1._The burden of the valley of vision. _Isaiah again prophesies against Judea, which he calls _the valley of vision_. He gives this appellation to the whole of Judea rather than to Jerusalem, of which he afterwards speaks; but now in the preface he includes the whole of Judea. He appropriately calls... [ Continue Reading ]
2._Thou that art full of noises. _He means that it was exceedingly populous; for where great multitudes of people are brought together, noise abounds; and therefore, amidst so crowded a population, there was less cause of fear. In order to make the representation still more striking, Isaiah has ther... [ Continue Reading ]
3._All thy rulers are fled together. _This verse has been interpreted in various ways. The fact is abundantly plain, but there is some difficulty about the words. As מ (_mem_) signifies _before _and _more than_, some explain מרחוק (_mĕrāchōk_) (77) to mean, “They fled before others, though they were... [ Continue Reading ]
4._Therefore I said. _Here the Prophet, in order to affect more deeply the hearts of the Jews, assumes the character of a mourner, and not only so, but bitterly bewails the distressed condition of the Church of God. This passage must not be explained in the same manner as some former passages, in wh... [ Continue Reading ]
5._It is a day of trouble. _He again declares that the Lord is the author of this calamity, and that the Jews may not gaze around in all directions, or wonder that their enemies prevail against them, he pronounces that they are fighting against God. Though this doctrine is frequently taught in Scrip... [ Continue Reading ]
6._But Elam carrying the quiver. _Here commentators think that the discourse proceeds without any interruption, and that he makes known to the Jews the same judgment which he formerly proclaimed. But when I examine the whole matter more closely, I am constrained to differ from them. I think that the... [ Continue Reading ]
7._And the choice of the valleys _(84) _was full of chariots. _I do not find fault with the translation given by some interpreters, “in a chariot of horsemen,” but I have chosen rather to translate literally the words of the Prophet; for I think that he means “a military chariot.” At that time they... [ Continue Reading ]
8._And he took away the covering of Judah. _He shews in what distress of mind the Jews were when they were so closely besieged. Some refer this verb to God, and others to the enemy; but I rather think it ought to be taken indefinitely, for by a mode of expression frequently used in the Hebrew langua... [ Continue Reading ]
9._And you have seen the breaches. _He proceeds with his narrative, for during prosperity and peace no one cares about bulwarks or instruments of war. It is necessity alone that arouses men and makes them active; peace and quietness make us indolent and cowardly. So long as they thought that they we... [ Continue Reading ]
10._And you numbered the houses of Jerusalem. _He means that the city was closely examined on all sides, that there might not be a house or building which was not defended. Others think that the houses were numbered, that they might have a supply of watchmen. But the former interpretation is prefera... [ Continue Reading ]
11._You made also a ditch. _The first clause of this verse relates to the former subjects; for he means that they were reduced to the last necessity, and that the great approaching danger struck them with terror, so that they adopted every method in their power for defending themselves against the e... [ Continue Reading ]
12._And the Lord of hosts called. _The wicked obstinacy of the people is exhibited by the Prophet with additional aggravations. What left them altogether without excuse was the fact, that while they were exposed to so great dangers, they despised the godly remonstrances of the prophets, and rejected... [ Continue Reading ]
13._And, behold, joy and gladness. _The Prophet does not here find fault with _joy _viewed in itself; for we see that Paul exhorts the godly to true joy, the “joy” which is “in the Lord,” (Philippians 4:4;) but now he censures the joy which is opposite to that sadness which commonly springs from rep... [ Continue Reading ]
14._This is revealed. _(88) As if he had said, “Do you think that you can escape punishment for your wantonness, when God calls you to repentance?” It might be thought that here the Prophet says nothing that is new; for undoubtedly all things are known to God. But he adds this for the purpose of sha... [ Continue Reading ]
15._Thus saith the Lord. _This is a special prediction against a single individual; for, having spoken of the whole nation, he turns to Shebna, whom he will afterwards mention. (Isaiah 37:2.) To this person the Prophet gives two titles, that of “scribe” or “chancellor,” and that of “steward of the h... [ Continue Reading ]
16._What hast thou here? _Shebna had built a sepulcher at Jerusalem, as if he were to live there continually, and to die there. The Prophet therefore asks why he built a splendid and costly sepulcher in a lofty and conspicuous place, as is commonly done by those who wish to perpetuate the memory of... [ Continue Reading ]
17._Behold, the Lord will carry thee away. _As if he had said, “Thou shalt be cast out of that place into a distant country, where thou shalt die ignominiously.” גבר (_gĕbĕr_) is commonly translated as in the genitive case; that is, “with the casting out of a man thou shalt be cast out.” Again, גבר... [ Continue Reading ]
18._Turning he will turn thee. _(91) Isaiah continues the same discourse, in which he ridiculed the pride of Shebna, who had bestowed so much cost on building a sepulcher. This statement is connected with the first clause of the former verse; for, as he formerly said “He will remove thee by an extra... [ Continue Reading ]
19._And I will cast thee out. _He says nothing new, but concludes the former prediction. Though in the next verse he will again mention Shebna, yet now he gives a brief summary of what has been already said. Shebna thought that he had a fixed abode in Jerusalem, so that, whatever might happen, he th... [ Continue Reading ]
20._And it shall come to pass in that day. _It is uncertain at what time Eliakim was substituted in the room of Shebna; for we shall see, in the thirty-seventh chapter, that Eliakim was steward of the king’s house when Shebna was chancellor. Whether or not any change took place during the interval c... [ Continue Reading ]
21._And I will clothe him. _He now explains more fully what he had briefly noticed in the former verse, that it was only by the purpose of God that Shebna was deposed, in order that Eliakim might succeed him. It is true, indeed, that all the changes that happen in the world are directed by the provi... [ Continue Reading ]
22._And the key of the house of David. _(92) This expression is metaphorical, and we need not spend much time, as some do, in drawing from it an allegorical meaning; for it is taken from an ordinary custom of men. The keys of the house are delivered to those who are appointed to be stewards, that th... [ Continue Reading ]
23._And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place. _The particle of comparison must here be supplied, and therefore I have inserted in the text the word _as_. By נאמן, (_nĕĕmān_,) _faithful_, he means what is “firm and sure.” The original idea of the word is “truth;” for where “truth” is, there fi... [ Continue Reading ]
24._And they shall hang upon him. _It is as if he had said that Eliakim would be fully qualified for discharging his duties, and would not be indolent in his office. Hence we infer that God does not exalt princes to honor, in order that they may live in indolence or gratify their own passions. The o... [ Continue Reading ]
25._In that day. _It might be thought that this is inconsistent with what he had formerly said; but he no longer speaks of Eliakim, for he returns to Shebna, who was about to be cast down from his rank, as Isaiah had said. But for this, it might have been thought that there was no way by which Eliak... [ Continue Reading ]