1._I have manifested myself. _The Prophet now passes on to another doctrine; for he shews that God has good reason for rejecting and casting off the Jews. It is because they have profited nothing by either warnings or threatenings to be brought back from their errors into the right way. But that the... [ Continue Reading ]
2._I have stretched out my hands. _He accuses the Jews, and complains of their ingratitude and rebellion; and in this manner he proves that there is no reason why they should say that the Lord does them wrong if he bestow his grace on others. The Jews conducted themselves proudly and insolently towa... [ Continue Reading ]
3._A people that provoketh me. _Here he describes and illustrates more largely in what respects the Jews were rebellious against God. It was because they had forsaken the command of God, and had polluted themselves by various superstitions. He had said a little before, (Isaiah 63:17,) that the Jews... [ Continue Reading ]
4._Who dwell in the graves. _He enumerates other kinds of superstitions; and although, in consequence of its brevity, the description is obscure, yet we may easily learn from other passages what was the nature of them. For as necromancy was generally practiced among heathen nations, the Jews also co... [ Continue Reading ]
5._Remain by thyself. _(202) He points out extreme impiety in the Jews, who obstinately and rebelliously opposed God’s worshippers, and refused to listen to any warnings. There is some hope of repentance, so long as we lend an ear to warnings and reproofs; but if we reject them, our case is undoubte... [ Continue Reading ]
6._Lo, it is written before me. _He alludes to the ordinary custom of judges, who keep before them in writing the processes of investigation regarding any matter, together with the testimonies, acts, and everything of that nature, in order that, when it shall be found necessary to make use of them,... [ Continue Reading ]
7._Your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together. _Isaiah enlarges on that, which he had expressed briefly in the preceding verse; for he shews that the Jews are not now, for the first time, guilty of this treason, but that there is the ancient example of the fathers, in whose footstep... [ Continue Reading ]
8._Thus saith Jehovah. _Here the Prophet softens the preceding statement; for otherwise it would have been very hard to say that the iniquities of the fathers would be brought to remembrance in such a manner, that the Lord would destroy the fathers and the children along with them; and these things... [ Continue Reading ]
9._And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob. _He explains the preceding verse by other words, and shews that the Lord wishes to reserve for himself some “seed” that shall call upon him; for the Lord is wont to chastise his people in such a manner as to determine that the Church shall exist, in whi... [ Continue Reading ]
10._And Sharon shall be an abode of flocks. _By these figures he means nothing else than that the land, which was a desert, shall be again inhabited; for there is an implied comparison. “Although, in consequence of the banishment of her inhabitants into a distant country, she shall be forsaken and d... [ Continue Reading ]
11._But ye forsakers of Jehovah, who forget the mountain of my holiness. _That hypocrites may not abuse these promises, or think that what is said about the restoration of the people relates to them, he again addresses them by these words, and calls them “forsakers,” (208) because they “have forgott... [ Continue Reading ]
12._Therefore I will number you to the sword. _He alludes to the number of the gods; and the Lord declares that he will easily ascertain how numerous they are, for he “will number them to the sword.” And hence we see that the Prophet, in the preceding verse, does not speak of the two planets, Jupite... [ Continue Reading ]
13.and 14._Behold, my servants shall eat. _Here also the Prophet more deafly distinguishes between hypocrites, who held a place in the Church, and the true and lawful children; for, although all without distinction were called children, yet he skews that many shall be disowned as not belonging to th... [ Continue Reading ]
15._And ye shall leave your name for a curse _(212) _to my elect. _He continues the same doctrine, and teaches that God will at length separate hypocrites from the true servants. And indeed we need not wonder that the Prophet dwells so much on this point; for there is nothing of which it is harder t... [ Continue Reading ]
16._He who blesseth himself in the earth. _Here the whole world is contrasted with a corner of Judea, in which the worship of God might be said to be shut up. Since the time when God has been manifested everywhere, he is not now worshipped in one particular district, but in all places without distin... [ Continue Reading ]
17._For, lo, I will create new heavens and a new earth. _By these metaphors he promises a remarkable change of affairs; as if God had said that he has both the inclination and the power not only to restore his Church, but to restore it in such a manner that it shall appear to gain new life and to dw... [ Continue Reading ]
18.But rejoice ye and be glad for ever. He exhorts believers to rejoice, in such a manner as they ought, on account of such a benefit bestowed by God. And this was added for the sake of amplification; because men do not adequately consider God’s other benefits, and especially that which is the highe... [ Continue Reading ]
19._And I will be glad in Jerusalem. _He expresses more than in the preceding verse; for by these words he means that he not only will give to men ground for rejoicing, but even will be a partaker with them in that joy. So great is his love toward us, that he delights in our prosperity not less than... [ Continue Reading ]
20._There shall be no more thence an infant of days. _Some think that this points out the difference between the Law and the Gospel; because “the Law, as a schoolmaster,” (Galatians 3:24,) kept scholars in the first elements, but the Gospel leads us on to mature age. Others suppose it to mean that t... [ Continue Reading ]
21and 22._They shall build houses and inhabit them. _In these verses he mentions what is written in the Law; for these are the blessings of the Law, that they who have obeyed God shall dwell in the houses which they have built, and shall gather fruit from the trees which they have planted. (Leviticu... [ Continue Reading ]
_According to the days of a tree. _Some think that this is a promise of eternal life; as if men had the tree of life; but that is forged ingenuity, and far removed from the Prophet’s meaning. And I do wonder that commentators give themselves so much trouble in explaining this passage; for the Prophe... [ Continue Reading ]
23._They shall not toil in vain. _He enumerates other kinds of blessings which God promises to the kingdom of Christ; for, although God always blessed his people, yet the blessings were in some measure suspended till the coming of Christ, in whom was displayed full and complete happiness. In a word,... [ Continue Reading ]
24._Before they cry, I will listen. _A remarkable promise; for nothing is more desirable than to have God reconciled to us, and to have it in our power to draw near to him with freedom and boldness; for, although we are surrounded by innumerable distresses and calamities, yet we cannot be miserable... [ Continue Reading ]
25._The wolf and the lamb shall feed together. _He means that everything shall be fully restored, when Christ shall reign. And here it appears as if there were an implied comparison between Adam and Christ. We know that all the afflictions of the present life flowed from the sin of the first man; fo... [ Continue Reading ]