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God's judgment upon

Before CHRIST

CHAP. XLVII.

Before CHRIST about 712.

Babylon and Chaldea. sit on the ground: there is no throne, | est carelessly, that sayest in thine about 712. O daughter of the Chaldeans: for heart, I am, and none else beside me; thou shalt no more be called tender I shall not sit as a widow, neither and delicate. shall I know the loss of children:

a Rev. 18. 7.

2 Take the milstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over

the rivers.

3 Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.

4 As for our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.

5 Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms.

6 ¶ I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.

7 And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it.

8 Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwell

The prophet addresses Babylon by this name as having never before been taken by an enemy; as Herodotus says expressly was the case. Bp. Newton.

— sit on the ground: there is no throne, &c.] See the notes on chap. iii. 26; lii. 2.

2. Take the milstones, and grind meal :] See notes on Exod. xi. 5; xii. 29.

- make bare the leg,—pass over the rivers.] See notes on chap. iii. 17; and xxiii. 7.

3.

I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.] Thou shalt feel the most dreadful effects of My fury; I will take no common and imperfect vengeance; namely, as that of a man. W. Lowth.

6.—I have given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy;] God charges the Babylonians, though employed by Himself to chastise His people, with cruelty in regard to them: they exceeded the bounds of justice and humanity in oppressing and destroying them; and though they were really executing the righteous decree of God, yet, as far as it regarded themselves, they were only indulging their own ambition and violence. Zechariah sets this matter in the same light, chap. i. 15: see too Isaiah x. 5-12. Bp. Lowth. See notes on chap. x. 7, 12.

7. And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: &c.] Babylon is described here, and in the words full of insolence and blasphemy that follow, (ver. 8,) as fancying herself exempt from the calamities of fortune, and arrogating that self-sufficiency to herself which belongs to none but God. Mystical Babylon is in the passage of Revelation, referred to in the margin, described as guilty of the same pride and carnal security. W. Lowth. 9. But these two things shall come to thee, the loss of children, and widowhood:] Babylon, having for many

19.

9 But these two things shall come b Chap. 51. to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments.

10 For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath || perverted thee; and Or, caused thou hast said in thine heart, I am, away. and none else beside me.

thee to turn

morning

11 Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know + from + Heb. the whence it riseth and mischief shall thereof. fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall +Heb. come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know.

12 Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.

13 Thou art wearied in the multi

expiate.

years been mistress of the East, and domineered over the countries round about, could ill brook the subjection her people were fallen under, the removal of the seat of government to Shushan by the Persians, and consequent diminution of the grandeur, pride, and wealth, of the city. In the beginning therefore of Darius Hystaspes' reign, taking advantage of the revolution and troubles of the Persian government, the Babylonians broke out into open rebellion. Unable to cope with his army in the field, they turned their thoughts wholly to support themselves in the siege; and took a most desperate and barbarous resolution, by which the prophecy in this verse was signally fulfilled; for, drawing together all their women and children, to make their provisions last longer, they agreed to cut off all unnecessary mouths, and each man choosing out one of his wives, and a servant for domestick purposes, they strangled all the rest, wives, sisters, daughters, and young children, useless for the wars. Dean Prideaux.

-for the multitude of thy sorceries, &c.] By "sorceries" may be either meant those forbidden arts of divination mentioned more particularly ver. 13, or, in general, wicked schemes of worldly policy, by which potent kingdoms are wont to undermine and oppress the weaker. W. Lowth.

At Babylon, (see ver. 13,) astrology, divination, and the interpretation of dreams, were fashionable studies with men of rank; they carried about with them pocket astronomical tables, which they consulted, as well as astrologers, on every affair of moment. Richardson. They are told here, that neither by their politicks, sorceries, astronomy, nor any part of their wisdom, shall they foresee or prevent their ruin. Bp. Wilson.

The intent

Before CHRIST

about 712.

ISAIAH.

tude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, viewers of the and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.

+ Heb.

heavens.

+ Heb. that give know

ledge concerning the

months.

14 Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they Heb. their shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.

souls.

15 Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.

CHAP. XLVIII.

1 God, to convince the people of their foreknown obstinacy, revealed his prophecies. 9 He saveth them for his own sake. 12 He exhorteth them to obedience, because of his power and providence. 16 He lamenteth their backwardness. 20 He powerfully delivereth his out of Babylon.

of prophecy.

Before CHRIST

from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed about 712. them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass.

4 Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron + Heb, hard. sinew, and thy brow brass;

5 I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them. 6 Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.

7 They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them.

8 Yea, thou heardest not; yea,

time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.

HEAR ye this, O house of Jacob, thou knewest not; yea, from that
which are called by the name of
Israel, and are come forth out of the
waters of Judah, which swear by the
name of the LORD, and make mention
of the God of Israel, but not in truth,
nor in righteousness.

9 For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.

2 For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of 10 Behold, I have refined thee, hosts is his name. but not || with silver; I have chosen Or, for 3 I have declared the former things thee in the furnace of affliction.

15. Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth:] That is, "Thus shall thy merchants deal with thee, with whom thou hast laboured from thy youth." By "merchants" are meant either the dealers in the deceitful wares of divination and astrology, (ver. 12.) or, generally, any of those who have contributed by their traffick or counsel to maintain the grandeur of the Babylonish empire; compare Rev. xviii. 11, 12, 15, 23. W. Lowth.

Chap. XLVIII. The Prophet applies himself to the Jews as under the state of captivity, reproves them for their refractory temper and obstinacy, which had been the occasion of it, and exhorts them to be reformed by their afflictions, and fit themselves for the deliverance which God had promised. W. Lowth.

Ver. 1. house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel,] Who value yourselves for being descended from Jacob, and called after his name, but do not shew yourselves to be the true Israelites by your deeds. W. Lowth.

are come forth out of the waters of Judah,] We have in Deut. xxxiii. 28. the expression of " the fountain of Jacob;" and Ps. Ixviii. 26, "from the fountain of Israel;" used, as the expression here, for their posterity. Bp. Lowth.

5. I have even from the beginning declared it to thee;]

|

silver.

God ordained a succession of Prophets to foretell the most remarkable events that should happen to the Jews, on purpose to prevent their ascribing them to idols. W. Lowth.

- my molten image,] See the note on chap. xl. 19. 6. Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it ?] An old translation gives the sense of the words more perspicuously; "Thou heardest it (before); and behold it is come to pass: and shall not ye yourselves confess the same?" W. Lowth.

7. They are created now, and not from the beginning:] What immediately follows should rather be translated, "nor before this day hast thou heard them." Dr. Wells.

8.- yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened :] Rather, "nor was thine ear opened, of old, or from the beginning." W. Lowth.

called a transgressor from the womb.] That is, Thou wast addicted to idolatry from thy very infancy, from the time when thou livedst in Egypt. Compare this verse and ver. 9, 11, with Ezek. xx. 8, 9. Lowth.

W.

10. Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; &c.] Not with such a furious heat as is requisite to melt down silver, for then thou wouldest have been utterly consumed: see Jer. xxx. 11; Ezek. xxii. 20. I have taken this method to purge thee from thy dross, and render thee a chosen people to Myself: or the latter

The intent

CHRIST

a Chap. 42. 8.

CHAP. XLVIII, XLIX.

:

Before 11 For mine own sake, even for about 712. mine own sake, will I do it for how should name be polluted? and I my will not give my glory unto another. 12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am b Chap. 41.4. the first, I also am the last. 13 Mine hand also hath laid the Or, the palm foundation of the earth, and || my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.

& 44. 6.

Rev. 1. 17. & 22.13.

of my right hand hath spread out.

b

14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these things? The LORD hath loved him he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.

15 I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prospe

rous.

16 ¶ Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent

me.

17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

part of the verse may be rendered, "I have tried or proved thee in the furnace of affliction." W. Lowth. See note on chap. iv. 4.

16. and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.] The foregoing part of the verse shews that the words are spoken by God; and since it is here affirmed, that the Lord God hath sent Him, we can understand the words of none other but the second Person of the blessed Trinity; who was sent into the world by His Father, and anointed to His prophetical office by the Holy Spirit: see chap. xi. 2; xlii. 1; lxi. 1; Zech. ii. 10, 11. W. Lowth.

21.- they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: &c.] Another instance of allusion to the departure from Egypt, in describing the gracious care and protection, which God vouchsafed to His people in their return from Babylon. Bp. Lowth.

22. There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.] All the great promises which God has made to His Church, to His people, to the families or nations of His true worshippers, are evidently to be so all along understood, as that wicked persons, of whatever family, nation, or profession of religion they be, shall be excluded from the benefit of those promises, shall be cut off from God's people; and the good and righteous of all nations, from the east and from the west, from the

1

of prophecy.

Before CHRIST

19 Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels about 712. like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.

20 ¶ Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his ser- Exod. 19. vant Jacob.

4, 5, 6.

21 And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the d Exod. 17. 6. rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.

Numb. 20.11.

22 There is no peace, saith the Chap. 57. LORD, unto the wicked.

CHAP. XLIX.

Christ, being sent to the Jews, complaineth of them. 5 He is sent to the Gentiles with gracious promises. 13 God's love is perpetual to his church. 18 The ample restoration of the church. 24 The powerful deliverance out of captivity.

LISTEN, O isles, unto me; and

hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.

2 And he hath made my mouth. like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;

21.

north and from the south, shall be accepted in their stead. Dr. S. Clarke. See note at chap. lvii. 20.

Chap. XLIX. ver. 1. Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far:] See note on chap. xi. 11. Hitherto the subject of the prophecy has been chiefly confined to the redemption from the captivity of Babylon, with strong intimations of a more important deliverance sometimes thrown in; to the refutation of idolatry; and the demonstration of the infinite power, wisdom, and foreknowledge of God. The character and office of the Messiah was exhibited in general terms at the beginning of chap. xlii, but here He is introduced in person, declaring the full extent of His commission; which is not only to restore the Israelites, and reconcile them to their Lord and Father, from whom they had so often revolted; but to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, to call them to the knowledge and obedience of the truc God, and to bring them to be one church together with the Israelites, and to partake with them of the same common salvation procured for all by the great Redeemer and Reconciler of man to God. Bp. Lowth.

2. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; &c.] How exactly does this passage suit the Messiah, who is represented as having "a sharp two-edged sword going out of His mouth," Rev. i. 16, who is Himself

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3 And said unto me, Thou art my about 712. servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

|| Or, my reward.

|| Or, That Israel may be gathered to him, and I may, &c.

|| Or, Art thou lighter

shouldest, &c.

|| Or, desolations.

4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and ||my work with my God.

5¶And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.

6 And he said, It is a light thing than that thou that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I a Chap. 42. 6. will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

7 Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, Or, to him to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and

that is

despised in soul.

the Word of God; which "word is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart," Hebr. iv. 12. See note on chap. xi. 4. This mighty agent and instrument of God, "laid long up in store with Him, and sealed up among His treasures," is at last revealed, and produced by His power, and under His protection, to execute His great and holy purposes; He is compared to a polished shaft stored in His quiver for use in His due time. The polished shaft denotes the same efficacious word, which is before represented by the "sharp sword." The doctrine of the Gospel pierced the hearts of its hearers, "bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." The metaphor of the sword and the arrow, as applied to powerful speech, is bold, yet just: it has been employed by the most ingenious heathen writers. Bp. Lowth.

3. And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.] That by "Israel" in this place is not meant either Jacob or the people that came from him, but the Messiah, will be very evident from comparing what is said afterwards. Bp. Kidder.

5.-Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious &c.] If we follow the reading given here in the text of our translation, the sense is, That although Christ's ministry be unsuccessful in gathering the Jews into the Church, yet the preaching of His Apostles should meet with better success among the Gentiles: if we follow the reading of the margin, this verse and the next import, that God hath ordained Christ to be a light to the Gentiles, as well as the glory of His people Israel. W. Lowth.

7.- to him whom man despiseth, &c.] See notes on chap. liii. 1, 3.

Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall

with gracious promises.

Before CHRIST

arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, about 712. and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.

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8. In an acceptable time have I heard thee, &c.] These words, which are spoken to Christ in the person of God the Father, are applied by St. Paul, in the passage cited in the margin, to His members of the church in Corinth; This, says he, when the Gospel is imparted to you, is your time; which ye are concerned not to let slip. The argument drawn from hence is, that when the grace of God is offered, we must be very diligent to lay hold of and improve it; knowing, as we must, that this life is the utmost period of the day of grace; that the continuance of life is most uncertain; and that we cannot be, sure that God will extend to us the opportunities of grace so long as life does continue. Dean Stanhope.

66

9. That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; &c.] The "prisoners" here mentioned may be perhaps more particularly applied to the Jews, referring to the "heavy burden" of the Mosaick Law; "they that are in darkness" to the Gentiles, who are described, Ephes. v. 8, to have been "darkness" itself: both expressions however may well suit either; the phrase seems to be taken from the custom of liberating captives at the inauguration of kings. Those, whom the Prophet has thus represented as captives rescued from bondage and darkness into the glorious light and liberty of the Gospel, he next exhibits under the emblem of a flock, feeding at its leisure in secure pastures, guarded by its shepherd from the ill effects of the heat, and plentifully supplied with all necessary food; an emblem not unfrequently used (see chap. xxx. 24, 25; xl. 11.) to shadow out the future situation of the Church of Christ, safe under the protection and watchful care of the great Shepherd of souls, and blessed with the ample opportunities of grace, which God shail afford her; the Apostle St. John (as referred to in the margin) applies the passage in this manner. Vitringa.

God's love is perpetual to his church.

Before CHRIST

CHAP. XLIX. The ample restoration of the church.

and from the west; and these from | places, and the land of thy destrucabout 712. the land of Sinim. tion, shall even now be too narrow 13 Sing, O heavens; and be joy-by reason of the inhabitants, and they ful, O earth; and break forth into that swallowed thee up shall be far singing, O mountains: for the LORD away. hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

haring compassion.

14 But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.

15 Can a woman forget her suck+ Heb. from ing child, † that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

e Chap. 60. 4.

16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

17 Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.

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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: give place to me that I may dwell.

21 Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro ? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?

22 Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people and they shall bring thy sons in their

Before CHRIST about 712.

arms, and thy daugh- + Heb. bosom. ters shall be carried upon their shoulders.

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man.

18.

12. — and these from the land of Sinim.] We have Jews, and an engraftment upon their stock. Dr. Berrithe same scene here as is laid before us chap. xliii. 5, 6. the restoration of the Jewish nation, and gathering of God's elect from all parts. The Latin Vulgate, instead of "land of Sinim," renders "the south country," which answers to the north before mentioned. W. Lowth. By "from far," may possibly be meant from Babylon; which, being to the east, would answer to the west. Abp. Secker. See chap. xxxix. 3; Jer. v. 15.

As our translation gives it, "Sinim" may mean Pelusium in Egypt, called "Sin," Ezek. xxx. 15; or the wilderness of Sin, Exod. xvi. 1; both which lay southward of Judea. W. Lowth.

13. Sing, O heavens ; &c.] See note on chap. xliv. 23. 16. — I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.] An allusion to some practice, common among the Jews at that time, of making marks on their hands or arms by punctures on the skin, with some sort of representation of the city or temple, to shew their zeal and affection for it. The pilgrims at the Holy Sepulchre, as Maundrell tells us, get themselves marked in this manner, with what they call ensigns of Jerusalem; and this art is practised by travelling Jews all over the world at this day. Bp. Lowth. See note on chap. xliv. 5.

17.-shall go forth of thee.] Shall become thy offspring, shall proceed, spring, issue from thee, as thy children. The accession of the Gentiles to the Church of God is considered as an addition made to the number of the family and children of Zion; see ver. 21, 22; and chap. Ix. 4. Bp. Lowth. As the true religion had long been professed only by the Jews, and when explained to greater perfection, was to be propagated from them through the earth; the conversion of the Gentiles is very deservedly reputed an accession to the

thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, &c.] As the Church is represented as Christ's bride, so this conversion, both of Jews and Gentiles, may fitly be represented by the bride's being adorned with all sorts of fine clothing or precious jewels, in order to her marriage; (Rev. xix. 7, 8;) or entering upon her triumphant state. Dr. Wells.

20, 21. The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, &c.] The Church is represented as lamenting the loss of her children, and wondering at a new and numerous offspring settled in their room. The greatest part of the Jewish people were to fall by a deplorable apostacy; (see chap. x. 20;) but their defection was to be abundantly supplied by the accession of the Gentiles. Dr. Berriman.

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their

22.- and thy daughters shall be carried shoulders.] This custom is practised in the East to a great extent. Dandini, in his voyage to mount Libanus, tells us, that "being on horseback they carry their young children upon their shoulders with great dexterity. These children hold by the head of him who carries them, whether he be on horseback or on foot; and do not hinder him from walking, or doing what he pleases.' Fragments to Calmet.

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shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, &c.] It is well known that expressions of submission, homage, and reverence, always have been, and are still, carried to a great degree of extravagance in the Eastern countries. The kings of Persia never admitted any one to their presence without exacting this act of adoration, for that was the proper term for it. Lowth. The whole passage here imports the assistance, submission, deference, and veneration, that the Gentiles

Bp.

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