in the utmost borders of the land of Moab Numb 21.13 The meaning therefore seems to be that as a wandring bird driven out of her nest or as a brood of young birds forsaken of their damme or cast out of their nest do fly up and down not having any body to protect them not knowing whither to go or where to take up their rest so the daughters of Moab that is the Inhabitants of the Towns of Moab or the Moabitish women see Chap. 3.16 17. and Luk. 13.34 even they as well as the men shall flee away out of their Country and wander up and down in desart places not knowing where to settle themselves Or they shall be carried away captives into Assyria over the River Arnon But now we must know that this may be taken as spoken only conditionally to wit that thus it should be with the Moabites if they did not hearken to the advice given them in the foregoing verse But others that understand that which is said in the foregoing verse as spoken Ironically do accordingly understand this as added to shew why there would be no thinking to send a Lamb either by way of pacifying God's anger by Sacrifices or by way of procuring their Peace by paying their former Tribute because instead of that they should flee in great dread from the Sword of the Enemy or should be carried away by the Enemy into Captivity as easily as a bird is driven out of her nest Ver. 3. Take counsel c. That is say some Expositors Consult together how you may escape the destruction that is coming upon you And they that do understand these first words thus do accordingly hold that in the next words the Prophet tells them what would be the best course they could take if they desired to prevent their approaching ruin namely to be courteous and kind to the out-casts of God's people in their distress Execute Judgment make thy shadow as the night c. But I rather conceive that these first words do intend the same thing with those that follow after Take counsel that is Consider with your selves and consult together to wit how you may any way protect and relieve and procure the good of my people in their affliction and distress Execute judgment that is Do that for them which in all Justice and Equity you ought to do be not injurious to my people in their distresses as you have formerly been but shew them that compassion which is due to a people in such misery Make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noon-day that is when my people are driven out of their Country and flee to you to shelter them from their enemies let them be concealed and hidden by you that even at Noon-day they may be as if they were covered with the darkness or shadow of the night when no body can see them or find them out or rather let the harbour and entertainment they find amongst you be as a safe and sweet refuge and refreshment against the noon-day heat of the Assyrians breaking in upon them even as the pillar of the cloud to which haply this Expression doth allude was a covert to the Israelites against the heat of the Sun as they travelled through the VVilderness to Canaan hide the out-casts bewray not him that wandereth that is Hide those that being driven out of their own Land wander up and down amongst you to seek for some place of shelter and do not deliver them up into the hands of their enemies But now all this is understood by many as spoken Ironically Take counsel execute Judgment c. as if he had said Now when the enemy is broken in upon you it may be you will wish you had done what it was indeed your duty to have done to Gods poor people when they were persecuted and pursued by their enemies But alas it is now too late you had wont to reject them and to deal cruelly with them at such times and now you will meet with the same hard measure Ver. 4. Let mine outcasts dwell with thee Moab c. That is those of my people that are driven out of the land which I had given them and that I own still as my people though I have at present in just displeasure against them cast them out for their sins Be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler as if he should have said As at the first bringing of my people out of Egypt you did discover your spleen against them See the Notes Deut. 23.4 so you have done ever since being still ready to side with their enemies that have prevailed against them and to deal hardly with them in their distress but beware do not so still but rather let them have a hiding-place amongst you to shelter them from the rage of their enemies to wit the Assyrians as most Expositors do here conceive But now the drift of all this is only to shew what in all reason the Moabites ought to have done and as some think to insult over their destruction because they had not done so for the Extortioner is at an end the spoiler ceaseth the oppressors are consumed out of the land that is the Land of Judea shall be quite freed from the enemy that came to spoil and oppress her which I say most Expositors understand of the quick dispatch that God made of Sennacherib and his army
2 King 19.35 so that the drift of this passage seems to be this that considering the calamity that was to come upon Gods people was not like to last long but that they should be speedily setled again peaceably in their own Land the Moabites had no cause to reject the Jews when they fled to them for shelter as fearing lest the Assyrians should be enraged against them for it but rather might do well therein to gratifie the Jews thereby to make them their friends for the time to come And all this we must know is spoken by way of insulting over the Moabites in their destruction because they had not done that which in all reason and equity they should have done Ver. 5. And in mercy shall the throne he established c. Or prepared That is However the Throne of Judah shall be dangerously shaken by the invasion of the Assyrian which shall cause the Jews to flee to thee O Moab yet it shall not be utterly overthrown and ruined but through the mercy and free grace of God it shall be established and setled again in great strength and power for him to whom it belongs Some I know understand those words in mercy of the mercy of the King of Judah whereby his Throne should be established for him and for his Successors But I question not but that it is meant of Gods mercy to the Kingdom of Judah And thereupon it follows and he shall sit upon it in truth c. which words must be understood both of Christ and of Hezekiah as he was a type of Christ Understanding it of Hezekiah the meaning is That he should sit upon the Throne of Judah in truth i. e. certainly or surely firmly and constantly or that he should govern the people sincerely and uprightly in the Tabernacle of David that is in the house and palace of David judging and seeking Judgment and hastning Righteousness that is being careful to execute Judgment and Justice amongst them without partiality and without delay But understanding it of Christ who is indeed principally here intended the meaning then is That God would raise him up out of the Posterity of David and that he should sit upon the Throne of David for ever See the Note Chap. 9.7 protecting his people and executing Judgment upon his and their enemies see the Note Chap. 11.5 And accordingly the drift of this passage seems to be first more particularly that in regard the Assyrian should be destroyed and Hezekiah setled in the Throne of Judah it would be better for the Moabites to side with the Jews than with the Assyrians And 2ly more generally that it was meer solly in the Moabites and others to expect the ruine of the Throne and Kingdom of Judah upon every prevailing of their enemies against them there being a King to arise in the posterity of David who should sit on that Throne and should justly govern and prosperously defend Gods people for ever Ver. 6. We have heard of the pride of Moab c. Some Expositors hold that God speaks here of himself in the Plural Number as in Gen. 1.26 for which see the Note there And others suppose that this is spoken in the name of other people alledging the pride of the Moabites as a reason why it was no wonder to them to hear of their Destruction But more generally it is thought by Expositors that in this word We the Prophet doth include the Lord God himself the Jews and all the neighbour Nations and that it is all one in effect as if he had said That the Pride of Moab was on all sides well known We have heard of the Pride of Moab he is very proud even of his haughtiness and his pride and his wrath that is the wrath which out of his great pride and haughtiness he hath discovered against the Jews The full scope of this whole passage may be thus expressed These things-whereto the Moabites have been here advised verse 1 3 4. they ought in all reason to have done but alas they are too proud to do any such thing we have heard of their proud boastings and threats Because they are a great and wealthy people and their Country and Cities are very strong therefore they fear nothing and instead of carrying themselves to the people of God according to the counsel before given them they on the contrary do in their pride deal despitefully and injuriously with them But this their pride shall not secure them but shall rather prove their ruine which is implied in the following words but his lies shall not be so that is their vain confidence their proud boastings and threatnings shall prove but lies that which they vainly and proudly conceit and boast and threaten shall not come to pass Ver. 7. Therefore c. That is because of their horrid pride Moab shall howl for Moab that is say some the living Moabites shall howl for the dead or rather they shall mutually howl one to another or one for another so that as it follows every one shall howl that is there shall be a general howling all the Land over for the foundations of Kir-hareseth See the Note Chap. 15.1 shall ye mourn that is not for the plundring or defacing of it but for the utter subverting of it and razing the very foundations of it and the rather haply because ye thought them invinsible This indeed may be read as it is in the Margin of our Bibles for the foundations of Kir-hareseth shall ye mutter And they that read it so conceive the meaning to be That they should mutter within themselves that seeing that Town had formerly stood out against the siege of three Kings for which see the Note 2 King 3.25 and was now in as good strength as ever therefore they should be well enough able to defend it and accordingly they hold that in the following words surely they are stricken the vanity of these their hopes is discovered in that notwithstanding this their muttering the foundations of this their strong Town were stricken that is overthrown or destroyed or they that flattered themselves thus were stricken that is wounded or slain But I conceive the former Translation to be far the best and that in the last words the reason is given why they should mourn for the foundations of Kir-hareseth namely because they should surely be stricken that is razed and ruined Ver. 8. For the fields of Heshbon languish c. That is they lye waste and desert see the Note Chap. 15.4 and the vine of Sibmah a City formerly taken from the Amorites by the Children of Israel Numb 32.38 but now in the possession of the Moabites both were places it seems of great note for their Vineyards so that the mention of these imports that the most pleasant and fruitful of the Land should be destroyed The Lords of the Heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof that is the Princes and Commanders of the armies invading the Land of
Moab whether Assyrians or Chaldeans or those great Potentates and Conquerors that have in a manner subdued all the Nations far and near have by their armies utterly wasted the choice plants of these Vineyards they are come even unto Jazer a City in the confines of Moab formerly a City of refuge in the Tribe of Gad Josh 21.39 And some understand hereby that the Lords of the Heathen went on wasting the Vineyards even unto Jazer and so on to the Wilderness c. as it followeth in the next words because so far that goodly track of Land was replenished with Vineyards And others understand hereby the peoples fleeing or being carried Captives even unto Jazer through the Wilderness and over the Sea for so also they understood those words that follow they wandred through the Wilderness and they are gone over the Sea But because there is afterward again mention made of the Vineyards her branches are stretched out I rather conceive that this with all that follows is spoken of the Vineyards of that goodly Country and that the drift of the words is either 1. to set forth the large extent of those Vineyards that so the former flourishing condition of those places might stir up the greater lamentation for the sad devastation that was coming upon them They are come even unto Jazer that is these Vineyards of Sibmah do stretch forth themselves even as far as Jazer they wandred through the wilderness that is they went along winding this way and that through the VVilderness to wit of Moab see the Note above vers 1. Her branches are stretched out they are gone over the Sea that is they ran out as far as the Sea that is the Dead-Sea the Lake of Sodom yet in Jer. 48.32 it is expressed thus Thy plants are gone over the Sea they reach even to the Sea of Jazer or else 2ly to shew how these their Vines as being very precious and their VVines under which all their wealth may also be comprehended were carried away together with their persons even unto Jazer and so through the Wilderness and over the Sea into some remote Country See the Note Chap. 15.7 Ver. 9. Therefore I will bewail c. This may be taken as spoken by the Prophet either in the person of the Moabites or in his own person See the Note before Chap. 15.5 and it is expressed thus to imply that the misery of Moab should be so great that it would cause any man to mourn bitterly with them I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine of Sibmah that is I will bewail the destruction of the Vineyards of Sibmah with the weeping wherewith men wept over Jazâ—r I will weep as bitterly for the destroying of these precious vines of Sibmah as men wept for the destruction of that goodly City Jaâ—â—r I will water thee with my tears O Heshbâ—n and Elealeh c That is I will weep abundantly for thee powring forth even streams of tears And see the Note Chap. 15.4 Yea considering that Heshbon was famous for her fish-pools as appears by that expression in Solomons Song Chap. 7.4 thine eyes like the fish-pools in Heshbon it may well be that the drift of this expression might be the same as if he had said that Heshbon should not want his tears to water her though he knew her to be abundantly watered already And why he would weep so bitterly for these places he sheweth in the following words for the shouting for thy Summer-fruits and for thy harvest is fallen that is your wonted singing and shouting with a great deal of jollity at the bringing in of your Harvest and Vintage is now ceased to wit because your Corn and vines are spoiled by the enemies But this clause now may be read as it is in the margin for the alarm is fallen upon thy Summer-fruits and upon thy Harvest as if the Prophet had said In Harvest and Vintage-time the enemy shall break in upon you with a hideous shouting and indeed so it is expressed Jer. 48.32 The spoiler is fallen upon thy Summer-fruits and upon thy Vintage and that shall be instead of the joyful shouting that used to be in your fields at those times for if this last clause be thus translated yet that this is implied is evident by the next verse Ver. 10. And gladness is taken away and joy out of the plentiful field and in the Vineyards there shall be no singing neither shall there be shouting c. To wit as at such times of Harvest and Vintage there used to be see the Notes Judg. 9.27 and Psal 126.5 6. and that because there should be no Corn to reap nor grapes to tread the enemy having destroyed all by reason of God's just wrath against them as it is expressed in the following words The treaders shall tread out no wine in their presses I saith the Lord have made their vintage-shouting to cease Ver. 11. Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab and mine inward parts for Kir-heresh See the foregoing Notes ver 9. and Chap. 15 ver 1 and 5. In Jer. 48.36 it is expressed thus Mine heart shall sound for Moab likr pipes c. And therefore this of the sounding of his bowels and inward parts may be meant only of the deep sighs and groans that came from his heart Yet because extremity of grief will many times cause a mans bowels to roll together and so to rumble and make a noise within him it may be meant of this according to that Jer. 31.20 where God saith of Ephraim My bowels are troubled for him which is in the Hebrew my bowels do sound for him And there may be also an Allusion to the old Custom of using mournful Musick and singing doleful Songs when they bewailed their dead Friends or at any other time of great lamentation Ver. 12. And it shall come to pass when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high places c. That is when it is evident that the Moabites are even wearied and tired out with seeking help of their Idol-gods upon their high-places the ordinary places where they used to serve them to wit partly by their running from one high place to another and partly by their weeping and praying there and the multitude of their Sacrifices which in each high place they offered up to their gods but especially by the fruitlesness of all these their endeavours in that they can procure no help from their gods by all they do That he shall come to his Sanctuary to pray to wit some place reputed more holy than their ordinary high places the Temple as it is most probable of their chief Idol Chemosh See the Note 1 Kin. 11.7 whither they shall fly as their last refuge and their chief Sanctuary in times of great distress hoping there at last to find some help and relief But he shall not prevail that is even there also they shall lose their labour and shall not prevail with their
worse their condition should still be The meaning of all is That it was no wonder though the wise men of Egypt should thus play the fools because the Lord should infatuate them Ver. 15. Neither shall there be any work for Egypt which the head or tail branch or rush may do That is Neither the King nor his Wizzards neither high nor low shall be able to advise or do any thing or at least to effect any thing intended or desired that may be any advantage to them to save or help them See the Notes Chap. 9.14 15. Ver. 16. In that day shall Egypt be like unto women c. That is the Egyptians shall be fearful and faint-hearted see the Note above ver 1. and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts which he shaketh over it That is because the Lord God whose wrath and power is irresistible shall by raising up the Assyrians to invade them terrifie Egypt and as it were threaten to destroy it see the Note Chap. 10.32 In this expression of the the Lords shaking his hand over it there seems to be an allusion to Moses his stretching out his hand at Gods command over the Red-sea for the bringing back of the waters thereof upon the Egyptians whereby they were drowned and destroyed Exod. 14.26 27. Ver. 17. And the Land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt c. As if the Prophet had said Yea before the Assyrians shall invade Egypt when the Egyptians shall hear of the Assyrians prevailing in the Land of Judah and the great havock they had made there that Hezekiah had sent the Treasures of his Kingdom and of the Temple to him and had tendered to become his Tributary Vassal and yet could not by all this purchase Peace from him concerning all which see 2 King 18.13 14. this shall exceedingly affright the Egyptians the land of Judah being thus sorely afflicted and endangered shall be a terror unto the land of Egypt 1. Because Judea being such a near neighbouring Country and standing as a wall between them and the Assyrians the land of Judah being subdued there would be a clear way opened for the Assyrian to enter Egypt and little hope there would be that they alone should be able to withstand such a potent Enemy 2. Because of the strict Confederacy that had often been betwixt these two States of Egypt and Judea and the readiness of the Egyptians upon all occasions to help the Jews see 2 King 17.4 and 18.21 which might provoke the Assyrian the more against Egypt And 3. Because if God had not spared his own people the Egyptians might well think that he would much less spare them This I conceive is the true meaning of this place And accordingly it followeth Every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself That is every Egyptian yea some extend this to all other Nations that shall have occasion to speak of the land of Judah to wit of the miseries that are befallen that Country shall be struck with terror the very thinking of the place shall make them tremble Because of the counsel of the Lord of Hosts which he hath determined against it that is because of God's determinate Counsel for the destruction of the Land of Judah which they shall see executed upon it Or because by the ruin brought upon the Land of Judah they shall see that he hath determined also to destroy Egypt Some I know understand this whole verse of the fear wherewith the Egyptians should be surprized when they should hear how wonderfully God had destroyed the Assyrian Army that under Sennacherib had invaded Judea to wit that finding hereby what a mighty God the Jews had to defend them they should not only fear the Lord but also the people of the Lord according to that which the Egyptians said of old Exod. 14.25 Let us flee from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians and that Deut 28.10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the Name of the Lord and they shall be afraid of thee See also 2 Chron. 32.23 But the former Exposition I judg the more genuine Yet some that understand it so hold it is meant of the destruction brought upon the Land of Judah by the Chaldeans not of the waste that was made therein by the Assyrians Ver. 18. In that day c. That is after these judgements have been fully executed upon Egypt see the Note Chap. 4.2 shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan that is the Hebrew tongue the language which the people of God spake that were planted by God in the Land of Cannaan which is therefore also called the Jews language Neh. 13.24 See the Note also Gen. 11.1 But the meaning is that the inhabitants of certain Cities in Egypt such as God had ordained unto life eternal should embrace the Religion of the Jews and become one people with them professing the same Faith and conversing together with them as if they had been the same people and spake all the same tongue notwithstanding the deadly enmity that had formerly been between the Egyptians and the children of Israel of which see Gen. 43.32 Yea and that they should by their praying to God and praising of God and by the holiness of their speech in every regard manifest themselves to be the people of the Holy God of Israel according to that Zeph. 3.9 Then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent As for the number of five cities here mentioned In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan I do not think that this is spoken with reference to the five Principalities that were formerly in the Land of Egypt 1 Sam. 6.4 for in the times the Prophet was immediately before speaking of Egypt was divided into Twelve Kingdoms Nor that the Prophets intent was hereby to imply that a fith part in five of the Cities of Egypt should embrace the Faith which some hold because of the following clause one shall be called the City of destruction It is only I conceive a certain number put for an uncertain and that which is only intended is that a considerable number of the Cities of Egypt should embrace the Religion of Gods people And because he speaks of the conversion of Cities in general this must needs be meant of their conversion to the Faith in the days of the Gospel not of some few that might be won to embrace the Jewish Religion in the days before Christ by those Jews that should fly into Egypt for shelter upon occasion of any troubles that should be in the Land of Judah And so likewise we must understand those following words and swear to the Lord of hosts to wit that the Egyptians should
by being baptized renounce all idolatries and give up themselves to the service of the true God even as Subjects are wont to take an Oath of Fealty and Allegiance to their earthly Princes as owning the Lord to be only Omniscient God and the Judg of the world that will be avenged on all perjured persons see the Note Psal 63.11 And then for the last clause some read it as it is in the Margin one shall be called the city of the sun and so they take the meaning to be that the city of the sun where there was a Temple built to the Sun one of the chief Idols of the Heathens which they take to be the same that is by the Greeks called Heliopolis should be one of those Cities that should speak the Language of Canaan and that the Prophet's intent is hereby to signifie that even those that were most addicted to Idolatry should embrace the Christian Faith But if we read it as it is in our Bibles One shall be called the city of destruction the meaning must needs be either 1. That some few of the Cities of Egypt should refuse to embrace the Christian Faith as many oâ—her of their Neighbour-Cities had done and so should be esteemed by the faithful Cities destined to eternal destruction Or else 2. That amongst those Cities that should speak the language of Canaan there should be some few or one particularly that for its former horrid idolatry or for its standing out long obstinately against the Doctrine of the Gospel should be deemed a City near to destruction or appointed to destruction that should yet afterwards embrace the Truth and become together with the rest the people of God Ver. 19. In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt c. That is in the very inmost parts of the land but see the Note Chap. 10.2 The meaning is that even in Egypt they should worship the God of Israel in the spiritual Gospel-way whereof the Altars and Sacrifices amongst the Israelites in the time of the Law were types and shadows For thus it is usual in the Old Testament to speak of the worship of God in Gospel-times under those expressions of the Rites and Ceremonies that were then in use amongst the people as in Mal. 1.11 My name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered to my name and a pure offering See also Chap. 56.7 and Joel 2.28 And hereto agrees that which followeth and a pillar in the border thereof to the Lord That is a pillar erected to the honour of the true God or whereon there should be engraven To the Lord Jehovah even as it was a custom to set up pillars as marks of the bounds of Countries and Kingdoms whereon there used to be the Arms or some other memorial of the Prince to whom the Country belonged But there is doubtless an allusion in these words to the pillars which the people of God were wont to set up as monuments and memorials of some special mercies they had there received from God or of their worshipping of God there See the Notes Gen. 28.14 Exod. 24.4 and Josh 24.26 27. So that the meaning of that which is here said is only this That all Egypt over yea in the very border and out-skirts of the Country in the pure exercises of Gods worship and other monuments and tokens of Christian piety there should be such evident signs of the true Religion being setled there that as soon as any man should enter into the land of Egypt he should presently see that they owned the God of Israel to be their God and that the true Religion was professed there Ver. 20. And it c. That is That Altar and consequently also that Pillar set up in the land of Egypt mentioned in the foregoing verse shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the Land of Egypt That is they shall be a sign that the Egyptians do own themselves to be his peculiar people and that he is worshipped there And what is meant by the Altar and Pillar is shown in the foregoing Note to wit the open profession they should make of their Faith and their thankful acknowledgment of the free Grace of God in bringing them into a state of Salvation together with the service which they should constantly and openly yield unto God in praying to him and praising his Name For they shall cry unto the Lord because of the oppressâ—rs c. This is added say some to shew how the Egyptians came to be converted and to own and serve the true God and accordingly some understand this of those spiritual oppressors Satan Sin and Death to wit that being brought to be sensible of this spiritual sore bondage under which they were heâ—d they cried unto the Lord for deliverance which may seem the more probable because of that which follows and be sent them a saviour to wit Jesus Christ And again others understand it of Tyrants that oppressed them in their outward estate but withal hold that this is mentioned as the occasion of their turning to the true God to wit that being sorely afflicted hereby and finding no help in their Idol-Gods they should hereby be the better fitted and prepared to turn unto the true God when in the Ministry of the Gospel Grace came to be tendered unto them whereupon that followeth and he shall send them a saviour and a great one that is a great Saviour the great God and our saviour Jesus Christ as the Apostle speaks Tit. 2.13 and he shall deliver them But I rather think that this is spoken of the Egyptians after their conversion and that this is added to shew how those signs of their worshipping the true God should come to be every where seen amongst them the Altar and the Pillar intended in the foregoing Verse namely because under all their oppressors they should cry unto the Lord and their Saviour the Lord Christ should surely deliver them Ver. 21. And the Lord shall be known to Egypt and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day c. The same thing seems to be said here two several ways and that because this of their being brought to the true knowledg of God was a mercy of so great importance even the foundation of all their bliss and happiness yet two distinct things may be implied hereby as 1. That God should reveal himself to the Egyptians by the preaching of the Gospel And 2. That hereby through the enlightning of Gods Spirit they should effectually be brought to know the Lord and so God that was before known only in Judea should be now known in Egypt too Or by the first clause may be meant that the Egyptians should be brought to the knowledg of God and by the second that they should make acknowledgment of that God whom they now knew by serving him in a Gospel-way
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
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
is They shall with songs of Praise extol God for the discovery that he hath made of his glorious Majesty his infinite Power and Justice and Goodness and Mercy both in punishing those multitudes that shall then be destroyed and in preserving that small remnant of them that shall escape in that common Destruction they shall cry aloud from the Sea that is From the Islands that are in the Sea or from the Countrys beyond the Sea even from the uttermost parts of the earth the shouting and singing shall be heard of those that with such a loud voice shall praise the Lord for their deliverance But now the great question is Of whose and of what Rejoycing this is meant Many learned Expositors there are that do understand it meerly of those that should escape that general Destruction threatned in this Chapter both in the land of Judea and all the Countrys about them And some understand hereby those that were delivered from Salmanasser or Sennacheribs invasion in the days of Hezekiah and others far more probably of those that escaped when the Babylonians made such havock both in Judea and in all the Countrys round about that were over-run and subdued by their victorious Armies But because the Prophet seems here to foretel that the joy of the remnant that should be reserved not only amongst the Jews but also amongst the Heathens about them should be so exceeding great and in the following verses that they should in their joy praise the Lord God of Israel which the Heathens never did till they embraced the Christian Faith therefore I conceive he intends here not only the joy and shouting and singing of those that should be delivered from the general devastation whose joy might be said to be heard from the parts beyond the Sea because thither many of them might be sold for Captives but also principally the joy and singing of their Posterity that should exceedingly triumph and praise God for the wonderful discovery of his Majesty his incomparable Power and Mercy in the great work of mans Redemption by Christ and in calling them into the Kingdom of Christ by the preaching of the Gospel as likewise their lifting up their voice freely and without fear in spreading abroad the glad tidings of Salvation far and near wherever they had any opportunity to do it As for the last clause they shall cry aloud from the Sea some translate that they shall cry aloud from the West because the Mediterranean Sea lay on the West of Judea And accordingly they understand it of the rejoycing of those believing Jews that spreading the Gospel in the Western parts of the World whither they fled upon the last Devastation of Judea by the Romans did exceedingly rejoyce when they saw the Roman Empire submit to the Scepter of Christ But it is hard to say that this is here particularly intended Ver. 15. Wherefore glorifie ye the Lord in the fires c. These may be the words of the Prophet stirring up Gods people to go on in praising God as in the foregoing verse he had foretold they should do but yet they are commonly taken to be the words of the remnant before spoken of who escaping that publick Desolation that was coming upon the earth should not only themselves praise God with a loud voice as was said in the foregoing verse but should also as is here said stir up others to do the same even from the experience of their deliverance Some render the words as in the Margin of our Bibles Glorifie the Lord in the valleys and they hold that the valleys are named either because the Valleys are usually most inhabited by reason of the conveniency of water and plenteous feeding that is there to be had or else to imply that even in the darkest Corners of the earth in the basest and obscurest Countries of the World the Praises of the Lord should be heard But they are best rendred I conceive as in our Translation Wherefore glorifie ye the Lord in the fires that is Ye that are in the fires of great Tribulations and Troubles consider of this great work that God hath done upon the earth and be thereby stirred up to glorifie God by trusting in him and rejoycing in hope of being delivered by him and let all do this all the world over which is implied in the following words even the Lord God of Israel in the Isles of the Sea See the foregoing Note Ver. 16. From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard Songs c. As if the Prophet had said What do I speak of glorifying God in the Valleys and in the Isles of the Sea We the people of God have heard Praises sung to our God even from the uttermost parts of the earth Only we must know that though the Prophet speaks of this as of a thing done already to imply the unquestionable certainty of it yet his meaning is That this should be done hereafter the time was coming when they should hear Psalms of Praise sung unto God even from the remotest parts of the earth And though we may say that there was an initial accomplishment of this when the Jews were delivered out of Babylon and other Nations were at the same time set free that had been held in bondage by the Chaldeans yet I conceive the full performance of this was not till the Gentiles were brought in to the Church and so joyned with the Jews in singing Psalms of Praise unto God And accordingly we must understand the following clause wherein the subject-matter of those their Songs of Praise is set forth even glory to the Righteous to wit either 1. That they should glorifie the Righteous God because he had by his righteous Judgments rescued poor Prisoners and Captives from the bondage of their proud Enemies that had tyrannized over them or because he had manifested himself to be a righteous God by performing his promises concerning Christ and the calling of the Gentiles Or 2ly as some would have it That they should spread abroad the Glory of Christ their Redeemer who is indeed often termed the Righteous in the Scripture as 1 Joh. 2.1 We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous See also Isa 53.11 But I said My leanness my leanness c. Some would have this rendred as it is in the Margin My secret to my self my secret to my self and that the meaning should be That he concluded confidently of that which God had secretly imparted to him to wit That the wicked should be destroyed and the Righteous spared Or that the Prophet durst not reveal that which was secretly made known to him but kept it to himself namely that of those that should thus praise God and Christ there should be so few of his own Countrymen the Jews the Gentiles being for the generality admitted to be Gods peculiar people which is altogether improbable That Translation therefore which we have in our Bibles is far the better But I
the Lord's Vineyard see the Notes Chap. 5.1 A vineyard of Red wine that is the best and most generous Wine for such their red Wine was accounted in the land of Judea whence is that of Solomon Prov. 23.31 Loâ—k not thou upon the wine when it is red and those expressions Gen. 49.11 and Deut. 32.14 where Moses calls their Wine the blood and the pure blood of the grape see the Note Psal 75.8 It is all one in effect as if it had been said Behold the Lords Vineyard that before brought forth nothing but wild grapes see the Note Chap. 5.2 and hath thereupon lain a long time desolate and trodden down is now become a Vineyard that yieldeth the choicest Wine And the meaning is That Gods people were now become a holy and a righteous people yielding fruit very acceptable to God which may be meant partly of Gods people after their return out of Babylon but especially of the Church of Christ in the days of the Gospel However in the whole there seems to he an allusion to the custom of those times when at their Vintages they used to sing Songs with a great deal of jollity by way of extolling the excellency and the fruitfulness of their Vineyards Ver. 3. I the Lord do keep it c. That is though of late I have seemed wholly regardless of her yet now I will watch over her to keep and preserve her and I will water her with the gracious showrs and dews of my Word and Spirit Deut. 32.2 and with a constant supply of whatever is requisite to bring her into a fruitful and flourishing Condition Ver. 4. Fury is not in me c. As if it had been said say some good Expositors My people being now humbled and reformed my fury and anger against them is quite over who would set the briars and thorns against me in battel I would go through them I would burn them together that is If any therefore shall set themselves against my people now under my protection like pricking briars and thorns to veâ— and molest them it will be indeed but as if so many briars and thorns should be set against me in battel that am a consuming fire I would soon not only break through them and trample them down but also burn them up and destroy them see the Note Chap. 10.17 But I rather take this as spoken not of the enemies of his Church but of his Church and People themselves and that it is added by way of preventing an objection that might arise in their minds concerning the Lord's tender care over his people his Vineyard in his continual keeping it and watering it Because they might think that this promise could not consist with that which the Prophet had so often told them concerning those sad calamities and devastations that were coming upon them to this the Lord answers Fury is not in me to wit towards my Church and People It is as if he had said I am not in my self subject to be transported with furious passions and so prone easily and without any just cause to break forth in wrath against men and to be implacable therein but on the contrary I am slow to anger and very ready to shew mercy and especially it is thus with me in regard of my people when I am offended with them it is with the anger of a loving Father it is not in fury and rage and implacable wrath and therefore when I shall chastise you it shall be with a purpose to reform and not to destroy you so that this being effected in you I shall soon make good this promise to you As for the next words who would set the briars and thorns against me in battel I would go through them I would burn them together the drift thereof is I conceive to imply either 1. That if he were furiously bent against them to destroy them they would be but as so many briars and thorns before a consuming fire he could easily make an end of them so that they might thereby see that it was of his mercy and free grace towards them that they were not consumed Or 2. That if he were contending which he had much rather with the prophane ones of the world that he esteemed no better than so many briars and thorns his wrath should freely break forth against them and utterly consume them But with his Vineyard his inheritance his own adopted people he would not he could not deal thus Or 3. That if he were to deal only with the wicked amongst his people that were as so many briars and thorns setting themselves in battel-array against him he would soon destroy them and as willingly as the Husbandman destroys the briars and thorns in his Vineyard but with his beloved Vineyard he could not do so If he were purposed to destroy the briars and thorns amongst them yet he would be careful to do that so that he might not destroy the Vines together with them Or 4. That if he should find none but briars and thorns amongst his people then indeed he should soon destroy them but when they should be a reformed people he would be far from proceeding in such fury against them Ver. 5. Or let him take hold of my strength c. 1. By taking hold on Gods strength may be meant a serious Consideration of the infinite strength and power of God either to destroy his enemies or to bless his faithful Servants 2ly An apprehending this strength and power of God by faith when men believe it and apply the truth hereof unto themselves And 3ly that using of all holy means whereby they may appease his wrath and so stay his hand from smiting or burning them up such as are repentance and fervent prayer and whereby they may engage his strength to be put forth for their protection and benefit in every regard And this is required here as a means of mens making their peace with God and preventing their being consumed with the fire of his Indignation and that with a promise that it shall be effectual thereto that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me and it may be taken as spoken either to his enemies those wicked ones that were in his sight as so many briers and thorns that God would be reconciled even to them if they would thus stay his hand and make their peace with him Or else to his own people as an evidence that he was not furiously bent against them to destroy them because though he could easily burn them up as so many briers and thorns yet he rather desired that they should thus stay his hand and be at peace with him Ver. 6. He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root c. To wit his Israel his Vineyard the Posterity of Jacob See the Note Psal 80.9 as is further clear by the following words Israel shall blossom and bud and the meaning is That though this people
see the Notes there But methinks the words in this place seem rather to set forth the desolation of their Country than the destruction of the Inhabitants Ver. 11. When the boughs thereof are withered they shall be broken off c. According to what is noted in the foregoing Verse some understand this also figuratively of the withering breaking off and burning the boughs of Gods Vine his Israel But rather this is added farther to set forth the desolation of their Town and Cities by shewing that as the Beasts should crop the Shrubs that grew there when they were green as was said in the former verse so being withered the boughs thereof should be broken off for firing as is expressed in the following words the women come and set them on fire For it is a People of no understanding c. that is a foolish People that will be made wise by nothing but stripes See the Notes Chap. 5.12 and Deut 32.28 Probable it is that this they are charged with more especially with respect to their brutish ignorance in forsaking the living God to go after Idol-gods therefore he that made them See the Notes Chap. 22.11 and Deut. 32.6 will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour that is say some who understand it of those whom God by this severity intended to reform God will not at all spare them but will proceed with some more than ordinary severity against them even as far as the rigour of fatherly chastisement may extend But I rather think that this is spoken of the body of the People of the Jews upon whom God poured forth his wrath without any mixture of mercy though withall he shewed mercy to a remnant amongst them as is shewn in the following verse Ver. 12. And it shall come to pass in that day c. to wit when God shall have proceeded with so great severity against his own People as is said in the two foregoing Verses and shall have thereby in some measure reformed them but see also the Note Chap. 11.11 that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt that is from Euphrates See the Note Chap. 7.20 unto the River Sihor which lay before Egypt Josh 13.3 or unto the River of Nilus either of which may be meant by the River of Egypt See the Notes Chap. 23.3 and Gen. 15.18 And the meaning seems to be that God would sever and take out his People from the Nations amongst whom they were scattered in all those Countries that lay between Euphrates and Nilus Assyria and Egypt for when the Jews were carried captives into Babylon many of them fled into Egypt See the Note Chap. 11.11 even as the Husbandman by beating severs the Fruit from the Trees or as by threshing he beats out the grain from the ears and straw or as by winnowing he beats out the corn from the chaff Some indeed do understand this of the Lords beating out the Israelites from their dwelling places all over the Land of Canaan which we find sometimes bounded by the River Euphrates and the River of Egypt and others of the beating over of all those Countries that lay between Euphrates and Nilus by the Medes and Persians when they subdued Babylon But the former exposition is far the clearest and best agrees with that which followeth and ye shall be gathered one by one O ye children of Israel to wit as Fruit is gathered up that is beaten off the Tree or as the Corn is gathered up when it is threshed and winnowed and laid up in Garners the meaning whereof is that though they were exceedingly dispersed yet they should be gathered together into one body and placed again in their own Land And this expression of their being gathered one by one is used purposely to intimate 1. the paucity of those that should be delivered in comparison of those that were at first carried away and scattered abroad according to a like expression Jer. 3.14 I will take you one of a City and two of a Family and will bring you to Zion And 2. the exact bringing in of all that were to have a share in this deliverance though they were severed never so far asunder that God would pick them up one out of one place and another out of another not one of them should be neglected and lost as it is said also Ezek. 39.28 I have gathered them unto their own land and have left none of them any more there But withall we must know that under this bringing home of the Jews to their own Land a greater mystery was intended by the Prophet whereof that was a type and shadow even the bringing in of God's elect People to the Church in the days of the Gospel first the Jews and afterward the Gentiles dispersed throughout the whole World as was said of Christ Joh. 11.52 that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad Ver. 13. And it shall come to pass in that day c. See the foregoing Note that the great trumpet shall be blown that is As by the sound of trumpets a King gathers an Army or a Captain calls his Souldiers together that were scattered abroad so will I saith the Lord gather my people together that are dispersed in several Countries which though it were primarily meant of God's bringing home the Jews after the Babylonian captivity into their own Country yet under this as is already said in the foregoing verse the spiritual gathering in of Gods People to the Church of Christ is chiefly intended And therefore as by the trumpet is meant the Proclamation which Cyrus made for giving liberty to the Jews to return home into their own Country Ezra 1.1 2. so also the preaching of the Gospel that Evangelical Trumpet which was to be sounded all the World over for the bringing in of Gods Elect to Christ which may therefore the more fitly be called a great Trumpet And in this expression there may be an allusion either 1. to the silver Trumpets whereby the Israelites used to be called together to the Tabernacle or rather 2. to the Jubilee Trumpet by the sounding whereof there was liberty proclaimed to Captives and freedom for all to return to their Inheritances and Possessions which had been alienated for a time from them Or 3. to that Heavenly Trumpet wherewith at the last day all Gods Elect shall be gathered together to enter upon the full fruition of their purchased inheritance Mat. 24.31 As for the following words they set forth who they were that amongst others should be gathered in by this Trumpet and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria that is that were in Assyria which yet may be also meant of the Empire of Babylon as a lost People dispersed without hope of being ever restored to their own Country and the outcasts in the land of Egypt to wit such
it should certainly seize upon them for morning by morning shall it pass over by day and by night that is It shall come speedily suddenly and unexpectedly upon you when you think least of it even as a man that is surprized early in a morning when he is as yet sleeping in his bed and being come it shall continue long upon you pursuing you incessantly not giving you any rest either by day or by night and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report that is The alone fame and report of the enemies approach shall be a sore terror and vexation to you Some I know understand it thus That even to those that felt no part of these miseries but only heard of them it should be a vexation And again others by the report do understand the doctrine of Gods Prophets according to that Chap. 53.1 Who hath believed our report and so reading the words as they are rendred in the margin of our Bibles and it shall be a vexation only when he shall make you to understand doctrine they would have the meaning to be this That when the miseries now foretold were come upon them thereby God would bring them to understand that doctrine which now they would not understand the truth of what the Prophets foretold and the folly of their present security only indeed it would then be too late their understanding this then would be only for their greater vexation not for their conversion But the first Exposition is I conceive the best Ver. 20. For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it c. This proverbial speech may imply 1. the great penury and streights they should be brought into when those miseries came upon them which the Prophet had now foretold that they should be in continual distress not knowing which way to turn themselves nor able any way to ease or relieve themselves as it is with a man that lying on a bed that is too short for him must needs be as in Little-ease and as it were cripled thereby And 2ly the insufficiency of those lying vanities in the confidence whereof they were so secure for the affording of them any ease or comfort for which see the Note before ver 15. And the like may be said of the following clause and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it for this may imply also the comfortless condition whereinto they should be brought and withall what poor things they would all prove for the covering and sheltering of them from the storms that were coming upon them whereon they grounded all their hopes And it may well be also that in these Expressions the Prophet might covertly strike at the luxury of those men that did thus scornfully slight and deride the threatnings of Gods Prophets who lived in all ease and jollity stretching themselves on their rich beds that were furnished with rich and costly coverlets see Amos 6.4 Ver. 21. For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim c. See the Note 2 Sam. 5.20 He shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon to wit When Joshua slew the Canaanites there Josh 10.10 at which time it is said ver 11. That God slew them with hail-stones from Heaven in regard whereof this story suits the better with that storm of hail threatned before ver 17. The drift of this threatning is to shew That God would now proceed with the Jews that professed themselves his people but were indeed his real enemies no otherwise than he had formerly proceeded in their defence against the Canaanites and Philistines both his and their professed enemies And this the Prophet calls his strange work and his strange act that he may do his work his strange work and bring to pass his act his strange act either 1. as some say because the work of destroying men is as it were strange to God who is rather willing to shew mercy and to pardon than to punish Lam. 3.33 and Ezek. 33.11 Or 2ly because Gods proceeding in a way of destroying his people was strange and unusual that God should fight against those in defence of whom he was wont to fight against their enemies this was strange and wonderful As a Fathers whipping of his Child whom he so dearly loves is a strange work so for God to destroy his peculiar people to whom he had been formerly so good and gracious was very strange Or 3ly because the Judgment he intended now to bring upon them was extraordinary and unwonted strange wonderful and dreadful above what in his greatest severity he had formerly done to them For though he had often brought sore Judgments upon them in their own land yet he had never caused their City Jerusalem and the Temple therein to be burnt and the people to be generally carried away captives into strange Countries as he meant now to do Ver. 22. Now therefore be ye not mockers c. That is Mock not at the threatnings of Gods Prophets as you have done see the Notes before ver 13. and 15. lest your bands be made strong that is lest for this God should make the judgments he brings upon you the sorer and of the longer continuance from which otherwise if you would have repented you might have been loosed and freed Punishments inflicted upon men for sin are called bands because they are painful to flesh and blood and do restrain and bind up men from living as they list themselves And as beasts of prey being taken in snares are the faster intangled and bound the more they struggle and strive to get away so the more wicked men do strive against God when he begins to contend with them the heavier the judgments usually are which he pours forth upon them for I have heard from the Lord God of Hosts a consumption even determined upon the whole earth that is the whole land of Judea to wit except ye repent But see the Notes Chap. 10.22 23. Ver. 23. Give ye ear and hear my voice hearken and hear my speech As if the Prophet had said I will convince you by an unanswerable argument taken from that which you see commonly done amongst men that you have no cause to question but that God will at last certainly do what he hath threatned by his Prophets and that you do foolishly flatter your selves with hopes that you shall always go unpunished because he hath spared you so long and therefore attend diligently to what I shall now say Ver. 24. Doth the plowman plow all day to sow c. The drift of this passage to the end of the Chapter is to shew that if the Husbandman by the wisdom wherewith God hath endewed him doth not spend all his time in plowing and harrowing his ground never going any further which would be meer lost labour but when he hath done that then he soweth his several seeds in the grounds thus prepared by plowing and harrowing and that with great
Gospel when Gods people should be healed of all the wounds and breaches which sin had made in their Souls by that great work of Christs Redemption by the pardon of their Sins and the Sanctifying of their Nature to wit that the glory and joy of the Church then should be sevenfold greater than ever it had been in the days of the Old Testament yea sevenfold greater than the brightness of the Heavenly Lights And indeed because those great deliverances of the Jews before mentioned were types and shadows of this our greater deliverance by Christ there is no question to be made but that this which the Prophet saith here may be justly applied thereto But yet I say primarily and properly it is meant of that great deliverance of the Jews from the Tyranny of the Assyrians Ver. 27. Behold c. Here the Prophet begins more largely to set forth the destruction of the Assyrians in the day of the great slaughter mentioned before ver 25. Behold the name of the Lord cometh from far that is the Lord cometh from Heaven even as we use to say His Majesty is coming when we intend thereby the King himself But why doth the Prophet use this expression I answer that there are Reasons given by Expositors for this that are considerable as 1. That he saith not The Lord cometh but The name of the Lord cometh either 1. by way of slighting the contempt of the Heathen who were wont to deride the Jews for worshipping only the Name of a God an imaginary God whereas they had the Images of the Gods whom they worshipped according to that which one of them said of that people Qui puras nubes coeli Numen adorant as if the Prophet had said even that invisible God of Israel who hath revealed himself to us only by his Name will come and be revenged on you for the wrong ye have done his people Or 2. to imply that he told them of that the report whereof he had heard from a far he had heard glorious things spoken of the coming of the God of Israel against them whose Name was famous and great throughout the world Or 3. to signifie that the Angel by whom the Assyrians should be destroyed should do it in Gods Name and by Commission from God And 2. That he saith Behold the name of the Lord cometh from far to imply that however God had seemed both to his people and to their enemies to stand a far off yet now he would come in suddenly and unexpectedly to the deliverance of his people and to the ruin of their enemies As for the following words burning with his anger and the burden thereof is heavy or as it is the margin and the grievousness of flame the meaning thereof is that the Lord would come against the Assyrians in the heat of great and flaming fury and that this his anger would in the vengeance he would pour upon them prove a heavy and intollerable burden to them upon whom it should light And so in the last words his lips are full of indignation and his tongue as a devouring fire the Lord is set forth after the manner of a man full of wrath whose lips seem to tremble and swell with anger and whose words sound nothing but terror and threatnings And it is well observed by a learned Expositor that the Prophet doth the rather express Gods anger by the words of his mouth to imply that however they despised his word yet his threatnings would have their effect and the sentence that proceeded out of his mouth would be a fire to consume his enemies Ver. 28. And his breath as an over-flowing stream shall reach to the midst of the neck c. That is It shall bring the Assyrians into a dangerous condition as that man is in a stream of water up to the midst of the neck Before Chap. 8.8 it was said of the Assyrian that he should overflow the whole Land and State of Judah even to the neck and here now perhaps in relation thereto it is said the torrent of Gods wrath should overflow the Assyrian even to the midst of the neck to sift the nations to wit those that served in Sennacherib's Army with the sive of vanity that is to distress and trouble them till they were all scattered and cast out and utterly destroyed By a sive of vanity the Prophet seems to intend a sive that lets all things run thorough it till there be nothing left and therefore that which is meant here is that tho the Nations came with the Assyrian in never so great multitudes yet God would turn them off and scatter them like so much chaff till they were brought to nothing And to the same purpose is the next figurative expression also and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people causing them to err that is for the remainder of them that are not destroyed by the Angel of the Lord God would carry them away which should be quite contrary to what they designed even as the Rider turns the fiercest Horse with a bit and bridle namely in that instead of going to Jerusalem he would cause them to fly back to their own Country or at least cause them to wander up and down in a scattered manner now one way and then another till they perished And this is just what the Lord by our Prophet said to Hezekiah concerning Sennacherib 2 Kings 19.28 I will put my hook in thy nose and my bridle in thy lips and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest Ver. 29. Te shall have a song as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept c. That is when God shall have thus destroyed your enemies as is before said ye shall then sing for joy in a holy manner giving praise and glory to God who hath done this for you even as you are wont to do the night before your solemn festivals to wit those three great festivals when all their males went up to the Temple see the Note Exod. 23.17 the solemnity whereof began always the evening before the festival day and gladness of heart as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountains of the Lord to the mighty one of Israel which is said because they that went up to the Temple which stood on Mount Zion from other parts of the land at these solemn feasts used it seems to go along singing and playing upon musical Instruments for joy that they were going to meet with their God in his holy Sanctuary see Psal 42.4 Ver. 30. And the Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be heard c. That is say several learned Expositors The destruction of your enemies shall be such that it shall be as plainly perceived that it is the judgment of God upon them inflicted by his command as if an audible voice had been heard from Heaven enjoyning it to be done and shall shew the lighting down of
his arm to wit from Heaven upon your enemies with the indignation of his anger that is he shall make it apparent that it is the Lord that smites them and that in great wrath which must needs terrifie them and so they shall feel how heavy his hand is when he strikes in fury And so say they the Prophet proceeds on in the following words to set forth the breaking out of Gods wrath against them figuratively after the mannet of a tempest and with the flame of a devouring fire with scattering and tempest and hail-stones see the Note 2 Sam. 22.8 and that to shew that their destruction should be sudden and violent Yet because thunder is often called the voice of the Lord see the Note Psal 29.3 and Job 37.4 the voice of his excellency and the whole verse here seems to set forth a mighty storm and tempest I see not why it may not be well thought which some Expositors hold that when the Angel of the Lord made a slaughter in Sennacherib's Army 2 Kings 19.35 it was partly done by such a hideous storm raised by the Ministry of the Angels and that of this the Prophet here speaks And indeed the like is said concerning the destruction of Pharaohs army in the Red Sea see the Notes Exod. 14.24 Ver. 31. For through the voice of the Lord c. See the foregoing Note shall the Assyrian be beaten down that is say some Nebuchadnezzar and indeed it cannot be denied that the Kings of Babylon were also called Kings of Assyria because Assyria also was under their dominion see 2 Chron. 33.11 And so likewise were the Kings of Persia see the Note Ezra 6.22 or rather Senacherib he and his army shall be destroyed And then in the next words which smote with a rod there is an imitation of the just vengeance of God He that had wont to smite others with a rod he alludes to what was said before concerning the Assyrians smiting Judea Chap. 10.5 24. shall be now smitten himself Ver. 32. And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass which the Lord shall lay upon him it shall be with Tabrets and Harps c. By the grounded staff here some understand the Assyrian the rod or staff of Gods anger mentioned in the foregoing verse wherewith the land of Judah should be smitten And that this staff is called the grounded staff because it was certainly appointed for their correction by the decree of God who should bring it upon them And accordingly they take the meaning of that place to be this that in every place of Judea where this staff the Assyrian it is an expression just like that Chap. 28.18 The overflowing scourge shall pass through should pass the inhabitants should afterwards make merry and rejoice exceedingly to wit when God had routed and destroyed that proud insulting army for so they expound those words it shall be with Tabrets and Harps that is that place where the Assyrian formerly made such havock amongst the Jews shall be full of piping and dancing for joy at his destruction But because the Prophet is all along speaking here of Gods destroying the Assyrian I rather think that by the grounded staff here is meant that rod or staff of Gods indignation wherewith he had threatned in the foregoing verse that the Assyrian should be beaten down that Judgment whether the tempest before described or what ever else it was which as it is said here the Lord shall lay upon him or as it is in the Hebrew cause to rest upon him and wherewith he was to be utterly ruined and destroyed and that it is called a founded or grounded staff either 1. Because it was surely founded on Gods decree and could not therefore be hindered Or 2. Because it should be stable and permanent and should stay and rest upon them wherein there is a difference put betwixt the rod of correction wherewith God chastiseth his Children which doth not rest alwaies upon the lot of the righteous Psal 125.3 and the rod of Iron which is for the punishment of his enemies and destroyeth for ever Or rather 3. Because the stroaks thereof should not be light giving their skins only a gentle gliding touch but should pierce deep and stick by them entring the very flesh and leaving sore wounds and bruises behind them Now if we understand the grounded staff thus the meaning of the place seems to be this that in every place where this staff of divine vengeance should fall upon them whether it were in the camp far or near as it lay spread abroad or in any place whither they were fled yea though they were gotten home to their own Country which was the case of Sennacherib 2 Kings 19.36 37. it should be with Tabrets and Harps that is with great triumphant joy for their ruin and destruction Indeed those words it shall be with Tabrets and Harps are many other ways expounded by those that have undertaken to shew the meaning of this passage as 1. That this Judgment should come upon the Assyrians when they were in great jollity piping and dancing not in the least thinking of being so surprised and destroyed 2. That it should be brought upon them rather by the Sacrifices that should be offered by Hezekiah and the People which they say is intimated in those words with Tabrets and Harps because their Sacrifices used to be accompanied with some kind of solemn musick than by fighting and weapons of War And thus too they expound also that which is said in the following clause concerning Battels of shaking understanding thereby their Shake-Offerings or Wave Offerings Or 3. That in allusion to the custom of going forth to battel in those times with Tabrets and Harps as we do now with Drum and Fife those words do import that God would fight against the Assyrians in another manner to wit with thunder and lightning and hail-stones those should be Tabrets and Harps But the first exposition is most genuine as well as most common As for the following clause that is added farther to set forth the severity of Gods proceedings with them and in battels of shaking will he fight with it that is the rod the Assyrian mentioned before ver 31. or against them as it is in the margin that is the Assyrians And the dreadful judgment wherewith God would contend with them are called battels of shaking either with respect to the terror wherewith they should strike them or with particular respect to the dreadful convulsion of the tempest before described wherewith as with a sive of vanity as was said ver 28. they should be shaken to nothing Ver. 33. For Tophet is ordained of old c. There was a place so called in a Valley on the South-side of Jerusalem concerning which see the Note 2 Kings 23.10 Now because it seems not improbable that when Sennacherib came to besiege Jerusalem he encamped with his Army at least some part of it in this place therefore some
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
O Lord that thou art present amongst us as thine own peculiar people ready to help us and to hear our Prayers of which thine Ark covered with Cherubims is a visible sign to us by delivering us out of the hands of this blaspheming Tyrant and let him see what a bold attempt it is in him to endeavour to dispossess thee of thy dwelling place Ver. 17. Encline thine ears O Lord and hear open thine eyes O Lord and see That is Hear the blasphemous speeches which these wretches have belched out against thee and see the blasphemies that are in this Letter I have spread before thee Ver. 18. Of a truth Lord the Kings of Assyria have laid waste all the Nations and their Countrys So also is this expressed 2 King 19.17 Here indeed it is in the Hebrew all the lands and their Countrys but therefore by lands are meant the Nations inhabiting those lands as we find it explained 2 Chron. 32.13 17. Ver. 21. Then Isaiah the Son of Amos sent unto Hezekiah Most probable it is that this he did by the Messengers whom Hezekiah had sent to him to enquire whether he had received any further word of answer from God Ver. 22. This is the word which the Lord hath spoken concerning him c. That is concerning Sennacherib The Virgin the Daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn See the Notes Chap. 1.8 and 23.12 but especially 2 King 19.21 the Daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee See the Notes Job 16.4 and Psal 22.7 as he had before shaken his hand at her See the Note Chap. 10.32 Ver. 23. Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted up thine eyes on high c. To wit as every way discovering his pride and insolence See the Note Chap. 10.12 It is all one in effect as if he had said Little dost thou think or consider against whom it is that thou hast thus arrogantly advanced thy self even against the holy one of Israel that is The holy God of Heaven and Earth that hath chosen Israel to be a holy people to himself See the Note Chap. 1.4 It is he whom thou hast blasphemed yea in the reproaches thou hast cast upon Hezekiah his anointed and upon his people thou hast indeed reproached the Lord their God Ver. 24. By thy Servants hast thou reproached the Lord c. In 2 King 19.23 it is By thy messengers and then it follows and hast said By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the Mountains to the sides of Lebanon that is I have got over all the hills and mountains that lay in my way even the loftiest of them such as Mount Lebanon was and that not with my foot-forces only but also with my Chariots which must needs be a work of great difficulty and only to be mastered by a mighty Army as namely by cutting out and levelling their way where the ground was steep and rocky and full of trees that obstructed their passage And this may be meant both of the hills and mountains they climbed that they might take the Towns and Forts that stood thereon and of those also which they were necessarily to pass over that they might get into the Countrys that lay beyond them And it might be that he might herein have special respect also to those Mountains that were about Jerusalem Psal 125.2 and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof and the choice fir-trees thereof that is Having thus far subdued the land before me I shall easily do so still their Cedars and Fir-trees he would cut down at his pleasure either to clear his way for his Army to pass or for other uses See the Note Chap. 14.8 That which he intends is this That nothing should hinder him in his approaches to Jerusalem But withal observable it is that whilst Sennacherib here threatens to hew down the lofty trees of Lebanon God had before threatned and foretold that his Lebanon that is his mighty Army should be hewn down See the Notes Chap. 10.33 34. and I will enter into the height of his border in 2 King 19.23 it is into the lodgings of his borders and the forest of his Carmel or as it is in the Margin the forest and his fruitful field Now by the height of his border or the lodgings of his borders some understand the tower of Lebanon Cant. 7.4 which according to our Translation I will enter into the height of his border seems not so probable because it is before said That the Assyrian had already marched over that Mountain And others again understand thereby Jerusalem the Metropolis and chief place of the Kingdom which being taken there would nothing else in a manner remain to be done and by the forest of his Carmel they understand the Country thereabout because for the pleasantness and fruitfulness of it it was like another Carmel and with the abundance of Fruit-trees and Vines growing therein it shewed like a forest Indeed having compared this place with that in 2 King 19.23 this seems to be the most probable Exposition that by the height of his border is meant the City Jerusalem together with the forts and holds on the frontiers thereabouts and by the forest of his Carmel the goodly and pleasant Country in that part of Judea But see the Notes in that 2 King 19.23 Ver. 25. I have digged and drunk water c. In 2 King 19.24 it is I have digged and drunk strange waters and it follows as here and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places for which see the Note 2 King 19.24 The Expression here used of drying up great Rivers with the sole of his feet is doubtless an hyperbolical vaunt as if he should have said That his Army was so numerous that with their feet alone they were able to dry up all the waters where they came or rather That though the Rivers were never so great his souldiers and their beasts were able to drink them all dry However that which is intended hereby was That the waters could no where keep him off from any place which he meant to assault either by diverting their waters some other way or by some such like policy he could take a course that their waters should be no hinderance to him Now thus considering the words there may be therein a threatning covertly couched to wit that he could soon deprive Jerusalem of her waters which Hezekiah had been so careful to secure for them whereby they must needs be forced to yield or else must perish with thirst Ver. 26. Hast thou not heard c Sennacherib had said ver 11. Behold thou hast heard what the Kings of Assyria have done to all lands by destroying them utterly and to this now God replys Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it and of ancient times that I have
not go on and express this in his Prayer was because he was not able to speak any longer for weeping as it is immediately added in the Text and Hezekiah wept sore And so what he could not or perhaps was afraid to ask in words because it was contrary to what God had said should be his tears spake and God heard them But see the Note 2 King 20.3 Ver. 4. Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah saying To wit as it is expressed in the Book of Kings afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court so near was the sick bed of this good King to the Throne of God in Heaven even his sighs and groans God heard and was presently careful to have him comforted with a promise of longer life and that for the better strengthning of his faith by the same Messenger that had made known to him the Sentence of Death that God had pronounced against him But see the Note 2 King 20.4 Ver. 5. Go and say to Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord God of David thy Father c. By these words he makes known to Hezekiah that he was mindful of the Covenant he had made with David concerning his continuing of the Kingdom of Judah to his Posterity I have heard thy Prayers I have seen thy tears behold I will add to thy days fifteen years that is To the days thou hast already lived In 2 King there is another particular inserted in the promise here made to wit That on the third day he should go up to the House of the Lord. But for this and the following verse see the Notes 2. King 20.6 Ver. 7. And this shall be a sign unto thee from the Lord c. In 2 King 20.8 It is said that Hezekiah desired a sign of the Prophet Isaiah to assure him that this which he had promised him should certainly be which the Prophet hath likewise noted in the close of this Chapter and that hereupon God by the Prophet made him this promise of a sign for which see the Note there Ver. 8. Behold I will bring again the shadow of the Degrees which is gone down in the Sun-dial of Ahaz ten degrees backward c. In 2 King 20.9 10. it is said that when Hezekiah desired a sign of Isaiah for the strengthning of his faith the Prophet tendered to him two different signs leaving him to his choice which of them he would take namely That the shadow on the Sun-dial should either go forward ten degrees or go backward ten degrees and that when Hezekiah answered That it was a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees and desired rather that the shadow might return backward ten degrees for all which see the Notes in that place hereupon this promise was made him of bringing back the shadow ten degrees the accomplishment whereof is related in the next words so the Sun returned ten degrees by which degrees it was gone down to wit after the Prophet had prayed that it might be so for this is expresly inserted 2 King 20.11 And Isaiah the Prophet cried unto the Lord and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward c. for all which see the Notes there Yet withal this also is here observable that those words so the same returned ten degrees may well induce us to think that the miracle now wrought was not as some would have it in the going back of the shadow in the Dial of Ahaz whilst the Sun kept on its course but in the retrograde motion of the Sun it self And indeed how else could they in Babylon take notice of this Wonder See the Note 2 King 20.12 And beside the Analogy between the sign and the thing signified depends much upon this Princes are in their Kingdoms as the Sun in the World The bringing back therefore of the Sun when it was hasting to its setting and the lengthning of the day thereby beyond its natural time was most fit to signifie that after the same manner how impossible it might seem considering the desperateness of his disease and the Sentence of Death by God himself pronounced against him Hezekiah should be brought back from the Grave whither he was posting and his life be lengthned out beyond expectation Ver. 9. The writing of Hezekiah King of Judah when he had been sick and was recovered of his sickness That is The Song of Thanksgiving which he composed and committed to writing even as his Father David used to do intending to leave it to posterity as a Monument of his own fainting heart in the time of Gods mercy in recovering him out of his sickness and his hearty thankfulness for it Ver. 10. I said in the cutting off of my days c. That is When I perceived partly by the violence of my sickness but especially by the sentence of death which the Prophet had pronounced against me that God was now hewing me down in great displeasure I began to think within my self or I concluded fully within my self as I lay upon my sick bed I shall go to the gates of the grave that is I am now a dead man See the Note Psal 9.13 I am deprived of the residue of my years that is the years I might have lived by the ordinary course of nature Thus in the first place he acknowledgeth his own weakness and the terrors wherewith he was surprized when he saw himself likely to be cut off by an untimely death in the flower of his age the reasons whereof see before in the Note 2 Kin. 20.3 the more hereby to magnifie the mercy of God to him in his recovery Ver. 11. I said c. See the foregoing Note I shall not see the Lord to wit in his Temple See the Notes Psal 27.4 and 42.2 even the Lord it is twice repeated to set forth how vehemently he was afflicted herewith in the land of the living see the Note Psal 27.13 And indeed his particular expressing of this when he desired a sign of his recovery ver 22. What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord doth plainly show that this was one main thing that troubled him when he lay under the terrors of Death I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the World that is I shall no longer live amongst the Children of men here in this World Or as I shall no more behold God in his Ordinances so I shall also be cut off from the Communion of the Church of the living and so I shall not do that good to the people of God that were under my charge that I desired to do Ver. 12. Mine age is departed c. The time of my life and abode here in this World is at an end and gone and is removed from me as a Shepherds tent who use not to stay long in a place but to remove their tents from one place to another See the Note Job 27.18 I have cut off like a Weaver my life
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
Tow or Flax is the rather used in allusion to Egypt that did abound in those kind of Commodities see the Note Chap. 19.9 Ver. 18. Remember ye not the former things c. It is as if he had said That the things he did now foretel were so wonderful and strange that they would be sufficient of themselves so to convince men of Gods infinite power that there would be no need to call to mind Gods former deliverance of his people out of Egypt Or as most Expositors understand it That that former deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt though very wonderful was not worthy to be thought of in comparison of that which he had now promised to do for them And hereby I conceive is joyntly meant the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon and likewise yea principally that spiritual deliverance of Gods people by Christ which was signified thereby see the Note Chap. 42.1 For first their deliverance out of Babylon though there were not so many strange miracles wrought for the effecting of that as were for the bringing of the Israelites out of Egypt yet in many regards that of bringing them back out of Babylon into their own Country might well be looked upon as the greater and more wonderful mercy as namely besides other reasons that might be given 1. Because they were in a more glorious Estate when they were carried away Captives into Babylon than when they were brought into Bondage by the Egyptians and so as their misery was greater when they were made Bond-slaves in Babylon so the mercy was greater when they were freed from this Bondage And 2ly Because it was in some respect a wonder above all the wonders wrought in Egypt and most unexpected and strange in the eyes of Gods people that a Heathen King should of his own accord take so much care to send back Gods poor captive people into their own Country and give them back all the rich Vessels of the Temple and take such strict order that they should be furnished with all necessary Provisions both for their Journey homeward and for the rebuilding of their City and Temple when they came thither And therefore we see that elsewhere the Deliverance out of Babylon is mentioned as a mercy to be prized above the other Jer. 16.14 15. The days come saith the Lord that it shall no more be said The Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel out of the land of Egypt But the Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel from the Land of the North c. But secondly the Redemption of Gods people was so far transcendently above the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt that it might well be said that the deliverance out of Egypt was not worthy to be minded in comparison of this And this therefore is questionless chiefly here intended So that as by the former things not to be comparatively remembred is meant their Deliverance out of Egypt together with all that followed unto their being put into possession of the land of Canaan so by the greater deliverance that had been now promised which should make the former things to be in a manner forgotten is meant their deliverance out of Babylon even unto that which was signified thereby that great work of mans Redemption by Christ Ver. 19. Behold I will do a new thing c. That is a new and notable work far above what I have formerly done whereby is joyntly meant the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon together with that great work of our Redemption by Christ whereof that was a type See the foregoing Note And though neither of these were done till very many years after yet he speaks of them as the manner of the Prophets is to imply the certainty of things as of that which should be done within a short time now it shall spring forth and that because Gods Providence would be presently working towards the accomplishment of these things and especially because several ages are but as a moment with God See the Note Psal 90.4 shall ye not know it that is it shall be certainly done and that so that you shall take notice of it as an Accomplishment of what is now promised I will even make a way in the Wilderness see the Notes Chap. 40.3 4. and rivers in the desert see the Notes Chap. 35.7 8. and 41.18 It is meant of the fair and safe and comfortable passage which God would give them in their return through the deserts from Babylon to Judea and likewise spiritually of making a way in the Wilderness of the Gentiles for bringing in of people to Christ and life eternal Ver. 20. The beasts of the field shall honour me the Dragons and the Owls c. As this is spoken with respect to the Jews return out of Babylon either it may be an hyperbolical Expression to set forth the wonder of Gods providing so carefully and bountifully for his people in their return through those dry and barren deserts through which they went as if it had been said That the very bruit beasts should stand amazed at it and adore the mighty power of God therein and his fatherly love to his people therein or else the meaning may be either that the very unreasonable Creatures did honour God by forbearing to do his people any hurt that so their passages through those deserts might be the freer and safer or else that they fared the better because of the bounty of God to his people even as when God brought water out of the rock for the Israelites the wild beasts of the wilderness were refreshed thereby for as when such Creatures do languish for want of food they may be said to cry unto God for it Psal 104.21 so when they delight themselves in the provision God affords them and are cheared therewith they may be said in their kind to praise God for it Psal 148.7 And thus the Beasts that were refreshed with Gods bounty to his people are said to honour God for it Because saith the Lord I give waters in the Wilderness and rivers in the desert to give drink to my people my chosen But now if we take this as spoken with respect to that greater work of our Redemption by Christ then it must be understood of the Gentiles a bruitish people being called into the Church and honouring God for those waters of Life wherewith God had refreshed their souls See the Notes Chap. 11.6 7. Ver. 21. This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise Some think this is spoken of the Gentiles whose Conversion they conceived is foretold in the foregoing verse and that by way of opposing them to and preferring them before the Jews of whose wickedness God complains in the following verse But rather it is spoken of Gods peculiar people in general both Jews and Gentiles see the Note Psal 102.18 And they imply a reason why God would certainly deliver them namely because
gentelness of Gods afflicting them I have refined thee but not with silver that is not with so hot and fierce and vehement a Fire as the Refiners use in refining their Silver I have afflicted thee but lightly and moderately having respect to thine infirmity rather than to the greatness of thy sin and stubbornness I have not refined so accurately and exactly as Refiners do their Silver who keep it in the Fire till all the Dross be wasted and purged out of it for then they would have been quite consumed I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction That is say some I will make a choice one of thee by purging thee or I have purged thee like choice Silver in the Furnace of Babylon But rather I conceive the meaning is either that God had chosen their captivity in Babylon to be as a Refining Furnace to them or else that in this their affliction he had set his heart upon them and had chosen and called them out as we do things we mean to preserve to be delivered Ver. 11. For mine own sake even for mine own sake will I do it c. see the note before Ver. 9. For how shall my Name be polluted That is otherwise how exceedingly would my name be polluted which I can by no means suffer to wit by the enemies blaspheming my name and I will not give my glory unto another See the Note Chap. 42.8 Ver. 12. Hearken unto me O Jacob c. Here God addresseth himself again to promise them deliverance out of Babylon Hearken unto me O Jacob and Israel my called That is whom I have called to be my peculiar people and whom I cannot but own in regard of the Covenant I have made with you though you indeed deserve not to be called by that name I am he to wit that must deliver thee I am the First I also am the last See the Note Chap. 4.14 Ver. 13. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the Earth c. See the Notes Chap. 40.11 12. and 45.12 and Psal 104.2 and my Right hand hath spanned the Heavens which is spoken after the manner of Workmen that were wont sometimes to measure things by their span when I call unto them they stand up together to wit as my Servants ready to do whatever I command them See the Note Chap 40.26 and this expression is the rather used in relation to that which follows afterward Ver. 15. concerning Gods calling of Cyrus Ver. 14. All ye assembler your selves and hear c That is as it was expressed before Ver. 1 and 11. All ye my people Israel considering I am so great a God as was said in the foregoing verse hearken diligently to what I say some would have it that the Prophet speaks here in his own person because of those words in this verse the Lord loved him But nothing is more usual than for God to speak of himself in the third person It is therefore more probable that as before and after so here also the Prophet speaks in the name of God which among them have declared these things that is which of the Idol gods see the Note before Verse 5. their Diviners or Astrologers have foretold these things that I have foretold See the Notes Chap. 44.7 and 45.21 The Lord hath loved him that is Cyrus named before Chap. 45.1 to wit in that he exalted him so highly and made use of him in so great a Service He will do his pleasure on Babylon See the Note Chap 44.28 and his arm shall be on the Caldeans that is he shall fall heavily on them and destroy them Ver. 15. I even I have spoken c. That is I even I alone who am a faithful God and sure to perform what I say yea I have called him to wit Cyrus as before Ver. 14. to the doing of that great work whereunto I have appointed him I have brought him that is I will bring him and he shall make his way prosperous that is he shall prosper in whatever he undertakes Ver. 16. Come ye near unto me hear ye this c. see the Note before Ver. 14. I have not spoken in secret from the beginning the meaning whereof must needs be this if we take them to be the words of the Prophet as many do and as the last words in this Verse clearly are that from the beginning of Gods calling him to his Prophetical Office he had publickly and plainly made known to them what God had revealed to him and accordingly the following words must also be understood from the time that it was there am I as if the Prophet had said from the time that any thing was revealed to me there still am I as in my watch-tower faithfully and plainly declaring the whole will of God unto his People But this Exposition is somewhat hard rather therefore it is God that speaks here to his People I have not spoken in secret from the beginning that is from the first time that I took you to be my people or from the time that I first began to foretel you future things by my Prophets I have always made known such things to you clearly and in publick see the Note Chap. 45.19 And then agreeably hereto must the following words be understood from the time that it was I am there namely either 1. that from the time that any thing was foretold by his Prophets he was there revealing to them by his spirit the things which they did foretel so that it was he indeed that spake by them Or 2. That from the time that any thing came to pass which was foretold he was there accomplishing the things foretold by his Almighty power as they were foretold so they were also accomplished by him And then for the last clause there as is said before it is clear that the Prophet speaks in his own person and now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me that is as formerly in other things foretold by me and other the Prophets of God so now in this which I say concerning Babylon and Cyrus I say nothing but by commission from God and by the inspiration of his Spirit Ver. 17. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer the holy one of Israel c. See the Note Chap. 1.4 I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit that is who teacheth thee by my Word and Spirit those things which will be for thy welfare which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go that is teaching and directing thee how to order thy conversation And the aim of these words I conceive is this lest the Jews should say If the Lord meant to fetch us back out of Babylon why did he bring us hither Therefore the Lord tells them here that he had done enough to make them a Righteous people which had they improved for good they might have been still in their own Land Ver. 18. O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandments
provision that God made for the Israelites in the Wilderness by showring down Manna from Heaven upon them and fetching Water for them out of the Rock And so it is likewise in the following words neither shall the heat nor Sun smite them for therein he alludes also to that Pillar of the Cloud that was to the Israelites by day a covering from the heat of the Sun see the Notes Psal 121.5 6. And in the last clause for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them even by the Springs of water shall he guide them he alludes again to the streams of Water that were fetched out of the Rock And how this must be also spiritually understood of Christ's feeding his Flock with the food of their Souls and refreshing them with the Waters of Life and of Gods protecting them so that the scorching heat neither of temptations nor afflictions shall ever be able to hurt them we may easily conceive see the Notes Chap. 41.17 18. and Psal 23.1 2. And because St. John applies the first words to the State of the glorified Saints in Heaven Rev. 7.16 They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more c. It may well be which some Expositors say that under this promise of the good Christ would do for his Church here in this Life the perfecting thereof in Heavenly Glory is also comprehended Ver. 11. And I will make all my Mountains away and my Highways shall be exalted For the meaning of this see the Note upon two like passages Chap. 40.3 4. Yet as it respects Christ some would have the meaning to be that those holy ways of Religion which seemed hard and impossible to them should through Grace become easie to them Ver. 12. Behold these shall come from far c. First it is said in general that they should come from remote Countries and then afterwards some particular quarters of the world are named to imply they should come from all parts of the world on every side and lo these from the north and the west c. This I conceive is clearly the intent of these words according to our Translation But now because most Expositors conceive that three quarters of the world are mentioned in the following mords lo these from the north and the west and these from the land of Sinim that is say they from the South holding that thus the South-quarter is set forth either from the people that dwelt upon the Wilderness of Sin or Sinai Exod. 16.1 or from the Sinites reckoned amongst the posterity of Canaan Gen. 10.17 or from a remote Country in India called Sina or China or from the inhabitants of Sien or Sin a chief City in Egypt Ezek. 30.15 all which they say lay South of Judea therefore they do generally understand the first branch of this Verse thus Behold these shall come from far that is from the East and say that the East-quarter is thus set forth because the Continent reached farthest that way from Judea the Sea being on the West and the North and South not extending so far by reason of the inhabitable Poles But however those whose coming is here promised are certainly the same that were before intended in a place parallel to this Chap. 43.5 6 7. For which see the Notes there Ver. 13. Sing O Heavens c. See the Note Chap. 44.23 This expression of exceeding joy implies the certainty of the Promise Ver. 14. But Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me c. To wit the Church of the Jews by reason of their long continuance in the Babylonian captivity and the grievous miseries they endured there And some add too that they did thus complain because the coming of the promised Messiah was so long deferred Ver. 16. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands c. That is thou art always in mine eye as if I had engraven thee upon the palms of both mine hands so that I am continually mindful of thee and cannot indeed forget thee no more than I can forget my self Some think there is in this expression an allusion to the memorials which men are wont to hang upon their hands or upon their fingers see the Note Exod. 13.9 or to the Signets or Tablets whereon they had the names or pictures engraven of some persons whom they did much affect see the Note Cant. 8.6 thy walls are continually before me that is I continually see in what a sad condition thy Walls lye and do think of having them repaired again And hereby also is meant that God is continually mindful of the preservation of his Chuch her Polity and Government and of the raising her up again when she is in a low condition Ver. 17. Thy Children shall make hast c. That is they shall with great earnestness flock in speedily to thee see the Note Chap. 14.1 thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee that is thine enemies that laid thy Land waste shall no more plead any title to it but give it up wholly to thee or thine enemies that sought thy ruine shall let thee alone and not trouble thee Or it may be meant of Gods ridding them of those wicked oppressors that were amongst them As it respects the Church of Christ it may imply Gods freeing her from all that outwardly by force or within by false Doctrine or scandalous lives should be likely to hurt her Ver. 18. Lift up thine eyes round about and behold all these gather themselves together and come to thee c. See the Note Chap. 14.1 As I live saith the Lord that is as sure as I live thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all as with an ornament to wit because their multitude should be an honour to Zion especially considering they should not be a sordid Company such as are blots and blemishes to a State but such as were eminent for their endowments and graces and therefore of high esteem both with God and man and bind them on thee as a bride doth that is as a Bride puts on her Jewels and other Ornaments all which is chiefly meant of the honour which the coming in of the Gentiles should be to the Church of the Jews And the similitude of a Bride is the rather used to imply that the Lord having so long seemed to have forsaken that Church by his return then to her she should seem to be as it were anew Married to him Ver. 19. For thy waste and thy desolate places and the land of thy destruction c. That is thy destroyed Land shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants as if he should have said when thou shalt again possess thy Land which now lieth waste and desolate it shall be so fully inhabited yea even the most ruinous places of it that there shall scarcely by room for thy people to dwell one by another But this is chiefly meant of the mighty enlargement of the Church by the
no way injured them for though Hezekiah had at first revolted from him yet he afterward submitted himself to him and by mutual agreement made him satisfaction and ye know how God destroyed him and his mighty Army and delivered his People from their Rage and Fury Thus I conceive is the meaning and drift of this Verse There is a hint here given the Jews of two former deliverances that God had wrought for his People and then in the following Verse he shews what might be inferred from hence concerning the sadder condition of his People in Babylon I know indeed that several Expositors do judge otherwise concerning the second clause and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause For some think that by the Assyrian there Pharaoh King of Egypt is meant and so they would have the meaning of the whole Verse to be this That the Israelites going down into Egypt only to sojourn there the King of that Country did without cause sorely oppress them But this opinion is built upon meer groundless and improbable conjectures as namely that that Pharaoh that knew not Joseph Exod. 1.8 was a Stranger even an Assyrian or else that all Tyrants were in those days by a Proverbial way of speaking called Assurs Others therefore say that by the Assyrian the Babylonian is meant and that he is here called the Assyrian because the Kingdom of Babylon was always formerly a branch of the Assyrian Empire and all Assyria was at present under the Dominion of the King of Babylon yea the rather too because the Assyrians frequent invading Judea in former times did open a Door to that absolute Conquest which the Babylonians did afterward make of that People and their carrying them away Captives into Babylon And so accordingly they make the Sense of the whole Verse to be this That the Egyptians did of old wrongfully oppress the Israelites when they sojourned amongst them and that the Babylonians had now done the like But the former Exposition is far the clearest to wit that there are here two Instances given of Gods pleading the Cause of his oppressed People formerly and that God argues from hence by an Argument taken from the greater to the less that if God punished the Egyptians for dealing so hardly and inhumanly with his People that went down into that Country voluntarily of their own accord that they might sojourn there though the King of Egypt had some pretence for what he did because they were in his Dominions and under his Jurisdiction And so again if God destroyed the Assyrians that only invaded and wasted the Land of Judea and afflicted them there in their own Country much more will he punish the Babylonians who without cause invaded their Country and carryed them away Captives into a strange Land Ver. 5. Now therefore what have I here saith the Lord that my People is taken away for nought c. The first words are very concise in the original and therefore may be understood several ways As 1. With reference to that which was said before ver 3. Now that my People hath been forcibly carried away into Babylon without any price paid to me for them what have I here that is what gain and advantage do I get by their being here in bondage As if he should have said Surely nothing at all it was not a bargain of my making neither do I get any thing by it and therefore why do I delay the rescuing of my People from this their Captivity Or 2. With respect to the foregoing Verse Seeing I could not endure the Egyptians and Assyrians that oppressed my People but punished them what have I here in Babylon that should move me to spare them that have carried them away Captive into a strange Country which the other did not Or what have I here to do but to destroy Babylon and to hasten the deliverance of my People from their greater oppression here Or 3. As bewaling the desolations of Judea having no People left me here in Judea what do I here Why do I not go away to Babylon and fetch my People from thence Or 4. With respect to their Bondage in Babylon what have I here in Babylon that I should be as it were as a Captive here amongst my People and not carry them back again to my Temple at Jerusalem And lastly some take it as spoken with respect to the state of the Jews when Christ their promised Messiah was sent unto them why do I stay any longer amongst this People sold over for nought and not remove from them and gather to my self another People Or what do I speak of what my People suffer here in Babylon seeing they lye under a far greater oppression of their Spiritual Enemies Why do I not hasten to deliver them from that bondage All these several ways these first words are understood by Expositors not without some ground of probability But the first I conceive doth best suit with our Translation However according to what is said in this first branch of this Verse we must understand the following words they that rule over them make them to howl saith the Lord to wit because of their cruel oppressing them both outwardly and in their Consciences also and my name continually every day is blasphemed to wit by the wicked Enemies of my People who continually insult as if I were not able to deliver my People out of their hands Indeed the Apostle affirms that this might be applyed to the Enemies blaspheming Gods name because of the wickedness of those that profess themselves his People Rom. 2.24 But doubtless the Prophet intended here the Heathens blaspheming the God of Israel by their boasting that he was not able to protect or deliver his People according to what we find also in Ezek. 36.20 And when they entered unto the Heathen whither they went they profaned my holy name when they said to them these are the People of the Lord and are gone forth out of his Land Ver. 6. Therefore c. That is Because my People have been thus carried away for nought and have been thus cruelly oppressed and especially because their Enemies have thus blasphemed my Name my People shall know my Name that is they shall experimentally know that I am the Lord Jehovah the only true God of Infinite Power and faithful to make good all my promises according to that which followeth therefore they shall know in that day to wit when my People shall be delivered out of Babylon as I have promised and when all things shall be accomplished by Christ that were foretold of him by the Prophets that I am he that doth speak behold it is I that is that it is I the Lord God that do now foretell these things by my Prophets in that I will exactly then accomplish what I now foretell Ver. 7. How beautiful upon the Mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tydings c. That is How welcome delightful and acceptable shall
a stop to his proceeding in a rigorous manner against men especially his broken-hearted People and that too with some respect to their Souls being the work of his hands but see also the Notes Psal 78.39 and 103.14 Ver. 17. For the iniquity of his Covetousness was I wroth c. That is for their base Covetousness and all the Wickedness besides which their Covetousness carried them into for this sin I conceive is particularly mentioned not only because it was the Common sin of all sorts of People amongst them Jer. 6 13. From the least of them even to the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness but also because it was amongst them as the Apostle saith it is every where 1 Tim. 6.10 The root of all evil and more especially the cause of all the oppressions and injurious dealings of their Princes Priests and Judges for which they were before called greedy Dogs Chap. 56.11 And smote him to wit with many several Judgments before they were delivered up to be carried captives into Babylon I hid me and was wroth that is in my wrath I hid my self from them not appearing any way for them in their favour or defence and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart notwithstanding my displeasure manifested by the Judgments I brought upon them Ver. 18. I have seen his ways and will heal him c. That is I have seen how he hath repented and reformed his sinful waies and will deliver him from the Judgments wherewith I had smitten and wounded him But the words seem clearly to have reference to that which was said in the close of the foregoing Verse And he went on frowardly in the way of his heart and accordingly they must be understood either as some do of the effect of those their wicked waies to wit that God saw into what Miseries and Calamities they had brought themselves and therefore out of his meer pity and compassion did resolve to heal them of this their sad condition see the Notes Chap. 19.22 and 30.26 Or else rather of the wicked ways themselves wherein they walked to wit that though God saw how vile their ways and courses were and particularly their obstinacy and incorrigibleness even after God had contended with them by his Judgments and how in these ways they were running on headlong upon their own Eternal ruine yet of his own free Grace and for his own Names-sake was purposed to heal them First say some of their sinful ways and then afterward of their sore miseries I will lead him also That is I will conduct them safely into their own Country and restore Comfort unto him and to his Mourners To wit all the Comforts which they had formerly enjoy'd in that pleasant Land which God had given them and were like again to enjoy when God should bring them back thither from Babylon together with the Comfort which this evidence of Gods being reconciled to them should yield them and this is more especially promis'd to his Mourners that is those that had mourned for the wickedness of Gods People and the dreadful Judgments they had brought upon them as did Jeremy Ezekiel and Daniel and others though the residue of the People should have a share therein by means of these yet to these God did especially intend them Ver. 19. I create the fruit of the Lips c. That which God doth effect in an extraordinary way when there was no likelyhood of it is frequently in the Scripture called creating see the Note Chap. 4.5 Some carry on these words to those which follow and so make the peace there mentioned to be the fruit of the Lips here intended and that in several regards as 1. That God would make all the talk of the People to be of Peace whereas formerly their talk was wholly for War and the miseries thereof Or 2. That God would give them Peace as the fruit of their Prayers Or 3. That God would by giving them Peace perform the promises which with his Lips or the Lips of his Prophets he had made to them Or 4. That God would raise up Prophets that from him should bring them Tydings of Peace and of their deliverance from the Babylonian Captivity Yea and 5. Some extend it to Gods causing the glad Tidings of the Gospel of Peace to be Preached unto them thereby working in them much inward Peace But because our Translation as doth the Hebrew also divides these Words by a stop from the former I Create the fruit of the Lips therefore the most of Expositors do by the fruit of the Lips understand the voice of Praise and Thanksgivings elsewhere called the calves of our Lips Hos 14.2 And indeed the Apostle seems directly to intend the Expounding of this place of our Prophet thus where he saith Heb 13.15 By him therefore let us offer the Sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our Lips giving thanks to his Name only indeed the following Words are added to shew how God would create his praise this fruit of the Lips namely by giving them occasion of filling thir Mouths with Gods praises by the prosperous and happy condition whereunto he would bring them and wherein he would settle them Peace Peace that is abundance of Peace and long continued Peace there shall be to him that is far off and to him that is near saith the Lord that is as well to those that are carried away far off into Captivity as to them that shall be left in the Land of Judea Or as well to those that are far off in Babylon as to those that are in other strange Countries but not so far from Judea as Babylon was But now because the peace here promised to the Jews did typically fore-shadow the peace purchased by Christ and published by the Gospel even this may be here included and so by him that is far off and him that is nigh must be meant not the Jews only but the Gentiles also And questionless in that which the Apostle saith Eph. 2.17 Christ came and preached peace to you which were afar off and to them which were nigh he doth at least allude clearly to this place As for the last words and I will hear him see the foregoing Note Ver. 20. But the wicked c. Lest the Wicked amongst Gods People should flatter themselves with hope of the Peace promised in the foregoing Verse the Prophet here adds that there should be no peace for them but the wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt that is as the Sea being restless in it self by reason of its continual ebbing and flowing is yet more restless when it is tossed to and fro with stormy Winds and doth continually cast up mud and foam and filth so wicked men that never enjoy any inward Peace partly by reason of the frequent hurry of their inordinate Passions and Lusts and partly by reason of the
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
unto thee that is whole Armies or Troops of them shall come in to thee This also in the Type many understand of the forwardness of the Nations to help the Jews at their return out of Babylon and some would have the meaning to be that Judea should become a great Mart for Merchants by Sea But the foregoing Exposition doth most clearly suit with the whole current of this Prophesie Ver. 6. The multitude of Camels shall cover thee c. That is thy Land the Dromedaries of Midian and Ephah that is the Midianites for Ephah was also of the Posterity of Midian Gen. 25.4 who inhabited Arabia see the Note Gen. 37.28 The meaning is that the Converted Gentiles should honour the Lord with their Substance and Consecrate themselves and all that they had to the Service of Christ and his Church And accordingly the several Nations are here said to bring in those things that were the choicest Commodities of their several Countries The meaning here cannot be that these Midianites Embracing the Faith of Christ should ride to Jerusalem upon Camels and Dromedaries but because in those Eastern Countries they used to ride and to carry great Burdens of Wares upon this kind of Cattel and because in those days Men used not to come empty handed to the House of God therefore the Coming in of the Gentiles their submitting themselves and all they had to the Lords disposing and their contributing of their Wealth in abundance to the Church of Christ is thus figuratively expressed that the Land of Gods People should be covered with their Camels and Dromedaries And to the same purpose is that which follows all they from Sheba shall come see the Note Psal 72.10 They shall bring Gold and Incense that is they shall also Consecrate their Wealth to the Lord yea and some would have it that under these Figuratively the dedicating of their Learning and Eloquence their Arts and Sciences to the service of Christ and his Church is also comprehended and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord that is they shall worship God And indeed this last clause sheweth plainly that the mention made in the foregoing Words of their bringing Gold and Incense with them was not with respect to Trading as some have thought but with respect to the worship and service of God Ver. 7. All the Flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee The Rams of Nebaioth shall Minister unto thee c. Because the Kedarens and Nabathaeans Ishmaelites of the Posterity of Kedar and Nebaioth dwelling in Arabia abounded in Flocks of Sheep therefore it is said that from them multitudes of these shall be brought in to Gods People And though in the Type this again may be meant of these Nations supplying the Jews that were come out of Babylon abundantly with Cattel for Sacrifices But certainly it is principally meant of the Converted Gentiles and accordingly we must understand it either that they should zealously promote the Church of Christ and the worship of God therein by contributing abundantly of their Substance thereto or that they should offer up Spiritual Sacrifices unto God for it is usual with the Prophets in speaking to the Jews to set forth the Worship of the Gospel under Figurative tearms taken from their Legal Service they shall come up with acceptance upon mine Altar that is their Services shall be as Sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ and I will glorify the house of my Glory that is in the Type his glorious House the Temple built for his Glory and wherein he had appeared often with great Glory now trodden down by the Gentiles but to be raised up again gloriously at the Jews return from Babylon or rather the Church of Christ the House of God 1 Tim. 3.15 which God did many ways Glorifie but the access of the Gentiles is principally here intended see the Note ver 9. Ver. 8. Who are these c. The Prophet some think in the name of the Church who above ver 4. in this regard was called upon to lift up her Eyes and look about breaks forth here into an admiration at the multitudes of those that should come flocking into Zion And though some understand it of the Jews returning to their own Country at their deliverance out of Babylon as they do a like expression Chap. 49.21 of which see the Note there yet indeed the very words seem to hint that he speaks of the Gentiles coming in to the Christian Church of the Jews because he speaks of them as a People unknown such as were Aliens and Strangers from the Common-Wealth of Israel Who are these that fly as a Cloud and as the Doves to their Windows that is the Lockers where they make their several Nests and breed their Young ones or rather the loover-holes in the Turrets or tops of the Dove-house whereby they fly into it Now the coming in of the Gentiles to the Church may be compared to the flying of a Cloud to imply their coming in from remote Countries because Clouds do many times arise in the farthest parts of the Sky and to the flying in of Doves to their windows because as Doves do usually fly home when they see a storm coming or are in danger of some Bird of prey so it should be the fear of wrath to come that should bring in the Gentiles to the Church as to a place of refuge and safety But questionless the main intent of both Similitudes is to set forth with what eagerness chearfulness and speed see the Note Chap. 19.1 and likewise in what multitudes they should come in like a huge flight of Doves that cover the Air like a Cloud or like a Cloud that sometimes will spread and cover the whole face of the Heavens Ver. 9. Surely the Isles c. That is such as dwell in remote Islands or elsewhere on the Sea-Coast see the Note Chap. 41.1 This seems to be spoken in the Person of God or Christ in answer to the wonder of the Prophet or Church in the foregoing Verse Surely the Isles wait for me that is being convinced of the danger of their natural condition by the Preaching of the Gospel they shall earnestly long to be brought home and reconciled with me and therefore it is no wonder though they come in flocking to me But see the Notes also Chap. 42.4 and 51.5 and the Ships of Tarshish see the Notes 1 Kings 10.22 and Psal 48.7 first that is the Men of Tarshish famous above others for Shipping and Navigation shall be of the first and forwardest that shall be ready to come in to me and serve me to bring thy Sons from far that is thy Children O my Church see the Notes above ver 4. and Chap. 49.22 their Silver and their Gold with them see the Note above ver 6. unto the name of the Lord thy God that is to be consecrated to God or for the Service of his Church or Temple see the Note Deut.
home into their own Country the perfect accomplishment of it was under Christ in the Days of the Gospel partly in this World but chiefly in Heaven Referring it therefore to the Jews when they became the Church of Christ we must thus understand this place For your shame ye shall have double that is for the shame you have undergone amongst your Enemies whether the Babylonians or those that shall hate and despise you both of the Jews and Gentiles for your profession of Christianity and Preaching of the Gospel 1. Cor. 1.2 3 You shall be abundantly recompenced your Honour and Bliss shall be double to what your Shame and Misery was and that particularly by the access of the Gentiles and the great Riches and Glory which they shall bring in to you of which the Prophet had before spoken And for confusion they that is my People shall rejoyce in their Portion that is in God say some who is the Portion of his people or in the bringing in of the Gentiles to be one Church and People with them say others but I conceive it is generally meant of that abundant double Honour and Bliss which they should enjoy instead of their former Shame and Misery in and through the Lord Christ partly in this World and especially in Heaven for under this the foregoing particulars and any other that can be added may be comprehended Therefore in their Land that is in the Land of Israel where the glad Tydings of Christ should be Preached first amongst them and embraced by them or in the Land of the Gentiles that did formerly reproach and despise them the several Countries where the Gentiles shall embrace the Faith and joyn themselves to the Church of Christ or in the Earth which is indeed only the Inheritance of Believers see the Notes Psal 37.9.29 Or in Heaven say some they shall possess the double that is the double Portion before promised them Everlasting joy shall be unto them that is not momentary Joy as is the Joy of the wicked but a lasting Joy begun here in the joy of their Salvation and Eternal in Heaven Ver. 8. For I the Lord love Judgment c. All the difficulty in this Verse is to find out how it comes in here in this place Some take the words to be added as a reason of the foregoing Promises made to his People thus For I the Lord love judgment I hate Robbery for Burnt-Offering that is I so love equal just and upright dealing that though Men should being that which they have gotten by Robbery and Oppression and tender it to me in Sacrifices and Offerings I should loath and abhor them and I will direct their work in truth that is and therefore I will faithfully and constantly reward my People for the word here rendered Work is often used for a Recompence or Reward See Chap 40.10 Or I will order all their Affairs so that they shall go on in a prosperous and successful way The drift of the words they say is this that seeing he loved just and hated all unjust dealing he could not with Equity do otherwise but reward and prosper his faithful People to wit 1. Those of the Jews in Babylon that had under so long and grievous Sufferings continued faithful to him and upright in his Service Or 2. Those of the Gentiles that should so willingly offer themselves and all that they had to his Service But then again others I think most probably hold that there is in these words a promise of a further Mercy that God would confer upon his People namely that God would make them upright and sincere in his Service The ground of this promise is laid down in the first words For I the Lord love Judgment I hate Robbery for Burnt-Offering that is I love that which is just and right and consequently I hate all Hypocrisie and false dealing in my Worship and Service such as is now too usual amongst my People that make nothing of Rapine and Robbery so that they can cover it over with a shew of Devotion in my Service and bring of that which they have thus wickedly gotten and offer it in Sacrifice upon mine Altar And then they say the promise follows made to his Redeemed People of whom he had hitherto spoken And I will direct their work in Truth that is I will make them upright and sincere in my Worship and in their whole Conversation they shall not be as it is now a wicked People and then think to cloke that with making a shew of Piety in bringing Offerings to mine Altar And indeed observable it is that under this promise there may be a hint given to Gods People how they ought to be qualified to make them capable of the Mercies here promised them And I will make an Everlasting Covenant with them see the Note Chap. 55.3 Ver. 9. And their Seed shall be known among the Gentiles and their Off-spring among the People c. That is The Posterity of my Church and People shall be known and be renowned and conspicuous among the several Nations of the Gentiles The drift therefore of these words is to shew that though in the Babylonian Captivity the Church and People should be brought to a very low Ebb yet they should be multiplied and be renowned all the World over to wit when the Gentiles should be won to joyn themselves to the Church of Christ for though this promise concerning their being known among the Gentiles c. began to be accomplished at the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon see the Note Psal 126.2 yet its full accomplishment was at the Calling of the Gentiles when indeed those that professed the Faith of Christ were partly for their Holy and Righteous Conversation and partly for the great things that God did for them highly esteemed and owned to be Gods peculiar People all that see them shall acknowledg them that they are the Seed which the Lord hath blessed see the Note Chap. 44.3 Ver. 10. I will greatly reioyce in the Lord my Soul shall be joyful in my God c. The Church is here brought in triumphing and rejoycing in the Goodness of God to them upon the Accomplishment of those great Mercies promised in the foregoing Verses to wit their deliverance out of Babylon and their Redemption by Christ see the Note Psal 34.2 For he hath Cloathed me with the Garments of Salvation That is with Salvation as with a Garment by the great Redemption and Salvation he hath wrought for me he hath made me as Glorious in the Eyes of those that behold me as if I were Cloathed with the most Gorgeous and Glorious Apparel and to the same purpose are the following words He hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness for by Righteousness here nothing else is meant but the discovery of Gods Goodness and Faithfulness in the Work of their Salvation which indeed tended much to their Glory see the Note Chap. 51.6 Only
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
Expression used concerning Christ See the Note Chap. 7.14 Hephzi-bah that is my Delight is in her It was the very Name of Hezekiahs Wife the Mother of Manassah 2 Kings 21.1 But here the intent of it is that God of his own free grace should greatly delight in his Church and People and thy Land Beulah that is Married for the Lord Delighteth in thee and thy Land shall be Married that is Whereas thy Land hath been bereaved of her People and so hath sat for many years as a lone Woman without Children thou shalt now be in the state of a Married Wife that hath a House full of Children because being received into Favour and Communion with God her Husband her Land should be abundantly filled with Inhabitants yea and this may be extended also to the great inlargement of the Church under Christ in the Days of the Gospel Ver. 5. For as a young Man Marrieth a Virgin c. These are named because the love of such is usually most sincere and fervent and they usually live together with greatest content delight and comfort So shall thy Son Marry thee as if he had said O Zion O my Church and People thy Sons shall possess and enjoy thee as if they were joyned in Marriage with thee and they shall live and dwell with thee as contentedly and comfortably as a young Man is wont to live with some Beautiful Virgin whom he hath taken to be his Wife The intent of the words is to shew that Strangers should not possess Zion any more but that she should be Inhabited constantly by their own Natives who should rejoice and delight in her according to the joy that is betwixt Husband and Wife This passage indeed seems to have some difficulty in it that the Sons of Zion should be said to Marry their Mother And therefore some by her Sons here would have her Governors and Magistrates to be meant who are as a Husband to the State and People But the Exposition before given is I conceive clearly that which is here intended Ver. 6. I have set Watchmen upon thy Walls O Jerusalem c. Here the Lord is brought in speaking to his Church and telling them that for their better safeguard he had set Watchmen upon their Walls that is Prophets Pastors and Teachers See the notes Chap. 21.11 and 52.8 Which shall never hold their peace Day nor Night that is that shall be constant in their Duty both in Teaching the People warning them of their danger and duty and praying to God on their behalf And then again in the following words the Prophet again speaks ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence that is ye amongst Gods people that are wont to speak of God and to pray to God cease not to sollicite him to be favourable to his poor people Or rather O ye the Watchmen of Jerusalem that make mention of the Lord that put Gods people in mind of God his grace and goodness and promises to them and of their Duty and Obedience Or as it is in the Margin of our Bibles Ye that are the Lords remembrancers that is ye whose Office it is to put God in mind of the concernments of his People Oh fail not constantly to do your Duty herein Ver. 7. And give him no rest till he establish c. That is till he settle his Church in a comfortable and lasting Foundation and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth that is till by his wonderful deliverance of his Church and the glorious condition whereunto he shall exalt her she shall be praised extolled and magnified all the world over Or till the Nations do for this praise the Lord See the Note Psal 76.3 And though this was in part fulfilled when Gods people were delivered out of Babylon yet it was chiefly accomplished in the spiritual Splendor of the Church of Christ when that was spread by the Preaching of the Gospel throughout the World Ver. 8. The Lord hath sworn by his Right Hand c. That is say some by his Faithfulness a token whereof among men is usually the giving one the Right Hand But rather by his Right Hand and by the Arm of his Strength is meant his Almighty power for in regard of the difficulty and seeming impossibility of the things promised God ingageth his Almighty power for the accomplishment of them surely I will no more give thy Corn to be Meat for thine Enemies and the Sons of the Stranger shall not drink thy Wine for the which thou hast laboured that is thy Provisions shall not any more be a prey to thine Enemies It is in the Hebrew If I give any more thy Corn c. for which Form of an Oath see the Note Chap. 5.9 It is all one as if God had said let me not be esteemed as an Almighty God if this be so any more Because even after the Jews return from Babylon Enemies did many times spoil the Jews of their outward provisions therefore several Expositors understand this spiritually to wit that the Devil and his Instruments shall never bereave the Church of those Provisions whereby their Souls are to be nourished unto Life Eternal But there is no necessity of flying to this Exposition It is certainly a promise made to Gods People for their defence and their peaceable enjoying their Estates contrary to that Curse Deut. 28.33 Which as it was partly fulfilled when the Jews returned out of Babylon so especially under the Kingdom of Christ the Church never was nor ever shall be deprived of necessary outward Provisions 1 Tim. 4.8 Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come And besides when Chistians are bereaved of their outward Estates the Curse of that threatning Deut. 28. is taken away Ver. 9. But they that have gathered it shall eat it and praise the Lord c. That is thy People together with the Harvest men imployed by them in gathering in their Corn shall eat it blessing God for it and they that have brought it together that is the Wine before mentioned ver 8. shall drink it in the Courts of my Holiness that is my Sanctuary or in my Holy Courts in my Temple the meaning is that Gods People should in his Church peaceably enjoy the outward blessings God afforded them praising God for them even in their publick Assemblies only in the expressions here used there is an allusion to the Holy Feasts which the Jews kept in the Courts of the Temple for which see the Note Deut. 12.7 How this also is understood by some of the Soul provisions of the Church see in the foregoing Note Ver. 10. Go through go through the Gates c. The doubling of this charge imports the doing of what is here enjoyn'd with all speed and diligence But the great Question is to whom and concerning what Gates this is spoken Some conceive that the Inhabitants of Zion the
believing Jews or Zions Watchmen before mentioned ver 6. the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel are here called upon to go out of her Gates to make way for the Gentiles to come into the Church Again others understand it of the Jews encouraged hereby to press and throng in through the Gates of Jerusalem which though formerly broken down or burnt should at their return ftom Babylon stand open before them ready to receive them And under this Type they conceive that the flocking in of the Gentiles on all sides to the Church is comprehended see the Notes Chap. 26.2 and 60.11 But because in the following Words there is mention made of preparing the way for the Jews return out of Babylon it is not so probable that their pressing into the Gates of Jerusalem should be here set before that it may be rather thought that the Jews are here pressed to hasten speedily and to go through the Gates of the several Cities where they were in Captivity and to get away to their own Country which indeed agreeeth well with that which is said elsewhere see the Notes Chap. 48.20 and 52.11 Yea and some too think that it may be spoken to those to whom the following Words are directed prepare you the way of the People cast up cast up the high-way gather out the Stones for which see the Note Chap. 40.3 lift up a standard for the People see the Note Cap. 49.22 Ver. 11. Behold the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the World c. To wit that which follows say ye to the Daughter of Zion see the Note 2 Kings 19.21 Behold thy Salvation cometh that is thy Redemption and Deliverance or thy Saviour that shall deliver thee for that this last is at least implied is evident by the following Words behold his reward is with him c. Now as this is spoken with respect to the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon the meaning is either that the Lord had by the Proclamation of Cyrus enjoyn'd all Nations should give liberty to his People to return home to their own Land which agrees well with that expression of Cyrus in his Proclamation Ezra 1.2 Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia the Lord God of Heaven hath given me all the Kingdoms of the Earth c. or else that the Lord by the wonderful manner of that deliverance of the Jews would cause all Nations even to the end of the World to understand that it was done by his Will and Command But now as it is spoken with respect to that great Work of Mans Redemption by Christ whereof the other was a Type the meaning is that the Lord had by the preaching of the Gospel Proclaimed unto all Nations the coming of the promised Messiah that so they might come in and joyn themselves to his Church and indeed that passage say ye to the Daughter of Zion behold thy Salvation cometh is expresly applyed to Christ by the Evangelists Math. 21.5 behold his Reward is with him and his Work before him see the Note Chap. 40.10 Ver. 12. And they shall call them the Holy People the Redeemed of the Lord c. That is upon their miraculous deliverance men shall own them to be the People whom God had Sanctified and set a part to himself to be his own peculiar People see the Note Exod. 19.6 and whom he had made a Holy People and redeemed out of the power of their Enemies see the Notes Chap. 4.3 and 60.21 and thou shalt be called to wit thou O Zion sought out that is of her Husband that had cast her off see the Notes Chap. 34.6 7. Or one over whom God took special care to look after her and recover her when she was lost Or the meaning may be that she should be sought after as one that was in high esteem to wit by the Gentiles that should seek to joyn themselves in one Church with her and so it should be no more said of her as formerly it was this is Zion whom no Man seeketh after Jer. 30.17 A City not forsaken that is neither cast off by God nor left desolate without People as formerly she seemed to be see the Note above ver 4. CHAP. LXIII VERSE 1. WHO is this that cometh from Edom c. Having in the foregoing Chapter Ver. 11. spoken of the Lords coming to save his People as of a thing ready to be done immediately say ye to the Daughter of Zion Behold thy Salvation cometh behold his reward is with him c. Here the Church say some or the Prophet rather as if he had seen in a Vision this great Saviour of his People the Lord God like some great Prince coming from the Slaughter of his Enemies whom he had vanquished in Fight with his Garments all stained with their Blood breaks forth into this expression of admiration who is this that cometh from Edom with Died Garments from Bozrah and that still to assure Gods People that it would not be long ere he would come and deliver them by destroying their Enemies It is questioned by Expositors why it is said that he came from Edom and from Bozrah which was the chief City of Edom. That which was commonly said by the Ancients that the Prophet speaks this of Christ ascending triumphantly into Heaven after his Bloody passion cannot certainly be here intended because it is expresly said afterwards ver 3. that his Garments were Red not with his own Blood but with the Blood of his Enemies Nor is there much probability in that which is said by others that because Edom signifieth Red and Bozrah signifieth a Vintage nothing else is intended by saying that he came from Edom and Bozrah but that his Garments were Blood-red like one that having trod a Winepress hath his Garments all over besprinkled with the Blood of the Grapes it is therefore far more probable which some others say that it is to be understood Literally concerning the destruction of the Edomites that were always bitter Enemies to the Jews Psal 137.7 Or rather that the Edomites are put for the Enemies of Gods People in General especially the Babylonians and that because the Edomites had been successively in all Ages professed deadly Enemies to the Jews and so had manifested themselves to be when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians and by reason of their near Neighbourhood were best known to them see the Notes Ch. 34.5 6. This I conceive is the genuine meaning of the place that this is spoken of God coming like some Victorious Prince from the destruction of the Babylonians and other his Peoples Enemies having his Garments besprinkled with their Blood yet I question not but that under these Victories of God over the Babylonians and other Enemies of his People Christs Victories over their Spiritual Enemies were also Typified As for the following Words they contain a farther Description of this great Saviour of his People this that is glorious in his Apparel that is Clothed with
Beast goeth down into the Valley to wit gently and softly when it is led down a steep Hill the Spirit of the Lord that is God by his Almighty Power or by his Holy Spirit caused him that is Moses say some the Leader of his People or rather thy People Israel to rest to wit in that the Lord after he had carried his Israel through the Red Sea did lead him along quietly through the Wilderness providing for him resting places by the way as it is expresly said Numb 10.33 until he had brought them to Canaan the land of their rest see the Notes Psal 95.11 and Jer. 31.2 And then in the next words the Prophet turns his speech to God so didst thou lead thy People to make thy self a glorious name see the Note above ver 12. Ver. 15. Look down from Heaven c. Here the People of God in Babylon or the Prophet in their name having from ver 7. set forth what great mercy God had shown to their Fathers and what great deliverance he had wrought for them in former times do now pray that God would do the like for them that though he had of late for a time hidden himself from them yet now he would again appear for them see the Note Psal 80.14 and behold from the habitation of thy Holiness and of thy Glory to wit the extream misery we are in implying that if God would but take notice of their misery they hoped he could not but pity and help them where is thy zeal that is thy vehement love to thy People not enduring to see them wronged by their Enemies see 2 Kings 19.31 thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me It is an expression taken from those rumblings in the Bowels which strong passions of this nature do usually work in Men see the Note Chap. 16.11 see the Notes Psal 77.7 and 89.49 are they restrained that is dost thou or canst thou against thy natural inclination restrain those yearnings of thy Bowels which are wont so freely to flow out towards thy People at other times Ver. 16. Doubtless thou art our Father c. As if he had said And therefore surly thou wilt pity us thy Children though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not to wit as being long since departed out of this world They indeed were our Fathers but they are now strangers to the things that are done here below and know nothing of our condition Some there are indeed that would have the words understood in another sense As 1. Though Abraham be ignorant of us c. that is though Abraham and Israel would not own us as their Children yet we are sure thou O God art our Father Or 2. Though we should suppose that they are ignorant of our condition let that be granted yet certainly God is our Father Or 3. Though they were not comparatively to be owned as their Fathers yet to be sure God was their Father But all this needs not there is no cause why we should stumble at that sense which the words do clearly and plainly hold forth thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer to wit therefore their Father because he was their Redeemer thy name is from everlasting that is thy fame for thy great works hath been from everlasting or this thy name of being the Redeemer of thy People hath been from everlasting And indeed thus some read the last words jointly together as it is in the Margin our Redeemer from everlasting is thy name It may be haply questioned by some why in the beginning of this Verse Isaac is not reckoned amongst their Fathers as Abraham and Israel But to this the common answer that is given is that Abraham and Israel are mentioned because God did oftenest and most solemnly appear to them and confirmed his Covenant with them and because the Covenant was first made with Abraham and all Jacobs Children were taken into Covenant And besides it is said that Abraham and Israel being named Isaac that was between them is included Ver. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us to err from thy ways c. This is spoken with reference to that before But they rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit ver 10. Why hast thou made us to err from thy ways and hardened our Heart from thy fear That is Why hast thou by way of punishing us for our sins withdrawn thy Spirit from us and delivered us up to a Spirit of error and obstinacy and so left us to run after our own Hearts into so many erroeous and wicked ways see the Notes Chap. 6.9 10. and 29.10 Exod. 7.13 and Job 12.16 Some indeed understand this a little otherwise Namely that this is spoken of Gods being the occasion of their turning away from Gods ways and their obstinacy therein by continuing them so long under the oppression of their cruel Enemies which is indeed a sore temptation for which see the Note Psal 125.3 But I conceive the first Exposition is the best and accordingly that it is spoken by way of bewailing that their Heavenly Father should in such wrath withdraw himself from them and so leave them under such a dreadful Judgment and by way of entreating that it might be otherwise with them as if they had said Why dost thou not soften our Hearts and reform what is amiss in us Return for thy Servants sake the tribes of thine inheritance that is be reconciled again to thy People and shew thy self again favourable to them because they are thy Servants and thine Inheritance and it might seem dishonourable to God to cast off his Servants or to disregard his own Inheritance Yet some understand it otherwise Return for thy Servants sake c. that is with respect to thy Servants our Progenitors and with respect to the Covenant which thou madest with them see Note Psal 132.1 But the former Exposition is far the clearer Ver. 18. The People of thine Holiness c. That is thy holy People see the Note Exod. 19.6 have possessed it but a little while and this they say though they had possessed it many hundred years because Men are prone to think it but a little time when they have enjoyed a thing long if they earnestly desire to enjoy it longer or rather because those many hundred years were indeed but a little while in comparison of what God had promised the Patriarchs Namely that they should possess it for ever Gen. 17.8 Our Enemies have trodden down thy Sanctuary that is thy Temple or the Land of Canaan for that is sometimes also called Gods Sanctury see the Note Psal 78.54 However this implies that the wrong to himself might well engage the Lord to appear against their Enemies CHAP. LXIV VERSE 1. OH that thou wouldest rent the Heavens c. The People of God as being much troubled at that whereof they had complained in the latter end of the foregoing Chapter that the Heathens had