Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Isaiah · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
IN that day seven women shall lay hold upon one man, &c. The number seven, Vers. 1. Hieronym.saith Jerom, and sometime ten, were familiar amongst the Hebrews, because of the Sabbath of the seventh day, and the ten Commandments. But by seven is not alwayes meant precisely the number of seven, but many, so likewise by ten, as when Zechary saith, Ten men shall lay hold upon the skirt of a Jew, saying, we will go with thee. For the present place, such a destruction being made in Jerusalem, as hath been formerly prophesied of, he sheweth here, that many women shall be forced to follow one man, pleading only for the benefit of marriage with him, for the encrease of posterity, it being then counted a great reproach for a woman to be barren. And this sheweth, saith Muscul. how Musculus.few men should be left by the sword of the enemy, whereas there should not be above one for seven women, & women for fear of wanting husbands should lay aside womanlike modesty so far, as to offer themselves to men, and whereas the man commonly should provide for the woman food and raiment, to offer to provide these for themselves. Basil allegorically by seven women laying hold The Allegory.upon one man, understands the Jews living after their own laws, but laying hold upon Christ to be delivered from the reproach of spiritual barrennesse, and other Allegories there be of Jerom and Cyril, which are as little or lesse pertinent. For the womans being called by the name of her husband, that hath been so ever since the Creation, for the woman is called Ishah, from her husband Ish, for as Ishah signifieth a woman, so Ish the man, although Adam called his wives name in another respect Evah, viz. because she was the mother of all men. And the Hebrews and Romans also called the wives by their husbands names, as Mary of Cleophas, Mary of James, Cornelia, Tullia, Caia, &c.
In that day the branch of the Lord shall be to beauty and glory, and the fruit of the Vers. 2.Land to excellency.
In that day] saith Musculus, in those dayes, whereby is not meant strictly Muscul.the time of the destruction before prophesied of, for what glory could there be then? but in a time that should follow after this, viz. at their return out of Captivity. But by the Branch, saith Calvin, some understand Christ, because Calvin.he is set forth by this name, Zech. 6. 12. yet to him that shall more accurately look into this place it will appear, that not that branch, but a stock of people delivered and reflourishing again is meant, because at the end of this verse it is expressed, of whom this is spoken, viz. the delivered of Israel, and vers. 3. Those that are left in Zion; Thus Calvin, who also laboureth to prove, that by the branch may be understood blessings temporal and spiritual, wherewith that people should be blessed, who had been before made so miserable. But Jerom by the Branch understands the branch of Christianity springing up Hieronym.in the time of the Gospel, and the glory here spoken of, shall then be not to all, but to a remnant of Israel which shall be saved, of which remnant the Prophet spake before Chap. 1. 9. that is, the Apostles and such as were converted by them, whose names were written in the book of life; sutable to which is the speech of Christ to his Disciples, Rejoyce, that your names are written in Heaven. Vers. 3. When the Lord shall wash away the filthiness of the daughters of Sion, and the bloud of Jerusalem, that is, when they shall come to be baptized Vers. 4.for the remission of sins, and in saying [bloud] he alludeth to that Chap. 1. Your hands are full of bloud; and points at their crying out, His bloud be upon us and our children; they that turned being also cleansed herefrom. And according to this the Fathers generally expound it; and Tremellius also, alledging Tremel.Isa. 11. and Jer. 23. 33. where Christ is also called the branch, neither is any other elswhere set forth by this name. And most aptly is Christ thus called, who sprung up in Israel to the great illustration of that people, when they were wasted with many miseries and brought most low, so that they had no Ruler of their own, but were under strangers, the Romans and Herod, even as a tree cut down to the stump, but he then coming was as a Branch springing forth, to glory and honour, when he wrought so many miracles, that made him famous in all parts, And the fruit of the earth to excellency and ornament to the deliverance of Israel. The Son, who was before called the Branch of the Lord, is now called the fruit of the earth, because he took flesh, and so was born upon earth; and he is said to be an ornament to the deliverance, that is, the delivered, the abstract being put for the contrete, and by the delivered are meant such as are saved of the Church consisting both of Jews and Gentiles, which is Gods Israel.
And it shall be that the remnant in Zion, and in Jerusalem shall be called holy, Vers. 3.&c. That is, every one, who shall be delivered from the sword, and infidelity by turning to the true faith, that is, every true Christian shall be holy, even every one, that is written to life in Jerusalem; here it is alluded to the writing of mens names in a book of Genealogies, for here they searched in the time of Nehemiah and Ezra, to finde who were true Israelites: but by Jerusalem here is meant the heavenly Jerusalem, where who so is written shall live for ever, but others not, and this is the book of Predestination, wherein no man knows who is written, but God only, till he be truly converted, for then he hath a white stone given him, and a new name written in it, which no man knoweth, but Revel. 2. 17.he that hath it.
In the spirit of judgement, and of fire. In this verse are the means, whereby Vers. 4.they shall be sanctified and made holy, that are by Christ delivered, viz. They shall be washed by Baptism, and unto water fire shall be added, as was done in the day of Pentecost, and thus every one that is truly baptized is baptized with water and the holy Ghost. Others that understand all this of the Jews returning from Captivity, say, that the Prophet having spoken figuratively of them, vers. 2. under the name of a Branch, and the fruit of the earth now speaks of the same plainly, they shall be called holy, not that every one of them shall be such, but so many as be elect, who are the invisible part of the Church mingled here with the impure. For the reason yielded vers. 4. He will wash away the filthinesse, &c. They understand this of his destroying the wicked by his former judgements, who were as filthiness and bloud amongst them, but being taken away the remnant was pure and holy. Whence Calvin noteth, Calvin.That judgements executed upon the Church in the most rigorous manner, do not, as is commonly thought, make against the welfare thereof, but for it, because although the people be reduced to fewer, yet they are more worth now then all the great multitude before, because holy.
And the Lord shall create upon all the habitation of mount Zion a cloud by day, Vers. 5.and in the night the brightnesse of flaming fire, &c. Hebr. A cloud and smoke, foreign as also Tremellius renders it, and Jerom: but Marlorat, Darknesse. And Hieronym. Exod. 13. 21.it is a Prophecie, saith Jerom, of renewing the like favours to the Church under the Gospel to those of old in the wilderness, the meaning being, that they should be sheltered from trouble both in adversity and prosperity. Wherefore smoke here doth not set forth the darkness of ignorance or errour, but glory, as the house of God is sometime said to have been filled with smoke; and Joel prophesying of the coming down of the holy Ghost, saith, bloud and fire, and the vapour of smoke. Tremellius, upon every Tabernacle, that is, every Congregation Tremel.of the faithfull shall be a cloud, that is, direction in the right way, and upon all the glory protection, or a covering, wherein it is alluded to the Tabernacle, over the glorious things whereof there was a covering, because also vers. 2. it is said, The Branch of the Lord shall be to glory, the Congregation is here set forth by the name of glory for the excellency thereof. The cloud and smoaky darkness, intimating the flame ready to break out, and the flame were both for direction to the Israelites going through the wilderness to Canaan, wherefore hereby is set forth, that the faithfull under the Gospel should have the direction of Gods Spirit through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan. And because the cloud cooled and defended them from the heat of the Sun, but yet was occasion of some darkness, their light not being so bright, and the flame of fire enlightened them against the darkness of the night: in speaking hereof the Prophet sheweth both the protection of God, that should continually be over his Church, and the mixture of adversity with prosperity for the greater good thereof. For light in the night setteth forth comfort to mitigate the darkness of calamity, and a cloud in the day, affliction whereby God tempereth the prosperity of his Saints, least they being taken herewith should wax proud, wherefore God in the day of prosperity protecteth his with a cloud of affliction, and in the night of affliction visits them with the fire of divine oblectation, for overmuch prosperity hurteth as much as overmuch adversity, For upon all the glory shall be protection. Here it is alluded to the Ark, which was the glory of Israel, and because the Ark figured out the Church under the Gospel, it is meant that every Church shall be under Gods protection, and special providence, as the Ark and Tabernacle then was, when the cloud was over it.
And the tabernacle shall be a shadow in the day from the heat, and a receptacle Vers. 6. Ambros. Hieronym. Cyril. Omnia in nobis Christus, si à vulncre curari desider as medicus est simortent times, vita est, &c.and hiding place from the flouds and rain. That is, the same protection shall be as the cloud to shadow the Church from the heat of persecution of bloudy enemies, and a receptacle, &c. that is security to the faithfull against the flouds of temptations either by danger or suggestions, see Psal. 27. 5. Psal. 31. 21. for Gods protecting of his. This benefit which cometh from Christ to the faithfull, is further amplified by Ambrose, saying, If thou hast need of cure, he is a Physician, if thou fearest death, he is life, if thou fleest darkness, he is light, if thou desirest heaven, he is the way, if meal, he is nourishment.