Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Isaiah · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
THe burthen of Egypt, behold the Lord rides upon a swift cloud and will come Vers. 1. Hieron.into Egypt. Jerom, who will have Egypt meant in the former Chapter, saith, that the Prophet having there obscurely threatned Egypt, now he doth it plainly, as is sometimes the manner of the Prophets. But to disprove this, enough hath been said before, he cometh not till now to Egypt. And he saith, some understand this of our Lord Christ coming into Egypt with his mother and Joseph, when they fled thither with him for fear of Herod, she being compared to a light or swift cloud that bare him. The ordinary Glosse understands this of the Lords coming against Egypt in the Assyrian Army first, that being to him Glos. ordin.as a light or swift cloud so suddenly and violently coming against the Egyptians, that their idols could not help them. Then of Christ taking flesh of the Virgin Mary, being without all heaviness of sin, and therefore called light and a cloud, because as clouds ingender above, so this flesh was ingendred by the coming of the holy Ghost from above upon the Virgin, according to Lyra; and as was said before, was carried into Egypt; at what time, as the Lyra.Scholast. History hath it, the Idols of Egypt fell. And the heart of Egypt shall fail.] That is, at the coming of the Assyrians, as the Glosse; but as Lyra, at the coming of the Romans, in whom the Lord came most terribly, when Augustus the Emperour warred against Antony rejecting his sister Augusta (for the love of Cleopatra) which was his wife, and overcame him, and he, that he might not fall into his hands, slew himself. It is childish, saith Calvin, by the Calvin.Lord coming into Egypt in a light cloud, to understand Christ, and by the Idols being moved, their miraculous falling, when he being an Infant was brought into Egypt; because he began not to work any miracles, till he came into Cana of Galilee, as is expresly said, Joh. 2. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana. But this reason is insufficient, for then indeed did he begin to work miracles, hereby shewing himself to be the Messiah; but it cannot hence be proved, that God the Father did by no miraculous sign manifest him before. For the Angels coming to Zechary, and to the Virgin Mary, was a miracle; and John the Baptists springing in his mothers belly, at Maries saluting Elizabeth, and the heavens bearing of a new Star to shew the place where he was born, and the heavens opening at his Baptisme, were all miracles: Yet I do not think that to be the proper meaning of this place, but the Allegoricall, and so Cyrill, Procopius, Theodor. August. Euseb. Bernard, &c. take it. The literal meaning being, that God by the Assyrians should execute his judgements against Egypt for their grosse Idolatries, and that their doing of it, was his coming against them; and because they should come irresistibly against them, all their fortifications profiting them nothing to withstand them, he useth this Metaphor of coming in a cloud on high, against which no forts would profit them, according to Calvin: or he saith thus, because clouds were seldom seen in Egypt, and were counted ominous when they were, according to Junius; who also denotes the time when this was fulfilled, viz. when Sethon, Junius.a priest of Vulcan, who reigned Egypt, was dead, ex Herodoti Euterpe. So that they are wide, who expound it of the Romans. The Egyptians Idols, which were some of silver and gold, and some of wood and stone, were diversly moved by the Assyrians, and afterwards by the Babylonians, when those of wood were burnt, of stone broken, and those of more pretious mettal carried Jer. 43. 12.away. And he speaks of their Idols, because they of all Nations were most given to Idolatry, as when they imbraced the Gospel, they were most devoted to duties of Piety, as both Jerom commends them, and August. ex Aug. de civit. l. 8. c. 14.Tresmegisto, more rightly applying that saying of his, Egypt is the Image of heaven, yea the Temple of the whole world. And Chrysost. Heaven doth not so shine with divers companies of starres, as Egypt is illustrated with innumerable habitacles of Chrys Hom. 8. in Matth.Monks and Virgins, and that Egypt was by Christ turned into Paradise.
And I will make the Egyptians to sight against the Egyptians, &c. This, saith Vers. 2. Hieronym.Jerom, was fulfilled when some of them at the coming of the Assyrians would have yeelded, but others would not, and so fell to civil warres amongst themselves. Kingdom against Kingdom.] The Septuagint foreign, that is, one prefectureship against another, whereof Ortelius numbreth sixty six. And this saith Jerom, was mystically fulfilled at Christs coming, because he came not to send peace, but a sword, and to set variance betwixt those of the same house. This of the civil warres of the Egyptians, saith Junius, was fulfilled, when Junius.Sethon being dead, twelve Tyrants divided the Kingdom amongst them, expelling Psamm…ti…us from amongst them, who again obtained all and expelled them, and then reigned most tyrannically, so Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus. And this is threatned as a great judgement, because nothing more weakens a Kingdom then civil warres: And in saying, I will make the Egyptians fight against the Egyptians, he intimates, that this alwaies in all Kingdoms comes of Note. the Lord for sin. And the more fully to set forth these dissentions, he proceeds by four degrees; 1. Brother against brother. 2. Friend against friend. 3. City against City. 4. Kingdom against Kingdom. What is meant by Kingdom here, and how many such were in Egypt, see before: of Cities or Towns are numbred by some twenty thousand.
And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of it, &c. That is, saith Jerom, Vers. 3.of those that refuse to submit to the Assyrians or Caldeans, for though they ask counsel of their idols or wizzards, it shall be vain. For they shall come into the hands of cruel masters, as v. 4. that is, of the Assyrians, who are every where set forth as most cruel. Calvin and Musculus observe that the Egyptians Calvin. Musculus.were in those daies counted the learnedest and wisest people in the world, and that they came from Countries most remote thither to hear their wisdom, and to learn the Arts, wherein they were most expert: It might therefore seem ridiculous, that they should want wisdom to order the affairs of their own Kingdom, being so potent; so as that it should evidently appear, that they had done foolishly to help one another into a servile estate. And in speaking of those with whom they should consult, he mentioneth, 1. Idols. 2. Magitians. 3. Wizzards and Diviners; denoting, as Calvin hath it, certain degrees: Calvin.By the Idols being meant their Oracles, which were most highly esteemed, by the Magi such as were of an inferiour rank, and by the other, such as were consulted with in lighter matters. Being uncertain and unsatisfied by one means, he sheweth that they should seek to another, but all in vain. And in saying thus he condemneth all other waies and means of seeking help and counsel in streights, besides of the Lord in his holy Word.
Then the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be dried up. Jerom Vers. 5. Hieron.understands this 1. Literally, of the failing of all benefits for the use of mans life, which come from the waters, as Fishes and things imported thereby. 2. Metaphorically, of the King and Princes of Egypt, in whom should be no help; and the reeds and canes following, v. 6. of all the abundance of Egypt. For in Ezekiel, Pharaoh is compared to a Dragon in the river, which he calleth his; and his Nobles to Fishes adhering to his sins, all being threatned to be pluckt out. 3. Tropologically, as before, chap. 11. 15. The Lord shall destroy the bosom of the Egyptian sea, &c. That is, under the Gospel the evil arts of Egypt shall all cease. 4. Historically, by the sea dried, the lake of Meroe, because the Hebrews call every collection of waters, a sea; and the waters of this lake falling, Nilus which was fed hereby, must needs fail also. Calvin understands the defences of Egypt failing, because that Country was unaccessible Calvin.but by water, and at every landing place such strong Bulworks were built, that they easily repell the enemy. But now their well defenced places should nothing avail to save them. Sasbont follows the Metaphoricall Exposition, understanding the decay of the strength of Egypt, both in King and Nobles and Adam Sasbont.common people, set forth by reeds and bulrushes, for out of these the Egyptians had many things usefull both for ship and the sustentation of their lives. Iconceive, because the not overflowing of Nilus so much as was desired, to make the Country of Egypt fruitfull, caused barrenness there; that in all this the Prophet sets forth a great famin, wherewith they should be punished, the earth not yeelding her increase as formerly, by means of the failing of these waters; so that men of all trades, both in land and waters should be confounded for the failing that should be of all necessaries, whereby they were wont to set themselves awork to get a living. And so here is another judgement threatened of famine and drought, besides that of the sword of the enemy bringing them under, spoken of in the former verses: and this is continued, v. 7, 8, 9, 10. also.
Certainly the Princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise Counsellours of Vers. 11.Pharaoh is unfatuated, &c. Here because Pharaohs counsel was thought to be most wise to order all things in that Kingdom so, as to prevent the ruine thereof; the Prophet, who foresaw that it should come to ruine, against the high opinion conceived of them, insults over them as fools; because when the time should come for them to do good in saving their Country by their wisdom, it should be like Ahitophels turned into foolishness; neither they nor their King, whom they flattered, calling him the son of the wise and of ancient Kings, being able to do any good for the preservation of Egypt, when the judgements before threatned should come. Which shews that there is no counsel or wisdom Note. against the Lord. And the vanity of Kings and other great persons, who glory in the antiquity of their houses, and the wisdom of their progenitors, being destitute thereof themselves; sith it is commonly seen, that inheritours of their fathers estates, do not inherit their virtues, but a wise father hath a foolish son, as Solomon, Rehoboam. The Vulgar Latine, for Principes Zoar, reade Principes Thaneos, following the Septuagint. It was the chief City of Egypt, wherein Moses did all his wonders, Psal. 78. 12. Exod. 7. 8, 9. And this City is spoken of, because there Pharaoh was with his Privy Counsel, selected out of the wisest of all his Princes. Lyra saith, the Kings name that now reigned Lyra.when this was done, was Anthonius, but called Pharaoh, according to the common appellation of the Kings of Egypt; and yet he refers this Prophecie to the time of Augustus Caesar going against Anthony and Cleopatra there, when the name of the King was no more Pharaoh, but Ptolomee; and this Prophecie pointed at the destruction of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar. Yet Jerom referres Hieron.it to the Romans times, when Idolatry began to fall at Christs coming into Egypt; for then the wisdom of the Egyptians, who were counted the wisest, appeared to be foolishness in matters of greatest concernment, viz. of Religion, which now appeared in them to be vain, wicked and devilish, for their excessive superstition. And thus he also spake before, upon v. 5. but by a tropol. Exposition. How say ye to Pharaoh, I am the son of ancient Kings? That is, speak so in way of slattery to him, that he speaks thus of himself? For the Egyptians derived the pedigree of their Kings from gods, Oros, Isis, Osirides and Typhon, and boasted of their antiquity so, as if they were before all other peoples, yea before the Moon; for they reckoned their time to be many thousands of years before the Creation, and hereby doth Lucian deride the Arcadians, calling them foreign, Lucian de Astrologia.
Where be thy wise men to tell thee, &c. Here he goeth on with his irony, deriding Vers. 12.the Wizzards of Egypt, as not being able to foretell the destruction of their Land, coming from the true God, that they might forsake their false gods, in whom there was no help in time of need. And Musculus saith, that Muscul.hereby he condemneth the art Magick, that none may seek to such as have skill therein, or to Astrologians, who haply by the starres may foretell some things of the weather, and of plenty or scarcity, &c. yet not certainly, but only conjecturally, yet so audacious are they, that they also take upon them to foretell of the lives and actions of men, as if all things were known unto them, but most vainly, being here condemned together with Wizzards, so Musculus.
They have deceived Egypt, the corner of his people. Lyra referring this to the Vers. 13. Lyra.time of the Romans, as also that of the Counsellours before spoken of, giving counsel to fight against the Romans taking part with Augustus against Anthony, from whence came their ruine, saith, that by the corner, wherein two wals meet, being the chief strength of an house, Anthony and Cleopatra were meant, who being deceived by the Wizzards, all Egypt was deceived. But how wide he is in this his reference, I have shewed before. Others therefore better understand the City Noph here spoken of, since called Alexandria, a principall City in Egypt, and Zoan making a corner of a well, as it were, because in them Muscul.the chief strength of Egypt stood; but being deceived by the Counsellours and Wizzards, therein making them secure by predictions of good, all the land was deceived, and lay open to this judgement, as Musculus. But Calvin will have the Counsellours and Wizzards hereby meant, as upon whom the people Calvin.relied, as a building upon the corner; and therefore he reades it as a Nominative, as if it had been said, the corner of his tribes or peoples hath deceived Egypt: Others as an Accusative, as if by the corner they were set forth, that had been deceived, in whom Egypts strength chiefly lay. I'preferre that of Calvin, as best agreeing to the deceivers hitherto cried out upon, viz. not Cities, but Counsellours and Wizzards, which abounded especially in these two; the later otherwise called by Jerom Memphis, a City most infamous for superstitions and idolatries. Some, because the chief firmament of a Kingdom is in the King, will have Pharaoh hereby understood, whom his flattering Counsellours thus extolling, put him on against the Assyrians to defend his neighbor Nations, but to his own ruine.
The Lord hath mingled in the midst thereof the spirit of perversnesse, &c. That Vers. 14.is, saith Jerom, that they do all things erroneously, nothing rightly, for so also he saith it may be rendred the spirit of errour. Even as they that having something mingled in their wine to make them giddy-headed, so should it be by a just judgement from God upon the Egyptians, that their wisest men should be idle in their brains, and farre from being able to give good counsel.
Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which head or tail branch or rush may Vers. 15. Hieron.do. Hierom hath it, Caput & caudam, incurvantem & refraenantem: And he expounds it, In Egypt there should be no work, that should have either head or tail, but agreeing to the dotage of crooked age or the wantonness of unruly youth, which needs for his wildeness to be bridled. But Calvin, that both Calvin.the Honourable set forth by the head and branch, and the Plebeians by the tail and rush, should all be at their wits end, and none able to do any thing to profit Egypt, and this is further confirmed by the same words used in this sense, Chap. 9. 13, 14.
In that day Egypt shall be like unto women, &c. Some think that their effeminatness Vers. 16.is here touched upon, for which they were noted, the women going abroad to do business, and the men keeping at home to do domesticall works. But because this was usual, and it must be a new thing here threatned, Calvin Calvin.doth well reject this, averring that the Egyptians yet were not so effeminate to have hearts like women commonly, for they did many military exploits, and sometime subdued, and sometime holp the Jews, but now this courage should fail in them, and be turned into the greatest timerousness; as God is wont to strike them whom he means to destroy, whereof the Canaanites may be an example. For the shaking of the hand of the Lord.] Whereby it is given Josh. 2.to understand, that when the Assyrians came against them, they were brought by God, and therefore this timerousness surprized them, and having an Almighty power against them, which they could by no means resist.
And the land of Judah shall be for a terrour to the Egyptians, &c. That is, saith Vers. 17. Jerom.Jerom, when they shall recount their former helping of the Jews against the Assyrians, at whose hands they shall therefore now suffer such grievous things. And Calvin more fully, because they by helping Judah had drawn the Jews away from trusting in God, and to rely upon them; against which they had often warnings, and when they did so, were much complained of by the Prophets. So that not only the people of God, who are drawn away from trusting Note. and serving him only, but they who are the instruments shall be sure one day to have it turned into a terrour unto them; thus Calvin. But I marvell how Expositours generally were moved thus to render and expound it, because the word is foreign signifying not terrour, but a festival, or exultation, and therefore Jerom hath it, For a terrour or festivity, and saith that Haggai hath it so, and so it must be read, if we will take it in the better part, although he for his part subscribes rather to the other reading. I rather think that the Prophet begins here, passing from threatnings against Egypt to Prophecie of comfort which should be unto them, and that in the best kinde; for that being delivered from superstition and idolatry, they should come to the knowledge of the true God, and the feasts of his people should be their feasts: for so it is expresly prophesied of, Zech. 14. 16, 18. and he saith, Every one that should make mention thereof to it shall fear, that is, be moved with reverence towards the God of Israel, who hath wrought this marvellous work; therefore it is added, For the counsel that he hath counselled over it; not against it, for it is foreign. And for this makes v. 18. And in that day there shall be five Cities in Egypt speaking the language of Canaan, for this is evidently of their conversion to the true faith. Those Expositions then, which will have Judah a terrour to Egypt, because they should be astonisht at the judgements coming upon them, mentioned by Calvin with dislike; or Egypt astonisht on the contrary side at the preservation of Judah by the miraculous confounding of Sennacherib, when he came against it, which Adam Sasbont hath, are not worth the naming.
And in that day five Cities in Egypt shall speak the language of Canaan, and Vers. 18.one shall be called the City of the sun. So Jerom, expounding it of Heliopolis, or at the least saying that Onias thinking it to be meant, built a Temple there unto the Lord; and he saith that Symmachus well rendred it Civitas solis. Our Translatours render it commonly, The City of destruction, for so foreign Heres the word here used signifieth: But others reading foreign for foreign, render it the sun, for so foreign signifieth: Thus also the Septuagint, Caldee, Vatablus, &c. Because there were five chief Cities in Egypt, mentioned Ezek. 30. 17. whereof Aven or Heliopolis was one, it seemeth that the Prophet alludeth hereunto, by five meaning all Egypt; and by one particularly named, shewing that this above the rest should be remarkable for piety, viz. Heliopolis, as it had been most notorious for idolatry, insomuch as that it was a City of Idolatrous Priests, so Herodotus; but being converted, it might for Christian piety therein flourishing be called the City of the Son of righteousnesse arising with healing in his wings, according to Malac. 4. 2. Calvin is the first that I have seen, who renders it, The City of destruction; and his Exposition hereupon is, that by the five Cities, speaking with the lip of Canaan, Calvin.for so the Hebrew word signifieth, are set forth five parts which shall be converted; but one over and above these, that is, the sixth part not being converted shall go into destruction; thus all who harden their hearts and will not turn at the preaching of the Gospel being threatned with destruction. But because this Prophecie is altogether of good and comfort, for many verses together, to the end of the Chapter, I cannot subscribe to him or his Exposition, but must needs rather prefer the former, against which nothing makes, but a letter varying, ye, this variance is so little that it can hardly be discerned, the one followed by the Ancients, being thus written foreign; the other by our new Writers thus foreign; and in this case I think we ought to be swayed rather by the sense agreeing best to the place, then by a letter not acknowledged neither by the Learned of more ancient times. Lyra saith, that some understand Alexandria by the City of the Lyra.sun, where St Mark preached the Gospel, and Simon the Apostle; after which the converted built Altars there to the honour of Christ; but he is rather for Heliopolis, as was said before. And he saith that Onias an high-Priest of the Jews said that he would go to Egypt and fulfill this Prophecie, and being entertained Joseph. Antiq. 13. 6.honourably by the King, and a City given him for this purpose, he built an Altar and offered sacrifices to God there: and thus the Hebrews and some of ours conceive it to be meant, and that it was fulfilled. But R. Solomon saith, that Sannecherib coming from battell against the Ethiopians, brought some Egyptian Nobles, whom he had taken, bound before Jerusalem, thinking to shew them to the Jews for their greater terrour to make them yeeld; but being prevented by the slaughter made amongst his men, he fled and left them, and they being by Hezekiah released, returned to Egypt and there built Altars and offered thereon to the true God. And that they might the more acceptably do so, they procured Priests to go with them, who offered and celebrated the praises of God in the language of Canaan, that is, their own tongue. But for the former of these, if Onias fondly grounding upon this Prophecie did so, that was no fulfilling of it, because that which he did, was not pleasing to God, as being done against his injunction, that Sacrifices should not be offered to him any where, but in the place by him chosen. For the next, it doth so strongly favour of the Rabinnical forge, that we may well reject it, as a thing feigned. The fulfilling of this Prophecie then was, when the Egyptians received the Gospel, for then they spake and studied the Hebrew tongue, as wherein the true Religion was set forth; and it is probable, as Lyra hath it, that many of them by the extraordinary gift of tongues then given to the converted after baptizing by the imposition of hands, spake this tongue singularly, as most necessary for Christian people. And further to shew, That the conversion of the Egyptians is here prophesied of, he addeth, They should swear by the Lord of hosts; that is, serve Deut. 10. 20. Jer. 4. 1.and worship him, one part of his worship, swearing by his name, being put for all.
In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the Land of Egypt, Vers. 19.&c. In this and the three verses following, the Prophet goes on further to declare the conversion of the Egyptians. The Altar, saith Jerom, is one Church, Hieronym.one Faith, one Baptism acknowledged in Egypt. And a pillar in the border thereof to the Lord; That is, The Gospels and writings of the Apostles. Vers. 20. And it shall be for a sign, &c. That is, of Christs pasion, and when upon the receiving of the Gospel persecution shall arise, they shall cry to the Lord for help, and he shall send them a Saviour, that is Jesus. Vers. 21. And the Lord shall be known to Egypt; That is, both to the persecuted to their comfort, and to the persecutors to their terrour, And they shall do sacrifice, &c. Here the Prophet plainly foretels an end put to the Levitical Priesthood under the Gospel, according to that of the Apostle, The Priesthood being removed, the Law must needs be done away also; That is, the Law of sacrificing by Priests of the Tribe of Levi, and in no place but at Jerusalem: For here it is fore-told that Sacrifice should be done in Egypt, and that by men of that Land. Let the Jews answer this if they can.
The Pillar rendred in Vulgar Latine Titulus, may, saith Lyra, be referred Lyra.to Christ, for his Title was written, Jesus Nazaraeus Rex Judaeorum. It may also be taken for the faith of Christ preached in all the borders of Egypt; but whereas he saith, Crosses are therefore set up upon Altars amongst Christians, as if this in part might be the title here meant, we reject as superstitious, for the holiness put therein, and the worship done to it, as sometime by the Jews to the brazen serpent, which was therefore broken down. For although crosses Of the Crosse.might have continued, if they had not been thus abused, yet now they are to be broken down, as monuments of the Antichristian sect, degenerating from true Christian Piety, and not of the Christian. Wherefore I doubt not, but as to the praise of Hezekiah it was recorded, That he brake down the brazen Serpent in this case, and called it Nehushtan; so it shall be in future ages to the praise of our present religious Parliament. Moreover Lyra by their crying to the Lord because of the oppressour, understands their crying against the devil; The Eucharist no Sacrifice.and by their Sacrifice the Eucharist, and thanksgivings made in the Church to the praise of God, saying, that it is called Sacrifices, because that alone is now in stead of the many Sacrifices formerly offered. Wherein he saith well in part, viz. in saying, that by Sacrifices are meant those of thanksgiving; but in making the Eucharist, that is, the Lords Supper a Sacrifice, he goeth without ground of Scripture, because it is no where called a Sacrifice, but a remembrance of the Sacrifice of Christs death, neither is the place where it standeth called an Altar, but the Table of the Lord: and against reason, which tels us, that there is no Sacrifice but which is offered to God, whereas this is offered to men and women receiving. And lastly, whereas he hath it [Sacrifices] it is Sacrifice in the original in the singular number, intimating Christ the only Sacrifice making all our praises and prayers acceptable to Allmighty God.
Calvin and Musculus, by the Altar, understand Christ believed in in Egypt, Calvin. Musculus.of which the Apostle saith, We have an altar, Heb. 13. 10. and by the Pillar or Title, that whereby it is known to what Kingdom such or such parts belong; so that whereby it is known that the Egyptians now belonged unto Christ, viz. the publick profession of the Gospel, is hereby meant.
And this shall be for a sign and witnesse to the Lord, &c. For they shall cry unto him, &c. That is, hereby it shall appear, That the Lord approves them for true converts, that they call no more in the time of their oppressions upon any other but the Lord only, and upon him they call so earnestly, that they are said to cry unto him, as the Spirit makes the faithfull to do, Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. Touching which oppressions, Calvin saith, That Egypt was subject to divers, for four hundred years, till the Gospel was there imbraced, and then they were delivered, according to that which is here prophesied, He will send them a Saviour, &c. That is, the same Jesus, to whom they shall turn shall save and deliver them out of all their troubles at length. One saith, It shall be a Oecolamp.sign to the Egyptians that the Lord is propitious to them, when crying unto him they shall be delivered: but then the former words must be read, It shall be a witnesse of the Lord to them. Which the word foreign will not well bear. The Note of Calvin hereupon is very good: Then only doth it appear, Note. and is testified to God, so that he approives it that we are turned unto him, when in our distresses we cry unto him, and are delivered; if not, we turn not yet so that he approves of it. And also, that deliverance from oppressours is not given, but to the converted, that Christians, who are now so full of trouble may be moved to turn, and not persist in their sins still.
And the Egyptians shall know the Lord, and the Lord shall be known unto them Vers. 21. Calvin.and they shall not sacrifice, &c. It is here to be noted, saith Calvin, that they must be endued with the knowledge of God, who will worship God acceptably, Note. because he saith, first, They shall know God, and then they shall offer, &c. And we may adde, who so doth not, wants this knowledge, although otherwise he may seem to have it. And to know God, and to be known of God, he saith, are all one, but twice spoken, because it should be a thing so remarkable, that the superstitious Egyptians should turn from all their false Gods, and therefore seriously to be considered. But I think there is more implied in it, viz. which the Apostle speaks of Rom. 10. 20. I was found of them that sought me not, and made manifest to them that asked not after me. God prevented the Egyptians by making the light of his knowledge to shine amongst them, and then they came to know the Lord: Of their doing Sacrifice he saith, That hereby is meant nothing else, but their imbracing of the faith, and confessing it together with other acts of the divine Worship; and hereby he sets forth the service of the New Testament, because in the time when he spake thus, God was served by Sacrifices of beasts, and Oblations of flower and oil, and wine, &c. And he meaneth not, that should be any carnal sacrificing now, but as our spiritual worshipping of God hereby allegorically set forth. Whereas it is added, They shall vow to the Lord and perform it; he saith, it is not to be understood at large, that men should vow what they pleased, and perform it, but what should be agreeable to the Word of God. For any thing unlawfull, as David vowed to destroy all that Nabal had (but being Of Vowes.better advised he did it not, and blessed God therefore) is not to be vowed and performed, neither any thing out of a mans power, but with a condition, wherefore monastical vows are not here meant, sith the gift of continency is not given but to some, neither can any vow to use it saving such as to whom it is given. And to vow to go in Pilgrimage to such a piace also, or to give this or that to a superstitious use, is likewise unlawfull. It seems rather by his saying They shall vow a vow; he means only that vow which all Christians are bound to make and keep, viz. to serve God onelyonly, and to cleave his Laws, as his people did anciently often vow in the times of godly Kings.
Therefore the Lord shall Egypt, smiting and healing, &c. Here is the conclusion Vers. 22.of all that was said vers. 20, 21. because they shall cry in their distresse and be saved, and then come to know the Lord and do Sacrifice, &c. it shall plainly appear, that Gods smiting of them was profitable for them, as tending to their conversion, and healing them by a greater healing, then that of the outward state, viz. of the inward man, being before deadly sick of sin, but by the effectual coming of the light amongst them now perfectly cured. Wherefore it is good to be afflicted, sith it is not to ruine, but after a while ceasing again, and a farre greater good redounding to their souls that are thus exercised.
In that day there shall be an high way out of Egypt to Assyria, &c. Some, saith Vers. 23. Hieronym.Jerom, understand this of Antichrist, that he shall come out of Egypt into Assyria, and reign all over Ethiopia, but absurdly, for it is meant, that whereas now there was one King of Egypt, and another of Assyria, both Nations should be under one, even the Roman, and be in hostility one against another no longer, but there should be trafficking amongst them, as being all subjects now of one Empire, and freely come and go from one countrey to another, as if they were all one Nations. And the Egyptians shall serve Ashur, or it may be rendered more according to sense, Shall serve with Ashur; forsomuch as now Ashur is not dominatour any more over Aegypt, but the Roman over them both. Calvin understnad this as fulfilled in the receiving of the Gospel, Calvin.which shall spread not to one Countrey of Aegypt, but all over the world, set forth by Assyria, because that Monarchy reached far and wide, from Euphrates to Tygrus. Before they came to know God, there were alwayes infest wars betwixt these Kingdoms, and Israel imploring the help sometime of the one, and sometime of the other was an occasion of setting them together by the ears; therefore he addeth Vers. 24. Israel shall be a third, of those amongst Note. whom this mutual concord shall be. And indeed they that receive the Christian Religion cordially, cannot but live in love and unity together, of how divers Countreys soever they be, because they have all one Spirit. And he saith, Away shall be, because formerly when they were in hostility, men durst not Hebr. foreign à calcando.travel that way, but now they might safely. But Calvin and Vatablus have the last clause, The Aegyptians shall serve Ashur; Giving this sense, as friends in love do service one to another. Now although foreign denotes oft times the accusative case, and hath none other signification, yet because it also signifieth [with] it is most commonly so taken, and so agreeth best here. But for the way from Egypt to Assyria, &c. Lyra refers this also to the Gospel causing concord amongst divers Nations, and to it I do subscribe.
In that day Israel shall be a third, &c. That is, Be no more under Antiochus, Vers. 24. Hieron.or Demetrius, Syrian Kings, as in times past, or Ptolomies of Egypt, being thus distracted and torn, but now in quiet also together with other Kingdoms imbracing the truth, so that each Nation in this respect shall be counted blessed, and Israel especially, as the Lords inheritance, and from whence this blessedness came to others, for the Law went out of Zion. But Calvin notes that the Calvin.word [third] is a feminine, and therefore must have reference to blessing following in the same gender; and so vers. 25. doth declare, where each Nation is said to be blessed, Aegypt, Assyria, Israel; and not only Egypt and Assyria, but all other Nations imbracing the faith, these being singularly named, as alwayes before most infense to the Israelites, and therefore if the Lord would be so reconciled to them, much more we may gather to any other. And they are said to be in the midst of the earth, because their situation is by Geographers counted to be in the midst. And he giveth each one a several title, Egypt my people, Assyria the work of my hands, so called, because the regenerate are by him made such, and so fitted to be vessels of honour, for which cause it is said Ephes. 2. 10. We are Gods workmanship. So are the Heavens and Earth also called, but the new creature more singularly, as having yet more excellency for the Spirit of God in them. And that which is here said, is no common thing, but rare and admirable, that other Nations should come now to be blessed, as well as Israel formerly chosen to be Gods peculiar people, all other Nations being excluded: but in Christ the partition-wall i…en down, and both Jews and Gentiles are made one. And Israel mine inheritance] so called, because Gods peculiar people so long before others. And this implieth a coming in of the Jews, although they be yet broken off, and have been so many hundred of years agone. For if branches of the wilde Olive be graffed in, much more in Gods good time the natural branches, and then shall be Rom. 11. 25.such a flourishing state of the Church, as at the Resurrection from the dead.