Commentary on Isaiah, Commentary on Isaiah · Chapter 37 · Verse 30
Verſ. 30. And this ſhall be a ſigne vntounto thee, O Hezekiah, Thou ſhalt eate this yeere ſuch as groweth of it ſelfe: and the ſecond yeere ſuch things as grow without ſowing: and in the third yeere ſow yee, and reape, and plant vineyards, and eate the fruite thereof.
NOw he directs his ſpeech vntounto Hezekias and to all the people: for he ſpake not before to Sennacherib as if he had heard him, but it was to the end he might the better quicken vp the people to be of good courage, ſeeing the Lord did thus deſpiſe this Tyrant. If he had only ſaid, Hezekias, be of good comfort, albeit Sennacherib inſults ouer thee, yet I will repreſſe his pride when I ſee it fit; theſe words (I ſay) had not been of ſuch efficacie, as when together with the ſame he turnes his ſpeech towards the Tyrant himſelfe, in thundring from heauen vponupon him: for by this meanes he imboldens the faithfull to ſet light by all his threates. Therefore hauing firſt ſpoken to the Tyrant, now he turnes himſelfe very fitlie vntounto Hezekias and to the people, promiſing them deliuerance: and that not only out of the pawes of this cruell beare, but alſo that Hezekias ſhould inioy his kingdome ſtill in peace and proſperitie, and that the reſt of the people ſhould likewiſe hauehave all things neceſſarie for an happie and quiet life. And thus he amplifies the benefit of their deliuerance, the rather to ſhew that he will not only ſuccor his people in one kind only, but many waies: for in deed his deliuerāces are not only limitted to once or twice, but he would hauehave vsus feele his benefits in large and in abundant meaſure, that the fruit thereof might laſt for a long time.
But it ſeemes the Prophet fits not his ſigne to the preſent purpoſe, Obiect. ſeeing that which he promiſeth came not to paſſe till after they were deliuered: for if God meant hereby to comfort theſe poore beſieged ones, it was now ye fitteſt time (one would hauehave thought) to hauehave ſhewed his power, and not to hauehave deferd it till the ſiege had been raiſed. Anſ. Two ſorts of ſignes.I anſwere, there are two ſorts of ſignes, one goes before, and leades vsus by the hand as it were to the thing promiſed, the other comes after and confirmes it, that it may ſtick faſt in our memories, neuer to be raced out. As for example, when the Lord brought Iſrael out of Egypt, he gaue many ſignes afore hand vntounto Moſes, but afterward he ordained one which ſhould follow the deliuerance: to wit, You ſhall ſacrifice vntounto me three daies, Exod. 3.12. Why ſo? To the end they ſhould not forget ſo great a benefit, but might yeeld him thanks, after they had had experience of ſo exceeding a fauour.
Such a ſigne is yt which Iſaiah here deſcribes: & queſtionles, it ſerues alſo for a good cōfirmatiō of our faith, to hauehave ſuch an euerlaſting teſtimonie as it were ſtill before our eies, which may cauſe vsus to conſider how many mercies ye Lord hath ſhewed vsus. Now though the enemie was driuen back, yet there was great likelihood of famine to inſue, which vſuallie followes warres: for it is not poſſible but great dearth muſt enſue where the fields hauehave beene waſted and ſpoiled. But againſt this neceſſitie which was likely to befall, the Lord promiſeth continuance of foode, and propounds this as an euident ſigne of their deliuerance, the better to perſwade the people that he was the author thereof, or at the leaſt, to fixe the memorie of it the faſter in their minds. This was a thing incredible, and ſeemed farre to ſurmount all their capacities: but it was needfull that the faith of Hezekias and the peoples alſo ſhould be thus awakened, that hauing intelligence of ſo rare a deliuerance, they might be the better prepared to hope, and that the iſſue alſo might ſhew how it came not to paſſe by chance or fortune; vntounto which, for the moſt part, theſe ſo many admirable workes of God are attributed.
The Prophets meaning then is, After the Lord ſhall hauehave fraied the enemie away, he will hold him ſo ſhort, that he ſhall neuer be able to renue his armie againe: and thus thou ſhalt liue quietly in thy kingdome, which ſhall bring thee forth fruit in ſuch abundance, that thou ſhalt want nothing. Now in regard that part of their ſtore was ſpent, and the reſt waſted, as it comes to paſſe ordinarily in ſuch publike calamities, and that it was not permitted them to till the earth, being now either beſieged, or elſe fled; hee promiſeth them corne without ſowing, vntounto the third yeere.