Nevertheless the dimness [shall] not [be] such as [was] in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict [her by] the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. Ver. 1. _Nevertheless the di... [ Continue Reading ]
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Ver. 2. _The people that walked in darkness._] _Liberationis lucem promittit._ _See Trapp on "_ Mat 4:16 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou hast multiplied the nation, [and] not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, [and] as [men] rejoice when they divide the spoil. Ver. 3. _Thou hast multiplied the nation._] Or, "Never since thou multipliedst this people, didst thou give them such joy" - _i.e.,... [ Continue Reading ]
For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. Ver. 4. _For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden,_] _i.e., _ Thou hast disenthralled and delivered thy people from the burdenous yokes of their enemies, both corporal a... [ Continue Reading ]
For every battle of the warrior [is] with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but [this] shall be with burning [and] fuel of fire. Ver. 5. _For every battle of the warrior, &c._] Great is the woe of war; when death hews its way through a wood of men, in a minute of time, from the mouth of... [ Continue Reading ]
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Ver. 6. _For unto us a child is born._] That child foretold of. Isa 7:14 Christ shall... [ Continue Reading ]
_Of the increase of [his] government and peace [there shall be] no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this._ Ver. 7. _Of the increase of his go... [ Continue Reading ]
The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel. Ver. 8. _The Lord sent a word into Jacob._] He sent it as a shaft out of a bow, that will be sure to hit. God loves to forewarn; but woe be to those that will not be warned. The Septuagint render it, The Lord sent a plague, or death,... [ Continue Reading ]
And all the people shall know, [even] Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, Ver. 9. _And all the people shall know._] Know it they do already; but they shall know it by woeful experience. He that trembleth not in hearing, shall be crushed to pieces in... [ Continue Reading ]
The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change [them into] cedars. Ver. 10. _The bricks are fallen down._] Not thrown down by Providence, but fallen down by fate or blind fortune. God is not so far honoured as once to be owned by these... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; Ver. 11. _Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin._] In whom ye trust. He shall shortly be destroyed by the Assyrian, 2Ki 16:9 and then your hopes shall hop headless, and make you a... [ Continue Reading ]
The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still. Ver. 12. _The Syrians before._] Under the conduct of the Assyrian, who hath slain their King Rezin, and made them his vassa... [ Continue Reading ]
For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts. Ver. 13. _For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them._] This were the only way to escape God, viz., to run in to him. There is no standing before a lion, no bearing up sail in a storm, no stout... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. Ver. 14. _Head and tail,_] _i.e., _ High and low _a_ _as _ Isa 9:15 Here he compareth Israel, _non sine morsu,_ to a beast with a long tail, for the perverseness of their practices. Or else to the serpent amphis... [ Continue Reading ]
The ancient and honourable, he [is] the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he [is] the tail. Ver. 15. _The ancient and honourable is the head._] Thus the Scripture frequently expoundeth itself. In a general calamity all fare alike, lords and losels. _ And the prophet that teacheth lies, he... [ Continue Reading ]
For the leaders of this people cause [them] to err; and [they that are] led of them [are] destroyed. Ver. 16. _For the leaders of this people cause them to err._] By their ill counsel and example. _Exempla enim non ibi consistunt, ubi cceperunt._ The ancients placed the statues of their princes and... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one [is] an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still._ Ver. 17. _Therefore... [ Continue Reading ]
For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up [like] the lifting up of smoke. Ver. 18. _For wickedness burneth as a fire._] God will burn up these wicked Israelites, as once he did those sinful Sodo... [ Continue Reading ]
Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother. Ver. 19. _Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened,_] viz., By that pride of smoke, or vast pillar of smoke, mentioned Isaiah 9:18. _Trist... [ Continue Reading ]
And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: Ver. 20. _And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry._] _Inexplebilem illorum avaritiam et rapacitatem notat._ They... [ Continue Reading ]
Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: [and] they together [shall be] against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still. Ver. 21. _Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh._] Snarling at and intertearing one another, as dogs, about the kingly dignity... [ Continue Reading ]