1._Comfort ye. _The Prophet introduces a new subject; for, leaving the people on whom no favorable impression was made either by threatenings or by admonitions, on account of their desperate wickedness, he turns to posterity, in order to declare that the people who shall be humbled under the cross w... [ Continue Reading ]
2._Speak ye according to the heart of Jerusalem. _Here God commands his servants the prophets, and lays down the message which he wishes them to deliver publicly, when believers shall be called to change their strain from mourning to joy. And yet he does not exhort and encourage them to the cheerful... [ Continue Reading ]
3._A voice crying in the wilderness. _He follows out the subject which he had begun, and declares more explicitly that he will send to the people, though apparently ruined, ministers of consolation. At the same time he anticipates an objection which might have been brought forward. “You do indeed pr... [ Continue Reading ]
4._Every valley shall be exalted. _He confirms and asserts the preceding statement; for he shews that no difficulties can prevent the Lord from delivering and restoring his Church whenever he shall think fit. These words might with propriety be rendered in the imperative mood, “Let every valley be e... [ Continue Reading ]
5._And the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed. _He means that this work of redemption will be splendid, so that the Lord will shew that he is the Author of it, and will illustriously display his majesty and power. This, indeed, is very openly manifested in all places and in all events, but he promis... [ Continue Reading ]
6._The voice said, Cry. _He now describes a different “voice” from that of which he formerly spoke; for hitherto he had spoken about the “voice” of the prophets, but now he means the “voice” of God himself commanding the prophets to _cry. _Although the voice of the prophets is also the voice of God,... [ Continue Reading ]
7._The grass is withered. _This might be understood to relate to the beauty of the fields, which is spoiled by a single gust of wind, as it is said, (Psalms 103:16,) “As soon as the wind passeth over it, it is gone;” for we know that the wind is called “the Spirit of God” in other passages. But I am... [ Continue Reading ]
8._The grass withereth. _This repetition is again added for the purpose of bringing to nought the glory of the flesh, but at the same time contains within itself a highly valuable consolation, that God, when he has cast down his people, immediately raises up and restores them. The context therefore... [ Continue Reading ]
9._Ascend on the high mountain. _He proceeds with the same subject; for the Lord, having formerly promised that he would give prophets who should soothe the grief and fear of the people by promises, now commands that this consolation shall be more widely spread; because it is his pleasure to diffuse... [ Continue Reading ]
10._Behold, the Lord Jehovah. _He adorns this short sentence by many words, because some explanation was needed; and he again uses the word _Behold _for the sake of certainty, in order to impart greater confidence to the hearts of good men. Thus he shews more clearly how great advantage they derive... [ Continue Reading ]
11._As a shepherd. _In this verse he declares what is the nature of that work of the Lord; for since he works in various and, indeed, in innumerable ways, the hearer might have been kept in suspense as to the work which God intended to accomplish; and thus the general doctrine would have been less e... [ Continue Reading ]
12._Who hath measured? _After having spoken of God’s friendly care in defending his people, he now proclaims his power, and bestows upon it all possible commendations, which, however, would produce less impression upon us, if we did not attend to the Prophet’s design. At first sight, ignorant reader... [ Continue Reading ]
13._Who instructed the Spirit of Jehovah? _What the Prophet had formerly taught concerning the Lord’s goodness and power he now adds concerning his wisdom. And we ought to observe the connection; for, us carnal sense wickedly limits the power of God to human means, so it improperly subjects his insc... [ Continue Reading ]
14._From whom took he counsel? _The Prophet expresses the same thing in many ways; that we may know that nothing is more foolish than man, (115) when he ventures to lift himself up into heaven, to examine or judge by his own ability the works of God. In these words, therefore, Isaiah intended to rep... [ Continue Reading ]
15._Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket. _If we wish to understand the Prophet’s meaning, and to read these words with advantage, we must (as I remarked a little before) understand his design. He does not celebrate the greatness of God in a detached manner, but extols it with the utmost. p... [ Continue Reading ]
16._And Lebanon would not be sufficient. _That is, “If we must sacrifice to God according to what he deserves, neither the whole of Lebanon, nor the beasts that graze upon it, would be sufficient for a sacrifice.” By various forms of expression he dwells largely on this power of God, that men, being... [ Continue Reading ]
17._All nations. _He repeats what he had said, that it is in the power and at the disposal of God to destroy “all nations,” whenever he shall think proper; and that, even while they remain in their present condition, they are reckoned as nothing before him. But it may be thought absurd for him to sa... [ Continue Reading ]
18._To whom then have ye likened God? _The Jews were in great danger from another temptation; for there was reason to believe that the Assyrians and Babylonians would not have obtained so many victories without their assistance; and hence they might naturally conclude, “Of what avail is it to us to... [ Continue Reading ]
19._The carver prepares a graven image. _As public opinion has great force, and everything that pleases the multitude passes for a law, the Prophet fortifies believers against this error. These words therefore convey an anticipation, that the Jews may not be terrified when they see the Gentiles labo... [ Continue Reading ]
20._The poor chooseth for his offering wood that will not rot. _He concludes that no class of men is free from that crime, that the rich and poor alike are guilty and condemned; for the rich make their gods of gold or silver, and the poor of wood which they had selected. Hence he shews that all men... [ Continue Reading ]
21._Do ye not know? _After having ridiculed the stupidity and madness of the Gentiles, the Prophet turns to the Jews; for we are all prone to superstition, and thus we easily fall into it when any example is placed before our eyes. In consequence of mixing with the Babylonians during their captivity... [ Continue Reading ]
22._It is he that sitteth. _He pursues the same subject, though in a different manner, and extols the glory and power of God. Why he does so we have already in some measure explained. It is because we are so prone to distrust, that the very smallest occasion makes us waver; and therefore the Prophet... [ Continue Reading ]
23._He bringeth the mighty to nothing. _He proceeds in extolling the providence of God, by which he governs the whole world, but more especially mankind. Already and but a little ago he had begun to remark that God did not create the world, so as afterwards to allow it to be governed by chance, but... [ Continue Reading ]
24._It is as if they had not been planted. _Though the particle אף (_aph_) signifies _also, _yet in this passage it may be more appropriately rendered “so that;” and thus the plain meaning will be, “So that you may say that they were not planted or sown.” It is an amplification of what he had former... [ Continue Reading ]
25._And to whom will ye liken me? _He repeats the former statement, (Isaiah 40:18,) by which he said that the Lord would not suffer himself to be likened to idols; that the Jews might not in any degree detract, from his power, on account of their having been so long held captive in the hand of unbel... [ Continue Reading ]
26._Lift up your eyes on high. _The Prophet appears to linger too long on this subject, more especially because it presents no obscurity; for he repeats by many statements what is acknowledged by all, that God’s wonderful power and wisdom may be known from the beautiful order of the world. But we ou... [ Continue Reading ]
27._Why wilt thou say? _The Prophet now expostulates either with the Jews, because they were almost overcome by despair, and did not look to the promises of God, by which they ought, to have supported their minds; or he makes provision for posterity, that they may not sink under any distresses howev... [ Continue Reading ]
28._Hast thou not known? _He repeats the same statement which he had formerly made, that the people who had been carefully taught in the school of God were inexcusable for their slothfulness, and chides them sharply for not having profited more by the doctrine of the Law, and by the other means whic... [ Continue Reading ]
29._He giveth power to the faint. _The Prophet now applies to the present subject the general statements which he made; for we have said that his intention was to give warmer encouragement to the people, and to lead them to cherish better hope. Because the Jews were at that time weakened and destitu... [ Continue Reading ]
30._The youths are wearied and faint. _By this comparison the Prophet illustrates more powerfully what he had formerly said, that the strength which God imparts to his elect is invincible and unwearied; for men’s strength easily fails, but God’s strength never fails. It is indeed certain that all th... [ Continue Reading ]
31._But they that wait for Jehovah. _Hebrew writers employ the phrase, “exchanging strength,” (131) to denote “gathering new strength,” and thus “being restored.” The Prophet therefore shews, that godly persons, who shall hope in God, will not be deficient in strength; and he confirms what he former... [ Continue Reading ]