1._But there shall come forth a rod. _As the description of such dreadful calamities might terrify the godly, and give them reason for despair, it was necessary to hold out consolation; for when the kingdom was destroyed, cities thrown down, and desolation spread over the whole country, there might... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. _He now begins to speak of Christ plainly and without a figure; for it was enough to have represented the consolation under that figure, in order that the full contrast between the burning of the wood and its springing up anew might be made manifest.... [ Continue Reading ]
3._And will make him sagacious. _(180) The verb ריח, (_riach_,) which is here put in the Hiphil conjugation, signifies literally _to smell_; but may also be explained in an active sense, as meaning _to give a keen smell_; which agrees better, I think, with this passage, so that this sagacity may be... [ Continue Reading ]
4._For he will judge the poor in righteousness. _(182) Here he shows that Christ will be the guardian of _the poor_, or, he points out the persons to whom the grace of Christ strictly belongs, namely, to the _poor _or _meek_; that is, to those who, humbled by a conviction of their poverty, have laid... [ Continue Reading ]
5._And righteousness shall be the belt. _(185) Some translate it _girdle_; but as the Prophet represents Christ to us wearing, as it were, the emblems of royalty, I have rather translated it _belt_, which is also a royal emblem, in the same manner as the scepter, which he had assigned to him a littl... [ Continue Reading ]
6._The wolf shall dwell with the lamb. _He again returns to describe the character and habits of those who have submitted to Christ. As there is a mutual relation between the king and the people, he sometimes ascends from the body to the head, and sometimes descends from the head to the body; and we... [ Continue Reading ]
8._And the child shall play on the hole of the asp. _He continues to illustrate the same sentiment, that when men have been brought into a state of favor with God, and have been cleansed from their depravity by the Spirit of regeneration, they will likewise be free from every hurtful disposition. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
9._They shall not hurt. _He now declares plainly, that men themselves, having laid aside the depravity which naturally dwells in them, will be inclined, of their own accord, to do what is right. He speaks of believers who have been truly regenerated _to a new life_, (Romans 6:4;) for though in the C... [ Continue Reading ]
10._And it shall be in that day the root of Jesse. _He again returns to the person of Christ, and repeats the same comparison which he had introduced at the beginning of the chapter, that of a _root _or a _branch _springing from a decayed trunk, of which no trace appeared; and he foretells that the... [ Continue Reading ]
11._And it shall be in that day, the Lord will again set his hand. _The prediction about the future glory of the Church having been incredible, he explains the method of restoring it, namely, that God will display the power of _his hand_, as if for performing a memorable and uncommon exploit. Now, t... [ Continue Reading ]
12._And he will lift up an ensign to the nations_. This verse contains nothing more than the explanation of the former verse. The language is metaphorical, and admits of two meanings; either that, _by giving an ensign_, he will terrify adversaries, so that they will not dare to prevent his people fr... [ Continue Reading ]
13._And the envy of Ephraim shall depart. _Here he promises that the Church will be in such a state of peace, that neither will the Israelites and the Jews contend in civil broils, nor will they suffer any annoyance from their enemies, and that they will not be liable to hatred or _envy_, as they fo... [ Continue Reading ]
14._And they shall fly on the shoulders of the Philistines. _He means that there is also another way in which the Lord will assist his people; which is, that he will conquer their enemies, and subdue them under his dominion. Having spoken of the safety of the Church, he now declares that she will be... [ Continue Reading ]
15._And the Lord will utterly destroy. _In this verse he means nothing else than that the Lord, by his amazing power, will open for his people a way, which formerly appeared to be shut up. He speaks figuratively. What he calls a _tongue _is “a bay of the sea;” for when the sea penetrates into the la... [ Continue Reading ]
16._And there shall be a path. _(192) This verse contains nothing new, but explains the former verse. The people would perceive the same power of God in the deliverance from Babylon as they had perceived in the deliverance from Egypt. He had opened up a way through seas, (Exodus 14:29; Psalms 77:19,... [ Continue Reading ]