Isaiah · Chapter 52

V. 1. Awake-This is a prediction and promise what she should do, that she should awake or arise out of her low estate, and be strong and courageous. Beautiful garments-Thy sorrows shall be ended, and thou shalt be advanced into a glorious condition. O Zion-O my church. Come-Either to molest thee, or defile thee. The uncircumcised-Heathens or infidels. Unclean-Nor any others, who are unholy.

Verse 1. There shall no more come into thee] For aby yabo, “shall come,” abl lebo, “to come,” is the reading of five of Kennicott’s and two of Deuteronomy Rossi’s MSS. This is the better reading, abl ãyswy al yk ki lo yosiph lebo, “There shall not add to come.”

The uncircumcised and the unclean.] Christians have turned many passages of the prophets against the Jews; and it is not to be wondered at, that in support of their obstinate and hopeless cause, they should press a prophecy into their service, and make it speak against the Christians. This Kimchi does in this place; for he says, by the uncircumcised, the Christians are meant; and by the unclean, the Turks. The Christians are uncircumcised; and the Turks, though circumcised, and using many ablutions, are unclean in their works.

Verses 1-3. Awake, awake, put on strength — God orders his church to do that which she entreated him to do, Isaiah 51:9. And because his word is with power, and what he commands he in certain cases effects, this is a prediction and promise what he should do, that she should awake or arise out of her low estate, and be strong and courageous. Put on thy beautiful garments — Thy sorrows shall be ended, and thou shalt be advanced in a glorious condition. O Zion — O my church, very frequently called by the name of Zion or Jerusalem. There shall no more come unto thee — To molest, or associate themselves with, and thereby to defile and corrupt thee; the uncircumcised and unclean — Heathen and infidels, nor any others who are unholy. Whereby he intimates, that there should be a greater reformation and more purity in the church than formerly there had been, which was eminently accomplished in the church and kingdom of Christ. Shake thyself from the dust — In which thou hast lain as a prisoner, or sat as a mourner. Arise, and sit down — Upon thy throne. Or sit up, as the word ybv is rendered, Genesis 27:19. Loose thyself, &c. — The yoke of thy captivity shall be taken off from thee. Ye have sold yourselves — By your sins, into the hands of your enemies; for naught — Without any price or valuable consideration paid by them, either to you or to your lord and owner. And ye shall be redeemed without money — Without paying any ransom.

Verse 1. There shall no more come to thee the uncircumcised. The temple being often profaned after the captivity, this prophecy must have an ultimate reference to the glory of the church in the latter day. Isaiah 60. Micah 4. Against the true church the gates of hell shall not prevail.

ZION’S FINAL DELIVERANCE, 1-10.

The same call, Awake, awake, (as at verse 9, in the preceding section,) is to Zion, or to Zion-Jerusalem; Zion as representing a redeemed people delivered to their old Jerusalem home. The scene is changed. She is not now addressed as a prostrate, stupified woman in Babylon, but as a gloriously-renewed community, and hidden now to intense arousement (out of her stupefaction) to hope and to high cheer as to the future. The scene is Jerusalem, and the representation is that of the grandest revival throughout the spiritual Israel.

1, 2. Put on… strength — Not splendour, (Gesenius,) but “strength,” imparted through conscious union with Jehovah. Beautiful garments — Rather, garments of beauty, giving the prominence really due to the latter noun, itself alone expressing the intended chief thought, which is holy character; “garments” being the embellishments with which the character is set off. Such character the people of Jerusalem are assumed now to possess, and to have no further association with the uncircumcised and the unclean, who have already had too much to do with defiling the purity of Israel. Shake… from the dust — A contrast is here intended with the description of Isaiah 47:1. Zion has long been a captive seated on the ground, clothed with sackcloth, and dust on her head; but she is now bidden to shake off the dust of her captivity, and to stand or sit in her complete freedom. Bands of thy neck — The Hebrew text is expressive: Loosed are the bands, or chains, which held thee in slavery; arise, and be at energetic work.

V. 2. The dust-In which thou hast sat as a mourner. The bands-The yoke of thy captivity shall be taken off from thee.

Verse 2. Sit down, O Jerusalem— “Ascend thy lofty seat, O Jerusalem”] The literal rendering here is, according to our English translation, “arise, sit;” on which a very learned person remarks: “So the old versions. But sitting is an expression of mourning in Scripture and the ancients; and doth not well agree with the rising just before.” It does not indeed agree, according to our ideas; but, considered in an oriental light, it is perfectly consistent. The common manner of sitting in the eastern countries is upon the ground or the floor with the legs crossed. The people of better condition have the floors of their chambers or divans covered with carpets for this purpose; and round the chamber broad couches, raised a little above the floor, spread with mattresses handsomely covered, which are called sofas. When sitting is spoken of as a posture of more than ordinary state, it is quite of a different kind; and means sitting on high, on a chair of state or throne called the musnud; for which a footstool was necessary, both in order that the person might raise himself up to it, and for supporting the legs when he was placed in it. “Chairs,” says Sir John Chardin, “are never used in Persia, but at the coronation of their kings. The king is seated in a chair of gold set with jewels, three feet high. The chairs which are used by the people in the east are always so high as to make a footstool necessary. And this proves the propriety of the style of Scripture, which always joins the footstool to the throne.” (Isaiah 66:1; Psalm 110:1.) Voyages, tom. ix. p. 85, 12mo. Besides the six steps to Solomon’s throne, there was a footstool of gold fastened to the seat, 2 Chronicles 9:18, which would otherwise have been too high for the king to reach, or to sit on conveniently.

When Thetis comes to wait on Vulcan to request armour for her son, she is received with great respect, and seated on a silver-studded throne, a chair of ceremony, with a footstool:—

Thn men epeita kaqeisen epi qronou argurohlou,

Kalou, daidaleou, upo de qrhnuv posin hen.

Iliad xviii. 389.

“High on a throne, with stars of silver graced,

And various artifice, the queen she placed;

A footstool at her feet.”

POPE.

~O gar qronov autov monon eleuqeriov esti kaqedra sun

upopodiw. Athenæus, v. 4. “A throne is nothing more than a handsome sort of chair with a footstool.”—L.

Verses 1-3. Awake, awake, put on strength — God orders his church to do that which she entreated him to do, Isaiah 51:9. And because his word is with power, and what he commands he in certain cases effects, this is a prediction and promise what he should do, that she should awake or arise out of her low estate, and be strong and courageous. Put on thy beautiful garments — Thy sorrows shall be ended, and thou shalt be advanced in a glorious condition. O Zion — O my church, very frequently called by the name of Zion or Jerusalem. There shall no more come unto thee — To molest, or associate themselves with, and thereby to defile and corrupt thee; the uncircumcised and unclean — Heathen and infidels, nor any others who are unholy. Whereby he intimates, that there should be a greater reformation and more purity in the church than formerly there had been, which was eminently accomplished in the church and kingdom of Christ. Shake thyself from the dust — In which thou hast lain as a prisoner, or sat as a mourner. Arise, and sit down — Upon thy throne. Or sit up, as the word ybv is rendered, Genesis 27:19. Loose thyself, &c. — The yoke of thy captivity shall be taken off from thee. Ye have sold yourselves — By your sins, into the hands of your enemies; for naught — Without any price or valuable consideration paid by them, either to you or to your lord and owner. And ye shall be redeemed without money — Without paying any ransom.

ZION’S FINAL DELIVERANCE, 1-10.

The same call, Awake, awake, (as at verse 9, in the preceding section,) is to Zion, or to Zion-Jerusalem; Zion as representing a redeemed people delivered to their old Jerusalem home. The scene is changed. She is not now addressed as a prostrate, stupified woman in Babylon, but as a gloriously-renewed community, and hidden now to intense arousement (out of her stupefaction) to hope and to high cheer as to the future. The scene is Jerusalem, and the representation is that of the grandest revival throughout the spiritual Israel.

1, 2. Put on… strength — Not splendour, (Gesenius,) but “strength,” imparted through conscious union with Jehovah. Beautiful garments — Rather, garments of beauty, giving the prominence really due to the latter noun, itself alone expressing the intended chief thought, which is holy character; “garments” being the embellishments with which the character is set off. Such character the people of Jerusalem are assumed now to possess, and to have no further association with the uncircumcised and the unclean, who have already had too much to do with defiling the purity of Israel. Shake… from the dust — A contrast is here intended with the description of Isaiah 47:1. Zion has long been a captive seated on the ground, clothed with sackcloth, and dust on her head; but she is now bidden to shake off the dust of her captivity, and to stand or sit in her complete freedom. Bands of thy neck — The Hebrew text is expressive: Loosed are the bands, or chains, which held thee in slavery; arise, and be at energetic work.

V. 3. Sold yourselves-By your sins, without any valuable consideration paid by them either to you, or to your Lord and owner. Without money-Without paying any ransom.

Verses 1-3. Awake, awake, put on strength — God orders his church to do that which she entreated him to do, Isaiah 51:9. And because his word is with power, and what he commands he in certain cases effects, this is a prediction and promise what he should do, that she should awake or arise out of her low estate, and be strong and courageous. Put on thy beautiful garments — Thy sorrows shall be ended, and thou shalt be advanced in a glorious condition. O Zion — O my church, very frequently called by the name of Zion or Jerusalem. There shall no more come unto thee — To molest, or associate themselves with, and thereby to defile and corrupt thee; the uncircumcised and unclean — Heathen and infidels, nor any others who are unholy. Whereby he intimates, that there should be a greater reformation and more purity in the church than formerly there had been, which was eminently accomplished in the church and kingdom of Christ. Shake thyself from the dust — In which thou hast lain as a prisoner, or sat as a mourner. Arise, and sit down — Upon thy throne. Or sit up, as the word ybv is rendered, Genesis 27:19. Loose thyself, &c. — The yoke of thy captivity shall be taken off from thee. Ye have sold yourselves — By your sins, into the hands of your enemies; for naught — Without any price or valuable consideration paid by them, either to you or to your lord and owner. And ye shall be redeemed without money — Without paying any ransom.

3-6. Shall be redeemed without money — As the Babylonians paid no price for Israel, so they shall receive none for her return. God punishes injustice all round. His people, long time ago, went down to Egypt ostensibly to stay only till provision for their families should be obtainable in their own country. And because Egypt unjustly enslaved them, God overthrew the Egyptian king and his hosts. Equally, without cause, the Assyrian also became the oppressor of Israel. Now… what have I here — That is, in the matter of remuneration to the Assyrio-Babylonian. On his part he carried Israel away unjustly, and cruelly treated her. Yet now these oppressors howl and rail at Jehovah for reclaiming his own with no offer of pay. Israel, indeed, was at fault, but not against the Babylonians. She sold herself to captivity, but this injury was toward God, for he had the exclusive right to ownership in her. The honour of Jehovah himself demanded her restoration without price, for she was sold for nothing; he had in return for her just nothing, except infamy upon his holy name. Because the desolation of Jerusalem for so long a time has been an injury to him, to his honour, he will now (verse 6) reveal his name. My people shall know my name — Whether he is thought of as El, or Elohim, or Jehovah, in each, or in all together, his name signifies the absolute, eternal, peaceful One, sole Creator and Ruler of all things. In that day — The day when his Jerusalem-Zion and her people shall be completely restored, historically and spiritually, these wicked oppressors and all the oppressed shall know, and my people emphatically shall know, that I am he that doth speak. That is, that He who promised redemption is now present as the true and omnipotent One to carry it into effect.

V. 4. Egypt-Where they had protection and sustenance, and therefore owed subjection to the king of Egypt. And yet when he oppressed them, I punished him severely, and delivered them out of his hands. The Assyrian-The king of Babylon, who is called the king of Assyria, 2 Kings 23:29, as also the Persian emperor is called, Ezra 6:22, because it was one and the same empire which was possessed, first by the Assyrians, then by the Babylonians, and afterwards by the Persians. Without cause-Without any such ground or colour, by mere force invading their land, and carrying them away into captivity.

Verse 4. Thus saith the Lord God] hwhy ynda Adonai Jehovah; but Adonai is wanting in twelve of Kennicott’s, five of Deuteronomy Rossi’s, and two of my own MSS.; and by the Septuagint and Arabic. Some MSS. have twabx hwhy Jehovah tsebaoth, “Lord of hosts;” and others have אלהים hwhy Yehovah Elohim, “Lord God.”

Verses 4-6. My people went down into Egypt — Where they had protection and sustenance, and therefore owed subjection to the king of Egypt. And yet when he oppressed them I punished him severely, and delivered them out of his hands. And the Assyrian oppressed them — The king of Babylon, who is called the king of Assyria, (2 Kings 23. 29,) as also the Persian emperor is called, (Ezra 6:22,) because it was one and the same empire which was possessed, first by the Assyrians, then by the Babylonians, and afterward by the Persians. Without cause — Without any real ground or colour, by mere force invading their land, and carrying them away into captivity, Now therefore what have I here — Why (speaking after the manner of men) do I sit still here, and not go to Babylon to punish the Babylonians, and to deliver my people? Or, What honour have I by suffering this injury to be done to my people? That my people is taken away for naught — Were carried away captive by the Babylonians, without any provocation or pretence of right? They that rule over them make them to howl — By their tyrannical and unmerciful usage of them; and my name continually is blasphemed — The Babylonians blaspheme me, as if I wanted either power or goodwill to save my people out of their hands. Therefore my people shall know my name — They shall have sensible experience of my infinite power and goodness in fighting for them. They shall know in that day — When I shall redeem them; which work was begun by the return of the Jews from Babylon, and afterward carried on, and at last perfected, by the coming of the Messiah; that I am he that doth speak — That these promises are not the words of a weak, or fickle, or deceitful man, but of him who is omnipotent, unchangeable, and a covenant-keeping God.

Ver. 4. My people went down aforetime into Egypt—and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. Egypt is called Assyria, as in Ezekiel 31:3, because the Assyrian cruelties were now become proverbial.

3-6. Shall be redeemed without money — As the Babylonians paid no price for Israel, so they shall receive none for her return. God punishes injustice all round. His people, long time ago, went down to Egypt ostensibly to stay only till provision for their families should be obtainable in their own country. And because Egypt unjustly enslaved them, God overthrew the Egyptian king and his hosts. Equally, without cause, the Assyrian also became the oppressor of Israel. Now… what have I here — That is, in the matter of remuneration to the Assyrio-Babylonian. On his part he carried Israel away unjustly, and cruelly treated her. Yet now these oppressors howl and rail at Jehovah for reclaiming his own with no offer of pay. Israel, indeed, was at fault, but not against the Babylonians. She sold herself to captivity, but this injury was toward God, for he had the exclusive right to ownership in her. The honour of Jehovah himself demanded her restoration without price, for she was sold for nothing; he had in return for her just nothing, except infamy upon his holy name. Because the desolation of Jerusalem for so long a time has been an injury to him, to his honour, he will now (verse 6) reveal his name. My people shall know my name — Whether he is thought of as El, or Elohim, or Jehovah, in each, or in all together, his name signifies the absolute, eternal, peaceful One, sole Creator and Ruler of all things. In that day — The day when his Jerusalem-Zion and her people shall be completely restored, historically and spiritually, these wicked oppressors and all the oppressed shall know, and my people emphatically shall know, that I am he that doth speak. That is, that He who promised redemption is now present as the true and omnipotent One to carry it into effect.

V. 5. What have I-Why do I sit still here, and not go to Babylon to punish the Babylonians, and to deliver my people? For nought-Without any provocation, or pretence of right. Howl-By their unmerciful usage. Blasphemed-The Babylonians blasphemed me as if I wanted either power or good will to save my people out of their hands.

Verse 5. They that rule over them— “They that are lords over them”] For wlvm moshelo, singular, in the text, more than a hundred and twenty MSS. (Deuteronomy Rossi says, codices innumeri, “numberless copies”) have wylvm moshelaiv, plural, according to the Masoretical correction in the margin; which shows that the Masoretes often superstitiously retained apparent mistakes in the text, even when they had sufficient evidence to authorize the introduction of the true reading.

Make them to howl— “Make their boast of it”] For wlylyhy yeheililu, “make them to howl,” five MSS., (two ancient,) have wllhy yehalelu, “make their boast;” which is confirmed by the Chaldee paraphrast, who renders it משתבחינ mishtabbechin. Ulaloo is not only the cry itself, but also the name of the funeral song of the Irish. The Arabs have a cry very much resembling this.

Verses 4-6. My people went down into Egypt — Where they had protection and sustenance, and therefore owed subjection to the king of Egypt. And yet when he oppressed them I punished him severely, and delivered them out of his hands. And the Assyrian oppressed them — The king of Babylon, who is called the king of Assyria, (2 Kings 23. 29,) as also the Persian emperor is called, (Ezra 6:22,) because it was one and the same empire which was possessed, first by the Assyrians, then by the Babylonians, and afterward by the Persians. Without cause — Without any real ground or colour, by mere force invading their land, and carrying them away into captivity, Now therefore what have I here — Why (speaking after the manner of men) do I sit still here, and not go to Babylon to punish the Babylonians, and to deliver my people? Or, What honour have I by suffering this injury to be done to my people? That my people is taken away for naught — Were carried away captive by the Babylonians, without any provocation or pretence of right? They that rule over them make them to howl — By their tyrannical and unmerciful usage of them; and my name continually is blasphemed — The Babylonians blaspheme me, as if I wanted either power or goodwill to save my people out of their hands. Therefore my people shall know my name — They shall have sensible experience of my infinite power and goodness in fighting for them. They shall know in that day — When I shall redeem them; which work was begun by the return of the Jews from Babylon, and afterward carried on, and at last perfected, by the coming of the Messiah; that I am he that doth speak — That these promises are not the words of a weak, or fickle, or deceitful man, but of him who is omnipotent, unchangeable, and a covenant-keeping God.

3-6. Shall be redeemed without money — As the Babylonians paid no price for Israel, so they shall receive none for her return. God punishes injustice all round. His people, long time ago, went down to Egypt ostensibly to stay only till provision for their families should be obtainable in their own country. And because Egypt unjustly enslaved them, God overthrew the Egyptian king and his hosts. Equally, without cause, the Assyrian also became the oppressor of Israel. Now… what have I here — That is, in the matter of remuneration to the Assyrio-Babylonian. On his part he carried Israel away unjustly, and cruelly treated her. Yet now these oppressors howl and rail at Jehovah for reclaiming his own with no offer of pay. Israel, indeed, was at fault, but not against the Babylonians. She sold herself to captivity, but this injury was toward God, for he had the exclusive right to ownership in her. The honour of Jehovah himself demanded her restoration without price, for she was sold for nothing; he had in return for her just nothing, except infamy upon his holy name. Because the desolation of Jerusalem for so long a time has been an injury to him, to his honour, he will now (verse 6) reveal his name. My people shall know my name — Whether he is thought of as El, or Elohim, or Jehovah, in each, or in all together, his name signifies the absolute, eternal, peaceful One, sole Creator and Ruler of all things. In that day — The day when his Jerusalem-Zion and her people shall be completely restored, historically and spiritually, these wicked oppressors and all the oppressed shall know, and my people emphatically shall know, that I am he that doth speak. That is, that He who promised redemption is now present as the true and omnipotent One to carry it into effect.

V. 6. Shall know-They shall experience my power and goodness in fighting for them. In that day-When I shall redeem my people: which work was begun by the return of the Jews from Babylon, and perfected by the coming of the Messiah. Behold-That all these promises are the words of the omnipotent, unchangeable God.

Verse 6. Therefore my people shall know] The word לכנ lachen, occurring the second time in this verse, seems to be repeated by mistake. It has no force nor emphasis as a repetition; it only embarrasses the construction and the sense. It was not in the copies from which the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate were translated; it was not in the copy of the Septuagint from which the Arabic was translated; but in the Aldine and Complutensian editions dia touto is repeated; probably so corrected, in order to make it conformable with the Hebrew text.

I am he that doth speak— “I am he, JEHOVAH, that promised”] For awh hu, the Bodleian MS. and another have hwhy, Jehovah; “For I am JEHOVAH that promised;” and another ancient MS. adds hwhy Jehovah after awh hu. The addition of JEHOVAH seems to be right in consequence of what was said in the preceding line, “My people shall know my name.”

Verses 4-6. My people went down into Egypt — Where they had protection and sustenance, and therefore owed subjection to the king of Egypt. And yet when he oppressed them I punished him severely, and delivered them out of his hands. And the Assyrian oppressed them — The king of Babylon, who is called the king of Assyria, (2 Kings 23. 29,) as also the Persian emperor is called, (Ezra 6:22,) because it was one and the same empire which was possessed, first by the Assyrians, then by the Babylonians, and afterward by the Persians. Without cause — Without any real ground or colour, by mere force invading their land, and carrying them away into captivity, Now therefore what have I here — Why (speaking after the manner of men) do I sit still here, and not go to Babylon to punish the Babylonians, and to deliver my people? Or, What honour have I by suffering this injury to be done to my people? That my people is taken away for naught — Were carried away captive by the Babylonians, without any provocation or pretence of right? They that rule over them make them to howl — By their tyrannical and unmerciful usage of them; and my name continually is blasphemed — The Babylonians blaspheme me, as if I wanted either power or goodwill to save my people out of their hands. Therefore my people shall know my name — They shall have sensible experience of my infinite power and goodness in fighting for them. They shall know in that day — When I shall redeem them; which work was begun by the return of the Jews from Babylon, and afterward carried on, and at last perfected, by the coming of the Messiah; that I am he that doth speak — That these promises are not the words of a weak, or fickle, or deceitful man, but of him who is omnipotent, unchangeable, and a covenant-keeping God.

3-6. Shall be redeemed without money — As the Babylonians paid no price for Israel, so they shall receive none for her return. God punishes injustice all round. His people, long time ago, went down to Egypt ostensibly to stay only till provision for their families should be obtainable in their own country. And because Egypt unjustly enslaved them, God overthrew the Egyptian king and his hosts. Equally, without cause, the Assyrian also became the oppressor of Israel. Now… what have I here — That is, in the matter of remuneration to the Assyrio-Babylonian. On his part he carried Israel away unjustly, and cruelly treated her. Yet now these oppressors howl and rail at Jehovah for reclaiming his own with no offer of pay. Israel, indeed, was at fault, but not against the Babylonians. She sold herself to captivity, but this injury was toward God, for he had the exclusive right to ownership in her. The honour of Jehovah himself demanded her restoration without price, for she was sold for nothing; he had in return for her just nothing, except infamy upon his holy name. Because the desolation of Jerusalem for so long a time has been an injury to him, to his honour, he will now (verse 6) reveal his name. My people shall know my name — Whether he is thought of as El, or Elohim, or Jehovah, in each, or in all together, his name signifies the absolute, eternal, peaceful One, sole Creator and Ruler of all things. In that day — The day when his Jerusalem-Zion and her people shall be completely restored, historically and spiritually, these wicked oppressors and all the oppressed shall know, and my people emphatically shall know, that I am he that doth speak. That is, that He who promised redemption is now present as the true and omnipotent One to carry it into effect.

V. 7. The mountains-Of Judea, to which these glad tidings were brought, and from which they were spread abroad into other countries. Of him-Or, of them; the singular number being put for the plural. Returneth-In the days of the Messiah, God did discover and exercise his dominion over the world far more eminently than ever he had done from the beginning of the world until that time.

Verse 7. How beautiful] The watchmen discover afar off, on the mountains, the messenger bringing the expected and much—wished—for news of the deliverance from the Babylonish captivity. They immediately spread the joyful tidings, Isaiah 52:8, and with a loud voice proclaim that JEHOVAH is returning to Zion, to resume his residence on his holy mountain, which for some time he seemed to have deserted. This is the literal sense of the place.

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the joyful messenger,” is an expression highly poetical: for, how welcome is his arrival! how agreeable are the tidings which he brings!

Nahum, Nahum 1:15, who is generally supposed to have lived after Isaiah, has manifestly taken from him this very pleasing image; but the imitation does not equal the beauty of the original:—

“Behold upon the mountain the feet of the joyful messenger, Of him that announceth peace!

Celebrate, O Judah, thy festivals; perform thy vows:

For no more shall pass through thee the wicked one;

He is utterly cut off.”

But it must at the same time be observed that Isaiah’s subject is infinitely more interesting and more sublime than that of Nahum; the latter denounces the destruction of the capital of the Assyrian empire, the most formidable enemy of Judah; the ideas of the former are in their full extent evangelical; and accordingly St. Paul has, with the utmost propriety, applied this passage to the preaching of the Gospel, Romans 10:15. The joyful tidings here to be proclaimed, “Thy God, O Zion, reigneth,” are the same that John the Baptist, the messenger of Christ, and Christ himself, published: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

From the use made of this by our Lord and the apostles, we may rest assured that the preachers of the Gospel are particularly intended. Mountains are put for the whole land of Judea, where the Gospel was first preached. There seems to be an allusion to a battle fought, and the messengers coming to announce the victory, which was so decisive that a peace was the consequence, and the king’s throne established in the land. There appear to have been two sorts of messengers among the Jews: one sort always employed to bring evil tidings; the other to bring good. The names also and persons of these different messengers appear to have been well known; so that at a distance they could tell, from seeing the messenger, what sort of tidings he was bringing. See a case in point, 2 Samuel 18:19-27. Ahimaaz and Cushi running to bring tidings of the defeat of Absalom and his rebel army. Ahimaaz is a GOOD man, and bringeth GOOD tidings.

Verse 7. How beautiful — How exceeding precious and acceptable; upon the mountains — Of Judea, to which these glad tidings were brought; are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings — Tidings, first, Of the release of the Jews from captivity in Babylon; and, secondly, Of the redemption and salvation of mankind by the Messiah. Thus most commentators interpret the prophet’s words. They are “a poetical description,” says Lowth, “of the messenger who first brought the good news of Cyrus’s decree for the people to return home, whom the watchmen, mentioned

Ver. 7. How beautiful upon the mountains were the feet of the messengers who brought tidings of the fall of Babylon, and of the liberation of the people from their long captivity.

7. The scene changes here in Jerusalem, and the prophet represents the watchmen on the lookout toward Babylon, as if expecting what, in an instant they see, namely, the swiftly coming messenger on the distant Judean hills. Then the exclamation: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet, etc. — The joyful expectation, now sure to be soon realized, is what gives the word “beautiful” its meaning. Glad tidings borne by any one, however ugly, makes the bearer an agreeable object. In this scene the message brought was the oncoming of the returning exiles to their spiritual Jerusalem. Figuratively, this verse applies to a glorious religious prospect in any period.

V. 8. Thy watchmen-Thy ministers, who descry the approach of this heavenly king. Lift up thy voice-To give notice to all people of these glad tidings; and by way of exultation, to sing forth the praises of God for this glorious day. Eye-Distinctly and familiarly, their eyes beholding the eyes of this king of glory. They shall be eye and ear-witnesses of the words and works of Christ, and therefore their testimony shall be more certain and valuable. Bring again-When God shall complete the work of bringing his church out of captivity.

Verse 8. Thy watchmen lift up the voice— “All thy watchmen lift up their voice”] There is a difficulty in the construction of this place which, I think, none of the ancient versions or modern interpreters have cleared up satisfactorily. Rendered word for word it stands thus: “The voice of thy watchmen: they lift up their voice.” The sense of the first member, considered as elliptical, is variously supplied by various expositors; by none, as it seems to me, in any way that is easy and natural. I am persuaded there is a mistake in the present text, and that the true reading is Ëypx lk col tsophayich, all thy watchmen, instead of Ëypx lwq kol tsophayich, the voice of thy watchmen. The mistake was easy from the similitude in sound of the two letters k caph and q koph. And in one MS. the q koph is upon a rasure. This correction perfectly rectifies the sense and the construction.—L.

They shall see eye to eye] May not this be applied to the prophets and apostles; the one predicting, and the other discovering in the prediction the truth of the prophecy. The meaning of both Testaments is best understood by bringing them face to face.

When the Lord shall bring again Zion— “When JEHOVAH returneth to Zion”] So the Chaldee: ˆwyxl hytnkv byty dk cad yethib shechinteih letsiyon, “when he shall place the shechinah in Zion.” God is considered as having deserted his people during the captivity; and at the restoration, as returning himself with them to Zion, his former habitation. See Psalm 60:1; Isaiah 40:9, and note.

verse 8, are supposed to descry afar off from the tops of the mountains, making all possible haste to publish this happy news: a signal instance of God’s overruling providence, of the peculiar care he hath for his church. But this text is very fitly applied by St. Paul to the first preachers of the gospel, (Romans 10:15,) the very words importing good tidings of that peace and salvation whereby the kingdom of God was erected among men.” Indeed, true peace and salvation were procured for mankind, and are conferred upon them, only by Christ. And in his days, or from the time of his manifestation in the flesh, and entering upon his public ministry, God discovered and exercised his dominion over the world far more eminently than he ever had done from the beginning of the world until that time. Accordingly, we may observe, those Psalms wherein we find that expression, The Lord reigneth, are by the generality of interpreters, both Jewish and Christian, expounded of the times of the Messiah; the declaration being, in effect, the same that John the Baptist, the messenger of Christ, and that Christ himself published, when they testified, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Verse 8. Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice — Partly to give notice to all people of these glad tidings, and partly by way of exultation, to sing forth the praises of God for this glorious season and exercise of mercy. If we consider this passage as referring to the deliverance from Babylon, by the watch-men here, we must understand those prophets who prophesied at or after the time of that deliverance, such as Haggai and Zechariah: but if the good tidings be interpreted of the publication of peace and salvation by the gospel, then by the watchmen its ministers are meant, and especially the apostles and evangelists, and other first messengers of Christ. For they shall see eye to eye — Those prophets that shall witness the release of the Jews from captivity shall see an exact agreement and correspondence between the prophecy and the event whereby it is accomplished, between the promise and the performance. It may still be affirmed with more propriety, that the preachers of the gospel saw eye to eye when the Messiah was manifested in the flesh, and they saw his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, John 1:14; when they saw with their eyes, looked upon, and their hands handled the word of life; when the life was manifested, and they saw it and bore witness, and could show unto others that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto men, 1 John 1:2. And being eye and ear witnesses of the words and works of Christ, their testimony became more certain and more valuable. Add to this, that true gospel ministers in general, and even ordinary Christians, who receive the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, (Ephesians 1:17,) have a more distinct and clear view of the grace of God in Christ than the Old Testament saints could have. When the Lord shall bring again Zion — When God shall complete the work of bringing his church out of captivity, which was begun at the return out of Babylon, and perfected by Christ’s coming into the world. Bishop Lowth, however, reads the clause, When Jehovah returneth to Zion; a translation which the Hebrew text will certainly bear. Thus the Chaldee: When he shall bring back his presence to Zion. “God is considered as having deserted his people during their captivity; and, at the restoration, as returning himself with them to Zion, his former habitation.” But in a much higher degree was God present in his church, when he was manifested in the flesh, and they could call him, Immanuel, God with us.

8. Thy watchmen… lift… voice — Watchtowers along the line are here supposed, on which runs, from one to the other, the shouts of the coming caravans. They shall see eye to eye — This means, that so near to each other are the watchmen that they all in succession see face to face, not only of one another, but also of the exile columns as they advance and pass on their way. Other explanations are given of this phrase, but the scene is one of poetic movement, and no other explanation seems so well to fit it.

Verse 9. He hath redeemed Jerusalem— “He hath redeemed Israel.”] For the word ירושלם yerushalaim, which occurs the second time in this verse, MS. Bodleian and another read larcy yisrael. It is upon a rasure in a third; and left unpointed at first, as suspected, in a fourth. It was an easy mistake, by the transcriber casting his eye on the line above: and the propriety of the correction, both in regard to sense and elegance, is evident.

Verses 9, 10. Break forth into joy — Break forth in joyful praises; ye waste places of Jerusalem — That is, all parts of Jerusalem, for it was all in ruins, and all parts of Judea, which lay desolate and waste during the captivity: an emblem of the desolate and barren state of the church when the Lord, for her sins, withdraws his presence from her. For the Lord hath comforted his people, &c. — They shall be restored to their former prosperity, and in the days of the Messiah to a far greater degree of holiness and happiness than the church of God ever before possessed. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm — Hath discovered and put forth his great power, which, for a long time, did not appear to be exerted in behalf of his people. And all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God — All nations of the world shall, with astonishment, behold the wonderful work of God; first, in bringing his people out of Babylon; and afterward, in their redemption by Christ.

9. Break forth into joy, sing — The scene again shifts. Zion is restored. Her exiles are home again. They are bid to break forth into joyful song, because what has been heretofore a word of consolation is now an act of consolation; and jubilee shouting is now the appropriate thing.

Verses 9, 10. Break forth into joy — Break forth in joyful praises; ye waste places of Jerusalem — That is, all parts of Jerusalem, for it was all in ruins, and all parts of Judea, which lay desolate and waste during the captivity: an emblem of the desolate and barren state of the church when the Lord, for her sins, withdraws his presence from her. For the Lord hath comforted his people, &c. — They shall be restored to their former prosperity, and in the days of the Messiah to a far greater degree of holiness and happiness than the church of God ever before possessed. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm — Hath discovered and put forth his great power, which, for a long time, did not appear to be exerted in behalf of his people. And all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God — All nations of the world shall, with astonishment, behold the wonderful work of God; first, in bringing his people out of Babylon; and afterward, in their redemption by Christ.

10. The Lord… made bare his… arm — As conqueror, Jehovah has effectually wrought deliverance, to which all nations are witnesses; and his salvation through Messiah is now to be published and embraced as far as to the ends of the earth, and to all ages unto the end of the world. The salvation of our God is the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. This salvation is for all.

Sec. 3. MESSIAH AND THE GOSPEL, Isaiah 52:11-55:13. Thus far in this chapter is treated the case of an exalted Church passing, step by step, through suffering and deliverances into the purity of the typical holy Zion; from this point the view is turned again to the “Servant” of Jehovah, through whom the prophet has seen the Church to be redeemed. The portrait of a suffering servant is here filled out in detail, as a side-piece (Delitzsch) to the liberation and deliverance of Zion-Jerusalem already just depicted. He has conducted his people through suffering to glory.

This picture is to show, not only that Messiah’s earthly pathway, as our Mediator, is to be through intense, but voluntary, suffering, but also that it is in his heart also to suffer for and instead of, as well as with, his people.

V. 11. Depart-Out of Babylon. Touch-Carry not along with you any of their superstitions or idolatries. Ye-And especially your priests and Levites, who minister in holy things, and carry the holy vessels of the temple, keep yourselves from all pollution.

Verse 11. Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence] The Prophet Jeremiah seems to have had his eye on this passage of Isaiah, and to have applied it to a subject directly opposite. It is here addressed by the prophet in a way of encouragement and exhortation to the Jews coming out of Babylon. Jeremiah has given it a different turn, and has thrown it out, as a reproach of the heathen upon the Jews when they were driven from Jerusalem into captivity:—

“Depart; ye are polluted, depart; depart ye, forbear to touch. Yea, they are fled, they are removed: they shall dwell here no more.” Lamentations 4:15.

Of the metrical distribution of these lines, see the Prelim. Dissert., p. lviii. note.

Verses 11, 12. Depart ye, go ye out from thence — Out of Babylon into your own land, that there I may meet with you, and bless you, and perform those further and greater things for you which I have promised to do there. And this invitation was the more necessary, because God foresaw that a great number of the Jews would, upon worldly considerations, continue in those foreign countries in which they were settled, and would be very backward to return to the Holy Land. Touch no unclean thing — Carry not along with you any of their superstitions or idolatries. Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord — And especially you priests and Levites, who minister in holy things, and carry the holy vessels of the temple, keep yourselves from all pollution. Ye shall not go out by flight — But securely, and in triumph, being conducted by your great captain, the Lord of hosts. The God of Israel will be your rereward — So that none shall be able either to oppose you in your march, or to fall upon you in the rear.

11. Depart ye, depart ye, etc. — The language here is of high poetic scope, and though allusive of departure from the old Babel-home, from analogy with chap. 48:20, yet the reference must be general. The renewed and cleansed in every age, and from every den of capture, whether Sodom, Egypt, or Babel, must betake themselves away, away, for so Alexander, following Gesenius, translates the words, and so St. Paul applies them, 2 Corinthians 6:17, 18. Touch no unclean thing — Not the slightest memento. Probably the returning exiles were all natives of Babylon. Utter renunciation of things belonging to that polluted land was, however, only all too appropriate. Bear the vessels of the Lord — It is known that Nebuchadnezzar took away from Jerusalem all the golden service-vessels from the temple, and that Cyrus ordered their return. See 2 Chronicles 37:18; Daniel 5:2-5; Ezra 1:7-11. The application of these words to ministers of the Gospel has no original warrant except as being secondarily very apt.

V. 12. Not by flight-But securely, and in triumph, being conducted by your great captain the Lord of hosts. Rereward-So that none shall be able either to oppose you in your march, or to fall upon you in the rear.

Verses 11, 12. Depart ye, go ye out from thence — Out of Babylon into your own land, that there I may meet with you, and bless you, and perform those further and greater things for you which I have promised to do there. And this invitation was the more necessary, because God foresaw that a great number of the Jews would, upon worldly considerations, continue in those foreign countries in which they were settled, and would be very backward to return to the Holy Land. Touch no unclean thing — Carry not along with you any of their superstitions or idolatries. Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord — And especially you priests and Levites, who minister in holy things, and carry the holy vessels of the temple, keep yourselves from all pollution. Ye shall not go out by flight — But securely, and in triumph, being conducted by your great captain, the Lord of hosts. The God of Israel will be your rereward — So that none shall be able either to oppose you in your march, or to fall upon you in the rear.

Ver. 12. Ye shall not go out [of Babylon] with haste, as your fathers did out of Egypt, but with gifts, with riches and protection. The literal accomplishment of this promise is very impressive. The Persian court liberated the captives with counsel, and restored all the vessels of gold and silver which the Chaldeans had brought away from the temple. The Messiah speaks here of future things without a veil, for the consolation of his people.— The chapter should end here, that the grand scenery of character which follows might not be disturbed.

THE SUFFERINGS AND GLORY OF CHRIST.

(From ver. 13 to the end of chap. 53.)

The subject which now opens to us, presents a character of the highest interest. His wisdom surpassing all science, his doctrine veiling with obscuration the philosophy of this world; the dignity of his descent, the contempt of his nation, the tragic circumstances of his death, the glory and triumph of his resurrection from the dead, the ultimate conversion of the world by his doctrine, prepare the mind for the question of the noble Eunuch, I pray thee, of whom spake the prophet this; of himself, or of some other man?

As this prophecy converted thousands of Jews to the faith of Christ, and as it is still a grand pillar of truth in the church, it claims the calmest study of the mind.

The Massora or convocation of learned Jews also, knowing its force, have set themselves to divert its meaning. They apply it to king Josiah, who did not die patiently like a sheep, as the Saviour is said to have done: on the contrary, he died in armour, being killed with an arrow, fighting with Pharaoh Necho in the fields of Megiddo. But as Josiah was not humbly born, as he did not live again, but on the contrary, both his family and kingdom faded away; others apply the prophecy to the sorrows and sufferings of Jeremiah; an argument equally fatal to the infidel cause, for Jeremiah did not die in the dungeon. Jeremiah received special care and attention from the Chaldeans. Jeremiah died in Egypt, and we know of no gentile nations converted by his doctrine.— What clearer proofs can we have of a lost cause than defences so preposterous, and arguments so futile?

Against these allegations let us hear Isaiah, speaking for his God. His transition from the liberation of the people from Babylon to that of our redemption by Christ, is a climax natural, easy, and sublime.

12. Ye shall not go out with haste, nor… by flight — As went Israel from Egypt in earlier history. This is but an illustrative allusion. The present redeemed Israel has matured to high and blessed trust in Jehovah, who is near to them, who is both before them and their rear-guard to protect. They have nothing to fear, and they may possess themselves in perfectly peaceful calmness. How true to the case of the sanctified Christian as compared with his earlier experiences. God is consciously present to protect in every emergency.

V. 13. Behold-This is the beginning of a new prophecy, which is continued from hence to the end of the next chapter. My servant-That it is Christ who is here spoken of, is so evident, that the Chaldee paraphrast, and other ancient, and some later Hebrew doctors, understand it directly of him, and that divers Jews have been convinced and converted to the Christian faith, by the evidence of this prophecy. Prosper-This is fitly put in the first place to prevent those scandals which otherwise might arise from the succeeding passages, which describe his state of humiliation. Very high-Here are three words signifying the same thing to express the height and glory of his exaltation.

Verse 13. My servant shall deal prudently] lykcy yaskil, shall prosper, or act prosperously. The subject of Isaiah’s prophecy, from the fortieth chapter inclusive, has hitherto been, in general, the deliverance of the people of God. This includes in it three distinct parts; which, however, have a close connexion with one another; that is, 1. The deliverance of the Jews from the captivity of Babylon; 2. The deliverance of the Gentiles from their miserable state of ignorance and idolatry; and, 3. The deliverance of mankind from the captivity of sin and death. These three subjects are subordinate to one another; and the two latter are shadowed out under the image of the former. They are covered by it as by a veil; which however is transparent, and suffers them to appear through it. Cyrus is expressly named as the immediate agent of God in effecting the first deliverance. A greater person is spoken of as the Agent who is to effect the two latter deliverances, called the servant, the elect, of God, in whom his soul delighteth; Israel, in whom God will be glorified. Now these three subjects have a very near relation to one another; for as the Agent who was to effect the two latter deliverances,—that is, the Messiah,—was to be born a Jew, with particular limitations of time, family, and other circumstances; the first deliverance was necessary in the order of providence, and according to the determinate counsel of God, to the accomplishment of the two latter deliverances; and the second deliverance was necessary to the third, or rather was involved in it, and made an essential part of it. This being the case, Isaiah has not treated the three subjects as quite distinct and separate in a methodical and orderly manner, like a philosopher or a logician, but has taken them in their connective view. He has handled them as a prophet and a poet; he has allegorized the former, and under the image of it has shadowed out the two latter: he has thrown them all together, has mixed one with another, has passed from this to that with rapid transitions, and has painted the whole with the strongest and boldest imagery. The restoration of the Jews from captivity, the call of the Gentiles, the redemption by Messiah, have hitherto been handled interchangeably and alternately. Babylon has hitherto been kept pretty much in sight; at the same time, that strong intimations of something much greater have frequently been thrown in. But here Babylon is at once dropped, and I think hardly ever comes in sight again; unless perhaps in Isaiah 55:12; 57:14. The prophet’s views are almost wholly engrossed by the superior part of his subject. He introduces the Messiah as appearing at first in the lowest state of humiliation, which he had just touched upon before, (Isaiah 50:5, 6,) and obviates the offence which would be occasioned by it, by declaring the important and necessary cause of it, and foreshowing the glory which should follow it.

This seems to me to be the nature and the true design of this part of Isaiah’s prophecies; and this view of them seems to afford the best method of resolving difficulties, in which expositors are frequently engaged, being much divided between what is called the literal and the mystical sense, not very properly; for the mystical or spiritual sense is very often the most literal sense of all.

Abarbanel seems to have had an idea of this kind, as he is quoted by Vitringa on chap. xlix. 1, who thus represents his sentiments: Censet Abarbanel prophetam hic transitum facere a liberatione ex exilio Babylonico ad liberationem ex exilio Romano; et, quod hic animadversu dignum est, observat liberationem ex exilio Babylonico esse hyarw twa oth veraayah, signum et argumentum liberationis futuræ; atque adeo orationem prophetæ de duabus hisce liberationibus in superioribus concionibus sæpe inter se permisceri. Verba ejus: “Et propterea verba, sive res, in prophetic superiore inter se permixtæ occurrunt; modo de liberatione Babylonica, modo de liberatione extrema accipiendæ, ut orationis necessitas exigit.” Nullum hic vitium, nisi quod redemptionem veram et spiritualem a Messia vero Jesu adductam, non agnoscat. “Abarbanel supposes that the prophet here makes a transition from the deliverance from the Babylonish captivity to the deliverance from the Roman captivity; and (which is worthy of particular note) he observes that the deliverance from the Babylonish captivity is a sign and pledge of the future redemption; and that on this account it is we find in the preceding prophecies the circumstances of the two captivities intimately blended together. His words are the following: ‘And, therefore, the words or subjects in the foregoing prophecy are very much intermixed; in one passage the redemption from the Babylonish captivity being treated of, in another the redemption from the general dispersion, as may be collected from the obvious import of the words.’ No fault can be found with the above remark, except that the true and spiritual redemption procured by Jesus the Messiah is not acknowledged.”—L.

Verse 13. Behold, my servant, &c. — This is the beginning of a new prophecy, continued from hence to the end of the next chapter, which, as has been justly observed by many, both ancient and modern interpreters, should have begun here. “The subject of Isaiah’s prophecy, from the fortieth chapter inclusive, has hitherto been, in general, the deliverance of the people of God. This includes in it three distinct parts: the deliverance of the Jews from the captivity of Babylon, the deliverance of the Gentiles from their miserable state of ignorance and idolatry, and the deliverance of mankind from the captivity of sin and death. These three subjects are subordinate to one another, and the two latter are shadowed out under the image of the former. Cyrus is expressly named as the immediate agent of God in effecting the first deliverance. A greater person is spoken of as the agent who is to effect the two latter deliverances, called the Servant, the Elect, of God, in whom his soul delighteth. Now these three subjects have a very near relation to one another; for, as the agent who was to effect the two latter deliverances, that is, the Messiah, was to be born a Jew, with particular limitations of time, family, and other circumstances, the first deliverance was necessary in the order of providence, and, according to the determinate counsel of God, to the accomplishment of the two latter deliverances; and the second deliverance was necessary to the third, or, rather, was involved in it, and made an essential part of it. This being the case, Isaiah has not treated the three subjects as quite distinct and separate, in a methodical and orderly manner, like a philosopher or a logician, but has taken them in their connective view; he has handled them as a prophet and a poet; he has allegorized the former, and, under the image of it, has shadowed out the two latter; he has thrown them all together, has mixed one with another, has passed from this to that with rapid transitions, and has painted the whole with the strongest and boldest imagery. The restoration of the Jews from captivity, the call of the Gentiles, the redemption by Messiah, have hitherto been handled interchangeably and alternately. Babylon has hitherto been kept pretty much in sight, at the same time that strong intimations of something much greater have been frequently thrown in. But here Babylon is at once dropped, and hardly ever comes in sight again. The prophet’s views are almost wholly engrossed by the superior part of his subject. He introduces the Messiah as appearing at first in the lowest state of humiliation, which he had just touched upon before, (Isaiah 50:5, 6,) and obviates the offence which would be occasioned by it, by declaring the important and necessary cause of it, and foreshowing the glory which should follow it.” — Bishop Lowth. My servant — That it is Christ who is here spoken of, is so evident, that the Chaldee paraphrast, and other ancient, and some later Hebrew doctors, understand it directly of him, and that divers Jews have been convinced and converted to the Christian faith by the evidence of this prophecy. Shall deal prudently — Shall manage the affairs of his kingdom with admirable wisdom. Or, shall prosper, as it is in the margin; and as the word lykcy, here used, is frequently rendered: which also agrees best with the following clause. And this intimation concerning the future prosperity and advancement of the Messiah, is fitly put, in the first place, to prevent those scandals which otherwise might arise from the succeeding passages, which describe his state of humiliation and deep affliction. Shall be exalted, and extolled, and be very high — Here are three words signifying the same thing, to express the height and glory of his exaltation.

Ver. 13. Behold my Servant. The minister of all my pleasure, in whom my soul delighteth. He shall uphold mine elect, he shall bring forth judgment to the gentiles, he shall publish peace to the heathen; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many. Thus to accomplish the Father’s pleasure, he humbled himself to assume the form of a servant, and go a victim to the altar, thinking it no robbery to be equal with God. My servant shall deal prudently. He appeared as a humble prophet, preaching righteousness, calling himself the Son of man; which indeed was also his title as the second Adam, the Son of God. He blew no trumpet, but silently laid the foundation of his holy temple with fair colours, and her stones with sapphires and costly gems. He called Andrew, Peter, James, and John, and others in the course of his work, to build his church without consulting the princes of this world; and gave them plenary powers to subjugate the world to the empire of their Lord. Had he said, I am the Messiah, it would have excited war and revolt against the Romans, it being the common faith of the Hebrews, that the Messiah must reign in Jerusalem on the throne of David, and subdue the world to his sceptre. I find a note here. “Behold my servant, jycmh Ëlmhz. This is the king Messiah, who shall be extolled and exalted. He shall be elevated above Abraham, and shall be more eminent than Moses, and shall be far above ministering angels.”—Yalhut Simeoni, p. 2. fol. 53.

13. This verse states his career in terms undeniably generic. My servant shall deal prudently — Or, he shall act wisely. Coming from the bosom of Jehovah to redeem the race, he knows its condition and the means to recover it to himself. He will not infringe upon its moral liberty, yet he will institute a system all his own, but open to the free action of men toward him, to own him as their Saviour and King. And this shall result in his exaltation. He shall be exalted and extolled — He will, through results of his mediatorial work, be raised to supreme dignity, or, more specifically, be raised high exceedingly.

V. 14. Astonished-At his humiliation. Thee-At thee, O my servant. His form-Christ, in respect of his birth, breeding, and manner of life, was most obscure and contemptible. His countenance also was so marred with frequent watchings, and fastings, and troubles, that he was thought to be near fifty years old when he was but about thirty, John 8:57, and was farther spoiled with buffetings, and crowning with thorns, and other cruel and despiteful usages.

Verse 14. As many were astonished at thee— “As many were astonished at him”] For Ëyl[ aleicha read wyl[ alaiv. So the Syriac, Chaldee, and Vulgate in a MS.; and so likewise two ancient MSS.

His visage was so marred more than any man] Most interpreters understand this of the indignities offered to our blessed Lord: but Kimchi gives it another turn, and says, “It means the Jewish people, whom are considered by most nations as having an appearance different from all the people of the earth.” Poor Jews! they have in general a very disagreeable look, partly affected, and partly through neglect of neatness and cleanliness. Most Christians think they carry the impress of their reprobation on every feature of their face. However this may be, it should never be forgotten that the greatest men that ever flourished as kings, judges, magistrates, lawgivers, heroes, and poets, were of Jewish extraction. Isaiah was a Jew; so was Paul, and so was JESUS of Nazareth.

Verses 14, 15. As many were astonished at thee — At thee, O my servant: were struck with wonder at his glorious endowments, at the excellence and power of his doctrine, and his miraculous works, or rather, at his humiliation. His visage was so marred, &c. — Christ, in respect of his birth, breeding, manner of life, and outward condition in the world, was obscure and contemptible, and therefore said to be a worm, and no man, a reproach of men, and despised of the people, Psalm 22:6, being exposed to all manner of affronts, indignities, and contumelies, from day to day. His countenance also was so marred with frequent watchings, fastings, and troubles, that he was thought to be nearly fifty years old when he was but thirty, John 8:57, and was further disfigured when he was buffeted, smitten on the cheek, spit upon, and crowned with thorns, and met with other cruel and despiteful usages. So, &c. — His exaltation shall be answerable to his humiliation; shall he sprinkle many nations — 1st, With his blood, which is called the blood of sprinkling, Hebrews 12:24, that is, he shall justify them by his blood, as it follows, Isaiah 53:11, which act is frequently expressed by washing, as Psalm 51:2, 7; Ezekiel 16:9; Revelation 1:5. Or, 2d, With his word or doctrine; which, being often compared to rain, or water, as chap. 55:10, 11; Psalm 72:6, may be said to be sprinkled: as it is said to be dropped, Deuteronomy 32:2; Ezekiel 20:46, and 21:2. This sense seems to be favoured by the following words: or, 3d, With his Spirit, represented under the emblem of the sprinkling of water, Ezekiel 36:25-27; and frequently compared to water in the Scriptures, and, in the days of the Messiah, to be poured out on all flesh, Joel 2:28; and particularly promised to such as should thirst for it, and believe in Christ, John 7:37, 38; Revelation 21:6, and 22:17. Kings shall shut their mouths at him — Shall be silent before him, out of profound humility, reverence, and admiration of his wisdom, and an eager desire to hear and receive counsels and oracles from his mouth; for that which had not been told them shall they see — They shall hear from his mouth many excellent doctrines, which will be new and strange to them. And particularly that comfortable doctrine of the salvation of the Gentiles, which was not only new to them, but strange and incredible to the Jews themselves.

Ver. 14. Many were astonished at him, that he who surpassed all men in sublimity of wisdom, in the glory of his works, should be despised and rejected of men. That the Hope of Israel, the Light of the gentiles, should be marred in visage more than any man; that he should “give his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair.” That he who had done so many good deeds should be mocked, crucified, and slain! The extreme of glory and of opprobrium seemed to unite in his person.

14, 15. The more specific details of his condition follow in these verses. The prophecy concerning him begins in the protasis, (verse 14,) as an address, first to him, but passes in the apodosis (verse 15) at once to remarks concerning him, a change quite common with Isaiah when under intense emotion. Many were astonished at thee — The appearance of such humility in the Messiah when he should come is, as the prophet foresees, to be a marvel and an astonishment to the Jews. He is wholly to disappoint carnal minds, who look for outward signs of royalty. His visage was so marred — This is an explanatory parenthetic sentence, giving reasons for the astonishment expressed in the first words, or protasis. “Marred,” not from injury as yet inflicted by man, but from sadness on account of man, more serious (and almost terror-struck) than any man is accustomed to exhibit. Part of this, namely, low birth, poverty, etc., was chosen, and partly, it was from ill treatment of man in refusing him as the true Messiah; also from unrelieved sensitiveness at the guilt of the world’s sins. These were sufficient to render his aspect that of a burdened, wearied man. Men of carnal ambitions reasoned thus: Was the Messiah to be of this appearance? Could the Messiah of Isaiah, pictured as a man of greatness, beauty, glory, be so disfigured? What more astonishing! Verse 15 silently admits it to be even so, yet declares (apodosis) so shall he sprinkle many nations. And this shall be the greater wonder (Septuagint) to many. That is, he shall rain his grace of purification upon them. Reacting mercy shall close the mouths of kings from uttering scorn of him, lowly though he be, deformed by suffering though he appear. For in even this, men shall discover more beauty and glory than ever prophetic words had revealed. By very reason of immaculate purity thus discovered, and of truth, goodness, and saving power, they shall see in him greatness in all dimensions far beyond the conceptions which prophetic words had shaped for them.

V. 15. So-His exaltation shall be answerable to his humiliation. Sprinkle-With his word or doctrine; which being often compared to rain or water, may be said to be sprinkled, as it is said to be dropped, Deuteronomy 32:2 Ezekiel 20:46. Kings-Shall be silent before him out of profound humility, reverence, and admiration of his wisdom. For-They shall hear from his mouth many excellent doctrines, which will be new and strange to them. And particularly that comfortable doctrine of the salvation of the Gentiles, which was not only new to them, but strange and incredible to the Jews themselves.

Verse 15. So shall he sprinkle many nations] I retain the common rendering, though I am by no means satisfied with it. “hzy yazzeh, frequent in the law, means only to sprinkle: but the water sprinkled is the accusative case; the thing on which has l[ al or la el. Qaumasontai, o, makes the best apodosis. ghny yenahag would do. wrhny yinharu is used Isaiah 2:2; Jeremiah 31:12; Isaiah 51:14, but is unlike. ‘Kings shall shut,’ &c., is good, but seems to want a first part.”—SECKER. Munster translates it, faciet loqui, (de se;) and in his note thus explains it: hzy yazzeh proprie significat spargere et stillas disseminare; hic hero capitur pro loqui, et verbum disseminare. “hzy yazzeh properly signifies to sprinkle, and to scatter about drops; but it here means to speak, and to disseminate the word.” This is pretty much as the Rabbins Kimchi and Sal. ben Melec explain it, referring to the expression of “dropping the word.” But the same objection lies to this as to the common rendering; it ought to be גוים l[ (rbd) hzy yazzeh (debar) al goyim. Bishop Chandler, Defence, p. 148, says, “that to sprinkle is used for to surprise and astonish, as people are that have much water thrown upon them. And this sense is followed by the Septuagint.” This is ingenious, but rather too refined. Dr. Durell conjectures that the true reading may be wzhy yechezu, they shall regard, which comes near to the qaumasontai of the Septuagint, who seem to give the best sense of any to this place.

“I find in my papers the same conjecture which Dr. Durell made from qaumasontai in the Septuagint. And it may be added that hzj chazah is used to express ‘looking on any thing with admiration,’ Psalm 11:7; 17:15; 27:4; 63:2; Song of Solomon 6:13. It is particularly applied to ‘looking on God,’ Exodus 24:11, and Job 19:26. Gisbert Cuper, in Observ. lib. ii. 1, though treating on another subject, has some observations which show how nearly oraw and qaumazw are allied, which, with the peculiar sense of the verb hzj chazah above noted, add to the probability of qaumasontai being the version of wzjy yechezu in the text: oi de nu laoi Pantev ev auton orwsi. Hesiod., id est. cum veneratione quadam adminantur. Hinc oraw et qaumazw junxit Themistius Or. i. Eita pausontai oi anqrwpoi prov se monon orwnev, kai se monon qaumazontev. Theophrastus in Charact. c. 3. Enqumh wv apoblepousin eiv se oi anqrwpoi. Hence the rendering of this verse seems to be—

“So many nations shall look on him with admiration

Kings shall stop their mouths— ”

DR. JUBB.

Does not sprinkling the nations refer to the conversion and baptism of the Gentiles? Many nations shall become proselytes to his religion. Kings shall shut their mouths at him] His Gospel shall so prevail that all opposition shall be finally overcome; and kings and potentates shall be overwhelmed with confusion, and become speechless before the doctrines of his truth. When they hear these declared they shall attentively consider them, and their conviction of their truth shall be the consequence. For that which had not been told them] The mystery of the Gospel so long concealed. See Romans 15:21; 16:25.

Shall they see] With the eyes of their faith; God enlightening both organ and object.

And that which they had not heard] The redemption of the world by Jesus Christ; the conversion of the Gentiles, and making them one flock with the converted Jews.—TRAPP

ISAIAH

Verses 14, 15. As many were astonished at thee — At thee, O my servant: were struck with wonder at his glorious endowments, at the excellence and power of his doctrine, and his miraculous works, or rather, at his humiliation. His visage was so marred, &c. — Christ, in respect of his birth, breeding, manner of life, and outward condition in the world, was obscure and contemptible, and therefore said to be a worm, and no man, a reproach of men, and despised of the people, Psalm 22:6, being exposed to all manner of affronts, indignities, and contumelies, from day to day. His countenance also was so marred with frequent watchings, fastings, and troubles, that he was thought to be nearly fifty years old when he was but thirty, John 8:57, and was further disfigured when he was buffeted, smitten on the cheek, spit upon, and crowned with thorns, and met with other cruel and despiteful usages. So, &c. — His exaltation shall be answerable to his humiliation; shall he sprinkle many nations — 1st, With his blood, which is called the blood of sprinkling, Hebrews 12:24, that is, he shall justify them by his blood, as it follows, Isaiah 53:11, which act is frequently expressed by washing, as Psalm 51:2, 7; Ezekiel 16:9; Revelation 1:5. Or, 2d, With his word or doctrine; which, being often compared to rain, or water, as chap. 55:10, 11; Psalm 72:6, may be said to be sprinkled: as it is said to be dropped, Deuteronomy 32:2; Ezekiel 20:46, and 21:2. This sense seems to be favoured by the following words: or, 3d, With his Spirit, represented under the emblem of the sprinkling of water, Ezekiel 36:25-27; and frequently compared to water in the Scriptures, and, in the days of the Messiah, to be poured out on all flesh, Joel 2:28; and particularly promised to such as should thirst for it, and believe in Christ, John 7:37, 38; Revelation 21:6, and 22:17. Kings shall shut their mouths at him — Shall be silent before him, out of profound humility, reverence, and admiration of his wisdom, and an eager desire to hear and receive counsels and oracles from his mouth; for that which had not been told them shall they see — They shall hear from his mouth many excellent doctrines, which will be new and strange to them. And particularly that comfortable doctrine of the salvation of the Gentiles, which was not only new to them, but strange and incredible to the Jews themselves.

Ver. 15. He shall sprinkle many nations. Rain, in figurative language, denotes doctrine, knowledge, instruction. “He shall come down as rain on the mown grass, and as the showers that water the earth—Give ear, oh ye heavens, and I will speak: hear, oh earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew; as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as showers upon the grass.” Deuteronomy 32:1, 2. Psalm 72:6.

But sprinkling, in the Hebrew law, was illustrative of evangelical glory. The priest sprinkled the blood of the red heifer seven times before the tabernacle, to make atonement for the nation, and take away sin. He sprinkled the waters of purification, made from the ashes of this victim. Numbers 19. These were figurative of the sanctifying graces promised to the church in the new covenant. “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your defilement, and from all your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give unto you, and a new spirit will I put within you.” Ezekiel 36:25, 26. In the cleansing of the leper, the sprinkling of oil followed the sprinkling of blood, and in the same manner seven times before the Lord. Leviticus 14:16. All these offices the Saviour sustains for men. He cleanses us with his blood, he sanctifies us by his Spirit, he anoints us to be kings and priests by the unction from above. Thus “there are from the beginning, three that bare record on earth, the Spirit or unction, the water, and the blood. And three that bare record from heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost.” 1 John 5:7, 8. Kings shall shut their mouths, when he speaks; doctors and sages shall be silent. The sublime, the hidden mysteries of our redemption shall they then consider. The schools have done nothing for the world. Their mythology, though retaining faint rays of patriarchal revelation, is full of abominations. Their moral codes are stained with impurity, their hopes of the future are all involved in clouds. But in Christ, when the mediatorial plan was revealed; the glory of his person, the dignity of his sacrifice, the efficacy of his grace in the regeneration and the glory of his kingdom; the judgment of man was gained by truth, and the heart was vanquished by grace. Here all is perfection, all is worthy of a God. Here hoary idolatry shrinks from the contrast; she hides her face, and retires to the groves; she is chased with her bloody rituals to the shades of gentile darkness.—Kings in primitive society were numerous, till swallowed up in empires. Men who excelled in science are called princes, as Homer, Pythagoras, and Plato. Tres viri omnis doctrinæ et ingenii principes. ASCHAMUS.

14, 15. The more specific details of his condition follow in these verses. The prophecy concerning him begins in the protasis, (verse 14,) as an address, first to him, but passes in the apodosis (verse 15) at once to remarks concerning him, a change quite common with Isaiah when under intense emotion. Many were astonished at thee — The appearance of such humility in the Messiah when he should come is, as the prophet foresees, to be a marvel and an astonishment to the Jews. He is wholly to disappoint carnal minds, who look for outward signs of royalty. His visage was so marred — This is an explanatory parenthetic sentence, giving reasons for the astonishment expressed in the first words, or protasis. “Marred,” not from injury as yet inflicted by man, but from sadness on account of man, more serious (and almost terror-struck) than any man is accustomed to exhibit. Part of this, namely, low birth, poverty, etc., was chosen, and partly, it was from ill treatment of man in refusing him as the true Messiah; also from unrelieved sensitiveness at the guilt of the world’s sins. These were sufficient to render his aspect that of a burdened, wearied man. Men of carnal ambitions reasoned thus: Was the Messiah to be of this appearance? Could the Messiah of Isaiah, pictured as a man of greatness, beauty, glory, be so disfigured? What more astonishing! Verse 15 silently admits it to be even so, yet declares (apodosis) so shall he sprinkle many nations. And this shall be the greater wonder (Septuagint) to many. That is, he shall rain his grace of purification upon them. Reacting mercy shall close the mouths of kings from uttering scorn of him, lowly though he be, deformed by suffering though he appear. For in even this, men shall discover more beauty and glory than ever prophetic words had revealed. By very reason of immaculate purity thus discovered, and of truth, goodness, and saving power, they shall see in him greatness in all dimensions far beyond the conceptions which prophetic words had shaped for them.