of the earth that is whose Merchants lived in as great state as Nobles and Princes elsewhere used to do yet some I know would have this also included herein that even the Princes and great honourable men of other Nations used to traffick with her Ver. 9. The Lord of hosts hath purposed it c. This is the answer returned to the foregoing question ver 8. and it is all one in effect as if the Prophet had said Wonder not that this should befall Tyre it is the Lord of hosts that hath undertaken it and done it before whom no strength of the Creature can stand And withal he adds the reason why the Lord had done it to stain the Pride of all glory and to bring into contempt all the Honourable of the earth that is To punish and abase the Pride of all the great and honourable ones that do arrogantly exalt themselves by pulling them down as unworthy to be in such a lofty estate and laying their Glory in the dust by bringing them into a base and contemptible condition And this is expressed in these general terms to stain the Pride of all Glory and to bring into contempt all the Honourable of the earth not only to set forth that all the proud ones in Tyre and in other Countrys that were advanced by trading with her should be brought down by this Judgment of God but also to imply 1. That God did no more in the ruine of Tyre than what he had determined to do to all the great ones of the World that should proudly exalt themselves because of their greatness And 2ly that by this Destruction of Tyre it would clearly be discovered what poor and contemptible things all the great ones of the World are when the great God of Heaven comes to contend with them Ver. 10 Pass through the land as a river O daughter of Tarshish c. See the Notes above ver 1. By the Daughter of Tarshish I conceive is meant those Mariners of Merchants of Tarshish or other foreign parts that were in Tyre upon the account of trading there and that with respect to the Judgment and Ruine that was to come upon Tyre these men are here advised to pass through the land where at present they had their abode and to pack away home to their own Countrys as a river that is Speedily and without any delay even as the waters of a river that falling down from higher grounds do pass away with a swift Current and run on without any intermission any stop or stay till they come into the Sea And some think too That by this similitude of their passing away as a river there is implied also the thronging and breaking away of these strangers that were in Tyre in great multitudes like the huge heaps of waters that run crowding away in some great flood They indeed that hold it is Tyre that is here called the Daughter of Tarshish as conceiving that by Tarshish is meant the great Ocean Sea and that Tyre is therefore so called because she lay in the Sea and had all her dealing in the Sea and all her Store and Riches brought in by the Sea as being the chief of all the Sea ports in those parts must needs accordingly hold either that the Inhabitants of Tyre are here advised to flee speedily away as a river somewhere else to seek a shelter for themselves or else that hereby it is foretold how they should be violently hurried away out of their own land into Captivity and so should be scattered abroad like the waters of a river that overflow the banks But the former Exposition is far the clearest As for the following clause there is no more strength that is added as a reason why the Foreigners that were in Tyre are called upon to pack away and not to stay there in hope that Tyre would be able to stand it out against her enemies to wit because Tyre was certainly lost and would be no way able to defend her self because in the Hebrew the words are there is no more girdle therefore some would have the meaning to be That Tyre was so rifled and plundred of all her rich Merchandise that there was not so much as a Girdle left in her which was indeed a Commodity wherewith the Merchants traded much in those times See the Note Prov. 31.24 But questionless the intent of the words are that there was no more strength left in Tyre see the Note Job 12.21 only in the word Girdle there seems to be an Allusion to her being bereft of all those defences wherewith formerly she had been begirt her Walls Bulwarks Ditches and shipping yea the Sea it self which did wholly encompass her till the Enemy did by strange devices and incredible labour joyn this Island to the Continent And this agrees with that which is elsewhere said of the taking and sacking of Tyre Ezek. 26.4 They shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers c. Ver. 11. He stretched out his hand over the Sea he shock the Kingdoms c. That is The Lord of Hosts mentioned before ver 9. And again in the following words in this verse the Lord hath given a Commandment against this Merchant-City And indeed because these last words against the Merchant-City are in the Hebrew against Canaan therefore some think that the Prophet in the foregoing words also speaks here of the great things that God did at the Red Sea and against the Kingdoms of the Canaanites when he carried Israel out of Egypt to plant them in that land which he had promised them and that the reason why those things are mentioned here is only to shew That the great God who then did such mighty things would not find the ruining of Tyre a work too hard for him But certainly the Prophet speaks here still expresly of the Destruction of Tyre it self He stretched out his hand over the Sea to wit to smite and destroy Tyre that is encompassed with the Sea see the Note ver 4. or more generally the Islands and Provinces that lay on the Sea-coasts he shook the Kingdoms that is He shook and shattered the Kingdoms of Tyre and Zidon and others thereabout by the enemies he brought upon them Or he disturbed and terrified the neighbour-Kingdoms by the Destruction which he brought upon Tyre partly through the grief that surprized them for the loss of their gainful Trade with that City and partly as being terrified lest the same ruine would come upon them that was already come upon Tyre The Lord hath given a Commandment against the Merchant-City It is in the Original against Canaan but generally Expositors hold that hereby is meant the Inhabitants of Tyre which they say is here termed Canaan because it lay in the land of Canaan as is evident Josh 19.28 29 where both Tyre and Zidon are reckoned amongst the Cities of Canaan and likewise Matth. 15.21 22. where the Woman that came out of the coasts of
And thus by this clause the Prophet doth covertly perswade the Jews not to murmure against God according to what was said before ver 9 10. But patiently to wait upon him for Deliverance in their lowest condition Ver. 16. They shall be ashamed c. Thus the Prophet applieth that which was spoken in the foregoing verse in general terms to the particular condition of Gods People They shall be ashamed and also confounded all of them to wit the idolatrous Babylonians as the following words explain it they shall go to confusion together that are makers of Idols this shall be at last the end of all their flourishing greatness See the Note Psal 42.17 Ver. 17. But Israel shall be saved in the Lord c. That is by the Lord with an everlasting Salvation That is say some in all ages or so that they shall never perish they shall be saved unto eternity which is alledged therefore by Expositors as an evidence that the eternal Salvation purchased by Christ for his People is here also comprehended whereof the deliverance out of Babylon was only a Type ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded World without end That is ye shall not always find your selves disappointed of that Salvation which ye expect from your God as he had said in the foregoing verse it should be with those that worshipped Idols Ver. 18. For thus saith the Lord that created the Heavens God himself that formed the Earth and made it c. See the Note above ver 12. yet some think that Gods creating all things is here mentioned as an evidence that he was the only true God and that therefore they that worshipped him should not be confounded as all idolaters should be as was said in the foregoing verse he hath established it See the Note Psal 93.1 He created it not in vain he formed it to be inhabited to wit by the Children of men And the drift of mentioning this may seem to be hereby to imply that if God hath been thus careful to provide an habitation for all mankind much more will he be sure to provide an habitation for his own peculiar People that must continue on the Earth so long as the Earth shall stand This I conceive is most probably the drift of this place Yet some I know do by the Earth here understand the land of Canaan which God had provided for the habitation of his people the Children of Israel Ver. 19. I have not spoken in secret in a dark place of the Earth c. Because the Oracles of the Heathens were usually in dark caves and dens of the Earth places fit for deceit See the Note Chap. 8.19 And because when People resorted thither for satisfaction in any thing they desired to know the Devil was wont cunningly to return them answers as dark as the Caves wherein they were given obscure and ambiguous that might always be understood several ways that so whatever the event was it might be thought he had foretold the truth therefore in an allusion hereto the Lord intending to profess to his People that he had not spoken to them after such a manner doth thus express himself I have not spoken in secret in a dark place of the Earth as if he should have said I have always from time to time made known my will to you openly plainly and perspicuously and not as the idolatrous nations were informed by their Oracles And it may well be which some have thought that it was with respect to this of the Prophet that Christ spake that of himself John 18.20 I spake openly to the World I ever taught in the synagogue and in the Temple whither the Jews always resort and in secret have I said nothing However the drift of this passage seems probably to be to make known to Gods people that tho' the Lord might seem to hide himself from them as was said before ver 15. by the strange dispensations of his providence towards them yet having so clearly and openly revealed his will to them that if they served him faithfully and fled unto him in their streights and troubles he would certainly deliver them on this they might with confidence rely however things went and that because as his promises were clear and plain so they were sure and faithful which is intended in the following words I said not unto the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain I do not encourage my people to seek unto me in vain and to no purpose by promising that which they shall not find in due time exactly performed I the Lord speak righteousness I declare things that are right That is I speak nothing but what is true and just and what in the event they shall find to be so Ver. 20. Assemble your selves and come draw near together ye that are escaped of the nations c. That is ye of the Heathens both Babylonians and other idolatrous nations that have escaped the destruction that Cyrus had made amongst you And the reason why the Lord doth thus summon these nations together that were spread abroad all the world over is that they might say what they could in the defence of their Idol-gods now when they had seen how unable they were to defend Babylon against the wrath of the God of Israel And accordingly some conceive that the following words they have no knowledg that set up the wood of their graven image and pray unto a god that cannot save are added by way of correction as if he should have said Why do I summon these to say what they can Alas these that worship stocks and stones are very bruits and have no knowledg But rather this seems to be added as a declaration of that which the Heathen nations had experimentally seen by Gods destroying Babylon and delivering his people namely how sottishly ignorant they were that served Idol-gods that could not save them Some indeed take the first words Assemble your selves and come draw near together ye that are escaped of the Nations to be a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles by the Ministry of the Gospel and that these are appealed to as those that were able experimentally to speak in this case having been won from the vanity of serving Idols to the Worship and Service of the true God But the former Exposition is clearly the best as is very evident by the following Verse Ver. 21. Tell ye c. Some conceive that the Heathen Nations are here enjoined to declare to others what they had learnt or found by experience concerning the true God and so to invite them to come in and join themselves to his Church and People But rather here the cause is shown why the Nations were summoned in the foregoing Verse to assemble together and accordingly I conceive that in these first words Tell ye either the Nations are appointed to tell one another of the Assembly intended or enjoined as the following words seem to import Tell ye and bring them
one of another For as by way of foretelling times of War it is said Joel 3.10 Beat your Plow-shares into swords and your pruning-hooks into spears so here on the contrary by way of foretelling the concord and peace which the Gospel of Christ should work amongst men it is said that they should beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning-hooks And this is also more fully exprest in the following words Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation neither shall they learn war any more All the difficulty indeed is how to reconcile this Prophecy with the bitter Wars that have been in most times even amongst those that have professed themselves the Church of Christ with respect whereto our Saviour gave that warning to his Disciples Mat. 10.34 Think not that I am come to send peace on the earth I came not to send peace but a sword Some to avoid this difficulty hold this to be only a Prophecy of that Universal Peace which should be in the reign of Augustus amongst the Nations throughout the whole Roman Empire who had then the greatest part of the World under their Dominion just about the time of our Saviours birth the truth whereof as it is evident in the Roman Histories so it may be probably gathered from that Tax or Muster mentioned Luk. 2.1 Then went out a Decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed which could not well be but in a time of a general Peace And again others would have it to be only a figurative expression of that true inward spiritual peace which is the effect of Christs Kingdom in the Consciences of Believers begun here but perfected hereafter in Heavenly glory But questionless the words are clearly a Prediction of that concord and peace which should be the proper effect of the Gospel amongst those Nations and particular persons that should sincerely submit themselves to the Government of Christ The Doctrine of the Gospel doth upon many grounds press Christians to live peaceably as far as they are able with all men whatsoever Rom. 12.18 If it be possible as much as lyeth in you live peaceably with all men and Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men And especially that they should live lovingly and peaceably amongst themselves Mark 9.50 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 4.3 And accordingly we find that where people are throughly brought to that frame and disposition of spirit which the Law of the Gospel doth require in Christians they are so harmless and meek that they are careful not to wrong any with whom they converse but are content rather quietly to suffer wrong from others and will live as brethren lovingly and peaceably together without any jars and variance as it is noted of those that were added to the Church in the first days of the Gospel who were at least five thousand if not eight thousand that the multitude of those that believed were of one heart and of one soul And this is that which is here foretold concerning ths days of the Gospel It cannot therefore be inferred from hence that it is altogether unlawful for Christians to make war whether offensive or defensive for the people of God have gone out to war by Gods own appointment And when the Soldiers that were converted to the faith of Christ by the Baptists Ministry propounded the question to him Luk. 3.14 And what shall we do He did not enjoin them to leave their calling but only instructed them how to behave themselves therein Do violence to no man neither accuse any man falsly and be content with your wages Just wars are rather executions of Justice than any breach of Christian charity Nor must we think that the discord and wars that have been in all ages even in the days of the Gospel and that too amongst those that profess themselves Christians do any way weaken the truth of this Prophecy for the drift of these expressions of the Prophet is only to shew first how much the Gospel should tend to the establishing of a happy Peace amongst the Nations of the World that had been before so barbarously ready to devour one another by bringing them to be united together in one faith as fellow-members of one and the same body under Christ their head the Prince of Peace as he is called Chap. 9.6 And 2. what intire affection and union of spirit and so what a peaceable disposition one towards another there should be amongst those that were true Christians that did sincerely submit to the Law of Christ the Gospel of Peace Ephes 6.15 and that were effectually guided by the Spirit of Christ All which notwithstanding it needs not seem strange to us that the Church is still so much embroiled with war 1. Because when the Church is for peace her enemies will still be for persecution and war 2. Because there will be still in the Church so many that profess Christ but in their works deny him not being Christians indeed And 3ly because even those that are true-hearted Christians by reason of the remainders of corruption in them are over-ready too often to swerve from the temper and way of peace which Christ hath prescribed them V. 5. O house of Jacob come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord. As in imitation of that expression wherewith ver 3. he had said the converted Gentiles should encourage one another Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord c. the Prophet doth here exhort the Jews that they that were Gods first-born peculiar people would not come behind them but would rather prevent them and lead them the way Since the whole world should be enlightned it were a shame if they should still walk in darkness O house of Jacob come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord that is in the light of Gods word which shines amongst you now or in the light of the Gospel which shall hereafter break forth from you and shine amongst all Nations So that this may be taken as spoken both to the Jews that were then living in the days of the Prophet and to their posterity in the days of the Gospel and it is all one in effect as if he should have said Let us believe in Christ and love him and all Christians for his sake Ver. 6. Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob because they be replenished from the East c. That is they are full of the rites and customs and vices of the people inhabiting the Eastern Countries amongst which though the Ammonites and Moabites may be numbered because they lay Eastward of Judea yet I conceive the Syrians and Chaldeans are here chiefly intended because they were amongst the Jews most usually termed the Children of the East or the people of the East See the Notes 1 King 4.30 and 2 King 13.17 and because though it might
immediately parched and blow away like so much dust into the air and there is no possibility that ever it should bear fruit again so should it be with this Nation their root shall be rottenness and their blossom shall go up as dust see the Note Job 18.16 But yet we must not understand this so as if the whole Nation should be destroyed for a root of them were reserved that returned out of Babylon besides those that were left alive in the land but either it must be meant of the wicked multitude or rather of the state of Israel in general which in the Babylonian Captivity was indeed for a time so ruined dissipated and scattered that in an ordinary way there seemed to be no hope of their recovery And the reason of this is given in the following words because they have cast away the Law of the Lord and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel that is they did not only in some few things through ignorance and infirmity transgress Gods commands but they did maliciously cast off all respect to his Law Ver. 25. Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people c. See the Note Chap. 3.14 And he hath stretched forth his hand against them and hath smitten them the Prophet intending here to foretell that dreadful judgment wherewith God had determined to accomplish that utter ruin threatned in the foregoing verse he first begins with putting them in mind how terribly God had already of late years discovered his great indignation against them Some indeed would have it that the Prophet speaks here of that dreadful judgment that was coming upon them and that he expresseth it as if it were done already He hath stretched forth his hand and hath smitten them only to imply how certainly it should be see the Note Chap. 3.1 But the Context seems clearly to carry it which is also the judgment of the most and best Expositors that first the Prophet speaks here of the judgments he had brought upon them already and then afterwards of that utter desolation which God had determined ere long to bring upon them and that because by the mention of what they had suffered lately he might best hint unto them both their desperate obstinacy in that they were not at all reformed by the sad judgments that had already befallen them and likewise their folly and madness in those speeches mentioned before ver 19. Let him make speed and hasten his work that we may see it c. And though some refer that which is here said of the strokes wherewith God had smitten them already to the great havock which the Syrians had made in Judah in the days of Joash see the Notes 2 King 12.12 17. ver 20. and which the Israelites had made in the days of Amaziah 2 King 14.13 14. yet it is better referred by others to those grievous devastations and butcheries which had been made amongst them of later times in the days of Ahaz by the Syrians and Israelites by the Philistims and Edomites and by the Assyrians also 2 King 16.5 6 c. And the hills did tremble as if he should have said so dreadful were the strokes of his displeasure that they might have made the hills to tremble It is an Hyperbolical expression the better to set forth the stupidity of the people that were not at all moved with these terrible Judgments and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets to wit with the wounds they received when they were hacked and slain or when they were hewed in pieces by their enraged enemies after they were dead But the chief thing intended in these words is to set forth that the multitude of those that were slain was so great that they were not able to bury them but they were left mangled in a pitiful manner putrifying and rotting in their very streets and therefore some do translate this passage thus and their carcases were as dung in the midst of the streets and then it follows to make way to the judgment threatned in the following verse for all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still that is he is again ready to fall upon them with a more dreadful judgment Ver. 26. And he will lift up an ensign to the Nations from far c. Having in the foregoing verse put them in mind how God had punished them already here now the Prophet makes known what that more terrible judgment was which ver 24. he had told them that God had determined farther ere long to bring upon them and for the inflicting whereof he had said in the foregoing verse that his hand was stretched out still And because this judgment intended was to be by an invasion of foreign enemies from a very remote Country as God had long before threatned by Moses Deut. 28.49 for which see the Notes there therefore he useth this military word that God would lift up an ensign or a standard to the Nations from far meaning that as some Prince or great Commander doth by setting up his standard invite Soldiers to come in and list themselves for his service and by lifting up an ensign doth call or lead out his Soldiers to march along or to make an assault upon the enemy so the Lord would by his secret Providence cause an army to be raised among the Nations that were afar off and cause them to march out against the land of Israel and to execute his Judgments upon his people And to the same purpose are the next words and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth only this expression and will hiss or whistle to them is used I conceive to imply how easily and quickly he could gather them together and bring them upon his people there would be no need of giving them an alarm by the sounding of trumpets if he did but hiss or whistle for them that would be enough In the word hiss or whistle there seems to be an allusion to those that have any so at their beck as we use to say that upon the least notice given they are presently ready to come in to them as to a master of a ship who is thus by a whistle wont to call the Mariners about him to do what he commands them or a shepherd that doth thus call in his stragling sheep or to those that are wont by this way to call in those that are out of sight they know not where or how far off or at least that are so far off that they cannot hear what they would say to them And accordingly this expression And he will hiss or whistle unto them from the end of the earth may be used either with respect to the remoteness of the Nations that God should call in because a hiss or whistle is heard far off or with respect to the secret working of Gods Providence in fetching in these Nations to destroy the Jews
forces which they had taken into Babylon from other Nations that they should disband and be gone for fear or flee before the enemy is apparent by the following words they shall every man turn to his own people and flee every one into his own Land which fully agreeth with that which the Prophet Jeremy foretold concerning Babylon Jer. 50.16 and 51.9 Ver. 15. Every one that is found shall be thrust through and every one that is joyned unto them shall fall by the sword Some think that here the Prophet speaks of the slaughter that should be made in the City having spoken in the foregoing verse of those that should seek to save themselves by flight But I rather think that it may better be understood of all both within and without the City and that the meaning is that the enemy should put all to the sword they could find whether they were Natives or Strangers that lived amongst them or that had joyned themselves to them as soldiers that came in to aid them Or else by them that were found are meant those that were found wandring and fleeing alone by themselves and by those that were joyned those that were gotten together into a body or were gathered together into any place of strength for the defence of themselves Ver. 16. Their Children also shall be dashed in pieces before their eyes c. See the Note Psal 137.9 And thus the Babylonians through the just Judgment of God were destroyed with the same cruelty wherewith they had destroyed Gods people for they slew the Children of Zedekiah before his eyes See the Note 2 King 25.7 and in 2 Chron. 36.17 it is said that they had no compassion upon young man or maiden old man or him that stooped for age And the same must be understood of that which follows their houses shall be spoiled and their wives ravished to wit before their eyes See the Notes before Chap. 1.7 And herein likewise the Babylonians had dealt so with the Jews whence is that Chap. 33.1 Wo to thee that spoilest and thou wert not spoiled when thou shalt cease to spoil thou shalt be spoiled and that Jer. 50.15 Take vengeance upon her as she hath done do unto her And Lam. 5. they ravished the Women in Zion Ver. 17. Behold I will stir up the Medes against them c. To wit together with the Persians for they also joyned with the Medes in this Expedition against Babylon whence was that Exposition of the Hand-writing on the wall made by David to Belshazzar Dan. 5.28 PERES thy Kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians But the Medes are here only named because the Expedition was chiefly undertaken upon their account for as we find in other Histories the proud Babylonian joyning with Craesus King of the Lydians had made war upon the Medes whose King Cyaxares then was who is also called Darius the Son of Ahasuerus of the seed of the Medes Dan. 9.1 Hereupon Cyrus King of the Persians the Son-in-law of this Cyaxares or Darius rising up in the defence of his Father-in-law and having first subdued the Lydians did afterwards joyn with Cyaxares or Darius his Father-in-law then sixty and two years old in this Expedition against Babylon See the Note Ezra 1.1 And indeed considering that this was foretold by the Prophet about two hundred years before it came to pass when the Medes had no quarrel against Babylon and were besides a poor despised people comparatively and no way likely to subdue such a mighty City this was a clear evidence that the Prophet had this by revelation from God As for that which is here added concerning the Medes which shall not regard silver and as for gold they shall not delight in it see the Note before ver 12. They would not spare the lives of the Babylonians neither for silver nor gold but when they had destroyed them they were eager enough upon the pillage whence is that in the foregoing verse of their spoiling mens houses Ver. 18. Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces c. The meaning may be either 1. That not staying to shoot them they dashed out their brains with their Bows or 2ly that not content to have shot them through and slain them so great should be their rage they should afterwards beat their dead bodies to pieces and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the Womb that is the Child whilst it is yet in the Womb yet hereby may be meant young Children in general who are called the fruit of the Womb Psal 127.3 And then the same is repeated again in other terms in the following words Thine eye shall not spare Children that is tender Infants and young Children crying out and clinging to to their Mother for help See the Note before ver 16. Ver. 19. And Babylon the glory of Kingdoms c. That is the chiefest and most glorious State and Monarchy that ever was therefore termed the Lady of Kingdoms Chap. 47.5 and the praise of the whole earth Jer. 51.41 and compared to a head of fine gold in Nebuchadnezzars Dream Dan. 2.32 the beauty of the Chaldees excellency that is the City in the beauty whereof the Chaldees did exceedinly vaunt themselves and might well indeed be said to excel all other Nations that City being in those times counted one of the seven wonders of the World shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrha to wit not only because it was utterly and irreparably destroyed and in such a manner that it was apparent to be from the wrath and indignation of God against her as when God overthrew those Cities but also because in the Destruction of Babylon one of the most goodly places in the world was laid desolate as it was in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrha of the pleasantness and fruitfulness of whose scituation see Gen. 13.10 Ver. 20. It shall never be inhabited neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation c. To wit after it is once utterly destroyed never to be built up again It was not indeed thus utterly destroyed by Cyrus â—â—eâ— he took it but it stood long after that in great splendor and glory But then it lost the Empire and Ctesiphon and Seleucia being some years after built not far from Babylon they by degrees drained away the riches and glory of Babylon and so some ages after followed her total ruine for that is now still remaining as another Babylon built not far from the Babylon which still lies desolate See the Note above ver 12. Neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there that is the people of Ararabia the desart a thievish wild people that used not to dwell in houses but in Tents which they removed from one place to another as they wandred about to seek herbage for their cattel and the same may be intended in the following words neither shall the Shepherds make their fold there or else the meaning may be
of this mighty Monarch towards them as fearing lest he would cause as great troubles amongst the dead as he had done amongst the living and that he was coming to subdue them under his dominion as he had done the several Nations of the world above and thereupon was resolved to meet him and to oppose his coming thither Or else 2. That he was moved with awe of his greatness and with care about entertaining him with all requisite solemnity as people use to be when they hear of some great King that is coming towards them and so thought to go forth to meet and to receive him magnificently with all the honour they could afford him Or. 3. That he was moved with astonishment at his fall or with indignation against him for his horrid oppressions and cruelty and so intended to go out to meet him that they might keep him off as unworthy to be buried and lodged amongst them or that he might insult over him for his pride and cruelty which last seems indeeed the more probable because this is afterwards expressed And accordingly we must understand that which followeth it stirreth up the dead for thee even all the chief ones of the earth to wit that Hell or the grave had stirred up all the dead under his power to resist him or to entertain him honourably or to deride and scoff at him and amongst the rest all the great Kings and Monarchs that were amongst the dead to wit either as their King all little enough to resist him or that the presence of those might contribute much to the honour of his entertainment or because those great ones that had been slain by him were fittest to insult over him And indeed observable it is that in the last clause it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations by their thrones are meant their Sepulchers or Royal Monuments wherein their bodies lay interred or the Prophet speaks of them in a Poetical way as if they had thrones in the lower Region as they had when they lived in the world and that phrase of their being raised up from their thrones may seem to imply that as Princes are wont to rise up from their seats to some great Monarch so should these Kings rise up from their graves before the Babylonian as to him that had conquered them their Lord and Soveraign But still all is spoken by way of derision and scorn Ver. 10. All they shall speak and say unto thee c. That is when the dead even the chief among the dead before mentioned that were stirred up to meet thee or to resist thee or insult over thee shall see thee come naked and unarmed not to subdue Hell or the grave but to be there in the same condition with other dead people they shall then say to thee as in a way of derision Art thou also become weak as we Art thou become like unto us As if they should have said What! art thou come amongst us Is it possible How camest thou to die as others dye Thou that wert feared by all Nations as if thou hadst been invincible that wert extolled by thy Parasites as if thou hadst been some Demi God and that wert ready to adore thy self as somewhat more than a man art thou at last found to be a poor mortal creature as we were Ver. 11. Thy pomp is brought down to the grave and the noise of thy viols c. That is all the pomp and glory together with the delights and pleasures wherein thou hast lived and wherein thou wert exalted far above others is now laid in the dust and buried in the grave with thee And it may well be also that in the mention that is made of his Viols there is some respect had to that mighty feast which Belshazzar made for his Princes that jollity whereof we may well think was accompanied with variety of musick at the very time when the City of Babylon was surprised Dan. 5.1 the worm is spread under thee and the worms cover thee That is maggots and worms shall be thy bed or carpets under thee and thy coverlets over thee Instead of a soft bed to lye upon or of rapistry carpets whereon thou wert wont to tread or sit and instead of those rich and gorgeous coverlets wherewith thou wert wont to cover thee thou shalt have worms under thee and worms above thee Yet some there are that refer this wholly to the Babylonians being cast forth without burial to wit that instead of being embalmed and wrapped up in sere-clothes and fine linnen as great Princes used to be that their bodies might be preserved from putrefaction he should be left to rot above ground and to be eaten up of worms Yea some extend it to that of the worm that never dieth Mark 9.44 And here I conceive is the end of the speech of the dead to the Babylonian begun ver 10. and that in the following verse the Prophet proceeds on in that proverbial taunting speech or song began ver 4. Ver. 12. How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer c. Or O day-star see 2 Pet. 1.19 son of the morning that is that art usually the immediate fore-runner of the morning and therefore also called the morning-star see Rev. 2.28 because this is the greatest and brightest of all the stars whence it is observed that the beams of none of the stars do cause a shadow but this only and that this is seen in the Firmament a while after the Sun-rising when none of the stars else can be seen therefore to set forth that the Babylonian Monarch seemed to be advanced as it were to the very Heavens for his riches and glory and did as far exceed all other Kings of the earth in splendor and Majesty as this did excel all the other stars in beauty and brightness and that there seemed to be no more fear of his downfall than there seemed to be of the falling of this day-star out of the Heavens therefore I say is the wonder of the fall of this great Monarch or Monarchy expressed in these terms How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer son of the morning And to the same purpose are the following words how art thou cut down to the ground to wit like some lofty tree that being hewn down is laid along on the earth which didst weaken the nations That is oppress waste and destroy them Ver. 13. For thou hast said in thine heart c. This is added as a reason of the Babylonians downfal to wit that it should be for his proud exalting himself against the great God of Heaven Thou hast said in thine heart I will ascend into Heaven that is I will assume unto my self the honour and glory due only to God I will exalt my self as it is expressed in the following verse as one like the most High as one that intended to fight against God I will exalt my throne above the stars of God that
cannot be for it is clear that the Babylonian was broken by the Medes and Persians in Babylon and not in Gods land and upon his mountains as it is here said the Assyrian should be Rather therefore this which is here said concerning the Assyrian is inserted both to confirm again that which he had before foretold concerning the ruin of Sennacherib and his Army Chap. 10.33 34 and likewise that hereby that which he had now also foretold concerning the ruin of the Babylonians might be the more readily believed this being all one as if he had said As I will now shortly destroy Sennacherib the Assyrian when he shall invade you so will I in time to come destroy the Babylonian too as I have now told you And this your first deliverance from the Assyrian shall be a sign to you of your future deliverance from the Babylonian Yea some Expositors conceive that the foregoing Prophecy concerning the destruction of the Babylonian was delivered by Isaiah after the destruction of Sennacherib and then indeed the destruction of Sennacherib the Assyrian could be here mentioned only to assure them that as he had already destroyed the Assyrian and delivered them from his yoke so he would also destroy the Babylonian as he had now foretold and would deliver them from their bondage under him or that as he had begun to destroy the Assyrians under Sennacherib so he would quite destroy them when they were under the command of the Babylonian and that Empire should also be ruined as the Prophet had now foretold And this they judg the more probable because in the days of Ahaz there was yet no cause of fearing the Babylonian But this is altogether uncertain and for this see the following Note ver 29. Ver. 26. This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth c. That is this which I have now foretold is that which shall come upon that great Babylonian Empire that shall have the whole earth in a manner under their command and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations to wit the nations that are in subjection to Babylon See the Note Chap. 13.11 And this therefore seems to be added to assure Gods people of the truth of that which had been now foretold concerning the ruin of the Babylonian Empire however incredible it might seem to them Though the Babylonian had never so many Nations under his command yet that should not hinder his ruine But yet there are some I know that hold that this is spoken with relation to that which was said in the foregoing verse concerning the Assyrian This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth c. that is this which I have purposed and decreed concerning the Assyrian I have also purposed concerning Babylon or this which I have determined concerning the Assyrian I purpose also to do to all Nations that shall attempt to destroy my people And this indeed hath much probability in it Ver. 28. In the year that King Ahaz died was this burden That is say some the foregoing Prophecy against Babylon See the Notes chap. 13.1 and 2 King 9.25 But the most of Expositors understand hereby the following Prophecy against Palestine and that this concerning the time when this Prophecy was delivered to wit In the year that King Ahaz died is purposely inserted to imply the occasion of this Prophecy which was the exceeding triumphing of the Philistines upon the death of Ahaz as is clearly hinted in the following verse or else because here the Prophecies begin under Hezekiah the Son of Ahaz For which see the Note chap. 6.1 Ver. 29. Rejoice not thou whole Palestina because the rod of him that smote thee is broken c. By Palestina is meant that part of the land of Canaan that was inhabited by the Philistines called elsewhere Philistia Psal 60.8 Now because Uzziah King of Judah or rather the state of Judah under Uzziah had in his days sorely smitten this Land and People of the Philistines 2 Chron. 26.6 concerning which see the Note 2 Kin. 15.3 and because this rod of him that smote them that is the power of the state of Judah was very much broken weakned and brought down in the days of his wicked grand-child Ahaz when both the Philistines and divers other Nations had mightily subdued them and made great havock in their land 2 Chron. 28.17 18 19. concerning which see the Note 2 King 16.7 and the Philistines might hope it was utterly in a manner ruined and broken when Ahaz was dead for then there was no longer any fear lest he by the help of his confederate the Assyrian should seek to be revenged on those Nations that had invaded his land and of Hezekiah his Son who was young and tender there was no great fear therefore it is most probable that this people of the Philistines did indeed mightily rejoyce and triumph all the land over when they heard Ahaz was dead as being fully perswaded that now they should quite swallow up the Kingdom of Judah and hereupon it is that the Prophet speaks this as in a way of deriding the jollity of the Philistines Rejoice not thou Palestina because the rod of him that smote thee is broken as if he should have said Alas thy jollity will be soon turned into bitter mourning by reason of thy miseries even all thy land over For out of the Serpents root shall come forth a Cockatrice or an adder That is out of the stock of Uzziah who did bite or sting thee as a Serpent I will raise up Hezekiah the Son of his Grandchild Ahaz who shall be a sorer plague to thee than ever Uzziah was even by how much a Cockatrice is worse than a Serpent yea he shall be worse to thee than so which is expressed in the following words And his fruit shall be a fiery flying Serpent concerning which see the Note Numb 21.6 And indeed Hezekiah did mightily prevail against the Philistines see the Note 2 King 18.8 And it may well be too that his speed in subduing the Philistines is implied by terming him a fiery flying Serpent And not only Hezekiah but also the state of Judah under Hezekiah may be the Cockatrice and fiery flying Serpent here intended Ver. 30. And the first-born of the poor shall feed and the needy shall lie down in safety c. That is The people of God the Jews that were under Ahaz brought to extreme poverty even to be the poorest of all poor people see the Note Job 18.13 by his exactions and the manifold miseries wherewith the land was involved through his wickedness shall under Hezekiah enjoy great peace and shall live in great plenty of all things in their own Country and not be made a prey to their enemies as they formerly were See the Note Chap. 5.17 and Psal 23.2 And thus he that shall be a Cockatrice and a fiery flying Serpent to you O Philistines shall be as a
here still proceed in setting forth the woful destruction that should come upon Ethiopia and her Associates and that by calling upon all the inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the earth to see when he lifteth up an ensign upon the mountains and to hear when he bloweth a trumpet he implies Either 1. That several of all Nations far and near should come in to serve in the War which was made by the Assyrians or Chaldeans against Ethiopia as readily as if the Lord had by the sound of Trumpets or the lifting up of an Ensign upon the mountains summoned them to come in See the Notes chap. 5.26 and 13.2 Or 2. That all the Nations round about should see the Assyrians or Chaldeans returning triumphantly and in great jollity with Colours flying and sound of Trumpets from the conquest of Ethiopia which tends to assure God's people of the certainty of this which in regard of the strength of Ethiopia might seem to them impossible Or 3. That the judgment of God upon the Ethiopians should be so strange and wonderful that all the world in a manner should ring of it yea and all Nations should take notice of it and be as fully satisfied that it was God that had brought this ruin upon them as if they had seen the Lord lifting up an Ensign on the Mountains and blowing a Trumpet by way of gathering his Armies and leading them on against that people Ver. 4. For so the Lord said unto me I will take my rest c. That is I will sit quietly in my house and not interpose my self to hinder or cross the proceedings of my peoples enemies The Lord speaks here of himself after the manner of man I will take my rest and I will consider in my dwelling-place that is in my Temple the place which I have chosen for my setled habitation Psal 132.13 14. Or rather in Heaven my set dwelling as it is here called in the Hebrew I will sit quietly and only from thence behold and consider what is done upon earth Divers of our best Expositors hold that the drift of this verse is merely to assure the Jews That in the midst of the confusions that should be amongst them and the Heathen Nations round about them God would take care to bless and chear up and prosper them The Prophet say they having threatned destruction to the Ethiopians and their Associates in the foregoing verses to which he returns again in the verse after this in this verse he interposeth a promise concerning the care that he would take of his people in the midst of these confusions I will take my rest and I will consider in my dwelling place As if he had said I will indeed for a time sit still and take my rest in my dwelling-place as if I minded not what the Enemy intended and did against my people I will suffer the Assyrian to go on in subduing many Nations and to invade and waste Judea yea to go up to the besieging of Jerusalem and when the Ethiopians and their Associates shall raise up Forces to withstand the Assyrians and to aid Judea I will suffer the Assyrians to vanquish and destroy these Auxiliary Forces that were coming in to the aid of my people and will only look on as a Spectator of that bloody Tragedy But in the mean season I will in my dwelling-place consider of what I see done when the Assyrians after this conquest of the Ethiopians come flying upon the Jews I will take notice of their doings and their rage as it is said 2 Kin. 19.27 I know thy abode and thy going out and thy coming in and thy rage against me and I will consider of the danger of my people and my dwelling-place in Jerusalem and what is fit to be done that so though I do not presently exert my power in driving away the Assyrians yet I may seasonably secure my people and my dwelling-place and not suffer my self to be dispossessed thereof by the Assyrian And then to shew what should be the effect of his provident care over his peopleâ— even when he seemed to sit still and nor to mind them he adds those last words I will consider in my dwelling-place like a clear heat upon herbs or after-rain and like a Cloud of dew in the heat of harvest That is as the heat of the Sun shining upon herbs in a clear day or after rain doth refresh the herbs and cause them to spring up and flourish very sweetly and as a shadowy cloud that doth not pour down hurtful showers of rain but only distil a cooling dew doth comfortably allay the extremity of Harvest-heat and so doth refresh not the Husbandman only but the Corn also and make it the more flowry so the Lord 's provident care over his people will at last manifest it self by shining comfortably on them when arising from his rest he shall destroy the Assyrians and so by a timely deliverance shall revive and refresh them after all their fears and dangers by reason of the heat of their Enemies Invasion And some think too that there may be an Allusion in the words to that Pillar of a Cloud and Fire that went before the Israelites in the Wilderness for which see the Note Chap. 4.5 Thus I say divers learned Expositors understand this verse as inserted merely for the comfort of the Jews by setting forth the care that God would take of them even whilst he seemed not to mind them but to suffer the enemy to go on as they pleased And therefore also some do read the foregoing words as it is in the Margin not I will consider in my dwelling-place but I will regard my set dwelling that is I will however take care for Zion But because the Prophet seems clearly to intend the same thing in this and the two following verses I conceive it is better understood by others Either 1. Of the Ethiopians and their Confederates that whilst they mustered great Forces and went out with great Pride and Confidence against the Assyrians God would sit still and seem to shine favourably from his dwelling-place upon them Like a clear heat upon herbs and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest till thereby they became ripe for that destruction when the Assyrians overthrew them and made such a dreadful slaughter amongst them Or else 2. Of the Assyrians that when they invaded the Land of Israel God would not presently oppose them but would rather be unto them like a clear heat upon herbs and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest which are the ordinary means whereby the Corn and other Fruits of the earth are cherished and that cause them to prosper and flourish and hasten the ripening of them And so the meaning is That God would suffer them to go on prosperously and successfully as they did in their vanquishing the Ethiopians that were coming in to the aid of Judea and with a great deal of
a great part of their Wealth for pious uses as might be most for Gods Glory and for the good of his Church and people And indeed we find in the first spreading of the Gospel the Apostle Paul found some at Tyre that had already embraced the Christian Faith Act. 21.3 4. See also the Note Psal 87.4 It shall not be treasured nor laid up that is they shall not covetously hoard up all they get meerly for themselves as formerly they have done for her Merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord that is They shall lay out very much of their Wealth for the relief and support of the Ministers of the Gospel and others the poor members of Christ for though the Prophet expresseth this according to the Language of the Old Testament for them that dwell before the Lord as if he had been speaking of the Priests and Levites that did continually wait upon the Lord in the Temple yet his meaning is That when the Tyrians were once come into the Church though they should not heap up Wealth by unjust ways as formerly yet what they got in an honest way they should willingly expend it for the support of the Lords special Servants the Ministers that attend upon him in his House and others of his Houshold of Faith who are indeed a holy Priesthood to the Lord and do continually endeavour to walk with him and to approve themselves to him in all their ways yea and this the Prophet saith they should do so freely and bountifully that both the one and the other should be comfortably and sufficiently supplied with Means and Maintenance both for Food and good Raiment for that is intended in those last words to eat sufficiently and for durable clothing CHAP. XXIV VERSE 1. BEhold the Lord maketh the earth empty c. This following Prophecy some would have restrained to the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes and the Desolation which Salmanasser was shortly to bring upon it and others to the Land both of Judah and Israel with respect to the Destruction thereof first by the Assyrians and afterwards by the Babylonians But that this Prophecy is more comprehensive than so is evident by those Expresions v. 4. The World languisheth and fadeth away and verse 21. The Lord shall punish the Kings of the earth upon the earth Nor yet can it be meant as some others would have it of Gods destroying the whole World at the day of Judgment because ver 13. the Prophet addeth a passage concerning a remnant that should be delivered from this common Destruction It is therefore far more probably field by the most of Expositors that the Prophet having in the foregoing Chapters from Chap. 13. hitherto denounced many sore Judgments against Judah and Israel and the neighbour Nations round about them severally as the Moabites the Syrians the Egyptians c. doth here now denounce Desolation and Destruction against them all jointly together Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty and maketh it waste c. as if he should have said What should I speak any longer of the Destruction of particular Cities and Countries The Lord hath purposed to bring Ruine and Devastation upon the whole earth in a manner It is true indeed that because the Prophet in foretelling this to the Jews did more especially aim at the awakening of them and the calling of them to Repentance therefore in this general denuntiation he inserts many passages with respect to them particularly who were included amongst the rest as appears ver 2 and 5. where there is mention of their Priests and Laws and Covenant But yet questionless the Prophecy is intended concerning that havock that was to be made amongst the Nations before severally threatned and it may be others also even all that were seated in those parts of the World first by the Assyrians and then by the Chaldeans and then after that by the Medes and Persians There is a Prophecy much like to this Jer. 25.9 Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty and maketh it waste that is He will empty the earth of the Inhabitants thereof and of all wherewith it is replenished and adorned and leave it quite desolate See the Note Chap. 3.26 It is as if he had said That the earth was even over-burthened with an innumerable company of wicked wretches and therefore God would ease her of her burden and turneth it upside down which is in the Hebrew and perverteth the face thereof that is It shall be so ruinated that it shall not have the face that formerly it had and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof that is some fleeing and some being carried away Captives they shall be dispersed abroad amongst several Nations Ver. 2. And it shall be as with the people so with the Priest as with the servant so with his master c. That is The Judgments threatned shall fall upon all sorts and Conditions none shall be spared in regard of any preheminence they have above others Ver. 3. The land shall be utterly emptied c. See the Note before ver 1. Ver. 4. The earth mourneth c. That is The Inhabitants of the earth See the Note above ver 1. Or the earth it self by reason of the sad plight whereinto it is brought See the Note Chap. 3.26 And fadeth away to wit as plants that wither away See the Note Chap. 1.30 The World languisheth and fadeth away that is All the Nations round about Judea against whom the foregoing Prophecies were denounced lye desolate and forsaken See the Note upon the like Expression Chap. 13.11 and see also Chap. 16.8 The haughty people of the earth do languish that is The great and lofty ones amongst the people see the Notes Chap. 2.11 12. yet because it is in the Hebrew the heigth of the people doth languish therefore some do understand hereby the Jews whom God had advanced by spiritual priviledges above all other people Ver. 5. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof c. To wit by the Blood and Carcases of men slain Or rather by the abominable wickednesses that were committed by the inhabitants as it is said of the Land of Canaan Levit. 18.25 that it was defiled by the horrid sins that were committed therein by the Canaanites In the Exposition there seems to be an Allusion to those things that by the Law of God were to be looked upon as polluted because they had touched any persons or things legally unclean By the earth some understand the Land of Israel and Judah particularly placing the Emphasis of the words in this That this land had not been kept pure as a land so peculiarly consecrated to God ought to have been But I see not why it may not still be understood as in the foregoing verses of the whole earth generally yet indeed it is very clear that though the Prophet doth here foretel Judgments that were coming upon all the Nations round about yet all along he doth still
is They shall with songs of Praise extol God for the discovery that he hath made of his glorious Majesty his infinite Power and Justice and Goodness and Mercy both in punishing those multitudes that shall then be destroyed and in preserving that small remnant of them that shall escape in that common Destruction they shall cry aloud from the Sea that is From the Islands that are in the Sea or from the Countrys beyond the Sea even from the uttermost parts of the earth the shouting and singing shall be heard of those that with such a loud voice shall praise the Lord for their deliverance But now the great question is Of whose and of what Rejoycing this is meant Many learned Expositors there are that do understand it meerly of those that should escape that general Destruction threatned in this Chapter both in the land of Judea and all the Countrys about them And some understand hereby those that were delivered from Salmanasser or Sennacheribs invasion in the days of Hezekiah and others far more probably of those that escaped when the Babylonians made such havock both in Judea and in all the Countrys round about that were over-run and subdued by their victorious Armies But because the Prophet seems here to foretel that the joy of the remnant that should be reserved not only amongst the Jews but also amongst the Heathens about them should be so exceeding great and in the following verses that they should in their joy praise the Lord God of Israel which the Heathens never did till they embraced the Christian Faith therefore I conceive he intends here not only the joy and shouting and singing of those that should be delivered from the general devastation whose joy might be said to be heard from the parts beyond the Sea because thither many of them might be sold for Captives but also principally the joy and singing of their Posterity that should exceedingly triumph and praise God for the wonderful discovery of his Majesty his incomparable Power and Mercy in the great work of mans Redemption by Christ and in calling them into the Kingdom of Christ by the preaching of the Gospel as likewise their lifting up their voice freely and without fear in spreading abroad the glad tidings of Salvation far and near wherever they had any opportunity to do it As for the last clause they shall cry aloud from the Sea some translate that they shall cry aloud from the West because the Mediterranean Sea lay on the West of Judea And accordingly they understand it of the rejoycing of those believing Jews that spreading the Gospel in the Western parts of the World whither they fled upon the last Devastation of Judea by the Romans did exceedingly rejoyce when they saw the Roman Empire submit to the Scepter of Christ But it is hard to say that this is here particularly intended Ver. 15. Wherefore glorifie ye the Lord in the fires c. These may be the words of the Prophet stirring up Gods people to go on in praising God as in the foregoing verse he had foretold they should do but yet they are commonly taken to be the words of the remnant before spoken of who escaping that publick Desolation that was coming upon the earth should not only themselves praise God with a loud voice as was said in the foregoing verse but should also as is here said stir up others to do the same even from the experience of their deliverance Some render the words as in the Margin of our Bibles Glorifie the Lord in the valleys and they hold that the valleys are named either because the Valleys are usually most inhabited by reason of the conveniency of water and plenteous feeding that is there to be had or else to imply that even in the darkest Corners of the earth in the basest and obscurest Countries of the World the Praises of the Lord should be heard But they are best rendred I conceive as in our Translation Wherefore glorifie ye the Lord in the fires that is Ye that are in the fires of great Tribulations and Troubles consider of this great work that God hath done upon the earth and be thereby stirred up to glorifie God by trusting in him and rejoycing in hope of being delivered by him and let all do this all the world over which is implied in the following words even the Lord God of Israel in the Isles of the Sea See the foregoing Note Ver. 16. From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard Songs c. As if the Prophet had said What do I speak of glorifying God in the Valleys and in the Isles of the Sea We the people of God have heard Praises sung to our God even from the uttermost parts of the earth Only we must know that though the Prophet speaks of this as of a thing done already to imply the unquestionable certainty of it yet his meaning is That this should be done hereafter the time was coming when they should hear Psalms of Praise sung unto God even from the remotest parts of the earth And though we may say that there was an initial accomplishment of this when the Jews were delivered out of Babylon and other Nations were at the same time set free that had been held in bondage by the Chaldeans yet I conceive the full performance of this was not till the Gentiles were brought in to the Church and so joyned with the Jews in singing Psalms of Praise unto God And accordingly we must understand the following clause wherein the subject-matter of those their Songs of Praise is set forth even glory to the Righteous to wit either 1. That they should glorifie the Righteous God because he had by his righteous Judgments rescued poor Prisoners and Captives from the bondage of their proud Enemies that had tyrannized over them or because he had manifested himself to be a righteous God by performing his promises concerning Christ and the calling of the Gentiles Or 2ly as some would have it That they should spread abroad the Glory of Christ their Redeemer who is indeed often termed the Righteous in the Scripture as 1 Joh. 2.1 We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous See also Isa 53.11 But I said My leanness my leanness c. Some would have this rendred as it is in the Margin My secret to my self my secret to my self and that the meaning should be That he concluded confidently of that which God had secretly imparted to him to wit That the wicked should be destroyed and the Righteous spared Or that the Prophet durst not reveal that which was secretly made known to him but kept it to himself namely that of those that should thus praise God and Christ there should be so few of his own Countrymen the Jews the Gentiles being for the generality admitted to be Gods peculiar people which is altogether improbable That Translation therefore which we have in our Bibles is far the better But I
said my leanness my leanness And so the words contain a very pathetical Expression of the Prophets grief for the desperate wickedness of his own people and the wrath and vengeance which it would certainly bring upon them it is all one in effect as if he had said that he did even continually waste and pine away with grief notwithstanding the great joy which he foresaw would accrue to that escaping remnant of which he had spoken when he took notice how great the wickedness of Gods people was and how dreadful the Judgments were which this would bring upon them which is the more evident by the following Complaint Wo unto me the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously yea the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously which seems clearly to be meant of that peoples treacherous dealing with God to whom they stood obliged for so many singular mercies and to whom they had so often engaged themselves yet I cannot but add that it is not altogether improbable which some say that those words My leanness my leanness c. might be spoken as in the person of the Nation of the Jews to set forth what a thin and small company there should be of them amongst the people of God when the Church should be mightily enlarged by the flowing in of the Gentiles Or that the Prophet might thereby bewail the sad Condition the Church should be in even in the days of the Gospel by the base and treacherous dealing of those that lay in her own bosom Ver. 17. Fear and the pit and the snare are upon thee O Inhabitant of the earth See the Note above ver 1. There seems to be in the words an Allusion to that which was usually done in the hunting of wild beasts wherein first the beasts are roused with a fright and fear by the out-cry and hallowing of the Huntsmen and the barking of the dogs and then fleeing away they fall into some pit that was digged for them or if they escape them they are taken in some toils or snares that were set for them But the meaning is that God would follow the Inhabitants of the earth with variety of Judgments even while he spared that small remnant to whom in the foregoing words he had promised to shew mercy so that the generality of them should be utterly destroyed if they escaped one Judgment another should surprize them as is more fully exprest in the following verse And it shall come to pass that he who fleeth from the noise of the Jews shall fall into the pit c. See the Note Job 20.24 Ver. 18. For the windows from on high are open c. To wit The windows of heaven as it was in Noahs deluge Gen. 7.11 to which the Prophet seems here to allude The meaning is That God would pour down his Judgments from heaven upon them as once upon the old World or upon Sodom and Gomorrha See the Note Psal 42.7 and the foundations of the earth do shake as it were for fear see the Notes 2 Sam. 22.8 and Job 9.6 Both Expressions joyned together clearly imply That God would arm both Heaven and Earth against them so that his Vengeance should break forth upon them both from above and from beneath and therefore there would be no escaping for them Ver. 19. The earth is utterly broken down the earth is clean dissolved the earth is moved exceedingly Having said in the foregoing verse the foundations of the earth do shake with respect hereto he now addeth That the earth and all things thereon should be utterly broken and shattered to pieces But the meaning is That the Kingdoms and States of the earth against which the Prophecy in this Chapter is directed should be utterly and irrecoverably destroyed and left wholly in Confusion and Desolation Ver. 20. The earth shall reel to and fro like a Drunkard c. That is It is near to ruine Or the Inhabitants thereof are at their wits end and know not which way to turn themselves See the Note Chap. 19.14 and shall be removed like a Cottage to wit like some Shed or Tent which Travellers set up to lodg in by night and then in the Morning pull it down and carry it away with them It may be meant of the Ruine and Overthrow of States Towns and Cities or the carrying away of the people into Captivity and the Transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it that is Their grievous sins the cause of all their misery shall bring heavy Judgments upon them and it shall fall and not rise again that is it shall be utterly ruined and shall never recover its former Splendor and Glory Ver. 21. And it shall come to pass in that any that the Lord shall punish the host of the high Ones that are on high c. Some by the host of the high ones whom God would punish do understand the Devils whom the Apostle terms spiritual wickedness in high places Others understand hereby the darkning of the Sun and Moon and Stars the Host of Heaven or any prodigious signs in them thereby to strike the inhabitants of the earth with terror of which the Prophet speaks in the following verse or Gods destroying the Idol-images of these Heavenly lights see the Notes Chap. 17. and 19.1 And again others understand it of the Church and People of God whom God had advanced on high above all other Nations and whom God would punish as well as others But there is no just ground for any of these Expositions That which is most probable and is approved by the best Expositors is that by the host of the high ones that are on high is meant either the Kings and Princes of the earth in general together with their forces that are lifted up high above other men and that shine gloriously in the world like the heavenly lights in the Firmament and then the following words and the Kings of the earth upon the earth seem to be added by way of explaining these or else more particularly those proud Assyrian and Babylonian Monarchs and Potentates such as were Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar with their mighty Armies that were Kings of Kings as one of them is called Dan. 2.37 And then by the following words And the Kings of the earth upon the earth are meant those petty Kings that were Vassals to the other of whom the Prophet speaks as of Princes that had their Thrones on the ground in comparison of the other their great Lords that seemed to have their Thrones above the Clouds and the Stars And so the drift of the whole verse is to shew that there was none amongst the wicked so high but God would pull them down Ver. 22. And they shall be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit and shall be shut up in the Prison c. That is As Malefactors are brought in from several places and clapped up together in the Goal so shall these great ones mentioned in the foregoing verse be
great things yea even the mightiest and most terrible of them as perceiving that no strength of any people could secure them from his wrath and that this should tend much to the Praise and Glory of God Or 3. the fierce and mighty Nations that had before carried themselves most proudly and rebelliously against God being humbled by these Judgments should be converted to the Faith of Christ and so becoming God's people should praise God for his mercy to them and that not with their lips only but with their lives too as being such as should unfeignedly fear and serve him Ver. 4. For thou hast been a strength to the poor a strength to the needy in his distress c. This is mentioned as another of the wonderful works of God for which the Prophet undertakes here to praise his Name namely that as he had destroyed those mighty ones ver 2. so he had also protected and delivered his poor weak afflicted people where by their low condition they were also made low in spirit humbled and so fit for mercy and had been as a strong Fortress to them to secure them from their enemies A refuge from the storm a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall to wit that sorely shatters or overturns the wall or at least beats with such violence upon it that it is likely to carry all before it The deliverance of Jerusalem from the siege of Sennacherib and the Jews from their Captivity in Babylon were remarkable accomplishments of this Promise But I see no reason why the place should be restrained to either of these Ver. 5. Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers c. That is Thou shalt abate or suppress and put an end to the furious commotions and triumphings of the Heathens the enemies of thy people As the heat in a dry place that is as thou dost many times abate and suppress the heat of the Sun in some dry desert where otherwise there would be no refreshing for the poor Traveller neither water to quench his thirst nor shadowy tree to be a shelter to him Even the heat with the shadow of a cloud That is as thou dost allay or suppress the scorching heat of the Sun by the interposition of some thick Cloud and somtimes by the cooling showers that fall from thence so shalt thou abate and cause to cease the burning rage and heat of the enemies of thy people against them see the Note Exod. 13.21 The branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low That is their Posterity also shall be so ruined and brought down that they shall not be able to hurt God's people any more This must needs be the meaning of this last clause according to our Translation But indeed many of our best Interpreters hold that it should rather be rendred The Song or the triumph of the terrible ones shall be brought low Ver. 6. And in this mountain c. The Prophet having ended his Hymn of Thanksgiving in the foregoing verses wherein he had praised God for those wonderful things which he had foretold should be done by him doth here return again to his Prophetical discourse and sheweth what God would farther do in those glorious times whereof he had spoken Chap. 24.13 And in this Mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a Feast of fat things that is Cattel and Fowl fatted usually esteemed the daintiest food A Feast of Wines on the lees that is old and strong Wines not racked but remaining still upon the lees This I conceive our Translation must needs intend And true it is that the remaining of Wines upon the lees for some time doth feed and preserve them and makes them the stronger and the more odoriferous whence is that Jer. 48.11 Moab hath been at ease from his youth and he hath setled on his lees and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel Therefore his taste remained in him and his scent is not changed Yet some I know understand hereby pure refined Wines drawn off from the dregs and lees and therefore not muddy but clear and so hold that the next words are added to explain these Of fat things full of Marrow of Wines on the lees well refined But however all this must be understood Spiritually to wit that in the Church of Christ that Mountain mentioned before Chap. 24.13 whereof Zion was a Type see the Notes Chap. 2.2 3. God would feast his people of all Nations not Jews only but Gentiles too 1. here in this life with the sweet comforts of Christ tendred them in the Gospel and Gospel-Ordinances together with the Gifts and Graces of his Spirit for which see the Notes Psal 22.26 and Prov. 9.2 with respect whereto our Saviour himself doth in like manner compare the preaching of the Gospel to a great Supper Luk. 14 1â— and to a Feast made by a King at the Marriage of his Son Mat. 22.2 â—nd 2. in Heaven hereafter with the fulness of Happiness and Joy wherewith they shall be there satisfied unto all Eternity which Apoc. 19.9 is called the Lambs Marriage-Feast and the Table in the Kingdom of Heaven Luke 2â— 30. and Mat. 8.11 wherewith God shall for ever feast his people See â—â—e Notes Psal 17.15 and 36.8 Some I know would have this understâ—od of God's destroying his and his peoples Enemies But the Context shew plainly that this cannot be here intended And though we should yield â—â— that which others indeed more probably say That the Prophet might have some respect in that which is said here to the occasion which God would give both the Jews and other Nations of exceeding great joy by their deliverance out of the Babylonian Captivity and that in expressing this he compares God to some great King making a Feast to his Nobles and Captains after some great Victory obtained by him Yet certainly this was only looked to as a Type of that greater Spiritual Feast which is here principally intended namely the Celestial Joy which he would bestow upon his people of all Nations in and through Christ first by the glad tydings of the Gospel and afterward by the enjoyment of himself for ever in his Kingdom of Glory Ver. 7. And he well destroy in this mountain c. Here the Prophet begins to recite the dainties they should have in the Feast promised in the foregoing verse that is the benefits that should redound to them by Christ And the first he mentions is that in his Church he will utterly destroy the face of the covering cast over all people and the veil that is spread over all Nations that is he will free his people from that blindness and ignorance that vail of darkness which lies naturally upon the minds of all mankind so that they cannot find the way unto Life Eternal and of which the Apostle speaking as with respect unto the Jews saith Which vail is done away in Christ 2
accordingly they understand it passively of the works that had been done for them as if they had said All that hath befallen us all that hath been done by our selves or others tending to our peace all our preservations and wonderful deliverances have been the work of thy hands And thus from the experience of what God had hitherto done for them they encourage themselves to hope in God that he would yet further do them good Ver. 13. O Lord our God other lords besides thee have had dominion over us c. That is Other Lords besides thee who art our Soveraign Lord and besides those whom thou hast appointed to rule over us have unjustly and tyrannically usurped Dominion over us And this as it is spoken with respect to the Jews is meant of the Babylonians and other foreign Tyrants that had ruled over them and as it respects the Church of Christ it may be meant of all that at any time do tyrannically oppress them But by thee only will we make mention of thy Name That is by thy Grace only as we have hitherto so we will still own our selves to be thy servants and make mention of thee as our true Lord and Soveraign and worship and praise thy Name Or by thy Grace supporting us or by the confidence we have in thee alone we will still make mention of thy Name as glorying in thee as believing that out of respect to thine own Name thou wilt preserve us that we may honour thee and serve thee though for the present thou seemest to neglect us and as esteeming the bare remembrance of thy Name to be sufficient to support our hopes Or though our enemies have for a long time tyrannized over us yet by thy free goodness only and by thy good hand of Providence over us in preserving and delivering us without which nothing else could have contributed any thing thereunto we may now and will always as we have just cause own thee and cleave to thee and praise thy Name Ver. 14. They are dead they shall not live they are deceased they shall not rise c. As if they had said Whilst thou hast ordained peace for us thine own People those our great Lords that did for a time tyrannize over us are irrecoverably destroyed they shall never be able to rise again to their former estate to trouble and oppress thy People no more than they that are dead and laid in their graves are able to rise from thence and to live again in the world as formerly they did see the Note Chap. 24.20 Or they are slain and dead and shall never live upon earth any more Therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them c. To wit That they might be irrecoverably cut off from the earth and never more flourish in the world and afflict thy People as they have done Ver. 15. Thou hast encreased the Nation O Lord thou hast encreased the Nation c. Some would have this understood of God's encreasing and multiplying the benefits he conferred upon his people But according to our Translation it is the encrease of their number that is here intended And it may be spoken either 1. with respect to God's exceeding multiplying the Nation of the Jews in former ages Or more particularly of their encrease in Babylon that even there the more they were oppressed the more they multiplied as was seen by the multitudes of those that returned from thence to Jerusalem whose Inhabitants were by this means mightily encreased Or 2. with respect to the great encrease of that his peculiar people by bringing in multitudes of the Gentiles who joyned themselves to the Church of the believing Jews and became one people with them And as for the following words Thou art glorified either it is meant of the glory that redounded to God by the great multitudes that returned to Jerusalem and the destruction of their enemies which made way to their deliverance Or by the great accession he made to his Church by the Conversion of the Gentiles Or else of God's glorifying himself by his chastisement of his own people See the Note Levit. 10.3 to wit in causing them to be carried captives into Babylon of which that is clearly meant which is added in the last clause of the verse Thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth See the Note Chap. 6.42 The drift of this place therefore seems to be the setting forth of the Lord 's different dealing with his people and with their enemies these he utterly destroyed but though he chastised his people sharply yet the issue of their afflictions was good Ver. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee c. As if they had said When thou Lord didst visit thy people with the rod of affliction then did they visit thee of whom they had been too forgetful in a way of Repentance and seeking to thee for mercy They poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them see the Notes 1 Sam. 1.15 and Psal 42.4 The word in the Hebrew which we translate a Prayer is properly a Spell or a Charm or a secret Speech as it is expressed in the Margin of our Bibles the intent whereof was to shew That in their Prayers by reason of extream shame and grief for their sins and the terrors of God that lay upon their spirits they could hardly speak or utter what they would say as it was with Hannah when she prayed 1 Sam. 1.13 and Hezekiah Chap. 38.14 they poured out their souls with tears sighs and groanings that cannot be expressed as the Apostle calls them Rom. 8.26 Ver. 17. Like as a woman with child that draweth near the time of her delivery c. When the throws of a travelling woman are indeed sharpest and hardest to be born is in pain and crieth out in her pangs see the Note Chap. 13.8 so have we been in thy sight O Lord that is So extream have our sorrows and miseries been as thou O Lord hast seen and known And this may be added as that which did greatly encrease their sorrow That God should look on and see them in such extream misery and yet afford them no help even as it must needs be a great grief to a Woman in travel to see her friends stand by and never mind to lay hands on her to afford her any help for the furtherance of her delivery Ver. 18. We have been with child we have been in pain we have as it were brought forth wind c. That is With strong desires we groaned after deliverance from those Oppressions and Miseries that we lay under we had many thoughts in our heads how it might be brought about and were ready many times to conceive great hopes of what we desired and laboured what we could to effect it but all proved vain and came to nothing As a Woman that thought her self to be in pains of travel and finds at last that it was nothing but wind she
Abraham making them a great and numerous people and doing great and wonderful things for them in their several Ages and Generations It is as if he had said It was none of your Idol-gods that did this or were able to do it but I the Lord Jehovah whom alone he and his faithful Posterity have always worshipped I the Lord the first and with the last I am he that is I the eternal and ever-living God who having my being of my self was before all things and that shall govern and dispose of all things to the last and subsist after all things have an end the first cause and the last end of all things Rom. 11.36 it is I that have done all these things Ver. 5. The Isles saw it and feared the ends of the earth were afraid c. Some apply this particularly to the astonishment of the Nations afar off when they heard of Abrahams Victory over the Kings that had invaded the plain of Sodom mentioned before ver 2 3. But I see no likelihood how that victory could be such a terror to Nations so remote as seems here to be intended However should that be included certainly it must be principally meant of the wonderful works which God wrought for the Israelites the posterity of Abraham and their prevailing over the Kings that opposed them when God delivered them out of Egypt and carried them into Canaan to wit that when the inhabitants of remote Countries see the Note above ver 1. saw what God had done for this his people they were amazed and affrighted see Exod. 15.15 and Josh 5.1 Or that they saw that the God of Israel that had done these things was the true God and that their Idols were nothing and were startled at this As for the following words that they drew near and came they are added to shew that though they were thus far convinced yet they would not stoop and yield but that either they combined and gathered themselves together to fight against the Israelites or else that they assembled together to encourage one another in their Idolatry which last agreeth best with that which follows ver 7. concerning their eagerness to make new Idols Ver. 6. They helped every one his neighbour and every one said to his Brother Be of good courage That is Notwithstanding their fore-mentioned Conviction and Astonishment yet they continued obstinately in their Idolatry and encouraged one another to oppose and fight against the Israelites for whom they saw God had done such wonderful things or to hold fast to their former Religion and to proceed on to the making of new Idols Ver. 7. So the Carpenter encouraged the Goldsmith c. To wit to make ready and bring the Gold or Silver plates wherewith the wooden Idol which he had made was to be overlaid and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil that is He that polisheth the plate encouraged him that wrought at the Forge saying It is ready for the sodering that is It is now sufficiently beaten out at the Anvil and now it is fit to joyn the pieces together with soder that they may be fairly polished or this clause may be read as it is in the Margin saying of the soder it is good that is Having joyned and sodered the pieces together they were wonderfully well pleased and delighted with their work saying So so this is very handsom the pieces are neatly sodered together and he fastned it with nails that it should not be moved that is The Workman fastned with nails either the frame or plates sodered together to the wooden stock underneath it that the pieces might hold the firmer together or the Idol it self being thus finished to some nail or post that it may stand fast See the Notes Chap. 40.19 20. The scope of this whole passage was to shew That the Nations being thus eargerly bent to go on in their Idolatry the Workmen whose Trade it was to make Idols were very ready to take hold of this opportunity to be set on work for the forging of new Gods for them Ver. 8. But thou Israel art my servant Jacob whom I have chosen the seed of Abraham my friend So Abraham is called because of his frequent communion and covenanting with God Having hitherto shewed purposely thereby to comfort the Jews That the Heathens themselves could not say that ever their Idol-gods had done such great things for them as he the Lord had done for Abraham and his Posterity hereupon now he addresseth his speech directly to them and with many affectionate Expressions of love perswades them not to fear their deliverance out of Babylon which God had now promised them and consequently also that greater Deliverance by Christ whereof the other was a type Ver. 9. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth c. Some understand this of Gods bringing up the Israelites out of Egypt and accordingly they also understand the following words and called thee from the chief men thereof of the King and Nobles of Egypt out of whose hands God delivered the Israelites But it is rather meant as with reference to what was said before ver 2. of Gods bringing the Jews to wit in the loins of Abraham out of Chaldea and of Gods chusing Abraham to be the Father of his people rather than of the great ones in the Country and them his Posterity to be his peculiar people rather than any of the great and mighty Nations in the World besides and said unto thee Thou art my servant that is I took thee to be my Covenant-people that thou shouldest serve me according to the Law I gave thee I have chosen thee and not cast thee away that is I have not rejected and passed by thee as I did others or rather since I took thee to be my people I have never forsaken thee or cast thee off as many times thou hast given me just cause to do Ver. 10. Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismaied for I am thy God c. That is Though thou comest to be in never so sad and forlorn Condition yet be not dismayed I will strengthen thee yea I will help yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness that is with my righteous right hand to wit mine Almighty power wherewith I will faithfully make good my promises delivering thee and executing just Vengeance on all thine Enemies only we must remember that what is promised here to the Posterity of Abraham and Israel must all along also be extended to Believers under the Gospel the true seed of Israel Ver. 11. Behold all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded c. That is Be they never so many they shall be all overthrown even the mightiest of them See the Note Psal 40.14 Ver. 12. Thou shalt seek them and shalt not find them c. That is They shall be utterly destroyed so that there shall be no
the preaching of the Gospel he hath setled a Church upon earth and therein hath established his Kingdom even that Government whereby he sets up his Throne in the hearts of his people and works a thorough Reformation in them bringing the whole man to the obedience of his will and whereby he subdueth all contrary powers which resist and oppose the exercise of his Kingly power for the good of his Church and people and with respect unto this last I conceive it is that these words of the Prophet are rendred by the Evangelist till he send forth judgment unto victory Matth. 12.20 and the Isles shall wait for his Law that is even the Gentiles in the remotest parts of the earth shall with all greediness embrace his Gospel the Law whereby he will judge and govern his people Now because they that do so must needs trust in him for life eternal therefore is this clause expressed thus Matth. 12.21 and in his name shall the Gentiles trust Ver. 5. Thus saith God the Lord he that created the Heavens and stretched them out c. See the Note Psal 104.2 Ver. 6. I the Lord have called thee in righteousness c. By God the Fathers calling Christ the like whereto is also said of Cyrus as a type of Christ Chap. 45.4 I have called thee by thy name may be meant either his fore-appointing him to the Office of the Mediator See the Note above ver 1. or his actual bringing him to the undertaking of this Office by his Incarnation and by his inauguration thereto whilst he was upon earth according to the like Expressions we find elsewhere of Gods calling for a Famine 2 King 8.1 and of his calling the Generations from the beginning Chap. 41.4 And if we take it thus we must know that this is spoken of as done already I have called thee only to imply the certainty of it As for those words in righteousness I have called thee in righteousness the meaning thereof is either 1. That Christ was designed to this Office in a just and righteous way namely by commission from God whose will is the sure rule of righteousness as the Apostle saith Heb. 5.4 5. that he took not this Honour to himself and that too not without his own free consent See the Notes Psal 40.7 8. Or 2ly That God called him in faithfulness that he might perform the Promises which he had made unto his people and will hold thine hand and will keep thee that is I will direct support and defend thee See the Notes ver 1. and Chap. 41.13 Psal 16.8 and 73.23 and give thee for a Covenant of the people that is to be the Mediator the Messenger Mal. 3.1 the Surety and the Ratifier of that Covenant of Grace which God hath made with his people i.e. with the people of Israel who are primarily here intended and therefore distinguished here from the Gentiles and then also with all Believers taken into the same Church with them for a light of the Gentiles that is to enlighten their minds and chear up their hearts See the Note Chap. 9.2 Ver. 7. To open the blind eyes c. That is To enlighten mens minds that were by nature spiritually blind See the Note Chap. 35.5 to bring out the Prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darkness out of the Prison-house that is To rescue poor sinners out of the Bondage of Satan Sin and Death and so out of that blindness and woful misery wherein they lay which may well be called the darkness of the Devils Dungeon See the Note Chap. 9.2 Ver. 8. I am the Lord c. It is in the Hebrew I am Jehovah which imports a God that hath his being of himself and from whom all things have their being that is my name that is that peculiar name whereby I have made my self known to my people Israel and whereby I will be distinguished from all Idols and false gods that have their being from others See the Notes Exod. 3.14 and 6.3 and my glory will I not give to another neither my praise to graven Images that is The Glory and Praise of being the only true God or the Glory of an exact accomplishing what I have foretold should be which is that whereby God had before undertaken to prove himself the only true God See the Notes Chap. 41. 22 23 25 c. It seems therefore that the Lord having finished the foregoing Prophecy concerning Christ doth here again hereupon assert That he the God of Israel whose name was Jehovah that had foretold these things was the only true God Ver. 9. Behold the former things are come to pass c. That is The several things which from time to time I have long before-hand foretold my people have been all accomplished in their several seasons and new things do I declare to wit concerning the destruction of Babylon the return of Gods people into their own land and their greater deliverance by Christ before they spring forth I tell you of them that is long before there is any appearance or any probable sign of any such thing It is as if he had said As sure as the former things have been accomplished so surely shall these things also which I now foretel come to pass And thus the Lord doth re-assume his former Argument of proving himself to be the only true God by his foretelling future things See the Notes Chap. 41.22 27. Ver. 10. Sing unto the Lord a new Song c. That is say some an exquisite song or rather a new Song to set forth a new work of wonder which God would work for indeed this is said with reference to that ver 9. and new things do I declare But see the Note Psal 33.3 and his praise from the end of the earth see the Note Chap. 24.16 ye that go down to the Sea to wit Mariners and Merchants see the Note Psal 107.23 and all that is therein that is that dwell in the Islands that are in the Sea as it is explained in the following words the Isles and the Inhabitants thereof The Prophet having foretold the Destruction of Babylon and the Deliverance of the Jews and that which is the chiefest of all the great work of mans Redemption by Christ he now stirs up the Nations that should hear of these things to sing forth Gods praise and that purposely to imply the certainty of these things the better to chear up those whose deliverance was therein concerned And indeed as it was spoken with respect to Christ concerning whom the Prophet had immediately before prophecied it implies a clear prediction how all Nations should praise God upon the preaching of the Gospel amongst the Gentiles Ver. 11. Let the wilderness and the Cities thereof lift up their voice c. See the Note Chap. 35.1 And if by the Wilderness here be meant that vast desart that lay East-ward of Judea as the Sea mentioned in the foregoing verse lay on the
West then this is all one in effect as if it had been said That from the rising unto the setting of the Sun God should be praised the villages that Kedar doth inhabit See the Notes Chap. 21.16 Psal 120.5 and Cant. 1.5 let the Inhabitants of the rock sing that is The Inhabitants of Arabia Petrea or of Petra the chief City in those parts See the Note Chap. 16.1 or rather those that inhabit mountainous Countries as the following words shew let them shout from the top of the mountains However as this is spoken with respect to the days of the Gospel it clearly implies That the most barbarous Nations should then praise God Ver. 13. The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man c. That is having long withdrawn himself as if he minded them not he shall at last go forth in great fury to wit against the Babylonians See the Notes Job 16.14 and Psal 78.65 He shall stir up jealousie like a man of war that is As men stir and blow up a fire so shall the Lord stir up the fire of his jealousie to wit his fierce wrath and indignation against his idolatrous enemies proceeding from his ardent love to his people and zeal for his own glory he shall cry to wit as soldiers are wont to shout when they assault their enemies yea roar to wit like a Lyon But now this may be spoken with reference to Christ that he should go forth as a mighty man it is an Expression which our Saviour himself used John 16.28 I came forth from the Father and am come into the world namely to vanquish all his peoples spiritual enemies Satan Sin Death and Hell and to destroy all those that obstinately oppose him and are the implacable enemies of his Church and people Ver. 14. I have long time holden my peace c. God himself is here brought in complaining of his enemies abusing his long-suffering and patience and promising Deliverance to his people I have long time holden my peace I have been still and refrained my self to wit as the following similitude seems to imply as a travelling Woman bites in her pains and forbears crying out as long as ever she is able and the meaning is That he had long forborn taking vengeance on his peoples enemies and suffered his people to be still kept in Bondage by them now will I cry like a travelling Woman that is as such a Woman when she comes to the extremity of her pain the Child being brought to the very birth is then forced to cry aloud and many times breathes out her cries the louder because she had before suppressed them and kept them in thereby striving to help forward her deliverance till when she can expect no ease nor rest so will I with all earnestness hasten the Deliverance of my people as if I travelled and were in pain until they were delivered and will fall with the greater fury upon their enemies because of my former forbearance And indeed this similitude doth notably set forth 1. Gods tender affection to his people even like that of a Mother to the Child in her Womb. 2ly His earnest desire of their deliverance And 3ly that though the Lord had hitherto only groaned in a more silent manner for their sad Condition yet now the set and appointed time being come they should speedily be delivered as the Child is when the Mothers cries are loudest As for those last words I will destroy and devour at once either the meaning is That the Lord would destroy their Enemies Land and devour the Inhabitants or that he would speedily make an end of them all together as it is with hungry ravenous wild beasts that as soon as they have killed their prey do immediately devour it Ver. 15. I will make waste mountains and hills and dry up all their herbs c. That is the herbage which the Mountains and all other parts of the Land afforded both for man and beast and I will make the rivers Islands that is Dry them up so that here and there the dry land shall appear like so many Islands The drift of the whole verse is to set forth the horrid Desolation that God would make in the land of the Chaldeans when he undertook the Deliverance of his people from thence And to this end he speaks of his Vengeance therein as a devouring Fire that would burn up all before it See the Notes Deut. 4.24 and 32.22 And the particular mention that is made of laying waste their Mountains and Hills is either because there usually they had their idolatrous Temples and Altars or rather because there they had their greatest Cities and places of strength And the same may be said for the mentioning of the drying up of their Rivers which were the great safeguard of their Country all is to imply that all the strength and Riches of their Country should not hinder God from destroying them and delivering his people out of their hands one particular whereof is noted by some Expositors to have been accomplished when Cyrus made the great River Euphrates passable for his Army when they took Babylon And then as this Prophecy refers to Christ the same is meant that is said before ver 13. That he should destroy the Kingdom of Satan and all the great enemies of his people and ruine all the Riches and Pomp and State of those that should exalt themselves against him Ver. 16. And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not c. As this is meant of the Jews return out of Babylon they are termed blind because they saw nothing of their approaching Deliverance they saw no likelihood of escaping out of that sad Condition wherein they lay and so regarded not Gods promises but as men stupified and hopeless were in continual perplexity not knowing which way to turn themselves and of their return into Judea it might well be said That they were led by a way they knew not and in paths they had not known because the generality of them were born in Babylon and so had never gone that way before But as it is meant of Christs redeemed ones whether Jews or Gentiles it was accomplished in the enlightning of their blind minds See the Note Chap. 35.5 and bringing them into the way of Salvation whereof they knew nothing before And the like may be said of the following words they may be meant of the Jews returning out of Babylon I will make darkness light before them that is I will bring them out of an afflicted and sad Estate into a joyful and prosperous Condition See the Notes Esth 8.16 and Psal 112.4 or rather I will make their way clear before them wherein otherwise they might have been often brought to a stand not knowing which way to turn themselves and crooked things straight that is their way shall be easie and plain free from those troubles and difficulties which otherwise they might have found in it But under this
he had said it would have been indeed a great glory to me had I been the means of converting Israel according to that which the Apostle saith of those that were converted by him 1 Thes 2.20 ye are our glory and joy and when God seems to curse the labours of his Servants by making them ineffectual for the good of a People it is some kind of a dishonour to those his Servants but yet though Israel be obstinate and will not be gathered in by me according to that of our Saviour Math. 23.37 How often would I have gathered thy Children together even as a hen gathereth her Chickens and ye would not yet will God highly esteem of me and of my labour in my Ministry yea and some think that under those words yet shall I be glorious that glory may also be comprehended where with God honoured him by his resurrection and the glory that followed thereupon and by the bringing in of the Gentiles upon the preaching of the Gospel amongst them and my God shall be my strength to wit 1. to support and comfort me against the ingratitude and incredulity of the people to whom I am sent 2. To defend me from the rage of mine enemies And 3. to inable me for the whole work that shall be impos'd on me Ver. 6. And he said c. That is God said as before verse 5. It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my Servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob that is say some that understand it of the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon to raise up the Commonwealth of Israel that is ruin'd and broken down and to set them up again in their former State in their own Countrey Or as others say that understand it of their spiritual conversion to raise up the Church of Israel that by their apostatising from God is in a manner broken to pieces and to make them again a holy people to the Lord their God and to restore the preserved or the desolations of Israel that is say some to restore that little remnant that is left in Babylon whom God hath hitherto preserved in the midst of those great desolations that have been made amongst them and to bring them home again to their own Land Or as others to bring home to God that little remnant of his elect whom God had in all ages preserved for himself with special care even as the apple of his own eye I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my Salvation unto the end of the Earth that is say they that understand the foregoing words of the Prophets foretelling the destruction of Babylon and deliverance of his People this mercy of the deliverance of my people shall not be the only effect of the ruine of Babylon even to many of the remote nations of the Gentiles shall it bring great joy because even they shall thereby be delivered from that fear and Bondage they had formerly been in But this exposition is nothing so clear as that which most follow concerning Christs enlightning the Gentiles by the preaching of the Gospel to them see the Notes Chap. 9.1 2. and 4.26 for to this Paul and Barnabas applied these words Act. 13.46 47. where they told the Jews that because of the rejecting the Gospel they would turn to the Gentiles and gave this reason for it For so hath the Lord commanded us saying I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the Earth And accordingly I conceive the words of the Prophet may be understood as if he had said though it be a great matter that thou shouldest convert the Jews and so raise up the tribes of Jacob which implies that some even amongst them should be converted by Christ yet this is but a light and a small matter in comparison of that which thou shalt do for by thee the Gentiles shall be enlightened and be brought in to be one Church together with the Jews and partake of the same common Salvation together with them Ver. 7. Thus saith the Lord the redeemer of Israel c. to wit that hath often redeemed them out of many dangers and distresses and his holy one see the Note Chap. 1.4 to him whom man despiseth c. or as it is in the Margin to him that is despised in Soul that is that is apprehensive in his own Soul how exceedingly he is scorned and despised according to the complaint of the Jews in Babylon of whom some understand this place Psal 123.4 Our Soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at case and with the contempt of the proud But the great question is Of whom and to whom this is spoken Some understand it of the Prophet Isaiah to him whom man despiseth to him whom the nation abhorreth a servant of Rulers and that say they because he was despised and abhorred by the generality of the Nation of the Jews and used like some poor contemptible Servant by their Princes and Rulers and that out of their rage against him for his bold and sharp reproving their sins And indeed I see not why this might not be spoken with respect to him as he was a type of Christ the greatest difficulty is in applying the following words to him Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship But even that might be spoken with respect to that reverent esteem they should have of him and the honour they should do him when they should see many things come to pass exactly as he had foretold them as it was particularly in the case of Sennacharib Again others understand it of the Jews in Babylon whose deliverance they say the Prophet here foretels who were used there indeed as a most despicable and abominable people and were perfect slaves to their great Lords and accordingly they also understand the following words Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship to wit that Kings should take notice of the wonder of their deliverance and upon the account thereof should afford them much respect and honour which they say was accomplished in the great respect they had from Cyrus Darius and others after their return out of Babylon because of the Lord that is faithful and the holy one of Israel and he shall choose thee because they should see the promises that God had made to them faithfully performed the Lord thereby owning them and appearing for them as his peculiar people But questionless it is Christ that is here principally intended to him whom man despiseth that is whom every man in a manner despiseth as it is said afterward again of Christ Chap. 53.3 He is despised and rejected of men See the Notes also Psal 22.6 7. to him whom the Nation abhorreth to wit the Nation of the Jews as was most evident in their bitter prosecuting of Christ at his death to a Servant of rulers that is Christ whom
access of the Gentiles And they that swallowed thee up shall be far away That is as before ver 7. thou shalt no more be troubled with enemies that shall seek to destroy thee But see the Note Chap. 42.14 Ver. 20. The Children which thou shalt have after thou hast lost the other shall say again in thine ears the place is too strait for me c. That is there shall be such multitudes of them that they shall complain that there is not room enough for them And this is meant of Zion the Church of the Jews 1. in regard of the multitudes of them that returned from Babylon and the great increase of their posterity as formerly in Egypt whereas before she was left as a childless woman when the enemy had made such havock amongst them carried them away Captives and 2. especially in regard of her great encrease by the coming in of the Gentiles in the days of the Gospel whereas before she was as a Childless Woman there being so few amongst them that were really such as they profess themselves to be Israelites indeed upon the access of the Gentiles she should be abundantly full of Children Ver. 21. Then shalt thou say in thine heart c. To wit say some as not being able fully in words to express her joy and admiration who hath begotten me these seeing I have lost my Children and am desolate c That is Zion shall admire at her wonderful multitudes because she had been not only Childless see the foregoing Note but also desolate without a Husband the Lord having seemed to cast her off And indeed the increase of the Jewish Church and particularly that by the Gentiles joyning themselves to her was very strange and wonderful considering that before the Gospel came to be Preached there was so little of the word of Life amongst them the Seed of the new-birth and that the Gentiles were so unlikely to leave their Idolatries and to embrace the Religion of Christ and especially to joyn themselves to the Church of the Jews that were such a despised people in those times Ver. 22. Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles c. To wit As men are wont to do when they call any that stand some distance from them to come to them and set up my Standard to the people see the Notes Chap. 11.10 12. and 13.2 The meaning is either that God would call in the Nations that is by his Almighty Power cause them to come in and so accomplish what was promised in the foregoing Verses It may be meant of Gods gathering an Army as Kings do by setting up their Standard that should destroy Babylon and set free his people but especially it is meant of that which was signified thereby the conversion of the Gentiles by the lifting up of that spiritual Standard the Preaching of the Gospel accompanied with the effectual working of Gods Spirit and they shall bring thy Sons in their arms and thy Daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders which as it hath respect to the Jews deliverance out of Babylon implies that the Nations should shew them great love and respect and afford them all possible help for their return home into their own Country But as it respects the conversion of the Gentiles it sets forth their ready tendering of their Sons and Daughters together with themselves to be joyned to the Church even as it is now when Children are brought in Arms to the Assemblies of the Church to be Baptized Yet some would have it understood of the great respect which even Pagans should afford to Christians that lived amongst them because of the eminent holiness of their lives Ver. 23. And Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and their Queens thy nursing Mothers c. This was accomplished say some in the protection and support which the Jews found even during their Captivity under the Babylonian Kings and Queens and which the Church should find under Heathen Princes But rather it is meant of the great and tender respect that should be shown to the Jews both in their return and after their return by Cyrus Darius Esther and others and of great Kings and Queens that being converted to the Christian Faith should shew great favour to the Church and do great things for them such as were Constantine and many others And so that which follows they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth some understand of Nations that should be subdued by Gods people but rather it is meant of the great honour and respect which those Princes should yield to the Jews and especially of the honour which those Christian Princes should yield to Christ and for his sake to his Church and Servants submitting to his Ministry his Scepter and Government and lick up the dust of thy feet for which see the Note Psal 72.9 and thou shalt know that I am the Lord to wit experimentally by my accomplishing of these things which I have promised For they shall not be ashamed that wait for me as if he had said Hereby men shall find this to be true Ver. 24. Shall the prey be taken from the mighty Or the lawful Captive delivered This is generally taken as an objection of the Jews in Babylon alledging this as a reason why they could not believethe promise of their being delivered out of their Captivity But more probably as I conceive it may be taken as the proud boasting of the Babylonians insisting upon two reasons why the Jews could have no just ground of hoping to be delivered 1. their might which the poor Captives were not able to resist and 2dly their right because by law of arms and right of conquest they were their lawful Captives yea and under this Type there may be also implied how unlikely it was in an eye of reason that Satan's bond-slaves should ever be rescued out of his Power Ver. 25. But thus saith the Lord Even the prey of the mighty shall be taken away and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered c. That is be your enemies never so mighty and let them pretend what they will for their detaining of you in Bondage yet ye shall be delivered And withal observable it is that those whom they had called the lawful Captive the Lord here terms only the prey of the terrible As for that which follows for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee it may be understood of the Babylonians that God would set himself against them and that to be sure would be sufficient and I will save thy Children that is deliver them out of their Captivity Or it may be taken as a more general promise that after he had rescued them out of their Captivity he would still be an enemy to their enemies and defend their posterity against all that should seek to hurt them And how this may be applied to that which is said of Christs vanquishing
now as we intend it to that great work of our Salvation by Christ begun here but perfected in Heaven it may be particularly applyed to that Evangelical Righteousnes wherewith Christians may be truly said to be Cloathed for which see the Note Chap. 60.21 This I conceive is the true meaning of this place yet I know there are some that would have nothing else intended thereby but only this that God had changed their Captive Garments into the joyful Attire of those that are delivered out of Captivity Ver. 11. For as the Earth bringeth forth her Bud and as the Garden causeth the things that are sown in it to Spring forth c. To wit when the Winter is gone and the Spring is come So the Lord God will cause Righteousness and Praise to Spring forth before all the Nations that is so though God may hide himself from his People for a time yet when he begins to let the light of his Countenance shine forth favourably upon them again he will cause your Land in the sight of all Nations to abound with Righteousness and Praise that is with the discovery of his Goodness and Faithfulness to you and the Praise that shall thereupon be given to him as if these things did grow and spring up every where out of the Earth see the like expression Psal 72.3 and 85.11 The Land shall be covered with Righteousness and Praise as the Earth is with the Fruits that grow up in the Spring time But see also the foregoing Note The drift doubtless of these Expressions is to shew that how impossible and incredible soever these things might seem which the Prophet had promised â— yet that Almighty God that caused the Earth yearly to yield her Fruit would likewise effect this great Change of which he had spoken CHAP. LXII VERSE 1. FOR Zions sake I will not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake I will not rest c. The Prophet here professeth that out of love and tender respect to Zion and Gods Church and People and out of zeal for their good their comfort and incouragement he would not give over publishing those glad tydings which he had already declared to them to wit concerning their deliverance out of Babylon and their Redemption by Christ and praying to God for the accomplishment of them though he had long time done this yet he would still incessantly go on to do it yea though he should be never so much discouraged by the incredulity hatred and injurious dealing of the people to whom he imparted these glad Tydings or by seeing the Ruine that should come upon them for a time yet â—e would not cease incessantly to proclaim these things that hereby he might raise up their Hearts constantly to wait for this promised deliverance and Salvation though it might be long er'e it came Vntil the Righteousness thereof goeth forth as brightness and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth that is as it respects the Jews in Babylon until by Gods destroying the Babylonians and his Peoples Deliverance the Righteousness of his Peoples Cause which lay hid during their Captivity shall appear so clearly and gloriously that all the Nations about them shall see and acknowledge it Or as it respects the Church of Christ until Christ come who is the Righteousness and Saviour of his People until the great Work of the Righteousness and Salvation of the Church be fully accomplished and do shine forth gloriously in the Ministry of the Gospel to the drawing of all Mens Eyes to it even amongst Gentiles that before sat in gross darkness Some think that this is spoken by the Prophet in the Person of God For Zions sake I will not hold my peace c. To wit that God would not rest till he had pleaded the Righteous Cause of his People and saved them from their Enemies for when he doth forbear to do this he is in the Scripture Phrase said to hold his peace See the Note Chap. 42.14 Yea they say that it cannot be spoken by the Prophet in his own Person because he dyed long before the return of the Jews out of Babylon and much more before the full accomplishment of these things by Jesus Christ But this is not a sufficient reason to disprove what is most generally held by Expositors to wit that the Prophet speaks here in his own Person since his meaning here may be only this that should he live till these things which God had promised his People should come to pass he would never cease to Preach these glad tydings nor to Pray for the speedy performance of them It is not unlike that Speech of the Apostles 1 Thes 4.17 We which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds that is should any of us at that day be found living upon Earth it would be so with us Ver. 2. And the Gentiles shall see thy Righteousness c. To wit that before mentioned which should go forth as brightness for which see the foregoing Note and all Kings thy Glory that is all the great Kings of the Gentiles to whom the knowledge of it shall come shall take notice of the exceeding Glory whereto God hath advanced thee See the Note Psal 138.4 And thou shalt be called by a new Name which the Mouth of the Lord shall Name that is God will give thee a new Name to wit that expressed afterward ver 4. Thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah But the meaning is either that Gods Church and People should through his favour to them become exceeding Famous and Renowned far more than ever formerly Or that God would bring them into a new Estate and Condition far more glorious than ever formerly heard of which was most fully accomplished when they became the Church of Christ Ver. 3. Thou shalt also be a Crown of Glory in the Hand of the Lord and a Royal Diadem in the Hand of thy God The meaning is either 1. That the Lord by his Hand upon them in their Deliverance and in the great things he would do for them as his peculiar People would advance them to great Glory so that they should be eminently conspicuous and renowned even as a Glorious Crown or Royal Diadem in the Eyes of those that behold it or rather 2. That God would own his People to be an Honour and Glory to him even as a Crown or Diadem which a King takes in his Hand and puts upon his Head as being the people over whom he Reigned as their King and Soveraign and consequently that he would make as precious account of them as a King doth of his Crown and as carefully preserve them Ver. 4. Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken c. See the Notes Chap. 49.14 and 54.6 7. Neither shall thy Land any more be termed desolate See the Note Chap. 1.7 and 54.3 But thou shalt be called that is thou shalt be and shalt be owned to be as we see in the like
Expression used concerning Christ See the Note Chap. 7.14 Hephzi-bah that is my Delight is in her It was the very Name of Hezekiahs Wife the Mother of Manassah 2 Kings 21.1 But here the intent of it is that God of his own free grace should greatly delight in his Church and People and thy Land Beulah that is Married for the Lord Delighteth in thee and thy Land shall be Married that is Whereas thy Land hath been bereaved of her People and so hath sat for many years as a lone Woman without Children thou shalt now be in the state of a Married Wife that hath a House full of Children because being received into Favour and Communion with God her Husband her Land should be abundantly filled with Inhabitants yea and this may be extended also to the great inlargement of the Church under Christ in the Days of the Gospel Ver. 5. For as a young Man Marrieth a Virgin c. These are named because the love of such is usually most sincere and fervent and they usually live together with greatest content delight and comfort So shall thy Son Marry thee as if he had said O Zion O my Church and People thy Sons shall possess and enjoy thee as if they were joyned in Marriage with thee and they shall live and dwell with thee as contentedly and comfortably as a young Man is wont to live with some Beautiful Virgin whom he hath taken to be his Wife The intent of the words is to shew that Strangers should not possess Zion any more but that she should be Inhabited constantly by their own Natives who should rejoice and delight in her according to the joy that is betwixt Husband and Wife This passage indeed seems to have some difficulty in it that the Sons of Zion should be said to Marry their Mother And therefore some by her Sons here would have her Governors and Magistrates to be meant who are as a Husband to the State and People But the Exposition before given is I conceive clearly that which is here intended Ver. 6. I have set Watchmen upon thy Walls O Jerusalem c. Here the Lord is brought in speaking to his Church and telling them that for their better safeguard he had set Watchmen upon their Walls that is Prophets Pastors and Teachers See the notes Chap. 21.11 and 52.8 Which shall never hold their peace Day nor Night that is that shall be constant in their Duty both in Teaching the People warning them of their danger and duty and praying to God on their behalf And then again in the following words the Prophet again speaks ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence that is ye amongst Gods people that are wont to speak of God and to pray to God cease not to sollicite him to be favourable to his poor people Or rather O ye the Watchmen of Jerusalem that make mention of the Lord that put Gods people in mind of God his grace and goodness and promises to them and of their Duty and Obedience Or as it is in the Margin of our Bibles Ye that are the Lords remembrancers that is ye whose Office it is to put God in mind of the concernments of his People Oh fail not constantly to do your Duty herein Ver. 7. And give him no rest till he establish c. That is till he settle his Church in a comfortable and lasting Foundation and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth that is till by his wonderful deliverance of his Church and the glorious condition whereunto he shall exalt her she shall be praised extolled and magnified all the world over Or till the Nations do for this praise the Lord See the Note Psal 76.3 And though this was in part fulfilled when Gods people were delivered out of Babylon yet it was chiefly accomplished in the spiritual Splendor of the Church of Christ when that was spread by the Preaching of the Gospel throughout the World Ver. 8. The Lord hath sworn by his Right Hand c. That is say some by his Faithfulness a token whereof among men is usually the giving one the Right Hand But rather by his Right Hand and by the Arm of his Strength is meant his Almighty power for in regard of the difficulty and seeming impossibility of the things promised God ingageth his Almighty power for the accomplishment of them surely I will no more give thy Corn to be Meat for thine Enemies and the Sons of the Stranger shall not drink thy Wine for the which thou hast laboured that is thy Provisions shall not any more be a prey to thine Enemies It is in the Hebrew If I give any more thy Corn c. for which Form of an Oath see the Note Chap. 5.9 It is all one as if God had said let me not be esteemed as an Almighty God if this be so any more Because even after the Jews return from Babylon Enemies did many times spoil the Jews of their outward provisions therefore several Expositors understand this spiritually to wit that the Devil and his Instruments shall never bereave the Church of those Provisions whereby their Souls are to be nourished unto Life Eternal But there is no necessity of flying to this Exposition It is certainly a promise made to Gods People for their defence and their peaceable enjoying their Estates contrary to that Curse Deut. 28.33 Which as it was partly fulfilled when the Jews returned out of Babylon so especially under the Kingdom of Christ the Church never was nor ever shall be deprived of necessary outward Provisions 1 Tim. 4.8 Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come And besides when Chistians are bereaved of their outward Estates the Curse of that threatning Deut. 28. is taken away Ver. 9. But they that have gathered it shall eat it and praise the Lord c. That is thy People together with the Harvest men imployed by them in gathering in their Corn shall eat it blessing God for it and they that have brought it together that is the Wine before mentioned ver 8. shall drink it in the Courts of my Holiness that is my Sanctuary or in my Holy Courts in my Temple the meaning is that Gods People should in his Church peaceably enjoy the outward blessings God afforded them praising God for them even in their publick Assemblies only in the expressions here used there is an allusion to the Holy Feasts which the Jews kept in the Courts of the Temple for which see the Note Deut. 12.7 How this also is understood by some of the Soul provisions of the Church see in the foregoing Note Ver. 10. Go through go through the Gates c. The doubling of this charge imports the doing of what is here enjoyn'd with all speed and diligence But the great Question is to whom and concerning what Gates this is spoken Some conceive that the Inhabitants of Zion the
believing Jews or Zions Watchmen before mentioned ver 6. the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel are here called upon to go out of her Gates to make way for the Gentiles to come into the Church Again others understand it of the Jews encouraged hereby to press and throng in through the Gates of Jerusalem which though formerly broken down or burnt should at their return ftom Babylon stand open before them ready to receive them And under this Type they conceive that the flocking in of the Gentiles on all sides to the Church is comprehended see the Notes Chap. 26.2 and 60.11 But because in the following Words there is mention made of preparing the way for the Jews return out of Babylon it is not so probable that their pressing into the Gates of Jerusalem should be here set before that it may be rather thought that the Jews are here pressed to hasten speedily and to go through the Gates of the several Cities where they were in Captivity and to get away to their own Country which indeed agreeeth well with that which is said elsewhere see the Notes Chap. 48.20 and 52.11 Yea and some too think that it may be spoken to those to whom the following Words are directed prepare you the way of the People cast up cast up the high-way gather out the Stones for which see the Note Chap. 40.3 lift up a standard for the People see the Note Cap. 49.22 Ver. 11. Behold the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the World c. To wit that which follows say ye to the Daughter of Zion see the Note 2 Kings 19.21 Behold thy Salvation cometh that is thy Redemption and Deliverance or thy Saviour that shall deliver thee for that this last is at least implied is evident by the following Words behold his reward is with him c. Now as this is spoken with respect to the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon the meaning is either that the Lord had by the Proclamation of Cyrus enjoyn'd all Nations should give liberty to his People to return home to their own Land which agrees well with that expression of Cyrus in his Proclamation Ezra 1.2 Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia the Lord God of Heaven hath given me all the Kingdoms of the Earth c. or else that the Lord by the wonderful manner of that deliverance of the Jews would cause all Nations even to the end of the World to understand that it was done by his Will and Command But now as it is spoken with respect to that great Work of Mans Redemption by Christ whereof the other was a Type the meaning is that the Lord had by the preaching of the Gospel Proclaimed unto all Nations the coming of the promised Messiah that so they might come in and joyn themselves to his Church and indeed that passage say ye to the Daughter of Zion behold thy Salvation cometh is expresly applyed to Christ by the Evangelists Math. 21.5 behold his Reward is with him and his Work before him see the Note Chap. 40.10 Ver. 12. And they shall call them the Holy People the Redeemed of the Lord c. That is upon their miraculous deliverance men shall own them to be the People whom God had Sanctified and set a part to himself to be his own peculiar People see the Note Exod. 19.6 and whom he had made a Holy People and redeemed out of the power of their Enemies see the Notes Chap. 4.3 and 60.21 and thou shalt be called to wit thou O Zion sought out that is of her Husband that had cast her off see the Notes Chap. 34.6 7. Or one over whom God took special care to look after her and recover her when she was lost Or the meaning may be that she should be sought after as one that was in high esteem to wit by the Gentiles that should seek to joyn themselves in one Church with her and so it should be no more said of her as formerly it was this is Zion whom no Man seeketh after Jer. 30.17 A City not forsaken that is neither cast off by God nor left desolate without People as formerly she seemed to be see the Note above ver 4. CHAP. LXIII VERSE 1. WHO is this that cometh from Edom c. Having in the foregoing Chapter Ver. 11. spoken of the Lords coming to save his People as of a thing ready to be done immediately say ye to the Daughter of Zion Behold thy Salvation cometh behold his reward is with him c. Here the Church say some or the Prophet rather as if he had seen in a Vision this great Saviour of his People the Lord God like some great Prince coming from the Slaughter of his Enemies whom he had vanquished in Fight with his Garments all stained with their Blood breaks forth into this expression of admiration who is this that cometh from Edom with Died Garments from Bozrah and that still to assure Gods People that it would not be long ere he would come and deliver them by destroying their Enemies It is questioned by Expositors why it is said that he came from Edom and from Bozrah which was the chief City of Edom. That which was commonly said by the Ancients that the Prophet speaks this of Christ ascending triumphantly into Heaven after his Bloody passion cannot certainly be here intended because it is expresly said afterwards ver 3. that his Garments were Red not with his own Blood but with the Blood of his Enemies Nor is there much probability in that which is said by others that because Edom signifieth Red and Bozrah signifieth a Vintage nothing else is intended by saying that he came from Edom and Bozrah but that his Garments were Blood-red like one that having trod a Winepress hath his Garments all over besprinkled with the Blood of the Grapes it is therefore far more probable which some others say that it is to be understood Literally concerning the destruction of the Edomites that were always bitter Enemies to the Jews Psal 137.7 Or rather that the Edomites are put for the Enemies of Gods People in General especially the Babylonians and that because the Edomites had been successively in all Ages professed deadly Enemies to the Jews and so had manifested themselves to be when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians and by reason of their near Neighbourhood were best known to them see the Notes Ch. 34.5 6. This I conceive is the genuine meaning of the place that this is spoken of God coming like some Victorious Prince from the destruction of the Babylonians and other his Peoples Enemies having his Garments besprinkled with their Blood yet I question not but that under these Victories of God over the Babylonians and other Enemies of his People Christs Victories over their Spiritual Enemies were also Typified As for the following Words they contain a farther Description of this great Saviour of his People this that is glorious in his Apparel that is Clothed with
gorgeous Attire suitable to the dignity of his person and that never a whit the less glorious because stained with Blood this being a sign of the glorious Victory he had obtained over his Peoples Enemies Travelling in the greatness of his strength whereby is signified either that he was passing along the several Countries of his Peoples Enemies that he might subdue and destroy them and that by no other but his own Almighty power or that he was going along triumphantly with his People carrying them away from the several Countries where they were Captives or else that he Marched with a stately gate not as one that fled or retired before an Enemy but as one that had made a perfect dispatch of his Foes and was marching away fearlessly in his full strength And then in the next Words we have Gods Answer to the Prophets Question I that speak in righteousness mighty to save that is it is I that never promise any thing but what I am sure to perform as being Almighty to save my People Ver. 2. Wherefore art thou Red in thine Apparel and thy Garments like him that treadeth in the Wine Fat And so hath his Garments made Red with the Blood of the Grapes as their Juice is called Gen. 49.11 This is the Second Question which the Church or the Prophet rather propounds to God that great Saviour whom he had seen in a Vision and of whom he had spoken in the foregoing verse Ver. 3. I have trodden the Wine-Press alone and of the People there was none with me c. This is the Lords Answer to the Churches or Prophets foregoing Question wherein he sheweth that it was no wonder though his Garments were Red like one that had been treading in a Wine-fat and that because he had been treading down and destroying the Enemies of his People in the Wine-press of his wrath and vengeance and therefore his Garments might well be besmeared with Blood And this he is said to have done alone c. And because though he made use of Men in the doing of it yet 1. it was done in such a manner that all Men might see there was a special hand of God in the doing of it 2. Men contributed no help to God for the effecting of it And 3. Men at least minded not at all the doing of it in a way of Revenge upon them for the mischief which they had done to Gods People But indeed in the great Work of Mans Redemption where Christ subdued our Spiritual Enemies and rescued his People from their Bondage which was Typified in the deliverance of his People out of Bondage this was most clearly accomplished to wit that none helped him in that great Work for I will tread them in mine anger c. That is I will with great Indignation utterly destroy them and that as a Man in a Wine-Fat treads the Grapes in pieces under his Feet And this is expressed as I conceive in the Future Tense as a reason of that Answer which God had given to the Prophet to shew why he appeared in such stian'd Apparel I have trodden the Wine-press c. Namely because this in time he would certainly do Ver. 4. For the day of vengâ—nce is in mine Heart c. That is 1. That day fore appointed for taking vengeance is in my Mind and that it is now come and 2. I am heartily desirous to have it Executed upon them see the Note Chap. 34.8 And the year of my Redeemed is come see the Note Chap. 61.2 Ver. 5. And I locked and there was none to help c. To wit neither of his own Poeple nor others and I wondered that there was none to uphold therefore mine own Arm brought Salvation unto me c. But for all this see the Note Chap. 69.16 Ver. 6. And I will tread down c. To wit as Grapes are trodden in the Wine-Fat the People in mine Anger that is the Babylonians and all other my Churches Enemies and make them drunk in my fury that is infatuate them so that they shall be like Men stupid or mad no way able to resist me nor to know which way to turn themselves Or the meaning may be that God would punish them with greatest severity and out of the Cup of his fury give them their Bellies full of misery or that he would fill them with their own Blood as with new Wine But however the expression of making them Drunk seems to be here used with respect to that which he had said before of treading out Wine see also the Notes Chap. 29.9 and 51.17 20 21. And I will bring down their Strength to the Earth that is and thus those strong and mighty Nations shall like so many drunken Men fall to the Ground Ver. 7. I will mention the loving kindnesses of the Lord c. Here begins a Prayer of the Prophets either in his own Name or rather in the Name of Gods Church which is continued unto the end of the following Chapter And herein in the first place he begins with a large and thankful acknowledgement of Gods wonderful goodness to his People Israel in forrmer times I will mention the loving kindnesses of the Lord and the praises of the Lord which last is added because the very mention of the great things that God hath done for his People tends much to his praise according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us c. where the loving kindness of God to them is set forth in many Words not only thereby the more to aggravate their Rebellions against God of which he speaks afterward but also by way of pleading with God that since he had been so gracious to his People formerly he would be so still and withal to strengthen their faith concerning the deliverance he had now promised them Ver. 8. For he said c. That is God to wit when he first entered into a covenant of Grace with Israel and took them to be his peculiar People and Children he thought and said within himself then as followeth surely they are my People Children that will not lie that is that will not be other than what they profess themselves to be that will not deal fasly and disloyally with me but will be sincerely what they have promised and covenanted to be see the Note Chap. 59.13 Indeed it proved otherwise God complained of them Deut. 32.20 that they were Children in whom was no faith and our Prophet Chap. 30.9 that they were lying Children for which see the Notes there But God speaks here after the manner of Men as a Father should speak of a Son to whom he had shewn great respect and upon whom he had bestowed great cost and of whom therefore he was willing to hope well much as the Lord spake in the parable of the Vineyard let out to Husbandmen Surely they will reverence my Son Math 21.37 So he was their Saviour that is upon these conditions grounds and hopes he
Babylon for this indeed I conceive is primarily here intended as being most agreeable with the Context But yet some extend the Promises here made to that Holy Seed that would rise up to his Church in the Days of the Gospel Ver. 15. And ye shall leave your Name for a curse unto my chosen c. As if he had said You now Glory in the name of being the Seed of Abraham that holy People of God but alas hereafter you shall find it quite contrary Or whereas you hope to leave a Name of great renown behind you instead hereof when you are gone ye shall leave your Name for a curse So that when men shall curse any body they shall instance in you saying Mayest thou be cursed as the wicked Jews were cursed that were carried Captives to Babylon according to that which is said Jer. 29.22 And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the Captivity of Judah which are in Babylon saying The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab whom the King of Babylon rosted in the Fire But see also the Notes Chap. 43.28 and Numb 5.21 For the Lord God shall slay thee as was said before ver 12. and call his Servants by another name that is say some not Jews but Christians But I rather think that hereby is meant either 1. That he would take other Nations to be his People Or 2. That Men should not use their name in cursing as they did the Jews but rather in blessing Or 3. That they should be brought into a Glorious state and condition see the Note Chap. 62.4 Ver. 16. That he who blesseth himself in the Earth c. This is mentioned as the effect of that bliss and joy which in the three foregoing verses God had promised his People to wit that hereupon it should come to pass That he who blesseth himself in the Earth shall bless himself in the God of Truth that is the true God or the faithful God Some understand this thus that he who judgeth himself to be in a blessed and happy Estate and that comforts himself with hope that he is in such an Estate shall ascribe it wholly to God and to his Promises of Grace But rather the meaning is that whosoever shall wish or pray for any blessing upon himself shall wish it of God or pray to the true God for it And though by those words in the Earth may be meant in the Land of Judea and so the intent of the words may be that after that in that Land no Man should bless himself in any other but the true God yet rather it is meant of the whole Earth in general as having respect to the Days of the Gospel to wit that all the World over Men should only bless themselves in the true God And he that sweareth in the Earth shall swear by the God of Truth to wit only and not by any Idol God and see the Note also Chap 19.18 Because the former troubles are forgotten that is because God shall put an end to all his Peoples former troubles or because he shall bring them to such a happy Estate that this shall make them forget all their former Miseries see the Note Chap. 54 4. and because they are hid from mine Eyes to wit because I shall quite take them away as not being able any longer to see my Children in such Misery The inference is this That because they should so plainly see that it was God that had made such a blessed change in their Estate therefore they should own and Worship no other God but him But yet withal we must know that this which is said of the troubles of his People being forgotten and hid from Gods Eyes may be understood also in a Gospel-sense of their being freed from all the Miseries their Sins had deserved partly by a full Pardon of their Sins through Faith in Christ here and compleatly by a perfect Freedom from all evil in Heaven hereafter Ver. 17. For behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth c. See the Note Chap. 51.16 It is as if he had said I am about to make such a wonderful Change in my Church that it shall seem to be as if there were a new World created This was begun at the Deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon A wonderful Change was then made when those that were a little before in such miserable Bondage in Babylon were setled again in their own Land and had rebuilt the City Jerusalem and their Temple therein It might be well then said that God had then created new Heavens and a new Earth The Heavens were not Cloudy and frowning as before but clear and fair the Earth was not Barren and Desart as before but Fruitful and well Inhabited But yet more fully this was done in that far more wonderful Change that was wrought in the World when Christ accomplished the Work of his Peoples Redemption and the Gospel began to be Preached amongst all Nations For then indeed in regard of Doctrine Ordinances Worship and the Gifts and Graces conferred upon Gods People thâ—re seem'd to be a new face and state of things yea there was an alteration for the better in all things whatsoever according to that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.17 Old things are past away behold all things are become new Yea and farther it shall be fulfilled at the Resurection called therefore Acts 3.21 the time of the Restitution of all things See the Note Psal 102.26 As for the following words and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind either it is meant of former troubles and so is the same with what was said in the foregoing Verse or else rather of former Times or former Mercies the former state of things the former Heaven and Earth to wit that the Spiritual excellency of the Church in Gospel Days should so far exceed that which had been in the time of the Law that those former things should not be once minded or thought on see the Note Chap. 43.18 Ver. 18. But be you glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create c. See the Note Chap. 35.10 For behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her People a joy that is I am about to do that for them which shall yield them matter of abundant joy there shall be nothing in a manner but rejoicing amongst them as it is more fully expressed in the next Verse Ver. 19. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem and joy in my People c. This is added either as the main cause why Gods People were in the foregoing verse pressed to be so exceeding joyful Gods Love and Favour being indeed the main ground of his Peoples joy or else as a farther illustration of the Happiness promised them to wit that it should be so great that not only they should rejoice but even God also should rejoice for it together with them And the voice of weeping shall be no more heard
advancing this their deliverance above 〈◊〉 of their deliverance out of Aegypt that being effected with much â—â—â—ugling and striving but this without any Labour on their parts Cyrus of his own accord giving them liberty to be gone And 2. Of the mighty and sudden encrease of the Church by the Conversion of the Gentiles for which see the Notes Chap. 49.18 21. and 60.4 before her pain came she was delivered of a manchild that is a great and mighty People And besides as this is intended concerning the encrease of the Church of Christ it may imply that the Believers in those days added to the Church should be strong in Faith manly and stout and couragious for the Truth and likewise what exceeding joy there should be for that great encrease of the Church as when a Child especially a man-child is born Ver. 8. Who hath heard such a thing Who hath seen such things c. To wit as that mentioned in the foregoing Verse see the Note Chap. 64.4 Shall the Earth be made to bring forth in one day That is the Fruits which are usually a long time sprouting out and growing till they come to ripeness and perfection Or as some would have it shall all the Women in a Country or in the whole Earth be made to bring forth together in one day Or shall a Nation be born at once That is is it possible for one Woman to bring a Nation at one Birth Or for several Women to bring forth a Nation together at one time for as soon as Zion travelled c. as if he had said yet so it is here as soon as Zion travelled she brought forth her Children that is as soon as the time of her Travel came she brought forth multitudes as it were a whole Nation at once or in one day for which see the foregoing Note Ver. 9. Shall I bring to the Birth and not cause to bring forth saith the Lord c. Some read it as it is in the Margin Shall I bring to the birth and not beget And so reading it the meaning must needs be shall I that cause other Women to conceive and bring their Conceptions to the birth continue Childness my self and not beget me Children of my Zion But reading it as it is in our Bibles the meaning seems rather to be this Shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth that is shall I bring my People to the throes and pangs of a Child-bearing Woman and shall I not withall afford her deliverance see the Notes 2 Kings 19.3 Or shall I undertake to bring forth my People out of Captivity and not fully accomplish it Shall I set upon a work and not go through with it And to the same purpose is the following Clause Shall I cause to bring forth and shut the womb saith thy God That is shall I confer upon Mankind the power of propagation and shall I withold this blessing from my Zion Or having begotten Children upon my Zion shall I shut up her Womb that she cannot bring them forth Ver. 10. Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad with her all ye that love her c. It is the Well-willers and Friends of Jerusalem after the return of her People from Babylon and consequently also of the Church of Christ after her mighty encrease by the Conversion of the Gentiles that are here invited to rejoyce with her to wit as Friends are wont to rejoice with Women after they are safely delivered especially if it have been of a man-child as was before figuratively said of the Church ver 7. rejoice for joy with her all ye that mourn for her that is that did mourn for her when she was in an afflicted and distressed estate Ver. 11. That ye may suck c. That is say some in that ye shall suck and be satisfied c. for they take this to be added as the cause of the joy whereto they were exhorted in the foregoing Verse But considering that it was the Faithful that were there exhorted to rejoice in the prosperity of the Church I conceive this may be added as the end of their rejoicing with the Church even that ye may suck and be satisfied with the Breasts of her Consolations that ye may suck your fill see the Note Psal 22.26 that is that you may partake with her in her Salvation Prosperity and Glory that as a Mother she may with full Breasts plentifully feed and nourish you up that you may be nursed up in Knowledge and Grace here till ye come to be sharers with her in the Glory of Heaven hereafter With respect to that which was before said ver 7. concerning the Churches bringing forth Children the Prophet doth here likewise speak of her as of a Mother giving suck that ye may suck and be satisfied with the Breasts of her Consolations to wit those Gospel-Consolations wherewith she shall be comforted of God and wherewith she shall comfort her Children the sincere Milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 refreshing as Milk for poor troubled Consciences Yea because there is mention made in the close of the foregoing Verse of those that mourned for Jerusalem some think that in these words that ye may suck c. there is an allusion to Mothers giving their Children suck to still them when they cry As for the next Clause that ye may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her Glory that is the Churches Glory see the Notes Chap. 60.1 2 3. Ver. 12. For thus saith the Lord Behold I will extend Peace to her like a River c. See the Note Chap. 48.18 and the Glory of the Gentiles as a flowing stream see the Note Chap. 61.6 then shall ye suck ye shall be born upon her sides and dandled upon her knees see the Notes Chap. 49.22 23. and 60.4 Ver. 13. As one whom his Mother comforteth so will I comfort you c. As if he had said You shall not only be comforted by the Church your Mother but I also will be to you as a tender Mother herein For as an affectionate Mother is wont by kind speeches and by hugging and embracing her Child and by all possible expressions of her love to labour to quiet and still it and chear it up again when it cries and weeps because of some hurt it had taken or because she had formerly chid it or beaten it so will I comfort you my People after I had for a time corrected you and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem that is though Jerusalem hath lain so long in such a desolate condition yet shall her prosperous and flourishing Estate be matter of great comfort and rejoicing to you Ver. 14. And when ye see this c. This is thus expressed to imply the undoubted certainty of it with their Eyes they should see it accomplished your heart shall rejoice that is you shall rejoice heartily and your bones shall flourish like an herb that is your Strength and
things in the persons here threatned did not proceed from natural ignorance and infirmity but from obstinacy and malice they did it against Conscience in things that were manifest evident and clear to the judgment of all men as if they should say that light were darkness or bitter were sweet and so on the contrary a man may be deceived in judging of things that are somewhat like one another but who can mistake in judging between light and darkness and bitter and sweet A blind man cannot through mistake say in the night that he sees it light and a sick man cannot think that is sweet which is bitter though through the distemper of his palateâ— he may judg that to be bitter which is sweet Ver. 21. Wo unto them that are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sighâ— Some limit this to those that out of an high conceit of their own wisdom refuse the instruction of their teachers or that despise Gods threatnings thinking by their great wisdom to prevent the judgment threatned or at least to secure themselves But I think it is best to extend it to all that out of an overweening concern â—â— their own wisdom do in any thing otherwise than as God in his word hath directed them See the Note Prov. 3.7 Ver. 22. Wo unto them that are mighty to drink wine c. As if he should have said That are only men of might for drinking great quantities of wine stout fellows at the board but cowards in the field very able and mighty men for gusling down huge measures of wine but such as if they should be called out to appear in the field for the defence of their Country would be found feeble and faint-hearted enough And to the same purpose is the following clause and men of strength to mingle strong drink that is to drink strong drink Because they used in those Countries to prepare and make ready the wine and other strong liquors they were to drink by mingling of them see the Note Prov. 9.2 and so when they were once thus prepared and mixed then they drank them up therefore in the Scripture by mingling wine or strong drink is meant the pouring it out as upon the same ground Isa 19.14 God is said to have mingled that is to have poured out upon or into the Egyptians a perverse spirit that made them err and stagger like a drunken man And to be sure the mingling here mentioned is not meant of mingling their wine or other strong liquor with water for that tended to allay the strength and heat of it whereas the strength of these men the Prophet here speaks of consisted in their being able to swallow down and bear the strongest drinks There was a wo denounced before against this sin of drunkenness in this very Chapter ver 11. but that seems to be intended against their sensuality and excessive jollity in their drinkings and revellings but this seems to be particularly directed against those that gloried in their being able to drink abundance and carry it away without sinking under it that vaunted in this as a matter of great strength and valour and laboured to outstrip others Yet I confess because by mingling of strong drink may be meant the preparing and making it ready for others therefore some Expositors would have the first clause understood of their might in drinking excessively themselves and the second of their pressing it upon others and their contending to overcome others in drinking Ver. 23. Which justifie the wicked for reward c. See the Note Chap. 1.23 This seems to be spoken of those drunkards mentioned in the foregoing verse that were mighty to drink wine c. because having there spoken of such men he immediately here addeth which justifie the wicked for reward c. and there is not a particular wo here prefixed and indeed if their Judges were given to drunkenness it were no wonder though they should do any thing that were most unjust But yet I rather think that another wo is here left to be understood as if it had been thus expressed Wo unto them also which justifie the wicked for reward that is that pronounce him just and give sentence for him as if his cause were just see the Note Job 13.18 or that undertake any way to plead for assert or maintain his cause to be just Ver. 24. Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble and the flame consumeth the chaff c. It is in the Original as the tongue of fire devoureth the stubble the ground of which expression is because the flame of fire both in the red colour and likewise in the shape of it hath much of the resemblance of a tongue when it ascends up and this is the very reason why it is said Act. 2.3 that the Holy Ghost came upon the Apostles in the appearance of tongues of fire and why the fire is usually said to lick up those things that are consumed by it as 1 King 18. 38. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt-sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked up the water that was in the trench But however the main thing intended by this similitude is that as stubble and chaff do suddenly take fire and being once set on fire are easily soon and utterly consumed so the wrath of God should break forth suddenly and unexpectedly upon this people that had provoked God so exceedingly and should easily suddenly utterly and irrecoverably destroy them see the Notes Exod. 15.7 Job 21.18 whereby also the Prophet doth covertly tax and deride their foolish security and confidence in thinking themselves to be in such a safe and sure condition so their root shall be rottenness and their blossom shall go up as dust that is they shall be destroyed root and branch Having in the beginning of this Chapter compared the people of Israel to a vine in allusion thereto he speaks here accordingly of their destruction some by the root understand the parents and by the blossom their children according to that Hos 9.16 Ephraim is smitten their root is dried up they shall bear no fruit yea though they bring forth yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb Others by the root understand the strong ones amongst them that were well rooted and by the blossom the weak ones that as a blossom were easily blown away Again others say that by their root and blossom is meant both their open and surest strength or by their root the strength of their Nation that which did bear them up as the root doth the tree and by the blossom all wherein the pomp and beauty and glory of the Nation did consist But that which I conceive is intended by these expressions is that they should be utterly destroyed that as when the root of a fruit-tree is rotted in the earth the whole tree presently dieth and withereth so that the very blossoms are
gathered together and kept in safe custody And the meaning of this may be either 1. That they should be held and bound so fast by the Almighty Power of God in that low and base estate whereinto they should be brought that they should be no more able to extricate themselves out of it than Prisoners are able to make an escape out of some strong Dungeon where they are laid together Or 2. that they should be together carried Captives into Babylon their multitude should no way secure them Or 3. that they should be slain and laid up together in the grave the pit whereinto people are frequently in Scripture said to be gathered But now if the words should be understood this last way then the following clause and after many days shall they be visited must necessarily be meant of a farther Visitation in wrath to wit of God's delivering them up at the Day of Judgment when they should be raised out of the pit of the grave to the eternal Torments of Hell Or else that clause must be read as out of Junius we have it in the Margin of our Bibles And after many days shall they be found wanting that is they shall no more of a long time be found lifting up themselves in a way of enmity against God All which being not improbable I doubt not but that this last clause is added as a promise of Grace and Favour And after many days shall they be visited to wit in Mercy And it may be meant either 1. Of the deliverance of those before threatned from the Babylonian bondage to wit that they or their Posterity should after many years be set at liberty by the Medes and Persians See the Note Chap. 23.17 Because they had long provoked by their wickedness therefore they should be a long time kept there in sore Bondage but yet at length after many days deliverance should come Or 2. of God's visiting their Posterity in wonderful Mercy under the Kingdom of Christ by sending him into the world and causing the way of Life through him to be made known to them by the Preaching of the Gospel for that this is here included the following verse doth clearly shew Ver. 23. Then the Moon shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed c. That is When after this execution of Divine Vengeance on his enemies in a manner all the world over God shall at last visit them in mercy as was said in the close of the foregoing verse which though it may be meant initially of God's delivering his people out of Babylon yet it must needs be principally meant of God's gracious visiting his people under the Kingdom of Christ in the days of the Gospel with such exceeding glory and brightness shall the Greatness and Majesty of God shine forth in this Kingdom of Christ that the Sun and Moon shall be ashamed to shew their faces their brightness shall be as no brightness yea as mere darkness in comparison of that when the glory of this Sun of Righteousness and Day-spring from on high shall shine forth in the world it shall darken all the glory and magnificence of all earthly states and worldly things even as a greater light doth darken the less When the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his ancients gloriously That is when God in Christ shall in his Church gathered out of all Nations of which Zion and Jerusalem was a type reign so gloriously and discover so much of his excellent glory in their protection and spiritual Government the holiness which he shall work in them here and the glory and happiness which he shall clothe them with in Heaven hereafter and his Saints taking notice thereof shall be still admiring it and praising his name For though his ancients are only here mentioned his Magistrates and Ministers yet under these as their representatives the whole body of God's people is understood See the Notes Chap. 4.2 3 4 5. CHAP. XXV VERSE 1. O Lord thou art my God c. Some conceive this to be a Song of Praise uttered as in the person of God's Church and people yea of the Church of Believers in the New Testament God's Elders or Ancients mentioned in the close of the foregoing Chapter But I see not why it may not be as well taken as the Prophets own Doxology Being deeply affected and even transported with the consideration of those wonderful works of God foretold in the former Chapter concerning the dreadful Judgments he would execute upon the wicked both amongst his own people and all the Nations about them in a manner all the world over concerning his gracious preservation of a remnant which he would reserve for himself and especially concerning the excellent discovery he would make of his transcendent Majesty and Glory in the Kingdom of Christ the last thing mentioned in the foregoing Chapter here on a sudden he leaves his Prophetical Discourse and breaks forth abruptly as it were into a Psalm of Praise and Thanksgiving as admiring the counsels and courses of God therein O Lord thou art my God as if he should have said Whatever wicked men may do my soul shall wholly cleave to thee I will exalt thee I will praise thy Name see the Note Psal 52.9 For thou hast done wonderful things he speaks of the wonderful things which he had foretold should be done as if they had been done already and see the Notes Chap. 9.6 Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth that is that which thou didst long since foretel or thy Promises and Threatnings wherein thou didst reveal to thy people what from Eternity thou hadst determined to do thou hast most truly and faithfully performed Ver. 2. For thou hast made of a City an heap of a defenced City a ruin c. There is no just ground why this should be restrained as some would have it either to Jerusalem or Samaria or Babylon or Rome the seat of Antichrist It is rather meant generally of God's ruining the Cities threatned in the foregoing Chapter for which see the Note there ver 10. A palace of strangers to be no City it shall never be built that is Thou hast utterly ruined the stately Royal Cities of the Heathens the Seats of their great Kings and that irrecoverably too so that they shall never be built again at least not for many generations see the Note Psal 37.18 Nor in their former Splendor and Glory Ver. 3. Therefore shall the strong people glorifie thee the City of the terrible Nations shall fear thee The meaning is that because of these ruins which God should bring upon Kingdoms and Cities either 1. the remaining and surviving remnant of those ruined people should be forced to acknowledg God's just hand upon them and dread his mighty power Or 2. the neighbour Nations should tremble and be afraid at the consideration of the Glory and Majesty of the great God of Heaven and Earth that had done these