Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 34
CHAP. XXXIV.
Ver. 1. COme near ye Nations] In this Chapter and the next, the Prophet, for the terrour of the wicked, and comfort of the godly, ſummeth up what he had ſaid before concerning the deſtruction of the enemies, and the reſtauration of the Church.Lib. 11. de praep. Evang. Euſebius (with many other Ancients) will have this Chapter to be underſtood of the end of the world and the laſt judgement: and further ſaith that Plato hath taken this place of the Prophet Iſaiah into his writings, and made it his own, Litera vero hujus vaticinii de extremo judicio non loquitur: but this cannot be the literal ſenſe of the text, ſaith Scultetus. The Jew-Doctours will needs underſtand theſe two Chapters as a Prophecy of their return into the holy land, when once Idumea ſhall be deſtroyed: and for this they alledge, Lam. 4.22. which yet proveth it not.
Ver. 2. For the indignation of the Lord is upon all Nations] Is or ſhall be upon all the Churches enemies, whether of former or latter time; even his boyling wrath, as the Word ſignifieth.
He hath utterly deſtroyed them] Or, he will make an Anathema of them, as ver. 5. the people of my curſe, devoted to deſtruction.
Ver, 3. Their ſlain alſo ſhall be caſt out) Buried with the burial of an Aſſe, Jer. 22.19. which Cicero ſomewhere calleth ſepulturam inſepultam: This may alſo befall ſuch as for Gods ſake are ſlain all the day long: but to them it is no ſuch judgment; Caelo tegitur qui caret urna.
And their ſtink ſhall come up out of their carcaſſes] They ſtink alive as Goates, as whited Tombes, as walking dunghils: and now their dead carcaſſes alſo ſhall ſtink above-ground.
And the mountaines ſhall be melted with their blood] Juſtè omnino, becauſe they moiſtened the earth with the blood of Gods people, and dunged the land with their dead carcaſſes.
Ver. 4. And all the hoſt of Heaven ſhall be diſſolved] Inuſitati ſupplicii atrocitas ſic deſignatur. So great ſhall be the ſlaughter of the Nations, that the heavenly bodies ſhall ſeem to be ſenſible of it, and amazed at it, and the whole heaven to be rolled together as a ſcroll, leſt it ſhould be forced to behold it. In a bloody fight between Amurath the third, King of Turkes, and Lazarus Deſpot of Servia, many thouſands fell on both ſides: the Turkiſh Hiſtories, to expreſs the terrour of the day, vainly ſay, that the Angels in Heaven amazed with that hideous noiſe, for that time forgot the heavenly hymnes wherewith they alwayes glorifie God.
Ver. 5. For my ſword ſhall be bathed in heaven] Heb. drunk or drenched, i. e. In caelo decretum eſt ut inebrietur; whence-ſoever the ſword comes, it is bathed in Heaven, hath its commiſſion from God, Jer. 47.6, 7. See Jer. 46.9. and as a drunken man reeleth to and fro: ſo the ſword, when once in commiſſion, roveth up and down, and rideth circuit uſually, Ezek. 14.17.
Behold it ſhall come down upon Idumea] i e. Upon the Edomites who were aſſidui & acerrimi hoſtes Judaeorum, bitter enemies to the Jews, though both Nations came of Iſaac, both were circumciſed: ſo are now the Romiſh Edomites to the Churches of Chriſt, with whoſe blood they are red all over, Rev. 17. The Hebrews underſtand here by Idumea, Rome.
Ver. 6. The ſword of the Lord is filled with blood, &c.] That is, it maketh clean work: as the blood and fat were in ſacrifices conſumed, Levit. 1.16, 17. and this execution was no leſs pleaſing to God than ſome ſolemn ſacrifice.
For the Lord hath a ſacrifice in Bozrah] The Metropolis of Idumea: Ptolomy calleth it Botſra. And it prefigured Rome, ſaith Piſcator; the chief City and ſeat of Antichriſts Kingdom.
Ver. 7. And the Ʋnicornes ſhall come down] Monocerotes, qui interimi poſſunt, capi non poſſunt, creatures of untameable fierceneſs: or Rhinocerotes, as the Margent hath it: he meaneth the Great ones.
Ver. 8. For the controverſie of Zion] i. e. Of the Church both Jewiſh and Chriſtian, ſaith Piſcator: Confer, Rev. 18.2.
Alludit ad vicinam & ſ…tu & ſcelere & clade Sodomam. lib. 5. de bell. Jud. Geog. l. 16.Ver. 9. And the ſtreams thereof ſhall be turned into pitch] Like the Lake of Sodom which is near to Idumea; and whereof Joſephus writeth, that an Ox, having all his legs bound, will not ſink into it, the water is ſo thick and pitchy. Strabo, though a ſtranger to this Prophecy, atteſteth the accompliſhment of it. Lyra ſaith, that in ſome part of Idumea there is ſtill aſcending a ſmoke of fire and brimſtone, as out of Mount Aetna in Sicily. And Hyperius thinketh that the Edomites are here further threatned with hell-torments. It ſhould ſeem ſo by the next words.
Ver. 10. It ſhall not be quenched night nor day; the ſmoak of it ſhall go up for ever] See Revel. 14.11. and 18.18. and 19.3. And obſerve how John the Divine picks out the choiceſt paſſages of the Old Teſtament, and poliſheth therewith his Revelation.
None ſhall paſſe thorough it for ever] i. e. Incolendi animo, to dwell there: paſſengers did paſſe through it, and wondred at Gods dreadful judgments thereon, Jer. 49.17.
Ver. 11. The cormorant and the bittern ſhall poſſeſſe it] God cannot ſatisfie himſelf in ſaying what he will do to the Edomites, becauſe they had dealt by revenge, and had taken vengeance with a despightful heart to deſtroy the Church, for the old Satanical hatred, as Ezek 25.15. He will turn in thoſe animalia faeda, fera & terribelia, to dwell in their land; whereby is noted extream devaſtation, which is here in many exquiſite words (more propemodum Poetico) deſcribed.
And he ſhall ſtretch out upon it] So that men ſhall in vain think of rebuilding and repeopling it.
Ver. 12. They ſhall call the Nobles thereof to the Kingdom] The Venetians have Magiſtrates called Pregadi; becauſe at firſt men were prayed to take the office, and to help to govern the State: but here were none left for ſuch a purpoſe.
Ver. 13. A Court for Owles] Or, Oſtritches: ſee on ver. 11.
Ver. 14. The wild beaſts of the deſart] Heb. Ziim & Jiim: See Chap. 12.21, 22. where theſe monſtrous creatures are ſaid to dance: whence Baſil noteth, that men learned of devils to dance:Conr. Clingius. And another ſaith, that a dance is a circle; the centre whereof is the devil, the circumference, all his Angels.
And the Satyr ſhall cry to his fellow] Heb. the rough or hairy one. Chald. Daemones inter ſe colludent, the devils ſhall play among themſelves, Satan is a rough harſh ſpirit, ſo are his, See Levit. 17.7.
Ver. 15. There ſhall the great Owle make her neſt] Heb. Kippoz. The Hebrews themſelves agree not what creatures theſe are here mentioned: ſo far are they faln from the knowledge of the Scripture: Their tale about Lilits (once Adams firſt wife, but now a ſcriech-Owle or an evil ſpirit) is not worthy the mentioning.
Ver. 16. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord] Sciſcitamini ex libro Domini, the Holy Bible: which Biſhop Bonneri Chaplain called in ſcorn of the Martyrs, Your little pretty Gods-book: Another Bohemian blaſphemer for Biblia called it Vitlia: which in the Bohemian language ſignifieth Vomit. But let us ſearch the Scriptures, (and particularly this Prophecy commanded to be written in a book, chap. 30.8.) and compare the truth of theſe predictions with the events.
None ſhall want her mate] Some write of the Aſp, he never wandreth alone without his companion; and none of theſe birds of deſolation want their mate: ſo craft and cruelty do ever go together in the Churches enemies.
Ver. 17. And he hath caſt the lot for them] i. e. For thoſe creatures of prey aforementioned.
From generation] i. e. For many generations.