Annotations Upon Isaiah

CHAP. XXII.

VERSE 1. THE Burden, &c.] See the Notes, Chap. 13.1. and 2 Kin. 9.25. Of the valley of Vision; that is, of the Land of Judea, say some, or of the City Jerusalem, say others. I think both are intended. For though the miseries here foretold seem chiefly to be directed against Jerusalem; yet the threatening of any calamity, that was coming upon Jerusalem, must needs be a burden to the whole land, because they so much relied upon this, That God's Sanctuary there, would be a Sanctuary to them all; and so by foretelling her misery, the confidence of the whole Land herein must needs be sorely shaken. Judea might be called a Valley, because it was compassed about with high Mountains; and so might Jerusalem too. For though the Temple, and a chief part of the City, stood on a Hill, see the Note, Psal. 78.1. yet the City itself stood on a Plain, and was compassed about with high Hills, Psal. 125.2. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people: and is therefore expressly called a Valley, Jer. 21.13. Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the Valley, and rock of the Plain. And a valley of Vision, both of them might be called, Jerusalem especially, because God did, as it were, visibly manifest himself to his people in his Temple there; and because of the many and frequent Revelations and Visions, whereby God did there make known his Will to his Prophets, who were thence called Seers, 1 Sam. 9.9. And some think likewise, that there might be some allusion herein to the name of that City Jerusalem, as signifying a place where God seeth, or for which God will provide, see the Note, Gen. 22.14. I know some add to this, that Judea or Jerusalem is called a Valley, because this State was to be brought down from a great height of prosperity into a very poor and low condition. But whether this was intended or no, is very questionable. Rather it may be thought, that in this title, The valley of Vision, there is covertly hinted a strange contrariety betwixt this and other Valleys, in that other Valleys are the darker, at least not so lightsome, because overshadowed by the Mountains about them; whereas there was more light in this Valley than in other places, because of the light of God's word, that shined there so brightly amongst the people. And withal hereby might be implied, That this great privilege wherein they were wont to glory, of having so many Prophets, and so much light of God's Word, would not secure them from the judgments of God, but rather hasten them; because they made no better use of this mercy, but stumbled so basely, even in this Valley of Vision. But now whether this following burdensome Prophecy be to be understood of the taking and sacking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, or of the distress it was brought into by Sennacherib the Assyrian, in the days of Hezekiah, it is very hard to determine. The most Expositors by far do understand it of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. And indeed, that which is here foretold from ver. 2. to ver. 8. doth import far more dreadful miseries that should befall Judea and Jerusalem too, than what they endured by the invasion of Sennacherib; as we may see by that which is said ver. 2. of her slain men's not being slain with the Sword in battle; and ver. 3. of the flight of her Princes, and the captivity of all her people; and ver. 4. of the desperateness of her condition, incapable of any comfort; and ver. 5. of the breaking down of her walls, &c. all which was punctually fulfilled when Jerusalem was laid in the dust by the Babylonians, and not when Jerusalem was besieged by the Assyrians. But now on the other side, many of our best Expositors do judge it most likely, that it is the distress and destruction that befell the Jewish State and Jerusalem in particular, by the Invasion of Sennacherib in the days of Hezekiah, that is here intended. And true it is, that what is added from the 8th verse, and so forward, doth so fully agree with that which was done by Hezekiah, his Princes and people, for the defense of Jerusalem against Sennacherib 's Army, 2 Chron. 32.1, 2, 3, &c. that it cannot well be questioned, but that our Prophet speaks there of that very time. The conclusion therefore is, that I judge it most probable, that in this burdensome Prophecy concerning The Valley of Vision, the Prophet doth jointly speak both of the sad condition Judea and Jerusalem were brought into by the invasion of Sennacherib, and also of that utter ruin and desolation that was at last brought upon them by Nebuchadnezzar. But now whether this was prophesied before Sennacherib invaded Judea, and so that which is said ver. 9, •• , &c. concerning the preparations made for the defense of Jerusalem, is spoken of as done already, only to imply how certainly it should be done: Or whether it was prophesied after the invasion of the Assyrians, and so it be mentioned here, as some think, only to show how just it would be with God utterly to destroy them by the Babylonians, because the calamities they had formerly undergone by the Assyrians, had done so little good amongst them. This I confess is still very questionable.

What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the house-tops?] To wit, To see the Enemy lying in siege about Jerusalem; or rather, as flying thither in a great fright to save or hide yourselves from the enemy? But for this flying to the house tops, see further in the Note before, Chap. 15.3. It is clearly a Prophetical representation of some great distress the Inhabitants of Jerusalem should be brought into; as if it had been said, What is the matter, that instead of standing upon your guards to resist your enemies, you are all fled to the house-tops? What is become of your former security and confidence, when you made so light of all the threatenings of God's Prophets? But what the distress is that is here intended, see the foregoing Note.

Ver. 2. Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous City, a joyous City, &c.] This may be referred to the foregoing verse, and so may be understood as if it had been said, Thou that art a City so full of people, and by reason hereof so full of noise and tumult, stirring, and busling, and running up and down about your several businesses and occasions; and withal a joyous City, secure and fearless, and therefore full of Mirth and Jollity: How comes it to pass, that having such multitudes to resist an enemy, yet ye are now fled all to the house-tops, as it was there said, ver. 1? Doth not this clearly show, that God hath taken away all courage from you? Or it may be referred to that which followeth, Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous City, a joyous City; That is, Thou that wert so, thou that wert so fearless and full of all kind of rejoicing, behold how thy condition is suddenly changed, Thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor • ead in battle; to wit, as valiant men should be. And they that conceive, that it is the besieging of Jerusalem by Sennacherib, that is here intended, do accordingly understand this of the people's being slain and struck dead, as it were, with very affrightment and fear. But they that think it is meant of the taking and sacking of Jerusalem (which seems most probable) by the Chaldeans, do understand it thus, That being shut up within the walls, and not daring to go forth against the enemy, they died there with Famine and Pestilence; See the Note, 2 Kin. 25.3. Or else that, as is expressed in the following verse, they fled basely out of the City, and so were taken and slain, 2 Kin. 25.4, 5, 6.

Ver. 3. All thy Rulers are fled together, &c.] As if he had said, Even thy Princes, that should have hazarded themselves for the defense of thy people, are fled for fear. And those that think the Prophet is speaking here of the Assyrians invading the Land in the days of Hezekiah, do understand this of the Captains and Rulers fleeing from all parts of the land, into other neighbouring Countries, or else to Jerusalem, there to shelter themselves. And accordingly they also expound that which followeth, They are bound by the Archers, that is, They are surprised by the Archers, and bound and carried away prisoners; Or they are so bound up with terror and fear of the Archers, that they dare not stand to defend themselves: All that are found in thee are bound together, That is, All thy Inhabitants, Princes as well as the ordinary people, are fettered with fear, see the Note, Psal. 76.5. Or they are here and there surprised and imprisoned together: Which have fled from far, That is, which are fled from the remotest parts of the Country to sheltter themselves in Jerusalem, or elsewhere. But now those that conceive the Prophet speaks here of the calamities that were to be brought upon Jerusalem by the Babylonians, do accordingly hold, that this, All thy Rulers are fled together, is meant, either of that expedition of Nebuchadnezzar against Jerusalem, when Jehoiachim, and his Princes and people were in great numbers carried away captive into Babylon, 2 Kin. 24.12, &c. Or else of that which is expressly recorded concerning that last Siege, when Jerusalem was taken and destroyed by him, to wit, that Zedekiah with many of his Princes and men of war did flee secretly out of the City, even as far as the Plains of Jericho, see the Note, 2 Kin. 25.4, &c. and were there taken, and either slain or carried into captivity; and therefore it follows, They are bound by the Archers, that is, the Babylonian Soldiers, that pursued and surprised them. And then the last words, I conceive, are meant of the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, and those that were fled thither for refuge, All that are found in thee are bound together, which have fled from far. And indeed I see not how the miseries here foretold can suit solely with that which Jerusalem endured, when it was only straitened and affrighted by Sennacherib 's Army, as will be more evident in that which follows.

Ver. 4. Therefore said I, &c.] Some think this is spoken as in the person of the land of Judea. But it is rather the Prophet that speaks of himself; and that not only the better hereby to set forth the extreme miseries that were coming upon Judea and Jerusalem, (as before in the case of the Moabites; see the Notes, Chap. 15.5. and 16.11.) but also because he was indeed exceedingly grieved for the doleful condition whereinto he foresaw the Church and People of God would be brought; and that he might the more effectually move the Jews to repent of their wickedness, which otherwise would bring such dreadful Judgments upon them. Look away from me; as if he had said, Be gone, let me alone, I will weep bitterly, labor not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people; that is, my poor Countrymen, that are as dear to me, or as dear to God, as a Daughter to her Father. See the Note also Chap. 1.8. It is all one in effect, as if he had said, The condition of my people is desperate, there is no place for comfort. Now all this seems still to import a more desperate and comfortless condition, than that whereinto God's people were brought by Sennacherib 's Army, in the days of Hezekiah.

Ver. 5 For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity, &c.] See the Notes 2 Kin. 19.3. By the Lord God of Hosts, see the Notes, Chap. 10.5, 6. In the valley of Vision, see the Note above, ver. 1. Breaking down the walls, that is, the enemies breaking down the walls of Cities and houses. (And they that understand this of the havoc made by Sennacherib's Army in the days of Hezekiah, do apply it to the fenced Cities, which he took in the land of Judah, before he came to Jerusalem, 2 Kin. 18.13. But others hold, that it is chiefly meant of Nebuchadnezzar's storming Jerusalem.) And of crying to the mountains, that is, the shouting of enemies storming and sacking the City, that shall ring even to the Mountains; or the shrieking of the poor Jews, as they ran with great outcries to hide themselves in the Mountains; or that shall be so loud, that they shall be heard even to the neighbor Mountains. Yea, some understand this of men, who being in a desperate condition, shall cry to the Mountains to fall on them, and to cover them, as it is expressed by our Savior, Luk. 23.30.

Ver. 6. And Elam bare the quiver, &c.] Here some of the Nations are mentioned, that should be employed either by the Assyrians or Babylonians, in their Expedition against Judea or Jerusalem. Elam bare the quiver; That is, the Persians were there, (see the Note, Chap. 21.2.) who were especially famous in those times for Archery; whence is that, Jer. 49.35. Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might: (And observable it is, that this people that did now serve, perhaps, the Babylonians against the Jews, were afterwards employed by Cyrus to destroy Babylon, Chap. 21.2.) As for that which is added, With chariots of men, and horsemen, see the Notes, Chap. 21.7, 9. And Kir uncovered the shield; That is, The men of Kir, the Medes, were also there with their glittering shields: For Kir was a City scituate in Media, see 2 Kin. 16.9. Amos 1.5. and the Notes before, Chap. 15.1. These it seems were as much renowned for fighting with Sword and Target, as the Persians were for Archery. And because they were wont to wrap up their Shields, when they used them not, in cases or coverings, to keep them from dust and rust, which they pulled off when they were to go forth to War, thence is this expression of the men of Kir's uncovering their shields.

Ver. 7. And it shall come to pass, that thy choicest valleys, &c.] As if it had been said, O thou Valley of vision, thy richest and pleasantest Valleys, even those wherein happily thou hadst thy Gardens and Orchards, thine Oliveyards and Vineyards, shall be full of chariots, lying in Siege about thee; And the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate; to wit, by way of blocking up the City, or laying Siege about it, or making ready for an Assault.

Ver. 8. And he discovered the covering of Judah, &c.] As this passage is rendered in our Translation, it must needs be meant either of God, or the Enemy that invaded Judea, of whom it is here said, That he discovered the covering of Judah. And because of that which follows in the sequel of this Chapter, ver. 15. concerning Shebna, who is commonly thought to have been a chief Officer in Hezekiah 's Court, see the Note 2 Kin. 18.18. it is most probable that Sennacherib the Assyrian, who besieged Jerusalem in his days, is the enemy here intended. If we take it as spoken of God, then by his discovering the covering of Judah, may be meant, either 1. that he would take away their covering from them, and leave them naked, exposed to utter destruction, (for Prophetically he speaks of that which was to be, as if it were done already;) and by their covering may be meant, either that which might well have been a covering to them, to wit, his own protection, had they not forced him by their wickedness to withdraw it from them; or else that which they hoped would be a covering and safeguard to them, as the City Jerusalem, (to which they fled from all parts of the land to shelter themselves.) Or the Temple, (which they looked upon as an invincible Sanctuary to them:) Or their Riches, or strong Fortifications, &c. all which God threatens to strip them of. Or, 2. that he would discover their covering, that is, he would cause them to discover it, and bring it forth to light; to wit, by bringing an enemy upon them, that should cause them in all haste to run to their Armory and Magazine, that had been long shut up, to open it, and bring forth their Arms and Ammunition, wherein they hoped to secure themselves from the attempts of their enemies against them. And thus understanding the words, the following clause may seem to be added, the better to explain this, And thou didst look in that day to the Armor of the house of the forest. Or, 3. that he had discovered and found out (wherein God may speak of himself after the manner of men) what the covering of Judah was; that is, what it was wherein they trusted, and wherewith they hoped to cover themselves from this storm that was coming upon them, namely, their own strength, and the outward means they would with all diligence use to oppose their enemies: And this indeed we see is largely set forth in this and the following verses. But now if we understand these words as spoken of the enemy, that he discovered the covering of Judah; then the meaning must needs be, that he had taken away their covering from them, to wit, by surprizing and beating down, either their strong holds, in the borders of their land; or the walls and gates, the rampirs and other outwarks, with which they sought to cover and shelter the City Jerusalem. And then for the next clause, And thou didst look in that day to the armor of the house of the forest, the drift of that I conceive is clear, to wit, that when the enemy was marching against Jerusalem, their eye was presently upon the Armory and Magizine which they had in that City; instead of looking to the Lord, they looked to that as their main help and refuge. And that this was the house of the forest, which Solomon built, is most probable, see the Note 1 Kin. 7.2. yet see the Note also Cant. 4.4. And however we must still remember, that it is not the using of outward means for their defense, that is here condemned; but their relying principally upon this, with neglect of God. But the great question still is, What that day was, which the Prophet here intended, And thou didst look in that day to the armor of the house of the forest? To which I answer, that most Expositors hold, that both here and all along in the following verses, the Prophet speaks as of things done already; but only intends thereby how certainly they would thus do, when the day of trouble and treading down, threatened before, ver. 5. should by their enemies be brought upon them. And those that understand hereby that woeful day, when Jerusalem should be taken and sacked by the Babylonians, do add further, that the Prophet doth purposely express the busy buffing they should then make for the defense of their City, after the same way that was taken in the days of Hezekiah to defend it against Sennacherib 's Army; purposely to intimate, that though they would seem herein to imitate that which Hezekiah had done, 2 Chron. 32.2, 3, &c. yet there would be in them nothing of that Faith and Piety, which was found in Hezekiah, when he did so. But for the fuller resolving of this Question, see the Note before, ver. 1.

Ver. 9. Ye have seen also the breaches of the City of David, that they are many, &c.] That is, Hearing of your enemies marching against you, ye took a view of your walls, and so took notice of the many breaches therein, which had not been minded in times of Peace, that ye might repair them: yea, and that too in the walls of the inner City, (as fearing the enemy might break in thither) which because it was long since taken by David from the Jebusites, was therefore more peculiarly called the City of David, see the Note, 2 Sam. 5.7. And indeed of Hezekiah it is said, that when he feared that Sennacherib would come and besiege Jerusalem, he built up all the wall that was broken, 2 Chron. 32.5. And that he gathered together the waters of the lower pool; to wit, both that the enemies Army might be distressed for want of water, and that they in the City might all the time of the Siege be furnished with water for all occasions, see the Notes, Chap. 7.3. 2 Kin. 20.20. 2 Chron. 32.3, 4. and Neh. 3.16. But see the foregoing Note, ver. 8.

Ver. 10. And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, &c.] That is, say some, the men, or the inhabitants of the houses, to wit, that they might by an equal proportion appoint a set number of those that were fit to bear Arms, for the several services of the Siege, for watching and warding, and for being upon the Guards, and such like: Or that they might know what quantity of bread and other provisions would be requisite against the Siege, in case they should be brought to give out allowances to the several Families therein. But rather it is meant of the houses themselves, that they took a strict account of the houses in the Suburbs, upon and about the walls, that there might be none left standing that might be advantageous to the Enemy to shelter themselves in, nor any way out of which the Inhabitants might have any secret correspondence with them, or that might be any way a hindrance to their repairing of the Walls, or to the defense of the City; which the following words seem to imply, And the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall; That is, such houses as were not fit to stand, ye pulled down, that there might be room for such companies of Soldiers, as were to be in a readiness for the defense of the walls; and that with the Stone and Timber of those they pulled down, the City-walls might be repaired.

Ver. 11. Ye made also a ditch between the two walls, for the water of the old pool, &c.] We read of two walls which Jerusalem had, Jer. 39.4. and which were fortified by Hezekiah, for the better defense of that City against Sennacherib, 2 Chron. 32.5. Now between these two walls it is said they made a ditch, or a pond, as a receptacle for the water of the old pool, called elsewhere the upper pool, see the Note, Chap. 7.3. as likewise the foregoing Notes, ver. 8, 9. But ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago; That is, whilst ye were thus eagerly intent upon the using of all outward means for the securing of your City, ye never minded nor looked after God, who had long ago made it an holy City, an habitation for himself to dwell in, and who had by his Providence raised it to that glorious condition, wherein then it stood; ye took no care by calling upon him, and by turning from your evil ways, to engage him to protect and defend your City, who being the Maker thereof, would certainly have preserved the work of his own hands, if ye had sought to him in a right manner. See the Note, 2 Kin. 19.25. Some, I know, by the Maker thereof, &c. understand the Maker of the Pools and Water-works before-mentioned, which God had provided for them: And others understand it of the Lord, as the Author of those judgments, which according to what he had determined long ago, were now to come upon them. But the former Exposition I conceive is the best. Only, if we refer this to the times when they made such preparations to defend Jerusalem against Sennacherib 's Army, it must be understood of the generality of the Princes and people, who might be regardless enough of God, and rely wholly upon outward defences, though Hezekiah and other the faithful Servants of God, did chiefly look to God, as their only sure refuge. And yet even of Hezekiah himself it might be truly said, that his Faith was exceedingly shaken, when by his Ambassadors he begged peace of Sennacherib upon such base terms, and pillaged the House of God, that he might pacify him, 2 Kin. 18.14, 16.

Ver. 12. And in that day, &c.] See the foregoing Notes, ver. 1. and ver. 8, 9. did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping and to mourning; to wit, by his Prophet, who gave them warning of the Judgments that were coming upon them, and invited them to Repentance, for the prevention of those evils; and likewise by the Judgments themselves which God had brought upon them, and upon their Brethren of the ten Tribes. And because the Jews were wont by public Proclamation to invite the People to Fasting and Mourning, as it is said of Jehoshaphat, that he proclaimed a Fast throughout all Judah, 2 Chron. 20.3. it may well be that there is an Allusion thereto in this expression of the Lord's calling them to weeping and to mourning. As for the following words, And to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth, we must know, 1. That by baldness is Hyperbolically meant bitter and passionate mourning, as when men did in that case shave their heads, see the Note, Job 1.20. or tear off the hair of their heads and beards, as it is said Ezra did, Ezr. 9.3. which though it were forbidden God's people in their mourning for the dead, see the Note, Levite. 19.27. yet in case of public Calamities and Repentance, so that it proceeded not from Despair and Impatience of Spirit, but from a vehement indignation against sin, and contrition for sin, it seems to be approved and commanded, Mic. 1.16. Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle, for they are gone into captivity from thee.

Ver. 13. And behold, joy and gladness, staying Oxen, and killing Sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine, &c.] That is, instead of fasting and mourning, they give up themselves wholly to jollity and feasting; Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die: as if they had said, The life of man is short, and is many times gone on a sudden; we may perhaps die tomorrow; and therefore let us be merry, and take comfort in what we have whilst we may: Or, rather thus, The Prophet tells us, that we have not long to live; an enemy will suddenly break in upon us, that will destroy us all; let us therefore be jovial whilst we may; and while we are yet alive, let us make a merry day of it. Thus they scoffed at the threatenings of God's Prophets. And because the not believing of that which God hath revealed to us concerning the Resurrection of the Dead, doth work in men the same profane security, the Apostle applieth these words to them, 1 Cor. 15.32.

Ver. 14. And it was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of hosts, &c.] See the Note, Chap. 5.9. Shure • y this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, &c. as if he had said, God hath in my hearing pronounced this doom against you, that his judgments shall follow you all your days, till at last you are cut off by Death. But see also the Note, 1 Sam. 3.14. in these words, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die. The Prophet seems to upbraid them with that scornful speech of theirs, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die.

Ver. 15. Thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Go, get thee unto this Treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house.] This is a Prophecy against a particular person, delivered, as it seems, at the same time with that which went before, concerning the state of Judea or Jerusalem in general. And because amongst the Nobles that were sent out by Hezekiah to treat with Sennacherib 's Captains, 2 Kin. 18.18. we find one Shebna mentioned, and likewise Eliakim the Son of Hilkiah, (of one the Prophet speaks afterward, ver. 20.) therefore most Expositors do hold, that these were that Shebna and Eliakim, that were Hezekiah's great Officers, and that accordingly the foregoing Prophecy (some part of it, at least, if not all) must be understood of the havoc made in Judea, and the straits whereunto Jerusalem was brought by Sennacherib's Army. And indeed they that understand the foregoing Prophecy of the taking and sacking Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, have nothing to answer to this Objection, but that, either 1. to gain the greater credit to that which the Prophet had foretold, that was so long after to come to pass, here he foretells that which within a few years after should be accomplished; Or else, 2ly. That this Shebna and Eliakim, of whom the Prophet here speaks, were two other of the same name, that lived in Jerusalem a little before the time of the Babylonians invading Judea, which is altogether improbable. But if the Prophet speaks here, may some say, of a Shebna and Eliakim, that were in Hezekiah's Court, why is it said here, that Shebna was Treasurer, and over the house, that is, Comptroller, or Lord High Steward of the King, house; whereas in that, 2 Kin. 18.18. it is said, That Eliakim the Son of Hilkiah was over the household, and Shebna is only called the Scribe or Secretary? To which may be answered, either that this Shebna, against whom the Prophet here prophecieth, was not the same Shebna that is mentioned 2 King. 18.18. (as is there noted) Or else rather, that though Shebna was Treasurer, and over the house, when Isaiah was appointed to denounce the following Judgment against him, yet before that time that Sennacherib's Army came against Jerusalem, he had been by Hezekiah, upon some fair pretence, removed from the place of being over the house, and put into a place of less Dignity; to wit, that of being the Scribe or Secretary, and Eliakim advanced to that place of being Lord Steward of the Kings house; and that this was the beginning of Shebna 's fall. However evident it is, that he was a rotten-hearted man, altogether unworthy of that great place he held, advanced perhaps thereto by Ahaz; and not therefore at first to be removed by Hezekiah: for that which is mentioned in the following verse of his proud providing such a stately Sepulcher for himself after he was dead, shown him to be one of those that minded not the threatenings of God's Prophets, but went on in his ways securely, when the Land, the City and the whole people, were like to be brought into a very sad Condition. And therefore I conceive these words, Go, get thee unto this Treasurer, were spoken in a way of contempt and indignation; as if the Lord had said, Go, get thee to this wicked wretch, this Treasurer, &c.

Ver. 16. What hast thou here, &c?] That is, as some would have it, What hast thou to do here? This place of Honor is no way fit for such a one as thou art. Or, What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here? That is, What possession of Inheritance, or what Kindred, or Allies, hast thou here in the Land of Israel, that thou hast hewed thee out a Sepulcher here; to wit, in Jerusalem, or in the Land of Judea, as he that heweth him out a Sepulcher on high; that is, a lofty Sepulcher, or a Sepulcher in some conspicuous and eminent place; and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock? that is, That buildeth himself some strong and stately Palace that shall abide for many Generations, as being built upon a rock; or, that heweth him out a gallant Tomb in a rock, the house or habitation wherein he must dwell when he is dead, that it may remain as a Monument of his Greatness amongst his Posterity for many Ages. He was, it seems a Foreigner, at least a man of mean and obscure parentage, come up of nothing; (which may seem the more probable, because in that, 2 Kin. 18.18. where the three Princes are named, whom Hezekiah sent out to parley with the Assyrian Captains; the other two have their parentage mentioned, but of Shebna it is only said, that he was the Scribe ) and so by this sharp expostulation, he is taxed, 1. for his exceeding pride and arrogancy, not in that he provided a Sepulcher for his dead body beforehand, See Matth. 27.60. but in that being such a one as he was, he should provide such a Magnificent and Princely Monument for his dead Corps; as if he had been of great birth and ancient descent. And 2ly. for his fond and presumptuous confidence, that he should certainly live and die in Jerusalem, whereas it should be nothing so; God having determined, that he should be deposed from his place of Honor, and be carried into a far Country, where he should die, and be laid up in the earth, far enough from that glorious Tomb which he had erected for himself, as is more largely set forth in the following verses.

Ver. 17. Behold, the Lord will carry thee away, &c.] Some would have this rendered, as it is in the Margin, Behold, the Lord who covered thee with an excellent covering, and clothed thee gorgeously (which must be understood of the Robes he wore proper to that place of Honor whereunto God had advanced him) shall surely turn and toss thee; as it followeth in the next verse. But questionless the Translation in our Bibles is the best, Behold, the Lord will carry thee away with a mighty Captivity. It is in the Hebrew, with the Captivity of a man, but thereby is meant a mighty Captivity; and that, say many Expositors, because men-Captives are commonly used more hardly, and carried farther away, than those of the weaker Sex are. It is, as if he had said, Thou makest full account to live and die in Jerusalem, but God will certainly send thee packing into a far Country, and there thou shalt end thy days: he will make thee famous in another manner, than that which thou affectest; and thou shalt not be buried in an ordinary way, but with contempt and disgrace; and will surely cover thee; that is, he will even overwhelm thee with shame and confusion. And herein there may be an Allusion to the Custom of Covering the faces of those that were condemned to die. See the Note Esth. 7.8. And this, no doubt, with all that which followeth in this Prophecy, was in due time accomplished; but how and when it came to pass, the Scripture doth nowhere express. Some think that he went out secretly and perfidiously to Sennacherib upon a design of betraying Jerusalem to him; at which time the Assyrian Army being miraculously destroyed, Sennacherib in a great rage carried him away with him. Others conceive that he was carried away by the Babylonians together with Manasseh. And others say, that he was banished by Hezekiah, or that he went away of his own accord into Foreign parts, being displaced and cast out of the Court, and there lived and died miserably. But all these are but Conjectures.

Ver. 18. He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large Country, &c.] That is, as a ball being thrown with great strength in a large plain, where there is nothing to stop it, will fly and run very far way; or may be tossed up and down from one place to another, because the place is very spacious every way; so the Lord will be sure to send thee far away from the place of thy present abode, into the Territories of some great King, that hath large Dominions; and there thou shalt be driven up and down from place to place in an afflicted and restless Condition; there shalt thou die in a strange land, not in Jerusalem, where thou hast provided thyself such a stately Sepulcher; And there the Chariots of thy Glory shall be the shame of thy Lord's house; that is, say some, Thy former Glory shall be turned into extreme contempt, which shall redound much to the shame of thy Lord, whilst it shall be said of him in his poor and wretched estate, That once he lived as a Prince in Hezekiah 's Court; Or rather, thy rich and glorious Chariots wherein thou now ridest up and down in great pomp and state, shall then tend to the dishonor of thy Lord, and of his house too, over which thou art set; in that it shall be spoken of to his disgrace, that such a vile wretch as he should be so highly advanced, and live in so great Grandeur in Hezekiah 's Court.

Ver. 19. And I will drive thee from thy station, &c.] This is spoken in the person of God. Though thou thinkest thyself firmly settled in Jerusalem, I, saith the Lord, will drive thee from thence, and from thy state; that is, thy Office, and place of Dignity, shall he pull thee down, that is the King; yet it may well be, as many others think, that even this also is meant of God, the Prophets speaking here of God in the the third person. And for the place from which Shebna was to be removed, See the Note above, ver. 15.

Ver. 20. And it shall come to pass in that day, &c.] To wit, when thou O Shebna, shalt be removed from thy place in the Court of Judah, that I will call my servant Eliakim; that is, I will cause Hezekiah to advance him, that he may in thy place serve me faithfully: and this was done before Rabshakeh summoned Hezekiah to deliver up Jerusalem to him. See the Note, 2 Kin. 18 18. and the Note above, ver. 15.

Ver. 21. And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, &c.] To wit, the robe and girdle which belonged to thee, as Lord High Steward of the Kings house. See the Notes Chap. 11.5. and Job 12.18, 21. he shall be advanced to the place of Honor, which now thou enjoyest; for so this Expression is explained in the following words, and I will commit thy Government into his hand. All which was now made known to Shebna, the more deeply to wound his heart; for though it must needs be sad tidings to such an ambitious wretch, to hear of his being deposed from so high a dignity, yet it is like enough, that it added to his vexation, to be told of the man that should be honored with his place. And it may well be too, as some conceive, That this Prophecy of Isaiah might hasten both the downfall of the one, and the advancement of the other, and he shall be a Father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah; That is, he shall with much Fatherly Affection and Care govern the people of the land, to wit, as a prime Counselor under the King, and they shall love and honor him as a Father.

Ver. 22. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder, &c.] By the house of David is meant the King's Court or Household, see the Note, Chap. 7.2. And it was commonly so called, because God had so often promised that the Sovereignty and Kingly Power in that Nation should be settled in the Family of David; and accordingly, by laying the key of the house of David upon the shoulder of Eliakim is meant, that he should be made Lord High-Steward, or Comptroller of the King's Court, and should have the Supreme Power, under the King, of ordering and disposing all things in his house, and in governing his Family. Because he that hath the just command of the keys in a house, hath power to dispose of all things therein at his pleasure, and no man can come into the house, or go out, but by his leave, (whence it is that the possession of houses and the supreme command over Towns and Cities, is usually given unto men, by the delivering up the keys to them;) therefore even in these times, they that have chief Charge and Government in the Courts and Houses of Kings, have usually a Golden Key, as the sign and badge of their Office. And some think that it was so with Eliakim, at least that he wore the figure of a key made with embroidered work upon his cloak, and that thence it is said, that the Key of the house of David should be laid upon his shoulder: But these are mere conjectures. The true reason why it is said, that this Key of Government should be laid upon his shoulder, was to signify the great weightiness and burden of that charge, which was hereby imposed upon him; see the Notes, Chap. 9.6. And to hint, it may be, the abilities wherewith God had furnished him for so great a service, that God had given him shoulders fit to bear such a burden. So he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open; that is, he shall have absolute Power for the governing of the Royal Family, and for the ordering of all things therein: Nothing shall be done without him, nor shall any man have power to cross or hinder him, in what he will have done. And herein was Eliakim a type of Christ; whence it is that St. John, clearly in reference to this place, doth set forth the Supreme Power of Christ in and over the Church in these very terms, Rev. 3.7. He that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth.

Ver. 23. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place, &c.] To wit, As a nail, which men use to fasten surely in some wall or post, that they may thereon hang their household Utensils; see the Note, Ezra 9.8. The meaning is, that God would so settle him in that Office, whereto he was to be advanced, that he should never be removed from thence, as Shebna should be: As he would make him constanly just and faithful in his place, that he should no way deserve to be removed, so he would also secure him from being injuriously or causelessly thrust out: And he shall be for a glorious Throne to his Fathers house; That is, he shall be an exceeding great honor to the Tribe of Judah, of which he is, say some; or rather to all his Kindred and Family, and by his means they shall live in very great splendor and glory, as great in a manner, as if they were of the Blood Royal. And this is opposed to that which was before said of Shebna, ver. 18. that he should be the shame of his Lord's house.

Ver. 24. And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his fathers house, the offspring and the issue, &c.] That is, All his Kindred and Allies, even they and their Posterity, together with all the Honor and places of Dignity they enjoy, shall wholly depend upon Eliakim, that nail in a sure place, (as he was called in the foregoing verse) and they shall willingly acknowledge that all their glory was derived to them from him. And then the more fully yet to express how they should all, even to the meanest of them, receive some benefit by his greatness in the Kings Court, following still the same metaphor, he adds, all vessels of small quantity: from the vessels of Cups, even to all the vessels of flagons; (or, as it is in the margin) instruments of viols, that is, both Cups and Pots of several weights and sizes; and likewise all kind of musical instruments. And the meaning is, that not only the greater ones in his Family, that were of most note, and fittest for honorable Employments, should be preferred and upheld by him; but that all of what rank and condition soever they were, even to the very Servants of their Families, should receive some advantage, either in some employment assigned, or some respect given to them, by reason of their Relation to him, and dependence upon him. Those I know, that by his Fathers house, do understand more generally the whole Tribe of Levi, do accordingly expound these words in a larger extent; to wit, That all the people, rich and poor▪ should depend upon Eliakim, and willingly submit to him; and that he should uphold and defend, not the Nobles and Rich, and Great Ones only, but even the poorest and meanest amongst them, and all that belonged to them; and that the benefit that should redound to the people by his wise ordering the Affairs of the Realm, should continue from one Generation to another; the offspring and the issue. Again others would have the meaning to be, That all the Officers at Court, even to the meanest of them, should depend upon him, and be at his disposing, and be under his power and government. But the former Exposition is clearly the most genuine.

Ver. 25. In that day, saith the Lord of Hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place, be removed, and be cut down, and fall, &c.] That is, Shebna, that seems now to all men to be so surely settled in his place, that there is no likelihood of removing him, even as a nail is nailed and fastened in a sure place, and is himself most confident of it, as appears by the stately Sepulcher he hath in Jerusalem built for his dead body, ver. 16. even he shall be thrust out of his Office, that Eliakim may succeed in his place; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off, that is, All that had their dependence upon him, shall sink with him; and all the hopes of his wicked faction, that rested and relied on him, shall together with him fall to the ground.

CHAP. XXIII.

VERSE 1. THE Burden of Tyre, &c.] See the Notes Chap. 13.1. and 2 King. 9.25. Tyre was a City in Phoenicia, lying upon the midland Sea, yea, in a manner encompassed with the Sea, as Venice is; and so was a Port and Mart-Town of greatest note in those times, Ezek. 27.3, 4. Say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the Sea, which art a Merchant for the people of many Isles—Thy borders are in the midst of the Seas. See also the Note Psal. 45.12. when Canaan was divided by Joshua, this City fell to the lot of Ashur, Josh. 19.29. and that it was not far from Galilee, is evident, because it is said, Matth. 15.21. That Jesus went thence into the Coasts of Tyre and Sidon. But it seems, being a place of exceeding great strength, (and therefore called in that, Josh. 19.29. the strong City Tyre. And in 2 Sam. 24.7. The strong hold of Tyre ) The Israelites were afraid to attempt it, and so it continued still in the possession of the old inhabitants. But now what the Judgment was, wherewith this great City Tyre is here threatened in this burdensome Prophecy, is very questionable. Some hold it is meant of the great straits whereinto this City was brought within a short time after, by Shalmaneser and Sennacherib the Kings of Assyria; which seems not to me so probable, at least that this was not all that was here intended, because the Prophet speaks here expressly of this City's being laid waste; whereas the utmost that any History reports concerning the Assyrians attempts against Tyre is, That they blocked it up for five years: and some add too, That the Assyrians were at last overcome in a Sea-fight, wherewith the Tyrians were exceedingly puffed up. Again others under the calamity wherewith Tyrus is here threatened, do comprehend the taking, sacking and destroying of Tyre by Alexander the great; of whom indeed it is reported by several Historians, that after a long and hard siege, he at length filled up that branch of the Sea, that was betwixt the continent and Tyre, that so his Army might approach her walls, and by this means took it and utterly ruined it. But it is not, I conceive, very probable that this is intended neither; and that because ver. 15. of this Chapter there followeth a promise, That seventy years after the ruin here threatened, the Tyrians should recover their liberty again, which we do not find was ever done after Alexander had destroyed it. And therefore in the last place, the most of Expositors do understand it of the desolation that was brought upon this City by Nebuchadnezzar, which indeed seems most probable▪ 1. Because in Ezekiel 's Prophecy against Tyre, which agreeth in many passages with this, it is expressly said, Behold I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, &c. Because the seventy years of the Syrians Captivity do suit so well with the seventy years of the Jews Captivity in Babylon. And observable it is, that elsewhere two sins are particularly mentioned, as the principal cause of the ruin that God here threatens to bring upon this City, to wit, her excessive Pride in her riches and great strength. And 2ly. her insulting over Jerusalem, when she was before destroyed by the same King, see Ezek. 26.2. and 28.2. and Joel 3.4. &c.

Howl ye ships of Tarshish, &c.] Figuratively this may be spoken to the ships themselves; but rather it is meant of those in the ships, Howl ye ships of Tarshish, that is, mourn and lament bitterly, O ye Seamen and Merchants, that are still passing in your ships, by way of trading between Tyre and Tarshish, and other foreign parts; and indeed Tarshish is expressly mentioned amongst those that traded with Tyre, Ezek. 27.12. but for the ships of Tarshish, see the Notes 1 King. 10.22. and Psal. 48.7. for it is laid waste; to wit, Tyre and the Island wherein it stood; and therefore all the Merchandise you left therein is utterly lost, and the rich trading you had wont to have with that famous City, is now at an end; so that there is no house, no entering in, that is, No house to entertain you; no going in, or coming out by way of trading; from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them, that is, They of the land of Chittim, who being nearer to Tyrus, did first hear of it, revealed it to those of Tarshish. And who are meant by those of the land of Chittim, See Numb. 24.24. Other Expositions I know are given of that last clause; but according to our Translation, that which I have given, seems the clearest.

Ver. 2. Be still ye inhabitants of the Isle, &c.] Some hold, that Isle is here collectively put for Islands, and accordingly that it is the inhabitants of the Islands of the Midland-Sea that are here advised to be still, that is, to rest quietly in their several places, and not to think of making anymore voyages to Tyre, that was utterly destroyed, or to sit down silent mourning with her, and for her. But they are rather the Inhabitants of Tyre, that are here spoken to, which was an Isle, till Alexander the Great (as Histories report) joined it to the continent, see the foregoing Notes. Be still ye inhabitants of the Isle, that is, Boast not so proudly, O ye Tyrians, as you had wont to do in your great riches, and the invincible strength of your City, make not your City to ring with your revelling and rioting, as you have used to do; but rather let the astonishment, horror, and grief that is befallen you, stop your mouths, and make you sit down in silence, as mourners use to do, See the Note Job 2.13. Or thu • , Be still ye inhabitants of the Isle; as if he had said, There shall not be that tumult and noise amongst you, which there hath been, by reason of the multitude of shipping and trading you had formerly there, because your City being laid desolate, there will be nothing but still silence there; thou whom the Merchants of Zidon, that pass over the Seas, have replenished, that is, Who art filled with Merchants and all kind of Merchandise from beyond the Sea. And Zidon is particularly named, because being a haven-Town, and near to Tyre, and joined in strict League and Confederacy with Tyre (whence it is that in the Scripture they are still joined together, as if they had been but one it • e though they had indeed several Kings, Jer. 27.2.) the Zidonian Merchants were still in greatest number there. The drift of these last words is to imply, that notwithstanding her great state and riches, she should be laid waste and desolate. But observable withal it is, that Ezek. 26.2. Tyrus is brought in insulting over Jerusalem, when she was destroyed; with these very words, I shall be replenished now she is laid waste.

Ver. 3. And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river is her revenue, &c.] Sihor is usually taken to be a small river that divided Egypt from Palestine, Numb. 34.5. and Josh. 13.3. And accordingly some hold, that by the seed of Sihor here, is meant the seed of Egypt, which is here called Sihor; because this river Sihor was its utmost bounds. But now because it seems no way probable, that Egypt should be called Sihor, only because of a small brook of that name, that went through the skirts of that Country, and for several other reasons that they give for it; many learned men do with much confidence affirm, that it is Nile that is here called Sihor (it may be with respect to a small branch of it that ran out to the borders of Canaan, that was there called Sihor ) and that by the seed of Sihor here, is meant the several fruits, which the seed sown in Egypt by the river Nile, yieldeth to them; as all kind of Corn, Flax, and such like. And so the meaning of the words seems to be plainly this, That the Wheat and other grain and fruit that either grew abundantly in Egypt by the great waters of Nile, the water-courses that were drawn from thence (called therefore the harvest of the river ) Or, that were transported by the great waters of the Ocean-Sea, was the Revenue of Tyre, wherewith her own Inhabitants were maintained, and wherewith she traded into other Countries. Though she had no grounds (comparatively) of her own, yet Nile in Egypt afforded her yearly a plentiful Crop and Harvest; and she is a mart of Nations, that is, That great Mart-Town, whither all Nations, in a manner, far and near, do daily resort for trading; as is largely set forth, Ezek. 27. All which is here inserted to imply, That notwithstanding she was so rich, and abundantly supplied with all kind of Provision, yet this should not save her from ruin.

Ver. 4. Be thou ashamed, O Zidon, &c.] To wit, either 1. because, as some say, Zidon, who was the mother of Tyre, had not defended that her daughter, but was forced to sit still and look on, whilst she was laid waste by her enemies. And indeed we find in some Historians, that the Zidonians being vanquished by the King of Askelon, did transport themselves by shipping to the Island of Tyre, and there seated themselves, and built that City. Or, 2ly. because the same Desolation and Destruction that was fallen upon Tyre, was fallen upon them; the enemy was not like to spare such a considerable neighbor City and Port-Town; nor were they likely to stand out against an enemy, that had subdued the stronger City of Tyre; and the same wickedness that had provoked God against Tyre, was also rife amongst them. And 3ly. because Zidon that had gloried so much in Tyre, as a Colony that of old had issued forth from her, and that had rested so much upon her aid and defense, and had promised herself such great matters by her trading with her, was now bereaved of all Glory, and disappointed of all her hopes by that utter ruin that was come upon Tyre. And that this was intended, appears by the reason subjoined, for the Sea hath spoken, that is, Tyre that lay in the midst of the Sea, Ezek. 28.2. and as a Queen had the rule and command of the Sea, even the strength of the Sea, that is, the strongest of all Sea-Towns, as being built on a rock, and environed with the Sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up Virgins: that is, I am as if I had never brought forth Sons and Daughters, being left desolate and waste, and all my Inhabitants being cut off and destroyed, or carried away captives; I am never like to send forth great Colonies into other Countrys, as I have formerly done: Or, it is all one with me, as if I had never brought forth Sons and Daughters, there being none of them that have appeared in my defense.

Ver. 5. As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be shortly pained at the report of Tyre.] That is, As the neighbor Nations were of old sorely troubled and affrighted at the report of God's destroying Egypt in Moses 's time (for which see Exod. 15.14, 15, 16.) so shall all the great Cities and Kingdoms near to Tyre, be perplexed and terrified when they hear of the Destruction of Tyre. This is, I conceive the plain meaning of this place; yet some rather think, that the Prophet speaks of a later Destruction of Egypt by the Chaldeans, and so would have the words to be understood thus, That the neighbor Cities and Countries should be as much disquieted and scared with the report of Nebuchadnezzar's taking Tyre, as they would be afterward at the report of his subduing Egypt; and that because thy esteemed it such an invincible place, that they would be ready to conclude, that having taken that, no other place could stand before him; but he would deal with them all, as he had done with Tyre. And indeed if it be Nebuchadnezzar 's prevailing against Egypt that is here intended, the words must be understood thus; for to be sure Tyre was subdued by him before Egypt, as is evident, Ezek. 29.18, 19, 20. where Egypt is promised him as his wages for his great service against Tyre.

Ver. 6. Pass ye over to Tarshish, &c.] This may be spoken to the several Nations that used to come to Tyrus for Traffick, to wit, That Tyrus being destroyed, they should now betake themselves to Tarshish, or some other Mart-Town, to set up a way of trading there; or else to the Inhabitants of Tyre themselves, that as many of them as could, should flee away to Tarshish; and see the Notes above, ver. 1. yea, why may not both of them be here intended? And as for the following clause, Howl ye inhabitants of the Isle, See the Note above, ver. 2.

Ver. 7. Is this your joyous City, whose antiquity is of ancient days? &c.] As if he had said, Is all your jollity, and all your glorying in the Antiquity of your City come to this at last? Thus doth the Prophet upbraid the Tyrians for their Pride and vain confidence in the antiquity of their City, as if there could be no fear of any change, because she had continued so long in such a prosperous Condition. And indeed we find, that Tyre was of great Antiquity: In Joshua 's time it was called the strong City Tyre, Josh. 19.29 But this was no ground of security, when God would contend with her; and therefore is that added, her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn, that is, Her proud inhabitants that had wont to pass the Seas in their stately ships, and at other times to be carried up and down in great pomp from place to place, shall be glad to trot a foot, as poor slaves and beggars are wont to do, into some remote Country; which may be meant, either of those that should flee away from the enemy into Foreign parts, and there wander up and down in a forlorn Condition whithersoever their feet would carry them; or of those that should be carried away Captives, either into Babylon, or some of her Provinces, and there be sold and driven away, it may be, further off, not being long suffered to rest in any place.

Ver. 8. Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, &c.] That is, who is of that power and confidence, as to dare to undertake the subduing of such a gallant, invincible City as Tyre seemed to be, and that hath continued so long in such strength and glory; as if the Prophet had said, Who would ever have thought, that this would have been done to this mighty City? the crowning City, that is, say some Expositors, That by her wealth is grown up to be a Royal City, Jer. 25.22. or that carrieth herself as a Princess or Queen over all the Cities and Sea-ports round about her; or that hath enriched other Cities so, as to make them Royal Cities. But rather she is called the crowning City, because she crowned her Merchants and Inhabitants, and those likewise that traded with her, with exceeding wealth and magnificence, so that they lived more like Princes, than men of ordinary rank; for so the following words seem to explain this, whose Merchants are Princes, whose Traffickers are the honorable 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 honorable 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 Honorable of the earth, that is, To punish and abase the Pride of all the great and honorable 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 Honorable 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 ruin 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 Ruin 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 herself; 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 plundered 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 itself which did wholly encompass her, till the Enemy did by strange devices, and incredible labor, join 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 show, 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 expressly of the Destruction of Tyre itself; 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 neighbor-Kingdoms by the Destruction which he brought upon Tyre, partly through the grief that surprised them for the loss of their gainful Trade with that City; and partly as being terrified, lest the same ruin 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 Tyre and Zidon, is called a Woman of Canaan. And indeed considering the word Canaan is sometime used for a Merchant (as we find it translated, Hos. 12.7. where it is said of Ephraim, He is a Merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand ) and that Tyre was the chief Mart-Town for Merchandizing in those parts: I conceive it is best rendered in our Bibles, The Lord hath given a Commandment against the Merchant-City. And the meaning however is, That God had given a Commission to her Enemies the Assyrians or Babylonians, to pull her down; and therefore it was in vain to think, that her great strength should secure her; to destroy the strong holds thereof, or, the strengths thereof, as it is in the Margin, that is, whatever she had, which she might hope would be a means to defend her.

Ver. 12. And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed Virgin Daughter of Zidon, &c.] By the Daughter of Zidon here, most Expositors hold, that Tyre is meant, and that she is so called, because she was a Colony of Zidons; see above, ver. 4. But according to the usual Language of the Scripture, it is rather Zidon herself, or the Inhabitants thereof, that is here called the Daughter of Zidon; a Virgin-Daughter she is termed, not only with respect to the beauty of the City, and the delicacy of the inhabitants, living at ease and pleasure; but also especially because she had never been hitherto subdued and brought under by any hostile power; but withal an oppressed Virgin, because now even Zidon was to be destroyed as well as Tyre. And this I conceive is that which is intended by this Expression, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed Virgin Daughter of Zidon; not that Zidon should never after this, be in a flourishing and rejoicing Condition (for it is most probable, that when Tyre was restored again, as is here afterward foretold, ver. 17. Zidon also, together with Tyre, did also recover her former state) nor that Zidon should no more rejoice in hope of her enriching and advancing herself still more by her trading with Tyre, because Tyre was to be destroyed; but that she should not any longer triumph and be in such jollity, as she had hitherto been; and that because together with Tyre even she should be also destroyed. And thereupon to assure them of the certainty of this, he adviseth the Zidonians to flee away, and to seek some place of shelter elsewhere, see the Note above, ver. 10. or else foretells, that they also should be carried away captives into Foreign parts; Arise, pass over to Chittim, see the Notes before, ver. 1. there also shalt thou have no rest, to wit, because even thence they should be carried away as Slaves into remoter parts; Or, because even those parts also should be invaded by the proud Conqueror.

Ver. 13. Behold, the land of the Chaldeans, &c.] Expositors differ very much concerning the meaning of this verse. That which seems most probable is, That to prevent any thought of the impossibility of Tyres being destroyed, because it was a place of such exceeding strength, impregnable and invincible in the eye of reason, and because it was a City of so great Antiquity, that had stood unsubdued, and flourished prosperously for so many Ages, the Prophet doth here propound as considerable, that the Assyrian, a Nation far more ancient, and more potent than the Tyrians, was at last subdued and ruined by the Chaldeans, whom the Assyrian had raised to all their greatness; inferring from hence, that therefore it was no wonder at all, though the Chaldean and Assyrian now joined together, should destroy Tyre. This I conceive is most probably the scope of this place; and accordingly I understand the words thus, Behold, the land of the Chaldeans, that is, Behold the people that now possess the land of Chaldea (that very people by whom God means now to destroy Tyre) this people was not, that is, They had not the name of a people, nobody made any reckoning of them, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness, that is, Till the Assyrian gathered them together that after the Flood, or after the Dispersion occasioned by the Division of Tongues, Gen. 11.11. were scattered abroad here and there, and lived in the wilderness in waste and desolate places, as a wild, rude people, not having any settled places of habitation, but dwelling in Tents, and settled them to live together as one associated people in the land of Chaldea; they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof, that is, The Assyrians brought them to live together in Townships and Commonalities, which by degrees came to be stately Cities, and places of great strength; and he brought it to ruin; that is, God ruined the Assyrian, this ancient people that were the first Founders of that great Empire of Chaldea; or rather the Chaldean, that was at first brought to be a people, and raised to such a flourishing Condition by the Assyrian, did at length by degrees subdue and ruin all the power of the Assyrians; and taking Nineveh, the chief seat of their Empire, did translate the Empire from the Assyrians to themselves. Some I know do hold, That it is the Babylonian or Chaldean that is here instanced in, as the people, that being of greater strength and antiquity than Tyre, was yet at last subdued by the Assyrian that had raised them to their greatness. And indeed we find that Babylon is mentioned 2 Kin. 17.24. amongst those Kingdoms that had been subdued by the Assyrian; yea, and there are that take the last clause as spoken prophetically with respect to the Persians subduing Chaldea; and he brought it to ruin; that is, God, by the Persian will bring it to ruin. And lastly some say, that the drift of these words is to show, that though Tyre did boast so much of her invincible strength and antiquity, yet she should be ruined by a State more ancient and mighty than she was, to wit, the Chaldeans; Behold, the land of the Chaldeans, this people was not; that is, This people had not any form of a State or Common wealth, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness; that is, till the Assyrian founded it as a fit harbor for his shipping, and so brought in Colonies of people that had formerly dwelt in wild and waste places; they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; that is, the Assyrians or Chaldeans were they that brought Tyre to be such a strong and stately City; and he brought it to ruin; as if the Prophet had said, And thus Tyre is now like to be destroyed by them that at first founded her. But the first Exposition seems to me the best.

Ver. 14. Howl ye ships of Tarshish, &c.] See the Notes above, ver. 1. for your strength is laid waste; that is, Tyre, that was your strong harbor for your shipping, and by trading with whom, you became so exceedingly enriched, and made powerful and mighty, is ruined and destroyed.

Ver. 17. And it shall come to pass in that day, &c.] That is, At that time, when this Prophecy against Tyre shall be accomplished, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, that is, just for so many years she shall lie in her ruins desolate and forsaken, not minded nor regarded, either by God or man; see the Note Psal. 13.1. Because in the following verse Tyre is compared to a harlot forgotten of her Lovers; it may well be that in Allusion thereto it is here said, That Tyre shall be forgotten, that is, That her Merchants should no more come at her for traffick. But yet the Expression may well be understood more generally, as including also God's disregarding of her, of whom it is therefore said afterward, ver. 17. that he would visit her, as it were remembering her again in mercy. As for the seventy years, the time here prefixed for Tyres lying desolate, I question not, but that they must be counted from the time that Tyre should be taken by Nebuchadnezzar, unto the ruin of the Chaldean Empire; and consequently that they are in a manner just the same with the seventy years of the Jews captivity in Babylon; and that because we find the Prophets foretold, that at the same time when Nebuchadnezzar should destroy Judea and Jerusalem, he should also subdue the other neighbouring Nations round about, and particularly Tyre; See Jer. 25.15.—22. and 27.2, 3. and Ezek. 26.7. And it is most probable, that as the Jews were restored to their liberty, upon the breaking of the Babylonian yoke by the Persians, so it might be with other Nations too, that were under the same bondage. And this being so, observable it is, that Tyre, who was punished for rejoicing at Jerusalem's Destruction, Ezek. 26.2. lay just as many years desolate as Jerusalem did. As concerning those words that are added, that for seventy years Tyre should be forgotten, according to the days of one King. Some would have the ground of this Expression to be, That threescore and ten years are commonly accounted the time of a man's life that lives long; See Psal. 90.10. and consequently also of the life of one King; and so they would have the words to be the same in effect, as if it had been said, according to the days of one man. But because there is little or no strength in the Reasons they give, why it is said, according to the days of one King, and not of one man, I cannot approve of this Exposition. The true meaning of the words is, That Tyre should lie desolate and forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one King; that is, of one Kingdom (so Dan. 7.17. by four Kings is meant four Kingdoms, or four different successions of Kings; and Dan. 8.21. by the King of Grecia is meant a Succession of the several Kings of Greece ) and so that which is intended, is, That Tyre should lie waste so long as the Babylonian Empire should continue.

After the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.] It is in the Hebrew, It shall be unto Tyre as the song of an harlot. But the meaning is either, 1. That Tyre, being rebuilt and become a famous Mart again, should be as jocund and jolly, as ever formerly she had been, and as Harlots use to be when they are singing and sporting themselves amongst their Lovers: Or, 2ly, That she should by all the art and skill she could use, and by all the fair and pleasing Invitations and Promises she could make, seek to win the Nations far and near, to return to their old way of trading with her again, even as an Harlot that having been forsaken of her Companions, by reason of some foul Disease she lay under, or some such other occasion, doth upon her recovery, by singing and all kind of flatteries and wantonness, labor to entice and allure her youngsters to return to her again: Or, 3ly. the meaning may be only, That she should eagerly buckle herself again to her old way of Traffick; wherein she is compared to a singing Harlot, not only, as I conceive, to imply her eager intending her gain and profit, which is the only thing the Harlot minds; but also the fair and flattering Speeches, the Frauds and Deceits wherewith Traders are wont too often to put off their Wares, even as Harlots are wont to entice men to be dealing with them.

Ver. 16. Take an harp, go about the City, thou harlot, that hast been forgotten, &c.] Persisting in the Metaphor began in the last words of the foregoing verse, the Prophet speaks here to Tyre, as to some forsaken Harlot, because it was, it seems, usual with such Strumpets, thus to go playing and singing up and down the Cities, thereby to entice their former Customers to look after them again; Make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered; that is, That they may know thou art still living, and where thou art to be had. But that which is intended hereby, is to foretell, that Tyre being raised again out of her Ruines, should, like such an Harlot, return again to her old Trade, and use all the Devices she could, to bring in the Nations to traffick with her again, as formerly, &c. See the foregoing Note. And it may well be also, that the Prophet doth the rather use these Expressions, Take an harp, make sweet melody, and in Allusion to this City's being formerly much addicted to such kind of Music; whence is that of the Prophet Ezekiel concerning Tyre, Chap. 26.13. I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease, and the sound of thy harps shall be no more heard. See also Chap. 28.13.

Ver. 17. And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, &c.] See the Note above, ver. 15. that the Lord will visit Tyre, to wit, in mercy, raising her up to a prosperous estate again, and she shall turn to her hire; that is, She shall return to her old gainful Trade of Merchandizing, and shall commit Fornication with all the Kingdoms of the World, &c. that is, as a Strumpet entertains all comers, so shall she have Commerce with all Nations throughout the World, and shall as greedily pursue her old filthy Gain by unjust and fraudulent Courses, as ever she did.

Ver 18. And her Merchandise and her hire shall be Holiness to the Lord, &c.] This is by the consent of almost all Expositors, spoken of the times when the Inhabitants of Tyre should embrace the Christian Faith, to wit, That in those times they should consecrate their Merchandise, and the Gain they got thereby, to the service of God. In those words, Holiness to the Lord, there seems to be an Allusion to that Motto that was engraven on the High Priests golden Frontlet, Exod. 28.36. as there is also in Zach. 14.20. In that day shall there be upon the Bells of the Horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; but the meaning is, That the Tyrians should then bestow a great part of their Wealth for pious uses, as might be most for God's 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, merely 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 Lord's special Servants, the Ministers that attend upon him in his House, and others of his Household of Faith, who are indeed a holy Priesthood to the Lord, and do continually endeavor 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 Shalmaneser 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 God's 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 neighbor 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 Ruin 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 denunciation, 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 havoc that was to be made amongst the Nations before severally threatened; 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-burdened 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 threatened shall fall upon all sorts and Conditions; none shall be spared in regard of any preeminence 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 itself, 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, lie 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 height of the people doth languish; therefore some do understand hereby the Jews, whom God had advanced by spiritual privileges 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, Levite. 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 foretell Judgments that were coming upon all the Nations round about; yet all along he doth still turn his speech more especially to the Jews to whom he directed his Prophecy. And so he seems to do in the words immediately following, because they have transgressed the Laws, changed the Ordinance, broken the everlasting Covenant, that is, They have wittingly and willingly run on in a way of doing whatever they listed themselves, without ever taking any care to obey the Commandments of God; for though some would extend this to the Heathens sinning against the Laws of Nature, which God had written in their hearts; yet methinks this is clearly added with reference to God's people in particular. And though some by the Laws would have the negative Precept within the bounds whereof they would not be kept; and by the Ordinance, the affirmative Commandments, which they minded not to obey; yet more commonly by the Laws, Expositors understand the moral Laws; and by the Ordinance, the Ceremonial Statutes, which they are said to have changed, either because they kept not to the rule therein prescribed, but changed and altered things as they pleased themselves. However by the everlasting Covenant which they had broken, is certainly meant that Covenant of Grace, which God had made with Abraham and his Seed, and was to have been by them inviolably observed forever.

Ver. 6. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, &c.] That is, The Curse and Wrath which God denounced against all that rebel against him, and which the Israelites had imprecated upon themselves in case of disobedience, Deut. 27.26. shall utterly consume both the Inhabitants of the earth, and all besides that is thereon. Yet because in the following verses the Prophet speaks of the miseries which the barrenness of the earth should bring upon them; therefore some Expositors do understand this of the particular curse, Deut. 28.16, 17, 18. and they that dwell therein are desolate, that is, They are left in a desolate Condition, stripped of all their former Comforts and Enjoyments; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, that is, Destroyed with fire and sword by hostile Invasions; or rather, consumed and destroyed by the flaming fire of God's wrath; See the Notes Chap. 9.18. and 10.16. yet some understand it of their being burnt up with that heat and drought, which should be the cause of the burning up of the fruits of the earth, whereof afterward the Prophet speaks; and few men are left, the generality of the people being cut off by God's Judgments, or carried away into Captivity.

Ver. 7. The new wine mourneth, &c.] This Expression is used to imply, either 1. That they should have a mournful Vintage, their Vineyard yielding them so little Wine; or, 2ly. That their Wine should be wastefully spilled or swilled down by the Enemy: And so the next, the time languisheth, implies, either 1. That their Vines should fade away, and yield little fruit; or, 2ly. That they should be cut or trodden down by their enemies; See the Note, Chap. 16.8. All the merry-hearted do sigh, that is, all that having abundance, lived plensantly and merrily, or all that used to be jovial and merry with drinking Wine, instead of singing shall now sigh and mourn. And in all this now the Prophet doth covertly tax their former intemperance and excessive jollity; as if he should have said, You that have spent your days in such immoderate pleasures and jollity, shall shortly find, that the case will be sadly altered with you.

Ver. 9. They shall not drink wine with a song, &c.] That is, Their drunken feasting and revelling shall cease; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it; that is, Though they should have strong drink, they shall take no delight in it for very anguish and sorrow of heart; their miseries and Calamities will embitter all their Comforts.

Ver. 10. The City of confusion is broken down, &c.] Some understand this of Jerusalem particularly; because, say they, the Prophet doth still seek to apply the Judgments here denounced particularly to the Jews to whom he prophesied. But it may better be understood collectively of the several Cities in those Countrys, against which the Prophet doth here prophecy. And they may be called Cities of confusion, either with respect to the base confusion and disorder that was in them, there being nothing therein well ordered, as it ought to be; or else with respect to that Confusion and Desolation that was coming upon them; the City of Confusion is broken down, that is, Every City destined to Confusion and Destruction, shall be broken down by the enemy; every house is shut up, that no man may come in; that is, All houses are so blocked up with the ruins of them, that there is no way to enter into them; or, they all lie desolate, the Inhabitants being slain or carried away Captives, so that there is no coming out, or going into them.

Ver. 11. There is a crying for wine in the streets, &c.] To wit, of people bewailing the want of it, or the loss or spoiling of it by the Enemy; all joy is darkened, &c. that is, Their joy shall be over-clouded with sorrows, or turned into sorrows; See the Note, Chap. 13.10.

Ver. 12. In the City is left Desolation, &c.] That is, not only in the Country, but even in the Cities too, there shall be nothing left but Desolation; all that is therein shall be destroyed: and the gate is smitten with Destruction, so that there is no going in, nor coming out there, but even in the gates, where there used to be the greatest concourse of people, there shall be utter Desolation.

Ver. 13. When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, &c.] That is, When there shall be such Desolation made, as is aforesaid, among the people, both of Israel and the neighbouring Nations round about them, there shall be as the shaking of an Olive-tree, &c. See the Notes, Chap. 10.22. and Chap. 17.6. where the same is said of the Jews, that is here said both of Jews and Gentiles together. The drift of these words is to show, either 1. That the Destruction made amongst these people should be so great, that there should be but a very small remnant left undestroyed. Or, 2ly. That though there should be such Desolation made in those parts of the earth, both Judea and the Countrys round about, yet there should not be such an utter riddance made of the people, but that there should be a small remnant left and reserved, out of whose Posterity God meant to gather a Church of his Elect, that should praise his Name.

Ver. 14. They shall lift up their voice, &c.] That is, This little remnant before mentioned, both in Judea and the Countrys round about, that shall escape that common Destruction and Desolation that is coming upon the whole earth in a manner, in those parts of the World, shall with great joy of heart lift up their voices to shout, and to praise God for their wonderful Deliverance; they shall sing for the Majesty of the Lord, that 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 Rejoicing this is meant? Many learned Expositors there are, that do understand it merely of those that should escape that general Destruction threatened in this Chapter, both in the land of Judea, and all the Countrys about them. And some understand hereby those that were delivered from Shalmaneser, or Sennacherib's invasion in the days of Hezekiah; and others, far more probably, of those that escaped when the Babylonians made such havoc, 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 foretell, 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 man's 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 rejoicing 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 rejoice, 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 glorify ye the Lord in the fires, &c.] These may be the words of the Prophet, stirring up God's 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 public 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, Glorify 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 rendered, I conceive, as in our Translation, Wherefore glorify 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 glorify God, by trusting in him, and rejoicing 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 joined 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 glorify 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 rendered, as it is in the Margin, My secret to myself, my secret to myself; 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 God's 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 God's people was, and how dreadful the Judgments were, which this would bring upon them, which is the more evident by the following Complaint, Woe unto me, the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously, yea the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously: which seems clearly to be meant of that people's 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 show mercy) so that the generality of them should be utterly destroyed; if they escaped one Judgment, another should surprise them, as is more fully expressed 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 Noah's 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 Gomorrhah; 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 joined 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 ruin; 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 Travelers set up to lodge in by night, and then in the Morning pull it down, and carry it away with them. It may be meant of the Ruin 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 darkening 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 God's 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 Lord's, that seemed to have their Thrones above the Clouds and the Stars. And so the drift of the whole verse is to show, 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 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 Favor, 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 threatened, 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 show.

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 show 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 foretell, or thy Promises and Threatenings, 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 defensed 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, threatened 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 glorify 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 acknowledge God's just hand upon them, and dread his mighty power. Or, 2. the neighbor 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 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 Traveler, 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 sometimes 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 anymore. 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 rendered, 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 showeth 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, Cattle 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 settled 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, tendered 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 Savior himself doth in like manner compare the preaching of the Gospel to a great Supper, Luk. 14.1 • . and to a Feast made by a King at the Marriage of his Son, Mat. 22.2. • nd 2. in Heaven hereafter with the fullness 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 2 • 30. and Mat. 8.11. wherewith God shall forever feast his people. See •• e Notes, Psal. 17.15. and 36.8. Some, I know, would have this underst • od of God's destroying his and his people's Enemies. But the Context show plainly, that this cannot be here intended. And though we should yield •• 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 tidings of the Gospel, and afterward by the enjoyment of himself forever 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 veil 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 veil is done away in Christ, 2 Cor. 3.14. Some, I know, by this destroying the face of the covering cast over all people, do understand Christ's destroying Death; and that in the expression here used, there is an Allusion to the Face-cloth, wherewith the faces of dead men are wont to be covered, Joh. 11.44. or to the custom of covering the faces of condemned Malefactors, see the Note Esth. 7.8. But this of Christ's destroying Death, is added in the next verse; and the former therefore is rather here intended; namely, the freeing of his people from that ignorance under which they lay by Nature, by the enlightening of the Gospel, which was signified by the rending of the Veil of the Temple at the Death of Christ. And all this is said should be done in this mountain, as before, not only because it should be done in the Church, made up both of Jews and Gentiles; but also because the Gospel, whereby this was to be done, was at first to go out of Mount Zion. See the Notes Chap. 2.3.

Ver. 8. He will swallow up death in victory, &c.] That is, He will destroy Death forever, (as the word in the Original, here translated in victory, doth properly signify) so that it shall never more prevail over his redeemed ones; but Christ shall reign, this his last Enemy being destroyed forever and ever. Now though this was done partly by the Death of Christ, whereby he abolished Death, 2 Tim. 1.10. having by his suffering Death delivered his people •• om that Death which their sins had deserved, Heb. 2.15. yet it shall chiefly b • accomplished at the Resurrection of the just, when they shall pass into Lif • Eternal, after which there shall be no more death, Rev. 21.4. for so the Apost •• saith expressly, 1 Cor. 15.54. When this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and th • mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass that Saying •• at is written, Death is swallowed up in victory: And the like may be said of th • following words, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces, to wit, of his people; even as a tender Mother wipes away the tears of her weeping little Child: For though God doth this partly by the comforts of his Word and Spirit here, yet it is not completely done till they be taken up into Heaven; to which estate therefore this passage is applied by St. John, Revel. 7.17. and 21.4. And so likewise in the next clause, And the rebuke (or, reproach) of his people shall be taken away from off all the earth; the meaning is, that God would free his people from that extreme scorn and contempt which was cast upon them all the world over; and from the worlds base and despightful usage of them, in their continual afflicting and persecuting of them, as if they were a people not worthy to live upon the face of the earth. But now the accomplishment of this here principally intended, is the exceeding Glory whereunto God's people shall be advanced in Heaven. For when God shall take them into this blessed and glorious condition, then indeed all the Inhabitants of the earth shall be effectually taken off from that vile and base esteem which they formerly had of them. Many good Expositors do, I know, apply all this to the deliverance of God's people out of Babylon. But it is only as looking upon that as a Type of this far greater deliverance, promised to God's redeemed ones in and through the Lord Christ.

Ver. 9. And it shall be said in that day, &c.] That is, In that day when these Promises shall be accomplished, the people of God shall say, to wit, with wonder and exceeding great joy, (for this is, as it were, the language of the Guests at the Feast mentioned before, ver. 6.) Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us, &c. Which may be understood, 1. in the Type, of the rejoicing of God's people at the Lord's delivering them out of Babylon, which they had long expected, and came at last to pass according to God's Promise and their earnest expectation. And taking it thus, observable it is, that in this expression of their present joy and confidence in God, they do withal covertly judge and condemn themselves; because before their being carried into Babylon by their disobeying God's Laws, and seeking to foreign Princes for help in their dangers, they had not carried themselves towards the Lord, as now they found they should have done. Or, 2. of the people of God's owning Christ at his coming in the flesh, and embracing him by Faith, when tendered to them in the Gospel, as the true God, their Lord and Savior, long ago promised them, with great joy, because of the peace made by him between God and them. Or, 3. of the Churches triumphing in Christ, when he shall come to judge the world, and to receive them into his Kingdom of Glory.

Ver. 10. For in this Mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest.] That is, His powerful Providence shall be constantly and continually over his Church to protect and bless them. See the Note; Psal. 80.17. It is the same in effect with that of our Savior, Mat. 28.20. And lo, I am with you always, unto the end of the world.

And Moab shall be trodden down under him, &c.] That is, under his feet, Psal. 110.1. Moab is here particularly mentioned, because none were more constantly and more fiercely bent upon doing mischief to God's people than they were; but under these by a Synecdoche all the wicked enemies of his people are intended. Even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill, to wit, the worst of the straw, not fit to be reserved for any other use. The word which we render trodden down, some translate threshed, and accordingly they read this verse thus, And Moab shall be threshed under him, even as straw is threshed in Madmenah; and then take Madmenah to be a City of Moab, called Madmen, Jer. 48.2. and hold, that because this City being scituate in a rich Corn-country, where there was abundance of straw, which was the less regarded, thence the Prophet useth this expression here of straw threshed in Madmenah.

Ver. 11. And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim, &c.] Some hold that this is spoken of Moab, with relation to the last words in the foregoing verse, to wit, That as the Swimmer stretcheth forth his hands to swim, so he being trodden down by his enemies, should in the midst of them stretch forth his hands to beg for mercy both of God and his enemies: Or, that he should, though in vain, strive with all possible endeavors to save himself from utter ruin, even as a ship-wrack'd man being fallen into the Sea, laboreth with all his might by swimming to escape drowning. But clearly, as I conceive, this is spoken of God, That he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: And the meaning of this Similitude seems to be, either that breaking in upon Moab he should with all earnestness, as with both hands, lay on upon them on every side, and that again and again, continually without intermission, not only in the skirts of the Country, but even in the midst and heart of the Land. Yea, not giving over till he had passed thorough it, and had everywhere executed his Judgments upon them, and subdued the whole Land under his power. Or else, that he should easily and without any opposition work his will upon that great and mighty people, even as he that swimmeth doth only stretch himself upon the water, and spreading forth his arms doth gently put away the waters before him, and so cuts his way through the Sea or Rivers. And he shall bring down their pride, see the Note Chap. 16.6. together with the spoils of their hands. That is, their wealth, which by rapine and violence they had taken from others.

Ver. 12. And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, &c.] That is, Moab 's high and strong walls, which they esteemed such a mighty defense.

CHAP. XXVI.

VERSE 1. IN that day, &c.] To wit, when that shall be done for God's people, which is before promised; that is, when they shall be delivered out of Babylon, and so likewise when their Redemption by Christ from their spiritual Bondage, whereof the deliverance out of Babylon was a type, shall be made known to them by the preaching of the Gospel, see the Note, Chap. 24.9. shall this Song be sung in the Land of Judah: to wit, at their return from Babylon, and in the Church of Christ, whereof that Land was a Figure, see the Note, Deut. 31.19. The meaning is, that the state of the times he now speaks of, should be such, that they might well sing this Song: yea, and it may well be that this Song was purposely composed, that in the Babylonian Captivity the faithful might hereby cheer up themselves with hope of deliverance.

We have a strong City, &c.] This may seem to be spoken as in opposition to that which was said ver. 12. of the foregoing Chapter, concerning the Lord's beating down the Cities of Moab. Their mightiest Cities shall be laid in the dust; but we have a strong City, to wit, Jerusalem, or the Church of Christ, whereof Jerusalem was a Type, against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail. As this is spoken with respect to the Jews, when they were come back to Jerusalem from Babylon, it may import as much as if they had said, Though our City may seem weak in comparison of what it was before the Babylonians destroyed it; yet blessed be God, we can look upon it as a strong City: Salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks; that is, God's protection and preservation will be to us instead of the strongest walls and bulwarks. And as it is intended of the Church of Christ, the meaning is, that through God's protection she shall be invincible. And some add too, that the Salvation wrought by Christ shall be the cause and ground of this her safety.

Ver. 2. Open ye the gates, that the righteous Nation which keepeth the Truth, may enter in.] 1. As this hath respect to the return of the Jews out of Babylon, by the gates may be meant, either the gates of Jerusalem, (thereby to imply the certainty of their return thither, and the multitude of those that should return;) Or (as some) the gates of the Temple, which should be re-edified by them, that there they might serve and praise the Lord; see the Notes, Psal. 24.7. and 118.19, 20. And this remnant returning may be called the righteous Nation, which keepeth the truth; that is, which faithfully in all things keepeth close to the truth of God's Word; both to imply what God required of them upon their return, to wit, that they should not be a wicked, rebellious people, as they had been, but a righteous holy Nation; and likewise, because they should be at that time, partly through the cutting off of multitudes of the former wicked generation, and partly through the Repentance of great numbers of those that returned, a people very much reformed and purged from their former dross. But, 2. as this hath respect to the days of the Gospel, it is clearly a Prediction of the multitude of the Gentiles that should come thronging into the Church of Christ, together with the believing Jews, and should not only profess the truth of the Gospel, but also be really a righteous people, according to the Rule and Tenor of the Gospel.

Ver. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee.] That is, Thou, God, wilt constantly keep that man in all manner of solid Peace and Prosperity, whose heart doth constantly adhere to thee, and rely and rest upon thee in all conditions whatsoever: Either God will outwardly protect and prosper such, or in their troubles he will bear up their hearts with inward comfort and peace. See the Notes, Psa. 32.10. & 119. 165.

Ver. 4. Trust ye in the Lord forever, &c.] That is, Constantly unto the end, whatever be the outward Dispensations of God's Providence towards you. Thus from that which is said in the foregoing verse, the faithful do mutually encourage one another, For in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength, to wit, for the protecting and prospering of those that trust in him. See the Note, Exod. 6.3. That which we render everlasting strength, is in the Hebrew, The rock of ages, for which see the Note Deut. 32.4.

Ver. 5. For he bringeth down them that dwell on high, &c.] That is, The mighty Potentates and Tyrants of the world, that dwell in lofty Palaces and high-walled Cities, or that are in state exalted far above others, see the Note, Chap. 24.21. And this is added also as a reason, why the righteous that trust in God may expect to be delivered from the Oppression of their greatest enemies. The lofty City he layeth it low; that is, He ruinates their strongest and best-defensed Cities, He layeth it low, even to the ground, he bringeth it even to the dust; see the Note, Chap. 25.2.

Ver. 6. The foot shall tread it down, even, the feet of the poor, &c.] That is, Even God's poor afflicted people shall subdue those their high fenced Cities under their power; or by way of contempt shall trample upon them.

Ver. 7. The way of the just is uprightness, &c.] That is, The ways and courses of the faithful are in all conditions very just and upright: Thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just; that is, Thou, O Lord, who art most upright thyself, dost exactly know and consider the ways of just, upright men; whereby is implied, Either 1. that God being most upright, and therefore approving and liking the just and upright ways of his faithful servants, doth accordingly assist and prosper them in their ways, and make their way plain and even before them, so that they may go on comfortably therein. Or, 2. that comparing together the upright ways of the righteous, with the perverse and false ways of the wicked, he doth prosper the one, and destroy the other. Or, 3. that he doth so afflict them by their enemies when they go astray, that he is very ready to deliver them again from their enemies upon their Repentance. I know many understand this whole verse, of God's making the way of his people by his Providence fair and plain before them; and accordingly that word, which we translate uprightness, they render evenness, or streightness, The way of the just is evenness; and suitably they render also the following words, Thou, most upright, dost level the path of the just. But according to our Translation, the meaning of the place seems clearly to be that which is before said.

Ver. 8. Yea, in the way of thy Judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee.] Having spoken in the foregoing verse of the tender respect which God hath always to his righteous Servants, here he showeth what their assured confidence concerning this had wrought in them; to wit, that even in the way of his Judgments, that is, under his forest chastisements, they waited upon God in hope, that of his infinite Goodness and Mercy he would at last deliver them, and receive them again into his favor. Now the afflictions which God had brought upon his people he calls Judgments, because therein God seems to carry himself as a Judge, punishing them for their sins; but yet in despensing of them he doth all with judgment and moderation, and wholly with a purpose to do them good, according to that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 11.32. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. And this expression, In the way of thy judgments, is because it is God's usual and constant way to afflict his people when they go astray, for their spiritual advantage. I know some understand this thus, That the faithful waited upon God in the Way of his Judgments, that is, in a way of constant obeying his Commandments, or in a way which he had prescribed them in his word. But the whole Context showeth it is meant of the chastisements wherewith he had chastised his people. See the Note above, ver. 1.

The desire of our soul is to thy Name, and to the remembrance of thee.] That is, Even in our greatest troubles our affections were not taken off from thee, (see the Note, Psal. 44.17.) nor did we cast off our confidence in thee, but still our thoughts were upon thee, thy word and promises: We still panted after thy favor, and sought after, and waited for thy help and deliverance, earnestly desiring that the glory of thy Name might thereby be advanced.

Ver. 9. With my Soul have I desired thee in the night, yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early.] That is, I have desired thy favor, thy gracious presence and help at all times, even by night, whilst others slept, and so still will do with all possible diligence. And this is spoken as in the name of every several person amongst the righteous, that in this Song are brought in praising God's Name. For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.] This is added to show how they had been brought so to seek after God, as was said in the foregoing words; namely by the Judgments they had lain under, mentioned before ver. 8. In the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee. It is as if they had said, And indeed it is usual with men all the world over, to be brought by thy Judgments to learn Righteousness. Yet the meaning is not, that all men are by God's Judgments won to true Repentance; but that usually when Mercies do no good upon men, yet Judgments bring them in, either seriously to repent and amend their lives, or at least to make an outward show of doing so. See the Note, Psal. 83.16. which is farther set forth in the following verse.

Ver. 10. Let favor be shown to the wicked, &c.] Having said in the foregoing verse what effect the Judgments of God do commonly work in men, to wit, that thereby they are b •• ught to learn righteousness, (for which see the foregoing Note) here they add, that indeed some wicked wretches will not be brought to learn Righteousness, neither by Mercies nor Judgments. How little Mercies prevail with them, is shown in this verse, Let favor be shown to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness, in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly; whereby may be meant, either Judea, called the Holy Land, which God had given as an inheritance to his own peculiar people, whom he required to be a righteous, holy people; or the Church of Christ, where uprightness of Life and Conversation is strictly required and practiced; but see the Note, Psal. 143.10. And will not behold the Majesty of the Lord, that is, though the Lord doth by never so many wonderful works clearly discover the Glory and Majesty of all his Divine Attributes, yet will they take no notice of it. See the Note, Psal. 28.5. And then how little they were bettered by God's Judgments, is shewn in the next verse.

Ver. 11. Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see, &c.] That is, Though thou dost punish them never so sorely, with the strokes of a hand lifted up; or rather, though thy Judgments be executed upon them in such a manner, that it is most apparent that thou hast a special hand therein, everyone may see that they are the strokes of Divine Vengeance; yet they will not take any notice of it: But they shall see, that is, they shall be foreed to take notice of it, and be ashamed for their envy at the people, or, towards thy people; that is, their envying the welfare of God's people, and spiteful endeavoring to do them all the mischief they could: Yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them. That is, the vengeance wherewith, as with fire, thou art wont to destroy thine enemies, shall consume them. See the Notes, Psal. 21.9. and 97.3.

Ver. 12. Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us, &c.] As if they had said, Whilst thou destroyest our enemies, thou wilt order it so, that we thy people shall be in a prosperous and happy condition: As thou hast afflicted us, so thou wilt now also ordain peace for us, see the Note above, ver. 3. and Chap. 9.6. For thou also hast wrought all our works in us; that is, all the good we have done or do, with respect whereto, we hope, thou wilt afford us this peace, thou hast wrought it in us by thy Holy Spirit. But indeed the most and best Expositors would have this read, as it is in the Margin of our Bibles, For thou also hast wrought all our works for us; and 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 ourselves 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 Lord's, besides thee, who art our Sovereign 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 ourselves to be thy servants, and make mention of thee as our true Lord and Sovereign, 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 honor 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 anything 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 Lord's 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 anymore. 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 increased the Nation, O Lord, thou hast increased the Nation, &c.] Some would have this understood of God's increasing and multiplying the benefits he conferred upon his people. But according to our Translation, it is the increase 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 increase 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 increased. Or, 2. with respect to the great increase of that his peculiar people, by bringing in multitudes of the Gentiles, who joined 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, Levite. 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 show, That in their Prayers, by reason of extreme 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 extreme have our sorrows and miseries been, as thou, O Lord, hast seen and known. And this may be added, as that which did greatly increase their sorrow, That God should look on, and see them in such extreme 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 labored what we could to effect it; but all proved vain, and came to nothing: As a Woman that thought herself to be in pains of travel, and finds at last that it was nothing but wind she was tortured with, is no way eased (as they are that are delivered of a true birth) but continues still in great torment, so hath it been with us; we are quite deceived of the fruit we expected, and so there is no end of our sorrows, but out of one affliction we fall into another. And thus is this explained in the following words, we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth: That is, We have not effected anything for the succor or deliverance of ourselves, or of our Country; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen, that is, We have not been able to subdue our enemies the heathen, who in opposition to the Jews, God's peculiar people, are called the inhabitants of the world.

Ver. 19. Thy dead men shall live, &c.] Frequently in the Scripture men in extremity of misery, and that seem to be in a lost Condition, past all hope of recovery, are spoken of as dead men, yea, as men dead and buried, and turned into dust, see the Notes Psal. 31.12. and 22.15. and 88.5, 6. and accordingly also the raising up men from such a sad, desperate and hopeless Condition, putting them into a more comfortable Estate, is spoken of as a reviving of such dead men, and a kind of Resurrection; see the Notes Psal. 71.20 and 80.18. And in this sense I conceive these words are spoken here, of the raising of God's faithful people out of a forlorn and lost condition (such as was that of their deliverance out of Babylon ) and bringing them again into a cheerful and comfortable Estate; and that this is added as in opposition to that which was said before of the irrecoverable Destruction of their Enemies, ver. 14. They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise. I know that very many Expositors of great note, do understand this expressly of the Resurrection of the faithful to life at the last day. And indeed, though it were primarily meant of the deliverance of the Jews out of the Babylonian Captivity (as was also that Prophecy of Ezekiel's concerning the Resurrection of dry bones, Ezek. 37.1, &c.) yet by the Expressions here used, it may seem most probable, that there is at least an Allusion herein to that Resurrection of the faithful at the day of Judgment; yea, if this song were intended to set forth, as most Expositors hold, not only the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon, but also that greater deliverance of our Redemption by Christ (whereof that other was a type) as is before noted ver. 1. then I see not why under this great work of the deliverance of God's people by Christ, the raising of them up to life at the last day should not be comprehended; which shall be the full perfecting of that deliverance. The greatest difficulty in the words, is to know by whom, and to whom they are spoken. Now to this I answer, 1. That they may be taken as spoken to the Church and people of God, either in the person of God, or in the person of the prophet, speaking to them from God. And if we understand them thus, then we must suppose, that in the foregoing verse the song is ended that began ver. 1. and that here, in answer to that which they had said therein, there is a promise made to them from God in Christ, that he would certainly raise them from that dead and hopeless Condition, wherein they lay; Thy dead men shall live. And accordingly also we must then understand the following words (as they are in our translation) together with my dead bodies shall they arise, either of the dead body of Christ; as if it had been said in the person of Christ, As sure as my dead shall arise out of the grave, so surely shall thy dead men arise; or else of the whole body of his Church and people, thereby to imply, that not one of them should fail to have their share in this joyful Resurrection. But 2ly. the words may be taken as the words of God's people, and so as the close of the foregoing song, wherein they make profession to God of their confident assurance, that he would revive them, and raise them up from that forlorn and hopeless Condition, wherein at present they lay; Thy dead men shall live; as if they had said, Thy poor people, that seem to be now as so many men dead and buried, thou wilt revive again, and raise them up out of this their low and seeming desperate Condition, even as at the last day those that die in thee, being true members of thy mystical body the Church, shall be raised out of their grave; unto life eternal. And taking the words thus, the following words must likewise be understood accordingly,