The restoration of B. C. 738. r 5 B. C. 738. A. M. 3266. 11 And it shall come to pass Pin || nations, and shall assemble the out- A. M. 3266 that day, that the LORD shall set his casts of Israel, and gather together the hand again the second time to recover the rem- dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the nant of his people, which shall be left, from As- earth. syria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. 12 And he shall set up an ensign for the 8 13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. 14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of P Chapter ii. 11. Zech. x. 10.— John vii. 35; James i. 1. Heb. wings.- Jer. iii. 18; Ezek. xxxvii. 16, 17, 22; Hos. i. 11. tiles shall seek to the root of Jesse, which stands for own country, from the several dispersions where an ensign of the people; and his rest shall be glo- they are scattered. This remarkable scene of provirious. By the root of Jesse, we may either under- dence is plainly foretold by most of the prophets of stand a branch growing from that root, and so may the Old Testament, and by St. Paul in the New." interpret it of Christ's human nature, or, referring it See the margin. Bishop Lowth also observes, that to his divine nature, we may take it for a root properly" this part of the chapter contains a prophecy, which so called, as the expression is to be understood Rev. certainly remains yet to be accomplished." The xxii. 16; where Christ is represented as being as Lord shall set his hand again the second timewell the root, as the offspring of David. Which The first time to which this word second relates, shall stand, or which stands, for an ensign of the seems to be, either, 1st, The deliverance out of people-Which shall grow up into a great and high Egypt, and then this second must be that out of tree, shall become a visible and eminent ensign, Babylon; or, rather, 2d, The deliverance out of which not only the Jews, but all nations may discern, Babylon; and then this second deliverance must be and to which they may and shall resort; to it shall in the days of the Messiah. This latter interpretation the Gentiles seek-As the gospel shall be preached || seems more probable, 1st, Because that first deliverto the Gentiles, so they shall receive it, and believe ance, like the second, is supposed to be a deliverance in the Messiah; and his rest-That is, either, 1st, of the remnant of this people from several countries His resting-place, his temple, or church, the place of into which they were dispersed: whereas that out his presence and abode; shall be glorious-Filled of Egypt was a deliverance, not of a remnant, but with greater glory than the Jewish tabernacle and of the whole nation, and out of Egypt only: 2d, temple were; only this glory shall be spiritual, conBecause this second deliverance was universal, exsisting in the plentiful effusion of the gifts and tending to the generality of the outcasts and disgraces of the Holy Spirit. Or, 2d, The rest enjoyed persed ones, both of Israel, or the ten tribes, and of by those who are true worshippers in this temple, or Judah, or the two tribes, as is evident from these true members of this church: their rest of grace, of verses, whereas that out of Babylon reached only faith, hope, and love: the rest consequent on the to the two tribes, and to some few of the ten tribes justification of their persons, and the renovation of which were mixed with them: 3d, Because this their nature; the rest which they enter into by be- second deliverance was to be given them in the days lieving, (Heb. iv. 3,) which they receive in conse- of the Messiah, and to accompany, or follow, the quence of coming to Christ, weary and heavy laden, || conversion of the Gentiles, as is evident from verses and learning of him, Matt. xi. 28; their peace with 9, 10, whereas that out of Babylon was long before God, peace of conscience, and tranquillity of mind, the coming of the Messiah and the calling of the is glorious, for it passeth all understanding, Phil. Gentiles. And from the islands of the sea-From iv. 7. And it shall be much more glorious in a future || all places, both far and near, into which either the world, when they enter the rest remaining for the ten tribes, or the two tribes, were carried captives people of God, Heb. iv. 9. Then their rest shall be Pathros was a province of Egypt. The other places not only glorious, but glory: and glory shall be their here named are well known, and have been spoken rest, as the words may be also rendered. of before in our notes on other texts. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations-All nations, Jews and Gentiles. And shall assemble the outcasts of Israel-Those of the ten tribes that had been driven out of their own land into foreign parts; and gather together the dispersed of Judah-Here distinguished from those of Israel. The reader must observe here, that the prophet's ideas respecting this future and spiritual deliverance of the Jews and Israelites, are wholly taken from their temporal deliverances out of Egypt and Assyria. Verses 11, 12. And it shall come to pass in that day-As this chapter contains a general prophecy of the advancement which Christ's kingdom should make in the world, and as this advancement was to be made by different steps and degrees, so the several parts of this prophecy may be supposed to point at different ages or periods of time: see note on chap. ii. 2. "And, I take this part of the chapter," says Lowth," from verse 10 onward, to foretel those glorious times of the church, which shall be ushered in by the restoration of the Jewish nation, when they shall embrace the gospel, and be restored to their || Verses 13, 14. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, &c.-Ephraim here stands for the ten tribes, The restoration of ISAIAH. Israel predicted. t B. C. 738. A. M. 3266. the Philistines toward the west; they || river, and shall smite it in the seven A. M. 3266. shall spoil them of the east together: streams, and make men go over B. C. 738. 7 6 they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon "shall obey them. 15 And the LORD shall utterly destroy the|| from Assyria; alike as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt. tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the Heb. the children of the east. Dan. xi. 41. and Moab shall be the laying on of their hand.dren of Ammon their obedience. : -"Heb. Edom 8 Heb. the chil || shall smite with a drought the tongue, &c., following the Chaldee, which, instead of `nn, he destroyed, reads ', he dried up. And the next clause, which he understands, not of the river Nile, but of the Euphrates, the bishop very properly translates, "And he shall shake his hand over the river with his vehement wind; and he shall strike it into seven streams, and make them pass over it dry-shod." Thus also Dr. Waterland, after Vitringa: "He shall shake his hand over the Euphrates, and shall smite it into seven outlets;" that is, he shall divide or separate it into seven small rivers, so as to render it easy to be passed over. What is thus expressed metaphorically in this clause, is declared in plain words in the next verse: And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people, &c.—As there shall be a highway from Egypt, the Red sea being dried up, so shall there be from Assyria, the river Euphrates being rendered fordable. In other words, and without a figure, all impediments shall be removed, and a way shall be made for the return of God's Israel from all parts of the world. He mentions Egypt and Assyria particularly, because they were then two flourishing kingdoms which bordered upon Judea, and by turns were the great oppressors of God's people. And the ten tribes having been carried captive to Assyria, their case especially seemed desperate. But these two kingdoms stand here, in the prophetic style, for the adverse empires in general, especially those of idolatry and superstition, which shall be either destroyed or reduced to such a state of weakness as not to be able to hinder the progress of the conversion of the Jews and Gentiles. My belief," says Vitringa, "upon the strength of this prophecy is, that all the impediments of the great empires of the world being remov and the prophet alludes to the great emulations and contentions which had subsisted between them and Judah but his intention is to set forth the spiritual || state of the Jews after their conversion to the faith of the gospel, which he predicts, 1st, "That all envy shall be extinguished among them, and a true brotherly love shall fill their souls; and, 2d, That, join- || ed to the Gentiles, they shall strenuously defend the cause of Christ and his kingdom against the enemies and opposers of it." Ephraim shall not envy Judah, &c.-Not only all outward hostilities shall cease, but also their inward animosities. But they shall fly upon the shoulders, &c.-This is a metaphor taken from birds and beasts of prey, which commonly fasten on the shoulders of cattle. They shall spoil them of the east together-They shall subdue them; which is to be understood of the spiritual victory which the Messiah should obtain by his apostles, ministers, and people, over all nations, in bringing them to the obedience of his gospel. For it is the manner of the prophets to speak of the spiritual things of the gospel under such figurative representations. Indeed, as a late writer observes, this fourteenth verse can be understood in no other than a spiritual and mystical sense, to signify that those who are called by the gospel, and converted to Christ, shall be full of zeal for his glory, and shall labour with all their might to reduce to the obedience of Christ all individuals and nations around them. Verses 15, 16. And the Lord shall utterly destroy -Shall not only divide it, as of old, but shall quite dry it up, that it may be a highway; the tongue of the Egyptian sea-The Red sea, which may well be called the Egyptian sea, both because it borders upon Egypt, and because the Egyptians were drowned in it. It is called a tongue, both here and in the Hebrew text, (Josh. xv. 2, 5,) as having some re-ed, which yet delay the perfect completion of the semblance to a tongue; and for a similar reason the name of tongue has been given by geographers to promontories of land which shoot forth into the sea, as this sea shoots out of the main ocean into the land. Bishop Lowth renders the clause, Jehovah || CHAPTER XII. The salvation promised in the foregoing chapter being compared to that of Israel, in the day when they came out of the land of Egypt; and Moses and Israel having then sung a song of praise, to the glory of God; the prophet here puts a eu Prophetic hymn of CHAPTER XII. praise for God's mercies. charistic hymn into the mouths of the Lord's redeemed under the Christian dispensation, when the root of Jesse should stand for an ensign of the people, and become the desire and joy of all nations. (1,) Every particular believer shall sing a song of praise for his own interest in that salvation, 1-3. Thou shalt say, Lord, I will praise thee. (2,) Many in concert shall join in praising God for the common benefit arising from it, 4-6. Ye shall say, Praise the Lord. in that day thou shalt say, || O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. 2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, d 3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw & water out of the wells of salvation. a Chap. ii. 11.- b Psa. lxxxiii. 18.- Le Exod. xv. 2; Psa. cxviii. 14.- d John iv. 10, 14; vii. 37, 38. NOTES ON CHAPTER XII. self; he, who is both infinite and everlasting, hath Verses 1, 2. And, &c.-"Isaiah concludes this most noble prophecy with a doxology from the mouth of those who should share in the blessings of the great redemption before specified. This doxolo- || gy is two-fold: in the first part, the redeemed, in their own names and persons, praise God for the be- Verse 3. Therefore-Because the Lord Jehovah nefits of salvation and consolation through Christ, is your strength and song, and is, and will be, your conferred upon them. In the second part they mu- salvation; with joy shall ye draw water, &c.—The tually exhort and encourage themselves and others, assurances God has given you of his love, and the to praise and celebrate their God and Redeemer." experience you have had of the benefit and comfort Dodd. In that day-When this great work of the of his grace, should greatly encourage your faith in reduction of Israel, and the conversion of the Gen|| him, and your expectations from him. Out of the tiles, promised in the foregoing chapter, is fulfilled: || wells of salvation-Your thirsty and fainting souls when the kingdom of the Messiah is set up in the shall be filled with divine graces and comforts; world, in despite of all opposition from earth and which you shall plentifully draw from God, in the hell; thou shalt say-Thou church of God, compo- use of gospel ordinances, and which are often signised of Jews and Gentiles, united in one body, shalt fied by water, both in the Old and in the New Tessay, as one man, with one mind and one mouth; and tament. He seems to allude to the state of Israel in every particular member of the community shall the wilderness, where, when they had been tormented say; that is, shall have cause to say, and a heart to with thirst, they were greatly refreshed and delightsay, O Lord, I will praise thee-"I will give thanks ed with those waters which God so graciously and unto thee, O Jehovah;" so Bishop Lowth. For wonderfully afforded them in that dry and barren though thou hast been angry with me-Namely, while land, Num. xx. 11; xxi. 16-18. As this hymn eviI was in my unenlightened and unconverted state of dently appears by its whole tenor, and by many exheathenish ignorance, or of Jewish unbelief; my pressions in it, to be much better calculated for the state of sin and guilt, of depravity and alienation Christian Church than it could be for the Jewish, in from thee; thine anger is turned away—In conse- any circumstances, or at any time that can be assignquence of my conversion to thee by true repentance, ed; so "the Jews themselves seem to have applied unfeigned faith, and new obedience; and thou com- it to the times of the Messiah. On the last day of fortedst me-By evident tokens of thy presence, com- the feast of tabernacles, they fetched water, in a munications of thy grace, and prospects of thy glo- golden pitcher, from the fountain of Siloah, springry. Behold, God is my salvation-The author,ing at the foot of mount Sion, without the city; they giver, and source of my salvation; which, in all its brought it through the water-gate into the temple, branches and degrees, hath been effected, not by the and poured it, mixed with wine, on the sacrifice as power of man, but by the mercy and grace of God. it lay upon the altar, with great rejoicing. They He, therefore, shall have the glory of the salvation seem to have taken up this custom, for it is not orthat has already been wrought for me, and from him dained in the law of Moses, as an emblem of future only will I expect the salvation which I further need. blessings, in allusion to this passage of Isaiah: Ye And for this, I will trust-In his power, love, and shall draw water with joy from the fountains of salfaithfulness; and not be afraid-Lest he should de- vation: expressions that can hardly be understood ceive my confidence or disappoint my expectations; of any benefits afforded by the Mosaic dispensation. lest he should be either unable or unwilling to save Our Saviour applied the ceremony, and the intenme in time to come, as he has saved me in time past. tion of it, to himself, and to the effusion of the Holy For, not a dead idol, or a mere creature, whether Spirit, promised and to be given by him." Thus made by manor God, but the Lord Jehovah-Hebrew, Bishop Lowth, who quotes a passage from the JeruJah Jehovah, (the former word being a contraction salem Talmud to show that the Jews thought this of the latter, and both signifying his self-existence, song to be intended of the times of the Messiah, and his eternity, and unchangeableness,) is my strength considered the water, said to be drawn from the and my song-He, who is the living and true God, wells of salvation, as signifying the influences of the and who has all possible perfections in and of him- || Holy Spirit to be given in his days. Prophetic hymn of B. C. 738. B. C. 738. A. M. 3266. 4 And in that day shall ye say, || excellent things: this is known in all A. M. 3266. Praise the LORD, 'call upon his the earth. name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. h 5 Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done i 6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the midst of thee. Or, proclaim his name. lxviii. 32; xcviii. 1. Li Chap. liv. 1; Zeph. iii. 14.2 Heb. inhabitress. k Psa, lxxi. 22; lxxxix. 18; Chap. xli. 14, 16. Verses 4-6. In that day ye shall say, &c.-Here || mention-Hebrew, 17in, Record, or cause it to be we have the second part of the evangelical song, the || remembered, that his name is exalted-Is become subject of which, as of the former, is the praise of more illustrious and conspicuous than ever, in and God. In the former part, believers stir up them- by the incarnation and life, doctrine and miracles, selves to praise God; here they invite and encour- || death, and resurrection, and ascension of his Son, age one another to do it, and are represented as con- and the effusion of his Spirit, in gifts and graces, on triving to spread his praise, and to draw in others to the Messiah's disciples and servants. Sing unto the join with them in it. Praise the Lord, call upon || Lord; for he hath done excellent things-For his his name-As giving thanks for former mercies people, to whom he hath given a wonderful proof of is a modest way of begging for further mercies, so his love, and whom he hath magnified and made requesting further and fresh mercies is graciously honourable. Bishop Lowth renders the original accepted as a thankful acknowledgment of the mer-expression, ny , he hath wrought a stupendous cies we have received. Declare, &c.-By speaking and writing. We must not only speak to God, but speak to others concerning him; not only call upon his name, but (as the margin reads it) proclaim his name. Let others know something more from us than they did before concerning God, and those things whereby he hath made himself known. His doings-Or, mighty deeds; as Bishop Lowth renders ny. The works of redemption and salvation are especially intended; these and his other wonderful works we should declare; among the people-Among the heathen, that they may be brought into communion with Israel, and the God of Israel. When the apostles preached the gospel to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem, then this scripture was fulfilled. Make work. In making his Son a sacrifice for our sins. This is known-Or, shall be made known; in all the earth-The knowledge of this glorious work shall no longer be confined to the land of Israel and Judah, as hitherto it hath been, but shall be published to all nations. Cry out and shout-In a holy exultation and transport of joy; thou inhabitant of Zion-Hebrew, now, inhabitress, thou daughter of Jerusalem, thou church of the living God, represented under the emblem of a woman. Welcome the gospel to thyself, and publish it to others with loud acclamations; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee-Manifesting himself to thee, appearing and doing wonders for thee, and enriching thee with his gifts and graces in great abundance. We CHAPTER XIII. now enter upon the second part of Isaiah's prophecies, containing a wonderful account of God's dealings with the enemies of his church and people. It begins at this chapter and extends to the twenty-fourth, comprising eight discourses. The first respects the fate of Babylon, and occupies this whole chapter and the next, to verse 28. We have here God's armies, 1-5. The destruction of Babylon by the Medes and Persians; their great distress, and anguish, and utter destruction, NOTES ON CHAPTER XIII. and deserves to be lifted up, and uttered with emVerse 1. The burden of Babylon-Of the city phasis." See Rev. ii. 24, and Vitringa. Bishop Newand empire of Babylon. The original word, ND, ton and others have observed, that "the prophecies here rendered burden, is, by Dr. Waterland, after uttered against any city or country, often carry the Vitringa, translated, The sentence upon, or, deliver- inscription of the burden of that city or country: and ed concerning Babylon. It is "derived from a verb, || that by burden is commonly understood a threatenwhich signifies to take, or lift up, or bring; and ing, burdensome prophecy, big with ruin and dethe proper meaning of it is, any weighty, important struction: which, like a dead weight, is hung upon matter or sentence, which ought not to be neglect- || the city or country to sink it." But it appears that ed, but is worthy of being carried in the memory, || the word is of more general import, and sometimes signifies a prophecy at large, sometimes a prophecy || forth, under a variety of the most striking images, of good as well as of evil, as in Zech. xii. 1; and the dreadful destruction of the inhabitants of Babysometimes, where the original word is used, it is lon, which will follow, verses 11-16; and the evertranslated prophecy, where there is no prophecy, but || lasting desolation to which that great city is doomonly a grave moral sentence. ed, verses 17-22. The deliverance of Judah from captivity, the immediate consequence of this great revolution, is then set forth without being much en This introduces, with the greatest ease, and the utmost propriety, the triumphant song on that subject, verses 4-28. The beauties of which, the various images, scenes, persons introduced, and the elegant transitions from one to another, I shall endeavour to point out in their order." This prophecy against Babylon, which consists of two parts, the former contained in this chapter, the latter in the next, was probably delivered, as Vitrin-larged upon, or greatly amplified, chap. xiv. 1, 2. ga has shown, in the reign of Ahaz, about two hundred years before the completion of it, and a hundred and thirty before the Jews were even carried captive to Babylon; which captivity the prophet does not expressly foretel here, but supposes, in the spirit of prophecy, as what was actually to take place. "And the Medes, who are expressly mentioned, Verses 2,3. Lift up a banner-To gather soldiers verse 17, as the principal agents in the overthrow of together for this expedition; upon the high mountthe Babylonian monarchy, by which the Jews were ain-Whence it may be discerned at a considerable to be released from that captivity, were at this time distance. Exalt the voice unto them—To the Medes, an inconsiderable people; having been in a state of named verse 17. Shake the hand-Beckon to them anarchy ever since the fall of the great Assyrian with your hand, that they may come to this service. empire, of which they had made a part under Sar- That they may go into the gates of the noblesdanapalus; and did not become a kingdom till about | That they may go and take Babylon, and so may enthe seventeenth of Hezekiah."-Bishop Lowth. The ter into the palaces of the king, and of his princes, great design of God in inspiring his prophet with and spoil them at their pleasure. I have commanded the knowledge of these future events, and exciting || my sanctified ones-Or, my appointed ones, as Dr. him to deliver these prophecies concerning them, Waterland renders p, namely, the Medes and seems to have been, 1st, To set forth the reasons of Persians, who were solemnly designed and set apart his justice, in punishing the enemies of his church, by God for his service, in this sacred work of exein order to console the minds and confirm the faith cuting his just vengeance upon the Babylonians. I of the pious. 2d, With respect to this prophecy have called my mighty ones-Those whom I have especially, concerning the destruction of Babylon, made mighty for this work; even them that rejoice the design was to comfort the minds of true believ-in my highness-Or, exult in my greatness, as Bishers against that sad and sorrowful event, the Ba-op Lowth renders it, that is, in the doing that work bylonish captivity. And, 3d, Under the figure of that destruction, to announce the destruction of the spiritual Babylon, the whole kingdon of sin and Satan. See Vitringa, and Rev. xiv. 8, and xvii. 5. || which will tend to the advancement of my glory, in destroying the Babylonian empire. Not that the Medes and Persians had any regard to God or to his glory, in undertaking and prosecuting this war: they certainly had only the gratifying their own ambition, and lust of power and empire, in view. "The former part of this prophecy," says Bishop Lowth, "is one of the most beautiful examples that can be given, of elegance of composition, variety of imagery, and sublimity of sentiment and diction, in || the prophetic style: and the latter part consists of an ode of supreme and singular excellence. The prophecy opens with the command of God to gather together the forces which he had destined to his service, verses 2, 3. Upon which the prophet hears the tumultuous noise of the different nations crowding together to his standard; he sees them advancing, prepared to execute divine wrath, verses 4, 5. He proceeds to describe the dreadful consequences of this visitation; the consternation which will seize those that are the objects of it; and transferring unawares the speech from himself to God, verse 11, sets ||ive posts, and gives them their necessary orders. VOL. III. (8) Verses 4, 5. The noise of a multitude in the mountains-No sooner had the Almighty given the command, than the multitude assembles to his banners; like as a great people-Not rude and barbarous; but well-disciplined, regular, and veteran troops, such as are wont to be furnished by a great and powerful people; of the kingdoms of nationsCyrus's army was made up of different nations besides the Medes and Persians. The Lord of hosts -The God of armies; mustereth the host of the battle-He raises the soldiers, brings them together, puts them in order, reviews them, keeps an exact account of them, sees that they be all in their respect 113 3 |