1._In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod. _In the preceding chapter Isaiah prophesied about the calamity which threatened Egypt, and at the same time promised to it the mercy of God. He now introduces the same subject, and shews that Israel will be put to shame by this chastisement of the Egyptians... [ Continue Reading ]
2._Go and loose the sackcloth from thy loins. _In order to confirm this prophecy by the use of a symbol, the Lord commanded Isaiah to walk naked. If Isaiah had done this of his own accord, he would have been justly ridiculed; but when he does it by the command of the Lord, we perceive nothing but wh... [ Continue Reading ]
3._Three years. _Why for such a period? Because that was the time granted to the Egyptians and Ethiopians, during which the Lord gave them a truce for repentance, and at the same time wished to make trial of the obedience of his people, that without delay they might relinquish unlawful aid, and that... [ Continue Reading ]
4._The captivity of Egypt and the removal of Ethiopia. _(61) The words “captivity” and “removal” are taken collectively, to denote the multitude of captives and emigrants. Next, he shews that there will be no distinction of age, declaring that the _old_, as well as the _young_, shall be led into cap... [ Continue Reading ]
5._And they shall be afraid. _He now shews for whose benefit he had foretold these things about the Egyptians and Ethiopians. It was in order that the Jews might learn amidst their afflictions to hope in God, and might not have recourse to foreign aid, which the Lord had forbidden.... [ Continue Reading ]
6._Lo, what is become of our expectation? _He calls them _expectation_, or _lurking_, because the Jews turned towards them, whenever they were oppressed by any calamity, and placed their hope in them. We are accustomed to turn our eyes to that quarter from which we expect any assistance. Hence also,... [ Continue Reading ]