Annotations Upon Isaiah

CHAP. XLII.

VERSE 1. BEhold my servant, &c.] Some learned Expositors are of opinion, that this Prophecy might be intended concerning Cyrus, as he was a type of Christ; and that because there are several passages in this Chapter, that are the same in effect with others in the 44, and 45. Chapters, where Cyrus is expressly named; and whereas it may be objected, that some passages here cannot with any probability be understood of Cyrus; to this they answer, That in other like Prophecies, where both Christ, and likewise David and Solomon, as types of Christ, are jointly intended, there are some passages that cannot properly be applied to the types, but only to Christ, who was chiefly intended; See the Notes, Psal. 2.1. and 16.8. and 22.1. and 45.1. and 72.1. But though it may be questioned whether it were meant of the Jews return out of Babylon, and so of Cyrus, whom God made use of as his Servant in that great work; there can be no question made, but that it was principally intended concerning Christ; because St. Matthew tells us that what the Prophet saith here in the first four verses, was fulfilled in Christ, Matth. 12.17, 18. &c. It is usual with the Prophets when they foretell things hard to be believed, therewith to join some Prophecy concerning Christ; the reason whereof see in the Note, Chap. 7.14. But here a more particular reason may be given of that which is here prophesied of Christ. God having in the foregoing Chapter proved himself to be the only true God, by that whereby the Idol-gods, as he there tells them, could not prove their Deities; namely, by foretelling future things, which he would do for the seed of Abraham, and not only in their deliverance out of Babylon, but also in that greater work of their Redemption by Christ, whereof that was a type; and how Christ and those whom he should send forth, should bring them the glad tidings of the accomplishment of the great mercies here foretold (See the Notes, Chap. 40.25, 27.) Here he proceeds on in these his Prophecies concernning Christ, Behold my servant, to wit, Christ; who though he were the only begotten Son of God, yet is here called God's Servant, with respect to his human nature, wherein he took upon him the form of a servant, Phil. 2.7. and as man, was bound to serve God in a thorough obedience to his Laws; but especially because of that singular Office of the Mediator, which God had imposed upon him; whom I uphold, to wit, That he may not sink under my wrath which he is to bear for sinners; nor under any other difficulty or discouragement which he shall meet with in the discharge of his Office, but may thoroughly fulfil it; mine elect, that is, whom from eternity I elected to this service, and who is indeed, both in regard of the transcendent dignity of his Office, and the dearness of his person, and his exact discharge of his Office, my choice Servant, in whom my soul delighteth; that is, whom I dearly love, and through whom, and for whose sake only I am well pleased with others, Eph. 1.6. I have put my spirit upon him, See the Note, Chap. 11.2. he shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles, that is, He shall cause his Gospel to be published, not to the Jews only, but also to the Gentiles, and thereby set up his Kingdom amongst them, and rule and govern them as his peculiar people; See the Notes, Chap. 2.3, 4.

Ver. 2. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets.] It is expressly noted of Christ, that sometimes in his preaching he lifted up his voice and spake very loud; as John 7.37. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. The meaning therefore of that which is here prophesied concerning Christ, is rather, 1. That this great King of the Church should make no great noise in the World, that he should come to his people in an humble and low Condition, without any of that stir or noise that useth to be where earthly Kings and Potentates come in Pomp and State to any place. Or 2ly. That he should be most humble, and meek, and gentle, not seeking the applause of men in a boasting way, not seeking to awe and keep under his people by loud clamours and threatenings, as earthly Kings often use to do, nor endeavoring to carry on his Cause in a passionate and clamorous way, as men are wont to do, that not being able to convince men by strength of Argnment, do then assay to overbear men by passionate and loud speaking; whence it is that the Apostle joins wrath, and anger, and clamour, together, Eph. 4.31. And this Exposition may seem indeed the more probable, because in Matth. 12.19. this place is cited thus, He shall not strive nor cry, &c. and it is purposely cited by the Evangelist in that place, to show how fully that was accomplished in Christ, which our Prophet had foretold concerning the Humility, Meekness, and Calmness of Spirit that should be in the promised Messiah; for having related how the Pharisees were enraged against him for a Miracle that he had wrought, and how Christ thereupon did not so much as contend with them, but only withdrew himself from thence to another place, that he might not, when they were in such a rage, provoke them any further, ver. 14, 15. and charged the people not to make known the Miracles that presently after he wrought in another place, ver. 16. he adds ver. 17, 18, 19. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet, saying, Behold my Servant whom I have chosen, &c. He shall not strive nor cry, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

Ver. 3. A bruised reed shall he not break, &c.] That is, Those that are as a cracked and bruised Cane or Reed which men are wont to break in pieces and throw away as good for nothing; and the smoking (or dimly burning) flax shall he not quench; that is, Those that are as the wick of a Candle that burns dimly, or as a snuff that hath more smoke than light, and is even ready to go out, which men are wont to cast away, or at least to put them quite out. They that understand this of Cyrus as a type of Christ, do apply it thus, That he did not despise and destroy the people of God, whom he found in Babylon in a low Condition, under extreme Bondage and Slavery; but on the contrary was very tender over them, and rescued them out of the hands of their Oppressors, and sent them home with honor into their own Country. But it is questionless meant of Christ. And though it may be extended to his patience, and gentleness, and forbearance towards the worst, as appears by the Evangelists citing this place, with respect to Christ's yielding-carrage towards the Pharisees (See the foregoing Note) yet I conceive it is chiefly meant of Christ's Gentleness and Clemency towards the weaker sort of Christians, and those that are sorely troubled and wounded in Conscience for sin. 1. He will not drive those to despair by dealing over-rigorously and roughly with them that are poor brooken-hearted sinners, and that are through the Affrightments of Sin and Satan, and the weakness of their Faith, ready to sink in despair, like a wick of a Candle that is even ready to go out, but will rather cherish and encourage them, and blow up that spark of Faith that is in them. And 2ly. he will not cast off those that have but a weak measure of Grace, Piety and Goodness, that are like smoking flax, in that the light of Grace is hardly discernible by reason of those strong corruptions wherewith it is in a manner overwhelmed, but will bear with them, and cherish them, till Grace grow stronger in them. As for the last clause, he shall bring forth Judgment unto truth; it is much the same with that, ver. 1. he shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles; and the meaning therefore seems to be, That by the preaching of the Gospel, he should set up his Kingdom among his people faithfully, according to what he had promised; or that he should judge and govern his people truly, according to the rule of the Gospel. And thus this may be added by way of explaining the former words, namely, by showing, that though Christ should deal very gently with the weakest of true Believers and true Penitents, yet he would not cherish any in their sins, nor show any favor to Hypocrites, and profane obstinate Despisers of the grace that was tendered them.

Ver. 4. He shall not fail, nor be discouraged, &c.] That is, He shall not faint nor be disheartened from going on in his work by any hard labor or grievous sufferings; yea, though all the World oppose him, he shall courageously go on; till he have set Judgment in the earth, that is, Till by the preaching of the Gospel he hath settled a Church upon earth, and therein hath established his Kingdom, even that Government whereby he sets up his Throne in the hearts of his people, and works a thorough Reformation in them, bringing the whole man to the obedience of his will, and whereby he subdueth all contrary powers which resist and oppose the exercise of his Kingly power, for the good of his Church and people; and with respect unto this last I conceive it is, that these words of the Prophet are rendered by the Evangelist, till he send forth judgment unto victory, Matth. 12.20. and the Isles shall wait for his Law, that is, even the Gentiles in the remotest parts of the earth shall with all greediness embrace his Gospel, the Law whereby he will judge and govern his people. Now because they that do so, must needs trust in him for life eternal, therefore is this clause expressed thus, Matth. 12.21. and in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

Ver. 5. Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the Heavens, and stretched them out, &c.] See the Note, Psal. 104.2.

Ver. 6. I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, &c.] By God the Fathers calling Christ (the like whereto is also said of Cyrus as a type of Christ, Chap. 45.4. I have called thee by thy name ) may be meant, either his fore-appointing him to the Office of the Mediator (See the Note above, ver. 1.) or his actual bringing him to the undertaking of this Office by his Incarnation, and by his inauguration thereto whilst he was upon earth; according to the like Expressions we find elsewhere of God's calling for a Famine, 2 King. 8.1. and of his calling the Generations from the beginning, Chap. 41.4. And if we take it thus, we must know, that this is spoken of as done already, I have called thee, only to imply the certainty of it. As for those words (in righteousness) I have called thee in righteousness, the meaning thereof is, either 1. That Christ was designed to this Office in a just and righteous way, namely, by commission from God, whose will is the sure rule of righteousness, as the Apostle saith, Heb. 5.4, 5. that he took not this Honor to himself; and that too not without his own free consent, See the Notes, Psal. 40.7, 8. Or, 2ly. That God called him in faithfulness that he might perform the Promises which he had made unto his people; and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, that is, I will direct, support and defend thee: See the Notes, ver. 1. and Chap. 41.13. Psal. 16.8. and 73.23. and give thee for a Covenant of the people, that is, to be the Mediator, the Messenger, Mal. 3.1. the Surety and the Ratifier of that Covenant of Grace which God hath made with his people; i.e. with the people of Israel (who are primarily here intended, and therefore distinguished here from the Gentiles) and then also with all Believers taken into the same Church with them; for a light of the Gentiles, that is, to enlighten their minds, and cheer up their hearts; See the Note, Chap. 9.2.

Ver. 7. To open the blind eyes, &c.] That is, To enlighten men's minds, that were by nature spiritually blind; See the Note, Chap. 35.5. to bring out the Prisoners from the prison; and them that sit in darkness, out of the Prison-house; that is, To rescue poor sinners out of the Bondage of Satan, Sin and Death; and so out of that blindness and woeful misery wherein they lay, which may well be called the darkness of the Devils Dungeon; See the Note, Chap. 9.2.

Ver. 8. I am the Lord, &c.] It is in the Hebrew, I am Jehovah, which imports a God that hath his being of himself, and from whom all things have their being; that is my name, that is, that peculiar name whereby I have made myself known to my people Israel, and whereby I will be distinguished from all Idols and false gods that have their being from others; See the Notes, Exod. 3.14. and 6.3. and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven Images; that is, The Glory and Praise of being the only true God, or the Glory of an exact accomplishing what I have foretold should be, which is that whereby God had before undertaken to prove himself the only true God; See the Notes, Chap. 41. 22, 23, 25, &c. It seems therefore that the Lord having finished the foregoing Prophecy concerning Christ, doth here again hereupon assert, That he, the God of Israel, whose name was Jehovah, that had foretold these things, was the only true God.

Ver. 9. Behold, the former things are come to pass, &c.] That is, The several things which from time to time I have long beforehand foretold my people, have been all accomplished in their several seasons; and new things do I declare, to wit, concerning the destruction of Babylon, the return of God's people into their own land, and their greater deliverance by Christ; before they spring forth, I tell you of them, that is, long before there is any appearance or any probable sign of any such thing. It is as if he had said: As sure as the former things have been accomplished, so surely shall these things also, which I now foretell, come to pass. And thus the Lord doth re-assume his former Argument of proving himself to be the only true God, by his foretelling future things: See the Notes, Chap. 41.22, 27.

Ver. 10. Sing unto the Lord a new Song, &c.] That is, say some, an exquisite song; or rather, a new Song, to set forth a new work of wonder which God would work; for indeed this is said with reference to that, ver. 9. and new things do I declare. But see the Note, Psal. 33.3. and his praise from the end of the earth; see the Note Chap. 24.16. ye that go down to the Sea, to wit, Mariners and Merchants; see the Note Psal. 107.23. and all that is therein, that is, that dwell in the Islands that are in the Sea, as it is explained in the following words, the Isles, and the Inhabitants thereof. The Prophet having foretold the Destruction of Babylon, and the Deliverance of the Jews, and that which is the chiefest of all, the great work of man's Redemption by Christ; he now stirs up the Nations that should hear of these things, to sing forth God's praise; and that purposely to imply the certainty of these things, the better to cheer up those whose deliverance was therein concerned. And indeed, as it was spoken with respect to Christ, concerning whom the Prophet had immediately before prophesied, it implies a clear prediction how all Nations should praise God upon the preaching of the Gospel amongst the Gentiles.

Ver. 11. Let the wilderness and the Cities thereof lift up their voice, &c.] See the Note, Chap. 35.1. And if by the Wilderness here, be meant that vast desert that lay East-ward of Judea, as the Sea, mentioned in the foregoing verse, lay on the West; then this is all one in effect, as if it had been said, That from the rising unto the setting of the Sun, God should be praised: the villages that Kedar doth inhabit, See the Notes, Chap. 21.16. Psal. 120.5. and Cant. 1.5. let the Inhabitants of the rock sing, that is, The Inhabitants of Arabia Petrea, or of Petra the chief City in those parts; See the Note, Chap. 16.1. or rather, those that inhabit mountainous Countries, as the following words show, let them shout from the top of the mountains. However, as this is spoken with respect to the days of the Gospel, it clearly implies, That the most barbarous Nations should then praise God.

Ver. 13. The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, &c.] That is, having long withdrawn himself, as if he minded them not, he shall at last go forth in great fury, to wit, against the Babylonians; See the Notes, Job 16.14. and Psal. 78.65. He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war, that is, As men stir and blow up a fire, so shall the Lord stir up the fire of his jealousy, to wit, his fierce wrath and indignation against his idolatrous enemies, proceeding from his ardent love to his people, and zeal for his own glory; he shall cry, to wit, as soldiers are wont to shout when they assault their enemies; yea, roar, to wit like a Lyon. But now this may be spoken with reference to Christ, that he should go forth as a mighty man (it is an Expression which our Savior himself used, John 16.28. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world ) namely, to vanquish all his people's spiritual enemies, Satan, Sin, Death and Hell, and to destroy all those that obstinately oppose him, and are the implacable enemies of his Church and people.

Ver. 14. I have long time holden my peace, &c.] God himself is here brought in complaining of his enemies abusing his longsuffering and patience, and promising Deliverance to his people: I have long time holden my peace, I have been still and refrained myself, to wit, (as the following similitude seems to imply) as a travelling Woman bites in her pains, and forbears crying out as long as ever she is able; and the meaning is, That he had long forborne taking vengeance on his people's enemies, and suffered his people to be still kept in Bondage by them: now will I cry like a travelling Woman, that is, as such a Woman, when she comes to the extremity of her pain, the Child being brought to the very birth, is then forced to cry aloud, and many times breathes out her cries the louder, because she had before suppressed them, and kept them in, thereby striving to help forward her deliverance, till when she can expect no ease nor rest; so will I with all earnestness hasten the Deliverance of my people, as if I travelled and were in pain until they were delivered, and will fall with the greater fury upon their enemies because of my former forbearance. And indeed this similitude doth notably set forth, 1. God's tender affection to his people, even like that of a Mother to the Child in her Womb. 2ly. His earnest desire of their deliverance. And 3ly. that though the Lord had hitherto only groaned in a more silent manner for their sad Condition, yet now the set and appointed time being come, they should speedily be delivered, as the Child is when the Mothers cries are loudest. As for those last words, I will destroy and devour at once, either the meaning is, That the Lord would destroy their Enemies Land, and devour the Inhabitants; or that he would speedily make an end of them all together, as it is with hungry ravenous wild beasts, that as soon as they have killed their prey, do immediately devour it.

Ver. 15. I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs, &c.] That is, the herbage which the Mountains and all other parts of the Land afforded both for man and beast; and I will make the rivers Islands, that is, Dry them up so, that here and there the dry land shall appear like so many Islands. The drift of the whole verse is to set forth the horrid Desolation that God would make in the land of the Chaldeans when he undertook the Deliverance of his people from thence. And to this end he speaks of his Vengeance therein, as a devouring Fire that would burn up all before it; See the Notes, Deut. 4.24. and 32.22. And the particular mention that is made of laying waste their Mountains and Hills, is either because there usually they had their idolatrous Temples and Altars; or rather, because there they had their greatest Cities and places of strength. And the same may be said for the mentioning of the drying up of their Rivers, which were the great safeguard of their Country; all is to imply, that all the strength and Riches of their Country should not hinder God from destroying them, and delivering his people out of their hands: one particular whereof is noted by some Expositors to have been accomplished when Cyrus made the great River Euphrates passable for his Army when they took Babylon. And then as this Prophecy refers to Christ, the same is meant that is said before, ver. 13. That he should destroy the Kingdom of Satan, and all the great enemies of his people, and ruin all the Riches, and Pomp, and State of those that should exalt themselves against him.

Ver. 16. And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not, &c.] As this is meant of the Jews return out of Babylon, they are termed blind, because they saw nothing of their approaching Deliverance; they saw no likelihood of escaping out of that sad Condition wherein they lay, and so regarded not God's promises, but as men stupefied and hopeless, were in continual perplexity, not knowing which way to turn themselves; and of their return into Judea, it might well be said, That they were led by a way they knew not, and in paths they had not known; because the generality of them were born in Babylon; and so had never gone that way before. But as it is meant of Christ's redeemed ones, whether Jews or Gentiles, it was accomplished in the enlightening of their blind minds (See the Note, Chap. 35.5.) and bringing them into the way of Salvation, whereof they knew nothing before. And the like may be said of the following words; they may be meant of the Jews returning out of Babylon; I will make darkness light before them, that is, I will bring them out of an afflicted and sad Estate, into a joyful and prosperous Condition (See the Notes, Esth. 8.16. and Psal. 112.4.) or rather, I will make their way clear before them, wherein otherwise they might have been often brought to a stand, not knowing which way to turn themselves; and crooked things straight, that is, their way shall be easy and plain, free from those troubles and difficulties which otherwise they might have found in it. But under this type is surely also meant, That Christ would enlighten and cheer up his Servants by his word and spirit, and turn them from their crooked wicked ways into the straight ways of Holiness and Righteousness. These things will I do, to wit, how impossible soever men may deem them, and not forsake them; that is, though because of their long Captivity in Babylon, I may seem to have quite cast them off, yet I will not forsake them, nor leave them always in bondage; or having delivered them out of Babylon, I will not then leave them till I have brought them safe home to their own Country. And of Christ likewise this is most true, because he never forsakes his, but whom he loves, he loves unto the end, John 13.1.

Ver. 17. They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed that trust in graven Images, &c.] This is spoken of the idolatrous Babylonians, to wit, that they should not be able to stand before God's avenging hand, but should fly with shame before their enemies; Or, that they should be turned back, as men that are ashamed to show their faces, when they should see how they were disappointed of their hopes, how unable their Idol-gods were to save them, or to do that for them, which the God of Israel had done for his people. But see the Notes, Chap. 1.29. Psal. 35.4. and 40.14. and 97.7.

Ver. 18. Hear ye deaf, and look ye blind, that ye may see.] Some few Expositors would have it, that the Heathens are here willed to yield and be convinced by the great things which they should see done by the Lord for his poor people, of which mention was made in the foregoing verses. But by the whole sequel of the Chapter it seems clear, that the Prophet doth here address himself to expostulate with the Jews; and either it is meant of the spiritual Blindness and Stupidity of the Jews in that Age, that both then when the Prophet now prophesied to them, and so afterward from time to time, were deaf to all the Instructions and Warnings of God's Prophets, and blind as to a serious Consideration of all the great works that God had wrought amongst them, and so ran on impenitently, till the Lord was forced to bring a barbarous Nation upon them that should carry them Captives into Babylon: Or else it may be meant principally of the Jews in the days of the Gospel, this being a matter of greatest wonder, that when Christ the promised Messiah came into the World (as was foretold in the beginning of this Chapter) the Gentiles should see and embrace the Salvation tendered in him by the Ministry of the Gospel; and the Jews, God's peculiar people, to whom he had been so long promised, should continue obstinately blind, and despise that great Salvation that was offered to them.

Ver. 19. Who is blind, but my Servant? &c.] They that understand the foregoing verse as spoken to the heathen Nations, do accordingly hold, that this is added by way of Correction, as if it had been said, Why do I check the Gentiles for their blindness? none are in truth blinder than mine own people▪ But rather this is added to confirm what was said before concerning the Jews blindness. Who is blind, but my servant? to wit, mine own people the Jews; or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? that is, My Priests and Levites whom I have set apart for the instructing of others; according to that of the Prophet, the Priests lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth: for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts, Mal. 2.7. Who is blind as he that is perfect? &c. that is, Those that ought to have been perfect in the Knowledge of God's will, or that think and boast themselves to be perfect above others. And this may be meant of the Jews in general, who had indeed greater means of Knowledge than other Nations, and gloried much therein, Rom. 2.17, 20. Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the Law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will—and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, &c. or else of their Teachers, who indeed had means of being eminently kowing men above others, and were herein highly conceited of themselves, as we may see by the Pharisees taking so great offense at our Savior's charging them with blindness, John 9.40. Are we (say they) blind also. The sum of that which is here said, is this, That even these men were blinder and more stupid than the very Heathens, because under so much light and means of Knowledge, they became never a whit the wiser for their own good.

Ver. 20. Seeing many things, &c.] This is added, to show what blindness and deafness it was, that in the foregoing Verses the Jews were charged with, to wit, spiritual blindness and deafness, seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not: that is, They minded not the great works that God wrought amongst them, nor what God spake to them by his Prophets, no more than if they had been indeed blind and deaf; See the Notes, Chap. 6.9, 10.

Ver. 21. The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake, &c.] This is a very hard passage, and therefore Expositors differ much concerning the meaning of it. But because it is not otherwise expressed what it was that God was well pleased with, I conceive it most probable, that this is spoken with reference to the following clause, he will magnify the Law, and make it (or him) honorable: as if it had been all jointly together expressed thus: That the Lord for his righteousness sake, that is, purposely to approve himself righteous in all his dealings with his people, was well pleased to magnify his law amongst them, and make it honorable. But how was God well pleased for his righteousness sake to magnify his Law, and make it honorable? I answer, 1. Some understand it thus, That God was willing and well pleased to do his people good, and to have upheld them in a prosperous and flourishing Condition, that hereby he might manifnst his Righteousness in making good his promises, and they might be brought highly to esteem and reverence his Law, finding how well it fared with them because of their careful observance of it; and hence it is that some read the last words thus, to magnify his Law; and make him, that is, his people honorable. And thus, say they, the Prophet implies, That God being so ready to do them good, if they came to be in any great misery, they must ascribe it to their own obstinacy, and stupidity, and rebellion against God. Again, 2ly. others understand it thus, that God was pleased to give them over in his wrath to that Blindness, and Deafness, and Stupidity mentioned in the foregoing Verses, that so he might manifest his Righteousness in bringing those Judgments upon them, wherewith he had threatened them in his Law, and so might bring them the more to reverence and magnify his Law for the time to come. And this indeed seems to have the fairest dependence upon that which went before. Nor do I see but that what is said in these two foregoing Expositions might be jointly intended, namely, That God was well pleased for his Righteousness sake, to magnify his Law, and make it honorable, both by making good the promises thereof to his people, when they were carefully to obey it, and by punishing them as he had threatened, when they did slight and disregard it.

Ver. 22. But this is a people robbed and spoiled, &c.] That is, This is a people that will certainly be robbed and spoiled; for though some think that this is spoken of the ten Tribes, that were already vanquished and carried into Captivity by the Assyrians; yet it seems rather to be meant of the Jews, to whom the Prophet now spake, to wit, That they would be unquestionably delivered up to be robbed and spoiled, namely, by the Babylonians first, and afterward by the Romans. It is, as if he had said, God was willing to have done them good, but they would not obey him, nor mind the warnings given them, and so did in a manner choose rather to be robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, that is, either being taken by their enemies, they shall be clapped up in caves and holes, till at more leisure they may otherwise dispose of them; or, though they fly into Caves and Dens of the earth, hoping there to hide or secure themselves, yet being there cooped up, they will be only the more easily taken. This, indeed, may be read as it is in the Margin, insnaring all the young men of them; the meaning whereof can be no other, but that this people by their infidelity and obstinacy, brought their choice young men into Bondage and Captivity. But the former Translation is more generally received; and they are hid in prison-houses, they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore, that is, none shall undertake to defend or deliver them; which though it was fulfilled in the Babylonians vanquishing of them, when none appeared considerably for their defense (as it had been also before with the ten Tribes, when they were captived by the Assyrians, and were never brought back again; of which some understand this place) yet it was most fully accomplished, when they were destroyed and dispersed by the Romans, under which sad Condition they continue unto this day.

Ver. 23. Who among you will give ear to this? &c.] Thus the Prophet proves those to be blind, and deaf, and stupid, whom before, ver. 19. he had called God's Servants, and God's Messengers, namely, because they would not regard the warning he had now given them, who will hearken and hear for the time to come? of which the meaning is either, 1. That even in time to come, when the Judgments now threatened should come upon them, they would not call to mind, or lay to heart the warning now given them. Or, 2ly. That there was very few of them that would so far regard what he had said, as by timely Repentance and Reformation to prevent those Judgments which he had told them would otherwise certainly in time to come be poured forth upon them.

Ver. 24. Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the Robbers? did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? &c.] Some think that this is meant of the Destruction which God had brought upon the ten Tribes, commonly called the Kingdom of Israel, for their sins; and so Judah is here warned by their Example. And others understand it of the spoil that had been formerly made in the land of Judah at several times by several Nations. But rather I conceive this is spoken to the Jews, the Posterity of Jacob, as supposed to be in Captivity in Babylon: the aim of the Prophet being to convince them of this, as one of the great truths which they would not see, to wit, that it was the Lord their God that brought those barbarous enemies upon them, the Babylonians first, and the Romans afterward, to punish them for their sins. And if that of the Romans be intended, then their disobeying the Gospel may be included in that reason which is given of their Destruction; for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient to his Law.

Ver. 25. Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle, &c.] Some think this is meant of Sennacherib's invading Judea. But see the foregoing Note. Rather it is meant of the Babylonians Invasion, or that grievous War which the Romans made against them in after-times, which proved Destruction to the whole Nation: and it hath set him on fire round about, that is, It hath brought utter Destruction upon him, out of which there was no escaping; or their City and Country was on a light flame round about: for to the burning of the City and Temple of Jerusalem, I conceive these words have special respect; yet he knew it not, that is, He minded it not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart; to wit, so as to repent of his sins, and turn to the Lord.

CHAP. XLIII.

VERSE 1. BUt now, &c.] Having in the latter end of the foregoing Chapter foretold a day of grievous misery that was coming upon the Jews, wherein the generality of them should continue obstinate and impenitnent, notwithstanding the wrath of God so terribly poured forth upon them; here the Lord by the Prophet returns to his former Consolation, namely, That he would not utterly cast off and destroy his people, but that there should be a remnant whom he would preserve, and with whom he would deal graciously, as with his own peculiar inheritance; But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel; that is, who as I gave thee thy first being, together with the rest of mankind, so I also formed thee, and molded thee into a National Church and State, and made thee a holy people for myself; for that this is indeed chiefly intended, is evident by many places; See the Notes, Chap. 29.23. Deut. 32.6. and Psal. 95.6. fear not, See the Note, Chap. 41.10. for I have redeemed thee; that is, I have many a time delivered thee when thou wert in a low and sad Condition, which may encourage thee to wait upon me for future deliverances: Or, I have determnined to deliver thee, to wit, both from the Babylonian Captivity, and from your spiritual Captivity; I have called thee by thy name, that is, Thou art in my special favor, see the Notes, Exod. 33.17. or, I have chosen thee and taken thee to be my peculiar people, and by that name have distinguished thee from all other people. And indeed, that this is principally here intended, appears by the following words; thou art mine: for which see the Notes, Chap. 41.8, 9.

Ver. 2. When thou passest thorough the waters, I will be with thee, &c.] To wit, to preserve thee from drowning: when thou walkest thorough the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, &c. It is an Expression much like that, Psal. 66.12. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went thorough fire and thorough water: and it may be it was used in allusion to the Israelites being carried safely thorough the Red Sea, and thorough Jordan. But however the meaning is, That God would deliver them out of their most desperate Dangers and Miseries, which must be understood as all other temporal promises, conditionally, to wit, unless God sees it better for them by their constant sufferings to confirm his truth, and so to translate them to heavenly Glory.

Ver. 3. I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.] Most Expositors understand this thus; That when God raised up Tirhakah King of Ethiopia (of which see Chap. 37.9. and 2 King. 19.9.) to go out with an Army against Sennacherib (wherein it may be probably thought both the Egyptians and Sabaeans went along with him as his Confederates) at that time when Sennacherib was going up against Jerusalem, not doubting speedily to surprise and sack that City; and Sennacherib upon the Report of the approach of the Ethiopian Army, was forced for the time to give over his design against Jerusalem, and to march away against Tirhakah, whom with his whole Army he did at that time over-run and utterly destroy (for which see the Notes, Chap. 18.1. and 20.1.—4.) it might be well said upon this account, That God gave the Egyptians, Ethiopians and Sabaeans, as a ransom for the Jews; because God did hereby give up, as it were, these Nations to be destroyed by the Assyrian, purposely that Jerusalem might thereby be delivered from that ruin which at that time hung over their heads. But many things asserted in this Exposition are very questionable. And therefore I rather think, that the intention of these words was only to show, That God had usually destroyed other Nations, that he might deliver them; and that he instanceth in the Egyptians, with respect to that famous Destruction of the Egyptians in the days of Moses, whereby the Israelites were delivered from that hard bondage under which they had held them; and in the Ethiopians, with respect to that mighty slaughter that was made amongst them (with whom also it is likely the Sabaeans were joined) when they invaded Judea in the days of Asa, 2 Chron. 14.9. &c. In both which that was accomplished, Prov. 11.8. The Righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead. And Chap. 21.18. The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous; for which see the Notes in both places.

Ver. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight, &c.] That is, Since I took thee to be my peculiar people, thou hast been honorable, to wit, as being advanced to such an honorable Condition: Or, through my favor thou hast become great, and of great renown above other Nations: and I have loved thee; that is, I have constantly continued to love thee, and to manifest it by many favors afforded thee; therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life; that is, As I have formerly done, so I will do still; rather than thou shalt be destroyed, I will destroy whole Nations to preserve thee; which was accomplished in the Destruction of the Babylonians; See the foregoing Note.

Ver. 5. Fear not, for I am with thee, &c.] See the Notes, Chap. 41.10, 14. I will bring thy seed from the East, and gather thee from the West, &c. which is meant, 1. of God's bringing home the Jews from Babylon and other parts of the World, whither they were scattered, to their own Country; See the Note, Chap. 11.12. for indeed there is no question to be made, but that upon the approach of the Babylonians, many fled into Egypt, and into other Countries; and that of those that were carried Captives into Babylon, many were sold to other Nations. But, 2ly. under this type it is principally meant of God's calling the Gentiles from all parts of the World, according to that, Matth. 8.11. Many shall come from the East and West, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of God.

Ver. 6. I will say to the North, Give up; and to the South, Keep not back, &c.] This is spoken with reference to that which was said before, Chap. 42.22. they are for a prey, and none delivereth: for a spoil, and none saith, Restore: as if he had said, Though none shall appear for their deliverance, yet at my command they shall be delivered, even from the remotest parts of the World: bring my Sons from far, &c.

Ver. 7. Even everyone that is called by my name, &c.] That is, That profess themselves my people (and so even the converted Gentiles may be comprehended too) whom therefore I must not disregard, unless I will be regardless of mine own name: for I have created him for my Glory, to wit, that they may live to my Glory; Or, that I may be glorified in all my glorious Attributes by all the great things that I do for them: I have formed him, yea I have made him, See the Note above, ver. 1.

Ver. 8. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.] Some understand this as a continuation of the foregoing promise; as if it had been said, Then shall those poor souls be brought forth out of Bondage, that were before spiritually blind, but then shall be enlightened to see what they could not see before; and that were before deaf, but then shall hear; which may be understood both of the Jews brought back out of Babylon, and likewise of the converted Gentiles: See the Notes, Chap. 29.18. and 35.5. and 42.16, 19, 20. But others hold, that here the Lord begins again to repeat his former Expostulation with all the idolatrous Nations, Chap. 42.1. challenging, that they might be brought forth into Judgment; who, though they had eyes and ears, yet were as blind and deaf as if they had none, to wit, that they might prove their Idol-gods to be really God's, as they professed them to be. And this, indeed, is more agreeable to the context, and to the challenge we have in the following verse.

Ver. 9. Let all the Nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled, &c.] In these words the Heathen Nations are summoned to make good the Deity of their Idol-gods, as before, Chap. 41.1. for which see the Note there: and that as there, ver. 21, 22. by foretelling future things: Who among them can declare this? that is, Who among their Idol-gods, or who among these idolatrous Nations, by revelation from their Idol-gods, can declare this which I have foretold concerning the deliverance of my people out of Babylon, and the great work of man's Redemption by Christ, or any such like? and therefore it followeth, and show us former things; for which see the Note, Chap. 41.22. let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified, to wit, those that can witness that they have truly foretold things to come; see the Note, Chap. 41.26. or let them hear and say, It is truth, that is, Let them hearken to what I have said, and be convinced thereby, and yield that they are indeed no gods; Or, let them hear what I say, or what my witness shall testify, and so confess it to be true, that I am God alone.

Ver. 10. Ye are my witnesses, &c.] Having in the foregoing verse challenged the Idolatrous Nations to produce their witnesses, that might testify what those future things were which their Idol-gods had foretold, thereby to prove that they were indeed God's; here he undertakes on his own behalf to do the like: ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that is, ye my people that have heard so many future things foretold by me, and have afterward seen them accomplished. Indeed the following words, and my servant whom I have chosen, are diversely understood by Expositors. For, 1. some joining it to the foregoing words, take it thus; That the Jews were his Witnesses, and his Servant whom he had chosen, See the Notes, Chap. 41.8. and 42.19. 2ly. Others understand it of the Prophets in general, God's peculiar Servant. 3ly. Others hold, that it is Isaiah in particular, to whose Testimony God here speaks, because he had by Revelation from God, foretold so many things that came exactly to pass. But because it may seem probable that this is spoken with reference to that which was said before, Chap. 42.1. Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my soul delighteth; therefore I rather think, that it is the same choice Servant of whom he there spake, that is here intended, to wit, either Cyrus (as some there think) who indeed gave a glorious Testimony to God in this regard; See the Note, Ezra 1.2. Or else rather Christ, in whom the chief things now foretold by Isaiah was fulfilled, and who is often mentioned in the Scripture as God's peculiar choicest Witness; See Chap. 55.4. John 18.37. Revel. 1.4. that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: as if he had said, I appeal to your seeing the things accomplished which I have foretold, that hereby ye may be fully assured that I am the only true God; and I appeal to the promised Messiah, because by him ye shall be further confirmed in the truth of that which I now call you to attest: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me: that is There was never any of your Idol-gods before me, gods of men's forming; nor shall there be any God after me, because I am the only everlasting and eternal God.

Ver. 12. I have declared, and have saved, &c.] That is, I have foretold that I would deliver you from your enemies, and accordingly did deliver you (and this indeed was another evidence whereby the Idol-gods were challenged to prove themselves true God's; See the Note, Chap. 41.23.) and I have shown, that is, I have by my Prophets made these things known to my people, when there was no strange God among you, to wit, that could foretell those things at that time; See the Note, Deut. 32.12.

Ver. 14. Thus saith the Lord your Redeemer, the holy one of Israel, &c.] See the Note, Chap. 1.4. for your sake I have sent to Babylon, to wit, Cyrus, with his Medes and Persians; and have brought down all their Nobles, to wit, from that height of Glory wherein they formerly lived. It is in the Hebrew, All their bars, and so some understand it of Cyrus his beating down Babylon's strong Walls and Fortifications, because these were as bars to keep out an Enemy from breaking into their City; See the Note, Chap. 45.1. yet it may be as well meant of their Nobles, or men of War, who are usually accounted the strength and great defense of a City: and the Chaldeans whose cry is in the ships; to wit, either, 1. because they used to make a great shouting in their ships by way of glorying and vaunting herein, wherein they abounded by means of their two great Rivers, Euphrates and Tigris: Or, 2ly. because of the confused and sad out cry that was in their ships, when they fled thither to preserve themselves, the City being taken; especially when they perceived they could not sail in their ships, the waters of Euphrates being so far drained away by Cyrus: Or, when the poor captive Chaldeans were shipped by the Conqueror to be sold for slaves in other Countries. And all this we must know the Prophet speaks of, as of a thing done already, the better to set forth the certainty of it. To which some add, That the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon, is mentioned as a pledge of their greater Redemption by Christ, that had been now promised them.

Ver. 15. I am the Lord, your holy one, the Creator of Israel, your King.] See the Note above, ver. 1.

Ver. 16. Thus saith the Lord, which maketh a way in the Sea, and a path in the mighty waters.] This last clause some understand of the Lord's dividing Jordan before the Israelites, even at that time when there was a mighty inundation of the waters thereof; see the Note, Josh. 3.15. But I rather think, that both branches are meant of God's carrying the Israelites dry-shod thorough the mighty waters (as they are called, Exod. 15.10.) of the Red Sea; and that because in the following verse he seems clearly to speak of the Egyptians being drowned therein. And the reason why God puts them in mind of this, is hereby to let them see, that they had no cause to question their promised deliverance out of Babylon; what he had formerly done for their Fathers, he could do again for them.

Ver. 17. Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power, &c.] That is, Who at his pleasure doth by his all-ruling providence bring forth the great and mighty Armies of Princes, merely that he might destroy them; even as by hardening the heart of Pharaoh, his Princes and People (for by the dependence of this upon the foregoing verse it is clear, that hereto the Prophet alludes) he brought them forth to pursue the Israelites into the Wilderness, and afterward to follow them into the Red Sea: they shall lie down together, they shall not rise; that is, They shall be irrecoverably destroyed, to wit, as Pharaoh and his Army were. And because this was done by drowning them in the Red Sea, therefore are the following words added, they are extinct, they are quenched as tow, that is, They are as easily and suddenly destroyed as the snuff of a Candle (See the Note, Chap. 42.3.) is extinguished when it is thrown into the water; which doth notably set forth the destroying of Pharaoh and his Army in the Red Sea, when they came out with such burning rage against the Israelites. And some think that this Comparison of quenching Tow or Flax, is the rather used in allusion to Egypt, that did abound in those kind of Commodities; see the Note, Chap. 19.9.

Ver. 18. Remember ye not the former things, &c.] It is as if he had said, That the things he did now foretell, were so wonderful and strange, that they would be sufficient of themselves so to convince men of God's infinite power, that there would be no need to call to mind God's former deliverance of his people out of Egypt; Or, as most Expositors understand it, That that former deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt, though very wonderful, was not worthy to be thought of in comparison of that which he had now promised to do for them. And hereby I conceive is jointly meant the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon; and likewise, yea principally, that spiritual deliverance of God's people by Christ, which was signified thereby; see the Note, Chap. 42.1. For, first, their deliverance out of Babylon, though there were not so many strange miracles wrought for the effecting of that, as were for the bringing of the Israelites out of Egypt; yet in many regards that of bringing them back out of Babylon into their own Country, might well be looked upon as the greater and more wonderful mercy, as namely (besides other reasons that might be given) 1. Because they were in a more glorious Estate when they were carried away Captives into Babylon, than when they were brought into Bondage by the Egyptians; and so as their misery was greater when they were made Bond-slaves in Babylon, so the mercy was greater when they were freed from this Bondage. And, 2ly. Because it was in some respect a wonder above all the wonders wrought in Egypt, and most unexpected and strange in the eyes of God's people, that a Heathen King should of his own accord take so much care to send back God's poor captive people into their own Country, and give them back all the rich Vessels of the Temple, and take such strict order that they should be furnished with all necessary Provisions, both for their Journey homeward, and for the rebuilding of their City and Temple when they came thither. And therefore we see that elsewhere the Deliverance out of Babylon is mentioned as a mercy to be prized above the other, Jer. 16.14, 15. The days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But the Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel from the Land of the North, &c. But secondly, the Redemption of God's people was so far transcendently above the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, that it might well be said, that the deliverance out of Egypt was not worthy to be minded in comparison of this. And this therefore is questionless chiefly here intended. So that as by the former things, not to be comparatively remembered, is meant their Deliverance out of Egypt, together with all that followed, unto their being put into possession of the land of Canaan; so by the greater deliverance that had been now promised, which should make the former things to be in a manner forgotten, is meant their deliverance out of Babylon, even unto that which was signified thereby, that great work of man's Redemption by Christ.

Ver. 19. Behold, I will do a new thing, &c.] That is, a new and notable work, far above what I have formerly done; whereby is jointly meant the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon, together with that great work, of our Redemption by Christ, whereof that was a type; See the foregoing Note. And though neither of these were done till very many years after, yet he speaks of them (as the manner of the Prophets is, to imply the certainty of things) as of that which should be done within a short time: now it shall spring forth; and that because God's Providence would be presently working towards the accomplishment of these things, and especially because several ages are but as a moment with God; See the Note Psal. 90.4. shall ye not know it? that is, it shall be certainly done, and that so that you shall take notice of it as an Accomplishment of what is now promised: I will even make a way in the Wilderness, see the Notes, Chap. 40.3, 4. and rivers in the desert, see the Notes, Chap. 35.7, 8. and 41.18. It is meant of the fair, and safe, and comfortable passage which God would give them in their return through the deserts from Babylon to Judea; and likewise spiritually of making a way in the Wilderness of the Gentiles, for bringing in of people to Christ, and life eternal.

Ver. 20. The beasts of the field shall honor me, the Dragons and the Owls, &c.] As this is spoken with respect to the Jews return out of Babylon, either it may be an hyperbolical Expression to set forth the wonder of God's providing so carefully and bountifully for his people in their return through those dry and barren deserts, through which they went; as if it had been said, That the very brute beasts should stand amazed at it, and adore the mighty power of God therein, and his fatherly love to his people therein; or else the meaning may be, either that the very unreasonable Creatures did honor God by forbearing to do his people any hurt, that so their passages through those deserts might be the freer and safer; or else, that they fared the better, because of the bounty of God to his people, even as when God brought water out of the rock for the Israelites, the wild beasts of the wilderness were refreshed thereby; for as when such Creatures do languish for want of food, they may be said to cry unto God for it, Psal. 104.21. so when they delight themselves in the provision God affords them, and are cheered therewith, they may be said in their kind to praise God for it, Psal. 148.7. And thus the Beasts that were refreshed with God's bounty to his people, are said to honor God for it; Because, saith the Lord, I give waters in the Wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. But now, if we take this as spoken with respect to that greater work of our Redemption by Christ, then it must be understood of the Gentiles, a brutish people, being called into the Church, and honoring God for those waters of Life, wherewith God had refreshed their souls; See the Notes, Chap. 11.6, 7.

Ver. 21. This people have I formed for myself, they shall show forth my praise.] Some think this is spoken of the Gentiles, whose Conversion they conceived is foretold in the foregoing verse; and that by way of opposing them to, and preferring them before the Jews, of whose wickedness God complains in the following verse. But rather it is spoken of God's peculiar people in general, both Jews and Gentiles; see the Note, Psal. 102.18. And they imply a reason why God would certainly deliver them, namely, because having formed them for himself and for his own Glory, he was engaged to deliver them, even out of respect to his own honor, that he might have a people to praise his Name.

Ver. 22. But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob, &c.] That is, say some, You my people, the seed of Israel, have not called upon me in your troubles, as having indeed no confidence in my protection and help. But rather by calling upon God here, as usually elsewhere, the whole worship of God is meant; and accordingly I take these words, But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob, to be all one in effect, as if he had said, You think that you have called upon me, and so have yielded me that honor for which I made you my people (as it is said in the foregoing verse) but it is not so; you have not called upon me, but upon an Idol-god of your own feigning; a god which will be content merely with external Worship, which I abhor, Chap. 29.13. nor do ever own those Prayers as service done to me, which are not offered with the inward Devotion of a believing, holy, and obedient heart; and so thou hast not called upon me, but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel; that is, it hath been a burden to thee to serve me. And the drift of the Lord's alleging this, is, say some, to show what just cause he had to cast off them, and take in the Gentiles to be his people. But rather it is to show, that their deliverance out of Babylon now promised them, and likewise the great work of our deliverance by Christ, would be merely of God's free Grace, and not because they had desired any such favor from him.

Ver. 23. Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt-offerings, neither hast thou honored me with thy sacrifices, &c.] That is, say some, Thou hast not offered them to me, but to Idols. And so they understand also the following clause, I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense; that is, I have not exacted such abundance of these kind of oblations of thee, as therewith to over-burden thee, and to make thee weary of my service: no, it is thine Idols for whom thou hast been at so much cost, and upon whom thou hast tired out thyself with offering them such a multitude of Sacrifices. But rather the meaning is, that because they did not offer them in a right manner, God did not own them as sacrifices offered to him; See the Notes, Chap. 1.11. &c. they were not the service which he had given them in charge.

Ver. 24. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, &c.] To wit, for the precious Ointment, Exod. 30.23. or for the Incense, Exod. 30.7. wherewith it is therefore joined, Jer. 20.6. It is thought to be the same that is elsewhere called Calamus, Ezek. 27.19. and it is spoken of as a costly thing, because it grew not in their own land, but was brought from far Countries: neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices, that is, Thou hast not satisfied nor delighted me with thy sacrifices, I never regarded them; See the foregoing Note: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities: as if he should have said, I have not caused thee to serve with imposing upon thee too great a burden of sacrifices, but thou hast caused me to serve with thy wickedness; to wit, because thy sins have been as great a grief, and trouble, and burden to me, as it is to men to serve under hard Task-Masters; and I have been as much wearied with bearing with thee, as such a man can be with enduring such a hard service.

Ver. 25. I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, &c.] And not in regard of any desert of yours; and see the Notes, Psal. 51.1.

Ver. 26. Put me in remembrance, &c.] That is, If you have anything to allege or reply against this which I have charged you, let me know it; Or, if there be anything wherewith you have deserved your deliverance, and the Remission of sins promised, put me in mind of it; for it may be I have forgotten it, and therefore you shall do well to bring it into my remembrance; which is spoken by way of a sharp ironical derision: let us plead together, to wit, that the truth betwixt us may be known; See the Note, Chap. 1.18. declare thou, that thou mayest be justified, that is, Say what you can for yourselves, allege what it is whereby you have deserved that I should work so great a deliverance, and so great salvation for you, that hereby you may be justified.

Ver. 27. Thy first Father hath sinned, &c.] Some understand this of Adam, the first Father of all Mankind; and think that this is mentioned, because sin being traduced from him to all his Posterity, they that were descended from such a corrupt stock, must needs be sinners themselves. Again, because this seems to be spoken with more special respect to the Jews, others understand it of Abraham, and that with respect to his being an Idolater before his calling, see the Notes, Josh. 24.2. And indeed Abraham is usually spoken of in the Scripture as the first Father of that Nation, because he was first circumcised, which was the sign whereby they were always afterwards distinguished from other Nations, as Chap. 51.2. Look unto Abraham your Father. And they used to glory much in this, see Matth. 3.9. and John 8.39. But indeed the most of our best Expositors hold, That hereby is meant their Ancestors in general: Thy first Father, which is all one as if he had said, Thy fore-father hath sinned; and the word Father being usually taken collectively (as it is, Ezek. 16.3. Thy Father was an Amorite ) it is all one as if it had been said, Thy forefathers have sinned. And so for the following words, and thy teachers have transgressed against me; thereby I conceive is plainly meant their Priests and Prophets; and that this is added as an aggravation of the wickedness both of them and their Fathers, that even they that taught others, and so should have been themselves most exemplary for good, were even as bad as others. And so the drift of the whole verse, I conceive, is to show, that seeing their forefathers had been great Transgressors as well as themselves, they could not ascribe the great deliverances which God had now promised, to any goodness that God had found either in them, or in their Fathers. Indeed this people did use to glory much in their Fathers; but God gives them to understand, that had there been nothing else to move him to show them mercy, they had been destroyed long ago.

Ver. 28. Therefore I have profaned the Princes of the Sanctuary, &c.] Reading this as it is in our Bibles, I conceive it is clearly meant of those, at least the chief of those, that in the foregoing verse were called their Teachers, the chief of their Priests and Levites, such as had the chief command in God's Sanctuary, and that are called, Jer. 20.1. chief Governors in the house of the Lord; but as it is in the Margin, the holy Princes; their Kings and Princes may be also intended, who are so called, because they ruled over God's holy people. And these may be said to have been profaned, when they were slain and sold for slaves, and every way used as basely and contemptuously as any of the ordinary sort of people; See the Notes, Chap. 24.2. and Psal. 89.39. and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches; that is, I have given them up, even those that were my peculiar people, to be destroyed as an accursed thing, and to be exposed to all kind of Reproaches; they shall be looked upon amongst the Nations as an execrable and accursed people. And this may be understood as spoken, either with respect to that which God had already done to them in all the Judgments and Destructions which at several times he had formerly brought upon them, especially the Ruin and Desolation he had brought upon the ten Tribes by the Assyrians; or rather with respect to what God had determined to bring upon them by the Babylonians; for it is usual with the Prophets to express the certainty of what 0 they foretell, by speaking of such things as if they were done already.

CHAP. XLIV.

VERSE 1. YEt now hear, O Jacob, my servant, and Israel whom I have chosen.] Having spoken of his severe dealing with his people in the close of the foregoing Chapter, here now God addresseth himself again to speak comfortably to them, just as a man would speak to his Children or Friends, when he sees them weeping and mourning, and as before he had done; See the Notes, Chap. 43.1. and 41.8, 9.

Ver. 2. Thus saith the Lord that made thee and formed thee, &c.] See the Notes, Chap. 43.1, 21. from the womb, that is, say some, from your conception or birth, before you could do anything whereby you might deserve any favor at my hands; and that by reason of the Covenant, wherein from the first, as by right of inheritance, you shall have an Interest; Or, as others, from your first beginning; which was, say some, from the first calling of Abraham, or from 〈◊〉 birth of Jacob, the stock, of whom they were called Israel (and some 〈◊〉 therefore, that this is spoken with reference to that presaging Sign 〈◊〉 was seen at his Birth concerning the excellency of his Posterity, for 〈◊〉 see the Note, Gen. 25.26. or rather, from the time when they first be •• to be an entire people by themselves severed from other Nations. And some 〈◊〉 the Metaphor is taken not so much from the forming of the Body in th • • omb, as from the Midwives care in forming and setting right every limb •• the Child when she hath taken it from the Womb; which will help thee▪ to wit, because thou art his; fear not, O Jacob, my servant, see the Notes, Chap. 41.8, 10, 13, 14. and thou Jesu run whom I have chosen, see the Note, Deut. 32.15.

Ver. 3. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground, &c.] Some understand this of the many Prophets that God would raise up amongst them in Babylon, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Haggai &c. and others, of the abundant gifts of the Spirit which God would pour forth upon the Preachers of the Gospel in the days of the Messiah; with respect whereto they conceive the next clause is added by way of expounding this, I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, &c. But rather the meaning is, That the Church and people of God that were as a dry, thirsty, and barren wilderness, where nothing almost grows and thrives, but all things seem in a manner dead, shall by the blessing of God become as a well-watered ground where all things thrive and flourish; that is, They shall multiply and prosper exceedingly, which is more plainly expressed in the following words; I will pour forth my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring; where what is meant by God's Spirit, see in the Note, Psal. 104.30. And this I conceive is meant of the abundance of Mercy and Grace which God afforded the Jews at their return out of Babylon; and afterward to his Church both Jews and Gentiles in the days of the Gospel; See the Notes, Chap. 35.1, 7. and 41.17, 18.

Ver. 4. And they shall spring up as among the grass, &c.] That is, They shall multiply, grow up, and flourish abundantly, even as plants and trees do, that grow in green and fruitful Meadows.

Ver. 5. One shall say, I am the Lord's: and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob, &c.] That is, say some, My people shall with one consent after their return out of Babylon, renounce all Idol-gods, and shall give up themselves wholly and only to the worship of the true God. But rather this is spoken of the increase of God's people, as with reference to that which went before, ver. 4. that though they should be but a few, to speak of, at their return from Babylon, yet by degrees they should become very Numerous; which is spoken principally with respect to the calling of the Gentiles: One shall say, I am the Lord's, &c. that is, Several persons of several sorts shall come in from all Places and Nations, and give up their names to Christ, and yield up themselves to be wholly at his command, and shall make open profession of Christ and of his Gospel, and so shall join themselves to God's Israel; See the Note, Psal. 87.4.

Ver. 6. Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of •• sts, &c.] This may be referred to that which went before; yet rather it s • • s to be spoken with reference to that which followeth after. However, the • ift of it is to assure them of the truth of that which he had promised them, • amely, because he that had promised was clearly the only true God: I am the •• st, and I am the last, and besides me there is no God; See the Note, Chap. 41.4▪

Ver. 7. A •• who as I, &c.] Having in the close of the foregoing verse said, That there was • o God besides him; here he undertakes to prove it by the same Argument •• had used formerly, taken from his foretelling his people in all Ages t • e thing • that should afterward come to pass, Chap. 41.22, 26. and 43.9. And who •• I shall call, that is, who among the Idol-gods of the Heathens can command, decree and determine future things, which accordingly shall afterwards come to pass, as I have done? See the Note, Chap. 41.4. and shall declare it, that is, Foretel such things before they come to pass, as I have done to my people? See the Notes, Chap. 41.22, 26. and 43.9. and set in order for me; that is, Bring to effect what is so foretold, that I may see it done, even everything orderly in its appointed time; or rather relate to me in order what from time to time shall come to pass, as I have done to my Church; since I appointed the ancient people, that is, Since I appointed such a Church to be; which was from the beginning of the World, or from eternity; or rather, since of old I appointed the Posterity of Abraham to be my peculiar people: and the things that are coming, and shall come; that is, Which of your Idol-gods can foretell future things, either those things that are come to pass immediately, or a long time hereafter? let them show unto them, that is, Let their Idol-gods, if they can, foretell such things as these to those that worship them as gods.

Ver. 8. Fear ye not, neither be afraid, &c.] That is, Fear not the accomplishment of the promises I have made to you, though Idolatrous Nations bring never so great Miseries upon you (as it may be they had already destroyed the ten Tribes, which might be an occasion of great fear to them) yet be not afraid of their Idol-gods, as if they could hinder me from making good my promises; See also the Notes, Chap. 41.10, 14. have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? that is, From the time when I appointed thee to be my peculiar people (for which see the foregoing Note) have I not ever since that time successively in all Ages told thee what in future times should come to pass? And thus by repeating the foregoing Argument, he proves himself to be the only true God: ye are even my Witnesses, see the Note, Chap. 43.10. Is there a god besides me? yea, there is no god: it is in the Hebrew no Rock, for which see Deut. 32.4. I know not any, which I conceive, is ironically spoken; as if he had said, And therefore sure there is none, unless you know more than I know.

Ver. 9. They that make a graven image, are all of them vanity, &c.] See the Note, Chap. 41.29. and their delectable things shall not profit, that is, Their rich Idols curiously carved, and gorgeously attired and adorned with all the pompous service which they yield them, wherewith they are so much delighted, see the Note, Chap. 1.29. and they are their own witnesses, they see not, nor know, that they may be ashamed; that is, their Idols are Witnesses against themselves, or against those that worship them, to wit, because (as it follows in the next words) they see not, nor know; that is, They have neither eyes, nor understanding: Or, the Idolaters and Idol-makers are Witnesses against themselves, to wit, that they see not, nor know, but are as blind and stupid as their Idols; or they are Witnesses against themselves to their shame, that their Idols cannot profit them, because they cannot but know, that they can neither see nor understand anything.

Ver. 10. Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven Image that is profiable for nothing?] That is, Who is so mad as to do this? to wit, to undertake to make a god (or if you intend not that it should be a god) to make an Image, if no profit be to be expected by it?

Ver. 11. Behold all his fellows shall be ashamed, &c.] That is, all the Workmans Companions (of whom he had spoken in the foregoing verses) to wit, those that had any hand in the making or worshipping of them, shall be all of them ashamed; See the Note, Chap. 42.17. and the workmen they are of men, that is, They are no better than men; whereby is implied both the gross absurdity of the thing, that they that were but men made by God, should undertake by their power to make a God; and likewise how unable they were to stand before God: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up: to wit, to maintain and defend their Idols; See the Notes, Chap. 41.1. and 43.9. yet they shall fear, and shall be ashamed together: to wit, when their Consciences begin to be awakened, or when God shall begin to contend with them.

Ver. 12. The Smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, &c.] Some understand this of the Smiths forging out Tools for the Carpenter that was to make the Idol. But it is expressly said, that the Heathens had Idol-gods of iron, Dan. 5.4. as well as of other metals; and of these therefore I conceive the Prophet here speaks, or of the Iron work that was used about their Idols: and worketh it with the strength of his arms: that is, he puts forth all his might in the forging of it; which is spoken by way of deriding their blind zeal, and so is likewise that which followeth: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he drinketh no water, and is faint: to wit, as being so intent upon his holy work, that he cannot afford himself time to eat or drink. Yet this mention of his hungering and thirsting may be also covertly to imply, both what a poor Creature such a one is, to undertake to make a God; and what vain things such God's are that cannot keep their Servants from fainting, when they take such pains for them, unless they feed on the meat which the true God. hath provided for men.

Ver. 13. The Carpenter stretcheth out his rule, &c.] To wit, to measure out the length and breadth of the timber to be set apart for the making of his Idol: he marketh it out with a line, to wit, to show how much of the timber on every side must be cut away; he fitteth it with plains, and he marketh it out with the compass, to wit, that he might draw out every member with its due Proportion; and maketh it after the figure of a man, that is, a Man or Woman; according to the beauty of a man; that is, That noble and majestic shape which God hath given to man; that it may remain in the house; that is, in some Temple, or in his own dwelling house, for his own private Devotions. However, this covertly hints their folly; their Idols, after their pains and cost, not being able to do anything, and so serving only to stand idle, and fill up a Room in their houses.

Ver. 14. He heweth him down Cedars, and taketh the Cypress and the Oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest, &c.] That is, which he hath suffered to grow till they were come to their full growth or strength. But many do rather like that Translation which we have in our Margin; and he taketh courage to himself among the trees of the forest, that is, he encourageth himself to take the fairest timber-trees for this service, and to put forth his utmost strength in hewing them down: he planteth an Ash, to wit, that there may be Timber for their Idol-gods in future times (whereby also is hinted their resolvedness for their holding on in this brutish sin) and the rain doth nourish it, which is also added by way of derision; for was it not most absurd to rob the true God of his Glory, by that which from him received both its being and growth?

Ver. 15. Then shall it be for a man to burn, &c.] That is, when it is thus grown up, then it is hewn down to be fuel for the fire: for he will take thereof, that is, of the trees so hewn down, or of the chips he cuts off from the Timber: and warmeth himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a God and worshippeth it, &c. that is, Some part of it he useth for Kitching-service, both in the Oven and Chimney, and of the other part of it he maketh a god.

Ver. 16. He burneth part thereof in the fire: with part thereof he eateth flesh, &c.] That is, say some, With part thereof he maketh Tables and Trenchers whereon to eat his meat; or rather, with part thereof he dresseth his meat; for all along he seems only to speak how it was used as fuel for the fire.

Ver. 17. And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven Image: he falleth down to it, and worshippeth it, &c.] That is, He doth not only provide this Idol for the use of others, but he himself also worships it; and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me, for thou art my God: which is so set forth to imply, That men cannot worship and pray to an Idol, but they own it for their God.

Ver. 18. They have not known nor understood, &c.] See the Notes, Chap. 27.18. and Psal. 14.1. for he hath shut their eyes that they cannot see, &c. that is, God hath justly for their sins punished them with judicial blindness.

Ver. 20. He feedeth of ashes, &c.] That is, The Idolater doth as miserably deceive himself, as he should do that thinks to slake his hunger, and nourish himself with eating ashes; for as ashes eaten would be so far from doing men any good in these regards, that it would rather hurt them; so it is with the Idolater: he sets his heart upon that, he delights himself and trusts in that, and so feeds himself with hopes of Benefit and Comfort from that which will no way profit him, but rather do him a great deal of Mischief, namely, his Idols, pieces of wood that shall one day be turned into ashes, as well as the rest of the trees of which they are made, and therefore no way likely to help them in their straits, but rather to draw the wrath of God upon them. It is an Expression much like to that, Hos. 12.1. Ephraim feedeth on wind; implying, That the Idolater feeds himself with the vain deceits of his own heart: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, to wit, out of the way of truth, that he cannot deliver his soul, that is, He cannot wind himself out of this foolish Error▪ and so save himself from that Vengeance and Damnation which this his Idolatry and Superstition is like to bring upon him; nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? that is, Is not this Idol which I am forming, or which I hold in my right hand, an Error and Deceit, a mere Fiction, no such thing as I have falsely conceited it to be? Do I not see and feel, and find it to be so?

Ver. 21. Remember these (O Jacob and Israel) for thou art my servant, &c.] See the Note, Chap. 41.9. Remember these Idolaters of whom I have spoken, to wit, their gross sottishness; or these things which I have now said against them, and the Vanity of their Idolatry. And that which is intended is, That God would have them think seriously of these things, that so when they came to dwell long as Captives in Babylon, they might not be entangled with their Idolatry; I have formed thee, thou art my servant; which is repeated again to intimate, that Idolatry would be worse in them than in the Gentiles, because they were his peculiar people, and had been trai • ed up in the Knowledge of his written Law. But see also the Notes, Chap. 43.1, 21.

Ver. 22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins, &c.] That is, As a cloud that darkens and hides the Heavens from us, and seems to threaten some great storm, is many times quite dispersed by the Sun, or driven away by the Winds; so have I by a free and a full pardon perfectly put away all your sins, that have separated beteewn you and your God, and have hid his face from you, Chap. 59.2. and have thereby cleared 〈◊〉 from all those Terrors and Judgments which your sins might otherwise have brought upon you. And doubtless this is mentioned as the foundation of that deliverance which God doth here promise his people; their sins, the cause of God's controversy with them, being pardoned, they might well hope deliverance would come: return unto me, to wit, by Repentance; and then fear not, for I have redeemed thee, and therefore have the best right to thee; See the Notes, Chap. 43.1, 3, 4. and Psal. 31.5.

Ver. 23. Sing, O ye heavens, &c.] To set forth how wonderful the work should be of this new Deliverance that is promised to God's people, the Prophet doth here break forth into this Rhetorical invitation of all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth to bless God for it; an Expression much like that, 1 Chron. 16.31. for which see the Note there: Sing, O ye heavens, for the Lord hath done it; to wit, that which he had promised, the great work of the Redemption of his people, and which indeed none but the Lord could do; shout ye lower parts of the earth; that is, say some, The Plains and Valleys; this being opposed, say they, to that which follows, break forth into singing, ye Mountains, or rather the earth which lieth below (as opposed to the Heavens before mentioned) yea, the whole Earth even to the very Center: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, which is meant not only of the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon, but also especially of the great work of our Redemption by Christ: and glorified himself in Israel, to wit, by delivering them, and destroying their enemies.

Ver. 24. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer, &c.] That is, that did formerly deliver thee out of Egypt, and will now again deliver thee out of Babylon; and he that formed thee from the womb, See the Note above, ver. 2. and 43.1. that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; See the Note, Psal. 104.2. that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself: that is, without the help or advice of any.

Ver. 35. That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, &c.] That is, Magicians, Astrologers and Soothsayers, to wit, by crossing them in their Predictions, whereof they had said, That such and such things were sure Signs and Tokens. But though this be expressed indefinitely, as a thing that God usually doth, yet here it is spoken as with reference to what God meant to do amongst the Babylonians, whose Magicians were exceeding famous all the World over; and it may well be with particular respect to some Predictions of theirs concerning the perpetual continuance of their Empire; and perhaps, that when the Medes and Persians threatened Babylon, they should not prevail against her; namely, That all these predictions should be found to be lies. And hereby also might be covertly hinted how short their Predictions came of the Predictions of God's Prophets, that were always so exactly accomplished; and maketh diviners mad, that is, That makes their Divinations no more to be regarded, than the ravings of mad men; or rather, that makes them mad to see all fall out contrary to what they foretold; that turneth wise men backward, to wit, by crossing them in all their Counsels and Courses, and bringing all their Plots and Endeavors to nothing; or by confounding them, so that they are ashamed to show their faces; and maketh their Knowledge foolish, to wit, say some, By discovering the folly of their Predictions. But see the Note, Job 12.17.

Ver. 26. That confirmeth the word of his servant, &c.] To wit, Isaiah; or his Servants the Prophets in general: and so the next clause may be added, as by way of explaining this: and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that is, The Predictions of his Prophets concerning those things which it was the Will and counsel of God should be. And though this must be understood generally of all their Prophecies, yet we may well think it was spoken with special relation to that Prophecy, that Cyrus should subdue Babylon, and send home God's people into their own Country; and that which went still along therewith, as signified thereby, their Prophecy concerning our Redemption by Christ. And this return of the Jews is therefore particularly added in the next words, that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the Cities of Judah, Ye shall be built; under which also may be intended the raising up of the Church of Christ, when ever she is brought low by her enemies: and I will raise up, that is, build again, or cause to flourish, the decayed places thereof, that is, all the ruinous and desolate places in the Land.

Ver. 27. That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers.] That is, That can remove any Obstructions that are like to hinder the return of my people; so that though there should be a Sea lying in their way, even that can I dry up, and all the streams thereof. And most probable it is, that God by this way of expressing his Almighty Power, doth allude to his drying up of the Red Sea first, and the River Jordan afterwards, before the Israelites, as before, Chap. 43.16. of which see the Note there; and that he doth likewise covertly hint the manner how Cyrus should take Babylon, namely, by Cyrus his drawing away the waters of Euphrates in several Channels he had digged for that purpose, that so his Army might pass over, and storm and surprise the City. This is, I conceive, the clea • meaning of this place; for which see the Notes also, Chap. 40.3, 4. But yet some Expositors take it to be a directly figurative Prediction of the Destruction of Babylon. A deep, they say, she is called, as before the desert of the Sea, Chap. 21.1. (for which see the Note there) because she lay in a deep valley full of waters; and by drying up this Sea and her Rivers, is meant, they say, the destroying and plundering this great City, together with other Provinces, Cities and Towns belonging thereto.

Ver. 28. That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, &c.] So he is called, because as a Shepherd he was to take care of the Jews, God's precious flock, to rescue them from the tyranny of the Babylonians, even as Sheep from the mouths of ravening Wolves, to gather them together that were scattered abroad in Babylon and other Countrys, and to carry them out into the large and fresh pastures of Judea, that had been shut up in Babylon as in a pinfold; and shall perform all my pleasure; that is, All that God had decreed and willed should be done, both concerning the ruin of Babylon, the return of his people, and their re-edifying their City and Temple, as is expressed in the following words, even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the Temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. And indeed, in Cyrus his time there was no more done, but only the laying of the foundation. However, most observable it is, That to the end the Jews might know it was God that had wrought that great deliverance for them when they were set free out of Babylon, and so might also believe his other Prophecies concerning Christ (of whose Redemption that deliverance was a Type) God doth here tell them the very Name of the Man by whom they should be delivered, as he had formerly foretold the name of Josiah, 1 King. 13.2. And this was about an hundred and seventy years at least, before it was accomplished; for Manasseh reigned five and fifty years, 2 King. 21.1. Amon two, ver. 19. Josiah one and thirty, 2 King. 22.1. Jehoiakim eleven, 2 King. 23.36. (at what time Nebuchadnezzar began to captivate the Jews ) and then their Captivity in Babylon lasted seventy years. So that doubtless, when the Jews first heard of one Cyrus that was preparing to invade Babylon, the remembrance of this Prophecy must needs make them with great joy to conclude, That their Deliverance was then drawing nigh. But see the Note, Ezra 1.2.

CHAP. XLV.

VERSE 1. THus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, &c.] Though Cyrus was a Heathen idolatrous King, yet the Lord calls him his Anointed: 1. Because he was ordained and appointed of God to be King of Persia and Babylon, no less than the Kings of Judah that were anointed with oil; See the Note, Ezra 1.2. And 2ly. because he was as it were consecrated and strengthened of God to be a Savior and Deliverer of his people, and was therein a type of Christ; whose right hand I have holden, that is, whom I will guide and strengthen, carrying him on succesful, and causing him to prosper in all his great undertakings; See the Notes, Chap. 41.13. and 42.6. to subdue Nations before him, that is, the Babylonians and many other Nations that were under the command of Babylon, or, that opposed him in his way thither; and I will loose the loins of Kings, that is, Disarm, degrade and weaken them; See the Notes, Chap. 11.5. and 23.10. and Job 12.18. to open before him the two-leaved gates, and the gates shall not be shut; that is, So that they shall presently open to him the Gates of their Cities and strong holds, together with their Palaces and private Houses; they shall not dare to shut a door against him, but upon the terror of his approach all shall fly open before him.

Ver. 2. I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight, &c.] That is, Thou shalt over-run the Countries where thou comest, as if there were nothing in the way that might in the least hinder thee; See the Notes, Chap. 40.3, 4. I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron; that is, No strength shall be able to withstand thee.

Ver. 3. And I will give thee the treasures of Darkness, and hidden Riches of secret places, &c.] That is, The Treasures of those Nations whom he should overcome, which he should find locked up and hidden in secret places; as amongst others the Treasures of Croesus, the King of the Lydians, subdued by him, of whom Histories report that he was a King of mighty Wealth, far above any of those times: that thou mayest know that I the Lord which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel; that is, That thou mayest know, that I that have so long beforehand foretold what thou shouldest do, even naming thee by thy name, as it is above, ver. 1. and Chap. 44.28. am the only true God, and that I own Israel to be my peculiar people; See the Note, Ezra 1.2.

Ver. 4. For Jacob my servants sake, and Israel mine elect, &c.] That is, Meerly that thou mightest deliver them out of their Bondage in Babylon: I have even called thee by thy Name, that is, say some, I have in a special manner owned thee, and honored thee; See the Notes, Exod. 33.17. But rather it is meant of his mentioning him by name, as is noted in the foregoing verse, long before he was in the World: I have surnamed thee, to wit, by styling thee my shepherd, Chap. 44.28. and mine anointed, as above, ver. 1. though thou hast not known me, that is, say some, Savingly; or rather, though then thou couldest have no knowledge of me, but wert afterward by the great things I did for thee, brought to that knowledge which thou hadst of me.

Ver. 5. I girded thee, &c.] That is, say some, I raised thee to thy regal Dignity, See the Notes, Chap. 22.21. and Job 12.18. or rather, I gave thee Power and Might to do the great things thou wert to do; or, I raised thee up and fitted thee to make War with the Babylonians and other Nations; though thou hast not known me, that is, Though at that time thou wert altogether ignorant of me (see the foregoing Note) Or, though thou little knewest who it was that strengthened and prospered thee, and what my Purpose and Counsel was in all that thou didst; See the Note, Chap. 10.7.

Ver. 6. That they may know from the rising of the Sun, and from the West, that there is none besides me, &c.] That is, That from East to West, or all the World over (for under East and West all other parts of the World may be intended) all people may by this great work of my Deliverance of my people out of Babylon by thee, be brought to know, that I am the only true God. This was God's end in this mighty work; and this was in a great measure effected, partly by the spreading of the fame of this great work of God far and near in those days; and partly by the knowledge which people should come to have of it in future times from the Scripture where it should be recorded. But still we must remember, that the greater work of man's Redemption by Christ, whereof the Deliverance out of Babylon was a Type, is here also intended.

Ver. 7. I form the light, and create darkness, &c.] This is mentioned as another thing whereof the Nations should be convinced by that great work of God's delivering the Jews out of Babylon, to wit, that as he alone did cause the light of the day, and the darkness of the night, so he alone was the cause of all the Prosperity and Adversity that befalls men; which are usually, indeed, in the Scriptures, expressed by these terms of light and darkness; See the Notes, Esth. 8.16. and Psal. 112.4. And to explain this, are the following words added, I make peace, and create evil; See the Note, Chap. 41.23.

Ver. 8. Drop down ye heavens from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness, &c.] Under this command a promise is implied of Cyrus his destroying the Babylonian Empire, and delivering God's people from their Bondage there, and sending them home again into their own Country; which is here called Righteousness, because it was a work of great Righteousness in God thus to punish the wicked Babylonians, and to deliver his poor oppressed people, and because thereby he approved his Faithfulness and Justice in performing what he had beforehand promised them. And to the same purpose is that which followeth, let the earth open, to wit, to receive the showers from above, or to let forth that which is to spring up, as it follows; and let them, to wit, the earth watered by the Heavens, bring forth Salvation, and let Righteousness spring forth together. As for this figurative Expression whereby this promise is expressed, Drop down ye Heavens from above, and let the skies pour down Righteousness; let the earth open, and let them bring forth Salvation; and let righteousness spring forth together; that is used to imply, 1. By whose command this should be done (and that to the end God's people should not look upon this deliverance promised as an impossible thing, in regard of the desperate Condition wherein the Jews should be at that time) namely, That God from Heaven would suddenly and miraculously cause it to be done. And, 2ly. how wonderfully great this Deliverance should be, and what an abundant discovery there should be made therein of the goodness, righteousness and faithfulness of God; for it is all one in effect as if God had said, I the Lord, who do cause the Heavens to water the Earth, and the Earth thereupon to yield all kind of Fruit abundantly, will from Heaven afford you so great Salvation, and so abundantly manifest my Righteousness therein, that it shall be with you, as if the Heavens did rain whole showers of it upon you; and as if a plentiful crop of it did everywhere spring out of the earth: See the Note, chap. 44.3. And herein also may be comprehended the raising up of Cyrus, as a branch of Righteousness springing up (according to the like Expressions elsewhere, for which see the Note, Chap. 4.2.) by whom this great Salvation should be wrought for them. But however, under this promise of the Deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon, that greater Deliverance is also promised, whereof this was a type, namely, the Redemption of God's people from the Bondage of their natural Estate by the Lord Christ; and that as the happy effect of that typical Deliverance: for, indeed, had not the outward Polity of the Jews been preserved by their Deliverance out of Babylon, Christ could not have sprung up out of the stock of David, to be a Savior for his redeemed, as God had promised. I know this passage is expounded by some in somewhat a different way. For, 1. some understand it thus, That Heaven and Earth should concur to afford their help for the effecting of that great Deliverance which God had now in hand. And, 2ly. others understand it both of the abundant bliss, safety and righteous dealing, which God's people should enjoy by the favor of Cyrus to them; and likewise of that fullness of all spiritual Blessings, which the Church should enjoy under the Kingdom of Christ. But the Exposition formerly given, I conceive, is the best; yet see the Notes, Psal. 72.6, 7. and 85.11. As for the last clause, I the Lord have created it, it seems added with reference to that which went before, ver. 7. and that to assure them, that how impossible soever that might seem to be, which he had promised, yet it should certainly come to pass; to which purpose he speaks of it as done already, I the Lord have created it; as if he had said, I the Lord, who do by mine Almighty power what I please, will effect this.

Ver. 10. Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker, &c.] To wit, either by way of opposing what God hath determined to do; or by way of murmuring against any Dispensation of his Providence. And this might be spoken as by way of declaring in general the evil and danger of opposing or muttering against any Counsel or Acting of Divine Providence, upon occasion of that which God had said before, that all that was done in the World, was done by his all-ruling Providence, ver. 7. I form the light, and create darkness, &c. yet it seems rather to have been intended more particularly either against the Babylonians, to show that nothing but misery and woe would be the Issue of their opposing what God intended to do; or rather against the murmuring of the Jews in Babylon, especially as to that which God had now promised to do for them▪ Because the poor Captives in Babylon might think with themselves, Why should the Lord bring us his peculiar people under the tyrannical Bondage of such a barbarous Nation, if he meant afterward to destroy them, and to deliver us, and send us back into our own Country? Or, why should he defer our Deliverance so long? Or, why should he not raise up one of our own Nation to do it, as he hath formerly done (even this also some add) but bring a Prince from so remote a Country to set us free? And so likewise for that which God had promised concerning that great Deliverance by Christ, because men might argue within themselves, Why was Christ sent no sooner? or why should the Jews be cast off, and the Gentiles called into their room? Against these, and all such Arguings with God, this is here opposed; Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker; and then he adds, let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth: shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? that is, What intendest thou to make of me? Or, why dost thou undertake that which thou art not able to effect? or rather, Why hast thou made me thus? as the Apostle hath expressed it, Rom. 9.20. Or thy work, He hath no hands; that is, He hath no hands to do what he hath undertaken; or rather, He hath no hands fit to undertake such a work; or surely he that made me thus rudely and bunglingly, either had no hands, or made no use of his hands. And the drift of this is to show, that if it would be an unreasonable and monstrous thing to think, that the clay should quarrel with the Potter about his Workmanship, or call him to an account concerning the work he made of it; much more unreasonable would it be for man, whom God formed out of the earth as the Potter doth his Vessels of clay, to contend with his Maker about anything he doth to him; and that the rather, because the clay was not made by the Potter; whereas man had not only his form and shape, but his very being from God; and therefore it must needs be free for the Creator to do whatever he pleased with his Creatures. But see the Note also Chap. 29.16.

Ver. 10. Woe unto him that saith unto his Father, What begettest thou? &c.] That is, Why dost thou beget me? To what end dost thou do it? Or, why hast thou begotten me so weak, so sickly, so unhandsome, so deformed, or of so mean inward parts as I am? Or, why hast thou begotten me subject to the same Miseries as other men are? The drift of the words is the same with that in the foregoing verse, to wit, to imply, that it is as base a thing to call God to an account for anything he doth, as it is for a Child to quarrel with his Parents about their begetting him.

Ver. 11. Thus saith the Lord, the holy one of Israel, and his Maker, &c.] To wit, as the Potter makes his Vessels of clay; for to that said before, ver. 9. he alludes. But see the Notes, Chap. 1.4. and 43.1. As for that which follows, Ask me of things to come, concerning my Sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me: it is differently understood by Expositors; for some understand it, as spoken to the Idolatrous enemies of God's people, and that Ironically; as if he had said, If you would know what I mean to do with my people, the work of my hands, or what the work is I mean to do for them, you had best inquire of me by my Prophets (wherein also there may be again a covert deriding of them, because their Idol-gods were not able to foretell future things, as he the God of Israel was, as before, Chap. 41.22. &c. and in several places afterward) and if you like not what you shall hear I mean to to do, you had best command me to do otherwise, and so hinder me from doing what I intended; or Ask of me, &c. that is, You had best call me to an account, and lay your Command upon me, not to deliver my people by Cyrus, as I have said I will do. But others again hold (which seems to me more probable) that this is spoken to God's people; and that either, 1. as seriously advising them what they should do in their fears and low Condition, namely, That they should seek to him their Father and Maker; and commit themselves to his care, and expect help from him. Ask me of things to come, &c. as if he had said, Instead of seeking to Soothsayers and Magicians, inquire of me; for which see also the Note, Chap. 8.19. Therefore you are overwhelmed with grief in your Miseries, because you will not ask Counsel of me; whereas, if you would inquire of me, in this you might, as it were, command me; so ready I would be to inform you; and so you might hear what might comfort you, how careful I am for you, and what a good issue I will give to your troubles. Or rather, instead of murmuring against me, and striving with your Maker, ask what you will of me, and ye shall be as sure of it, as if it were at your command: Or else, 2ly. by way of upbraiding them for their murmuring at God's delay of the promised deliverance, that striving with their Maker, whereof he had spoken, ver. 9. Ask me of things to come, concerning my Sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me: as if he had said, If the clay may not contend with the Potter, nor the Child with his Parents, why do you then that which is no better than a quarrelling with me about my ordering you that are my Children, and the work of my hands? you had best call me to an account to know how I mean to order my people for the future, and prescribe me what I should do, as if there were danger lest I should disregard them.

Ver. 12. I have made the earth, and created man upon it; I, even my hands have stretched out the Heavens, &c.] See the Note, Psal. 104.2. and all their host have I commanded; that is, I made them by my word and command, and by my command they are continually ordered: And the drift of inserting this here, is to show, That therefore he must needs be all-sufficient, both for the managing and effecting of whatever he had undertaken to do; and that it was a high degree of folly and boldness for them to question or mutter against anything done by him, as thinking that he that governed all things as the great Creator of Heaven and Earth, would not in a special manner take care of his own peculiar people, that were in a more special manner the work of his hands.

Ver. 13. I have raised him up in righteousness, &c.] To wit, Cyrus above named, ver. 1. See the Notes, Chap. 41.2. and above, ver. 8. and I will direct (or make straight) all his ways; that is, I will guide and prosper him, and facilitate all his designs; to wit, in his expedition against Babylon: he shall build my City, that is, he shall order it to be built, and give my people much towards the building of it; he shall let go my Captives, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of host; that is, He shall give liberty to my people that are now Captives in Babylon by my disposing Will and Providence, and shall send them home into their own Country freely, without any ransom or consideration received for it. But now still we must remember, that under this Type of the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon by Cyrus, that greater work of our redemption by Christ from our spiritual Bondage, is principally here intended; for he indeed was raised up of God in righteousness, (See the Note Chap. 42.6.) for the effecting of this great work, and had all his ways made straight before him, (See the Note Chap. 40.4.) And by him the spiritual Jerusalem, the Church, the City of God, is built, Mat. 16.18. Upon this rock will I build my Church; and of his redeemed ones it may well be said, that he delivered them, not for price nor reward; because instead of receiving anything from them, he gave himself as a ransom for their redemption.

Ver. 14. Thus saith the Lord, The labor of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia, &c.] That is, The wealth, which the Egyptians get by their labor, and the Ethiopians by their Merchandise; and of the Sabaeans, men of stature, That is, of great stature, tall, big and goodly men, shall come over unto thee; That is, shall be brought into thee; and thy shall be thine: That is, not only the riches of the Nations before mentioned, but even the Nations themselves shall be thine, they that were before thine enemies, shall become thy Servants. Some, and that very probably, do understand this as spoken to Cyrus, of whom it is clear that he spake in the foregoing verse, to wit, that as a recompense of the service he should do for God, in destroying the Babylonians, and setting free his People, both these mighty Nations, and the wealth of their rich Countrys, should together with Babylon fall into his hands. But others again take it to be spoken to God's people, to wit, That these Nations should bring in their wealth to them, and be serviceable to them: which they think was partly fulfilled, when these Nations, at the commandment of Cyrus first, Ezra. 1.4. and of Artaxerxes afterward, Ezra. 7.20. &c. did out of the tributes which they were to pay to the Emperor of Persia, afford them all things requisite for their return home into their own Country, and for the work they had to do, when they came thither: But espcially in the days of the Gospel, when both these and other Nations did join themselves to the Church, and employed their riches for her advancement. See the Notes, Psal. 45.12. and 68.31. and 72.9. &c. And indeed they that understand this as spoken to Cyrus, do withal hold, that it is principally meant of Christ, of whom Cyrus was a Type. Nor needs it seem strange that the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon by Cyrus, and the redemption of God's People by Christ, should be thus still jointly intended together, because the main end of God's delivering the Jews out of Babylon, was, that Christ, the promised Messiah, might spring up of that Nation, and so his Kingdom might be established in the World. And to the same purpose is that which followeth, and they shall come after thee, in chains shall they come over, to wit, as captives are wont to follow the Conqueror in his triumphs; and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make Supplication unto thee, saying, surely God is in thee, and there is none else, there is no God, to wit, besides; for as this may be literally understood of the Nations crouching before Cyrus, and acknowledging that God was apparently w •• h • im, prospering him in all his enterprises; so it may be mystically understood of the Gentiles submitting to Christ, and to the Church in Christ, as acknowledging God Hypostatically in Christ, 2 Cor. 5.19. and Col. 2.9. and both God and Christ, with the Church, even the true God, besides whom there is no God.

Ver. 15. Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Savior.] Here the Prophet breaks forth into an admiration of the hidden depths of God's Dispensations; for therefore is God said to be a God that hideth himself; 1. Because of the secrecy and unsearchableness of his Councils in the actings of his providences, (as in the raising up Cyrus against Babylon: God's purpose for the deliverance of the Jews thereby would not have been thought of; and when it was done, God's hand in doing it, had not God revealed it, would not have been seen.) And 2ly. Especially, because though God be the sure Savior of Israel, his People, yet he often stands a-loof for a time, and appears not as a Savior; because he prospers their enemies, and suffers his People to be miserably oppressed by them, as if he regarded them not. And thus by this clause the Prophet doth covertly persuade the Jews, not to murmur against God, according to what was said before, ver. 9, 10. But patiently to wait upon him for Deliverance in their lowest condition.

Ver. 16. They shall be ashamed, &c.] Thus the Prophet applieth that which was spoken in the foregoing verse in general terms, to the particular condition of God's People, They shall be ashamed, and also confounded all of them: to wit, the idolatrous Babylonians, as the following words explain it; they shall go to confusion together that are makers of Idols; this shall be at last the end of all their flourishing greatness. See the Note, Psal. 42.17.

Ver. 17. But Israel shall be saved in the Lord, &c.] That is, by the Lord: with an everlasting Salvation; That is, say some, in all ages: or so that they shall never perish; they shall be saved unto eternity; which is alleged therefore by Expositors as an evidence, that the eternal Salvation purchased by Christ for his People, is here also comprehended, whereof the deliverance out of Babylon was only a Type; ye shall not be ashamed, nor confounded World without end. That is, ye shall not always find yourselves disappointed of that Salvation which ye expect from your God; as he had said in the foregoing verse it should be with those that worshipped Idols.

Ver. 18. For thus saith the Lord that created the Heavens, God himself that formed the Earth, and made it, &c.] See the Note above, ver. 12. yet some think, that God's creating all things is here mentioned as an evidence that he was the only true God, and that therefore they that worshipped him, should not be confounded, as all idolaters should be; as was said in the foregoing verse: he hath established it, See the Note, Psal. 93.1. He created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited; to wit, by the Children of men. And the drift of mentioning this, may seem to be hereby to imply, that if God hath been thus careful to provide an habitation for all mankind, much more will he be sure to provide an habitation for his own peculiar People that must continue on the Earth so long as the Earth shall stand. This, I conceive, is most probably the drift of this place. Yet some, I know, do by the Earth here understand the land of Canaan, which God had provided for the habitation of his people, the Children of Israel.

Ver. 19. I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the Earth, &c.] Because the Oracles of the Heathens were usually in dark caves and dens of the Earth, places fit for deceit: See the Note, Chap. 8.19. And because, when People resorted thither for satisfaction in anything they desired to know, the Devil was wont cunningly to return them answers, as dark as the Caves wherein they were given, obscure and ambiguous, that might always be understood several ways, that so, whatever the event was, it might be thought he had foretold the truth; therefore in an allusion hereto, the Lord intending to profess to his People, that he had not spoken to them after such a manner, doth thus express himself, I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the Earth; as if he should have said, I have always from time to time made known my will to you openly, plainly and perspicuously; and not as the idolatrous nations were informed by their Oracles. And it may well be, which some have thought, that it was with respect to this of the Prophet, that Christ spake that of himself, John 18.20. I spake openly to the World: I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the Temple, whither the Jews always resort, and in secret have I said nothing. However the drift of this passage seems probably to be, to make known to God's people, that though' the Lord might seem to hide himself from them, as was said before, ver. 15. by the strange dispensations of his providence towards them, yet having so clearly and openly revealed his will to them, that if they served him faithfully, and fled unto him in their straits and troubles, he would certainly deliver them, on this they might with confidence rely, however things went: and that because, as his promises were clear and plain, so they were sure and faithful; which is intended in the following words, I said not unto the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in vain; I do not encourage my people to seek unto me in vain, and to no purpose, by promising that which they shall not find in due time exactly performed: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. That is, I speak nothing but what is true and just, and what in the event they shall find to be so.

Ver. 20. Assemble yourselves, and come: draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations, &c.] That is, ye of the Heathens, both Babylonians and other idolatrous nations, that have escaped the destruction that Cyrus had made amongst you. And the reason why the Lord doth thus summon these nations together, that were spread abroad all the world over, is, that they might say what they could in the defense of their Idol-gods, now when they had seen how unable they were to defend Babylon against the wrath of the God of Israel. And accordingly some conceive, that the following words, they have no knowledge, that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save, are added by way of correction, as if he should have said, Why do I summon these to say what they can? Alas, these that worship stocks and stones, are very bruits, and have no knowledge. But rather this seems to be added, as a declaration of that which the Heathen nations had experimentally seen by God's destroying Babylon, and delivering his people, namely, how sottishly ignorant they were that served Idol-gods, that could not save them. Some indeed take the first words, Assemble yourselves, and come, draw near together, ye that are escaped of the Nations, to be a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles by the Ministry of the Gospel, and that these are appealed to, as those that were able experimentally to speak in this case, having been won from the vanity of serving Idols, to the Worship and Service of the true God. But the former Exposition is clearly the best, as is very evident by the following Verse.

Ver. 21. Tell ye, &c.] Some conceive that the Heathen Nations are here enjoined to declare to others, what they had learnt or found by experience concerning the true God; and so to invite them to come in and join themselves to his Church and People: But rather here the cause is shown why the Nations were summoned in the foregoing Verse to assemble together; and accordingly I conceive that in these first words, Tell ye; either the Nations are appointed to tell one another of the Assembly intended or enjoined, as the following words seem to import, Tell ye, and bring them near; or else that they are challenged to tell and say what they could by way of defending their Idol-gods; yea, after they had met and consulted together about it, which is certainly intended in those words, bring them near, yea let them take Counsel together. And then in the following words the particular is expressed, whereby they are challenged to prove their Idol-gods to be true God's; who hath declared this from ancient time? that is, Which of your Idol-gods have foretold things to come, long before they came to pass, as I have foretold this concerning the destruction of Babylon, and the deliverance of my people, and so other things before mentioned, even from Abraham unto this time? Who hath told it from that time? that is, from ancient time, as was before said; but see also the Note, Chap. 44.8. have not I the Lord? and there is no God else besides me, a just God and a Savior; that is, a true God, a God indeed, able to save those that seek to him. It is the very same Argument whereby often before it was proved that Idol-gods were no true God's, namely, because they could not foretell future things, nor save those that served them, as the true-God did. See the Notes, Chap. 41.22, 26. and 43.9, 12.

Ver. 22. Look unto me, and be ye saved all the ends of the earth, &c.] As if he had said, Look not to your Idol-gods, that cannot save you; but look unto me, that is, own me to be the only true God, worship me, and seek unto me, and trust in me (see the Notes, Psal. 123.1, 2.) and so ye shall be saved; to wit, both temporally from your straits and dangers here in this World, and Eternally hereafter; and doubtless this is spoken with reference to God's purpose of calling the Gentiles to be his people, as is clear by the following verse.

Ver. 23. I have swore by myself, &c.] Upon occasion of the foregoing invitation of all Nations to own the true God, to let them see that it would be their wisest course so to do; here the Lord makes his Purpose and Decree concerning his bringing in of all Nations to be his People; and because this might seem strange and incredible, especially to the Jews that looked upon themselves as chosen of God to be his peculiar people, therefore he confirms it with an Oath, I have sworn by myself, having no greater to swear by, saith the Apostle, Heb. 6.13. the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, that is, say some, upon good and righteous grounds; (it being unquestionably a most just and righteous thing that all men should own and worship the true God) or rather, in truth and faithfulness, as being fully resolved to do what I say; and shall not return, that is, the word I have spoken is a Decree irrevocable, I will never reverse it; or, it shall certainly be accomplished, it shall not return without effect, as men often do that go out upon some enterprise, but are not able to effect what they designed; that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear; that is, I will so manifest myself to be the only true God, the multitudes of all Nations that have formerly worshipped Idol-gods, and sworn by them, shall then know and worship me, and swear by my Name, or swear Fealty and Allegiance to me, see the Note, Chap. 19.18. This is undoubtedly the true meaning of this place: The Apostle indeed cites this place as a proof that all mankind throughout the World shall at the day of Judgment be brought into subjection under the power of God in Christ, and shall stand crouching before him, as being forced to acknowledge him their Lord and Judge, Rom. 14.10, 11. We shall all stand before the Judgment-seat of Christ; for it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. But considering that the bowing of all Nations before God in Christ at the last day by way of owning his Sovereignty and Dominion over them, was a full accomplishment of that universal subjection of all Nations to him, which was begun in the conversion of the Gentiles; What wonder is it that this which is here foretold by the Prophet concerning the calling of the Gentiles, and their owning of the Sovereignty of God in Christ, should by the Apostle be applied to the whole Worlds acknowledging of it, and being forced to submit to it, when he shall come to judge both quick and dead of all Nations?

Ver. 24. Surely, shall one say, &c.] It is in the Margin, Surely he shall say of me, In the Lord is all righteousness and strength; and according to this Translation the meaning is, that the faithful among the Gentiles, even everyone of them, that shall turn unto God in Christ, and shall own and serve him, shall upon all occasions be ready to acknowledge and profess with much rejoicing, that in him is abundance of Righteousness; that is, Justice, Truth and Faithfulness, and an All-sufficiency of Power to do for them whatever he pleaseth; this they shall find experimentally, and so to their comfort shall see how much better it is with them, than when they served Idol-gods; but now if we read it as it is in our Translation, Surely shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength; there the meaning seems to be, that those Converts before spoken of, should be still ready to glory in this, that all their righteousness, both imputed and inherent, and all the strength they had to obey God's Commandments, was wholly from the Lord; of themselves they had nothing that was good in them, nor were able to do anything that was good in God's sight: As for that which follows, even to him shall men come, and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed; some understand the first branch of it, even to him shall men come, of the Converts before mentioned, to wit, that they should come in, embracing the advice before given them, ver. 22. and join themselves to God and his people, (see the Note Psal. 65.4.) though before Aliens and Heathens; and then the second Clause, and all that are incensed against him, shall be ashamed, they understand of those wicked Wretches that did obstinately despise God, and oppose him and his Truth, to wit, that they should be destroyed, and thereby be brought to shame and confusion of face. But then, others again understand both branches of these that will not stoop to God, but stand out against him, and provoke him to Wrath, to wit, that they should perforce come before God's Tribunal, and there shall be put to Everlasting Shame and Confusion.

Ver. 25. In the Lord shall all the Seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory▪] Some hold the genuine sense of this place to be, That the innocence of the main body of the Jews, or of the faithful amongst them, should be justified by the Lord's Pleading their Cause against their Enemies, by rescuing them out of the hands of their Oppressors, and taking vengeance on them that had so sorely wronged and vexed them; and that they should glory and triumph in this, according to that Jer. 51.10. The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness; come and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God. And indeed the word (justified) is sometimes so taken, as Chap. 50.8. He is near that justifieth me, saith the Prophet, to wit, against the false aspersions of mine Adversaries, Who will contend with me? But because there is in the foregoing Verses, such a clear Prophecy of the Calling and Conversion of the Gentiles; I rather do understand it with the general current of Expositors, of that Justification whereby those that come to God in Christ are discharged from their Sins, and owned as Just in his sight; and some conceive that this is added by way of confirming that triumphing of the faithful, in the foregoing verse, Surely shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness; and affirming that so it should indeed be; In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory. See the Note Chap. 44.5. yea, and it may well be, which some conceive, that by calling those Converts that should be justified and glory in the Lord, the seed of Israel, the Prophet did purposely seek to prevent the Jews any thought that he intended that God would cast off the Jews, and take the Gentiles to be his people in their stead; No, God would own them still as his first-born People, and the Gentiles should be engrafted into their Stock, and made the Children of Abraham, the Seed of Israel, together with them.

CHAP. XLVI.

VERSE 1. BEL boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, &c.] These were the principal Idol-gods of the Babylonians, those doubtless which they esteemed their great Tutelary God's; but under these all the rest of their forged Deities are comprehended; for the drift of the Prophet here is to show, that God would destroy, together with Babylon, even their Idol-gods too, in whom they trusted. See the Note, Chap. 21.9. And this might be mentioned also as a figure of the utter ruin of Idolatry throughout the World, by the Gospel of Christ; the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon being by all acknowledged to be a figure of that great work of our Redemption by Christ▪ Of Bel we read, Jer. 50.2. Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, &c. and again 41.4. I will punish Bel in Babylon; and in Pliny there is express mention of an Idol called Jupiter Belus; yea, and probable it is, that with some respect to this Idol-god it was that Daniel was called Belteshazzar, when he was brought a Captive into Babylon, Dan. 1.7. because of that Nebuchadnezzar saith of him, Dan. 4.8. But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my God. Indeed of the other Idol Nebo, we find no mention elsewhere in the Scripture; but we find a City so called from one of their Idol-gods. See the Note, Numb. 32.38. And many of the Babylonian Princes and Nobles seem to have had their Names from this Idol Nebo, as Nebuchadnezzar, Naburadan, Nabopolassar, and others: The word Nebo according to the Hebrew, imports Prophecy; and therefore it is generally thought that this Idol was an Oracle amongst them, to whom they resorted for information concerning future things. As for that which is said of these Idols, Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, it is clearly a Prophecy of the ruin and destruction of these Chaldean Idols, when Babylon should be taken by Cyrus; some indeed would have these terms of bowing down, and stooping, only to imply that these Idols that had been so magnified and highly esteemed, should now decline and sink in their Credit; and others, that they should stoop to the Yoke of Captivity; but the following words do plainly show, that it is meant of the Persian Soldiers beating them down, being made of Silver and Gold, that they might carry them away as a rich Booty. Indeed considering that this was spoken when Babylon and her Idols were yet in their height of Glory, it may well be, which some say, that these Expressions are used to imply that their downfall drew nigh, Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth; as if he had said, they are falling, they are falling, they begin to totter, and will not stand long; however it is certainly spoken in a way of derision, as importing that those lofty Idols before whom the Heads and Knees of the proud Babylonians had so often bowed, should now bow and fall down themselves; their Idols were upon the beasts and upon the cattle, that is, they were by the Persians laid as so much luggage upon their beasts, or tumbled into Waggons, that they might be carried as a rich prize into their own Country: your carriages were heavy loaden, they are a burden to the weary beast; This may be taken, as spoken, either to the Persians, or to the Idols; as terming the carriages wherein they were carried away, their carriages. However this is all spoken by way of derision; as if it had been said; Surely these are weighty gods, the poor weary beasts have much ado to carry them.

Ver. 2. They stoop, they bow down together, &c.] Some understand this of the weary beast that carried the Babylonian Idols, to wit, that they fainted and sunk under the weight of them; and so likewise the following words, they could not deliver the burden, which they would have to be all one as if it had been said, The poor beasts could not free themselves from their burden: Or, they could not carry the Idols to the place where they were to deliver up that their burden. But rather it is meant, either 1. of the Babylonians, that they stooped and hung the head, they could not deliver the burden, that is, they could not save their Idols from being carried away, when they saw the Persians lading their beasts with them; Or rather, 2. Of the Idol-gods. For the first words, They stoop, they bow down together, are in effect no more but a repetition of what was said in the beginning of the foregoing verse, to wit, that both Bel and Nebo, and all the rest of their Idols together with them, did stoop and bow down, that is, were broken down by the Persians, and carried away upon their beasts. And accordingly they understand that which follows, they could not deliver the burden, that is, say some, they could not keep themselves from being a burden to the weary beasts; Or rather, they could not deliver the burden wherewith the beasts were laden, out of the hand of the enemy, that is, they could not deliver themselves; but themselves are gone into captivity; That is, even their Idol-gods; so far they were from delivering the People, that they themselves, together with the People, were carried Captives. It is in the Hebrew, their Souls are gone into captivity, which is an Hebraism, intending no more than what is said in our Translation, themselves are gone into captivity, as in Psal. 105.18. where it is said of Joseph, his Soul went into Iron. But yet others hold, that these Idols are termed the Babylonians Soul; because they esteemed them as their own Souls, accounting that their well-being, yea their very life depended upon them. And again others think, that this expression is used ironically, by way of deriding these their dead gods, that had indeed neither Soul nor Sense.

Ver. 3. Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob and all the remnant of the house of Israel, &c.] That is, all that were left of the People of Israel, after Ten of the Tribes were carried away captives into Assyria, and after the great havoc that should be made amongst the other two Tribes by the Babylonians. See the Notes, Chap. 10.22. and 28.5. yet some by the remnant of the house of Israel, understand those few of the Ten Tribes that had hitherto joined themselves to the people of Judah. However that whereto he invites them to hearken, is that which he meant to say concerning himself, and the vanity of all Idol-gods, that so they might learn to trust in him, and to take heed of idolatry. As for that which followeth, which are born by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb. That is, who from your very infancy, (See the Note Psal. 22.11.) or from the days of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, (the first Original of your being my People) I have by my providence supported, and tenderly tended, fed and preserved, even as a Mother that carries her Child up and down in her bosom, and in her arms. See the Note, Deut. 1.31. This seems purposely added, the better to set forth the difference that was betwixt him, the true God, and the Idol-gods of the Heathens: They carried their gods upon beasts, and carts, and waggons, whereas he on the other side did bear his People in his arms, as a Mother doth her young Infant.

Ver. 4. And even to your old age I am he, and even to h • ar hairs will I carry you, &c.] As if he had said, And so I shall do more for you, than Mothers do for their young babes; As soon as they are grown up a little, they are left to go by themselves, and are carried no longer: But I will be the same to you, even to your old age, that I have hitherto been. I have made, See the Note, Chap. 43.1. (And herein there is another difference hinted, betwixt him, the true God, that made his People, and the Idol-gods that were made by those that worshipped them) and I will bear, even I will carry: See the foregoing Note, and will deliver you; to wit, out of the Babylonian Captivity.

Ver. 5. To whom will ye liken me? &c.] See the Note, Chap. 40.18.

Ver. 6. They lavish Gold out of the bag, and weigh Silver in the balance, &c.] To wit, to make sure, that there was as much Silver put into their Idol as they allowed for it. Now all this is thus set forth, to show how unfit these Idols were to be likened to the true and living God.

Ver. 7. They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, &c.] That is, Having gotten him upon their shoulders, then they carry him.

Ver. 8. Remember this, &c.] This is spoken to the Jews, that were too much addicted to idolatry, both in Babylon, and before they came thither: And see the Note, Chap. 44.21. and show yourselves men, that is, make use of your • eason, and do not carry yourselves in these things, as if you had no more reason and understanding than the brute beast hath; Or, do not worship these Idol-gods, out of a womanish fear of the Babylonians, or any other Idolaters; bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors; that is, ye that have transgressed the law, and the covenant of your God, call to mind again and again, and meditate seriously of what I have said.

Ver. 9. Remember the former things of old, &c.] That is, All the glorious Works of God from the Creation unto this time, his Predictions and Works, how he hath still done what he hath foretold. And indeed, because he speaks here to the Jews, it must be understood especially of all the great things he had done for them in former Ages.

Ver. 10. Declaring the end from the beginning, &c.] That is, foretelling things to come from the first to the last, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done; which is an Argument often before used to prove, that the God of Israel, who hath done this, is the only true God: See the Notes, Chap. 41.22. and Chap. 42.9. and 43.9. and 44.8. and 45.21. Saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure; and therefore what is not yet come to pass▪ shall as certainly come to pass, as those things that have come to pass already.

Ver. 11. Calling a ravenous bird from the east, &c.] To wit, Cyrus, that out of Persia, (See the Note, Chap. 41.2.) should come swiftly upon Babylon, overcoming all difficulties lying in his way, as if he flew over them, and should tare their state and people in pieces, as such a bird doth her prey: For so it is expounded in the following words, the man that executeth my counsel from a far Country, See the Note, Chap. 44.28.

Ver. 12. Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted, &c.] Some think this is spoken to the Babylonians, that out of the pride of their hearts, and stoutness of their stomachs, thought to carry all as they pleased themselves, contrary to God's promises and purposes. But by the general current of Expositors, it is taken as spoken to the Jews, as was that before, ver. 8. and that they are called stout-hearted, because they had carried themselves stoutly and stubbornly against God, notwithstanding all the warnings he had given them by his Prophet, and the heavy Judgment that lay upon them in their being Captives in Babylon; and in the next words, far from righteousness, either because they were far from the holiness and righteousness which God required in his people (and haply with respect to their being much corrupted with the Religion and Manners of the Babylonians, amongst whom they lived), and therefore were very unfit for the deliverance they desired. Or else, as some think, because they looked upon themselves as in a desperate condition, and far from seeing the righteousness of God made good to them by the performance of his promise concerning their deliverance.

Ver. 13. I bring near my righteousness: it shall not be far off, &c.] They that understand the foregoing verse, as spoken to the Babylonians, do accordingly understand these words thus; That though they had been far from dealing righteously with his People, yet he would deal justly with them, in bringing speedily that vengeance upon them, which by their cruel usage of his people, they had justly deserved. But taking the foregoing verse, as spoken to the Jews, (which by this, that is here added, seems far most probable) this is all one in effect, as if the Lord had said to them, Though you by your wickedness and infidelity do what you can to hinder me from doing it, yet I will approve myself righteous by performing that which I have promised concerning your deliverance by Cyrus, and that speedily, and without delay: See the Note, Chap. 45.8. which fully agrees with that of the Apostle, What if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid, Rom. 3.3, 4. And this doth the rather appear to be the meaning of the place, because of the following words, and my Salvation shall not tarry, to wit, my delivering of my People out of their Captivity; and I will place Salvation in Zion, that is, having rescued them out of Babylon, I will settle them again in Zion, as in a place of safety, for Israel my glory, that is, by whose deliverance I will be glorified. But still we must remember, that under the Type of the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon, that far greater Redemption and Salvation by Christ is also comprehended wherein God was indeed transcendently glorified: See the Note, Chap. 40.5.

CHAP. XLVII.

VERSE 1. COme down and sit in the dust, O Virgin Daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground, &c. What is meant by the Virgin Daughter of Babylon, and why she may be here so called, See the Notes, 2 Reg. 19.21. Psal. 137.8. and Chap. 23.12. God by the Prophet doth here speak to Babylon, as to some proud stately young Queen gorgeously attired, and sitting upon her Throne, and bids her come down and sit in the dust, and on the ground, to wit, as poor Slaves and Captives used to do, and others in times of great and solemn mourning; See the Note, Job 2.8. and that which was intended hereby is, that this glorious Imperial City, that had ruled over so many Kingdoms and Nations, should be forthwith brought down to the lowest pitch of baseness and misery. And indeed God's Command is enough to make such mighty changes in Kingdoms: there is no Throne, O Daughter of the Chaldeans: that is, thou shalt never Lord it more over other Nations, as thou hast done; thy Monarchy shall now be translated to the Presians; for thou shalt no more be called tender end delicate, that is, thou shalt no more be applauded for thine excellent greatness. Or, thou shalt no longer live in such tenderness and delicacy, but shalt be brought into a sad and miserable condition.

Ver. 2. Take the Milstones and grind Meal, &c.] That is, prepare thyself for the basest of all servile employments, such as was grinding at the Mill, wherein they employed their Captives and poorest drudges. See the Notes, Exod. 11.5. and 12.29. Judge. 16.21. and Job 31.10. As for that which followeth, Uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers; some understand the first words, uncover thy locks, of the custom of Womens going in their Mourning, with their Hair hanging loose about them; and because of that mention that is made in the last place of passing over, the River, that which is said of uncovering their Legs and Thighs, they understand of taking up of their clothes, when they were to wade through deep Waters: But I rather take this whole passage to be a description of the sad plight wherein the Babylonian Women should be, namely, that their stately Dames being stripped of their bravery, should be carried away captives with their Hair hanging about their Ears, having only such poor tattered Garments upon them as would neither cover their Legs or Thighs: (See the Notes, Chap. 20.2, 4.) And so should be driven away into Persia, wading through the Rivers as they went along.

Ver. 3. Thy nakedness shall be uncovered; yea, thy shame shall be seen, &c.) To wit, the nakedness of their Privy parts, which Women out of modesty are ashamed to have seen. I will take vengeance, as if he had said, it is not so much Cyrus, that shall bring this misery upon thee, as I the Lord God of Israel, who shall by this means take vengeance on thee for all the wickedness thou hast committed against me, and against my people. And I will not meet thee as a man, that is, say some, I will fall upon thee without any pity or compassion, which even barbarous enemies will sometimes show to the conquered, especially to the weaker Sex; and therefore as a Lion, or some other ravening Beast, rather than as a Man; or else, not with the wrath and power of Man, which may be resisted and born, but with the unresistable and unsufferable power of an Almighry God. It is as if he had said, whilst thou hadst to do with men, thou wert able to grapple with them, and usually to subdue them; but now God will contend with thee, before whose indignation and revenging hand thou wilt never be able to stand. See the Notes, Chap. 17.6. and 2 Sam. 7.14.

Ver. 4. As for our Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts is his Name, the Holy one of Israel]. This is inserted by the Prophet in the Name of God's people, as taking occasion from that which had been said concerning Babylon, to break forth into this magnifying of God, by professing that it was their God, the great God of Heaven and Earth that would do this, and that he would do it purposely for their sakes, that they might be redeemed out of their Captivity.

Ver. 5. Sit thou silent, &c.] Here again God proceeds to set forth the misery of the Babylonians in their Captivity. Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; some think that by these words, get thee into darkness, is intended, that they should be cast into dark Prisons; or that after they were carried away Captives, they should abide in the darkness of continual misery: But it is more probable, that all the expressions here used, are to set forth how they should be overwhelmed with grief and shame; for men in such a condition are wont to sit silent, (see the Note, Job 2.13.) and to get into dark corners, as being ashamed to be seen. And it may well be, which some think, that in that which is said of their sitting silent, there might be some respect had to the great noise which that Empire had formerly made in the world; as if he had said, Thou that hadst wont to thunder out thy commands and threatenings through so many Kingdoms, shalt now sit silent, as being ashamed of the base condition whereinto thou art fallen, and not daring to mutter against those that shall tyrannize over thee.

Ver. 6. I was wroth with my people, &c.] Here the cause is shewn why Babylon should be thus destroyed: I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: That is, my people, whom I chose to be my peculiar inheritance (see the Note, Chap. 19.15.) I have cast off, as an unclean thing, as if they had been never separated from others to be a holy people unto myself, and as a People that had by their wickedness made themselves unfit indeed to be my people, and delivered them up into thine hands, an unclean, uncircumcised people, that thou mightest carry them out of my Land, whithersoever thou pleasedst; (See the Note, Chap. 43.28.) Thou didst show them no mercy: upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke: The accomplishment whereof, see Lam. 5.11, 12. The drift therefore of these words is clear, namely, to show, that though he was willing that his people should smart for their sins, yet he was highly offended with their cruel usage of them: Yea, and this also is hinted, that if God spared not his own people when they sinned against him, much less would he spare them.

Ver. 7. And thou saidst, I shall be a Lady forever, &c.] This is added, as another cause of Babylon's destruction, to wit, her security and presumptuous confidence concerning the perpetuity of her greatness, and which was indeed the root of her pride and cruelty: So that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart; that is, say some, That Israel was my peculiar people; and that therefore, though I made use of thee to correct them for their sins, yet there was no likelihood that I would cast them off forever, and consequently thou didst not lay to heart the cruelties thou didst exercise towards them. But rather, the things they did not lay to heart, were the things which were now foretold them, those woeful miseries which their inhumane dealing with God's people would at last bring upon them; which is further confirmed from the last clause, neither didst remember the latter end of it, That is, what would at length befall thee for thy cruelty to them: yet some understand this too, of the end of Jerusalem or the people of God, namely, that they did not bethink themselves that God would at last deliver his people.

Ver. 8. Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, &c.] To wit, without fear of any change, see the Note, Judge. 18.7. that sayest in thine heart, I am, to wit, the great Monarch and Empress of the world, and none else besides me, that is, there is no Kingdom like me, either for magnificence or sure stability; all other are not worth the naming, and are as nothing in comparison of mine. An arrogant and blasphemous expression, wherein she ascribes that to herself, which God often mentions as his transcendent peculiar dignity. I shall not sit as a Widow, neither shall I know the loss of Children; that is, I shall not sit desolate as a Widow, nor want of the Royal issue to sit upon the Throne: Or, I shall never want a King that shall be as a Husband to me, nor be deprived of that numerous people, which, as my Children, live in subjection to me. See Rev. 18.7.

Ver. 9. But these two things shall come to thee in a moment, in one day, &c.] To wit, in that day when Babylon was taken by Cyrus, which was done so suddenly and unexpectedly, that there was no place for counsel or escape. The loss of Children and Widowhood, that is, the destruction of thy people, and thy King Belshazzar amongst the rest, See Dan. 5.30. See the feregoing Note, They shall come upon thee in their perfection; that is, both the one and the other shall be fully and to the utmost accomplished upon thee, even to the utter destruction of thy Kingdom; for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments; that is, for all thy magical arts and practices, wherein the Chaldeans did abound: So that this is mentioned as another cause of their destruction.

Ver. 10. For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness, &c.] To wit, either their wicked policies, their rapines and oppressions, and all other the wicked ways whereby they had raised themselves to their present greatness, and whereby they might still hope to secure themselves against all fears and dangers. Or 2ly, the riches and power which they had gotten by such ways of wickedness. Or 3dly, all their Magic Arts (mentioned in the close of the foregoing Verse, and much afterward insisted on) whereon they relied much, because they thought their Magicians able to foresee and foretell future things, and heard nothing but assurance of good from them; and likewise able by their Sorceries and Witchcrafts to help them, and prejudice their enemies. Thou hast said, none seeth me; That is, thou hast flattered thyself, as if neither God nor Man could take notice of thy sinful ways and policies. See the Notes, Chap. 29.15. and Psal. 64.5. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge it hath perverted thee; That is, thy trusting to that which thou esteemest great wisdom and knowledge, thy carnal policy, or thy great skill in Magic Arts, hath deceived thee and mislead thee, emboldening thee in thy hardness, and causing thee to chucker thyself with groundless hopes; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else besides me; see the Note above, ver. 8. So that all things considered, the drift of this Verse seems to be, to show what was the Root and Spring of that pride and security in the Babylonians, mentioned before, Ver. 7. as the cause why God would destroy them.

Ver. 11. Therefore shall evil come upon thee, thou shalt not know from whence it riseth, &c.] It is in the Hebrew, Thou shalt not know the morning thereof; and therefore some take the meaning to be, either that they should not know what day it should come; or that they should take no notice of the apparent signs of their approaching destruction; though there should be many things that should be as clear tokens of their approaching ruin, as the first dawning of the morning is a token that the Sun is about to rise; yet they should never observe them. And because the words may be rendered, Thou shalt not know the rising thereof, it may be the more probably thought, that there is a secret nip here given to the practice of their Magicians and Astronomers, on whom they so much relied, who in their Figure-casting, were wont studiously to observe the rising and aspect of the Planets; as if it had been said, you that by the rising of the Planets, pretend or foretell what all days will prove, whether fatal or prosperous, shall not be able to foresee the rising or the morning of the day of your own destruction. And again it may be spoken with reference to the sudden surprisal of Babylon, that was taken before the Inhabitants began to fear any danger, as all Histories reports. But because our Translators have rendered the word, thou shalt not know from whence it riseth, it is clear that they understand it of their not knowing from what Nation or Country their destruction should come upon them, the Babylonians not dreaming at that time of any quarrel or evil intention that Cyrus had against them: And mischief shall fall upon thee, thou shalt not be able to put it off; and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know: That is, which thou shalt not foresee, and so it will be the more grievous to be born.

Ver. 12. Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast labored from thy youth, &c.] That is, whereto thou hast been violently addicted, and which thou hast followed with all eagerness, even from the first raising of thy City and State. And indeed this people were of Ancient time much given to these sinful practices; in so much, that the professors of these Arts were among other Nations known and called by the Name of Chaldeans. Stand now with thine enchantments, &c. This is spoken by way of derision, and by way of insulting over them for their vain confidence in those things; as if it had been said, Call your Magicians together, and try what good you can do with them; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail; That is, see whether this will any way advantage thee; whether hereby thou canst keep off the ruin that is coming upon thee; and then you will soon find, that such things will do you no good in the World.

Ver. 13. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy Counsels, &c.] As if he had said, Thou dost but tire thyself in vain, in seeking out many and many several ways to save thyself: Or, having hitherto to no purpoose wearied thyself in those manifold policies and ways, whereby thou hast sought to secure thyself; try now what thy cunning wise men, thy Wizards can do; as it follows in the next words, Let now the Astrologers, the Stargazers, the Monthly Prognosti • ators, that is, those that undertake to foretell what will come to pass every Month, stand up, and save thee from those things that shall come upon thee; that is, let them stand up like men, and make use of all their Art, to see if they can foretell the miseries that are coming upon thee, and save thee from them.

Ver. 14. Behold, they shall be as Stubble, &c.] See the Notes, Exod. 15.7. The fire shall burn them, which is meant of the invasion of the Medes and Persians; and it may be also spoken with relation to their burning of Babylon; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame, to wit, your Astronomers and Stargazers, &c. and how then shall they be able to deliver you? So that indeed your trust in them, is as if by heaping Stubble about you, you should hope to keep yourselves from burning; There shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it, That is, they shall be utterly destroyed and consumed, as where Srubble is burnt, where there is not so much as a brand or coal to be found, nothing at all but Ashes, good for nothing.

Ver. 15. Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast labored, &c.] That is, thus unable to help thee shall they all be, with whom thou hast tired thyself, in consulting with them concerning thine Estate. And commonly it is held, that this is meant of their Magicians and Diviners, of whom he had been before speaking: yea, of the same they hold the following words are spoken, even thy Merchants from thy youth, &c. and that they are called Merchants, because (as Merchants) they had many crafty ways to deceive those they traded with, and made the people pay dearly for what they did for them. But yet others understand the whole Verse, of the Merchants that from foreign parts traded in Babylon in great multitudes, by reason of her convenient situation for Trade, in regard of her many great Rivers that ran into the Persian Sea; as if it had been expressed thus, As it shall be with thee in regard of thy Wizards, so also in regard of thy Merchants, with whom thou hast traded from thy youth, (See the Note above, Ver. 12. They shall wander everyone to his quarter, That is, they shall get away, fleeing everyone to his own Country and home; or, they shall flee someone way, and some another, wandering up and down, each one in the way wherein he hopes to find a free passage; None shall save thee, to wit, neither. Wizards, nor Merchants.

CHAP. XLVIII.

Ver. 1. HEar ye this, &c.] Having in the foregoing Chapters foretold the destruction of Babylon, and the deliverance of his people from thence; lest this should make his people think highly of themselves, here the Prophet addresseth his speech to them, convincing them of their gross hypocrisy and wickedness, and that their deliverance would be merely of God's free grace, Hear ye this, O House of Jacob, which art called by the Name of Israel, That is, that are called Israelites, and glory much therein, though you be not so indeed; and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, That is, that are the offspring of Judah, and therefore called Jews, descending from his Stock, as streams of water from their Spring; See the Notes, Numb. 24.7. Deut. 33.28. and Psal. 68. And this is mentioned as another thing wherein they gloried much, because this was the royal Tribe, that had retained the worship of God with them, when the other Tribes fell away to Idolatry: which swear by the name of the Lord, to wit, as owning him to be the only true God, and make mention of the God of Israel, to wit, in swearing by him; or more generally, in that they talked much of God, and gloried in him as their God peculiarly, Psal. 50.16. But not in truth nor in righteousness, that is, not sincerely, but hypocritically.

Ver. 2. For they call themselves of the holy City, &c.] That is, they boast that they are Citizens of the Holy City Jerusalem, in regard of God's dwelling there amongst them, and their worshipping him there, and the confidence they had, that upon this account God would certainly defend the City; and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; that is, they profess much confidence in God, and make a great show of relying upon him, though indeed there is no such thing. The Lord of hosts is his name, which is added, not to imply that God, Almighty Al-ruling power was the ground why they did with such confidence rely upon him; but rather how able he was every moment to destroy them that did thus grossly dissemble with him.

Ver. 3. I have declared the former things from the beginning, &c.] That is, from the time when I first took you to be my people, I have successively in former Ages foretold you future things: and they went out of my mouth, and I shown them, That is, I determined on the things to be done, and then revealed them by my Prophets to you. I did them suddenly, and they came to pass: That is, when the time determined came, they were suddenly done: when they, concerning whom they were foretold, did little think of any such thing. See the Note, Chap. 42.9. All which is alleged, as often formerly (see the Note, Chap. 46.10.) to make it clear to them, that hereby he had sufficiently approved himself to them to be the only true God. And what his aim was in asserting this here; is set forth in the following Verses.

Ver. 4. Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass) Here the reason is given, why he had, by foretelling things before he did them, proved himself to be the only true God (as is said in the foregoing Verse, and repeated again in that which follows) namely, because he knew that they were a stubborn, stiff-necked, impudent people, that would hardly be brought to believe his words by his Prophets, and very prone to rebel against him; and so to prevent this (and that merely of his own free grace, notwithstanding this their wickedness) he had thus clearly manifested himself to them, even from their first being his people, unto that present time, when he had foretold them their captivity in Babylon, the destruction of Babylon by Cyrus, and their deliverance from thence.

Ver. 5. I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shown it thee, &c.] See the two foregoing Notes, lest thou shouldest say, mine Idol hath done them, &c. And this is mentioned as one of the main effects of their stubbornness, which God sought to prevent by foretelling beforehand what he meant to do in future times, namely, their ascribing the great things which he did to their Idol-gods.

Ver. 6. Thou hast heard, see all this, &c.) That is, you have heard how in all Ages I have foretold what should come to pass in future times, and how all things have exactly come to pass as they were foretold; now mark and consider all this, and lay it seriously to heart: And will not ye declare it? That is, will ye not declare unto others this which you have heard concerning my Predictions and the accomplishment of them, and so bear witness to the truth, that it may be seen that I have omitted no necessary means of manifesting myself to you? I have shown thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them: As if he should have said, As formerly, so now also I have foretold thee new things, which were wholly hidden, and which of thyself thou couldest never have known, to wit, the destruction of Babylon, and thy deliverance from thence.

Ver. 7. They are created now, and not from the beginning, &c.] That is, they are now revealed and brought to light (as things are when created) and not in former times, see the Notes, Ver. 3, 5. Even before the day when thou heardest them not, That is, before the time when thou hadst heard anything of them; lest thou shouldest say, behold, I knew them, that is, lest thou shouldest say, when they came to pass, I knew well enough that these things would be.

Ver. 8. Yea, thou heardest not, &c.] Some would have the meaning of this whole Verse to be, that God had revealed these new things to them, of which mention was made in the forgoing Verse, to wit, the destruction of Babylon, and the deliverance of his people, when they heard not, &c. when they obstinately stopped their ears, and would not hear what he said to them. But it is rather a continuation of what he had said before; yea, thou heardest not, that is, the things that I now reveal to thee, are things which thou hadst never heard before from thy Stargazers, or Soothsayers, or anybody else; yea, thou knewest not, That is, thou knewest them not any other way: Yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened, That is, even when the least of this business had never yet come to thine ear: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously. As if he should have said, Therefore do I repeat this, and press this so often upon thee, that it is I that have foretold thee these future things that shall befall thee, to make sure thou shouldest know, that it was I that caused thee to be carried away into Babylon, and that it was I that delivered thee from thence; and that because I knew that thou wouldest not own mine hand in all that befell thee, but wouldest treacherously ascribe it to other things: And wast called a transgressor from the womb, That is, that hast been a transgressor from the womb, to wit, say some, from thy Nativity, or from thy first coming out of Egypt, when God first took thee upon Mount Sinai to be his covenant-people (but see also the Note, Chap. 46.3.) and therefore mayest deservedly be so called, rather than as it is said, Ver. 1. they were commonly called by the name of Israel.

Ver. 9. For my names sake will I defer mine anger, &c.) As if God said, though thou art, and hast always been so wicked, as is before said, yet will I stay and suppress mine anger for my names sake, That is, say some, because thou art called by my name, as being accounted my people: Or rather for mine own sake, see the Note, Psal. 25.11. That is, with respect to mine own glory. It was not because you deserved not to be destroyed, but that men might not question mine Almighty power and faithfulness towards my people; or say the gods of the Gentiles were mightier than I. See the Note also, Deut. 32.20. And for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off; That is, I will for thy good withhold myself from destroying thee, that I may be praised for my mercy and faithfulness to thee. All which is inserted for the comfort of the faithful amongst God's people; and that when they were delivered, they might ascribe it wholly to God's free Grace.

Ver. 10. Behold, I have refined thee, &c.] As if the Lord had said, Though with respect to mine own Glory I would not utterly destroy thee (as was said in the forgoing Verse) yet with respect to thy good, I have sought to purge away thy Dross in the fire of Affliction. The greatest difficulty is in the following words; which some read, as they are in the Margin, I have refined thee, but not for silver, and so understand it, that it was not for any gain or advantage that God got by it, that he cast them into the furnace of Babylon; and indeed we have the like expressions, Chap. 45.13. and Psal. 44.12. for which see the Notes there. But by most interpreters the words are rendered, as in our Translation, I have refined thee, but not with silver; which though some understand of the succeslesness of God's afflicting them, to wit, that though he had sought to refine them in the furnace of affliction, yet it had not been with them, as it is with Silver, which is purged from its dross in the Refiners furnace; they being still as wicked as before; yet the most and best Expositors understand it of the gentelness of God's afflicting them, I have refined thee, but not with silver; that is, not with so hot, and fierce, and vehement a Fire, as the Refiners use in refining their Silver: I have afflicted thee but lightly and moderately, having respect to thine infirmity, rather than to the greatness of thy sin and stubbornness; I have not refined so accurately and exactly, as Refiners do their Silver, who keep it in the Fire, till all the Dross be wasted and purged out of it; for then they would have been quite consumed. I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction, That is, say some, I will make a choice one of thee, by purging thee; or I have purged thee, like choice Silver, in the Furnace of Babylon. But rather I conceive the meaning is, either that God had chosen their captivity in Babylon to be as a Refining Furnace to them; or else, that in this their affliction he had set his heart upon them, and had chosen and called them out, as we do things we mean to preserve to be delivered.

Ver. 11. For mine own sake even for mine own sake, will I do it, &c.] see the note before, Ver. 9. For how shall my Name be polluted? That is, otherwise how exceedingly would my name be polluted? (which I can by no means suffer) to wit, by the enemies blaspheming my name; and I will not give my glory unto another. See the Note, Chap. 42.8.

Ver. 12. Hearken unto me, O Jacob, &c.] Here God addresseth himself again to promise them deliverance out of Babylon, Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel, my called. That is, whom I have called to be my peculiar people, and whom I cannot but own, in regard of the Covenant I have made with you, though you indeed deserve not to be called by that name, I am he, to wit, that must deliver thee; I am the First, I also am the last, See the Note, Chap. 4.14.

Ver. 13. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the Earth, &c.] See the Notes, Chap. 40.11, 12. and 45.12. and Psal. 104.2. and my Right hand hath spanned the Heavens, which is spoken after the manner of Workmen, that were wont sometimes to measure things by their span; when I call unto them, they stand up together, to wit, as my Servants, ready to do whatever I command them, See the Note, Chap 40.26. and this expression is the rather used in relation to that which follows afterward Ver. 15. concerning God's calling of Cyrus.

Ver. 14. All ye assembler yourselves and hear, &c] That is, as it was expressed before, Ver. 1 and 11. All ye my people Israel, considering I am so great a God (as was said in the foregoing verse) hearken diligently to what I say; some would have it that the Prophet speaks here in his own person, because of those words in this verse, the Lord loved him. But nothing is more usual than for God to speak of himself in the third person; It is therefore more probable, that as before, and after, so here also, the Prophet speaks in the name of God; which among them have declared these things? that is, which of the Idol gods (see the Note before, Verse 5.) their Diviners or Astrologers, have foretold these things that I have foretold? See the Notes Chap. 44.7. and 45.21. The Lord hath loved him, that is, Cyrus, named before, Chap. 45.1. to wit, in that he exalted him so highly, and made use of him in so great a Service: He will do his pleasure on Babylon. See the Note, Chap 44.28. and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans, that is, he shall fall heavily on them, and destroy them.

Ver. 15. I, even I, have spoken, &c.] That is, I, even I alone, who am a faithful God, and sure to perform what I say: yea, I have called him, to wit Cyrus, (as before, Ver. 14. to the doing of that great work, whereunto I have appointed him; I have brought him, that is, I will bring him; and he shall make his way prosperous, that is, he shall prosper in whatever he undertakes.

Ver. 16. Come ye near unto me, hear ye this, &c.] see the Note before, Ver. 14. I have not spoken in secret from the beginning, the meaning whereof must needs be this (if we take them to be the words of the Prophet, as many do, and as the last words in this Verse clearly are) that from the beginning of God's calling him to his Prophetical Office, he had publicly and plainly made known to them what God had revealed to him; and accordingly the following words must also be understood, from the time that it was, there am I; as if the Prophet had said, from the time that anything was revealed to me, there still am I (as in my watch-tower) faithfully and plainly declaring the whole will of God unto his People. But this Exposition is somewhat hard; rather therefore it is God that speaks here to his People, I have not spoken in secret from the beginning, that is, from the first time that I took you to be my people, or from the time that I first began to foretell you future things by my Prophets, I have always made known such things to you clearly and in public: see the Note, Chap. 45.19. And then agreeably hereto, must the following words be understood, from the time that it was, I am there; namely, either 1. that from the time that anything was foretold by his Prophets, he was there revealing to them, by his spirit; the things which they did foretell; so that it was he indeed that spake by them. Or 2. That from the time that anything came to pass which was foretold, he was there accomplishing the things foretold, by his Almighty power; as they were foretold, so they were also accomplished by him. And then for the last clause there, as is said before, it is clear that the Prophet speaks in his own person; and now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me, that is, as formerly in other things foretold by me and other the Prophets of God; so now in this which I say concerning Babylon and Cyrus, I say nothing but by commission from God, and by the inspiration of his Spirit.

Ver. 17. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer, the holy one of Israel, &c.] See the Note, Chap. 1.4. I am the Lord thy God, which teacheth thee to profit; that is, who teacheth thee by my Word and Spirit, those things which will be for thy welfare; which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go; that is, teaching and directing thee how to order thy conversation. And the aim of these words, I conceive, is this; lest the Jews should say, If the Lord meant to fetch us back out of Babylon, why did he bring us hither? Therefore the Lord tells them here, that he had done enough to make them a Righteous people, which had they improved for good, they might have been still in their own Land.

Ver. 18. O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandments, &c.] Implying, that then they had been free from all those miseries, which by their disobeying God's commands they had brought upon themselves, & particularly in the Babylonian captivity, see the foregoing Note: then had thy peace been as a river, that is, then had thy peace or thy prosperity in every regard (See the Note, Psal. 119.165.) been abundantly, and in a continued course, exceeding great, over-bearing anything that might in likelihood be any hindrance to it: And to the same purpose is the following clause, and thy righteousness as the Waves of the Sea; for by Righteousness here, is meant, either the reward of Righteousness, namely, Peace and Prosperity, as before (as iniquity is sometimes put for the reward of iniquity, Gen. 4.13.) See the Note, Chap. 32.17. Or more particularly, a State rightly and well ordered and established; see the Note, Psal. 72.3.

Ver. 19. Thy seed also had been as the Sand, and the Off-spring of thy Bowels like the Gravel thereof, &c.] As if he had said, Whereas your number hath been of late much diminished, by the breaking in pieces of ten of your Tribes, and the carrying of them away into Captivity, and by the havoc also that your enemies have made, even amongst you of Judah, had you been Obedient to my Commandments, it would have been quite contrary with you; God would have exceedingly multiplied you according to his promise of old, Gen. 22.17. His Name should not have been cut off, nor destroyed from before me; that is, my people Israel, their State and Commonwealth, and so their name and memory, and the great renown which formerly they enjoyed, should not have been cut off from the Land, where in the Temple I dwelt amongst them, as now it is like to be, to wit, in the Babylonian Captivity.

Ver. 20. Go ye forth, &c.] Having in the foregoing verses told them, that they by their sins had been the cause of the miseries that were come upon them, here he adds, that yet notwithstanding, to wit, of his own free grace, and for his own name-sake, as he had said before, he would deliver them out of Babylon. And this he speaks of, as if it were then a doing (though it were not to be done till about a hundred years after) to make the tidings thereof the more joyful to them, and the better to assure them of the certainty of it, Go ye forth of Babylon; flee ye from the Chaldeans, to wit, that ye may not be destroyed with them. Some indeed conceive, that in these last words the Jews are advised, upon the first report of the approach of Cyrus, to get them away from amongst the Chaldeans; but the following words do rather import a departure with full and free Liberty upon the proclamation of Cyrus, than an escape by flight; with a voice of singing declare ye; that is, with great joy declare what God hath done for you; and therefore it is repeated again and again, as a matter of great joy, tell this, utter it even to the end of the Earth, &c. that is, spread it abroad, so that the same may be carried to the ends of the Earth.

Ver. 21. And they thirsted not when he led them through the Desarts, &c.] As if he should have said, Though in this return of my People from Babylon to their own Country, they went through many wild and dry deserts, yet they wanted nothing that was necessary for them, I provided for them as I did for their Ancestors, when I carried them out of Egypt through the Wilderness into the Land of Canaan; He caused the waters to flow out of the Rock for them, &c. that is, he did in a wonderful manner provide for them, as once for their Ancestors in their passage to the Promised Land, see the notes, Chap. 41.18. and 43.19. But yet, though this be thus expressed as done already, to imply the certainty of it; yet; that I conceive which the Prophet intended, was, that thus it should be when they were delivered out of Babylon.

Ver. 22. There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.] Having before told them, Ver. 18. That if they would have obeyed God's Commandments, their peace should have been always abundantly great; here he assures them, that it is never so with wicked men. But the drift of the Prophet in closing this Prophecy with this general Proposition, may seem to be, to imply, either, 1. that whilst God shown so much Mercy and Goodness to his people, yet it should be quite otherwise with the wicked Babylonians, they should certainly be destroyed; and therefore it would be wisdom in the Jews to haste out of Babylon. Or 2ly. that though the Jews might have been in a most prosperous estate, had they obeyed God's Commandments (as was said before, Verse 18, 19.) yet it was no wonder that it was so ill with them at present, because of their great wickedness. Or 3dly. that in the foregoing promise, made to the Jews, there was nothing of Peace spoken to the wicked amongst them, but only to the godly; for though they might go out of Babylon together with others, yet this would not be done for them, because God was reconciled to them, but still they would lie under God's wrath, because of their wickedness.

CHAP. XLIX.

Ver. 1. LIsten, O Isl • s unto me, &c.] see the Note, Chap. 41. I do not see any inconvenience in that, which some learned Expositors hold; namely, that the Prophet speaks here in his own person, and as before concerning the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon, yet as principally intending hereby to speak in the name of Christ, of whom he was a Type, and to set forth the greater work of Redemption which was shadowed forth in the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon, that was to be accomplished by Christ. But I confess, that the general current of Expositors do understand this as spoken by Christ alone, without respect to any other. Having (say they) hitherto spoken of Cyrus, and his deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon, here he speaks of Christ and of our Redemption by him; and so on to the end of his Prophecy: whence also they say it is, that whereas before the Jews only were spoken to, Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, &c. here the Gentiles are called upon to hear, Listen, O Isles unto me, and hearken ye people from far; because the Gospel of Christ was to be preached to them, even to to the utmost of them, and because they would embrace Christ, when the generality of the Jews should reject him, and so should be taken in to be God's People, instead of the Jews. However, it is clear that Christ is here principally (if not solely) intended, because many passages in this Chapter are in the New-Testament expressly ascribed to Christ, as Verse 6, 8, and 10. And indeed, if we consider that the People of God would have no well-grounded hope of that promised deliverance out of Babylon, but by their reconciliation with God in and through the Mediation of Christ; it cannot seem strange that from the prediction of the deliverance, he should now proceed to this promise concerning Christ, The Lord hath called me from the Womb, &c.] That is, Even from the Womb he designed me to the Office of the Mediator; yet the meaning is not, that God did not appoint him thereto, till he was conceived or born (for he was by God's decree chosen and separated to be the Messiah from all Eternity) but that in his conception and birth, there was a tendency to the accomplishment of this which God had decreed concerning him; to that end he was born. Thus it was with Isaiah,