Westminster Annotations, Isaiah · Chapter 51
CHAP. LI.
Vers. 1. HEarken to me] He comforteth and strengtheneth the faithfull, that they be not dismaid or discouraged, in regard either of their own fewnesse and feeblenesse; or the multitude, might and malice of their opposites, Chap. 41. 10,—14. vers. 7. Luk. 12. 32.
that follow after righteousnes] That take just & righteous courses, Pro. 21. 21. or, that seek righteousnesse by faith in Christ, Rom. 9. 31, 32. but that rather here; as Matth. 5. 20. and 6. 33.
that seek the LORD] Psal. 24. 6.
look unto the rock whence ye are hewen] Or, were hewen. Abraham and Sarah; from whom they came; as stones cut out of a rock, or digged out of a quarrey, Dan. 2. 34.
to the hole] Or, holow.
ye are digged] Or, were digged.
V. 2. I called him alone] Being, though married, yet childlesse; without issue, or hope of it. Gen. 15. 2. & 16. 1. & 17. 17. & 18. 12. Rom 4. 19. Heb. 11. 12. Heb. one. as Deut. 6. 4. Zech. 14. 9. See Ezek. 33. 24.
V. 3. the LORD shall comfort Zion] Ch. 12. 1. & 49. 13. & 54. 9.
comfort all her wast places] Or, wasts. Chap. 49. 19. By restoring, and reedifying them, Chap. 94. 8. and 54. 3. and 58. 12.
make her wildernesse like Eden] As pleasant and plentifull as paradise, Gen. 2. 8, 9. and 13. 10. Chap. 35. 1, 2. Ezek. 36. 35.
her desert] Or, champion. Josh. 11. 2. and 12. 3.
like the garden of the LORD] As a garden of God; that is, a most excellent one: as Psal. 36. 6. and 104. 16. 1 Chron. 12. 22. Or, as the garden of Eden; so called, Gen. 13. 10. Ezek. 28. 13. because of Gods own planting, Gen. 2. 8. See Ch. 60. 21. & 61. 3.
joy and gladnesse] Jer. 33. 11.
shall be found therein] Or, be there. Chap. 35. 9. Esth. 1. 5.
V. 4. a law shall proceed from me] I will rule my Church by my word, Psal. 110. 2. Chap. 2. 3.
I will make my judgement to rest, &c.] Or, I will settle it, Jer. 31. 2. I will settle my doctrine in my Church, to illighten people therewith, Psal. 19. 7, 8, 9. and 119. 103, 130. Pro. 6. 23. Chap. 49. 6. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Rev. 1. 20.
V. 5. My righteousnesse is neare] The time approacheth of accomplishing my promise, in the deliverance of my people, Chap. 1. 27. and 46. 13. and 56. 1. an effect of my faithfulnesse and righteousnesse, 1 Thes. 5. 24. 2 Thes. 1. 6, 7. Heb. 6. 9, 10. 1 Joh. 1. 9. See Chap. 13. 22.
mine arms] Chap. 40. 10. Psal. 98. 1.
the isles] Or, lands. Chap. 49. 1.
shall wait upon me] Chap. 42. 4. and 60. 9.
on mine arm] My power and might manifested in execution of judgement on the enemies of my people, and in the rescuing of them out of their hands, Chap. 1. 27. Or, my word and Gospel, whereby I will subdue men to me, and reign in the midst of them, Chap. 53. 1. Psal. 110. 2. Rom. 1. 16. 1 Cor. 1. 18.
V. 6. Lift up your eyes to the heavens] Chap. 40. 26.
the heavens, &c.] Psal. 102. 26. Matth. 24. 35.
shall vanish away] Or, be dissolved. 2 Pet. 3. 10.
the earth shall wax old like a garment] Heb. melt like salt. Or, moulder away like rotten rags. Jer. 38. 11.
they that dwell theroin shall die] Job. 14. 10. Heb. 9. 27.
my salvation shall be for ever] Chap. 50 9. Though heaven and earth fail, yet my promise shall not fail, nor the salvation therein promised ever have an end: those shall sooner fail and have an end, then these shall, Chap 54. 10. Matth. 5. 18. Mark. 13. 31. Joh. 3. 16. Heb. 12. 28.
V. 7. that know righteousnesse] Approve, regard, and make reckoning of it, Psal. 1. 6. Pro. 12. 10.
in whose heart is my law] That highly esteem, and heartily affect it, Psal. 37. 31. & 40. 8. & 119. 128.
fear ye not, &c.] Matth. 10. 28. Luk. 12. 4. Act. 5. 40. 41.
V. 8. the moth shall cat them up like a garment] Chap. 50. 9. Job 13. 28.
my righteousnesse shall be for ever] Vers. 6.
from generation to generation] Heb. to generation of generations. Psal. 102. 24.
V. 9. Awake] This is spoken, either in the person of the Church; or by the Prophet himself in the behalf of the Church.
awake] Manifest thy self to be awake, and to watch for us; who by suffering us to be in misery, maist seem to be asleep, and not at all to regard us, Psal. 44. 23. & 78. 65. and 80. 2. The reduplication of the word intimateth the vehemencie of their affection, and defire of speedy help. See Chap. 52. 1. Judg. 5. 12.
put on strength] Shew forth thy might; that it may appear and be seen as evidently, as the garment is on him that weareth it, Chap. 52. 1. & 59. 17. & 61. 10.
O arm of the LORD] Vers. 5.
as in the ancient dayes] Heb. dayes of antiquitie. Chap. 37. 26. As in former times thou hast done, Psal. 44. 1. Chap. 63. 11,—14.
the generations of old] Heb. ages.
out Rahab] Egypt, Psal. 87. 4. & 89. 10. so called of her power and pride, Job 9. 13. Chap. 30. 2, 3, 7.
wounded the dragon] Or, whale. Chap. 27. Pharaoh, Psal. 74. 14. so tearmed in regard of the streams of Nilus, that watered and maintained his land, together with the neighbourhood of the sea, Ezek. 29. 3.
V. 10. dried the sea] Exod. 14. 21. Chap. 50. 2.
a way for the ransomed] Or, resoned. Chap. 50. 2. Those, that were delivered out of Egypt, Psal. 78. 13. & 106. 9.
V. 11. Therefore] Or, So. as Pro. 26. 7.
the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come] Or, come again. as Psal. 85. 6. Mal. 1. 4. Those that are delivered from Babylon, Chap. 35. 10. God being able to do now for them, what he did then, Chap. 43. 16. & 41. 27.
with singing] Chap. 48. 20.
everlasting joy shall be upon their head] See Chap. 35. 10.
V. 12. that comforteth you] Vers. 3.
afraid of a man that shall die] Psal. 118. 6. & 146. 4.
shall be ma…e as grasse] Psal. 37. 2. & 90. 5, 6. Chap. 40. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 24.
V. 13. forgettest the LORD] Considerest not, what he is able to do for thee, Chap. 40, 27, 28.
thy maker] Chap. 44. 2. Hos. 8. 14.
stretched forth the heavens] Chap. 42. 5. & 45. 12. & 48. 13.
as if he were ready to destroy] Or, had made himself readie to destroy. And there were no possibilitie of escape, Exod. 14. 10, -12.
where is the fury of the oppressour] What is become now of the enemie, whose fury thou didst so much fear? he is perished; and it is gone. Psal. 9. 5, 6. & 76. 10. Chap. 16. 4.
V. 14. The captive exilc hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail] Or, shall be specdily loosed. (Heb. opened. as Chap. 14. 17. Jer. 1. 14.) loosed from his chains, and have the prison door opened to him: make hast to be loosed; for, be speedily out of hand loosed; as Gen. 27. 20. & 41. 32. and shall not die in the pet, neither shall his bread fail. My people that are prisoners, shall be speedily set at liberty; nor shall they perish, for want of food, by delay, Chap. 49. 9. 10. Jer. 37. 21. & 38. 9, 10.
V. 15. that divided the sea] Job 26. 12. Jer. 31. 35.
the LORD of hosts is his name] Or, whose name is the Lord of hosts. Chap. 47. 4. and 48. 2.
V. 16. put thy words in my mouth] Chap. 49. 2, 3. & 59. 21.
covered thee in the shadow of mine hand] Or, with the shadow of. Chap. 49. 2.
that I may plant the heavens, &c.] That all things in heaven and earth may be restored and settled by Christ, Ephes. 1. 10. Col. 1. 20. Or, that I may make a new world, 2. Cor. 5. 17, 18. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rev. 21. 1.
V. 17. Awake] Awake, both from the deadly sleep of sinne and securitie, 1 Cor. 15. 34. Ephes. 5. 14. and from thy drousie and drooping estate, in regard of Gods judgements, Chap. 52. 1. and 26. 19.
stand up] Sit no longer on the ground, nor lie along in the dust; as the manner of prisoners and mourners is, Chap. 47. 1. & 52. 2.
hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury] That hast been justly and sufficiently punished, Chap. 40. 2. having drunk very deep of the cup of Gods wrath, Jer 25. 17, 18.
drinken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out] Or, drunk and wrung out the dregs, &c. Psal. 75. 8.
V. 18. none to guide her] None to hold, or help her: as one that being in drink, and reeling, hath no body to guide him, and keep him from falling, Jer. 30. 14.
among all the sonnes] Whose office should be to support their fainting parent, Gen. 37. 35.
V. 19. These two things] To wit, desolation, and want of consolation, Chap. 54. 11. affliction from Gods wrath, vers. 17. and want of means to relieve and support thee in thine afflicted estate, vers. 18. Or, evils without; as sword and devastation; and evils within; as famine and destruction, Deut. 32. 25. 2 Cor. 7. 5. See Chap. 47. 9.
arc come] Heb. happened. Eccl. 8. 14. & 9. 11.
destruction] Heb. breaking. Chap. 1. 28.
by whom shall I comfort thee] By whose help or aid should any relief be procured for thee? Or, by what example of others that have been in the like distresse, should I assay to minister some comfort to thee? as if he should say; Thy calamities are remedilesse, and without example. See Lam. 2. 13. Nahum 3. 7.
V. 20. Thy sonnes have fainted, &c.] Or, do faint. They that should help thee are in as bad plight as thy self, Lam. 1. 11, 12. and 2. 11, 12.
full of the fury of the LORD] Of calamities from thence proceeding, Chap. 9. 19. Rom. 2. 8, 9.
the rebuke] See Chap. 50. 2.
V. 21. drunken, but not with wine] But with grief and dread; and the dismall effects of Gods wrath, Job 21. 20. Jer. 13. 12. Lam. 3. 15. Rev. 14. 10.
V. 22. that pleadeth the cause of his people] Heb. will plead. Jer. 50. 34.
I have taken] Or, will take. I will do that for thee, that none of thine can do, vers. 18. 20.
out of thine hand] I will alter thy condition: I will remove my wrath from thee; and poure it forth upon them, that have been thine oppressors, Chap. 49. 26.
the cup of trembling] Such a strange potion, as maketh those that drink it to stagger and quake and shake every joynt of them, Psal. 60. 3. Dan. 5. 6. Hab. 3. 16.
V. 23. But] Or, And.
into the hand. &c.] Jer. 25. 26, 29.
that afflict thee] Chap. 49. 26.
have said to thy soul] Or, to thee. Psal. 3. 2. & 11. 1.
that we may go over] That have troden thee down, and trampled upon thee; as a most despicable people. Chap. 41. 25. Jer. 12. 10. Dan. 8. 7, 10. See Psal. 66. 12.
thou hast laid thy body as the ground] Or, lay thy body, &c. as continuing the speech of their oppressors.
to them that went over] Or, for men to passe over.