when he brought them out of Egypt not to guide them as he had done q. d. I threatened thee not to guide thee unto the Land of Canaan as I had done when I brought thee out of Egypt but now I will not leave thee but guide thee out of Babylon to Judea all the way-long yea I will guide thee whithersoever else thou goest And satisfie thy Soul i. e. And satisfie thee Supple with drink Thy Soul i. e. Thee Synecdoche partis In drought i. e. In time of drought and in dry and barren places And make sat thy bones i. e. And feed thee abundantly so that thou shalt wax fat through abundance of food Supple in the time of drought which is a time of famine and scarcity and in dry and barren places And thou shalt be like a watered garden i. e. And thou shalt flourish like a garden which is continually watered And like a spring of water whose waters fail not For as a Spring is never dry but hath waters continually flowing from it so shalt thou never be poor and needy but shalt always abound with wealth and riches 12. And they which shall be of thee shall build the old waste places i. e. And thy children shall build up those places in thy Land which have been waste a long time and which were layd waste not onely by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon but by Tiglath Pileser and Salmanesar and Sennacherib Kings of Assyria c. and shall raise them up into Cities and Towns and Villages again Thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations i. e. Thou shalt raise up the Houses and Cities which were pulled down to the ground many ages since so that the foundations thereof onely remained those I say shalt thou build up again The repairer of the breach i. e. The repairer of breaches to wit the breaches of Cities and Towns which were broken down Breach is put here collectivè for breaches The restorer of paths i. e. The restorer of breaches which are in the walls of Cities or Towns This is a repetition of the former sentence And by paths are meant the breaches in the walls of Cities and Towns And therefore are breaches called paths here because through breaches they were wont to make ways and paths to go in and out of the City or Town as being the neerer and readier way to and fro out and in Or to restore paths may signifie to bring the paths to their wonted course For whereas the paths were wont to be onely through the Gates of the City but since the breaches all the paths were through the breaches and the paths which led through the Gates were almost desolate and forsaken he may say that he shall be the restorer of paths because he shall bring the paths to their wonted way again by making up the breaches of the walls Or when he saith Thou shalt be called the restorer of the paths he may mean the restorer of paths supple to the desolate Cities which have liâ—n waste and without inhabitants a long time so as that no man hath gone out or in thereat and the paths thereof have been overgrown and destroyed for want of travellers which paths were restored again by building up those ruinous and desolate Towns and Cities for then there was travelling to and fro and the paths were restored which were destroyed and overgrown for want of travelling But what the meaning of the Prophet is is well known though the phrase is not so well known To dwell in i. e. That the ruinous Cities and Towns may be fit to dwell in 13. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath i. e. If thou dost turn away thy foot from the Sabbath Supple so that thou pollutest it not i. e. If thou dost keep my Sabbath From doing thy pleasure on my holy day q. d. that is If thou turn away thy foot so that thou dost not those things which are pleasing to thy corrupt lusts on my holy day On my holy day i. e. On my Sabbath which is an holy day and to be kept holy to the Lord. And call the Sabbath a delight i. e. And call the Sabbath a day which thou delightest in Note that by Call is here meant not a bare verbal Call but a Call to which the heart assenteth and to which the actions of the whole man are answerable The holy of the Lord i. e. A day which the Lord hath commanded to be kept holy Honorable And a day which is to be esteemed honorable And thou shalt honor him i. e. And if thou shalt honor it that is this day by keeping it holy Or and if thou shalt honor him that is the Lord by keeping this day holy to him which he hath commanded to be kept holy Not doing thine own ways i. e. Not doing thine own works which God hath forbidden thee to do on that day Ways are often put Metaphorically for Works Nor finding thine own pleasure i. e. Nor seeking thine own pleasure or that which is pleasing to thy own corrupt minde See vers 3. Nor speaking thine own words i. e. Nor so much as talking of any thing which tends to thine own profit or pleasure or delight or to what the Lord hath forbidden thee on that day Note that that which he calleth their own here he calleth their own in opposition to that which God commanded and required of them by his transcendent power over them Note also that what the Prophet speaketh here particularly of the Sabbath must be understood generally of all Laws which the Jews could keep in their captivity 14. Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord i. e. Then shall the Lord do such great things for thee as that thou shalt rejoyce in him and delight thy self in the thought of him that thou hast so good a God and so gracious a Benefactor as he is See the like phrase Psal 33.21 And I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the Earth i. e. And I will bring thee home out of captivity and cause thee not onely to walk but also to ride and that not after a base manner but in Charets to and fro in thine own Land Vpon the high places of the Earth That is In thine own Land the Land of Judah By the high places understand the mountains and by the Earth in general understand the Land of Judah in particular by a Synecdoche for Judea was a mountainous Country And feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father i. e. And will feed thee with the fruits even the fruits which grow up in the inheritance which I gave to thy father Jacob. The heritage here meant is the Land of Canaan which God gave to Jacob Gen. 35.12 part of which Land was the Land of Judah For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it For the Lord hath spoken it who cannot lye but will bring to pass whatsoever he speaketh The mouth of the Lord is put here
which whosoever knoweth not must needs be ignorant of the Gospel Object But yet you will say How was the Gospel hidden so long when as the Prophets and holy Men of the Lord spoke of the Gospel all or many parts thereof in the dayes of old Answ Although the Prophets and holy Men of the Lord spoke of the Gospel all or many parts thereof in the dayes of old yet notwithstanding the Gospel was accounted as a Mystery and as a thing hidden from former Ages and Generations because they did either speak of it in Parables and dark Speeches and Allegories or because they spoke of it under the Types and shadowes of other things And under the Types and shadowes of other things doth our Prophet speak of the Gospel and the glorious things therein contained when he prophesieth of it For he prophesieth first of things to come in times nearer to his own times And by these things doth he prophesie of the Gospel and glorious things therein And this or from this as I conceive is that vail which St. Paul saith remaineth upon the minds of the Jewes untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament â— Cor 3.14 For if they understand the Literal and Historicall sense of the Scriptures they look no farther They will not look at those things which are figured by the History so that the Historicall sense is as a vail before their eyes and hindereth them from beholding those glorious things which are covered with that vaile and which lie wrapped up in the History as in a Type But that vaile is done away in Christ â— Cor. 3. v. 14. So that he which believeth in Christ and beholdeth the wonderfull dispensations of God in the Gospel of his Sonne with a faithfull eye and then looketh upon the Law and the Prophets shall see many glorious things of Christ and his Gospel foretold and held out unto us in the Law and the Prophets which before he could not see So then for the better understanding of this our Prophet take notice of these things First That many places of the holy Writers of the Old Testament and especially of the Prophets carry with them a double sense One concerning terrene and corporall things and things to come to passe before the dayes of the Messiah Another concerning spirituall and heavenly things and things which were not to come till the Mesiah's coming The first sense I may call the First or Literall or Historicall or meaner Sense The second sense I may call the Second or the Mysticall or Sublime Sense Secondly That the First Literall Historicall or meaner Sense is signified distinctly plainly and immediately by the words of these holy Writers But the Second or Mysticall or Sublime Sense is not signified distinctly plainly and immediately by their words But as it were onely in grosse and mediately that is onely by those things which are signified distinctly plainly and immediately by their words Thirdly That notwithstanding that the Second or Mystycall or Sublime Sense is not signified distinctly plainly and immediately by the words of these holy Writers where the said two senses are to be found but as it were onely in grosse and mediately that is by the things which are signified distinctly plainly and immediately by their words yet there be in many of the Histories as I may call them of these holy Writers and in many of their Prophesies sometimes one sometimes more sentences which signifie immediately by their words not onely some passage or passages which appertain to the First Literall Historicall and meaner Sense But also some passage or passages which are appertaining to the Second Mysticall and Sublime Sense Fourthly That though in many Histories of these holy Writers and many of their Prophesies there be sometimes one sometimes more sentences which signifie immediately by their words some passage or passages not onely which appertain to the First Literall Historicall or meaner Sense But also some passage or passages which appertain to the Second Mysticall or Sublime Sense Yet the words are not alwayes to be taken after the same manner but sometimes in a different manner in one from that in which they were used in the other sense Fifthly Though in many Histories as I may call them of these holy Writers and many Prophesies there be sometimes one sometimes moâ—e sentences which signifie immediately by their words not onely some passage or pâ—ssages which appertain to the First Literall Historicall or Meaner Sense But also some passage or passages which appertain to the Second Mysticall and Sublime Sense Yet it is not necessary neither is it alwayes so yea it is seldome so that every sentence of the whole History as I may call it and the whole Prophesie doth signifie immediately by its words those passages which appertain to that Second Mysticall and Sublime sense â—s they doe those passages which appertain to the First Literal Historical or Meaner Sense I shall illustrate and prove what I have said concerning these five Notes or Observations before I proceed any further The first thing that I would have notice taken of was that many places of these holy Writers of the Old Testament and especially of the Prophets carry with them a double sense One concerning terrene and corporall things and things to come to passe before the dayes of the Messiah Another concerning spirituall and heavenly things and things which are not to come to passe before the Messiah's coming Such a double sense we read of in the Law For it is written in the Law that Abraham had two Sonnes the one by a Bond-maid the other by a Free-woman And he that was of the Bond-wonan was born after the flesh and he that was of the Free-woman was by promise Here is one sence plain Now besides this there is in these words another sense For these two women signifie the two Covenants c. Gal. 4. vers 22 23 24. So what is written Exod. 12. tells us of the killing of the Passeover and all the Rites and Ceremonies thereto belonging And that is one sense of the Chapter But besides that there is another sense therein contained for the Passeover signifieth Christ and his killing Christ's suffering 1 Cor. 5. v. 7. So Psalm 109. in one sense David complaineth of his enemies In another sense he prophesieth how wickedly Christ should be dealt withall Acts 1.20 And here in this book our Prophet prophesieth of the wicked Iewes that they should be so destroyed by the sword of their enemies as that a very small Remnant of them should be left and that is one sense of the 7 8 and 9. verses of the first Chapter and yet in that very same place he prophesieth and foretells that many should perish through unbelief so that few onely should be saved Rom. 9.29 So Cap. 35. v. 3 4 5 c He prophesieth of the Lords coming to save the Iewes from the fury of the Assyrians And yet he foretells in that very place of Christ's
Out of heaven or from the presence of the Lord who commanded him to slay the Assyrians And when they arose And in the morning when those Assyrians which escaped the sword of the Angel arose Or when the men of Jerusalem arose A Relative put without an Antecedent Behold they were all dead Corpses i. e. Behold those hundred fourscore and five thousand which the Angel had smitten were all dead Corpses q. d. Behold these Assyrians which escaped the sword of the Angel or the men of Jerusalem when they arose early in the morning saw those hundred fourscore and five thousand which the Angel had smitten all dead Corpses lying dead upon the ground 37. And Sennacherib King of Assyria Supple When he heard of this slaughter Departed Out of the Land of Judah with much fear And went and returned i. e. And returned Those words And went are redundant See the like cap. 2.3 At Nineveh Nineveh was the chief City of Assyria 38. Adramelech and Sharezer his sonnes smote him with the sword It is a tradition among the Jewes that Adramelech and Sharezer killed their Father because he had vowed to offer them as a Sacrifice to his God Nisroch if he would appease the mindes of those which were angry with him For many who had lost their Sonnes and Brothers and Kinsmen in that slaughter which the Angel made of the Assyrians were discontented with Sennacherib for it as being the cause thereof They escaped into the Land of Armenia This their escape was for feare lest they should be punished for their Parricide ISAIAH CHAP. XXXVIII IN those days was Hezekiah sicke c. Hezekiah fell sick of this disease of his about the 14th or beginning of the 15th year of his reign for after this he reigned fifteen yeares v. 5. And in all he reigned twenty nine yeares 2 Kings 18.2 Take fifteen therefore out of twenty and nine and there remaines fourteen In the latter end therefore of the fourteenth or beginning of the fifteenth year did this sicknesse happen It happened therefore while Sennacherib was warring in Judea which also appeareth from the sixth verse of this Chapter Sick unto death Hezekiah was said to be sick unto death at this time because his Disease was in its own nature deadly and brought him as we say to the point of Death Set thine house in order i. e. Set the affairs of thine house in order as thou wouldst have them disposed of after thy death q. d. Make thou thy Will and dispose of thy goods as thou pleasest For thou shalt die and not live A Question will presently arise upon these words why Hezekiah dyed not when as the Lord said to him by his Prophet Thou shalt dye and not live The Answer is because this sentence of the Lord was not absolute but conditionall and so Hezekiah took it as is evident by his praying to God for mercy herein upon which prayer the Lord restored him to his health It is frequent with God to promise and threaten in termes which seem absolute but include a Condition or have an exception tacitly involved which condition or exception the Lord concealeth that they whom the Promise or Threat concerneth may be the more earnest with the Lord to hasten his Promise or remove his Threats 2. Then Hezekiah turned his face towards the Wall and prayed c. Hezekiah turned his face towards the Wall as he lay in his bed that he might pray to God with the more intention of minde while he turned his face from those which stood by and removed his eyes from distracting Objects And prayed unto the Lord. to wit to spare his life 3. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee c. To walk before God is so to live as if we had God alwayes before our eyes And they that so live strive to please him as a servant is alwayes diligent and carefull to please his Master when he is in his Masters sight In truth And not in shew and appearance onely With a perfect heart With an heart free from hypocrisie Have done that which is good in thy sight Have done that which pleaseth thee After these words understand these words to wit Remember this O Lord I beseech thee and because I have done this be gracious unto me and spare thou my life and cut not off my dayes at this time Note here first that holy men did sometimes make mention of their good deeds before the Lord in their prayers to him as did Nehemiah Nehem. 13.14 and Jeremiah Jerem. 15.15 and Hezekiah here Note secondly that when they did make mention of their good deeds before the Lord they did it for the most part when they were in troubles and tribulation Note thirdly that though they did make mention of their good deeds they did not mention them as meritorious causes of what they prayed for And this is plain by Nehemiah who when he had in the fifth and sixth Chapter of his Book and in the thirteenth Chapter and fourteenth verse and else-where entreated the Lord that he would remember him according to his good deeds in the thirteenth Chapter and the two and twentieth verse he saith Remember me O my God concerning this also and spare me according to the greatnesse of thy mercy Note fourthly that the reason why they mention their good deeds at such time is first That they might the more incline the Lord to mercy For the Lord is more readie to shew mercy to those which endeavour to live according to his Laws then to those which neglect them Secondly that they might sustain themselves against the Pusillanimity and faint-heartednesse which might assaile them being prone by nature thereto for the testimony of a good Conscience produceth boldnesse towards God 1 Pet. 3.21 But besides these Hezekiah might have a speciall reason to move him to mention his good deeds and that is this because the Lord made a promise to David saying If thy Children take heed to their way to walke before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soule there shall not faile thee a man on the Throne of Israel 1 Kings 2.4 And at this time Hezekiah had not a Childe to succeed him in the Throne And Hezekiah wept sore viz. Because God had said unto him Thou shalt dye and not live v. 1. It may be asked here why Hezekiah should weep sore to hear that he should dye Answ A generall reason may be this Because in the time of the Law in which Hezekiah lived the hope of eternall life was not so great as it is under the Gospel because the glory to come was not so fully revealed then as it is now Ephes 3.5 therefore was death more feared then now it is But besides this Hezekiah might have many particular reasons for which he wept at the hearing of his death As first because if he should dye then he should leave Judah and Jerusalem under the pressure
seek me daily i. e. They make as though they sought me daily by their prayers c. And delight to know my waies i. e. And in shew and outward appearance they make as though they did delight to know the waies which I have commanded them to walk in That is to know my statutes To delight is taken here for to make shew as if they did delight as to seek was taken for to make as though they did seek just before As a Nation that did righteousnesse and forsook not the Ordinances of their God i. e. As if they were an holy Nation which loved righteousnesse and which cleaved to the Law of their God and would not depart from it They aske of me the ordinances of justice i. e. They ask of me by my Priests and my Prophets what my Lawes and Statutes are and what is the meaning of them as though they were desirous to keep them and as though they wanted not will but knowledge onely to observe them The Ordinances of justice i. e. My Statutes which as they are just indeed so doe they also call them just to shew what love they had to them and how worthy they were to be known Note here that a Substantive of the Genitive case viz. Of justice is put for the Adjective Just after the Hebrew manner Or else of justice may be here Genitivus subjecti and intimates the subject of those Ordinances to wit that they taught justice and righteousnesse They take delight Supple in shew or as they would make men believe In approaching to God i. e. In approaching to me to wit by prayer and holy services Note that the Lord speaks here of himselfe in the third person and saith to God for to me Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not q. d. Thou saidst say they That thou wouldst dwell with him that is of an humble and contrite spirit and comfort and deliver him but wee have humbled our selves and fasted every yeere in the day of atonement according to thy command Levit. 23.27 And we have fasted and humbled our selves many other times also in these the daies of our captivity and doe fast and humble our selves often Wherefore then hast thou not looked upon us and delivered us from the hands of the Babylonians Note that these words relate to the first verse and are as an introduction to those sinnes which the Lord there would have his Prophet shew his people Wherefore have we afflicted our soules Supple with fasting See vers 5. And thou takest no knowledge This is a repetition of those words Thou seest not Note that by Gods not seeing and not taking knowledge of their fasting is meant Gods not comforting them and his not delivering them out of captivity for that their fasting and humiliation and contrition by putting the Antecedent for the Consequent Behold in the day of your fast you finde pleasure Here begin the sinnes and transgressions which the Lord would have his Prophet shew unto his people q. d. My people say wherefore have we fasted and thou seest not wherefore have we afflicted our selves and thou takest no notice Crie therefore aloud spare not lifâ—â—p your voice like a Trumpet and shew thy people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sinnes saying Behold in the day of your fast ye finde pleasure c. Behold in the day of your fast ye finde pleasure i. e. Behold in the day of your fast ye seek after and finde and enjoy and follow your sports and your pastimes in which ye take pleasure By pleasures are meant sports and pastimes in which they take pleasure per Metonymiam efficientis And by finding is meant seeking and finding and enjoying or following by a syllepsis These words contain a reason why God though they fasted yet would not see and though they afflicted their souls yet would take no knowledge of it And exact all your labours i. e. And ye make all your servants labour in private as much upon the day of your fast as ye doe upon any other day and use as much rigour to them that day that they may doe the worke or task which ye have set them as ye doe at any other time Note that upon the tenth day of the seventh month there was to be a day of atonement it was to be an holy convocation to the people of Israel and they were to afflict their soules and to offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord c. Levit. 23.27 And it is not to be doubted but that the Jews which would seem religious did observe this day yeerely in the Land of their captivity and afflict their soules therein though they did not offer an offering made by fire or perform such duties of that day as were bound to the Temple And of this day of Fast though not onely yet principally doe I think that this place is here meant Upon the day of Atonement which was a day of Fasting and humiliation no work was to be done Levit. 25.31 Neither was it seemly upon the daies of voluntary Fasting 4. Behold ye fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse q.d. Behold when ye fast ye doe on the day of your fast scould and brawle one with another and fast to fisty-cuffs and strike one another with your wicked fists But how can he which scouldeth and brawleth and smiteth his neighbour with his fist on the day when he fasteth be said to fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse And how could they come on that day to scould and brawle and fight one with another Ans Upon the day of Atonement there was to be an Holy convocation And on other daies of voluntary fasting they met together to prayers and other religious duties of the day and when they were so met they would contend and quarrell one with another and come from words to blowes And though they did not intend to quarrell and brawle and fight one with another when they thus met yet he saith ye fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse Because it fell out that they did strive and brawle and quarrell and fight one with another when they so met And we often speak of the event of a thing as of the intent and of a thing which happeneth but by chance as of a thing which was really purposed See what was said for this purpose on those words Tophet is prepared of old Cap. 3. vers 33. Againe a man which fasteth is by the nature of a fast by his fasting to represse sinne and to represse his turbulent passions if therefore he doth not represse sinne nor represse his turbulent passions nor resolve nor endeavour so to doe by his his fasting he may be said to fast for sinne and to fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse according to that saying Qui non vetat peccare
AN EXPOSITION OF THE Book of the Prophet ISAIAH By the endeavours of W. DAY M. A. late Fellow of King's Colledge in CAMBRIDGE AND NOW An Unworthy Servant of God in the Gospel at MAPLEDURHAM in the County of OXON Totum quod legimus in Divinis libris nitet quidem fulget etiam in Cortice S. HIERONYMUS Epist 13. ad PAULINUM LONDON Printed by G. D. and S. G. for Ioshua Kirton and are to be sold at his Shop in St. Pauls Church-yard at the Sign of the Kings Armes 1654. THE PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THOU hast here Christian Reader An Exposition of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah The Endeavours of one who is conscious to himself of his own weaknesse upon him who as He is the most Eloquent so is He the most Evangelicall of all the Prophets But what He did He did for his own use and the use of his own Children if it should please God to bring them to the yeares of discretion without any thought of publishing it to the world But being perswaded thereunto by friends He hath now made it publique And if it may prove any way beneficiall to thee or profitable to any one whosoever he be which desireth the knowledge of the Scriptures it shall not repent him I called our Prophet as the most Eloquent So the most Evangelicall of all the Prophets For Our Prophet hath many excellent Prophesies of Christ and of those things which are contained in the Gospel And our Saviour and his Apostles have more Quotations concerning the Gospel and contents thereof out of our Prophet the Prophet Isaiah than they have out of any one nay I may say out of all the other fifteen Prophets besides Yet know that the Gospel and the contents thereof was a Mysterie and was hidden untill these latter dayes in which God spoke unto us by his Sonne Hence the Apostle calls the Gospel The wisdome of God in a Mystery even the hidden wisdome 1 Cor. 2.7 Hence he calls it also The Mystery of his will Eph. 1.9 And the Mystery of the Gospel Eph. 6.19 And the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Colos 2.2 And a Mystery which was kept secret since the world began Rom. 16.25 And a Mystery which had been hid from Ages and Generations but now made manifest to the Saints Col. 1.26 I know that many understand this last place not of the whole Gospel but of part onely of it namely of the calling of the Gentiles But surely if the calling of the Gentiles was a Mystery which had been hid from Ages and Generations what part of the Gospel was not hidden For to goe no farther than our own Prophet what Prophesie was more frequent what more plain if any part of the Prophesies concerning the Gospel was plain than that of the calling of the Gentiles It shall come to passe in the last dayes that the Mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the Mountaines and shall be exalted above the Hills and all Nations shall flow unto it and many People shall goe and say Come yee and let us goe up to the Mountain of the Lord to the House of the God of Jacob and He will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths For out of Zion shall goe forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Hierusalem and He shall judge among the Nations Isaiah Cap. 2. vers 2 3 4. In that day there shall be a root of Jesse which shall stand for an Ensigne of the People To it shall the Gentiles seek and His rest shall be glorious Isaiah Cap. 11. vers 10. In that day shall five Cities in the Land of Aegypt speak the Language of Canaan and swear to the Lord of Hosts One shall be called the City of Destruction In that day shall there be an Altar to the Lord in the Land of Aegypt and a Pillar in the border thereof to the Lord And it shall be for a signe and for a witnesse unto the Lord of Hosts in the Land of Aegypt And the Lord shall be known to Aegypt and the Aegyptians shall know the Lord Isaiah Cap. 19. vers 18 19 20. It is a light thing that thou shouldst be my Servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel I will also give Thee for a light to the Gentiles that Thou mayst be my salvation to the ends of the earth Isaiah Cap. 49. vers 6. The Isles shall wait upon me and on my Name shall they trust Isaiah Cap. 51. vers 5. Behold my Servant shall sprinkle many Nations the Kings shall shut their mouthes at Him For that which had not been told them shall they see and that which they had not heard shall they consider Isaiah Cap. 52. vers 15. I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Isaiah Cap. 55. vers 8. The abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto Thee the Forces of the Gentiles shall come unto Thee c. Isaiah Cap. 60. vers 5. c. I am sought of them that asked not for me I am found of them that sought Me not I said behold me behold me unto a Nation that was not called by my Name Isaiah Cap. 65. vers 1. It shall come to passe that from one new Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord Isaiah Cap. 60. vers 21. All these are Prophesies concerning the calling of the Gentiles and I know no Prophesies concerning the Gospel more plentifull and more plain than these are If therefore notwithstanding these and many the like Prophesies concerning the calling of the Gentiles the calling of the Gentiles was a Mystery hidden from Ages and Generations then certainly other parts of the Gospel were hidden too especially if we speak of the distinct knowledge thereof Object But you will say the Chaldee Paraphrast and many Jewish Doctors had knowledge of the Messiah before the dayes of the Gospel and understood many places of the Scriptures of the old Testament of the Messiah so that they very well knew the Gospel for what is the Gospel but the History of the Messiah that is the History of Christ and the benefits by him received Answ The Chaldee Paraphrast and other Jewish Doctors believed that the Messiah was to come having received it some way or other and having more than ordinary conceits of him understood many eminent places of the old Testament of the Messiah But yet they were farre from the knowledge of the Gospel For they understood little more of the Messiah than his name for they were altogether ignorant of his divine Nature and his Offices And though they thought that he should be a King yet they thought that he should be but a Temporall King so that they knew not the true Benefits and true Redemption and Salvation which is wrought by Christ
of Grace Rom. 9. v. 29. But the preceding verses of the Context cannot be understood and construed word by word of the same subject Now by what hath been spoken it is easie to conjecture which of the two where there be these two senses is the Thorow-sense that is which of the two senses the First Literall Historicall or Meaner or the Second Mysticall and Sublime sense is that which is continued and carried word by word through an whole History or Prophesie For I cannot perswade my self that any holy Writer is herein defective and that he should neither one way nor other goe through with his sense Certainly it is the First Literall Historicall or Meaner sense and for the carriage through of this as being that which must be first known before we can rightly know the Second Mysticall or Sublime sense I have bent my poor labours in this work But you will say to take paines about the First Literall Historicall or Meaner sense is to favour Judaisme and to make the heart of the Jew which is obstinate enough yet more obstinate towards the Gospel and Christianity yea it is to weaken the cause of the Christians I answer That to take paines for the finding out of the Literall sense is no whit to favour Judaisme but to seek out the Truth and if the seeking of the Truth makes the Jew obstinate towards the Gospel or towards Christianity it doth it but occasionally and the very best things may be an occasion of the worst of evils Where the Jew hath good reason to stand for a Literall sense there to deny him a Literall sense may prove a stumbling block in his way But if we grant him his Literall sense we take away the stumbling block yet we give him no advantage against the Mysticall which I may call the Gospel or Christian-sense For what if we grant him a Literall sense can he therefore justly deny a Mysticall Doe not many places of the Law and the Prophets carry a double sense with them The Jew therefore cannot justly be hardened by this neither can this weaken the cause of the Christian yea by this the cause of the Christian is rather strengthened against the Jew and the Jew hath nothing justly to object against it But though I have taken paines about the First Literally Historicall or Meaner sense I have not neglected the Second Mysticall or Sublime sense But have as neer as I could cleared all the Texts of this our Prophet which either our Saviour Christ or his Apostles made use of in that sense in the New Testament And if any Text hath been omitted it may easily be cleared by Observation of what I have said before and what I shall now say First Therefore the corporall and earthly Redemptions and deliverances of the Israelites and the Prophesies thereof were Types and Figures and Prophesies of the spirituall and heavenly Redemption which is wrought by Christ And by this Rule doe the Apostles for the most part walk in applying of the Testimonies which they bring out of the Old Testament to the things of the New And hence it is because the Inhabitants of Hierusalem were delivered from the Assyrians for Hezekiah's sake And because the Jewes were delivered from the Babylonians by Cyrus And because Isaiah preached and prophesied of this deliverance that Hezekiah and Cyrus and Isaiah were Types and Figures of Christ for whose sake and by whom Man was redeemed and who came and preached himself of this Redemption Secondly The temporall destruction of those Cities and those Men were they Jewes or others which were Enemies either to God or to his People and the Predictions thereof were Types and Figures of the eternall destruction of Unbelievers and the Enemies of the Gospel of Christ and Predictions thereof And from these considerations to wit that the corporall and earthly Redemptions and deliverances of the Israelites were Types and Figures of the spirituall and heavenly Redemption which is wrought by Christ And that the temporall destruction of those Cities and those Men which were Enemies to God and to his People were Types and Figures of the eternall destruction of Unbelievers and the enemies of the Gospel of Christ From these Considerations I say it seemeth to be that our Prophet prophesying of the temporall salvation of the Jewes and the temporall destruction of their Enemies and the Enemies of God doth often speak of them in such high and hyperbolicall termes as though he would not have us to look onely on the immediate subjects which he speaks of which fall farre short of those expressions which he useth of them in their proper and naturall signification but to some higher subjects also which the words taken in their height would better fit at least in generall Thirdly Because the ten Tribes were rejected of God from being his People Hos 1. v. 6 9. And God did afterwards receive this people again which he had rejected though not to be a People of themselves yet to live in his favour as many of them as believed the Prophets with the Jewes Hos 1. v. 10. Therefore was the reception again of the ten Tribes whom the Lord had rejected a Type of the calling and accepting of the Gentiles under the Messiah whom he had neglected and rejected before And hence it is that that which Hosea speakes of the reception again of the ten Tribes Hos 1. v. 10. in these words And it shall come to passe that in the place where it was said unto them ye are the sonnes of the living God And again Hos 2. v. 23. I will say to them which were not my People thou art my People And they shall say Thou art my God St. Paul applieth to the calling and accepting of the Gentiles as meant of them in the Second Mysticall and Sublime sense Rom. 9. v. 25 26. Where note that if any sentence be spoken of any passage of any thing to come to passe before the dayes of the Messiah in the First Literal Historicall or Meaner sense And of a passage to come to passe in the dayes of the Messiah in the Second Mysticall and Sublime sense the immediate Subject of the whole History or whole Prophesie of which that sentence is a part is to be deemed if I be not deceived as a Type and Figure of the whole thing which was to come to passe in the dayes of the Messiah Fourthly Those Jewes which would not give credit to Isaiah and those Prophets which the Lord sent to them during the time of the Law were a Type and Figure of those Jewes which would not believe the Gospell of Christ in the dayes of the Gospel Hence it is that that which was said of the one Isaiah 7. v. 9 10. is spoken also of the other Matth. 13.14 Mark 4.12 Acts 28.26 Rom. 11.8 Fifthly Those Heathen which joyned themselves to the Lord and became Proselytes under the Law were a Type of the coming in of the Gentiles to the
Church and their joyning themselves to Christ Jesus under the Gospel Sixtly Those Heathen which believed the Servants of the Lord and the Prophesies which they delivered which the Jewes would not believe were a Type and Figure and did fore-signifie that the Gentiles would receive the Gospel of Christ when the Jewes refused it Hence that which is spoken of the Babylonians and others Isaiah Cap. 52. v. 15. in the First is applied to the believing Gentiles under the Gospel in the Second sense Rom. 15. v. 21. And that which is spoken by way of Prophesie of one may be understood of the other also Seventhly The Heathen doing what the Lord would have them to doe in the time of the Old Testament were used oftentimes as Types of the obedience which the Gentiles would yeild to the Gospel of Christ in the dayes of the New Compare Isaiah 65.1 with Rom. 10.20 Thus was the Lord pleased under the Law yea and before the Law too to shaddow out to us and as it were rudely to draw the things concerning Christ Jesus who was fore-known or fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times 1 Pet. 1.20 Now in this Exposition of ours I have followed our common that is to say the new Translation than which generally none is better But note that whereas in many places of the Hebrew Text the same words carry a double sense an Historicall and a Mysticall or a Meaner and a Sublime sense and one language cannot so happily expresse a double sense as the other may Our English Translation is more for the Mysticall and Sublime sense than for the Meaner and Historicall which may perhaps make some wonder at the interpretation of some places which I have given in pursuance of the Meaner and Historicall sense untill they look back to the Originall which when they have looked back to and considered they will cease to wonder And though I follow our English Translation yet have I interpreted many Conjunctions and Prepositions otherwise than they are commonly used with us in our Native Language As And for for moreover In for or because of c. But besides that that the reason of every respective place requireth it know that these Conjunctions and Prepositions are there become not so much English as Hebrew For our Translators rendring the Hebrew by what it most commonly signifieth leave the English word as an Hebrew to signifie not onely what it commonly signifieth with us but to signifie also as many things as the Hebrew signifieth As for example Because the Hebrew Praefix VAU signifieth commonly And our Translators render it And But because VAU signifieth not onely And but sometimes For they leave And to signifie For too Yea they leave it of as a great latitude as VAU is and to signifie as many things as VAU doth And our Translators in this are not singular for the Pen-men of the New Testament doe the like for St. Matthew if at least St. Matthew wrote in Greek useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Septuagint doe from whom he took it which signifieth commonly Beyonds to signifie on this side or nigh to Matth. 4.15 And that * Maldon in Mat. 4 15. because he maketh the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of equall latitude with the Hebrew GNEBER which signifieth as well on this side or nigh to as beyond So doth St. Paul in his Epistles use the Greek Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in more senses than the Greeks doe he useth it instead almost of all Prepositions and * See Mead in his Apostasie of the latter times p. 115. why is this but because he makes it equall to the Hebrew Praefix BETH And not onely Conjunctions and Prepositions of other Languages are thus made Hebrewes but other parts of speech also For the Noune Truth signifieth Stability and Setlednesse Cap. 39.8 and Cap. 95.16 And therefore doth it so signifie because it is Hebrewized and made there of the same latitude as the Hebrew AMEN which it rendereth which signifieth not onely Truth but Stability and Settlednesse also So the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render speaking the truth Ephes 4.15 signifieth being established and fixed as appeareth by those words Tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind to which it is opposed v. 5. And therefore doth it come to signifie being established and fixed * Beza in Ephes 4.15 because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answereth to the Hebrew word AMAN which signifieth not onely to speak the truth but also to be established and fixed to be firm and constant Many words of this nature have the learned observed and often doe they run thus to the Hebrew for the meaning of a Greek or English word But it was not my purpose to dwell upon these things that I might not be too tedious Yet not so to passe them over but that they which have not been exercised in such matters may from hence take notice and have some knowledge of them for whose sake also I have hereunto added an explication of such Termes of Art and Rhetoricall Tropes and Figures as they shall most frequently meet with in this work For I have not paralleld the words and phrases of this our Prophet as I have took them with the like words and phrases of other Scriptures for that had been extream difficult if not impossible but instead thereof I have made good the words and phrases as I have taken them by those Rules of Art and Speech which the Masters thereof have made and collected from the observation of all Languages imitating herein as many other Expositors so Piscator chiefly Thus much I thought good to premise by way of Preface And now Christian Reader if these my endeavours shall contribute any thing to the understanding of the divine Word which is all the fruit I aime at I have my desires Howsoever I shall make mention of thee in my Prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory would give thee the Spirit of wisdome and understanding in the perfect knowledge of his sacred Oracles and shall desire thee to doe the like for him who professeth himself Thy Servant for Christ's sake WILLIAM DAY Maple-durham January 22. 1653. AN EXPLANATION Of those TERMES OF ART And RHETORICALL TROPES AND FIGVRES Which most frequently occurre in this BOOK AN ABSTRACT AN Abstract is a Noun substantive signifying a Quality or Accident Inherent in a Subject without connotation or signification of the Subject in which it doth inhere As Power Goodnesse Excellencie c. ANTICIPATIO Anticipatio is a Figure whereby we speak of a Thing before we should speak of it If we should speak of it in its course and order of Time An Example of this you may read Isa cap. 7. verse 1. where the Prophet saith That it came to passe in the dayes of Ahaz the son of Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah that
Exegesis Exegesis is a Figure whereby a Latter sentence is put to expound a Former or Latte words the Former An Example of this we have Isaiah cap. 22. vers 22. where those words I will cloath him with thy Robe and strengthen him with thy girdle are expounded by those which immediatly follow after namely by those I will commit thy government into his hand Hypallage Hypallage is a Figure by which the order of things is inverted An Example of this we have Isaiah cap. 1. vers 3. The asse knoweth his masters cribb where his masters cribb r the cribb of his Master is put for the Master of his Cribb And cap. 25.7 where The face of the covering is put for The covering of the face And cap. 58. verse 5. where A day for a man to aâ—flict his soul is put for For a man to afflict his soul for a Day Hyperbaton Trajectio Transpositio Hyperbaton Trajectio or Transpositio is a Figure whereby words are transposed from the plain Grammaticall Order An Example hereof we have Isaiah 28.1 Wo to the crown of pride to the drunkards of â—phra m whose glorious beauty is a fâ—ding flower which are on the head of the fat valleys c. The Order of which words should be this Wo to the crown of Pride whose glorious beâ—uty is a fading flower to the Drunkards of Ephraim which are on the head of the fat valleys c. Hyperbole Hyperbole is a Figure by which we speak of a thing above the truth thereof An Example of this we have Isaiah cap. 34.3 The Mountains shall be melted with their blood and all the host of heaven shall be dissolved and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroul and all their host shall fall down as the leaf falleth off from the vine And verse 9. The streames thereof shall be turned into pitch and the dust thereof into brimstone and the land thereof shall become burning pitch it shall not be quenched night nor day the smoke thereof shall go up for ever Ironie An Ironie is a Figure whereby we speak contrary to what we mean thereby to mock him to whom or of whom we speak An Example of this we have Isaiah cap. 10 verse 12. where the Lord saith he would punish the glory of the high looks of the Kings of Assyria And cap. 19. verse 11. where the Prophet saith The counsell of the wise councellors of Pharaoh is become brutish And again verse 12. Where are they where are thy wisemen In which place the Lord did not think that there was any great Glory in the high looks of the King of Assyria or his Prophet that there was any great Wisdom in Pharaohs councellors But what they said they said one to mock Senacherib the other to mock Pharaohs councellors Catachresis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catachresis or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Figure whereby a word is abused for lack of the proper word An Example of this we have cap. 24 30. where the Prophet cals the people of the Jewes that were in the very lowest and poorest conâ—ition The first-born of the poor where there is a great abâ—se of that word The first-born See Notes on that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That thing is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not absolutely so as it is said to be but onely in some regard An Example we have of this Isaiah cap. 20. vers 3 where Isaiah is said to have walked naked which is to be understood not absolutely as though Isaiah had no cloathes on but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in some regard to wit Because he walked without his sackcloath that is without his uppâ—r Garment Verse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Figure whereby a virtuous and good man doth out of Modesty make himsâ—lf partaker of other mens vices and other men partakers of his vertues An Example of this we have Isaiah cap. 53.3 4. where the good and godly man telling what was done by the wicked speak thus We hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not surely he hath born our griefes and carried our sorrowes yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted c. When the good and godly men maâ—e themsâ—lves of the number of the wicked and partakers of their wickednesse for this is spoken by them or in their person And themselves partakers of the wickednesse of the wicked so do they here make the wicked partakers also of their vertuâ—s in that they make this godly confession in their name also when they say we hâ—d as it were our faces from him c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a figure by which we speak of greater things in lessening words or in words which lessen the matter An example of this we have Isa cap. 9.17 Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young 〈◊〉 By which is meâ—nt that the Lord would grievously afflict tâ—em and destroy them almâ—st 〈…〉 dâ—struction And cap. 17.13 The Lord shall rebuke them When the Lord did not onely rebuke them which is nothing else but a chiâ—ing of words but did smite them too tiâ—â— he had destroyed them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the same figure with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metaphora Metaphora or A Metaphor iâ— a figure whereby we translate and take a word which properly signifieth one thing to signifie another and that by reason of some similitude or likeness which is between those things An example of this we have Isaiah 9.12 The Syrians before and the Philistines behind shall devour Israel with open mouth where to devour with open mouth which is properly spoken of Lions and Bears and Wolves and such like ravenous beasts is translated to the Syrians and Philistines because they should destroy Israel as thâ—se ravenous beasts use to destroy the flock and the heard while they devour them Metonymia Metonymia or A Metonymie is manifold the species or kinds thereof follow Metonymia Actus Metonymia Actus is a figure whereby the Act is put for the Object An example of this we have Isaiah cap. 21.2 A grievous Vision is declared to Me. Where Vision which signifieth the Act of seeing is put for the Object or thing seen Metonymia Adjuncti Metonymia Adjuncti is a figure whereby the Adjunct or Accident is put for the Subject to which the Adjunct is adjoyned or for which the Accident is inherent An example of this we have Isaiah 4.5 Upon all the Glory shall be a Defence where Glory is put for the Glorious ones Metonymia Causae Metonymia Causae is a figure whereby the Cause is put for the Effect or thing caused An example whereof we have Isaiah 1.3 But Israel doth not know where Israel the Father is put for the Iews the children of Israel And cap.
a Virgin sometimes both because whatsoever beauty or elegancy is to be found in a Land it is to be found in the City thereof Is left as a Cottage in a Vineyard i. e. Shall be left alone as a Lodge in a Vineyard which standeth alone no houses being near it and to which there is no travelling of people too and fro This was either because the Townes and Villages about Hierusalem were destroyed and so Hierusalem stood as it were alone Or because the people which dwelt about Hierusalem in the land of Iudah were destroyed by the sword or carried away captive or ran away to save their lives so that there was no travelling to Hierusalem as there had been Neither did they which dwelt in Hierusalem dare to come farre out of their gates for feare of their enemies There was wont to be in great Vineyards a little Cottage or Lodge built wherein he which watcht and kept the Vineyard did lie And a Lodge in a garden of Cucumbers This is for sence the same with the former words and what he calls a Cottage there he calls a Lodgâ— here By Cucumbers understand Melons also and such like cool fruit whereof there were many gardens in Judaea as also there were in many other such hot Regions As a beseiged City The similitude consisteth in this that as when a City is beseiged there is no concourse and conflux of people to it as was wont to be the beseigers hindering all commerce with that City during the siege So there should be no conflux and concourse to Hierusalem no going in and out at the gates thereof as was wont and that for the reason before given 9. Except the Lord of Hosts had left us a very small remnant q. d. We shall be left a very small remnant and except the Lord who is Lord of Hosts and able to stop the fury of our enemies shall leave us this very small remnant we shall be utterly destroyed He puts a Praeterpluperfect tense here for a Future to shew the certaine event of what he speaks of The remnant which the Prophet speaks of were those of Hierusalem and others of Judah which had fled to Hierusalem for safety and were safe there For though Rhezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel beseiged Hierusalem yet they could not prevaile against it 2 King 16. ver 5. And these were a small remnant in respect of all the Kingdome of Judah besides which were either destroyed or carried away captive 2 Chron. 28. Vers 8 9 10. The Lord is called the Lord of hosts because the Angels and all other creatures obey God at his beck and are more at his command to fight against his enemies than any Army of men are at the command of their General Yea there is no Host or Army of men which the Lord is not Master of Note that the Prophet saith not except our enemies but except the Lord of Hosts had left us a very small remnant c. and that because of the Providence of God which ruleth over all and puts bounds to the destroyer how far he shall destroy We should have been as Sodom and we should have been like unto Gomorrah i. e. We should have been utterly destroyed as Sodom and Gomorrah were Gen. 19. Note that the similitude or likenesse here spoken of consisteth onely in the likenesse of the utter destruction not in the likeness of the manner by which the destruction was wrought The Holy Ghost hath so ordered the words of the Prophet here as that by them he doth not onely signifie what a destruction should be made of the Jewes by the swords of Rezin and Pekah but also in a more sublime sense how many should perish through unbelief in the dayes of the Gospell For the temporall destruction of the Jewes by the swords of their enemies was a Type of their spiritual destruction through unbelief in the time of the Gospel Hence the Holy Ghost when he speaks of their temporal destruction by the sword doth oftentimes in some one passage or other so order the Prophets words as that they signifie in a literall sense not onely what shall be done in the Type but also what shall be done in the Antitype 10. Hear the words of the Lord ye Rulers of Sodom Because the Prophet told these men against whom he prophesied that they had revolted from God and forsaken him for which he would punish them They defied the Prophets words and denyed that they had forsaken the Lord And to justifie themselves told him that they did offer continual Sacrifices to the Lord and observe the new Moones and the Sâ—bbaths c. which the Lord appointed That therefore he might take away what they alledged for their justification he doth bid them to hear and hearken to what followeth Ye Rulers of Sodom By occasion of the word Sodom in the former Verse he calls the Rulers of Judah and Hierusalem Rulers of Sodom And that he might do for these reasons First Because as the men of Sodom were given to a peculiar sin by which they left the naturall use of women and burned in lust towards their own Sex Men towards Men Gen. 19.5 which sinne is called to this day Sodomy from them So was this people given to this sinne 1 King 14.24 and 1 King 22.46 Secondly because as Sodom was given to pride fullnesse of bread abundance of idlenesse and unmercifulnesse towards the poor Ezek. 16.49 so was the people of Judah and Hierusalem Thirdly Because as Sodom was impudent in her sinnes so was this people Chap. 3. Vers 9. Fourthly Because as there were but few righteous in Sodom when it was destroyed onely Lot and his family So there were but few righteous at this time in Judah Give ear unto the Law of our God The Law here is not to be taken properly and strictly but largely even as large as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word For to give eare unto the Law of our God is the same with that which he said immediately before Hear the Word of the Lord. Ye people of Gomorrah He calls the people of Judah and Hierusalem the people of Gomorrah upon the same occasion and for the very same reasons as he called the Rulers Rulers of Sodom just before 11. To what end is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me saith the Lord q. d. To what end are so many Sacrifices that you bring and offer to me saith the Lord Are they to worship me or honour me or delight me therewith I am not served or worshipped or honoured or delighted with them I am full of the burnt-offerings of Rams c. q. d. I loath the burnt-offerings of Rains c. He saith I am full for I loath by a Metaphor drawn from a man with a full stomack which loatheth the meat that is set before him It may be asked here why God saith that He is full and loatheth the burnt-offering of Rams and the fat of fed
which may happily give light to this place Yet we may interpret For the glory of his Majesty for fear of his great army to wit his great army of Babylonians which shall be led by Nebuchadnezzar who shall be the Lords Lievetenant in this expedition For it is usuall with the Hebrews to put the word glory to signifie an army or great power of men by a Metonymie because an army brings glory to him and makes him renowned whose army it is See Chap. 8. Vers 7. 11. The lofty looks of man The lofty looks of man is put here for the man of lofty looks by an Hypallage or a Metonymie and by the man of lofty looks is meant the proud man for the proud useth to carry his head high and his eyes lofty And the haughtinesse of man c. The haughtinesse of man is put here for the man of haughtinesse that is for the haughty look'd or the haughty minded man by the same figure as before Shall be humbled i. e. Shall be brought low How or when these men were brought low see ver 17. And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day See ver 17. 12. For the day of the Lord of hosts i. e. The day in which the Lord hath appointed to avenge himself Shall be upon every one c. i. e. Shall come upon every one c. q. d. For that day shall come in which the Lord of Hosts shall punish and avenge himself upon every one c. 13. And upon all the Cedars of Lebanon Lebanon was an hill which lay North of the Land of Israel and divided it from the Land of Syria This hill was famous for the goodly Cedar trees which grew thereon Whereupon the Cedars of Lebanon were taken to signifie goodly tall Cedars That are high and lifted up i. e. That are high and tall And upon all the oaks of Bashan Bashan was a region beyond Jordan of which Og was sometime King which region when Og was slain Moses gave to the Gadites and the Reubenites and half the Tribe of Manasses Josh 12.4 c. This Bashan abounded with fat Pastures and large and tall Oakes Hence Proverbially an Oake of Bashan may signifie a tall Oake 15. Vpon every fenced wall By fenced wall he meaneth walls which are made for the defence and safeguard of a City which walls are higher than other walls use to be And such walls are calld fenced walls because they use to be fenced with Towers and Motes to hinder the enemy that he approach not to them to beat them down with Rams and other Engines 16. And upon all the ships of Tarshish Tarshish was an ancient City of Spaine called Tartessus which stood at the mouth of the River Boetus and had great commerce with the Phoenicians and the Phoenicians with that Now because the Phoenicians were wont to traffique to Tartessâ—â— in Spaine and the Tartessians to Phoenicia againe the shipps of Tarshish may signifie Merchant shipps which were wont to go to and from Tartessus for Merchandize as we call those East-India shipps which use to go to and from the East-Indiaes By the Shipps of Tarshish therefore are meant the tallest kind of shipps which were made to saile in the Vast Sea and were like to suffer wind and stormes and all manner of tempestuous weather and therefore were built accordingly Which shipps for bulke farre excelled those vessells of Bull-rushes which were used about Nilus Cap. 18.2 And those little shipps or fisher-boates which were used in Judaea about Genezareth c. And upon all pleasant Pictures By Pictures are here meant shipps For as now so of old they were wont to adorne the hindecks or Poopes of the shipps with Pictures And because the hindecks or Poops were adorned with Pictures he calls the hindecks or Poopes themselves Pictures per Metonymiam adjuncti And by the hindecks or Poopes he meaneth the the whole shipps per Synecdochen partis As Puppis is put in Latine for Navis the hinder part or Poope for the whole ship He calls the shipps pleasant Pictures or Pictures delightfull to the eye because they were pleasant to behold and that either by reason of the Pictures with which the hindecks or Poopes were adorned or else by reason of the Artificiall or neat building of the ships and the tallnesse thereof and the tackle thereto belonging Now to distinguish these shipps from those which he called Shipps of Tarshish we may say that by the Shipps of Tarshish were meant Merchants shipps and by these Men of warre But yet notwithstanding the former interpretation of these words which is that which Interpreters most generallly follow I take it as not improbable that by Pleasant Pictures may here be meant Idols For what the Prophet hath spoken from the 12. Verse hitherto he doth repeat againe in the two next following Verses and there he mentioneth the abolishing or pulling down of Idols c. Note here that by the Allegory of the Cedars of Lebanon the Oakes of Bashan the high Mountaines and Hills the high Towers fenced walls and Shipps of Tarshish are meant proud and lofty men which he spoke of before plainely but here under an Allegory 17. And the loftinesse of man i. e. And the man of loftinesse or the lofty man Here is an Hypallage or Metonymie as v. 11. Shall be bowed down i. e. Shall be brought down whether he will or no as sticks and trees are bowed down against their natural inclination And the haughtinesse of man i. e. Men of haughtinesse or the haughty men Here is an Hypallage or Metonymia adjuncti as before vers 11. Shall be made low All this came to passe when some of them fell by the sword others were glad to run into the Clifts of the Rocks and holes of the earth to hide themselves and others were led away captive into Babylon by the Babylonians And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day q. d. Though now these men which I speak of are high and lofty and carry themselves like so many Gods and their Idols are exalted and set up as if they were not stocks and stones or gold or silver but Gods indeed yet in that day the Lord onely shall be high lofty For all other high and lofty ones shall be cast down by him and he alone shall keep his state I take to be exalted here for to be high and lofty rather than to be praised and magnified as it often signifieth For so the Context seemeth to require it it being opposed here to the condition of these which he spoke of when they are brought down and made low Yet to be exalted here may be taken for to be praised and magnified and the sense of this place may be this q. d. And though these Men and their Idols be now magnified and praised yet the Lord alone shall be magnified and praised in that day For their praises shall come to an end and their glory shall cease The Lord
alone The Lord is said here to be alone exalted not onely in opposition to those lofty and haughty men which should be brought down but also in opposition to the Idols which they did set up in the place of God which should be abolished In that day By that day he meaneth that day which he mentioned Vers 12. And which he called The day of the Lord of Hosts 18. And the Idols He shall utterly abolish St. Hierome observeth that the Jewes did never by any common or publique consent set up any Idoll to worship it after the Babylonish Captivity And the Thalmud Hierosâ—lymitanum affirmeth the same Note that And may be put here for For and be a Causuall rather than a Copulative 19. And they shall goe into the holes of the Rock Here is a Relative again without a formal Antecedent But the Antecedent is easie to be gathered For by They he meaneth those haughty Men which he spoke of vers 11. and 17. When He ariseth Supple As a man out of sleep whereby he is refreshed and so the more able and fit for any imployment Or as a man which hath sate patient a long time and both heard and seen himself abused with patience but now being no longer Patient ariseth up in Fury Or as a Lion which couched quietly but now is roused up When He ariseth to shake terribly the Earth The Earth is to be taken properly here for the Earth we tread upon not Metaphorically for earthly minded men Yet not for the whole earth but for the Land of Judah and Benjamin onely which is but a part of the whole earth per Synecdochen Integri To arise to shake the Earth is to arise to make the earth to tremble The meaning therefore of the words are q. d. When he ariseth and begâ—nneth to execute dreadfull and terrible Judgements in the Land of Judah For understanding of the Phrase note that it is the manner of the Scripture to speak of the Earth though it be an insensible and inanimate thing as if it were apprehensive of those great things which are done in it or upon it and variously affected according to the apprehension thereof For if great and notable things of Joy be done in it it is said to rejoyce and be glad if great and notable matters of sorrow to be sorry and mourn If dreadfull and terrible things be wrought in it to shake and tremble for fear Hence it is that it is said Let the Earth be glad Psal 96. vers 11. And let the Earth rejoyce 1 Chron 16 v. 31. And be joyfull O earth and break forth into singing O Mountains Isai 49. v 13. Hence it is that the Prophet Jeremie saith that the earth shall mourn Jer 4. v. 28. And again the wayes of Sion doe mourn Lam. 1. v. 4. And hence it is written At his wrath the earth shall tremble Jer. 10. v. 10 And again he hath smitten his people and the Hills did tremble Isai 5. v. 25. See the like 2 Sam. 22. v. 8. Psal 18. v. 7. and 60.2 Job 9. v. 6. and 26.11 and Hab. 3. v. 10. Now because the Scripture speaketh thus of the Earth by a Metaphor or Prosopopocia It goeth on further to signifie by the rejoycing of the earth the joyfull things done in the earth And by the mourning of the earth to signifie the heavy and sorrowfull things done in the earth And by the fearful shaking and trembling of the earth to signifie the dreadful and terrible things which are done on the earth and that per Metonymiam Effecti putting these Passions which are caused in the earth for the things themselves which caused them And thus To arise to shake terribly the earth signifieth here to arise and begin to execute dreadfull and terrible Judgements in the Land which shall make the very earth to tremble and shakâ— for fear 20. In that day See Verse 11. and 17. Shall a man cast his Idols which are made of silver and his Idols which are made of gold whicâ— they made each one for himself to worship to the Moles and to the Batts i. e. In that day shall a man fling away his Idols though they are made of silver and of gold the most pretious mettals that are and though they made them their Gods to worship them in dark holes and dirty corners where they use to fling such things as they make no account of And this they shall do out of contempt of their Idols and out of indignâ—tion that they cannot save them in the time of their adversity To the Moles and to the Batts By Moles and Batts are to be understood Metonymice dark and dirty or filthy holes and corners such as Moles and Batts use to frequent and make their nests in Some observe that the Prophet jesteth here upon these men as if the Prophet should say they shall fling their curious costlâ— and pleasant idols which have been the delightfull object of their eyes to Moles and Batts which either cannot see or see but dimly 21. To go into the clifts of the rocks i. e. That he may make haste to go into the clifts of the rocks The Prophet repeateth here what he said vers 10. and vers 19. And this he repeateth the oftener that being terrible it migbt the better work upon his auditors 22. Cease ye from man i. e. Cease ye from putting any trust or confidence in man as though he could deliver you at this time This the Prophet speakes because the Jewes were to prone to put their trust in the arme of flesh that is in the wisdome and pollicy and strength of men when any calamity was threatned Whose breath And by consequence whose life for no longer is there life in man then there is breath in his body Whose breath is in his nostrils i. e. Whose breath consisteth in his nostrils as in a most necessary instrument Or whose breath is i. e. passeth in i. e. by his nostrills So that if his nostrils be but stopped which is easily and quickly done man must needs perish These words shew the vanity of man and containe a reason why we should cease from putting any trust or confidence in him The inward part of a mans nose is divided by a middle partition into two holes or passages and these two holes or passages are called the nostrills Wherein i. e. In what thing or for what thing Is he to be accounted of i. e. Should any one so account of him or so highly esteem him as to put his trust and confidence in him against any eminent danger Note that this Interrogative hath the force of a Negative q. d. In nothing is he to be accounted of especially if we compare him or oppose him to God as here he is to be compared and opposed When God threatneth ruine or misery in vaine do we trust in man to prevent it or keep it off ISAIAH CHAP. III. FOR behold c. This hath referrence to the last
Verse of the former Chapter And the seven first Verses of this Chapter contain at least by the by a Reason why they should cease from Man that is from putting any trust and confidence in man as the Prophet counselleth Chap. 2 vers 22. q. d. Cease I say from man that is from putting any trust and confidence in man as though he could save you and deliver you from the day of the Lord of Hosts which I have foretold you of Chap. 2 12. c. For behold the Lord of Hosts will take away your bread and your your drink by which your life is supported and what will become of man then And though there be among you now some mighty men and men of warre and Judges and Prophets and Prudent and Ancient Captaines of fifty Counsellors cunning Artificers eloquent Orators which are the props and staies of your Common-wealth to uphold it that it falls not to ruine of it self and to bear it up a little against forrain enemies And in which you put your trust and confidence Yet before that day of the Lord cometh which is spoken of Chap. 2.13 he will take away all these And moreover he will give you Children to be your Princes and Babes to rule over you In whose time there shall be no good government or order among you But Anarchie Sedition and Confusion And so miserable shall your State be as that if there be any man thought fit to rule among you yet he will not accept of it so that there shall not be any men among you to keep you from ruine amongst your selves much lesse to preserve you from the ruine which I threatned to you in the name of God in the former Chap. So that your trust and confidence in man shall be but vaine Doth take away i. e. Will take away A Praesent Tense for a Future The stay and the staffe i. e. The Props and the Pillars of the Common-wealth These words are Metaphoricall taken from a stay or a staffe that an old feeble man hath wherewith to uphold him and keep him from falling What he meaneth particularly by the stay and the staffe he tells in the next words The whole stay of bread i. e. All the bread and by bread understand all other food which is the stay and support of mans life When he saith the stay of Bread he meaneth bread which is a stay Supple of mans life and speaketh as Paul doth Rom. 4. vers 11. Where he saith Abraham received the sign of Circumcision that is Circumcision which was a Sign And the whole stay of water By water he meaneth all manner of drink which he calleth a stay because it is a Stay a Support of mans life as well as bread and meat Now when God taketh away from man his meat and his drink man must needs die In what therefore is man to be accounted of or what confidence can we put in man to save us from what God intendeth against us when God can take away his meat and his drink and they being taken away man must needs perish 2. The migty man Supple Of Valour The Proâ—het goeth on to shew what he meant by the stay and the staffe which he spake of vers 1 And the man of warre i e. The man expert in warre and military affaires The Judge By the Judge is meant not onely he which decideth causes which are brought before him But also the Magistrate which is set for the preservation of the Peace and prevention of disorders And the Prophet The Prophet was he who was wont to instruct the People in the way of the Lord and to whom they were wont to make their addresses in their distresses as Ezekiah did to Isaiah 2 King 19.2 and Jâ—siah to Huldah 2 King 22. vers 13 14. And the Prudent By the Prudent is meant the man which can wisely conjecture of what will be in future by considering the state of things in present And the Anâ—ient By the Ancient is meant he which hath gained wisedome by long experience 3. The Captaine of fifty The Hebrews had Captaines over fifty Souldiers as we have most usually Captaines over an hundred See 2 King 1. Vers 9 10 11 12 13 c. And the honourable man i. e. The man which is of Authority and Grace with the People and whom the People honour and reverence and by whom they will be easily ruled to do what he would have them And the Counsellor i. e. The Senator or Counsellor of State who is able to give good counsell and advice in state matters And the cunning Artificer i. e. And the cunning Engeneer which is witty and cunning in devising and making Fortifications and Engines and Instruments of Warre And the eloquent Orator The eloquent Orator is of great use to reconcile those which are at variance and to pacifie those which are angry and to appease tumults and uproares and to incite and encourage people to fight for their Countrey and to go in an Embassie and to disswade an enemy from his enterprize Note that when the Prophet spoke this most men in place were wicked and unable men as appeares vers 12. Yet all were not so But there were many good and able men even among them even such as are here mentioned in the second and third Verses Note that in the second and third Verses of this Chapter a Singular number is put every where for a Plurall Note also for confirmation of what the Prophet said Chap. 2.22 That when God took away these men which are here spoken of he did experimentally shew how little we ought to trust in man and how meanly he is to be accounted of He did also shew thâ—t there was no possibility or likelyhood that man could save Judah and Hierusalem from the destruction threatned Chap 2. when he had taken away these Props and Pillars thereof and given them such Kings as he speakes of v. 4. 4. And I will give Children to be their Princes and Babes shall rule over them q. d. And when I have taken away these Props and Pillars 〈◊〉 will give Children to be their Princes and Babes to rule over them â—f the Kings themselves had been wise and experienced men in Government the misse of most of those men mentioned in the second or third Verses would have been the lesse For they are but the Kings Instruments and Helpes in Government But to make up the measure of the misery of this People to the full he saith that their Kinges themselves shall be Babes and Children that is of no understanding in those things which concern the good of the Common-wealth By Childeren and Babes He meaneth not Children and Babes for age But Children and Babes for understanding in those things which concern good government and the good and safety of the publique By Princes and those which shall rule ever them he meaneth their Kings which are the Supream Rulers and in particular Jehoiakim Jehoiachin and Zedekiah
Burrough with us called Alâ—er-men quasi Elder-men Yet he calleth these same men Children Vers 12. But it is not from their yeares or from their place but from their Ignorance and their carriage that he calleth them Children in that place For yee have eaten up the Vine-yard By the Vine-yard he meaneth the Poor of whom the Lord hath as great a care as a Master of a Vine-yard hath of his Vine-yard See Chap. 5. vers 7. Men eat onely the Grapes of the Vine-yard but the Beasts eat the Vines themselves To such therefore may these men be here compared except you take the Vine-yard by a Metonymie for the Grapes of the Vine-yard By eating up the Vineyard is meant the spoiling of the Poor of their money and goods by oppression And wonder not that this should so signifie when it is said in the same sense They eat up my People as they eat bread Psal 14 v. 4. Note here the Enallage of the Person how he passeth from the Third to the Second Person The spoil of the poor i. e. The goods which yee have spoiled the Poor of or which ye have wrung from the poor by oppression and extortion What mean ye that ye beat my people By my people are here meant the poor for the Lord doth often call the poor his people because of the care which he hath of them as Psal 14.4 and James 2.5 15. What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces and grind the faces of the poor q. d. What reason have ye thus to oppresse my people to witt the poor and to get their meanes and their substance from them by Oppression Those Phrases are both of them Metaphoricall alluding to wheat whose flower is gotten out by beating or by grinding For note that they were wont not one to grind their wheat in a Mill but also to bray it and beat it in pieces in a morter as appeareth Prov. 27. vers 22. that they may get the flower out of it Hence they which imprison the poor or use them hardly that they may get their money or meanes away from them are said to beat them in pieces and to grind them The like phrase we have among us which speakes of squeezing a man which phrase is Metaphoricall and taken from Grapes or such like fruits which we squeeze that we may get the juyce out of them But you will say that a Mans money or his meanes are not the same to a Man as the flower is to the wheat or the juyce is to the grapes Answer Nor need they be to make the Metaphor good for Similitudes run not upon four feet Yet the Scripture often speakes in this case of a poor mans money and goods as if it were part of the man yea the man himself see Micah 3. v. 2.3 Job 29. v. 17. Prov. 30. v. 14. Psal 14. v. 4. And grinde the faces of the Poor i. e. And grinde the poor He useth here a Synecdoche of the Part for the Whole And puts the faces of the Poor for the Poor themselves and the face rather than any other part in this Place Because this oppression of the Poor did shew it self in the Faces of the Poor when they went heavy and sorrowful through the manifold wrongs which they suffered And when the hunger which they susteined for want of their meanes to buy them bread shewed it self in their lean thin pined and starved faces 16. The daughters of Sion i. e. The women of Hierusalem Sion is taken for Hierusalem as Cap. 1. v. 8. And Hierusalem as any other City may is taken here by a Prosopopoeia for a Mother her Inhabitants all for Children the Men for her Sonnes the Women for her Daughters see Chap. 1. v. 27. Are haughty Some understand this not onely of the haughtinesse of the mind which certainly is chiefly here intended but of the Stature of the body also As though these women to make themselves more tall and stately used high-sole Shooes or stately Buskins And walked with stretched forth necks Like Cranes or Swans The Prophet useth a kind of Sarcasme in this description It is the manner of proud Ones to goe as loftily as they can but humble Men and Women look low And wanton eyes i. e. Lascivious eyes which they cast wantonly and lasciviously upon young Men thereby to allure them to their embraces Walking Supple Abroad in the streets which is not so seemly for them as to keep at home And mincing as they goe i. e. Mincing and cutting their steps and strides as it were into little pieces and taking but a piece of a stride at a time as they goe And making a tinckling with their feet How this tinckling was made with their feet as they went no man can certainly know being utterly unacquainted with the dressings and fashions of the women of that time But some conjecture that they were bells about their feet by the tinckling of which the measure and composure of their steps might be taken notice of Others conjecture that they were Jewels and Pearles in their Shooes and Plinie writes of such lib. 9. cap. 35. and that the hitting and striking of these together as they went mincing made this tinckling Others have other conjectures but they wore some kind or other of tinckling Ornament about their feet v. 18. 17. The Lord will smite with a Scab the Crown of the head This Scab might come either immediately from God or by carrying burthens upon their heads as captives are put to all hardnesse Or by pulling of their hair by the roots which they were wont to doe in their Lamentations And the Lord will discover their secret parts This was when they had not any clothes left them to cover their nakedness For the Babylonish Souldiers under Nebuchadnezzar pilladg'd them of their long trained gownes and scarce left them or allowed them a rag to wear 18. In that day i. e. In the day in which the Lord shall punish this pride of theirs by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar He puts a Relative here without an Antecedent as the Hebrews often use to doe Or else this relateth to the day mentioned chap. 2. v. 12 19. The tinckling Ornaments about their feet See vers 16. The chaines Which they wore about their necks And the bracelets Which they wore about their wrists And the Nose Jewels i. e. Jewels hanging down from the forehead as low as the Nose Some say that the Eastern women were wont to were Jewels in their noses as well as in their eares by boring a hole in their nose as they did in the eare and that the Prophet speaketh here of such jewels or rings 22. The changeable sutes of apparell Changeable Sutes of Apparell were many Sutes of Apparell whereof they wore one one day and another another and another a third day which change and variety of Sutes and of Apparell was accounted a piece of the Luxury of those times And the mantles They were wont
it seemeth to use and wear mantles about their shoulders especially in cold weather and in journeys as many Eastern women doe at this day And the crisping pins With which they used to crisp and curle their hair 23. The glasses i. e. The Looking-glasses wherein they did contemplate and behold their beauty and dresse and prank themselves 24. Instead of sweet smells caused by the Spices and Perfumes which they carried about them There shall be stink Caused by noysome scabs and putrified Sores Or rather through want of change of clothing and good lodging for from the bodies of such proceedeth a noysome and stinking smell Instead of a girdle a rent Observe the Antithesis here a girdle is an Ornament added to and the above the whole and compleat garment A rent is a deformity and taking from the garment which was whole and compleat Well-set hair i. e. Hair set orderly and trimly by trim dressing Baldnesse This baldnesse might be caused either by some disease or scab which God might bring upon them Or by themselves tearing their hair off of their heads through grief and impatience Or by the Babylonians their enemies if at least they were wont to shave those which they conquered and made Captives as the Romans did Or by the servile work and the burthens which they bore on their heads in their captivity of which see Ezek. 29. v. 18. A stomacher Which useth to be more pretious and costly than any part of the garments beside A girding of sackcloth i e. Sackcloth girt upon their stomack Sackcloth as it is the coursest of clothes so is it also a badge of mourning Psal 30. v. 11. and 35.13 And burning i. e. A Face burnt with the Sun He puts an Abstract here for a Concrete Or by burning is meant Deformity and Vgliness caused by the burning of the Sun per Metonymiam Efficientis 25. Thy men shall fall by the Sword Viz. By the Sword of the Babylonians For the Judgements here threatned were performed by the Babylonians when Nebuchadnezzar came against Hierusalem and took it and carried the Jews into captivity The Prophet doth by an Apostrophe turn his speech to Hierusalem And thy mighty i. e. And thy strong and valiant men 26. And her gates i. e. And the Gates of Hierusalem He changeth the Person here speaking of Hierusalem in that third Person to whom he spoke in the 25. Verse in the second Person Her gates shall lament and mâ—run He useth a Prosopopoeia or a Metaphor here attributing that to inanimate creatures which is proper to man Note that within the Gates of the City not of Hierusalem onely but of other Citys also there were wont to be large and fair roomes where publique Assemblies of the Citizens used to be kept for matters of the Common-wealth that is for justice and judgement and the like Gen. 34.20 Deut. 17.5 and 22.15 and 25.7 Ruth 4.1 11 c. Now because the Gates being destinated and appointed for these Assemblies would have been glad and rejoyced when they were frequented by them but lamented and mourned at the slaughter and carrying them away which were wont to assemble there if they had had sence and understanding Hence it is that he saith here Her Gates shall lament and mourn because the Judges and Lawyers and others which used to meet there and frequent those places should be either slain by the sword of the Babylonians or carried away into captivity And she being desolate i. e. And Hierusalem her self being left as a widdow without an husband and a mother spoiled of her children Shall sit upon the ground Viz. As mourners were wont to do Ezra 9.3 Job 2.13 2 Sam. 12.16 He speaketh here by a Prosopopoeia or a Metaphor of Hierusalem as of a Mother or Matron full of grief and heavinesse Jeremie useth the same manner of speech concerning Hierusalem Lament 1. Vers 1. and our Prophet of Babylon Chap. 47.1 ISAIAH CHAP. IIII. AND in that day Supple In which God shall make such a desolation as is spoken of in the third Chapter This doth depend upon the foregoing Chapter And the Prophet here sheweth that there should be so few men left after the desolation and destruction there spoken of as that many women should scarce be able to get one man to be their husband Seven women i. e. Many women He puts a certaine number for an uncertaine Shall take hold of one man As having an earnest sute or request to him And as though they would not let him go untill he had condescended to their request The request that they should make to him is that he would be their Husband and marry them We will eat our own bread and wear our own apparrell The Husband was to find his Wife with food and raiment Exod. 21.10 Least therefore this man should deny their request and put them off with this that he was not able to find food and raiment for them therefore he would not be their husband They prevent him and tell him that they will not put him to that trouble and charge but will find their own food and their own apparrell Onely let us be called by thy name i. e. Onely let us be thine that is thy wives To be called by a mans name or to have a mans name called on a thing signifieth to be a mans own For every thing which is owned is called by the name of the owner as Davids Wife Salomons Sonne Pauls Cloak To take away our reproach â—t was a reproach and a shame among the Hebrews for a woman to be of ripe yeares and not to be married So also it was to be without issue Luke 1.25 Gen. 30 23. This reproach was one part of it certainely taken away and the other likely to be taken away by marriage 2. In that day Here is a Râ—lative put without an Antecedent But what day he speaketh of may be gathered from the fourth Verse It is the day or time when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the Daughter of Sion â—â—d shall have purged away the bloud of Hierâ—â—â—â—â—â— and so shall bring the residue of his Peâ— out of their Captivity Here the Prophet prophesiâ— of joyfull things for the comfort of those which were righteous after those grievous things which he foretold for the terror of the wicked Here should this fourth Chapter have begun Shall the branch of the Lord. The Prophet supposeth here that the Branch of the Lord would spring up as fore-seeing it in the Spirit therefore he speakes not of that that it shall spring up but cometh directly to speak of the Glory and Beauty and Excellency of it when it shall spring up Or else he includeth both by a Sylepsis q. d. And in that day there shall spring up a Branch of the Lord and that Branch of the Lord shall be beautifull c. The branch of the Lord. By the Branch of the Lord is meant the Salvation which God wrought for the Jews
brought them out of Egypt and went before them by day in a Pillar of a Cloud to lead them the way and by night in a Pillar of Fire to give them light to goe by day and by nighâ— Exod. 13. v. 21. Vpon her Assemblies i. e. Upon her particular families which are Assemblies of divers individuall men Or upon the Assemblies in which men shall meet in her in the Temple and in the Synagogues for holy duties And upon the Assemblies in which men shall meet in her Gates for the Administration of Justice and other matters concerning the good of the Common-wealth A cloud and smoak i. e. A dark black smoakie Cloud Here is a figure called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where two or more words are put to signifie one thing A cloud and a smoak by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night He alludeth here as I intimated to the Pillar of a Cloud and the Pillar of Fire in which the Lord went before the Israelites by day and by night as they went out of Aegypt Exod. 13.21 which Pillar seemed not onely to direct them which way to go by day and by night but served also to defend them from the Scorching heat of the Sun in hot daies as they travelled through the Wildernesse And from the Coldnesse of the night when the nights were cold to both which the Psalmist may seem to allude when he saith The Lord is thy keeper c. The Sun shall not smite thee by day nor the Moon by night Psal 121. v. 5 6. For though the Cloud ascended a great height in the Air streight up like a Pillar yet there it dispersed it self abroad it seemeth like another Cloud at least when need was and so kept them from the scorching heat of the Sun as it was a Cloud And as it kept them from scorching heat in the day when the weather was hot as it was as Cloud so it is probable that it kept them from the coldness of the night when the nights were cold as it was fire Note that this and the like places are not so to be understood as if the Prophet meant that God would create indeed a Cloud and Smoak and a Flaming fire to protect Hierusalem and her Assemblies as he did for the people of Israel Exod. 13. v. 21. But here we must observe that the Hebrews doe usually expresse lâ—ke things by like and here by a Cloud in the day and by a Fire by night he signifieth Gods continuall protection of them who did once protect the Israelites after this manner For upon all the Glory shall be a defence He taketh Glory here for glorious ones and puts an Abstract for a Concrete And by the glorious ones he meaneth those Jews which survived after the Babylonish Captivity which were glorious by their Salvation and deliverance Verse 2 When he saith that upon these shall be a Defence that is a Covering to defend them His meaning is that they shall be saved by Gods providence and defended from all their enemies and from all the evill that they can doe And in his expression he is Metaphoricall and alludeth to the Covering of Goats hair Exod. 26. v. 7. Or of Rams skins Exod. 26. v. 14. which were made as a Defence or Covering to preserve and defend the Curious Curtaines of the Tabernacle of which we read Exod. 26 v. 1. from Rain and Wind and any thing that might hurt them 6. And there shall be a Tabernacle for a shadow c. He alludeth here to the Tents and Tabernacles which the Israelites made and dwelt in in the Wildernesse q. d. And as the Tents and Tabernacles in which the ancient Israelites dwelt in the Wildernesse did keep them from the heat of the Sun and from Stormes and Rain so will God defend these and keep them safe from all evill This Copulative And couples these with those words And the shining of a flaming Fire by night So that those words For upon all the Glory shall be a defence may be read with a Parenthesis From the heat i. e. To defend them from the heat of the Sun when the Sun shineth hot For a Place of Refuge and for a Covert from storm and from rain i. e. For a place of Refuge and for a Covert to defend them from storm and from rain when a Tempest is up What the Prophet here prophesieth of we may see historically fulfilled Ezra Chap. 4. Chap. 5. hap 6. and Nehemiah Chap. 4. And the benefit of this protection did the Jews enjoy till almost the times of Antiochus And God failed not of his protection untill they failed of their Obedience which is a Condition tacitely included in all the promises of God Note here that as what the Prophet saith from the second Verse to the end of this Chapter doth in the first sense shew the Glory and Protection which should befall the Men of Judah and Hierusalem after the Babylonish Captivity So in a second and more sublime sense it sheweth the Glory and Protection which God would shew to his People under the Gospel after their delivery from the Thraldome which they were in under Satan and their redemption from their spiritual bondage ISAIAH CHAP. V. NOW will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my well-beloved i. e. Now will I Isaiah the servant of the Lord sing to the Lord whom I heatrily love a song concerning himself Note that to sing to God is to sing in the honour and praise of God and so the Psalmist doth also often use this Phrase A song of my well-beloved i. e. A song concerning himself or a song conteining his praises For he might call this song a song of his well-beloved in the same sence as he said I will sing to my well-beloved Note here that it is probable from the first Verse of the following Chapter that the Prophesie conteined in this Chapter was made known to Isaiah in the year that King Vzziah died 2. And he fenced it He observeth here the methode of husbandmen who being about to make a Vineyard first fence in the ground to keep it from cattell and things that may hurt it And gathered out the stones thereof This is the next thing which the Husbandmen do they gather out the stones that the ground may be the plainer and easier to dig and better for the Plants which shall be planted therein With the choisest Vine i. e. With the best Vines Here is a Singular number put for a Plural And built a Tower in the midst of it The vse of a Tower in a Vineyard was for the Vine-dressers and keepers of the Vineyard to betake themselves thither in storme and raine and to lay up their instruments therein But especially for them to abide and watch there that they might look to the Vineyard that neither Theeves nor Beasts should spoile it The Prophet calleth this a Cottage Cap. 1. v. 8. And also made a Wine-presse therein Viz. That
because they might have understood and believed what they had heard but they would not and they might have understood and believed what they had seen but they would not but obstinately and willfully refused to understand and believe whereby they might have repented and been saved and therefore because heretofore they would not now they should not understand and believe This I say is the exposition which I preferre before the former In Order to which I explaine the words as followeth Make the heart of this people fat and make their cares heavie and shut their eyes least they see with their eyes and hear with their eares and understand with their hearts and convert and believe q d. Tell this people that they willfully refused to understand and believe what they ought and might have understood and believed And that understanding and believing they might have repented and been saved I shewed before that the Heart Eares and Eyes are here Metaphorically taken for the Mind and Vnderstanding And to see hear and understand are all taken for to understand and believe Make the heart of this People fat c. i. e. Tell this People that they have made their heart fat c. i. e. Tell this people that they would not understand c. Note here that the Prophet useth a reall Verbe for a vocal when he saith Make the heart of this people fat c. For Tell this people that they have made their heart fat c. The like manner of speech we read Gen. 41. v. 13. Where Pharaoh's chief Butler speaking of Joseph to Pharaoh and telling him of Joseph's skill in interpreting Dreames saith Me he restored to mine Office for he told me that I should be restored to mine Office And him meaning Pharaoh's chief Baker He hanged For he told him that he should be hanged In like manner this we read Jer. 1. v. 10. I have this day saith the Lord to Jeremie set thee over the Nations and over the Kingdomes to roote out and to pull down and to destroy and to throw down to build and to plant The meaning of which words is this I have set thee or appointed thee this day to Prophesie concerning the Natiâ—ns and concerning the Kingdomes and to tell that some of them shall be rooted up and pulled down and destroyed and some againe shall be built up and planted And make their eares heavie i. e. And tell this people that they have made their heart heavie To make the Eares heavy signifieth to stop the Eares so that they cannot receive the voice of him which speaketh And Eares so stopped are called heavy Eares Because that which stoppeth the Eares after this manner though it be not weighty in it self yet it is troublesome and seemeth heavy to him whose eares are stopped Or he calls heavy eares such eares as are slow and dull of hearing in allusion to heavy things which are slow of motion and hard to be moved out of their place whereas light things are quick and nimble And hence is the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth one that is heavy or dull of hearing By the Eares as I said before is here Metaphorically meant the mind or understanding and these men are said to have stopped or made heavy their eares because they would not understand and believe what was spoken Least they see with their eyes and hear with their eares and understand with their hearts c. There be other effects of a fat heart besides not understanding and other ends why a man may stop his eares besides that that he may not hear and other ends why he may shut his eyes besides that that he may not see For he may shut his eyes to preserve them from the dust And stop his eares to defend them from the cold To shew therefore why these men made their heart fat and their eares heavy and did shut their eyes He tells us that it was for this end least they should see with their eyes and hear with their eares and understand with their heart By which he signifieth Metaphorically that these men did wilfully refuse to understand and believe what they saw done and heard spoken by the Prophets in the name of the Lord as he willfully refuseth to hear which for this end stoppeth his eares and willfully refuseth to see which for this end shutteth his eyes and wilfully refuseth to understand who for this end maketh his heart fat That with which these men made their heart fat and stopped their eares and closed their eyes that is that which made these men so averse from understanding and bâ—lieving was the hatred which they had of the Prophets person and the delight which they had in sinne which they could not follow without remorse of conscience if they understood and believed the word of the Lord. And convert i. e. And turne themselves to the Lord from their evill wayes And be healed That is And be delivered from their afflictions and calamities whensoever they should befall them for their sinnes and from the fear of those calamities before they befell them See Jer. 6. v. 14. The judgements of God that is the afflictions and calamities which befall men for their sinnes are often compared to diseases and wounds and sores As Cap. 1. v. 6. c. 19. v. 22. c. 30. v. 26. And to these may the Prophet allude when he saith and be healed Or And be healed may signifie and have their sinnes forgiven For sinne is the Plague and Sicknesse of the Soul of which Plague and Sicknesse we are healed when our sin is forgiven But a man may object here and say Is it likely that any one would affect spirituall blindnesse and unbeliefe for this end that he might not be healed Answ It is not likely that a man would affect spirituall blindnesse and unbelief directly and chiefly for this end that he might not be healed But it is more than likely that many make it their indirect end and end by consequence For many make that their ends upon which this must needs follow For many do directly desire to enjoy the pleasures of sin without controll and for this end do hate them which tell them of the word of the Lord or denounce his judgements against them which notwithstanding they must hear and believe to before they can repent and be saved So they desire not to be healed by consequence and in the causes thereof though they do it not directly and in it self Note that what the Prophet delivereth here is not so spoke of the People of the Jewes which lived between the daies of Vzziah and the desolation which Sennacherib made in Judaea But that the Holy Ghost had a farther intent in it to wit to signifie the blindnesse and perversenesse of those Jewes also which lived in the time of our Saviour and of his Gospel as appeareth Mat. 13. v. 4. Act. 28. v. 26. For they in Isaiah's time were as it were a Type
in One against Ahaz Which thou abhorrest Viz. Because of the Enmity which their Kings and People bear against thee Shall be forsakâ—n of her Kings i e. Shall be rid of Rezin and of Pekah both which shall die a violent death Of Pekahs death we read 2 Kings 15. v. 30. and of Rezins 2 Kings 16. v. 9. 17. The Lord shall bring upon thee c. Because Ahaz would not believe for all this nor rely upon God but would rely upon Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria for help against Rezin and Pekah 2 King 16. v. 7. therefore the prophet breaks out here into a threatning Prophesie against him saying The Lord shall bring upon thee c. Dayes that have not come i. e. Such dayes as the like have not been for misery and calamity to you and your People and your Fathers house From the day that Ephraim departed from Judah i. e. Since the day or time that the ten Tribes of Israel revolted from the Tribe of Judah and made them a King of their own and a Kingdome distinct from that of Judah which was done by Jeroboam in the dayes of Rehoboam the Son of Salomon 1 Kings 12. Ephraim is taken here for the ten Tribes see notes verse 2. Even the King of Assyria Here we must repeat those words The Lord shall bring upon thee that the sense may be this The Lord shall bring upon thee even the King of Assyria Supple which shall more sorely afflict thee than ever thou wast afflicted since the dayes of Rehoboam The King of Assyria here meant was Sennacharib 18. In that day Supple In which he intendeth thus to afflict thee A Relative without an Antecedent He shall hisse for the flie that is in the utmost part of the Rivers of Egypt He puts the flie here for flies and part for parts Singular for Plurall Numbers And by the utmost parts of the Rivers of Egypt he meaneth the brimms or brinks of Nilus and other the Rivers of Egypt where flies were wont to breed and abide in great abundance By the flies that are in the utmost parts of the Rivers of Egypt are here Metaphorically meant the Egyptians themselves which he signifieth here by the Metaphor of flies because of the abundance of flies which were in Aegypt by reason of the store of Rivers and waters which were there in which kind of places flies doe breed and multiply abundantly Or because as the flie is an impudent creature So were the Egyptians an impudent People Or because the flies use the wings and so are speedy and because they usually are in swarms and so are many Therefore doth be signifie the Egyptians under the Metaphor of flies to shew the great number of them which should come and their speed in coming against Judah He shall hisse for This sheweth how easily God can doe this For he shall but hisse for them and they shall come And for the Bee that is in the Land of Assyria The Bee is put here for Bees a Singular number for a Plurall By the Bees in the Land of Assyria are Metaphorically meant the Assyrians themselves perhaps because Assyria abounded with Bees as Aegypt did with Flies Or he calls the Assyrians Bees because of the great number of them which should come into Judaea and the speed which they should use As he called the Aegyptians Flies Or he might call the Assyrians Bees because of the dexterity which they had to hurt as Bees have to sting Or because of their strength and order in war as Bees are in their kind strong and orderly in which two things as Bees do excell Flies So did the Assyrians excell the Aegytians Note here that he speakes not of the Aegyptians and Assyrians as of two distinct Armies under two distinct Generalls But as two Nations joyned in one and the same Armie of Sennacherib 19. And they shall come and shall rest all of them in the desolate Vallies in the holes of the rocks c. He persists in the Metaphor of Flies and Bees and alludeth to their nature in saying They shall rest in the desolate Vallies and in the holes of the rocks and upon all thornes and upon all bushes But under this Metaphor he meaneth that the Army of the Assyrians should come up against Judah in such a number as that they should fill all Judaea so that no place should be free from them 20. In the same day shall the Lord shave with a Rasor that is hired By a Rasor that is hired he meaneth a sharp Rasor For those things which we use to hire are of the best in their kind and fittest for our purpose What he meaneth by shaving with a Rasor that is hired he explaineth in the next words By them beyond the River i e. By the Assyrians which dwell beyond the River Euphrates The Assyrians are they which are meant by the Rasor By the King of Assyria q. d. That is By the Forces of the King of Assyria The King of Assyria who was the head of his Army is put here for his whole Army per Synecdochen And these words explain the former and tell us that by them beyond the River he meaneth the Assyrians The head i. e. The hair of the head Metonymia subjecti And the hair of the feet By the hair of the feet is meant the hair of the privy members For so the Hebrewes use to speak out of modesty and call the privy members the feet The Prophet compareth the Land of Judah to the body of a man and the men of that land to the hair of that body And this he saith that as the hair of the body useth to be shaved with a Rasor so shall the men of Judah be cut off and slain by the Assyrians And it shall consume the beard q. d. Yea the Rasor shall also cut off the beard Note that the Prophet doth here allude to the manner of the ancient Hebrews who as Vatablus tells us were wont to shave their heads and their privy parts but to let their beards grow long And when he saith that the Lord will shave with a Rasor that is hired the head and the hair of the feet his meaning is that the Lord will cut off and kill all high and low and when he addeth and it shall also consume the beard his meaning is q. d. and he shall spare none 21. And it shall come to passe in that day By this day he meaneth the day or time after this invasion and desolation made by the Assyrians He useth a Relative here without a Antecedent as the Hebrewes often doe A man shall nourish a young Cow and two Sheep i. e. A man shall have but onely one young Cow and but onely two sheep to nourish This sheweth the paucity of Cattel which should be left after this for after this a man had not heards of kine and beasts and flocks of sheep as before but a man had onely one young Cow and two Sheep to keep
the Army of Sennacherib was destroyed yet Hezekiah subdued many people and did prosper wheresoever he went even from the beginning of his Reign so that it might be said that his goverment and prosperity increased all the daies of his life though they were interrupted a while by Sennacherib Kinge of Assyria and what mortall happiness hath not its interruption Vpon the Throne of David Supple shall he fit as the sonne and heire of David And upon his Kingdom the kingdom is put here Metonymice for the Throne of the Kingdome and these are a repetition of the former wordes To order it i. e. To rule and governe that Kingdome of David This relative relateth to the Kingdom but not as it is taken metonymice for the Throne of the Kingdom but as it is taken for the Kingdom it selfe And to establish it with judgment and justice This judgment consisteth in punishing the wicked and this justice in remunerating and rewarding and shewing mercy to the just by which Thrones are established and Kingdomes flourish Proverbs Cap 25. vers 5. and Cap. 29. vers 14. The sence of this place is q. d. he shall sit upon the Throne of David and rule and governe his Kingdom with judgment and justice by which he shall establish the Kingdome and make the Throne to flourish From henceforth even for ever i. e. From the beginning of his Reign even to the end of his life Note that this word henceforth doth not signifie the point of time in which the Prophet spoke this no more doth the like in other places Mat. 23. vers 39. But the time in which Hezekiah should begin his Reign for this word henceforth is a Relative put without an Antecedent and the Antecedent is left to be understood by the circumstance of the place A thing usuall with the Hebrewes as we have often observed And for ever signifieth to the end of his life or so long as he liveth so David saith I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever Psal 89. vers 1. That is I will sing vnto the Lord as long as I live I will sing praise to my God while I have my being Psal 104. vers 33. So I will never forget thy precepts saith he againe Psal 119. vers 93. That is I will not forget thy precepts so long as I live The Zeal of the Lord of Hosts will performe this That is q. d. the ardent love which the Lord of Hosts doth bear to the good and godly among his people will performe this That is will give us so good a King and blesse him to us and will for his sake performe what I spoke of ver 4. That is will for his sake break the yoake of our burden and the staffe of our shoulder and the rod of our oppressours as in the day of Midian 8. The Lord sent a word unto Jacob. By this word he meanâ—â—h threatnings per Synechdochen generis and by Jacob. He meaneth the sons of Jacob pâ—â— Meâ—â—nymiam efficientis q. d. The Lord â—â—d threaten all the children of Jacob both those of the kingdome of Judah them of the kingdome of Jsrael that he would bring grievous plagues vpon them if they were not obedient to him and walked not according to his commandements And it hath lighted vpon Jsrael i. e. And these plagues which he threatned against all the Sonnes of Jacob are lighted upon the ten Tribes or Kingdome of Jsrael This Particle It relateth to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word q. d. And that word hath lighted upon Israel And by the word he meaneth the plagues threatened by that word Per Metonymiam Adjuncti The Prophet seemeth to allude to a stone cast or an Arrow shot into a Croud of people whereby some of the Croud are hurt though other scape This is either a new Sermon or else it relateth to the first verse of this Chapter and depend upon that 9. And all the People shall know Who he meaneth by the word people he explaineth in the next words In these words And all the people shall know c. There is a Figure called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where part of the speech is left to be understood the sentence being abruptly broken off in indignation and anger The sentence intire would be this And all the people shall know even Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria that the Lord will be avenged of them to the full Even Ephraim By Ephraim he meaneth the ten Tribes of Jsrael See Notes cap. 7. vers 2. And the inhabitant of Samaria The inhabitant is put for the inhabitants Collective Samaria was the Metropolis or cheif City of the ten Tribes 10. The Bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewen stone i. e. Our housen which were made of bricks are beaten downe by our enemies but we care not for that we will build more sumptuous and stately housen in the roome thereof we will build housen of hewen stone The bricks By bricks he meaneth housen made of bricks per Metonymiam Materiae They say they are fallen not beaten downe to lessen and slight there punishment as though it were an effect of chance not a Punishment of God for there sinnes The Sycomors are cut downe but we will change them into Cedars By Sicomors he meaneth housen built of the wood or timber of Sycomor Trees which was a more base and common wood and by Cedars housen built of the wood of Cedar Trees which were the more pretious trees These two last sentences seem to be two proverbs and to signifie one and the same thing q. d. we men of Israel and Inhabitants of Samaria have suffered losses by our enemies but we boldly and confidently say we care not for it nor regard it a button for we will easily make up these losses and whereas they haue beaten downe our housen we will build up better in their roome It is a great provocation of Gods wrath and it doth mightily Provoke him to afflict us to the uttermost when we regard not his lesser judgments nor are humbled by them but contemne them and this is that that brings greater judgments here upon Israel 11. Therefore i. e. For supple because they say so Therefore is put here for for The Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him i. e. The Lord will set the adversaries of Rezin against Rezin and destroy him The adversaries of Rezin here meant were the Assyrians under Tiglah-Pileser of which 2 Kings 16. vers 9. But what is this to the punishment of Israel Answer Rezin and Israel were nere confederates Cap. 7 vers 1. And Israel did put much trust and confidence in the strength of this his Confederate it must therefore be a great affliction to Israel to bear that his Confederate shall be encombred with warre so that he cannot help him in time of need much more to hear that he shall be subdued and broken to pieces as here And ioyne his Enemies together
meanes they lived not onely peaceably but also were near to the Temple to worship And this they did chiefly then when the Angel of the Lord had miraculously destroyed Sennacherib's Army and when the Lord had shewed a miracle for Hezekiah's sake in the Sun and had promised Hezekiah by his Prophet peace so long as he lived To it shall the Gentiles seek i. e. To that Root or to that Ensigne by which he meaneth Hezekiah shall the Gentiles seek Supple That they may live in Judaea under his protection The Gentiles By the Gentiles are meant all that were not of the seed of Abraham And h s rest i. e. And the peace and quiet which he shall enjoy from his enemies Or by his rest may be understood the place of his habitation or the place where he resteth that is where he dwelleth by a Metonymie Shall be glorious The peace and quiet which he shall enjoy shall be glorious because many shall admire it and speak of it and desire to partake of it And Hierusalem which shall be the place of his habitation shall be glorious by reason of that Prosperity and those blessings which it shall enjoy by him 11. In that day i. e. In the day of which he spoke v. 10. The Lord shall set his hand againe the second time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria and from Aegypt and from Pathros c. q. d. As God did once put his hand to redeem his people when he delivered them out of Aegypt and brought them into the land of Canaan by the hands of Moses and Joshua So shall he now againe set his hand to recover his people which are or shall be led away Captive into Assyria or fled into Aegypt and into Pathros and other places for fear of their enemies from the places to which they were either carried away captive or fled and bring them back againe into their own land Note that when he saith the Lord shall set his hand againe the second time to recover the Remnant of his People which shall be left from Assyria and from Aegypt and from Pathros c. These Relative words relate not to the place or places from which the Lord did recover them either in the first or second recovery But onely to the Recovery it self q. d. As the Lord did set his hands to recover his people once in the dayes of Moses so shall he now set his hands the second time to recover them in the dayes of Hezekiah For the places from which he did recover them were not all the same in the first and second recovery no nor yet was the manner of the recovery the same The Lord shall set his hand againe the second time to reâ—over The first time at which God set his hand to recover his people was when he set his hand and shewed his power for their delivery out of Aegypt from under Pharaoh by Moses The remnant of his people which shall be left By this he meaneth those Children of Israel which were left alive after that desolation and destruction which was made of them by Tiglah-Pileser Salmanaser and Sâ—nnacherib and which were dispersed abroad in foreigne lands The Lord is said to recover the remnant of his people In that he allured and heartned them to return into the land of Canaan by the prosperity and peace which he gave to Hezekiah And in that he sent troubles among the Assyrians by reason of which many of the Israelites and Jewes which were there Captives had opportunity to escape and returne to their own land Of which more Cap. 14. v. 1. From Assyria and from Aegypt c. By these places understand other places also whether the Israelites Jewes were either led Captives or fled to save their lives These words From Assyria and from Aegypt c. relate to the word to recover From Pathros By Pathros some understand the land of Pharusii near to Aethiopia And from Cush By Cush is meant Aethiopia where the Children of Cush lived which Cush is mentioned Gen. Chap. 10. v. 5. From Elam By Elam is meant the Land of the Elamites which were neighbours adjoyning to the Medes whose fore-father was Elam of whom Gen. 10. v. 22. And from Shinar By Shinar is meant Chaldaea or Babylonia And from Hamah Hamah was scituate under Mount Lebanon not farre from Damascus in Syria And from the Islands of the Sea By the Islands of the Sea he meanes Cyprus and Creete as also Macedonia and parts of Asia bordering upon the Sea For the Hebrewes call not those lands onely which are environed round about with the Sea Islands of the Sea But those Lands also which border upon the Sea though they are not environed with it 12. And he shall set up an Ensigne for the nations c. The Prophet repeateth here what he said in the former verses for the greater confirmation of what he said For the Nations i e. For the People or Gentiles mentioned v. 10. The Out-casts of Israel i. e. Many of those of the ten Tribes of Israel that were either carried away Captive or ranne out of their own Land to save themselves in the dayes of Tiglah-Pileser and Salmaneser The dispersâ—d of Judah i. e. Those of the Tribe and Kingdome of Judah which fled in the dayes of Sennacharib into forraign Countries to save themselves From the four Corners of the Earth i. e. From the East and from the West from the North and from the South parts of the Earth He speakes of the Earth as of a Quadrangular or four-square body after a vulgar manner 13. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart i. e. The envy also and hatred with which the men of Israel were wont to be incensed against the men of Judah and to persecute them shall cease and vanish away Ephraim is put here for the Tenne Tribes of Israel as Chap. 7. vers 2. Great was the envie and hatred and enmity which the ten Tribes of Israel did bear against the Tribe or Kingdome of Judah as appeares as by other places so by 2 Kings 16.5 and Isaiah Cap. 7.1 c. But this envy and hatred and enmity ceased in Hezekiah's dayes for they which returned stuck close to the Jewes either by reason of their common danger Or because Hezekiah and the men of Judah were a refuge for them in their affliction And the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off i. e. And the adversaries of the Tribe or Kingdome of Judah shall be cut off By the adversaries of Judah we may understand the Nations or Gentiles which were the enemies of that Tribe or Kingdome such as were the Philistines and Edomites and Moabites and Ammonites whom Hezekiah subdued according to what is prophesied verse 14. and then these words are left here to be read with a Parenthesis Or we may understand by the adversaries of Judah those of Ephraim that is of the ten Tribes of Israel which bore inveterate
hatred against Judah And these were cut all off by Salmaneser And then And may be taken here for For q.d. For the the Adversaries of Judah those Adversaries I mean which he had in Ephraim shall be cut off Ephraim shall not Envy Judah and Judah shall not vex Ephraim q. d. I say that the men of Israel shall not envy the men of Judah and vex them neither shall the men of Judah vex the men of Israel But they both shall live together as friends in one Common-wealth under one King namely Hezekiah When he saith Ephraim shall not envy Judah he doth as it were resume those words which he used in the beginning of the Verse Viz. Ephraim shall not envy Judah which he intermitted or suspended before he had perfected what he would say by reason of those words And the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off 14. But they i. e. But both the men of Judah and they of the ten Tribes of Israel which shall live under Hezekiah in the land of Judah They shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines i. e. They shall joyn together and set upon the Philistines and shall prevail against them and make them run away and turn their backs upon them so that they shall pursue them and fly upon their shoulders All this is continued by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these words They shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines The like whereof we read Gen. 49.8 The History of this Victory over the Philistines See 2 Kings 18.8 The Philistines towards the Wâ—st This he saith because the Philistines dwelt Westward of Judaea They shall spoile them of the East By them of the East he meaneth the Arabians which dwelt East from Judaea From these he saith he shall take the Prey Together Referre th s word to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they q. d. But they together shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines they together shall spoile them of the East They shall lay their hands upon Edom and Moab i. e. They shall subdue the Edomites and Moabites To lay the hand upon them is put here per Metonymiam adjuncti for to subdue them Edom and Moab are put per Metonymiam causae for the Edomites and Moabites Fathers for the Children And the Children of Ammon shall obey them i. e. And they shall vanquish and overcome the Ammonites and make them their servants To obey is put here for to be vanquished and overcome Per Metonymiam effecti Because they which are vanquished and overcome use to obey and be at the beck and command of their Conquerors and become their Subjects or Servants rather It is likely that these Arabians and Edomites and Moabites and Ammonites which are here spoken of were Auxiliaries to the Philistines at the time here spoken of and served them against the Kingdome of Judah and so were overcome when the Philistines were overcome 15. And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Aegyptian Sea i. e. And the Lord shall divide the Red Sea and dry it up so as to make a passage through it as upon dry land that his People which are in Aegypt may come safely without any impediment from Aegypt to their own Land He saith the Tongue of the Aegyptian Sea that is the tongue of the red Sea which divided Aegypt from Arabia because Geographers liken that Sea to the Tongue of a beast So did they liken the whole earth to a Sling Europe to a Woman Spaine to a Beasts hide c. The meaning of these words are That the Lord shall bring his People which fled into Aegypt to save themselves when Tiglah-Pileser and Salmaneser and Sennacherib invaded their Land with their Armies safe out of Aegypt againe into the land of Judah And this his meaning the Prophet expresseth in this manner in allusion to that which God did when he brought the Israelites out of Aegypt by the hand of Moses for then he divided the Red Sea and brought them safe through it as on dry land Exod. 14.21 22. For the Hebrews do love to expresse like things by like and one thing by the Circumstances of another This Verse hath its immediate relation and dependance upon the twelfe verse And with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river and shall smite it By this River is meant the great River Euphrates which ran on the West of Assyria For when the River is put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scripture doth commonly mean the River Euphrates And here he compares the mighty wind to a Rod which a man holds in his hand and whipps or strikes another with by a Metaphor And in it he hath a double allusion First To the Rod wherewith Moses smote the Red Sea to divide it Exod. 14. v. 21. Then to the strong East wind wherewith God caused the Sea to go back and made the Sea dry land Exod. 14.21 By all this his meaning is onely this that the Lord will bring his People many of them which either fled or were carried away captive into Assyria in the dayes of Tiglah-Pileser Salmaneser or Sennacherib without any let or hinderance into their own Countryes againe In the seaven streames There is which saith that the seaven streams was the name of a noted place in the River Euphrates if any such place there was it may be fit to this place Otherwise I conceive that In is put for Into as many Interpretations render it and that the sense is that he shall smite it and divide the River Euphrates into seven that is putting a certaine for an uncertaine number into many streames When a great River is divided into many streams it becomes fordable and is easie to be passed over That therefore which is meant by dividing the River into seaven streams is this that it shall be made fordable And by that againe this is onely meant that Euphrates shall be no hinderance to the People of Israel in their Return from Assyria to Judaea Make men go over i. e. Over the Channel thereof wherein it ran 16. And there shall be an high way Suple Through the River Euphrates From Assyria i. e. For those which are in Assyria to come from thence Like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Aegypt Supple So shall it be to the Remnant of the Lord's People when they come out of Assyria for as when the Israelites came out of Aegypt the Red Sea was divided to make an high way for them to passe over So shall the River Euphrates be divided for the Remnant of the Lords People that they may passe over it when they come out of Assyria ISAIAH CHAP. XII AND in that day i. e. At that time in which the Lord shall destroy the Assyrians and deliver Hierusalem as it is said Cap. 10. and in which he shall recover the remnant of his People and bring them againe into their own Countrey as is
in the Person of God who as Lord of Hosts commands certaine Officers of the Army which he had prepared and appointed to march against Babylon to gather his Army together for that purpose Lift ye c. He speakes here to Standdard-Bearers or Ensignes of the Mede's Army Lift ye up a Banner Supple that the Souldiers of my Army may repaire to it and gather themselves together in a Bodie Vpon the high Mountaines i. e. Upon an high Mountaine And therefore upon an high Mountaine that it might be seen the farther off and so more notice might be taken of it for the resort of Souldiers to it Exalt the voice unto them i. e. Cry aloud to them and bid them repaire unto their Colours Vnto them i. e. Unto the Souldiers of the Army which I have provided He puts a Relative here without an Antecedent after the Hebrew manner Shake the hand i. e. Becken to them with the hand to come to their Colours When we becken with the hand we move or shake the hand though when we shake the hand we do not alwayes becken with it So that here is a Synechdoche generis We call to them which are within hearing we becken to them which are farther off That they may goe into the Gates of the Nobles i. e. That they may come together march against Babylon and enter it and plunder it and lay it waste The Gates of the Nobles i e. The City of the Nobles He puts the Gates here for the whole City by a Synecdoche By the Gates or City of the Nâ—bles he meanes Babylon which was called the City of the Nobles because most of the Nobles lived there as being one of the royall Cities of the Empire of the Assyrians 3. I have commanded my sanctified ones i. e. I have commanded those which I have set apart for this purpose supple to come together and march to Babylon and to enter it and plunder it and lay it waste Sanctifi d ones They are called sanctified ones which are separated and set apart for any businesse For to sanctifie signifieth properly to separate or set apart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Châ—ysostome what meanes that that the Lord sanctified the seventh day the meaning is that he set it apart I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger i. e. I have also called those men of valour which I have appointed for the execution of mine anger upon Babylon supple to come and execute my anger upon it For mine Anger i. e. Whom I have appointed for the execution of mine anger supple upon Babylon A Metonymie and an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even them that rejoyce in my Highnesse i. e. Even them which rejoyce in doing what I would have them doe In my highnesse i. e. In doing what I would have them doe Here are many figures couched For first he saith In my Highnesse for in me By a Periphrasis So we say of a Prince the Princes Highnesse Secondly he saith In me for in my will and in my pleasure per Metonymiam Efficientis Thirdly he saith In my will and in my pleasure for in doing my will and pleasure per Metonymiam Objecti One Souldier that goeth joyfully and with a good mind upon any service is better than ten that care not whether they goe or no. All this is spoken in the person of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. The noise of a multitude in the Mountaines q. d. Heark there is a noise of a multitude of men in the Mountaines of Media The sentence is defective and is to be supplied with the words heark there is The Prophet speakes here as though he heard on a suddain the whole Army of God met together in the Mountaines of Media at the command of the Lord of Hosts to march against Babylâ—n and as though he would have others to attend and kearken By which he signifieth that the Medes shall certainly come with an Army against Babylon and that speedily too When he saith the noise of a multitude in the Mountaines he alludeth to the quality of the Land of Media which was mountainous Of the Kingdomes of the Nations gathered together He saith of the Kingdomes of the Nations gathered together because with the Medes the people of many other Kingdomes of the Nations were joyned in this expedition The Lord mustereth the Hoste of the battle i. e. The Lord doth already gather his Army together which he intendeth to send against Babylon Least they to whom the Prophet spoke in the words immediately going before might doubt what the reason of that noise was which they heard in the Mountaines here he tells them what the reason of it is It is from this that the Lord mustered the Host of the battle which he intended against Babylon The Host of the battle i e. The warlike Host A Substantive of the Genitive case put for an Adiective 5. They come from a farre Country They are comming already they are already upon their march c. Who are meant by this They the following words shew they are the Lord and the weapons of his indignation whose noise they heard in the Mountaines From a farre Country Although the Medes themselves were not farre from Babylon yet many people which joyned with the Medes were From the end of the Heaven i. e. From the end of the earth where heaven and earth seem to meet together The Prophet speakes here in the phrase of the common and vulgar sort of people which think that the heaven is Semicircular like a Bow and that there it ends where the sight is bounded and that there it is joyned to the earth as the Bow to the string He mentioneth their farre coming because farre comers are for the most part more covetous and fierce than others and would seem to doe something to their enemies worthy of their farre coming and hard paines and such are more formidable to their enemies than others are The weapons of his indignation i. e. The Medes whom he maketh use of to execute his wrath upon Babylon as a man maketh use of his weapons to revenge himself upon his enemies A Metaphor To destroy the whole Land i. e. To destroy the whole Land of Babylon or Babylonia 6. Howle yee i. e. Lament yee men of Babylon He useth a Metaphor in the word howle taken from Dogs or Wolves or the like and an Apostrophe to the Babylonians in the word Yee For the day of the Lord. i. e. The day in which the Lord will pour out his vengeance upon you It shall come as a destruction i. e. It shall come as a day of destruction He saith a destruction for a day of destruction per Metonymiam Adjuncti Or thus that destruction which the Lord will bring upon Babylon in that day shall come as a dâ—struction c. As a destruction from the Almighty That destruction is said to come from Almighty God which is an inevitable and a full destruction and such
as weak man cannot make but sheweth it self to be the work of God by the greatnesse and inevitablenesse thereof 7. Therefore shall all hands be faint i. e. All the hands of the Babylonians shall be faint and not able to hold up a weapon against the Medes And every mans heart i. e. Every Babylonians heart Synechdoche Generis Every mans heart shall melt Supple As Ice Josh 7.5 or as melting Wax Psal 22.14 to wit for fear The heart is put here for the courage And then a mans courage is said to melt when he hath not courage enough to resist his enemy but flies away from him and stands not to him Things which melt wax soft and things which are soft cannot resist the Agents which presse upon them as hard things can And therefore because a fearfull man flies from his enemie and is not able to withstand him his heart is said to melt by a Metaphor from ice or wax which being hard in themselves grow soft being melted and so not able to resist the Agent which presseth upon them And that this is the reason of this Metaphor we may learn from Job who saith I am afraid of him for God maketh my heart soft Job 23. v. 15 16. And Caesar speaking of the Gaules saith Vt ad bella suscipienda Gallorum alacer ac promptus est animus Sic mollis ac minime resistens ad calamitates perferendas mens eorum est Caes Com lib. 3. pag. 63. As the courage of the Gaules is chearfull and ready to undertake warres So their heart is soft and of little resistance to undergoe miseries 8. Pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth q. d. Great sorrow and trouble and anxiety and vexation of mind shall lay hold upon them The pangs and sorrows and pains of a woman in travail are Metaphorically here to be understood of the sorrow and trouble and anxiety and vexation of the mind They shall be amazed one at another Supple To see themselves so timorous faint-hearted and cowardly now which use to be so valiant at other times And such shall be their amazement as that they shall not be able to counsell or encourage one another Their faces shall be as flames i. e. They shall blush for shame to see themselves so faint-hearted and cowardly so that their faces shall be as red as flames that is as red as fire with blushing Because these passions may seem incompatible to the same subject at the same time understand them of the same subjects at severall times or of severall subjects at the same time 9. Behold the day of the Lord cometh See verse 6. Cruell both with wrath and fierce anger He speaks here of a day as of an angry man By a Metaphor or Prosopopeia A day if we will speak without a Metaphor is said to be cruell for no other reason than because cruell things are done in it And though the things which were done by the Medes at this time were cruell indeed in respect of them yet in respect of God they were just To lay the Land He meaneth the Land of Babylon See verse 5. 10. For the Starres of Heaven and the Constellations thereof shall not give their light i. e. For such shall be the miseries and calamities that that day shall bring upon the men of Babylon and their Land as that the Heavens and Constellations thereof shall not give their light but they shall cloth themselves with darknesse and mourn as being affected and much moved with the miseries and calamities which shall befall Babylon and the men thereof at that time See notes Cap. 2. v. 19. and Cap. 5. v 25 30. This is to be referred to those words The day of the Lord cometh cruell both with wrath and fierce anger to lay the land desolate and is as an argument to prove the cruelty and the wrath and the anger which shall be shewed in that day The Constellations thereof A Constellation is a certain number of starres which goes to the making up of one Sign in the Heavens such as is Aries Taurus Gemini Virgo c. In his going forth i. e. At his rising When the Sun riseth it is said to goe forth as a Bridegroom out of his Chamber by a Metaphor Psal 119. v. 5. 11. And I will punish i. e. For I will punish And for For as it is often used by the Hebrews The Prophet speaks here in the Person of God The world i. e. The Land or the Sinners of Babylon Synechdoche integri hyperbolica Of the proud i. e. Of the proud Babylonians Synechdoche Generis Of the terrible i. e. Of the Babylonians who haue been a terrour to their adjoyning Neighbours And in a speciall mannen to the people of Israel 12. I will make a man more pretious than fine gold q. d. I will either cut off so many of the Babylonians with the sword of the Medes or make them flie from their own houses and land to save their lives abroad for fear of the Medes as that I will leave but very few Babylonians in the Land of Babylon so few as that a man shall be more scarce than a apiece of fine gold A man i. e. A Babylonian Synâ—chdoche generis More pretious i. e More rare or scarce for every thing which is rare and scarce is pretious Metonymia effecti Even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir This is a repetition of the former sentence Ophir was the place whither Salomon sent his shipps for gold 1 Kings 9.28 No wonder therefore if they had gold in the wedge from thence being that there were Mines of gold there Ophâ—r is thought to have been some part or other of the East Jndies 13. Therefore I will shake the heavens q. d. Therefore that I may do this or bring this to passe i. e. That I may make a man more pretious than gold even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir I will do such terrible things in the Land of Babylon as shall make the very heavens over it to tremble I will shake the heavens i. e. I will do such terrible things as shall make the heavens to shake See Notes Cap. 2.19 c. 5.25.30 and here Cap. 13.10 And the earth shall remove out of her place q. d. And the earth tremble for fear to see all those direfull things that I will do upon her yea it shall even remove out of her place for fear In the wrath i. e. At the wrath or to see the wrath of the Lord of Hosts which he will execute upon the men of Babylon Or In the wrath i. e. In the day of that wrath Of the Lord of Hosts Note here the Enallage of the person from the first to the third 14. And it shall be as the chased Roe i. e. And Babylon shall be as a Roe-deer which is chased with hounds and huntsmen for as a Roe which is so chased flies from it's
wonted place it knowes not whether So Babylon being pursued by the Medes shall flie from her owne home into forreigne Lands which she knowes not that there she may save her life Here is a Relative without an Antecedent expressed The Relative It without an Antecedent but the Antecedent is easie to be understood for the Antecedent is Babylon of whom he speakes as of a woman by a Prosopopoeia This person is given here to Babylon to shew how her Inhabitants shall be forced to fly at that day And as a sheep that no man taketh up i. e. And as a wandering sheep that no man taketh up or hath care of when he seeth it wandering but lets it wander on For as such a sheep wandereth in unknown wayes untill it falls into some pit or other or into the jawes of the Wolfe or some other ravenous beast So shall Babylon wander untill shee falls into some destruction or other They shall turne every man to his own people i. e. They which came as Auxiliaries or were hired by the Babylonians to help them to serve them in their warres shall upon the comming of the Medes in the day of the Lord fly every one to his own home and leave the Babylonians destitute Here is a Relative againe viz. they put without an Antecedent after the manner of the Hebrews 15. Every one that is found i. e. Every Babylonian which the Medes find either remaining in Babylon or flying out of it Shall be thrust thorow Supple with a sword i. e. Shall be slaine And every one that is ioyned to them i. e. And every stranger or out-landish man that joyned himself to the Babylonians to help them By the sword Supple Of the Medes 16. Their Children also i. e. The Children also of the Babylonians Shall be dashed in pieces Supple By the Medes who shall take their Children and dash them against the stones as Psal 137. v. 9. Their houses shall be spoiled i. e. Their houses shall be plundered of all their goods 17. Behold I will stirre up the Medes against them i. e. For behold I will stir up the Medes against them Here he sheweth by whom he will execute his judgements upon the Babylonians he will execute them by the Medes Which shall not regard silver And therefore shall not call to the Babylonians to ransome their lives when they have got them into their power Nor accept of a ransome if the Babylonians should offer them a ransome to save their lives but shall kill every one which they take and meet with 18. Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces i. e. They shall also dash out the brains of the young men with the stocks of their Bows This is a sign of extream fury and hatred On the fruit of the womb i. e. On Children For Children are the fruit of the womb Psal 127. v. 3. Their eyes shall not spare Children i. e This is a repetition of the fore-going sentence It is a sign of extream cruelty thus to use Children whose weak age used to priviledge them from the sword as Deut. 20. v. 13 14. Their eyes That is They. The eye which is but a part is put here by a Synechdoche for the whole man And therefore the eye rather than any other part because we are more ready to pitty a miserable object when we see it than when we hear of it c. 19. And Babylon the glory of Kingdomes The Assyrian had many Kingdomes subject to him in which there was no City more famous than Babylon Hence he calls it The glory of Kingdomes The beauty of the Chaldees excellencie i. e. The prime and chief and most beautiful of all those excellent Cities which the Chaldees had He puts beauty and excellencie here by a Metonymie for beautifull and excellent Cities Or by the Chaldees excellencie may be meant the Chaldees themselves by a Periphrasis So when we say of a General the Generals Excellencie we mean the General himself Babylon that famous City was scituate in Chaldea and therefore is it called the beauty of the Chaldees excellencie Shall be as when God overthrew Sodome and Gomorrah i. e. Shall be utterly overthrown Note here that by the overthrow of Sodome and Gomorrah is usually signified an utter destruction of a City and such a destruction as is never repaired again as appeares by this place and by Jerem. 49. v. 18. 20 It shall never be inhabited neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation An utter desolation is here prophesied of Babylon and that it should never be inhabited again But how could this Prophesie be fulfilled when the Medes broke to pieces the Assyrians Empire whereas Babylon was so farre from being overthrown like to the overthrow of Sodome and Gomorrah and from being never inhabited from that time as that it remaines in some renown even to this day for at this day it is a Town of great â—raffique if we believe reports Answer That Babylon when the Medes invaded the Assyrian Empire was grievously ruined is more than probable For at that time Babylon was not not so strongly fortified as it had been in former and was in after times For Eusebius reporteth in the end of the ninth book of his Evangelicall preparation out of Abydenus that Belus had fortified Babylon with a wall but that that wall was in processe of time abolished untill Nebuchadnezar fortified it again with a new wall So that it was no hard matter for the Medes to take Babylon by force and storm in that interim And by force and storm it is likely that they took it and having so taken it that they did fire it and grievously ruinate it For as though it had been utterly ruinated at that time Nebuchadnezar saith of what he built afterwards is not this great Babylon which I have built Dan. 4. v. 30. So then when the Medes did destroy the Assyrian Empire Babylon in all likelihood was grievously ruined besides that that the power of the Assyrians which ruled there was quite destroyed yet some part of it without doubt was left remaining as may be gathered from 2 Kings chap. 20. vers 12. where mention is made of Baladon King of Babylon though we know that men oftentimes bear titles from places which have been but now are not therefore it is said here that Babylon shall be as when God overthrew Sodome and Gomorrah I conceive that Babylon is to be taken per Synechdochen integri for the greatest part of Babylon And in all likelihood the greatest part of Babylon was utterly destroyed at this time I conceive moreover that though Nebuchadnezar did build Babylon yet that part of Babylon which was so ruinated by the Medes was never built or inhabited again and that Nebuchadnezar built not upon the old ruines but upon new ground as Rome which was built after the inundation of the Gothes was not built upon the old ruines but lower on the bank of Tiber upon
Campus Martius and hath little left of old Rome but onely the name as being not scituated in the same place Neither shall the Arabian pitch Tent there There were Arabians which lived wholly upon their cattle which they drove from place to place for fresh pasture And they themselves lived in Tents which they moved from place to place for the more benefit of their flocks and herds from their living in Tents they were called Arabes Scenitae and from their feeding of cattle Nomades These Arabians bordered upon Chaldea and therefore it had been convenient for them to have pitch'd their Tents and fed their cattle there if there had been good conveniency there for feeding of cattle But he saith the Arabian shall not pitch his Tent there to wit there to feed his cattle because it should not be a place fit to feed cattle by reason of the ruines and rubbish which should be there and the briars and thornes which should grow up there and especially because of the wild beast which he mentioneth in the next verse which should lodge there Yet note that by an Arabian we may understand Metonymically any one which led that kind of life as those Arabians did though he were not an Arabian born that is any Shepheard and so by an Arabian may be meant a Shepheard here as well as a naturall Arabian Neither shall the Shepheards make their fold there i. e. Neither shall the Shepheards feed their sheep there for where Shepheards make their fold they feed their Sheep This is a repetition of the former sentence 21. And their houses i. e. And those ruinous parts of their houses which remain Dolefull Creatures i. e. Creatures which make mournfull cryes and noises And Saytres shall dance there Satyres were reputed as Gods of the woods among the Heathen whose upper parts were like a Man their lower parts like a Goate If you ask what they were indeed Surely they were no other than Devils in such a shape who haunt for the most part remote woods and sollitary places and there appear in strange formes Shall dance there He alludes to the leapping and skipping and dancing of wanton Goates part of whose shapes these Devills assumed 22. And the wild beasts of the Islands i. e. Strange beasts which Inhabite Islands and remote places Note That the Hebrewes call all places near the Seas Islands Shall cry i. e. Shall make hideous noises In their pleasant Palaces i. e. In those which are now pleasant Palaces but then shall be ruinous heapes Her time is near to come i. e. The time in which Babylon shall be thus afflicted is near at hand And her dayes shall not be prolonged i. e. And the dayes which she hath to flourish shall not be many Or thus And her dayes in which these things shall come upon her which I have spoken of shall not be long before they come that is they shall not be deferred These Phrases shew that it was not long before this Prophesie was executed upon Babylon and therefore surely it was executed before the dayes of Cyrus in the dayes which Josephus saith that the Medes destroyed the Assyrian Empire ISAIAH CHAP. XIIII FOR the Lord will have mercy upon Jacob. i. e. For the Lord will have mercy upon the Children of Jacob and his mercy will be shewed in that that he will punish and bring down their enemies and comfort and refresh them In particular he will by the overthrow of Babylon give the Children of Jacob which were held in slavery and in bondage in Babylon opportunity to return to their own land againe Jacob is put here per Metonymiam efficientis for the Children of Jacob. Note that this hath Coherence with the former Chapter and containes a reason why God would deal so severely with the Babylonians and destroy Babylon And will yet choose Israel i. e. And will yet shew that he made choice of Israel for a peculiar people by his love to them Israel is put here by a Metonymie for the Children of Israel who is the same as Jacob For Iacob and Israel are but two names of one man Gen. Chap. 32. v. 28. And to choose signifieth to shew love for God sheweth his love to them whom he maketh choice of And set them in their own land i. e. And bring them which are or shall be Captives in Babylon c. back out of Babylon c. into that Land which he gave them at first to wit the Land of Canaan When Sennacherib invaded Judaea and took many Jewes captive it is likely that he sent them away into Babylon and other places of his Dominions as fast as he took them and as he had the opportunity of a Convoy for them And of these might this place be understood q. d. The Lord will have mercy upon those Jewes the children of Jacob who also is called Israel whom Sennacherib shall send away Captive into Babylon and will yet shew his love to them and set them in their own land againe But it may not so be understood of them but that by Jacob and Israel may be here meant the People of the ten Tribes also q. d. Though the Lord hath utterly cut off the ten Tribes of Israel from being a people and hath sent them into captivity into Babylon and other places of the Assyrians dominions by Tiglah-Pilesser first and Salmanaser afterwards and seemeth to have quite forsaken them for evermore yet will he have mercy upon them and will yet shew his love to them and set them in their own land againe We read expressely that the King of Assyria brought men from Babylon c. and placed them in the Cityes of Samaria instead of the Children of Israel 2 Kigns 17.24 wherefore it is certaine that the Children of Israel many of them were sent at that time back to Babylon for such changes were the Eastern Conquerours wont to make Note here that the Lord never brought back the ten Tribes to be a People and kingdome and Common-wealth of themselves againe as he brought the two Tribes of of Judâ—h and Benjamin after that Nebucadnezzar had carried them away Captive into Babylon But he is said to set the Childdren of Jacob or the Children of the ten Tribes in their Land againâ— because he gave them opportunity to escape out of Babylon and other places of their Captivity and to return back into the land of Canaan which he gave unto their Fathers by the troubles which he brought upon Babylon and the King of Assyria whose power he broke in pieces at this time by the Mâ—des which opportunity many of them made use of and came back into the land of Canaan and dwelt there not onely in the Cityes of Israel but also in the Cityes of Judah which being lately wasted by Sennacherib had roome enough to entertaine them So that any part of the land of Canaan that land which God gave to their forefathers may here be called their own land as England
may be called the Land of an English man in what County soever thereof he was born or what Shire thereof soever he dwels in And the strangers shall be joyned with them i. e. And the Strangers among whom they live in their Captivity being wonne by their example to worship their God and hearing of the prosperity of Hezekiah and fearing what may be the event of those troubles and warres which the Medeâ— shall bring upon Babylon and Assyria shall goe along with them into their land By Strangers are meant such as were not of the seed of Jacob and in particular here are meant those among whom they lived Captive And they i. e. And the Strangers Shall cleave to i. e. Shall stick close to To the house of Jacob. i. e. To the Children of Jacob and live with them 2. And the People shall take them and bring them to their places i. e. And the stranggers shall accompany the Children of Israel into their own land and furnish them with things necessary for their journey The People i. e. The Strangers or Gentiles among whom they lived in Captivity Shall take them and bring them This signifieth no more than if he had barely said they shall bring them Shall bring them To bring a man on his way doth not signifie onely to accompany him but also to furnish him with necessaries for his journey as you may see Tit. 3. v. 13. And the house of Israel shall possesse them in the Land of the Lord for servants and hand-maides i. e. And they shall serve the Children of Israel in the Land of the Lord and be their servants In the Land of the Lord. Judaea was called the Land of the Lord because there was the Temple and house of God and God was there worshipped Yea the whole land of Canaan might be called the Land of the Lord because God did reserve to himself a peculiar Interest in that land Levit. 25. v. 23. And them Captives whose Captives they were i. e. And the Children of Israel shall take many of the Assyrians and Babylonians Captives whereas they were before in Captivity to them Note that whereas the word Captives is here twice repeated In the first place it is to be taken Metaphorically in the other properly For the Assyrians and Babylonians are called Captives of the Children of Israel onely because they went along with the Children of Israel and left theâ—r own land to dwell with them and serve them which they did out of their own free election But the Children of Israel are called Captives of the Babylonians and Assyrians because the Babylonians and Assyrians conquered them by their sword and carried them away whether they would or no from their own to their Land there to be bondmen and bondwomen And they shall rule over their Oppressors i. e. And the Children of Israel shall rule over their Oppressors either as Masters over Servants or as Princes over Subjects Over their Oppressours i. e. Over the Babylonians and Assyrians which did oppresse them in the Land of their captivity Note here that the Children of Israel are said to take them Captive whose Captives they were and to rule over their Oppressours Not because they took those individuall men captive whose Captives they were Nor because they ruled over those individuall men which oppressed them But because they whom they are said to take captive and to rule over were of the same People and Nation as they were of to whom they were in captivity and which oppressed them 3. And it shall come to passe that in that day that the Lord shall give the rest He useth an Apostrophe here to Jacob that is to the Children of Israel even all of them which had been any way afflicted by the Assyrians and were now relieved From thy sorrow and from thy fear and from thy hard bondage c. He saith and from thy hard bondage in regard of those onely which were carried into Babylon c. For they onely were in bondage though they and all the rest of the Children of Israel were in sorrow and in fear by reason of the cruell oppressions and warrs which the King of Assyria brought upon them When Sennacherib's host was destroyed they which were in Hierusalem were delivered from their sorrow and fear But they which were in bondage were not delivered thence untill the Medes destroyed Babylon 4. Thou shalt take up this Proverb i. e. Thou shalt use this elâ—gant song or speech so some or this quipp or taunt so others Against the King of Babylon The King of Assyria is here meant by the King of Bâ—bylon for he was King of Babylon at this time 2 King 17.24 As the Emperour of Russia is sometimes called the Emperour of Russia sometimes the Gâ—eat Duke of Muscovie So was the King of Assyâ—ia called sometimes the King of Assyria sometimes the King of Babylon If it be asked why he is called here rather the King of Babylon than King of Assyria The reasons may be First because the Prophet did prophesie of the great overthrow of Babylon which as it is likely felt more of the Medes fury than any place of the Assyrian Empire besides That therefore he might more lively set out the calamity which should befall the King of Assyria he calls him the King of Babylon as if he should say The King of that Babylon whose overthrow should be as the overthrow of Sodome and Gomorrah Secondly He might be called the King of Babylon here because that it is likely that more of the Children of Israel were captive in Babylon than in any other place of the Assyrian Empire besides and more hardly and cruelly used there And there dwelt the Exactors of that Tribute which had been laid upon the Children of Israel and there was that Tribute paid in That therefore the destruction of the King of Assyria might more affectionately work upon the Children of Israel and make them more joyful having suffered so many things from Babylon he calls the King of Assyria King of Babylon By this King of Babylon is meant in particular Sennacherib as will appear by the processe of this proverbe or song And this may be the reason why Sennacherib is made the subject of this Song or Proverb more than any other King of Babylon to wit because no King of Babylon or Assyria did ever oppresse the Jewes whom this book most concerns as appeares Cap. 1.1 more than Sennacherib did Secondly Because Sennacherib was in a manner the last King of Babylon at least the last Oppressour of that Race For though after he was slaine Esar-haddon his Sonne reigned in his stead Cap. 37.38 yet his Raign was but exceeding short for he was scarce seated in the Throne when the Medes came and destroyed his Empire And the Children of Israel which were with Hezekiah scarce heard of his being King much lesse did feel the hand of his Oppression and yet there is something in this Proverb which
by Salmaneser because of the league which the Syrians had there with the ten Tribes against Assyria 2 Kings 18.9 c. Is taken away for being a City i. e. Shall be destroyed and be no City but an heap of rubbish He puts a Preterperfect for a Future tense as Prophets are wont And it shall be a ruinous heape i. e. And it shall be reduced to a heape of stones and rubbish 2. The Cityeâ— of Aroer are forsaken i. e. The Câ—tyes of Aroer shall be forsaken and left desolate because the Inhabitants shall either flie away or be slaine or carried into Captivity Aroer Aroer was a Tract of land by the brink of the River Arnon which the Reubenites and Gadites and Manassites did possesse of which Deut. 2.36 And of this Aroer do some interpret this place thinking it to have been held by the Syrians at this time Others had rather take it of a Tract of land in Syria called also by the Hebrews Aroer by Ptolomie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall be for flocks i e. Sheep and other Cattle shall feed and lodge there They shall lie down Supple Quietly And none shall make them afraid Because there shall be left none of those Cityes to disquiet them 3. The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim i. e. Samaria also shall be taken away from the ten Tribes of Israel which was the Royall City of that Kingdome By the Fortresse is meant Samaria which he calleth a Fortresse from the strength and Fortifications thereof For it was as strong and as well fortified as if the whole City had been a Fortresse so strong and well fortified it was as that Salmaneser besiedged it three yeares before he took it 2 Kings 18.9 10. By Ephraim he meaneth the ten Tribes of Israel See Cap. 7.2 Because Ephraim and Syria joyned in their sin they are here joyned in their punishment and are both so distressed as that the one is not able to help the other And the Kingdome from Damascus So that Damascus shall not be a Royall City and head of a Kingdome as before And the remnant of Syria Supple So that none of the Syrians which shall be left shall come to be Kings of Syria or of the Syrians They shall be as the glory of the Children of Israel i. e. The Syrians though they are very many for number glory of their multitude yet they shall be as the glory or multitude of the Children of Israel that is they shall be brought low and diminished as the Children of Israel shall That is q. d. The Syrians and the Children of Israel though now they are exceeding many for number yet both of them shall be brought low they shall become few in number The glory of a Nation consisted in the multitude of a People And that most commonly the Prophet calls a Nations glory either because they gloried in it themselves or were renowned abroad for it by others That therefore that the Prophet saith here is this as I said viz. that the great multitudes of the Syrians shall become as the great multitudes of the ten Tribes of Israel If you ask what became of the great multitudes of the ten Tribes of Israel he will tell you in the next following verses that they were diminished and brought to a small number Note that the Prophet gives a reason here why he said the remnant of Syria q. d I said the remnant of Syria for the great multitudes and glory of the Syrians shall be as the glory of the Children of Israel it shall be diminished and brought to a remnant as they shall Note that there is no formall Antecedent here going before this Relative They but the Antecedent may easily be understood 4. And in that day it shall come to passe For In that day it shall come to passe c. He puts And for For For he sheweth here in what he likened the Syrians or the glory of Syria to Children of Israel or the glory of Isra l. In that day i. e. At that time in which the Lord wiil scourge the Israelites by Salmaneser The glory of Jacob shall be made thinn i. e. The great multitude of the ten Tribes of Israel shall be diminished and brought low and left as but a remnant This is the sense of these words but the Prophet useth a Metaphor here and puts Jacob the Father for the ten Tribes of Israel which were the Children of Jacob by a Metonymie As Jacob therefore was a single man so doth he there speak of all the ten Tribes as if they were but one single man yet a bigg fat and corpulent man and the multitude and great numbers of the ten Tribes he likeneth to the corpulency and fatnesse of that man For as a man groweth big by his corpulency and the fatnesse of his flesh So doth a Nation or Kingdome by the multitude of its People And as a man growes thin and slender when the corpulency and fatnesse of his flesh abateth So is a Kingdome or Nation diminished and brought low when the multitude of its People is destroyed The glory of Jacob. By the Glory of Jacob is here meant the Corpulency and bignesse of the naturall body of Jacob by which as I said is meant the multitude of the politique body of the people of Israel which multitude is a Peoples glory And the fatnesse of his flesh i. e. And the fatnesse of Jacob's flesh by which he meaneth the multitude of the children of Israel as he did by the glory of Jacob. For as man groweth big by the fatnesse of his flesh so doth a People wax great by their multitude Shall be made lean i. e. Shall be diminished or brought low 5. And it shall be as when the harvest man gathereth the Corn and reapeth the eares with his arme i. e. And the glory that is the multitude of the Children of Israel shall be as when the harvest man gathereth the corn and reapeth the eares with his arme For as the harvest man gathereth the corn and reapeth the eares with his arme that he may carry them out of the field into the barne So shall Salmaneser gather the great multitude of the Children of Israel and fetch them from their severall dwellings to carry them out of their own land into Assyria Note that the Antecedent to this Relative It is the glory or multitude of Israel likened to the glory or fatnesse of Jacobs flesh v. 4. For the Prophet often passeth from the thing signifying to the thing signified Note that these two Phrases gathereth the Corn and reapeth the Eares Are but repetitions and signifie the same thing for the Prophet loves to repeat the same thing by diverse words Or if they signifie divers things by gathering of the corn is meant the gathering and grasping of the standing corn with the left hand in reaping that he may the better cut or reap it with the right hand And by the reaping of the eares is meant the
5. And the waters shall faile from the Sea c That which the Prophet saith from this to the eleventh Verse is an amplification of one and the same thing which is this to wit that it should be so with the Egyptians as if there were no water in the Sea in regard of traffique and commerce by sea For as if there were no water in the Sea there could no Ships goe and so there would be no traffique and commerce between People and People Port and Port So should there be no traffique for the Egyptians by Sea at this time The reason why there was no traffique by sea at this time was because the Carians and Ionians took part with Psammitichus in his warres with the eleven Kings who being strong by sea took all the Vessells and Ships of Egypt which stirred out and made them Prize so that few durst stirre abroad And the River He meanes the River Nilus which was navigable in all parts of it Shall be wasted and dried up What he meaneth by these you may understand by the Notes or these words The waters shall faile from the Sea 6. And they shall turne the Rivers farre away i. e. And Nilus and other Rivers of Egypt shall be turned away out of their wonted Channels and their Channels left dry The meaning of this place is that there should be no more traffique upon the Rivers with Beates and Barks than if the Rivers were quite dried up and turned out of their Channels The Brooks of defence i. e The Brooks which defend Supple Egypt The Brooks being many in Egypt were a defence to it so that it could not be so easily over-runne by an Enemy as other Countreys might Hence the Brookâ— of Egypt might be called Brooks of defence taking defence actively Or they may be called Brookes of defence q. d. fenced Brooks or Brooks which have a defence because they were fenced and kept in with banks and heapes of earth that their waters might not easily overflow and so defence is taken passively 7. The reeds and flags shall wither Supple For lack of water The Prophet doth here Rhetorically amplifie the matter which he hath in hand and say over againe what he said before The Paper Reeds by the Brooks i. e. The Paper Reeds which grow by the Brooks Of these Reeds was writing-paper at the first made and from thence hath our Paper also its name By the mouth of the brooks i. e. By the brinks or banks of the Brooks He puts here the mouth by a Synechdoche for the lipps which are part of the mouth And by the lipps he meaneth Metaphorically the brinks of the Rivers or Brooks because as the mouth hath two lipps so hath a Brooke or River two brinks or banks on each side one Be driven away i. e. Wither or dry away This is a Metaphor taken from cattle which are driven away by Theeves and Robbers from the place where they fed Or from Birds which are driven away from their food or prey and not suffered there to be 8. The Fishers also shall mourn Viz. Because the waters shall be dried up For the waters being dried up their trade faileth there are no more fish for them to take And all they that cast Angle into the brooks i. e. And all they that were wont to angle for fish in the Brooks And they that spread nets upon the waters i. e. And they which use to spread nets upon the waters to catch fish thereby Shall languish i. e. Shall pine away and even faint supple For grief of mind that their trade of fishing by which they live failes them 9. Shall be confounded i. e. Shall be ashamed Sulppe because they have no flax to make their works of For the Rivers and Brooks being dried up the flax which was fed by them must needs dye They are said in the Scripture phrase to be ashamed or confounded who are frustrate of their hope These men therefore being frustrate of the flax which they hoped for that they might make their wonted workes of it are said to be confounded or ashamed when the waters faile whose failing causeth the flax to wither away 10. And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof all that make sluces and ponds for fish i. e. And all which make sluces to let in waters out of the Rivers into fish-ponds and all that make Ponds to keep fish in either for pleasure or profit shall be broken in the purposes of your work because the waters shall be dryed up for which they made their sluces and digged their ponds Shall be broken in their purposes i. e. Shall faile and come short of the intents and purposes of what they take in hand Thereof i. e. Of their works that is of the Sluces and the Ponds which they make and intend for fish 11. Surely the Princes of Zoan are fooles Zoan was an ancient City of Egypt Numb Chap. 13. vers 22. called also Tanais The sence is q. d. the Counsellours of that King which shall be the King of Zoan or King of Tanais at that time here prophesied of shall be fooles in that day in which the Lord shall punish Egypt with civill warrs He puts a present tense for a future and speakes here of the Princes of Zoan and Noph and the Kings as though the Kingdome of Egypt were already divided into twelve Kingdoms which was not so divided at the time in which he prophesied though it was at the time of which he Prophesieth The Counsell of the wise Counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish i. e. The Counsell of the Counsellors of that King of the twelve which ruled in Zoan shall be as the Counsell of a fool which is no wiser than a brute beast The meaning is that the Counsel which their Counsellors shall give shall be no wiser to prevent the judgements which God shall bring upon Egypt than the counsell of a foole He derides the State Counsellors and wise men of Egypt because the Egyptians had a high conceit of themselves for wisedome and policie and were highly esteemed for them abroad by others And calls Pharaohs Counsellors wise Counsellors by an Ironie Of Pharaoh Pharaoh was a common name of all the Kings of Egypt as Caesar was of all the Romane Emperours How say ye unto Pharaoh I am the sonne of the wise q. d. With what face can you say unto your King glorying and baosting as you do that ye are wise He useth an Apostrophe to Pharaoh's State Counsellors I am the sonne of the wise This he speakes in the person of one of Pharaoh's privie-Counsellors or Counsellors of State by a Mimesis I am the sonne of the wise By this he would shew that Pharaoh's Counsellors thought they had wisdome and Policie as it were by inheritance The sonne of ancient Kings The chief Counsellors of the Kings of Egypt were the Egyptian Priests And they derived their Pedegree from the Ancient Kings of that Country who therefore
shaketh over it i. e. Because of the judgements of God with which he shall threaten them This Phrase is Metaphoricall and is borrowed from a man which shaketh his rod over his Child or Servant when he threatens him and makes as though he would whip him though he whips him not The judgements with which he threatned them of which they were afraid at this time was an invasion or warre to be made upon them by Sennacherib for the Egyptians when they heard that Sennacherib had invaded Judah were afraid of themselves least Sennacherib when he had subdued and destroyed Judah should invade Egypt and lay that waste also And this fear was not a causelesse fear For when our neighbours house is on fire we had need to look to our own the judgements inflicted upon our neighbours are our admonitions and threatnings to us And besides this it is likely that Sennacherib had threatned the Egyptians by word of mouth that he would fall upon them so soon as they had conquered all Judah 17. And the land of Judah shall be a terrour unto Egypt i. e. And the men of Judah shall terrifie the Egyptians and make them afraid Why the Land of Judah should be a terrour unto Egypt and how he sheweth in the latter part of this Verse Every one i e. Every Aegyptian Which maketh mention thereof i. e. Which makes mention of the land of Judah Because of the counsell of the Lord of Hosts which he hath already determined against it i. e. Because of the Counsell of the Lord of Hosts which he hath already determined and would then execute upon the land of Judah or because of those judgements which the Lord should then execute upon the land of Judah according to his determinate counsell He puts the Counsell of the Lord which he had determined to execute for the judgements and punishments which he would execute according to his counsell and determination per Metonymiam causae The judgements and punishments here spoken of were executed upon the Land of Judah by Sennacherib and his mighty hoste which the Egyptians hearing of by certain reports were afraid least that Sennacherib and his hoste when they had done with the Land of Judah would begin with Egypt and when they had once begun would make an end with it Yea likely it is that the Assyrians threatned to warre against Aegypt so soon as they had vanquished the land of Judah 18. In that day i. e. At that time Suple in which Sennacherib shall invade and oppresse the land of Judah Shall five Cityes in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan i. e. Many Cityes in the Land of Egypt shall speak the Hebrew language As upon other occasions before so when Sennacherib first invaded the Land of Judah many of the men of Judah ran away out of their own land for fear of the Assyrians and betook themselves into Aegypt Cap. 11. v. 11 15. And while they were in Egypt they lived religiously observing the Jewes religion By whose holy example many of the Egyptians were won to forsake their Idols and to cleave to the Lord of Hosts which proved happy to Egypt For by reason of this did the Lord in his mercy spare Egypt Because of these Jewes which ran thus into Egypt and those Egyptians which were converted by them and learned of them the Hebrew language doth the Prophet say That five Cityes in the Land of Egypt should speak the language of Canaan Five Cityes i. e. Many Cityes He puts a certaine number for an uncertaine Shall speak the Language of Canaan i. e. Shall speake the Language of the Hâ—brews which lived in the Land of Canaan By this is meant not onely that the Hebrewes which fled out of the Land of Judah which was part of the Land of Canaan but that some Egyptians also should speak the Languâ—ge of Canaan which they should learn of the Hebrews which fled for fear of Sennacherib into Egypt And by this we must also understand that the Hebrâ—ws and Egyptians should confesse and praise God together in those Cityes of Egypt And that the Egyptians should have knowledge of the Law of God which was written in the Hebrew tongue In a more sublime sense the Prophet prophesieth here of the calling of the Gentiles by the Gospel And swear to the Lord of Hosts Supple That they will serve him and that he shall be their God One shall be called the City of destruction Whatsoever this City was or for whatsoever reason it was so called surely this was the name thereof Viz. Ir-heres which is here interpreted the City of destruction Some and they not few render Ir-heres the City of the Sun and think that that famous City Heliopolis which signifieth the City of the Sun was the City here meant but most likely it is that the Prophet here meant some famous City of Egypt and perhaps famous for the Idolatrie there excercised And the Prophet nameth this City by name as a thing which should be strange that the Jewes should live in such a City after their own Law and openly professe the true â—od there where so much false worship and worshipping of Idols was practised and that many of the Egyptians there should serve the Lord with them 19. In that day there shall be an Altar to the Lord in the middest of the land of Egypt i. e. In that day there shall be many in the Land of Egypt which shall openly worship the Lord and serve him both Hebrewes and Egyptians The Altar which he here speakes of was not an Altar for Sacrifice for that was unlawfull but an Altar for a memoriall that they which built it did acknowledge and testifie thereby that the God of Israel was their God Nor must we think that there was any such Altar indeed built in Egypt But the Prophet alludeth to that Altar which the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half Tribe of Manasseh built for this purpose in the borders of Jordan Josh 22. v. 21 22. c. and thereby would expresse that there were such in Egypt as should publiquely worship God and give such sufficient testimonies thereof as the Reubenites and Gadites and the half Tribe of Manasses did by the Altar which they built For it is usuall with the Prophet to expresse like things by like And a Pillar in the border thereof to the Lord. These are the same for sence with the former words And the Prophet seemeth here to allude to that Pillar or that Stone which Joshua set up Josh 24. vers 26. c. 20. And it shall be for a signe and for a witnesse to the Lord of Hosts in the middst of the Land of Egypt Supple That there be many in the Land of Egypt which are addicted to the worship of God and serve him He sheweth here the end why that Altar which he mentioned in v. 19. should be erected And shewing for what end that Altar was erected he would have us
to understand by that for what end the Pillar also was erected For both were erected for one end For they shall cry unto the Lord. i. e. And they shall cry unto the Lord. He puts For for And. They. i. e. Those five Cityes that is the Inhabitants of those five Cityes which shall speak the language of Canaan in Egypt and which shall erect an Altar in the middest of the Land of Egypt and a Pillar in the borders thereof Shall cry unto the Lord because of the Oppressors i. e. Shall cry unto the Lord for his help against the Assyrians that he would keep the Assyrians off from Egypt who were likely perhaps had threatned to invade it and destroy it so soon as they had laid waste the land of Judah Because of the Oppressors i. e. Because of the Assyrians who were likely and perhaps had threatned to make warre upon Egypt so soon as they had vanquished the Land of Judah The Assyrians deserved the name of Oppressours because they did oppresse all adjoyning Nations with Tribute with the sword or with some one kind of oppression or other And therefore is the Assyrian called the Oppressour Cap. 14.4 And the treacherâ—us dealer Cap. 21.2 And the Leviathan and the piercing Serpent Cap. 27.1 And the Lyon and the ravenous beast Cap. 35. v. 9. And the Spoiler Cap. 33. v. 1. He shall send them a Saviour and a great one and shall deliver them By this Saviour is meant the Angel which destroyed in the Campe of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand in one night Cap. 37.36 By which destruction of the Assyrians the Egyptians were delivered from the fear which they were in of the Assyrians This Angel he may well call a great one for it was a great work of Salvation and deliverance which he wrought and the power and strength of an Angel is by many degrees greater than the power and strength of any man And a great one i. e. And that a great one to 21. And the Lord shall be known unto Egypt And the Lord shall be yet farther known unto Egypt and more Egyptians shall serve him For when it shall be heard in Egypt that the Lord destroyed an hundred fourscore and five thousand of the Assyrians in one night by his Angel the Egyptians shall begin to consider who the Lord is which is able to do this and so many knowing his power shall cleave to him and serve him who before worshipped Idols The word known is not so to be taken here as though the Lord should now be first known to Egypt for he was known to Egypt before this Saviour was sent as appeareth vers 18 19 20. But it signifieth a farther knowledge which Egypt should have of the Lord and that more particular Egyptians should come to have knowledge of him And the Egyptians shall know the Lord. This is a Repetition of the former sentence And shall do sacrifice and oblation No Sacrifice and oblation could be lawfully done or offered but in Hierusalem thither therefore they should have come if they would have offered to the Lord as the Eunuch of the Queen of Candace did Act. 8. v. 27. But by doing Sacrifice and Oblation to the Lord we may by a Synechdoche understand the worship of God in generall And then to do Sacrifice and Oblation to the Lord will signifie any kind of worship of the Lord whatsoever Yea they shall vow a vow unto the Lord. A vow made unto the Lord was an Act of Religion and shewed him to be the Lord's Servant who made it yea it argued more devotion towards God than barely to do Sacrifice and Oblation For many Sacrifices and oblations were of bounden duty but a Vow was left to the liberty and choice of him that vowed it And performe it This he adds because it is better that thou shouldest not vow than thou shouldest vow and not pay Eccles cap. 5. vers 5. 22. And the Lord shall smite Egypt q. d. And in those daies or after those daies the Lord shall smite Egypt and vex it with civill warres The smiting which he here speakes of is the burden or calamity which he prophesied of against Egypt from the first verse to the fifteenth He shall smite and heal it q. d. But though he shall smite Egypt yet he shall heal it againe He speakes of the calamities and miseries which the Lord would send upon Egypt under the Metaphor of a wound made by striking And of the deliverance from those calamities under a Metaphor of healing that wound And they shall return i. e. For they shall return And for For. They. i. e. The Egyptians yet not all â—he Egyptians but they which shall know the Lord c. Here is a Râ—lative againe without any â—ormall Antecedent Return Supple With weeping fasting â—nd prayer Even to the Lord. He saith even to the â—ord Emphatically Because there might otherwise be some doubt of the Egyptians returning to him from whom they had gone so farre by worshipping such base things as â—hey had worshipped And he shall be intreated of them i. e. And â—e shall hear their prayer And shall heal them i. e. And shall deiver them from their affliction and calamity A Metaphor of which we spoke but now 23. In that day About the time that these things shall come to passe or somewhat after There shall be an high-way out of Egypt to Assyria q. d. There shall be such travelling of the Egyptians into Assyria and of the Assyrians into Egypt as that they shall make an high-way or beaten road by their travelling to and fro from Egypt to Assyria The meaning is that when Psammitichus should have full possession of Egypt there should be a firme peace and great Commerce between the Assyrians and Egyptians though they had been long enemies before And the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians Who the Egyptians and Assyrians should serve is not here expressed but may be understood by the next verse They should serve Israel that is the men of Judah which were the Children of Israel And this is a great wonder that the Egyptians and Assyrians which had been so great enemies to Israel should now serve Israel They shall serve To serve signifies here to do well to and to endeavour to pleasure and to exercise acts of civillity and love to See Gal 5.13 24. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria i. e. For in that day Israel shall be the third with Egypt and with Assyria He gives a reason here why he said that the Egyptians should serve Israel with the Assyrians Israel shall be the third with Egypt and with Assyria i. e. Israel shall be joyned in league and amity with the two People of Egypt and Assyria By Israel understand the Jewes the sons of Israel as Cap. 1.3 This league and amity of Israel with Assyria lasted all Hezekiah's time See 2 Kings 20. v. 12.19 Even a blessing in
this verse But he means that Desert which lay neer to Media through which the Medes marched when they came first against Babylon and then against Edom. From a terrible Land This may be a repetition of the former words and by the terrible Land he may mean the Desert or Wilderness next before said which was terrible because of the wild beasts which were therein Or by this terrible Land he may mean Media it selfe which proved terrible to Edom and many other people and so this terrible Land may signifie the place from which this calamitie first came and the Desert the place through which it came This is the direct burthen of the desert of the sea to wit the great calamitie or destruction and desolation which shall come upon it by the Desert from a terrible Land 2. A grievous vision is declared unto me i. e. Grievous things are declared to me in a vision concerning Babylon c. He puts a vision here per Metonymiam Actus for the things declared by a vision And note that he makes the object of these visions not onely things seen but also things heard It may be here asked of what and of whom this vision is meant But the answer to this is plain it was of Babylon and her calamitie and fall as appears verse 9. A second question will be Whether this vision of the fall and calamitie of Babylon is to be taken as a new burthen distinct from the burthen of the Desert of the sea mentioned in the first verse or as a part of that burthen Answer If any one vvill take it for a nevv burthen I quarrel him not but yet I take it as a part of the former burthen to wit as part of the burthen of the Desert of the Sea A third question therefore vvill be How the burthen or fall of Babylon will concern the burthen of those which lived in the Desert of the sea Answer It will concern them as the burthen of Rezin and Syria concerned the burthen or calamitie of the ten Tribes of Israel Cap. 9. verse 11. For as it was a great part of the calamitie of the ten Tribes that Rezin and Syria which were their confederates should be engaged in a Warre yea overcome when they had need of their help So it was to Edom that Babylon should be overcome from whom they expected aide against all that did oppose them or make War upon them when they had need of her help Again it is very likely that many of the Desert of the sea did serve the Babylonians in their martiall affairs and therefore the fall of Babylon must needs be their calamitie Again the fall of Babylon was a forerunner of the calamitie of the Edomites for in that day that Babylon should be destroyed by the Medes the Lord would beat off from the channel of the River unto the streame of Egypt saith our Prophet Cap. 27.12 That is he would make all Lands desolate which were in league with the Assyrians from Euphrates in Assyria to Nilus in Egypt For the connexion therefore of these words with the former it may be this q.d. Neither can Babylon or the Assyrians your confederates help you for a grievous vision is declared unto me c. The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously Here begins the relation of the vision and these words concern the reason why such miseries should befall Babylon By the treacherous dealer he meaneth the Assyrian which was treacherous in all his dealings making leagues and covenants and contracts with other Nations but keeping none of them longer then he could get advantage by them and breaking them when it was advantagious for him Thus dealt he with other Nations thus dealt he with the Jewes Cap. 33.8 and 2 Kings 18. vers 14 15 16 17. c. Where he took a great price to leave his hostility and to return out of Judah and yet he returned not but wasted it and besieged Jerusalem Dealeth treacherously i. e. Hath dealt treacherously with all nations and especially with the Jewes and so continueth Note that whereas treacherous dealing is one part of hostility for dolus an virtus quis in hoste requirit it may be put here by a Synecdoche for all manner of hostilitie The spoyler i. e. The Assyrian which is wholly given to spoile Nations Cap. 10. 7. Spoileth Hath and doth continue to spoile Nations and among them the Jewes which are my people Note that these words are spoken in the Person of God Go up O Elam q. d. Therefore go up O Elam and fight against Babylon the royal Citie of the Assyrian that treacherous dealer and spoiler O Elam Elam is put here for the Elamites which were the children of Elam mentioned Gen. 10.22 per metonymiam efficientis The Elamites were next neighbors to the Medes and therefore they joyned with the Medes in their expedition against Babylon Besiege Supple Babylon O Media O ye Medes He puts the Land of Media here for the Inhabitants of the Land of Media Note that that which is here prophesied against Babylon is the same with that which is prophesied against it Cap. 13. 17. For the same Prophesies are often repeated All the sighing thereof i. e. All the sighing which Babylon hath made by her oppression in the nations which live about her This is Genitivus Efficientis Have I made to cease i. e. I will make to cease by destroying Babylon He puts a Praeterperfect tense for a Future 3. Therefore are my loines filled with pain Note that these words are not part of the vision but the Prophet in the midst of his narration of the vision inserts these words to shew the greatness of the miserie which should befall Babylon which was such as that he himself at the hearing of it and every one which heard of it was sorely afflicted at the hearing thereof We may say with some that the Prophet speaks these words in his own person Or with others that here are these words to be understood viz. Every one which seeth it or heareth of it especially they which dwell in the desert of the Sea shall say q. d. Therefore every one which seeth the misery of Babylon or heareth of it especially they which dwell in the desert of the sea shall say my loines are filled with paine c. so great shall the miserie thereof be My loines are filled with pain These words are allegorical alluding to a woman in travile as Cap. 13. v. 8. And by the pains of a woman in travaile he would signifie the grief of the minde by a Metaphor I was bowed down Yea I was pained as a Woman when she is in her strongest travel He alludes to the gesture of travelling Women vvhen they are in their strongest travel See 1 Sam. 4.19 At the hearing of it i. e. At the hearing of this dreadfull news of Babylon 4. My heart panted Supple for fear The night of my pleasure i. e. The night vvhich vvas vvont to be pleasant
to me in giving me rest from my toile and labor He puts here a Substantive of the Genitive Case for an Adjective as the Hebrews often do Hath he turned into fear unto me i. e. He hath made terrible and fearfull unto me so that I cannot sleep or if I do sleep I am troubled and afrighted vvith fearful dreames Note that by He is meant God vvho shewed this vision to Isaiah and vvho was the chief Author and Commander of Babylons destruction or else vve may understand this place indefinitely q.d. The night of my pleasure is turned into fear unto me 5. Prepare the table q. d. Lay the cloth and get all things readie for dinner Note that this is part of the vision which the Prophet interrupted upon the occasion aforesaid and novv resumeth and goeth on vvith This is spoken in the person of the King of Babylon to his servants with a kinde of Sarcasme to shevv hovv secure the Babylonians should be vvhen the Medes came upon them but it vvas spoken in the vision Watch in the watch-tower This is spoken in the person of the King of Babylon to one of the Watchmen of the Citie or Pallace of Babylon vvho vvas vvont to watch in some eminent place or Tower of the Citie or Pallace that he might give notice of what companie he espyed a farre off drawing nigh towards the Citie or Court lest an enemy should come upon them unawares This manner of vvatching hath bin used of a long time in some of our Port-Towns Eat drink This is spoken in the person of the King of Babylon to his Princeâ— as they sat with him at Dinner Arise ye Princes i. e. Arise from the Table O ye Princes This is spoken in the person of a Messenger to the King of Babylon and his Princes as they sat at dinner who bringeth in word from the Watchman of the approach of a great Army of an enemy at which time many others also run hastily in with the news and bid them arise from dinner to withstand their enemy and defend themselves And anoint the sheild i. e. And make every one his sheild ready to defend himself and fight for his Country They were wont when they were to go out to battle to scoure their sheilds and annoint them with oile and that for two reasons first that they may be bright and resplendent to dazle the eyes of their enemies secondly that they might the better keep off the blow of a Sword or the falling down of a Dart which have more advantage upon a rugged and rusty then upon a smooth and slipperie Shield and to this doth the Prophet allude when he saith Anoint the shield Here ends this vision 6. For thus the Lord said unto me c. Moreover thus the Lord said unto me For is put here for Moreover as it is in many other places Go set a Watchman Supple to watch in a Tower The Lord that he might give the greater testimony of the fall of Babylon bids the Prophet set some one as a Watchman when he himself would in a Watch-tower and there he saith he would confirme the fall of Babylon by another vision which he vvould shevv to that Watchman I do not conceive that the Watch-tower in which this Watchman was set by Isaiah was in Babylon but in some part of Judea from vvhence the Lord shewed him Babylon and the approach of these Charets tovvards Babylon in a vision Let him declare what he seeth Supple In that vision which I vvill shevv him vvhile he stands to vvatch And he saw a Charet c. q. d. And I Isaiah set one as a Watchman in the Watch-tower and he in a vision saw a Chariot c. He puts here a Singular for a Plural number a Charet for Charets by an Enallage The Charets which he speaks of were such Charets as they vvere vvont to use in Warre With a couple of horsemen i. e. With a couple of Riders in each Charet In vvarlike Charets there were vvont to ride two men one vvhereof drove the horses or vvhatsoever beast drew the Chariot the other fought in the Chariot and these two he calls a couple of horsemen taking horsemen in opposition to footmen as they are usually taken especially in Military affaires A Charet of Asses and a Charet of Camels q. d. One of these Charets is drawn by Asses the other of these Charets is drawn by Camels By the Charet of Asses are signified the Forces of the Elamites who made use of Mules and Asses as their Neighbours the Persians did By the Charet of Camels are signified the Forces of the Medes who made use of Camels as their neighbours the Bactrians did The Elamites joyned with the Medes in their expedition against Babylon as vvas observed verse 2. And he hearkened diligently to wit Whether God would speak to him and reveale what these two Charets and men meant 8. And He cryed a Lion i. e. And he whom Isaiah set in the Watch-tower when he had seen two Charets and hearkened diligently to hear from God what those two Charets meant and God spoke not at lenght cryed out as a Lion that is He cryed out with a loud voice that is earnestly saying c. A Lion i. e. As a Lion that is aloud for a Lion vvhen he roares roares aloud Note that the Hebrews do often leave the note of similitude to be understood and so it is left here My Lord q. d O God my Lord. I stand continually upon the Watch-tower in the day time and I am set in my ward whole nights q. d. I have stood continually day and night in the Watch-tower in which thy servant Isaiah hath set me Supple And hath seen nothing It seemeth that the Lord did not presently shew this vision to this Watchman but kept him a while in expectation to exercise his patience and to see how diligent and vigilant he would be in his place and he mentioneth his diligence and vigilance because God is most ready to reveale himself to such as be diligent and faithful in their calling and to hear them In my ward i. e. In my Watch-tower Here one word is repeated by another 9. And behold i. e. But now behold Supple on a sudain Here comes a Charet of men with a couple of horsemen q. d. Here come two Charets vvith men in them a couple of horsemen in each Charet Supple And thou hast not told me vvhat these Charets and men mean but yet tell me I beseech thee And he answered and said i. e. And the Lord answered and said to the Watchman Babylon is faln is faln c. q. d. Babylon shall be destroyed it shall certainly be destroyed by those charets and horsemen that is by those which are signified by those Charets and Riders that is by the Medes and the Elamites their associates He puts here a Preterperfect for a Future tense He hath broken into the ground i. e. I the Lord will break
bound i. e. Are as bound This is a repetition of the former sentence Together i. e. Every one of them This relates to the word All as before Which have fled from far i. e. Which have fled from the farthest parts of thy Land the Land of Judah into thee because thou art the strongest City of the Land encompassed with strong walls and fortified with good bulwarks 4. Therefore said I look away from me Hitherto the Prophet spoke in his own person to Jerusalem now Jerusalem answereth the Prophet in her person For this is as it were a Dialogue between the Prophet and Jerusalem yet all in a Vision The answer which Jerusalem gives for her going up to the house-tops is this that she went thither to weep and lament because the daughter of her people was spoyled Therefore said I look away from me I will weep bitterly q. d. Therefore went I wholly up to the house-tops because I said look away from me I will weep bitterly labor not to comfort me and therefore I said look away from me I will weep bitterly labor not to comfort me because of the spoyling of the daughter of my people c. Here is a Brachylogy a great deal contained in a little Therefore This relates to that which follows namely to that because of the spoyling c. Said I Supple To those which would fain comfort me Look away from me i. e. Think not to comfort me and therefore come not to me neither look upon me or visit me for that end I will weep bitterly labor not to comfort me because of the spoyling of the daughter of my people i. e. For I will weep bitterly and will not be comforted because the daughter of my people is spoyled Note that by the daughter of my people may be meant Samaria onely which was the chief City of the ten Tribes for the Hebrews use to call a City by the name of a daughter or virgin as was observed Cap. 1.8 And the spoyling here spoken of was that which was made by Salmaneser and his Army 2 King 17.5 at which time they besieged Samaria and vexed it with all hostility three years and then overcame it Or the daughter of her people may be taken collectivè for the daughters and thereby may be meant not Samaria onely but also all the Cities of Israel which were all spoyled by Salmaneser's Army Jerusalem calls the people of the ten Tribes her people because of the neerness of kindred and blood which was between them two for the Jews and the ten Tribes of Israel were all the children of one man even Jacob who was also called Israel It may be here objected That it is a thing unlikely that the men of Jerusalem should lament thus at the spoyling of the ten Tribes of Israel when they were spoyled by Salmaneser who would rather rejoyce at it and comfort themselves in it because they were their bitter Enemies Ans That which is here spoken of Jerusalem weeping because of the spoyling of the daughter of her people was represented onely in a Vision and that which is represented in a Vision is not to be conceived always as a thing really and actually done But suppose this to have been actually done there would be no absurdity in the supposition For though the men of Judah and Jerusalem might comfort themselves in the thoughts of the destruction of the ten Tribes before this destruction came yet might they lament it when it did come So did the people of Israel desire to cut off the Tribe of Benjamin who when they had neer cut it off were sorry and wept for what was done Judg. 21.6 Again Jerusalem might lament and weep because of the spoyling of the daughter of her people because she her self was in fear of being spoyled while the daughter of her people was in spoyling 5. It is a day of trouble Supple To the daughter of my people And of treading down i. e. And a day in which the Assyrians under Salmaneser do tread her down And of perplexity Supple To her the daughter of my people By the Lord God of Hosts The Assyrians were but Gods rod and instrument in this trouble treading down and perplexity of the ten Tribes but God himself was the chief cause thereof and therefore he saith it was done by the Lord God of Hosts In the valley of Vision These words relate to those which went immediately before q. d. By the Lord God of Hosts which dwelleth in the valley of Vision that is in Jerusalem By the valley of Vision is meant Jerusalem see vers 1. And the Lord is said to dwell in Jerusalem Psal 135.21 and that because of his especial presence in the Temple which was there Breaking down the walls i. e. And a day of breaking down the walls Supple of Samaria c. by the Assyrians And of crying to the mountains i. e. And a day of the crying of the men of Samaria and Israel to the mountains Of crying to the mountains i. e. Of the crying of the men of Samaria and Israel one to another to fly unto the mountains there to hide themselves because the Assyrians had broken down their Cities Perhaps To the mountains were the words of their cry as if they should say and cry one to another To the mountains To the mountains c. Or by crying to the mountains may be understood loud crying whereby their cry went unto the mountains and did eccho again from thence 6. Elam See cap. 21.2 At this time the Elamites were at the command of the Assyrians though afterwards they would not obey them but helped to ruine them Bare the quiver i. e. Beareth the quiver Supple against Israel q. d. The Elamites war against the daughter of my people with Bow and Arrows A preterperfect tense is put here for a present With charets of men and horsemen q. d. Coming against her with Charets of men and horsemen With charets of men He calls those charets of men here which military men used to ride and to fight in and he calls them charets of men to distinguish them from Charets or Waggons which were to carry provisions in and other necessaries for War Kir By Kir he meaneth the Medes We read of one Kir a chief Citie of Moab Isa cap. 15.1 But this is not that Kir but the Kir here meant was Kir a chief Citie of the Medes of which 2 Kings 16.9 which City by a Metonymy signifies the Medes of Kir and the Medes the inhabitants of Kir are taken by a Synecdoche for the Medes in general Note that the Medes were under the Assyrians at this time though afterwards they revolted and became their matters Vncovered the shield i. e. Maketh use of the shield against her The shield is a defensive peece of Arms but by it understand offensive Arms also He saith uncovered the shield for made use of the shield alluding thereby to the cases and covers wherein they were wont to
Jerusalem for there was an upper and a lower City thereof And the houses i. e. The houses of Jerusalem which ye shall make choice of to pull down for their materials Have ye broken down i. e. Will ye break down Note that in all this place he puts a Praeterimperfect and Preterperfect tense for a Future after the Prophetique manner To fortifie the wall i. e. To repaire and fortifie the wall Supple of the City of David wherein were many breaches through the long neglect which peace causeth He puts wall for walls a singular for a plural number 11. Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old poole i. e. Ye will also make a deep trench or ditch between the two walles therein to receive the water of the old poole The reason why they gathered these waters into a ditch or trench was that they might have plenty of waters themselves when they were besieged and that they might debarre the Assyrians the besiegers of as much water as they could See 2 Chron. 32. verse 3 4. Between the two walls These two walls may happily be those which we read of 2 Kings 25.4 Of the old poole This old poole was that which is also called the upper Poole cap. 7.3 and cap. 36.2 But ye have not looked unto the maker thereof q. d. But ye will not look up unto him that is the author of that that is of Sennacheribs discovering the coverings of Judah and fighting against him Note that these words But ye have not looked to the maker thereof relate to those Thou didst look in that day to the Armour of the house of the Forrest c. and they contain an Antithesis to them as if he should say when ye shall hear that Sennacherib is come against Judah and discovereth the covering of Judah ye will look in that day to the Armour of the house of the Forrest c. But ye will not look to him which is the cause or author of Sennacheribs coming against Judah to humble your selves before him and request his help yet will look unto your weapons and fortifications that ye may strengthen your selves by them But ye will not look to the Lord to make him your strength who is able to turne Sennacherib and his Host back as being the author of their coming and to preserve you against his whole Armie Vnto the maker thereof i. e. Unto him which is the cause thereof and which made Sennacherib and his Armie to come against Judah and to discover the coverings thereof He borroweth this word Maker from a Potter and useth it here metaphorically for the cause or author of a thing Thereof That is of Sennacheribs coming into Judah and discovering the coverings thereof This sentence is the Antecedent to this Relative thereof which is not yet here formally set down but to be gathered from the eight verse That the Hebrews do often leave the Antecedent of the Relative to be understood is not unknown and here it is so left but not hard as you see to be understood The maker thereof That the Lord was the author of Sennacheribs and his Assyrians comming into the Land of Judah and fighting against the Cities thereof and discovering the coverings thereof you may see cap. 10. v. 5 6. cap. 37.26 By saying The Maker thereof The Prophet intimates that the Lord was able to preserve them from Sennacherib and his Army For if he was the author of their coming he might be the cause of their going back again That fashioned it long agoe i. e. That contrived it in his minde and decreed it long agoe v. 2. that Sennacherib and the Assyrians should invade Judah and fight against it and discover the covering thereof He alludes here in the word fashioned to a Potter fashioning his pots upon his wheel as he did to a Potter in the word maker See the like manner of Allusion or Metaphor for the same purpose Cap. 37.26 Note that what the Prophet speaks here he speaks not of all the Inhabitants of Jerusalem but of some of them for many of them were good and godly and sought the Lord and relyed upon him for preservation against the Assyrians though many were such as he here describeth and looked not to the Lord for help but trusted in their Armor and in their wals and fortifications and because there were in Jerusalem good and bad he speaks of Jerusalem sometimes as of a good and sometimes as of a wicked person as he hath occasion to speak sometimes of the good sometimes of the evill of her Inhabitants 12. And in that day i. e. And in that day in which the fore-mentioned things shall come to passe Did the Lord of Hosts call to weeping i. e. Shal the Lord of Hosts call you to weeping God called them to weeping at that time by his Prophets whom he sent opportunely to exhort them to bewaile their sins when his judgements were upon them yea when he sends his judgements upon a people he may be said to call them to weeping by his very judgement for the judgements of God are to humble us and make us sorry for our offences To baldness i. e. To shave their heads To shave the head was a sign of great sorrow and used in the dayes of publick calamity But you will say that God did forbid his people to shave their heads Levit. 19. vers 27. and Deut. 14.1 Answer God did forbid his people to shave their heads and to make themselves bald for the dead as those alledged places testifie but he did not utterly forbid them so to do in all cases for they might lawfully shave their heads and make themselves bald in the case of a common or publick calamity as appeareth Micah 1.16 And at such a time did they make themselves bald and shave off their haire because the haire is a great ornament and in time of publick calamitie they laid aside all ornaments And to girding with sackcloth i. e. And to put on sackcloth and to gird it to you with a girdle of leather or the like In the time of mourning they were wont to put on sackcloth as appeareth Psal 30.11 and 35 13. and 1 Chron. 21 16. 13. And behold i. e. But behold And for But. Slaying of Oxen Supple For Feasts Let us eat and drink i. e. And crying one to another and saying let us eat and drink that is let us be mery while we have time to live For to morrow i. e. For after a little while We shall dye Supple By the hand of the Assyrians These are the words of most desperate wicked men Note that these sinners seem not to be the same with those which he spoke of before v. 11. for though they looked not to God yet they looked to the house of their armour and to their fortifications and trusted in them against their enemie But these men trusted neither in God nor in their armoury and fortifications but
4.19 And therefore are called an host because of their multitude and order for an host or an army are not more and more orderly composed and better ranked then they are and they are called the high ones which are on high because they are placed in the Heavens which are the uppermost parts of the World The Assyrians did worship the Sun and the Moon and the Stars and made Images and representations thereof which also they worshipped and carryed about with them in their Camp and these Images or representations were destroyed when Sennacherihs Army was destroyed And because they were destroyed the host of the high ones that are on high that is the Sun and the Moon and the Stars themselves are here said to be punished So the Lord was said to execute Judgment upon all the gods of Egypt Exod. 12.12 and Numb 33.4 among which gods were the host of Heaven as may be gathered Deut. 4.19 Amos 5. v. 25 26. Acts 7. v. 43. for the gods there mentioned were such as the Israelites had seen worshipped in Egypt and learned from them And upon them is the Lord said to have executed Judgment because he flung down their Idols and Representations and broke them in pieces the same night that he brought Israel out of Egypt But some take the host of the high ones that are on high not for the Sun and Moon and Stars themselves but for the Images of the Sun Moon and Stars which the Assyrians carried with them to worship for the Gentiles called the Images of things by the names of those whose Images they were as the Image of Jupiter is called Jupiter Acts 14.13 But you will say whether by the host of the high ones that are on high are meant the Sun the Moon and the Stars or the Images or Representations onely thereof Nothing can be said properly to be punished but such as is endued with Reason But neither the host of Heaven nor their Images have any reason Therefore they cannot properly be said to be punished Ans This therefore that they are said to be punished is Metaphorical as sense and reason is Metaphorically given to Idols cap. 19.1 Or secondly this being put as a calamity of the Assyrians the Prophet may speak according to the sense and thoughts of the Assyrians Now the Assyrians which worshipped the Sun and the Moon and the host of Heaven thinking them to be gods thought that they had understanding and that as they were delighted with the Images and Representations which were made of them and with the honor and worship which was given to those their Images and Representations So they thought that they were contrarily affected and grieved when their Images and Representations were contumeliously used and disgracefully broken Note that the Prophet saith here that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high because the Assyrians worshipped them and relied on them for their good success as in all other their enterprizes so in this against Judah And the Kings of the Earth upon the Earth i. e. And the Kings of the Earth which are upon the Earth By the Kings of the Earth are meant the chief Commanders of Sennacheribs Army for they were all Kings cap. 10.8 these God punished by his Angel 2 King 19. vers 35. Note here that these two titles The high ones and the Kings of the Earth are such ambiguous titles as may belong each of them both to the Sun and Moon and Stars and also to the Kings which served Sennacherib for those Kings might be called high ones because of their high places and dignities and the Sun and the Moon and the Stars might be called the Kings of the Earth according to the conceit of the Assyrians which accounted them as gods for God is King of all the Earth Psal 47.7 To distinguish therefore the one from the other when he speaks of the Sun and the Moon and the Stars which the Assyrians accounted as gods he calls them the high ones which are on high and when he speaks of the Princes which served Sennacherib he saith the Kings of the Earth upon the Earth 22. And they shall be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit c. i. e. And the Inhabitants of Jerusalem which is the chief City of the Land shall be gathered and shut up in Jerusalem as prisoners are gathered together and shut up in a prison or in a dungeon for so soon as they hear of the approach of Sennacheribs Army they shall run every one to his home and then as prisoners cannot go out of the prison or dungeon in which they are imprisoned so shall not they go out of Jerusalem again because of the Assyrians who shall encompass them besiege them and block them up Note that this Conjunction And doth not relate to the words which went immediately before but to the twentieth verse And when he saith They shall be gathered together c. he seemeth to point at the inhabitants of Jerusalem In the pit i. e. In the prison The pit is that part of a prison which they call the dungeon which is a deep place under ground and it is here put for the whole prison it self And shall be shut up in prison i. e. And shall be shut up as it were in prison And after many days i. e. After they have been shut up in prison that is after they have been besieged many days Shall they be visited i. e. The Lord shall visit them in favor and mercy and deliver them by sending his Angel to destroy the Assyrians which besieged them which was fulfilled 2 King 19.35 This I do conceive to be the most probable meaning of this place and that as the Prophet did prophecy against the men of Judah vers 17 18 19 20. and comfort them again with the destruction of their Enemies vers 21. So doth he here in the former part of this verse prophecy against the men of Jerusalem and in the latter end thereof and in the next Verse comfort them again The onely Objection which can be made against this exposition is That there is no mention here of the men of Jerusalem and that there is no Nominative case to these Verbs but what is in the former verse To which I answer That the Prophet might point as it were with his finger at the men of Jerusalem when he spoke of them and so he needed not to name them his pointing at them might be enough to signifie whom he meant Again as he doth often put a Relative without an Antecedent and leaves the Antecedent to be understood by the circumstances of the place so might he leave the Nominative case which should go before the Verb to be understood Examples whereof we have Cap. 9.3 and 23.5 Mark 8.22 and 4.36 c. 23. Then the Moon shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed By the Sun and the Moon some understand the Images of the Sun and the
attaine to the end which God hath propounded to us by holy actions as we come by the way to the place to which we would go Of the just i. e. Of the just men Supple which hide themselves in Jerusalem from the Assyrians He puts here a Singular for a Plural number by an Enallage Is uprightnesse i. e. Is upright and without hypocrisie He saith uprightnesse for upright using an Abstract for a Concrete per Metonymiam Adjuncti Thou most upright i. e. Thou O God which art the most upright Dost weigh the path of the just i. e. Dost examin the wayes or the actions of these just men and dost finde them to be truly upright Dost weigh i e. Dost examin This word is metaphoricall taken from the weighing of such merchantable Commodities as are sold by weight or from the weighing of gold in scales to know whether it be weight or no. Note that the word weight is to be taken here not onely for to examine but also to finde good upon examination by a Syllepsis The path i. e. The way that is the actions as before 8. Yea in the way of thy judgements O Lord have we waited for thee i. e. Yea when thy judgements and chastisements and afflictions brought upon us by the Assyrians have been upon us we have not fainted or started aside but have waited for thee that is for thy salvation and for thy coming to deliver us This is a great argument of true and sincere uprightnesse not to be offended because of afflictions and persecutions but to put our trust in God even when he doth chastise us and afflict us Note here the Enallage first of the number for he speaks of the just in the Plural number whereas he spoke of them in the Singular number just before then of the person for he speaks of them here in the first person making himself one of the number whereas he spoke of them there in the third Have we waited for thee i. e. For thy coming See cap. 25.9 Or for thee that is for thy help or for thy loving kindnesse The desire of our soule is to thy name i. e. The desire of our soul hath been to thee as to the object thereof that is we have heartily desired thee thy presence to help us or we have heartily desired thy loving kindness towards us A Present is here put for a Preterperfect tense To thy name i. e. To thee An Hebrew Periphrase And to the remembrance of thee i. e. And to the remembrance of those things which thou hast done for them which trust in thee and of the promises which thou hast made to us for by the remembrance of thâ—se things are we sustained in the midst of all our afflictions Of thee i. e. Of the things which thou hast done for them which trust in thee and of the promises which thou hast made to us for God may be and is often put especially in the Psalmes for his actions and his attributes by a metonymy of the cause and of the subject 9. With my soule have I desired thee i. e. And I thy servant have also with my soule desired and prayed for thy mercy and loving kindness towards us thy people In the night Supple At which time I have bin waking when others have been asleep It is probable which some say that this Song ended at the eight verse and that Isaiah himself fore-seeing by this song what God would do for the righteous and their prayers and how he would deale with the proud becomes a suiter to God for the salvation of the poor Jews from the fury of the Assyrians and for the destruction of those Assyrians their proud and deadly enemies Will I seâ—k thee i. e. I will seek thy mercy and loving-kindness and pray for it What we desire and seek for truly sincerely at Gods hands we pray to him for for that is the means appointed to us to obtaine from him for call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee saith the Lord Psal 50.15 Ask and it shall be given you saith our Saviour Mat. 7.7 Early i. e. Betimes in the morning when my spirits are fresh and before I doe any other thing yea while others are yet scarce awake For when thy judgements are in the earth Between these and the former words we must understand this or the like prayer or petition viz. Shew us therefore thy mercy and loving-kindness O Lord and take away thy judgements from us which trust in thee and poure them out upon our enemies the wicked Assyrians which fear not thy Name When thy judgements are in the earth i. e. When thy judgements are upon the Inhabitants of the earth that is upon the Assyrians Note that in is put here for on or upon and that by the earth are meant the Inhabitants of the earth by a metonymy and by the Inhabitants of the earth in generall are meant the Assyrians in particular whom he calls the Inhabitants of the world in the next words and againe in the eighteen verse The Inhabitants of the world i. e. The Assyrians See verse 18. Will learn righteousness And so by consequence will not use oppression as now they do towards us 10. Let favour be shewed to the wicked i. e. If thou sparest him that is wicked and dost suffer him to go unpunished and to escape thy judgements By the wicked in generall he meaneth the Assyrians in particular by a Synecdoche He will not learn righteousnesse i. e. He will not learn righteousnesse and so by consequence will not leave off to do evill and to oppresse In the Land of uprightnesse c. q.d. Yea though he be in a Land where uprightnesse is professed and practiseâ— such as the Land of Judah is and liveth among righteous men whose example might move him to deale righteously yet if thou dost not smite him but sparest him he will do unrightly The Laâ—d of uprightnesse i. e. The upright Land for the Hebrews put a Substantive of the Genitive Case for an Adjective And a Land is called a Land of uprightnesse or an upright Land because of the Inhabitants thereof which are upright men and professe and practise uprightnesse therein He will deale unjustly i. e. He will do wrong And will not behold the Majesty of the Lord. i. e. And will not take notice of the power of God over all men and of his justice so as to reverence and feare him and leave off to deal unjustly to do wrong for fear of him The Majesty of the Lord By the Majesty of the Lord is meant the Lord himselfe See cap. 24.14 And by the Lord himselfe is meant the power and justice of the Lord by a Metonymy Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see i. e. Yea though thou dost threaten them for their evill doings and art ready to smite them if thou dost not smite them they will take no notice of it but
forth He speaks of Israel or the people of the Jews which were the people of God under the metaphor of a Vine or Vineyard therefore he saith When it c. When it shooteth forth i. e. When it sendeth forth or shooteth out luxuriant branches such as hinder the Vine from bringing forth faire grapes and therefore are to pruned and cut off The meaning is when Israel sinneth for the sinfull actions of a man may be very well compared to the luxuriant branches of a Vine Thou wilt debate with it The Prophet should have said thou wilt prune it if he had stuck to his allegory but he declines from that for we debate not with insensible creatures and creatures void of reason and speaks of the Vine now as if it were endued with sense and reason both But we have observed often the mixture of Metaphors which the Prophet useth Thou wilt debate with it i. e. Thou wilt chide with it and punish it This Debate here must include chastising and punishing by a Syllepsis He stayeth his rough wind in the day of the East wind i. e. When the Lord fans his people he blows upon them with his East wind by which he carrieth away the chaff but he staies his rough-wind or north-wind which would carry away Corn and all This seemeth to be a Proverbiall speech and is for sense the same with the former sentence and sheweth that God will chastise his people but not utterly consume them Note here the Enallage of the person by which he passeth from the second person to the third Note also his transition from the metaphor of a Vine to the metaphor of Corne whick is fanned or winnowed 9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged q. d. By this therefore O Lord that thou hast chastised and smitten Jacob his iniquity shall be purged and he will amend his life Jacob By Jacob are meant the Jews the sons of Jacob by a Metonymy And this is all the fruit to take away his sin i. e. And this is all the fruit which thou expectest from the chastisements and punishments which thou layest upon him to wit to take away his sin His sin By sin Idolatry is here meant if not onely yet chiefly as the next words signifie When he maketh all the stones of the Altars as chalk-stones that are beaten in sunder the Groves and Images shall not stand up These words are defective and the defects are thus made up q. d. Therefore though thou doest smite Jacob yet thou wilt hold thy hand from smiting him when he beateth down the Altars which he hath built to his idols and when he repents him of his idolatry and saith The Groves and Images shall not stand up When he maketh all the stones of the Altars as chalk-stones c. When he breaketh up Altars as chalk-stones are broken c. He puts the stones of the Altars for the Altars made of stone per Metonymiam Materiae and by these Altars here he means those Altars which were built for Idols As chalk-stones which were beaten in sunder By chalk-stones he means lime-stones which are made of chalk by burning in a kilne per Metonymiam Materiae Of these stones they make mortar and for that end beat them to dust The Groves By Groves some understand here the groves which were planted or used for places of Idolatry others by groves understand not here places beset with trees for Groves in the Scripture phrase do not alwayes signifie such places but Idols called by the name of Groves as Judg. 3. v. 1. 2 King 17.10 and â—1 7 But why Idols should be called Groves all agree not some call them Groves because they were wont to be set and worshipped in Groves others because those Idols which are called Groves were Images of Groves artificially graven and indeed Idolaters came by degrees to worship the very trees and what they worshipped in it self they might worship in an Image too Others say that by Groves are meant peculiarly the Idols or Images of Ashtaroth the Goddesse of the Sidonians of which 1 Kings 11.5 and 2 Kings 23.13 And that the Scripture calls them Groves in allusion to the name Ashtaroth for Ascheroth which sounds almost like Ashtaroth signifies Groves in the Hebrew tongue that it might both allude to the name Ashtaroth and shew the vanity of that great Deity which is made of wood the Tree of a Grove 10. Yet the defenced City shall be desolate q. d. Yet when thou O God takest Babylon in hand and doest punish her for her sins thou wilt not deal with her as thou dealest with Jerusalem but thou wilt make her desolate He opposeth here Gods dealing with Babylon the chief City of the Assyrians to his dealing with Jerusalem the chief City of the Jewes The fenced City By the fenced City he meaneth Babylon which was well fenced and fortified even at this time Concerning this desolation of Babylon See Cap. 13. 21. And the habitation By this also he meaneth Babylon which he calls the habitation by way of excellency because it contained exceeding many Inhabitants for number and very great ones for quality for which cause also it was called the Gates or City of the Nobles Cap. 13.2 Shall be forsaken Supple Of its Inhabitants And left like a Wilderness Supple Where nothing is dressed and trimmed and where not men but beasts onely live There shall the Calfe feed Supple Without hindrance By the Calfe we may understand other Cattle also There shall he lye down Supple And lodge in quiet And consume the branches thereof i. e. And shall eat the leaves and branches of the choise Trees and Plants which the Babylonians have planted in their brave gardens and preserved with all cost and diligence within the walls of Babylon 11. When the boughs thereof are withered q. d. And there the Boughs thereof shall wither and dye through the gnawing and cropping of Cattle or some other means and when they are withered and dead c. All this is to be understood by a Sillepsis The like to this was threatned to the Ten Tribes cap. 17. v. 9 10 11. which shewed that they had their gardens in high esteem The women come and set them on fire i. e. The Women shall come and set them on fire A Present for a Future Tense By women we may understand the female Sex whose employments of baking and seething c. require wood yet some by women understand the Medes which were as women for delicacy and habit and this must needs move the Babylonians to hear that they should set their trees on fire because the Babylonians had the Medes in much contempt And set them on fire Not in the place where they grew but in their Bake-houses and Wash-houses and Kitchens whither they carried them for their use Yet if we understand these women of the Medes wanton Souldiers might set these trees on fire even where they grew For it is a
people i. e. For the Assyrians which are Lords of Babylon are a people c. Here is a Relative without an Antecedent Of no understanding The Assyrians are said to be a people of no understanding because they understood not that they were but Gods Instrument in punishing those which he would punish by them and therefore they did lift up themselves and think that what they did they did by their own power and wisdome c. And so they oppressed even the Lords people to their own ruine See Cap. 10. from verse 5. to verse 19. He that made them i. e. God who made them into so great and powerfull a Kingdom And he that formed them This is a repetition of the former sentence Note that these words making and forming are usually spoken of making and forming a man naturally in the womb or rather of making and forming a pot but our Prophet doth often use it metaphorically for the making and bringing of a people into one civill body Kingdom or Common-wealth 12. It shall come to passe in that day i. e. It shall come to passe at that time in which Babylon shall be thus wasted made desolate The Lord shall beat off from the channel of the River unto the stream of Egypt i. e. The Lord will by the hand of the Medes which shall wast Babylon make all that have any reference to the Assyrians and dwell between the River Euphrates and the River of Egypt to flee and leave their dwellings Shall beat off i. e. Shall drive away Supple from their dwellings This phrase is metaphoricall taken from Olives or other fruit which are beaten from their trees with cudgells c. From the channel of the River i. e. Them that dwell from the Channell of Euphrates c. To the stream of Egypt That is even to Nâ—lus And ye shall be gathered one by one i. e. And ye shal be carefully gathered together and brought safe into your own Land c. When the people which had relation to the Assyrians fled by reason of the Medes the Jews or Children of Israel which they had in captivity and bondage had occasion and opportunity to return into their own Land again These words are Metaphoricall and are taken from Olives or Apples or the like fruits which are gathered one by one and so laid up in some place appointed which Olives or Apples or other fruit so gathered last better then they which are beaten off or shook down from the tree and more care there is taken about such as are so gathered then there is about that which is beaten or shaken down He seems to oppose this gathering one by one to that beating off mentioned in this verse O ye Children of Israel Supple Which are or shall be captives to the Assyrians between this time and that 13. And it shall lome to passe in that day that the great Trumpet shall be blown Supple in Jerusalem And they shall come c. q. d. And it shall come to passe at that time at which the Lord shall beat off from their dwellings all that live from the Channel of the River to the stream of Egypt that it shall be with the Children of Israel as it is with Soldiers when the great Trumpet is blown for as when the great Trumpet is blown all the Souldiers gather themselves together so shall all the Children of Israel which were in captivity to the Assyrians or which were in exile in any place from Euphrates to the streame of Egypt retreat and return home and gather themselves together to Jerusalem The great Trumpet He saith the great Trumpet alluding to some great Trumpet waiting upon the Generall which was greater then those which did wait upon ordinary Captains or else he saith a Great Trumpet because a great Trumpet is heard farthest off and they dwelt farre off from Jerusalem even in Assyria and Egypt which were to hear it And they i. e. And they of the Children of Israel Shall come Into their own Land Which were ready to perish Through hard usage In the Land of Assyria Where they were Captives When the Assyrians were so hard put to it as that they were fain to flee themselves to save their lives their Slaves and Captives had opportunity to escape and return into their own Country again And the out-casts in the Land of Egypt i. e. Those of the Children of Israel which ran through fear for safety into Egypt when Salmaneser first and Sennacherib afterwards invaded the Land of Israel and were there as exiles from their own home shall come to their own home again That which brought these out-casts back out of Egypt was the report of those great things which the Lord had done for the Jews and the prosperity which he had given them in their own Land yet if any were in hard bondage in Egypt on this side Nilus they had opportunity to escape when all were beat off from the channel of the river to the stream of Egypt vers 12. And shall worship the Lord As they were wont In the Holy Mount i. e. In Mount Sion where the Temple stood i. e. In the Courts of the Temple ISAIAH CHAP. XXVIII WO to the crown of pride c. In this verse there is a great transposition of words and sentences which being ordred according to their construction run thus q. d. Wo to the crown of Pride whose glorious beauty is a fading flower To the Drunkards of Ephraim which are in the head of the fat vallies of them that are overcome with wine Wo to the Crown of Pride The Crown which he here speaks of was such a Crown or Garland of Roses and other fair flowers as Drunkards were wont to use and to wear upon their heads in their drinkings which crown he cals here a Crown of Pride that is a proud Crown by a Metaphor because of the beauty and gaynesse of it This was first invented and used by the Heathen and of them did the Israelites learn it Of Pride That is Proud or gay He puts here a Substantive of the Genitive case for an Adjective By this Crown he means those Drunkards of Ephraim of whom he here speaks and that either because they wore such a crown as the Heathen did in their drinkings or because as the Crown is wore upon the head so were they seated upon the head of the fat vallies To the Drunkards of Ephraim i. e. To the Drunkards of Israel He explains here what he meant by the Crown of pride Of Ephraim i. e. Of Israel or of the Ten Tribes How Ephraim comes to be taken for Israel or the Ten Tribes See Cap. 7. v. 2. Whose glorious beauty is a fading flower These words relate to those viz. The Crown of pride whose glorious beauty he saith is a fading flower because it was made of the flowers of the field or of the gardens which are fading by nature By this is signified that the estate of these
men which here he speakes of though it might seem glorious yet should quickly decay with all its glory Which are on the head of the fat vallies c. These words relate to those viz. Wo to the Drunkards of Ephraim and are words of limitation and restriâ—tion limiting and restringing what he said in generall of the Ten Tribes to those which lived in Samaria For by those which are on the head of the fat vallies he meaneth those which lived in Samaria By the head of the fat vallies he meaneth Samaria which was scituate on a Mountain or Hill beneath which were most fruitfull vallies abounding with Vineyards and Olive-yards A mountain or high hill may be said to be the head of the vallies which are about it for where the earth riseth up into a mountain it is said to lift up its head and if the mountain be a head it must be the head of such parts of the earth as are below it and such are vallies In the word head he seemeth to have an allusion to the Crown of Pride which he spoke of which was wore on the head by which Crown also he meant the Drunkards of Ephraim Of those which are overcome with wine Of those which are daily drunk with wine This is the common interpretation of these words by which he doth obliquely tax other of the Ten Tribes then those which dwelt in Samaria for their drunkenness But what if we should interpret them which are overcome with wine of such as had so much wine in the grape as they could not make Surely such may be said to be overcome with wine for we have more work then we can do we say that we have more work then we can overcome and that our work hath overcome us and this interpretation will very well agree with this place and will shew the fatness and fruitfulness of these vallies in that they bring forth more grapes then the husband-man is able to press and make wine of 2. Behold the Lord hath a mighty and a strong one q. d. The Lord hath in store a mighty and a strong one By this strong and mighty one understand Salmaneser who with his strong and mighty Army besieged Samaria three years and took it and carried Israel away captive into Assyria 2 Kings 17. v. 5 6. Which as a tempest of haile and a destroying storme Supple Which breaks down the trees and smiteth the plants and destroyeth the corn of the field As a flood of mighty waters overflowing Supple And drowning al the grounds about it the cattle which are therein destroying the corn and fruits of the earth and carrying all things before it Shall cast down to the earth Supple The crown of Pride the Drunkards of Ephraim With the hand i. e. With meer power and might The hand is often put for power and might by a Metonymy 3. The Crown of Pride the Drunkards of Ephraim See v. 1. Shall be troden under feet As straw is troden for the dunghill Cap. 25.10 by Salmaneser King of Assyria 4. And the glorious beauty i. e. And that gay and glorious Crown mentioned v. 1. He puts the glorious beauty per Metonymiam Adjuncti for the glorious beautiful Crown by which he means the drunkards of Ephraim which wore that Crown See notes vers 1. Which is on the head of the fat valley See notes ver 1. He puts valley for vallies a Singular for a Plural number Here it appears that when he saith the head of the valleyes he saith head in allusion to the Crown which is wore on the head as we observed v. 1. Shall be a fading flower i. e. Shall prove as a fading flower indeed As the hasty fruit before the summer i. e. It shall be as the rath-ripe fruit which is ripe before the summer Such fruit as this is early ripe or ripe before the summer is much desired and greedily eaten Which when he that looketh upon it seeth it while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up i. e. Which when he which looketh upon it seeth to be ripe layeth not up to spend hereafter but eateth it presently while it is in his hand The meaning is that as a man which hath early fruit which he seeth to be ripe layes it not up but eats it presently So should Salmaneser consume and destroy the Drunkards of Ephraim and the Crown of Pride presently and make no delay therein 5. In that day Supple In which the Lord shall destroy the Ten Tribes of Israel by Salmaneser for the whole Ten Tribes shall be destroyed with the Drunkards of Ephraim The Lord shall be for a Crown of glory and for a Diadem of beauty i. e. The Lord shall give a glorious Crown and a beautiful Diadem to the residue of his people that is he shall make the residue of his people honorable and glorious as if they were all Kings He saith a Crown of glory for a glorious Crown and Diadem of beauty for a beautifull Diadem and puts a Substantive of the Genitive Case for an Adjective The Crown which he here speaks of was not such a Crown as he spoke of vers 1. for that was a Crown of Flowers this is a Crown of Gold that was such as Drunkards wore at their drinkings this is such as Kings use to wear at the day of their Coronation and he opposeth this Crown to that though he doth in some way allude to it A Diadem A Diadem was a kinde of Crown which Kings used to wear upon their heads made of purple-silk and beset with pearles and jewels Vnto the residue of his people i. e. To the other two Tribes namely the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin which Salmaneser touched not 6. And for a spirit of judgement to him that sitteth in judgement And he will give the spirit of judgement to him which sitteth in judgement The spirit of judgement By judgement is here meant the practicall knowledge of the law by which he that is a Judge may know how and be willing to judge aright And as for the word spirit among many significations which it hath among the Hebrews it signifieth sometimes the habit of the mind which is a spirit per Metonymiam Subjecti and here it signifieth an habit of the minde To him that sitteth in judgement i. e. To Hezekiah King of Judah whose Office it is to sit in judgement and judge between man and man and cause and cause as being King And for strength i. e. And he will give strength To them that turn the battle to the gate i. e. To the men of Judah who have turned or shall turn the battle to the gates of cities of their enemies That is who have made or shall make their enemies to fly before them and have pursued or shall pursue them to their own Cities and there besiege them That turn i. e. That have turned or shall turn What Judah did in this kinde by Hezekiah See 2 Kings 18.
27 28 29. is the same for sence with that which he said Vers 24 25 26. For as there he shewed that the Husbandmans works were not always the same but that he wrought sometimes after this manner sometimes after that so doth he here And as he left us there to understand That if God gave men such wisdom and discretion as to work variously and to perform their works after different manners then much more did he himself know how to work variously So doth he here Who is wonderful in counsel i. e. Who is wonderful in his Wisdom and inventing or contriving businesses He speaks of God as of a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excellent in working i. e. Excellent in His Works ISAIAH CHAP. XXIX WO to Ariel to Ariel c. Ariel signifieth by interpretation the Lion of God or the strong Lion and it is a name given to he Altar of Burnt Offerings by a Metaphor Ezech. 43.15 Because that Altar did devoure the Beasts which were sacrificed thereon as a strong Lion devoureth his prey from this Altar the whole City of Jerusalem is here called Ariel by a Synecdoche The City where David dwelt This is a Periphrase of Jerusalem for David when he had took the strong hold of Sion which is in Jerusalem from the Jebusites he dwelt in it and called it the City of David 2 Sam. 5.7 9. And there he reigned three and thirty yeares 1 Kings 2.11 The Prophet gives this Periphrase of Jerusalem that it might be the better known what he meant by Ariel Add ye year to year q.d. Add ye yearly feast to yearly feast one yearly feast to another as the feast of weeks to the feast of Vnleavened Bread and the feast of Tabernacles to the feast of weeks and keep them with joy and mirth one after another The year is put here by a Metonymy for the yearly feast or feast which is kept once every year As the new Moons are taken for the solemnities as I may call them which were wont to be used the first day of every month at the change of the Moon Cap. 1.14 Three times in the year were all the Males of Israel to appear before the Lord in the place which he should chuse in the feast of Vnleavened Bread and in the feast of weeks and in the feasts of Tabernacles Deut. 16.16 And of these doth the Prophet seem here to speak and it is likely that he denounced this prophesie against Ariel at one of these feasts at which time the people were full of mirth and joy not without confidence of their outward performances and observations of these feasts though inwardly they were full of wickedness Note that the Prophet useth an Ironical concession in these words the like whereof you may read cap. 50.11 Some interpret these words thus adde ye a year to a year as if it had been the Prophets intent to shew that after a year and a year that is after two years the calamity which is here prophesied against Ariel should befall Ariel Let them kill sacrifices q. d. Kill ye your Sacrifices and make ye merry He speaks especially of the sacrifices of Peace-Offerings the flesh whereof they were to eat and to rejoyce before the Lord Deut. 27.7 Note here the Enallage of the person from the second to the third I will distresse Ariel i. e. The Prophet speaks here in the person of God and what he speaks here was fulfilled when Jerusalem was besieged by Sennacheribs Host The Prophet did often prophesie of this siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib as he did also of other things which he did the more to shew the providence of God And there shall be heavinesse and sorrow Supple In Ariel that is in Jerusalem And it shall be to me as Ariel i. e. And I will make it as Ariel By Ariel may be meant here the Altar of Burnt-offerings which was in Jerusalem for the reason given v. 1. And the sense of this place may be this q. d. And as in a day of solemnity many Carcases of Beasts which are to be sacrificed lye dead upon the ground about the Altar of Burnt-offerings so shall many carcases and dead bodies of men lye about Jerusalem Many carcases of dead men might lye about Jerusalem when it was besieged by the Assyrians because many of the Hierusalomitans which were set to defend the wals might be slain with arrows and slings c. upon the walls and many again might be slain upon sallies out of the City upon the enemy Moreover many dead bodies might lye about Jerusalem because many which dwelt in the Towns and Villages about Jerusalem and the suburbs thereof which were friends to Jerusalem and were now sacrificing and making merry at Jerusalem might be slain by the Assyrians in their several towns and villages about Jerusalem and in the suburbs thereof whose deaths might be as grievous to the men of Jerusalem as the deaths of their own Citizens Or by Ariel we may understand a strong Lion for so this word Ariel signifies by interpretation and the sense of this place may be this q. d. And as a strong Lion when he is percâ—ived to approach neer to the sheepfold or pastures where cattle feed is compassed about and set upon by a company of Shepheards and Countrey-men so shall Jerusalem be encompassed and environed by the Assyrians who shall set upon it and besiege it that they may take it and this interpretation very well agreeth with what followeth 3. And I will camp against thee He useth an Apostrophe here to Ariel that is to Jerusalem Round about i. e. On every side of thee and that so close as that none can escape out of thee With a Mount i. e. With a Bulwarke or heap of earth cast out of a Trench such as besiegers use to cast up therewith to save themselves against the shot of the besieged and to hinder the besieged from fallying out upon their Quarters and from making an escape out of the place which they besiege God is said to do here what the Assyrians did by his providence and guidance But it may be here objected That this is contrary to what is said cap. 37.33 For there the Lord said concerning the King of Assyria He shall not come into this City nor shoot an arrow there nor come before it with shields nor cast a banck against it and yet here he saith I will campe against thee round about and will lay siege against thee with a mount c. Which Prophesie was fulfilled by Sennacheribs Host Answer Sennacherib King of Assyria sent Tartan Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lackish to King Hezekiah with a great Army against Jerusalem and they went up and came to Jerusalem cap. 36. v. 2. and then did they camp against Jerusalem round about and lay siege against her with a mount and raise forts against her and fulfill this Prophesie But while these Princes lay before Jerusalom Sennacherib himselfe was with another part of
drink measured out to him which he must not exceed that the store of the place may last out the longer Yet shall not thy Teachers be removed into a corner any more q. d. Yet do not thou evil entreat thy Teachers and drive them away into corners by thy evil usage and persecuting of them I take these words and the words following to verse 23. to be rather an Admonition then a Prediction and it is well known that the Hebrews put a future tense of the Indicative Mood for an Imperative In general that which the Prophet here admonisheth this people is to waite on the Lord though he doth afflict them which admonition is seasonable because in afflictions we are apt to be impatient and fly off from God What should I waite for the Lord any longer said the King of Israel when Samaria was long and hard besieged 2 Kings 6.33 And in particular he admonisheth them not to offer any discourtesie to â—he Ministers of the Lord and persecute them so that they should be fain to hide themselves and this admonition is also seasonable for many had thus evil intreated the Prophets and persecuted them cap. 29. v. 20 21 22. And when men expect any deliverance from the Lord and it comes not according to their expectation they wax angry and vent their anger upon the Lords servants thus Jehoram because God did not deliver Samaria from the Syrians which besieged it as he expected threatned Elisha the man of God saying God do so and more also to me if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day 2 Kings 6.31 He admonisheth them also to abandon their Idolatry both because it was most displeasing to God as also because many were too ready to seek to idols in their afflictions cap. 8.19 No man can truly waite for the Lord or his help but he must waite in the way of his Law that is he must be careful to do his Will and observe his Commandments Therefore while he admonisheth this people to use the Lords Prophets well and to cast away the raggs of their Idolatry he doth admonish them in effect to waite still for the Lord and his help But thine eyes shall see thy Teachers i. e. But let thine eyes gladly see thy teachers q. d. But be thou glad to see the Prophets of the Lord whom the Lord shall send to thee to instruct thee 21. And thine eares shall hear a word behinde thee saying this is the way walk ye in it when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left q. d. And let thine eares gladly hear the voice of the Prophets telling you that you do amiss when ye do amiss and directing you into the right way This is the sence of these words and the order of them is this And when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left thine eare shall hear i. e. Let thine eares gladly hear the word behinde thee saying this is the way walk ye in it Note that the words of this verse are metaphoricall taken from guides which follow children and direct them in the way which they walk in who if they see them turn out of the way either to the right hand or to the left tell them that they are out of the way and shew them the right way saying This is the right way walk ye in it 22. Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven Images of Gold q. d. Do ye also cast away as a thing polluted and defiled the very covering of thy graven Images which are made of silver and gold To defile signifies here to cast away as a thing polluted and defiled Note that the graven Images of Idolaters were adorned with Coverings that is with Mantles and Robes of great value For Dionysius the Tyrant took away such a Covering from the Idol of Jupiter Olympius which was very weighty with Gold saying That it was too heavy for the God to weare in the Summer and too cold for him to weare in the Winter Thou shalt cast them away i. e. Do thou cast them away As a menstruous cloth i. e. As a cloth which is stained which the menstruous blood of a woman then which nothing was accounted more unclean under the Law Lev. 15.19 20 21. Thou shalt say unto it Get thee hence i. e. Say thou unto it in detestation of Idolatry Get thee hence To it i. e. To them Observe here the Enallage of the number 23. Then shall he give thee i. e. Then shall the Lord give thee The rain of thy seed i. e. That rain which shall be requisite to make thy seed to grow And bread i. e. And wheat and other corn of which thou art wont to make bread Metonymia Materiae Of the encrease of the Earth i. e. Which shall spring up and encrease out of the Earth The Prophet prophecyeth here of the great abundance and fertility which should be in Judea after the destruction of the Assyrians and that for the comfort of those which should survive For great was the waste and desolation which the Assyrians were like to make in the Land and great was the scarcity which the Jews were like to endure at that time And a Land which is so wasted and spoyled by an Enemy as Judea was like to be by the Assyrians doth not quickly recover it self and bring forth fruit as it was wont to do To shew therefore how gracious God would be to his people he tells them for their comfort that after the Assyrians are destroyed there should abundance of all things spring up presently in Judea c. 24. Clean provender i. e. Provender which is cleansed from the chaff This signifies great plenty and abundance when they shall have no need of chaff to mingle among the provender of their cattel but winnow it out of it 25. And there shall be upon every high mountain and every high hill rivers and streams of water i. e. There shall plenty of Rain fall upon the high hills and high mountains which are naturally dry yea it shall fall like Rivers and streams of waters and make them fruitful which were naturally barren In the day of the great slaughter i. e. After the day of the great slaughter which the Angel shall make in the Camp of the Assyrians 2 King 19.35 In is to be taken here for After When the Towers fall i. e. When the Towers are faln By the Towers he meaneth the Assyrians or the Princes and chief of the Assyrians which were high and haughty and which were accounted as a tower invincible 26. The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun i. e. And the Moon shall shine as bright as the Sun doth ordinarily shine And the light of the Sun shall be seven-fold i. e. And the light of the Sun shall be seven times brighter then it useth to be As the light of seven days i. e. It
shall be as if the light of seven days were put into the light of one day and should cause the light to be seven times more intense and greater then usually it is By what is here said of the light of the Sun and the Moon is meant that there should be matter of great joy and rejoycing at this time For as darkness doth both in divine and humane Writings signifie a sad state of things and great adversity So on the contrary light doth signifie a joyful face of things and great prosperity We observed also Cap. 5.30 and elsewhere that the Scriptures do make the Heaven and the Earth after a pathetical manner to sympathize with men in great Accidents as if they were sensible of and affected with what befell them Thus do they make the Heavens to keep in their light in sad Events as Cap. 5.30 and 13.10 And here it makes the Sun and Moon to shine more bright then ordinary at joyful Accidents In the day i. e. At the time That the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people i. e. That the Lord delivereth his people which shall be besieged by Sennacheribs Army in Jerusalem and distressed from all their misery and distress Note that the Prophet useth a Metaphor here taken from a Chirurgeon which bindeth up the bones of his Patient which are broken after his Art and and knits them together and so heals them The breach i. e. The broken limbs or bones He useth here Metonymiam Adjuncti a breach for limbs or bones broken By this breach or broken limbs and bones he meaneth Metaphorically the distressed estate of the Jews which were besieged in Jerusalem And the stroke of their wound i. e. And the wound which they received or which was made in their flesh by a stroke Hypallage Here he signifieth the same things by the wound made by a stroke in the flesh as he did before by the breach made in the bones to wit the distressed estate of the Jews which were besieged in Jerusalem by Sennacheribs Host 27. Behold the Name of the Lord cometh i. e. Behold the Lord cometh The Prophets puts the Name of the Lord for the Lord himself after the Hebrew manner per Metonymiam Adjuncti q. d. The Lord cometh The Prophet proves here what he said vers 25. That there shall be a great slaughter of the Assyrians and that the Towers shall fall Cometh from far i. e. Cometh on a sudden and unlooked for as they come which come from far the hour of whose coming we know not of Or He cometh from far i. e. He cometh from Heaven See cap. 26.21 What the Lord cometh for we shall see in the next Verse Burning with anger i. e. Being exceeding angry Supple with the Assyrians which besiege Jerusalem The Prophet speaks here of God as of a man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and alludes to the boyling of a mans blood about the heart when he is angry whereby he is exceeding hot And the burden thereof is heavy q. d. and so heavy is his anger as that the Assyrians against whom it is kindled will not be able to bear it Or so heavy is the burden of his anger as that he is not able to bear it and therefore he will not ease himself of it by avenging himself upon the Assyrians Note here what a mixture the Prophet useth of Metaphors His lips are full of indignation i. e. He storms and rageth exceedingly He alludeth to angry men which storm and rage exceedingly in their anger His tongue is as a devouring fire This is for sence the same with the former words But because the Lord did so storm and rage against the Assyrians as that he did destroy them in his anger the Prophet saith His tongue was as a devouring fire Yet happily the Prophet may also allude to the breath which proceeds from the mouth of an angry man while he storms and rageth which is as smoke proceeding from fire 28. And his breath as an overflowing stream The breath of an angry man while he storms and rageth proceeds like smoke from his mouth and his nose yea as our Prophet saith here like a stream For as he takes in more ayr at such a time to refrigerate the heat of his heart so doth he violently send out more again by respiration while he chafeth and stormeth But the Prophet doth not onely liken his breath to a stream but to an overflowing stream that is to a stream of water which by reason of Snow or Rain overfloweth its banks and reacheth up to the middle of a mans neck whereby the whole man is welnigh drowned Shall reach He confoundeth tenses here for this should be of the same tense with the former Verbs Shall reach to the midst of the neck He likeneth the breath of the Lord in this his anger to an overflowing stream which reacheth to the midst of a mans neck because as such a stream doth drown as it were all parts of a mans body but onely his head so did the Lord in his anger destroy all the Assyrians by his Angel 2 King 19.35 Sennacherib onely which was their head and some few with him escaping 2 King 19.36 To sift the Nations with a sieve of vanity i. e. To destroy the Nations and tread them under foot And this was done by the Angel of the Lord 2 King 19.25 These words relate to those Behold the Name of the Lord cometh and shew the end of his coming q. d. The Name of the Lord cometh to sift the Nations c. This phrase is metaphorical for the understanding of which observe That when men sift corn with a sieve that which goeth through the sieve which is commonly nothing else but dust and trumpery is cast away and so cometh to be troden under foot as being unprofitable and that onely is reserved and set by which remaineth in the sieve after sifting which is the clean grain Observe secondly That when we sift corn we sift it for this end that we may sever the dust and trumpery from the good corn or grain Now if we sift the corn in a broken sieve or a wide-hole sieve so that all passeth through as well the corn and grain as the dust and trumpery we spend our labor in vain and such a sieve may be called a sieve of vanity or a vain sieve because we lose our labor in sifting in it When therefore the Prophet saith That he will sift them with a sieve of vanity his meaning is that he will sift them in such a sieve as lets all through which is put into it And because when men usually sift corn they fling away that which goeth through the sieve and falleth to the Earth and tread it under their feet hence the Prophet saith That the Lord will sift the Nations with a sieve of vanity for he will destroy them and tread them all under feet joyning two Metaphors together The Nations By this is meant Sennacheribs
Army which besieged Jerusalem in which were many men of many Nations With the sieve of vanity i. e. With a vain sieve A substantive of the Genitive case is put here for an Adjective What he calls a sieve of vanity or a vain sieve I have declared a few lines before And there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people Note that the word people is of the plural number and it signifies those of divers people which were in Sennacheribs Army Note also that whereas Sennacherib himself though he was upon his way so far as Nob Cap. 10.32 yet because neither he himself came to Jerusalem to the siege nor that part of his Army which was with him I understand by the people here that part of Sennacheribs Army which was with Sennacherib when that part of his Army which lay before Jerusalem was destroyed And these had a bridle in their jaws for whereas they were hasting to Jerusalem to strengthen the siege the Lord did put a hook into their nose and a bridle into their lips and turned them back Cap. 37.29 See cap. 31.8 9. Causing them to err i. e. Making them to flee as a chased Roe and as a sheep which no man taketh up as the Prophet speaks Cap. 13.14 which err and wander they know not whither until they fall into some pit or other or be devoured by some ravenous beast or other It is likely that when the news came to the ears of Sennacherib and those which were with him of the slaughter of an hundred fourscore and five thousand of the Assyrians in one night that this turned them back from Jerusalem and so affrighted them that they ran confusedly some one way and some another they knew not whither and that many of them came short home they which hated them having opportunity to slay them as they found them wandering and discomfited Note that when the Prophet saith The bridle in the jaws of the people shall cause them to err he alludeth to that which was signified by the bridle rather then to the bridle it self for bridles cause not to err but to go right rather But the news of an hundred fourscore and five thousand being slain in one night which is that which was signified by the bridle because it turned Sennacherib from Jerusalem as a bridle doth an Horse did make Sennacherib and those which were with him to disparkle and run as chased Roes or wandering sheep they knew not whither That the Prophet doth sometime allude in similitudes to the thing signifying and sometimes to the thing signified See Cap. 16.8 and 22.24 Or when he saith There shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people causing them to err it is as if he should say There shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people but a bridle of a strange nature for whereas other bridles cause the beasts in whose jaws they are to go aright this shall cause them in whose jaws it shall be to err See the like Notes Cap. 33.20 29. Ye shall have a song c. i. e. But ye shall have cause to sing for joy because of your deliverance from Sennacherib and the destruction of his Army He useth an Apostrophe here to those which were besieged in Jerusalem As in the night when an holy Solemnity is kept Some say that when the Hebrews were to offer a sacrifice in the morning they were wont to pass the night before with songs and a great deal of mirth and that the Prophet alludes to this in this place Others say that the Hebrews were wont to begin their solemn Feasts with a song and a great deal of mirth and joy and that the Prophet alludes to this For they began their Feasts in the Evening by the Prescript of the Law Others say that after a solemn Feast day they were wont to sup liberally and to sing and use all kinde of mirth at this their supper and that the Prophet alludes to this As when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountains of the Lord i. e. As when one goeth with a pipe to the Temple of the Lord. The Temple of the Lord was scituate upon Mount Sion therefore the mountain is put for the Temple of the Lord per Metonymiam Subjecti He saith Goeth to come periphrastically for cometh or goeth The Hebrews which went to the Temple to pay the vows which they had made or or to sacrifice to do any solemn service there were wont to go thither with pipes and musique See Psal 42.4 c. and to this doth the Prophet here allude This Verse may be read with a Parenthesis 30. And the Lord shall cause his glorious voyce to be heard By the glorious voyce of the Lord is meant Thunder which was heard at the destruction of the Assyrians It is usual with the Scripture to call thunder the voyce of the Lord as Psal 18.13 and 46.6 and 77.18 and 104.7 c. as if it had proceeded from the mouth of the Lord of whom the Scripture often speaks as of a man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Verse hath its connexion with vers 28. the 29th being brought in by the By and to be read as it were with a Parenthesis And shall shew the lighting down of his arm Supple Upon the Assyrians i. e. And he shall smite the Assyrians in the sight of all the people The Prophet alludes here to the gesture of a man which striketh for a man when he striketh first lifts up his arm and then lets it down again With the indignation of his anger i. e. With exceeding great anger With the flame of devouring fire q. d. That is With the flame of devouring fire or with lightning c. The Particle And is put here for a Note of Exposition or Explication The Hebrews gather from this and the like places that the Assyrians which the Angel of the Lord destroyed 2 King 19.35 were destroyed by fire and that at that time there was dreadful thunder and lightning and tempest sent amongst them though many others interpret this and the like places metaphorically as though thereby were onely signified an horrible and sudden destruction With scattering i. e. With storms which scatter abroad hay straw leaves of trees c. Metonymia Effecti 31. For through the voyce of the Lord i. e. For by thunder See vers 30. Shall the Assyrian Supple Which besiegeth Jerusalem Which smote with a rod. i. e. Which punished you and distressed you O ye Inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah and not you onely but many other Nations also A Metaphor 32. Where the grounded staff shall pass i. e. Where the report of the grounded staff shall pass He puts the staff for the report of the staff per Metonymiam subjecti The grounded staff By the staff is meant the strokestruck with the staff per Metonymiam Efficientis And by the stroke is meant Metaphorically the calamity which God inflicted upon
And the Land of the Unicorns and the Lambs and the Goats and the Rams the Land of the Bullocks and Bulls By this Land is meant Idumea for by these beasts are meant the Edomites by a Metaphor With blood i. e. With their blood And their dust i. e. And the earth or ground of their Land With fatness i. e. With the fatness which shall distill from the dead carcasses of them which shall be slain or with the fatness which it shall gather from the blood and putrefaction of the dead bodies of them which shall be slain which things make ground very fat 8. For it is the day of the Lords vengeance i. e. For the day or time in which this shall come to pass shall be the day or time in which the Lord will avenge himself of the Edomites for all the injuries which they have done to his people the Jews and therefore he will not spare them at that time And the year of recompences i. e. And the year or time in which he will recompence the people of Idumea for the injuries which they have done to his people the Jews For the controversie of Sion i. e. For the wrongs and injuries which the Edomites have done to the Jews Sion was an hill in Jerusalem and is put here first for Jerusalem by a Synecdoche of a part for the whole then Jerusalem is put for the inhabitants of Jerusalem by a Metonymy of the Subject or Continent Then the men of Jerusalem are put for all the Jews by a Synecdoche of the part By the controversie of Sion he meaneth the controversie which Sion hath with the Edomites and by a Metonymy of the Subject he meaneth the wrongs and injuries which the Edomites have done to Sion which was the cause and matter of that controversie In which phrase the Prophet alludes to the nature of men which when they have any wrong or injury offered will have a controversie with them which offered the injury concerning the wrong or injury which they offered that is will go to Law with them for that injury Thus when the Israelites had offended the Lord the Lord is said to have had a controversie with Israel Hos 4.1 And when Judah had sinned against God God is said to have had a controversie with Judah Hos 12.2 and so again Miâ— 6.2 In this sence doth our Saviour say If thou remember that thy brother hath ought against thee Matt. 5.23 that is hath any controversie with thee or Suit or Action against thee for If thou remembrest that thou hast wronged thy brother 9. And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch i. e. And the streams and rivers of their Land that is of the Land of Idumea shall be turned into burning pitch c. That which the Prophet meaneth by this and what followeth in this Verse is this That all Idumea that is all the Cities and Towns and Villages of Idumea shall be set on fire by the Ethiopians and be and appear in a light flame no otherwise then if the streams and rivers of Idumea were all turned into burning pitch and the dust into burning brimstone yea as if the whole Land were become burning pitch In which expression the Prophet useth an Hyperbole 10. It shall not be quenched night nor day i. e. That burning pitch into which the Land shal be turned shall burn night day Or by It is meant the fire thereof For a Relative is often put by the Hebrews without an Antecedent q. d. The fire of their Land or the fire with which their Land shall burn shall burn night and day and shall not be quenched For ever i. e. For many days or a great while together An Hyperbole When Towns and Cities are set on fire and burned down the fire and smoke thereof continue for a long time From generation to generation it shall lie waste i. e. Idumea shall lie waste and desolate a very long time The Hebrews as we have often observed are Hyperbolical in their expressions of times None shall pass through it i. e. No man shall pass through Idumea For ever i. e. For a long time An Hyperbole 11. The Cormorant and the Bittern shall possess it The Cormorant and Bittern are solitary birds which delight most in solitary places and places not frequented by men It That is Idumea The Owl and the Raven shall dwell in it The Owl and the Raven are solitary birds as the Cormorant and the Bittern are but the Cormorant and the Bittern delight most in the waters the Owl and the Raven in the dry places And he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion and the stones of emptiness q. d. For the Lord shall mete it and measure it out for destruction and desolation and shall destroy and make it desolate accordingly And is put here for For and by He is meant the Lord and by It Idumea When he saith The Lord shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion and the stones of emptiness he speaks metaphorically and borroweth his Metaphor from a Mason or a Carpenter to which here he likeneth the Lord which when he is to pull down any part or piece of an old building he usually measureth the height and the length and bredth of what he is to pull down He shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion i. e. He shall measure it with the line of confusion When we measure any thing with a line we stretch out the line with which we take measure upon the thing which we measure hence he puts here the stretching out of the line upon Idumea for the measuring of Idumea with the line The line of confusion This line he calls the line of confusion because it is to mete or measure out that which is to be confounded or pulled down This Genitive is Genitivus finis The stones of emptiness i. By stones he may mean rules such rules as Carpenters and Masons were wont to measure their work withall which he calls stones because they were perhaps made of some certain polishable stones though they were but short and of no great length Or by stones he may mean the Plummet which Carpenters and Masons use to have tyed at the end of a line wherewith they take the measure or height of any wall or building These Plummets now adays are usually made of Lead though then they used stones in stead thereof He puts therefore stones for a Plummet per Metonymiam Materiae and a Plummet for a line with a Plummet at the end of it per Metonymiam Adjuncti These stones or this line he calls the stones or the line of emptiness in relation to the Land of Idumea which was to be layd waste and to be made empty of the Cities and Towns and Inhabitants thereof rather then to any buildings to be pulled down to which the stones or lines here mentioned are usually applyed For as I have observed before Cap. 30.28 the Prophet in
an Apostrophe here to Hezekiah and speaks to him This shall be a sign unto thee Supple By which you may know when Sennacherib shall return home that it was I which drave him or turned him hence Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of it self i. e. Thou O Hezekiah and thy people shall eat this year such corn and grain c. as grow of themselves without either plowing or sowing This year He meaneth that present year in which he spoke in which year they must have either eaten that which grew of it selfe or have pinched for it for it was so late in the year before the Assyrians Army was destroyed and they which were besieged in Jerusalem were delivered that seed-time was past and for any corn which grew formerly the Assyrians had destroyed all and cut down all the fruit-trees of the Land And the second year that which springeth of the same i. e. And the year next following this ye shal eat that corn which springeth of that which shall grow of it self this year for from the corn which shall grow of it self this year shall many grains fall which shall spring up and yield abundantly so that all the people shall be satisfied therewith Why they should eat that which grew of it self the first of these two years we have told before to wit because seed-time would be past before they should be delivered from the siege of the Assyrians Now the reason why they should eat the second year of the two that which grew of the same was because it was the seventh year in which the Lord said There should be a Sabbath of rest unto the Land a Sabbath to the Lord thou shalt neither sow thy field nor prune thy vineyard Levit. 25.4 And the third year sow ye and reap They could not reap what they sowed in the third year untill the end of the year therefore miraculous it was that those threâ— years so much corn should grow of it selfe as should suffice all the people Sow ye and reap c. i. e. Ye shall sow and reap and shall be no more hindred by the Assyrians or any other enemies from sowing and reaping as ye have bin though ye might fear lest that Sennacherib should recruite his Army and come upon you againe It augments the former miracle that they had enough not only for bread to eat but also for seed to sow And eat the fruit thereof i. e. And ye shall eat the fruit thereof your selves though of late the Assyrians have eaten the fruit of what ye have sowne and planted 31. And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah i. e. For the remnant of the house of Judah which is escaped out of the hands of the Assyrians And for For. Shall take root downward and bear fruit upward i. e. Shall flourish again and multiply exceedingly and sow and reap He alludes to a Tree which being in good proof shooteth forth its roots downwards and its branches upwards on which it bringeth forth much fruit 32. Out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant i. e. A remnant of the house of Judah which saved themselves from the Assyrians by being in Jerusalem shall go out of Jerusalem when Jerusalem is freed from those which besieged her into all parts of the Land of Judah and inhabite and overspread it and sow it and reap the fruit thereof And they that escape Supple The hands of the Assyrian Out of Mount Sion i. e. Shall go out of Mount Sion into other parts of the Land and there live in peace and multiply By Mount Sion is meant Jerusalem and this is a repetition of the former sentence The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall doe this i. e. The Lord of Hosts will do this for the ardent love which he beareth both to his owne honour and to David his servant See v. 35. This. Supple which is here mentioned from the 29 verse 33. Therefore thus saith the Lord c. This relates to the 29 verse and followeth that as an inference from thence He shall not come into this City q. d. Sennacherib shall not force the gates of the City and so enter in and take it Nor shoot an Arrow there i. e. Nor shoot an Arrow at those which stand upon the Wall that he might drive them away and so scale the wals Nor come before it with shields q. d. Neither shall he assault it with armed men When they which besiege a City and would assault it cannot drive away the souldiers that are set to defend the Walls with shooting they assault it and scale the Walls with men armed with shields and such defensive Armour which may defend them from the Arrowes and Darts of them which are upon the wals Nor cast a bank against it When they that come before a City and are resolved to take it cannot take it by storm or by assault that they may starve it out they trench and cast a bank against it round about so that they which are besieged cannot come out or have any provision brought in unto them The meaning then of this place is that Sennacherib shall not take Jerusalem by force neither shall he assault it with armed men or closely besiege it with Trenches c. Which understand of Sennacherib himselfe For he was not himselfe before Jerusalem though he threatned to assault it and besiege it untill he had taken it and to uâ—e all manner of hostility against it and for that end was comming himself with that part of his Army which was with him when his Army which was before Jerusalem was destroyed by the Angel But though Sennacharih did not entrench against it himselfe yet part of his Armie did cap. 29.3 But neverthelesse it used not that hostility nor did it besiegâ— Jerusalem with such eagernesse as Sennacherib threatned and would have done if he had come himselfe and presently after this it was destroyed 34. By the way that he came by the same he shall returne q. d. He shall goe as he comes or he shall return without his errand This is a proverbiall kinde of phrase as I said v. 29. 35. For I will defend this City to save it q. d. For I will defend this City that I may save it Or I will defend this City and save it For mine owne sake For mine honours sake Because I have made choice of that City to be the place of my Sanctuary and my Worship As also because that I would shew that I am the onely Lord God v. 20. which I should not doe if I suffered Sennacherib to take Jerusalem And for my servant David's sake q d. And for the love which I bore to David thy Father and because of the promise which I made to him that I would establish the Throne of his Kingdome 1 Kings 2.3 and 2 Chron. 7.18 which would come to nought if Jerusalem should be destroyed at this time 36. The Angel of the Lord went forth Supple
and danger of Sennacherib and must not see the delivery of it Secondly because he had no Sonne as yet to succeed him in his Throne And it might be a cause of sorrow to him to think that the Promise made to David and Solomon 1 Kings 8.25 should not appertain to him and his posterity yea it is inbred by Nature even in good men to grieve to think that they should dye Childlesse and that their Inheritance should come to strangers See an example of this in Abraham Gen. 15.2 Adde to this that Hezekiah knew that the Messiah was to arise out of the seed of David therefore if he should live to have issue he might hope that the Messias might arise out of that from which hope he should be cut off by dying at this time Thirdly he might imagine that they which had ascribed the calamities of his times to him because he brake downe the Altars and the Images c. might be more bold to ascribe it to him if he should now dye and others would be more prone to believe them as if his sinne in this had hastened his death Fiftly He might think that God did intend to cut him off in displeasure which could not be but grievous to him to think of because the Prophet came as Gods Herald to threaten him with death And for this reason perhaps among the rest he doth here mention how he had walked before God in truth c. 5. Thus saith the Lord the God of David thy Father David is said to be the Father of Hezekiah because Hezekiah descended from David though after many Generations Matth. 1. v. 6 9. And the Lord in sending to Hezekiah the promise of Recovery stiles himselfe the God of David his Father that Hezekiah might know that he was mindful of the promise which he the Lord made to David 1 Kings 2.4 which Hezekiah did tacitely minde him of in his prayers v. 3. I have seen thy tears i. e. I have taken speciall notice of thy tears and am moved to compassion by them I will adde unto thy dayes fifteen yeares i. e. I will adde to the dayes which thou hast already lived fifteen yeares 6. And I will deliver thee and this City out of the hands of the King of Assyria It appeares from hence that this sicknesse befell Hezekiah while Jerusalem was besieged by Sennacherib's Army And if yee would know a reason why then it was not recorded amongst those things which were done in that time cap. 37. the reason is plaine viz. Because that so briefe an History should not be interrupted with passages which concerned it not Note here that either Hezekiah prayed for the deliverance of Jerusalem from the pressure of Sennacherib's Army as well as for the continuance of his own life Or that such is the goodness of our gracious God as that he gives more to his then they ask for 8. Behold I will bring c. q.d. Behold I the Lord will bring c. I will bring again the shadow of the degrees which is gone downe in the Sunne-Diall of Ahaz ten Degrees backward By the Sun-Diall of Ahaz is meant the Sun-Dial which Ahaz the Father of Hezekiah made or caused to be made in one of the Courts of the Royal Pallace By the Degrees which were in the Diall are meant the lines which were cut or painted in that Diall wherewith the halfe houres were marked So that while the shadow passed from one of these Lines or Degrees to the Line or Degree next to it was half an hour And while it passed on from that Line or Degree to the next was another half hour c. By the Shadow of the degrees is meant the shadow which the Gnomon or hand of the Sunne-Diall casteth when the Sun shineth upon the Diall which shadow as the Sun goeth forward from East to West ordinarily goeth from one degree to another that is from one Line in the Diall to another and so sheweth how the day passeth and is therefore called The shadow of Degrees The going backward of this shadow ten Degrees was when the shadow went backward ten of these Lines which was caused by the miraculous going back of the Sun from the West towards the East For I conceive that the Sun it selfe went back at this time And so much I gather from 2 Chron. 32.31 And Ecclus. 48.23 So the Sunne returned ten Degrees By the Sunne is meant the shadow of Degrees which is caused by the Sun Per Metonymiam efficientis By which Degrees it was gone downe The Shadow is said to goe downe by Degrees when it passeth from Lines which signifie more early so Lines signifying later times in the day which is caused by the going of the Sun from the East towards the West 10. In the cutting off of my dayes i. e. When the Lord was about to cut off my dayes and to take away my life When he saith In the cutting off of my dayes he alludes to the manner of Weavers who when they have made an end of their Webbe cut it off from the Thrum I shall go to the gates of the grave i. e. I shall dye Metonymia Effecti For they which dye are carried to the grave there to be buried Note that the Sepulchres of the dead especially among the Jews had their doores and their gates which were made fast for their Sepulchers were hollow places either cut out of rocks or arched with brick or stone or the like as appeareth by the Sepulcher of Christ which was cut out of a rock Mat. 27.60 and into which John and Peter entred John 20. v. 6 8. and into which those three women which brought their spices went in Luke 24.3 as appeareth also by the Tombes out of which the two possessed with Devils came Mat. 8.28 and in which they dwelt Mar. 5.3 Hence cometh the phrase of the gates of the grave and the gates of death c. I am deprived of the residue of my years The age of man is threescore years and ten saith the Psalmist Psal 90.10 to this doth Hezekiah seem here to allude and as many years of threescore and ten as he had not lived he calls the residue of his years Or by the residue of years he meaneth that time which he might have lived after this by the course of nature had it not bin for this violent sicknesse 11. I shall not see the Lord i. e. I shall not visit the Temple of the Lord. He puts the Lord for the Temple of the Lord by a Metonymy In the Land of the Living i. e. On the earth which is the land and place of the Living I shall behold man no more i. e. I shall never see any man again With the Inhabitants of the world As they doe which live and dwell in the world 12. Mine age is departed i. e. That part of the threescore years and ten which I have not yet lived is departed from me See notes vers 10. for he
calls that his age here which he calls the residue of his yeares there He speaks metaphorically of his age though it be a thing successive and exists onely by the present instant as of a thing whose parts are all together and as it were at once before our eyes And is removed from me i. e. And is removed out of my sight As a Shepheards tent i. e. As a Shepheards tent which to day we see pitcht in such a place and to morrow is removed from that place and pitcht we know not where He saith a shepheards tent because that represents the inconstancy and uncertainty of our life more then any other Tent for the souldiers tent may stand pitcht long in a place as in sieges and the like but Shepheards change the place of their Tent every day because of the opportunity of fresh pasture for their Cattle I have cut off like a weaver my life i. e. I have caused the Lord to cut off my life as if a Weaver should cut off his web from the thrum before it be finished He saith I have cut off for I have caused the Lord to cut off Supple by my sin Per Metonymiam Effecti He will cut me off i. e. The Lord will cut off my life He saith Me for my life by a Metonymy With pining sickness i. e. With a grievous sickness which maketh my flesh to consume and pine away From day even to night wilt thou make an end of me i. e. I said all the day long that is From morning even till night thou wilt make an end of me before the night commeth Here is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of those words I said all the day long which may be understood partly from the beginning of the tenth and eleventh verses and partly from this place And the day is here put for the morning which is but part of the day Per Synecdochen Integri Here is also an Enallage of the person where he passeth from the third to the second person 13. I reckoned till morning q. d. When night came I reckoned and made an account with my self every hour and minute till the morning That as a Lion so will He break my bones i. e. That as a Lion breaketh the bones of a Lamb or a Sheep which he maketh his prey so will the Lord break all my bones before morning and so kill me Hence it is conjectured that Hezekiahs sicknesse was a most vehement feaver for other sicknesses affect onely particular parts but a feaver torments the whole body Note here again an Enallage of the Person from the second to the third From day even to night wilt thou make an end of me q. d. And when morning came again I said all the day long from morning even till night that thou wilt make and end of me before night commeth See vers 12. For these words I said all the day long are to be understood here as they are there By these sayings Hezekiah sheweth in what great pain he was in 14. Like a Crane or a Swallow so did I chatter q. d. I made a doleful noise through the extreamity of my pain like the noise of a Crane or a Swallow Or thus q. d. My strength was so spent with the extremity of my disease and my pain as that I could not speak plainly and articulately but did seem to chatter like a Crane or Swallow rather then speak like a man I did mourn as a Dove i. e. I did make a mournfull noise or groan like a Dove saying c. Mine eyes fail with looking upward i. e. Saying for this word is to be understood I have lifted up mine eyes towards heaven in prayer to thee O Lord and so long have I lifted them up that they wax weary and dim with looking up By this is meant that he had prayed to God for ease and expected ease from him but had not received it The zealous and faithful people of God were wont in their prayers to lift up their eyes towards heaven which is Gods dwelling place and to continue them in that posture as long as they prayed and when they had obtained what they prayed for they ceased to pray for what they had obtained and so let down their eyes but if they obtained not they still prayed and continued looking upward till their eyes were weary and dim Hence commeth the phrase Mine eyes fail with looking upward or I have prayed but obtained not what I prayed for This phrase doth the Psalmist also use Psal 69.3 and Psal 119.82 I am oppressed Supple By my disease He speaks of his disease metaphorically as of a cruell Creditor which oppresseth his Debtor and casts him into prison or delivereth him to the tormentors as Mâ—tth 18.34 Vndertake for me q. d. Give me ease from this my disease and release me from my pain He persisteth in the Metaphor of a cruell Creditor for such a Creditor though he oppresseth his Debtor and casts him into prison and delivereth him to the tormentors yet if a sufficient man will undertake for his Debtor to pay him his debt he will release him out of prison and deliver him from the tormentors 15. What shall I say q. d. What shall I say and how shall I be able to expresse the loving-kindness of the Lord. He is here suddainly rapt from the expression of his great misery to the consideration of the great mercie and loving-kindness of the Lord and these words are to be conceived as uttered from the thought and meditation of that which Isaiah said to him v. 15. that the Lord would adde to to his dayes fifteen years He hath spoken unto me and himself hath done it i. e. The Lord hath both spoken unto me by his Prophet saying that he will adde to my dayes fifteen years v. 5. and he will also do what he hath spoken In the last of these words a Preterperfect is put for a Future Tense to shew the certainty of what he speaks of as it is often put I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul q. d. I will be sorry all the dayes of my life that I have offended so good and gracious a God as the Lord is to me I shall go softly i. e. I will mourn Metonymia Adjuncti He alludes here to the gesture or pace of those which are penitent and sorrowfull and mourn for their sins for such go softly and slowly See 1 Kings 21.27 All my years i. e. All my years which the Lord hath added to my dayes v. 5. Note here that for all this we must not think that Hezekiah did nothing else but mourn and go softly all the rest of his life for this phrase is to be understood like those which Paul useth Rejoyce evermore pray without ceasing 1 Thess 5. ver 16 17. Without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day 2 Tim. 1.3 Praying alwayes with all prayer Eph. 6.18 Rejoyce
had said let them take a lump of figs I conceive that these words are to be referred to those The Lord was ready to save me as containing a reason why Hezekiah was so confident as to say when he was in most extremity of his sicknesse The Lord is ready to save me q. d. And therefore was Hezekiah so confident when he was most sick as to say The Lord is ready to save me because Isaiah had said let them take a lump of figges and lay it for a plaister upon the boile Let them taks a lump of figs and lay it for a plaister upon the boile Some conjecture from hence that the specificall disease with which Hezekiah laboured at this time was the plague and that the boile here mentioned was the plague-sore or plague-swelling This plaister of figs though some thinke that it had no naturall power for this cure others that is was hurtfull by nature to this boile and that therefore it was the greater miracle that healed it was certainly proper and convenient for this boile yet was there a miracle in it in that it cured the boile more speedily than it could doe by nature Though this plaister be called a plaister of figs yet might it consist of other ingredients as well as figs though figs gave the denomination to the plaister And he shall recover i. e. And Hezekiah shall recover from his sicknesse 22. Hezekiah also had said Supple When Isaiah had told him that the Lord would heal him and that on the third day he should go up to the house of the Lord 2 Kings 20.5 What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord This question Hezekiah asked 2 Kings 20.8 and the sign given him was that the shadow should go back ten degrees in the Diall of Ahaz v. 8. and 2 Kings 20. v. 9 10.11 After these words to wit Hezekiah also had said what is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord We must understand these or the like words and he received this sign of the Lord That the shadow should go ten degrees backward by which it had gone down in the Diall of Ahaz Note that this is no other reason why Hezekiah was so confident as to say The Lord was ready to save me vers 20. ISAIAH CHAP. XXXIX AT that time It was not presently upon Hezekiahs recovery that Merodach-Baladan sent to Hezekiah but a good while after though upon occasion of his recovery wherefore the time here mentioned is not to be strictly taken but with some latitude yet at what time he sent is not very certain for this Relative is often put without an Antecedent Merodach-Baladan the Son of Baladan King of Babylon Who and what this Merodach-Baladan was is much controverted I assent to him who takes him to have been a Mede for the Medes did occupy the Kingdom of Babylon after Esarhaddon Sennacheribs son according to the Prophesies which went concerning the change of that Kingdom Cap. 13.17 and 21.9 though the Medes were afterwards driven out by Nebopolassar the Chaldean the Father of Nabuchodonozer This Merodach was deified for his good deserts Sent letters and a present to Hezekiah It seemeth from hence and from other places that it was an usuall thing between Kings and Princes though they differed in religion to use offices of humanity and to send greeting one to another and to signifie their joy in the prosperity and their griefe in the adversity one of another David did so at the death of Nahash the King of the Ammonites for he sent to Hanun the Son of Nahash to comfort him by the hand of his Servants for his Father 2 Sam. 10.2 And Toi King of Hamath sent Joram his Son with presents to King David to salute him and blesse him when he had sought against Hadadezer and smitten him 2 Sam. 8. v. 9 10. Sent letters The letters here mentioned were not onely gratulatory to joy Hezekiah of his recoverie but the King of Babylon did also enquire by them concerning the miracle of the Suns going back Cap. 38.8 as you may learn 2 Chron. 32.31 And a present This present he sent to joy Hezekiah of his recovery It was usual with Princes when they sent friendly one to another to send gifts and presents and not letters or messages onely for love is better expressed by gifts and presents then by bare words For he heard that he had been sick and recovered Supple Miraculously 2. And Hezekiah was glad of them i. e. And Hezekiah was glad of the letter and of the presents and of the comming of the Ambassadors and therefore was he glad of them because by them he was honored after such a manner of so great a King as also because he thought that Judea would be the safer now because of so great a kings friendship And shewed them i. e. And shewed the Ambassadors of Merodach-Baladan Here is a Relative without an Antecedent And shewed them the house of his precious things c. How rich Hezekiah was and how he abounded in wealth and treasure See 2 Chron. 32.27 But when Hezekiah was brought so poore by Sennacherib as that he was fain to give him all the Silver that was found in the House of the Lord and in the Treasures of the Kings house 2 Kings 18.15 to pay the sum that he laid upon him How came Hezekiah to be so rich in so short time Answ Besides other meanes by which the Lord might enrich Hezekiah Hezekiah was enriched by the spoile of the Assyrians which the Angel slew Cap. 37.36 and by the gifts and presents which were brought to him from all parts 2 Chron. 32.23 That which Hezekiah did here in shewing the Ambassadors of the King of Babylon all his precious things savoured of Vain-glory. And seldome it is that even the best of men can use the temporall blessings of God as they ought And it was not onely vain-glory in Hezekiah thus to doe but want of judgement too for it is dangerous for a Prince to shew his Riches to strangers For this onely thing hath often allured the Barbarous Nations to invade the Roman Empire 3. What said these men And from whence came they unto thee Isaiah asketh these questions that he might take occasion by Hezekiah's Answer to shew Hezekiah his folly Hezekiah said They are come from a far Countrey to me even from Babylon The Prophet asked two Questions But here is mentioned an Answer onely to the last of them And some say that Hezekiah gave answer onely to the last and therefore blames him as though he had omitted that which concerned the glory of God and boasted of that which did make for his owne Renowne But this Interpretation may seem to be too harsh against Hezekiah yet it is written that in the business of the Ambassadours of the Princes of Babylon who sent to him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the Land God left him to
hath occasion he sheweth the vanity of Idols that his people living amorâ— Idolaters in the Babylonish Captivity might not bâ— insnared with Idolatry Bâ—â—ng forth c. Hâ— speakes to Idolaters to bring forth their Idols to plead for themselves and their divinity Yet because the Iewes which were in the Babylonish Captivity are called Deafe and Blâ—nde Cap. 42.18 Some understand this verse of bringing forth the Captive Iewes out of Captivity And make it an Amplification of that which went before q. d. I will say Bring forth out of Prison and Captivity or bring forth out of your Land the Blinde which have eyes and the Deafe whioh have eares So that Gods controversie with Idolaters and their Idols begins not till the next yeare But I thinke it rather to be understood of Idols and spoken to Idolaters 9. Let all the Nations supple which worship Idols Be gathered together To wit that they may heare what I can say for my divinity and what the Idols can say for theirs and so know which of us is the true God while we plead together And let the people be assembled This is a repetition of the former Sentence Who among them i. e. Who among those Idols which they worship Here is a relative without an Antecedent Can declare this i. e. Can declare or foretell that which I have declared and foretold concerning the redemption of my people the Iewes out of the Babylonish Captivity c. And shew us former things i. e. And shew us things which wil come e're long to passe See Cap. 41.22 Let them bring forth their witnesses q. d. If they say that they have declared this and shewed former things or can declare and shew them let them bring forth their witnesses to prove what they say That they may be justified i. e. That Sentence may be pronounced in judgement that they speake truth or that Sentence may be given that the cause which they maintaine is just The cause of the Idols here meant is that they are Gods and that they doe justly assume to themselves the name of Gods This word to justifie is a Law terme and signifieth the justnesse not of the Person but of the Cause which is in hand Or let them heare i. e. Or if they cannot bring forth any witnesses to prove what they say let them heare those witnesses which I can produce in my cause to prove what I say And say i. e. And when they have heard what my witnesses can say let them say and confesse It is truth It is true which I say and maintaine That is that it is true that I have foretold these things before they came to passe and that I therefore am God only 10. Yee are my witnesses q. d. If yee aske who are my witnesses yee my people which have heard what I have said concerning your redemption are my witnesses and must needs certifie for me that I have declared and foretold of your redemption out of the Babylonish Captivity before it is come to passe and that therefore I am God He useth an Apostrophe here to the children of Iacob the Iewes And my servant whom I have chosen i. e. And my servant Isaiah whom I have chosen to be my servant He is my witnesse that I have declared and foretold of the redemption of you my people out of the Babylonish Captivity before it is come to passe For I have revealed it to him and he hath made it knowne both by word and writing to you That yee may know q.d. So that yee must needs know supple that I am he that is that I am God And believe me Supple When I say that I am he that is that I am God And understand that I am he i. e. And understand that I am God yea the onely God He is put here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Him which is the highest and greatest He and that is God or He that is He whom I said my selfe to be and that is God If the Lord onely can foretell things to come the Lord onely must needs be God and there is no other God but He See Cap. 41.23 Before me there was no God formed When he saith There was no God formed he seemes to deride the Gods of the Heathen for their gods were formed by the Art and hand of man 11. I am the Lord i. e. I am that true and eternall God which is of himselfe and from whom all other things have their being No Saviour Supple which can save his Servants and deliver them out of all dangers and out of the hands of all their enemies as I can 12. I have declared q. d. I have heretofore declared unto you and told you that I would save you out of the hands of your enemies For when Senacherib came against you with a great Army I declared and told you that so many of you as would believe my words and relye on me for safety and would keep themselves with Hezekiah within Hierusalem should be safe and this I told you before it came to passe And have saved i. e. And I have saved you as I declared I would doe for when Senacheribs Host did besiege you I sent mine Angell and slew of them an hundred foure score and five thousand in one night and so delivered you 2 Kings 19.35 And have shewed when there was no strange God among you i. e. Yea I have declared and shewed unto you that I would save you from the hand of Senacherib and have saved you accordingly when there was no strange god among you And if there was no strange god among you at that time it must needs be that what I declared I declared of my selfe and in that I saved you I saved you of my selfe and therefore that I am the true God In the dayes of Hezekiah there was no strange god at least publikely worshipped in Iudah For Hezekiah and all Israel that were with him at the keeping of the Passeover destroyed all the Images and the Groves which were in Iudah and Hierusalem 2 Chron. 30.14 and 2 Chro. 31.1 Note here that in this verse there is an Apostrophe made to the Iewes the children of Iacob 13. Yea before the day was I am he i. e. Yea before the day was I was God See verse 10. This proves God to be the only God for the gods of the Heathen were since the day was made as being the worke of mans hand and so by consequence are no Gods I am he God is he which was and is and is to come and though we signifie that God was yet we signifie it by a present tense because God is the same to day as he was yesterday the same at this present time as he was in the time past without any change or shadow of change at all And there is none that can deliver out of my hand If there be none that can deliver out of the hand of the Lord when the Lord hath a minde
former words 20. Assemble your selves and come draw neer together yee that are escaped of the Nations q. d. All yee Nations and Heathen which have escaped the Sword of Cyrus Assemble your selves and draw neer together to me Supple that yee may understand the vanity of Idolaters and their Idols This is spoken in the Person of God and is spoken by occasion of that that God said that he was the Lord and that there was no God else They have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven Image i. e. They are but fooles and men of no understanding who set up a graven Image of Wood to worship it as ye doe This the Lord speakes as it were to the escaped of the Nations being Assembled together 21. Tell yee and bring them neeâ— i. e. Tell yee your selves and bring your Idols neere that they may tell What it is which they should tell followes in a few words after They should tell Who hath declared this from ancient time c. Bring them neere By them understand here the Idols which Idolaters set up and worshipped as Cap. 41.22 Yea let them take counsell i. e. Yea let the Idols take counsell together that if one knowes what the other knowes not he may informe him and then let them tell Who hath declared this from ancient time Who hath declarâ—d this that Cyrus hath done for my people in delivering them out of Câ—ptivity with all the circumstances thereof from ancient time He speâ—kâ—s here as if Cyrus had even then dâ—livered the Jewes out of Captivity From tâ—at time i. e. From that time in which it was not knowne or heard of see Cap. 48.8 A Relative is put here without an Antecedent Have not I the Lord Supple And no God else told of this from ancient time which Cyrus hath done for my people with all the circumstances thereof And there is no God else Here is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of those words I therefore am God q. d. I therefore am God and there is no God else beside me If it appeare that the Lord fore-told this which Cyrus did for the Jewes in delivering them out of the Babylonish Captivity plainly and distinctly with all the circumstances thereof long before it came to passe And that the gods of the Heathen and their Idols knew it not nor spoke of it it must needs be that their gods must be pronounced as no gods and that the Lord be acknowledged for the only God A just God Supple Which keepes his word and performâ—s what he promiseth as the Lord did to his people A Saviour Supple Which saveth them which serve him out of the hands of their Enemies as the Lord saved the Jewes out of the hands of the Babylonians 22. Looke unto me and be yee saved all the Earth i. e. Wherefore all yee people which live upon the face of the Earth even from one end thereof to the other Looke unto me as to the onely true God and forsake your Idols and yee shall be saved from your enemies That which the Lord here speakes to the Inhabitants of the Earth he speakes by occasion of those words in the former verse There is no God else besides me c. q. d. There is no God else besidâ—s me wherefore looke unto me and be yee saved all the ends of the Earth c. Be yee saved i. e. Ye shall be saved And Imperative mood is put here for a Future Tense as Gen. 42.18 Doe this and live for Doe this and yee shall live 23. The word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse i. e. I have spoken in truth and will performe what I have spoken And shall not returne i. e. The word which is gone out of my mouth shall not returne Supple without effect or voyd but shall be performed See Cap. 25. v. 11. He seemes to speake here of the word going out of the mouth and returning voyde as of an Ambassadour which is sent in an Embassy and returneth with his businesse undonâ— These words The word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not returne must be read as with a Parenthesis That unto me every knee shall bow Referre this to these words viz. I have sworn by my selfe q.d. I have sworne my selfe that unto me every knee shall bow c. Vnto me every knee shall bow i. e. Every one shall worship me And every tongue shall sweare Supple to me that I am the Lord and onely God Or shall sweare Supple by me And so honour me as the onely God To sweare by God is part of Gods worship and a thing to be done to none but to the true God This part of worship in speciall therefore is put here for any the worship of God in generall It may be asked when that which the Lord saith here was or should be fulfilled That is when every one did or should worship the Lord and acknowledge him to be the true God Ans That which the Lord here speaketh of every ones worshipping him and acknowledging him to be the true God was not neither shall it be accomplished or fulfilled untill the last day but then it shall At which day they that have not willingly worshipped him shall worship him whether they will or no Rom. 14.11 It may be asked againe to what end the Lord mentions this Ans He doth it to perswade all the ends of the Earth to looke unto him in this present time For if all men shall be forced to look unto him and worship him whether they will or no at the last day It is better for them to doe it willingly before that day commeth These words containe a threatning which God useth because the ends of the Earth seemed to be backward in forsaking their Idols and looking unto him 24. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength i. e. Surely many a one of every Nation shall say I have found or I have seen Righteousnesse and Strength in the Lord Righteousnesse in that the Lord is true in all his words and in all his promises And Strength in that he is able to doe for his servants whatsoever he hath a minde to doe And so shall they confesse to the Lord That he is God Shall one say i. e. Shall many a one say For this is a kinde of Hebraisme which useth to be rendred by an Impersonall thus It shall be said as Cap. 25.9 Which is all one with this Many one shall say That which the Prophet spake in the former verse he spake in the person of the Lord But that which he speaketh here and to the end of the Chapter he seemeth to speak in his own person and what he speaketh here he speaketh to perswade all the ends of the Earth to looke unto the Lord that they may be saved and not to looke unto Idols as he did in the former verse But the Arguments which he here useth are not so
should not dye in the dungeon as many of his Brethren have dyed through such hardness as he hath there suffered heretofore and which you are now afraid of By the pit is meant that part of the prison which is called the Dungeon which is as a pit under ground But by this also he meaneth Babylon or the Land of the Jews captivity by a Metaphor Nor that his bread should fail i. e. And that he might not be starved in captivity for want of bread as many of his brethren have been and which you now fear Supple And he shall prevail 15. But I am the Lord thy God that divided the Sea c. The Lord prevents an Objection here which Sion might make For Sion might say But for all this I have cause to be afraid and to fear continually every day for the Babylonians are men which are maliciously bent against me and their fury is such as that it cannot be withstood To which the Lord here answers saying I 'l grant that the Babylonians are men maliciously bent against thee but yet I am the Lord who am more mighty then all the men of the Earth thy God who will have a care of thee and protect thee whose friendship is more to be esteemed of then their enmity to be feared who divided the sea whose waves roared and therefore am able to chastise them be their fury never so great and tumultuous against thee The Lord of Hosts is my Name therefore can I give victory to whom I please and trample under feet whom I will That divided the sea whose waves roared He alludes to the division which he made in the red Sea for his people Israel to pass through which he divided notwithstanding the roaring of the waves Exod. 14. v. 16 21. The Lord of Hosts is his Name i. e. The Lord of Hosts is my Name He putteth here the third for the first person for the Lord speaketh here of himself This Name The Lord of Hosts intimateth a great deal of power and the Lord mentioneth it here to uphold Sion against the conceit which she had of the great power of the Babylonians her Enemies or Oppressors 16. And I have put my words in thy mouth c. And that it may be known that I have not onely power to redeem thee O Zion and thy children the Jews but will also to restore all prosperity and joy to you and where power and will meet together the effect must needs follow I have put my words in thy mouth O Isaiah The Lord maketh a sudden Apostrophe to Isaiah And have covered thee with the shadow of mine hand See cap. 49.2 That I may plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth q. d. That I may plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth Supple As I have determined to plant and lay them upon the Jews repentance i. e. That I may make new Haevens and a new Earth according to what I have decreed when the Jews have repented That these words are not literally to be understood but onely Metaphorically is plain and manifest and denyed by none Quest. But what is it which is meant by them Answ The meaning is as if he should say that I may put a new face on things and make the Heavens to give their light and the Earth to flourish and be verdant as when they were at first created that is That I may bring back all joy and gladness into the Land of Judah where there is now sorrow and grief c. For the understanding of which sence note that the Scripture saith of the Heavens in times of great calamity that they are darkened and that the Stars of Heaven give not their light neither doth the Sun and the Moon cause their their light to shine as cap. 50.30 cap. 13.10 And on the contrary in times of great prosperity it saith of the Heavens that they give their light and that the light of ths Moon is as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun is seven-fold as the light of seven days c. as cap. 30. v. 26. Therefore to make new Heavens is to make the Heavens to give their light as brightly and as clearly as when they were at first created and that signifieth to give or reduce great prosperity and great joy And as for the Earth during the time of the Babylonish captivity the Land of Judah was accounted as a Wilderness and as a Desart because of the barrenness and squalidity thereof vers 3. When therefore the Lord saith that he will lay the foundations of the Earth his meaning is that he will make the Earth to flourish and be as verdant as when it was at first created and that signifieth that he will take away that barrenness and squalidity under which the Land of Judah lay during the captivity and make it as Eden yea even as the Garden of the Lord as it was at the first Creation as is said vers 3. Where note that by the Heavens are particularly here meant the Heavens which were over the Land of Judah as cap. 5.30 And by the Earth is particularly meant the Land of Judah as cap. 24.17 c. and that by a Synecdoche By this therefore that the Lord saith That he will plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth is meant that he will make the Land of Judah a joyful and a fruitful Land But it may be here asked How it is to be understood that the Lord here saith that he put his words into Isaiabs mouth c. that he the Lord might plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth that is That he the Lord might give great prosperity and joy to the Land of Judah and make the Land of Judah a joyful and a fruitful Land Ans As the Lord took away all prosperity and joy out of the Land of Judah and made it a barren and a doleful Land because of the sins of the Jews which dwelt therein so he was determined to reduce all joy and prosperity into it and to make it a fruitful and a flourishing Land again if the Jews would repent them of their sins That therefore they might be induced to repent he put his words into Isaiahs mouth and covered him with the shadow of his hand that upon his words they might repent and upon their repentance he the Lord might bring back all joy and fruitfulness into the Land of Judah And thus is the Lord said to put his words into Isaiahs mouth that he the Lord might plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth That I may plant the Heavens Here is a Metaphor taken from a Gardiners planting Trees or Herbs And lay the foundations of the Earth Here is a Metaphor from a Builder And say unto Sion thou art my people This might the Lord say when he had brought back the Jews out of Babylon to Sion and clothed Sion with them as
the uncircumcised and unclean are generally meant the Heathen see cap. 35. v. 8. but here by a Synecdoche generis the Babylonians 2. Shake thy self from the dust q. d. Arise from off the ground on which thou fittest and shake off the dust which is upon thee that is as if he should say Leave off thy mourning He alludeth to the manner of Mourners in old time which were wont in their heaviness to sit on the ground in the dust See cap. 3.26 and cap. 47.1 Arise From off the ground And sit down Supple On thy wonted Throne See cap. 47.1 Loose thy self from the bands of thy neck i. e. Loose the iron bands from off thy neck An Hypallage He speaks of such iron bands as Captives were wont to wear about their necks which bands they wore either in token of their captivity or that they might be either linked thereby one to another or to some posts that they ran not away O captive Daughter of Zion i. e. O Jerusalem which art now a captive to the Babylonians Daughter of Zion i. e. The Daughter of Zion is put here for Zion that is Jerusalem See cap. 1.8 3. Ye have sold your selves i. e. Thou and thy Children the Jews have sold your selves How the Jews sold themselves into the hands of the Babylonians see cap. 50. vers 1. For nought i. e. Without mony for the Babylonians gave them no mony to serve them as they did And ye shall be redeemed without mony i. e. And ye shall be freed yet ye shall not give mony to the Babylonians to set you free for ye shall be redeemed by force out of their hands 4. My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there Supple And when they were there the Egyptians did grievously afflict them but I delivered them out of their afflictions All this is here to be understood Of the Israelites going down into Egypt read Gen. 46.6 Of their affliction in Egypt read Exod. 1.8 c. Of their delivery read Exod. cap. 12 13 14. And the Assyrian oppressed them without cause i. e. And after that Sennacherib the King of Assyria did oppress my people having no just cause on his part so to do Supple But I did redeem them out of his hands All this is here to be understood also Concerning Sennacheribs oppressing the Jews and their delivery from his oppression see Cap. 36 37 of this Book 5. Now therefore Supple That I delivered my people first out of the hand of the Egyptian and then out of the hand of the Assyrian and the Babylonian hath now carryed my people the Jews into captivity and doth there use them with all cruelty What have I here i. e. What do I see in the Babylonian Supple which I saw not in the Egyptian and Assyrian That my people is taken away for nought Supple By the Babylonian and I should not take them out of the hand of the Babylonian as well as I did take them out of the hand of the Egyptian and Assyrian All this is here to be understood so that there is a great Brachylogy or curtness of speech in these two viz. the fourth and fifth Verses For nought i. e. Without cause as vers 4. Or without mony as vers 3. They that rule over them i. e. The Babylonians which rule over my people Make them to howl i. e. Make them to cry and make pitiful lamentation by reason of the cruelty with which they use them The Lord giveth reasons here why he should deliver his people out of the hands of the Babylonians as well as he did out of the hands of the Egyptians and Assyrians yea why he should rather do it For the Babylonians used his people more cruelly then either the Egyptians or the Assyrians did And my Name continually every day is blasphemed Supple By the Babylonians who say that I am not able to deliver my people out of their hands This Blasphemy of the Babylonians was occasioned partly by the Jews themselves which were in captivity because they staggered at the power of God and doubted whether he were able to deliver them out of the hands of the Babylonians or no. See cap. 49. v. 24. cap. 50. v. 2 c. and Rom. 2.24 My Name i. e. I. 6. Therefore my people shall know my Name i. e. Therefore my people shall know me to wit How powerful I am and how faithful in my words to them and they shall know me to be such by my delivery of them out of Babylon They shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak i. e. They shall know in that day in which I shall deliver them that I who now speak unto them am the Lord God For in that day I will do that which none but the Lord God can do In that day Supple In which I shall deliver them out of their captivity in Babylon Here is a Relative without an Antecedent I am he i. e. By He is meant He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit the Lord God I am he that doth speak Here is an Hypallage or transposition of words For I am he that doth speak is put for I that do speak am he 7. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tydings The good tydings here spoken of are the good tydings of the Jews deliverance out of the hands of the Babylonians And the Prophet here to shew the certainty of this that the Jews should be delivered out of the hands of the Babylonians speaks as though the Jews were already delivered and that a Messenger were in sight which brought news from Babylâ—n to Jerusalem of their deliverance And therefore he saith of the Messenger to them which stood by as though they saw him coming Behold how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tydings c. How beautiful are the feet of him c. i. e. How welcome is he and how doth the sight of him rejoyce our hearts The feet which are but part are put here for the whole man by a Synecdoche They are said of the Hebrews to have beautiful feet which come with joyful news because men willingly behold their coming which is performed by the feet and are rejoyced at it Vpon the mountains Jerusalem was compassâ—d about with mountains Therefore as though this Messenger were coming over the mountains towards Jerusalem he saith How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet c. That publisheth peace i. e. That tells abroad that prosperity and happiness is befaln the Jews in Babylon by their delivery by Cyrus That bringeth good tydings of good Supple Which is befaln the Jews in Babylon That publisheth Salvation i. e. That tells abroad that Salvation is come to the Jews in Babylon Salvation By salvation is meant the delivery of the Jews out of captivity That saith unto Sion By Sion is here meant Jerusalem the holy City which he speaks of as a woman or
for sin bâ—t a puniâ—hment or affliction in general which is inflicted upon a man not for sin but with a pretence onely of sin and for a subject of affliction and punishment that is For any one which is afflicted and punished if he be afflicted or punishâ—d as if he were guilty though he be not guilty As the word CHETE which signifieth sin as ASCHAM doth signifieth sometime by a Metonymy a punishment injustly inflicted because it is inflicted not upon one that is guilty but upon one that is only thought to be guilty as will appear Genes 31.39 And sometimes again it signifies him that is so punished That therefore which is here rendered an offering for sin must be rendered a punishment or a subject of punishment and affliction or else we must interpret an offering for sin a punishment or subject of punishment and affliction making Tò an offering for sin of eqâ—al latitude with the Hebrew word ASCHAM for which we may have a warrant even from the Apostle For the Apostle doth sometimes make a word of another language to be of equal latitude with an Hebrew word though in its own nature it is too narrow for it So doth he make the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to speak the truth to be of equal signification with the Hebrew word AMAN which signifieth not onely to speak truth but also to be firm and constant Eph. 4.15 But more of this in the Preface Note that whereas many passages of this book have a twofold sence one relating to some History before Christ another to something more neerly concerning Christ and this Prophecy relateth both to Jeremy as the Type and to Christ as the Antitype And whereas the words in the Hebrew Text are so ordered and chosen as that they do signifie both these sences which cannot so well be expressed in any other language as in that The Translators of our Bible aymed more at that sence which immediatâ—ly concerned Christ as being more sublime and as it were the kernel whereas the otâ—er is but as it were the shell then at the other Wherefore they not having words to signifie both sences so fit as they are signified in the Hebrew chose words which signified what is immediately prophecyed of Christ the Antitype rather then what is prophecyed of the Type The Lord is said here to make Jeremy a punishment or a subject of punishment and affl ction because he suffered the Jews to punish him and afflict him who though he spoke nothing to them but the Word of the Lord yet did they punish him and afflict him as a Malefactor as for other reasons so because he prophecyed against Jerusalem and against the Temple Jer. 26. He shall see his seed q. d. He shall even then beget children By seed he meaneth children but not natural children but spiritual begotten not by the seed of the flesh but by the seed of the Word Thus doth Saint Paul call himself a father and sâ—ith that he begot the Corinthians through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4. v. 15. See the like 1 Pet. 1.23 In a word Those whom Je emy won to God by his Ministry are here called his seed or his children It is a greater wonder for Jeremy to beget spiritual children in his afflictions then if he had been never afflicted for afflictions occasion offences and are as stumbling blocks in the way of those which would come to God He shall prolong his dayâ— q. d. And though thou dost bruise him and put him to grief yet he shall prolong his days Jeremy lived a long time considering his afflictions and persecutions yea he lived a good while after he was carryed away into Egypt And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands i. e. And he shall convert many and bring thâ—m into the right way which have erred which is a work which is well pleasing to the Lord and which it was the Lord will and pleasure to commit to him 11. He shall see of the travel of his Soul i. e. He shall see the fruits of his pains and travel which he shall take in converting and turning many to God The travel of his Soul i. e. His travel The Soul which is but a part is put here for the whole man And shall be satisfied i. e. And shall take content and delight therein These words contain a Metaphor and a Metonymy the Metaphor is taken from a man which hath hungered and thirsted and now is satisfied with meat and drink The Metonymy consisteth in that that such fulness or satisfaction bringeth content and a kinde of delight with it Now as a man which hath been pinched with hunger and thirst taketh delight and content in his fulness when he is satisfied so did Jeremy who hungered and thirsted after the Conversion of the Jews take delight and content in their conversion whom he had converted By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many i. e. My servant Jeremy who notwithstanding the calumny of the Jews is a righteous man and performeth my work uprightly shall by the knowledge which he hath of my Will and of my Law bring many who have sinned to repentance whereby they shall be justified from their sins For he shall bear their iniquities i. e. For he shall take away their sins He speaketh of sins or iniquities here as of dirt or filth by a Metaphor which he that takes away that he might cleanse the place which is defiled herewith taketh up upon his shoulders in a Basket and so carryeth or beareth away Jeremy took away the sins of many by preaching to them the Word of God and by reclaiming them by his holy conversation If Paul may be said to save some by his preaching and conversation Rom. 10.14 and he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way may be said to save a Soul Jam. 5.20 Then may Jeremy also be said to justifie many and to bear or take away their iniquities by his preaching and holy living 12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoyl with the strong c. This is spoken of Jeremy in the person of God and that which the Lord saith here of Jeremy was performed when the Babylonians took Judah and Jerusalem For when the Babylonians had took Jerusalem and had conquered Judah with the sword Nebuzaradan Captain of the Guard of King Nebuchadnezzar did so much respect Jeremy as that he gave him victuals and a reward and gave him the choyce of his dwelling to dwell where he himself would Jer. 40.5 See also Jer. 15.11 Therefore I will divide him a portion c. This Relative word Therefore relates not so much to what went before though it may also relate to that as to what followeth after in this Verse to wit to that Because he hath poured out his Soul unto death c. q. d. Because he hath poured out his Soul unto death
a Rich man Againe certaine it is that our Saviour Christ suffered upon Golgotha which was the publike place of execution where all Malefactors which were condemned to death suffered And being that Golgotha was the place where Malefactors which were condemned to death suffered it is not to be doubted but the Malefactors which were put to death were buried either there or nigh thereunto For such is the custome of all places even at this day to bury those which are put to death either in or nigh to the place of their suffering except some friend beg their bodies of the Magistrates to dispose of them elsewhere As therefore the place in which the Malefactors were buried was in or nigh to the place of their suffering So was thâ— Sepulcher in which Christ was buried nigh to Golgotha where he suffered Iohn 19. v. 41 42. So that Christ though he were not buried in the place where Malefactors were buried he was buried nigh â—nto it And therefore we may interpret this place thus viz. He was buried nigh to the wicked yet with the rich when he was dead taking the first Praeposition and with for nigh to And the conjunction And for Yet Because he had done no violence neither was there deceit in his mouth i. e. Because he had done no evill either in word or deed Referre this Clause to the words immediately going before namely to those with the rich in his death For the cause why Pilate granted the body of Jesus so speedily to Joseph of Arimathea was certainly because he took Jesus to have been a just man and a man without fault John 19.6 And for the same reason also did Joseph desire the body of Jesus and lay it decently in his own Sepulcher 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to griefe q. d. But though he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth yet hath it pleased the Lord to suffer him to be bruised and put to griefe When thou shalt make his soul an offring for sinne i. e. Yet when thou hast made him a Sacrifice for the sinne of thy people q.d. yet when thou hast delivered him up to death for us as Rom. 18.32 He either confoundes Tenses Or puts a Future for a Praeterperfect Tense by an Enallage His Soule His soule is put by a Synecdoche for him And the Prophet maketh here his Apostrophe to God He shall see his seed i. e. He shall have many children borne to him and shall see them and enjoy them By Seed he meaneth Children and those spirituall Children such as they are which are faithfull and believe for such are called his Children Hebr. 2.13 If I be lifted up from the earth saith our Saviour of himselfe I will draw all men unto me Iohn 12.32 Our Saviour therefore had more which believed in him after his death then he had while he lived among men and this is that which the Prophet here foretells He shall prolong his dayes i. e. After he hath been made an Offring for sinne that is After he hath been delivered over to death he shall rise againe and live for ever to make intercession for his Seed See Hebr. 7.25 And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands This is the will of him which hath sent me saith our Saviour that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life Iohn 6.40 And he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them saith the Apostle Heb. 7.25 The will therefore and pleasure of the Lord must needes prosper in his hands Note here the Enallage of the Person how he passeth from the second to the third person 11. He shall see of the travaile of his soul He shall see the fruit of all his travaile and paines and griefe which he hath susteined His soule The soul which is but part is put here for the wole man His travaile i. e. The fruit or effect of his travaile A Metonymie And shall be satisfied i. e. Aed shall take full content and delight in seeing the fruit of his travaile A Metaphor of which before By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many The knowledge here spoken of is a knowledge joyned with power Such a knowledge as St. Peter speakes of 2 Pet. 2.9 When he saith the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation Or particularly the knowledge here spoken of is that knowledge whereby Christ knew how to obey and was obedient even unto death the death of the Crosse Phil. 2.8 for the Apostle teacheth us that Christ learned obedience by the things which he suffered Hebr. 5.8 As therefore a Physitian is said to heale a sick man by his skill because he knoweth what is good to take away his disease and knoweth how to temper and apply it and doth temper it and apply it accordingly So may Christ be said to justifie many by his knowledge because he knew that by his patient suffering man might be justified for by his stripes are we healed v. 5. And knew how to suffer obediently and patiently Note that this is spoken in the person of God of Christ his Sonne and Servant Shall my righteous servant i. e. Shall Christ my Sonne and Servant who is just and righteous in all his wayes Iustifie many viz. As many as shall believe in his name For he shall beare their iniquities i. e. For he shall take away their iniquities This thus expounded relates to that word Iustifie as shewing what that meanes Or thus He shall beare their iniquities i. e. He shall beare the punishments which are due unto them for their iniquities Supple By which meanes he knowes that he shall free them from their sinnes This last way Iniquities are put for the punishments due to iniquities By a Metonymie 12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great i. e. And therefore will I divide him a portion c. Understand And here And I will divide him a portion with the great How these words may be applyed to Ieâ—emy I shewed before but how they can be applyed to Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is word for word I know not For who are those great ones with whom he should have a portion divided I therefore take it that these words as theâ— are here read are not to be interpreted of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. word by word but onely in grosse And though they shewed of Ieremy particularly how God did honour and reward him yet they shew onely in Generall and in Grosse of Christ that God would honour and reward him without mentioning any particular or speciall manner how he would do it So that speaking of Christ these words I will divide him a portion with the great signifiâ— no more than this I will
that time which was between the building of the Temple and the deliverance out of the Babylonish Captivity was the middle time which is the most flourishing time of life For from the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt which time was as I may so call it the time of Israels birth for while Israel was in Egypt he was but as it were an embrio in the womb but when the Lord brought him out of Egypt he made him a People and Commonwealth of himself I say from the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt to the building of the Temple by Solomon were 480 years from the building of the Temple by Solomon to the end of the Babylonish captivity were 452 years from the end of the Babylonish captivity to the Incarnation of Christ 525 years So that that shame which he calls the shame of her youth here I take to be the same with the reproach of her widowhood mentioned in the next sentence for our Prophet is frequent in such repetitions And it is called the shame of her youth because it happened to her in her youth And shall not remember the reproach of thy Widdow-hood This is a repetition of the former sentence And what he calls the shame of her youth there he calls the shame of her Widdow-hood here Because this shame and reproach befell her when God had put her away from him from being his wife Cap. 50.1 which was all the time of the Babylonish captivity 5. For thy maker is thy Husband And therefore will doe the office of an Husband to thee in protecting thee and delivering thee and in givâ—ng thee children by which thy shame and â—eproach shall be taken away Ob. If the Lord were Sions Husband how could Sion be a Widdow Ans The Lord had married Sion and afterwards put her away and then tooke her to wife againâ—â— So that betweene the Lords putting her away and taking her againe Sion was a Widdow Ob. But a man when he had put away his wife and she became another mans could not take her for his wife again Deut. 24.4 Ans What man could not doe which was under the Law God might do which was above the Law Therefore thus we read Jer. 3.1 They say If a man put away his wife and she goe from him and become another mans shall he returne to her againe shall not that land be greatly polluted But thou hast played the Harlot yet return again to me saith the Lord. The Lord of Hosts is his name The Lord of Hosts is He And therefore he is able to subdue the Babylonians which cause thy feare and thy shame Thy Redeemer the Holy one of Israel i. e. And the holy One of Israel is thy Redeemer who as he is able so also is willing to Redeeme thee oâ—t of the hands of the Babylonians and to take away thy reproach because he is the Holy One That is because he is the God of Israel The God of the whole earth shall he be called To wit because he will make it manifest by his power which he will shew in your Redemption that he is Lord of all the earth and that he can doe therein whatsoever he pleaseth 6. For the Lord hath called thee i. e. For the Lord hath called thee Supple to his Bed or to be his wife againe These words relate to those words thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth and shalt not remember the â—eproach of thy Widdowhood any more vers 4. As a proofe thereof as the fifth verse was As a woman forsaken i. e. Who wa st or when thou wast as a woman forsaken of all her friends How Sion was forsaken See Lament 1.2 Note that this Particle As is not to be taken here as a note of Similitude but of Identity as it is often taken For Sion was not onely as a woman forsaken but a woman forsaken indeed And grieved in spirit i. e. And who wa st or when thou wast as a woman grieved in spirit and mourning because she was afflicted and had none to comfort her And a wife of youth i. e. Yea who wa st or when thou wast as a wife which had plaid the Harlot in her youth The Prophet may call her a wife of youth which is naught and played the Harlot in in her youth by the like Metonymie as he calleth the waters which drowned the world in the dayes of Noah the waters of Noah v. 4. A wife which is naught and playeth the Harlot in her youth proveth the most notorious strumpet of all For lust reigneth in her more than it doth in the aged and her affections are hotter and more unbrideled When thou wast refused i. e. When the Lord had refused thee and cast thee off from being his wife and therefore thou couldst not expect to be taken to be his wife againe That the Lord should call Sion when she was as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit speakes the great goodnesse and loving kindnesse of the Lord to her for such a woman seldome findeth friends But that he should call her again and make her his wife when she had played the Harlot in her youth and he had put her away for her whoredomes speakes yet his greater goodnesse and loving kindnesse And as to say that the Lord called her as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit And a woman of youth when she was refused speakes the loving kindnesse and goodnesse of the Lord to Sion So may it cheere Sion and make her more confident of the goodnesse and loving kindenesse of the Lord. For otherwise she had good cause to doubt whether the Lord would look upon her and call her to his bed when she was as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit And when she had played the Harlot in the dayes of her youth and had beene divorced for her whoredomes 7. For a small moment have I forsaken thee It was seventy yeares that the Lord forsook Sion Jer. 25.11 Yet this is but a small time and but as a very little moment in regard of that time in which he had or would have had mercy upon her if she had kept his Covenant v. 10. Have I forsaken thee Supple And given thee over to be afflicted by the Babylonians But in great mercy will I gather thee This is spoken in relation to the Jewes the children of Sion which as they were scattered here and there in many Countreyes in the time of their Captivity so did the Lord gather them together out of those Countreyes when he brought them back to Sion See Cap. 44.18 Note here that he speakes of the Jewes as of Sion her selfe And of Sion her selfe as of the Iewes when he saith I will gather thee And that because of the great relation and Iove which was between Sion and her children So Christ saith Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me Acts 9.4 when he persecuted onely those that believed in Christ because of the great affection and love which was
between Christ and those believers 8. I hid my face from thee i. e. I was angry with thee A Metaphor taken from men who will not look upon those with whom they are very angry This verse is a repetition of the former And this repetition is for the more vehement Asseveration of what is spoken With everlasting kindnesse i. e. With kindnesse which shall endure a long time or many Generations 9. For this is as the waters of Noah i. e. For this That I have been wrath with thee shall be as the waters of Noah In what his anger shall be like the waters of Noah he sheweth in the ensuing words The waters of Noah by the waters of Noah he meaneth The waters which overwhelmed the earth and drowned all living Creatures in the dayes of Noah I have sworne that the waters of Noah should no more goe over the earth He alludeth to Gen. 9.11 where the Lord saith I will establish my Covenant with you neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a Floud neither shall there any more be a Floud to destroy the earth Obj. You may say that in that place of Genesis God doth not Sweare or make mention of any Oath How therefore is it said here I have sworne that the waters of Noah should no more goe over the earth Ans In that place of Genesis there is no explicite mention made of any Oath but yet it is implicitely involved that God did sweare at that time for God saith there that he will establish a Covenant Now solemne Covenants were wont to be confirmed with an Oath Hence I have made a Covenant with my chosen I have sworne to David my servant saith the Lord Ps 89.3 Nor rebuke thee i. e. Nor chide thee But where God chideth he punisheth too even by his chiding for his words are operative 10. For the Mountaines shall depart and the Hills be removed i. e. For the Mountaines may depart and be removed out of their place Neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed Neither shall the Covenant which I have made with thee In which Covenant I for my part have bound my selfe to give thee my peace Note here that the word peace signifieth all manner of good things and all prosperity in the Hebrew Dialect And all good things and all prosperity are from God So that God may well call peace his peace Yet the Covenant of my peace may be put for my covenant of peace but which way soever we take it the Sense is the same Note that the peace and mercy which God promised to the Iewes was by covenant Now in a covenant there be two parties and each party hath his condition and part of the covenant to performe wherefore if the Iewes performed not their part in the covenant and observed not the condition to which they were bound God was not bound on his part to performe what hee promised because his promise was conditionall Note that when he saith Neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed he speakes of his covenant as of a corporall thing and alludeth to the removing of the Hills which he speakes of a little before in this verse 11. O thou afflicted tossed with tempest c. This is an Apostrophe to the Temple of Hierusalem which the Babylonians burned downe and was built againe after the Babylonish captivity To which Temple he speakes as he did to Sion as to a woman and a woman afflicted and tossed to and fro By a Prosopopoeia As Sion so the Temple is here a Type of Christs Church which is called the House of God Hebr. 10.21 1 Tim. 3.15 and 1 Pet. 4.17 Note that the Prophet speakes this to the Temple in the person of God Afflicted To wit by the Babylonians Tossed with tempest This is a Metaphor taken from a ship which is tossed and driven to and fro in the Sea by tempestuous winds and weather And not comforted behold c. i. e. And which hast no man to comfort thee behold Supple I the Lord will comfort thee I will lay thy stones with faire colours Iosephus writes that the very out-side of the Temple which he saw was curiously wrought with stones of divers colours And what stones were provided for the Temple which Solomon built See 1 Chron. 29.2 And the same stones did they use in building and adorning the Second Temple as farre as they were able to procure them as were used in building and adorning the First And lay the foundations with Saphir A Saphir is a pretious stone worne now in Rings of a sky colour 12. And I will make thy windowes of Agates An Agate is the name of a pretious stone which is sometimes of one sometimes of another colour And thy Gates of Carbuncles A Carbuncle is a pretious stone red and sparkling so called ab igniti carbonis colore i. e. From the colour of a live fire-coale And all thy Borders i. e. And all the Borders of thy Building 13. All thy children shall be taught of the Lord i. e. The Lord shall teach all thy children For he shall send his servants the Prophets as namely Haggai Zachary and Malachy to thy children that they may teach them and instruct them in his wayes Thy children By her children are meant the Jewes who were wont to goe up and worship in the Temple All thy children shall be taught of the Lord These words as they are meant of the children of the Temple in the first sense so in the second and more sublime sense they are meant of the children of the Church even the Church of Christ whom the Father will teach whatsoever they are to learne or believe Iohn 6.45 The children of the Temple being herein a Type of the children of the Church And great shall be the peace of thy children i. e. And thy children shall enjoy great prosperity 14. In righteousnesse shalt thou be established i. e. Thou shalt be established in peace and prosperity as I have said or according to my word By rtghteousnesse understand the truth and fidelity of God in performing what he saith or promiseth Or thus In righteousnesse thou shalt be established i. e. Thou shalt be established in peace and prosperity by thy righteousnesse i. e. By walking uprightly before me where In is put for By. Thou shalt be farre from oppression i. e. Thou shalt be farre from being oppressed by any as thou hast been of late and art still oppressed by the Babylonians Oppression is taken here passively For thou shalt not feare i. e. For thou shalt not have cause so much as to feare a-any oppressour And from terrour i. e. Thou shalt be farre from the dread or terrour of oppression 15. They shall surely be gathered together i. e. Behold they which wish thee evill and which are malitiously bent against thee shall gather themselves together to hinder thy building and thy peace Here is the Relative They put without
for their sinnes For as it is the duty of dogs to barke at Thieves So it is of Priests and Prophets to reprehend sinne Sleeping lying downe loving to slumber He persists in the Metaphor of dogs and by these qualities of a dogge he signifies the lazinesse of those Priests and Prophets which loved their ease and would take no paines in their calling 11. Yea they are greedy dogs which have never enough He persists still in his Metaphor of dogs and sheweth them to be like dogs in this also that they are greedy of gain as dogs are of meat And they are shepherds that cannot understand He calls them shepherds here whom he called watchmen before and whom he reprehended and described under the Metaphor or similitude of Dogs and therefore doth he call them shepherds because they should feed the people committed to them and guide them in the right way as shepherds do their flocks That cannot understand He said that they were blinde and ignorant of the Law of God vers 10. And here he sheweth that they cannot heal that blindness and overcome that ignorance because partly their Idleness partly their Covetousness and looking after gain hindered them from studying the Law of God and meditating therein whereby they might come to understand Yet some make these a meer repetition of those words to wit His watchmen are become blinde They all look to their own way every one for his gain from his quarters q. d. They all of them have their several ways and practices to get mony and they are every one wholy intent upon those their ways and practices This is the sence of these words but the words themselves seem to be Metaphorical and the Metaphor to be drawn from a man who expecting some welcom guest stands at the door of his house and looks that way which his guest is to come to see if he can see him coming To their own way Under the Metaphor of a way he meaneth their practices and courses to get mony which he calls their own way either in opposition to the way of God as not being the way in which God would have them to walk in but which they themselves either chose or found out for themselves Or else because every one of them had his own peculiar way to get gain For his gain He doth here compare gain to a welcom guest which a man expects at his house From his quarters i. e. From his house or place of aboad This appertains to the Metaphor last mentioned 12. Come ye say they I will fetch wine q.d. Moreover the Priests and the Prophets say either to their fellow-Priests and Prophets or to the people whom they invite to drink with them Come I will fetch wine and we will be merry To morrow shall be as this day q. d. We have been merry to day and we will be as merry to morrow as we have been to day This day hath been abundant with wine and strong drink and mirth and to morrow shall be as abundant as this And much more abundant q. d. Yea to morrow shall abound with more wine and strong drink and mirth then this day doth or hath done These are the sins in part which were the cause that the Jews were so destroyed by the Babylonians and carryed away captive into Babylon Other sins also there were which follow in the next Chapter which as I said should have been joyned with the last part of this Chapter or the last part of this Chapter with that ISAIAH CHAP. LVII THe righteous perish and no man taketh it to heart e. i. Moreover the righteous man dieth and no man taketh it into consideration Supple why God taketh him away This as I said should have been continued with the end of the foregoing Chapter And mercifull men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come q. d. And mercifull men are taken away by death that they might not see the evil which is to come upon the Nation as Josiah was taken away 2 Kings 22.2 20. yet no man considereth that they are taken away that they might not see the evll to come These are a repetition or explanation rather of the former words If men would seriously consider and think with themselves that good men are taken away from the evil to come they would think of the evils and of the judgements which hang over their own heads and humble themselves and break off their sins before their judgements fell upon them But when they wil not be admonished of Gods judgements nor think upon them but put far from them the evil day they give themselves liberty of sinning and doe in a manner scorn and puffe at the threatnings of the Almighty which must needs provoke the Lord to anger 2. He shall enter into peace i. e. The righteous man which perisheth or dieth shall goe to the place where he shall be freed from all the troubles and molestations of this world and shall enjoy perfect Rest They shall rest in their beds i. e The mercifull men which are taken away out of this world by death shall rest in their Sepulchers as in their beds Each one walking in his uprightnesse i. e. Even every one of them which have walked uprightly in his waies and turned or staggered not either to the right hand or to the left 3. But draw neer hither ye sons of the Sorceresse the seed of the Adulterer and the Whore q. d. But draw neer ye which are wicked and hear what I say to you ye shall not enter into their peace nor rest in your beds as they do but ye shall live to be tormented and afflicted without Rest and when ye die ye shall be brought down to the grave with blood or one grievous plague or other This sence this Adversative Particle But seems to require and thus by order of words should the Prophet have spoken But because he called the wicked among the Jewes the sonnes of the Sorceresse and the seed of the Adulterer and the Whore they mocked him and made a mouth and drew out their tongues at him whereat the Prophet was transported with an holy anger and indignation against them and being thus transported did as it were forget what he was about to say But yet for sence he saith that vers 20. which he should have said here in formall words Draw neer hither Supple To heare what I have to say to you Ye sons of the Sorceresse i. e. Ye which are given to Sorcery and to Witchcraft This is an Hebrew Idiomie or an Hebrew kind of speech in which the son of the Sorceresse is as much as the Sorcerer That the Jewes were given to sorcery and witchcrafts see 2 Kings 21.6 The seed of the Adulterer and the Whore i. e. Ye bastards which are not the sons of Israel as ye call your selves but the sons of adultery or fornication and begot between an Idol and an Idolater
cum possit jubet Sâ—n. Troas vers 289. that is he which forbiddeth not sinne when he can commands it and egges it on And according to that proverb Marke 9.40 He that is not against us is for us With the fist of wickednesse i. e. With your wicked fist A Substantive of the Genitive case is put here for an Adjective As you doe this day i. e. After the manner as yee are wont to doe on this day supple which we speake of that is on the day of your Fast To make your voyce to be heard on high i. e. If you would make the voyce of your prayers and supplications which yee make that day to be heard of God who dwelleth on high to wit in heaven and cause him to sâ—e and take knowledge of your Fasting 5. Is it such a Fast as I have chosen q.d. For is it such a fast that that I delight in As I have chosen To choose signifieth often to approve affect love or delight in by a Metonymie because we approve of and affect and love and delight in that which we make free choyce of A day for a man to afflict his soul in i. e. to wit onely for a man to afflict his soule for a day Note that these words A day for a man to afflict his soule in are put by an hypallage For For a man to afflict his soule for a day To afflict his soul To afflict his soul is put here for to afflict and macerate himself with hunger or want of meat The soul being put by a Synecdoche partis for the whole man yea the soul which is one part is put for the body which is the other part of man so that to afflict the soul is to macerate and afflict the body or the flesh with abstinence from meat Is it to bow down his head as a bul-rush and to spread sack-cloath and ashes under his feet i. e. Is the Fast which I have chosen only for a man to bow down his head like a Bul-rush and to spread sackcloath and ashes under him for a day To bow down his head To bow down the head is a posture of one that is humble and penitent Luke 18.13 As to lift up the head is the posture of the proud Cap. 3.16 But this posture the Hypocrite may use aswell as he is which is truely penitent and humble in heart As a Bull-rush A Bull-rush is tall and slender especially at the top and is but weake wherefore the top thereof doth alwaies bend downward to the earth or the water in which it groweth And to spread sackcloath and ashes under him This was the fashion of mournings among the Jewes to put on or to sit on Sackcloth and to cast ashes upon their head or to sit in ashes Concerning the putting on of sackcloath and sitting in sackcloath See 1 King 11.27 Psal 69.11 Esther 41. 3. Concerning the casting of ashes upon the head and sitting in bshes see 2 Sam. 13.19 Esth 4.1 3. Therefore did they use Sackcloath and Ashes in their mournings because Sackcloath and Ashes did afflict the flesh and was unpleasing to it As also to signifie in an humble manner their their owne vilenesse and this that they were but dust and ashes But the outward ceremony of Sackcloath and Ashes the Hypocrite could use as well as the true convert Wilt thou call this a fast q. d. Wilt thou call this a Fast Supple to doe onely after this manner And an acceptable day to the Lord i. e. And wilt thou call the day in which thou dost this an acceptable day to the Lord 6. Is not this the Fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse c. q. d. Is not this the fast that I have chosen Supple the Fast whose effect or consequent is to loose the bands of wickednesse As the Prophet speaketh here so speakes St. James Jam. 1.27 Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the Fatherlesse the widdow c. That is Pure Religion and undefiled befoâ—e God the Father is this Whose effâ—ct and consequent is to visit the fatherlesse and widdow c. To loose the bands of wickedness i. e. To loose those wicked bands in which ye wickedly and injuriously hold your poor brethren The bands of wickedness i. e. The wicked bands that is bands wickedly made and in which your brethren are wickedly detained and stand bound Here is a substantive of the Genitive case put again for an Adjective as Vers 4. The bands here mentioned are to be understood of such bands in which the Debtor was bound to the Creditor upon hard and unmerciful yea unlawful conditions As v. g. when a poor brother was bound to pay use for mony lent upon such conditions â—s they were Nehem. 5.7 which was against the Law Exod. 22.25 Or when a brother had sold himself to a brother by reason of his poverty and he made him to serve as a bond-servant which was against the Law Levit. 25. vers 39. To undo the heavy burthens This is a repetition of the former sentence And what he called bands there he calleth an heavy burthen here To let the oppressed go free i. e. To let thy brother which thou oppressest with usury and with hard service as if he were a bond-man go free from this thy oppression This is also a repetition of that which went before And that ye break every yoke Supple Which is grievous and put upon the neck of your brother against the Law of God This also is a repetition of the former sentence in which the same thing is often repeated that it may the more work upon this people Note here that the Lord instanceth in the abstinence from these evils because these Jews which bragged of their fasting were most notoriously addicted to these even in their captivity as well as before it But by these understand not onely these but all other evils also for that is not a fast well pleasing to the Lord in which we abstain not from all evil whatsoever 7. Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry q. d. Is not this the Fast that I have chosen to wit the Fast whose effect or consequent is to deal thy bread to the hungry As the Lord shewed in the former verse that the Fast which he loved and which he delighted in required the Faster to abstain from all manner of evil so here he sheweth that it required him to do all manner of good But as he there instanced onely in the abstinence from those particular evils to which these Jews were most addicted so here he instanceth in those particular good deeds from which they were most averse Both which kindes speak the unmercifulness of the Jews to their brethren But as I said the abstinence from all manner of evil is intimated in the one and the pursuing of all manner of good and virtuous actions in the other To deal thy
of others To know signifieth here to know with approbation and the Indicative is put for the Potential mood Note here that Saint Paul maketh use of the seventh and part of the eighth Verse of this Chapter in the 15 16 and 17 Verses of the third Chapter to the Romans But you may ask To what purpose St. Paul maketh use of these places there Ans He maketh use of these places there not alone but with other the like places to shew that all men have sinned some after this manner and some after that For whereas he had said out of the Psalms that there is none righteous no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God they are all gone out of the way they are altogether become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one he addeth out of other Psalms and this place of our Prophet Their throat is an open sepulcher with their tongues they have used deceit the poyson of Asps is under their lips their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness their feet are swift to shed blood destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of peace they have not known As if he should say The throat of some is as an open sepulcher others have used deceit with their tongues others carry the poyson of Asps under their lips the mouth of others is full of cursing and bitterness the feet of others are swift to shed blood destruction and misery are in the way of others and the way of peace they have not known For note that neither St. Paul there nor our Prophet here doth mean that all these vices and sins were in all and singular men but that some were in some and others in others yet so as that all had sinned and gone out of the way and that there was none righteous no not one But how can Paul prove from these and the like particular places as these are That all have sinned Ans Because these and the like places speak of the sins of such as had the best means to make them good For thus Paul argueth q. d. If they which had the best means to make them good have proved so extream bad it is not credible that they were good who had not means to be good in the least degree answerable to theirs Saint Pauls Argument therefore from these and the like places is Argumentum a minus credibili ad magis credibile 9. Therefore is judgment far from us neither doth juâ—tice overtake us q. d. Because we have done these things and there is no judgment in our goings therefore is judgment far from us neither doth justice overtake us Note that this is spoken in the person of the captive Jews but of such of them as were not of the wicked crue who excuse not but accuse themselves and judge themselves worthy to suffer what God hath layd upon them Note also that the word judgment is otherwise to be taken here then it was vers 8. and that judgment and justice signifie here both one and the same thing and that that which is called judgment and justice here is called judgment and salvation vers 11. By judgment and justice therefore is meant salvation and deliverance out of the hands of the Babylonians But how cometh judgment and justice to signifie salvation and deliverance Ans By a Metonymy of the cause for if the Jews had observed judgment and justice God who had delivered them over into the Babylonians hands for their injustice would have sent them salvation and deliverance again as a reward for that their judgment and justice Therefore as works are sometimes put for a reward of works as cap. 40.10 and 60.11 So is judgment and justice put for the reward of judgment and justice which as I said had been in particular to these men their deliverance and salvation out of captivity For of this it is said Behold his reward is with him and his work before him Cap. 40.10 and cap. 60.11 We wait for light but behold obscurity i. e. We look for prosperity but behold we are still kept in adversity For brightness but we walk in darkness i. e. We look for redemption but we are held still in captivity and misery Note that the Hebrews by light and brightness do often signifie any happy and joyful estate and by night and darkness and obscurity any kinde of misery or miserable estate whatsoever 10. We grope for the wall like the blinde i. e. We feel for salvation and grope after it as the blinde man feeleth for and gropeth after the wall For as the blinde man gropeth after the wall and cannot meet with it so do we grope after salvation but cannot finde it This is a Proverb and it is well here used for well might those Jews be compared to blinde men groping after the wall for they felt after salvation as blinde men do after the wall for they went but blindly to work because they believed not the Prophets but thought to obtain salvation in that sinful estate in which they were in by their hypocrital fasts and outward observances either not knowing that God would not save them so long as they were in that estate in which they were in or else not knowing what and how sinful their estate and condition was Moreover as the wall brings ease and rest to a weary man so would salvation have brought ease and rest to these Jews And we grope as if we had no eyes q. d. Yea I say we grope as if we were stark blinde And is put for Yea. We stumble at noon-day as in the night i. e. We are exceeding blinde and which way soever we go we hurt our selves as he which stumbleth at a stone in the night and falleth and comes to hurt He must needs be exceeding blinde which cannot see his way in the day and that time of the day which is the lightest which is at noon when the Sun is at the highest and which seeth no more then if it were midnight These Jews were as it were in the light yea the light of the noon-day when the Prophets did preach unto them the Word of the Lord and tell them what they should do to be delivered out of captivity for the Word of the Lord is a shining light but they were blinde in that they did not believe that Word nor were attentive thereunto and came to hurt in that they followed not the Word of the Lord but their own fond conceits for Redemption whereby they provoked the Lord to add to their afflictions and to keep them yet faster in captivity We are in desolate places as dead men i. e. We are in the Land of our captivity as dead men are in their graves or in their sepulchers for as dead men have no eyes no more have we for we want the eye of Faith to see and behold the Promises of God and other parts of his Word and as
suck the milk of the Gentiles and shalt suck the breast of Kings I will also make thine Officers peace i. e. I will also give thee such Officers to beare rule in thee and govern thee as shall be meek and peaceable men This was fulfilled when the Lord made Ezra Zorobabel Nehemiah c. Rulers and Officers in Hierusalem Peace Peace is put here for most peaceable men as excellency was for most excellent Vers 15. And thine exactors righteousnesse i. e. And those which shall be appointed to leavie the Taxes and Tributes which are to be leavied in thee shall be righteous and just men such as will not impose nor exact more then they ought and is convenient and needfull God promiseth not Hierusalem that she shall be freed from Taxes for Taxes and Tributes must be leavied in all Kingdomes and Commonwealths as occasion requires for the pâ—blique good But he promiseth her here that they which impose or levy the Taxes or Tributes shall not be such as she felt during the Babylonish captivity who were cruell and unjust Extortioners but righteous Taxers which shall impose no more then necessity requireth and shall not exact what is imposed with rigour Righteousnesse i. e. Most righteous Righteousnesse is put here for most righteous as before peace for most peaceable and Excellency for most excellent Note that the Prophet preventeth an objection here for whereas he saith in the person of God in the former part of the verse For Brasse I will bring Gold and for Iron I will bring Silver and for Stones Iron Sion might say But what shall I be the better for this for if I had never so much such officers as I have now meaning those that ruled in Hierusalem under the King of Babylon during the Babylonish captivity and such exactors would wring it all from me This objection therefore the Prophet prevents in the person of the Lord saying I will also make thy Officers peace and thine Exactors Righteousnesse 18. Violence shall be no more heard in thy Land i. e. Nor shall violence be any more heard in thy Land for though there hath been much violence used in thy land by the Babylonians yet now thou shalt be free from the violence of all forraine enemies He seemeth to speak of violence as of a scolding woman by a Prosopopeia Wasting and destruction within thy borders Nor wasting and destruction within thy borders as they have been heard since the Babylonians first invaded these thy borders Here in this verse he promiseth security to Sion But thou shalt call thy walls salvation q. d. But thy walls shall be safe and shall keep all thy children within thee safe yea they shall be as safe as salvation and keepe thy children within thee as safe as salvation her selfe can keep them So that thou maist justly call thy walls Salvation He speaks of Salvation here as of a person or at least as of a thing subsisting by it selfe And what is more safe then salvation which if she could be hurt were not salvation and what can keep us more safe than Salvation For so long as salvation encompasseth us we must needs be safe otherwise salvation were not salvation And thy gates praise By praise he meaneth salvation for this is but as it were the former sentence repeated But how commeth praise to signifie salvation Answ Per metonymiam effectus for salvation produceth praise to God And Per metonymiam adjuncti for salvation is worthy of praise it selfe And not onely salvation but any other thing which doth either produce praise or is worthy of praise may be called praise Note that the Prophet presents another objection here in this verse for whereas the Lord had said That for brasse he would bring gold and so for Iron he would bring silver and for wood brasse and for stones Iron And had prevented an objection which Sion might have made saying But I shall be nothing the better for these for such officers and such exactors as I am now under will extort and wring all that I shall have away from me He prevents an other objection For Sion might say though I shall have peaceable officers and righteous exactors so that I may enjoy all that thou givest me for any thing I need feare from Officers within me Yet I have cause to fear the violent man and the destroyer I mean the forraign Souldier from without for I have felt them and their violence but lately for they have burnt downe my gates and broken downe my walls c. This objection therefore the Lord prevents and takes away in this verse Saying Violence shall be no more heard in thy Land wasting nor destruction within thy borders but thou shalt call thy walls salvation and thy gates praise 19. The Sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light q. d. The Lord shall give unto thee continually greater light by many degrees than the Sun doth give thee by day or the Moon by night For understanding of this place know first that the Hebrewes when they make comparison between two things and therein preferre one thing before another they affirme that which they preferre and deny that before which it is preferâ—ed So I desired mercy and not sacrifice is put for I desired mercy more than sacrifice Hosea 6.6 And I am a worme and no man is put for I am a worme rather than a man Psal 22.6 According to which rule these words The Sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light Are put to signifie That the Lord would give Sion more light conâ—inually than the Sun could give her by day or the Moon by night Note secondly that whereas the Lord is said to be Sions everlasting light By light is meant prosperity For as I have often said the Hebrewes call prosperity light by a Metaphor Note in the third place that when the light which the Lord will here be to Sion is compared with the light of the Sun light metaphorically taken is compared with true naturall light and so the Hebrewes often compare things only so called by a Metaphor or figure with things properly so called as you may see Cap. 58.8 Ecclus 23. v. 19. The Sun By the Sun is meant the Sun which is placed in the Firmament of the Heavens Thy light i. e. The giver of light to thee Light is taken here for the giver of light Per metonymiam efficientis Neither for brightnesse i. e. Neither in respect of any brightnesse which the Moon shall have For her brightnesse shall be eclipsed or obscured by the brightnesse of the Lord. Shall the Moon give light unto thee Supple By night But the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light i. e. But the Lord shall be unto thee a
giver of light such light as shall farre exceed the light of the Sun and of the Moon and that an everlasting light too Light is taken here for the giver of light Per metonymiam efficientis by which figure the Sun is also called a light as a little before so also Gen. 1.16 The Lord is called the everlasting light because he is a light that is a Sun which never goeth downe See Psal 84.11 Whereas the Lord is here said to be a light or giver of light By light understand prosperity And thy God thy glory This is a repetition of the Sentence going immediately before and what he called light there he calleth glory here For light is a glorious thing God therefore is said here to be Sions glory Per metonymiam efficientis Because he gave glory that is light that is prosperity to Sion which light that is which prosperity might be called glory Per metonymiam adjuncti because it was glorious and Sions glory Per metonymiam efficientis because it rendred Sion glorious The Lord is said in this sense to give glory Psal 84.11 Note here that St. John in his revelation Cap. 21. v. 23. alludeth to this verse of our Prophet but he doth not only allude to it as to words which he may turne to his purpose but he alludes to it also as to a place principally intended to set out the glorious state of Christs Church And indeed so these words are intended in the second and sublime sense For though in the first sense they speake only of the prosperity which the Jewes should have after their captivity in Babylon Yet in the second and sublime sense they speake the glory and Blisse which Christs Church should receive after her delivery from sinne and ignorance and the power of the Devill For those temporall and bodily blessings which God bestowed upon the Jewes after their captivity were a Type of those spirituall and eternall blessings which God would give unto Christs Church after their delivery from sinne and ignorance and the power of the Devill And these words being understood of that blisse which the Church of Christ shall enjoy in Heaven may be understood as they said without any figure for in Heaven the Sunne shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light c. 20. Thy Sun shall no more goe downe Thy Sun shall no more goe downe as the Sun in the firmament useth to goe downe and set daily Sions Sun went downe when God withdrew his favour from her and delivered her into the hands of the Babylonians to be afflicted and oppressed by them But it rose againe when he delivered them again out of the hands of the Babylonians by Cyrus and vouchsafed her his favour Neither shall thy Moon withdraw it selfe Neither shall thy Moon set any more as the Moon in the firmament useth to set when it goeth under the earth For the Lord shall be thine everlasting light i. e. For the Lord shall be thy Sun and thy Moon which shall be above thine Horizon and shine upon thee everlastingly without intermission By light understand here the Sun and the Moon which are called lights because they give light as Genes 1.16 But the Lord is called Sions Sun and Moon onely by a Metaphor because he gave light that is prosperity and joy day and night to Sion as the Sun imparts his light by day and the Moon imparts her light by night to the Inhabitants of the Earth And the dayes of the mourning shall be ended He speaks of that mourning which the Babylonians caused by their oppression and hard usage of her in her captivity By this we may understand what he meant by light to wit prosperity and joy 21. Thy people also shall be all righteous i. e. Most of thy children which shall returne out of Babylon and come and dwell in thee shall be righteous All is put here for the greater part not for All without exception The greatest part of those which returned to Sion out of captivity were righteous and good men though the most part of those which went into captivity were wicked because the Sword and the Famine and diseases had consumed the greatest part of the wicked and many of them which remained alive returned not but remained still in Babylon Cap. 57. v. 20 21. See the like Cap. 1.25 See also Cap. 4.4 Note here that in these words thy people also shall be all righteous the Verbe shall be is supplyed by the Interpreter so that the words of themselves are these thy people all righteous which may be as if he should say thy people to wit all the righteous so that the meaning of this plurall may be this q. d. Thy people that is to say all the righteous shall inherit the Land for ever c. They shall inherit the Land for ever i. e. And they shall inherit the Land of Judah for a long time The Branch of my planting q. d. Even the branch of my planting c. This is governed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they to wit Thy people by Apposition And he calleth the people of Sion here the branch of his planting by Anticipation But the branch of his planting hee calls them because hee would though he had not as yet plant them in their own land and cause them there to take root downwards and beare fruit upwards as he speaks Chap. 37.31 The work of my hands This also is governed of the former words by Apposition God calls the people of Sion the work of his hands because he would bring them out of their miserable thraldome and give them great prosperity and joy yea because he would plant them as a young slip or Tree in their own land and there cause them to flourish That I may be glorified Supple for that which I will doe to them that is to thy people A little one shall become a thousand i. e. And so I will blesse them as that a little Family in or among thy people shall grow into a thousand families And a small one a strange Nation i. e. And a small familie shall become a mighty Nation This is a repetition of the former sentence I the Lord will hasten it in his time i. e. I the Lord will make hast to accomplish this which I have said that it may be fulfilled in the due time that I have appointed for it His time i. e. My time or the time that I have appointed for it Here is an Enallage of the person where the Lord on a sudden speaks of himselfe in the third person See the like Chap. 51.15 ISAIAH CHAP. LXI THe Spirit of the Lord is upon me i. e. By the Spirit of the Lord is meant that Spirit of prophecie which is the gift of God q.d. The Lord God hath endued me with the gift of Prophecie c. Note that among the
many significations which this word Spirit hath in the Hebrew language it signifieth any quality of the mind whether it be permanent or whether it be transeunt And if the quality be good and given of God as this of Prophecie is it is called the Spirit of the Lord. And such a quality as it may be called a Spirit per Metonymiam subjecti because it is received in the soule which is a spirit so it may be called a spirit per Metonymiam efficientis because it is given of God who is a Spirit This the Prophet speakes in his own person of himselfe Yet in this he was an eminent Type of Christ of whom in the second and sublime sence these words also are to be understood See Luke 4.18 Because the Lord hath annointed me to preach good tydings i. e. because the Lord hath designed and separated me to preach good tidings c. He alludeth to that ceremonie of the Law whereby they which were designed and separated me to the office of a Prophet were designed and separated thereunto by the Ceremony of Anoynting See 1 Kings 19.16 By the same Ceremony of Anoynting were they separated to the Office of a Priest Exod. 29.21 And by the same were they separated also to the Office of a King 1 Sam. 16. v. 12 13. 2 Sam. 2.4 1 King 1.45 2 Kings 9.3 To preach good tydings to the meek The meeke to which Isaiah was to preach good tydings were those of the captive Jewes which were meek in heart and humble in Spirit and the good tidings which he came to preach was the good tidings of their delivery out of Babylon by Cyrus These good tidings did Isaiah preach to them by his Writings though he himself dyed before the captivity Note here that as these good tydings in their first sence do signifie the tydings of the delivery of the Jews out of the Babylonish captivity by Cyrus So in the second and sublime sence they signifie the good tydings of mans salvation whereby he is saved from the captivity of sin and of the Devil by Christ of which latter that former was a type He hath sent me to binde up the broken-hearted i. e. He hath sent me to comfort the sorrowful heart by my Prophecies This is a repetition of the former sentence and the Prophet useth here a Metaphor taken from a leg or an arm of a man which is broken which while the Chyrurgeon healeth he swadleth and bindeth up after he hath set the bone He hath sent me c. These words shew what these words mean viz. He hath anointed me To proclaim liberty to the captives i. e. To declare to the Jews which are captive in Babylon that they shall be delivered out of that their captivity And the opening of the prison to them that are bound i. e. And the enlarging of them which lie in prison bound in chains This is for sence the same with the foregoing words Note that the Jews which were carryed captive into Babylon were not chained and put up in prison as great Malefactors were wont therefore that which is here spoken is to be taken metaphorically For because the Jews could not go out of those Cities and places at large which were assigned them in their captivity therefore doth he by a metaphor call them prisoners and the places of their captivity prisons 2. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord i. e. He hath sent me to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord For these words are either to be referred to them to wit He hath sent me or they are to be repeated here To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord Supple To the Jews which are in captivity that is to proclaim that the time in which the Lord will redeem is at hand The acceptable year i. e. The year or time in which the Lord is well pleased and in which he will dispense his favors and shew his magnificence by giving gifts as a King unto his people and by delivering those which had offended out of prison This speech is metaphorical but concerning the Metaphor see Cap. 49.8 And the day of vengeance of our God i. e. And the time in which the Lord will pour out his vengeance upon his Enemies that is upon the Babylonians which have held his people in an hard captivity One and the same time may be an acceptable time and yet a day of vengeance an acceptable time in respect of the Kings subjects and a day of vengeance in respect of his Enemies whom he may put to death having taken them captive on that solemn day and the more to celebrate the day and the more to shew his love and care to his people To comfort all that mourn i. e. To comfort all that mourn by reason of their hard usage in Babylon if they mourn likewise for their sins 3. To appoint to them that mourn in Zion i. e. To tell that the Lord will appoint to them that mourn among the people of the Jews which are in Babylon Note that the Prophet suspends this sentence till the next words and there perfects it That mourn See Vers 2. In Zion i. e. Among the people of the Jews supple which are in Babylon Zion is often put by a Prosopopoeia as a woman yea as the mother of the Jews and it is put here by a Metonymy for the Jews themselves To give unto them beauty for ashes Here the Prophet doth perfect the sentence which he left imperfect and in suspence in the former words so that those words and these together are thus to be read or construed q. d. To tell that the Lord will appoint to them that mourn in Zion that is that he will give to them beauty for ashes c. Beauty Beauty is put here per Metonymiam Adjuncti for beautiful garments such as they were wont to wear in times of joy For ashes By ashes is here meant sackcloth basked in ashes such as they were wont to wear in times of mourning for in times of mourning they were wont to put on sackcloth and sit in ashes Or by beauty may be meant the beauty of the face which they were wont to wash and make as beautiful as they could in times of solemn joy and by ashes are meant the ashes which stuck upon the face and made it ill-favoâ—ed in the time of sorrow and mourning and publique calamities for at such times they were not onely wont to sit in ashes but to sprinkle ashes upon their heads If you ask how the Prophet did appoint or give to them which mourn in Zion beauty for ashes I answer He did it by prophecying to them that God would give them beauty in stead of ashes as Jeremy is said to root out and to pull down and to destroy and to throw down to build and to plant Cities because he foretold and prophecyed that they should be rooted out and pulled down and destroyed and thrown down and builded and
among the Gentiles i. e. And such shall be the prosperity of their children as that the Gentiles shall take notice of them for the pâ—osperity and happiness which they shall enjoy above other people That they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed q. d. Whereas the Lord blessed the seed of Abraham Gen. 26.4 all that see them shall know that they are the seed of Abraham whom the Lord blessed 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord i. e. I will greatly rejoyce because of the goodness of the Lord towards me This is spoken in the person of Zion by a Prosopopoeia for Zion hearing these great things which the Prophet speaketh of and believing them breaketh out into joy and gladness saying I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord. In the Lord i. e. Because of the goodness of the Lord towards me in my children In is put here for For or Because of and is a sign of the Object and the Lord is put here for the goodness of the Lord per Metonymiam efficientis He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation i. e. For he hath redeemed me out of the Babylonish captivity He compareth the Redemption or Salvation by which they were saved or delivered out of the Babylonish captivity to a garment therefore he calls it the garment of Salvation He puts a preterperfect tense for a future He hath covered me with the robes of righteousness This is a repetition of the former sentence for by righteousness he meaneth salvation of which more in the following Verse As a Bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments i. e. As a Bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments on the day of his marriage on which day he is at the finest 11. So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth Supple In me or for me This is spoken still in the person of Zion who takes that which is done to her children the Jews as done also to her self Righteousness By righteousness he meaneth salvation that salvation by which the Lord redeemed Zion and her children out of the hands of the cruel Babylonians and this salvation he calleth righteousness per Metonymiam efficientis because God gave it to the Jews which were righteous as a reward of their righteousness as also because God gave it to the Jews according to his promise so that it was an effect of Gods righteousness that is of his fidelity or faithfulness in keeping promise Praise By praise he meaneth also salvation and redemption even the salvation and redemption of Sion and her children and that per Metonymiam effectus because that Salvation and Redemption bring forth praise to God for they which are saved and redeemed will praise God for his Salvation and Redemption Before all Nations i. e. In the sight of all Nations ISAIAH CHAP. LXII FOr Zions sake I will not hold my peace i. e. For the love which I bare to Zion I will not hold my peace but call upon God day and night to save Zion out of the hands of the Babylonians The Prophet speaks this as though the Jews were even then in captivity and neer to be delivered and as though he himself did see them in distress bodily And what he saith he would do here certainly many of the godly men and the Prophets which lived in the time of the captivity did do For Jerusalems sake I will not rest This is a repetition of the former sentence I will not rest Supple From calling upon God to hasten the salvation of Zion Vntil the righteousness thereof i. e. Until the salvation thereof that is of Zion By righteousness is meant salvation See cap. 51.11 Go forth as brightness i. e. Go forth as a light which dispelleth the darkness As brightness i. e. As a light He putteth brightness for light that is for a body which giveth light and shineth clearly per Metonymiam adjuncti He compareth the salvation of the Jews to a bright shining body because as such a body giveth light so would this salvation bring joy and prosperity with it which the Scripture doth often resemble to light and call by the name of light And the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth This is a repetition of the former sentence For the Lamp that burneth shineth 2. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness i. e. For the Gentiles shall see the salvation which God shall work for thee And is put here for For and righteousness for salvation as Vers 1. Thy glory i. e. The glorious estate with which God will bless thee He calleth the glorious estate which God would give her her glory per Metonymiam adjuncti The Prophet useth an Apostrophe here to Zion whom he speaks to as to a woman Thou shalt be called by a new name What this new name is by which Zion should be called we shall read vers 4. Which the mouth of the Lord shall name i. e. Which the Lord shall give unto thee The mouth of the Lord is put here by a Synecdoche for the Lord himself The name which the Lord shall give her shall consist rather in reality then in words for Gods word are operative and turn to deeds 3. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord i. e. Thou shalt also be as a glorious crown in the hand of the Lord that is Thou shalt also be precious in the eyes of the Lord. The Note of similitude As is here left to be understood and a substantive of the Genitive case viz. of glory is put for the Adjective glorious A crown is a rich and precious ornament of a King therefore he saith she shall be as a crown of glory or as a glorious crown to shew the happy and glorious estate which she shall attain to and how precious she should be And he saith In the hand of the Lord to shew that the Lord should delight in her and have a continual eye upon her For it is a sign that we delight in and take pleasure in a thing when we love to have it in our eyes and to look upon it And a royal Diadem in the hand of our God i. e. And as a royal Diadem in the hand of our God This is a repetition of the former sentence A Diadem was an Ornament or Crowne which Kings used to weare upon their heades It was made commonly of purple silke and beset with pearles and jewells and pretious stones 4. Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken i. e. Thou shalt be no more forsaken Note that to be termed or to be called so or so signifieth with the Hebrewes to be so and so for by being so or so they may be called so or so Sion was forsaken when God who was her husband left her for her whoredomes and had no pleasure in her Neither shall thy Land be termed any more desolate By the Land of Sion is here meant the Land of Judah whereof Sion or Jerusalem was the head The
Land of Sion or the Land of Judah was desolate when the Babylonians destroyed many of the Inhabitants and caused others to flye for feare into forraigne countries and carried away the rest captive into Babylon But thou shalt be called Hephzibah i. e. Thou shalt be called my delight is in her Hephzibah by interpretation signifieth my delight is in her which name being given her by God himselfe v. 2. signifieth that God should take delight in her and rejoyce over her and note that this name Hephzibah was given her in opposition to that that she was termed Forsaken For whereas God forsook her because he had no delight in her now he will delight in her againe And thy land Beulah Beulah signifieth by interpretation married therefore should the Land of Sion or the Land of Judah be called Beulah that is married because her Sons should marry her v. 5. Note that this name Beulah is given to the Land of Sion or the Land of Judah in opposition to that that she was termed desolate for being that her Sons should marry her Land it is intimated that there should be a kinde of indissoluble knot between them as is between a man and his wife and that her children should alwayes dwell with her Land as an husband dwelleth with his wife For the Lord delighteth in thee This is the reason why Sion should be called Hephzibah And thy Land shall be married i. e. And thy Land shall be married to wit to thy children the Jewes This conteineth the reason why Sion should be called Beulah So shall thy sonnes marry thee i. e. So shall thy sonnes marry thy Land Supple And when they have married it they shall alwayes live in it or with it as an husband liveth with his wife they shall not depart from it as they have done of late by meanes of the Babylonians who scattered some of them abroad and carried others captive into Babylon By Thee that is by Sion is meant the Land of Sion that is the Land of Judah by a Metonymie as will appeare vers 4. Note that these words As a young man marrieth a Virgin so shall thy sonnes marry thee relate to those words of the fifth verse And thy Land shall be married as a demonstration thereof As the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride i. e. As the Bridegroom rejoyceth because of the Bride and taketh joy in her So shall thy God rejoyce over thee i. e. So shall thy God take joy in thee Supple and therefore he shall take thee to himselfe againe and not forsake thee as he hath done 6. I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem i. e I have given thee Priests and Levites Note that this phrase is Allegoricall alluding to watchmen watching upon the walls of a City for the safety of that City For the Priests and Levites are often called by a Metaphor watchmen because they are set over Gods people for the safety and welfare of their soules as the watchmen of a City are set over the walls of a City for the safety thereof And therefore because the Priests and Levites are called watchmen by a Metaphor he alludes to those watchmen from whom the Metaphor is taken when he saith I have set watchmen on thy walls O Jerusalem whereby is meant nothing else but this I have given to thee spirituall watchmen O Jerusalem and I have given them to thee for thy spirituall safety The duty of the spirituall watchmen is to labour and promote the safety of that people over which he is set which he doth partly by advertizing them of their sinnes when he seeth them in danger thereof partly by praying to God for them They shall never hold their peace day nor night i. e. They shall pray unto me without ceasing that I would save thee and deliver thee out of the hands of the Babylonians Note that though the Prophâ—t did allude to the watchmen of a City when he said I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem yet in this passage he doth not allude to them but speaks onely of the spirituall watchmen For it is usuall with the Prophet to confound that which is Metaphoricall and that which is not Metaphoricall together What is spoken from the beginning of this verse hitherto is spoken in the person of God who when he intends to doe a thing doth often set and appoint men himselfe to intreat him to doe it See Genes 20.7 Job Cap. 42.8 Yee that make mention of the Lord keep not silence q. d. Being it is so that God hath set you upon the walls of Jerusalem and hath said that yee shall never hold your peace day nor night keep not silâ—nce O yee Priests and Levites but call upon him without ceasing day and night c. Thsi the Prophet speakes in his owne person Yee that make mention of the Lord i. e. Yee Priests and Levites which are the Servants of the Lord as Psal 134. v. 1. He describeth the Priests and Levites by this that they make mention of the Lord because they were the servants of the Lord servants set apart in a peculiar manner for his service for to make mention of one in the Hebrew phrase is to be his servant of whom he maketh mention See Cap. 26.13 7. And give him no rest i. e. And give the Lord no rest by your continuall calling upon him Till he establish Supple Jerusalem in a firme state of prosperity A Praise i. e. Most praiseable or praise worthy scilicet by reason of his blessings to her A Substanttve abstract is put here for an Adjective of the Superlative degree Congrete as Cap 60. v. 15. Or Praise is put here by a Metonymium for the matter or subject of praise q.d. Such a one as may praise him her selfe and as others may praise him also for his exceeding goodnesse shewed to her by redeeming her out of the Babylonish captivity and setting her in perfect peace and prosperity In the Earth i. e. In sight of all the people of the Earth 8. The Lord hath sworne by his right hand and by the arme of his strength saying surely I will no more c The Prophet tells the Priests and Levites whom he called upon in the former verses to call upon God continually in the behalfe of Jerusaleâ— that the Lord had sworne to Jerusalem to be good to her and this he doth to make them more confident and faithfull in their prayers that they might not doubt of the issue thereof The Lord sweareth here by his right hand because that is an Emblem of Fidelity and by his Arme because that is the Emblem of power to signifie that he is able to doe what he sweareth and will therefore fafthfully performe it And God when he sweareth sweareth alwayes by himselfe because he hath no greater to sweare by Heb 6.13 By the arme of his strenght i. e. By his strong arme I will no more give thy corne to be meaet to thine
them Num. 21.6 and did afterwards when he brought them into the land which he promised to their fathers often raise up enemies against them as the Philistines and the Ammonites and the Moabites and Midianites and Syrians c. 11. Then he remembred the daies of old yet he remembred what he did in favour of hiâ— people in the daies of old that he might shew them favour still Then for yet Moses and his people i. e. He remembred what he did for his people by Moses by whoÌ„ he brought them out of Egypt and did so great favours for them in former times Moses i. e. He remembred Moses viz. that he used him as an instrument to do his people good And his people q. d. And he remembred his people viz. That he had done great things for them by the hand of Moses Saying where is he that brought them out of the sea q.d. Saying where is he that divided the Râ—d Sea and brought his people safe through it hath he forgotten his people or forsaken them for whom he did so great things Note here that this is the speech of God arguing with himselfe and stirring up himselfe to pitty his people and to doe for them as he had done formerly for his names sake And God speaks to himselfe of himselfe though he saith where is he c. With the Shepheard of his Flock i. e. with or by the hand of Moses who was as the shepheard of his flock With is put here for by and is a signe of the instrument and Moses is likened to a Shepherd and the children of Israel whom Moses brought out of Egypt to a flock of sheep See Psal 77.20 Where is he that put his holy Spirit within him i. e. Where is that God which put his holy Spirit in Moses for the good of his people By the holy Spirit is meant all those gifts which God gave to Moses to enable him to be a Conductor and Protector of his people as the gift of Prophecy and of Wisdom and of Courage and of Fortitude c. For all the qualities of the Soul the Hebrews call by the name of the spirit and those qualities which the Lord giveth the Spirit of the Lord. 12. That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm That is Which led them like sheep by the hand of Moses Psal 77.20 working many miracles for them by his power With his glorious arm These words signifie the miracles which God did for his people under Moses as the dividing of the Sea c. which miracles he wrought by his glorious arm that is by his power which made him glorious in which work God was the principal Cause and Moses his Instrument Dividing the waters before them i. e. Dividing the waters of the red Sea before them that they might pass through the same to the Land which he had given them See Exod. 14.21 To make himself an everlasting Name i. e. By which he got himself everlasting honor and glory 13. That led them through the deep as an horse in the wilderness i. e. That led them through the red Sea by dividing the waters thereof and drying it by an East-wind Exod. 14.21 as easily and as firmly as an horse goeth or runneth up and down in the hard and dry wilderness That they should not stumble i. e. So that they did not so much as stumble To stumble signifieth by a Metaphor to come to harm as cap. 8.15 But it may be here properly taken for he that goes in muddy places such as is the bottom of the Sea cannot ordinarily make haste but he will stumble in pulling out one foot after another out of the mud But though the channel of the Sea was deep and the Sea were but newly divided for the people of Israel to pass through it yet did God so provide for his people that the mud caused them not to stumble 14. As a beast goeth down into the valley i. e. As a beast which is heavy laden goeth down a steep hill into the valley for he goeth easily and warily and with a great deal of care and circumspection that he fall not The Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest i. e. So did the Lord lead his people to their rest for he led them easily and warily with a great deal of care and circumspection that they should not be over-travelled and fall down by the way through weariness Deut. 8.4 and that they should not come to any other hurt Note that this is spoken in the person of a Jew for whom the Prophet composed this prayer where the Jew attesteth what the Lord said before and beareth witness to it as to the truth and encourageth himself from thence to ask of the Lord the like favors for himself and his brethren in their captivity in Babylon as he the Lord vouchsafed that his people in the days of old The Spirit of the Lord i. e. The Lord. By the Spirit of the Lord is here meant the goodness of the Lord for he speaks of God here as of a man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And all the qualities and passions of a mans Soul the Hebrews call the spirit By the spirit therefore of the Lord is here meant as I said the goodness of the Lord and the spirit or goodness of the Lord is put per Metonymiam adjuncti for the Lord himself Caused him to rest i. e. Led his people to their rest that is to the Land of Canaan which is called their rest Psal 95.11 and Deut. 12.9 because it was the end and period of all their travels The Lord is said to cause his people to rest because he did lead them through the red Sea and through the wilderness to the place of their rest that is to the Land of Canaan And so doth Jeremy also use this phrase Jerem. 31.2 Him That is Israel his people as appeareth by the following sentence So didst thou lead thy people i. e. As a beast goeth down into the valley so I say didst thou lead thy people to their rest The Prophet maketh his Apostrophe here to God in the person of the people of the Jews and repeateth what he said in the words before To make thy self a glorious Name i. e. So that thou didst purchase to thy self great glory and renown by bringing thy people in the Land of Canaan as thou didst 15. Look down from Heaven q. d. Look down therefore from Heaven upon us thy people which are now in captivity as thou didst look upon our Fathers in the days of old Look down from Heaven Supple With the eyes of mercy Behold Supple Us thy people which are in captivity From the habitation of thy holiness i. e. From thy holy habitation A substantive of the Genitive case is put here for an Adjective Heaven is called Gods habitation or dwelling place because God doth there manifest himself in greater glory then in any part of the world
and to whom he made great promises in Cyrus cap. 45.2 3 4 c. That was not calâ—ed by my Name i. e. That is not mine that is not mine by peculiar choyce as the Jews were Concerning this phrase see Cap. 63. vers 19. Note that Cyrus and the Persians lighting upon the Will of God here and doing it were a type of the Gentiles embracing the Gospel which is the Will of God concerning man and walking according to it And therefore the Apostle in the second and sublime sence maketh use of this Verse to shew that the believing of the Gentiles was foretold of old Rom. 10.20 2. I have spred out my hand all the day long to a rebellious people i. e. I have spred out my hand all the day long to my people the Jews which are a stubborn and a rebellious people c. In the first Verse the Lord shewed that he had heard the prayer which was made to him in the two former Chapters and that the Medes and Persians should perform his pleasure concerning the overthrow of the Babylonians and the redemption of the Jews according to that prayer But lest any one should think that he intended to redeem the wicked and irrepentant Jews he sheweth here that he had no such intent but because the greatest part of the Jews were wicked and irrepentant he would take vengeance of them to the full and destroy them yet he would redeem the better part to wit those which were sorry for their sins and were mindful of his service I have spred out my hands to a rebellious people i. e. I have invited a people to come unto me and have spred out my hands as being ready to receive them in mine arms but they would not come unto me Or thus I have preached to my people the Jews and called upon them to repent and turn from their evil ways but they would not hear Because the spreading out of the hands was a gesture which was wont to be used by those which preached to the people either to raise attention as Acts 26.1 or to move affection The spreading out of the hands may be put here for preaching All the day long q. d. Without ceasing To a rebellious people This people were that part of the Jews which would not accept of Gods invitation nor give ear when he preached to them by his Prophets but would run on still in their transgressions Note here that these rebellious Jews which would not accept of Gods invitation nor hear him when he preached unto them by his Prophets were a type of those obstinate and unbelieving Jews which would not believe the Gospel when the Gospel was preached unto them Rom. 10.21 That walketh in a way that is not good i. e. Which do that which is evil After their own thoughts i. e. That walketh after their own lusts 3. A people that provoketh me to anger Supple By their sins To my face The Lord speaks here of himself as of a man to shew their impudency in sinning and the greatness of their provocation For men are more provoked with that contumely which is done to their face then with that which is done behinde their back And they are more impudent in sin which commit sin before the face of one that looketh on then which commit it in private where they are not seen That sacrificeth in Gardens Idolaters were wont to sacrifice in Gardens and in Groves and it seemeth the Jews many of them did so sacrifice while they were captives in Babylon contrary to Gods command Deut. 12.13 14. And burneth incense upon Altars of brick This was contrary to the words of God Exod. 30. v. 1. Howsoever they sinned by burning Incense out of the Temple 4. Which remain among the graves They did remain among the graves that they might consult with evil spirits which haunt those places Or that they might use some kinde of Necromancy or other which was forbidden Deut. 18.11 And lodge in the monuments This is a repetition of the foregoing sentence For sepulchers are called monuments because of the monuments which are there erected to the memory of the dead Which eat Swines flesh Contrary to the Law Levit. 11.7 Deut. 14.8 And broth of abominable things is in their vessels i. e. And which have in their vessels broth made of the flesh of unclean beasts such as were forbidden to be eaten Levit. 11. and Deuter. 14. and therefore were abominable for a man to eat 5. Which say Supple To other men notwithstanding their own wickedness Hypocrites as they are Stand by thy self i. e. Keep off Come not neer to me Supple To pollute me with thy company These are a smoke in my nose i. e. These are a vexation to me as smoke is to the eyes or the nose of a man A fire that burneth all the day i. e. Such as kindle my wrath by their wickedness continually or such as vex me all the day long He likeneth these men to fire either because they did kindle Gods wrath against themselves as fire kindleth the wood Or else because as fire raiseth a smoke which vexeth the eyes and nose of a man so did they commit sins dayly by which they did vex the Holy One of Israel 6. It is written before me i. e. That which these men have done and do do shall not be forgotten but I will keep it in continual remembrance He alludeth to the Books of Records which Kings use to have and to read in as Eâ—th 6.1 This Particle It is a Relative without any formal Antecedent which is a thing frequent with the Hebrews Or it relateth to all the sins before mentioned without observing the number I will not keep silence Supple But will rebuke them in my fierce anger Gods rebuke goeth not with his actual afflicting and punishing and therefore though rebuke with men signifieth but words yet with God it signifieth deeds also But will recompence Supple Their iniquities as it followeth in the next verse that is I will pay them as much punishment as their sins deserve Even recompence into their bosom By the bosom is meant the lap And he alludeth to an housholder paying his laborer his wages in corn which corn the laborer takes of him in the lap of his garment and so carryeth it to his own home For in those days men went in loose garments as well as women though different in fashion 7. Your iniquities i. e. Their iniquities These words relate to the word recompence in the former Verse Note here the confusion of the persons how he confounds the second person with the third and saith Your for their iniquities The like we read cap. 1.29 And the iniquities of your fathers together i. e. And the iniquities of their fathers together A question will here presently arise How it can stand with the Justice of God to punish the iniquities of the fathers upon their children Answ God is said to punish the iniquities of the
i. e. In the Land of Judah Here is a Synecdoche integri where the whole Earth is put for a part to wit Judea In the God of Truth That which is here rendered Truth is in the Original Amen which word is not an Adverb but a Noun and signifieth Truth that is stability Note here therefore that this word Truth signifieth stability in this place and therefore it signifieth stability because it is equivalent to the Hebrew word Amen which signifieth not onely truth but stability also So doth the Apostle take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth truth for stability Ephes 4.15 as Beza well noteth upon that place God is called here the God of truth that is of stability because he shewed himself to be the God of these his servants which he called truth or stability by giving them stability in their own Land when as they had been tossed with tempest and removing to and fro in the Land of their captivity Shall swear by the God of truth i. e. Shall make mention of the God of truth when he sweareth saying If I speak false the God of truth deal so and so with me Because the former troubles are forgotten i. e. Because my servants shall forget their former troubles whereby they were tossed and carryed to and fro as though they had never been and shall enjoy a constant stability in their own Land The Lord giveth the reason here why he would call his servants truth and why he himself should be called the God of truth Are forgotten i. e. Shall be forgotten He puts a present for a future tense or else these words are to be understood as relating to the time in which men should bless themselves in the God of truth at which time all the trouble of these servants of the Lord should be forgotten as being now past And because they are hid from mine eyes Those troubles which the servants of the Lord endured are said to be hid from the Lords eyes because they were quite taken away and brought to an end 17. For behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth He confirmeth here what he said in the former Verse to wit That the former troubles should be forgotten and hid from his eyes When he saith that he would create new Heavens and a new Earth the meaning is That he would make a new face and state of things far more happy and more glorious and desirable then what his servants did now enjoy He would bring them out of such a depth of misery to such an height of happiness as that they should think themselves to be in a new world I create new Heavens The Lord saith that he would create new Heavens because he would make the Heavens brighter then they were at this time For whereas they were now black and cloudy and lowring he would make them bright and clear and full of light so that they should appear as new Heavens This is an expression which the Holy Ghost often useth when he would signifie joy and gladness and an happy estate which should be given to those which had been in misery And the ground of it seemeth to be either this That he makes the Heavens to sympathize with men and as to look black and dark when men are in misery as cap. 5.30 so to shine out when they are in prosperity as cap. 30.26 Or this That to the man which is of joyful heart all things seem pleasant whereas to him that is sorrowful all things seem sad because we receive and look upon things not as they are in themselves but as we are affected and as we are in our selves When therefore God giveth a joyful heart or that which may create joy he may be said to create new Heavens And a new Earth This is also an expression which the Holy Ghost often useth when he would signifie joy and gladness and an happy estate the ground whereof seemeth to be the very same with the ground of the former expression To which we may add That at this time the Land of Judah lay waste and desolate which should be tilled and manured and look as though it were not the same Land when the Lord should bring his people again out of Babylon into that their own Land Note here that the Holy Ghost seemeth to use such high expressions for such mean things because such mean things were types of greater things yea such things as these expressions signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the former shall not be remembred or come into minde i. e. And so glorious shall the new Heavens and the new Earth be over the old as that the old shall not be remembred or thought of that is So far shall the new face and state of things be above the old as that the old shall be quite forgotten 18. But be ye glad and rejoyce c. The Lord maketh an Apostrophe here to his servants which harkened unto his voyce whereas he spoke from the eleventh verse hitherto to them which forsook his Law But be ye glad Note that this Adversative Particle But relates to those Judgments which the Lord threatened to those which forsook his Law in the twelfth Verse and forward q. d. I said to them which forsake my Law that I would number them to the sword c. But notwithstanding be ye glad For ever Ever among the Hebrews is often put to signifie onely a long time Which I create i. e. In that great thing which I will do The Hebrews use this word create of every great and notable work of God I create Jerusalem a rejoycing i. e. I will make Jerusalem exceeding joyful He puts a rejoycing for exceeding joyful an Abstract for a Concrete and this he doth often And when he puts an Abstract thus for a Concrete he would signifie an excess of what he speaks of He speaks also of Jerusalem here as of a woman by a Prosopopoeia Her people a joy i. e. And the people which dwell in her exceeding glad Here is an Abstract again put for a Concrete 19. I will rejoyce in Jerusalem i. e. I will rejoyce and take delight in Jerusalem to do her good See Deut. 28.63 And the voyce of weeping shall be no more heard in her q. d. And though there hath been heard the voyce of weeping and mourning and lamenting in Jerusalem caused by the Babylonians yet there shall be no more such a voyce heard in her 20. There shall be no more thence an Infant of days i. e. There shall be no more carryed out of Jerusalem to the grave an Infant dying in his Infancy The Lord doth here begin to tell what blessings he would bestow upon his servants after their return out of their captivity into their own Land again The first whereof is long life a blessing desired of all and a blessing like to that Exod. 23.26 The number of thy days will I fulfil Nor an old man that hath not fulfilled his days i.
e. Nor shall a man though he be come to the verge of old age be carryed out of Jerusalem to the grave until he hath come to the extremity of old age that is neither shall a man dye in Jerusalem though he be old before he be exceeding old An old man Note that the old man here is opposed to an Infant and so signifieth not a very old man but one that may be called an old man in respect of an Inâ—ant or one that is on the verge onely of old age That hath not filled his days He calleth those a mans days which are requisite to the making up of a good old age and which a man might reach to by the course of Nature if no casualty did cut him off which ordinarily are an hundred years as the next words shew For the childe shall dye an hundred years old i. e. For the childe shall live an hundred years before he dyeth But the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed He prevents an Objection here For whereas God promiseth here the blessing of long life onely unto his servants and would have it taken as a peculiar blessing to them so that the sinners should have no part in it It might be objected That this is not such a peculiar and special blessing of the righteous or of his servants as he would make it to be for the sinners also fulfil their days and live an hundred years The Lord therefore prevents this Objection saying that though the sinner liveth till he be an hundred years old yet he shall be accursed and therefore accursed because in his life time the plagues of God shall fall upon him and in his death he shall be taken away with an unusual destruction See Job 21. v. 7 8 c. to vers 20. Note therefore that it is not onely a long life which the Lord here promiseth to his servants but a blessed long life a life which shall be accompanyed with length of joy and happiness And they shall build houses i. e. And my people shall build houses And inhabit them i. e. And shall live to inhabit them And eat the fruit thereof i. e. And shall live to eat the fruit thereof 22. For as the days of a tree are the days of my people i. e. For my people shall live as long as the tree which they shall plant so that they which plant the tree shall live to eat all the fruit thereof Are the days of my people i. e. The days of my people shall be A present is put here for a future tense Mine Elect See Vers 9. Mine Elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands i. e. Mine Elect shall live long that they may long inhabit the houses which they shall build 23. They shall not labor in vain i. e. They shall not build houses which they shall not enjoy nor plant Vineyards which they shall not eat for this would be labor in vain which was a curse which God threatened to the wicked Levit. 26.16 and Deut. 28.30 Nor bring forth for trouble i. e. Neither shall they bring forth children whose untimely death shall bring them sorrow and trouble of minde This is a short repetition of what he said in the three foregoing verses They are the seed of the blessed of the Lord i. e. They are the true children of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob whom the Lord blessed in themselves and in their seed as well as in themselves And their off-spring with them q. d. And so are their children as well as they wherefore they also shall live to build and to plant and to enjoy what they builded and planted 24. And it shall come to pass before they call I will answer i. e. And if any evil befall them I will take it away before they complain This is another blessing which the Lord promiseth his people after their return out of captivity 25. The Wolf and the Lamb shall feed together See cap. 11.6 The Lion shall eat straw like the Bullock See cap. 11.7 And dust shall be the Serpents meat i. e. And the Serpent shall live upon the dust onely so that he shall be contented with that and shall not fasten upon man to do him any harm nor yet upon any beast That Serpents live upon the dust see Gen. 3.14 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain See cap. 11.9 This Verse containeth another blessing which the Lord promiseth his people after their captivity which is this That they shall live peaceably and quietly in their Land without any fear of violence there shall be no robbers no man-slayers there ISAIAH CHAP. LXVI THus saith the Lord The Heaven is my throne and the Earth is my footstool where is the house that ye build for me This may be very well continued with the former Chapter For whereas the Lord found fault with the wicked and hypocritical part of the Jews which were in captivity for that they forsook him and forgot his holy mountain c. Cap. 65.11 and threatened them grievously in the former Chapter They were ready to clear themselves and to plead not guilty and to shew that they were faithful servants of the Lord and to say That whereas they did frequent the Temple and did offer their due sacrifices while the Temple stood and they were suffered to live in the Land of Judah So if ever they should come into that Land again they would build up the Temple which the Babylonians had destroyed and would offer sacrifices to the Lord as they were wont to do The Lord therefore in the beginning of this Capter takes away these vain arguments of theirs and shews that to build him a Temple was not such an acceptable piece of service as they deemed nor would he take pleasure in their sacrifices being they were such men as they were that is Idolatrous and wicked men The Heaven is my throne The Heaven is my Chair of state whereon I sit And the Earth is my footstool i. e. And the Earth is my stool on which I rest my feet When he saith The Heaven is my throne and the Earth is my footstool he alludeth to the manner of earthly Kings who as they had glorious thrones to sit on so had they their footstools though not so glorious to rest their feet upon And the Lord is here compared to a man of an immense greatness for he must needs be of an immense greatness who is so big as to sit upon the Heavens as his seat and to rest his feet upon the Earth as his footstool for so his upper parts must be higher by much then the highest Heavens Where is the house that ye build unto me i. e. Where then shall that house be which ye say you will build for me for Heaven and Earth are not able to contain an house big enough to contain me Here is a present tense twice put for a future This people which said that
if they did ever return into their own Land the Land of Judah they would build the Lord an House or Temple because the Babylonians had burned down the first first Temple which Solomon built being inured to Idols and Idolatry conceived that the Lord would be contained in his House or Temple as their Idols were in their Houses or Temples Therefore the Lord saith thus unto them The Heaven is my throne the Earth is my footstool where therefore is the House that ye build unto me c. And where is the place of my rest i. e. And where shall be the place of the Temple which ye said ye would build unto me This is a repetition of the former sentence And as there so here a present is put for a future tense By Gods rest is meant the Temple of God which may be so called in allusion to that that it is called Gods rest Psal 132.8 and it is there called Gods rest in opposition to the Tabernacle of the Lord which moved up and down whereas the Temple stood firm and fixed in one place In allusion I say to that place of the Psalms Psal 132.8 may the Temple be called Gods rest and because the Temple is so called in the Psalms this people might call the Temple which they said they would build Gods Rest and the Lord in imitation of them might by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say as he doth here And where is the place of my Rest 2. For all these things hath mine hand made i. e. Moreover all these things supple which ye see have I made For is put here for Moreover and the hand which is but a part is put here by a Synecdoche for the whole man for God speaketh here of himself as of a man by a Prosopopoeia And all those things have been i. e. And all these things have continued from the Creation Supple by the supportment of my hand If the Lord made all things and sustained them ever since then cannot man make a Temple to the Lord of any thing which was not his own before then can he not make him a Temple worthy of his honor then doth not the Lord need any Temple of mans building And so their work woâ—ld not be so acceptable to the Lord as they imagined nay the Lord would not regard a Temple of their building being they were wicked men and delighted in their abominations But to this man will I look even to him that is of a poor and contrite spirit Between this and the former Verse understand these or the like words I will not therefore have any regard to you though ye do build me a Temple q. d. I will not therefore have any regard to you though ye do build me a Temple but to him onely will I look even to him that is of a poor and a contrite spirit To this man will I look Supple With a pleasing and delightful countenance That is of a poor and contrite spirit See cap. 57.15 But what he calls poor here he calls humble there for the humble man is always poor in his own conceit And trembles at my Word i. e. And trembleth at those words of threatening wherewith I threaten the transgressors of my Law and so is afraid to transgress my Law 3. He that killeth an Ox is as if he slew a man q. d. They say that when they come into their own Land that Land of Judah again and have built me a Temple there that they will serve me with their sacrifices again as they were wont But whosoever he be among them that killeth an Ox in sacrifice to me shall be to me as abominable as if he slew a man which to do is plain murder which I will not suffer to go unrevenged Note here the Enallage of the person for he speaks of them here in the third person to whom he spoke in the second Vers 1. He that sacrificeth a Lamb as if a he cut off a dogs neck A dog was accounted so unclean and base a creature among the Hebrews as that the price of a dog was not to be brought into the House of the Lord Deut. 23.18 Abominable therefore must he needs be that would cut off a dogs neck thereby to sacrifice to the Lord. He that offered an Oblation as if he offered Swines blood By the Oblation here mentioned is meant a meat-offering which was of meal either raw or dressed of which Levit. 2. To offer Swines blood for an Oblation was unlawful and so abominable two ways first as it was blood secondly as it was Swines blood for no blood was to be offered as an Oblation for Oblations were to be onely of meal wine and oyl Levit 2. And the blood of every beast which a man killed was to be poured on the ground Levit. 17.13 And as for Swine they were neither permitted in Gods publique service or mans private use Levit. 11.7 He that burneth Incense as if he blessed an Idol i. e. He that burneth Incense to me shall be as abominable as if he blessed an Idol That burneth Incense He alludeth to that burning of Incense or Frankincense which is mentioned Levit. 2.2 As if he blessed an Idol i. e. As if he did burn Incense and sing praises to an Idol Note that Idolaters at the time that they burned Incense to their Idols did sing hymns and songs in praise of their Idols which is called blessing their Idols and is that to which the Prophet here alludeth Yea they have chosen their own ways i. e. Because they have forsaken those ways which I commanded them and have chosen them ways of their own which they think best of to walk in such ways as are mentioned Cap. 65.3 4 5. Note that Yea is put here for Because for this containeth a reason why any of them if he killed an Ox should be as abominable as if he should slay a man And their Soul delighteth in their abominations i. e. And they delight in their abominable sins such as those are which are mentioned Cap. 65.3 4 5. 4. I also will choose their delusions and bring their fears upon them q. d. But because they have chosen their own ways I will chuse also but I will chuse their delusions And because their Soul delighteth in their abominations I will cross their delight and bring their fears upon them For understanding of these words know this that the Babylonians did promise those captive Jews which would comply with them in their wicked Religion and their abominations more favor then they would shew to others whereupon the ungodly party of the Jews fearing that they should never be delivered out of captivity and that the Babylonians would oppress them every day more and more because the Lord sent his Prophets to the Jews to tell them that he would deliver them out of Babylon as Pharaoh did the more afflict the Israelites in Egypt because Moses came with a message from God concerning their
alwayes Phil. 4.4 and which the Psalmist useth I le sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will sing praise unto my God while I have my being Psal 104.33 I le call upon him as long as I live Psal 116.2 which kinde of phrases contain a Hyperbole and signifie onely frequent and often acts In the bitternesse of my soul i. e. Because of the grief of my soul which grief I have conceived from that that I have offended so gracious a God as the Lord is Note that Tò In is put here for Tò Because of for the Hebrews use this Preposition In instead of many other Prepositions Note also that bitterness is put here by a Metaphor and Metonymy of the cause joyned together for griefe because bitter things are grievous to the taster 16. By these things men live i. e. By such things as these are which thou hast done for me and promised to me many men which are never so dangerously sick and nigh unto death recover their health again and live Note here that the Hebrews have no Potentiall Mood but use an Indicative for a Potentiall and so an Indicative is here taken for a Potentiall men live for men may live and by men are understood men in any dangerous condition of life Per Synecdochen Generis And in all these things is the life of my spirit By all these things which thou hast done for me and promised me shall I certainly be revived and live who was neer unto death and therefore afflicted with grief and sorrow He puts my spirit for me a part for the whole man by a Synecdoche and a Present for a Future Tense By all these things he means the visitation whereby God did visite him in mercy by his Prophet the promise which God made to him of adding fifteen years to his dayes vers 5. the promise of delivering Jerusalem from the hand of the King of Assyria v. 6. God giving him a sign to confirme what he promised v. 7 2. His apointing a plaister of figs for his recovery v. 21. c. So wilt thou recover me q. d. As thou hast said so wilt thou recover me from my sickness 17. Behold for peace I had great bitternesse i. e. Behold for health I had a great sicknesse He puts peace for health and peace may signifie health per Synecdochen Generis for after the Hebrew manner of speaking peace signifies all prosperity and all good things under which health is contained Again peace may signifie health because in health the humors of the body rage not neither do they so disquiet a man as they do in sickness and there is a great harmony and concord between the elements and the qualities of the body in health which is not in sicknesse And he puts bitternesse for sicknesse by a Metaphor because as bitternesse is grievous to the pallat so is sicknesse to the whole body To my soul i. e. To me A part is put here for the wholeman by a Synecdoche Delivered it i. e. Delivered my soul that is delivered me From the pit of my corruption i. e. From the grave in which the dead bodies corrupt and putrifie For thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy back i. e. For thou hast forgiven me all my sinnes In these words there is contained an elegan◠Metaphor for because we cannot see those things which are behind our backs he saith thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy back for thou beholdest not my sinnes and those sinnes which God seeth not nor beholdes he is said to pardon See Psal 51.9 Note that in the Scripture phrase God is said to forgive a man his sinnes when he takes away any punishment from him which he either feareth or suffereth by reason of his sinnes And here because he took away that grievous sicknesse which he had inflicted upon Hezekiah for his sins he is said to cast all his sins behind his back or to forgive him all his sins See Notes Cap. 33.24 18. For the grave cannot praise thee i. e. For the dead which lye in the grave cannot praise thee He puts the grave for the dead which lye in the grave per Metonymiam Subjecti or Continentis These words shew the end or finall cause why God did forgive Hezekiah his sinnes and deliver his soul from the pit q. d. And therefore didst thou cast all my sinnes behind thy back and deliver my soul from the pit of corruption that I might praise thee for they which are dead cannot praise thee c. Death cannot celebrate thee i. e. The dead cannot celebrate thee He puts death for the dead per Metonymiam Adjuncti They that go down to the pit i. e. The dead which are carried to the grave and there buried Cannot hope for thy truth q. d. Cannot so much as hope for thy truth much lesse can they declare it and praise thee for it The truth of God is to be taken here for the goodnesse and mercy of God shewn to men But the goodnesse and mercy of God in relation to some former promise and to be performed according to that promise Hence we read goodness and truth and mercy often joyned together as Gen. 24.27 and 32.10 and Psal 115.1 why could not they which went down to the pit hope for the Lords truth Answer Because all their thoughts perished Psal 146.4 The living the living he shall praise thee q. d. But the living the living both can and shall praise thee Supple For this thy mercy which thou hast shewed me Note that this Particle He is redundant here as it is often elsewherr and that by an Hebraisme The father to the children shall make known thy truth q. d. Fathers shall make known unto their children the goodnesse and mercy which thou hast shewed to me and shall praise thee for it Thy truth i. e. Thy mercy and goodnesse which thou hast shewn to me in restoring me to my health I said that the truth of God is taken for the mercy and goodness of God but the mercy and goodnesse of God as it is shewed in relation to some former promise v. 18. To what promise therefore doth this relate Answer It relateth to that v. 5. I will adde unto thy dayes fifteen years or it may relate to that promise which God made to David 1 Kings 2.4 For by this mercy of God whereby Hezekiah was redeemed from the grave came Hezekiah to have a Son who succeeded Him in the Thron according to the promise of God made to David 20. The Lord was ready to save me q. d. When I was sick unto death the Lord was ready to save me We will sing i. e. I and my people or I and the fathers and their children v. 19. will sing My songs i. e. The songs which I have made or shall make in the praise of the Lord for his goodnesse and mercy shewed to me In the house of the Lord. i. e. In the Temple 21. For Isaiah