Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; Ver. 1. _To his anointed,_] _i.e., _ To his appointed and enabled one, to subdu... [ Continue Reading ]
I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: Ver. 2. _And make the crooked places even._] Or, The hilly places level. _ I will break in pieces the gates of brass._] This God would do, that his temple mig... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call [thee] by thy name, [am] the God of Israel. Ver. 3. _And I will give thee the treasures of darkness._] All that Croesus, that rich king, had amassed, and other prin... [ Continue Reading ]
For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. Ver. 4. For Jacob my servant's sake.] That the enemies of my people being subdued, they may have some breathing while, and liberty to live quietly in their o... [ Continue Reading ]
I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else, [there is] no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: Ver. 5. _I am the Lord, and none else._] None of thy Persian gods, to whom thou didst offer solemn sacrifice, both at the beginning of thy reign, and. likewise at thy death, if Zeno... [ Continue Reading ]
That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that [there is] none beside me. I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else. Ver. 6. _That they may know from the rising of the sun,_] _i.e., _ All the world over, by thy proclamation. Ezr 1:1-2 _ That there is none besides me._] _Qui... [ Continue Reading ]
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things]. Ver. 7. _I form the light, and create darkness,_] _sc., _ By withdrawing the light whence darkness succeedeth; so doth misery when God withholdeth mercy. But what an odd, or rather mad conceit wa... [ Continue Reading ]
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 up together; I the LORD have created it. Ver. 8. _Drop down, ye heavens, from above._] A prayer of the poor captives in Babylon, say som... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! [Let] the potsherd [strive] with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? Ver. 9. _Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker._] That contends with him, Rom 9:20 or presumes t... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto him that saith unto [his] father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth? Ver. 10. _Woe unto him that saith to his father._] Are these fit words to a father? Is it not an impious morosity to talk unto him in this sort, Why hast thou begotten me at all? or if at... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. Ver. 11. _Thus saith the Lord, &c., _] _q.d., _ Leave off such insolent and unbecoming language, and learn of me about what ye should rather bu... [ Continue Reading ]
I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, [even] my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. Ver. 12. _I have made the earth,_] _q.d., _ I am the mighty maker and monarch of the world; therefore pray on, and patiently wait for a gracious answer, "he that... [ Continue Reading ]
I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts. Ver. 13. _I have raised him up,_] _i.e., _ Cyrus. Ezr 1:1 _ And I will direct all his ways,_] _sc., _ When he cometh ag... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, [sayin... [ Continue Reading ]
Verily thou [art] a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour. Ver. 15. _Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself._] _a_ As thou art invisible, and dwellest in light inaccessible; so in thy dispensations thou goest a way by thyself, and thy judgments are unsearchable. "Thou hidest thys... [ Continue Reading ]
_They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together [that are] makers of idols._ Ver. 16. _That are makers of idols._] The word rendered idols, signifieth properly _Tormina, cruciatus,_ pains, and throes, and straits. Idolaters heap up sorrows to themselves... [ Continue Reading ]
Isaiah 45:17 [But] Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. Ver. 17. But Israel … with an everlasting salvation.] By Cyrus they were not so, for not long after, Antiochus afflicted them, Herod got the sceptre from the... [ Continue Reading ]
For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I [am] the LORD; and [there is] none else. Ver. 18. _He created it not in vain._] Therefore never think that he will fors... [ Continue Reading ]
I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. Ver. 19. _I have not spoken in secret._] As the sibyls did out of their dens; as the idol priests did out of their holes... [ Continue Reading ]
Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye [that are] escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god [that] cannot save. Ver. 20. _Ye that are escaped of the nations._] That have escaped the sword of Cyrus, and well proved ho... [ Continue Reading ]
Tell ye, and bring [them] near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? [who] hath told it from that time? [have] not I the LORD? and [there is] no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; [there is] none beside me. Ver. 21. _Who hath declared this?_] _sc... [ Continue Reading ]
Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else. Ver. 22. _Look unto me, and be ye saved._] While the moon looketh directly upon the sun, she is bright and beautiful; but if she once turn aside and be left to herself, she loseth all her glory, and... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth [in] righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear._ Ver. 23. _That unto me every knee._] I will be known and obeyed all the world over, _sc., _ by Christians. Of the Jews Jerome noteth, _qu... [ Continue Reading ]
Surely, shall [one] say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: [even] to him shall [men] come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. Ver. 24. _Surely shall one say._] This shall be the Christian confession, "In the Lord have I righteousness," &c. - "Righteousness," _i.e.,... [ Continue Reading ]
In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory. Ver. 25. _Shall be justified._] By faith in Christ. Rom 5:1 _ And shall glory._] Having peace of conscience they shall "glory in tribulation." Romans 5:1 _; _ Rom 5:3 Note this against merit mongers.... [ Continue Reading ]