Westminster Annotations, Isaiah · Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX.
Vers. 1. VVO to Ariel] Or, O Ariel. (as Chap. 18. 1.) that is, the lion of God. the Altar of burntofferings, Ezek. 43. 15. so called, because it devoured and consumed the beasts sacrificed to God on it. He threatneth the ruine of the Temple.
the citie] Or, of the citie. Jerusalem, wherein the Temple stood.
where David dwelt] Heb. encamped. as Nehem. 11. 30.
adde ye yeare to yeare] Or, proceed from yeare to yeare, in causing sacrifices to be killed. as vers. 14. & Chap. 52. 1. Keep your yearely feasts, while you may: for you shall not keep them long, Exod. 23. 14. Lam. 1. 4. Nor shall your vain confidence in your sacrifices, long continue, Jer. 7. 4, 10, 14, 21.
let them kill sacrifices] Heb. cut off the heads. or, behead. Ch. 66. 3.
sacrifices] Heb. feasts; for the beasts sacrificed in the feasts: as Psal. 118 27.
V. 2. there shall be heavinesse and sorrow] The citie shall be in heavinesse for the overthrow of the Temple: or, in like distresse with it, Lam. 2. 5.
it shall be unto me as Ariel] It, that is, the whole citie, vers. 1. I will deal alike with either: or, I will make Citie and Temple both like the Altar; set all alike on a light fire; fill all with fire and blood, 2 King. 25. 9. 2 Chron. 36. 17. 19. Psal. 74. 7, 8. and 79. 2, 3.
V. 3. I will campe against thee round about] I will bring in an enemy, that shall on every side besiege it, vers. 8. my selfe commanding them as in chief, Joel 2. 11, 25.
V. 4. thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground] Or, speak dejectedly out of the ground. as 1 Sam. 2. 3. Thy speech shall not now be loud and lofty, but low and lowly, scarce to be heard, Jer. 46. 22.
of one that hath a familiar spirit] That use to whisper. See Chap. 8. 19.
whisper] Heb. peep. or, chirp. or, hisse.
out of the dust] Like the hissing of a Serpent peeping out of his hole, Jer. 46. 22.
V. 5. thy strangers] Hired souldiers▪ Chap. 25. 2.
terrible ones] Or, roisters. Chap. 25. 3, 5.
shall be as chaffe that passeth away] They shall be blown away, like dust, Psal. 18. 42. or, as chaffe, Chap. 17. 13. before the wind, Psal. 35. 5. See Chap. 41. 2.
V. 6. with thunder, and with earthquake] With a most dreadfull, inevitable, destroying and devouring judgement; as if heaven and earth conspired to work their overthrow, Psal. 11. 8. & 18. 7, -15. Chap. 13. 13. Revel. 8. 5.
V. 8. as when a hungry man dreameth] They shall be insatiable in their vengeance and crueltie; as thirstie after bloud, when they may seem to be glutted with it, as if they had no more tasted of it, then a thirstie man of drink in a dream.
he is, faint] Or, athirst. Jer. 31. 25.
his soul hath appetite] He is as desirous of, and eager after drink, as before: though he seemed to have drunk largely in his dream. Psal. 73. 20.
V. 9. Stay your selves and wonder, cry ye out, and cry] Consider seriously, and wonder at the strange securitie of this people. Or, Take your pleasure, and riot. spoken in way of derision; as Eccles. 11. 9. Or, They delay; (as Psal. 119. 60. to wit, to return and repent, Jer. 13. 27.) and wonder ye at it: they take their pleasure; (as Chap. 11. 8. & 66. 12. 1 Tim. 5. 6. Jam. 5. 5.) and cry ye out for it; as Ezek. 9. 4.
they are drunken] They are as secure and senslesse as men drunk, and in a deep, or dead sleep.
but] Heb. and. as Chap. 51. 6.
not with wine] But with a spirit of stupiditie, that God in his just judgement hath cast them into. Vers. 10.
V. 10. the LORD hath poured out] Chap. 19. 14.
closed your eyes] Chap. 6. 10.
rulers] Heb. heads. Num. 25. 4.
seers] See Chap. 1. 1.
V. 11. the vision of all] Or, every vision. the Sermons of all Gods Prophets. Chap. 1. 1.
a book] Or, letter. Jer. 29. 1.
sealed] As a book or letter sealed up, that can not be read, untill the seal be broken or loosed, Dan. 12. 9. Rev. 5. 1, 2, &c.
I cannot] It being alike, to be able, or not able to read, unlesse the heart be opened to understand, Deut. 29. 4.
V. 12. I am not learned] I cannot read: or, I never learned to read, Joh. 7. 15.
V. 13. Forasmuch &c.] Matt. 15. 8. Mark. 7. 6.
draw neer me with their mouth] They worship me hypocritically, and not in sinceritie. Chap. 58. 2. Jer. 12. 2. Ezek. 14. 3, 4. & 33. 31.
but] Heb. and. as vers. 9.
their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men] Their religion is according to mans devices, not according to my word. Col. 2. 22. Or, all their devotion under their godly Kings is but formall, performed at their command onelyonly, 2 King. 23. 22, - 26.
V. 14. I will proceed] Heb. I will adde. as vers. 1. and Chap. 7. 10.
For the, &c.] Chap. 44. 25. Jer. 49. 7. Obad. 8. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 19.
wisedome of their wise men shall perish] He will infatuate them, because they worship him not according to his will and word, Rom. 1. 21, 22.
shall be hid] Or, perish. as Prov. 28. 28.
V. 15. Wo unto them, &c.] Chap. 30. 1.
they say, Who seeth us] Supposing their devices and designes to be so closely and covertly carried, that God himself could not descrie or discover them, Psal. 64. 5. & 94. 7. Ecclus. 23. 18.
who knoweth us] Who can discern what we do, or intend to do?
V. 16. your turning of things upside down] Whereby you think to conceal your intended course, as alluding to the whelming of some dish or other vessel to conceal what is in, or under it, Matt. 5. 15. Or, that which ye roll up and down in your minds and thoughts, casting how to contrive it with the greatest cunning and likelihood of successe.
shall be esteemed as the potters clay] They lie as open to me, as the fashion of the pot of clay doth to the potter, when he hath it before him upon his wheel. Jer. 18. 3, 6. & 19. 9, 10. Pro. 15. 11. Heb. 4. 12, 13.
shall the work say of him that made it] Shall the work denie, or control the workman? ye might as well denie your selves to be my creatures, as think that ye can conceal ought from me; or imagine that I want skill to understand, what ye attempt, or intend. Psal. 94. 8,—11. Chap. 45. 9.
V. 17. Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitfull field, &c.] A strange change of things shall be: the haughtie great ones shall be laid low, and the lowly low ones advanced. Chap. 40. 4. Luk. 1. 52. & 18. 14. Or, The Gentiles, who formerly were as savages, or as a wild forest, shall by spirituall managing and manuring become orderly and fruitfull; whereas the Jews that were managed and manured before, shall become wild and savage. Chap. 32. 15.
a fruitfull field, &c.] Heb. Carmel. Chap. 34. 24. and so after again.
V. 18. shall the deaf hear, &c.] The spiritual deafnesse and blindnesse shall be taken away, Chap. 35. 5. Luk. 4. 18. Act. 26. 18.
the book] Gods word shall not now be like a book sealed up, as before it had been, vers. 11, 12.
out of obscurity] Or, comming out of obscurity. as Psal. 45. 8. Chap. 38. 17.
V. 19. shall increase] Heb. adde. Chap. 26. 15. have joy upon joy; plenty of joy, Joh. 15. 11.
joy in the LORD] Psal. 32. 11. & 63. 11. & 97. 12. Phil. 3. 1. and 4. 4.
poor among men] Heb. poor of men. as Dan. 4. 17.
V. 20. the, &c.] Chap. 16. 4.
terrible one] Or, roister. vers. 5.
is brought] Or, shall be, &c.
that watch for iniquitie] That studie to do evill, Psal. 36. 4. Mic. 2. 1. and watch opportunities to execute it, as beasts to prey and spoil, Psal. 10 9. Jer. 5. 6.
V. 21. That make a man an offender for a word] That call men in question, and seek to bring them into trouble, for their godly admonitions, and sincere delivery of Gods truth, Jer. 18. 18. and 20. 10. Amos 5. 10. Matt. 22. 15. Luk. 11. 53, 54.
turn aside] Or, cast. or, overthrow. Pro. 18. 5. Amos 5. 12. Heb. make to decline. Chap. 10. 2.
the just for a thing of nought] That pick quarels against men, and in judgement prosecute and cast them, being otherwise guiltlesse, for matters of no moment, or without any just cause, Psal. 69. 4, 5.
V. 22. who redeemed Abraham] That rescued him out of, and preserved him from, dangers and distresses, Gen. 12. 3. & 15. 1. Or, that brought him out from an idolatrous place and people, Gen. 12. 1. Josh. 24. 2, 3. So Gen. 48. 16. Psal. 107. 2.
shall not now be ashamed] Chap. 25. 8.
V. 23. his children] The regenerate. 1 Cor. 4. 15. the true children of Abraham by faith, Rom. 4. 11, 12. Gal. 3. 29. and the true race of Jacob, Psal. 24. 6. Gal. 6. 15, 16.
the work of mine hands] Chap. 60. 21. Ephes. 2. 10.
V. 24. that erred in spirit] As all do, untill God give understanding and grace, Chap. 32. 15. See Psal. 95. 10.
shall come to understanding] Heb. shall know understanding. Prov. 4. 1.
that murmured] That were ever and anon murmuring against God and his Ministers, Exod. 16. 2. & 17. 3. Num. 11. 1. Deut. 1. 27. Psal. 106. 25. Or, that murmured at the calling and coming in of the Gentiles, Matt. 20. 11. Luk. 15. 28,—30. Act. 11. 2, 3. & 13. 45. & 22. 21, 22. 1 Thess. 2. 16.