Westminster Annotations, Isaiah · Chapter 47
CHAP. XLVII.
Vers. 1. COme down] From thy former height and state, Jer. 13. 18. and 48. 18. and 51. 25. Lam. 1. 14.
sit in the dust] Sit on the ground; as one of mean condition, having no seat, or throne, Psal. 1. 13. 7. or, in dust and ashes; after the manner of mourners▪ Job 2. 8. and 42. 6. See Chap. 52. 2.
O virgin daughter of Babylon] That hast hitherto kept thy state, and continued unsubdued, Chap. 23. 12. or, that art fair and beautifull and doest pride thy self, as a beautifull young damsel, gorgeously attired, in the goodlinesse of thy state, Jer. 46. 11.
there is no throne] For thee to sit on: thy government is gone. throne for government, Psal. 89. 14, 29. See Chap. 23. 10.
thou shalt no more be called] Heb. not adde that they call thee. Chap. 23. 12. 1 Sam. 2. 3. vers. 5.
V. 2. Take the milstones and grind meal] Thou shalt be brought to the basest servitude: for to▪ turn the mill, or grind in the mill, was the office of the meanest slaves, Exod 11. 5. Judg. 16. 21. Lam. 5. 13. Matth. 24. 41.
uncover thy locks] As mourners use to do, Job. 1. 20. Chap. 22. 12. or, as slaves and captives are wont to go; bare-head, Cha. 2. 24.
make bare the leg] Trusse up thy clothes about thee; as travellers do: prepare thy self for a sad journey, thorough thick and thin, by water and land, Exod. 12. 11. 1 King 18. 46.
V. 3. thy shame shall be seen] As women captiv…s & prisoners are wont to be dealt with by those, into whose hands the come, Chap. 3. 17. and 20. 4. Jer. 13. 22, 26. Nahum 3. 5.
I will not meet thee as a man] But as God, in full power, Chap. 31. 3. Or, in full wrath; without any such pity or humanity, as men sometime shew to the weaker sex. I will deal with thee, as thou hast dealt with mine, vers. 6. 2 Chron. 36. 17. Jam. 2. 13.
V. 4. As for our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name] Or, Saith our redeemer; (as Chap. 43. 14.) whose name is the Lord of hosts. Chap. 48. 2. and 54. 5. Spoken in the person of Gods people, acknowledging that for their sake God doth all this, Chap. 43. 14. and 45. 4.
the holy One of Israel] Chap. 1. 4. and 43. 14.
V. 5. Sit thou silent] As one confounded and not able to speak, Psal. 77. 4. and 107. 42. Matth. 22. 12.
get thee into darknesse] As ashamed of thy self; and not induring to be seen, vers. 3. Lam. 1. 9.
thou shalt no more be called] Heb. not adde that they call thee. vers. 1.
V. 6. I was wroth with my people] Zech. 1. 15.
I have polluted mine inheritance] Dealt with my people (as dear unto me, as to an heir his inheritance is wont to be, Chap. 19. 25. 1 King. 21. 3.) as with some profane or unclean thing, Chap. 43. 28.
given them into thine hand] Or, power. Chap. 19. 4. vers. 14.
thou didst shew them no mercy] In stead of pitying their misery, thou didst much aggravate it by thine extream crueltie and hard usage, 2 Chron. 36. 17. Psal. 69. 26.
upon the ancient] Who for age should have been pitied; but with them found no mercy. Deut 28. 50.
hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke] Lam. 1. 14.
V. 7. I shall be a lady for ever] Rev. 18. 7.
thou didst not lay those things to thy heart] Heb. set these upon thine heart. Chap. 57. 1.
neither didst remember the latter end of it] Or, her latter end. Lam. 1. 9. that is, thy latter end. as Job 18. 4. See the like passing from person to person, Chap. 31. 7. and 34. 16. Jer. 17. 1. Thou little thoughtest, what would at last befall thee, Deut. 32. 29.
V. 8. that dwellest carelesly] Or, sittest confidently; securely. Jer. 49. 31.
I am, and none else besides me] Zeph 2. 15. vers. 10.
I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the losse of children] Thou thoughtest it impossible, that thou shouldest ever be subdued; or be deprived of thy King or Empire, which thou seemedst wedded to, and of thy people, which were as thy children.
V. 9. these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day] Thou shalt lose both kingdome and people at once: as Chap. 51. 19.
they shall come upon thee in their perfection] Thy calamities shall be as great as can be imagined.
V. 10. thou hast trusted in thy wickednesse] Wicked courses; or mean… and strength thereby acquired, Psal. 52. 7. Chap. 28. 15.
thou hast said, None seeth me] Thou deemest thy self out of the reach of Gods providence: or thy designs and projects so cunningly and covertly contrived, that they could not be discovered, Psal. 64. 5. and 94 3. Chap. 29. 15.
thy wisedome and thy knowledge, &c.] Thou thoughtest, but vainly, that thy wisdome and policie could have saved thee. Or, it is thy trusting to these, that hath made thee so to transgresse, as thou hast done, Pro. 3. 5.
it hath perverted thee] Heb caused thee to turn away. Chap. 57. 19.
I am, and none else besides me] I am the onelyonly Lady and Empresse in the world, vers. 7, 8.
V. 11. thou shalt not know from whence it riseth] Heb. the morning thereof. or, the rising of it. as evening, for sunne-setting, opposed to sunne-rising, Chap. 45. 6. Either whence it shall arise; or, what day it shall come: alluding to the rising of the starres; and withall deriding Babylon, as fondly and superstitiously addicted to the observation thereof, supposing that thereby she could foresee any evill that was likely to ensue, vers. 12, 13.
thou shalt not be able to put it off] Heb. exptate it. Chap. 28. 18. Thou shalt neither be able to fore-see it, nor to free thy self from it. Jer. 50. 24.
V. 12. Stand now with thine inchantments] He derideth their vain confidence in their Soothsayers and Astrologers, Chap. 44. 25. and withall condemneth such vain sciences; which serve to no use, but to delude people, and to withdraw them from depending upon God, Lev. 19. 31. Deut. 18. 9,—14. Jer. 10. 1.
wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth] Whom thou hast from thy first beginning been so much addicted unto, vers. 15. Dan. 2. 2. and 4. 7. and 5. 8.
V. 13. Thou are wearied] Or, tired out.] Chap. 16. 12.
let now the astrologers] Heb. viewers of the heavens.
the monethly prognosticatours] Heb. that give knowledge concerning the moneths.
V. 14. they shall be as stubble] Chap. 1. 31. & 5. 24. Exod. 15. 7. Nahum 1. 10.
they shall not deliver themselves] Heb. their souls. Psal. 22. 20. Much lesse be able to save others, Psal. 146. 3, 4. Chap. 46. 2.
from the power] Heb. hand▪ Psal. 49. 15.
there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it] Or, it shall not be a coal to warm at▪ &c. They shall utterly perish; and nothing of them remain, that may yeeld the least hope, or afford the least comfort, Chap. 30. 14. Or, the fire, which the Medes and Persians shall kindle among the Chaldeans, shall not be such a fire, as they use to sit by for warmth in winter, Jer. 36. 22. but a con…uming fire, such as destroyeth and devoureth all, Chap. 9. 18. and 10. 16. & 24. 6. Jer. 51. 25, 32.
V. 15. Thus shall they be unto thee] Authors of thy ruine. Or, unfaithfull to thee, and unable to help thee, vers. 14.
with whom thou hast laboured] Thy wisards; and those whom thou hast had dealings with, vers. 12. Rev. 18. 11.
they shall wander every one to his quarter] Heb. passage. They shall flie, and betake themselves each one to that place, where he supposeth he may be surest and safest. Or, each one any way, that he can finde passage by for his own safetie; and leave thee alone to shift for thy selfe, Jer. 51. 9.