Annotations Upon Isaiah, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
VERSE 1. FOR the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, &c.] This is given as a reaſon, why God would haſten the deſtruction of Babylon, foretold in the foregoing Chapter, as he had ſaid he would do in the laſt words of that Chapter; to wit, that the Jews might by Cyrus, who was to ſubdue Babylon, be ſent home again into their own Country. See the Note, Ezra 1.1. For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet chooſe Iſrael, and ſet them in their own Land; that is, He will yet again receive them into his favour, whom he had caſt off for a time, as if he had choſen them anew; or, He will by appearing wonderfully for them, make it evident, that they were his choſen people; or, He will chuſe or pick out the remnant of his people, whom he intends to deliver, out of the places where they were diſperſed. And by Jacob and Iſrael are meant the Poſterity of Jacob, the Jews, principally thoſe of the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin; but together with them, thoſe likewiſe of the ten Tribes, that came in to thoſe of Judah in the days of Hezekiah, and ſo were with them carried into Babylon, and afterward ſent back with them into the Land of Judea: And the ſtrangers ſhall be joyned with them, and they ſhall cleave to the houſe of Jacob: that is, many of the Heathens amongſt whom they had lived in Babylon, Chaldeans, Medes and Perſians, being converted to the Jewiſh Religion, either by the inſtruction and perſwaſion of the Jews, or by obſerving the holineſs of their lives, or by taking notice of the wonder of their deliverance out of Babylon, (ſee the Note, Pſal. 126.2.) ſhall joyn themſelves to them, and go along with them to Jeruſalem, (ſee Ezra 2.65.) as it was with the Iſraelites when they went out of Egypt, ſee the Note, Exod. 12.38. But though this was partly thus accompliſhed, as in a Type, by ſtrangers joyning themſelves to the Jews in their return into their own Land; yet the converſion of the Gentiles in the days of the Goſpel, when they joyned themſelves to the Church of the Jews, is the principal thing here intended.
Ver. 2. And the people ſhall take them, and bring them to their place, &c.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitors, the ſeveral Tribes and Families of the Jews ſhall take thoſe ſtrangers, thoſe Proſelites mentioned in the foregoing verſe, that had joyned themſelves to the houſe of Jacob, and receiving them into their company and ſociety, ſhall carry them along with them into the Land of Iſrael. But the meaning rather is, that the people of ſeveral Nations, the Babylonians, Medes and Perſians; with others that dwelt in the way, whereby the Jews were to return home into their own Country, ſhould afford the Jews all the reſpect and help they could, in and for their return into Judea, entertaining them and encouraging them on their way, and furniſhing them with cattel, and carriages, and all other neceſſary accommodations for their Journey, as Cyrus had commanded. See the Note, Ezra 1.4. and ſee alſo Neh. 2.7.9. And the houſe of Iſrael ſhall poſſeſs them in the land of the Lord (ſee the Note, Exod. 15.17.) for ſervants and handmaids; that is, many of theſe people ſhall become ſervants to the Jews, when they are ſetled in their own Land. And this ſome underſtand of thoſe Proſelites or Strangers that had joyned themſelves to the Jews, either that they ſhould be as ſerviceable to the Jews, as any ſervants could be; or elſe that in proceſs of time ſome of them, or their children, ſhould be ſold to them for ſervants, which was indeed agreeable to God's Law concerning Servants, Levit. 25.44, 45, 46. And others again underſtand it of the Babylonians, who being vanquiſhed by the Medes and Perſians, ſhould be ſold by them to the Jews for ſlaves; or by reaſon of their penury ſhould voluntarily yield themſelves up to be their ſervants. Whereupon it follows, And they ſhall take them captives, whoſe captives they were, and they ſhall rule over their oppreſſors; that is, thoſe Nations ſhould be ſervants to the Jews, to whom the Jews had formerly been in bondage: which ſome alſo extend to the Jews vanquiſhing and bringing into bondage thoſe Nations, after their return out of Babylon, in the days of the Maccabees, as had before lorded over them. But now moſt Expoſitors underſtand all this ſpiritually, as well they may, of the converſion of the Gentiles by the Miniſtry of the Jews in the days of the Goſpel; to wit, that the Jews ſhould by the Preaching of the Goſpel bring thoſe Nations under the yoke of Chriſt, to whom they had formerly been captives; and hereupon the Gentiles ſhould ſhew great reſpect to them, as owning them to be God's firſt-born people, and ſhould ſubmit themſelves to the word of the Goſpel, and ſhould be ſubſervient to the believing Jews, in labouring to eſtabliſh Chriſt's Kingdom in the world, and in gathering in his Elect to his Church. So that the Dominion here promiſed to the Jews over the Gentiles, is not a Temporal Dominion, but a Spiritual; their ruling over them in the Lord. See 2 Cor. 10.3, 4, 5. L…ke 22.25, 26. 2 Cor. 1.24. and 1 Pet. 5.3.
Ver. 3. And it ſhall come to paſs in that day, that the Lord ſhall give thee reſt from thy ſorrow, &c.] That is, when thou ſhalt be delivered from thy Captivity in Babylon, and from all the griefs, and fears, and ſore miſeries thou there enduredſt.
Ver. 4. That thou ſhalt take up this Proverb, &c.] or taunting ſpeech; See the Note, Numb. 21.27. againſt the King of Babylon, to wit, Belſhazzar, the laſt of the Babylonian Monarchs, together with whom that State fell; and ſay, How hath the Oppreſſor ceaſed? the golden City ceaſed? That is, the City that was ſo full of Gold, and was ſo confident in her exceſſive wealth. And therefore ſet forth by a head of Gold, Dan. 2.32, 38. and by a golden cup, Jer. 51.7. Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lords hand. It is ſpoken by way of deriding Babels pride and confidence: as if it had been ſaid, How is it poſſible that this cruel Tyrant and his golden Monarchy ſhould be thus ruined in one night, and ſo by that means the poor people of God be delivered from their bondage? That which we render, the golden city, ſome tranſlate, the exactreſs of gold; that is, the City that drained all the gold from other Nations: But our Tranſlation I conceive is the beſt. However obſervable it is, that the word in the Original ſeems to be Syriack, the language then uſed amongſt the Chaldeans, Dan. 2.4. and ſo the Prophet mocks the Chaldees with a word taken from the Chaldean tongue.
Ver. 5. The Lord hath broken the ſtaff of the wicked, and the Scepter of the Rulers.] See the Notes, Chap. 9.4. and 10.5. This is in anſwer to the foregoing queſtion, verſ. 4. as if the Prophet had ſaid, Wonder not at the ſudden deſtruction of Babel: It is the Lord that hath done it by way of taking vengeance on them for their horrid wickedneſs and oppreſſion.
Ver. 6. He who ſmote the people in wrath, &c.] To wit, Not in a way of Juſtice, but of Rage and Fury, with a continul ſtroak; that is, immoderately, and implacably, and with extreme cruelty. He never thought he had laid on load enough; neither was there any pacifying his wrath. And therefore the Prophet adds, that the like ſhould be done to him, He that ruled the Nation in anger, is perſecuted, and none hindereth; that is, he ſhall be deſtroyed inevitably and irreparably: he ſhall not be able to defend himſelf; and for others, they ſhall not be able, neither ſhall they have any mind to do it.
Ver. 7. The whole earth is at reſt and quiet, &c.] That is, the Inhabitants of the world, that could never be quiet for this proud City: They break forth into ſinging; to wit, for the downfal of this great oppreſſing Empire.
Ver. 8. Yea, the Fir-trees rejoice at thee, &c.] Some underſtand this Figuratively of thoſe States and Princes that had been oppreſſed formerly by the Babylonians. See the Note, Chap. 2.13. But it is better underſtood literally, that it ſhould be a joy, as it were, to the trees of the Foreſt, that the Babylonian was deſtroyed, becauſe he had wont to make ſuch havock in felling down the Fir-trees, and as it follows, the cedars of Lebanon, that were ſo far from him, partly to make paſſages for his Armies, and partly for the building of his Houſes and Ships, and for the raiſing of his Bulwarks, and other uſes in his Wars; whereas now, the Babylonian being hewed down, they ſhould ſtand quietly in their places without any moleſtation, Since thou art laid down, (ſay they) no feller is come up againſt us. And indeed it may well be, that this is ſpoken with reference to that which had been ſaid before, Chap. 2.13. concerning the great havock that ſhould be made by the Babylonian in the foreſt of Iſrael.
Ver. 9. Hell from beneath, &c.] Or rather, the grave from beneath, becauſe this agrees beſt with that which followeth, ver. 11. Thy pomp is brought down to the grave—the worm is ſpread under thee, and the worms cover thee. Having related, how all the inhabitants of the earth, yea, even the ſenſeleſs creatures, the trees, ſhould rejoyce at the down-fall of the Babylonian Monarch, the Prophet now proceeds to ſhew, in a like poetical ſtrain, that not only the living, but the dead alſo from beneath ſhould rejoice at his ruin and death, and inſult over him: To which end he ſpeaks here of Hell, or the grave, as under the perſon of ſome great Prince or King, having the dead under his dominion and command. Hell, or the grave from beneath is moved for thee, to meet thee at thy comming; whereby ſeems to be meant, either 1. That this Prince of the lower Regions was moved with fear, to wit, at the report of the coming of this mighty Monarch towards them, as fearing leſt he would cauſe as great troubles amongſt the dead as he had done amongſt the living, and that he was coming to ſubdue them under his dominion, as he had done the ſeveral Nations of the world above; and thereupon was reſolved to meet him, and to oppoſe his coming thither: Or elſe 2. That he was moved with awe of his greatneſs, and with care about entertaining him with all requiſite ſolemnity, as people uſe to be when they hear of ſome great King that is coming towards them, and ſo thought to go forth to meet, and to receive him magnificently, with all the honour they could afford him. Or. 3. That he was moved with aſtoniſhment at his fall, or with indignation againſt him for his horrid oppreſſions and cruelty, and ſo intended to go out to meet him, that they might keep him off, as unworthy to be buried and lodged amongſt them, or that he might inſult over him for his pride and cruelty; which laſt ſeems indeeed the more probable, becauſe this is afterwards expreſſed. And accordingly we muſt underſtand that which followeth; it ſtirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; to wit, that Hell or the grave had ſtirred up all the dead under his power to reſiſt him, or to entertain him honourably, or to deride and ſcoff at him; and amongſt the reſt, all the great Kings and Monarchs that were amongſt the dead; to wit, either as their King, all little enough to reſiſt him, or that the preſence of thoſe might contribute much to the honour of his entertainment, or becauſe thoſe great ones that had been ſlain by him, were fitteſt to inſult over him. And indeed obſervable it is, that in the laſt clauſe, it hath raiſed up from their thrones all the kings of the nations; by their thrones are meant their Sepulchers; or Royal Monuments, wherein their bodies lay interred; or the Prophet ſpeaks of them in a Poetical way, as if they had thrones in the lower Region, as they had when they lived in the world; and that phraſe of their being raiſed up from their thrones, may ſeem to imply, that as Princes are wont to riſe up from their ſeats to ſome great Monarch, ſo ſhould theſe Kings riſe up from their graves before the Babylonian, as to him that had conquered them, their Lord and Soveraign. But ſtill all is ſpoken by way of deriſion and ſcorn.
Ver. 10. All they ſhall ſpeak, and ſay unto thee, &c.] That is, when the dead, even the chief among the dead before mentioned, that were ſtirred up to meet thee, or to reſiſt thee, or inſult over thee, ſhall ſee thee come naked and unarmed, not to ſubdue Hell or the grave, but to be there in the ſame condition with other dead people, they ſhall then ſay to thee, as in a way of deriſion, Art thou alſo become weak as we? Art thou become like unto us? As if they ſhould have ſaid, What! art thou come amongſt us? Is it poſſible! How cameſt thou to die as others dye? Thou that wert feared by all Nations, as if thou hadſt been invincible, that wert extolled by thy Paraſites, as if thou hadſt been ſome Demi God, and that wert ready to adore thy ſelf, as ſomewhat more than a man, art thou at laſt found to be a poor mortal creature, as we were?
Ver. 11. Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noiſe of thy viols, &c.] That is, all the pomp and glory, together with the delights and pleaſures wherein thou haſt lived, and wherein thou wert exalted far above others, is now laid in the duſt, and buried in the grave with thee. And it may well be alſo, that in the mention that is made of his Viols, there is ſome reſpect had to that mighty feaſt which Belſhazzar made for his Princes (that jollity whereof we may well think was accompanied with variety of muſick) at the very time when the City of Babylon was ſurpriſed, Dan. 5.1. the worm is ſpread under thee, and the worms cover thee.] That is, maggots and worms ſhall be thy bed or carpets under thee, and thy coverlets over thee. Inſtead of a ſoft bed to lye upon, or of rapiſtry carpets, whereon thou wert wont to tread or ſit; and inſtead of thoſe rich and gorgeous coverlets, wherewith thou wert wont to cover thee, thou ſhalt have worms under thee, and worms above thee. Yet ſome there are that refer this wholly to the Babylonians being caſt forth without burial; to wit, that inſtead of being embalmed and wrapped up in ſere-clothes and fine linnen, as great Princes uſed to be, that their bodies might be preſerved from putrefaction, he ſhould be left to rot above ground, and to be eaten up of worms: Yea, ſome extend it to that of the worm that never dieth, Mark 9.44. And here I conceive is the end of the ſpeech of the dead to the Babylonian, begun ver. 10. and that in the following verſe the Prophet proceeds on in that proverbial taunting ſpeech or ſong, began ver. 4.
Ver. 12. How art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer! &c.] Or, O day-ſtar! ſee 2 Pet. 1.19. ſon of the morning; that is, that art uſually the immediate fore-runner of the morning; and therefore alſo called the morning-ſtar, ſee Rev. 2.28. becauſe this is the greateſt and brighteſt of all the ſtars (whence it is obſerved, that the beams of none of the ſtars do cauſe a ſhadow but this only; and that this is ſeen in the Firmament a while after the Sun-riſing, when none of the ſtars elſe can be ſeen), therefore to ſet forth, that the Babylonian Monarch ſeemed to be advanced, as it were, to the very Heavens for his riches and glory, and did as far exceed all other Kings of the earth in ſplendor and Majeſty, as this did excel all the other ſtars in beauty and brightneſs; and that there ſeemed to be no more fear of his downfall, than there ſeemed to be of the falling of this day-ſtar out of the Heavens; therefore (I ſay) is the wonder of the fall of this great Monarch, or Monarchy, expreſſed in theſe terms, How art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, ſon of the morning▪ And to the ſame purpoſe are the following words, how art thou cut down to the ground, to wit, like ſome lofty tree, that being hewn down is laid along on the earth; which didſt weaken the nations? That is, oppreſs, waſte and deſtroy them.
Ver. 13. For thou haſt ſaid in thine heart, &c.] This is added as a reaſon of the Babylonians downfal; to wit, that it ſhould be for his proud exalting himſelf againſt the great God of Heaven: Thou haſt ſaid in thine heart, I will aſcend into Heaven, that is, I will aſſume unto my ſelf the honour and glory due only to God; I will exalt my ſelf, as it is expreſſed in the following verſe, as one like the moſt High, as one that intended to fight againſt God: I will exalt my throne above the ſtars of God, that is, the higheſt or brighteſt ſtars, ſee the Note, Pſal. 104.16. Or rather the ſtars of God's making, and which he hath ſet in the Heaven, the place of his own peculiar habitation. Now though theſe things may be ſaid of the Babylonian Monarch, (or Monarchy) with reſpect to any thought of his, wherein out of a preſumptuous conceit of his own wiſdom and power, he arrogated any thing to himſelf, above what could juſtly be aſcribed to man; as his affecting the univerſal Monarchy of the world, that he might have all Mankind under his command; and his requiring to be owned and worſhipped as a God, (in his image) Dan. 3.5. Yet I conceive they are principally ſpoken with reſpect to his proud reſolving to invade and ſubdue the Jews, Gods peculiar people, together with his Temple and Sanctuary, never minding the Almighty Power of God, whereby he heard they were defended, which was all one in effect, as if he had reſolved to ſubdue and dethrone God himſelf: And if thus we underſtand that which is ſaid here, then the following words may ſeem to be added by way of explaining theſe, I will ſit alſo upon the mount of the congregation, in the ſides of the North, ſee the Note, Pſal. 48.2. That is, I will ſet my Throne upon Mount Sion, called here, The Mount of the Congregation, becauſe there God's people uſed to aſſemble themſelves together to meet with their God; as for the ſame reaſons the Tabernacle was of old called, The Tabernacle of the Congregation, ſee the Note, Exod. 29.42. And hereby may be meant, either that he would aſſume the ſame honour to himſelf, which by the Jews was given to God in Mount Sion; or elſe rather, that he would bring Jeruſalem, and the Temple in Mount Sion into ſubjection under him. And indeed Belſhazzars proud triumphing in this was the immediate fore-runner of Babylon's ruin. For the ſame night that City was taken, by way of inſulting over God, he ſate drinking with his Princes and Concubines in the veſſels that had been taken out of the Temple, Dan. 5.2.
Ver. 14. I will aſcend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the moſt High.] See the foregoing Note.
Ver. 15. Yet thou ſhalt be brought down to Hell, &c.] That is, inſtead of climbing up to Heaven, thou ſhalt be caſt down to Hell, or the Grave. See above, verſ. 9. To the ſides of the pit; as if it had been ſaid, Inſtead of ſitting upon Mount Sion in the ſides of the North, (for to that foregoing brag of the Babylonian, verſ. 13. there is a clear Alluſion in this place) thou ſhalt be caſt down into the baſeſt room of the infernal Pit; or rather, into ſome obſcure corner of ſome common pit, digged upon ſome other occaſion; and that this ſhall be to thee inſtead of a Sepulcher. And indeed it is probable, that Belſhazzar was in the fury of the Surprize of Babylon thus caſt out amongſt others that were ſlain, without any decent burial.
Ver. 16. They that ſee thee, &c.] This may be underſtood either of the living, that ſhould behold the Babylonians carcaſe ſo caſt out, as is beforeſaid; or elſe of the dead, as formerly; ver. 13. that ſhould gaze upon him, when he came among them. They that ſee thee, ſhall narrowly look upon thee, and conſider thee; that is, they ſhall look wiſtly upon thee, to wit, as wondring at his great, and ſudden, and unexpected fall, doubting whether it were he or no, and ſcarce believing their own eyes: Saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that raiſed an earthquake, as it were, throughout the world, that did ſhake Kingdoms? to wit, by the terrors, the troubles, the ruins and alterations which he brought upon them.
Ver. 17. That made the world as a wilderneſs, and deſtroyed the Cities thereof, &c.] That is, that laid all waſte where he came, ſlaughtering the Inhabitants, or carrying them into Captivity, and burning up the houſes where they dwelt: That opened not the houſe of his priſoners, that is, ſay ſome, ſo inhumane he was, that he would never ſuffer his priſoners to ſtir out of the Priſon-doors, though with Shackles about their heels. But rather the cruelty of the Babylonian here intended is, that he would never releaſe thoſe whom he had once caſt into Priſon; either he would ſlay them, or elſe damn them to perpetual Impriſonment. And therefore ſome read this place, as it is in the Margin of our Bibles, That did not let his priſoners looſe homeward; that is, never ſet his priſoners free, that they might go away to their own homes: which may be ſaid with ſpecial reſpect to the Jews, that could never get to be releaſed and ſent back to their own Country, till the Medes and Perſians had ſubdued and deſtroyed Babylon.
Ver. 18. All the Kings of the Nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own houſe.] That is, the Kings of all Nations are ordinarily laid up in ſtately Tombs and Sepulchers, which they had before-hand provided for themſelves, or which belonged of old to their Families, and where their Anceſtors were buried; which uſually were in their own lands or poſſeſſions. See the Notes, 1 Sam. 25.1. and 1 Kin. 2.10.
Ver. 19. But thou art caſt out of thy grave, &c.] That is, Thy dead body ſhall be caſt out amongſt the carcaſes of other mean men, and ſhall never be honourably laid up in that Sepulcher which thou preparedſt for thy ſelf, and wherein thou hopedſt to lye amongſt thy Progenitors; like an abominable branch, that is, like ſome fruitleſs baſe plant, which men are wont to grub up; or like ſome branch of a tree, which as being dead, and withered, and hurtful to the tree (as are the ſuckers eſpecially that ſprout out from the root), men do therefore cut off and caſt away; or which being pruned away, as good for nothing, are ſuffered to lye rotting upon the ground, till they become ſo loathſom, that no body will care to touch them: And as the raiment of thoſe that are ſlain, thruſt through with a Sword; that is, the garment of one ſlain in the battel, that is ſo cut and mangled, and beſmeared with blood, that it is thence-forth good for nothing, neither will any man ſcarce vouchſafe to touch it, and therefore they caſt it away together with the carcaſe, whereon it was found; which is that the Prophet intends in the following words, That go down to the ſtones of the pit; that is, which ſlain men (together with their garments) are unſtript, caſt into the bottom of any pit that is near at hand, where ſtones lye ſcattered here and there; or upon which (the dead being laid there) they afterward caſt a heap of ſtones: As a carcaſs trodden under foot, that is, ſome ſtinking carrion, or the carcaſe of a man, which out of hatred, or in the heat and fury of war, is not only left to lye and rot above ground, but is ſo trampled upon, bruiſed and broken, that no man well can, or much leſs will undertake the burying of it. And all this is thus expreſſed, to ſhew how abominable the Babylonian ſhould be unto all men for his Pride and Cruelty.
Ver. 20. Thou ſhalt not be joyned with them in burial, &c.] That is, Thou ſhalt not have that honour done thee in thy burial, which other Kings of the Nations have uſually done for them, (for this is ſpoken with reference to that which was ſaid before, ver. 18.) Thou ſhalt not be laid in ſuch a ſtately Sepulchre amongſt thy Progenitors, nor be carried thereto with that Pomp and Solemnity, as other Kings uſe to be; becauſe thou haſt deſtroyed thy land, and ſtain thy people, to wit, the land of Babylon, and his ſubjects there. For though ſome would have this to be underſtood of the land and people which he had made his by Conqueſt; and others that underſtand it of his Hereditary Kingdoms, do withal hold, that he is ſaid to have deſtroyed this his land, and to have ſlain his people, only becauſe by his wickedneſs he had provoked God to deſtroy them; yet I rather conceive that this it is that is here intended, as a great aggravation of his Tyranny, that not content with the ruin that he brought upon other Kingdoms and Nations; he did likewiſe deſtroy his own Land, and his own people, to wit, by the ſore burdens and exactions wherewith he oppreſſed them, and by the cruelties he exerciſed amongſt them, as bloody Tyrants are wont to do.
The ſeed of evil doers ſhall never be renowned.] That is, inſtead of being renowned, the memory of them ſhall be abhorred, yea the remembrance of them ſhall utterly periſh. See the Note Prov. 10.7. They ſhall by degrees be cut off, ſo that at laſt there ſhall not be one left to be called by their name, neither ſhall there be any mention made of them. And this, though delivered in general terms, is here inſerted with relation to Belſhazzar and his wicked Progenitors, as a reaſon why he was cut off, and after him all his poſterity too, as is farther threatned in the following Verſes.
Ver. 21. Prepare ſlaughter for his children, &c.] That taunting Speech, or Song, begun ver. 4. being ended with the foregoing verſe; here the Prophet doth again proceed to foretel the deſtruction of the Babylonian, and his Poſterity, Prepare ſlaughter for his children, for the iniquity of their fathers, ſee the Note, Joſh. 7.25. Now this is ſpoken as to the Medes and Perſians that did at firſt ſurprize Babylon, as that before Chap. 13.2. ſo to all others that were in after-times to execute farther vengeance upon Babylon, till it was utterly deſtroyed: That they do not riſe, nor poſſeſs the land, nor fill the face of the world with Cities; that is, that they may not grow up in their fathers ſtead, and raiſe up again that State and Empire which God had overturned, and repleniſh the world with another wicked generation, that might dom neer and make as much havock in the world, and enlarge their Dominion by building and beautifying many Cities called by their names, as their Fathers had done before them.
Ver. 22. For I will riſe up againſt them, ſaith the Lord of hoſts, &c.] Having in the foregoing verſe enjoyned the Medes, Perſians, and others, to cut off the iſſue of the Babylonian King, that they might not riſe nor poſſeſs the land; here he aſſures them, that this ſhould be effected, how incredible ſoever it might ſeem in an eye of reaſon, becauſe the Lord himſelf would riſe up againſt them, who would certainly bring it to paſs, and cut off from Babylon, that is, from the King of Babylon, the name and remnant, that is, all his Poſterity, ſee the Notes Pſal. 9.5. 1 King. 14.10. and ſo it is expounded in the following words, and Son and Nephew. But yet there are very many Expoſitors underſtand this more generally, that God would cut off from Babylon the name; that is, the great fame and glory which that City had gotten by the renown of their King; and remnant, and Son, and Nephew, that is, the Poſterity of the inhabitants of Babylon.
Ver. 23. I will alſo make it a poſſeſſion for the Bittern, &c.] A kind of water-fowl, that thruſting her bill into the mire, or ſome broken cane, doth thereby ſeveral times together make a moſt hideous noiſe, like the braying of an Aſſe: which tranſlation of the original word ſeems the more probable, becauſe of the following words, and pools of water, and becauſe elſewhere the Bitter and the Cormorant (another water-fowl) are joyned together, Chap. 34.11. But the Cormorant and the Bittern ſhall p…ſſeſs it, and ſo alſo Zeph. 2.14. As for that which is ſaid here, of making Babylon pools of water, the moſt Expoſitors hold, that this was occaſioned by Cyrus his letting out the River Euphrates into many ditches which he had cut for that purpoſe, that ſo he might with his Army paſs over that great River and ſurpriſe Babylon; by means whereof the Country or Land thereabouts, that was low and watry before, became much more mooriſh and fenny, eſpecially in after-times; when by degrees the dams and ſluces came to be more and more neglected, and the dikes to be choaked up: and I will ſweep it with the beſome of deſtruction, ſaith the Lord; to wit, by clearing it of all the riches and inhabitants thereof: See the Notes, Chap. 13.19, 20. and 1 Kings 14.10.
Ver. 24. The Lord of hoſts hath ſworn, ſaying, Surely as I have thought, ſo ſhall it come to paſs, &c.] See the Note, Chap. 5.9.
Ver. 25. That I will break the Aſſyrian, &c.] The rod of Gods anger, as the Prophet had before called him, Chap. 10.5. in my land; that is, the land of Judea, which God had given to his people, and where he had promiſed to dwell amongſt them; and upon my mountains; that is, the mountains of Judea, or thoſe about Jeruſalem: tread him under foot, as in great wrath and contempt. See the Note, Pſal. 44.5. And this I conceive is meant of the deſtruction of Sennacherib, King of Aſſyria, and his Army, related 2 Kings 19.35, 36. which was done not far from Jeruſalem, which they were come to beſiege, that hereby it might be the more apparent, that it was the God of Iſrael that deſtroyed him, and that for ſeeking to ruine his people; then ſhall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their ſhoulders: that is, then ſhall the Aſſyrian yoke be taken from off my people. See the Note, Chap. 10.27. Some indeed hold, that it is the Babylonian that is here called the Aſſyrian (See the Note, Ezra 6.22.) to wit, becauſe the Aſſyrian Empire was tranſlated to the Babylonians when they ſubdued the Aſſyrians, and becauſe when the Babylonian invaded the land of Judea, his Army conſiſted chiefly of the Aſſyrians, who were then under his command, and neareſt to Judea, and upon pretence of whoſe old quarrel againſt the Jews, it may well be that he took occaſion to invade them. But this cannot be; for it is clear, that the Babylonian was broken by the Medes and Perſians in Babylon, and not in Gods land, and upon his mountains, as it is here ſaid the Aſſyrian ſhould be. Rather therefore this which is here ſaid concerning the Aſſyrian is inſerted, both to confirm again that which he had before foretold, concerning the ruin of Sennacherib and his Army, Chap. 10.33, 34, and likewiſe that hereby that which he had now alſo foretold concerning the ruin of the Babylonians, might be the more readily believed; this being all one, as if he had ſaid, As I will now ſhortly deſtroy Sennacherib, the Aſſyrian, when he ſhall invade you, ſo will I in time to come deſtroy the Babylonian too, as I have now told you: And this your firſt deliverance from the Aſſyrian, ſhall be a ſign to you of your future deliverance from the Babylonian. Yea, ſome Expoſitors conceive, that the foregoing Prophecy, concerning the deſtruction of the Babylonian, was delivered by Iſaiah after the deſtruction of Sennacherib; and then indeed the deſtruction of Sennacherib, the Aſſyrian, could be here mentioned only to aſſure them, that as he had already deſtroyed the Aſſyrian, and delivered them from his yoke, ſo he would alſo deſtroy the Babylonian, as he had now foretold, and would deliver them from their bondage under him; or that as he had begun to deſtroy the Aſſyrians under Sennacherib, ſo he would quite deſtroy them when they were under the command of the Babylonian, and that Empire ſhould alſo be ruined, as the Prophet had now foretold. And this they judg the more probable, becauſe in the days of Ahaz there was yet no cauſe of fearing the Babylonian. But this is altogether uncertain: and for this ſee the following Note, ver. 29.
Ver. 26. This is the purpoſe that is purpoſed upon the whole earth, &c.] That is, this which I have now foretold, is that which ſhall come upon that great Babylonian Empire that ſhall have the whole earth in a manner under their command: and this is the hand that is ſtretched out upon all the nations; to wit, the nations that are in ſubjection to Babylon. See the Note, Chap. 13.11. And this therefore ſeems to be added to aſſure Gods people of the truth of that which had been now foretold concerning the ruin of the Babylonian Empire, however incredible it might ſeem to them. Though the Babylonian had never ſo many Nations under his command, yet that ſhould not hinder his ruine. But yet there are ſome, I know, that hold, that this is ſpoken with relation to that which was ſaid in the foregoing verſe, concerning the Aſſyrian; This is the purpoſe that is purpoſed upon the whole earth, &c. that is, this which I have purpoſed and decreed concerning the Aſſyrian, I have alſo purpoſed concerning Babylon; or this which I have determined concerning the Aſſyrian, I purpoſe alſo to do to all Nations, that ſhall attempt to deſtroy my people. And this indeed hath much probability in it.
Ver. 28. In the year that King Ahaz died, was this burden.] That is, ſay ſome, the foregoing Prophecy againſt Babylon. See the Notes, chap. 13.1. and 2 King. 9.25. But the moſt of Expoſitors underſtand hereby the following Prophecy againſt Paleſtine; and that this concerning the time when this Prophecy was delivered, to wit, In the year that King Ahaz died, is purpoſely inſerted, to imply the occaſion of this Prophecy, which was the exceeding triumphing of the Philiſtines upon the death of Ahaz, as is clearly hinted in the following verſe; or elſe becauſe here the Prophecies begin under Hezekiah, the Son of Ahaz. For which ſee the Note, chap. 6.1.
Ver. 29. Rejoice not thou whole Paleſtina, becauſe the rod of him that ſmote thee is broken, &c.] By Paleſtina is meant that part of the land of Canaan, that was inhabited by the Philiſtines, called elſewhere Philiſtia, Pſal. 60.8. Now becauſe Uzziah King of Judah (or rather the ſtate of Judah under Uzziah) had in his days ſorely ſmitten this Land and People of the Philiſtines, 2 Chron. 26.6. (concerning which ſee the Note, 2 Kin. 15.3.) and becauſe this rod of him that ſmote them, that is, the power of the ſtate of Judah, was very much broken, weakned and brought down in the days of his wicked grand-child Ahaz, when both the Philiſtines and divers other Nations had mightily ſubdued them, and made great havock in their land, 2 Chron. 28.17, 18, 19. (concerning which ſee the Note, 2 King. 16.7.) and the Philiſtines might hope it was utterly in a manner ruined and broken, when Ahaz was dead, (for then there was no longer any fear, leſt he, by the help of his confederate, the Aſſyrian, ſhould ſeek to be revenged on thoſe Nations that had invaded his land; and of Hezekiah his Son, who was young and tender, there was no great fear) therefore it is moſt probable, that this people of the Philiſtines did indeed mightily rejoyce and triumph all the land over, when they heard Ahaz was dead, as being fully perſwaded, that now they ſhould quite ſwallow up the Kingdom of Judah; and hereupon it is that the Prophet ſpeaks this, as in a way of deriding the jollity of the Philiſtines, Rejoice not thou, Paleſtina, becauſe the rod of him that ſmote thee is broken; as if he ſhould have ſaid, Alas! thy jollity will be ſoon turned into bitter mourning, by reaſon of thy miſeries, even all thy land over; For out of the Serpents root ſhall come forth a Cockatrice, (or, an adder;) That is, out of the ſtock of Uzziah (who did bite or ſting thee, as a Serpent) I will raiſe up Hezekiah, the Son of his Grandchild Ahaz, who ſhall be a ſorer plague to thee, than ever Uzziah was, even by how much a Cockatrice is worſe than a Serpent; yea he ſhall be worſe to thee than ſo, which is expreſſed in the following words, And his fruit ſhall be a fiery flying Serpent, concerning which ſee the Note, Numb. 21.6. And indeed Hezekiah did mightily prevail againſt the Philiſtines, ſee the Note, 2 King. 18.8. And it may well be too, that his ſpeed in ſubduing the Philiſtines, is implied by terming him a fiery flying Serpent. And not only Hezekiah, but alſo the ſtate of Judah under Hezekiah, may be the Cockatrice and fiery flying Serpent here intended.
Ver. 30. And the firſt-born of the poor ſhall feed, and the needy ſhall lie down in ſafety, &c.] That is, The people of God, the Jews, that were under Ahaz brought to extreme poverty, even to be the pooreſt of all poor people (ſee the Note, Job 18.13.) by his exactions, and the manifold miſeries wherewith the land was involved through his wickedneſs, ſhall under Hezekiah enjoy great peace, and ſhall live in great plenty of all things in their own Country, and not be made a prey to their enemies, as they formerly were; See the Note, Chap. 5.17. and Pſal. 23.2. And thus he that ſhall be a Cockatrice and a fiery flying Serpent to you, O Philiſtines, ſhall be as a Shepherd to feed and to defend the poor people of God. Yet ſome by the firſt-born of the poor, here, underſtand the very pooreſt amongſt the people; to wit, that even they ſhould come to enjoy plenty of all things; and by their feeding, ſome alſo underſtand their feaſting together with great joy, upon Hezekiah's deſtroying the Philiſtines. And I will kill thy root with famine; that is, I the Lord God will utterly deſtroy thee, O Paleſtina, even as a tree is deſtroyed, whoſe root withereth for want of moiſture; See the Note, Chap. 5.24. And he ſhall ſtay thy remnant; as if he ſhould have ſaid, When I ſhall have deſtroyed thee with famine, then the Cockatrice Hezekiah (or the ſtate of Judah under Hezekiah) ſhall ſlay the remnant with the ſword, 2 King. 18.8. But yet others do rather think that it is God that is intended in both clauſes, though it be delivered in different perſons, I will kill, ſaith the Lord; and he ſhall ſlay, ſaith the Prophet. And indeed the Philiſtines were not utterly deſtroyed by Hezekiah, as is evident by the mention that is made of that Nation by the Prophets, after the days of Hezekiah; but God did it by degrees, at ſeveral times, and by ſeveral inſtruments. However the drift of this whole verſe ſeems to be, to aſſure God's people, that however the Philiſtines might inſult over them for a time; yet ere long there ſhould be a great change: the Philiſtines ſhould be ruined and undone; and they ſhould live in great peace and plenty.
Ver. 31. Howl, O gate, &c.] That is, You Rulers and Princes of Paleſtina, that are wont to ſit in the gates of your Cities. See the Note, Gen. 22.17. Cry, O City; That is, You the inhabitants of each City there. Yet by Gate and City the ſame thing may be meant, to wit, the Inhabitants of all their Cities in general: concerning whom the Prophet doth hereby foretel, that inſtead of rejoycing at the miſery of God's people, (of which he had ſpoken before, ver. 29.) they ſhould howl for the extreme miſeries that were coming upon themſelves. Thou whole Paleſtina art diſſolved, or melted; and the meaning is, that they ſhould be affrighted or utterly ruined, ſee the Notes, Pſal. 46.6. and 75.3. And obſervable is the expreſſion, Thou whole Paleſtina art diſſolved, as in reference to what was ſaid before, ver. 29. Rejoyce not thou whole Paleſtina; for hereby is implied, that their dread and deſolation ſhould be as general, as before their joy and triumph was. For there ſhall come from the North a ſmoak; that is, from Judea, or Jeruſalem, (which partly lay North-eaſt from Gaza and other Cities in Paleſtina) Hezekiah ſhall break in upon you with a mighty Army; which is termed a ſmoak, becauſe as a black, thick, ſtifling ſmoak, that ariſeth upon the kindling of ſome great fire, cannot be kept out, but fills all places where it comes, and darkens the air, and doth exceedingly vex and annoy men, and drive them out of the places of their abode, and breaks out at laſt into a devouring flame; ſo ſhould this Army of Hezekiah's break in unreſiſtably upon them, and overſpread the whole land, overwhelming them with the darkneſs of extreme miſery and terror, and ſetting the whole land by degrees on a light flame: And none ſhall be alone in his appointed times, or aſſemblies; that is, the people ſhall not come in ſingly one by one, but in whole Companies and Troops, at the ſet times, or the ſet places appointed for their aſſembling together; ſo readily and cheerfully ſhall they joyn themſelves to Hezekiah in this his expedition for the invading of the Philiſtines. Yet ſome would have the meaning to be, that no man ſhould withdraw himſelf from this ſervice, and through faint-heartedneſs ſtay alone at home.
Ver. 32. What ſhall one then anſwer the meſſengers of the nation? &c.] Either the word nation muſt be here collectively taken, nation for nations; What ſhall one then anſwer the meſſengers of the nations? And then the meaning may be, either 1. That when Embaſſadors ſhould be ſent to Jeruſalem to congratulate this great victory of theirs over the Philiſtines; or when meſſengers ſhould be ſent to Judea upon any other occaſion, and coming thither, ſhould enquire of the late overthrow of the Philiſtines; the anſwer that ſhould be returned in Judea to theſe Embaſſadors, or Meſſengers of the Nations, ſhould be, that the Lord hath founded Zion; that is, that he had built it, and appointed it to be the place where he would dwell amongſt his people; and that accordingly he would protect and eſtabliſh it for ever. See the Note, Pſal. 78.69. and 87.1. and that the poor of his people ſhall truſt in it; that is, they ſhall account themſelves ſafe in Jeruſalem, becauſe they ſhall be under Gods protection therein. And the meaning is, that the Jews ſhould anſwer the Embaſſadors, or Meſſengers of the Nations, that by this which God had done to the Philistines, it was evident, that God had undertaken to eſtabliſt and defend Zion; and that therefore all his enemies muſt needs be deſtroyed. Or 2. That when the Embaſſadors, or Meſſengers of the Nations returning home from Judea to their own Countries (and it may be extended to any ſtrangers that had been there), ſhould relate what a wonderful victory the Jews had gotten over the Philistines, every one there ſhould be ready to anſwer, that ſurely the Lord hath founded Zion, &c. And if thus we underſtand the words, it is all one in effect, as if it had been ſaid, What think ye will be the report that will be ſpread all the world over, concerning this great overthrow of the Philistines by Hezekiah? Why truly, that God hath engaged himſelf for the protecting and preſerving of Zion; and that therefore his people, even when they are brought to the pooreſt condition, may well rely upon her ſafety. But now by the Meſſengers of the Nation may be meant, the Embaſſadors of the Philistines, the Nation ſpoken of in the foregoing verſes: And then the meaning ſeems to be this, that in caſe the Philistines ſhould, upon the death of Ahaz (ſuppoſing Judah then to be in a weak condition), ſend Embaſſadors to Hezekiah with many proud demands, denouncing War againſt him if thoſe demands were not granted; or rather, if after their defeat they ſhould ſend to deſire peace of Hezekiah, but yet upon very unequal and unreaſonable terms; the anſwer which Hezekiah, or ſome other for him, ſhould return to theſe Meſſengers of the Philistines, would be this, that the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people ſhall trust in it, or ſhall betake themſelves unto it; to wit, as a place of refuge and ſafety.