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
come within a short time hereafter And so do they here signi e in the first and meanest sence That the last daies may signifie that which is to come within a short time hereafter may be proved per argumentum a contrario For if the beginning may signifie that which was done not long since then may the last daies signifie that which is to come to passe within a short time For as the last daies being absolutely put do signifie the end of daies or the last daies in order of time so doth the beginning being absolutely put signifie the beginning of time or that time before which there was no time as may appear Isaiah 40. Vers 21. But that the beginning may signifie that which was done not long since is evident Isai 48 Vers 3 5 and 7. In which last place we read thus They are created now and not from the beginning The meaning whereof is this they are made known now and not at any time heretofore Note therefore that the Hebrewes are often Hyperbolicall in their expressions of times But you may say if the meaning of these words in the last dayes be hereafter or ere long be why did not the Prophet say And it shall come to passe hereafter ere long be but say And it shall come to passe in the last daies Answ Because the Prophet was in these words to prophesie not onely of what was to come to passe ere long but of what was to come to passe in the daies of the Messiah and time of the Gospel also And to signifie what was to come to passe in the daies of the Messiah and time of the Gospel he could not better do it then by saying And It shall come to passe in the last dayes Note here that when the Holy Ghost intendeth two several senses by one and the same words the words do for the most part declare the sublimer sense and that which concerneth the daies of the Messiah or of the Gospel in a full signification But the lower sense and that which concerneth the Jewes and the time of the Law in a signification not so full But in a jejune and as I may so say scantie and restrained signification in respect of the latitude of the words and that because of the scarcitie of words which cannot signifie both with the like propriety And the Holy Ghost condescendeth to use the words of men The Mountaine of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the Mountaines The â—emple of Hierusalem which is here called the Lords house was built upon mount Moriah which Mount was not a distinct Mountaine from Mount Sion But as sometime one Hill hath severall tops so were Mount Moriah and Mount Sion severall tops of the same Hill or Mountaine whence it cometh to passe that Mount Moriah is sometimes called Mount Sion And as the Temple of the true God was built upon an Hill or Mountaine so were the Temples of Idols and false Gods also for the most part And to these Temples so built doth the Prophet allude when he saith The Mountaine of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the Mountaine That therefore which the Prophet saith is this that the Mountaine on which the Temple of the Lord is built which is Mount Moriah or Mount Sion shall be set upon the tops of the Mountaines on which the Temples of the Idols are built And his meaning is this That the Temple of God shall surpasse all other Temples and be above them all in honour and esteem And shall be exalted above the Hills This is the same with the former sentence And all nations i. e. For many of many nations Note that All is not allwayes put for All without exception but sometime for Some or Many and so it is to be here taken as appeareth by these words Many people vers 3. And Nations and People do not allwayes signify whole Nations and whole People but Some or Many members of those Nations or People per Synecdochen integri and so must we take them here Shall flow unto it Here is a Metaphor taken from the flowing of waters in a River where because the waters flow downwards they flow naturally And so their flowing by a Metaphor sheweth a willingnesse and doing of a thing without compulsion And because waters in a River are many some continually succeeding others they signifie abundance too So that the meaning of this place is that many of many Nations and People shall come with chearfullnesse and in great abundance to the Temple of God in Hierusalem to worship the Lord there and it containeth a reason why the Temple of God should surpasse all other Temples and be above them all in honour and esteem and the reason is because all Nations shall forsake the Temples of the Idols and shall come willingly and in abundance to the Temple of the Lord to worship the Lord there This Prophesie in its first and meaner sense seemeth to have been fulfilled in the dayes of Hezekiah when the Angel of God had destroyed an hundred fourscore and five thousand in one night in the Campe of the Assyrians And when God that he might give to Hezekiah a signe of his recovery when he was sick brought the shadow of the Sun ten degrees backward by which it had gone down in the Diall of Ahaz For when these great miracles were heard of no doubt but many did enquire after the truth of them and finding the Truth to be according to the Report did conclude with themselves that the Gods which they worshipt were not like to the God of Israel who had done these great Things yea they were no Gods in comparison of Him therefore they would worship Him and He should be their God This is confirmed by that that these miracles were so taken notice of as that the Princes of Babylon sent Ambassadors to Hezekiah to enquire of the wonder of the Suns going back that was done in the Land of Judah 2 Chron. 32.31 And upon the cutting off of so many of the Assyrians in Sennacharibs Camp by the Angel it is said that many brought gifts to the Lord to Hierusalem so that he was magnified in the sight of all Nations from thenceforth 2 Chron. 32.23 But yet as I said in a second and more sublime Sense the Prophet without doubt doth here prophesie of the Glory of the Church of Christ in the time of the Gospel and the calling or coming in of the Gentiles to that Church 3. And many People i. e. And many men of many kind of People See Vers 2. Shall goe and say i e. Shall say supple one to another That word Goe is Redundant here The like we read Cap. 27. Vers 37. Where it is said Sennacharib King of Assyria departed and went and returned for departed and returned The like also is to be read John 15. Vers 16. He will teach us of his wayes i. e. He will teach us by
Moon which may be called the Sun and the Moon as the picture of a man is called a man and as Idolaters call their Idols by the name of those which they represent These he saith shall be confounded and ashamed by a Metaphor because they could not save the Assyrians which worshipped them and relyed upon them for their good success Some again take the Sun and the Moon for the Sun and Moon indeed which he saith shall be confounded by the like Metaphor because they should not save the Assyrians which worshipped them as their gods See Notes vers 22. The Caldee takes the Sun and the Moon by a Metonymy for the Assyrians themselves which worshipped the Sun and the Moon And indeed those Assyrians which survived the slaughter made by the Angel 2 King 19.35 might well be said to be confounded and ashamed because they saw their great hopes and confident boasting which they made cap. 36.14 c. and 37.10 cut off by the slaughter of 185000 in one night Shall be confounded i. e. Shall be ashamed When the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Sion and in Jerusalem i. e. When the Lord of hosts shall shew that he is the King of Sion and Jerusalem and that he protects it which is the duty of a King by destroying the vast Army of the Assyrians which did besiege it And before his ancients And aboundeth or it is put for And that q. d. And that before the Ancients of his people which are in Jerusalem who shall glorifie his Name and praise him for it Gloriously i. e. After a glorious manner or after such a manner as shall bring him glory and renown ISAIAH CHAP. XXV O Lord thou art my God c. In this Chapter and the Chapter following are contained the praises of God to be sung as it were when those things shall come to pass which the Prophet prophecyed of in the former Chapter I will praise thy Name i. e. I will praise thee This Psalm or Song is penned and to be sung in the person of a man of Judah or Jerusalem For thou hast done wonderful things What wonderful things the Lord had done of old see Psal 105 106 107. But the wonderful things which he had done of late which moved the men of Judah and Jerusalem to praise and exalt him were the destruction of Samaria of which vers 2. and the miraculous preservation and deliverance of his poor people which were besieged in Jerusalem of which Vers 4 c. Thy counsels of old i. e. That which thou hast determined and foretold by thy Prophets of old Of old i. e. From the beginning of the World hitherto Are faithfulness and truth i. e. Are faithful and true He puts faithfulness and truth for faithful and true Abstracts for Concretes per Metonymiam Adjuncti Therefore are Gods counsels called faithful and true because they were performed according as he decreed and foretold 2. For thou hast made of a City an heap Supple Of rubbish q. d. For as thou didst determine and as thou didst foretell by thy Prophets thou hast overthrown and ruined the City of Samaria The Prophet proves here by an instance that the counsels of God are faithfulness and truth and that he hath done wonderful things and gives a reason also why the men of Judah should praise him Of a City By this City he meaneth Samaria the chief City and Metropolis of the Kingdom of Israel Of a defenced City a ruine This is a repetition of the former sentence He calls Samaria a defenced City because it was well fortified so well fortified as that Salmaneser was three years before he could take it 2 King 17.5 A ruine i. e. A ruinous heap of rubbish and stones He saith a ruine for a ruinous heap per Metonymiam Efficientis A palace of strangers By these words he means Samaria as he did before Samaria was the royal City of the Kings of Israel and is called here A palace of strangers because of the strange gods which were worshipped and had Temples there such as Baal was who had an Altar and a House there and was there worshipped 1 King 16.32 Of strangers i. e. Of strange gods It shall never be built Note that this word Never doth not always exclude all time to come but sometimes a good while onely so that the sence of this place may be It shall not be built or brought to its former splendor for a long time again 3. Therefore shall the strong people glorifie thee By the strong people understand those people which wtre Enemies to the Jews and were mighty in strength to oppress them these people are said to glorifie God because they were afraid of him and did fear him because of his great power which they could not but acknowledge when they saw that he had overthrown Samaria and destroyed the Kingdom of Israel as he had determined and as he had threatened by his Prophets These men therefore glorified God though against their wills The City of the terrible Nations shall fear thee He puts City for Cities A sâ—ngular for a plurall number And by the Cities of the terrible Nations Hâ— meanâ—th the Cities of those Nations which dwelt nigh unto Judah and which were a terrour to the Jewes because of their great power and implacable malice These Cities hearing of the destruâ—tion of Samaria which God destroyed for the Jewes sake cap. 17.14 might justly fear least that as God had destroyed Samaria for their enmities to the Jewes so he might destroy them also 4. For thou hast bin a strength to the poâ—r i. e. For thou hast strengthened the poor and delivered him when he was distressed by his enemy the Assyrian as thou hadst decreed and foretold Note that this particle for relates not to the third but to the first verse and here is contained another reason why a man of Judah should exalt and praise the Lord and another instance to prove that the Lord doth wonderfull things and that his Counsels are faithfulness and truth A strength i. e. He puts a strength per metonymiam effecti for the giver of strength To the poor i. e. To the Jew when he was in a poor despicable condition He considereth the Jew in the condition he was in when Senacheribs Armies had destroyed all the Land of Judah but onely Hierusalem and had brought Hierusalem to great streights A strength to the needy This is a repetition of the former words In his distress He speaks of the distress which the Jews were in when Senacheribs Army had wasted Judah and besieged Hierusalem A refuge from the storm i. e. A place to fly to from the storm This speech is metaphoricall and signifies that the Lord did defend the Jews from the fury of the Assyrians as a refuge or covert doth defend a man from the storm A refuge from the heat This is metaphoricall and the same for sence with the former sentences He compares the Assyrians here
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
earth and lick up the dust of thy feet This as some think is not to be understood of the same Kings and Queens which were nursing fathers and nursing mothers to Sion But of others as of the Kings of Edom and of Moab whom the Jewes subdued after their return out of the Babylonish captivity for to bow down so low as to the earth and to lick the dust of the feet is not the gesture say they of Kings which are friends and benefactors but of enemies which are subdued and of such as worship rather out of feare and flattery than of love as will appeare Psal 72.9 Isaiah 60.14 Exod. 11.8 The sense therefore is say they q. d. And those Kings and Queens which will not be as nursing fathers and nursing mothers to thee shall bow down to thee with their face to the earth and shall lick the dust of thy feet for thou shalt subdue them and bring them under thee When therefore he saith They shall bow down to thee He doth as it were point at those which would not be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to Sion but would rather envy her and hate her But though these phrases taken in their prime and proper sense signifie as they aforementioned say yet by an Hyperbolicall Synecdoche putting one species of respect for any respect in generall they may signifie such respect as Kings which are friends and benefactors shew even to their inferiours And then the same Kings which are nursing fathers to Sion and the same Queens which are nursing mothers may be said to bow down to her with their faces towards the earth and lick up the dust of her feet because of that civil respect which they they gave unto her They shall bow down with their face towards the earth This sheweth respect and reverence to him to whom we bow but a submissive respect and reverence in the prime and proper sense of the words And lick up the dust of thy feet Many to shew their extream submission and reverence and respect to others have kissed the very footsteps where they have trod and licked up the dust which clove to their feet And thou shalt know that I am the Lord i. e. And thou shalt know by those things which I will doe for thee that I am the onely God for I will doe such things for thee as none but the true God can doe For they shall not be ashamed which wait for mee i. e. For they which wait with patience upon me in expectation and hope of salvation from my hand shall not be disappointed of their hope and expectation They which hope and look for great matters if they faile of their hope and expectation they are ashamed Hence he may be said not to be ashamed which obtaineth what he hopeth for 24. Shall the prey be taken from the mighty q. d. The Babylonians are mighty in power and I and my children are their prey They have taken us by the sword and kept us captive and hath any one so great strength as to deliver us out of their hands This is spoken in the person of Sion who doubts of the Lords sayings concerning the coming of her children to her again of her own happiness after their coming to her because of the great power which the Babylonians had and therefore doth she object thus against the Lord Shall the prey be taken from the mighty That which made Sion doubt of the delivery of her children v. 14. was the distrust which she had of the love of God That which makes her doubt here was the conceit which she had of the great power of the Babylonians which she thought invincible Or the lawful captive delivered Supple From the terrible This is but a repetition of the former words The lawful captive That is called a lawful captive here which is taken in a lawful war and that is called a lawful war which is denounced between people and people according to the Law of Arms before it be begun though otherwise that same War may be very unjust and injurious in respect of the Law of God and of the Moral Law Now a Captive which is taken in such a war as is denounced before it be begun sheweth the power of the Conqueror more then that Captive doth which is taken in a war which was not denounced For in a war which is denounced before it is begun he that begins the war relieth upon the greatness of his own strength and believeth that he can master the Enemy by meer force and therefore is more terrible in power But he that wageth a war and denounceth it not hath more confidence in the unpreparedness of his Enemy and such like advantages then in his own power and therefore is not so much to be feared for his strength as the other is 25. But thus saith the Lord even the captives c. This is the Lords Answer to Sions Objection Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away i. e. Thou and thy children though ye be lawful captives of the mighty Babylonians yet shall ye be taken away out of their hands And the prey of the terrible shall be delivered q. d. And though ye be the pâ—ey of the Babylonians which are a terrible Nation yet shal ye be delivered from them For I will contend with him that contendeth with thee i. e. For I the Lord who am Almighty and can do whatsoever I please will fight against the Babylonians which fight against thee Concerning this phrase see cap. 41.12 and cap. 54.17 26. I will feed them which oppress thee with their own flesh they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine i. e. I will set the Babylonians which oppress thee with hard captivity one against another and they shall fight one with another and slay one another in great number The phrases here used are metaphorical taken from wilde beasts which fight with and kill one the other and when they have killed one the other eat the flesh and suck the blood one of the other Their own flesh Their own blood This is not to be understood of the flesh and blood of their own natural and individual bodies but of the flesh and blood of their Kinsmen and Country-men For these especially Kinsmen are said to be of the same flesh and of the same blood because they came out of the loyns of the same forefathers That which is here spoken might be fulfilled not onely by the Civil Wars of the Babylonians if any such were for we have not Records extant of all things memorable but also when many Babylonians served under Cyrus against other the Babylonians The mighty One of Jacob. i. e. The mighty One whom Jacob serveth and who protecteth Jacob. By Jacob he meaneth the Jews the children of Jacob. The Lord though he calleth himself most usually the holy One of Israel and the holy One of Jacob as cap. 29.23 yet here he calleth himself the
mighty One of Jacob to shew his power and that in opposition to the Babylonians whom Sion in her Objection called The Mighty ISAIAH CHAP. L. THus saith the Lord Where is the bill of your mothers divorcement whom I have put away This as I conceive must be continued with the former Chapter and be part of that Sermon For whereas the Lord speaketh there of what great things he would do for Sion and her children and that he would deliver them from the terrible and take them away from the mighty Babylonians who possessed them as captives and as their prey The Jews the children of Sion were ready to say If the Lord will do such great things for us and will now at length deliver us from the terrible and take us away from the mighty Why did he forsake us at the first when we deserved it not For why did he sell us which were his children when he had no reason to do it And why did he put away our mother to whom he was marryed as though she had been defiled and unclean whereas there was nothing to be blamed in her This Objection therefore of theirs the Lord prevents saying Where is the bill of your mothers divorcement whom I have put away Or which of my Creditors is it to whom I have sold you c. Where is the bill of your mothers divorcement whom I have put away This is spoken in the person of the Lord to the Jews which were in captivity in Babylon But who is meant here by the Mother of these Jews Ans Sion or Jerusalem whom Paul also intimateth to be the Mother of the Jews Galat. 4.25 And of this Sion or Jerusalem even the material City doth the Prophet speak as of a woman yea of a mother by a Prosopopoeia in chap. 3. vers 26. and in chap. 49. and so also doth he here in this place Where is the bill of yours mothers divorcement whom I have put away When any one did put away his wife he was by the old Law to give her a bill of divorcement to shew that she was divorced from her Husband Deut. 24.1 And in this bill were the reasons oftentimes set down why the man did put away his wife The Lord therefore who had been marryed to Sion and put her away again in allusion to this Law and in allusion to such a Bill in which the causes of divorce were set down calls to the Jews for the Bill of their Mothers divorcement that he might clear himself thereby and shew that he put her away not without cause as they surmized but for her uncleanness as the Bill would testifie Or which of my Creditors is it to whom I have sold you It was a Law or Custom at least among the ancient Hebrews that Parents if they grew poor and could not tell how to pay their debts might sell their children to their Creditors thereby to satisfie them as appeareth Exod. 21.7 To this Law or Custom doth the Lord here allude And to clear himself of that which the Jews which were captive in Babylon were ready to say to wit That he had sold them he bids them name the Creditor to which he had sold them that it might appear that he sold them not For your iniquities have you sold your selves Supple Into the hands of the Babylonians When the Lord had bid these Jews to name the Creditor to which he had sold them they named the Babylonian But when they had named the Babylonian the Lord shewed them that it was not he that sold them but that it was they who had sold themselves and that for their iniquities so that the Lord doth not onely clear himself of what they objected to him but layeth the fault of all wholly upon them themselves Quest But it may be asked how the Jews could be said to sell themselves to the Babylonians to be their captives for their iniquities Answ The Lord among other punishments threatened his people that if they sinned and did commit iniquity they should be carryed away captive into their enemies Land and should there pine away in their iniquity Levit. 26. v. 33 38 39. Yea he threatened the Jews by his Prophets that they should be carryed away by the Babylonians in particular if they sinned Now therefore if they would buy sin and the pleasure of it they knew the price they must sell their peace and liberty for it they must become captive to the Babylonians if they would have it Well sin they would because it was pleasant therefore having had sin they must pay for it they must go into the hands of the Babylonians for this was the price of their sins For as according to Pauls saying the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 so is death and captivity and all other miseries the price of sin also And for your transgressions is your mother put away Supple From me who was her Husband so that I put her not away without a lawful cause But a Jew might here say What justice or equity is in this that a Mother should be put away from her Husband for the trangressions of her Children Answ To put away a Mother for the transgressions of her Children if she be not thereby defiled and made unclean is against justice and equity but if she be defiled and made unclean by her Childrens transgressions it is not against justice or equity to put her away for a Husband might put away his Wife if he found any uncleanness in her Deut. 24.1 Now the case of Sion or Jerusalem was so that if the Children within her did transgress she her self was also defiled and polluted and became unclean by their transgressions For if the Land was defiled by the sins of them which dwelt therein as it was Isai 24.5 Jerem. 2.7 and 3.9 and 16.18 and Numb 35.33 34. Levit. 18.28 and if the Sanctuary of God was also defiled by the sins of the people which dwelt about it as it was Levit. 16.16 then surely was Sion and Jerusalem also defiled and made unclean by the transgressions of her Children that is by the transgressions of them which dwelt in her and therefore might Sion be justly put away for the transgressions of her children And for your transgressions is your mother put away Note that thâ—se words relate to those Where is the bill of your mothers divorcement whom I have put away And are grounded upon that That the bill was produced and read and that it was contained in the bill that Sion was put away for the uncleanness which she had contracted by the transgressions of her children for upon that doth the Lord conclude against them here saying Behold I have not put away your mother without a cause as ye say but for your transgressions is your mother put away 2. Wherefore when I came was there no man Supple To receive me When I called was there none to answer i. e. And wherefore when I called to you
Abraham v. 2. believe that the Lord was able to do what he saith in this verse that the Lord would do for Sion for that which he saith here that the Lord would do for Sion is in a manner the same that he saith the Lord did for Abraham vers 2. But if that which he saith the Lord would do for Sion here be in a manner the same as that was which he saith the Lord did for Abraham vers 2. why doth he not say the Lord will call Sion alone and bless her and encrease her as he said of Abraham vers 2. but saith The Lord will comfort Sion Ans Before this call of Abraham Abraham had been never called of God nor had he been blessed with that wealth which he afterwards enjoyed neither had he had any children at all so that he was not grieved for the loss of these things because he never had these things to lose But Sion had been called of God for she had been the wife of God but was put away and had been blessed with much wealth but was bereft of it and had had many children but was deprived of them by the Babylonians by reason of which she was in much sorrow and grief of heart at this time Therefore doth the Prophet say of Sion The Lord shall comfort Sion rather then as he did of Abraham the Lord shall call Sion alone and bless her and encrease her though her comfort consisted in a manner in the same things He will comfort all her waste places and he will make her wilderness like Eden and her Desart like the Garden of the Lord. These words are an amplification or declaration of those words which went immediately before to wit of those The Lord shall comfort Zion and tell how the Lord would comfort her He shall comfort all her waste places By the waste places of Zion are meant those dwelling places which the Babylonians had either broken down or made desolate without inhabitant these places he saith the Lord would comfort by building up those which were broken down and filling both the one and the other with children of Zion that is with Jews See cap. 49.9 If the Lord would fill the waste places of Zion with children of Zion then would God call Zion again though she were alone that she might have children by him and then would he encrease Zion with children as he did Abraham vers 2. And he will make her wilderness like Eden i. e. And he will make all the Land of Judah which lieth now untilled and neglected and fruitless as a wilderness like unto Eden for beauty fruitfulness by which she shall gather great store of wealth Like Eden Eden was the most fruitful and pleasant Country of the East in which the Lord planted Paradise Gen. 2.10 And her Desart like the garden of the Lord q. d. Yea he will make her Desart like the Garden of the Lord. By the Garden of the Lord is meant Paradise or that Garden which the Lord planted in Eden Gen. 2.10 Therein i. e. In Sion by reason of the comforts which the Lord will give her 4. Harken unto me This is spoken in the person of God to the Jews as if they were now in captivity in Babylon For a Law shall proceed from me i. e. For I will give a command concerning your delivery out of Babylon Note that the word Law among the Hebrews signifieth not onely a Law strictly taken but also any Word of God whatsoever See cap. 1.10 And I will make my judgment to rest Supple Upon Babylon which vexeth you and useth you cruelly in your captivity A judgment is said to rest upon a people when it remaineth long upon them For a light of the people i. e. That the Heathen may know by this my judgment which I will make to rest upon Babylon that I am the Lord. That is said to be a light to the people which is any way the cause to them of saving knowledge 5. My righteousness is neer i. e. My truth and fidelity is come neer unto you to make good that promise which I made to you concerning your delivery out of Babylon Righteousness is taken here for fidelity and truth of which he speaks as of a person by a Prosopopoeia My salvation is gone forth i. e. My saving power is gone forth to wit to save you out of the hand of the Babylonians Salvation is put here for Gods saving power as it is also put sometimes for God himself as cap. 12.2 per Metonymiam Effecti And he speaks of it as he did of righteousness as of a person yea as of a Champion by a Prosopopoeia And mine arm shall judge the people And I will punish and smite the Babylonians and other people that joyn with them to afflict you my servants the Jews The Isles shall wait upon me q. d. The Heathen when they shall see my judgment upon the Babylonians and those that joyn with them shall know that I am the true God and shall forsake their Idols and wait upon me for Salvation in their distress The Isles Concerning the meaning of this word Isles see cap. 49.1 And on mine arm shall they trust i. e. And they shall trust in me by reason of my power and strength The arm is put here for the whole man The arm I say which argues a mans power and strength This came to pass when many Heathen seeing what the Lord did to the Babylonians for his people the Jews sake forsook thâ—ir Idolatry and became Proselytes 6. My salvation shall be for ever i. e. My saving power shall never fail See v. 5. And my righteousness i. e. And my truth and fidelity by which I perform whatsoever I have promised 7. Harken unto me ye that know righteousness He speaks to the righteous among the Jews which feared him That know righteousness i. e. That love righteousness and make much of it The people in whose heart is my Law i. e. The people which love my Law Fear ye not the reproach of men neither be afraid of their reâ—ilings q. d. Though the Babylonians who hold you in captivity reproach you and revile you and call you by ignominious names yet being they are but men fear them not neither be afraid of them 8. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment i. e. For the sword or some plague or other shall consume them as the moth consumeth a garment See Cap. 50. vers 9. And the worm shall eat them like wool i. e. And the sword or some plague or other shall consume them as the worm eateth and consumeth the wool But my righteousness shall be for ever and my salvation from generation to generation i. e. But my Truth and my saving Power shall never fail and if they never fail then shall ye be safe when they which reproach you shall be consumed 9. Awake awake put on strength O arm of the Lord The Prophet speaks this to
the Lord in his own person yet it may be understood of the Lords speaking thus to himself and stirring up himself for this work See the like cap. 63.11 Because the Lord had suffered his people to lie in captivity a long time and did not shew his power in their deliverance he might seem to be like a man asleep therefore he saith Awake awake put on strength O arm of the Lord Supple That thou mayst deliver thy people out of Babylon as thou hast promised Put on strength He alludeth to a mans putting on his garments when he awaketh which he did put off and lay aside when he went to sleep O arm of the Lord i. e. O powerful God He speaks of God as of a man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and puts the arm which is but part for the whole man by a Synecdoche as Vers 5. As in the ancient days and in the generations of old Supple When thou didst bring the children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage Art not thou it that hath cut Rahab i. e. Art not thou He which didst cut and hew the Egyptians to pieces It This relateth to that O thou arm of the Lord by which as I said is meant the Lord himself Rahab By Rahab is meant Egypt and by Egypt the Egyptians as Psal 87. v. 4. And Egypt was called Rahab because of her pride for Rahab signifieth one that is proud and Egypt carryed her self proudly at least towards Israel Exod. 18.11 And wounded the Dragon Supple Even to death By the Dragon he meaneth Pharaoh King of Egypt whom the Lord overthrew in the red Sea For the Prophet calls tyrants by that name See cap. 27.1 10. Art not thou it which hath dryed the Sea c. He meaneth by the Sea the red Sea which the Lord divided and through which he made a dry way for his people of Israel to pass when he brought them out of Egypt Exod. 14.21 The waters of the great deep q. d. Even the waters of the red Sea which was very deep For the ransomed to pass over i. e. For the Israelites which thou didst redeem out of Egypt from the bondage which they suffered there to pass over This is mentioned here to strengthen the faith of the people in God For if God had power to do such things heretofore he hath as much power to do the like now and to redeem his people out of Babylon now as he had to redeem them out of Egypt in times past 11. The redeemed of the Lord i. e. The Jews which are now in captivity in Babylon He calleth these Jews the redeemed of the Lord by anticipation for as yet they were not redeemed though afterwards they were Shall return Supple Out of Babylon where they are captive And come with singing unto Sion i. e. And come back with a great deal of joy to Jerusalem Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads He resembleth joy to a crown therefore he saith that it shall be upon their heads q. d. They shall be crowned with everlasting joy See cap. 35.10 And sorrow and mourning Supple Which they now suffer by reason of their captivity 12. I even I am he that comforteth you This is spoken in the person of the Lord to Zion who fearing the great power of the Babylonians could not receive that comfort from the promises of God as she should do I even I c. q. d. I the Lord who am the true and Almighty God even I am he that comforteth you c. That comforteth you i. e. That comforteth you now by my promises of your redemption and will comfort you hereafter by performing what I promise Who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall dye q. d. What a fearful woman art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of the Babylonians because they are many which yet are but men and shall dye This was that which made the Lords promise of the redemption of the Jews out of Babylon so hardly to be believed to wit the strength and abundance of men which the Babylonians had and therefore the Lord would take this Objection or stumbling block away Who art thou This in the Hebrew is of the Feminine gender and therefore is spoken to Zion whom he speaks to as to a woman or a mother by a Prosopopoeia as cap. 49.14 And of the son of man which shall be made as grass i. e. And of the son of man which shall be cut down and wither as the grass This is a repetition of the former sentence The son of man Every man livinâ— as he is man himself so is he the son of a man 13. And forgettest the Lord thy Maker i. e. And art not mindf ll of the power of the Lord which made thee who because he made thee will have mercy upon thee That hath stretched out the Heavens and layd the foundations of the Earth Supple And therefore is of exceeding great power power enough to turn the Babylonians to nothing Hath stretched out the Heavens i. e. Hath made the Heavens See Cap. 45. vers 12. And layd the foundations of the Earth See cap. 55.13 And hast feared continually every day Supple Lest thou and thy children should be destroyed by hard usage and by famine Because of the fury of the oppressor i. e. Because of the fury of the Babylonian which oppresseth thee and thy children As if he were ready to destroy i. e. As if he i. e. the Babylonian thy oppressor would instantly destroy thee and thy children by hard usage and by starving And where is the fury of the oppressor i. e. And what I pray you is become of the fury of the Oppressor This is to be pronounced with contempt to vilifie the power and fury of the Babylonian when Zion feared And he speaketh as if the Babylonians were already destroyed 14. The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed q. d. Behold notwithstanding all the fury of the Oppressor the captive Exile already hasteneth that he may be loosed The captive Exile i. e. The Jew which is captive in Babylon and liveth there as an Exile or banished man Hasteneth that he may be loosed i. e. Maketh haste already that he may be loosed supple out of prison that is out of the Land of his captivity from being a captive any longer He likeneth the Land of Babylon in which the Jews were captive to a prison and alludeth thereunto as cap. 42.7 He speaketh here as though the captived Jews were even then hastening to get out of their captivity But how did they hasten that they might be loosed Ans By sending Zorobbabel to Cyrus to entreat him to let them go free And this was after Cyrus had subdued Babylon so that the Lord might well say as he did Vers 13. And wheâ—e is the fury of the Oppressor And that he should not dye in the pit i. e. And that he
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
mother by a Prosopopoeia Thy God reigneth God is said to reign in general when he doth shew by any act worthy his greatness that he is King and in particular here he is said to reign because he shewed his Kingly Power in the delivery of his people out of the hands of their Enemies the Babylonians That which Isaiah speaketh here of a Messenger bringing good news of peace and salvation befaln the Jews in Babylon Saint Paul speaks of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ preaching peace and salvation by Christ and this may both do Isaiah in the first Saint Paul in the second and sublime sence For as I have often said as the temporal miseries of the Jews under their Enemies were a type of our spiritual miseries under Sin and Satan that grand Enemy of mankinde so were the Deliverances of the Jews out of those miseries types of our deliveries by Christ and of that Salvation which we have by him And the Holy Ghost doth often so order the words of the Prophets that they shall signifie as well one as the other word by word in particular 8. Thy watchmen shall lift up the voyce i. e. Thy watchmen which shall stand upon thy towers shall lift up their voyce and cry and shout aloud for joy O Sion He alludeth to the Watchmen which use to stand upon the Towers of great Cities to give notice of any danger or any great company approaching to the City See cap. 21.5 Why these Watchmen shall lift up their voyce he tells a little after viz. because they shall see when the Lord bringeth again Zion But why doth hâ— mention the Watchmen here rather then any other Ans Because they shall see when the Lord bringeth Siâ—n again before any other as being placed in the high Towers and set purposely to watch what companies approach to the City With the voyce together shall they sing i. e. They shall sing with a loud voyce Together This word signifieth All. For they shall see Supple From the Towers whereon they stand They shall see eye to eye i. e. They shall see very plainly and evidently and not be deceived in their sight When the Lord shall bring again Sion The Preposition To is here to be understood as also it is left to be understood in the Hebrew Text cap. 35.10 and cap. 51.11 though it is there expressed in our Translation and not here The sence therefore of this place is this When the Lord shall bring again to Sion that is When the Lord shall bring his people back again out of Babylon the place of their captivity to Sion their own City Here is such an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in those words cap. 49.8 To cause to inherit the desolate heritages Yet by Sion may be here meant the Jews the children and inhabitants of Sion either as the same Jews are called Jacob because they are the children of Jacob cap. 41.14 Or as Kir is taken for the Citizens and Inhabitants of Kir cap. 22.6 9. Ye waste places of Jerusalem See cap. 51.3 The Lord hath comforted his people Supple Which were in captivity in Babylon by setting them free again He hath redeemed Jerusalem Supple Out of her captivity For she also was a captive vers 2. and cap. 49.21 He speaks of the City of Jerusalem as of a captive He speaketh also as if the Lord had comforted his people and redeemed Jerusalem already at this time And so do the Prophets often speak before the thing they speak of is come to pass to signifie that it shall as surely come to pass as if it were already come 10. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm i. e. The Lord hath shewed his peerless power viz. in overthrowing the Babylonians whose power was thought invincible and in delivering and bringing back again his people out of captivity Note here that the arm of the Lord is put for the power of the Lord and therefore is it put for the power of the Lord because the Prophet speaks here of the Lord as of a man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the strength and power of a man is seen in his arm Again because that a man when he would shew his arm must strip up the sleeve of the arm and make it bare he puts the making bare of the Lords arm for the shewing of his power His holy arm i. e. His matchless arm his peerless power For the word holy signifieth that which is separated from other things by way of excellency See Notes cap. 6.3 And all the ends of the Earth i. e. All they which dwell at the ends of the Earth that is All the Heathen Shall see the salvation of our God i. e. Shall see the Salvation which our God hath wrought for his people which were captive to the Babylonians by Cyrus 11. Depart ye depart ye This is spoken in particular to the Levites which were in Babylon intimating that they might go freely thence out of captivity and it is spoken as if Cyrus had already subdued Babylon and vanquished the Babylonians and given the Jews leave to depart thence to their own Land Go ye out from thence i. e. Go ye out from Babylon Here is a Relative put without an Antecedent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Touch no unclean thing q. d. Touch no unclean thing thereby to defile your selves and make your selves unclean The unclean things here mentioned were such as caused legal uncleanness in those that touched them or such as those were which we read of Levit. 11.24 25 26 c. and Lev. 22.4 c. which uncleanness was not to be upon the Levites when they did any way minister about the vessels of the Lord that is about the vessels of the Temple or Sanctuary because they were holy things Go out of the midst of her i. e. Go out of her that is out of Babylon Be ye clean i. e. If ye are clean keep your selves clean If ye are not clean but are defiled by touching some unclean thing be ye cleansed and purified that ye may be clean That bear the vessels of the Lord. i. e. O ye Levites By the vessels of the Lord are here meant the vessels of the Sanctuary or of the Temple which were consecrated to the service of the Lord which kinde of vessels the Levites were appointed to carry Numb 1.50 and 2.8 c. By these therefore which bore the vessels of the Lord are meant the Levites which were appointed to carry those vessels See Ezra 8.30 Note here that when the Babylonians had taken Jerusalem Nebuzaradan one of the Captains of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon carryed the vessels of the Temple away into Babylon 2 King 25. vers 14 15 c. These vessels there continued during all the time of the Jews captivity and when Cyrus delivered the Jews out of captivity he gave them also these vessels of the house of the Lord which were brought from Jerusalem to carry to Jerusalem back
reflexion of that light The meaning is q. d. Be thou happy and glorious through that happiness with which thy God will bless thee The Prophet seemeth to allude here to the Moon or to some Star which is enlightened by the Sun and compareth the Lord to the Sun and Sion to the Moon or Star enlightened by the Rays of the Sun It is a common thing with the Prophet to put light for prosperity and happiness By light therefore received understand the prosperity and happiness which the Lord would vouchsafe Sion by his favor And because the Moon and the Stars do shine by the reflexion of that light which they receive from the Sun understand by Sions shining the glory which Sion should have by the happiness which the Lord would vouchsafe her For thy light is come i. e. For thy God which will give thee light that is Prosperity and Redemption is come supple to give thee light By light understand God who is here likened to the Sun which is called a light because it giveth light Gen. 1.16 Because the Prophet doth often call prosperity light and God was to be the Author of Sions prosperity and redemption he likeneth God here to the Sun which giveth light to the Moon and to the Stars when he saith Thy light is come And the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee i. e. And the glorious Lord is risen upon thee as the Sun riseth upon the Moon and the Stars by casting his rays upon them By the glory of the Lord understand the glorious Lord himself as cap. 58. vers 8. which he saith is risen upon thee by a Metaphor drawn from the Sun in which he persists 2. The darkness shall cover the Earth By darkness is understood misery and calamity by the Earth is understood the Land of Babylonia by a Synecdoche the whole Earth being put for a part thereof and by a Metonymy the inhabitants of that earth to wit the Babylonians And gross darkness the people i. e. And exceeding great misery and calamity the people which inhabit Babylonia This came to pass when Cyrus conquered and subdued Babylon He prophecyeth misery to the Babylonians because the Babylonians did mightily oppress Sion and her children the Jews in their captivity 3. But the Lord shall arise upon thee i. e. But the Lord shall arise upon thee by casting the beams of his favor upon thee as the Sun ariseth upon the Moon and the Stars by casting his rays upon them And his glory shall be seen upon thee i. e. And he shall be seen upon thee Supple by the light and brightness of the beams of his favor which he shall cast upon thee He compareth here the Lord to the Sun and the redemption and prosperity which he gave to Sion to the beams and brightness which proceedeth from the body of the Sun Then did the Lord arise upon Sion when Cyrus did vanquish the Babylonians and set the Jews free and do such great things for them as we read of in the book of Ezra His glory i. e. He. See vers 1. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light i. e. And so great shall thy glory and thy prosperity be as that the Gentiles shall come to thee because of the greatness of thy glory and prosperity to joy thee and to be partakers with thee of that thy prosperity or at least to behold it and admire it To thy light By light as I said is meant prosperity c. But he alludeth here to the light of the Moon or some glorious Star to which he here resembleth Sion And Kings to the brightness of thy rising i. e. Yea Kings shall come to thee by reason of thy brightness when thou shalt rise for brightness like to the Moon or some glorious Star enlightened by the beams and rays of the Sun The brightness of thy rising is put per Metonymiam Adjuncti for Sion her self rising in brightness 4. Lift up thine eyes round about i. e. Behold and look towards all the parts of the Earth Here he beginneth to shew in particular what the light and brightness that is what the prosperity and glory of Sion should be All they gather themselves together they come to thee i. e. All they which thou seest gathering themselves together in all the parts of the Earth are Jews thy children and they gather themselves together to come to thee He speaks here to Sion as if he had her in an high Watch-tower from whence she could see all the quarters of the Earth Thy sons shall come from far i. e. Thy sons shall come to thee from far even from Babylon where they were captive and from other parts of the world whither they fled when the Babylonians invaded thy Land The Jews which were captive in Babylon returned to Jerusalem by the favor of Cyrus which conquered Babylon and set them free The Jews which were in other parts of the Earth when they heard what Cyrus had done for their Countrymen were invited by their good success to return home and did return and take part with them of their happiness And thy daughters shall be nursed by thy side q. d. And thy daughters shall be no more taken away from thee but they shall be nursed up by thy side or in thy presence He speaks to Sion as to a most indulgent Mother 5. Then shalt thou see and flow together i. e. Then shalt thou see supple thy sons and thy daughters in thine own house and shalt flow together with them with abundance of joy and riches Shalt thou see Supple Thy sons and thy daughters within thine own walls And flow together i. e. And thou shalt flow together with them or thou and they together with thee shall flow with abundance of joy and riches Flow There is a Metaphor in this word taken from a river which floweth with abundance of waters to which waters he likeneth the joy and riches of Sion and her children And thine heart shall fear and be enlarged because the abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee i. e. And thou shalt fear and rejoyce because of the abundance of people that shall come to thee A question will here be asked How the Prophet can say that she shall fear and rejoyce for these two are contrary passions and cannot happen upon the same occasion in the same person at the same time Ans The Prophet here alludeth to the manner of men who when they see a great company approaching toward them and toward their dwellings and knowing not what they are are dismayed and fear that they are some Enemies especially if they have been frighted before with companies of Enemies as Sion had been with the Babylonians but when they perceive upon their neer approach by their carriage and by their words that they are friends come to serve them their fear is turned into joy Sion then might fear when she saw so many coming to her while they are yet afar off
Kings 14.9 Psal 22.12 Ezech. 31.3 Shall come unto thee i. e. Shall be brought unto thee For what purpose the Cedar should be brought he tells towards the end of this verse Note that this is another reason why the gates of Ierusalem should stand open continually and hereby is intimated also that the Syrians which possessed mount Lebanon should be subdued by the Jewes or at least should so farre either stand in feare of them or respect them as that they should furnish them with all things for the use of the Temple which their Country could afford For it must be either by the good will or by a conquest of this people that the Jewes could have these Trees brought to Jerusalem but Strabo relates that the Jewes did subdue this people by the sword To beautifie the place of my sanctuary i. e. To adorne my Temple for the Temple was adorned by the wood of these Trees being curiously wrought And I will make the place of my feet glorious i. e. For I will make my Temple glorious The place of my feet By the place of Gods feet is meant the Arke then by the Arke which stood in the Sanctum Sanctorum is meant the Temple Per metonymiam contenti The Arke is called the place of Gods feet as appeareth 1 Chron. 28.2 And therefore was it called the place of Gods feet because in the two ends of the mercy seat which covered the Arke there were two Cherubins of gold looking one towards another and spreading out their wings one towards another and by the spreading out of their wings making as it were a seat to sit upon Upon the wings of the Cherubins so stretched out was the Lord supposed to sit in shape of a man and to rest his feet upon the Arke And therefore was the Arke called the place of his feet See Exod. Cap. 25. v. 17 18 19 20 21 22. 14. The sonnes also of them which afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee q. d. So glorious also shalt thou be that not onely they which were thy friends but they also which afflicted thee as enemies shall be moved with thy glory and come and honour and reverence thee if not for love yet for feare and sâ—e to thee for thy favour and for thy friendship This is another reason why the gates of Hierusalem should stand open continually to wit because the sonnes of them that had afflicted Sion should come bending to thee The sonnes of them which afflicted thee i. e. The children of those that afflicted thee Or they themselves which afflicted thee O Sion For the Hebrewes put the sonnes of such and such for such and such themselves Shall come bending unto thee Supple In token of honour and reverence towards thee See this fulfilled in part Ezra 4. v. 1.2 Shall bow themselves at the soles of thy feet i. e. Shall bow themselves down even to the ground in most humble manner in signe of the greater respects to thee And they shall call thee the City of the Lord q. d. And when they speake unto thee and call thee they shall say O thou City of the Lord And this they shall say to shew the great esteeme which they have of thee and that they greatly reverence thee Sion or Jerusalem might be called the City of the Lord aswell in regard of the love which the Lord had to her as of the Temple which was scituate in Jerusalem which was the Lords house The Sion of the holy one of Israel i. e. The Sion of the Lord who is the holy One of Israel 15. Forsaken Supple Of me as of thine husband and of thy children thinâ— Inhabitants during the Babylonish captivity Anâ— hated Supple Of me as of thine husband against whom thou hast plaid the whore And of the Babylonians as of my Instruments which I called to pâ—nish thee who out of hatred to thee have laid thee waste and desolate So that no man went through thee i. e. So that no man went through thy Streets I will make thee an eternall excellence i. e. I will make thee most excellent and glorious for a long time to come The Hebrewes when they would signifie a thing in the Superlative degree They use an Abstract for a Concrete so here when the Prophet would signifie that Sion should be most excellent saith that she shall be an excellency An eternall excellency i. e. Most excellent a long time The Hebrewes are somewhat hyperbolicall in their expression of time and duration and that that shall be eternall and everlasting which shall last onely a long time A joy of many generations i. e. Such a one as in which many generations successively shall rejoyce Note that joy is put here per Metonymium objecti for the thing in which we joy and many generations for the men of many generations per Metonymiam Efficientis When the Lord made Jerusalem an eternall excellency and a joy of many generations then did all men flock to her and tread her streets though none went through her before Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles i. e. Thou shalt draw the riches of the Gentiles to thy selfe and be enriched by them He useth a Metaphor taken from a sucking child milking his Nurses breasts and resembleth Riches to the milk which he drawes by sucking And shalt suck the breasts of Kings Hee persists in the Metaphor of a sucking child In the 49 Chapter vers 27. The Prophet saith That Kings shall be their i. e. the Jewes nursing fathers and that the same with this Thou shalt suck the breast of Kings Whe he saith The breast of Kings his Metaphor is Catachresticall For children use to suck not the brests of men but of women And thou shalt know i. e. For thou shalt know and that by experience And is put here for for Thy Saviour and thy Redeemer Supple which will save thee and redeem thee out of the hands of the Babylonians The Mighty one of Israel i. e. The mighty God whom Israel worshipped and who loved Israel By Israel may be here meant either Jacob himselfe who was named Israel Gen. 32.28 or the Jewes â—he children of Jacob. The Lord addeth this viz. The mighty God of Israel to shew that what he hath said here should surely be effected for there be but two things required to bring any thing to passe A power and a will to doe God sheweth his power in that he calleth himselfe the Mighty one his will in that he calls himselfe the Mighty one of Israel for by that he sheweth his love to the children of Israel 17. For Brasse I will bring Gold c. q. d. whereas now thou art poore I will make thee exceeding rich so as Gold shall be as plentifull with thee then as Brasse is now c. Thus rich God made Sion by the Gentiles whom he made as Conduit-pipes to convey these his favours to them so as these words are an explication of those Thou shalt
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
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
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.
against the Lord. 2 Chron. 28.22 The whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint He proves here that though the men of Judah should be smitten yet they would revolt more and more And he proves it from former experience for experience shewed that though God had smitten them that they should amend yet for all that they were not the better for it And where men grow not the better they grow worse and worse The Prophet compareth the people of Judah here to the body of a man and the calamities and plagues which God had laid upon them to wounds and bruises and putrifying sores and other sicknesses By the head of this body are meant the King and Princes and Judges and other the Rulers of the Common-wealth and by the heart he meaneth the Priests and Levites 6. From the soal of the foot even to the head Here he includes all the members of the naturall body and by them he understands all the members of the body Politique q. d. There is none from the highest to the lowest in all the Kingdome or Common-wealth of Judah which hath not been smitten by the hand of God There is no soundness The soundness here spoken of is opposed to the wounds bruises and putrifying sores spoken of in the next words In it That is In the body Note that this Relative It is put here without an Antecedent And indeed it is usuall with the Hebrewes to put a Relative without an Antecedent and to leave the Antecedent to be gathered by the Circumstances of the place But wounds and bruises and putrifying sores These are opposed to the soundness spoken of just before And by these are meant all the calamities and plagues which had been of late inflicted upon the Jewes They have not been closed These words relate especially to the wounds before spoken of and by closing here is meant the â—queezing of the lips of the wounds together that the crude and raw bloud which is in them might be got out that they might heal the better Note that this praepositive Pronoune They is put for the Subjunctive Which q. d. Which have not been closed Neither bound up Supple with swathes and clothes as wounds and bruises and sores use to be bound up by Chyrurgians to keep them from the aire and to keep them warm Neither mollified with ointment Neither suppled with ointment Wounds and sores cause a hardnesse or stiffness in the adjacent parts through the afflux of humours which hardnesse or stiffness is mollified and supled with fit ointment Note that the Prophet is not curious in observing the method of Chyrurgians in this place For the binding up of wounds or sores is the last thing which the Chyrurgians do though here it be put before mollifying them with oyntment Those wounds and bruises and putrifying sores which have not been closed nor bound up nor mollyfied with ointment must needs be grievous And by these is meant that the plagues and miseries which the Lord had brought upon the Jewes were still grievous and lay heavie upon them even at this time when he spake Note that the Prophet leaves somewhat here to be understood to complete the sense And it is this Viz And yet ye are never the better but rather worse and worse and revolt more and more 7. Your Country is desolate Understand here yet neverthelesse q d. But though ye will revolt more and more if ye be stricken and are never awhit the better for all the calamities which have been brought upon you yet neverthelâ—ss ye shall undergoe more calamities and ye shall be stricken againe for your Country shall be desolate A Country is said to be desolate when it is spoiled of its Inhabitants which should manure it And when the Cities and dweling places thereof are ruined and the Vineyards and Gardens cut down and laid waste Note that the Prophet useth a present tense in this place for the future And so do Prophets use to do often to signifie thereby that that which they speak of shall as certainly come to passe as if it were already come The desolation and misery here prophesied of was that which the King of Syria and Israel brought upon the land of Judah 2 Chron. 28. Verse 5. c. A Question might here be asked why God said Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more And yet for all that did strike them againe Answer When God tells them here that they wâ—ll revolt more and more if they be stricken he doth it for this end that they might not revolt And herein he imitates a careful Father which asketh an untowardly son why he should scourge him and tells him he will be never the better for scourging And this he doth that his son may be the better for he scourgeth him for all that that he may reclaim him Secondly Though God doth see the meanes which he useth will do but little good yet neverthelesse he will use them that it may appear that not He but man is the cause of his own perdition Thirdly Though the greatest part were like to revolt more and more upon the Lords striking them againe yet it was likely that some few of the best of them would returne and repent and for these few sakes the Lord might strike them Your Cities are burnt with fire Here he puts againe a Present or a Praeterperfect tense for a Future and so he doth throughout this and the next Verse Your land strangers devoure it q. d. Your land and whatsoever is therein strangers shall devoure Note that the Relative Pronoune It is often redundant as it is here in this place In your presence i. e. before your face which will cause the greater grief And it is desolate as overthrown by strangers That desolation is the greatest which is made by strangers For strangers do more waste a Country by warrs than inhabitants of the Country do For strangers have not that love of a Country which the natives and inhabitants thereof have neither do they hope for that good from it in times to come as the inhabitants do therefore they spoile it and devoure it so that they may either enrich themselves for the present or hurt their enemies for the future 8. And the daughter of Sion Sion was a famous hill within the walls of Hierusalem upon which the Palace of the Kings of Judah was built and that which was called the City of David 2 Sam. Chap. 5. Vers 7. But by a Synechdoche it is here taken for Hierusalem it self By the daughter of Sion or the daughter of Hierusalem is meant the City of Sion or the City of Hierusalem as we say the City of London For the Hebrewes do usually speak of a City as of a woman by a Metaphor or Prosopopeia and because among the sex of women the Daughters that is the young Maides and Virgins are commonly the fairest therefore they do call a City sometimes a Daughter sometimes
wooll A Question may be here asked How sin can be said to be white as snow or wooll when as sin is so essentially evill as that it cannot be good Answ Sinne may be here taken for the sinner per Metonymiam adjuncti that is By putting the Quality for the person in which the Quality is inherent Now though sin can never be made white that is good yet the sinner may Or we may say that this is an Allegoricall or Proverbiall kind of Phrase And such kind of Phrases are many of them to be glanced upon onely with a quick eye not too exactly to be pried into 19. If ye be willing Supple To obey me and keep my Commandements And obedient i. e. And are actually obedient to me Ye shall eat the good of the land i. e. Ye shall eat the good and pleasant fruits of the Land wherein ye dwell The enemy shall not destroy them and take them away from you Nor shall the sword destroy you and take you away from them 20. But if ye refuse Supple To obey me and keep my Commandements And rebell i. e. And be indeed disobedient to me Note that the Prophet opposeth Refusing here in this Verse To be willing to obey in the former Verse And to rebell in this Verse to to be obedient in the former Verse Ye shall be devoured with the sword Supple of Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel He speakes of the sword here Metaphorically as of a ravenous beast For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it i. e. For the Lord hath spoken it and therefore it shall come to passe For the Lord cannot lye and what he saith he is able to make good The prophet speakes here of God as of a man per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and puts the mouth which is but a part for the whole man by a Synechdoche And the mouth rather than any other part here because with the mouth we speak 21. How is the faithfull City become an Harlot How is Hierusalem which was once faithfull as a wife to her husband become now as an harlot committing adultery with her lovers The faithfullnesse here spoken of alludes to the faithfulnesse of a wife to her husband The Scriptures under the Metaphor of Adultery and Fornication do often signifie peculiarly the sin of Idolatry And under the Metaphor of an Whore or an Harlot an Idolater And so it may be here taken especially if we understand Also In the following words q. d. How is the faithfull City become an Harlot It was Also full of Judgement c. For the Prophet upbraids them with their Idolatry Vers 29. c. But as by the Metaphor of Fornication and Adultery the particular sinne of Idolatry is often understood So also may we by the same Metaphor understand disobedience and sinne against God in generall as may appear James 4.4 For the promise of obedience which the Jewes made to God either in their Forefathers as Exod. 20.19 Deut. 5.27 Or by themselves either in their Circumcision Galat. 5.3 or at any other time as 2 Chron. 15. Vers 12 15. and 2 Chron. 23.16 may be compared to the promise of a wife which she makes to to her husband at her marriage to be obedient to him and true to his bed And for this reason doth the Lord say to Sion that He is her husband Chap. 54. Vers 5. Wherefore as a Wife so long as she keepeth the promise which she made to her Husband is accounted Faithfull but if she breaketh that promise and falls in love with other men and followeth them becommeth a Whore or an Harlot So might Hierusalem be accounted Faithfull so long as she was obedient to God according to her promise But when contrary to promise she became disobedient to God and followed her own lusts she might be counted of as an Harlot and so be called by a Metaphor And thus not onely Idolatry but any other particular sinne may be called Adultery and not onely the Idolater but any other sinner be called an Adulterer And he which walketh uprightly according to his Covenant that is according to the Law of God which he promised to keep might be called Faithfull and among the rest He who executed judgement without respect of persons For which cause Sion also may be called Faithfull in this place How is the faithfull City c. This question speakes admiration and sorrow Note that this is the beginning of a new Prophesie Or a new Propheticall Sermon It was full of judgement By Judgement is meant Upright dealing in Courts of Justice and equall administration of Justice without partiality Righteousnesse lodgeth in it Righteousnesse signifieth the same as Judgement did And this is a repetition of the former sentence He speaketh of Righteousnesse as of a Person by a Prosopopocia Lodged in it i. e. Took sweet repose and rest in it To lodge in a place as it signifieth sweet repose and rest so it signifieth but a short abode and as it were but for a night But now Murderers i. e. But now unrighteous and unjust Judges who have put Righteousnesse out of her lodgings He calls Vnrighteous and unjust Judges which oppresse and wrong the poor in Judgement Murderers by an Hyperbole because they deprived the poor of their meanes which was their life and gave it away from them by their unrighteous sentence to them to whom it did not belong By reason of which many did perish not onely through griefe of mind but also through famine and hunger having no meanes left them to buy bread to sustaine nature 22. Thy silver is become drosse Under the Metaphor of silver understand Righteousnesse under the Metaphor of drosse understand Vnrighteousnesse q. d. The Righteousnesse in Judgement is turned into Vnrighteousnesse The Prophet useth an Apostrophe here to Hierusalem to whom he speaks as to a woman by a Prosopopoeia Thy Wine is mixt with water He speaks of wine so mixt with water as that it hath lost all its virtue by that mixture By Wine understand Justice By Water respect of persons or whatsoever is contrary to true Justice q.d. Thy Justice is mixed with respect of persons and is now so corrupted from that sincerity which once it had as that it is no more Justice 23. Thy Princes c. i. e. Thy Judges For Judges are Princes and Chief men in a Common-wealth per Metonymiam Generis Are Rebellious i. e. Are disobedient to the Commandements of the Lord who hath given this Commandement to Judges saying Ye shall not respect persons in Judgement But ye shall hear the small as well as the great Deut. 1.17 And Companions of Theeves They may be called Companions of other men which either did or suffered the like as other men did or suffered So saint John writing to the seven Churches in Asia called himself their Companion in Tribulation Rev. 1.9 Because he suffered like tribulation as they did though not with them or in their
The Jewes the Sonnes of Jacob which are thy People Because they be replenished from the East i. e. Because they abound Viz. with superstitious Rites and Ceremonies and are full of Magick and curious Arts which they have borrowed from the Eastern People which are great Magicians and judiciary Astrologers The Prophet tells us here in expresse words that the house of Jacob was replenished But with what he leaves us to understand And are sooth-sayers i. e. Diviners which observe Times and undertake to tell Fortunes This was forbidden Deut. 18. Vers 10. Like the Ph listines The Philistines dwelt on the West of Judaea and were given to Judiciary Astrology and such vain Arts as the Chaldaeans were which dwelt on the East And they please themselves in the Children of Strangers i. e. And they take delight and pleasure in the Children of Strangers whom they buy and abuse like catamites against nature So some But others had rather interpret it of the manners and customes of Strangers by a Metonymie q. d. And they please themselves in such naughty customes and manners as the Children of Strangers That is as the Nations or the Heathen which are Strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel use Others again take Children here for the Children not of the Body but of the Brain that is for Bookes made or Arts invented by Strangers q. d. And they dâ—l ght themselves in the Books which Strangers have made and the naughty Arts which they have invented Strangers All such as were not of the Seed of Jacob they counted Strangers Deut 17. vers 15. Note here that Children of Strangers as it may be taken for the Sonnes of the Strangers so may it be taken for Strangers themselves as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sonnes of the Graecians is taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Graecians And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sonnes or Children of Physitians for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 physitians 7. Their Land is also full of silver and gold It was expressely forbidden greatly to multiply silver and gold Deut. 17. Vers 17. Neither is there any end of their Treasure q. d. And their Treasures are so great as that there is no end of them These are the same with the former words Their Land is also full of Horses To multiply Horses was expressely forbidden Deut. 17. vers 16. Least they should trust more in the Strength and Power of them than of God Neither is there any end of their Chariots i. e. And their Chariots are so many in number as that they are in a manner numberlesse The Chariots which are here spoken of are such Chariots as they were wont to use in war Such as we read of Judg. 4. vers 3. See Psal 20. vers 7. 8. Their Land also is full of Idols To set up an Idoll was against the Command Exod. 20. vers 4. They worship the work of their own hands i. e. They worship the â—dols which they themselves have made with their own hands as if they were God which is uncreated 9. And the mean man boweth down and the great man humbleth himself By the Mean man and the Great man are meant by a Synechdoche all sorts of Men. q. d. All sorts of men high and low doe bow down to Idols and worship them Boweth down Viz. In the way of worship Humbleth himself i. e. Casteth himself down before the Idoll and so adoreth it Therefore forgive them not q. d. Therefore O God forgive them not but be avenged of them for these their sins and walking in darknesse The Prophet prayeth thus out of zeal to Gods Glory Yet this may be taken Prophetically for a Praediction q. d. Therefore because they commit these things Thou wilt not forgive them but be avenged of them For the Hebrewes doe often use an Imperative Mood for a Future Tense And thus He Prophesieth of their punishment 10. Enter into the Rock The Prophet speakes this by a Sarcasme i. e. Scoffingly q. d. Goe and hide your selves in the Clifts of the Rocks but it shall be to little purpose Rock is put here for Rocks whereof there were many in Judaea And he speaks to the Jewes here as though he had seen the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar by whom God intended to punish the Jewes for the sinnes aforementioned already entred into the Coasts of Judaea or ready to enter to execute Gods Judgements upon the Jewes wherefore he cries to the Jewes to go and hide themselves from their furies Graphically thereby describing in what great fear the Jewes would be in and how they would run and hide themselves when the Babylonians should invade the land indeed and Artificially shewing how God intended to punish them In the dust i. e. In the Caves of the earth The earth is but dust compacted For fear of the Lord. Supple Who commeth with a great and terrible army of Babylonians against you He speaketh of God as of the Generall of an Army And for the glory of his Majesty i. e. Because of the splendor and brightnesse of his Majesty which you shall not be able to endure The Majesty of the Lord signifieth by a Periphrasis the Lord himself for as when we say of a King the Kings Majesty we mean the King himself so when we say the Majesty of the Lord we mean the Lord himself And as in Generall that is called the glory of a thing which maketh or sheweth that thing to be glorious so in Particular the splendor and brightnesse with which God shall be clothed at this time may be called his glory As Exod. 33. Vers 18. Note here that when God doth execute judgement upon the wicked though he doth it not immediately by himself but mediately by his instruments as here he he doth it by the Babylonians yet the Scripture doth oftentimes so describe it as if God were immediately in the action himselfe as chief in a visible manner like a man yea sometimes as though the whole businesse were performed by him alone and this it doth that the praise may be given to God alone and not to his instruments Psal 115.1 And when the Scripture doth speak this of God and imply him in such an action it describes him after a glorious manner that he may appear to be more than man And in their descriptions the Scripture alludeth for the most part to those apparitions by which God did manifest himself and to those wonderous works which he wrought and those accidents which fell out and those judgements which he executed upon the enemies of Israel in their conduct from Aegypt to Canaan A short model whereof you may read Hab. 3.3 c. See for this purpose that Poeticall description which David makes of God Ps 18.7 c. and 2 Sam. 22.8 c. By which nothing else is meant but that God executed his judgements upon Davids enemies though he did not do it immediately and after the manner there described See also Job 40.10 c a place
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
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
pass And is redundant here See Notes Cap. 2. v. 2. It came to passe in the dayes of Ahaz The story of this you may read 2 Kings 16. v 5. But could not prevaile against it This is spoken by Anticipation for thaâ— which followeth came to passe before this 2. And It was told the house of David i. e. It was told to Ahaz the King and to the nobility of the Kingdome of Judah which were of the lineage of David c. This which he speakes of was told them before Rezin and Pekah came against Judah and Hierusalem yea so soon as ever they had made this confederacy Syria is confederate with Ephraim q. d. Syria and the ten Tribes have made a league between themselves and have agreed to joyn their forces together with an intent to cut off Judah from being any more a People It was the intent of Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel in joyning their forces against Judah utterly to have cut off the People of Judah from being a People or Common-wealth or Kingdome of themselves any more For if they had taken Hierusalem they would have made the son of Tabeal King Vers 6. And so have cut off the house of David And those which they did take in the Land of Judah they carried away captive 2 Chron. 28. v. 8. Intending to have peopled the Land of Judah with some of their own People as the Eastern Conquerors were wont to doe when they intended that a People should be no more a People or Common-wealth of themselves but live dispersed here and there as slaves to others With Ephraim i. e. With the ten Tribes of Israel Ephraim which was the son of Joseph Gen. 41.52 and the grand-child of Jacob and by him adopted and made as one of his own sonnes Gen. 48. v. 5. â—is put here for the Tribe of Ephraim per Metonymiam efficientis And the Tribe of Ephraim for the ten Tribes of Israel by a Synecdochen membri And this Tribe rather than any other because Jeroboam which was the first King of Israel was of this Tribe As also because this was the chiefest Tribe of the ten And his heart was moved i. e. And Ahaz trembled and quaked for fear The heart is put here for the whole man by a Synecdoche And the heart of his People i. e. And all his People when they heard of it trembled and quaked also The fear of Ahaz and of his People was least they should be utterly destroyed and be no more a People which fear was the greater in them because they trusted not in God nor believed his Prophets who prophesied the contrary 3. Then said the Lord unto Isaiah goe forth now to meet Ahaz Isaiah is sent to Ahaz the King because Ahaz was most afraid and because this message concerned the good of the Kingdome whereof he was head Thou and Shear-jashub thy son Shear-jashub signifieth a remnant shall return and this name was given by Gods appointment to one of the sons of Isaiah to signifie that though the Jewes should be brought into a miserable condition by their enemies yet a remnant at least should return to their former happiness and should enjoy the priviledge of being a People and Common-wealth of themselves And though the Jewes should be expelled and driven from their dwellings by the prevailing of their enemies yet a remnant of them at least should return to their dwellings again and there live and increase and enjoy the happinesse of being a People and Common-wealth of themselves Because Ahaz feared that he and his People would be utterly destroyed and cut off from being a People when Rezin and Pekah had both agreed to joyn their Armies and forces together against them Therefore was it that God commands Isaiah to go meet Ahaz and carry Shear-jashub his son with him for the sonnes of Isaiah were for signes and wonders in â—srael cap. 8. v. 18. that Isaiah might confirm him and his people not with words onely but with a sign of comfort also from God that Rezin and Pekah should not utterly cut them off from being a People or Common-wealth any more of themselves At the end of the Conduit of the upper pool Ahaz had gone out thither either to walk or to see how that place was fortified or might be made advantagious for the defence of the City against the enemy There were two Pooles near Hierusalem whereof one was called the upper Poole the other the nether Poole from their scituation In the high-way of the Fullers field i. e. In the high-way which is near to the fullers field Or which goeth through the fullers field Fullers use much water in their trade and therefore are wont to dwell near some Pool or river and they had need of some open field to dry their clothes in when they were wet and such a kind of field was it which is here called the fullers field 4. Take heed Supple That thou distrust's not God and send'sts to the King of Assyria for aid against Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel And be quiet i. e. And sit quietly at home and neither goe thou nor send thou to Assyria for help When Ahaz heard that Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel made a confederacy against him he trembled and quaked notwithstanding the good word of the Lord to him and would not be quiet but thought either to go or to send messengers to Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria for help 2 Kings 16. v. 7. From this therefore doth the Prophet dehort him in these words Take heed and be quiet q. d. Take heed and send not for aid abroad neither be thou moved but put thy confidâ—nce in God For in rest shalt thou be saved in quietnesse and confidence shall be thy strength See the like Cap. 30 v. 15. For the two tailes of these two smoaking fire-brands i. e. By reason of the two tailes of these two smoaking fire-brands q. d. Let not the two tailes of these two smoaking fire-brands thus disquiet thee and make thee to send for aid abroad What he meaneth by the two tailes of the smoaking firebrands he telleth in the next words By the two tailes of the smoaking firebrands he meaneth Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel whom he calleth firebrands because of their rage and fury against Judah and smoaking fire-brands because they could but smoak they could not burn They could but terrifie they could not destroy Judah And he calls them tailes or ends of fire-brands because as the tailes or ends of fire-brands are soon spent and consumed so should they shortly come to an end and perish For the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria q. d. that is by reason of the fierce anger of Rezin King of Syria and his people the people of Syria He explaineth what he meant by the former words Of the son of Remaliah i. e. Of Pekah Son of Remaliah King of Israel He giveth Pekah
Practise of men which set a Seal upon the Letters or Boxes which they would have kept close shut and not opened The Law By the Law he meaneth the same as he did by the Testimony and this is but a repetition of the former sentence Note that the word Law doth not alwayes signifie the Law as it is commonly taken but it oftentimes signifieth more generally and is taken for any Lesson or Doctrine or Instruction or Word of God whatsoever And so it is to be taken here and so it is taken cap. 1. v. 10. Among my Disciples q. d. And carrie it to and open it among my Disciples Here therefore are some words left to be understood Among my Disciples They are called Gods Disciples here which were willing to be taught of God that is which were willing to give eare to Gods instructions delivered by the Prophets to be ruled by them Note that these words hitherto were spoken in the Person of God the next words the Prophet speakes in his own Person 17. And I will wait upon the Lord. And is put here for Yet or Neverthelesse and the sense is q. d. Though the two houses of Israel and the Inhabitants of Hierusalem many of them believe not the promises of God which he hath made of defending Judah and Hierusalem from the power and intents of Rezin and Pekah nor will follow his instructions but are still afraid more of those two Kinge than of God and therefore endeavour to make a confederacie with those two Kings against their own King which hath kindled Gods anger against the house of Jacob and made him to take away his Testimony from them in displeasure yet will I wait upon the Lord in full assurance that he will performe what he hath promised I will wait upon the Lord. Supple For the performance of what he hath promised and behave my self accordingly The Prophet speaketh here in his own person That hideth his face from the house of Jacob i. e. Which is angry with the house of Jacob because they will not rely upon his promises but endeavour to make confederacy with Rezin and Pekah c. being more afraid of them than of Him That hideth his face c. To hide his face signifieth to be angry by a Metaphor from men who will not look upon them with whom they are displeased From the house of Jacob. i. e. From the Jewes which are Jacobs Children yet not from all the Jewâ—s but those who out of distrust of God and fear of Rezin and Pekah's forces would for their own safety make a league with them against Ahaz their King contrary to Gods command See v. 14 15. I will look for him Supple untill he comes and helpes us He speakes of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 18. Behold I and the Children which God hath given me are for signes and for wonders c. q. d. Behold I and my Children are for signes and for wonders to foretell and foreshew the goodness of God to us Jewes and that he will be with us to help us and aid us against our enemies that they shall not have their wills of us and utterly destroy us He giveth a reason here why he will wait upon God and look for him Viz. Because he believed the truth of those things which He and his Sonnes portend We may understand For in the front of this Verse For Wonders A Wonder is here taken meerly for a Sign or Token of a thing to come The Children of Isaiah were for Signe and Wonders onely by reason of their names because they had such names given them by Gods own appointment as did signifie things to come So Shear-jashub Isaiah's Sonne signified that a Remnant at least of the Jewes should return to their peace and happinesse and to their dwellings again when they were disturbed in the one and expelled from the other cap. 7. v. 3. So did Immanuel the Sonne of Isaiah signifie that God was with his People and would help them Cap. 7. v. 14. and cap. 8. v. 8 11. So did the name of Maher-shalal-hash-baz the sonne of Isaiah signifie the suddain destruction of the Syrians and Israeliteâ— and so by consequence that Judaea should be freed of the fear of Rezin and Pekah Cap. 8. v. 3. And â—saiah himself was for signes and wonders either as he was a Prophet and so uttered words which signified things to come or because of the Miracles which were done by him in confirmation of what he foretâ—ld as 2 Kings 20.11 Or because be took his Sons with him by Gods command when he went to prophesie and so prophesied by them as Cap. 7.3 Or because by his habit and going and gesture he signified things which should be as Cap. 20. v. 3. The Children which God hath given me Isai h might well say the Children which God hâ—â—â— given mee For the Children which he begat he begat by the precept of the Lord who directed him in his marriage c. In Israel i. e. Among the Jewes which were the Children of Jacob who was called Israel From the Lord of Hosts i. e. Given of or sent from the Lord of Hosts to his People to be signes and wonders to them Which dwelleth in Mount Sion God was said to dwell in Mount Sion because his Temple was built there which was his house and in which he was said to dwell Compare Exodus 25. v. 8. and 29. v. 45. with 1 Kings 8. v. 27. God was said to dwell in his Tabernacle first and then in his Temple afterwards not because he was there circumscribed but because of his speciall manifestation of himself in those places Note that Isaiah and his children mentioned here in this verse were a Type of Christ and of the faithfull which God gave him as Children as appeareth Heb. 1. v. 13. For as Isaiah and his Children did rely upon God when the Syrians and Israelites were joyned together to consume Judah So did Christ and the faithful which God gave him as Children put their trust in God when the Jewes and the Romanes were set on fire to destroy them 19 And when they shall say unto you q. d. And when you are in any distresse because of Rezin and Pekah and your brethren which are wicked shall say unto you c. Here is either a Relative put without an Antecedent or else They shall say is put impersonally for when it shall be said unto you These words are spoken in the person of God to the Prophet and they relate to those words of the eleventh Verse The Lord spake unto me c. q. d. The Lord spake thus unto me saying Say ye not a confederacie to all them to whom this people shall say a confederacie c. And thus when they shall say unto you seek unto them which have familiar spirits c. Seek unto them which have familiar spirits and to Wizards Viz. That you may know by them what will be the event and successe of
seemes he begun with Galilee and shewed the greatest spight there which made that alone to be named here Or that alone is here named because Galilee was the richest and most populous of all the Land of Israel and it will move the more lamentation to tell that so rich a Countrey shall be spoiled and so populous a Countrey wasted then to tell of the spoiling and desolation of a Land which is not so rich and populous Note that neither of the two afflictions which are spoke of in this verse were light in themselves But when Israel was afflicted by Tiglah-Pileser he was said to be lightly afflicted in comparison of that affliction which he suffered afterwards by Salmaneser which of the two was farre the most grievous affliction Note also that when it is said that the dimnesse or affliction of Judah wherewith Sennacharib shall afflict him shall not be so great as the affliction of Israel wherewith Tiglah-Pileser first and afterwards Salmaneser shall afflict him The affliction of Israel by Tiglah-Pileser and the affliction of Israel by Salmaneser are not to be taken severally as though either of them two were greater than the affliction of Judah by Sennacharib for the affliction of Israel by Tiglah-Pileser seemes not to have been greater than the affliction of Judah by Sennacharib but joyntly q. d. Yet shall not the affliction of Judah by Sennacharib be so grievous as the affliction of Israel by Tiglah-Pileser and Salmaneser For Tiglah-Pileser shall begin to destroy the Israelites and to carry them into Captivity out of which they shall not be redeemed And what he hath begun Salmaneser shall make an end of For he shall carry the residue into perpetuall captivity and destroy Israel from being any more a People or a Kingdome But Sennacharib shall not be able to deal thus with the Jewes for though he shall over-run all Judea yet he shall not prevail against Hierusalem So that out of Hierusalem shall Judea be peopled again and flourish 2. The People that walked in darknesse i. e. For the People of Judah and especially of Hierusalem which shall be grievously afflicted by Sennacharib and his Host c. By Darknesse he meaneth Misery and Affliction which the Hebrewes often signifie by the Metaphor of Darknesse Note here that he puts a Praeterperfect Tense for a Future as before He gives a Reason here in this and the following verses why the dimnesse or affliction of Judah should not be so great as the affliction of Israel in his vexation Have seen a great light i. e Shall receive great comfort and a great deliverance Here again a Praeterperfect Tense is put for a Future And by light he meaneth comfort For as the Hebrewes doe often put darknesse to signifie misery and affliction So they doe put light to signifie comfort and prosperity and both by a Metaphor This was fulfilled when the Lord destroyed by his Angel the huge host of the Assyrians which had wasted the Land of Judah and did at that time besiedge the chief City Hierusalem of which you may read 2 Kings Cap. 18. and 19. They that dwell in the Land of the shadow of death i. e. They that shall dwell in the Land which is overspread with the dark and dreadful night or with black and dreadful darknesse That is they which shall be grievously afflicted This Phrase is every whit the same for sense with that which went a little before namely with that The People that walked in darknesse By the shadow is meant the night or darknesse For darknesse is nothing else but the shadow of a thick dark body interposed between the light and the thing darkened And the night is nothing else but the shadow of the earth interposed between the light of the Sun and the Air or whatsoever else is thereby made dark He calls that the shadow of death which is such a shadow or night or darknesse as is as dreadful as death or which affrights a Man with the terrour of death or which is such as death brings for upon whom death seizeth him it depriveth of all light Wherefore a dead man is called Lumine cassus i. e. one deprived of light by the Prince of Latine Poets And on the contrary Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery saith Job Job 3.20 That is why doth he live Again by the shadow of death may be meant such darknesse as the dead have in their Sepulchres for death is put sometimes for the dead per Metonymiam adjuncti as cap. 28. v. 18. and Sepulchres are wholly dark without any light at all The Prophet Amos speaking of the night useth the very same Phrase as is here used saying Seek him that maketh the seven Stars and Orion and turneth the shadow of death that is the night into the morning Amos 5. v. 8. And Job useth the shadow of death for a great darknesse when he saith Let darknesse and the shadow of death stain it Job 3. v. 6. Vpon them hath the light shined i. e. Upon them shall the light shine He alludes here to the light of the Sun or Morning And by it doth Metaphorically understand comfort as before It was a Maxime received among the Hebrewes that the Redemption from their temporal enemies such as were the Aegyptians Midianites Philistines Assyrians c. was a Type and Figure of the Redemption which was to be expected in the dayes of the Messiah and accordingly the Redemption here spoken of was the Type and Figure of the spirituall Redemption which was wrought in the dayes of the Messiah Mat. 4. v. 15. Where note that the spiritual Redemption here prefigured was not more peculiar to those which inhabited the Land of Zebulun and the Land of Nepthali and Galilee of the Nations than it was to others though it may seem to concern them more than others at the first reading of Mat. cap. 4. v. 14 15. for the Evangelist by mentioning the Land of Zebulun and the Land of Nepthali and Galilee of the Nations doth onely upon occasion apply this General to those Particular Men and make use of these words Viz. The Land of Zebulun the Land of Nepthali by the way of the Sea beyond Jordan Galilee of the Nations to shew what particular Men he meant though they are not the words of the same sentence because those words were nigh the sentence which he quoted and which concerned his purpose 3. Thou hast multiplied the Nation i e. Thou wilt multiply the Nation of the Assyrians by adding many Nations to it i. e. Thou wilt get together many Nations He puts a Praeterperfect for a Future Tense He useth also here an Apostrophe to Sennacharib who mustered a great Army out of many Nations and marched with it against Judah But not increased the joy q.d. But though thou wilt get many Nations together yet thou shalt not make thy joy the greater Sennacharib when he had gathered a mighty Army together out of almost all Nations
did rejoyce in hope to have utterly destroyed Judah and Hierusalem and made them desolate But the successe did not answer his hope whereby he should augment and increase his joy For contrariwise to his great grief and sorrow his great Army was destroyed by an Angel in one night and Hierusalem which was therewith besiedged was delivered and he himself fain to fly with shame They joy before Thee i. e. But the men of Judah and especially of Hierusalem whom Sennacharib's great Army shall afflict shall rejoyce before Thee O Lord for that Army which afflicted them shall be destroyed and they shall be delivered He puts the Relative They here without an Anetcedent pointing as it were at the Men of Judah and Hierusalem when he speakes it He makes also an Apostrophe to God According to the joy in Harvest and as Men rejoyce when they divide the spoil Husbandmen were wont to shew a great deal of mirth in Harvest time when they gathered in their fruit as you may see Cap. 16. v. 10. and Jer. 48.33 And so were Souldiers when â—hey had the spoil of a City or a Field given them to divide among themselves 4. For thou hast broken c. i. e. For thou wilt break c. A Preterperfect for a Future Tense The yoak of his Burden i. e. The heavy or burthensome yoak which Sennacharib and his predecessors either have or shall put upon the neck of them the Men of Judah and Hierusalem When he saith of his Burthen He puts a Substantive of the Genitive Case for an Adjective after the Hebrew manner For he puts it for Burdensome Note here the Enallage of the number For he saith His here in the Singular Number speaking of the men of Judah and Hierusalem as of one Man when he spake of them as of many in the Plurall Number in the foregoing verse The Substantive therefore or Antecedent of this Relative His is Israel which is as much to say as the Jewes or men of Judah and Hierusalem And the stâ—ffe of his shoulder And the staffe with which Sennacharib will smite or beat them upon the shoulders He puts his shoulder for their shoulders as before and alludeth to such as strike another with a staffe who when they strike another strike him commonly upon the shoulders The rod of his Oppressour i. e. The rod with which Sennacharib their Oppressour will smite them or whip them He puts His for Theirs as before The Yoak the Staffe and the Rod are here Metaphorically put to signifie the great power which Sennacharib had which power he did abuse to the oppression and affliction of the Men of Judah and Hierusalem Or they are put to signifie the great oppression and affliction it self whereby he did in any kind oppresse or afflict the Men of Judah and Hierusalem which oppression and affliction ceased so soon as ever Sennacharib's Army was destroyed by the Angel As in the day of Midian i. e. As thou didst break the Yoak and the Staffe and the Rod whereby the Midianites oppressed thy people Israel in the day in which thou didst vanquish and destroy the Midianites by the hand of Gideon Judges 7. Midian is put here for the Midianites per Metonymiam Efficientis For the Midianites were the Children of Midian which was the son of Abraham by Keturah Gen. 25.2 That he calls the day of Midian in which the Midianites were overthrown and destroyed suddenly and miraculously and without the losse of any ones life on Israels part And that which he saith here is this that as the Israelites were delivered and the Midianites overthrown and destroyed suddenly and miraculously without the loss of any ones life on Israels part So shall the Men of Judah and Hierusalem be delivered and the Assyrians overthrown and destroyed suddenly and miraculously and without the losse of any ones life on the men of Judahs part 5. For every battle c. Here the Prophet sheweth that the Aâ— yrians shall be overthrown as the Midianites were that is suddainly miraculously and without the losse of any ones life on the part of the Men of Judah and Hierusalem Every battle of the warriour i. e. Every battle which is ordinarily fought between warriours Is with confused noise i. e. Is fought with confused noise and in it are heard the clattering of swords and the cries of some killing and woundingâ— and the groanes of others wounded and dying c. And garments rouled in bloud i. e. And with effusion and shedding of much bloud not of their bloud onely which are overcome but of thâ—irs also which doe overcome by which the Garments which they wear are as bloudy as if they were rouled in bloud Yea they are sometimes rouled in the bloud of the slain while enemies fling one another upon the ground and there scuffle for the Mastery But this Supple Battle or whatsoever else we shall call it in which Sennacharib's Army shall be destroyed Shall be with burning and fewell of fire i. e. Shall be accomplished by fire For the Lord shall heap together much wood and set that wood on fire and fling the Assyrians thereon and there burn them as a sacrifice See Cap. 10.16 and 30.33 By burning understand fire per Metonymiam effecti or Adjuncti And by fewel of fire understand wood The Prophet doth almost every where where he speakes of the destruction of the Army of Sennacherib describe it as done by fire which hath made the Hebrews think that it was done by fire indeed by the Ministerie of an Angel though others do think that it is described by fire onely because it was suddainly done and without any noise or clamour and without damage or losse on Judah's side as fire is Active and they for whom or in whose behalf a fire is kindled suffer no harm by the kindling thereof but good rather 6. For unto us a Child is born By Vs he meaneth the men of Judah and by this Child Hezekiah the Sonne of Ahaz who succeeded his Father in the Throne 2 King 16. v. 20. The meaning of the words is this q. d. There is a Child born even Hezekiah by name for our welfare and salvation who are Jewes For whose sake God will break the forces of Sennacherib when they shall oppresse us and besiedge us The Prohet giveth the reason or sheweth the motive here which would move God to do such things for them as he spoke of v. 4. q. d. And this will the Lord do for Hezekiah 's sake for unto us a Child is born even Hezekiah c. Note that this word Child is used sometimes of those which are of good years as it is of Jacob's Sonnes Gen. 32.22 As well as it is of a Child new born When the Prophet foretels of the delivery of Hierusalem from the power of Sennacherib he tells for the most part that it is for a King's sake even Hezekiah's that the Lord would work this deliverance See Cap. 10. vers 27. And Cap. 11.
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
a Syllepsis understand this of the time past as well as of the present time For he saith And he saith For is put here for And. He saith Subaudi concerning Hierusalem which I will not have destroyed or overcome The Lord proveth here by a particular Argument that Sennacharib did not what he did in order to His Commands and in subordination to him For Sennacharib boasted that he would overcome Hierusalem which God gave him no command to do but onely to vex it Are not my Princes altogether Kings i. e. Are not the Captaines and chief Commanders of my Army all of them Kings and therefore able to subdue Hierusalem By Princes he meaneth the Captaines and Chief Commanders of his Army Sennacherib speakes this proudly as one who acknowledge no Superiour and therefore did not execute the Counsels of God as they were Gods counsels And he speakes it as though by his own power not by Gods he did what he did and as though his power were irresistable and such as Hierusalem in particular was not able to withstand So How wilt thou turne away the face of one Captaine of the least of my Masters servants said Rabshake to Hezekiah in the name of Sennacherib 2 King Chap. 18. v. 24. 9. Is not Calno as Carchemish q. d. Have I not brought Calno under me aswell as Carchemish Calno was a City standing upon Euphrates nere unto Babylon Gen 10. v. 10. and so was Carchemish 2 Chron. 35.20 Is not Hamah as Arphad q. d. Have I not subdued Hamah aswell as Arphad Hamah was a City of Syria not farre from Damascus See Gen. Chap. 10. vers 18. Arphad also was a City of Syria not farre from Damascus Jer. Chap. 49. v. 23. Is not Samaria as Damascus q. d. Have I not vanquished Samaria aswell as Damascus Samaria was the chief City of Israel and Damascus of Syria 10. As my hand hath found the Kingdomes of the Idols c. i. e. As I have subdued and gotten the Kingdomes of the Idols c. The hand is put here for the whole man by a Synechdoche And to find for to subdue conquer and get by force perhaps by a Metaphor from him which findeth a birds nest with eggs or young ones of which see vers 14. The Kingomes of the Idols By Idols he meanes here petty Idols and petty Gods such as were not to be compared with the Sun For otherwise the kingdome of the Assyrians was an Idolatrous kingdome for they worshipped the Sun and the Images of the Sunne and the Starrs And whose graven Images did excell them of Hierusalem and Samaria i. e. And these Kingdomes whose graven Images which they worshipped did excell the graven Images which Hierusalem and Samaria worship And so were more likely to protect the Kingdomes which worshipped them than the Images which Hierusalem and Samaria worship are to protect them 11. Shall I not as I have done unto Samaria c. Between this and the tenth verse there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. A Defect or Gapp to be made up thus q d. So it hath already found out Samaria and it shall ere long find out Hierusalem For shall I not as I have done to Samaria and her Idols so do to Hierusalem and her Idols Shall I not as I have done to Samaria and her Idols c. It appeareth from hence that though Salmaneser vanquished Samaria yet Samaria did afterwards strengthen herself and rebell against Sennacherib Hierusalem and her Idols Samaria was full of Idols And because the ten Tribes whose Metropolis was Samaria and the Jewes whose Metropolis was Hierusalem were descended from the same Ancestors it might make Sennacherib to think that Hierusalem had her Idols to worship aswell as Samaria Or because Sennacherib might hear of the Idols of Ahaz King of Judah the Father of Hezekiah he might think that Hezekiah and Hierusalem had their Idols to worship aswell as Ahaz In that Sennacherib intended to subdue Hierusalem to himself as he had done Samaria and other places it sheweth as I said that he did not what he did in obedience to Gods will but onely to satisfie his own covetousnesse and ambition For though the Lord sent Sennacherib to distresse Hierusalem with his Armie yet he sent him not to vanquish it and subdue it to himself 12. Wherefore it shall come to passe q. d. Because Sennacherib thus vaunteth and thus doth therefore it shall come to passe c. The Prophet from the eighth verse hitherto did personate Sennacherib King of Assyria by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here he speakes again in the Person of God When the Lord hath performed his whole work upon Mount Sion and on Hierusalem i. e. When I the Lord have done what I intended to doe to Sion and Hierusalem by Sennacherib King of Assyria That is when Sennacharib hath besiedged Hierusalem with his Army and straightened it and vexed it as much as I the Lord think fit c. The Lord speaketh here of himself in the third person Mount Sion This signifieth the same as Hierusalem For Mount Sion was part of Hierusalem and was within the walls thereof and the part is often put for the whole I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria q. d. I the Lord will punish Sennacharib King of Assyria for this his vaunting and boasting This vaunting and boasting did proceed from the pride of Sennacharibs heart as fruit doth from the Tree Therefore the Prophet calls it the fruit of his stout heart Note here the confusion of Persons where the Third and the First Person are confounded in the same sentence And the glory of his high lookes i. e. And his high looks which he thinks to be a grace and glory to him The Prophet useth an Ironie here 13. For he saith i. e. For Sennacherib King of Assyria saith He addeth other reasons here why he will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria By the strength of mine hand i. e. By mine own strength and power The hand is put here for the whole person by a Synechoche And by his strength is meant his power and valour I have done it i. e. I have found and subdued the Kingdomes of the Idols c. and done what I have done He ascribeth that here to himself which was due onely to God and theâ—efore he did not act any thing in all this in obedience to God Note that this Pronoune I is to be read here and in the next Verse with an Emphasis as if he should say I have done it and I have been beholding to none but to my self in doing it c. I have removed the bounds of the People i. e. I have by mine own strength and wisedome brought these Kingdomes which were distinct and several and which used their own several Laws and Customes which were as distinct and several bounds to them into mine own power to be
the Land by an Hebraisme for in the Land 24. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Hosts c. This relateth to the 20. and 21. verse where the Prophet saith that a Remnant shall return For because a Remnant shall return he comforteth the Inhabitants of Sion and wisheth them not to be afraid of Sennacherib King of Assyria and his forces q. d Being therefore that a Remnant shall returne thus saith the Lord God of Hosts O my people that dwellest in Sion be not afraid of the Assyrians c. But you will say what comfort is it to the Inhabitants of Sion more than to any other that a Remnant shall return Answ If a remnant shall returne a remnant shall be saved to return and that remnant which was saved were they which were in Hierusalem at this time For they and they onely of all the Land were safe from Sennacherib That dwellest in Sion i. e. That dwellest in Hierusalem Sion is put here by a Synecdoche for Hierusalem Be not afraid of the Assyrian i. e. Though Sennacherib the Assyrian doth besiege thee and vex thee yet be not afraid of him He shall smite thee with a rod and shall lift up his staffe against thee after the manner of Aegypt i. e. He shall vex thee and oppresse thee indeed with Taxes and Tributes and with a siege as the Aegyptians did thy fore-fathers By the Rod and the Staffe is meant in generall any kind of Oppression and Vexotion by a Metonymie and a Synecdoche And by Aegypt is meant by a Metonymie the Aegyptians the people of Aegypt Yet Note that the Prophets meaning is not that Sennacherib vexed them and oppressed them after the same special manner as the Aegyptians vexed and oppressed their fore-fathers but onely after the same manner in generall For yet a little while i. e. But after a little while For for But as it is often in the old Testament The indignation Supple which I conceive against you and for which I have sent the Assyrians to vex you And mine anger Supple towards you In their destruction i. e. In that destruction of the Assyrians which vex and oppresse you The sence is q. d. After a little while I will be appeased with you and my fury shall breake out against them and destroy them which vex you 26. And the Lord of Hosts i. e. For the Lord of Hosts And for For. Note here the Enallage of the person from the first to the third Shall stir up a scourge for him i. e. Shall raise up a scourge for the Assyrians to whip them out of thy Land Note here the Enallage of the Number which hath been charged thrice in these three last verses By this scourge he meaneth Metaphorically the Angel which scourged yea destroyed fourscore and five thousand of the Army of the Assyrians 2 Kings 19. c. upon the seeing and hearing of which the rest which escaped took their heels and fled According to the slaughter of Midian q. d. Yea he shall slay him according to the slaughter of Midian i. e. Yea he shall make a slaughter among them like to the slaughter which he made among the Midianites of which see Judges Chap. 7. v. 22. Midian the Father of the Midianites is put here by a Metonymie for the Midianites themselves The slaughter of the Assyrians and the Midianites were alike in these respects First that as the hand of God was seen in the slaughter of the Midianites so it was in the slaughter of the Assyrians Secondly that as the Midianites were slaine without losse of any of the Israelites so were the Assyrians without any losse of the men of Judah and Hierusalem Thirdly that as the whole Army of the Midianites was over-thrown so was the whole Army of the Assyrians Fourthly that as the Midianites were overthrown on a suddaine when their thoughts were at the highest so were the Assyrians At the Rock Oreb The Rock Oreb was scituate in the Tribe of Ephraim and was called the Rock Oreb because Oreb one of the Princes of the Midianites was slaine there Judges 7. v. 25. And as his Rod was upon the Sea i. e. And as he smote the Red Sea with his rod by the hand of Moses and made it return to his strength and over-flow the Aegyptians in the middest thereof when they were pursueing after the Israelites thorow it Exod. 14. v. 26 27. So shall he lift it up Supple Against the Assyrians and overthrow them After the manner of Aegypt i. e. As he did lift it up against the Aegyptians at the Red Sea and over-threw them Aegypt is taken here for the Aegyptians the Countrey for the Men thereof Note that after the manner of Aegypt signifieth otherwise here than it did vers 24. For there of Aegypt was Genitivus Efficientis here it is Genitivus Patientis Note that though the Assryrians were overthrown and destroyed but one way yet the Prophet describes it many wayes in allusion to many overthrowes and destructions which God hath wrought upon the enemies of Israel For the Hebrews use to expresse like things by like and one victory and destruction and desolation by another as was observed Cap. 4.5 Sometimes by this sometimes by that 26. That his burthen i. e. That the Burden which Sennacherib layes upon your shoulders And his yoak i. e. And the yoak which he hath put upon your neck By Sennacherib's burden and yoak he meaneth the Tributes Taxes Siedge and other vexations with which he vexed the Jewes and especially the men of Hierusalem which vexations were to them as heavy as a burden is to the shoulder of the Porter or to the back of the Beast and as grievous as the yoak to the neck of the Heifer The affliction with which the Aegyptians afflicted the Israelites in Aegypt is also likened to a yoak Levit. 26. v. 13. And to a burden Exod. 1.11 and 66. and Psal 81. v. 6. To which happily the Prophet here alludes From off thy shoulder He useth an Apostrophe to the people of Judah Because of the annointing i. e. Because of the King namely King Hezekiah whom the Lord will favour and for whose sake he will doe this The annointing is put here for the annointed an Abstract for a Concrete per Metonymiam adjuncti And by the annointing or annointed he meaneth the King and it commeth so to signifie because the King of Israel and Judah were wont to be annointed with oyle at their taking upon them the kingly office 28. He is come to Aiah i. e. Sennacherib is come to Aiah Here is a Relative without an Antecedent yet the Antecedent is easie to be understood Aiah was the Region in which Ai stood Josh 8. It was in the Tribe of Benjamin neer Bethel and Bethaven What the Prophet speakes here he speakes in the Person of a Messenger or Scout which was sent to learn Sennacharibs motion who brings word thereof to the King which sent him The Prophet hereby describeth the marches
said in the eleventh Chapter Thou shalt say i e. Thou which art delivered and thou which art brought home againe to thine own Countrey for to such the Prophet makes this Apostrophe shallt say I will praise thee Supple For thy great mercies shewed to me Though thou wast angry with me Supple When thou diddest afflict me or carry me away or make me fly into a strange Land for fear of the Assyrians 2. God is my salvation i. e. God is my Saviour which saveth me from destruction Salvation is put here per Metonymiam effecti for a Saviour I will trust Supple In him And not be afraid Supple Of the Assyrians or any other man for what they can do unto me Is my strengh i. e. Doth strengthen me and make me able to withstand whatsoever any man can do to me He saith he is my strength for he doth strengthen me per Metonymiam effecti And my Song i. e. And the subject of my Song His meaning is that he is his Deliverer For when God delivered any of his People out of any great affliction they were wont to make and to sing Songs in praise of God and their delivery He is become my Salvation i. e. He is become my Saviour 3. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of Sâ—lvation q. d. And because God is become my Salvation All ye that trust in him be assured and confident of his Salvation in your distresse For he will abundantly save you and ye shall receive salvation from him in a plenitfull manner In this Epiphonema he encourageth by this example those that trust in the Lord not to break off their trust but still to trust in him for he will save them at length which trust in him Shall ye i. e. Ye which trust in God and rely on him For to such doth the Singer here make an Apostrophe in this his Song Note that he puts a Relative here without an Antecedent a thing usuall with the Hebrewes With joy shall ye draw water out of the wels of Salvation In this Metaphor he compares God our Saviour to a Well And the Salvation which he bestowes upon his servants to the waters of that well The wells of Salvation He saith Wells in the Plural for the Well in the Singular Number because God is as many wells unexhaustible 4. And in that day i. e. Moreover in that day The day which he meaneth is the same with that which he mentioned Verse 1. And he puts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And for Moreover Shall ye say Hee changeth his number here for in ver 1. he said Thou shalt say and here he saith Ye shall say though he speakes to the same The Prophet useth often the like Enallage Call upon his Name i. e. Call upon him The Hebrews often put the name of God per Metonymiam adjuncti for God himself To call upon God is put here for to give thankes to God for we call upon God aswell when we give thankes to him as when we aske any thing at his hands Matt. 11.25 Dan. 2.23 1 Chron. 29.13 Note here that they which are mindfull of the goodnesse which God hath shewed unto them and are glad thereof think their own thankes and praises not sufficient for so good a God And therefore they invite others to praise God also in their behalf Declare his doings among the People i. e. Declare among the heathen as occasion shall serve what wonderfull things he hath done for us that the heathen may take notice of them Make mention that his name is exalted q. d. Tell abroad that he hath done marvelous matters for which he is exalted of us Jewes He saith his name is exalted for he is exalted putting his name for him as a little before He saith he is exalted for he hath done marvelous matters for which he is exalted per Metonymiam adjuncti For he that doth marvelous matters is exalted and praised for his doing and gets himself renowne thereby 5. This is knowne i. e. This that he hath done excellent things for us is known In all the earth An Hyperbole 6. Cry out and Shout Supple For joy Thou Inhabitant of Sion Sion was a Hill within Hierusalem and here it is taken for all Hierusalem by a Synechdoche Hierusalem I say which the Lord preserved from Sennacherib's fury and therefore is here particularly called upon to cry out and shout for joy For great is the holy One of Israel i. e. For the Lord is great and hath shewed himself great by what he hath done for thee The holy one of Israel i. e. God even the God which Israel worshipeth In the middest of thee i. e. Which dwelleth with thee or in thee The Hebrews use often to say The middest of thee for Thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God may be said to dwell in Sion not onely because of his especiall manifestation of himself in his Temple there but also because he was at hand with his people of Hierusalem and ready at all times to them See Psal 46.5 ISAIAH CHAP. XIII THE burthen of Babylon The grievous misery and affliction which shall befal Babylon Or the Vision of that greivous misery and affliction which shall befal Babylon Note that this word Burthen is here put Metaphorically by the Prophet for a great and heavy misery and â—ffliction which affliction and misery he calleth a burden because it is grievous to him whom it doth befall as an heavy burthen is to him that beares it yea it is put for the Vision of that grievous misery and affliction By a Metaphoricall Metonymie Isaiah the sonne of Amos. See Chap. 1. v. 1. Saw Supple In a trance Note that this verse is as it were a Title of the whole Chapter Josephus in the tenth book of his Antiquities Chapter 3. tells us that the Empire of the Assyrians was broken in pieces by the Medes in the dayes of Hezekiah not long after the destruction of Sennacherib's Army before Hierusalem And surely at the same time was this Prophesie fullfilled against Babylon for Babylon according to this Prophesie was to be destroyed by the Medes v. 17. And Babylon was at this time belonging to the King of Assyria 2 Kings 17.24 And being it was a Royall City of the Assyrians it was like to be set upon by the Medes if it did not yeeld to them the sooner and to suffer deeply if it were taken by storme and it is most probable that it yeelded not but was taken by storme and so suffered deeply almost to an utter ruine at this time as we shall shew v. 20. Add to this that there was no long time to be between the manifestation of this Prophesie and the fullfilling thereof as appeares verse 22. Therefore it is most likely that this Prophesie was fullfilled at this time we now speak off to wit when the Medes broke the Assyrian Empire as Josephus tells 2. Lift ye up a Banner These words are spoken
stirreth up the dead for thee i. e. Hell or the Graves stirreth up the dead and calleth them which are buried in her to meet thee at thy coming and to gaze at thee as thou comest to thy Grave As wondering at thy mean condition which wast once so high Even all the chief Ones of the earth Supple Which are buried in her It hath raised from their Thrones all the Kings of the Nations i. e. Hell or the Graves have raised up all the Kings of the Nations which were buried within them from their Thrones to come and meet thee From their Thrones all the Kings of the Nations Here is a Prosopopoeia by which the Prophet brings in the dead with that dignity and honour which they had while they were living All the Kings of the Nations Supple Which Sennacherib had vanquished and others also 10. And say unto thee Viz. Scoffing and jeering at thee Art thou also become weak as we q. d. Art thou also which wast so mighty and powerfull as that none was able to resist thy strength art thou become weak as we The dead are weak indeed as not having any life or power to action 11. Thy pompe is brought down and the noise of thy Viols He speakes of Sennacherib's Pompe and the Musick which he was wont to delight in as of a Man or person once living but now dead by a Metaphor or Prosopopoeia Or by Sennacherib's Pompe and the noise of his Viols he understands Sennacherib himselfe who delighted in Pompe and Musick by a Metonymie The worme is spread under thee and the wormes cover thee q.d. Instead of thy fine sheets and thy costly coverlids the Wormes are spread under thee as sheets and cover thee as coverlids The Worme for wormes A Singular for a Plurall number He alludes either to the wormes which breed in the earth in which the graves are digged or to the wormes which breed out of the Putrefaction of a dead body Note that when he saith Thy pomp is brought down to the grave c. He useth a Preterperfect Tense for a Future a thing frequent with the Prophets for the Prophet brings in the dead here rising out of their graves and meeting Sennacherib as he comes to the grave 12. How art thou fallen from heaven i. e. How art thou fallen from thy great power and majesty and that glorious state in which thou wast He puts Heaven Metaphorically for Sennacherib's power and majesty and glorious state because he here compares Sennacherib himself to Lucifer the morning Star and all Starres are placed in the heavens Lucifer Lucifer is the morning Star a Starre which riseth in the morning before the Sun and appeares greater and brighter than any other Star But here the Prophet by Lucifer meaneth Sennacherib whom he calleth Lucifer because as Lucifer the morning Star excels all other Stars in brightnesse So did Sennacherib King of Assyria excell all other Kings and Princes in majesty and glory Lucifer according to the etymologie of the word signifieth bringing light And therefore is the morning Star so called because it ariseth with the morning and ushereth in as it were the great light of the Sun Lucifer Son of the morning He calls Lucifer the Son of the morning because that Star ariseth in or with the morning The phrase or manner of speech is meerly Hebraicall How art thou cut down to the ground He alludes here to a tree which is cut up by the roots Which did weaken the Nations By making war upon them c. 13. For thou hast said in thine heart i. e. Though thou hast said in thine heart heretofore or though thou didst say in thine heart For is put here for Though as the Adversative particle yet vers 15. sheweth Thou hast said in thy heart I will ascend into Heaven The sense of these three verses following is this q. d. Thou didst perswade thy self that thou wert a God But thou art dead and shalt be buried as a man Because the Throne of the Lord the true God was in Heaven above the Starres and the Clouds and his dwelling was in his Temple at Hierusalem where he was worshipped therefore doth the Prophet describe Sennacheribs perswasion of himself that he was a true God by this that he said in his heart that he would ascend into heaven and exalt his Throne above the Starres of God that he would sit upon the Mount of the Congregation in the sides of the North that he would ascend above the heights of the Clouds that he would in every thing be like the most High But did Sennacharib perswade himself that he was the true God Answ So proud have been the thoughts of many Tyrants and so high have they been lifted up by their prosperous successes in what they undertook and by their greatnesse as that they have conceited themselves to be Gods and that they could doe and ought to be worshipped as Gods And it is not unlikely that Sennacherib was as vain and foolish in his conceits as any of these Howsoever certain it is that Sennacherib despised the Lord the true God in respect of himself and thought himself greater and more powerfull than he Isai Cap. 36. v. 20. and Cap. 37. v. 10 c. And therefore in consideration of that the Prophet might well attribute such thoughts to Sennacherib as here he doth because he would deserve to sit in Heaven c. if he were greater than the Lord whose Throne is in heaven c. Above the Starrs of God i. e. In heaven which is above the most glorious and excellent Starrs By the Starrs of God he meaneth the most excellent and glorious Starrs For whatsoever is glorious and excellent the Hebrewes say to be of God or to be divine because whatsoever is of God and divine is glorious and excellent The Starrs of God i. e The divine or glorious Starrs For the Hebrewes put a Substantive of the Genitive Case for an Adjective I will sit also upon the Mount of the Congregation q. d. I will sit also upon the Mercy Seat between the Cherubims in the Temple which is built upon the Mount of the Congregation The Mount of the Congregation By the Mount of the Congregation is meant Mount Sion or Mount Moriah upon which the Temple of Hierusalem was built in which was the Mercy Seat where God was wont to sit which Mount he calls the Mount of the Congregation because the people of Israel were wont there to assemble themselves to worship God with Prayers and Praises and Sacrifices c. In the sides of the North. i. e. I will sit even in the North side thereof for we must either repeat these words I will sit again or say that these words are governed of the former by Apposition He saith In the sides of the North for in the North or Northern sides or the sides looking towards the North. For as we observed but now the Hebrewes often put a Substantive of the Genitive
Shepheards and their dogs And I will kill thy root But I will kill thy principall men O Palestina with famine He puts And for But And by the root he meaneth the principall men by a Metaphor from a tree whose principall part is the root He speakes here in the person of God And he shall slay thy remnant i. e. And Hezekiah shall slay with the sword those that escape the famine By He he meaneth the Cockatrice and fiery flying Serpent that is Hezekiah whom he signifieth by those Metaphors 31. Howle O Gate q. d. Lament ye Cityes of the Philistines or Palestina for the miseries which shall come upon you He saith howle for lament by a Metaphor from doggs and wolves which howle and make a dolefull noise He saith O Gate for O ye Cityes or O ye which inhabite the Cityes of Palestina where first he puts a Gate for Gates A Singular for a Plural number Then by Gates he meaneth the Townes and Cityes which have Gates by a Synechdoche Then by the Townes and Cityes he meaneth the Inhabitants of those Townes or Cityes by a Metonymie Thou whole Palestina art dissolved i. e. All ye Inhabitants of Palestina shall faint and melt away with fear By Palestina he meaneth the Inhabitants of Palestina by a Metonymie And he saith that they are dissolved for they shall be dissolved after a Prophetique way Putting a Praeterperfect tense for a Future And he saith ye shall be dissolved or melted as he said and every mans heart shall melt Cap. 13.7 The Notes upon which place see For the Phrase and Metaphor is the same with this There shall come from the North a smoak By this Smoak he meaneth either Hezekiah whom he signifieth by smoak because as smoak is quick in its motion and hurteth the eyes So Hezekiah was quick in his expedition against the Philistines and was very hurtfull to them and did sore vex them Or by this smoak he meaneth a great Armie of the men of Judah marching against the Philistines by a Metonymie For great Armies in their march raise a dust which is seen a farre off like a Cloud or Smoak From the North. i e. From Judaea or the land of Judah which lay North of Palestina or the land of the Philistines But did not Palestina or the land of the Philistines lye West of Judaea or the land of Judah Cap. 11.14 How then is it here said that the land of Judah or Judaea lay North of the land of the Philistines or Palestina Answer Palestina did neither lie directly West nor directly South from Judaea but between the South the West points So that to speak without exactnesse and as they commonly speak it might indifferently be said to lye either South or West of Judaea and Judaea North or East of that And none shall be alone i. e. And none shall separate himself and abide apart from the rest of his brethren the Jewes but all shall march together as one man with one mind against Palestina He seemeth here to allude to a stragling sheep which separates herself from the flock and keeps alone In his appointed times i. e. In the times which Hezekiah shall appoint for a muster or for his expedition against Palestina By his times he meaneth the times of Hezekiah who was signified above by a Cockatrice and fiery flying Serpent that is the times which Hezekiah should appoint for his Armies mustering or marching Not his times who should be appointed to muster or march at such times 32. What shall one then answer the messenger of the Nation q. d. And at that time the Nation of the Philistines shall send Messengers or Embassadors into the Land of Judah to Hezekiah to make peace with him and his people and shall plead hard for peace putting Hezekiah and his People in mind of the uncertainty of warre but when they shall speak of the uncertainty of warre what Answer shall be given them What shall one then answer c. i. e. And what Answer shall be given them And seems to be left here to be understood Of the Nation i. e. Of the Nation of the Philistines That the Lord hath founded Zion i. e. To the messengers of the Nation i. e. Of the Philistines that shall come to entreat a peace and put Hezekiah and his People in mind of the uncertainty of warrs that thereby they may obtaine a peace This Answer shall be given Viz. That the Lord hath founded Zion The Lord hath founded Zion i e. The Lord hath given Zion a promise of certaine victory By Zion and Hill a part of Hierusalem is meant Hierusalem it self by a Synechdoche And by Hierusalem are meant the Inhabitants of Hierusalem by a Metonymie and by the Inhabitants of Hierusalem which were but part of the Inhabitants of Judah all the men or Inhabitants of Judah are meant by a farther Synechdoche And by the Inhabitants of Judah the hope of these men by another Metonymie God is said to found Zion that is to settle or build the hopes of Zion upon a sure foundation Because he gave her his promise upon which she built her hope as upon a firme foundation And the poor of his people i. e. And his poor People the Jewes which now are in a low and a poor condition This Phrase the poor of his people is like that of Saint Paul's the signe of Circumcision Rom. 4.11 For as the signe of Circumcision is no more than this Circumcision which is a signe So the poor of his people is no more than this his people which are poor Shall trust in it i. e. Shall trust in that foundation i. e. In that promise and build their hopes upon it The Antecedent Viz. Foundation which is the Antecedent to this Relative It is not formally and plainly here expressed But yet it may be plainly understood from the fore-going words The foundation which is here meant is as I said Gods Promise made to the poor Jewes of certaine Victorie over the Philistines upon which Promise the Jewes did rely and build their hope as it were a Superstructure upon a sure Foundation and therefore would not hearken to their mortall Enemies the Philistines when they desired peace by their Embassadors and pleaded for it by arguments fetcht from the uncertainty of warre The Promise that the Jewes should prevaile over the Philistines is contained in the 29 and 30 Verses of this Chapter ISAIAH CHAP. XV. THE burden of Moab What is meant by the burden here learn from Chap. 13. vers 1. Moab is put here for the Moabites the the Father for the Children Moab was the Sonne of Lot which he had by his eldest daughter Gen. 19. v. 36.37 Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste Here is somewhat to be understood Viz. Howle or lament ye Moabites So that the full sentence is this Howle O ye sonnes of Moab because Ar of Moab shall be laid waste in the night In the night That is suddainly and
of bringing his hopes to passe He shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks and take away and cut down the branches By this He is meant Allegorically Esarhaddon the Sonne or the Lieutenant of Sennacherib King of Assyria who made head against Tirakah King of Aethiopia when he invaded Assyria whom he here compareth to a Gardner And a Relative is put here without an Antecedent By the Sprigs are meant the mean men and Common Souldiers of Tirakah's Army By the Branches the great men and Commanders and Officers thereof 6. They shall be left together i. e. And they both sprigs and branches shall be left all of them c. Together i. e. All of them as Chap. 1. v. 28. They shall be left together unto the foules of the Mountaines and to the Beast of the earth For what end they shall be left to them the next wordes signifie And the fowles shall summer upon them Birds use to feed upon the sprigs and branches of trees that therefore which he saith here is this that the Birds shall find meat for themselves upon the sprigs and branches of this Vine when they shall be cut down all the summer following And all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them Beasts use to browse upon the sprigs and branches of trees especially in Winter when grasse is short That therefore which he saith here is this that the beasts of Assyria shall brouse and feed upon the sprigs and branches of this Vine all the Winter And the meaning of these two Phrases is this that the Carkases of the Aethiopians shall be meat for the foules of the Mountaines and the beasts of the field a Summer and a Winter that is a whole year Where note that the Assyrians did cast out the Aethiopians which they had slaine and would not give them a buriall In that time i. e. Yet in that time He meaneth the time in which the aforesaid things should be done in Assyria that is in which the Army of Tirakah should be destroyed in Assyria in the absence of Sennacherib by the Assyrians Shall the present be brought unto the Lord of Hosts of a people scattered and peeled c. q. d. The Assyrians which are abroad with Sennacerib warring against Hierusalem shall be overthrown and part of their spoiles shall be brought by the men of Judah and Hierusalem as a Present to the Lord of Hosts He alludes here to the gift or present which was wont to be offered to the Lord out of the Spoiles and Prey which was taken in warre of which read Numb 31.28 and 2 Sam. 8.11 Of a people scattered and peeled That is of the Assyrians See v. 2. The Prophet here repeateth all those contumelious words which Tirakah King of Aethiopia used in the description of the Assyrians v. 2. approving them as true but yet such as might be better used by others than by the Aethiopians Therefore he repeates them with a kind of Sarcasme deriding thereby Tirakah and Aethiopia who first used them A Nation meted out These words are governed of those from a people terrible by Apposition Meted out i. e. Appointed by God himself to destruction Whose land the Rivers have spoiled See v. 2. To the place of the name of the Lord of Hosts i. e. To the Temple of God which is his place The name of the Lord is put here Periphrastically or Metonymically for the Lord himself Or To the place of the Name of the Lord of Host may signifie To the place which is called by the name of the Lord of Hosts which place is his Temple and is called the Temple of the Lord of Hosts The Mount Sion This is governed of the former words by Apposition Mount Sion was a Mount in Hierusalem upon which the Temple of God was built and may here be put for the Temple it self by a Metonymie ISAIAH CHAP. XIX THE Burden See Chap. 13.1 The Lord rideth upon a swift Cloud i e. The Lord will ride upon a swift Cloud as upon an Horse That is The Lord will come with spred into Egypt And the Idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence i. e. And the Idols of Egypt shall be moved with fear and trembling to see him come He speakes of Idols though they be but stocks and stones as of men by a Metaphor or Prosopopoeia And the heart of Egypt i. e. And the heart of the Egyptians Egypt is put by a Metonymie for the Egyptians the Inhabitants of Egypt The heart of Egypt shall melt See the meaning and reason of this Phrase Chap. 13. v. 7. In the middst of it i. e. In it or them A Periphrasis of the Hebrews 2. And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians i. e. I will set the Egyptians at variance and at fighting one with the other The prophet speakes here in the Person of God This Prophesie relates near unto the same times to which the former Prophesies did For Sethon the Priest of Vulcan King of Egypt was Contemporary with Sennacherib King of Assyria for Sennacherib waged warre against Sethon After the death of Sethon Egypt was divided under twelve Kings whereof Psammitichus was one which Psammitichus the other eleven expelled and banished into the Marshes of Egypt but he at length got a power of men and made warre against all the other eleven Kings and overcame them and slew them and so came to rule all Aegypt over which he ruled Lordly at first that he might be feared as many Conquerours use to do and that he might suppresse them which had a hand in his banishment though the latter part of his Raigne was with much Clemency And Kingdome against Kingdome He speakes this by Anticipation for as yet Egypt was in one Kingdome 3. And the spirit of Egypt shall faile i. e. And the judgement or counsell of the Egyptians shall faile By the Spirit is meant here sound judgement or counsell For the Hebrewes among many significations which they have of this word spirit any habit or quality of the mind they call by the name of Spirit By Aegypt is meant the Aegyptians by a Metonymie In the midst thereof See v. 1. And thâ—y shall seek to Idols Supple For Counsell and direction in these their streights The Devils were wont to be in the Idols of the Heathen and give Answers to those that came to aske counsell of the Idols Hence Saint Paul speaking of Sacrificing to Idols saith that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice to Idols they sacrifice to Devills 1 Cor. 10.20 And to the charmers and to them which have familiar spirits and to wizzards Happily by these he meaneth the Priests and Mystae of the Idols But see Chap. 8. verse 19. 4. And the Egypians will I give over into the hand of a cruell Lord. By this Lord is meant Psammitichus who when he was in subduing the eleven Kings and their Party Lorded it with cruelty though when he had quitted all he Raigned mildly
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
to make provision for themselves 16. For thus hath the Lord said unto me i. e Moreover thus hath the Lord said unto me For is put here for Moreover as verse 6. Within a year according to the years of an Hireling i. e. Within one precise year See cap. 16. v. 14. From what time this year should begin whether from the time of the Prophets delivering this Prophesie or whether from the time that they should come to passe which he prophesied against Arabia Petraea is doubtful I think it probable that it takes its beginning from the time that the Assyrians invaded Arabia Petraea and laid it wast for within a year after that it is probable that the Ethiopians did wage Warre upon and destroyed the Kedarens So that within a year is as if he had said within a year after this And all the glory of Kedar shall faile i. e. All the glory of Kedar shall be cut off The Particle And is here redundant as it is also in Cap. 16.14 The glory i. e. The great multitude in which they glory Metonymia Effecti Of Kedar i. e. Of the Kedarens the children of Kedar Kedar was the son of Ismael Gen. 25.13 Whose posterity from him were called Kedarens These Kedarens dwelt in Arabia Deserta and dwelt in Tents Psal 120.5 And they may be taken here for all the Arabians of that Arabia by a Synecdoche 17. And the residue of the number of Archers It appears by this that these Kedarens had most of their Soldiers slain before the time here prophesied of but by whom they were slain it is not certain yet it may be that they were slain by the Assyrians which wasted Arabia Petraea while they followed those Arabians into Arabia Deserta who yet destroyed not all the Inhabitants of Arabia Deserta but having greater employments elsewhere admitted of their submission and yeelding themselves and so departed for which submission and yeilding of themselves to the Assyrians it is not unlikely that the Ethiopians set upon the Kedarens or Arabians of Arabia Deserta in the way as they marched against Assyria and that by them was this prophesie fulfilled Of Archers It seemes that the chiefest strength of the Kedaâ—ens or Arabians of Arabia Deserta consisted in their Bow-men or Archers Shall be diminished viz. By the Ethiopians as Tirakah King of Ethiopia marcheth against Assyria 2 Kings 19.9 ISAIAH CHAP. XXII THe burthen of the valley of vision i. e. The miserie or a Prophesie of that miserie which shall befall Jerusalem Jerusalem is here called the valley of vision because it did abound with visions which the Lord sent to it by his Prophets though few did regard those visions as a fruitful valley abounds with corn He puts vision here for visions a singular for a plural number Or therefore it is called the valley because Jerusalem was scituate in a valley at least a great part of it for a great part of it was scituate at the foot of Mount Sion and the Psalmist saith that the Mountains stood round about Jerusalem Psal 125.2 And therefore the valley of visions because it abounded with visions of the Lord as was said before What aileth thee now i. e. What is the matter with thee now These are the words of the Prophet himself though in a vision to Jerusalem which though it were a Citie consisting of many of all ages yet he speaks to it here as one single person by a Prosopopoeia What aileth now The Prophet saw in a vision all the people of Jerusalem weeping and wailing upon their house tops about the time that Salmaneser invaded the Land of Israel and made such havock of the people thereof and seeing them so to weep and waile upon their house-tops he expostulates with them in a vision to know what was the reason of that their weeping and when they tell him the cause of their weeping he taking occasion from their answer prophesieth that they shall have the same cause of weeping themselves for themselves ere long were That thou art wholly gone up to the house tops i. e. That thou art wholly men women and children gone up to the house tops to weep The houses of Jerusalem and of the Eastern people were built flat on the tops so that a man might walk on the tops thereof and do many things thereon thither were they wont to go up to lament and weep every one in the dayes of publique calamitie Cap. 15.3 Jer. 48.38 2. Thou that art full of stirs i. e. Thou that art usually ful of stirs proceeding froÌ„ mirth A tumultuous City i. e. A City where there is usually much meeting and much noise of Pipes and Viols and all manner of musick and dancing and revelling A joyous City i. e. A City in which there is wont to be shown much joy The slain men are not slain with the sword nor dead in battel q. d. If there should be War in thy Land and thy children within thee should be slain with the sword or dye in battel I would not wonder that thou art wholly gone up to the house-tops to weep and lament But now because there is no such matter but they which dye in thee dye not by the sword nor are slain in battel I much wonder that thou art gone up thither and dost so lament 3. All thy Rulers are fled together Between this and the former Verse I conceive that these words are to be understood viz. And what aileth thy Rulers for c. q. d. And what aileth thy Rulers for all thy Rulers are fled together All thy Rulers i. e. All the Rulers and chief men of thy Land which lived in several places of the Land for the good of the people especially they which lived in the utmost part thereof towards the Land of Israel Are fled Supple From their own dwellings into thee as into a strong hold for safety Therefore did these Rulers flee to Jerusalem for safety because they were afraid of Salmaneser and his Army lest they should come and fight against the Cities of Judah and destroy them as they had fought against the Cities of the ten Tribes of Israel and destroyed them Note that what the Prophet asketh here he asketh not out of ignorance but that he might take occasion from Jerusalems answer to prophecy what he had to prophecy against her Together i. e. Every one of them See Cap. 1.28 This relates to the word all q. d. All thy Rulers every one of them They are bound by the Archers i. e. They are as men which are taken and bound by the Soldiers of their Enemies to be carryed away into captivity for as such men look pitifully and weep and lament so do they The note of similitude viz. As is here to be understood See cap. 21.8 By the Archers understand any kinde of Soldiers If the Rulers of the Land were thus fearful and did look so pitifully and so lament what must be thought of the common people Are
of the world Purple and Scarlet were the wearing of Kings and for these Tyre was famous and for these doubtlesse did the Merchants of all Kingdomes which were about Tyre deale at Tyre that they might be able to furnish their severall Kings therewith Vpon the face of the earth i. e. Which are upon the face of the earth 18. And her Merchandize i. e. And the money riches and treasures which she gaines by her merchandize Metonym Efficientis And her hire i. e. And her gaine or the money which she gaines by her traffique He persists still in the Metaphor of an Harlot See verse 17. Shall be holinesse to the Lord What he meaneth by this those words shew which follow soone after to wit her Merchandize shall be for them which dwell before the Lord which are a repetition or exposition of these words The Lord therefore is taken here for the people Or Servants of the Lord to wit the Jewes or two tribes by a Metonymie And Holinesse is put for Holy An Abstract for a Concrete q. d. Her Merchandize and her Hire shall be holy to the Lord that is they shall be set apart for the people or servants of the Lord. But may a thing be said to be Holy to any Creature though that Creature be the Lords Servant Answer Though we should grant that a thing could not be said to be holy to a Creature yet it may be said to be holy to the Lord even then when the Lord is put Metonymically for the Servants of the Lord. For in Metonymicall speeches words are often so joyned with words as if there were no Metonymie or Figure in them It shall not be treasured or laid up q. d. Tyre shall not hoard up much of her gaines which she gets by her merchandizing The Tyrians as they got much by Traffique so they spent much in luxury and jovialty For her merchandize shall be for them which dwell before the Lord For the money I say which she gaines a great part of it shall come to the Jewes the people of the Lord which are nigh to Tyre This Particle For relates to the words immediately going before as shewing a reason why the gaine of Tyre should not be treasured nor laid up Her merchandize i. e. The money which she gaines by her merchandize A Metonymy as before For them which dwell before the Lord By this he meaneth the Jewes whom he describeth by this that they dwell before the Lord either because they dwelt in the land of Judah in the presence of the Lord who had his Temple there among them in which he dwelt and in which he did manifest his presence Or because the Land of Canaan was called the Habitation of the Lord Exod. 15.13 And therefore might Gods people which dwelt therein be said to dwell before the Lord Or because the Jewes were the Servants of the Lord. Cap. 41.8 For Servants are described by this that they dwel or stand continually before their master 1 Kings 10.8 To eat sufficiently i. e. To eat to the full This speech is defective and thus to be made up q. d. which she shall give to them in exchange for Corne and Wine and Cattle and other things that she may feast her self therewith and eat to the full And for durable clothing q.d. And which she shall give to them for fine cloth for her own wearing Durable clothing By durable clothing he meaneth cloth made of fine wool for the finer the wool is caeteris paribus the more lasting is the cloth Tyre being but a Citie could not have Corne and Wine and Cattle and Wool of her own but she bought all these of other nations and with all these and the best of every sort of these did the Land of Judah abound wherefore Judah being nigh to her she bought these commodities most of the Jews This the Prophet seemes to adde in this last verse as a reason why the Lord would visite Tyre and be favourable to her after so many yeares affliction viz. for the Jews sake because the Jews the Servants of God should be gainers by her prosperity and plenty If any think that the Prophet doth prophesie in this verse that many of the Tyrians should at the time here spoken of turne Proselytes and worship the true God and offer of their wealth to the Lord for his Service and Temple and mainteinance of his Ministers the Priests and Levites which dwell before him I shall not contend with him ISAIAH CHAP. XXIV BEhold the Lord maketh the Earth empty This Prophecy concerneth the land of Israel or of the ten Tribes as it was to be wasted and made desolate by Salmaneser For although the Prophet hath prophecyed of this before yet doth he prophecy of it again and usual it is with the Prophets to prophecy often of the same thing in divers words The Lord maketh the Earth empty i. e. The Lord will make the Earth empty of Inhabitants and will leave none to dwell in it A present for a future tense The Earth i. e. The Land of Israel or of the ten Tribes He puts the Earth in general for the Land of Israel in particular which was but a little part of the Earth per Synecdochen Integri And maketh it waste This is a repetition of the former sentence And turneth it upside down This is also a repetition of the former sentence Note that these words are Metaphorical taken from a Dish or Platter or the like out of which will fall whatsoever is in it if it be turned upside down And scattereth abroad the Inhabitants thereof This was fulfilled when the ten Tribes fled some one way and some another and some were carryed into captivity into one place and some into another under Salmaneser 2. And it shall be as with the people so with the Priest c. His meaning is That all of all sorts of people shall partake of this calamity none shall escape Vsury Usury is the encrease of mony lent above the principal To him i. e. To him which taketh usury 3. The Lord Viz. Of Israel or the ten Tribes For the Lord hath spoken this word Supple And therefore it shall come to pass for he cannot lye 4. The Earth mourneth i. e. The proud inhabitants of the Land of Israel shall mourn because of the miseries which shall come upon them The Earth is put here for the inhabitants of the Earth that is of the Land of Israel And fadeth away i. e. And shall pine away with grief like a fading flower The world languisheth By the World he means the Land of Israel or rather the inhabitants of the Land of Israel putting the whole World for a very little part thereof by an Hyperbolical Synecdoche And these he saith shall languish and consume away through grief because of the miseries which shall come upon them The haughty people of the Earth do languish i. e. The haughty people of the Land of Israel shall pine away These
to the heat and God to a shadow for as the shadow of a Cloud or an house or Tent or Tree doth defend a Traveller from the scorching heat of the Sun in hot Countries so did God defend the Jews in Hierusalem from the fierce anger and fury of the Assyrians When the blast of the terrible onâ—s i. e. When the fury of the Assyrianâ— c. The Assyrians were at this time terrible to all that dwelt about them especially to the men of Judah and Hierusalem whose fury and anger against them and their City He compares to a blast of winde which is violent for the time bâ—t yet it was but as a blaâ—t and for a time because God soon brought it to an end As a storm i. e. Was as a violent and fierce storm for a storm though it be there yet it is fierce and violent Is for Was. Against the wall i. e. Against the walls of his City to wit Hierusalem which thâ— Assyrians desired to ruine He saith Wall for Walls a singular for a plural number 5. Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers i. e. For thou shalt pull down and abate the wrath of the Assyrians By a noise he meaneth wrath per metonymiam effecti for angry men brawl and make a great noise and stir in their passion wherefore this is given as a sign of a meeke man that he doth not cry nor lift up nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets cap. 42.2 I conceive that this and that which followeth is not part of the Song but that the Prophet speaks this by way of prophecy to shew that the Jew in that day may justly and truly sing that Song or that part of the Song which is contained in the fourth verse for the matter thereof shall prove true And therefore I understand that causall Particle For in the beginning of this verse But if this be to be taken for part of the Song then is a future tense put here for a praeterperfect tense and the Tenses are here much confounded Of strangers They were accounted all strangers to the Hebrews which were not the Sonnes of Abraham Isaac and Jacob But he meanes not here any strangers in generall but the Assyrians in particular Per synecdochen Generis And the Assyrians were such strangers to the Jews as that the Jews understood not their Language Cap. 28.11 Cap. 33.19 As the heat in a drie place Supple is abated and brought down He speaks of the heat of the Sun which if it be excessive is grievous in all places but especially in a place of drought Even the heat Supple in a dry place By the shadow of a Cloud i. e. By a shadow caused by a Cloud He sheweth here how the heat of the Sun is abated or brought down The branch of the terrible ones i. e. The branches of the Assyrians He puts branch for branches a singular for a plurall number And by the terrible ones he meaneth the Assyrians as verse 4. This Genitive Case is a Genitive of Identity And therefore when he saith the branch or branches of the Assyrians it is as if he should say the Assyrians which I call branches because I compare them to the branches of a Tree see cap. 10.33 where he hath the same comparison Shall be brought low i. e. shall be cut down 6. And in this Mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a feast of all things c. The Mountain here meant is Mount Sion in Hierusalem the place where God dwelt What a mighty slaughter the Lord made of the Assyrianâ— whâ—n they besieged Jerusalem is well known 2 Kings 19.35 And what a joy it was to all the Neighbouring Nations to hear of this slaughter we may easily conceive because the Assyrians were mighty hunters and oppressors of men subduing all people which dwelt near unto them to themselves and making them their vassalls and tributaries that therefore the Prophet might express the joy which all people shoâ—ld conceive at the slaughter which the Lord would make of the Assyrians about Jerusalem he doth by way of allegory make the Lord like the Master of a Feast inviting all people to his house to feed upon the flesh of their enemies which he would slay and to drink and make themsâ—lves merry with their blood which he would shed for feasts are to make them merry which are invited thereunto A feast of fat things i. e. A feast of fat Cattle as Rams and Lambs and Goats and Bullocks by which are metaphorically meant the Assyrians which God would then slay for those which God slaies in his wrath are often likened to fat Cattle as Cap. 34.6 Ezek. 39.18 A feast of wines on the Lees i. e. A feast in which there is variety and plenty of wine well setled and purged from the Lees or grounds He saith Wâ—nes on or upon the Lees for wines purgâ—d from the Lees because as the wine growes clâ—aâ— and is purged from the Lees the Lees fall to the bottom of the Vessel and so the wine is above the Lees. Well refined i. e. Well purâ—ed There are a Repetition and exposition of those words Wines â—n the Lees. As by fat things were metaâ—horically meant the Assyrians which were slain so by wine on the Lees is meant the blood of the Assyrians which was shed in that slaughter 7. He will destroy in this Mountain the face of the covering cast over all people Here is an Hypallage in these words for he saith He will deâ—troy the face of the Covering for he will destroy the covering of the face And by the Covering of the face he meaneth such a Covering as they were wont to weare over the face therewith to hide it Note that they which were heavy and sorrowfull were wont to cast a vail or covering over their faces in the time of their sorrow and heaviness as may appear 2 Sam. 15.30 19.4 and Hierem. 14.3 and Esther 6.12 Hence may the vail or covering of the face be taken Per metonymiam adjuncti to signifie sorrow and heaviness it self Wherefore when the Prophet saith that the Lord will destroy the face of the coverâ—ng cast over all people his meaning is That he would take away sorrow and heaviness from all people by destroying the Assyrians which made all people which lived about them to droop and to be of a sorrowfull heart because of the cruelty and daily oppression which they used towards them The Lord is said to destroy the face of the covering of all people in Mount Sion because from thence he destroyed the Assyrians and thither he did invite them and there interteine all people Yet note that a singular number may be put for a plurall and Mountain for Mountains both in this and the former verse And then by the Mountains may be understood those Mountains about Hierusalem on which the Assyrians were slain by the Angell And the vail that is spread over all Nations This is
in saying We have made lyes our refuge and under falshood have we hid our selves he speaks rather as the Truth was and as he interpreted it then as they spoke for they would not have called their specious doings lyes and falsehood Note again that it is plain from hence that many which were in Jerusalem and they chief men too because they believed not the Word of the Lord spoken by Isaiah concerning the safeguard of Jerusalem when the Assyrians should come against Judah and because they feared the power of the Assyrians and thought that Jerusalem would not be able to stand out against it betook themselves to humane policy and leaving Jerusalem thought to comply with the Assyrians and to make their peace with them who nevertheless failed in their purpose and were destroyed when as they might have been safe if they had never stirred out of Jerusalem 16. Therefore thus saith the Lord God i. e. Yet thus saith the Lord God Take Therefore for Yet and put an emphasis upon the words The Lord God for he opposeth these to those words Because or Though ye have said Vers 15. q. d. Though ye have said c. yet thus saith the Lord c. Behold I lay in Sion c. q. d. Behold I lay indeed in Jerusalem a foundation for those which believe but yet I lay judgment to the line for the wicked which believe not c. This is the sence in brief of this and the following Verse Sion i. e. Jerusalem See cap. 1.8 I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tryed stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation By the foundation and stone here mentioned may be meant the Word of Promise which God made to the inhabitants of Sion that is to the inhabitants of Jerusalem that notwithstanding the threatenings of the Assyrians they should be safe For as a house which is built upon a strong foundation is safe notwithstanding the blowing of the winds and the falling of the rain and the beating of the floods because it is founded upon a strong foundation So were as many safe as were in Jerusalem and relyed upon the Word of Promise which God made notwithstanding the fury and threatenings of the Assyrians because they relyed upon the Word of God which is as a sure foundation and which endureth for ever See the like Metaphor Cap. 14.32 Yet because in the second and more sublime sence this foundation is interpreted of Christ 1 Pet. 2.6 We may interpret and perhaps with more probability this of Hezekiah who as in other things and elsewhere he is a Type of Christ so may he be in this and here And Hezekiah may be said to be layd in Sion for a foundation because he was the foundation of safety against the Assyrians to all which remained in Jerusalem For God promised to save Jerusalem and all that kept themselves within her for his sake and he might be well called the foundation of that safety of which he was so principal a Cause by a Metaphor A stone He means such a stone which used to be layd for a foundation of a building which is great and durable A tryed stone i. e. A stone tryed and found fit for such an use as to lie for a foundation A precious corner stone i. e. A corner stone or chief stone of great worth And Hezekiah might be called a precious corner stone because of his great vertues In the Hebrew dialect the corner signifieth that part of a building which by its own strength alone sustaineth and upholdeth the whole structure Hence Magistrates and Princes which are the props and upholders of the Commonwealth are called the corners Judg. 20.2 1 Sam. 14.38 Isai 19.13 The corner stone therefore in the Hebrew phrase is as much as a sure foundation-stone So that all these words A stone a tryed stone a corner stone signifie but one and the same thing A sure foundation Hezekiah might be called a sure foundation because as a sure foundation cannot easily be shaken or overthrown so Hezekiah could not be shaken in his faith by the threats of the Assyrians nor could the Assyrians with all their power overthrow him or Jerusalem which God had given him by force of Arms. He that believeth Supple That which I say or that Promise which the Lord hath made Shall not make haste Shall not need to make haste or will not make haste Supple Out of Jerusalem to run into Egypt or Pathros or Cush or Elam or into any other far Country to save himself as many which believed not did at the hearing of Sennacheribs coming against Judah with a mighty Army nor will he make haste to comply with the Assyrians and make his peace with them as many others did but will abide in Jerusalem and shall be safe there What is spoken here of Hezekiah in the first sence is spoken of our Saviour Christ in the second and more sublime sence as appears 1 Pet. 2.6 and Rom. 9.33 For as we have often observed and shall often observe the temporal deliverance of the Jews was a type of the spiritual deliverance of the Christians As therefore the temporal deliverance of the Jews was a type of the spiritual deliverance of the Christians So they which were any way the cause of the temporal deliverance of the Jews were a type of Christ our Saviour so far forth as they were the causes of that temporal deliverance And the Holy Ghost while it speaks of them doth so order the words of the Scripture as that the same words which are spoke of them may oftentimes be applyed to Christ also yea oftentimes be more properly applyed to Christ then to them 17. Judgment also will I lay to the line q. d. But yet judgment also will I lay to the line and bring desolation and destruction upon you according as I have threatened you By judgment is here meant that desolation and destruction which God brought upon the men of Judah by Sennacherib and by the line is meant the threats of that judgment which God gave out by his Prophets by whom he threatened a great desolation and destruction of all in the Land of Judah excepting those which believed and were in Jerusalem onely Now as a Carpenter frames his Work to his Line so God saith here that he would bring his judgments to pass according to those his threats And righteousness to the Plummet This is a repetition of the former sentence And as by judgment he meant the desolation and destruction which the Lord brought upon the Land of Judah by Sennacherib so also doth he mean by righteousness And that desolation and destruction he calls judgment and righteousness per Metonymiam adjuncti because it was just and right and no other then the men of Judah deserved To the Plummet By the Plummet understand the line also to which the Plummet is appendent by a Syllepsis And the hail shall sweep the refuge of lyes The sence is q. d.
his Army in other parts of the Land of Judah as at Lachish first and at Libnah afterwards cap. 37. v. 8. From whence he sent Messengers to threaten Hezekiah and to fright him into a surrender by sending him word That he would come himselfe in person with the Army which he had with him against which threats the Lord strengthened Hezekiah by his Prophet saying That Sennacherib King of Assyria for all his threats should not come into Jerusalem not shoot an arrow there nor come before it with shields c cap. 37.33 Whereby it appeares that this place is not contrary to cap. 37.33 but well agrees with it For that place speaks of Sennacherib himselfe and that Army which was with him this place is to be understood of what was done by that Army which was under Tartan Rabsaris and Rabshakeh And thou shalt be brought down i. e. And thou which wast high conceited of thy self shall be brought down and humbled and crest-faln And shalt speak out of the ground i. e. And thou shalt speak as if thou spakest out of the ground that is out of some cave or cell which is under ground Note that the Hebrews leave the note of similitude often to be understood The sence of this place is q.d. Thy speech shall not be high and lofty but low and soft as theirs use to be which are in feare and danger The voice of those which are in a cell or cave or mine under ground seems not loud to those which are above but low and soft Therefore to speak out of the ground that is out of a cell or cave or mine which is under ground signifies to speak with a low and soft voyce as they which are afraid use to speak And thy speech shall be low out of the dust i. e. And thy speech shall be as if it were spoken out of the ground By the dust he meanes the ground which is but dust compacted This is a repetition of the former sentence Thy voice shall be as of one that hath a familiar spirit See this expounded cap. 8. 19. And thy speech shall whisper out of the dust this is a repetition of those words thy speech shall be low out of the dust but he alludes here to those which had familiar spirits which spoke often out of dens and caves of the earth to those that came to aske them any question with so low a voice as if they whispered All these severall phrases of this verse signifie but one and the same thing viz. That they shall be humbled and come to use a lowly and soft speech through feare whereas they were high in carriage and speech before Yet by these phrases may be signified also that the people of Jerusalem should be glad to hide themselves in cellars and places under ground because of the arrows and stones which the Assyrians should shoot and sling into the City 5. Moreover the multitude i. e. But yet at length the multitude c. I expound Moreover by But yet For the Particle which is here interpreted Moreover is expounded Yet vers 2. and But v. 8. And the Prophet after his manner when he hath denounced Gods judgments against Jerusalem in the former verses to cast them down doth here prophesie of the destruction of her enemies for the comfort of the godly to raise them up again The multitude of thy strangers i. e. The multitude of thine enemies He calls the Assyrians and their Auxiliaries which fought against Jerusalem her strangers because they were every way strangers to the men of Jerusalem strangers in Country strangers in Blood strangers in language Shall be like small dust i. e. Shall be as the small dust of the earth which the wind scattereth abroad The multitude of thy terrible ones i. e. And the multitude of the Assyrians thine enemies which shall be terrible to thee as they are to other Nations Shall be as chaff that passeth away i. e. Shall be like the chaff which the wind driveth away Psal 1.4 Yea it shall be at an instant suddenly i. e. Yea the multitude of thy strangers and of the terrible ones shall be like small dust and as chaff that passeth away in a moment By this is meant the suddain destruction and dispersion of the Assyrians which destruction and dispersion came upon them when they little thought of it of which cap. 37. v. 36 37. c. At an instant suddenly This gemination or doubling of these words signifies the greater speed 6. Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of Hosts with thunder The Prophet useth here an Apostrophe to the Assyrian which besieged Jerusalem q. d. Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of Hosts with thunder with earthquakes O thou Assyrian which shalt doe thus to Jerusalem and besiedge it To visit is a word of contrary significations for sometimes it signifies to shew favour to sometimes to punish and afflict but which way it must be taken the circumstance of the place must shew here it is taken for to punish and afflict With thunder and with earthquake and with great noise c. Some take these words metaphorically as if they did onely signifie a great and grievous punishment and destruction But others take them properly and say that all these things happened when God destroyed Sennacheribs Army which besieged Jerusalem though they be not recorded in 2 Kings 19. See cap. 30.30 7. And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel There were many of many Nations in Sennacheribs Army which fought against Jerusalem therefore he saith The multitude of all the nations c. And her munition i. e. Against her walls and bulwarks and other fortifications He puts an Abstract for a Concrete munition for places munited that is for places fenced and fortified Shall be as a dream of a night vision i. e. Shall vanish away as a dream which a man hath in the night while he sleepeth 8. It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth c. i. e. The multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth that he eateth and is satisfied but when he awaketh he is empty and hungry as he was before In the former verse the Prophet said that the multitude of the Nations which fight against Ariel should be as a dreame of the night-vision Now because there be not only vain dreames which passe away as they come but serious dreames which do portend serious things and things that shall surely come to passe such as Josephs dream was of which we read Gen. 37.5 The Prophet sheweth here that he did not compare the multitude of them which fought against Ariel to such a dreame but to the vainest dream as could be a dream which is vaine in it self and vain in its signification which a dream as a man that is hungry dreameth who dreameth in his sleep that he eateth but when he awaketh he is as empty
him Or of corrupt Judges who had taken a bribe of his Enemies to condemn him whose wickedness was the greater that they would be corrupted to do such a piece of injustice for a small matter How these men were consumed we told Vers 14. 22. Therefore thus saith the Lord c. This relates to the 17 18 19 20 and 21 Verses as an inference deduced from thence q. d. And because Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forrest and because the deaf upon that shall hear the words of the Book c. Therefore thus saith the Lord who redeemed Abraham concerning the House of Jacob c. Who redeemed Abraham God redeemed Abraham out of Vr of the Caldees from Idolatry Genes 12.1 and he redeemed him out of danger in Egypt Genes 12.20 and he redeemed him out of the like danger in Gerar Gen. 20.9 And Abraham is mentioned as redeemed here because as the Lord redeemed him so for his sake would he redeem his posterity at this time Concerning the house of Jacob i. e. Concerning Jacob and his children the Jews For the Father is part yea the chief part of the house Jacob shall not now be ashamed i. e. Being that the Lord will turn Lebanon into a fruitful field and the fruitful field into a forrest so that the deaf shall hear the words of the Book c. when this cometh to pass Jacob shall not now be ashamed though he hath been ashamed heretofore The Prophet useth a Prosopopoeia here whereby he brings in Jacob as though he were alive though he were dead long before Jacob shall not now be ashamed Supple For the disobedience and infidelity and unbelief of his children For they which would not believe the Vision mentioned vers 14. shall be all consumed and all they which watch for iniquity shall be cut off but the meek shall survive and all they that have erred shall return into the right way The misdemeanor of the son is the shame of the Parents in allusion to which he here saith Jacob shall not now be ashamed Nor shall his face now wax pale Supple For fear q. d. Neither shall he now be afraid as he hath been lest his children should be utterly destroyed by the Assyrians through the wrath of God so that they be no more a people for the Assyrian is brought to nought vers 20. 23. When he seeth his children the work of mine hands i. e. When he seeth his children whom I have delivered out of the hands of the Assyrians A deliverance out of eminent and unavoydable danger of death is as it were a new Creation therefore doth the Lord call the Jews the work of his hands because he delivered them from the Assyrians In the midst of him i. e. In the midst of the Land which I gave him Gen. 28.13 Jacob himself is put here by a Metonymy for the Land which God gave Jacob as Moab is put for the Land of Moab Jerem. 40.11 Note that in the midst of the Land is put by an Hebrew redundancy for in the Land They shall sanctifie my Name q. d. They to wit his children shall sanctifie and praise my Name for their deliverance out of the hands of the Assyrians And if they shall sanctifie his Name He shall see them sanctifying it and so shall not be afraid for them but rejoyce rather My Name i. e. Me. An Hebraism And shall fear the God of Israel i. e. And they shall fear to offend the God of Israel and shall serve him and worship him And if they shall fear the God of Israel Jacob shall see that they fear him and so he shall not be ashamed for their sakes 24. They also that erred in spirit i. e. They also that erred in judgment and opinion thinking that Jerusalem would not have been delivered out of the hands of the Assyrians and that the Assyrians would not have been destroyed as they were He speaks of such that erred rather out of weakness and by being ignorantly misled then out of pride and malice as those scorners did mentioned vers 20. Shall come to understanding i. e. Shall experimentally know that what the Prophet prophecyed concerning the deliverance of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Assyrians was true They that murmured It is probable that many otherwise none of the worst when they were distressed and found some hardship in the siege of Jerusalem did murmur against Isaiah who prophecyed of the deliverance of Jerusalem and did what he could to hold up their drooping spirits with that hope Shall learn doctrine i. e. Shall learn the Instruction of the Lord which shall teach them not to murmur any more at his Prophets in whatsoever case they are ISAIAH CHAP. XXX WO to the rebellious children i. e. When the report was first spred abroad of Sennacheribs intent to march out of Assyria with an huge Army the Jews which lived out of Jerusalem in other parts of the Land of Judah and many also which lived in Jerusalem were distracted and in doubt what to do to preserve themselves Some thought it best to comply with the Assyrians and to practise with them for the surrender or giving up of the whole Land into their hands Others thought it best to call in the Egyptians to their ayd And this did they both in so foul a manner as that the one scrupled not to profess the Religion of the Assyrians and the other of the Egyptians to save their lives Onely King Hezekiah and some few with him chose rather to trust in the promises of God which he had promised by Isaiah then to do as the others did Against those which thought it best to call in the ayd of the Egyptians and endeavored to bring them into help them doth the Prophet here inveigh To the rebellious children It is rebellion in man to do any thing against the Will of God as these men did by distrusting God and trusting in the arm of flesh See cap. 1.20 That take counsel Supple How to save themselves from the fury of Sennacherib and the Assyrians But not of me q. d. But not of my Prophets whose counsel is my counsel That cover with a covering but not of my Spirit Note that the word Spirit is a word of many significations with the Hebrews but among the many significations which it hath any act of the Will or Understanding is called the spirit And any quality or ability of doing is called the spirit so that the spirit may here signifie counsel and advice or it may signifie power and protection And the meaning of this place may be this q. d. And which cover themselves with a covering but not of my advising or to which I advised them Or the meaning of this place may be this q. d. And which cover themselves with a covering but not with the covering of my power and protection that is which get themselves ayd to defend
the Prophet calls them here deceits Note also that it is not to be understood that the people used these formall words to the Prophets Speak unto us smooth things prophesie deceits But because they love and speak well of false Prophets which speak smooth things and hated the true Prophets which prophesied such things as they liked not and so as much as in them lay they discouraged the true Prophets and heartned the false yea as much as if they had done it in those formall words therefore doth he say that they said Speake unto us smooth things prophesie unto us deceits 11. Get ye out of the way By the way is meane the usuall way or manner of prophesying which Isaiah and other Prophets of the Lord used to this people which was to tell them of their sins and transgressions and of the punishments which God would bring upon them if they repented not Because a way is beaten by often going to and fro and so becomes a way hence a way may by a Metaphor signifies the iteration or repetition or frequent use of any lesson or prophesie These are still the words of the people to the Lords Prophets Turn aside out of the path This is a repetition of the former sentence Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from us i. e. Cause the Word of the Holy One of Israel to cease from us and let us hear it no more By the Holy One of Israel is meant the Word of the Holy One of Israel revealed to the Prophets by a Metonymy Yet because the Prophets when they did pronounce any Prophecy were wont to say Thus saith the Holy One of Israel c. The Prophet may in allusion thereto bring in this people saying Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from us that is Let us not any more hear thee say The Holy One of Israel or Thus saith the Holy One of Israel which is as much as to say Prophecy no more in the name of the God of Israel 12. Because ye despise this Word q. d. Because whereas the Lord said of you your strength is to sit still v. 7. you despise that word and will not hearken to it And trust in oppression By oppression he meaneth riches gotten by oppression Per Metonymiam Efficientis They are said to trust in riches because they doubt not but by the riches which they intend to sent into Egypt v. 6. to procure aide from thence against the Assyrians on which aide they would rely And perverseness i. e. And the aide which ye hope to procure from Egypt against the Assyrians This he calls perverseness because it was contrary to the Word of God who forbad them to seek to Egypt for ayd and commanded them to sit still at home and trust in him yet so perverse and refractory were they that they would not obey This and the former word signifie the same fault of these men 13. This iniquity Supple That ye despise this Word of God and trust in oppression and perverseness This iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall swelling out in an high wall whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant The sence is q. d. You shall be by reason of this your iniquity as a piece of an high wall which is ready to fall and swells out yea that falls and breaks to pieces at an instant suddenly For as such a piece of an high wall falls and breaks to pieces at an instant suddenly So shall ye fall and be broken to pieces and destroyed suddenly at an instant who have committed this iniquity It may be here objected against this Interpretation That the Prophet compareth iniquity to the breach ready to fall and so most interpret it q. d. As a breach ready to fall swelling out in an high wall breaks and falls of a sudden and kills those which chance to walk under it So shall this iniquity bring a sudden destruction upon you which are the workers of it But this your Interpretation makes the men themselves like the piece of an high wall which swells out and is ready to fall Ans To this I answer That in parables and similitudes we must look upon the whole body of the sentence and take the whole meaning from the whole not part from part lest when we go about too accurately to divide it in pieces we destroy the whole See Notes Cap. 17.5 upon those words And it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim See also Notes cap. 29.16 The piece of the wall therefore which swelled out resembleth the men which commited this iniquity rather then the iniquity it self And that which resembleth the iniquity was the cleft or crack in the wall which caused that piece to swell out and be ready to fall As a breach A breach may signifie elsewhere a crack or a cleft but here it signifies a part or piece of a wall which swells out and is ready to fall by reason of some crack or cleft or breach which is in it by a Metonymy In an high wall This wall is to be understood of a wall made of brick or stone and he saith an high wall because the higher the wall is the more ready is such a breach or piece of the wall to fall and the greater is the fall when it cometh Whose breaking i. e. The actual falling of which breach by which it breaks asunder into little pieces 14. And he shall break it i. e. For the Lord the holy One of Israel shall break you because of this your iniquity And is to be taken here for For. By He is meant the Lord the holy One of Israel By It the sins or workers of this iniquity For note that that which the Lord is here meant to break is the people which committed the forementioned iniquity not the iniquity which they committed as some expound it nor the breach in the wall mentioned in the former Verse as others Object But you will say that the words run thus And he shall break it not And he shall break you or that he shall break them and this Relative It relates either to the word iniquity or to the word breach going before not to those Which despise his Word Vers 12. Ans It is true that the Relative Particle It doth relate either to the word iniquity or the word breach going before if we look to the Grammar construction But as I said in such parables and similitudes as these are we must not look to the words and Grammatical construction but to the sence of the place See the afore-cited place cap. 17.5 And if we look not to the words but to the sence of this place we shall finde that it relates to those words Which despise the Word of God and trust in oppression and perverseness and stay thereon And because the Prophet compared these workers of iniquity to the breach in a wall he might say of them He shall break It
for He shall break them in regard that he compared them to the breach in a wall So because our Prophet compared the holy One of Israel to a fire he saith of the holy One of Israel not He but It shall burn and devour his thorns and his bryars in one day Cap. 10.17 As the breaking of a Potters vessel i. e. According to the breaking of a Potters vessel or earthen pot or as if a man should break an earthen pot or a Potters vessel Which is broken in pieces i. e. Which a man dasheth with all his might against the stones and so breaks into small bits or pieces He shall not spare i. e. The holy One of Israel shall not spare Supple these sinners These words may be read with a Parenthesis So that there shall not be found in the bursting of it i. e. So that there is not to be found when it is broke These depend upon those words That is broken in pieces A sheard to take fire from the harth or to take water withall out of the pit i. e. A sheard big enough to take fire from the harth or water out of the pit Poor people even at this day use potsheards to take up and carry fire in and to catch up water out of a pond or pit or river for their use Out of the pit In Judea which was a mountainous and so a dry Country a great part of it there were many pits made to save and keep water in for necessary uses 15. In returning i. e. I said that by returning or if ye would return from your purpose and alter your resolution of sending for ayd to Egypt and of relying upon the Egyptians c. This phrase is Metaphorical translated from the body to the minde Note that these words I said are here to be understood And rest i. e. And by rest and sitting still at home or if you would take your rest and sit still at home and not go down into Egypt Ye shall be saved Supple From the hand of the Assyrian In quietness i. e. In sitting quietly at home and not travelling into Egypt This is a repetition of the former sentence And in confidence i. e. And in trusting and confiding in me the Lord who have promised to save you if you rely on me and confide on me Shall be your strength Their strength was said to be in this quietness and confidence because if they would have been quiet and confided in God God would have strengthened them so as that their Enemies the Assyrians should not have prevailed against them And ye would not i. e. But ye would not Subaudi Harken to the Word of me the Lord and believe it ye would not return and rest at home ye would not be quiet and confide in me 16. But ye said No q. d. But ye said No We will not return and alter our purpose we will not rest and sit still at home but we will go down into Egypt and get strength from thence We will flee upon horses i. e. We will get our selves many good Horses that we may if we be routed and overcome by the Assyrians flee the faster from them In Judea there were great abundance of Asses 1 Chron. 27. v. 30. therefore their Princes and chief men were wont to ride upon Asses Judg. 10.4 12.14 But there was great scarcity of Horses for the Lord had forbidden them to multiply Horses Deut. 17.16 But Judea was not so scarce of Horses but Egypt was as full Deut. 17.16 and 1 King 10. v. 28. therefore did these Jews desire ayd of the Egyptians and send their Embassadors thither to procure good store of Horses thence for this their service Therefore shall ye flee Supple Before your Enemies the Assyrians This is the judgment threatned against their sin And we will ride upon the swift i. e. We will get us the swift creatures that if need be we may flee swiftly from our Enemies By the swift he meaneth Horses per Metonymiam Adjuncti with which Egypt abounded which were far more swift then Asses which were bred in Judea Therefore shall they which pursue you be swift i. e. Therefore shall your Enemies the Assyrians be swift also and shall pursue you and overtake you This is a repetition of what was said immediately before in both which places the Prophet plays in his words making the sin and punishment alike Note here that though the Prophet attributes these words we will flee upon horses and we will ride upon the swift to the men of Judah as spoken by them yet it is probable that they never used these formall words for they were so confident of the strength of Egypt as that they were not likely to speak of flying but because the Prophet fore-saw that they would flee before their enemies and that that was all the steed their horses would stand them in namely to flee therefore he brings them in saying we will flee vpon horses we will ride upon the swift so doth he bring them in speaking and saying We have made lyes our refuge and under falsehood have we hid our selves Cap. 28.15 And Prophesie not unto us right things speak unto us smooth things prophesie deceits Cap. 30.10 whereas it is not likely that they would use those formal words though they did and said as much in effect See the notes upon those severall places One thousand Supple Of you Jews Shall flee at the rebuke of One i. e. Shall flee if they do but hear the voice of one single Assyrian threatning them At the rebuke of five i. e. At the chiding or threatning of a very few He puts a certain for an uncertain number Shall ye flee i. e. Shall ye all flee Till ye be left as a Beacon upon the top of a mountain q. d. Till there be not two of you left together in company A Beacon is one only single Post or Pole whereon there is a pan fastened to the top in which they put pitch and flax or some such like combustible matter which they set on fire in the time of danger this useth to be set on an high hill that it may be the more conspicuous and seen the further off But happily the Beacon here meant is only a bare Mast or Pole set up in an eminent place by the Sea-side As an Ensign on an hill i. e. As a single Banner which is pitcht upon an high hill See cap. 13.2 18. And therefore will the Lord waite that He may be gracious unto you and therefore will He be exalted that He way have mercy upon you The sense is q. d. Yet nevertheless the Lord will waite and He will be exalted for these words are to be understood here by a Syllepsis the like whereunto we observed cap. 3.6 And therefore will the Lord wait that He may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you He useth an Apostrophe to the faithfull
in Jerusalem For the better understanding of this place note that the destruction which the Lord threatned against those which went down to Egypt for strength the Lord brought upon those men by the Assyrians whom he brought so suddainly upon them as that their destruction is said to have come upon them suddenly at an instant vers 13. And so being suddainly surprized and unprovided they became a prey to the sword of their enemies But though the Lord intended to bring ths Assyrians against Jerusalem as wel as against other parts and Cities of Judah yet he brought them not so suddainly against her as against other Cities and places for after the Assyrians came and entred into Judah and encamped against the fenced Cities thereof the men of Jerusalem had time to take counsel and to fortifie their City and to hunble themselves and in a solemn manner to commend themselves to Gods protection and rely upon him for safety before the Assyrians pitched against her 2 Chron. cap. 32. ver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. By which means they were able to hold out against the Assyrians untill the Assyrians themselves were destroyed Therefore because the Lord brought not the Assyrians so soon against the men of Jerusalem as he did against other the men of Judah but staid untill the men of Jerusalem had exceedingly well fortified their City and had humbled themselves and in a solemn manner committed themselves to the Lords protection The Lord is said here to waite And therefore c. Note that And is put here for Yet notwithstanding for he opposeth here the condition of the faithfull in Jerusalem to the condition of those which he hitherto spoke of Will the Lord waite i. e. Will the Lord stay till ye have fortified your City and put your selves in a solemn manner under his protection before he brings the Assyrians against you To waite is put here for to stay or to tarry because they use to stay and tarry which use to waite for any one That he may be gracious unto you i. e. That he may shew favour unto you for it was Gods favour and mercy to keep off the Assyrians from the men of Jerusalem till they had fortified their City and solemnly committed themselves to the Lords protection otherwise they might have been destroyed by the Assyrians as well as other the men of Judah Will he be exalted i. e. Will he defer his punishment intended against you that is He will defer the bringing of the Assyrians against you c. This sense this place requireth for this is a repâ—tition of the former sentence but how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be exalted should come to signifie to defer a punishment is a question Some think that the Prophet alludes to a man correcting his son or his servant with a rod who stretcheth out his arm and lifteth up his whole body and standeth on tip-toe that he may fetch the greater stroke but the higher he lifteth up himself and the further he stretcheth out his arm the longer he is before he strikes from whom to be exalted or to exalt himself may be taken say they for to defer a punishment or to be long before he strikes by a Metaphor Others say thus When God is about to punish he is said to come out of his place which is heaven as cap. 26.21 and Mic. 1.3 That therefore he might punish this people he came as it were out of heaven but because he would not then punish them but spare them a little longer he returned on high into Heaven to his place again Hence to be exalted that is to return on high or to go up to Heaven signifieth they say to deferre a punishment and to spare a while Others say thus When God doth any notable thing he is said to be exalted and glorified Per Metonymiam Effecti Because he doth that for which he may justly be exalted and glorified See cap. 12.4 and cap. 26.15 Now because God was willing to shew his long-suffering and forbearance a while longer to his faithful people which must needs redound to the praise and glory of God The Prophet saith he will be exalted for he will suffer them and spare them a little longer Per Metonymiam Effecti That he may have mercy upon you i. e. That ye may not be destroyed by the Assyrians This as I said is but a repetition of the former sentence already expounded For the Lord is a God of judgment i. e. For the Lord is a God of mercy and compassion Judgment is taken here for mercy or compassion and so it is taken Jer. 10.24 where it is said O Lord correct me but in thy judgment not in thine anger c. Where judgment is opposed to anger and is taken for mercy or pitty or compassion Or judgment may be taken here for discretion and God may be called a God of judgment because he knoweth how to punish one and how another how to shew favour to some and how to deny it to others That waite for him i. e. That waite for his aide and for his mercy and deliverance and run not to Egypt for strength c. 19. For the people Supple That waite for the Lord that is for the aide and mercy of the Lord at this time He makes good that here which he said in the former verse to wit Blessed are they which waite for him and he speaks of the faithful of Jerusalem here in the third person to whom he spoke a little before in the second Shall dwell in Sion at Jerusalem i. e. Shall dwell in safety at Jerusalem Supple when the Assyrians destroy all the Land besides Shall dwell in Sion Sion was an impregnable Fort in Jerusalem as appears 2 Sam. 5. v. 6 7 c. Wherefore to dwell in Sion may proverbially signifie to dwell in safety Thou shalt weep no more Supple After a while The Prophet turneth his speech again to the people of Jerusalem which did waite for the Lord. He will be very gracious unto thee i. e. The Lord will be very gracious unto thee and shew thee a great deal of favour At the voice of thy cry i. e. When thou criest to him for help against the Assyrians When he shall hear it i. e. When he shall hear thy cry that is when thou shalt cry unto him He will answer thee For God to answer us when we cry or pray is in the Scripture phrase for God to grant our request 20. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity i. e. Wherefore though the Lord give you the bread of adversity c. And for Wherefore Though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction q. d. Though the Lord suffer you to be besieged in Jerusalem by Sennacheribs Army during which time ye shall have but a little bread and a little water allowed you a is usuall in besieged Cities where every one hath his bread and his
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
is fire and much wood q. d. There is a pile in it and that pile is very great consisting of fire and much wood While Tophet was employed to Idolatry and Moloch was there worshipped there was a pile or piles of wood there continually provided to burn their children withall to Moloch To this pile or piles of wood doth the Prophet here allude and saith that the pile of Tophet which is prepared for the Assyrians to burn them up and consume them as the children of Idolaters were wont to be burned to Moloch and consumed is very great by which the Prophet signifies either that the Assyrians which besieged Jerusalem should be destroyed by fire which is according to the Tradition of the Hebrews or that they should be destroyed as suddenly as if it were by fire as others are of opinion So that herein is a double allusion first to the pile of wood which was wont to be provided here for the sacrificing of children secondly to the manner of the destruction of the Assyrians by the Angel which was by fire or as in as quick a manner as if it had been done by fire The breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it By this he denoteth the anger of the Lord against the Assyrians and speaketh of God as of an angry man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and alludes to the breath of an angry man which is exceeding hot and proceeds from his nostrils and from his mouth like a stream See Notes vers 28. ISAIAH CHAP. XXXI WO to them that go down to Egypt The subject of this Chapter is the same with the former See therefore notes on cap. 30.1 For help Supple Against the Assyrians under Sennacherib And stay on horses ii e. And put their confidence in horses which they hope to procure from Egypt The word stay is metaphoricall taken from a Staff which is the stay of a man which leaneth on it In Charets i. e. In warlike Charets which they likewise expect from Egypt Because they are many q. d. Which stay or trust in the number or multitude of Horses and Charets because it is great But they look not unto the Holy One of Israel Supple To ask strength of him Neither seek the Lord Supple For his counsel and advise what he would have them to do in this invasion of the Assyrians See cap. 30.1 2. Yet he also is wise q. d. Yet they might have asked counsel of the Lord and sought to him for advice for he is wise as well as they whom they make their Counsellors And will bring evil q. d. And because they have despised his wisdom in passing him by and asking counsel at others mouths he will bring evill upon these wicked men whereby they shall know that he is so wise as to know when he is neglected and that he is strong also And will not call back his words Supple By which he hath threatned to bring evill upon them He threatned a Wo against them in the former Chapter and he threatneth the like in this But will arise Supple Like a Lion Against the house of evil doers i. e. Against the family of these men which went down into Egypt for Horses and Charets and rely upon them but asked not counsel at God nor relyed on him And against the help of them that work iniquity i. e. And against the aid and auxiliary forces of these men which have committed this sin i. e. Against the Egyptians which come to help them 3. Now the Egyptians are men and not God The Prophet prevents an Objection here for sinful man might say yea but it is not so easie a thing as you speak of for the Holy One of Israel to overthrow the Egyptians which are these mens help and the force of horses which they will bring To which the Prophet answers q. d. Yea but it is an easie matter for the Lord to overthrow the Egyptians and their horses for the Egyptians are men not God and their horses flesh and not spirit Are men And therefore weak creatures yea they are but as the grass that withereth and as the flower of the field which fadeth away cap. 40.6 7. And not God For God is but One but such a One as the nations are but as the drop of a Bucket and as the small dust of the Ballance in comparison of him Cap. 40.15 And their Horses flesh And therefore weak and no better then grass cap. 40.6 And not spirit As God is who is therefore of great strength yea omnipotent because he is an uncreated Spirit When the Lord shall stretch out his hand i. e. Therefore when the Lord smiteth them He alludes to the stretching out or lifting up of the arm or hand in striking and speaks of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Both he that helpeth i. e. Both the Egyptians which help these perverse Jews against the Assyrians And he that is holpen i. e. And these perverse Jews which have help and aid from the Egyptians Shall fall down i. e. Shall be beaten down They all i. e. All the Egyptians which come to the help of these Jews and all these Jews which procured the help of the Egyptians Shall fail together Shall perisn together by the Assyrians 4. For thus hath the Lord spoken i. e. Moreover or But yet or Yet neverthelesse for one of these is the Particle For put thus hath the Lord spoken c. Is called forth against him Supple To keep him from the sheep or greater cattle which he would make his prey He will not be afraid of their voice Supple Whereby they think to fright him and scare him away The Pronoun He is redundant here after the Hebrew manner Nor abase himself Nor carry himself basely by running away Come down Supple Out of heaven or come down from between the Cherubins He speaks of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To fight Supple Against the Assyrian whose multitude shall not make him afraid For Mount Sion i. e. For Jerusalem See Cap. 1.8 And the hill thereof i. e. And the hill of Zion This is a repetition of the former words 5. As birds flying Supple Defend their young ones Flying i. e. Extending and stretching out their wings over them as they do when they fly See cap. 6. v. 2. Thus hens defend their chickens or flying that is flying against the Kite or Hawk or man which would take their young ones away thus many birds which are otherwise timerous do defend their young ones Defending also he will deliver it i. e. He will defend it and deliver it from the Assyrians And passing over i. e. And passing over it while he destroyeth all other the Cities and Villages of Judah which did distrust him and seek for help to the Egyptians He alludeth to that place of Exodus cap. 12.13 where the Lord seeing the blood upon the side-posts and the upper door-posts of the houses of the children of Israel passed over the Children
his goodness towards us Among many significations of this word spirit it is often taken of the Hebrews for any quality or passion of the minde and here it is taken for goodness or love He likeneth here the blessings of God and the works effects of his mercy and goodness to plenty of waters because of the abundance thereof when he saith the spirit shall be poured forth Vpon us viz. Jews From on high i. e. From Heaven And the Wilderness be a fruitful Field i. e. And our enemies the Assyrians which are exalted like a Wilderness be brought low like a fruitful Field or Valley which lyeth low See notes cap. 29.17 The fruitful Field be counted for a Forrest i. e. And the Jews which at this time shall be in a low condition and oppressed by their enemies the Assyrians and therefore like a fruitful Field which lyeth low be delivered from their low condition and exalted as a Forrest yea as the Forrest of Lebanon which was on high on an high hill See cap. 29.17 Be counted for a Forrest i. e. Become as a Forrest even the Forrest of Lebanon See cap. 29.17 Note that Wildernesses and Forrests are for the most part the barrenest places of the earth and therefore are scituate upon Hills and Mountains and the highest parts of the earth which are least fruitful as being furthest from springs and streams to water them however sure we are that the Wildernesses and Forrests about Judea and which were best known to the Jews were seated on Hills as the Forrest of Lebanon to which the Prophet seemeth chiefly to allude 16. Then judgement shall dwell in the Wilderness i. e. Then will God inflict his judgments or punishments upon our enemies the Assyrians and make them as it were to dwell among them Judgment is put here for judgment which produceth punishment By the Wilderness he meaneth the Forrest or Hill of Lebanon and by that the enemies of the Jews the Assyrians who were lifted up with pride and who were at this time high in power and wealth c. See v. 15. and cap. 29.17 He saith judgment shall dwell in the Wilderness to shew that it shall not be a light judgment which passeth away but such as shall continue upon them till it hath consumed them The effects of this judgment were inflicted by the Angel of God 2 Kings 19.35 And righteousness remain in the fruitful Field i. e. And the goodness and mercy of God shall shew it self to the Jews which were at this time like a fruitful field or valley which lyeth low in respect of their low condition by the effects thereof By righteousness is meant goodness and mercy to wit the goodness and mercy of God for righteousness is taken sometimes for goodness and mercy as Psal 112. v. 3 9. and 2 Cor. 9.9 10. In which sence also Joseph as called a just or righteous man Mat. 1.19 By the fruitful field is meant metaphorically the Jewes in their low condition as v. 15. The righteousness here spoken of is said to remain in the fruitful field because of the continuance of it to the Jews as judgment was said to dwell in the wilderness because of the continuance thereof among their enemies the Assyrians Note that he speaks of judgment and righteousness here as of two persons by a Metaphor or Prosopopoeia 17. And the work of righteousnes shall be peace i. e. And the effect or fruit of the aforesaid righteousness which shall remain in the fruitful field shall be peace and prosperity And the effect of righteousness c i. e. This is a repetition of the former words Assurance Viz. Of peace and prosperity For ever i. e. For a long time 18. My people See v. 13. In sure dwellings i. e. In dwellings which shall be safe 19. When it shall hail coming down on the Forrest i. e. When on the contrary the wrath of God shall come down and fall upon their enemies the Assyrians like storms of hail Hail doth often signifie by a Metaphor the wrath and anger of God and the effects thereof as cap. 28.2 and elsewhere By the Forrest are meant metaphorically the Assyrians which were the enemies of the Jews as v. 13. and cap. 27.10 c. Coming down i. e. The hail coming down with much violence And the City shall be low in a low place That is And Babylon shall be brought down to a low condition By the City is meant Babylon which was the greatest or one of the greatest Cities which were under the Assyrians and this City was brought low soon after the defeat of Sennacheribs Army before Jerusalem for soon after that it was taken by the Medes See cap. 13 Yet by Babylon we may understand here not the material City of Babylon but the Assyrians who were the Lords of Babylon and who at this time warred against Judah and perished before Jerusalem as by Kir a chief City of the Medes was meant the Medes which served under Salmaneser against Samaria cap. 22.6 20. Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters that send forth thither the feet of the Oxe and the Asse q. d. O ye men of Judah ye shall also at that time be happy for ye shall sow your seeds in grounds which shall be watered and therefore very fruitful and the Corn which you sow shall yield such increase and be so rank as that ye shall be fain to send in your cattle to eat it down All waters i. e. Abundance of waters or many waters All for Many Thither Supple Where ye have sowed your seed The feet of the Ox and Asse i. e. The Ox and the Asse there to feed and eat down your over-rank Corn. He puts the feet of the Oxe and Asse by a Synechdoche for the Oxe and the Asse themselves ISAIAH CHAP. XXXIII WO to thee that spoylest This place is also to be understood of Sennacherib to whom the Prophet makes this Apostrophe That spoylest Supple The Land of Judah and all other Lands And thou wast not spoyled i. e. When thou wast not spoyled by them whom thou hast spoyled whereby thou shouldst be provoked to spoyl them again And dealest treacherously Supple With the Jews and other people See Cap. 21. vers 2. And they have not delt treacherously with thee i. e. When they with whom thou hast delt treacherously have not delt treacherously with thee whereby they should provoke thee to deal treacherously with them When thou shalt cease to spoyl i. e. When thou shalt have spoyled so much and so long time as God will suffer thee to spoyl others and the time appointed for that is come to an end c. that is as the Prophet speaks Cap. 10.12 when the Lord hath performed his whole work which he will perform by thee upon Mount Sion and on Jerusalem c. Thou shalt be spoyled Understand this of Sennacherib in respect of his Army which was destroyed by the Angel 2 King 19.35 and the spoyls thereof taken
force of Arms but they should not prevail against it or take it The ground of the Proverbs seem to be taken from a woman who having companyed with her husband thinks she hath conceived by him and is in hope that she shall bring forth a man-childe into the world but she is deceived for her conception was a false conception and she bringeth forth nought Chaff and stubble are as nought and so to be here taken Your breath as fire shall devour you q. d. Your wrath and indignation against my people shall be your ruine and destruction By their breath he means their anger per Metonymiam Effecti because anger makes a mans breath hot See cap. 30.33 And their breath that is their anger is said to devoure them as fire because their anger towards the Jewâ— should provoke God to destroy them by his Angel in revenge of his people whom they oppressed 12. And the people q. d. And the people which ye have gathered together to serve you in your siege against Jerusalem Shall be as the burning lime i. e. Shall be as chalk which men burn in a Kilne to make lime of Therefore shall they be like to such chalk because they shall be burned in the fire as such chalk is burned Of lime That is Of chalk of which they make lime The burnings of lime are put here per Metonymiam Adjuncti for lime or chalk that is burned As thorns cut up shall they be burnt in the fire We have often observed that this destruction of the Assyrians is described as done by fire whether is was accomplished by fire indeed as the Hebrews think or whether it was said to be done by fire because it was as suddain and as fearful as if it had bin done by fire 13. Hear ye that are a far off what I have done c. This is an Epiphonema to exhort and stirre up all people to praise God for this his marvelous act of destroying the Assyrians where the Lord is brought in speaking of a thing to come as if it were already past 14. The sinners in Sion are afraid By these sinners he means those which would not beleeve Isaiahs Prophecy concerning the Lords delivery of Jerusalem from the Assyrians and the Assyrians destruction of whom also we read cap. 29. v. 9 10. And therefore were afraid of the Assyrians and took secret counsel either to surrender all into the Assyrians hands or otherwise to comply with the Assyrians that so the Assyrians might spare them and would not trust in the Lord their God for safety As for the connexion of these words with the former it is q. d. I have told you that the Lord will preserve Jerusalem and destroy the Assyrians yet will not the sinners in Sion beleeve it but are afraid of the Assyrians and say who amongst us shall dwell with the devouring fire c In Sion i. e. In Jerusalem A Synecdoche of a part for the whole Are afraid Viz. Of the Assyrians Fearfulness hath surprized the Hypocrits By the Hypocrits he meaneth those sinners which he spoke of in the fore-going sentence whom he calls Hypocrits because they did frequent the Temple and served God with their mouths but would not beleeve his word which he spake by Isaiah in their heart nor trust in him See Cap. 29.13 Or he calls them Hypocrits because they dissembled by their countenance and carriage what they had in their minde and thoughts Who amongst us Supple Say they Who amongst us c. q. d. Who even amongst us say they which dwell in Jerusalem though a fenced City Who amongst us shall dwell with the devouring firâ— q. d. The Assyrians have now possessed all the Land and they which will dwell in the Land must dwell with them but who even amongst us of Jerusalem can dwell with them in the Land in safety so long as he is out of friendship with them for they are as a devouring fire and everlasting burnings to all that are out of friendship with them and will not in time submit to them say they Shall dwell i. e. Shall dwell safely They liken the Assyrians to devouring fire because as the devouring fire consumeth all combustible matter which is near it so did the Assyrians destroy all the neighbouring people and all people which they approached to with their forces which would not submit to them and make their peace with them Who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings This is every way a repetiti of the former sentence By burnings he means fire Per Metonymiam Adjuncti and by everlasting burnings he meanes unquenchable fire or fire that cannot be quenched untill it hath consumed all Note that the Hypocrits did not speak these words openly but they said them in their heart where God took notice of them and revealed them to his Prophet Isaiah Note also that they spoke them in their heart out of the fear that they had of the Assyrians and out of a desire they had to make their peace with them 15. He that walketh righteously The Prophet here answers the question which the sinners in Sion make in the former Verse As if he should say to those sinners Ye ask saying Who amongst us shall dwell with the devouring fire Who amongst us shall dwell with the eâ—erlasting burnings As though it were so that none could dwell in the Land no not in Jerusalem in safety by reason of the Assyrians but such as had made their peace with them But I will tell you who shall dwell with the devouring fire I will tell you who shall dwell with the everlasting burnings Even he that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly By these which walk righteously and speak uprightly the Prophet meaneth such as did believe his words concerning the preservation of Jerusalem against the Assyrians and did trust in God whom he here describes by their Adjuncts Note that the Prophet describes these men which believed his Prophecy concerning the preservation of Jerusalem from the Assyrians by signs and attributes contrary to those by which he described those which would not believe this his Prophecy and trust in God for delivery from the Assyrians Cap. 29.20 21. For they which would not believe his Prophecies there did not onely not believe what he said but did persecute him and seek to take away his life and took bribes some of them for that end contrary to what they did which believed his sayings here for they here hated all such wicked doings He that despiseth the gain of Oppressions i. e. He that despiseth gain gotten or to be gotten by Oppressions and therefore will not for gain oppress the Lords servants as they did Cap. 29.21 That shaketh his hands from holding of bribes i. e. He that will not take a bribe to do any wrong but hateth it He alludeth here to the manner of men who if they touched by chance any foul or unclean thing shake their hands that they may cast it off if
Ans In similitudes we must not be too curious to make part to answer part but it is enough that the whole answers the whole So the ruine and destruction of the Army answers to the shipwrack of a ship though the particular parts of the Army answer not to these particular tacklings and furniture of the ship and to the Mariners which are therein Then is the prey of a great spoyl divided q. d. Thou shalt be wrecked and then when thou art wreck'd that is when thine Army is destroyed shall the prey of a great spoyl be divided among the men of Jerusalem He puts here a Relative without an Antecedent and a present for a future tense And he either passeth from the Metaphor of a ship to the custom or manner of Wars where when the Enemy is vanquished or destroyed his spoyls are taken and divided Or else alludeth to the people which dwell on the Sea-coasts who hearing of the wreck of a ship come in abundance to carry away the goods thereof which are found on the shoar The lame take the prey i. e. They which are weak and impotent shall take the prey A present is put here for a future tense He puts the lame here for those which are weak and impotent and not able to make resistance by a Metaphor And such did the Assyrians esteem the Jews to be whom they besieged in Jerusalem 2 King 18.23 yet these lame men that is these which the Assyrians esteemed so weak and unable to resist them took the prey of their great spoyls Or when he saith the lame take the prey the Prophet may signifie that the spoyl of the Assyrians Camp should be so great as that they that were nimble and lusty should not be able to make away with it but they that were lame and went but softly should come time enough to have part of the prey 24. The Inhabitant i. e. The Inhabitants Supple of Jerusalem He puts a singular for a plural number The inhabitant shall not say I am sick In besieged Cities some grievous sickness or other and such as is contagious useth to assail the Inhabitants thereof by reason that they have not that liberty of ayr and wholesomness of diet and change of rayment and abundance of necessaries as they were wont to have at other times which sickness consumeth many and rageth even after the siege is broken up That therefore which the Prophet saith is this That notwithstanding that that the Inhabitants of Jerusalem should be besieged by Sennacheribs Army yet they should not be assailed by any sickness as they which are besieged are wont to be The people that dwell therein i. e. The people which dwell in Jerusalem The people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity God is said in the Scripture-phrase to forgive iniquity when he pardons the punishment which he hath begun or hath threatned to inflict for those iniquities yea he is said to forgive them when he pardoneth those punishments though he doth inflict afterwards other punishments great and grievous So we read that the Lord forgave his people though he took vengeance of their inventions Psal 99.8 So Nathan said to David The Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not dye Howbeit because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the Enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the childe that is born of thee shall surely dye 2 Sam. 12.13 14. Because therefore God delivered his people from the siege of the Assyrians and saved them from all those diseases which use to accompany close sieges he is said here to forgive them their iniquity ISAIAH CHAP. XXXIV COme neer ye Nations to hear The Prophet here calls to all the Nations in the World to attend to what the Lord will do upon the Assyrians and their assistants by which we may understand that when that came to pass which the Prophet doth here prophecy of it was so wonderful as that the report thereof filled the whole World See the like Cap. 33.15 And all that is therein i. e. And all the Inhabitants thereof All things that come forth of it All Individuals which have had their Being since the Creation may be said to come forth of the World because they are or have been produced by and out of some part of the World I except not man himself though his better part be created of God 2. For the indignation of the Lord c. This Particle For sheweth that there is something worth thâ—ir attention and points at it what it is It is the indignation of the Lord upon all Nations c. Vpon all Nations i. e. Upon all the men of all those Nations which were joyned with the Assyrians against Jerusalem for Sennacherib King of Assyria had men of divers Nations in his Army Vpon all their Armies Supple Which they muster and bring against Jerusalem There were many lesser Armies raised by several people which were under the Assyrians dominions which we may gather from cap. 10.8 36.9 of which Senacherib made one exceeding great Army He hath utterly destroyed them He will utterly destroy them A Preterperfect for a Future tense He hath delivered them to slaughter i. e. He will deliver them to slaughter to be slain thereby He speaks of slaughter as of a person by a Prosopopoeia and means that slaughter which was made by the Angel 2 Kings 19.35 3. Their slain also shall be cast out Supple Into the open air to be a prey for the beasts of the field and fowls of the air And their stink shall come out of their carcasses i. e. And their carcasses shall rot and stink as they lie It appears by this that it was a good while before they which were slain by the Angel were all buried And the mountains shall be melted with their blood i. e. And so much blood of theirs shall be shed upon the mountains about Jerusalem as that it shall dissolve the very mountains and make them run down like melted wax An Hyperbole 4. And all the Host of Heaven shall be dissolved i. e. And all the Host of Heaven shall be as if they were dissolved or melted and in melting drop down The note of similitude is here left to be understood By the Host of Heaven he meaneth the Sun and Moon and Stars which he calls an Host because they are many and orderly and as obedient to God as an Army is to its General And he speaks of the Host of Heaven as of wax or as if they were made of wax by a Metaphor so that if they did melt they must needs drop down Therefore he saith that the Host of Heaven shall be as if they were dissolved and dropt down because they shall not be seen but shall be to the eye as if they were not And therefore shall they not be seen and be to the eye as if they were not because the air shall be so thick as that it shall hinder the sight thereof
and the air shall become so thick by reason of dark and thick fogs or mists or vapors arising out of the blood and putrefaction of the dead carcasses of the Assyrians An Hyperbole And the Heavens shal be rolled together as a scroll i. e. And the Heavens shall be as a scroll that is rolled together For as in a Scroll which is rolled together the words and letters which are therein written cannot be seen so in the Heavens neither the Sâ—n nor the Moon nor the Stars shall be perceived because of the darkness of the ayr intervening between the Earth and them By a Scrol he meaneth a parchment which the ancients were wont to use in stead of books which parchment was writ on but on one side and when they used it not they rolled it up as we do our Chancery rolles and Common Court rolles and so laid it by And all their Host shall fall down as the leaf falleth from the Vine and as a falling Fig from the Fig-tree This is but a repetition of those words The Host of Heaven shall be dissolved and that and this and the middle sentence signifie all one and the same thing viz. that the Heavens shall be darkened and the Host thereof the Sun and the Moon and the Stars shall not be seen The Heavens have their light by the benefit of the Sun and Moon and Stars which are therein so that if these should drop down or fall out of the Heavens the Heavens would be dark hence to signifie that the Heavens shall be dark at the time which he here speaketh of he saith that all their Host shall fall down as if he should say and the Heavens shall be as dark as if all their Host by which they have their light should fall down out of them As a falling Fig i. e. As a Fig which being either worm-eaten or blighted falls from the tree 5. For my sword c. i. e. Moreover my sword He puts For for Moreover as cap. 7.16 and speaks in the person of God My sword shall be bathed in Heaven Note that these words in Heaven are not to be referred to those which go next before them viz. be bathed for we must not think that God made this slaughter in Heaven but to those My sword and in particular to that possessive Pronoune My as it virtually containes in it a Primitive Pronoune Me or Of me q. d. My sword or the sword of me who am in heaven shall be bathed in blood c. He mentioneth here his dwelling place Viz. Heaven to shew that he is God and that he will punish the Edomites not as a man but as God Almighty See cap. 13.6 and cap. 47.3 Shall be bathed Supple In the blood of the Edomites whom I will slay By this he sheweth that he will shed abundance of blood and slay very many men Vpon Idumea This judgement befell the Edomites because they were the most bitter of all the nations against the Jews whereas they ought least of all to have bin so bitter against them being their brethren according to the flesh for the Jews were the Children of Jacob and the Edomites were the Children of Esau Jacobs Brother That which is here prophesied against Idumea was brought to passe by the Ethiopians as they marched against Assyria for they marched in an expedition against Assyria See cap. 18. By Idumea understand the Edomites which dwell in Idumea by a Metonymy Vpon the people of my curse i. e. Upon the people whom I have cursed Genitivus Adjuncti By the people of his curse he meaneth the people of Idumea or the Edomites whom he cursed at this time To judgment i. e. That I may execute my judgment upon them 6. The Sword of the Lord is filled with blood it is made fat with fatness i. e. The Sword of the Lord shall be filled with blood and made fat with fatness c. The Prophet speaketh here in his own person and useth a Present for a Future tense He speaks also of the Sword of the Lord as of a Lion or some other ravenous beast by a Metaphor which drinks the blood and feeds upon the flesh of other beasts as he doth also Cap. 31.8 And yâ—t he alludâ—s too to the Sacrifices and to the Altar in that he saith It shall be filled with the blood and made fat with the blood of Lambs and Goats and with the fat of the kidneys of Râ—ms For the blood of these beasts were sprinkled upon the Altar and the fat and the kidneys therâ—of were burnt upon the Altar as a burnt offering made with fire to the Lord Lev. 3.4 10.15 and on them did the Altar feed as a Lion upon his prey for which it is called Ariel that is the Lion of the Lord cap. 29.1 2. Where note as hath been often observed That the Prophet is very frequent in joyning or mingling Metaphors And with the blood of Lambs and Goats with the fat of the kidneys of Rams â— e. That is With the blood of the Lambs c. And is a Note of Explication here and is put for That is The Prophet compareth the Edomites here to Sacrifices and those kinde of Sacrifices especially in which the blood of the beasts sacrificed was to be sprinkled round about upon the Altar and the fat and the kidneys were to be burnt upon the Altars Lev. 7.4 For the Lord hath a Sacrifice in Bozra i. e. For the Lord hath a Sacrifice of many beasts to make in Bozra In Bozra Bozra was the chief City of Idumea A great slaughter in Idumea i. e. A great slaughter to make of beasts for Sacrifice in Idumea The Prophet speaks of the Lord here as of a man yea of a Levite or Priest rather And by this Metaphor he meaneth that the Lord would make a great slaughter and destruction of the Edomites 7. The Vnicorns shall come down with them By the Vnicorns which were accounted strong beasts he means Metaphorically the mighty and potent men of Idumea these he saith shall be brought down that is shall be slain with them that is with the Lambs and Goats and Rams mentioned Vers 6. which because they were of the lesser sort of Cattel do signifie here by a Metaphor the poor and meaner sort of men of the said Idumea Note here that the Vnicorns were not appointed for any kinde of Sacrifice therefore the Prophet sticks not close to one Metaphor but mingles Metaphors as even now and often before we observed And the Bullocks with the Bulls i. e. And the Bullocks shall come down that is shall be slain together with the Bulls A Bullock is little in respect of a Bull therefore by the Bullocks he meaneth metaphorically the poorer and meaner sort of people and by the Bulls the great and rich and mighty men of Idumea So that this is a repetition of the former words with which kinde of repetition the Prophet is much delighted And their Land i. e.
left to till and manure the ground Object The Prophet did Cap. 32.15 compare the Assyrians to the wilderness and the Jews to the fruitful field How cometh he therefore to compare Judea here to a Wilderness and a Desart Ans The Prophet when he compared the Assyrians to the wilderness and the Jews to the fruitful field had respect not to the qualities but to the scituations of the wilderness and fruitful field For because a wilderness being a dry barren ground is scituated for the most part on hills and the higher parts of the Earth higher surely then the fruitful field and the fruitful field is scituate in the valleys where it may be fed and refreshed with waters therefore did he compare the Assyrians which were high and proud of heart and Lords and Conquerors whithersoever they came to the wilderness and the Jews which were at that time in a poor and low condition to the fruitful field But here he compares Judea to a wilderness not in regard of the scituation but in regard of the qualities of a wilderness for because a wilderness is untilled unmanured unhusbanded uninhabited barren and fruitless and the Assyrians did depopulate and lay waste Judea as I said before therefore doth he here compare Judea to a wilderness And the solitary place By this also he meaneth Judea which he might call a solitary place because Sennacherib had made it waste and desolate and solitary at this time and driven out and slain all the inhabitants thereof those onely excepted which were in Jerusalem For them i. e. For the Jews because of the happiness which shall befall them He puts a Relative here without an Antecedent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Desart shall rejoyce and blossom as a Rose By the Desart he means the Land of Judah as he did by the wilderness and solitary place and this is in a manner a repetition of the former sentence When he saith the Desart shall rejoyce he speaks of the Land of Judah as of a man by a Metaphor or Prosopopoeia And because in man a merry heart makes a chearful countenance Prov. 15.13 therefore the Prophet in allusion to that saith that the Desart shall rejoyce and blossom as a Rose as if its rejoycing should make it blossom and put on a new and more chearful face Where by the By he prophecyeth also of the great abundance of fruit and the great fertility which shall be in Judea after the destruction of the Assyrians of which he also prophecyed Cap. 30.23 And blossom i. e. And flourish He useth here a Synecdoche speciei For though all trees and things which blossom do also flourish yet all things which flourish do not blossom Or else he alludeth to the blossoming of a Rose 2. It shall blossom abundantly i. e. It shall flourish abundantly and be exceeding fruitful Even with joy By this understand more then ordinary joy The glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it the excellency of Carmel and Sharon i. e. For the glory of Lebanon shall be given to it Understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For here Lebanon was a famous Forest abounding with tall Cedars and other trees very pleasant to the eye See Cap. 33.9 Carmel was also a most fruitful hill of which see also Cap. 33.9 Sharon was a place of most rich pastures of which also Cap. 33.9 When therefore the Prophet saith The glory of Lebanon shall be given to the Wilderness or Desart that is to Judea and the excellency of Carmel and Sharon the meaning That every part of Judea shall flourish and bear fruit exceedingly the woods as Lebanon the hills as Carmel the Dales as Sharon c. They shall see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God i. e. The Jews the inhabitants of Judea shall see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God But how shall they see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of their God Ans They shall see it in the effects thereof that is in the great store and abundance of all manner of fruit which the Lord shall give to the Land of Judah 3. Strengthen ye the weak hands q. d. Comfort ye therefore those which are fearful and faint-hearted at the thought of what they shall suffer by the Assyrians with these tydings That the Lord will destroy the Assyrians and when he hath destroyed them he will make the Land to flourish and to bring forth all manner of fruit in abundance This is spoken to all Prophets and all good men by an Apostrophe and this inference is drawn as well from the former Chapter as from this Fear makes a man to tremble and his hands to shake as though there were no strength in them for it causeth the spirits to retire towards the heart and to leave the outward parts destitute Hence he takes the weak hands here per Metonymiam Effecti Synecdochen partis for the fearful man Because comfort takes away fear by which the spirits return from the heart to the outward parts again and strengthen them hence he saith Strengthen the weak hands for Comfort them that are fearful Comfort the feeble knees This is a repetition of the former sentence Fear causeth the knees as well to be feeble and smite one against another as to hands to be weak and tremble See Dan. 5.6 4. Behold For behold Your God will come with vengeance i. e. Your God will come and take vengeance upon the Assyrians and those that take part with them against you c. Even God with a recompence i. e. Even your God will come with a recompence to recompence your Enemies for the mischief they have done or shall do you Save you Supple Out of the hands of the Assyrians and all other which joyn with the Assyrians against you 5. Then the eyes of the blinde shall be opened q. d. And then when he hath taken vengeance of the Assyrians and hath saved you they which do not now believe what I have so often spoken concerning our deliverance from the Assyrians and the blessings of God towards us shall see that that is true which I have so often spoken See Cap. 29.18 c. And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped This is the same for sence with the former sentence q. d. Then they which are dull of hearing and will not hear the joyful news of our delivery from the Assyrians because they believed it not shall have their ears unstopped and their unbelief taken away for they shall see the truth of this which they will not now believe See Cap. 29.18 6. Then shall the lame man leap as an Hart i. e. Then shall he which sat as a lame man pensive and moping by reason of grief and sorrow which he conceived from the miseries which the Assyrians brought or would bring upon the Land of Judah leap for joy as an Hart leapeth which is one of the nimblest of all creatures And the tongue of
general Then per Synecdochen generis an Assyrian and such as served the Assyrians in their Wars against Judah in particular He makes choyce of this word the unclean in this place rather then any other word thereby to signifie the Assyrians and other Enemies of Judah because he spoke of the Way of Holiness just before to which uncleanness is opposite It made much to the comfort of Gods people the Jews in the midst of their troubles to think That though they were heavily oppressed by the Assyrians yet they should ere long so far be delivered from the Assyrians which distressed them and besieged them in their own Land as that not one Assyrian or any other Enemy of theirs should be left in the Land to vex them which is signified by that that the unclean shall not pass over the way of Holiness But it shall be for those i. e. But it shall be onely for the Jews which are a clean and circumcised Nation that is for those Jews which the Lord shall preserve from the sword of the Assyrians to walk in By Those he meaneth the Jews where he put a Relative without an Antecedent as Vers 1. Note that the word Onely as it is often so it is here to be understood The wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein q. d. And they viz. the Jews which are a clean and circumcised Nation shall walk therein so dayly and so frequently and by their dayly and frequent walking therein make the way so beaten and plain as that wayfaring men which would travel in that Way cannot miss though they were fools 9. No Lion shall be there nor any ravenous beast go thereon By the Lion and the ravenous beast he meaneth metaphorically the Assyrian and such as served the Assyrian in his Wars against Judah And the sence of these words is the same with those The unclean shall not pass over it which he here amplifieth and which both are like to those Cap. 49.19 They that swallowed thee up shall be far away Because the Lion and the ravenous beasts are beasts of the wilderness and he had likened Judea to a wilderness vers 1 c. therefore doth he make choyce of the Lion and ravenous beast for his Metaphor Shall go up thereon He saith Shall go up thereon because the way was a causey elevated above the plain ground and therefore he which would walk thereon must ascend up or go up before he could walk thereon But the redeemed shall walk there i. e. But those Jews whom the Lord shall deliver out of the hand of the Assyrian they shall walk there 10. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return i. e. Those Jews which shall be dispersed upon the coming of the Assyrians into Judea into divers parts of the World as Assyria Egypt Pathros Cush Elam Shinar Hamah and the Islands of the Sea or which shall be carryed captive away by the Assyrians into Babylon shall return from thence into Judea See Cap. 11.11 Note that to redeem and ransom if they be taken strictly signifie to buy out with a price as slaves are bought out of the hands of the Turk but in a general notion they often signifie to deliver out of distress though without a price By the redeemed mentioned in the former Verse are meant those Jews which remained in their own Country in Jerusalem and were there saved by the hand of the Lord from the fury of the Assyrians By the ransomed mentioned in this Verse are meant those Jews which were either carryed captive into Assyria or fled into some other parts of the Earth to save themselves from the Assyrians and were saved there and brought back by the goodness of the Lord to them He calls them the redeemed and the ransomed by anticipation for as yet they were not redeemed and ransomed Shall return Supple Out of the several places where they have been as it were Exiles into their own Land the Land of Judah And come to Sion i. e. And they shall come Supple By that way or upon that way to the Temple of the Lord which is in Sion By Sion he meaneth the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem which was built there upon Mount Sion per Metonymiam subjecti With songs Supple Of rejoycing upon their solemn Feast days and upon other special occasions And everlasting joy upon their heads He saith And with everlasting joy upon their heads because he speaks of joy as of a crown which is wore upon the head Everlasting joy i. e. Joy which shall long continue and shall not be interrupted for many years Note that this word Everlasting doth not always signifie an infinite duration but very often a long time and yet not very long onely They shall obtain joy and gladness i. e. For they shall obtain such an happy condition as shall make them joyful and glad Understand For for these words contain a reason why they shall come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads And sorrow and sighing Supple Which the Assyrians have brought upon them through their Oppression and Tyranny ISAIAH CHAP. XXXVI NOw it came to pass in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah These things which Isaiah foretold concerning the desolation of Judea and the siege of Jerusalem by the Assyrians under Sennacherib and the deliverance of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Assyrian Army by the Angel came to pass in the days of Isaiah therefore the Prophet makes a short History thereof and adds it to his Prophecies concerning the same that it might appear to all how the event of things answered his Prophecies Came up With an exceeding great Army And took them Jerusalem is here to be excepted What the Prophet speaks here he speaks by anticipation for many things which he mentioneth after this in this History were acted before Sennacherib came against and took all the Cities which he came against and took 2. Rabshakeh This Rabshakeh was Sennacheribs chief Captain From Lacish Lacish was a City of Judah which Sennacherib besieged at this time To Jerusalem Jerusalem was the Metropolis and chief City of the Kingdom of Judah where Hezekiah King of Judah was at this time God having promised by Isaiah to preserve that City from the Assyrians With a great Army To besiege Jerusalem and take it by force if Hezekiah would not yield it upon terms And he stood by the Conduit of the upper pool i. e. And Rabshakeh stood c. There were two pools about Jerusalem whereof one was called the upper the other the lower pool from their scituation Upon both these pools at least upon the upper pool there were Conduits made to conduct water from thence into the City In the high-way of the Fullers field i. e. In the high-way which went through or by that field which was called the Fullers field which field was called the Fullers field because the Fullers were wont to dry their clothes there when they had washed them in
Hostility against that City yet he came not thither he came no farther then Nob Cap. 10.32 And there he heard of that destruction of his Army which lay before Hierusalem which turned him with all haste and feare towards his owne Land and he staied not till he came to Nineveh v. 37. And return Supple upon hearing of that rumour Into his owne Land He returned to Nineveh verse 37. which was the chief City of Assyria And I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land Sennacherib was slaine with the sword by his two sons Adramelech and Sharezer as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his God v. 38. 8. So Rabshakeh returned c. This relates to the 21 or 22. verse of the former Chapter Note that though Rabshakeh returned himself yet he left his Armie before Jerusalem Against Libnah Libnah was a City of the Tribe of Judah belonging to the Priests Josh 21.13 9. And he heard say i. e. And the King of Assyria heard say He is come forth to make war with thee Tirakah King of Ethiopia came forth out of his own Countrey with an Armie not to encounter Sennacherib in Judea but to set upon Assyria the Kingdome of Sennacherib in Sennacherib's absence See cap. 18. He sent Messengers saying Sennacherib did not onely send a Message by those Messengers by words of mouth but he sent by them a Letter also to Hezekiah though it be here omitted for brevity sake verse 14. Sennacherib used all meanes possible to terrifie Hezekiah to a Surrender when he heard of the march of Tirakah King of Ethiopia that he might the better attend the motion of Tirakah's Armie 10. Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah c. The Assyrian doth repeat here and beat upon what he said Cap. 36.14 He doth not mention the weakness and perfidiousnesse of Egypt nor the scarcity of Souldiers in Jerusalem As he did Cap. 36. v. 6 8. because now he understood that Hezekiah did rely onely upon God and therefore he doth endeavour to afright him from that by telling him with what ill Successe others had relied upon their Gods Gozan By Gozan he meanes the people which lived near to the River Gozan which was a River of the Medes 2 Kings 17.6 Haran This seemeth to have been a City of Media near the River Gozan 1 Chron. 5.26 Though some make it a City of Mesopotamia Gen. 11.31 Rezeph There is no other mention of Rezeph in the whole Scripture but here and in the same Story 2 Kings 19.12 And therefore it is not easie to determine where it was seated Some therefore place it in Syria some in Mesopotamia others in Arabia The Children of Eden i. e. The People of Eden Eden was a Region of Mosopotamia in which Paradise was planted Gen. 2.8 Which were in Telassar It can hardly be gathered from Scripture where this Telassar was situate But it seemeth to have been a Region either of Syria or Mesopotamia Here upon some occasion or other did the people which were born in Eden dwell at this time 13. Where is the King of Hamath c. See Cap. 36.19 Henah This is thought to have been a City of the Medes Ivah This is thought to have been a Region of the Assyrians 14. And spread it before the Lord. Hezekiah did spread Sennacheribs Letter before the Lord for the Lord to seâ— it and to read it because the Contents thereof were chiefely against the Lord that he being moved with the blasphemies and indignities therein contained might take vengeance upon Sennacherib and defend his owne people against him And Hezekiah did this because the Lord doth often accommodate himselfe to the fashion of men and men are eagerly stirred up to revenge when they see that which offends them before their eyes 16. That dwellest between the Cherubins In the two ends of the Mercy-Seat there were two Cherubins or Angels made of Gold of beaten work And these Cherubins did stretch forth their wings on high and their faces did look one towards another Exod. 25. v. 18 19 20. Between these two Cherubins was the Lord wont to manifest his presence and to sit Exod. 25. ver 22. Numbers 7.29 Hence was the Lord said to dwell between the Cherubins Psalm 80.1 And to sit between the Cherubins Psal 99.1 Thou art the God even Thou alone of all the Kingdomes of the earth This acknowledgement or confession doth Hezekiah here make in opposition to the many gods of the Nations which Sennacherib mentioned Cap. 36.18 and Cap. 37.12 And in full beliefe of this doth he make his prayer to the Lord. Thou hast made heaven and earth By Heaven and Earth understand also all things which are therein contained by a Metonymie He sheweth by this that the Right and Title to all the Kingdoms of the earth is the Lords and there is no God truely so called but the Lord onely 17. And heare Supple The blasphemous words which Sennacherib hath written against thee It is likely that Hezekiah did not onely spread Sennacherib's letter before the Lord for the Lord to see the blasphemy therein written but did also read it himselfe unto the Lord and therefore he desireth the Lord to hear it while he reads it And see Supple The blasphemous words which Sennacherib hath written in this Letter And heare Supple And see q. d. yea hear I say and see c. The living God i. e. Thee Here is an Enallage of the Person 18. Of a truth Lord the Kings of Assyria have laid waste all the Nations c. i. e. Hezekiah confesseth it here to be true which Sennacherib said v. 12. but draws a better conclusion from thence then Sennacherib did Laid waste the Nations This phrase is like that Cap. 24.6 viz. They that dwell therein are desolate Look therefore upon the Notes there 20. Now therefore O Lord our God save us from his hand that all the Kingdomes of the earth may know that Thou art the Lord even Thou onely It might be known to all the Kingdomes of the earth that the Lord God of Israel was the onely Lord God if he would but save his people out of the hands of the Assyrians out of whose hands no God was able to save his people For all the Kingdomes of the earth were perswaded that the God of every people would do his uttermost to save his people whereas therefore other Gods did not save their People and the God of Israel did save his they would conclude that he was God alone That thou art the Lord. i. e. That thou onely art the onely Lord and God 22. This is the word which the Lord hath spoken i. e. This is the word which I the Lord have spoken He puts the third for the first person by an Enallage The Virgin the daughter of Sion So Cap. 1.8 He cals Sion or Jerusalem a Virgin for the same reason that he calls her a Daughter that is for her beauty Hath despised thee and
laughed thee to scorn i. e. Shall despise thee and laugh thee to scorn A Preterperfect for a Future Tense The Jews might well despise Sennacherib when all his Army was slain and his forces and strength destroyed and laugh at him when he fled for fear to his strong Holds See cap. 31.8 9. and cap. 33.18 The Daughter of Jerusalem i. e. Jerusalem See cap. 1.8 Hath shaken her head at thee i. e. Shall deride thee and mock thee He alludes to the gesture of those which mock and deride who shake their head at those whom they deride and mock as Mat. 27.39 And he puts a Preterperfect Tense for a Future 23. Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed c. He giveth a reason here in this and the six verses following why the condition of Sennacherib should be made both despicable and ridiculous and the reason is this to wit because Sennacherib had reproached and blasphemed the Lord and arrogantly assumed that to himselfe which was the Lords doing and had boasted that he would take Jerusalem by force which the Lord had said that he would preserve for which reasons the Lord would pull him down and make him an object of contempt and laughter This speech is directed to Sennacherib by an Apostrophe And lifted up thine eyes on high i. e. And carried thy selfe proudly He alludes to the gesture of proud men who lift up their eyes and their head and scornfully look upon those whom they despise Even against the Holy One of Israel i. e. Even against the Lord the only God whom the Children of Israel worship as the holy and onely God 24. By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord c. i. e. By Rabshakeh and his companions whom thou sentest to Hezekiah hast thou reproached the Lord. And hast said What followeth in this and the next verse is spoken in the person of Sennacherib by a Mimesis By the multitude of my Charets am I come up to the height of the mountains c. Sennacherib speaks here as he did cap. 10.13 attributing that which he had done wholly to himselfe and not acknowledging the hand of God therein though what he did he did by the hand of God as Gods instrument which was a reproach to God and a blaspheming of his name By the multitude of my Charets am I come up to the height of the mountains q. d. I am come up to the height of the Mountaines by mine own power and strength which is great and which none is able to resist To the height of the mountains Judea was very mountainous and hilly and most of the Cities thereof were seated upon hills and mountains By the height of the mountaines therefore we may understand either the most inaccessable places of Judea or 〈◊〉 may understand the Cities thereof and in particular Jerusalem which was the chiefest City of that Land and the greatest seated as is probable To the sides of Lebanon q. d. Yea to the Walls of Jerusalem Lebanon was a famous Forrest in the North of the Land of Canaan which was set not onely with ordinary Trees but was famous also for tall Cedars and choice Firre-trees And from this Forrest is Jerusalem here called Lebanon by a Metaphor Because Jerusalem was inhabited by much people as Lebanon was beset with many ordinary Trees and because the King and the Nobles and the Princes of the Land most of them dwelt there as many tall Cedars and Firre-trees grew on Lebanon Therefore doth he liken Jerusalem to Lebanon For it is usuall to compare a City to a Forrest and the multitude of the people to the multitude of the ordinary trees and the King and Nobles to the tallest trees thereof Aad I will cut down the tall Cedars thereof and the choice Firre-trees thereof i. e. Of Lebanon q. d. And I will destroy the Nobles and Princes of Jerusalem I will enter into the height of his border i. e. I will enter into the very highest part of Lebanon i. e. of Jerusalem Note that these words The height of his border are as if he should say The very height of his highest part For The Border signifieth the utmost part of a thing On the highest places of Jerusalem stood the Temples of the Lord and the Pallace and stately buildings of the Kings of Judah which Solomon built for they were built upon Mount Sion Into the Temple therefore and into the Pallace of the King of Judah doth Sennacharib threaten to enter or boast that he will enter when he saith I will entter into the height of his Border And into the Forrest of his Carmel He saith And into the Forrest of his Carmel For And into the Carmel of his Forrest By an Hypallage or Hyperbaton And the sense of this place is q. d. I will enter into the height of his Border yea into the Carmel of his that is of Lebanon's Forrest That is into the Carmel of Lebanon which is a Forrest Note here that And is put for Yea and is a note of asseveration or confirmation of what he said just before Carmel was a most excellent and pleasant Hill of which see cap. 33. v. 9. and cap. 35. v. 2. And it is here taken figuratively for Mount Sion which was scituate within Jerusalem and on which the most pleasant objects of Jerusalem were seated as the Temple the Kings Pallace and nigh unto that those goodly Gardens and Orchards which the Preacher speaks of Eccles 2. ver 4 5. I say Carmel is taken here figuratively for this Mount Sion as Lebanon is taken for Jerusalem it self a little before Of his border of his Carmel The Antecedent to this Relative His is Lebanon and His is as much as It s and the Carmel of his or its Forrest is no more then His or Its Carmel For the Forrest of Lebanon is but a periphrafis of Lebanon which was a Forrest 25. I have digged and drunk water q. d. For so great an Army have I as that when I have come into dry places where there hath bin no more water to be had I have digged Wells by the multitude of my Soldiers and have come at water enough to suffice me and my whole Army for drink and other necessaries Sennacherib may seem here obliquely to slight that policy of Hezekiah in cutting off the waters about Jerusalem hereby to distresse him when he came to besiege it 2 Chron. 32. v. 3 4. And with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the Rivers of besieged places Understand this place so that Sennacherib boasteth here that whensoever he came to besiege any place he came with so great a number of Soldiers as that they did presently drink all the Rivers of the place dry as if he should say So soon as ever I come to besiege any place and set my foot neer to the rivers thereof I have with the multitude of my men drunk them up dry immediately A Thrasonicall expression With the sole of my feet
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
trie him 2 Chron. 32.31 Others say that Hezekiah gave an answer to both Questions but one of them is here omitted because the Prophet took an occasion onely from his last Answer to reprehend him This Answer of Hezekiah savours of vaine-glory also and was spoke out of boasting 6. Shall be carried to Babylon This was fulfilled hy Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon 2 Kings 24.13 7. Of thy Sonnes that shall issue from thee which thou shalt begâ—t shall they take away This was fulfilled 2 Kings 24.15 and 25.7 And they shall be Eunuchs in the Pallace of the King of Babylon An Eunuch signifieth properly a man which is gelt And he is so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. from the care and charge which he had of the Beds for they were wont to be employed by great Princes in their Bed-Chambers and in the care and custody of their Wives and Concubines because they were more nimble and serviceable then women and yet chaste by reason of their being gelt And because these were so near to Princes and their Wives and Concubines hence all great Officers in the Kings Court were called Eunuches though they were not gelt nor imployed in the Bed-chamber about the Kings Wives and Concubines as Eunuches were Yea any Courtier might be called an Eunuch Per Synecdochen speciei Though their Office be never so great in a forraigne Kings Court yet it is a griefe and miserie for Kings and the Children of Kings to be Servants though to Kings upon such a way as these were 8. Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken These words may signifie Hezekiah's submission to the judgement of God here denounced against him For by this kinde of speech did inferiours signifie that they submitted themselves to the sentence of their Superiours though it were bitter See 1 Kings 2. verse 38. and 42. Yet the Hebrewes doe so interpret this place as if Hezekiah had therefore said that the Word of the Lord was good Because the judgement thereby denounced was not to fall upon him in person nor in his dayes but onely to fall upon his Children in after times And indeed these words For there shall be Peace and Truth in my dayes seem much to favour this Interpretation of theirs and much more as they are recorded in the same story 2 Kings 20.19 They therefore reprehend Hezekiah here for that he seemed not to be much touched with that which should fall upon his People and upon his Children being that he himselfe was not to taste of that Cup. But if Hezekiah offended here he humbled himselfe afterward 2 Chro. cap. 32. v. 26. He said moreover q. d. And he did not onely say that the Word of the Lord was good But he did moreover shew a reason why he said It was good Thâ—re shall be peace and truth in my dayes i. e. There shall be a sure or firm peace in my days for though this judgement shall take away peace when it cometh yet it shall not come so long as I live For understanding of this sense Note first that the word Truth is to be taken here for Firmness and Assurance as to speak the Truth is taken for to be constant and firm Ephes 4.15 And that upon this ground because the Hebrew word Emeth signifieth Firmness and Assurance aswell as Truth and this word Truth must be thought to be of equall signification with its Originall Emeth Note secondly that in these words Peace and truth that is peace and assurance or peace and firmnes there is a figure called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and two words are used to expresse one thing Peace and Truth that is Peace and Assurance or Peace and Firmness to express a sure and firm Peace The like to which we observed cap. 4.5 in those words A smoak and a cloud by day for a smoaky Cloud by day Jer 14.13 we read this I will give you assured peace yet in the Originall there are the same words as are in this place of Isaiah to wit Sheloth Emeth There shall be peace and truth in my days It may be here asked how Hezekiah came to know that there should be peace and truth in his dayes Answ Hezekiah might easily gather it out of the Prophets words recorded in this place For the threats here are not that he but that his Sons should be taken away and made Eunuchs in the Pallace of the King of Babylon yea it may be that the Prophet told him in plain termes that the judgment which God had denounced against him at this time should not fall out in his dayes though it be not expressed but omitted for brevity sake and left to be understood out of these words for such kinde of Brachylogie is often used See cap. 32.24 In my dayes i. e. All the dayes of my life Note that the peace here promised to Hezekiah was onely a Security or Assurance that he should not be infested from Babylon during his life Therefore notwithstanding this he might have war especially an offensive war with other Nations as it is probable he had with the Philistines Cap. 11.14 ISAIAH CHAP. XL. COmfort ye comfort ye my people c. The Prophet having foretold the Captivity of the Jews wherein they were carryed captive into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar and Nebuzaradan one of the Captains of Nebuchadnezzar that he might comfort the godly who were carryed into Captivity for the wickedness of other men he doth in this last part of his Book prophecy to them of their deliverance out of their Captivity which should be glorious and their flourishing estate in which they should live when they were come back into their own Land and the Security and Safety which they should live in there and the great Victories which they should atchieve c. And note that when all the blessings of God bestowed upon the Jews had in them a shadow of those blessings which we receive by Christ those blessings which Isaiah mentioneth here from this place to the end of this Prophecy do in a most eminent manner shadow forth those blessings which we receive by Christ the very words of the Prophet being so directed by God as that they do oftentimes more simply and clearly signifie those things which we enjoy by Christ then those things which Isaiah would first signifie thereby that is then the blessings which God would bestow upon the Jews by and after their deliverance from their Captivity Comfort ye comfort ye my people Comfort ye my people the Jews which are in captivity Comfort them with the joyful news of their deliverance Saith your God i. e. Saith your God ye Jews to his Prophets 2. Speak comfortably to Jerusalem q. d. Speak ye comfortable words to Jerusalem O ye my servants To Jerusalem By Jerusalem he meaneth the material City of Jerusalem which he here speaketh to as a person by a Metaphor or Prosopopeia Her warfare is accomplished i. e. Her great labor and hardship which
she hath suffered in her captivity is at an end Her warfare Because warfare is full of labor and hardship therefore is warfare put here for labor and hardship And when he saith Her warfare is accomplished he seems to allude to those years in which a man might be compelled to serve in war and after which age he was free from that burthen For she hath received at the Lords hand double for all her sin Some interpret these words thus For she shall receive at the Lords hands twice as great blessings as she hath suffered punishments thereat And so blessings are here to be understood and sin is to be taken for punishment for sin as it is also taken Cap. 5.18 and a Preterperfect-tense is put for a Future This place thus expounded hath its like Cap. 61.7 But others expound these words thus q. d. For she hath suffered great punishments at the Lords hands for her sin Supple By which the Lord is now moved to pity and compassion towards her upon her repentance As a Father is moved to pity his Child whom he hath grievously chastised for his faults when he seeth him sorry for his faults Note that the word double signifieth with the Hebrews as much as great and abundant as Jer. 17.18 Bring upon them the day of evil and destroy them with double destruction And 1 Tim. 5.18 Let the Elders which rule well be counted worthy of double honor In both which places double is put for great or abundant Note also that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 punishments is to be understood in the word double This was delivered by the Prophet long before the Jews were in captivity yet it is spoken as though the Jews were even then in captivity and had been long therein Thus do Prophets speak of things to come as if they were present 3. The voyce of him that cryeth in the wilderness i. e. The voyce of the Cryer is heard in the wilderness saying or I hear the voyce of the Cryer crying in the wilderness and saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He speaks as though he heard the voyce of him that cryed and by this he sheweth the certainty and the suddenness of the Jews delivery and return out of the captivity of Babylon In the wilderness He meaneth the wilderness between Babylon and Judea Prepare ye the way of the Lord i. e. Prepare ye the way in which the Lord is to walk or march from Babylon to Judea with his people the Jews How they should prepare the way of the Lord he sheweth in the following words of this and the next Verse Make straight in the Desart a high-way for our God i. e. Make in the wilderness an high-way for our God to walk in and let it be straight Straight By straight is meant not onely that which hath no windings and turnings but also that which hath no risings and fallings but is plain and that by a Syllepsis When as the way here spoken of was for the Jews to pass out of Babylon into their own Land Why he saith it was for their God I shall tell at the fifth Verse In the Desart Between Babylon and Judea there were great Desarts and waste places to which the Prophet here alludes 4. Every valley shall be exalted i. e. Let every valley which is in the way be filled up and evened or made plain with the other groâ—nd He putteth here a Future tense for an Imperative mood And this Verse is an Exegesis of the latter part of the former Verse And every mountain and hill shall be made low i. e. Let every mountain and hill be digged down and levelled with the other ground And the crooked shall be made straight i. e. And let the crooked ways be made straight Because of great Bogs and Mires and Precipices and the like accidents in the way Many a way goeth crooked and winding to avoyd those Bogs and Mires and Precipices which would be made straight to the great advantage of the Traveller if those Bogs and Mires and Precipices were filled with stones and earth c. And to such hath the Prophet here respect 5. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed i. e. For the glorious Lord shall come out of Babylon and march openly with his people to Judea through the wilderness And is put here for For. He puts also the glory of the Lord here for the Lord himself which is glorious per Metonymiam Adjuncti And he saith shall be revealed for shall come openly as it is said The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven 2 Thess 1.7 And all flesh shall see it together i. e. And all people shall see him Supple as he passeth by He seems to allude here to the manner of men who when any great Prince is to pass by with a great company attending him in a glorious manner they gather themselves together in great multitudes and stand to see him as he passeth by Note here that what the Prophet saith in the third and fourth Verses of this Chapter is spoken in allusion to what was wont to be done for great Princes and their Retinue when they were to remove from place to place who had Harbingers and way-makers sent before to take care that the way by which they were to pass was clean and plain and even and workmen to do what they commanded them in preparing the way This whole description of preparing a way for the Lord is brought onely to signifie that the Jews in their return out of captivity from Babylon into Judea should have an easie passage thither without any stop in their way What we read of here Xerxes had done for him by his servants in after-times to the full sounding of the letter of whom Justin reports Quod montes in planum deducebat c. Convexa vallium aequabat Justin lib. 2. cap. 10. fin The Prophet saith Prepare ye the way of THE LORD and make straight an high-way for OUR GOD And he saith that the GLORY OF THE LORD shall be revealed that is That the GLORIOUS LORD shall pass gloriously from Babylon to Judea in the sight of all men But why is it that he speaks thus Ans When the Israelites were redeemed from the bondage in which they lived in Egypt the Lord himself brought them out and marched before them For the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of Cloud to lead them the way and by night in a pillar of Fire to give them light to go by day and by night Exod. 13.21 In allusion therefore to what God did then when he delivered the Israelites out of Egypt the Prophet speaks here of God when he should deliver the Jews out of Babylon as though God would in a visible and glorious manner march before them then also as he did when he brought them out of Egypt though indeed he would not For note that the Hebrews do often understand like things by like and so describe them See Notes
Cap. 4.5 And see Cap. 52. v. 12. where he saith to the Jews The Lord will go before you and the God of Israel will be your rearward For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it i. e. For the Lord hath spoken it who cannot lye and therefore what he hath spoken shall come to pass The Prophet speaks of the Lord as of a man by a Prosopopoeia and puts the mouth which is but part for the whole man by a Synecdoche 3. The voyce of him that cryeth in the wilderness What is meant by these words as they are taken in the first sence and as they concern the Redemption of the Jews out of Babylon ye have heard Now in the second and more sublime sence by the voyce of him that cryeth in the wilderness the Holy Ghost meaneth John the Baptist Mat. 3.3 For as the Cryer here cryeth to the people to prepare the way of the Lord so did John the Baptist cry to the people of his time to repent and so to prepare a way for the coming of the Lord Christ And as the voyce of this Cryer was heard in the wilderness which lay between Babylon and Judea so was the voyce of John heard in a wilderness too to wit the wilderness of Judea Matt. 3.1 Where note that as by the captivity of the Jews in Babylon is signified our spiritual captivity and misery under sin and Satan so by the deliverance of the Jews out of that their captivity is signified our spiritual Redemption by Christ Jesus In the Prophecy therefore of the deliverance of the Jews out of the captivity of Babylon there be many passages which as in a first sence they concern things which appertain to the deliverance of the Jews so in a second sence they concern things which appertain to the Redemption which was wrought by Christ Jesus 6. The voyce said Cry i. e. A voyce said to me Cry And he said what shall I cry i. e. And I said what shall I cry The Prophet speaks of himself here in a third person The like may you read of one speaking of himself in the third person cap. 21. vers 12. All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field i. e. And the voyce said unto me cry and say with a loud voyce thus All flesh that is all men which are made of flesh are as the grass and all their glory and goodliness is as the flower of the field The Note of similitude is here left to be understood 7. The grass withereth and the flower fadeth because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it As when a red burning wind bloweth upon the grass or upon the flower the grass withereth and the flower fadeth because thereof Even so for the Apodosis is left to be understood when God is angry with all or any kinde of flesh that is when he is angry with any men whatsoever they are he can easily consume them even with the breath of his nostrils and they shall perish By the Spirit of God is meant the wind which he brings out of his treasures when he would have it blow Psal 13.7 and yet not any wind but that which the Country-man calls a red wind which bliteth Trees and Herbs and Flowers Surely the people is grass q. d. Surely therefore the people that thou art afraid of even the people of the Babylonians are as grass 8. But the Word of our God shall stand for ever q. d. But the Word of our God shall never fail And therefore the Word whereby he hath spoken comfort to you and promised you deliverance out of the Babylonish captivity shall stand firm and come to pass maugre the Babylonians You may gather by what hath been said what coherence these three last Verses had with the former The coherence is this In the five first Verses the Prophet prophecyeth to the Jews Deliverance out of the Babylonish captivity but the Jews being at this time sore oppressed and seeing themselves weak and the Babylonians strong and mighty in power were like to give but little credence to the Prophets words and despair of ever being delivered That therefore they might lift up their heads and hope for deliverance according to the Word of God and might not fear the strength and mighty power of the Babylonians the Lord did for their sakes by way of prevention shew the Prophet a Vision in which the voyce of the Lord bids the Prophet to tell his Country-men that all flesh and the Babylonians as well as others were as grass therefore they need not fear them or any other men 9. O Sion that bringest good tydings i. e. O Jerusalem that bringest good tydings to the other Cities of Judah c. This seems to begin a new Sermon Sion is taken here for Jerusalem a part for the whole And he speaks to the material Jerusalem as if she were a person indeed as he doth often elsewhere by a Prosopopoeia The good tydings which Sion here brings are mentioned in the tenth and eleventh Verses Get thee up into the high mountain Supple and there proclaim the good tydings which thou bringest that they may be the Father-head O Jerusalem that bringest good tydings c. This is a repetition of the former sentence with which repetition the Prophet is much delighted Say unto the Cities of Judah i. e. Say unto other the Cities of Judah He speaks here of the Cities of Judah as of women by a Prosopopoeia as he did of Sion or Jerusalem Behold your God i. e. Behold your God cometh unto you See Vers 3. 10. Behold the Lord will come with a strong hand Behold the Lord himself will come with a strong hand against the Babylonians who hold us captive and will deliver us out of their hands And his arm shall rule i. e. And he shall now rule He shall rule over us as a King over his Subjects though till now the Babylonians have had dominion over us And he shall rule over the Babylonians as a Lord over his Vassals and a Conqueror over his Enemies though hitherto they have reigned as Conquerors and Lords themselves He speaks here of God as of man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and puts a part to wit the arm for the whole man by a Synecdoche the arm I say wherein the strength of man is most seen For him These words are redundant by an Hebrew elegancy Behold his reward is with him Supple To reward all such of his people as have waited for him And his work i. e. And his reward Work is put here for the reward of a work by a Metonymy And this is a repetition of the former sentence Is before him i. e. Is in a readiness See Cap. 62.11 11. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd q. d. He shall bring his people out of Babylon into their own Cities And while he bringeth them he shall be to them as a shepherd is to
over their Servants if they call them their Servants come See the same words used in the same sence Cap. 40.26 and Psal 147.4 And calling though it be of the present tense yet by a Syllepsis includes the preterperfect tense also I the Lord Here he gives an answer to the foregoing questions The first God is called the First because he was before all things and all things which are proceed from him as their first and original Cause And with the last God calls himself not onely the First but also with the Last Because he was and is and will be with all things from the first to the last as the Cause is with the Effect making them preserving them and governing them I am He. Supple Which have done this 5. The Isles saw it and feared i. e. The Inhabitants of the Islands saw what I the Lord did for Abraham and the victories which I gave him and his children and feared What is meant by Isles or Islands see Vers 1. We do not read that the Inhabitants of the Isles feared when they understood of the victory which Abraham had over Chedorlaomer and Tidal and the other Kings and the people which were with them though likely it is they did fear and all that happened then is not recorded But we read that they feared when they heard of the victory which Moses had over the Egyptians Exod. 15.15 and when they heard of the victories which the Israelites had over the Amorites Josh 2.9 10 c. The ends of the Earth i. e. They which dwelt in the ends of the Earth By those which dwelt in the ends of the Earth he meaneth those which dwelt a far off by an Hyperbole D ew neer Supple One to another And came Supple Together or to one place 6. They helped every one his Neighbor i. e. Every one helped his Neighbor with counsel and with ayd against Abraham and his posterity as every one was most in danger Though we read not that the people helped one another and combined against Abrahams person yet we read that they did help one another and combine themselves against Abrahams children as Josh 10. v. 3 5 33 c. And they might have combined also against Abraham himself though we read not of it Be of good courage They encouraged one another with this That they would make them gods which should defend them hereafter from Abraham and his posterity and which should give them the victory over him and them For so stâ—pid were those Heathen Idolaters that though they burnt one part of a tree in the fire yet with the residue they would make themselves a god even a graven Image and fall down unto it and worship it and pray unto it and say Deliver us for thou art our God Cap. 44.17 7. So the Carpenter encouraged the Goldsmith Supple To joyn with him to make a graven Image which might defend them from their Enemies and give them the victory over them Note here that the carpenter did first make the Image out of wood then the goldsmith overlayd it with thin plates of gold And he that smootheth with the hammer Supple Encouraged him that smote the anvil By him that smootheth with the hammer understand the goldsmith which with him that smiteth the anvil beats out thick wedges of gold into thin plates or rather which smootheth the plates with a smaller hammer as the other beats them out with a greater It is ready for the sodering i. e. The work is almost ready for the sodering They were wont to soder the plates of gold together when they had fitted them and this was one of the last works Now the neerer the work-man is to the finishing of the work the harder he will work to finish it so that by this also might he that smootheth with the hammer encourage him that smiteth on the Anvil And he fastened it with nails that it should not be moved q. d. And so when he had finished the Image he fastened it to the wall with nails that it should not fall down And then they all worshipped it saying Thou art our God defend us from Abraham and his house and give us always the victory over them All of this which is not expressed in the Text is yet to be understood by a Syllepsis as appeareth by that which followeth 8. But thou O Israel art my servant q. d. The people therefore worship Idols and serve them But thou O Israel art my servant and dost worship me By Israel is meant the Jews the people of Israel per Metonymiam Efficientis Jacob q. d. Thou Jacob I say c. Jacob is taken here for the sons of Jacob who was also called Israel Gen. 32.28 per Metonymiam Efficientis Whom I have chosen The Lord chose the children of Israel to be his peculiar people because he loved their fathers Deut. 4.37 The seed of Abraham my friend i. e. The children of Abraham my friend Seed is put here for children per Metonymiam Materiae It was a great honor for Abraham to be called the friend of God as he is here called as appears 2 Chron. 20.7 Jam. 2.23 9. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the Earth i. e. Thou whom I have taken from Vr of the Caldees which is a great way hence and brought hither By the ends of the Earth he meaneth a Country a great way off such as Vr of the Caldees was in respect of Judea The Lord is said to have taken the people of Israel from Vr of the Caldees because he took Abraham from thence in whose loyns they were when he took him So Levi was said to pay Tythes to Melchisedec because he was in Abrahams loyns when Abraham payd Tythes to Melchisedec Heb. 7.9 10. And called thee from the chief men thereof Understand this of the honorable men of Caldea of whom Abraham was one whom God separated from the rest and his off-spring in him and brought them to Canaan which he gave them for an inheritance I have chosen thee Supple To serve before me or to be a peculiar people to my self And not cast thee away i. e. And I have not disregarded thee as men do those things which they cast away and as I have disregarded and rejected other Nations This is an Hebrew manner of repetition 10. Fear not thou q. d. Therefore though all the Nations which are about thee hate thee and make them gods and pray to them to curse thee and joyn together against thee yet Fear not thou I will uphold thee i. e. I will preserve thee in the midst of all dangers that they overwhelm thee not This seems to be a Metaphor from a man which is upheld in the midst of deep waters that he sinks not and so be drowned Or from an old man who is upheld by the hand or arm of a younger man as he walks in rugged ways that he falls not With the right hand of my Righteousness i.
saith that the Lord hath created it Here endeth that speech which the Lord made in the maintenance of his Cause and of his Divinity against Idolaters But Idolaters might say against the latter part of the Lords speech from vers 8. hitherto That they can say as much for their Idol-gods as the God of Israel hath said for himself for they can say That their gods will do great things for them if to say so would argue them to be gods indeed Ans What the Lord said there were not bare words but what he said he intended to perform in the presence of all the World and he did perform it soon after when he delivered his people the Jews out of the Babylonian captivity and distressed the Babylonians and took the Empire from them and subdued them by Cyrus and brought his own people from Babylon to Judea through the wilderness and the desarts and so provided for them as that they wanted nothing in all their way and therefore the Lords saying and doing accordingly did argue him to be God indeed And if Idolaters could have said so much of their Idols and their Idols could have performed it the Lord himself would have said that they were gods v. 23. 21. Produce your cause saith the Lord When the Lord had made an end of his speech he calls to the Idolaters to open their Cause and to plead it as well as they can Bring forth your strong reasons Supple To prove that your Idols are gods and that you do well in serving them 22. Let them bring them forth i. e. Let the Idols themselves bring forth their strong reasons to prove their own divinity Here is a Relative without an Antecedent which Antecedent might easily be understood because the Lord did as it were point at the Idols when he said Let them bring them forth He would have the Idols plead for themselves because if they were gods they could better plead for themselves then men could plead for them and that Idolaters might not say when they were overcome that they were overcome by their own weakness as not being able to plead with the God of Israel not by the weakness of their cause which their gods were better able to maintain then they were And shew us what shall happen i. e. And let them shew us what things shall come to pass hereafter He speaks here of things to come in general whether they are to come to pass within a short time or whether there will be a long time before they come to pass Let them shew the former things By the former things he means those things which are before others in order of event and execution that is those things which will come to pass first before other things and so are like to come to pass within a short time And know the latter end of them i. e. And know the event of them whether the event be answerable to what they foretold of them or no. Or declare us things for to come Or let them declare to us and shew us things for to come Supple a great while hence 23. Shew us things that are to come hereafter Supple Whether they are such things as are to come to pass within a short time or whether they are such as that it will be a long time before they come to pass Shew us any things which are to come to pass hereafter as I have done vers 11 12 13 c. He useth here an Apostrophe and speaks to the Idols in the second person of whom he spoke in the third just before That we may know that ye are gods Testimonium divinitatis est veritas divinationis saith Tertullian Apolog. cap. 20. The truth of divination or foretelling things to come is a testimony or sign of the divinity of him which foretelleth it For indeed none can originally foretell things to come I mean things contingent but God onely But cannot Devils foretell what they intend themselves to do and are not those things contingent Ans They cannot certainly and infallibly foretell that that shall come to pass which they intend themselves to do because they may not be able to perform what they intend for God may hinder their intentions So that originally God onely can certainly and infallibly foretell of things to come and they who are instructed by him secondarily Yea do good Supple To your servants which worship and serve you as I have often done to my servants the Israelites which serve me whom I redeemed once out of Egypt and as I have said I will do to them v. 17 18 19. Or do evil Supple To those which are Enemies to them which serve you as I have done to Pharaoh and others which have been Enemies to the Israelites who serve me and as I have said I will do to those which oppress my people Vers 15 16. That we may be dismayed Indeed it would be a cause of wonder and amazement and astonishment to see Idols which are but wood and stone do such things as these are And behold it together i. e. And behold it all of us See Cap. 1. v. 28. Such things as these are would draw the eyes of all to behold them 24. Behold ye are of nothing i. e. Behold ye are base things and things of no worth We must here conceive that when the Holy One of Israel called upon the Idols to produce the best Arguments they had to maintain and prove their divinity that they had nothing to say for themselves but stood mute whereupon the Lord insults here over them as a Conqueror over them whom he hath conquered saying Behold ye are of nothing c. And your work of nought i. e. And ye which are the work of foolish men are of nought This is a repetition of the former sentence and the word work is taken here passively not for the work which the Idols do but for the work which they are for they are the work of the Crafts-man Yet some take the word work here Actively and they are of two sorts for the first take it of the work of the Idol and make the meaning of this place to be this q. d. Your work is nothing that is ye are not able to do any thing for though ye have hands yet ye cannot handle and though ye have feet yet ye cannot walk and though ye have tongues yet ye cannot speak The second take it of the work of the Idolater done to the Idol that is of the worship and service which Idolaters give to the Idols putting work in general for worship and service in particular by a Synecdoche And the worship and service which they give to Idols may be called the Idols work as the worship and service of God is called Gods worship and service And this work that is this worship and service which is given to Idols may be said to be of nought because it is vain and idle and profiteth not Abomination is he i.
e. Abominable is he He puts an Abstract for a Concrete by a Metonymy That chooseth you Supple To be his gods 25. I have raised one up from the North and he shall come The Lord speaks this after an insulting manner as before to shew that He can do what the Idols of the Heathen cannot I have raised up i. e. I will raise up He puts a preterperfect tense here for a future to shew that what he saith shall come to pass as surely as if it were already done One from the North He meaneth Cyrus whom the Lord raised up that he might wage war against the Babylonians and overcome them and so free the Jews from the captivity in which they were in under them c. And he shall come Supple At my call From the rising of the Sun shall he call upon my Name i. e. He shall call upon me from the East Supple To know what my will and pleasure is for him to do The Name of God is put here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for God himself as Cap. 30.27 And the Prophet alludeth here to the manner of good servants who when they would have something to do call upon their Master to know what work he hath for them to do Note here that we must not think by reason of this that Cyrus did enquire of God while he was in the East what work it would please the Lord to employ him in for Cyrus knew not God cap. 45.5 But this is onely that which is meant by this place That Cyrus should do the will and pleasure of God as truly and as fully as if he had asked the Lord what his will and pleasure was For this speech is onely an allusion to what good servants do And he shall come upon Princes c. i. e. And he shall come from thence that is from the East by my direction and tread upon Princes A question will be here asked How God raised Cyrus out of the North and how he is said to come from the East or Sun-rising For are the North and the East all one Ans Cyrus was a Mede by his Mothers side for his Mother was Mandane Daughter of Astyages King of the Medes And he was a Persian by his Fathers side for he was the son of Cambyses King of the Persians and he succeeded his Grandfather in the Kingdom of the Medes and his Father in the Kingdom of the Persians and both out of Media and Persia did he raise Soldiers when he warred against Babylon As therefore he was a Mede and King of Media and raised men out of Media when he came against Babylon he may be said to come out of the North for Media lay North both of Judea and Babylon And as he was a Persian and King of Persia and levyed men out of Persia when he came against Babylon he may be said to have come out of the East as from the Sun-rising for Persia lies East both of Babylon and Judea And he shall come upon Princes as upon mortar i. e. And he shall come and tread upon Princes as men tread and stamp upon mortar By these Princes he meaneth more especially the King of Babylon and the Kings and Princes which were subject unto him and served him And as the Potter treadeth clay Supple So shall he tread upon them The Prophet seemeth to allude to the manner of ancient Conquerors who were wont to tread upon the necks of them whom they conquered See Joshua cap. 10. v. 24 25. Observe here that God doth clearer and clearer explain the manner how he would restore the Jews out of the Babylonish captivity 26. Who hath declared from the begining q. d. Who or which of all the Idols or of all the gods of the Heathen hath dâ—clared this heretofore or before it cometh to pass From the beginning From the beginning being put absolutely signifieth From the Begining of the World in the Grammatical sence but by a Rhetorical Hyperbole it signifieth any antecedent or foregoing time and signifieth here Heretofore That we may know Supple That he is righteous as it followeth in the next sentence And before times i. e. And heretofore or before the time that it cometh to pass q. d. And who hath told of this before it cometh to pass That we may say that he is righteous i. e. That we may confess that he is righteous and pronounce in judgment that he hath justly assumed to himself the Name of God The word righteous in this place is a Law-term and signifieth such a one as hath the best in a Controversie or Suit of Law Yea there is none that sheweth i. e. Verily there is none among you all O ye Idols of the Heathen which sheweth the thing that I say shall come to pass Yea there is none that declareth This is a repetition of the former sentence Yea there is none that heareth your words i. e. Yea ye are all mute so that no man can hear you speak a word concerning the Deliverance of the Jews which yet I have foretold yea no man can hear you speak any one word at all 27. The first shall say to Sion c. q. d. The Lord shall say to Sion by his messenger The Lord speaks here of himself in the third person and calls himself the First as he doth also vers 4. the Notes whereof read Yet by the first may be meant the first messenger that cometh from Babylon to Judea q. d. The first messenger that cometh from Babylon to Judea shall say to Sion c. So that by this is shewed that the Jews should speedily be delivered out of their captivity He still insulteth over the Heathen Idols Sion Sion was part of Jerusalem and is here put for the whole City And here he speaks to it as to a woman yea a mother by a Prosopopeia Behold behold them i. e. Behold behold the Jews thy children which are scattered all abroad in the Land of their captivity gather themselves together and come to thee See Cap. 49. vers 18. He puts a Relative here without an Antecedent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tydings For I the Lord will send to Jerusalem a messenger that shall bring good tydings to wit that her children the Jews are delivered out of the captivity in which the Babylonians held them and that they are upon their return to their own own Land again And is put here for For. 28. For I beheld and there was no man Between this and the former Verse we must understand these or the like words as spoken by God giving sentence in the Caâ—se between himself and the Idols of the Heathen viz. I therefore am God alone for as for the Idols of the Nations they are no gods q. d. I therefore am God alone for as for the Idols of the Nations they are no gods For I beheld and there was no man even among them and there was
setting judgment in the Earth See the like phrase Cap. 7.6 And the Isles shall wait for his Law q. d. And when he hath made known my judgments the inhabitants of the Isles shall look for the fulfilling and accomplishment of these my judgments In such credit shall my servant be By Isles the Hebrews mean not onely those places which are environed with the Sea but those also which are neer to the Sea and to great Rivers and Waters as was said cap. 41. v. 1. Yea every particular Land may be called an Isle as we shewed cap. 20.6 But by Isles here are meant not the Isles themselves but the inhabitants of the Isles by a Metonymy His Law The word Law is sometimes taken in a large sence for any Word of God whatsoever See Notes cap. 1.10 And here it is taken first for the judgments of God denounced then by a Metonymy for the fulfilling or accomplishment of those judgments This testimony from the beginning of the Chapter hitherto the Lord gave of the Prophet that his words might finde the better entertainment with them that should hear him while he lived or read his Writings after his death 5. Thus saith the Lord Thus say I the Lord Supple To my servant Isaiah The Lord speaketh here of himself in the third person And stretched them out Supple Like the curtains of a Tent or Tabernacle to dwell in See cap. 40. v. 22. He that spreadeth forth the Earth and that which cometh out of it i. e. I that made the Earth and all things that spring out of it The Prophet alludeth here to the spreading forth of a sheet or some other cloth or to the spreading forth of a garment which was folded up before see Heb. 1.12 And he alludeth to this while he speaketh of Gods making the Earth and all that cometh out thereof Because when God made the Earth and that which cometh out thereof he made them quanta that is he gave them quantity and extension so soon as ever he gave them their substantial Being And spirit to them that walk therein i. e. And Breath to every living creature Spirit is taken here for Breath Therein i. e. Thereon The Lord doth here magnifie his power First That he might the more encourage his Prophet in the execution of that business on which he sets him Secondly That all men may be the better perswaded of the event of what he foretels Thirdly That he might shew himself to be greater then the gods of the Heathen who worshipped Idols 6. I the Lord have called thee i. e. I the Lord have called thee O Isaiah my servant to do the work which I have appointed for thee to do In righteousness i. e. In good-will towards thee or in that wise that thou shalt see my goodness towards thee whilest thou art doing that work to which I have called thee Righteousness is put here for goodness as it is also cap. 41.10 I will hold thine hand i. e. I will preserve thee Supple Until thou hast done all my work Concerning the reason of this phrase see cap. 41.10 And give thee for a Covenant of the people These words must needs be figuratively that is Metonymically understood The meaning therefore of these words is this q.d. I will give thee to be a Remembrancer of my people the Jews that thou mayst put them in minde of the Covenant which they their fathers made with me and they have broken and to be a means to them to renew their Covenant again For a light of the Gentiles i. e. And for a light to the Gentiles Tò And is here to be understood Isaiah was a light to the Gentiles in that he shewed them the vanity of the Idols which they worshipped and taught them that there was but one God who created Heaven and Earth And this he doth in many places of this Book of his Prophecy 7. To open the blinde eyes i. e. To instruct those which are ignorant yea very ignorant ignorant of the Vanity of Idols and ignorant of the Unity of the Godhead c. By eyes he meaneth the eyes of the understanding which are blinde through ignorance Note that these words To open the blind eyes relate to those words which went immediately before viz. For a light to the Gentiles To bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house i. e. And to bring my people the Jews which are in captivity in Babylon out of that their captivity Tò And is here to be understood Note that these words To bring the prisoners from the prisons and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house relate to those words of the sixth Verse I will give thee for a Covenant of the people The Prophet speaks here of the captivity of the Jews as of an Imprisonment and compares the Land of their captivity to a prison both because they could no more get out thence then a prisoner can get out of a prison as also because it was as irksom to them as a prison is to a prisoner Yea it may be that many of them were shut up in houses and there kept to hard work as in prisons The Prophet is therefore said to bring the prisoners out of prison that is the Jews out of their captivity because he did by his admonitions bring the Jews to think of the Covenant which they had broken and the sins which they had committed and bewail them and amend their lives and renew their Covenant with God which moved God to free them and deliver them out of captivity and bring them to their own Land again But you will say that Isaiah was dead before the Jews were carryed captive into Babylon which was a long time before their delivery thence How then could he so admonish them as that they should repent them of their sins and amend their lives and renew their Covenant with God by his Admonitions and so move God to deliver them Ans Though Isaiah were dead yet might he be said to admonish them because of his Writings which he directed to them by a Prophetique Spirit So Moses though he was dead many years before was said to command the Jews which lived in our Saviours time Mark 10.3 And so the Jews called themselves Moses's Disciples Joh. 9.28 And them that sit in darkness out of the prison house Though darkness be oftentimes put figuratively for misery and affliction yet I conceive that the Prophet alludeth here to prisons which use to be dark having but few windows and those small ones too that the walls of the prison might be the stronger and especially to Dungeons which are under ground Note that this is but a repetition of the former sentence 8. I am the Lord q. d. I am the Lord the onely God which created Heaven and Earth who am of my self but give Being to all things c. That is my Name i. e. That is the Name
by which I am known and by which I am distinguished from all others whatsoever And my glory I will not give to another neither my praise to graven Images i. e. And I will not have this my glory that I am the Lord given to another nor this my praise that I am the Lord given to graven Images He saith I will not give for I will not have given Whosoever acknowledgeth or worshipeth any other God then the Lord he giveth the glory of the Lord to another and his praise to graven Images For whatsoever is God that must be Lord too Now as for the connexion of this Verse with the former know that the words of this Verse contain a reason of what was said in the former Verses that is a reason why the Lord would give Isaiah to be a Covenant of the people to bring them out of prison and a light to the Gentiles to open their eyes For to speak of the Gentiles first The Gentiles they worshipped Idols and fell down to their graven Images taking them through the ignorance which was in them to be gods and so gave the glory of the Lord to another and his praise to graven Images But that they might not do so any longer the Lord gave Isaiah to be a light to them and to open their eyes that they might know that an Idol is nothing and that there is but one onely God to wit the Lord and that therefore they might leave off to worship Idols and worship the Lord onely And as for the Jews which were in captivity If the Lord should not have delivered them out of their captivity the Heathen would have said and many a weak Jew too that the Lord was not able to deliver them and that the gods of the Babylonians were stronger then he and so would have preferred the gods of the Babylonians before him and have worshipped them as well as him yea them more then him yea them and not him and so have given his glory to others and his praise to graven Images That therefore they might not do so the Lord gave Isaiah to be a Covenant to his people the Jews which were in prison that is which were in captivity in Babylon to bring them out of prison that is to bring them out of captivity See cap. 48.11 From the first Verse hitherto the Prophet hath set forth himself and shewed as it were his commission that his message might have the better acceptance 9. Behold the former things are come to pass Hitherto the Prophet spoke in the person of God now the Prophet having shewed as it were his commission from God beginneth to speak in his own person Behold the former things q. d. Behold I have told you heretofore of things which are since come to pass Many things did the Prophet foretell by the word of the Lord which they which lived in his days saw fulfilled as the Invasion of Judah by Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel And that notwithstanding their threats they should not utterly destroy Judah As also the Invasion of Judah by Sennacherib and the saving of Jerusalem out of his hand and the destruction of his Army Which things they which lived in the Prophets days saw fulfilled with their eyes and they which lived in the Babylonish captivity knew to be true and could not deny Moreover he foretold the Jews of their being carryed away captive into Babylon the fulfilling whereof they of the captivity felt to their grief The Prophet puts them in minde of these things which he foretold and they themselves saw accomplished that they might the rather believe what he had more to foretell unto them And new things do I declare unto you i. e. And now I declare unto you new things such as neither you nor any other man ever heard of before What these new things are he tells us vers 13. c. Before they spring forth i. e. Before they come to pass He useth a Metaphor here from Plants c. 10. Sing unto the Lord a new song c. The Prophet considering the great goodnesses which he was to tell of and how worthy they were of praises invites the people to sing praises unto the Lord for them before he tells them what they are thereby to make the people the more desirous to hear them and when he tells them he tells them as if the Babylonish captivity were even then and as if he were even then among the captives A new song When the Jews had any extraordinary cause of rejoycing they were invited by way of thanksgiving to sing a new song as Psal 33.3 40.3 96.1 149.1 And therefore it may be conjectured that this was because they had Set-Psalms of Thanksgiving to use upon occasions which happened ordinarily But when they had extraordinary mercies shewed them such as was their Redemption out of Egypt and their Delivery out of the Babylonish captivity they had a new song made by some holy man of God or other for that special occasion Ye that go down into the Sea i. e. Ye Mariners and ye which pass through the Sea with ships sing ye to the Lord. And all that is therein c. q. d. Yea sing unto him all that is in the Sea By All that is therein that is in the Sea understand all the Ships which are in the Sea and by a Meâ—onymy all those which are in the Ships This is a repetition or amplification of the former sentence By those that go down into the Sea understand chiefly the Tyrians which were great Sea-men whom the Babylonians oppressed and whom Nebuchadnezzar besieged thirteen years And by the inhabitants of the Isles understand such Islanders as had suffered under the Babylonians whom the Lord destroyed for their cruelty to the Jews that he might redeem the Jews out of the captivity which they suffered under them by reason therefore of the destruction of the Babylonians he invites all to rejoyce and to praise God for this their destruction who had suffered under them and were freed from their suffâ—rings by this their downfall 11. Let the Wilderness and the Cities thereof liâ—t up their voyce viz. In songs of rejoycing By the Wilderness he meaneth the Wilderness by the red Seâ— in which the Edomites dwelt which were ill used by the Babylonians The villages that Kedar doth inhabit Kedar is put here for the Kedarens the children of Kedar who was the son of Ismael Gen. 25.13 per Metonymiam Efficientis The Kedarens were Arabians such as they called Scenitae because of their dwellings in Tents By the Villages therefore are here meant some number of Tents pitched together in one and the same place for standing houses of timber or stone these had none Let the inhabitants of the Rock sing Supple For joy that the Babylonians shall be destroyed It is doubtful who he meaneth by the inhabitants of the Rock whether he meaneth such in general as dwelt among Rocks
putting Rock in the singular number collectivè for Rocks in the plural or whether he meaneth the inhabitants of Arabia Petraea in particular whose chief City was called Petra which signifieth a Rock 12. And declare his praise in the Islands i. e. And declare his praise in remote places as occasion serves 13. The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man Here is the news which the Prophet spoke of vers 9. And here is the Reason also why he invites those people to rejoyce and sing for he tells them that the Lord would go forth against the Babylonians who had oppressed them as a mighty man of war This did the Lord do when he stirred up Cyrus against the Babylonians and assisted him to their overthrow Note here that though the Lord doth war against his Enemies by his instruments and servants and so subdues them yet by a kinde of Poetical Fiction the Prophet brings him in like a man warring himself c. See Cap. 2.10 He shall stir up jealousie i. e. He shall stir up his wrath and indignation against the Babylonians Because jealous men are angry men and hardly to be appeased Prov. 6.34 hence jealousie may be sometimes taken for wrath and indignation Anger and indignation do whet a mans valor hence it is that he saith He shall stir up jealousâ—e like a man of war He shall cry yea roar He alludes here to the ancient custom of Soldiers which at the instant of their on-set and joyning of battel with their Enemies did use to give a shout and cry aloud And this they did partly to encourage themselves partly to terrifie and daunt their Enemies and the louder their Cry was the more effectual it was for these ends This shout and cry was so esteemed and regarded among Soldiers as that they would judge of the event of a Battel by it Cato said Verba plus quam gladium voces quam monum hostes territare in fugam veriere i. e. That words did more affright the Enemy then the sword and the voyce and cries more then force and strength and make them fly Against his Enemies i. e. Against the Babylonians who were the Enemies of his people the Jews and so his Enemies God accounts the Enemies of his people his own Enemies See Acts 9.4 14. I have a long time held my peace Supple Saith the Lord for this is spoken in the person of God The sence is q. d. I have been patient a long time and not so much as said any thing to the Babylonians which have afflicted my people Now will I cry like a travelling woman q. d. Now will I fall furiously upon mine Enemies the Babylonians which hold my people captive He alludes to Soldiers who cry out and give a great shout when they set upon their Enemies And by the loudness of the cry he sheweth the fierceness of the assault or on-set and puts the cry for the assault it self Like a travelling woman A woman especially a woman which hath hard travel useth to cry aloud yea to roar when she is in her sharpest pain that is when the childe is in the birth Hence it is that the Lord saith that he will cry like a travelling woman when he would signifie that he would cry aloud yea roar as it is said v. 13. But probably this is not all which is signified by this similitude But as a woman when she is in her travel is in great pain and grief and desires to be delivered So may the Lord signifie by this that he is in great pain and grief to see his people so oppressed and that that pain and grief would make him to cry out as a travelling woman and take vengeance of his Enemies speedily that so he might ease himself by their destruction I will destroy and devour at once q. d. I will destroy all mine Enemies in a moment He alludes to an hungry Lion or other ravenous beasts which sets upon the first prey it seeth and when it hath killed it forbears not to eat it but eats it greedily yea swalloweth it down without chewing for very greediness 15. I will make waste mountains and hills By the Metaphor of mountains and hills he meaneth the Babylonians who were mighty in power at this time excelling therein all other people See the same Metaphor Cap. 41.15 And dry up all their herbs i. e. And I will put an end to all their glory As by mountains and hills he meaneth the Babylonians which did excel in power so by the herbs or grass growing upon the hills and mountains he meaneth the glory of the Babylonians and whatsoever they esteemed as a glory or ornament to them For herbs and grass are the glory and ornament as of fields so of hills and mountains Turpis sine gramine Campus and Turpes sine gramine Montes As a field so hills and mountains are unsightly if not clothed with grass and herbs And I will make the Rivers Islands i. e. I will dry up the Rivers and turn them into dry ground What he meant by Mountains before that he meaneth by Rivers here for Rivers and great Waters may Metaphorically signifie great and powerful Princes and People as well as mountains and hills See Cap. 8.7 And I will dry up the pools This is a repetition of the former sentence 16. And I will bring the blinde by the way they knew not i. e. And when I have done this I will bring my people the Jews out of the Land of Babylon where they are captive into their own Land of Judea by a way which they knew not The blinde He calls the Jews which were in the Babylonish captivity The blinde because at this time when the good news of their delivery out of captivity was first told them they would not believe it So they which would not believe the like message are called blinde cap. 29.18 That Vnbelief is called Blindness see Rom. 11.25 Joh. 12.49 As to perceive to believe Cap. 6.9 I will make darkness light before them i. e. I will turn their adversity into prosperity so some But I had rather understand it thus q. d. In the night time when it is dark I will give them light so that the darkness shall be no hinderance to them in their journey When the Lord brought the children of Israel out of Egypt he went before them by night in a Pillar of Fire to shew them light and the way wherein they should go Exod. 13.21 Nehem. 9.19 To this the Prophet doth here allude and describes Gods bringing the Jews out of the Babylonish captivity by what he did when he brought them out of Egypt for the Prophet doth often express like things by like as we said Cap. 4.5 And crooked things straight i. e. And I will make the crooked ways straight that they may sooner come to their journeys end See Cap. 40.4 He saith crooked things for crooked ways putting a general term for a special by a Synecdoche 17.
They shall be turned back But as for the Babylonians I will send my sword against them and they shall turn their backs and fly before it This was done when the Lord sent Cyrus against Babylon Here is a Relative without an Antecedent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall be greatly ashamed i. e. They shall be subdued and overcome They which were in great hope of a victory are ashamed and hide their heads for shame when they are overcome See 2 Sam. 19.3 Hence may he put to be ashamed for to be overcome and vanquished 18. Hear ye deaf and look ye blinde The Prophet speaks here to the Jews in his own person whom he calls deaf and blinde as he called them blinde vers 16. because of their unbelief for they would not believe the good tydings which God sent to them of their delivery out of the Babylonish captivity Vnbelief is a kinde of spiritual deafness and blindness and so it is called by a Metaphor from the outward Senses for he that believes not a thing regards it no more then if he never saw it or never heard it Hear ye deaf i. e. Harken ye Unbelievers to that good news which I shall tell you He iterates to the Jews again and again the good news of their delivery out of the Babylonish captivity that they may be the better perswaded of it and he so speaks as though the Babylonish captivity were at that present and that he were present himself among the Captives at that time And look ye blinde i. e. And attend ye Unbelievers to the words which I speak If you ask how we may be said to look to or see a word see cap. 2. v. 1. That ye may see i. e. That ye may believe Supple That that is true which I have told you concerning your Redemption out of Babylon If to be blinde signifieth not to believe to see may signifie to believe Or that ye may see i. e. That ye may know Supple What great things the Lord will do for you 19. Who is blinde but my servant i. e. Who is so spiritually blinde and unbelieving as my servant The particle But is to be taken here for the Note of comparison As. These two Verses viz. v. 19 20. are spoken in the person of God therefore these words Saith the Lord may be here understood q. d. Who is blinde saith the Lord but my servant c. By his servant he meaneth his servant Jacob that is the children of Jacob the Jews which were in the Babylonish captivity Because the Prophet called the Jews by the name of deaf and blinde lest he may seem to call them so which had not deserved so to be called he here justifies his calling them after that manner Or deaf as my Messenger that I sent i. e. Or who is so spiritually deaf and unbelieving as my Messenger which I have sent to instruct my servant Jacob Blindness and deafness signifie here one and the same thing as I said v. 18. that is unbelief By the Messenger is meant the Priest and the Levite who were Gods ordinary Messengers to his people appointed by his Law to teach them See Malac. 2.7 Now if Gods Priests and Levites were blinde and deaf then must the people needs be blinde which were instructed by them As he that is perfect i. e. As he which ought to be perfect or hath promised and covenanted to be perfect and is perfect by profession The Jews are called perfect here not because they were so indeed but because they ought to have been so and were so by profession and might have been so if they had made good use of the means of perfection which God gave them So Saint Paul calls the Corinthians unleavened not because they were unleavened in their Manners but because they were unleavened by profession 1 Cor. 5.7 And blinde as the Lords servant q. d. And blinde I say as the Lords servant He repeats here what he said in the beginning of the Verse and by it augments these mens fault in not believing 20. Seeing many things i. e. Thou seest or thou art seeing many words of the Lord and many signs which I work to confirm those words Note here that a Participle is put for a Verb seeing for thou seest Or else the Verb substantive Thou art is here to be understood q. d. Thou art seeing which is as much as thou seest But thou observest not i. e. But yet thou believest not what thou seest Opening the ears i. e. He openeth his ears and receiveth my words with his outward ears He puts a Participle here for a Verb or understands a Verb substantive as before and useth an Enallage of the person For he speaks here of his servant in the third person to whom he spoke in the second person immediately before But he heareth not But he doth not believe what is spoken To observe and hear signifie here one and the same thing to wit to believe See Notes Cap. 6. v. 9 10. 21. The Lord is well pleased i. e. The Lord is well pleased with you though he was angry These words and this whole Verse relate to the eighteenth Verse and hath its immediate connexion with that for the two intervening Verses were brought in by the By onely that God might justifie his Prophet in calling his people deaf and blinde For his righteousness sake i. e. For his mercy and goodness sake He will magnifie the Law and make it honorable i. e. He will magnifie his Word which he hath spoken by me his Prophet Isaiah concerning your Redemption out of the Babylonish captivity and make it honorable The Law is taken here for the Word of God in general as it is also taken cap. 1. v. 10. and elsewhere Then doth the Lord magnifie his Law that is his Word and make it honorable I mean his Word of Prophecy and of Promise as this was when he doth fulfil it and shew by the event that it came from him 22. But this is a people robbed and spoyled they are all of them snared in holes This is spoken in the person of one of those deaf and blinde Jews mentioned vers 18. which objects the present misery of the Jews against that which the Prophet said vers 21. to wit That the Lord was well pleased with them and that he would magnifie the Law and make it honorable For how saith the deaf and blinde Jew is this likely being we are a people robbed and spoyled c. The like Objection we read upon the like occasion Cap. 49.24 By this people then are meant the Jews whom he thus spoke of because they were in a very mean and low condition at this time without all hope of bettering their estate A people robbed and spoyled i. e. A people whom the Babylonians have robbed and spoyled of all their goods and of all other things that might otherwise be a comfort to them They are all of them snared in holes i.
by his name whereas they call an ordinary servant not by his name but with an hisse or a whistle or the like Thou art mine i. e. Thou art my servant yea my peculiar servant and therefore I will have a care of thee These words contain the meaning of those that went immediately before 2. When thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee c. This and the other sentences which follow in this verse are proverbiall kinds of speeches and signifie all one and the same thing namely that the Lord will keep him safe in all dangers 3. Thy God And therfore will protect thee and provide for thee I gave Egypt for thy ransome Ethiopia and Seba for thee i. e. When Senacherib King of Assyria warred against thee and left Ashardhaddon his sonne to govern Assyria in his absence and to supply him with men and all things necessary for the absolute conquest of Judaea And Asharhaddon thought now to doe his utmost for subduing thee and destroying thy Land I diverted him and imployed his forces against Tirakah King of Ethiopia and the Egyptians and Sabaeans which accompanied him in his expedition against Assyria all whom I made a prey to the Assyrians sword and so I preserved thee Concerning Tirakah King of Egypt his expedition against Assyria See Cap. 37.9 and Cap. 18. where the event of his Expedition is foretold which was that hee should be overcome by the Assyrians Egypt By Egypt understand the Egyptians by a Metonymy And by the Egyptians those Egyptians which warred under Tirakah King of Ethiopia when he went in expedition against Assyria by a Synechdoche For thy ransome i. e. That I might deliver thee from the danger of the Assyrians and preserve thee A ransome properly taken is the price which is given for the redemption of a Captive by the mutuall consent of the redeemer and him of whom the Captive is redeemed when therefore he saith He gave Egypt for thy ransome c. He speaketh Metaphorically Ethiopia Ethiopia is a large Region lying beyond Egypt Southward Here it is taken by a Metonymy for the Ethiopians those Ethiopians which served under Tirakah their King against Assyria Seba. Seba was the Son of Cush Gen. 10.7 which was the father of the Sabaeans which inhabited Arabia the Happy And it is taken here for the Sabaeans the children of Seba or Laba even these Sabaeans that served under Tirakah King of Ethiopia in the expedition aforesaid For Thee i. e. For thy ransome or that I might deliver thee from the fury of the Assyrians Since thou wast precious in my sight i. e. Since the time that I made thee a peculiar Treasure to my selfe Exod. 19.5 That is since the time that I brought thee out of Egypt and cast a favourable eye upon thee Thou hast been honourable i. e. Thou hast been honourable in the sight of the Nations by reason of these great things which I have done for thee And I have loved thee i. e. And I have shewed my love unto thee Metonymia Efficientis Therefore will I give men for thee q. d. I am I say The Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Saviour and I have given Egypt for thy ransome c. and I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee c. God is not like man but whom he loveth he loveth to the end Iohn 13.1 And his former blessings are a motive to blesse againe whom he hath blest before I will give men for thee i. e. I will give men for thy ransom that I may redeeme thee out of the Babylonish captivity This was fulfilled when God gave the Babylonians as a prey to Cyrus by reason of which the Jewes which were held Captives by the Babylonians were delivered out of that Captivity And people for thy life i. e. And people to save thy life This is a repetition of the former Sentence 5. I will bring thy seed from the East and gather thee from the West c When the Babylonians invaded Iudaea they carried many of the Jewes away Captive into Babylon which lay Eastward from Iudaea and many of the Iewes fled Westward and many Northward and many Southward to save their lives and there lived in a kinde of Exile These therefore doth God here promise to bring backe againe into their own Land And he brought those of the Captivity into their own Land by the meanes of Cyrus Ezra 1. And the other hearing how mercifully God had dealt with them of the Captivity returned to their own Countrey againe not without joy and gladnesse of heart I will bring thy Seed i. e I will bring thy children O Iacob c. Metonymia Materiae And gather thee i. e. And gather thy Children Metonymia Efficientis 6. I will say to the North i. e. I will say to the Northerne people or people which dwell in the North parts of the earth Give up i. e. Give up my people which is among you into mine hands Bring my sonnes from farre i. e. All you which live a farre off bring the children of Israel which are to me as my sonnes which dwell among you into their owne Land 7. Even every one that is called by my name i. e. Bring yee even every one that is mine What is Gods is called by Gods name as v.g. The Son of God the Daughter of God As that which is Pauls is called by the name of Paul as Pauls cloake And what is Peters is called by the name of Peter as Peters sword c. And every thing which is owned is called by the name of its owner For I have created him i. e. I have made him For my glory i. e. That my glory That is that my power and my fidelity and my goodnesse may appeare in his preservation And that he may glorifie me and serve me onely because of these great things which I have determined and will doe for him I have formed him yea I have made him supple that I may be glorified in him and by him 8. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes and the deafe that have eares Bring forth the Idolls that have â—yes but see not and have eares but heare not Psa 115.6 This manner of speaking carrieth contempt with it As the Lord when he had told what he would doe for his people the Iewes and how he would deliver them out of the Babylonians Captivity made that his telling or foretelling of this an argument of his divinity And called upon the Idolaters and their Idols to bring what reasons they could The Idols to prove their own divinity and the Idolaters to prove the divinity which they gave to their Idols and in particular to shew whether they did ever foretell of that which God said He would bring to passe namely the delivery out of the Babylonish Captivity and bringing them to their own Land againe Cap. 42. v. 21 22 c. So doth he here and so often as he
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
his care and protection of them above others he may be said to sanctifie them and they which are thus separated may be said to be sanctified and holy See Notes cap. 4.3 As God therefore may be said to sanctifie a people when he separates them and puts a difference between them and others by his care and protection So when he deprives them of the care and protection which once he afforded them he may be said to profane them or pollute them The Princes of the Sanctuary By the Princes of the Sanctuary understand the chief Priests which ministred in the Temple and ordered things concerning the worship of God there who were called the Princes of the Sanctuary because they had inferior Priests and Levites and Nethinims to serve and attend them in their high Calling And given Jacob to the curse i. e. And have given the children of Jacob the Jews to destruction By Jacob understand the Jews the children of Jacob by a Metonymy And the curse here spoken of is such a curse whereby the thing accursed or the the thing given to the curse was to be destroyed as Josh 6.17 How Jacob that is how many of the Jews which were the children of Jacob were killed and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and his servants see 2 King 25. v. 7 21 c. And Israel i. e. And the Jews the children of Jacob who also was called Israel To reproaches i. e. To the reproach of their Enemies who in their captivity taunted them jeered them and reproached them ISAIAH CHAP. XLIV YEt now hear O Jacob c. This is to be continued with the former Chapter And the sence is q. d. But although I have profaned the Princes of the Sanctuary and have given Jacob to the curse and Israel to reproach because of their sins yet now seeing your repentance Hear O Jacob my servant O Jacob my servant By Jacob he meaneth the Jews which were the children of Jacob the same also he meaneth by Israel 2. That made thee and formed thee from the womb i. e. That made thee a people from the first time that thou wast a people He speaks not of the making and forming of any one particular man which is made and formed in his mothers womb but of the making of a company of men into a people or Body politique yet he aliudes to the making and framing of a man in the womb of his mother Which will help thee Supple In all thy misery and distress Fear not Supple The Babylonians and their gods though thou art a Captive and hardly used in the Land of thy captivity For I will deliver thee and they shall not be able to hinder me See vers 8. And thou Jesurun This name Jesurun is taken out of Deut. 32. vers 15. where Moses gives it to the people of Israel and it signifieth right And it is therefore given to that people because God called them to lead a right or upright life and conversation Yet some think it to be an Hebrew diminutive of the Hebrew word Israel and to signifie as much as Little Israel as though the Lord had called his people here by a diminutive name as Fathers use to call their little children 3. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty The four sentences contained in this Verse signifie all one and the same thing namely That though the Jews were at this time in a poor decayed estate yet God would so bless them as that they should be delivered out of it and should revive and flourish again As the dry and thirsty ground though it be unpleasant and ill-favored to see to while it is so yet being watered it is hereby refreshed and recovereth its greenness and is clothed again with its former lustre I will pour water c. by water is meant rain the plenty whereof is signified by the word pour Vpon him i. e. Upon every Jew He speaketh of a Jew here as of a ground Metaphorically Vpon him that is thirsty i. e. Upon him that is as a thirsty Land that is upon him that is in misery and wants comfort Note that the thirstiness here mentioned is not the thirstiness of a man which is hot and dry and desireth drink to quench his thirst but the dryness of the ground for a dry ground is also called a thirsty ground Cap. 35.7 And to such a ground is the Jew in the depth of his misery and captivity here compared And floods upon the dry ground This is a repetition of the former sentence I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed i. e. I will greatly bless thy children By the Spirit of God is here meant Gods blessing as may appear by the following words which are but a repetition of these And the blessing of God is called the Spirit of God by a Metonymy because it proceedeth from the Spirit of God or from God who is a Spirit By seed are meant here children per Metonymiam Materiae 4. And they shall spring up as among the grass i. e. They shall spring up as young Trees or Plants among the grass which have moysture enough to nourish them and make them flourish 5. One shall say I am the Lords c. q. d. Such blessings will I pour upon them as that they shall confess that I am their God and that they are my servants because of the care I have of them and the favors that I shew to them though now they say My way is bid from the Lord my judgment is passed over from my God as Cap. 40. v. 27. I am the Lords Supple Servant And therefore shall call himself the Lords servant because he shall be sensible of the care which God hath of him and the blessing which he bestoweth upon him and shall in way of recompence resolve to serve the Lord so long as he shall live Another shall call himself by the name of Jacob And therefore shall he call himself by the name of Jacob because he shall see that the Lord hath as great respect to him as he had to Jacob and because he shall resolve to serve the Lord for the blessings which the Lord hath bestowed upon him as Jacob vowed to serve the Lord and did accordingly Gen. 28.21 Another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord Supple That he is his servant and will serve him And sirname himself by the name of Israel Israel is the name of Jacob and it was given to him because of the power which he had with God and prevailed with him Gen. 32.28 For the same reason as one named himself by the name of Jacob in the former part of this Verse doth another sirname himself by the name of Israel in this latter part And for the same reason as one said I am the Lords for the same reason doth the other subscribe with his hand unto the Lord. 6. Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel That the Jews might the more firmly believe what the Lord had
Armies For by the River Euphrates and the Rivers thereof may be meant the King of Bâ—byl n and his Armies as by the River and â—s watâ—rs is meant the King of Assyria and thâ— gâ—eâ—t mâ—ltitude of men which the King o Assâ—ria brought â—p with him against Iudah Cap. 8.7 Againe we may observe that many take this place lâ—terally and interpret it of that Stratâ—gem which by the Lordâ— providence Cyrus used when he tooke Babylon for when Cyrus tooke Babylon he divided the waters of the River Euphâ—ates and divided them into certaine deep pits and great hollow places which he had made for that purpose by which meanes the Channell of Euphrates was passable by foot through which he led his Army into Babylon and so tooke that great City Which when he had took he set the Iewes free and did accommodate them in a most honourable manner for their returne into their own Land 28. That saith os Cyrus he is my Shepheard Cyrus is called here the Lords Shepâ—eaâ—d because the Lord appointed him to be as a Shepheard to gather his dispersed Sheep of the house of Iudah together and bring them home into the Land of Iâ—dah as into their owne Sheep-fold And this did Cyrus not by his own labour and paines but by his command and authority Ezra 1. And shall performe all my pleasure Supple Concerning the delivering of my people the Iewes out of Captivity and bringing them back into their own Land Even saying to Hierusalem i. e. That even say to Hierusalem Thou shalt be built That Hierusalem was ruined by the Chaldees or Babylonians we read 2 Chron. 36.19 and that it was built againe by the Iewes we read Nehem. 2. And to the Temple thy foundation shall be laid That the Temple of the Lord which was at Hierusalem was qâ—ite destroyed we read 2 Chron. 36.19 2 Kings 25.9 And that it was built againe by the Iewes we read Ezra Cap. 4.5 6. The foundations shall be laid i. e. Thou shalt be built For by the Foundations understand the whole building by a Metonymy ISAIAH CHAP. XLV THus saith the Lrd to his annointed Cyrus is here called the Lords annointed because the Lord intended to make him a King yea a great King And by calling him His annointed he alludeth to the Kings of Israel and Iudah who at their Inauguration were wont to be annointed with oyle And were therefore called the Lords annointed as 1 Sam. 26.16 c. Or Cyrus might be called the Lords annointed because of those eminent gifts which God gave him as memory wisedome courage c. by which he surpassed ordinary men For such gifts by which one man surpasseth another may be well compared to Oyle which being mixt with other liquours alwayes floateth at the top Or when he saith Thus saith the Lord to his annointed it may be as if he should say Thus saith the Lord to his sanctified one as Cap. 13.3 That is to him whom he hath separated and set apart for this service To wit to subdue and destroy the Babylonians and to deliver the Iewes out of Captivity and bring them into their owne Land againe And him whom the Lord hath Sanctified That is He whom he hath or separated and set apart may be called The Lords annointed in allusion both to those Persons and those things which were Sanctified that is which were separated and set apart for Gods service in the Temple For they were so separated and set apart both persons and things were consecrated by Annoinâ—ing Exod. 40. verse 9.13 To Cyruâ— i. e. Even to Cyrus This Cyrus was King of Persia and he is here and in other places of this Prophet called by this name a long time yea above 200. yeares before he was borne the like we reade of Iâ—siah he was called Iosiah long before his birth 1 Kings 13.2 Cyrus is a Persian name and in the Persian Language signifieth the Sunne so that this name did portend the great glory which Cyrus should be in For he which gave him this name was able to give him glory also sutable to his name Note that in these words Thus saith the Lord to his annointed the Lord speaketh and he speaketh of himselfe in the third person Whoâ—e right hand I bave holden i. e. Whose right hand I will hold Note here that he puts a Praeterperfect Tense for a Future To hold ones right hand may signifie to preserve or keep safe by a Metaphor from a man which layeth hold on a Childs arme or hand when he is in any danger to keep him safe therein and bring him out thereof Or from a man which taketh hold of the arme or hand of an old feeble man that so he may sustaine him and keep him up from falling And indeed the Lord did preserve Cyrus and keep him safe in the midst of all dangers even untill he had wrought the whole work which he had for him to worke Or to hold ones right hand may signifie to strengthen a man by a Metaphor from a man taking hold of the hand of a Child when he striketh that he may adde vigour thereto and make his blow or stroke the greater To subdue Nations before him i. e. That I may subdue many Nations before him That is That he may subdue many Nations by my helpe Cyrus did Conquer and subdue many Nations for he Conquered and subdued the Syrians and Assyrians and Arabians and Cappadâ—cians and Phrygians and Lydians and Carians and Phaenicians and Babylonians c. see Zenoph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 1. And I will loose the Loines of Kings i. e. And for whose sake I will strike feare and terrour into Kings Feare looseth the Loines and the joynts of those which are terrified or put in feare as appeareth Dan. 5.6 Therefore he saith I will loose the Loines of Kings for I will strike feare and terrour into Kings To open before him the two-leaved Gates i. e. That they may open to him the Gates of their Cities and take him in as their Conquerour The two-leaved Gates By the two-leaved Gates he meaneth the Gates of Fenced Cities for the Gates of such Cities doe usually consist of two leaves And the Gates shall not be shut q.d. And the Gates of their Cities shall be surely opened to receive him they shall not be shut against him 2. I wil go before thee This is that which the Lord saith to his annointed even to Cyrus And the Lord speakes here in the person of a way maker which is sent sometimes before a King and his Court sometimes before a General and his Army to make their wayes even and straight that they may finde no rub or hinderance in their way And make the crooked places straight i. e. And make the crooked wayes straight that thou mayest passe by them with the greater speed See Cap. 40.3 I will breake in pieces the Gates of Brasse q.d. I will breake in pieces the Gates of those Cities which shut their Gates
against thee to keep thee out and so will make a way for thee to enter in The Gates oâ— Brasse i. e. The Gates which are lined with brasse or brazen plates to make them the stronger yet we read that the Gates of Babylon were made of massy-brasse and to these may the Prophet here allude The Barreâ— of Iron By the Barres of Iron are meant those Barres with which the Gates of Cities are made fast when they are shut Or Percullises which were wont to be set before the Gates of Cities to defend them which Percullises are made Bar-wise and lined with Iron 3. And I will give thee the treasures of darkenesse By treasures of darknesse are meant treasures which are hid in the earth or in darke holes as men use to hide them in the time of Warre Or treasures which have been kept close and have not seene the Sun as we say a great while Infinite were the treasures which Cyrus got of the People whom hâ— subdued as Histories tell us That I the Lord i. e. That I who am the onely true God Which call thee by thy name i. e. Which call thee by thy name even by the name of Cyrus which argueth my respects to thee Or thus which câ—ll thee by thy name that is which have made choyce of thee to be a servant of high esteem with me The like phrase to this we read Exod. 33.12 I know thee by thy name which phrase is taken from the manner of some great Lord or King who having many Servants knowes not all nor calls all by their names when he calls them but such only which are nigh by office to his person and in great esteem with him Am the God of Israel Supple For for Israels sake doe I doe this for thee that thou maist deliver Israel that is the Jewes which were the Children of Israel out of the Babylonish Captivity and shew them grace and favour 4. For Jacob my Servants sake c. i. e. For Jacob my Servants sake and Israel mine Elect that thou maist deliver him out of Captivity and be good to him have I called thee by thy name This containes a reason of that which went immediately before Mine elect That is whom I have chosen to be a peculiar people to my selfe By Jacob and Israel are here meant the Jewes or men of Judah who was the Sonne of Jacob who also was called Israel Have I called thee by thy name i e. Have I called thee to be my Servant yea to be my speciall Servant and a Servant of great esteeme with me See verse 3. I have Sirnamed thee q.d. Yea for his sake have I sirnamed thee and given thee the honourable name of Cyrus The Lord did sirname this man by calling him Cyrus long before he was borne and when he was borne by causing men by his secret working to give him that name Though thou hast not knowne me Cyrus was at first ignorant of the Lord who was the only true God and of his law and of his manner of worship And worshipped not the true God of Heaven but the many gods of the Heathen after their superstitious and Idolatrous manner yet afterward he came to know so much by the Jewes that the Lord was the true God Creator of Heaven and Earth Ezra 1.2 Josephus reports in his eleventh Book of Antiquities and first chapter that Cyrus read that which is here written of him for the Jewes did shew it to him and he when he had read it was animated thereby to deliver the Jewes out of the Babylonish Captivity and shew them many favours 5. I am the Lord and there is none else there is no God besides me It may be asked to what purpose the Lord doth mention here that he is the onely God and that there is no other God besides him Ans He doth it to shew Cyrus that it is he that girded him that is which gave him strength and power to vanquish and overcome Nations For that no man was ever great and singular in any kinde without the helpe of God the very Heathen have acknowledged See Cicero in the very last leafe of the second Book de Natura Deorum Now if no man could be great without the help of God Cyrus must needes have his power and greatnesse from a God And being that the Lord is the only God and there is no God besides him he must by consequence have his power and greatnesse from the Lord. I gâ— deâ— thâ—e Supple With a Sword That is I have given thee strength for the Warres Metonymia effecti Though thou hast not knowne me See vers 4. 6. That they may know from the rising of the Sunne and from the West i. e. That all which dwell from East to West may know That there is none besides me i. e. That there is no other God besides me I am the Lord i. e. For I am the Lord the Creator of Heaven and Earth And there is none else i. e. And there is no God else It may be asked how all people from East to West could come to know that the Lord was the onely God and that there was no other God besides him by his girding Cyrus that is by his giving Cyrus power and strength to the Warres Ans By Gods girding Cyrus that is by Gods giving Cyrus power and strength for the Warres Cyrus came to subdue many Nations and Babylon by name which when he had subdued according to this Prophesie of him he made a Proclamation throughout all his Kingdomes and put it in writing saying thus saith Cyrus King oâ— Persia the Lord God of Heaven hath given me all the Kingdomes of the Earth c. Ezra Cap. 1.2 Which argues the Lord to be the onely God For they are no Gods which cannot keep the Kingdomes whereof they have undertaken the protection out of his hands And thus did all people come to know that the Lord was the onely God This is a second reason why God did so strengthen Cyrus to wit that he might be knowne to be the onely God The first reason was contained in the third and fourth verses to wit that Cyrus might deliver Israel out of Captivity and be good to him 7. I forme the light and â—reat darknesse By the light is metaphorically meant Prosperity which is as gratefull to the minde of man as light is to his eyes And by darkenesse is meant Adversity which is as grievous to the minde of man as darkenesse is to his eyes I make peace By Peace is meant Prospâ—rity for by Peace the Heâ—rewes use to signifie all manner of Prosperity Per Synecdochen membri This is a repetition of the former Sentence And creat evill By evill is meant Adversity and it is opposed to Peace in that Notion which we gave of Peace Adversity is called Evill rather because men account it so then because it is so in it selfe I the Lord do all these things Supple Which I have named
to wit light and darkness peace and evil It may be asked Why the Lord doth here mention this That he is the Author of prosperity and adversity c. Ans He doth it that that which he promiseth in the next following Verse may be received with the greater credit and that it may be known that he is able to do what there he promiseth 8. Drop down ye Heavens from above What the Lord would have the Heavens to drop down is mentioned in the words following to wit Righteousness By the Heavens are meant the Skies Under this commâ—nd which he gives to the Heavens and to the Skies there lieth a divine promise for what the Lord commands the Heavens and the Skies to do that he will bring to pass himself Let the Skies pour down Righteousness q. d. Yea let the Skies pour down Righteousness And is put here for Yea and in the word pour down there is an emphasis And thâ—se words seem to be a correction of the former By this the Lord sheweth the abundance of righteousness which he would send which he compareth here to rain in abundance Righteousness By righteousness is meant the deliverance and salvatiâ—n whereby the Jews were delivered and saved out of the hands of the Babylonians and other the blessings which he bestowed upon them after their delivery and salvation And this deliverance and salvation and these blessings thâ— Lord calls righteousness per Metonymiam Efficientis because they were an effect of his righteâ—usness that is of his fidelity or faithfulness in keeping promise for God had promised to deliver the Jews and to save them out of the hands of the Babylonians and to bless them exceedingly Again This deliverance and salvation and these blessings might also be called righteousness because they were an effect of the righteousness that is of the justice of God for it was a righteous and just thing with God to comfort his people and to deliver them and to bless them and to destroy their Enemies when they had received at his hands double for all their sins as Cap. 40. vers 1 2. See 2 Thess cap. 1. vers 6 7. Note that when he saith Let the Skies pour down righteousness he compareth righteousness to the rain And though righteouâ—ness be the fruit which should spring out of the Earth by this rain yet he calls this rain by the name of righteousness because righteousness was produced thereby So we usually say of a sweet showre that it raineth grass because it causeth the grass to grow out of the ground in great abundance But you will say What is then meant by the Heavens or the Skies and their rain and what is meant by the Earth Ans Similitudes and Metaphors must not be racked and every part examined but enough it is if we understand the whole meaning by the whole but yet by the Heavens and by the Eâ—rth Cyruâ— may be understood here who delivered the Jews out of the Babylonish captivity and enriched them greatly and gave them many priviledges and by the rain may be mâ—â—nt those means which Cyrus usâ—d fâ—r this purpose Let the Earth open i. e. And let the Earth open to receive what the Skieâ— pour down This Conjunction And is here to be understood And let them bring forth Salvation i. e. And let the Skies and the Earth togethâ—r bring forth salvation as the Earth and the Heavens by their showres bring forth grass By salvation understand here meerly the delivery of the Jews out of tâ—e hands of the Babylonians by Cyrus And let righteousness spring up together i. e. And let righteousness spring up by their concourse that is by the concourse of the Heavens and of the Earth together with it that is together with salvation That rigâ—teousness and salvation may not signifie the same thing in this place I conceive that righteousness is to be taken here in a more strict signification then it was taken before in this Verse and that here it signifieth onely those blessings which the Lord bestowed upon tâ—e Jews by Cyrus after he had delivered them or saved them out of the hands of the Babylonians whereas in the former part of the Verse it signified both that salvation or deliverance and those blessings too I the Lord have created it i. e. I the Lord have appointed it to bâ— so or I the Lord will create that is I will bring it to pass or I will have it so In this last sence a preterperfect is put for a futâ—re tense 9. Wo unto hiâ— that striveth with his Maker This is spoken to the unbelieving and murmuâ—ing Jew For the unbelieving and murmuring Jew hearing God say Drop down ye Heavenâ— and let the Skies pour down righâ—â—ousâ—â—ss might out of an unbelieving heart murmur against God and say to him Thou sayst Drop down ye Heavens from above c. but thou art not able to make the Heavens drop down or the Skies to pour down righteousness as thou sayst Wherefore the Lord doth by way of prevention first reprove those men for their sauciness and murmuring against him in Vers 9 10. and then in vers 11. he assureth them that are believing of his power and love to them and that he can and will deliver them and save them and bless them as he said Vers 8. Vnto him that striveth with his Maker i. e. Wo to him that speaketh against God to his face even against God which made him for God will rebuke him for it This strife is a strife of words Let the potsheard strive with the potsheard of the Earth q. d. Let one potsheard strive with another and let it not strive with the Potter and let one man strive with another and not with God who made him Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it What makest thou i. e. Shall the Clay contemn the Potter and say to him in contempt What makest thou If he should say so to the Potter the Potter would break it presently in pieces What makest thou This is spoke with contempt as though the Potter could not make an handsom pot q. d. What goest thou about to make dost thou go about to make a neat or handsom pot that 's past thy skill Or thy wâ—rk Or shall thy work O Pâ—tter say of thee He useth an Apostrophe here to the Potter He hath no hands Supple Able or cunning enough to make an handsom vessel When he saith He hath no hands he doth not say absolutely that he hath no hands but relatively that is he hath not hands fit or cunning enough to make an handsom vessel 10. Wo to him that saith to his Father What begettest thou q. d. Wo to him that being born lame or blinde or deformed saith to his Father What begettest thou Thou hast begotten a lame or blinde or deformed childe but thou canst not beget a well-favored and perfect childe Or to the Woman Supple Which brought him forth that is to his Mother What hast thou
c. From the beginning i. e. At any time heretofore From the time that it was there am I q. d. I have not been negligent in the performance of my duty but from the time that I have been called to be a Prophet I have been diligent in my calling From the time that it was i. e. From the time that the gift of Prophecy was Supple given to me or was in me Here is a Relative without an Antecedent There am I i. e. Therein have I spent my labour and travell and doe yet spend it Note that this verbe I am though it be of the present Tense yet by a Syllepsis it comprehends the time past also Note also that where a man spends his whole labour and travell there he may be said to be himselfe Per Metonymiam efficientis The like argument to this which the Prophet here useth to move attention doth the Apostle use 1 Cor. 15.10 His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vaine but I laboured c. And now the Lord God and his spirit hath sent me i. e. And now at this time hath the Lord sent me to you with this message And his spirit Many of the ancients doe interpret this spirit of the Holy Ghost the third person in the blessed Trinity But yet because the Scripture speakes often of God as of a man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Spirit is taken oftentimes for the Soul The Sense may be this And now the Lord God yea his soule hath sent me q. d. And now the Lord God hath sent me yea he hath sent me with all his Soule Which expression signifieth a great deale of Affection of him that sends to him to whom he sends This is the third argument by which the Prophet would move attention and how powerfull an argument this is Eglon King of Moab may shew who when Ehud said unto him I have a message from God unto thee Eglon arose presently out of his Seat Judges 3.20 which argument is the stronger when it is enforced with the love of God 17. Thus saith the Lord c. This is that which the Prophet speakes to them to heare verse 16. Thy Redeemer q.d. Which hath redeemed thee out of the hands of the Aegyptians and Moabits and Midianits and Assyrians and will redeeme thee out of the hands of the Babylonians The holy one of Israel i. e. The holy one whom Israel worshippeth I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit i. e. I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee such things as that if thou observest them thou shalt profit thy selfe by them for in observing my words there is great reward Which leadeth thee by the way which thou shouldst goe i. e. Which directeth thee as a guide doth a Traveller in the way wherein thou shouldst goe if thou wouldst be safe and happy The Commandements of God are often compared to a way because as by walking in the way we come to the place which we desire So doe we come to the happinesse which we long after by keeping the Commandements of the Lord. Note that that which the Lord speakes here in this and the two following verses is not that which he chiefly intends in this speech but that which he chiefly intends is to tell the house of Iacob of their delivery out of Babylon and of the afflictions which shall befall the Babylonians their enemies verse 20 21 22. And in this 17 18 19. verses he doth insinuate himselfe into the heart of his people by manifesting his love and compassion towards them that they may receive what he hath to say to them with the greater desire and beliefe 18. O that thou hadst hearkned to my Commandements i. e. O that thou hadst obeyed my Commandements heretofore This passionate Speech sheweth the love and compassion which the Lord had to his people Then had thy peace been as a River i. e. Then had not thy peace failed but had been as a River which runs continually and is not dryed up And as a River waters the earth and makes all things to flourish and look green So should thy peace have cheered thee and made all things to flourish within thee This peace which th y enjoyed was taken away by the Babylonians because of their sinnes And thy righteousnesse as the waves of the Sea The keeping of Gods commandements is righteousnesse But it is not that which is here meant by righteousnesse but the fruites of that righteousnesse and the blessings which God would have bestowed upon his people for keeping his commandments Per Metonymiam efficientis If therefore they had kept Gods commandements the blessings which God would have bestowed upon them as fruites of that their Righteousnesse should have been as the waves of the Sea Supple for abundance 19. Thy Seed i. e. Thy children Metonymia materiae Should have been as the Sand Supple for number And the off-spring of thy bowels i. e. And the off-spring which commeth out of thy bowels Like the gravell thereof i. e. Like the gravell of the Sea Soe some understanding Sea from verse 18. Others like the gravell that is like the little stones of the Sand Supple for multitude His name should not have been cut off q.d. Thou shouldst not have been cut off Supple as thou hast been by the Babylonians by reason of which thou art diminished and become few in number He speakes not here of a totall cutting off as verse 9. but a Partiall His name Note that his name is put here for He and He is put for thou by an Enallage of the Person For he speakes here of the house of Jacob in the third person to whom he spake in the Second immediately before Note that the word name doth often signifie a person as Act. 1.15 The number of the names together were about an hundred and twenty that is the number of the persons together were about an hundred and twenty And Rev. 3.4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments that is thou hast a few persons even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments Note Secondly that this word name taken in this Nation is sometimes added Periphrastically to another word signifying or intimating a Person And yet augmenteth not the signification thereof as Isa 30.27 The name of the Lord commeth from farre that is the Lord commeth from farre c. Cap. 48.9 For my names sake will I deferre mine anger that is for mine owne sake will I deferre mine anger And 1 Iohn 32.3 This is his commandement that we should believe in the name of his Sonne Jesus Christ That is this is his commandement that we should believe in his Sonne Jesus Christ Now as the word name is Periphrastically added in those places without any augmentation of the signification so it is here and so His name is no more than He. Nor destroyed Supple As thou hast been of late by the
generis For every one that maketh mention of a mans name doth not call him though every one which calleth him by name maketh mention of his name Note that Gods calling of him by name sheweth that he was in high favour with God and that he had a great office in his house See Cap. 45.3 Note that the Prophet doth very much magnifie himselfe for the favour which he had with God from this to verse 8. And this he doth first that by shewing the glory of the Type he might set forth the greater glory of the Antitype Secondly that the message which he is sent about might the more willingly and believingly be received and embraced 2. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp Sword The Lord made the Prophets mouth as a sharpe sword by putting his word into his mouth or because of his word which proceeded out of his mouth For the word of God is as a Sword Ephes 6.17 Yea sharper then any two edged Sword Heb. 4.12 The word oâ— God is likened to a Sword First because it pierceth the very heart Examples whereof yee have Act. 2.37 and 7.54 Secondly because it separateth between vertue and vice by teaching what is good and what is evill Thirdly because it cutteth off sinne by the threats which are therein contained against sinners and by the promises which are thereby made to those which forsake sinne Fourthly because it cuts off errour and heresy by teaching the truth In the shadow of his hand hath he hid me i. e. He will preserve me and keepe me safe from those that persecute me Supple that they shall not destroy me untill I have finished the whole work which I have to doe The Prophet alludeth to a man which when he would keep a thing safe while he hath it in his hand closeth his hand and so keepeth it which he doth as it were hide it therein By the shadow therefore of the hand he meaneth the hollow of the hand which being closed becommeth darke as a shadow He that can span the heavens with his hand Cap. 48.23 And measure the waters in the hollow thereof Cap. 40.22 He can hide the Prophet in his hand with ease Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted said Stephen to the Jewes Act. 7.52 It is but needfull therefore that God should hide this his Prophet in the shadow of his hand to preserve him while he hath finished the worke about which he hath sent him And he made me a polished shaft i. e. And he made me as a polished Arrow whose feathers are trimmed that it may flye the better and whose head is scoured that it may pierce the deeper As the mouth of the Prophet was likened to a sharpe Sword a little before So is he himselfe here likened to a polished shaft or Arrow and that for the same reason to wit because of the word of God which was given him in charge which word as it was compared to a Sword before so it is here compared to an Arrow because as an Arrow pierceth the heart So doth the word of God And as an Arrow killeth and destroyeth So doth the word of God kill and destroy sinne and errour If there be any difference here between the meaning of the Sword and the Arrow it consisteth in this that the mouth of the Prophet is called a Sword because of the word which he had to speake to the Jewes who were neere to him for a Sword is a weapon that is used against those that are nigh at hand And he is called a Shaft or an Arrow because of the word which he had to speake to the Gentiles who were remote from him for a Shaft or an Arrow is a weapon which is used at a distance In his Quiver hath he hid me i. e. He will hide me from those which persecute me and keepe me safe from their fury This phrase is the same with that viz In the shadow of his hand hath he hid me But the Metaphor is taken here from an Arrow which men keep in a Quiver that it may not be broken nor the feathers thereof marred 3. O Israel i. e. O thou Son of Israel Metonymia efficientis The Lord called Isaiah Israel or the Son of Israel indeed because he was a true sonne of Israel indeed like unto Israel his Father in obedience In whom I will be glorified i. e. By whom I will be glorified In is put here for By. This denoteth the end why the Lord hid his servant Isaiah and preserved him But how did God intend to be glorified by Isaiah Ans The Lord intended by the Ministry of Isaiah to bring the Jewes againe to him by repentance which had gone away from him by their sin verse 5. And this bringing of them back to the Lord was for the glory of God For God glorified himselfe by delivering them out of Babylon upon their repentance which he would not have done if they had not repented Againe by the Ministry of Isaiah many Heathens were convinced of their Idolatry and turned to the Lord as the only true God and worshipped him onely and so glorified him 4. I have laboured in vaine q. d. Lord dost thou thinke to be glorified by my Ministry That is not likely for I have hitherto laboured in vaine and there is little turning to thee though I have laboured what I can Yet surely my judgement is with the Lord Yet surely and this is my comfort the Lord is my Judge who will Judge me not according to the event of my labour but according to the Labour which I have taken And my worke i. e. And the reward of my worke Metonymia efficientis With my God And if his reward was with God God would not keep it from him but would give him his reward in due time according to his worke 5. And now saith the Lord q.d. And even now after I have spent so much labour in vaine though the Jewes have not profited by my Ministery yet the Lord saith c. This sheweth that God accepteth the labour of the workeman though his labour be in vaine That formed me from the wombe to be his servant i. e. That called me from the wombe to be his servant c. See verse 1. There is a Metaphor in that word formed borrowed from a Potter To bring Jacob againe to him i. e. To bring the Jewes which were the children of Jacob to him againe by repentance which had gone away from him by their sinnes Though Israel be not gathered Supple To me by thy Ministery i. e. Though the Jewes the children of Israel repent not nor returne to me the Lord thorow thy Ministery c. They which turne to the Lord by repentance are gathered together and come to him for salvation as Chickens are gathered to the Hen and come to her for warmth Matth. 23.37 Hence not to be gathered is put here for not to turne by repentance Yet it may be that
the Lord hath forsaken me c. In the former verse it was said that God would comfort his people and would have mercy upon his afflicted but Zion when she heard of it did hardly believe it but saith she here surely that is not so for the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me And this she saith in a kind of despaire having been sorely oppressed by the Babylonians But it may be asked what it concerned Zion to heare that God would comfort his people and shew mercy upon his afflicted and what she should be the better for it that she should say when she heard of it in despaire Surely it will not be so for the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Answ The comfort and mercy which is here spoken of was the bringing in of the afflicted Jewes into their own Land again and to Sion the holy City And if they were once brought into their own Land again and to Sion the holy City then should Sion have joy in their prosperity as a mother in the prosperity of her children and then should her walls and her houses which the Babylonian had broken down be builded up again And then should her inhabitants be to her again as the ornament of a bride V. 18. But Zion said c. But Zion hath said heretofore and saith still c. This word said denoteth a continuall saying and signifies not onely the time past but also the present time by a Syllepsis The Lord hath forsaken me aad my Lord hath forgotten me i. e. The Lord hath cast me off and will take no more care of me nor any way pitty me How then can he comfort his peoplâ— and have mercy upon his afflicted for their comfort is my comfort and their joy is my joy When the Lord hath cast any one off so that he will take no more care of him or shew him any pity he is said in the Scripture-phrase to have forsaken him and forgot him 15. Can a woman forget her sucking childe The Prophet speaketh this in the person of God and answereth to the complaint of Sion and sheweth that the Lord hath not forgotten her Or the Sonne of heâ— wombe i. e. Or her Sâ—cking child which is a Sonne and a Sonne of her owne wombe Yea they may forget q. d. Verily though it be unlikely yet women may forget their Sucking children and the Sonnâ—s of their wombe Note here the Enallage of the numbâ—r how he passeth from a Singular to a Pâ—urall number 16. I have graven thee upon the palmes of my hands i. e. I have writ Sion upon the palme of my hands that it may bâ— to me as a memoriall of thee and so often as I see or read it I may remember thee By this he would shew that he is alwayes mindfull of Sion And he alludeth to those who that they may remember some one thing or businesse which they would not forget put some signe or memoriall thereof upon their hands which some doe by tying a thred about their fingers Others by writing the thing or name of the thing which they would remember upon some part of the hand either backe or palme c. See Exod. 13.9 I have graven c. That is I have written thy name upon the palmes of my hand so that it cannot be blotted out He useth a Metaphor from a Graver in Stone or Brasse or the like whose engravings are not easily blotted out or defaced Thee i. e. Thy name viz. Sion Thy walls are continually before me i. e. Thy ruined walls are continually in my thoughts yea in my sight and it pittieth me to see them in the dust 17. Thy children shall make hast q. d. Therefore thy children which shall build up thy walls againe shall make hast to come unto thee By the children of Sion are meant the Jewes which were in Captivity in Babylon or else where in exile Thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall goe forth of thee i. e. The Babylonians which destroyed thee and laid thee waste shall goe forth of thee and give place to thy children Note that when the Iewes were carried away Captive into Babylon many Babylonians inhabited their Cities either of their own private voluntary minde or by the publike authority of their King who when he conquered a Countrey and carried away the Inhabitants thereof sent other of his own Subjects to Inhabit there And these saith the Lord to Sion shall goe forth of thee 18. Cast up thine eyes round about i. e. Looke towards the East and towards the West towards the North and towards the South He speakes still to Sion And behold He speakes as though the Jewes which were scattered abroad by the comming of the Babylonians into Judaea were even then gathering themselves together to returne into Judaea againe in kenne of eye All these gather themselves together and come to thee q. d. All these whom thou seest are Jewes which gather themselves together to come to thee He speakes as though he pointed at them with his finger In the former verse he said to Sion that her children should make hast to come to her here he saith that they are comming already Thou shalt surely cloth thy selfe with them all as with an ornament q. d. They shall all come and when they are all come they shall be as great an Ornament and a glory to thee by reason of their multitude as the Robe is to a King or Queene He alludeth to a glorious Robe wherewith a King or Queene is clothed when he saith Thou shalt cloth thy self with them all as with an Ornament When he saith Thou shalt surely cloth thy selfe with them all as with an Ornament He speaketh not so much of their quality as of their number as may appeare by the content For the glory of a City consisteth also in the number and multitude of the Inhabitants And binde them on thee as a Bride doth Supple Her Jewells or Bracelets or her head attire q. d. And they shall be as great an Ornament to thee by reason of their number as the Jewells or Bracelets or Head attire which shee bindes on her are to a Bride These are the same for sense with the former words only the Metaphor or Allusion is different 19. For thy waste and thy desolate places and the Land of thy destruction shall even now be too narrow by reason of the Inhabitants q. d. For they which shall come and inhabite thee shall be so many in number and their multitude shall be so great as that thy waste and thy desolate places and the Land of thy destruction shall even now be too narrow to containe the Inhabitants thereof because of their number and multitude Thy waste and desolate places i. e. Those places which lay waste and desolate in thee for want of Inhabitants The Land of thy destruction i. e. Thy Land which is destroyed by the Babylonians He saith the
Land of thy destruction for thy Land which is destroyed putting a Substantive of the Genitive Case for an Adjective or a Participle after the Hebrew manner Even now i. e. So soon as ever they to wit thy children which gather themselves together to come to thee shall be come to thee And they that swallowed thee up i. e. And the Babylonians which destroyed thee and now dwell in thee c. See verse 17. He saith swallowed thee up for destroyed thee by a Metaphor from a Lion or Beare or some such ravenous Beast or other which is wont to swallow downe his prey And they that swallowed thee up shall be farre away Read these words as with a Parenthesis 20. Thy children which thou shalt have i. e. These words have their immediate connexion with the formost words of verse 19. viz. with those Thy wast and thy desolate places and the Land of thy destruction shall even now be too narrow by reason of the Inhabitants And are for sense the same with them The children which thou shalt have Supple Even now He speakes as though the Jewes which were in Captivity in Babylon and dispersed elsewhere were even now comming to Sion or Hierusalem their mother After thou hast lost the other Supple Which thou hadst before the Babylonians besieged thee who slew some and carried others of thy children away Captive and made others to flye into forraigne Lands Shall say againe in thine eares i. e. Shall say againe to thee or in thine hearing Againe This relates to such time or times before the Babylonish Captivity in which Hierusalem was very populous so that many of the people thereof were faine to dwell in other Cities and Villages of Judah For they which did so did in effect say The place is too straight for mee The place is too straight for me i. e. The place wherein we dwell is too little for us we must seeke us a dwelling elsewhere For me i. e. For us For here is an Enallage of the number The Singular being put for the Plurall Give place to me that I may dwell q.d. Give me a place elsewhere that I may have a place to dwell in 21. Then shalt thou say in thine heart i. e. Then when thy children shal come to thee and they shall be straightned for want of roome to dwell in thee thou shalt wonder to see that they are so many and shalt say within thy selfe Who hath begotten me these i. e. By whom have I these so many children Seeing I have lost my children Supple Which I had Shee lost her children when the Babylonians slew many of them made many to flye away for feare of their lives and carried the rest away Captive into Babylon And am desolate i. e. And am without an husband The Lord was her husband and had married her but had put her away Cap. 50.1 So that shee was at this time desolate and without an husband A Captive and removing to and fro And shee which is a captive removing to and fro hath but little propension to the procreation of children A Captive Supple to the Babylonians Removing to and fro Conquerours use to hurry their Captives from place to place and City to City at their pleasures and seldome suffer them to abide long in one place Ob. It may be here objected that Sion being a City could not remove from place to place to and fro Ans What is said in this Chapter of Sion and attributâ—d to her is spoken of her and attributed to her by a Prosopopoeia by which figure shee may be made aswell to remove from place to place to and fro as to speake But what is spoken of Sion in this Chapter and attributed to her is spoken of her and attributed to her to set forth the condition of the Jewes as it was at that time as I said before And who hath brought up these And who hath nourished and brought up all these Behold I was left alone Supple without children and none of them all were with me therefore I could not nourish them and bring them up These where they had been q. d. Where have all these been wheresoever they have been they have not been with me so that I could not bring them up 22. Thus saith the Lord God behold I wil lift up mine hand to the Gentiles q. d. Moreover thus saith the Lord God Behold c. In the 18 19 20 verses the Lord assured Sion that her children should come to her to comfort her Here that he may yet further comfort her and shew her how mindfull he was of her she sheweth the manner how they shall come to her and how happy she shall be when she hath received them I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles i. e. I will call the Gentiles to me He alludeth to one man beckning to another with his hand to come to him And set up my Standard to the people i. e. And I will gather the people or Nations together For what end he will call the Gentiles to him and gather the Nations together he sheweth in the next following words This phrase is the same for sense with that which went immediately before but he alludes herein to a Captaine which sets up his Standard for his souldiers to come together and to be in a readinesse for what march or service he shall appoint them And they shall bring thy sonnes in their armes i. e. and they shall bring thy sonnes to thee in their armes as nurses use to carry their little ones And thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders i. e. And they shall carry thy daughters to thee upon their shoulders Supple on soft beds or pallate as they which are weak were wont to be carried Mark 2.3 The meaning is that the Gentiles shall carefully provide and accommodate the Jewes with all things necessary and convenient for their return from Babylon and other parts of the world to their own Land How this was fulfilled in part read Ezra 1. 23. And Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queens thy nursing mothers i. e. And after thy sonnes and daughters are brought to thee Kings and Queens shall be as carefull to provide and shew kindnesse to thee as nursing fathers and nursing mothers are to their Foster-children Kings shall be their nursing fathers This was fulfilled in Cyrus Darius Artaxerxes whose good deeds to the Jewes are mentioned in the book of Ezra and Nehemiah and Assuerus of whom we read Esther 8.7 c. And Alexander the Great and his successors and especially Demetrius whom Josephus writeth of All which were exceeding good to the Jewes and to Hierusalem and to the Temple and gave them many gifts and priviledges And thâ—ir Queens thy nursing mothers This was fulfilled in the Queenes of some of those forementioned Kings and particularly in Ester as may be seen in the book which beareth her name They shall bown down to thee with their face towards the
was there none to answer me q.d. Wherefore did no man receive me when I came to you And when I called to you wherefore did no man answer me The Prophet seemeth to allude to one mans coming to another mans house where there was no body at home to entertain him or to answer when he called and knocked The Lord sent his servants the Prophets to the Jews so soon as they were carryed away captive to exhort them and stir them up to repentance that he might have mercy upon them and deliver them from that captivity and misery upon their repentance into which they had brought themselves by their sins Bâ—t when the Prophets came to them in the Lords Name for this purpose they would not receive them nor would they answer or harken when they called upon them to hear the Word of the Lord. Note here that that which was done to the Prophets of the Lord the Lord takes as done to himself and what they did in his Name he interprets as done by himself according to that of our Saviour to his Disciples He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me Matth. 10.40 This for the explication of these words Now for the connexion Note that these words are spoken in answer to a tacite Objection of the Jews which were in captivity for vvhereas the Lord had said that he vvould deliver them though they were captives and a prey out of the hands of the terrible and mighty Cap. 49.25 and in answer to a former Objection of theirs had told them That they had sold themselves for their sins and that their mother was put away for their transgressions vers 1. They might object and say Be it so that we had sold our selves for our sins and that our mother was put away for our transgressions yet being thou sayst that thou wilt deliver us out of the hands of the mighty and the terrible which oppress us thou wouldst have delivered us long ago if thou hadst been able to deliver us For what else was the reason why thou didst not deliver us long since To this he answers That the reason why he did not deliver them long since was because he came unto them and none of them would receive him and he called to them and none would answer him And until they had received him and answered him and repented and amended their lives he would not deliver them The reason was not because he wanted power and ability to deliver them for he had power and ability to deliver them as he sheweth in the next words Note that the Lord answers this their Objection in an interrogatory manner to make it more tart for their obstinate and pervicacious spirits Is my hand shortened at all that I cannot redeem q. d. Is my power less then it hath been that you should think that I cannot redeem you and that you should say that this is the reason why I did not deliver you before this to wit because I was not able My hand i. e. My power or my strength The hand is put here per Metonymiam signi or subjecti for power and strength because the power and strength of a man is known by his hand and arm The connexion of these words with the former is apparent by what I have already said upon this Verse and it is this q. d. The reason why I redeemed you not long ago was because ye received me not when I came unto you and ye answered me not when I called you It was not because I was not able as ye surmize to deliver you for am I not able to deliver Is my hand shortened that it cannot redeem c. Behold at my rebuke I dâ—y up the Sea q. d. Behold at my rebuke I can dry up the Sea i. e. Behold if I do but chide the Sea the Sea will be dryed up Note that he puts here an Indicative for a Potential mood for the Hebrews have no Potential The Prophet alludeth to that which is written Psal 106. v. 9. He rebuked the red Sea also and it was dryed vp Where the Psalmist speaketh of that which the Lord did to the red Sea when he brought the children of Israel out of Egypt Exod. 14.16 c. This and what followeth are Arguments by which the Lord proveth the greatness of his power I make the Rivers a Wilderness i. e. I can make the Rivers as dry as a Wilderness He alludeth here to the Lords making a way through the River Jordan Josh 3. vers 13. Their fish stinketh because there is no water and dyeth for thirst i. e. So that the fish of Rivers shall dye with thirst for want of water and stink being dead Here is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these words 3. I clothe the Heavens with blackness q. d. I can cover the face of the Heavens with black clouds and make great darkness upon the Earth And I will make sackcloth their covering i. e. I can can cover them with clouds as it were with sackcloth Sackcloth was wont to be made of hair Rev. 6.12 yea of black hair as this and the like expressions prove This is a repetition of the former phrase and in them the Prophâ—t alludeth to the great darkness which the Lord caused in Egypt Exod. 10.21 4. The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned The Prophet speaketh this of himself and he might truly speak it for his language is most pure and eloquent and his expressions admirable upon every occasion I take this to be the beginning of a new Sermon That I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary i. e. To him that is weary Supple with afflictions For afflictions are as a burden and will in time weary the stoutest man A word of Comfort handsomly delivered is seasonable to him which is weary with afflictions He wakeneth morning by morning he wakeneth mine ear to hear i. e. And he instructeth me every morning morning after morning He wakeneth i. e. The Lord wakeneth What the Lord wakeneth the Prophet doth not here tell but suspendeth it while he resumeth the word again but he wakeneth his ear He wakeneth mine ear i. e. He wakeneth me The ear is but a part put here for the whole man by a Synecdoche and therefore the ear rather then any other part because the Lord did awaken the Prophet with his voyce by calling to him and the voyce is received by the ear as being the Object of the sense of Hearing To hear Supple His Instructions and his Will As the learned i. e. As Masters which are learned Supple do that is As Masters that are learned use to waken their Scholars in a morning that they may rise and come to School to learn what he intends to teach them By this we may understand what frequent Revelations the Prophet had and that the Lord came to him in the morning to acquaint
up q. d. Some plague or other shall consume them and eat them up as the moth eateth up an old garment By the moth is meant some such plague or other as the Lord useth to send upon obstinate and rebellious sinners to consume them by a Metaphor taken from a moth which eateth woollen garments 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord This Sermon begun as I said at the fifth verse and from that place hitherto the Prophet hath spoken of his own commendation partly by asserting the truth thereof partly by answering Objections made against it and this he did not out of vain-glory but to vindicate himself and his authority from contempt that his Ministry might be the more fruitful Here he having vindicated himself and his authority from contempt begins his message and first he addresseth himself to those which were obedient to Gods Word saying Who is among you which feareth the Lord That feareth the Lord i. e. Which feareth to offend the Lord. The fear of the Lord is put Synecdochicè for all manner of worship and honor due to the Lord. That obeyeth the voyce of his servant i. e. That obeyeth the Word of the Lord which he speaketh to him by his servant Of his servant By the Lords servant here may be meant Isaiah himself whom God sent with this message to his people That walketh in darkness q. d. Though he doth live in misery and affliction and sorrow Darkness is put often in the Scripture for misery and affliction and sorrow The Prophet speaketh to these Jews as if they were even now in misery and affliction by their captivity in Babylon And hath no light i. e. And hath no joy or comfort at all or hope of comfort that he can see As darkness is often put for misery and affliction and sorrow so light is put for prosperity and comfort and joy Let him trust in the Name of the Lord q. d. Let him trust in the Lord and he will deliver him and send him prosperity and joy In the Name of the Lord i. e. In the Lord. And stay upon his God i. e. And rely upon his God for deliverance for he will deliver him A Metaphor from a man leaning or staying himself upon a staff 11. But behold all ye that kindle a fire q. d. But behold all ye that sin against God He makes an Apostrophe here to the sinners and disobedient Sin is compared here to a fire and well it may be because as fire consumeth the wood in which it is so doth sin destroy the wicked man See cap. 9.18 That compass your selves about with sparks This is the same with the former sentence For sin is like sparks of fire which compass tow or some such combustible matter For as such sparks do quickly set the tow on fire and consume it so doth sin speedily consume the sinner whom it doth beset Walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled q. d. Go on and sport your selves in the pleasure of your sins This is an Ironical concession like that of the Preacher Eccles 11.9 Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thine heart chear thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes But know thou c. As he resembleth sin to fire so he resembleth the pleasure of sin to the light of the fire because all light is pleasant and cheareth the spirits and to the sparks of the fire because children use to make their pastime and sport with the sparks of fire This shall ye have of mine hand i. e. But this shall ye have of me q. d. But take this from me or thus much I will tell you Of mine hand i. e. Of me A part put for the whole man by a Synecdoche Ye shall lie down in sorrow i. e. Ye shall dye in your sorrowful condition that is in the captivity under which ye groan for ye shall never be delivered out of it Ye shall lie down i. e. Ye shall dye See cap. 43.17 ISAIAH CHAP. LI. HArken to me ye that follow righteousness This is to be continued with the last part of the foregoing chapter as part of the Sermon there begun He turneth his speech again to the obedient and those which fear God to whom he addressed himself at the first Cap. 50.10 Look unto the Rock whence ye are hewn This is a proverbial kinde of speech the meaning whereof is explained in the second verse By the Rock therefore is meant Abraham and Sarah the Father and Mother of the Jews not Abraham alone for he is but a partial cause of children but Abraham and Sarah together For in procreation of children the man is not without the woman nor the woman without the man By those which are hewn out of the Rock are meant the Jews which were the children of Abraham and Sarah and which are here resembled to the stones which men hew out of a Rock And to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged i. e. And to the pit or quarry from whence ye are digged This is a repetition of the former sentence The hole of the pit The hole of the pit is put periphrastically for the pit or quarry it self which is an hole 2. Look unto Abraham your father and Sarah which bare you This is an explanation of those words which went immediately before For I called him alone i. e. For I called him out of Vr of the Caldees when he had no children Gen. 12.1 The Prophet speaks here in the person of the Lord. Him i. e. Abraham your father Alone i. e. When he was without children And blessed him He blessed him with abundance of wealth And encreased him He encreased him by giving him a seed as the Stars of Heaven for multitude When God called Abraham out of Vr of the Caldees Sarah went along with him Gen. 12.5 And when he blessed him and encreased him he blessed and encreased Sarah also But yet Sarah is not mentioned here in any of these particulars because God appeared onely to Abraham Gen. 12.1 and blessed him and encreased him principally and Sarah onely for his sake 3. For the Lord shall comfort Sion q. d. Look I say unto the Rock from whence you are hewn c. Look unto Abraham your father c. For as the Lord called Abraham alone and blessed him and encreased him So will he call Sion though she is now alone as cap. 54.6 and 49.21 and will bless her with abundance of wealth and will encrease her by giving her many children as cap. 49.20 By Sion is meant Jerusalem of which he speaks as of a woman by a Prosopopoeia Hence you may see to what end the Prophet did bid the righteous to look to the Rock from whence they were hewn c. and to look to Abraham their father c. v. 1 2. It was that they might by what he saith of
of all the streets i. e. They lie some dead some ready to dye through famine and the sword at the entrance of every street Quest What streets of what City are here meant Ans The streets of the City of Jerusalem may be here meant But then understand this of that which happened presently after the taking of Jerusalem for not long after the Jews were carryed from thence captive to Babylon Or the streets of the City of Babylon may be here meant where no doubt but many Jews dyed in the streets in the time of their captivity for want of food and by reason of that cruelty which was used to them As a wilde Bull in a net Understand here they are q. d. They are as a wilde Bull in a net i. e. Some of thy sons have fainted others be dead or ready to dye at the head of every street And if any be in health and strength of body yet being he is in chains and in prison and captivity he is but as a wilde Bull in a net or toyl whose strength can avail him nothing so that none of thy sons are able to comfort thee Note that these words Thy sons have fainted they lie at the head of the streets they are as a wilde Bull in a net are not to be understood collectivè but disjunctivè or distributivè as I have expounded them They are full of the fury of the Lord i. e. They are full of the calamities and miseries which the Lord in his fury hath poured out upon them The fury of the Lord is put here by a Metonymy for calamities and miseries proceeding from the Lords fury The rebuke of thy God This is a repetition of the former sentence Rebuke signifieth properly a chiding but as Gods blessing is not meer verbal so is not his rebuke and his cursing but whom he rebuketh or curseth he afflicteth Therefore hear now this c. q. d. Though thy misery be thus great and thou hast none to comfort thee no not of all thy sons neither King nor Prince nor Priest c. yet notwithstanding I will comfort thee Therefore is put here for yet notwithstanding Thou afflicted i. e. Thou Jerusalem which art afflicted And drunken but not with wine i. e. And drunken but not with wine and strong drink which are pleasant to the pallate and with which most men are drunk but with a bitter potion a potion of poyson a potion which I the Lord mingled for thee to drink in my fury 22. That pleadeth the cause of his people Supple Against their Enemies And will now plead thy cause against the Babylonians which afflict thee and oppress thee He which pleads a mans cause for him in a Court of Justice is said to defend him and to contend for him and from hence to plead a mans cause is taken for to defend a man in any kinde whatsoever and to fight for him and be his friend Behold I will take out of thine hand the cup of trembling Supple Which I gave thee to drink vers 17. By this is meant that he would afflict Jerusalem no longer Even the dregs of the cup of my fury This is put by an Hypallage for Even the cup of the dregs of my fury For Jerusalem had left no dregs in the cup she had drunk them up clean as all Expositors expound the seventeenth Verse By the cup of the dregs of his fury is meant the cup in which were those dregs of his fury which Jerusalem drunk up and wrung out Thou shalt no more drink it again q. d. Thou shalt not be thus afflicted any more Note that these words no more do not always signifie Eternity but sometimes a long space of time onely as suppose time within the memory of man 23. But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee But I will fill it up again and put it into the hands of the Babylonians which afflict thee for them to drink The meaning is that he would deliver Jerusalem out of the hands of the Babylonians which afflicted her and would give the Babylonians into the hands of the Persians to be afflicted by them Which have said to thy Soul i. e. Which have said to thee Here is a synecdoche For the Soul which is but part is put for the whole woman for he spoke of Jerusalem as of a Mother Bow down that we may go over Supple Thee i. e. Lie down flat on the ground that we may trample upon thee And thou hast layd thy body as the ground and as the street to them that went over Supple Thee q. d. And thou hast been fain to lay thy body flat on the ground to them and they have trampled upon thee as upon the ground whereon they walk The Eastern Conquerors were wont to tread upon them whom they had conquered So Joshua and the men of Israel did put their feet upon the neck of the Kings whom they had conquered Josh 10.24 And in allusion to this it is said Psal 110.1 The Lord said to my Lord Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine Enemies thy footstool And some did thi◠with more pride and insulting then others did But whether our Prophet doth allude to this custom or no I cannot say onely I say that by those expressions he would shew the proud carriage and the cruelty of the Babylonians towards Jerusalem and the Jews ISAIAH CHAP. LII AWake awake This may be joyned with the foregoing Chapter He speaks here to Jerusalem as he did cap. 50. vers 17. and bids her awake out of her drunken sleep which was caused by the cup which she drank of cap. 51.17 intimating thereby that the end of her miseries was at hand Put on strength This strength is opposed to the trembling which the cup of the Lords fury wrought cap. 50.17 He speaks of strength here Metaphorically as of a garment and when he hath called to Jerusalem to awake he bids her put on her strength in allusion to a man which when he awakes in a morning puts on his garments O Zion i. e. O Jerusalem The Prophet speaks here in his own person Put on thy beautiful garments i. e. Put on thy best apparel such as thou usest to wear at festival times and times of joy He alludeth to the manner of women who have one garment for times of mourning others for times of joy and intimates that a time of joy was approaching to Jerusalem by her redemption and the redemption of her children out of captivity when he bids her put on her beautiful garments O Jerusalem the holy City Why Jerusalem is called the holy City see Cap. 48. vers 2. He speaks to Jerusalem as to a woman yea a mother by a Prosopopoeia as before From henceforth there shall come no more into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean i. e. The Babylonians shall no more come into thee who have of late come into thee and trod thee down By
report i. e. Bâ—t who supple among you O ye men of Iudah and Ierusalem have believed what I Isaiah and other the servants of the Lord have reported to you supple concerning your delivery out of the Babylonish Captivity The Prophet here foreseeing that the Nations and Kings would reverence Ieremy and believe what he prophecyed to them concerning their happy success takes occasion from their readiness to believe what Ieâ—emy prophecyed to them of their good success to complain of the Iews slowness to believe what he and other servants of the Lord prophecyed to them concerning the happy event of their captivity out of Babylon q. d. The Gentiles will believe Ieremy prophecying to them of their good success but ye Iews will not believe me nor any other servant of the Lord prophecying to you of your deliverance out of Babylon And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed i. e. And who among you O ye men of Judah and Jerusalem hath believed that the power of the Lord is such as I and other the Lords servants have delivered to you that is That it is such as that he is able thereby to deliver you out of the hand of the Babylonians be the strength of the Babylonians never so great To whom Supple Of you O ye men of Judah and Jerusalem The arm of the Lord i. e. The power of the Lord. The arm of the Lord is put here for the power of the Lord by a Metonymy as cap. 52.10 That which made the Jews to despair and not to believe what the Prophets prophecyed concerning their delivery out of Babylon was the great strength of the Babylonians and that world of men which were under them and ready to serve them wherefore to remove this obstacle out of their mindes the Prophets often alledged the power of God and put them in minde of that though they did not listen to it with that ear as they should have done nor believe it Revealed i. e. Revealed with effect that is with that effect which was intended which was that they should believe what was revealed Thus much of the first or meaner sence of this Prophecy as it concerned Jeremy I return now to the second or sublime sence as it concerneth Christ CHAP. 52. Vers 13. Behold my servant These are the words of God the Father concerning his Son Jesus Christ Christ Jesus though he were the Son of God yet might God call him his servant in respect of that work which he gave him to do Joh. 4.34 9.4 and in that that Christ took upon him the form of a servant Philip. 2.7 Shall deal prudently Supple In the managing of that work which I shall give him to manage He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high These words signifie all one and the same thing viz. That Christ should be exalted both in Heaven and Earth for the wise managing of his Fathers work 14. As many were astonied at thee i. e. As many shall wonder at him He puts a preterperfect tense for a future and thee for him by an Enallage of the person His visage was so marred more then any man This was fulfilled in Christ when he was buffeted spit upon scourged crowned with thorns c. Matth. 27. For the sufferings of Christ after this manner could not but maâ— his visage though it were in it self very comely And his form more then the sons of men This is a repetition of the former sentence 15. So shall he sprinkle many Nations Supple With admiration The Kings shall shut their mouths at him q. d. The Kings of the Gentiles shall be even silent and not able to speak for wondering at him For that which had not been told them shall they see i. e. And that which had not been told them by any other then by Christ and his Apostles and Servants which shall be inspired by him shall they see and believe Shall they see i. e. Shall they believe See cap. 6. v. 10. That which he saith here that the Gentiles and their Kings should believe was the Gospel of Christ which was preached unto them in its due time and which they believed being preached unto them See Rom. 15.21 And that which they have not heard Supple From any other then from Christ and his Apostles and Servants Shall they consider Supple With faithful and believing hearts This last is a repetition of the foregoing sentence Note here that the Holy Ghost hath so ordered the words of the Prophet as that they do not onely signifie what Jeremy prophecyed of in the first and meaner sence and what the Babylonians believed but they signifie also what Christ and his Apostles preached to the Gentiles and they received Note again that the prosperous success of the Babylonians over the Jews which was here especially meant in the first sence seems to have been a type of that happy and prosperous estate which the Gentiles should enjoy and do enjoy by Christ over their spiritual Enemies which is here meant in the second and sublime sence For probable it is that the temporal happiness which the Nations enjoyed and the success which they had in their worldly affairs was sometimes a type of the spiritual happiness which the Gentiles were to have by Christ CHAP. 53. 1. Who hath believed our report q. d. But who among you O ye Jews hath believed our report That is q. d. But though the Gentiles have believed the Gospel and will believe it yet who among you O ye Jews hath beleeved the Gospâ—l which we have preached unto you We understand Tò But here as many Interpreters also do This is spoken in the person of Christ and his Apostles to the Jews and hereby the unbelief of the Jews is foretold and prophecyed of Joh. 12. vers 38. Rom. 10. vers 16. And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed i. e. And to which of you O ye Jews is the Gospel so revealed by us as that he doth believe it This is a repetition of the former sentence and by the arm of the Lord is meant the Gospel oâ— Christ But how cometh the arm of the Lord to signifie the Gospel of Christ Ans The arm of the Lord signifieth the power of the Lord as was said in the first Exposition of this place And therefore because the Gospel is called the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 may the arm of the Lord be put to signifie the Gospel which is the power of God by a Metonymical Metaphor Note that Isaiah and other Prophets of the Lord preaching to the Jews of their delivery out of the Babylonish captivity and the Jews of that time not giving credit to what Isaiah and the other Prophets preached were a type of Christ and of his Apostles and Disciples preaching to the Jews the Gospel in the time of the Gospel and of the infidelity of the Jews then living in not believing the Gospel which was preached to them And that which
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
themselves to all the Ordinances of Moses as the Jewes themselves did which they would not have been suffered to doe if they had not observed so much as they did And from these Proselytes were they also which observed as much as they did called Proselytes of the Gate though they lived not among the Iewes but lived elsewhere because they were under the same condition such was Naaman the Syrian the Eunuch Cornelius c. The other kinde of Proselytes were such as were circumcised and tooke upon them the observation of the whole Law of Moses and these were called Proselites of the Covenant and were accounted almost for priviledges and observances as Jewes such were Vriah the Hittite Achior in the booke of Judith c. Note here againe that though in the first sense these Gentiles afore mentioned are here invited to joyne themselves to the Lord and worship him as Proselytes yet in the second and more sublime sense This is a Prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles to the Church of Christ where the Jews and Gentiles are made both one Ephes 2. vers 14. Come ye to the waters i. e. Come ye to that knowledge which will satisfie your desires as waters satisfie the thirst of him which is thirsty By waters he meaneth metaphorically the true knowledge of the true God in which knowledge there is that true content to be had which no other knowledge can afford and will satisfie a mans desire as waters will quench his thirst And he that hath no mony q. d. Yea let him come that is poor and hath no mony This he saith in opposition to those which desired to learn humane Arts and Sciences which he that desired to learn had need to have been rich because the Masters of those Arts and Sciences would not teach them without great rewards But they which would learn the knowledg of the Lord need not to have been rich the poor might learn it as well as the wealthy he that had no mony as well as he that had for the Lords servants taught the knowledge of the Lord freely Come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk c. The Prophet is not content to call the knowledge of God waters but he calls it also wine and milk because it did not onely satisfie the desire as waters satisfie and quench the thirst but it doth also feed the Soul as wine and milk do feed and nourish the body yea it is as the chiefest delicates to the Soul For by these two to wit wine and milk the Scripture doth not onely signifie food necessary for the sustenance of life but dainties and delicates too as Gen. 49.12 Without mony and without price This is said in opposition to those who gave great sums of mony to their Masters to learn humane Arts and Sciences q. d. Ye need not take care for mony or agree for a price for learning the knowledge of God as you use to take care for mony and agree for a price with your Masters of humane Arts and Sciences but this knowledge shall be taught you freely 2. Wherefore do ye spend your mony for that which is not bread q. d. Wherefore do you give so much mony to the Masters of the Arts to learn of them those Arts which bring no fruit or profit at all with them He persists still in his Metaphor whereby he likened the knowledge of God to meat and drink which nourish and refresh the body because this knowledge is the onely food of the Soul q. d. Wherefore do ye spend mony for that which is not so much as bread which is the necessary sustenance of mans life much less is it wine or milk which are the dainties and delicates thereof Which satisfieth not Supple Your hunger This is a repetition of those words Which is not bread Eat ye that which is good q. d. Eat ye not that which is not fit to nourish you but eat ye that which is good not onely to nourish you but to make you fat He persists still in his Metaphor and compares the knowledge of God to that which is good to nourish yea to fatten the body and humane science to that which is but bran or hulks and hath not any nourishment in it And let your Soul delight it self in fatness i. e. And delight your selves in that which will not onely feed you and nourish you but make you fat The Soul is put here for the whole man by a Synecdoche Fatness is put here for food which will fatten per Metonymiam Effecti 3. Encline your ears He alludes here to the manner of men which bow their heads toward him which speaketh when they desire to hear distinctly what he saith Come unto me He that cometh to the Servants and Prophets of the Lord cometh to the Lord. See Luk. 10.16 Hear i. e. Hear my words and keep them and obey them And your soul shall live i. e. And ye shall live q. d. And your lives shall be preserved yea ye shall live happily and plentifully He still alludeth to bread and wholesom food which preserve the life and keep men fat and in good liking which bran and hulks cannot do I will make an everlasting Covenant with you That is oftentimes called Everlasting which lasteth onely a long time as the Priesthood of Aaron was called everlasting although it was to last but during the Law and was to be abolished by the death of Christ Exod. 40.15 Even the sure mercies of David q. d. And I will even give you by that Covenant the sure mercies of David That these words I will give you are here to be understood we may learn from Acts 13.64 But what are those which are here called the mercies of David The mercies which are here called the mercies of David are those mercies and blessings which David so often speaks of in the Psalms and which are there promised in the Name of God to all which serve and fear him and lead a godly life whether they be Jews or Gentiles as Psa 34.15 and 37. v. 4 11. and 84.11 c. where the Promises being made in general terms to them which fear God and lead a godly life are made as well to the Gentile as to the Jew as we may gather from St. Pauls arguing from that general word Whosoever Rom. 10.11 But why are these called the mercies of David Ans Because they are so often repeated in the Book or Psalms of David and because they were made upon the particular occasion of Davids fear and trust in God and because David had had often experience of them But why are they called the sure mercies of David Ans Because they shall be certainly performed for God who hath promised them is faithful in his Word and will therefore perform them because he hath said it Note here that the Apostle Paul preaching of the Resurrection of Christ from the dead brings this as an argument to prove that God raised
are your doings and dealings with men as my doings are for I use to deal well with them which offend me but you use not so to do The note of similitude As is here again to be understood 9. So are my ways higher then your ways By ways are here meant deeds or actions by a Metaphor as vers 8. Though it be generally true that all the actions and deeds of God do as far exceed our deeds and actions as the Heaven doth exceed the Earth yea infinitely further yet understand this place particularly of the mercy and goodness and clemency of the Lord q. d. As the Heaven doth far exceed the Earth so doth my clemency and mercy and loving kindness to men far exceed yours 10. For as the rain i. e. And as the rain For for And. As the rain cometh down and the snow from Heaven i. e. As the rain and the snow come down out of the ayr Heaven is often put for the Ayr so the birds of the Ayr are called the fowle of Heaven Ier. 3.9 And returneth not thither Supple Without watering the Earth and making it fruitful for otherwise the rain and the snow are drawn up again by the Sun in vapors 11. So shall my Word that goeth out of my mouth i. e. So shall the Word which I speak become effectual and whatsoever I say shall come to passe It shall not returne unto me voyd i e It shall not be ineffectual as their words are which cannot perform what they say Note that the Prophet useth here a Metaphor taken from an Embassador which a King sends out upon some business but he cannot effect what his King gave him in command and therefore returneth re infecta But God saith that his Word shall not return so 12. For ye shall go out with joy q. d. Wherefore because I have often said it ye shall go out O ye my people the Iews with joy out of the Land of your captivity where ye have been kept in hard bondage For is put here for Wherefore and the Lord makes a sudden Apostrophe to the Iews upon occasion of what he said concerning his Word in Vers 10 11. and in consideration of those often promises which he had made to the Iews of their Redemption And he led forth with peace For the Lord will go before you as your Captain Cap. 52.12 The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing q.d. So great shall your joy be as that the very mountains and the hills shall sing for joy before you as ye go from Babylâ—n to Ierusalem to to see your joy The Prophet doth often give sense and reason to inanimate things after a Poetical manner 13. Instead of the Thorne shall come up the Kirr-tree and instead of the Bryar shall come up the Mirtle-tree q. d. For instead of those which have afflicted you there shall arise those which will profit you and entreat you with all kindnesse Note that the Causal Particle For is here to be understood and to be referred to those words Vers 12. For ye shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace The Thorn and the Bryar are prickly plants which will prick those which have to do with them by which are here meant in particulur Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon and his race which did afflict and oppress the Iews with hard bondage in the time of their captivity But the Fir is a tree which besides other commodities yeilds a covert from the tempest and a shadow from the scorching heat of the Sun and the Mirtle besides many other benefits yeilds a sweet Oyl which refresheth the senses and makes Wine which comforteth the stomack it yeildeth also pleasant and fragrant branches to trim up and adorn the house By the Fir therefore and the Mirtle is here meant Cyrus who subdued the Babylonians and so delivered the Iews out of their hands and sent them home into their own Country with many royal favors of which read Ezra 1. And it shall be to the Lord for a name i. e. And this which the Lord will do for you shall bring to the Lord great renown Or thus q. d. And this which the Lord will do for you shall be a thing so notable and so glorious as that God shall thereby purchase himself a new Name q. d. As God purchased himself a new Name when he delivered Isaac and was called therefore Iehovah-jireh Gen. 22.14 And as Generals and Emperors by their great atchievements get new names as Scipio got him the name of Africanus by his Victories in Africa c. So shall God get him a new name for his great redemption of and munificence to his people Which yet understand not so as though God had any new name thereupon but that he deserved a new name thereby For a name i. e. The cause of a name Take the word Name either properly or for renown For an everlasting signe i. e. And for an everlasting Trophy and monument of his goodnesse to his people That shall not be cut off i. e. That shall never be pulled down or abolished He alludeth to the custome of conquerours who set up lasting Trophies and monuments for their glory in token and remembrance of some memorable victory obtained or some great matter performed by them but their Trophies and monuments are abolished by time but this of the Lord shall not be cut off ISAIAH CHAP. LVI KEepe ye judgement and doe justice i. e. Keep my Law and doe that which is your bounden duty therein O ye Jewes which are captive in Babylon Iudgement and Iustice are taken here for that duty which we owe to God in keeping his commandements and therefore is it called judgement and justice because God may justly exact it of us and we wrong God if we doe it not For my salvation is neer to come i. e. For my saving power wherewith I will save you from your enemies and deliver you out of the Babylonish captivity is at hand to save you Concerning the notion of this word Salvation as I have given it See Cap. 51. Vers 5 6. And my righteousnesse i. e. And my faithfulnesse whereby I have promised to save you see Cap. 51. vers 6 7. concerning the notion of this word also To be revealed i. e. To come so that it may be seen of all men see cap. 40.5 2. Blessed is the man that doth this This relative this relateth to that To wit that that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it And keepeth his hand from doing any evil and blessed is such a man for he shall be redeemed out of captivity and brought home with joy to Sion That keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it q. d. That is That keepeth holy the Sabbath day and doth nothing therein whereby to profane it By keeping the Sabbath from polluting it understand by a Synecdoche all other precepts also of the first Table and the whole duty of man to God And keepeth his hand
from doing evil Supple To his neighbour By this is meant our whole duty which we owe to our neighbour and so is to be taken for all the precepts of the second table so that by these Two Keeping the Sabbath and Keeping the hand from doing evil is meant the keeping of the whole Law of God that which he called judgement and justice vers 1. 3. The sonne of the stranger i. e. The stranger which is not of the seed of Iacob nor a Iew born That hath joyned himselfe to the Lord i. e. Which hath joyned himselfe to the Lord by saith and love as to the only true God and worshippeth him faithfully and so is become a Proselyte The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people i. e. The Lord hath put a difference between me and his people the Iewes so that I shall never approach so neere to him as they doe nor shall I and my offerings be so wel accepted of him as they and their offerings are Such a thought as this is might happily come into the minde of a Proselyte wherefore the Lord prevents this thought here and answers it verse 6. Neither let the Eunuch say An Eunuch signifieth him which is unable for generation and who is without possibility of issue And so is an Eunuch called because they which attended on great personages in their bed-chambers and about their wives were wont to be gelded to keepe them chast For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am a dry Tree i. e. I am as a dry Tree for as a dry Tree can never beare Fruit so can I never have children Such a thought as this is might trouble an Eunuch because children were promised as a great blessing to those which keepe the Law Deut. 28. v. 4.11 Wherefore the Lord prevents this his thought and to encourage him in his obedience tells him he wil recompense this his incapability of this part of the reward of obedience to his Law by giving him a better reward than of children 4. And take hold of my Covenant Supple To keep it By This covenant is here meant that covenant which God made with the Israelites by the hand of Moses in which covenant it was the peoples part to keep the commandments of the Lord And the Lords part to performe the promises that he there makes to them which keep his commandements This covenant might strangers enter into and those that did enter into it were called Proselytes of the covenant 5. In mine house i. e. Within my Temple And within my walls i. e. Within the Walls of my Temple A place Supple in the Bed-role or Catalogue of devout and famous men And a name Supple Among the names of those famous men which are written and recorded in a Bed-role or Catalogue in my Temple Better than of sonnes and of daughters i. e. Which name shall be better than the name that commeth by sonnes and daughters though sonnes and daughters doe propagate a mans name and give him the honourable name of Father Note that the word Name is here to be repeated And the name of sonnes and daughters is such a name as accrueth to a man by having sonnes and daughters For these Genitives cases of sonnes and of daughters be Genitivi efficientis Note here that in the time of the Law the names of those which had done worthily were wont to be preserved and to be read at times in the congregation together with their praises Which was done as to give God thankes for such famous men So to incite others to imitate their vertues Of this custome the sonne of Sirach seemeth to make mention Ecclus. Cap. 39.16 and Cap. 44.15 and a catalogue we have in him of such men Cap. 44. v. 16. c. and Cap. 45. Cap. 46. Cap. 47. Cap. 48. Cap. 49. Cap. 50. In imitation of this custome the primitive Church had her Dipticks which were two leaved tables or boards bound like an Oblong book In the one columne whereof were written the names of such men of noted piety as were yet alive and in the other a like catalogue of such famous men as were already departed I will give them an everlasting name q.d. For whereas the name which commeth and which is propagated by sonnes and daughters often faileth by their failing This name which I will give them in my house shall never faile Therefore is it said I will give them an everlasting name because their name should be preserved and registred in the catalogue of famous and pious men◠and be remembred after their death yea perhaps so long as the Temple stood as their names were which are mentioned Ecclus. Cap. 44 45 46 c. Everlasting See Cap. 55.3 7. Even them will I bring to my holy mountain i. e Even them will I bring to my holy Temple there to worship me as mine own people the Jewes doe By the holy mountaine is meant mount Moriah or mount Sion on which the Temple stood which is called the holy Mountaine because God did separate and sanctifie that for the place of his worship That is to build his Temple there And by this Mountaine is meant the Temple it selfe which stood upon that Mountaine by a Metonymie Of strangers that joyned themselves unto God there were two sorts as we said Cap. 55.1 One called Proselytes of the Gate others called Proselytes of the Covenant These last of whom this place is to be understood were accounted as Jewes they worshipped in the same Court of the Temple where the Israelites did whither others might not come they were partakers with them in all things both divine and humane In a word they differed nothing from Jewes but onely that they were of a Gentile race I will make them joyfull in my house of Prayer God might make them joyfull in his house of Prayer That is in the Temple by giving them many blessings of which they might make songs and Psalmes and sing them with Instruments of musicke in the Temple He might also make them joyfull by granting those Petitions and Prayers which they made to him in the Temple In my house of prayer i. e. In my Temple which was ordained for to be an house of prayer for all that would to offer up their prayers there Read 1 Kings 8. v. 22. and so forward For mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people i. e. For my Temple shall be an house of prayer not for the Jewes onely to pray in But for the Gentiles also which will joyne themselves to me and take upon them the observation of my Law as they doe Shall be called i. e. Shall be The Hebrewes do often use vocall words and Verbes for Real Of prayer By prayer may here be understood by a Synecdoche all the worship of God 8. The Lord God which gathereth the out-casts of Israel i. e. The Lord God which gathered the outcasts of Israel when they were dispersed
bread to the hungry i. e. To feed the hungry according to their necessities And that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house i. e. And that thou shew hospitality and receive them into thy house and there entertain them which have no house to dwell in That are cast out i. e. That are without an house as those are which are cast out of house and home for rebellion Thou cover him i. e. Thou clothe him And that thou hide not thy self i. e. And that thou be not unkinde and unmerciful to thine own kinsman when he hath need of thee This speech That thou hide not thy self alludeth to the fashion of those men who when they would not own a man or take notice of him in his misery to relieve him slip out of the way and hide themselves from him and will not so much as be seen by him From thine own flesh i. e. From thine own kinsman which is a son of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob as well as thou and is therefore of the same flesh and blood as thou art of He saith Thine own flesh that it may be an argument to stir them up to pity 8. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning q. d. When thou fastest after this manner and dost the things which I spoke of vers 6 7. then shall thy prosperity arise after thine adversity as the light of the morning ariseth after the dark of the night But a man may ask here how the Jews being in so poor a condition all of them in their captivity could do such works as the Lord here requireth for such works require riches to do them Ans It is not to be doubted but that the Jews were in a condition good enough to shew such works of mercy as are here named in some good measure For many of them were in such a condition as that they were contented to stay in Babylon when they might have returned into Judea Again Suppose that the Jews while they were in captivity were all of them in a mean condition and not able to do these works of charity yet the Lord would accept of these works as done if there were in them but a minde ready to do them when they had opportunity and all things fitting for these works Again when the Lord saith If thou do these things then shall thy light break forth as the morning By these things may be meant not these things in special but these things in general So when Saint Paul had commanded Servants to be obedient to them that are their Masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling c. he adds Ye Masters do the same things to them Eph. 6.9 where we cannot understand the same things of the same things in special but of the same things in general The like we read Rom. 2. vers 1. Thy light By light is meant prosperity which the Hebrews often call by a Metaphor light because as light is pleasant to the senses so is prosperity to the heart Thine health shall spring forth speedily By health he meaneth their deliverance out of captivity of which he speaks here as of a plant which springs out of the Earth Note that as our Prophet doth often liken adversity and oppression to a disease or to a wound so he doth the delivery from adversity and oppression to health Thy righteousness shall go before thee i. e. The Lord which is the Rewarder of thy righteousness shall go before thee See Cap. 52.12 Righteousness is put here for the Lord the Rewarder of their righteousness by a Metonymy The glory of the Lord shall be thy reerward i. e. The glorious Lord will be thy reerward See cap. 52.12 The glory of the Lord is put here per Metonymiam Adjuncti for the glorious Lord. 9. Then shalt thou call and the Lord will answer thee i. e. Then if thou callest upon God he will hear thee Thou shalt cry i. e. If thou cryest unto him saying Lord where art thou He shall say here I am i. e. He will answer thee and be ready to help thee If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke What is meant by the yoke see vers 6. where the bands burthens and yoke signifie all one and the same thing From the midst of thee i. e. From among you This is an Hebrew Idiotism The putting forth of the finger i. e. The mocking of the servants of the Lord for they were wont to mock them See cap. 57.4 Mockers do oftentimes put out their finger at him whom they mock in way of jeering and contempt therefore he puts the putting forth of the finger for the jeering and mocking which they used by a Metonymy And speaking vanity i. e. And speaking such things as are vain and profit not By speaking vanity may be meant jeering and jibing speeches yea there may be meant by that wrangling and jangling and the worst speeches that can be by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 10. If thou draw out thy Soul to the hungry If thou bring out thy food and thy victuals freely and cheerfully to him which is hungry By the Soul are here meant first pity and compassion which are passions of the Soul by a Metonymy Then there are meant the effects of that pity and compassion by the like Metonymy Or then we may be said to draw out our Souls that is our pity and compassion when we shew it in ample manner by the works and effects thereof as by giving food to the hungry and clothes to the naked c. If thou draw This is a Metaphor and the Metaphor is taken from drawing of waters which useth to be in abundance for waters are common and plentiful And satisfie the afflicted Soul i. e. And satisfie the man which is afflicted with hunger with food convenient The Soul is put here by a Synecdoche for the whole man and the afflicted Soul for the man which is pinched with hunger Then shall thy light rise in obscurity i. e. Then shall light rise to thee which art in darkness that is Then shall prosperity come to thee which art in adversity As by light is meant prosperity as I said vers 8. So by darkness and obscurity is meant adversity And thy darkness be as the noon-day i. e. And thy darkness shall be turned into exceeding great light such as is the light of the noon-day when the Sun is at the highest The meaning is That then he should enjoy exceeding great prosperity in stead of his adversity 11. And the Lord shall guide thee continually i. e. And the Lord shall be thy Guide from Babylon to Jerusalem all the way through yea the Lord shall be thy Guide at all times whithersoever thou goest I know not whether the Prophet may allude here to that place of Exodus or no Exod. 33.3 where the Lord saith I will not go up in the midst of thee where the Lord threatened the children of Israel
dead men cannot get out of their sepulchers no more can we out of the Land of our captivity In desolate places i. e. In the Land of our captivity They call the Land of their captivity desolate places in allusion to sepulchers because as sepulchers are places of darkness so was the Land of captivity to them a place of darkness and obscurity that is a place of sorrow and of mourning Note that the sepulchers of the Ancients were rooms of some space vaulted over-head with gates also belonging to them and these he calleth desolate places because no living man did there abide or inhabit 11. We roar all like Bears and mourn like Doves Supple Because of the great oppressions and miseries which we endure We look for judgment but there is none for salvation but it is far from us See Vers 9. 12. For our transgressions are multiplyed before thee i. e. For our sins are many and that thou knowest very well as being committed in thy sight Here is an Apoâ—trophe to God And our sin te tifie against uâ— i. e. And our sins come in as witnesses against us and witness that we are worthy of that which we suffer and unworthy of salvation or to be delivered from oâ—r sufferings He speaks of sin as of a pe son by a Prosopopoeia For our transgressiâ—ns are with us and as for our iniquities we know them q. d. For we cannot say that we have not transgressed and sinned for our transgressions are always before our eyes and as for our sins we know them very well Here is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Brachylogy We know them i. e. We know them and confess them for we cannot deny but that we are guilty of them 13. In transgressing and lying against the Lord i. e. We have sinned by transgressing and lying against the Lord. These words We have sinned are here to be understood I take their transgressing and lying against the Lord to signifie here both one and the same thing For their tranâ—gressing the Law of the Lord may be called lying againâ—t the Lord because the Jews promised the Lord solemnly in Moâ—nt Sinai and elsewhere to keep his Laws and yet broke this their promise which what was it else but lying against God Departing from your God i. e. Leaving the worship of God to serve Idols Speaking oppression and revolâ— i. e. Advising one another and teaching one another how to oppress the poor and to forsake the worship of God and serve Idols Conceiving and utâ—ering from the heart words of falshood i. e. Conceiving in our hearts false reports and false accusations to the hurt of our neighbors and dâ—sloyalâ—y to the dishonor of our God and bringing them out of our hearts where they were conceived by the mouth or tongue Note that this word falshood may relate both to God and to their neighbor and as it relates to their neighbor it may signifie false reports and â—alse accusations and as it relates to God it may siâ—nifie disloyalty in breaking tâ—e Coâ—enant and the Promise which they made to God as câ—p 57.4 14. Judgment is turned away backward i. e. And judgment is gone away and will not come at the Courts of Judicatâ—re By judgment understand upâ—â—ght dealing in pleading and making Dâ—crees and giving sentence in Courts of Jâ—dicatâ—re And note that he speaketh of it as of a pers n by a Prosopâ—poeia And justice standetâ— aâ—ar oâ— i. e. And justice standeth afar off and will not come nigh to the Courts and places of Judicature What he called Judgment before he calleth Justice here and useth the like Pâ—osopopoeia So that this is but a repetition of the former sentence For Truth is falâ—en in the streets and Equity cannot enâ—eâ— i. e. Bâ—caâ—se Truth is overthrown by falshood and faln in the very streets and Equity cannot enter into the Courts or places of Judicature being kept out as it were by force This containeth a reason why Judgment turned backward and Justice ood aâ—ar of For Judgment turned backward and Justice stood afar off because they saw Truth beaten down and Equity kept out of the Courts and places of Judicature For Judgment and Justice will not be nay they cannot be where Truth and Equi y are not entertained He speaks of Truth and Equity here as of persons by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he did of Judgmenâ— and Justice before 15. Yea Truth faileth i. e. It is more for Trâ—th to fail then to â—aâ—â— for if Truth fall she may recover strength and rise aâ—ain bâ—t if she fail or languish her very vitals are decayed And he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey i. e. And if any man hate evil and cleaveth to that which is good he is therefore hated and persecuted and made a spoyl to wicked men This is a sign that Equity failed as well as Truth And the Lord saw it i. e. And the Lord took notice of it that there was no Judgment in Courts and places of Judicature 16. And the Lord saw that there was no man i. e. And the Lord looked about to see if there were any man supple that did intercede with him to take away his displeasure from us And he wondered that there was no intercessor i. e. And he saw that there was none that did intercede with him for us and he wondered at it It was a matter of wonder that none among all that people which had been so brought up and so instructed from time to time should intercede and be earnest with God to pardon so great sins as these were of the people He speaks of God as of a man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore his arm brought salvation to him i. e. Notwithstanding this his arm brought salvation to him c. Therefore is put here for Yet notwithstanding as cap. 7.14 cap. 51.21 And the sence is q. d. Though our wickedness is so great and there is none to intercede for us yet notwithstanding the Lord will deliver us his people out of the hands of the Babylonians to wit so many as are righteous and do repent in Jacob. His arm brought salvation unto him and his righteousness it sustained him q. d. His arm will bring salvation to Jacob that is to the Jews and his righteousness will uphold him that is Jacob that is the Jews against the Babylonians yea and deliver him out of their hands This may seem to be the natural Interpretation of these words and so should I have took it had not a parallel place to wit cap. 63.5 which is not so capable of this Interpretation put me to seek another When therefore I consider those words cap. 63.5 Therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me and my fury it uphâ—ld me and when I consider withall those words which follow in this place viz. For he put on righteousness as a brestplate and an helmet of salvation upon his head My thoughts are that there is both
in these words we have in hand and cap. 63.5 an allusion to a King arming himself for a Battel that he might war against his Enemies in the behalf of his Subjects whom they have wronged So that I conceive that the words in hand must be interpreted some such way as followeth His arm brought salvation to him q. d. He hath brought salvation out of his armory and made use of it He speaks of salvation here as of a piece of armor wherewith a Soldier is armed If you ask what piece of armor it is which he alludeth to the next Verse will tell you where he calls it the helmet of salvation Note that the arm which is but a part is put here for the whole man by a Synecdoche Object But you will say that the Hebrew being translated word for word is not His arm brought salvation to him but His arm hath saved him Ans Be it so yet there may be the same meaning and the same allusion in these words as was in the former For the meaning of these words His arm hath saved him may be this He hath made himself safe that is He hath armed himself supple with salvation For armor is a safeguard to the body which is therewith armed And his righteousness it sustained him Rather And his righteousness doth sustain him q. d. And his righteousness armeth him that is is upon him as a piece of armor to preserve him If you ask what piece of armor he alludes to the next verse will tell you that it is a brestplate But note that in these words It sustained him or It sustaineth him there is a Metaphor borrowed from a staff which a man hath in his hand whereby he is sustained or upheld while he leaneth upon it but we must transfer this Metaphor to the having on or being armed with a brest-plate For as a staff which a man hath in his hand doth preserve him and keep him from falling so doth the brestplate which a man hath on him or with which he is armed preserve him and keep him from wounds Such kinde of mingling or confounding or transferring Metaphors our Prophet often useth Note that the Pronoune It is here redundant by an Hebraisme What is meant by Righteousnesse here See in the next verse following 17. For he put on righteousnesse as a brest-plate Better For he hath put on righteousnesse as a breast-plate A breast-plate is a piece of ormour which defendeth the heart and the vitall parts to a breast-plate therefore doth he liken righteousnesse that is the justnesse of the cause of warre because there is no greater comfort to the heart of a man nor any thing that can give him greater assurance or on which he may more rely for safety and preservation in the Battle than this that he knoweth that his cause of taking up armes is just By righteousnesse therefore I understand the just cause which the Lord had in taking up armes or making Warre upon his enemies the Babylonians the justnesse of whose cause you may read Cap. 47. v. 6. c. An helmet of salvation upon his head i. e. And salvation as an helmet upon his head An Helmet is a piece of armour which is to guard and defend the head wherein the braines lye which are the Mint of the Animall spirits which being wounded death presently followeth Nothing can yeild more safety than salvation it selfe for where salvation is there can be no hurt otherwise salvation were not salvation Therefore the Lord saith that he will appoint Hierusalem salvation for walls Cap. 26.1 And therefore doth the Lord take salvation here for his own Helmets Note that this salvation which the Lord here takes is to protect himselfe not to save his people For salvation is here as an Helmet and an Helmet is for the safety onely of him which weareth it and therefore the Lord is said to put on an Helmet of salvation to shew that he is invincible and can receive no hurt By this that the Prophet saith that the Lord hath put on righteousnesse as a breast-plate and salvation as an Helmet upon his head we may learne that God is a just God and therefore draweth not out his sword against a man to punish him without a cause and that he is invincible and therefore is not afraid to set upon the most potent enemies so that all men have just reason to stand in awe of him St. Paul Ephes 6. v. 14 17. describing the whole armour of a Christian seemeth to allude to this place And he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing i. e. And he hath put on garments made of vengeance for his clothing Vengeance is to be taken here for a desire of executing vengeance upon his enemies And he was clad with zeale as with a cloake i. e. And he is clad c. By zeale may be meant the zeale and love which he bore to his owne honour which honour of his had been given to Idols even the Idols of the Babylonians if he had suffered the Babylonians alwayes to oppresse his own people And the zeal and love which he bore to his owne people whom the Babylonians did make to houle Cap. 52.5 And the zeal and indignation for zeal intimates as well indignation as love which he bore towards the Babylonians for his own honour's and his peoples sake Besides their garments of ordinary wearing in times of peace most of the most ancient people of the world had their garments extraordinary which they wore upon their armour in time of Warre of which you may read Alex ab Alexand Genial Dier lib. 1 Cap. 20. c. And not to ordinary garments worne in time of peace but to these warlike garments doth our Prophet seem to allude when he saith And he put on garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal as with a cloake 18. According to their deeds accordingly will he repay fury to his adversaries i. e. He will recompence his adversaries who have without mercy oppressed his people he will recompence them I say with such effects of his fury as they have deserved Fury Fury is put here for miseries and calamities and other the effects of Gods fury and wrath Per metonymiam efficientis His adversaries He meaneth the Babylonians whom therefore God calleth his adversaries because they did most cruelly oppresse and shew no mercy at all to his people when they were in Captivity Recompence to his enemies By Recompence is meant that which they have deserved that is the like cruell usage as they had used towards the Jewes And this is a Repetition of the former sentence To the Islands he will repay recompence By Islands understand the Inhabitants of the Islands by a Metonymie and by these Islands understand Mesopotamia and other Islands which were neer to Tigris and Euphrates For Mesopotamia was an Iland or Islands made by those two Rivers Tigris and Euphrates But the Hebrewes call not onely that
Land an Island which is quite invironed with waters but that also that lyeth by the Seas or Rivers sides Yea they call every particular Nation an Island so that by Islands here may be meant all those Nations which were subject to the King of Babylon taking Island Per metonymiam continentis for Islanders or Inhabitants of Islands as I said This is also a Repetition of the former sentence 19. So shall they feare the name of the Lord from the West So shall all the people of the Western parts of the world feare the Lord when they shall see or heare how he hath recompenced the Babylonians for their cruelty to his people The name of the Lord is put here for the Lord himselfe Per metonymiam adjuncti And his glory from the rising of the Sun i. e. And all the people which live in the Easterne parts of the world shall likewise feare him His glory i. e. The glory of the Lord that is the glorious Lord. The glory of the Lord is put for the glorious Lord Per metonymiam adjuncti By these words So shall they feare the name of the Lord from the West and his glory from the rising of the Sun is meant that they shall feare the Lord all the world over Two parts of the world to wit the West and the East being put for the whole world by a Synecdoche When the enemy shall come in like a floud q.d. Cyrus shall come with the Medes and the Persians in upon the Babylonians like a Floud or overflowing River and when he shall so come c. Like a Floud He alludeth to the overflowing of the River of Euphrates whereon Babylon stood which overflowing did by its Inundations mightily annoy and endammage the Babylonians The spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him q.d. Then shall the Lord himselfe in his fury beare the Standard before Cyrus and the Medes and Persians against the Babylonians and fight for Cyrus and Medes and Persians against them By the spirit of the Lord is meant the Lord himselfe but as he was enraged with fury Per metonymiam adjuncti For note first that the Prophet speaketh here of God as of a man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then note that the word spirit among other significations which it hath among the Hebrewes signifieth the motions and passions of the Soul as love anger or wrath or fury c. And here it signifieth anger or wrath or fury as it signified love Cap. 48.16 If you aske how this word spirit commeth to be taken for the motions or passions of the soul some answer Per metonymiam efficientis because the motions or passions of the soul arise from that soul which is a spirit and Per metonymiam subjecti because they are received in the foul as in their subject others answer that therefore the motions and passions of the minde are called a spirit because the word spirit intimateth that which hath motion and the motions or passions of the soul stirre the man in whom they are and move him to action Note that in the particle him a Singular number is put for a Plurall by an Enallage 20. And the Redeemer shall come to Sion And then the Redeemer to wit Cyrus shall bring redemption to Sion that is to Hierusalem Cyrus came not to Sion in person but she came even to Sion by his favours to her and by the effects of his victory over the Babylonians In Jacob i. e Among the Jewes which were the children of Jacob. 21. As for me i. e. For as for my part Vndâ—rstand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for here This is my covenant to them i. e. This is that which I promise to doe for them by the Covenant which I make with them To them i. e. To those which turne from transgression in Jacob. My spirit that is upon thee i. e. Those words which thou hast uttered by vertue of that spirit which is upon thee O Isaiah The Lord makes an Apostrophe here to Isaiah By the Spirit is here meant first the gift of Prophecy for such gifts of God are by the Hebrewes called the spirit of the Lord see Cap. 61.1 Then by the gift of Prophesie is meant the Prophecy or Speeches or Words of God proceeding from or uttered by vertue of that gift of Prophecy by a Metonymy And my words which I have put into thy mouth q. d. That is to say The words concerning that which I will do for them which turn from transgressions in Jacob which I have sent thee to speak and to make known This Conjunction And is a note of explication and signifieth as much as That is to say For note that these words My words which I have put into thy mouth are an explication of those My Spirit which is upon thee Shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed i. e. Shall never be forgotten but shall so be fulfilled as that thou and thy children and thy childrens children after thee shall always speak of them saying The Lord hath said thus and thus by his Servant Isaiah and he hath made good what he said for whatsoever he said by him he hath performed The meaning of this place is this as if the Lord should say This which I have said shall certainly come to pass for what I have said I will covenant to perform The words which Isaiah spoke are therefore said not to depart out of his mouth nor out of the mouth of his children or childrens children because he and his children and childrens children should always make mention of those words and talk of them and of the goodness of God in fulfilling them and that with praise and thanksgiving saying The Lord said by the mouth of his servant Isaiah that he would send a Redeemer to Sion and to them that turn from transgression in Jacob c. And what he said by the mouth of Isaiah he hath performed c. Blessed therefore be the Name of the Lord for ever Yet note that these words do not signifie that the words which the Lord had put into the mouth of Isaiah should never actually depart out of his mouth and out of the mouth of his seed but that the Lord would do such things as should deserve the perpetual remembrance of those words and that those words should never depart out of their mouths ISAIAH CHAP. LX. ARise c. i. e. Arise out of the dust or from the ground whereon thou hast sat mourning during the time of thy captivity See cap. 3.26 and 52.2 This the Prophet speaketh by his Prophetique spirit to Sion or to Jerusalem as though shee were in captivity and the time of her captivity were expired telling her that now she should be redeemed out of captivity and he speaks to Sion or Jerusalem which was a City as to a woman by a Prosopopoeia Shine Receive that light which is cast upon thee and shine by the
suspecting that they were Enemies and that by their multitudes they intended evil against her but when she is assured of the contrary that they are friends come with Presents to her and offering her all kinde services her fear is turned into joy So that Sion did not fear and joy here upon the same occasion at the same time but her joy succeeded her fear upon a several apprehension And be enlarged i. e. And shall rejoyce Fear and sorrow do contract the heart but joy enlargeth it he saith therefore Thine heart shall be enlarged for Thine heart shall rejoyce or thou shalt rejoyce per Metonymiam Effectus Because of the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee i. e. Because of the abundance of the Tyrians and those which live by the Sea-side and in the Islands thereof which shall direct their way to thee and come to thee Of the sea i. e. Of those which live neer the Sea or in the Sea in the Islands there Metonymia subjecti or adjuncti Shall be converted unto thee i. e. Shall turn their way to thee and come to thee with their merchandize whereas they were wont to go to other Cities In the word Converted some think there is a change of minde intimated as well as a bodily coming as if these people were once ill-affected to the Jews but should now be well disposed towards them The Forces of the Gentiles shall come to thee i. e. Whole Armies as it were of the Gentiles shall come to thee and bring their merchandize to thee By Forces understand great multitudes of men for such doth he call Forces here by a Metaphor from an Army which in warlike terms is called the Forces of such or such a Nation or such and such a Prince That the Tyrians or people of Tyre brought fish and all manner of ware to sell in Jerusalem see Nehem. 13.16 And what the Tyrians did that we may say all the other Nations did which dwelt about Judea that is That every one brought the commodities of their Land thither there to sell 6. The multitude of Camels shall cover thee i. e. So many Camels shall come into thee laden with rich commodities as that they shall even cover the ground of thy streets so thick shall they stand there The Eastern people were wont to carry their Carriages and such commodities as their Countries afforded as Gold Silver Spices sweet Odors c. upon the backs of Camels so that the Prophet meaneth by this which he saith here of the Camels that great abundance of merchandize and commodities of the East shall be brought into Jerusalem The Dromedaries of Midian and Ephah i. e. Even the Dromedaries of Midian and Ephah These words seem to limit the former words q. d. The multitude of Camels shall cover thee I mean the Camels of Midian and Ephah A Dromedary is a kinde of Camel so called from its swiftness for it is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to run Midian Midian is put here for the Midianites which were the children of Midian the son of Abraham by Ketura Gen. 25.1 per Metonymiam efficientis Ephah Ephah is taken here for the children of Ephah who was the son of Midian Gen. 25.4 by the like Metonymy as before The Midianites and Ephaites or children of Ephah dwelt beyond Arabia All they from Sheba shall come i. e. Many of them which are descended from Sheba shall come unto thee This universal Particle All hath not always an universal signification Sheba was the son of Raamah the son of Cush the son of Ham the son of Noah Genes 10. v. 7 6 1. He dwelt in Arabia Foelix from whom a certain Region thereof was called Sheba of which she which came to see Solomon 1 King 10.1 was Queen They shall bring Gold and Incense Arabia Foelix was noted for Gold and Incense India mittit ebur molles sua thura Sabaei And they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord. q. d. And as in times past the Queen of Sheba when she saw what the Lord had done for Solomon 1 King 10.9 So shall many of the people of Sheba when they see what great things the Lord hath done for thee praise the Lord in thy behalf 7. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee i. e. Many of the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to be brought in unto thee and sold in thy Markets Of Kedar By Kedar are meant the children of Kedar which were called Kedarens per Metonymiam Efficientis which Kedar was the son of Ishmael Genes 25. vers 13. Kedar and his children the Kedarens inhabited part of Arabia Petraea and abounded with flocks and herds of Cattel The Rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee i. e. The children of Nebaioth shall bring their Rams to be sold in thy streets so that their Rams shall be at thy service and they shall yield burnt sacrifices to thee for thee to sacrifice to me Of Nebaioth Nebaioth is put here for the children of Nebaioth which were called Nabataei and Nebathites 1 Mac. 5.27 per metonymiam efficientis which Nebaioth was the son of Ishmael Genes 25.13 Nebaioth and his children the Nabataeans or Nabathites did inhabit part of Arabia Petraea and were rich in flocks and herds as the Kedarens were They shall come up with acceptance upon mine Altar q. d. Thou shalt offer them for burnt-sacrifices upon mine Altar where I will accept of thee and of those thy sacrifices And I will glorifie the house of my glory i. e. And I will make my Temple glorious by those Rams which Nebaioth shall bring to thee and thou shalt offer therein to me The more the sacrifices were which were offered in the Temple the more glorious was the Temple accounted and the higher esteemed of The house of my glory i. e. The house of me that is my house The glory of the Lord is put here per metonymiam adjuncti for the Lord himself who is glorious as vers 1. By this house of the Lord is meant the Temple 8. Who are these that flee as a cloud and as the Doves to their windows i. e. Who are these which flee to thee as fast as a cloud before the wind or as a flock of Pigeons to their house I said vers 4. that he spake unto Sion as if he had had her in an high Watch-tower from whence she could see all the Quarters of the Earth Now as though they were in the same Watch-tower still and espyed on a sudden a great company hasting towards Jerusalem he cries Who are those that flee as a cloud and as Doves to their window◠He knew them to be the Jews returning homeward but as men use to do in such a case he asketh Sion whether she knew who they were or no that he might assure her that they were her children the Jews hasting unto her By this the Prophet would shew the certain return of the Jews
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
which he saith here is this That they shall not need to toyl and moyl as Countrymen use to do about their Cattel and about their Corn and about their Vineyards but they should sit still and have all done to their hands So that they should feed of the flock and eat of the field and drink of the Vineyard without sweat and labor But how should the Jews have strangers thus to moyl and toyl for them and they themselves fit still Ans They should take some captives in war and make them their servants others they should hire for their mony for they should be rich enough to do it so that one way or other they should have all their moyling Country-work done for them without any trouble of their own 6. But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord And why shall they be named or called the Priests of the Lord Ans Because as the Priests of the Lord the sons of Aaron were maintained by the labor of the other Tribes and labored not in Husbandry as the other did for the Lord gave them the Tythes of the Flock and of the Herd and of the Corn and the Oblations which were offered that they might the better wait upon their Ministry So should the whole Nation of the Jews live by the labors of the strangers and have their meat and their bread and their wine brought in to them without any pains at all by them taken But ye There is an emphasis in this Pronoun Ye Men shall call you the Ministers of our God This is a repetition of the former sentence for he meaneth hereby those Ministers and Servants of God which minister at the Altar and serve him in holy things Ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles i. e. For ye shall eat of the Flocks and of the Herds of the Gentiles about which you took no pains See cap. 60.7 The riches of many people of old consisted chiefly in Flocks and in Herds therefore are riches put here for Flocks and for Herds This is another reason to shew why they should be called the Priests of the Lord and the Ministers of their God in the sence given For the Prophet doth often follow that with one reason which he ushered in with another And in their glory shall ye boast your selves i. e. And ye shall enjoy and rejoyce in their riches This is a repetition of the former sentence What he called riches just before he calleth glory here per Metonymiam Effecti because riches were the Gentiles glory i. e. They were that in which they gloryed themselves and that for which they were renowned by others Shall ye boast your selves i. e. Shall ye rejoyce To boast of a thing sometimes signifieth to joy or delight ones self in a thing because they which boast of a thing take joy and delight in what they boast of 7. For the shame ye shall have double Supple Honor q. d. Ye have been put to shame by the Babylonians whose bondmen ye have been but for that your shame ye shall receive twice as much Honor. And for confusion they shall rejoyce in their portion i. e. And for the confusion which they have suffered God will give them a great portion of Honor in which portion of Honor they shall rejoyce This is a repetition of the former sentence onely he changeth the second person into the third for this belongeth to those Jews to whom he spoke before For confusion Confusion signifieth the same thing as shame did In their portion i. e. In that portion of Honor which God will give them so great shall it be Therefore in their Lord they shall possess the double i. e. For whereas they have been put to shame in a strange Land to wit in Babylon they shall possess twice as much Honor in their own Land as they have suffered shame in a strange Land Therefore is put here for For or Because as Cap. 26.14 The double i. e. A portion of Honor which shall be double to the shame which they have suffered Everlasting joy shall be unto them i. e. And the cause of this their joy shall proceed as from other blessings so partly from this that their God shall make them honorable See cap. 43.4 8. For I the Lord love judgment i. e. For I the Lord love upright dealing I love common Justice which giveth to every one his own and reward it wheresoever I finde it I hate robbery for burnt-offerings i. e. But I hate robbery though it be committed for this end that he that robbeth might buy a burnt-offering with that which he hath taken by robbery and offer it unto me I say I hate robbery and will punish it in whomsoever I see it By this God intimateth that he would not spare those Jews of the captivity which were given to robbery and unjust dealing And this he speaks occasionally and by the By for his main scope is contained in those words I love judgment By Judgment understand by a Synecdoche all good by robbery all evil Note that this is spoken in the person of the Lord and the Lord giveth a reason here why he will do so great things for them to whom he sent Isaiah his Prophet and why he will so honor them and the reason is because he findes Judgment and Justice in them q. d. For I the Lord love Judgment and I will reward it wheresoever I finde it and because I see it in these my people I will reward them for it Note that though most of the Jews which were carryed away captives were unjust robbers and fraughted with all manner of wickedness yet all were not so but some were upright honest men And of those which were naught some turned from their naughtiness and became good of these therefore which either persisted in their goodness or turned from their wickedness and those onely doth the Lord and his Prophet here speak And I will direct their work in truth i. e. I will direct their reward who follow after Judgment in truth Their work i. e. Their reward or the reward of their work The work is put here for the reward of the work per Metonymiam efficientis In truth i. e. According to truth Then is the reward directed according to truth when the reward is answerable and proportionable to the work which is to be rewarded Or In truth that is according to my sayings who am true in all my sayings And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them i. e. And I will renew my Covenant with them which for my part shall be everlasting for I will never break it When a Covenant is broken on any part he that breaks it can no more lay claim to it wherefore the renewing of it is as the making of a new Covenant This Covenant the Lord renewed by his Prophets and Nehemiah and others sealed to it in the name of the whole people Nehem. 10. 9. And their seed shall be known
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
enemies q.d. Although I have heretofore given the meat which thou hast taken paines for to the Assyrians and to the Babylonians and other thine enemies yet now I will doe so no more The sonnes of the stranger shall ntt drink of thy wine for which thou hair laboured i. e. Strangers such as the Assyrians and the Babylonians are shall not take away thy wine which thou hast laboured for by force and drinke wtthout thee 9. But they that have gathered tt shall eate it i. e. But they that have been at the cost or at the paines to sow the corne and to reape it and to gather it into the Barne shall eate it Haâ—e gathered it By gathering the corn into the Barne understand by a Syllepsis all other costs and paines necessary for the having of corne It i. e. The corne v. 8. Shall eare it Supple In the courts of the Lords house to wit the Temple See Deut. 14. v. 23. But note that the Tithe onely of the corne c. was to be eaten before the Lord in the court of his house but their eating of the Tithe there according to the Lords command was as it were an earnest that they should peaceably eate the whole harvest at their own places And praise the Lord Supple For his bounty and goodnesse in giving them corne to eate They that have brought it together i. e. They that have brought the wine together into their cellars and store-houses out of their severall Vineyards c. It That is the wine v. 8. Shall drink it in the courts of my holinesse i. e. Shall drinke it in my courts as I have commanded Deut. 14.23 In the courts of my holinesse i. e. In my courts Gods holinesse is put here Per metonymiam adjuncti for God himselfe so that in the courts of my holinesse is q.d. In the courts of me that is in my courts 10. Goe thorow goe thorow the gates q.d. Make hast make hast and goe yee into your own Land O yee Jewes which have been held here in Babylon captives This is spoken in the person of Cyrus or some from Cyrus to the Jewes which were in captivity and signifieth to them that they might goe out of their captivity so soon as they would Prepare yee the way of the people i. e. Prepare yee the way of the Jewes by which they are to passe from Babylon to Judea that their way may be without let or hinderance This is spoken to the way-makers or those which were set to see to it that the wayes were good See Cap. 40. v. 3. This sudden turning from persons to persons is done as if the Jewes were even then hastening to depart out of Babylon to their own home by which is signified the certainty of their returne Cast up cast up the highway See Cap. 57.14 Gather up tho stones Supple Out of the way in which they must goe that they may no way trouble or hinder them in their way Lift up a standard for the people This is spoken to other persons then before And the sense is q.d. call the Jewes together from the severall places of their captivity that they may goe together to their own Land He alludeth to the manner of Souldiers for whom when they were to meet together a standard was set up for them to meet at 11. Behold the Lord hath proclaimed untâ— the end of the world supple saying i. e. Behold the Lord hath sent out his proclamation into all even into the uttermost parts of the world saying The proclamation here mentioned may relate to that proclamation which Cyrus made 2 Chron. Cap. 36. v. 22.23 For what Cyrus did by motion from the Lord the Lord himselfe may be said to doe Say yee to the daughter of Sion i. e. Say yee to Sion By the daughter of Sion is meant Sion that is Jerusalem As Cap. 1.8 And he speakes to Sion as to a woman by a Prosopopoeia And the sense of those words say yee to the daughter of Sion is q.d. Let the daughter of Sion know for these words say yee are to be taken indefinitely This and what followeth is the substance of the proclamation which the Lord proclaimed Behold thy salvation commeth i. e. Behold thy Saviour commeth even he which will save thee out of the hands of the Babylonians Salvation is put here for Saviour Per Metonymiam effectus The Saviour here meant is the Lord who saved the Jewes out of the hands of the Babylonians by Cyrus Behold his reward is with him i. e. Behold he hath brought with him the reward with which he will reward those Jewes which are meek and mourne and have not departed from him but have put their trust in him in the midst of their affliction which they suffered in captivity See Cap. 40.10 And his worke before him i. e. And his reward is in a readinesse This is a repetition of the former sentence By worke is meant the reward due to the work pe Metonymiam efficientis When he saith his worke or his reward is before him It may be that the Prophet alludeth to some such games as the Apostle alludeth to 1 Cor. 9.24 Where they that came to be Judges of the victory had the garland which was to be given to the victor carried before them to the Stadium or place of exercise and when they were there they had it lying before them ready to bestow upon him who deserved it best And they shall call them the holy people i. e. And they to wit the Jewes which are now in captivity shall be called the holy people They shall call them is put here for they shall be called The holy people i. e. The people whom God hath severed from all the people of the earth and preferred above them all by his blessings See Cap. 4.3 The redeemed of the Lord i. e. The people whom the Lord redeemed out of the hands of the Babylonians And thou shalt be called sought out i. e. And thou O Sion or O Jerusalem shall be sought out What it is for one to be called so or so See verse 4. Sought out i. e. Shee which was lost like a lost sheep but now is sought out and found againe See Ezek. Cap. 34.16 A City not forsaken See vers 4. ISAIAH CHAP. LXIII WHo is this that commeth from Edom The Lord appearing to Isaiah in a vision like a man of warre comming from Edom Isaiah asketh him who he is who receiveth his answer to this and other questions which he maketh in this and the verses following By this vision is signified the victory which the Jewes should have over the Edomites their enemies which victory was atchieved by the Jewes under Judas Machabaeus of which you may reade 1 Mach. 5.3 The Edomites were a people which did alwayes rejoyce at the afflictions and miseries of the Iewes Psal 137.7 Therefore it was very materiall for the Iewes to be acquainted with this victory which they should have over the
that He was an hungred and thirsty c. Matth. 25. v. 35.40 And we read Iudg. 5.23 Of one saying curse yee bitterly the Inhabitants of Meroz because they came not to the helpe the helpe of the Lord against the mighty when they came not to the helpe of the people of the Lord. And I wondred that there was none to uphold i. e. And I wondred that there was none to helpe me He saith to uphold for to helpe by a Metaphor from a staffe which upholdeth him and so helpeth him that leaneth upon it that he falls not The Lord speaketh here of himselfe as of a man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so he might well wonder that there was none of all the Nations that would helpe him that is as I said would helpe his people being he had been so beneficiall to them and his people had not wronged them at all but so farre were they from helping as that they would have destroyed him that is his people if they could 1 Machab. 5.2 Though God can subdue any Nation himselfe by the blast of his mouth yet he will not work miracles when he can use secondary and ordinary meanes therefore if any of the Nations would have offered their help to the subduing of Edom God would not have rejected it Therefore mine own arme brought salvation unto me See what I said in Cap. 59. v. 16 17. Mine own arme He saith his own arme in opposition to the arme of the Nations and to signifie that he had not the least help or furtherance in this his expedition from them And my Fury it upheld me q.d. And I armed my selfe with fury that is I put on courage There is nothing better to encourage a man and to make him valiant than anger and fury is the height of anger And there is no better armour to preserve a man then courage and valour for quo timoris minus est eo minus ferme e◠periculi saith Livie lib. 22. By how much the lesse feare there is by so much the lesse danger there is for the most part For the farther understanding of this phrase And my fury it upheld me see what I said on those words And his righteousnesse it susteined him Cap. 59.16 6. And I will tread downe the people in mine anger i. e. And I resolutely said I will tread downe the people of Edom in mine anger and all the people that joyne with them And make them drunke Supple with calamities and miseries It is frequent with the Hebrewes to liken calamities and miseries to a cup of wine or strong drinke and to say that he is made drunke with that cup who is sorely afflicted with those calamities and miseries See Cap. 51. v. 21 22 23. and Psal 75.8 I will bring downe their strength to the Earth i. e. I will overthrow all their strength and all their power 7. I will mention the loving kindenesses of the Lord Many make this the beginning of a new chapter howsoever certainly it is the beginning of a new matter And this part of this and the whole next chapter are a prayer composed by the Prophet to be used by a lew in his Captivity in Babylon I will mention the loving kindenesses of the Lord i. e. I will declare abroad and speake of those many great kindenesses which the Lord hath shewed to me This is that which God lookes for for his kindnesses to his people that they should acknowledge them and speake of them and so praise him for them And the praises of the Lord i. e. And the praises which are due unto the Lord. And the great goodnesses toward the house of Israel i. e. And I will mention the great goodnesse which he hath shewed towards the children of Israel 8. For he said i. e. For the Lord said concerning the house or children of Israel when he was about to bring them out of the Land of Egypt Surely they are my people i. e. Surely the house of Israel are my people whom I have chosen of all the people of the earth to serve me Deut. 7.6 Here he beginneth to praise the Lord and to mention the kindnesses of the Lord which the Lord had shewed to Israel so that the seventh verse was an Exordium to these praises of the Lord. Children that will not lie i. e. Children that will keepe the Covenant which they have made with me See Cap. 30.9 Cap. 59.13 concerning what it is to lie By this God shewed what good hope he had at first of the children of Israel And he speaks here as a man who knoweth not secret things and things to come but hopeth the best By an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So he was their Saviour i. e. So he took upon him to be their Saviour and Protectour 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted i. e. When he saw them afflicted he was grieved at it so tender was he over them Thi is spoken of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Angel of his presence saved them And he sent an Angel even an Angel of his presence to save them and he saved them from the fury of the Egyptians Exod. 14.19 c. The Angel of his presence By this he meaneth some eminent Angel which stood in the sight of God or in his presence and by consequence was a mighty Angel or an Angel of great might and power Such an Angel doth he call an Angel of Gods providenc by a Metaphor taken from the custome of Kings who admit not every common servant into their presence but their Noble and their great ones onely As 1 Kings 10.8 To which custome our Saviour also allvdeth Matth. 18.10 Where speaking of the Angels of the faithfull he saith That they see the face of their father which is in Heaven In his love and in his pitty the redeemed them Lhough the love and the pitty which he had towards them when he saw their misery in Egypt he redeemed them out of the hands of the Egyptians by his Angel And he bare them and carried them As a nurse beareth and carrieth her child in her armes or as an Eagle beareth and carrieth her young ones on her wings Exod. 19. v. 4. or Deut. 32.11 All the daies of old i. e. All the daies of their infancy 10 But they rebelled Supple against God and were disobedient to him Understand this not onely of those rebellions which we read of Exod. 15.24 16.2 Num. 14.11 21.5 c. But of those other Rebellions also which they shewed afterwards in the time of the Judges and of the Kings And vexed his holy Spirit i. e. And vexed him who is the holy one of Israel with their sins He speakes of God as of a man and puts the spirit which is but part for the whole man Therefore was he turned to be their enemy and fought against them Therefore did God shew himself their enemy and fought against them for he sent fiery Serpents amongst
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
thy Sanctuary i. e. The Babylonians which are our adversaries and which hold us in hard captivity have broken down thy holy Temple Supple Therefore destroy thou them for so doing that we may be freed out of their hands The Temple was called the Sanctuary be-of the sanctity and holiness thereof How the Babylonians trod down the Temple see 2 Chron. 36.19 19. We are thine i. e. We are thy servants and thy peculiar people Supple Therefore let not the Babylonians tyrannize over us Thou never barest rule over them i. e. Thou wast never the King and the God and the Lord of our adversaries in that special manner as thou wast ours as that thou shouldst regard them before us They were not called by thy Name i. e. They were not ever thy peculiar servants as we were so that thou shouldst have any great respect or care of them Supple Why therefore dost thou suffer them to tyrannize over us and oppress us And why dost thou suffer us to be oppressed by them And why dost thou do for them more then thou didst for us Note that to be called by ones name is to be his servant or wife or his in some relation or other as the circumstance of the place requireth by whose name he is called See Cap. 4.1 c. ISAIAH CHAP. LXIV O That thou wouldst rent the Heavens Supple To make a way through them He speaks of God as if he were a man by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for if a man were in Heaven and would come down from thence he must have the Heavens opened and divided some way or other that he might have passage through them before he could come down he cannot pass through them shut or undivided being solid bodies Wouldst rent This word rent imports anger and indignation in the renter as though he could not tarry till the Heavens were orderly opened but would rend them in haste aâ—d make a way through them by violence Note that this is to be continued with the former Chapter That thou wouldst come down Supple Upon the Earth That the mountains might flow down at thy presence q. d. O that thou wouldst come down in flaming fire that the mountains might melt and run down like melted wax at thy presence with the heat thereof Here is an Ellipsis of those words O that thou wouldst come down with flaming fire Note that the Scripture when it describeth God coming to take vengeance describeth him for the most part coming with fire as Psal 50.3 97.3 Deut. 32.22 2 Sam. 22.9 Joel 2.3 2 Thess 1.8 c. And so doth our Prophet tacitely here describe him when he calls upon him to come and take vengeance on the Babylonians for he tacitely calls upon him to come with fire when he would have him so to come as that the mountains might flow down at his presence as appeareth Psal 97.5 Judg. 5.5 Note secondly that the mountains being earth are not of a nature fit to be melted no not with the greatest fire The Prophet therefore when he speaketh of the melting or flowing down of the mountains useth a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Metaphor with an Hyperbole 2. As when the melting fire burneth q. d. O that thou wouldst come down with fire which would burn as hot as when the fire burneth c. Note these words O that thou wouldst come with fire which would burn as hot are here to be understood Note also that by the melting fire he nameth a vehement and strong fire for such a fire is required to the melting of metals The fire causeth the waters to boyl Here also the same words are to be understood which were to be understood in the former Verse q. d. O that thou wouldst come down with fire which would burn as hot as when the fire causeth the waters to boyl Note that by the fire which causeth the waters to boyle he meaneth a strange and vehement fire as he did by the melting fire for it must be a strong fire and a vehement which maketh a great furnace of water to boyle To make thy name known to thine adversaries Here he sheweth the ends why he would have the Lord come down from Heaven and come with fire to wit that he might take vengeance of his adversaries To make thy name known to thine adversaries i. e. To make thine Adversaries know thy power Supple by feeling of it That is q.d. To punish thine Adversaries and take vengeance on them Thy Name i. e. The Name of God is put here for God himselfe as Cap. 63. v. 16. And God for the power of God To thine Adversaries By these he meaneth the Babylonians whom he calleth the adversaries of God because they destroyed his Sanctuary Cap. 63.18 And because they kept the Jewes the people of God in an hard bondage That the Nations may tremble at thy presence i. e. That other Nations also may tremble when they see how heavily thou layest thy judgements upon the Babylonians Yet by the Babylonians I mean not those onely which lived in Babylon and the Precincts thereof but all those Nations which were subject to the King of Babylon which were many which Nations onely may be here meant when he saith that the Nations may tremble at thy presence And therefore might they tremble because the hand of God would be as well upon them as upon those which dwelt in Babylon and the Precincts thereof which are called Babylonia 3. When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for What these terrible things were and when they were done is not so easie to determine but they seem to have been done upon the Egyptians when God delivered his people out of their hands though they be not recorded in holy Writ For many things were received among the Hebrews for truth which were not therein recorded as will appeare by the Prophecie of Enoch which Jude mentioneth Jude 14. which is no where recorded in the Old Testament Which we looked yet for i. e. Which thou didst for us when we little dreamed of them and which therefore were the more welcome to us But how can the Prophet say here which we lookâ—d not for when they were done many hundred yeeres before his daies Answ Indeed these things were done long before the Prophets daies for they were done in the daies of his forefathers yet because all the Jewes were of one race and one people the children speak often of their fathers as of themselves and say that they did that or saw that which their fathers onely did and saw Thou camest down Supple from Heaven in flaming fire The mountaines flowed at thy presence See vers 1. After these words understand these or the like Being therefore O Lord thou hast come down heretofore from Heaven in flaming fire so that the mountaines flowed at thy presence when we looked not for it Thou canst come down again when we intreat thee 4. For since the beginning of the world men
what is extended and when he saith He will extend peace as a river he signifieth exceâ—ding plenty of peace from the exceeding plenty of waters which flow in the river And the glory of the Gentiles i. e. And the riches of the Gentiles God gave Jerusalem the riches of the Gentiles partly by the victories which he gave the Jews over the Gentiles as the Edomites Moabites Philistins c. By which they had great preys and spoyls And partly by the Nations bringing into Jerusalem the riches of their several Countries by way of merchandize cap. 60.6 7 8. Like a flowing stream i. e. Like a full stream that is q. d. in abundance Then shall ye suck Supple Comfort and consolation and wealth from her See vers 11. Ye shall be born upon her sides i. e. Ye shall be carryed by her as children are carryed in the arms of their Nurse and so shall be always with her whereas ye are now snatched from her and carryed into captivity See cap. 60.4 Note that they which carry children in their arms carry them not at their arms end but so carry them as that they rest them upon their sides which is that which the Prophet alludeth to when he saith Ye shall be born upon her sides And dandled upon her knees The meaning of this and the foregoing phrases is That they shall live in Jerusalem and in as much joy and delight as the child doth which is always either carryed in the arms or danced upon the knees of a tender Mother or tender Nurse 14 When ye see this He meaneth that which is mentioned in vers 12 13. Your heart shall rejoyce i. e. Ye shall heartily rejoyce The heart being but a part is put here for the whole man by a Synecdoche And your bones shall flourish like an herb i. e. And your bones which were heretofore dryed away with sorrow and grief shall flourish again by reason of joy and mirth as herbs do in the spring which withered in the winter season As sorrow and grief do dry up the bones and consume the marrow thereof So joy and mirth do moisten them and make them abound with marrow and fatness Prov. 17.22 And the hand of the Lord shall be known towards his servants i. e. For the power of the Lord shall be known by what he will do to his servants that is He will do such things for his servants as that all men shall take notice of his power for it The hand is put here by a metonymie for power which is shown by the hand Or by the hand may be meant bounty and liberality for the bountifull and liberall man giveth freely and what he giveth he giveth with the hand And then the sence is this q. d. For the bounty and liberality of the Lord shall be known towards his Servants by those great guifts and blessings which he will bestowe upon them And his indignation i. e. But his indignation and wrath And for But. Towards his Enemies By the enemies of the Lord are here meant the wicked Jews which transgressed against him as well as the Babylonians for both were his enemies 15 The Lord will come with fire This sheweth how terrible his coming should be against his enemies for fire is terrible See Heb. 12. v. 18.21 And with his Chariots like a whirlwind By Chariots he meaneth such Chariots as were wont to be used in Warre And hereby he speaketh of God as of a great King marching with terrour and great strength against his Enemies He compareth these Chariots here to a whirle-wind to signifie their swiftness and the speed which they should make see more of this Cap. 5.28 To render his anger Supple To or upon his enemies Anger is put here for punishment proceeding from anger Per metonymiam efficientis With fury In fury there is little mercy shown this therefore sheweth the grievousness of the punishment which he will inflict And his rebuke with flames of fire This is in a manner a repetition of the former sentence for the Lords rebuke is operative and therefore whom he rebuketh he doth also punish And as for fire it is merciless and terrible the most merciless and terrible of all the Elements Will the Lord plead with all flesh i. e. will the Lord fight with all flesh He useth a Law-word here for a military word pleading for fighting because in pleading also there is a contest between two Adversaries With all flesh That is with all his enemies whether they be Babylonians or the wicked part of the Jews also In these words there is a double Synecdoche There is Synecdoche membri and Synecdoche generis Synecdoche membri in that the flesh is put for the whole man And Synecdoche generis in that men in generall are put for those men onely which were Gods enemies in particular And the slain of the Lord shall be many i. e. And many shall they be which the Lord shall slay 17 They that sanctifie themselveâ— and purifie themselves Then these wicked Jews that use superstitious Ceremonies and washings thereby to cleanse themselves when they deem themselves unclean and impure In the Gardens In Gardens they were wont to set up their Idolls and use their Idolatry and superstitious rites See Cap. 1.29 65.3 There also it is likely they had their Lavers and waters to wash in Behind one Tree in the midst i. e. Behind or under one Tree planted in the midst thereof By one Tree is here meant some one speciall Tree which they seem to have made choyce of and set apart for their Idolatry and superstitious rites about the midd'st of their Gardens Eating Swines flesh This was unlawfull for a Jew to do Levit. 11.17 And the abomination i. e. And other abominable meats which were unlawfull for the Jew to eat such as are mentioned Levit. 11. Abomination is put here Per metonymiam adjuncti for abominable meat and abominable meat in the singular for abominable meats in the plurall number And the mouse The mouse was pronounced unclean to be eaten Levit. 11.29 Note that the Mouse in the singular number is put here collective for mice in the plurall number Note also that the Mouse was part of the abomination spoken of in the foregoing words But it is here particularly mentioned because it may be they took most delight in eating of the mouse Shall be consumed together i. e. Shall be all of them destroyed with the Babylonians and that by Cyrus in his expedition against Babylon 18 For I know their works their thoughts He prevents an objection here for whereas the Lord said they shall be all consumed together it might be said that the Lord may not know all those that did these things for many did these things very privately and therefore many might escape To this the Lord answers saying that he knew not all their works all the doings of their hands only but their thoughts also therefore none should escape but
all should be consumed that do these things And their thoughts Yea their thoughts And is put here for Yea. It shall come that I will gather all Nations These words relate to and follow those words v. 14. And the Hand of the Lord shall be known towards his servants for as they so these speak of that happy and glorious condition which the godly Jews should enjoy after their return out of Babylon into their own Land It shall come that I will gather all Nations and tongues and they shall come and see my glory i. e. It shall come to passe that I will gather many of all Nations and of all Languages together and they shall come and see those glorious things which I will do for Jerusalem and for my people the Jewes which serve me The meaning is q. d. And it shall come to passe that the glory which I will give my Servants when they come into their own Land shall be so great as that all Nations shall be taken with the fame thereof and many of them shall come to see that their glory which I will give them Note that many of these Nations did not only come to see the glory of the Jewes but did also desire a League of amity with them and many of them also did upon sight of what the Lord had done for them become Proselytes as appeareth v. 2.3 I will gather all Nations i. e. I will gather many of all Nations This he saith to signifie that very many of all Nations and Countries should come to Jerusalem to see the glory which God gave her i. e. the Jews being moved with the fame thereof All Nations i. e. Many of all Nations A Synecdoche Generis Or an Hyperbole God saith here that he would gather all Nations to come and see His Glory because he would bestowe such glory upon Jerusalem and his Servants the Jewes as that all Nations should heare of it and many of all Nations should come and that in great multitudes to Jerusalem to see that glory And all tongues i. e. Men of all Tongues and Languages My glory i. e. That glory which I will give to Jerusalem vers 12. and my Servants the Jewes vers 10. This glory he calleth His because he was the Authour of it 91 And I will set a sign among them i. e. And I will set up an Ensign among the men of Israel that is I will gather the men of Israel together which are scattered abroad and they also shall come and see my glory By them are meant the men of Israel or of the ten Tribes which were scattered abroad whom he calls their Brethren v. 20. and at whom he seemeth to point when he saith I will set a sâ—gn among them And he alludeth here to a Captain or Generall who when he would call his Souldiers together to march any where sets up a Standard or an Ensigne for them to repair to Note here that though the greatest part of the ten Tribes of Israel were destroyed or carried away captive into Assyria and their Common-wealth was brought to naught by Salmaneser 2 Kings 18.11 yet God left a few in the Land of Israel as it were gleaning Grapes and the shaking of the Olive Tree Isaiah 17.6 And besides those that were left in the Land of Israel and those that were carried away Captive into Assyria there were others which fled in their extremity to other Countries to save themselves as to Tarshish Pul Lud c. of which many returned to Jerusalem and lived among their Brethren the Jews when they heard what great things the Lord had done for the people the Jews and what glory he had bestowed upon Jerusalem Among them i. e. By them he meaneth the men of Israel or of the ten Tribes whom he seemeth to point at when he saith among them He maketh particular mention of the men of Israel that is of the ten Tribes because he had said â—e would have no more mercy upon the house of Israel but would utterly take them away Hos 1.6 And I will send those that escape of them to the Nations i. e. And I will send many of the men of Israel which live among the Jewt and have escaped those dangers into which they fell c. These God sent to the Nations not by any express or open command but by his secret providence directing them that way when they had a mind to traffick or the like And God might make these an Instrument of reducing the scattered of Israel rather then any other because of the neer relation which was between them and the dispersed of Israel To Tarshish Tarshish I take to be the same with Tartessus a City in Spain and by a Metonymy the inhabitants of that City Pul Some take Pul to signifie Africa in general others that part of Africa which is neer to Fez and here they take it for the Inhabitants of one or other of these places Lud By Lud is meant the posterity of Lud which were called Lydians of whom Gen. 10.22 That draw the Bow i. e. That are skilful Archers and have strength and knowledge how to draw the Bow well To Tubal By Tubal are meant the children of Tubal which was the son of Japhet Gen. 10.2 To Javan By Javan are meant the children of Javan which was the son of Japhet Gen. 10.2 The Isles afar off q. d. That is To the habitants of the Regions and Countries which are afar off The Hebrews call all Regions and Countries Islands especially if they abut upon the Sea or any great river That have not heard my fame i. e. That have not heard the report of those things which I have done for my servants the Jews Neither have seen my glory i. e. Neither have seen those glorious things which I have done for my servants the Jews Glory is put here per Metonymiam effecti or adjuncti for great acts or things worthy of glory and bringing glory to the author or doer of them And they shall declare my glory amongst the Gentiles i. e. And they shall declare to the Gentiles among whom their Brethren of Israel live the glorious works that I have done for my servants the Jews and the glory which I have bestowed upon Jerusalem 20. And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord i. e. And the Gentiles when they hear of my glory shall come themselves and shall bring all your brethren the men of Israel which live among them with them as an offering to the Lord. That which is here meant is that many of these Nations should become proselytes and that many of the children of Israel or ten Tribes should turn to the Lord and dwell among the Jews He speaks to the Jews and he calleth the men of Israel their brethren a lovely name because they were all descended from the same father Jacob. Note that the Lord useth an Enallage of the person here and speaks here of
himself in the third person For an offering to the Lord When he calls them an offering to the Lord he speaks metaphorically for to speak properly they were no offering but therefore doth he call them an offering because as an offering is brought in honor of the Lord so would the Nations bring them to the Lord in honor of the Lord because they were once his people and he would now accept of them Out of all Nations When Salmaneser invaded the Land of Israel many of the men of that Land fled to all Nations abroad to save their lives where they lived and begat children which are they which are here said to be brought as an offering to the Lord. Vpon Horses and in Charets and in Litters and upon Mules and upon swift beasts By these is signified the accommodation with which the Nations should accommodate the men of Israel in their way to Judea Vpon swift beasts As Dromedaries To my holy mountain Jerusalem q. d. To my holy mountain that is To Jerusalem Note here again the Enallage of the person how God speaks of himself in the first person when he spoke in the third just before Gods holy mountain was mount Sion upon which the Temple which was destroyed by the Babylonians was built and on which the Temple which was to be built after the Babylonish captivity was to be built And therefore was it called the holy mountain because it was hallowed or set apart for that use This mountain was within Jerusalem and therefore was part of Jerusalem and is here put by a Synecdoche for all Jerusalem But he seemeth to make mention of the holy mountain and to say that they should bring them to the holy mountain because he likened them to an offering and offerings used to be brought to the holy mountain that is to the Temple which stood on that mountain Note that these men were brought not to the Land of Israel though they were men of Israel but to Jerusalem because the men of Israel never made a Common-wealth of themselves after the days of Salmaneser but all which returned into the Land of Canaan were incorporated into the Common-wealth of Judah And hence is this Allegory of their being brought as an offering to the holy mountain Jerusalem As the children of Israel bring an offering i. e. With as much joy and gladness and with as much respect to the Lord as the children of Israel bring an offering c. By the children of Israel may be meant here not the children of the ten Tribes only but the children of Judah also yea rather these then they An offering He alludeth to the meat-offering of which Lev. 2. In a clean vessel i. e. In a dish or platter which is not polluted with any legal uncleanness In the similitude here used the Horses and Charets and Litters and Mules and swift beasts on which the men of Israel were brought answereth to the clean vessel here mentioned in which the children of Israel brought their offering Into the House of the Lord i. e. Into the Temple which is the House of God 21. And I will also take of them for Priests and for Levites saith the Lord q.d. And I will not onely cause them to wit your brethren to be brought as an offering to me the Lord to Jerusalem but I will also take of them for Priests and Levites saith the Lord. Or thus q. d. And I will not onely take of you O ye Jews but I will also take of them to wit your brethren which shall be brought as an offering to me for Priests and for Levites saith the Lord. Note that as the word Priests so is the word Levites here a word denoting not the tribe but the office of the Levites who were by their office to minister in the things appertaining to the Temple or Tabernacle under the Priests Numb 3. And of these their brethren or men of Israel the Lord saith he would take Priests and Levites to signifie that the glory which he the Lord would give to Jerusalem and to the Jews should be so great as that the men of Israel who had rejected the Lord should be moved thereby to return to the Lord and serve him so as that the Lord should delight in them again though he had rejected them for rejecting him It may be asked what they were whom the Lord would take out of these men of Israel which were to be brought as an offering to him for Priests and Levites Ans He would take for Priests such as were of the linage of Aaron and for Levites those other that were of the Tribe of Levi. But what new love and kindness was this for God to take these for Priests and Levites at this time when God had appointed these and onely these to be the one Priests the other Levites for ever before he brought them first into the Land of Canaan For to take of the men here mentioned for Priests and Levites intimateth that they were not Priests and Levites before whom he would take now Ans True it is That God chose Aaron and his sons for Priests and the rest of the Tribe of Levi to minister to him under them in the Tabernacle and Temple before he brought the Israelites into the Land of Canaan But as for those Priests and Levites which dwelt among the ten Tribes they were exceeding wicked as the ten Tribes were And therefore when the Lord would have no mercy upon the house of Israel but utterly take them away Hos 1.6 and said unto them Ye are not my people and I will not be your God Hos 1.9 As he rejected the whole people from being his people so he rejected those of the Tribe of Levi which dwelt among them from being Priests and Levites to him Yea he expresly said to the sons of Aaron which dwelt among them Because ye have rejected knowledge I will also reject you that ye shall be no Priests to me Hos 4.6 And what he said to them we must understand of the Levites also that they should not minister any more to him Now if God when he had thus rejected all the sons of Aaron which dwelt among the ten Tribes from being Priests and the rest of the sons of Levi from being Levites unto him did afterwards accept of some of them for Priests and Levites to himself it was a new love and a new kindness in the Lord towards them 22. For as the new Heavens and the new Earth which I will make shall remain before me saith the Lord so shall your seed and your name remain By the new Heavens he meaneth the Heavens which he would renew in respect of their qualities of which see cap. 65.17 which though they were dark and cloudy now he would make clear and resplendent in his due time And by the new Earth he meaneth the Earth which he would renew in respect of her qualities of which see also cap. 65.17 For he would make
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
highly honour him and reward him But if you would know what particular honour and reward the Lord gave his Sonne and Servant Christ Iesus read among other places Ephes 1. v. 20 21 22 23. and Phil. 12. v. 1.81 91 101.11 But for the understanding of this That these words I will devide him a portion with the great signifie no more than this I will highly honour him and reward him know this that those places of Scripture which carry two senses in them are Historicall as I may call it and a Mysticall though they carry the Historicall sense word for word yet they carry the Mysticall sense for the most part but in Grosse though here and there there be sometimes such sentences interserted as apperteine according to the words themselves not onely to the Historicall but also to the Mysticall sense of which I spake more at large in the Preface And he shall divide the spoile with the strong This is the same for sense with former words Because he hath poured out his soul unto death i. e. Because he hath not spared his life but parted with it to the uttermost By His soule is here meant His life by a Metonymie for Life is nothing else but the Union of the soule with the body which Union is mainteined by the apt dispositions of the body to reteine it When he saith he hath poured out his soule he useth a Metaphor taken from the powring out of water out of Buckets He saith He hath poured out his soule unto death in pursuance of that Metaphor Of powring out of water out of a Bucket where the water is so poured out to the last drop as that there is not a drop thereof remaining And he was numbred with the transgressours i. e. And because he was accounted as a Transgressour though he were innocent and was put to death amongst Transgressours This was fulfilled when he was crucified between two Thieves Mark 15. v. 27 28. And he bare the sinne of many i. e. And he bare what the malice of the Jewes and the Gentiles under Pontius Pilate could lay upon him See Acts Cap. 4.27 By Sinne understand here the Torments and Afflictions which were the effect of the sinne That is of the malice and envy of the Jewes c. By a Metonymie And made intercession for the transgressours i. e. And because he made intercession for these who through envy and malice did put him to death ISAIAH CHAP. LIV. SIng O barren thou that didst not bear i. e. Sing for joy O Sion or O Jerusalem thou which hast been like a barren woman and bore no children He prophecyeth here of the joyful deliverance of the Jews out of the Babylonish captivity as he did cap. 49.51 52. and elsewhere And he speaks to the material City of Sion or Ierusalem as to a woman by a Prosopopoeia whom he calleth barren and one that did not bear because all the time of the Babylonish captivity she was empty of Jews which were to her as children for they were all carryed away into Babylon and there was none left in her to encrease the Nation See cap. 49.21 Cry aloud Supple For joy Thou that didst not travel with childe This is a repetition of those words Thou that didst not bear For more are the children of the desolate i. e. For more shall thy children be O thou which wast desolate and as a widow and as one forsaken of her Husband during the Babylonish captivity c. He changeth the person here and speaks of Sion or Jerusalem in the third person to whom he spoke in the foregoing words in the second and he useth a present for a future tense Sion or Jerusalem was called desolate and as one forsaken of her Husband because God who was her Husband vers 5. and cap. 62.5 had forsaken her cap. 50.1 And therefore as a woman which is desolate and forsaken of her Husband beareth not children so was Ierusalem barren and without children while God had forsaken her who might be called her Husband as in other regards so in this that while he had a favor to her he did encrease her children within her as a woman multiplyeth her children by her Husband Then the children of the marryed wife i. e. Then thy children were when thou hadst an Husband any time heretofore and wast a marryed Wife The meaning is that Jerusalem though she had been afflicted and brought into captivity by the Babylonians and had her Children or Citizens carryed away from her yet now she should be more populous then ever she was at any time before that her captivity Note that when he saith More are the children of the desolate then the children of the marryed woman he speaks as though he spoke of two several persons but he speaks but of two several states or conditions of the same person So we say of a man that is changed from what he was that he is another man though not his substance but his condition onely is changed This which I have given is the first sence of this place But Sion here as she became fruitful after her widowhood was a Type of the Church of Christ So that in the second and sublime sence this place is to be understood of the Church of Christ as will appear Gal. 4.27 For as Sion while God had put her away from being his Wife and had given her over to be spoyled by the hands of the Babylonians was barren and brought forth no children but when he took her to him to Wife again she encreased in children as the Stars of Heaven for multitude So the Church of Christ while she was a stranger to the bed of Christ and was without the seed of his Word that is while all Nations were suffered to walk in their own ways Acts 14.16 and were given over to the god of this World to be blinded by him Acts 17.30 brought forth no children unto God But when Christ took her to his bed Ioh. 3.29 and redeemed her out of the hand of Satan and gave her the seed of his Word she so encreased in children as that all the ends of the Earth were full of her issue So that she far exceeded the Synagogue of the Iews when it was most populous Note here that Sion as she was considered before the Babylonish captivity was a Type of the Synagogue of the Iews but as she was considered after the Babylonish captivity was a Type of the Church of Christ As therefore Sion was more populous after the Babylonish captivity then ever she was before so was the Church of Christ more populous then ever the Synagogue of the Iews was Wonder not that I make Sion a Type of the Synagogue and the same Sion a Type of the Church upon divers considerations For Saint Paul makes her a Type of the Synagogue Gal. 4.25 and a Type of the Church Rom. 9.33 It may be objected here That the Church of Christ was not the Church