Isaiah 25 commentary

However this might show the deliverance of the Jews out of captivity, it looked further, to the praises that should be offered up to God for Christ's victories over our spiritual enemies, and the comforts he has provided for all believers. True faith simply credits the Lord's testimony, and relies on his truth to perform his promises. As God weakens the strong who are proud and secure, so he strengthens the weak that are humble, and stay themselves upon him. God protects his people in all weathers. The Lord shelters those who trust in him from the insolence of oppressors. Their insolence is but the noise of strangers; it is like the heat of the sun scorching in the middle of the day; but where is it when the sun is set? The Lord ever was, and ever will be, the Refuge of distressed believers. Having provided them a shelter, he teaches them to flee unto it.

The kind reception of repentant sinners, is often in the New Testament likened to a feast. The guests invited are all people, Gentiles as well as Jews. There is that in the gospel which strengthens and makes glad the heart, and is fit for those who are under convictions of sin, and mourning for it. There is a veil spread over all nations, for all sat in darkness. But this veil the Lord will destroy, by the light of his gospel shining in the world, and the power of his Spirit opening men's eyes to receive it. He will raise those to spiritual life who were long dead in trespasses and sins. Christ will himself, in his resurrection, triumph over death. Grief shall be banished; there shall be perfect and endless joy. Those that mourn for sin shall be comforted. Those who suffer for Christ shall have consolations. But in the joys of heaven, and not short of them, will fully be brought to pass this saying, God shall wipe away all tears. The hope of this should now do away over-sorrow, all weeping that hinders sowing. Sometimes, in this world God takes away the reproach of his people from among men; however, it will be done fully at the great day. Let us patiently bear sorrow and shame now; both will be done away shortly.

With joy and praise will those entertain the glad tidings of the Redeemer, who looked for him; and with a triumphant song will glorified saints enter into the joy of their Lord. And it is not in vain to wait for him; for the mercy comes at last, with abundant recompence for the delay. The hands once stretched out upon the cross, to make way for our salvation, will at length be stretched forth to destroy all impenitent sinners. Moab is here put for all adversaries of God's people; they shall all be trodden down or threshed. God shall bring down the pride of the enemies by one humbling judgment after another. This destruction of Moab is typical of Christ's victory, and the pulling down of Satan's strong holds. Therefore, beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; for your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

1. O Lord, thou art my God. Hitherto Isaiah has prophesied about the judgments of God, which threatened not only a single nation, but almost the whole world. Now, it was impossible that the contemplation of calamities so dismal as those which he foresaw should not give him great uneasiness; for godly persons would desire that all mankind should be saved, and, while they honor God, they desire also to love all that belongs to him; and, in short, so far as any man sincerely fears God, he has a powerful and lively feeling of the divine judgments. While wicked men stand amazed at the judgments of God, and are not moved by any terror, godly men tremble at the slightest token of his anger. And if this be the case with us, what do we suppose was experienced by the Prophet, who had almost before his eyes those calamities which he foretold? For, in order that the ministers of the word might be convinced of the certainty of what they taught, it was necessary that they should be more powerfully impressed by it than the generality of men.

Since therefore the Lord held out to Isaiah, as in a picture, those dreadful calamities, he found it necessary, under the overpowering influence of grief and anxiety, to betake himself to the Lord; otherwise the confused emotions of his mind would have agitated him beyond measure. He therefore takes courage from the belief that, in the midst of these tempests, the Lord still determines to promote the advantage of his Church, and to bring into subjection to himself those who were formerly estranged. Isaiah therefore remains firm and steadfast in his calling, and does not allow himself to be drawn aside from his purpose, but continually relies on the expectation of mercy, and therefore perseveres in celebrating the praises of God. Thus we learn that this thanksgiving is connected with the former prophecies, and that Isaiah considers not only what he foretold, but why the Lord did it; that is, why the Lord afflicted so many nations with various calamities. It was, that he might subdue those who were formerly incorrigible, and who rushed forward with brutal eagerness, who had no fear of God, and no feeling of religion or godliness.

Thou art my God. Being as it were perplexed and confused, he suddenly raises his thoughts to God, as we have already said. Hence we ought to draw a very useful doctrine, namely, that when our minds are perplexed by a variety of uneasy thoughts on account of numerous distresses and afflictions which happen daily, we ought immediately to resort to God, and rely on his providence; for even the smallest calamities will overwhelm us, if we do not betake ourselves to him, and support our hearts by this doctrine. In order to bring out more fully the meaning of the Prophet, the word but or nevertheless may be appropriately inserted in this manner: “Whatever temptations from that quarter may disturb me, nevertheless I will acknowledge thee to be my God.” Thus he promises that he will give to God the praise which is due to him; and this cannot be, unless a firm belief of his grace dwell in our hearts, and hold a superiority, from which grace springs a joy, which yields to us the most abundant ground for praises, when we are certain of our salvation, and are fully convinced that the Lord is our God. Accordingly, those who are influenced by no desire to praise God, have not believed and have not tasted the goodness of God; for if we actually trust in God, we must be led to take great delight in praising his name.

For thou hast done a wonderful thing. He uses the word פלא, (pĕlĕ,) wonderful, in the singular number instead of the plural. The Prophet does not confine his view to the present appearance of things, but looks to the end; for even men who in other respects are heathens, behold in the government of the world astonishing events, the sight of which overwhelms them with amazement; which undoubtedly happened to the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon, and to the Babylonians and Moabites. But those only who have tasted his goodness and wisdom can profit by the works of God; for otherwise they undervalue and despise his works, and do not comprehend their excellence, because they do not perceive their end, which is, that God, wonderfully bringing light out of darkness, (2 Corinthians 4:6,) raises his Church from death to life, and regulates in the best manner, and directs to the most valuable purpose, those things which to the eye of man appear to be confused.

Counsels which have been already decreed of old. “Faithfulness and truth.” — Eng. Ver. “Perfectly true.” — Stock. “Truth, certainty.” — Alexander.

FT394 “Counsels of old.” — Eng. Ver. “Counsels of old time.” — Stock

FT395 “Of foreigners, a term with the Jews synonymous to barbarians or enemies; as the Romans confounded hospites with hostes, being to them nearly the same thing.” — Stock

FT396 See page 191

FT397 “The branch of the terrible ones.” — Eng. Ver. “So shall the song of the tyrants be brought low.” — Alexander

FT398 “Of wines on the lees well refined.” — Eng. Ver.

FT399 “Que nous en soyons remplis et rassassiez;” — “That we may be filled and satisfied with it.”

FT400 “Le voile qui cache la face de tous les peuples;” — “The veil which covers the face of all people.”

FT401 “He will swallow up death in victory.” — Eng. Ver.

FT402 “When we consider the expression which follows, (evidently meant, by a parallelism, to be exegetical,) πάντων περίψημα, there is little doubt that the sense of περικαθάρματα is ‘the cleansings up,’ as περίψημα is ‘the sweepings up or around;’ metaphorically denoting ‘the vilest things’ or ‘persons,’ the very ‘outcasts’ of society.” — Bloomfield on 1 Corinthians 4:13. “Περίψημα denotes filings or scrapings of any kind, and also the sweepings that are cleared away with a brush.” —Calvin on Corinthians, vol. 1 p. 166

FT403 “J’ay mieux aimé le tourner, On dira;” — “I chose rather to render it, It shall be said.”

FT404 “Ces deux mots, Voici, Cestui-ci;” — “These two words, Lo, This.”

FT405 “C’est-ci l Eternel;” — “This is the Eternal.”

FT406 “This is a strange oversight. נגילה (nagīllah) and נשמחה (nismĕchāh) are in the future tense, and are so rendered by our Author in his version, “Exultabimus et lætabimur,” — “We will rejoice and be glad.” “The augmented futures at the close,” says Professor Alexander, alluding to the He paragogic, “may either denote fixed determination (‘we will rejoice, we will be glad’) or a proposition, (‘Let us then rejoice,’) for which the language has no other distinct form.” — Ed

FT407 That is, Abraham and Lot. (Genesis 11:31; 19:37.)

FT408 “As straw is trodden down for the dunghill, (or, thrashed in Madmenah.)” — (Eng. Ver.)

FT409 Professor Alexander renders it, “in the water of the dunghill,” and remarks, “The Keri, or Masoretic reading in the margin, has במו, a poetical equivalent of ב, the preposition. The Kethib, or textual reading, which is probably more ancient, is במי, in the water. This, with the next word, may denote a pool in which the straw was left to putrefy.”

FT410 See Commentary on Isaiah, vol. 1 p. 488 Now, in order to bestow still higher commendation on the providence of God, he adds, that the “counsels have been already decreed of old;” as if he had said, that to God nothing is sudden or unforeseen. And indeed, though he sometimes appears to us to act suddenly, yet all things were undoubtedly ordained by him before the creation of the world. (Acts 15:18.) By this word, therefore, the Apostle means that all the miracles which happen contrary to the expectation of men, are the result of that regular order which God maintains in governing the world, arranging all things from the beginning to the end. Now, since we do not understand those secret decrees, and our powers of understanding cannot rise so high, our attention must therefore be directed to the manifestation of them; for they are concealed from us, and exceed our comprehension, till the Lord reveal them by his word, in which he accommodates himself to our weakness; for his decree is (ἀνεξεύρητον) unsearchable.

Firm truth. {Bogus footnote} From the eternal decrees of God the Prophet thus proceeds to doctrines and promises, which he undoubtedly denotes by the word truth; for the repetition would be frivolous, if this word did not signify a relation; because, when God has revealed to us his purpose, if we believe his sayings, he then appears to be actually true. He commends the firmness and certainty of the word, when he says that it is “steadfast truth;” that is, that everything that comes from God, everything that is declared by him, is firm and unchangeable.

2. For thou hast made of a city a heap. Some refer this to Jerusalem; but I think that there is a change of the number, as is very customary with the prophets; for the Prophet does not speak merely of a single city, but of many cities, which he says will be reduced to heaps. As to the view held by some, that the Romans made Jerusalem a palace, it has nothing to do with the Prophet’s meaning, which will be easily enough understood, if we keep in remembrance what has been already stated, that the Prophet does not confine his thoughts to those calamities by which the Lord afflicts many nations, but extends his view to the end of the chastisements. In this manner the Lord determined to tame and subdue the obstinacy of men, whom he would never have brought into subjection to him without having been broken down by various afflictions.

A palace of foreigners, {Bogus footnote} that it may not be a city. The Prophet does not merely mean that, when the natives have been driven out, “foreigners” wil1 inhabit the cities which have been taken; for that would not agree with what he immediately adds, “that it may be no longer a city;” but that wandering bands of men who shall be in want of a habitation will there find abundance of room, because there will be no inhabitants left. Since ארמון (armōn) denotes a magnificent palace, the Prophet thus says ironically, that highwaymen will dwell as in palaces, on account of the vast extent of the place which shall be deserted.

3. Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee. This is the end which I mentioned; {Bogus footnote} for if the Lord should destroy the world, no good result would follow, and indeed destruction could produce no feeling but horror, and we would never be led by it to sing his praise; but, on the contrary, we must be deprived of all feeling, when we perceive nothing but wrath. But praises flow from a sense of grace and goodness. It is therefore as if he had said, “Thou wilt not only strike and afflict, O Lord, but wilt cause the chastisements to be not without effect; for by them thou wilt subdue the fierceness of men, so that those who were formerly estranged from thee shall bend their neck to thee.” This passage should lead us to observe how much we need chastisements, which train us to obedience to God; for we are carried away by prosperity to such an extent, that we think that we have a right to do anything, and we even grow wanton and insolent when God treats us with gentleness.

The city of the terrible nations shall fear thee. When the Prophet next mentions fear, he shews that this praise does not consist in words or outward gestures, but in the sincere feeling of the heart. Hence we infer that he now speaks of the entire worship of God; but, as many persons think that they have fully discharged their duty, as soon as they have made a confession with the mouth, he adds, for the sake of explanation, “The nations shall fear thee.” When he calls them strong and powerful, by these epithets he denotes their pride and arrogance; for they were elated by their prosperity. They rebel against God, and cannot be made humble or submissive, unless they have been deprived of all things. To such views, therefore, ought our thoughts to be directed amidst those calamities which we perceive. The fierceness of men must be restrained and subdued, that they may be prepared for receiving doctrine and for rendering true obedience. So long as they shall be blinded by their wealth and vain confidence, they will fearlessly mock at the judgments of God, and will never yield subjection to him.

4. For thou hast been a strength to the poor. Hence we see the fruit of conversion, namely, that the Lord raises us from the dead, and brings us, as it were, out of the grave, stretching out his hand to us from heaven, to rescue us even from hell. This is our first access to him, for it is only in our poverty that he finds the means of exercising his kindness. To us in our turn, therefore, it is necessary that we be poor and needy, that we may obtain assistance from him; and we must lay aside all reliance and confidence in ourselves, before he display his power in our behalf. This is the reason why he visits us with chastisements and with the cross, by which he trains us, so that we may be able to receive his assistance and grace.

A refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat. It is not without good reason that Isaiah adorns this description by these comparisons; for numerous and diversified temptations arise, and, in order to bear them courageously, it is necessary that the weak minds of men should be strengthened and fortified. On this account he says that God will be “a strength to the poor, a refuge from the storms, and a shadow from the heat;” because, whatever may be the nature of the dangers and assaults which threaten them, the Lord will protect his people against them, and will supply them with every kind of armor.

The breath of the strong or of the violent ones. In this passage, as in many others, (Genesis 8:1; Exodus 15:10; 1 Kings 19:11,) רוח (rūăch) signifies “the blowing of the wind,” and denotes the tremendous violence with which wicked men are hurried along against the children of God; for not only do they “breathe out threatenings and terrors,” (Acts 9:1,) but they appear to vomit out fire itself.

A storm or flood against the wall. This is to the same purport as the former; for by this figure he means, that wicked men, when they obtain liberty to do mischief, rush on with such violence that they throw down everything that comes in their way, for to overthrow and destroy walls is more than if the water were merely flowing over the fields.

5. As the heat in a dry place. If the Lord did not aid when violent men rush upon us, our life would be in imminent danger; for we see how great is the rage of wicked men, and if the Lord overturn walls, what can a feeble man do against him? These things therefore are added in order to magnify the grace of God, that we may consider what would become of us if the Lord did not render assistance.

Yet there are two ways in which commentators explain this passage. Some understand it to mean, that wicked men will be consumed by God’s indignation, in the same manner as the violence of the heat burns up the fields which are in themselves barren. Others render it in the ablative case, As if by heat, and make the meaning to be, “Though wicked men, relying on their power, are so violent, yet the Lord will prostrate them in a moment, as if they were overpowered ‘by heat in a dry place.’” But I consider the meaning to be different, for, after having shewn how great is the rage of wicked men against believers, he adds:

Thou wilt bring them down, O Lord. Alluding to the metaphor of the deluge, which he had formerly used, he says, “Thou wilt quench their heat, which would otherwise consume us, even as rain, or a shower, falling from heaven, quenches the heat that scorched the thirsty fields.” And thus the passage flows naturally; for the other interpretation is forced, and does violence, as the saying is, to the letter.

The noise of the strong ones will he lay low. {Bogus footnote} This clause is tortured in various ways. Some think that זמיר (zĕmīr) means seed; others that it means a root; as if he had said, that God will not only destroy wicked men, but will utterly root them out. This meaning would be probable, were it not opposed by the metaphor of the heat. In my opinion, therefore, it is more correctly interpreted by others to mean “singing and shouting,” or “cutting off,” although even those interpreters do not fully succeed in getting at the meaning of the Prophet. He therefore confirms the preceding statement, that the violence of wicked men, or the shouting which they haughtily and daringly set up, will presently be laid low, as the heat of the sun is overpowered by the falling rain, which is meant by the shadow of a cloud

6. And the Lord of hosts shall make. This passage has received various interpretations. Some think that the Prophet threatens the Jews, and threatens them in such a manner as to invite various nations to a banquet. This mode of expression is also found in other passages, for the Lord is said to fatten the wicked for the day of slaughter. Those commentators think that, as if the Jews were exposed as a prey to the Gentiles on account of their impiety, the Gentiles are invited to a banquet; as if the Lord had said, “I have prepared a splendid entertainment for the Gentiles; the Romans shall plunder and prey on the Jews.” But, in my opinion, that view of the passage cannot be admitted, nor will it be necessary for me to give a long refutation of it, after having brought forward the true interpretation. Others explain it as if Isaiah were speaking of the wrath of God in this manner, “The Lord will prepare a banquet for all nations; he will give to them to drink the cup of his anger, that they may be drunken.”

But the Prophet had quite a different meaning, for he proceeds in making known the grace of God, which was to be revealed by the coming of Christ. He employs the same metaphor which is also used by David, when he describes the kingdom of Christ, and says, that

“the poor and the rich will sit down at this feast, and will eat and be satisfied.” (Psalm 22:26, 29.)

By this metaphorical language he means, that no class of men will be excluded from partaking of this generous provision. Formerly it seemed as if the Lord nourished the Jews only, because they alone were adopted, and, as it were, invited to the feast provided for his family; but now he admits the Gentiles also, and extends his beneficence to all nations.

Will make for all nations a feast of fat things. This is an implied contrast when he says, to all nations, for formerly he was known to one nation only. (Psalm 76:1.) By “a feast of fat things” is meant a banquet consisting of animals that have been well fattened.

Of liquids purified. {Bogus footnote} Some render the Hebrew word שמרים, (shĕmārīm,) dregs, but inaccurately, for it means “old wines,” such as the French call, vins de garde, “wines that have been long kept,” and that are preferable to ordinary wines, especially in an eastern country, where they carry their age better. He calls them liquids which contain no dregs or sediment.

In short, it is sufficiently evident that he does not here threaten destruction against Gentiles or Jews, but that both are invited together to a very splendid banquet. This is still more evident from Christ’s own words, when he compares the kingdom of heaven to a marriage-feast which the King prepared for his Son, to which he invites all without exception, because those who were at first invited refused to come. (Matthew 22:2, 3.) Nor have I any doubt that he speaks of the preaching of the gospel; and as it proceeded from Mount Zion, (Isaiah 2:3,) he says that the Gentiles will come to it to feast; for when God presents to the whole world spiritual food for feeding souls, the meaning was the same as if he had prepared a table for all. The Lord invites us at the present day, that he may fill and satisfy us with good things; he raises up faithful ministers to prepare for us that feast, and gives power and efficacy to his word, that we may be satisfied with it. {Bogus footnote}

In this mountain. As to the word mountain, though the servants of God do not now come out of the mountain to feed us, yet by this name we must understand the Church; for nowhere else can any one partake of this food. That feast is not set down in streets and highways, the table is not spread everywhere, and this banquet is not prepared in all places. In order that we may feast, we must come to the Church. That place was mentioned, because there alone God was worshipped, and revelations proceeded from it; as also the gospel came forth from it. When he says that this banquet will be rich and sumptuous, the design of this is to commend the doctrine of the gospel; for it is the spiritual food with which our souls are fed, and is so exquisitely delightful that we have no need of any other.

7. And he will destroy the face of the covering. {Bogus footnote} Here also commentators differ, for by the word covering is meant the disgrace with which believers are covered in this world, so that the glory of God is not seen in them; as if he had said, “Though many reproaches oppress the godly, yet God will take away those reproaches, and will make their condition glorious. I pass by other interpretations; but, in my opinion, the true meaning is, that the Lord promises that he will take away the veil by which they were kept in blindness and ignorance; and therefore it was by the light of the gospel that this darkness was dispelled.

In that mountain. He says that this will be in mount Zion, from which also the light of the word shone on the whole world, as we have already seen. (Isaiah 2:3.) This passage, therefore, must unavoidably be referred to the kingdom of Christ; for the light did not shine on all men till Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, arose, (Malachi 4:2,) who took away all the veils, wrappings, and coverings. And here we have another commendation of the gospel, that it dispels the darkness, and takes away from our eyes the covering of errors. Hence it follows, that we are wrapped up and blinded by the darkness of ignorance, before we are enlightened by the doctrine of the gospel, by which alone we can obtain light and life, and be fully restored. Here, too, we have a confirmation of the calling of the Gentiles, that is, of our calling; for not only the Jews, but all nations, which formerly were buried in every kind of errors and superstition, are invited to this banquet.

8. He hath destroyed death eternally. {Bogus footnote} The Prophet continues his subject; for in general he promises that there will be perfect happiness under the reign of Christ, and, in order to express this the more fully, he employs various metaphors admirably adapted to the subject. That happiness is real, and not temporary or fading, which not even death can take away; for amidst the highest prosperity our joy is not a little diminished by the consideration that it will not always last. He therefore connects two things, which render happiness full and complete. The first is, that the life is perpetual; for to those who in other respects are happy for a time, it is a wretched thing to die. The second is, that this life is accompanied by joy; for otherwise it may be thought that death would be preferable to a sorrowful and afflicted life. He next adds that, when all disgrace has been removed, this life will be glorious; for otherwise less confidence would have been placed in the prophecy, in consequence of the wretched oppression of the people.

But it is asked, To what period must we refer these promises? for in this world we must contend with various afflictions, and must fight continually; and not only are we “appointed to death,” (Psalm 44:22,) but we “die daily.” (1 Corinthians 15:31.) Paul complains of himself and the chief pillars of the Church, that they are “a spectacle to all men,” and endure insults of every kind, and are even looked upon as (καθάρματα) “cleansings” and (περιψήματα) “sweepings,” or “offscourings.” {Bogus footnote} (1 Corinthians 4:9, 13.) Where or when, therefore, are these things fulfilled? They must undoubtedly be referred to the universal kingdom of Christ; — universal, I say, because we must look not only at the beginning, but also at the accomplishment and the end: and thus it must be extended even to the second coming of Christ, which on that account is called “the day of redemption” and “the day of restoration;” because all things which now appear to be confused shall be fully restored, and assume a new form. (Luke 21:28; Acts 3:21; Romans 8:23; Ephesians 4:30.) This prediction relates, no doubt, to the deliverance from Babylon; but as that deliverance might be regarded as the earnest and foretaste of another, this promise must undoubtedly be extended to the last day.

Let us therefore direct all our hope and expectation to this point, and let us not doubt that the Lord will fulfill all these things in us when we have finished our course. If we now “sow in tears,” then undoubtedly we shall “reap with joy” and ecstasy. (Psalm 126:5.) Let us not dread the insults or reproaches of men, which will one day procure for us the highest glory. Having obtained here the beginnings of this happiness and glory, by being adopted by God, and beginning to bear the image of Christ, let us firmly and resolutely await the completion of it at the last day.

For Jehovah hath spoken it. After so many dreadful calamities, it might be thought that such an event was incredible; and therefore the Prophet shews that it proceeds not from man, but from God. When Jerusalem had been overthrown, the worship of God taken away, the temple destroyed, and the remnant of the people oppressed by cruel tyranny, no man would have believed it to be possible that everything would be raised to its original condition. It was necessary to combat with this distrust, to which men are strongly inclined; and therefore the Prophet confirms and seals these promises.

“Know that God communicated to me these declarations; fix your minds therefore on him, and not on me; let your faith rely on him ‘who cannot lie’ or deceive.” (Titus 1:2.)

9. And it shall be said. The verb אמר (āmăr) is indefinite, “He shall say;” but as the discourse does not relate to one or another individual, but to all in general, I chose to render it in a passive form. {Bogus footnote} This is an excellent conclusion; for it shews that God’s benefits are not in any respect doubtful or uncertain, but are actually received and enjoyed by men. The Prophet declares that the banquet, of which he formerly spoke, (verse 6,) will not in vain be prepared by God; for men shall feast on it, and possess everlasting joy.

Lo, this is our God. That joyful shout, which he declares will be public, is the actual test and proof, so to speak, of the experience of the grace of God. This passage ought to be carefully observed; for the Prophet shews that there will be such a revelation as shall fix the minds of men on the word of God, so that they will rely on it without any kind of hesitation; and if these things belong, as they undoubtedly do belong, to the kingdom of Christ, we derive from them this valuable fruit, that Christians, unless they are wanting to themselves, and reject the grace of God, have undoubted truth on which they may safely rely. God has removed all ground of doubt, and has revealed himself to them in such a manner, that they may venture freely to declare that they know with certainty what is his will, and may say with truth what Christ said to the Samaritan woman, “We worship what we know.” (John 4:22.) Having been informed by the gospel as to the grace offered through Christ, we do not now wander in uncertain opinions, as others do, but embrace God and his pure worship. Let us boldly say, “Away with all the inventions of men!”

It is proper to observe the contrast between that dark and feeble kind of knowledge which the fathers enjoyed under the law, and the fullness which shines forth to us in the gospel. Though God deigned to bestow on his ancient people the light of heavenly doctrine, yet he made himself more familiarly known through Christ, as we are told;

“No man hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, hath declared him.” (John 1:18.)

The Prophet now extols that certainty which the Son of God brought to us by his coming, when he “sheweth to us the Father.” (John 14:9.) Yet, while we excel the ancient people in this respect, that the reconciliation obtained through Christ makes God, as it were, more gracious to us, there is no other way in which God can be known but through Christ, who is “the pattern and image of his substance.” (Hebrews 1:3.) “He who knoweth not the Son, knoweth not the Father.” (John 14:7.) Though Jews, Mahometans, and other infidels, boast that they worship God, the creator of heaven and earth, yet they worship an imaginary God. However obstinate they may be, they follow doubtful and uncertain opinions instead of the truth; they grope in the dark, and worship their own imagination instead of God. In short, apart from Christ, all religion is deceitful and transitory, and every kind of worship ought to be abhorred and boldly condemned.

Nor is it without good reason that the Prophet employs not only the adverb Lo, but the demonstrative pronoun This, {Bogus footnote} in order to attest more fully the presence of God, as, a little afterwards, by repeating the declaration of certainty and confidence, he expresses the steadfastness that will be found in those who shall worship God through Christ. It is certain that we cannot comprehend God in his majesty, for he “dwelleth in unapproachable light,” (1 Timothy 6:16,) which will immediately overpower us, if we attempt to rise to it; and therefore he accommodates himself to our weakness, gives himself to us through Christ, by whom he makes us partakers of wisdom, righteousness, truth, and other blessings. (1 Corinthians 1:30.)

This is Jehovah. It is worthy of observation that, when he calls Christ the God of believers, he gives to him the name “Jehovah;” from which we infer that the actual eternity of God belongs to the person of Christ. Besides, since Christ has thus made himself known to us by the gospel, this proves the base ingratitude of those who, not satisfied with so full a manifestation, have dared to add to it their own idle speculation, as has been done by Popery.

We have waited for him. He expresses the firmness and perseverance of those who have once embraced God in Christ; for it ought not to be a temporary knowledge, but we must persevere in it steadfastly to the end. Now, Isaiah speaks in the name of the ancient Church, which at that time had its seat, strictly speaking, among the Jews alone; and therefore, despising as it were all the gods that were worshipped in other countries, he boldly declares that he alone, who revealed himself to Abraham, (Genesis 15:1,) and proclaimed his law by the hand of Moses, (Exodus 20:1, 2,) is the true God. Other nations, which were involved in the darkness of ignorance, did not “wait for” the Lord: for this “waiting” springs from faith, which is accompanied by patience, and there is no faith without the word.

Thus he warns believers that their salvation rests on hope and expectation; for the promises of God were as it were suspended till the coming of Christ. Besides, we ought to observe what was the condition of those times; for it appeared as if either the promise of God had come to nought, or he had rejected the posterity of Abraham. Certainly, though they looked very far, God did not at that time appear to them; and therefore they must have been endued with astonishing patience to endure such heavy and sharp temptations. Accordingly, he bids them wait quietly for the coming of Christ; for then they will clearly perceive how near God is to them that worship him.

The same doctrine ought to soothe us in the present day, so that, though our salvation be concealed, still we may “wait for the Lord” with firm and unshaken hope, and, when he is at a distance, may always say, Lo, here he is. In times of the greatest confusion, let us learn to distinguish him by this mark, This is he. {Bogus footnote} As to the words, though he says, in the past tense, {Bogus footnote} “We rejoiced and were glad in his salvation;” yet the words denote a continued act; and, a little before, he had said in the future tense, “He will save us.” The meaning may be thus summed up, “Christ will never disappoint the hopes of his people, if they call on him with patience.”

10. For the hand of Jehovah shall rest. The design of the Prophet in the beginning of this verse, I have no doubt, was to comfort the godly, who but for this would have thought that God had forsaken and abandoned them; for the opinion of those who view it as describing the judgment which the Lord was about to execute on the Jews, has no foundation whatever; but the meaning is the same as if he had said, that the Lord will always assist his Church. I am aware that “the hand of God” rests also on the reprobate, when he does not cease to pursue them with his vengeance, till he completely overwhelm them; but here the word “hand” denotes assistance, and not chastisements, and therefore by the word “rest,” is meant the uninterrupted continuance of defense or protection.

We draw from this a profitable doctrine, that although God scatters innumerable blessings over the whole world, in such a manner that wicked men also obtain a share of them, yet his “hand” does not “rest,” or is not continually present, but in the holy mountain; that is, in the Church, where he is worshipped. It ought also to be observed, that Jerusalem had been chastised, before she received these blessings; for he had formerly threatened chastisements and punishments, to which he added this consolation.

And Moab shall be trodden down under him. In this clause he gives an additional view of the grace of God; for, by inflicting punishment on the enemies of the Church, he will shew how dearly he values its salvation. The Jews had no enemies more deadly than the Moabites, though their ancestors {Bogus footnote} were near relatives. By a figure of speech (συνεκδοχικῶς) in which a part is taken for the whole, he includes under this name all the enemies of the Church, and especially those who are somewhat related to them, and who are more destructive than all others. He shews that, though for a time they are victorious and oppress the Church, yet eventually they shall be punished. His object is, that under their afflictions believers may not lose heart, as if their condition were unhappy, while wicked men are cheerful and prosperous; for the “treading down,” which is here mentioned, will quickly follow. Consequently, if at the present day we see the Church disturbed and oppressed by those who are somewhat related to us, and who even assume the name and title of the Church, let us comfort our hearts by this promise.

As straw is trodden down in the dunghills. {Bogus footnote} The word מדמנה, (Mădmēnāh,) which we translate “dunghill,” {Bogus footnote} is supposed by some to be the name of a city, which is also mentioned by Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 48:2.) But what if we should say that the Prophet alludes to the city, which was probably situated in a fertile soil, and thus conveys a stronger censure, and presses harder on the Moabites? As if he had said, “As straw is trodden down in their fields, so will the Lord tread down the Moabites.” I do not dislike other interpretations, but consider it to be not improbable that he alludes to the fertility of the soil in which that city was situated. Yet in my version I have not hesitated to follow the common opinion.

11. And he shall spread out. The Prophet now explains and confirms the former statement; but he employs a different metaphor, by which he means, that the Lord will spread out his hand to the innermost part of the country of Moab, and not merely to its extremities. Some explain the metaphor thus: “As the arms are stretched out in swimming, so the Lord will chastise the Moabites on all sides.” Others think that it expresses the doubling of punishments, as if he had said, “The Lord will not only punish the Moabites, but will again and again take vengeance for the cruelty which they exercised against the children of God.”

But we might take another way of explaining that metaphor. Those who swim do not rush forward with the utmost violence, but gently spread out and quickly draw back their arms, and yet they cut and subdue the waters. In like manner, the Lord does not always put forth great strength to cut down the wicked, but without any effort, without the use of armies, without any noise or uproar, he destroys and puts them to flight, however valiant or well prepared for battle they may appear to be. And I approve of this explanation, because it takes nothing from the meaning formerly given, and explains more clearly, that the wicked are often brought to nothing by the hand of God, though he do not openly thunder from heaven. When he says, “In the midst of it,” he shews that no part will be hidden in such a manner as not to be overtaken by this vengeance.

12. And the fortress. The Prophet now directs his discourse to the country of Moab. It was highly fortified, and was proud of its walls and fortifications; and he affirms that the lofty towers, and other defences, however strong and seemingly impregnable, will be of no avail. The ancients, it is well known, had quite a different method of fortifying from what is practiced among us.

He will bring down, lay low, and cast to the ground. The three words here employed, for conveying the meaning more strongly, are not superfluous; for it was necessary to beat down that pride which swelled the hearts of the Moabites, and which, as we formerly saw, {Bogus footnote} made them intolerable. The Prophet therefore mocks at them, “As if the Lord could not cast down that loftiness of which you boast!”

To the dust. The meaning of this clause is as if he had said, “He will not only level it with the ground, but will reduce it to dust, so that there will not even be a trace of the ancient ruin.” This passage contains an excellent and highly seasonable consolation; for the enemies of the Church in the present day are so haughty, that they mock not only at men, but at God himself, and are so much swelled and puffed up by their power, that they imagine themselves to be invincible; but, in opposition to their bulwarks and defences, we ought to bring forward this declaration of the Prophet, “The Lord will quickly bring down and lay them low.” Yet we must patiently endure to see them strong and powerful, till the full time for their destruction arrive.

CHAPTER 26

Isaiah Chapter 26:1-21

1. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city: salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

1. In die illa cantabitur canticum in terra Iuda: Urbs fortitudinis nobis; salutem posuit muros et vallum.

2. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

2. Aperite portas, et ingredietur gens justa, custodiens veritates.

3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee.

3. Cogitatio fixa: custodies pacem, pacem; quoniam in te confisum est.

4. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.

4. Sperate in Iehova in perpetuum; quia in Iah Iehova fortitudo seculorum.

5. For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low: he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.

5. Nam incurvabit incolas sublimitatis, civitatem exaltatam humiliabit; humiliabit, inquam, eam ad terram, deducet ad pulverem.

6. The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.

6. Calcabit eam pes; pedes pauperis, gressus inopum.

7. The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.

7. Semita justi rectitudines; rectam viam justi æquabis, (vel, tu, qui rectus es, viam justi æquabis.)

8. Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.

8. Etiam in via judiciorum tuorum, Iehova, speravimus in te, ad nomen tuum, et memoriam tui desiderium animæ.

9. With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

9. Anima mea desideravit te per noctem; quin et spiritu meo intra me te mane (vel, sedulo) quæram; nam ex quo fuerint judicia tua in terra, justitiam discent incolæ terræ.

10. Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord.

10. Impius gratiam obtinebit, nec discet justitiam; in terra rectorum operum perverse aget, nec videbit magnificentiam Iehovæ.

11. Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.

11. Iehova, utcunque exaltata fuerit manus tua, non videbunt; videbunt et pudefient æmulatione populi; quin et ignis hostium tuorum vorabit eos.

12. Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.

12. Iehova, ordinabis nobis pacem; nam et omnia opera nostra operatus es nobis.

13. O Lord our God, other lords besides thee have had dominion over us; but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.

13. Iehova Deus noster, subjugaverunt nos domini præter te; tantum in te recordabimur nominis tui.

14 They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.

14. Mortui non vivent; occisi non resurgent; propterea visitasti, et exterminasti eos; et perdidisti omnem memoriam eorum.

15. Thou hast increased the nation, O Lord, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.

15. Addidisti genti, Iehova; addidisti genti; glorificatus es; dilatasti omnes fines terræ.

16. Lord, in trouble have they visited thee; they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

16. Iehova, in tribulatione visitaverunt te, effuderunt precationem, dum castigatio tua super eos.

17. Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O Lord.

17. Sicut prægnans, quæ ad partum propinquat, dolet, clamat in doloribus suis; sic nos fuimus a facie tua, Iehova.

18. We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth, neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

18. Parturivimus, doluimus, ac si peperissemus ventum, salus non est facta terræ, et non ceciderunt incolæ orbis.

19. Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

19. Vivent mortui tui, cadaver meum resurgent. Evigilate, et cantate, incolæ pulveris. Quoniam ros herbarum ros tuus; et terra mortuos ejiciet, (vel, terram Gigantum prosternes; vel, terra Gigantes cadere faciet.)

20. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

20. Veni, popule mi, intra in cubicula tua; claude ostia post te: lateas paululum ad momentum, donec transeat indignatio.

21. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

21. Nam ecce Iehova egreditur e loco suo, ut visitet iniquitatem habitatoris terræ contra eum. Et discooperiet terra sanguines suos, et non teget amplius super occisis suis.

CHAPTER 25

Is 25:1-12. Continuation of the Twenty-fourth Chapter. Thanksgiving for the Overthrow of the Apostate Faction, and the Setting Up of Jehovah's Throne on Zion.

The restoration from Babylon and re-establishment of the theocracy was a type and pledge of this.

1. wonderful--(Is 9:6).

counsels of old--(Is 42:9; 46:10). Purposes planned long ago; here, as to the deliverance of His people.

truth--Hebrew, Amen; covenant-keeping, faithful to promises; the peculiar characteristic of Jesus (Re 3:14).

2. a city ... heap--Babylon, type of the seat of Antichrist, to be destroyed in the last days (compare Jr 51:37, with Re 18:1-24, followed, as here, by the song of the saints' thanksgiving in Re 19:1-21). "Heaps" is a graphic picture of Babylon and Nineveh as they now are.

palace--Babylon regarded, on account of its splendor, as a vast palace. But Maurer translates, "a citadel."

of strangers--foreigners, whose capital pre-eminently Babylon was, the metropolis of the pagan world. "Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise" (Is 29:5; Ep 2:12; see in contrast, Joe 3:17).

never be built--(Is 13:19, 20, &c.).

3. strong people--This cannot apply to the Jews; but other nations on which Babylon had exercised its cruelty (Is 14:12) shall worship Jehovah, awed by the judgment inflicted on Babylon (Is 23:18).

city--not Babylon, which shall then be destroyed, but collectively for the cities of the surrounding nations.

4. the poor ... needy--the Jews, exiles from their country (Is 26:6; 41:17).

heat--calamity (Is 4:6; 32:2).

blast--that is, wrath.

storm--a tempest of rain, a winter flood, rushing against and overthrowing the wall of a house.

5. Translate, "As the heat in a dry land (is brought down by the shadow of a cloud, so) thou shalt bring down the tumult (the shout of triumph over their enemies) of strangers (foreigners); and as the heat by the shadow of the cloud (is brought low), so the branch (the offspring) of the terrible ones shall be brought low." Parkhurst translates the Hebrew for "branch," the exulting song. Jerome translates the last clause, "And as when the heat burns under a cloud, thou shalt make the branch of the terrible ones to wither"; the branch withering even under the friendly shade of a cloud typifies the wicked brought to ruin, not for want of natural means of prosperity, but by the immediate act of God.

6. in this mountain--Zion: Messiah's kingdom was to begin, and is to have its central seat hereafter, at Jerusalem, as the common country of "all nations" (Is 2:2, &c.).

all people--(Is 56:7; Da 7:14; Lu 2:10).

feast--image of felicity (Psa 22:26, 27; Mt 8:11; Lu 14:15; Re 19:9; compare Psa 36:8; 87:1-7).

fat things--delicacies; the rich mercies of God in Christ (Is 55:2; Jr 31:14; Job 36:16).

wines on the lees--wine which has been long kept on the lees; that is, the oldest and most generous wine (Jr 48:11).

marrow--the choicest dainties (Psa 63:5).

well refined--cleared of all dregs.

7. face of ... covering--image from mourning, in which it was usual to cover the face with a veil (2Sa 15:30). "Face of covering," that is, the covering itself; as in Job 41:13, "the face of his garment," the garment itself. The covering or veil is the mist of ignorance as to a future state, and the way to eternal life, which enveloped the nations (Ep 4:18) and the unbelieving Jew (2Co 3:15). The Jew, however, is first to be converted before the conversion of "all nations"; for it is "in this mountain," namely, Zion, that the latter are to have the veil taken off (Psa 102:13, 15, 16, 21, 22; Ro 11:12).

8. Quoted in 1Co 15:54, in support of the resurrection.

swallow up ... in victory--completely and permanently "abolish" (2Ti 1:10; Re 20:14; 21:4; compare Ge 2:17; 3:22).

rebuke--(Compare Mr 8:38; He 11:26).

9. And it shall be said in that day, &c.--"After death has been swallowed up for ever, the people of God, who had been delivered from the hand of death, shall say to the Lord, Lo, this is our God, whom unbelievers regarded as only a man" [Jerome]. "The words are so moulded as to point us specially to the person of the Son of God, who 'saves' us; as He vouchsafed to Israel temporal saving, so to His elect He appears for the purpose of conferring eternal salvation" [Vitringa]. The Jews, however, have a special share in the words, This is our God (see on Is 25:6).

we have waited--"Waited" is characteristic of God's people in all ages (Ge 49:18; Tit 2:13).

we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation--compare Psa 118:24, which refers to the second coming of Jesus (compare Psa 118:26, with Lu 13:35).

10. rest--as its permanent protector; on "hand" in this sense; compare Ezr 7:6, 28.

Moab--while Israel is being protected, the foe is destroyed; Moab is the representative of all the foes of God's people.

under him--Rather, "in his own place" or "country" (Ex 10:23; 16:29).

for the dunghill--Rather, "in the water of the dung heap," in which straw was trodden to make it manure (Psa 83:10). Horsley translates either, "in the waters of Madmenah," namely, for the making of bricks; or as the Septuagint, "as the threshing-floor is trampled by the corn-drag" (see Margin; Mi 4:11-13).

11. he--Jehovah shall spread His hands to strike the foe on this side and on that, with as little effort as a swimmer spreads forth his arms to cleave a passage through the water [Calvin]. (Zec 5:3). Lowth takes "he" as Moab, who, in danger of sinking, shall strain every nerve to save himself; but Jehovah (and "he") shall cause him to sink ("bring down the pride" of Moab, Is 16:6).

with the spoils of ... hands--literally, "the craftily acquired spoils" of his (Moab's) hands [Barnes]. Moab's pride, as well as the sudden gripe of his hands (namely, whereby he tries to save himself from drowning) [Lowth]. "Together with the joints of his hands," that is, though Moab struggle against Jehovah hand and foot [Maurer].

12. fortress--the strongholds of Moab, the representative of the foes of God's people [Barnes]. Babylon [Maurer]. The society of infidels represented as a city (Re 11:8).

Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth - That is, All thy past declarations by the prophets shall be fulfilled in their proper time.

A city "The city" - Nineveh, Babylon, Ar, Moab, or any other strong fortress possessed by the enemies of the people of God.

For the first מעיר meir, of a city, the Syriac and Vulgate read העיר hair, the city; the Septuagint and Chaldee read ערים arim, cities, in the plural, transposing the letters. After the second מעיר meir, a MS. adds לגל lagol, for a heap.

A palace of strangers "The palace of the proud ones" - For זרים zarim, strangers, MS. Bodl. and another read זדים zedim, the proud: so likewise the Septuagint; for they render it ασεβων here, and in Isa 25:5, as they do in some other places: see Deu 18:20, Deu 18:22. Another MS. reads צרים tsarim, adversaries; which also makes a good sense. But זרים zarim, strangers, and זדים zedim, the proud, are often confounded by the great similitude of the letters ד daleth and ר resh. See Mal 3:15; Mal 4:1; Psa 19:14, in the Septuagint; and Psa 54:5, where the Chaldee reads זדים zedim, compared with Psa 86:16.

As a storm against the wall "Like a winter-storm" - For קיר kir, read קור kor: or, as עיר ir from ערר arar, so קיר kir from קרר karar. - Capellus.

Of strangers "Of the proud" - The same mistake here as in Isa 25:2 (note): see the note there. Here זדים zedim, the proud, is parallel to עריצים aritsim, the formidable: as in Psa 54:5, and Psa 86:14.

The heat with the shadow of a cloud "As the heat by a thick cloud" - For חרב choreb, the Syriac, Chaldee, Vulgate, and two MSS. read כחרב kechoreb, which is a repetition of the beginning of the foregoing parallel line; and the verse taken out of the parallel form, and more fully expressed, would run thus: "As a thick cloud interposing tempers the heat of the sun on the burnt soil; so shalt thou, by the interposition of thy power, bring low and abate the tumult of the proud, and the triumph of the formidable."

In this mountain - Zion, at Jerusalem. In his Church.

Shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast - Salvation by Jesus Christ. A feast is a proper and usual expression of joy in consequence of victory, or any other great success. The feast here spoken of is to be celebrated on Mount Sion; and all people, without distinction, are to be invited to it. This can be no other than the celebration of the establishment of Christ's kingdom, which is frequently represented in the Gospel under the image of a feast; "where many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven;" Mat 8:11. See also Luk 14:16; Luk 24:29, Luk 24:30. This sense is fully confirmed by the concomitants of this feast expressed in the next verse, the removing of the veil from the face of the nations, and the abolition of death: the first of which is obviously and clearly explained of the preaching of the Gospel; and the second must mean the blessing of immortality procured for us by Christ, "who hath abolished death, and through death hath destroyed him that had the power of death."

Of wines on the lees "Of old wines" - Hebrews lees; that is, of wines kept long on the lees. The word used to express the lees in the original signifies the preservers; because they preserve the strength and flavor of the wine. "All recent wines, after the fermentation has ceased, ought to be kept on their lees for a certain time, which greatly contributes to increase their strength and flavor. Whenever this first fermentation has been deficient, they will retain a more rich and sweet taste than is natural to them in a recent true vinous state; and unless farther fermentation is promoted by their lying longer on their own lees, they will never attain their genuine strength and flavor, but run into repeated and ineffectual fermentations, and soon degenerate into a liquor of an acetous kind. All wines of a light and austere kind, by a fermentation too great, or too long continued, certainly degenerate into a weak sort of vinegar; while the stronger not only require, but will safely bear a stronger and often-repeated fermentation; and are more apt to degenerate from a defect than excess of fermentation into a vapid, ropy, and at length into a putrescent state." Sir Edward Barry, Observations on the Wines of the Ancients, p. 9, 10.

Thevenot observes particularly of the Shiras wine, that, after it is refined from the lees, it is apt to grow sour. "Il a beaucoup de lie; c'est pourquoi il donne puissemment dans la teste; et pour le rendre plus traitable on le passe par un chausse d'hypocras; apres quoi il est fort clair, et moins fumeux. Ils mettent ce vin dans des grandes jarres de terres qui tiennent dix ou douze jusqu'a quatorze carabas: mais quand l'on a entame une jarre, il faut la vuider au plutost, et mettre le vin qu'on en tire dans des bouteilles ou carabas; car si l'on y manque en le laissant quelque tems apres que la jarre est entamee il se gate et s'aigrit." Voyages, Tom. 2 p. 245. "It has much sediment, and therefore is intoxicating. In order to make it more mellow, they strain it through a hypocrates' sleeve, after which it is very clear and less heady. They lay up this wine in great earthen jars, which hold from ten to fourteen carabas: but when a jar is unstopped, it is necessary to empty it immediately, and put the wine into bottles, or carabas; for if it be left thus in the jar, it will spoil and become acid."

The caraba, or girba, is a goat's skin drawn off from the animal, having no apertures but those occasioned by the tail, the feet, and the neck. One opening is left, to pour in and draw off the liquor. This skin goes through a sort of tanning process, and is often beautifully ornamented, as is the case with one of these girbas now lying before me.

This clearly explains the very elegant comparison, or rather allegory, of Jeremiah, Jer 48:11; where the reader will find a remarkable example of the mixture of the proper with the allegorical, not uncommon with the Hebrew poets: - "Moab hath been at ease from his youth,

And he hath settled upon his lees;

Nor hath he been drawn off from vessel to vessel,

Neither hath he gone into captivity:

Wherefore his taste remaineth in him,

And his flavor is not changed."

Sir John Chardin's MS. note on this place of Jeremiah is as follows: "On change ainsi le vin de coupe en coupe en Orient; et quand on en entame une, il faut la vuider en petites coupes ou bouteilles, sans quoy il s'aigrit." "They change the wine from vessel to vessel in the east; and when they unstop a large one, it is necessary to empty it into small vessels, as otherwise it will grow sour."

The face of the covering cast over all people "The covering that covered the face of all the peoples" - MS. Bodl. reads על פני כל al peney chol. The word פני peney, face, has been removed from its right place into the line above, where it makes no sense; as Houbigant conjectured. "The face of the covering," etc. He will unveil all the Mosaic ritual, and show by his apostles that it referred to, and was accomplished in, the sacrificial offering of Jesus Christ.

He will swallow up death - He, by the grace of God, will taste death for every man. Heb 2:9. Probably, swallow up death, and taste death, in both these verses, refer to the same thing: Jesus dying instead of a guilty world. These forms of speech may refer to the punishment of certain criminals; they were obliged to drink a cup of poison. That cup which every criminal in the world must have drunk, Jesus Christ drank for them; and thus he swallowed up death: but as he rose again from the dead, complete victory was gained.

From these three verses we learn: -

I. That the Gospel is a plenteous provision: "I will make a feast for all people."

II. That it is a source of light and salvation: "I will destroy the veil. I will abolish death. and bring life and immortality to light."

III. That it is a source of comfort and happiness: "I will wipe away all tears from off all faces."

As in the Arabic countries a covering was put over the face of him who was condemned to suffer death, it is probable that the words in Isa 25:7 may refer to this. The whole world was condemned to death, and about to be led out to execution, when the gracious Lord interposed, and, by a glorious sacrifice, procured a general pardon.

It shall be said "Shall they say" - So the Septuagint and Vulgate, in the plural number. They read ואמרו veameru, the Syriac reads ואמרת veamarta, thou shalt say. They shall say, i.e., the Jews and the Gentiles - Lo, this [Jesus Christ] is our God: we have waited for him, according to the predictions of the prophets. We have expected him, and we have not been disappointed; therefore will we be glad, and rejoice in his salvation.

Shall the hand of the Lord rest "The hand of Jehovah shall give rest" - Hebrews תנוח tenuach, quiescet. Annon תניח taniach, quietem dabit, shall rest; shall give rest, ut Graeci, αναπαυσιν δωσει, et Copt.? - Mr. Woide. That is, "shall give peace and quiet to Sion, by destroying the enemy; "as it follows."

As straw is trodden down "As the straw is threshed" - Hoc junta ritum loquitur Palastinae et multarum Orientis provinciarum, quae ob pratorum et foeni penuriam paleas preparant esui animantium. Sunt autem carpenta ferrata rotis per medium in serrarum modum se volventibus, quae stipulam conterunt; et comminuunt in paleas. Quomodo igitur plaustris ferratis paleae conteruntur, sic conteretur Moab sub eo; sive sub Dei potentia, sive in semetipso, ut nihil in eo integri remaneat. "This is spoken in reference to the mode of threshing in Palestine, and various other Asiatic provinces. Because of the scarcity of meadow land and hay they make chopped straw for the cattle. They have large wheels studded over with iron teeth or nails, by which, on the out-of-door threshing-floors, they pound and reduce the straw into chaff. As, therefore, the straw is reduced to chaff by bringing the iron-shod wheel over it; so shall Moab be bruised by the power of God, that nothing whole shall remain." - Hieron. in loc. See the note on Isa 28:27 (note).

For the dunghill "Under the wheels of the car" - For מדמנה madmenah, the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate read מרכבה mercabah, which I have followed. See Jos 15:31, compared with Jos 19:5, where there is a mistake very nearly the same. The keri, במי bemi, is confirmed by twenty-eight MSS., seven ancient, and three editions.

As he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim "As he that sinketh stretcheth out his hands to swim" - There is great obscurity in this place: some understand God as the agent; others, Moab. I have chosen the latter sense, as I cannot conceive that the stretching out of the hands of a swimmer in swimming can be any illustration of the action of God stretching out his hands over Moab to destroy it. I take השחה hashshocheh, altering the point on the ש sin. on the authority of the Septuagint, to be the participle of שחה shachah, the same with שוח shuach, and שחח shachach, to bow down, to be depressed; and that the prophet designed a paronomasia here, a figure which he frequently uses between the similar words שהח shachah, and שחות shechoth. As תחתיו tachtaiv, in his place, or on the spot, as we say in the preceding verse, gives us an idea of the sudden and complete destruction of Moab; so בקרבו bekirbo, in the midst of him, means that this destruction shall be open, and exposed to the view of all: the neighboring nations shall plainly see him struggling against it, as a man in the midst of the deep waters exerts all his efforts by swimming, to save himself from drowning. - L.

O Lord - The prophet reflecting upon those great and glorious prophecies which he had delivered, interrupts the course of his prophecies, and breaks forth into a solemn celebration of God's wonderful works. Thy counsels - From which all thy works proceed, and which thou hast from time to time revealed to thy prophets and people, which were of old, being conceived from all eternity, are true and firm, and shall certainly be accomplished.

A city - Which is put for cities: or of enemies of God and his people. And under the name cities he comprehends their countries and kingdoms. Strangers - The royal cities, in which were the palaces of strangers, of Gentiles. No city - Their cities and palaces have been or shall be utterly and irrecoverably destroyed.

Shall fear - Thy stoutest enemies observing thy wonderful works, shall be converted, or at least forced to tremble before thee.

For - For thou hast defended thy poor and helpless people. As a storm - Makes a great noise, but without any effect.

The noise - The tumultuous noise, as the word properly signifies; the rage and furious attempts of those Heathen nations that fought against God's people. As the heat - With as much ease as thou dost allay the heat of a dry place, by the shadow of thy clouds, or by the rain which falls from black and shadowy clouds. The branch - The arm or power, as a branch is the arm of a tree.

And - In mount Zion, in God's church. All people - Both Jews and Gentiles. A feast - A feast made up of the most delicate provisions, which is manifestly meant of the ordinances, graces, and comforts given by God in his church. Of wines - Which have continued upon the lees a competent time, whereby they gain strength, and are afterwards drawn off, and refined.

The face - The covering of the face. The veil - The ignorance of God, and of the true religion, which then was upon the Gentiles, and now is upon the Jews.

He - Christ will by his death destroy the power of death, take away the sting of the first death, and prevent the second. In victory - Heb. unto victory; so as to overcome it perfectly; which complete victory Christ hath already purchased for, and will in due time actually confer upon his people. Rebuke - The reproach and contempt cast upon his faithful people by the ungodly world.

Our God - Our Messiah, long since promised, and for whom we have waited long, is come into the world, bringing salvation with him.

Rest - The powerful and gracious presence, of God shall have its constant and settled abode. Moab - The Moabites are put for all the enemies of God's church.

He - The Lord, whose power they shall be no more able to resist, than the waters can resist a man that swims. Spread - To smite and destroy them. The spoils - With all their wealth which they have gained by rapine, and spoiling of God's people.

And - All thy fortifications, in which thou trustest.

O LORD, thou art my God, I will exalt thee, I will praise thy Name ; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth .

The Prophet reflecting upon those great and glorious Prophecies which he had delivered concerning the Destruction of his Enemies, and the Protection and Deliverance of his People, and the sending of the Messiah, and the Establishment of his own Kingdom in spight of all opposition, interrupteth the Course of his Prophecies, and breaketh forth into a Solemn Celebration of all these wonderful Works.

Thy counsels from which all thy Works proceed, and which thou hast from time to time revealed to thy Prophets and People, which were of old, being conceived from all Eternity, and long since made known by thy Threatnings and Promises, are true and firm, and therefore shall certainly be accomplished.

2 For thou hast made of a city , an heap; of a defenced city, a ruin: a palace of strangers , to be no city, it shall never be built .

Which is put collectively for cities. He speaks of the Cities of strangers, as the following Clause explains it, or of Enemies of God, and of his People. And under the Name cities he comprehends their Countries and Kingdoms, of which Cities are an eminent and commonly the strongest part.

The Royal Cities, in which were the palaces of strangers, i. e. of the Kings of strange People or of the Gentiles.

Their Cities and Palaces have been, or shall be, utterly and irrecoverably destroyed.

Marginal references: Chap. 21. 9. & 23. 13.

3 Therefore shall the strong people glorifie thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee .

Thy stoutest Enemies observing thy wonderful Works, in saving thy People, and in destroying others of thine and their Adversaries, shall be either converted, or at least convinced, and forced to acknowledge thy Power, and shall tremble before thee.

4 For thou hast been a strength to [illegible: 1 word] poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat , when the blast of the terrible one is as a storm against the wall .

For thou hast defended thy poor and helpless People, against the fiercest Assaults of their Enemies.

Or, for (as this Particle commonly signifies; or rather, therefore, as it is frequently used, because thou art their Defender) the blast of the terrible, or strong, or violent one, was like a storm (of Hail, or Rain, or Wind) against a wall, which makes a great and terrible noise, but without any effect, for the Wall stands firm in spight of it. It is probable the Prophet in these Words had a special respect to that miraculous Deliverance of Ierusalem from the Rage and Attempt of Sennacherib; although the Words be general, and include other Deliverances of a like nature.

5 Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers , as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud : the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.

The tumultuous noise, as the Word properly signifies, which he called their blast in the foregoing Verse; by which he means their Rage and furious Attempts, which are common[illegible: 1+ letters] managed with much noise and clamour.

Of those strange and Heathen Nations that fought against God's People.

With as much [illegible: 1+ letters]ase as thou dost in the Course of thy common Providence allay the Heat of a dry Season and Place, either by the shadow of thy Clouds, or by the Rain which falleth from black and shadowy Clouds.

The Arm or Power, as a Branch is the Arm of a Tree. Or, the Prince or Commanders: for the Word branch is sometimes put for a Person of eminent Place and Power, as Psal. 80. 15. Isa. 4. 2. Zech. 3. 8. & 6. 12. But others render the Word, the song, as it is used Cant. 2. 12. their jovial and triumphant Song.

6 And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things , a feast of wines on the lees , of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.

In Mount Zion, to wit, in God's Church, which is very frequently meant by the Names of Zion and Ierusalem, both in the Old and in the New Testament.

Both Jews and Gentiles, who shall then be admitted to the participation of the same Privileges and Ordinances.

A Feast made up of the most exquisite and delicate Provisions: Which is manifestly meant of the Ordinances, Graces, and Comforts given by God in and to his Church.

Which have continued upon the Lees a competent time, whereby they gain strength, and afterwards drawn off from the Lees, and so refined, as it is explained in the next Clause.

Marginal references: Prov. 9. 2. lat. 22. 4. &c.

7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.

Which is put either, 1. for the Covering of the Face, by an Hypallage, as silver of shekels is put for shekels of silver, Levit. 5. 15. or, 2. for the Covering or vail, as the next Clause expounds it, the Word face being oft superfluously used in the Hebrew Language, as Gen. 1. 2, 29. and elsewhere.

The Vail of Ignorance of God, and of the True Religion, which then was upon the Gentiles, and now is upon the Jews, 2 Cor. 3. 14, 15, 16. which, like a Vail, covers Mens Eyes, and keeps them from discerning between things that differ. It may be also an Allusion either to the Vail which was put upon Moses his Face, Exod. 34. 33, 34. or to the Vail of the Sanctuary, by which the persons without it were kept from the sight of the Ark. This is a manifest Prophecy concerning the Illumination and Conversion of the Gentiles.

Marginal references: Heb. swallow up.; Heb. covered.

8 He will swallow up death in victory , and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces, and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth : for the LORD hath spoken it .

The Lord, expressed both in the foregoing and following Words, even the Messiah, who is God and Man.

Shall by his Death destroy the Power of Death, as is said Heb. 2. 14. take away the Sting of the First Death, and prevent the Second Death, and give Eternal Life to the World, even to all that believe in him.

Heb. unto victory, i. e. so as to overcome it perfectly; which compleat Victory Christ hath already purchased for, and will in due time actually conser upon his People.

Will take away from his People all Sufferings and Sorrows, and all the Causes of them; which is begun here, and perfected in Heaven.

The Reproach and Contempt which was daily cast upon his faithful People by the ungodly World, and▪ among others, by the Apostate and Unbelieving Jews, who accounted the Christians to be the scum and off-scouring of all things.

Or, from off all this land, i. e. from all the Church and People of God, wheresoever they shall be, from all their Faces, as was said in the foregoing Clause.

Therefore doubt not of it, though it seem incredible to you.

Marginal references: 1 Cor. 15. 54. Rev. 20. 14.; Rev. 7. 17. & 21. 4.

9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God , we have waited for him , and he will save us: this is the LORD, we have waited for him, we will be glad, and rejoyce in his salvation.

By God's People, in way of triumph and reply to their Enemies.

Your Gods are senceless and impotent Idols; but our God is Omnipotent, and hath done these great and glorious Works, which fill the World with Admiration. We may well boast of him; for there is no God like to him. Possibly it may be an intimation, that God should take Flesh, and became visibly present amongst Men.

Our Messiah, or Saviour, long since promised, and for whom we have waited a long time, now at last is come into the World, bringing Salvation with him.

10 For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest , and Moab shall be trodden down under him , even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill .

The powerful and gracious Presence of God (which is oft signified in Scripture by God's hand) shall have its constant and setled abode, it shall not move from place to place, as it did with the Tabernacle; nor shall it depart from it, as it did from Ierusalem, but shall continue in his Church even to the end of the World, Mat. 28. 20.

The Moabites, which, having been constant and implacable Enemies to Israel, are Synechdochically put for all the Enemies of God's Church, as the Edomites upon the same account are, Isa. 34. 6. & 63. 1.

Under his Feet, as appears by the following Similitude.

As easily and as effectually as the Straw, which being left upon the Ground, and mixed with the Dung which lies there, is trampled upon by the Feet of Men and Beasts.

Marginal references: Or, threshed.; Or, threshed in Madmenah.

11 And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands .

Either, 1. Moab, who being plunged into a Sea of Troubles, shall endeavour to swim out of it, but to no purpose; or rather, 2. the Lord, who is designed by this very Pronoun he, both in the latter Clause of this Verse, and in the following Verse; whose Power they shall be no more able to resist, than the Waters can resist a Man that swims, who with great facility divides them hither and thither.

Or, siretch forth his hands to the utmost, to smite and destroy them.

Which he doth to the uttermost.

With all that Wealth which they have gained by Rapine, and spoiling of God's People, and others. But the Words are otherwise rendred by others, with or by (as this Hebrew Particle is used, Esth. 9. 25.) the arms of his hands: which he may mention because the Strength of a Man, and of his Hands, consisteth in his Arms; whence also the arm in Scripture is oft put for Strength: or, by the motion or stroke of his hands, as all the ancient Translators do in effect render it. And this seems to agree best with the Metaphor here borrowed from one that swimmeth, which is performed in that manner.

12 And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust.

All thy walled Cities and Fortifications, to which thou trustest.

Marginal references: Chap. 26. 5.

Isa 25:1-5

The first echo is Isa 25:1-8, or more precisely Isa 25:1-5. The prophet, whom we already know as a psalmist from Isa 12:1-6, now acts as choral leader of the church of the future, and praises Jehovah for having destroyed the mighty imperial city, and proved Himself a defence and shield against its tyranny towards His oppressed church. “Jehovah, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy name, that Thou hast wrought wonders, counsels from afar, sincerity, truth. For Thou hast turned it from a city into a heap of stones, the steep castle into a ruin; the palace of the barbarians from being a city, to be rebuilt no more for ever. Therefore a wild people will honour Thee, cities of violent nations fear Thee. For Thou provedst Thyself a stronghold to the lowly, a stronghold to the poor in his distress, as a shelter from the storm of rain, as a shadow from the burning of the sun; for the blast of violent ones was like a storm of rain against a wall. Like the burning of the sun in a parched land, Thou subduest the noise of the barbarians; (like)the burning of the sun through the shadow of a cloud, the triumphal song of violent ones was brought low.” The introductory clause is to be understood as in Psa 118:28 : Jehovah (voc.), my God art Thou. “Thou hast wrought wonders:” this is taken from Exo 15:11 (as in Psa 77:15; Psa 78:12; like Isa 12:2, from Exo 15:2). The wonders which are now actually wrought are “counsels from afar” (mērâcōk), counsels already adopted afar off, i.e., long before, thoughts of God belonging to the olden time; the same ideal view as in Isa 22:11; Isa 37:26 (a parallel which coincides with our passage on every side), and, in fact, throughout the whole of the second part. It is the manifold “counsel” of the Holy One of Israel (Isa 5:19; Isa 14:24-27; Isa 19:12, Isa 19:17; Isa 23:8; Isa 28:29) which displays its wonders in the events of time. To the verb עשׂית we have also a second and third object, viz., אמן אמוּנה. It is a common custom with Isaiah to place derivatives of the same word side by side, for the purpose of giving the greatest possible emphasis to the idea (Isa 3:1; Isa 16:6). אמוּנה indicates a quality, אמן in actual fact. What He has executed is the realization of His faithfulness, and the reality of His promises. The imperial city is destroyed. Jehovah, as the first clause which is defined by tzakeph affirms, has removed it away from the nature of a city into the condition of a heap of stones. The sentence has its object within itself, and merely gives prominence to the change that has been effected; the Lamed is used in the same sense as in Isa 23:13 (cf., Isa 37:26); the min, as in Isa 7:8; Isa 17:1; Isa 23:1; Isa 24:10. Mappēlâh, with kametz or tzere before the tone, is a word that can only be accredited from the book of Isaiah (Isa 17:1; Isa 23:13). עיר, קריה, and אמרון are common parallel words in Isaiah (Isa 1:26; Isa 22:2; Isa 32:13-14); and zârim, as in Isa 1:7 and Isa 29:5, is the most general epithet for the enemies of the people of God. The fall of the imperial kingdom is followed by the conversion of the heathen; the songs proceed from the mouths of the remotest nations. Isa 25:3 runs parallel with Rev 15:3-4. Nations hitherto rude and passionate now submit to Jehovah with decorous reverence, and those that were previously oppressive (‛arı̄tzim, as in Isa 13:11, in form like pârı̄tzim, shâlı̄shı̄m) with humble fear. The cause of this conversion of the heathen is the one thus briefly indicated in the Apocalypse, “for thy judgments are made manifest” (Rev 15:4). דּל and אביון (cf., Isa 14:30; Isa 29:19) are names well known from the Psalms, as applying to the church when oppressed. To this church, in the distress which she had endured (לו בּצּר, as in Isa 26:16; Isa 63:9, cf., Isa 33:2), Jehovah had proved Himself a strong castle (mâ'ōz; on the expression, compare Isa 30:3), a shelter from storm and a shade from heat (for the figures, compare Isa 4:6; Isa 32:2; Isa 16:3), so that the blast of the tyrants (compare ruach on Isa 30:28; Isa 33:11, Ps. 76:13) was like a wall-storm, i.e., a storm striking against a wall (compare Isa 9:3, a shoulder-stick, i.e., a stick which strikes the shoulder), sounding against it and bursting upon it without being able to wash it away (Isa 28:17; Psa 62:4), because it was the wall of a strong castle, and this strong castle was Jehovah Himself. As Jehovah can suddenly subdue the heat of the sun in dryness (tzâyōn, abstract for concrete, as in Isa 32:2, equivalent to dry land, Isa 41:18), and it must give way when He brings up a shady thicket (Jer 4:29), namely of clouds (Exo 19:9; Psa 18:12), so did He suddenly subdue the thundering (shâ'on, as in Isa 17:12) of the hordes that stormed against His people; and the song of triumph (zâmı̄r, only met with again in Sol 2:12) of the tyrants, which passed over the world like a scorching heat, was soon “brought low” (‛ânâh, in its neuter radical signification “to bend,” related to כּנע, as in Isa 31:4).

Isa 25:6

Thus the first hymnic echo dies away; and the eschatological prophecy, coming back to Isa 24:23, but with deeper prayerlike penetration, proceeds thus in Isa 25:6 : “And Jehovah of hosts prepares for all nations upon this mountain a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things rich in marrow, of wines on the lees thoroughly strained.” “This mountain” is Zion, the seat of God’s presence, and the place of His church’s worship. The feast is therefore a spiritual one. The figure is taken, as in Psa 22:27., from the sacrificial meals connected with the shelâmim (the peace-offerings). Shemârim mezukkâkim are wines which have been left to stand upon their lees after the first fermentation is over, which have thus thoroughly fermented, and have been kept a long time (from shâmar, to keep, spec. to allow to ferment), and which are then filtered before drinking (Gr. οἶνος σακκίας, i.e., διΰλισμένος or διηθικὸς, from διηθεῖν, percolare), hence wine both strong and clear. Memuchâyı̄m might mean emedullatae (“with the marrow taken out;” compare, perhaps, Pro 31:3), but this could only apply to the bones, not to the fat meat itself; the meaning is therefore “mixed with marrow,” made marrowy, medullosae. The thing symbolized in this way is the full enjoyment of blessedness in the perfected kingdom of God. The heathen are not only humbled so that they submit to Jehovah, but they also take part in the blessedness of His church, and are abundantly satisfied with the good things of His house, and made to drink of pleasure as from a river (Psa 36:9). The ring of the v. is inimitably pictorial. It is like joyful music to the heavenly feast. The more flexible form ממחיים (from the original, ממחי = ממחה) is intentionally chosen in the place of ממּסהים. It is as if we heard stringed instruments played with the most rapid movement of the bow.

Isa 25:7-8

Although the feast is one earth, it is on an earth which has been transformed into heaven; for the party-wall between God and the world has fallen down: death is no more, and all tears are for ever wiped away. “And He casts away upon this mountain the veil that veiled over all peoples, and the covering that covered over all nations. He puts away death for ever; and the Lord Jehovah wipes the tear from every face; and He removes the shame of His people from the whole earth: for Jehovah hath spoken it.” What Jehovah bestows is followed by what He puts away. The “veil” and “covering” (massēcâh, from nâsac = mâsâc, Isa 22:8, from sâcac, to weave, twist, and twist over = to cover) are not symbols of mourning and affliction, but of spiritual blindness, like the “veil” upon the heart of Israel mentioned in 2Co 3:15. The penē hallōt (cf., Job 41:5) is the upper side of the veil, the side turned towards you, by which Jehovah takes hold of the veil to lift it up. The second hallōt stands for הלּט (Ges. §71, Anm. 1), and is written in this form, according to Isaiah’s peculiar style (vid., Isa 4:6; Isa 7:11; Isa 8:6; Isa 22:13), merely for the sake of the sound, like the obscurer niphal forms in Isa 24:3. The only difference between the two nouns is this: in lōt the leading idea is that of the completeness of the covering, and in massēcâh that of its thickness. The removing of the veil, as well as of death, is called בּלּע, which we find applied to God in other passages, viz., Isa 19:3; Psa 21:10; Psa 55:10. Swallowing up is used elsewhere as equivalent to making a thing disappear, by taking it into one’s self; but here, as in many other instances, the notion of receiving into one’s self is dropped, and nothing remains but the idea of taking away, unless, indeed, abolishing of death may perhaps be regarded as taking it back into what hell shows to be the eternal principle of wrath out of which God called it forth. God will abolish death, so that there shall be no trace left of its former sway. Paul gives a free rendering of this passage in 1Co 15:54, κατεπόθη ὁ θάνατος εἰς νῖκος (after the Aramaean netzach, vincere). The Syriac combines both ideas, that of the Targum and that of Paul: absorpta est mors per victoriam in sempiternum. But the abolition of death is not in itself the perfection of blessedness. There are sufferings which force out a sigh, even after death has come as a deliverance. But all these sufferings, whose ultimate ground is sin, Jehovah sweeps away. There is something very significant in the use of the expression דּמעה (a tear), which the Apocalypse renders πᾶν δάκρυον (Rev 21:4). Wherever there is a tear on any face whatever, Jehovah wipes it away; and if Jehovah wipes away, this must be done most thoroughly: He removes the cause with the outward symptom, the sin as well as the tear. It is self-evident that this applies to the church triumphant. The world has been judged, and what was salvable has been saved. There is therefore no more shame for the people of God. Over the whole earth there is no further place to be found for this; Jehovah has taken it away. The earth is therefore a holy dwelling-place for blessed men. The new Jerusalem is Jehovah’s throne, but the whole earth is Jehovah’s glorious kingdom. The prophet is here looking from just the same point of view as Paul in 1Co 15:28, and John in the last page of the Apocalypse.

Isa 25:9

After this prophetic section, which follows the first melodious echo like an interpolated recitative, the song of praise begins again; but it is soon deflected into the tone of prophecy. The shame of the people of God, mentioned in Isa 25:8, recals to mind the special enemies of the church in its immediate neighbourhood, who could not tyrannize over it indeed, like the empire of the world, but who nevertheless scoffed at it and persecuted it. The representative and emblem of these foes are the proud and boasting Moab (Isa 16:6; Jer 48:29). All such attempts as that of Knobel to turn this into history are but so much lost trouble. Moab is a mystic name. It is the prediction of the humiliation of Moab in this spiritual sense, for which the second echo opens the way by celebrating Jehovah’s appearing. Jehovah is now in His manifested presence the conqueror of death, the drier of tears, the saviour of the honour of His oppressed church. “And they say in that day, Behold our God, for whom we waited to help us: this is Jehovah, for whom we waited; let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” The undefined but self-evident subject to v'âmar (“they say”) is the church of the last days. “Behold:” hinnēh and zeh belong to one another, as in Isa 21:9. The waiting may be understood as implying a retrospective glance at all the remote past, even as far back as Jacob’s saying, “I wait for Thy salvation, O Jehovah” (Gen 49:18). The appeal, “Let us be glad,” etc., has passed over into the grand hodu of Psa 118:24.

Isa 25:10-12

In the land of promise there is rejoicing, but on the other side of the Jordan there is fear of ruin. Two contrasted pictures are placed here side by side. The Jordan is the same as the “great gulf” in the parable of the rich man. Upon Zion Jehovah descends in mercy, but upon the highlands of Moab in His wrath. “For the hand of Jehovah will sink down upon this mountain, and Moab is trodden down there where it is, as straw is trodden down in the water of the dung-pit. And he spreadeth out his hands in the pool therein, as the swimmer spreadeth them out to swim; but Jehovah forceth down the pride of Moab in spite of the artifices of his hands. Yea, thy steep, towering walls He bows down, forces under, and casts earthwards into dust.” Jehovah brings down His hand upon Zion (nūach, as in Isa 7:2; Isa 11:1), not only to shelter, but also to avenge. Israel, that has been despised, He now makes glorious, and for contemptuous Moab He prepares a shameful end. In the place where it now is תּחתּיו, as in 2Sa 7:10; Hab 3:16, “in its own place,” its own land) it is threshed down, stamped or trodden down, as straw is trodden down into a dung-pit to turn it into manure: hiddūsh, the inf. constr., with the vowel sound u, possibly to distinguish it from the inf. absol. hiddosh (Ewald, §240,b). Instead of בּמו (as in Isa 43:2), the chethib has בּמי (cf., Job 9:30); and this is probably the more correct reading, since madmēnâh, by itself, means the dunghill, and not the tank of dung water. At the same time, it is quite possible that b'mo is intended as a play upon the name Moab, just as the word madmēnâh may possibly have been chosen with a play upon the Moabitish Madmēn (Jer 48:2). In Isa 25:11 Jehovah would be the subject, if b'kirbo (in the midst of it) referred back to Moab; but although the figure of Jehovah pressing down the pride of Moab, by spreading out His hands within it like a swimmer, might produce the impression of boldness and dignity in a different connection, yet here, where Moab has just been described as forced down into the manure-pit, the comparison of Jehovah to a swimmer would be a very offensive one. The swimmer is Moab itself, as Gesenius, Hitzig, Knobel, and in fact the majority of commentators suppose. “In the midst of it:” b'kirbo points back in a neuter sense to the place into which Moab had been violently plunged, and which was so little adapted for swimming. A man cannot swim in a manure pond; but Moab attempts it, though without success, for Jehovah presses down the pride of Moab in spite of its artifices עם, as in Neh 5:18; ארבּות, written with dagesh (according to the majority of MSS, from ארבּה, like the Arabic urbe, irbe, cleverness, wit, sharpness), i.e., the skilful and cunning movement of its hands. Saad. gives it correctly, as muchâtale, wiles and stratagems; Hitzig also renders it “machinations,” i.e., twistings and turnings, which Moab makes with its arms, for the purpose of keeping itself up in the water. What Isa 25:11 affirms in figure, Isa 25:12 illustrates without any figure. If the reading were מבצרך חומות משׂגּב, the reference would be to Kir-Moab (Isa 15:1; Isa 16:7). But as the text stands, we are evidently to understand by it the strong and lofty walls of the cities of Moab in general.

A Song of Praise. (b. c. 718.)

1 O Lord , thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. 2 For thou hast made of a city a heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built. 3 Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee. 4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. 5 Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.

It is said in the close of the foregoing chapter that the Lord of hosts shall reign gloriously; now, in compliance with this, the prophet here speaks of the glorious majesty of his kingdom (Ps. cxlv. 12), and gives him the glory of it; and, however this prophecy might have an accomplishment in the destruction of Babylon and the deliverance of the Jews out of their captivity there, it seems to look further, to the praises that should be offered up to God by the gospel church for Christ's victories over our spiritual enemies and the comforts he has provided for all believers. Here,

I. The prophet determines to praise God himself; for those that would stir up others should in the first place stir up themselves to praise God (v. 1): "O Lord! thou art my God, a God in covenant with me." When God is punishing the kings of the earth upon the earth, and making them to tremble before him, a poor prophet can go to him, and, with a humble boldness, say, O Lord! thou art my God, and therefore I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name. Those that have the Lord for their God are bound to praise him; for therefore he took us to be his people that we might be unto him for a name and for a praise, Jer. xiii. 11. In praising God we exalt him; not that we can make him higher than he is, but we must make him to appear to ourselves and others than he does. See Exod. xv. 2.

II. He pleases himself with the thought that others also shall be brought to praise God, v. 3. "Therefore, because of the desolations thou hast made in the earth by thy providence (Ps. xlvi. 8) and the just vengeance thou hast taken on thy and thy church's enemies, therefore shall the strong people glorify thee in concert, and the city (the metropolis) of the terrible nations fear thee." This may be understood, 1. Of those people that have been strong and terrible against God. Those that have been enemies to God's kingdom, and have fought against the interests of it with a great deal of strength and terror, shall either be converted, and glorify God by joining with his people in his service, or at least convinced, so as to own themselves conquered. Those that have been the terror of the mighty shall be forced to tremble before the judgments of God and call in vain to rocks and mountains to hide them. Or, 2. Of those that shall be now made strong and terrible for God and by him, though before they were weak and trampled upon. God shall so visibly appear for and with those that fear him and glorify him that all shall acknowledge them a strong people and shall stand in awe of them. There was a time when many of the people of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews fell upon them (Esther viii. 17), and when those that knew their God were strong and did exploits (Dan. xi. 32), for which they glorified God.

III. He observes what is, and ought to be, the matter of this praise. We and others must exalt God and praise him; for, 1. He has done wonders, according to the counsel of his own will, v. 1. We exalt God by admiring what he has done as truly wonderful, wonderful proofs of his power beyond what any creature could perform, and wonderful proofs of his goodness beyond what such sinful creatures as we are could expect. These wonderful things, which are new and surprising to us, and altogether unthought of, are according to his counsels of old, devised by his wisdom and designed for his own glory and the comfort of his people. All the operations of providence are according to God's eternal counsels (and those faithfulness and truth itself), all consonant to his attributes, consistent with one another, and sure to be accomplished in their season. 2. He has in particular humbled the pride, and broken the power, of the mighty ones of the earth (v. 2): "Thou hast made of a city, of many a city, a heap of rubbish. Of many a defenced city, that thought itself well guarded by nature and art, and the multitude and courage of its militia, thou hast made a ruin." What created strength can hold out against Omnipotence? "Many a city so richly built that it might be called a palace, and so much frequented and visited by persons of the best rank from all parts that it might be called a palace of strangers, thou hast made to be no city; it is levelled with the ground, and not one stone left upon another, and it shall never be built again." This has been the case of many cities in divers parts of the world, and in our own nation particularly; cities that flourished once have gone to decay and are lost, and it is scarcely known (except by urns or coins digged up out of the earth) where they stood. How many of the cities of Israel have long since been heaps and ruins! God hereby teaches us that here we have no continuing city and must therefore seek one to come which will never be a ruin or go to decay. 3. He has seasonably relieved and succoured his necessitous and distressed people (v. 4): Thou has been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy. As God weakens the strong that are proud and secure, so he strengthens the weak that are humble and serious, and stay themselves upon him. Nay, he not only makes them strong, but he is himself their strength; for in him they strengthen themselves, and it is his favour that is the strength of their hearts. He is a strength to the needy in his distress, when he needs strength, and when his distress drives him to God. And, as he strengthens them against their inward decays, so he shelters them from outward assaults. He is a refuge from the storm of rain or hail, and a shadow from the scorching heat of the sun in summer. God is a sufficient protection to his people in all weathers, hot and cold, wet and dry. The armour of righteousness serves both on the right hand and on the left, 2 Cor. vi. 7. Whatever dangers or troubles God's people may be in, effectual care is taken that they shall sustain no real hurt or damage. When perils are most threatening and alarming God will then appear for the safety of his people: When the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall, which makes a great noise, but cannot overthrow the wall. The enemies of God's poor are terrible ones; they do all they can to make themselves so to them. Their rage is like a blast of wind, loud, and blustering, and furious; but, like the wind, it is under a divine check; for God holds the winds in his fist, and God will be such a shelter to his people that they shall be able to stand the shock, keep their ground, and maintain their integrity and peace. A storm beating on a ship tosses it, but that which beats on a wall never stirs it, Ps. lxxvi. 10; cxxxviii. 7. 4. That he does and will shelter those that trust in him from the insolence of their proud oppressors (v. 5): Thou shalt, or thou dost, bring down the noise of strangers; thou shalt abate and still it, as the heat in a dry place is abated and moderated by the shadow of a cloud interposing. The branch, or rather the son or triumph, of the terrible ones shall be brought low, and they shall be made to change their note and lower their voice. Observe here, (1.) The oppressors of God's people are called strangers; for they forget that those they oppress are made of the same mould, of the same blood, with them. They are called terrible ones; for so they affect to be, rather than amiable ones: they would rather be feared than loved. (2.) Their insolence towards the people of God is noisy and hot, and that is all; it is but the noise of strangers, who think to carry their point by hectoring and bullying all that stand in their way, and talking big. Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise, Jer. xlvi. 17. It is like the heat of the sun scorching in the middle of the day; but where is it when the sun has set? (3.) Their noise, and heat, and all their triumph, will be humbled and brought low, when their hopes are baffled and all their honours laid in the dust. The branches, even the top branches, of the terrible ones, will be broken off, and thrown to the dunghill. (4.) If the labourers in God's vineyard be at any time called to bear the burden and heat of the day, he will find some way or other to refresh them, as with the shadow of a cloud, that they may not be pressed above measure.

The Blessings of the Gospel. (b. c. 718.)

6 And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. 7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. 8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.

If we suppose (as many do) that this refers to the great joy which there should be in Zion and Jerusalem when the army of the Assyrians was routed by an angel, or when the Jews were released out of their captivity in Babylon, or upon occasion of some other equally surprising deliverance, yet we cannot avoid making it to look further, to the grace of the gospel and the glory which is the crown and consummation of that grace; for it is at our resurrection through Christ that the saying here written shall be brought to pass; then, and not till then (if we may believe St. Paul), it shall have its full accomplishment: Death is swallowed up in victory, 1 Cor. xv. 54. This is a key to the rest of the promises here connected together. And so we have here a prophecy of the salvation and the grace brought unto us by Jesus Christ, into which the prophets enquired and searched diligently, 1 Pet. i. 10.

I. That the grace of the gospel should be a royal feast for all people; not like that of Ahasuerus, which was intended only to show the grandeur of the master of the feast (Esther i. 4); for this is intended to gratify the guests, and therefore, whereas all there was for show, all here is for substance. The preparations made in the gospel for the kind reception of penitents and supplicants with God are often in the New Testament set forth by the similitude of a feast, as Matt. xxii. 1, &c., which seems to be borrowed from this prophecy. 1. God himself is the Master of the feast, and we may be sure he prepares like himself, as becomes him to give, rather than as becomes us to receive. The Lord of hosts makes this feast. 2. The guests invited are all people, Gentiles as well as Jews. Go preach the gospel to every creature. There is enough for all, and whoever will may come, and partake freely, even those that are gathered out of the highways and the hedges. 3. The place is Mount Zion. Thence the preaching of the gospel takes rise: the preachers must begin at Jerusalem. The gospel church is the Jerusalem that is above; there this feast is made, and to it all the invited guests must go. 4. The provision is very rich, and every thing is of the best. It is a feast, which supposes abundance and variety; it is a continual feast to believers, it is their own fault if it be not. It is a feast of fat things and full of marrow; so relishing, so nourishing, are the comforts of the gospel to all those that feast upon them and digest them. The returning prodigal was entertained with the fatted calf; and David has that pleasure in communion with God with which his soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness. It is a feast of wines on the lees, the strongest-bodied wines, that have been kept long upon the lees, and then are well refined from them, so that they are clear and fine. There is that in the gospel which, like wine soberly used, makes glad the heart and raises the spirits, and is fit for those that are of a heavy heart, being under convictions of sin and mourning for it, that they may drink and forget their misery (for that is the proper use of wine—it is a cordial for those that need it, Prov. xxxi. 5, 6), may be of good cheer, knowing that their sins are forgiven, and may be vigorous in their spiritual work and warfare, as a strong man refreshed with wine.

II. That the world should be freed from that darkness of ignorance and mistake in the mists of which it had been so long lost and buried (v. 7): He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering (the covering of the face) with which all people are covered (hood-winked or blind-folded) so that they cannot see their way nor go about their work, and by reason of which they wander endlessly. Their faces are covered as those of men condemned, or dead men. There is a veil spread over all nations, for they all sit in darkness; and no marvel, when the Jews themselves, among whom God was known, had a veil upon their hearts, 2 Cor. iii. 15. But this veil the Lord will destroy, by the light of his gospel shining in the world, and the power of his Spirit opening men's eyes to receive it. He will raise those to spiritual life that have long been dead in trespasses and sins.

III. That death should be conquered, the power of it broken, and the property of it altered: He will swallow up death in victory, v. 8. 1. Christ will himself, in his resurrection, triumph over death, will break its bands, its bars, asunder, and cast away all its cords. The grave seemed to swallow him up, but really he swallowed it up. 2. The happiness of the saints shall be out of the reach of death, which puts a period to all the enjoyments of this world, embitters them, and stains the beauty of them. 3. Believers may triumph over death, and look upon it as a conquered enemy: O death! where is thy sting? 4. When the dead bodies of the saints shall be raised at the great day, and their mortality swallowed up of life, then death will be for ever swallowed up of victory; and it is the last enemy.

IV. That grief shall be banished, and there shall be perfect and endless joy: The Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces. Those that mourn for sin shall be comforted and have their consciences pacified. In the covenant of grace there shall be that provided which is sufficient to counterbalance all the sorrows of this present time, to wipe away our tears, and to refresh us. Those particularly that suffer for Christ shall have consolations abounding as their afflictions do abound. But in the joys of heaven, and nowhere short of them, will fully be brought to pass this saying, as that before, for there it is that God shall wipe away all tears, Rev. vii. 17; xxi. 4. And there shall be no more sorrow, because there shall be no more death. The hope of this should now wipe away all excessive tears, all the weeping that hinders sowing.

V. That all the reproach cast upon religion and the serious professors of it shall be for ever rolled away: The rebuke of his people, which they have long lain under, the calumnies and misrepresentations by which they have been blackened, the insolence and cruelty with which their persecutors have trampled on them and trodden them down, shall be taken away. Their righteousness shall be brought forth as the light, in the view of all the world, who shall be convinced that they are not such as they have been invidiously characterized; and so their salvation from the injuries done them as such shall be wrought out. Sometimes in this world God does that for his people which takes away their reproach from among men. However, it will be done effectually at the great day; for the Lord has spoken it, who can, and will, make it good. Let us patiently bear sorrow and shame now, and improve both; for shortly both will be done away.

The Blessings of the Gospel. (b. c. 718.)

9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord ; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. 10 For in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill. 11 And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands. 12 And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust.

Here is, I. The welcome which the church shall give to these blessings promised in the foregoing verses (v. 9): It shall be said in that day, with a humble holy triumph and exultation, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him! Thus will the deliverance of the church out of long and sore troubles be celebrated; thus will it be as life from the dead. With such transports of joy and praise will those entertain the glad tidings of the Redeemer who looked for him, and for redemption in Jerusalem by him; and with such a triumphant song as this will glorified saints enter into the joy of their Lord. 1. God himself must have the glory of all: "Lo, this is our God, this is the Lord. This which is done is his doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. Herein he has done like himself, has magnified his own wisdom, power, and goodness. Herein he has done for us like our God, a God in covenant with us, and whom we serve." Note, Our triumphs must not terminate in what God does for us and gives to us, but must pass through them to himself, who is the author and giver of them: This is our God. Have any of the nations of the earth such a God to trust to? No, their rock is not as our rock. There is none like unto the God of Jerusalem. 2. The longer it has been expected the more welcome it is. "This is he whom we have waited for, in dependence upon his word of promise, and a full assurance that he would come in the set time, in due time, and therefore we were willing to tarry his time; and now we find it is not in vain to wait for him, for the mercy comes at last, with an abundant recompence for the delay." 3. It is matter of joy unspeakable: "We will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. We that share in the benefits of it will concur in the joyful thanksgivings for it." 4. It is an encouragement to hope for the continuance and perfection of this salvation: We have waited for him, and he will save us, will carry on what he has begun; for as for God, our God, his work is perfect.

II. A prospect of further blessings for the securing and perpetuating of these. 1. The power of God shall be engaged for them and shall continue to take their part: In this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest, v. 10. The church and people of God shall have continued proofs of God's presence with them and residence among them: his hand shall be continually over them, to protect and guard them, and continually stretched out to them, for their supply. Mount Zion is his rest for ever; here he will dwell. 2. The power of their enemies, which is engaged against them, shall be broken. Moab is here put for all the adversaries of God's people, that are vexatious to them; they shall all be trodden down or threshed (for then they beat out the corn by treading it) and shall be thrown out as straw to the dunghill, being good for nothing else. God having caused his hand to rest upon this mountain, it shall not be a hand that hangs down, or is folded up, feeble and inactive; but he shall spread forth his hands, in the midst of his people, like one that swims, which intimates that he will employ and exert his power for them vigorously,—that he will be doing for them on all sides,—that he will easily and effectually put by the opposition that is given to his gracious intentions for them, and thereby further and push forward his good work among them,—and that on their behalf he will be continually active, for so the swimmer is. It is foretold, particularly, what he shall do for them. (1.) He shall bring down the pride of their enemies (and Moab was notoriously guilty of pride, ch. xvi. 6) by one humbling judgment after another, stripping them of that which they are proud of. (2.) He shall bring down the spoils of their hands, shall take from them that which they have got by spoil and rapine. He shall bring down the arms of their hands, which are lifted up against God's Israel; he shall quite break their power, and disable them to do mischief. (3.) He shall ruin all their fortifications, v. 12. Moab has his walls, and his high forts, with which he hopes to secure himself, and from which he designs to annoy the people of God; but God shall bring them all down, lay them low, bring them to the ground, to the dust; and so those who trusted to them will be left exposed. There is no fortress impregnable to Omnipotence, no fort so high but the arm of the Lord can overtop it and bring it down. This destruction of Moab is typical of Christ's victory over death (spoken of v. 8), his spoiling principalities and powers in his cross (Col. ii. 15), his pulling down Satan's strong-holds by the preaching of his gospel (2 Cor. x. 4), and his reigning till all his enemies be made his footstool, Ps. cx. 1.

CHAP. XXV.

Ver. 1. O Lord, thou art my God] Sunt verba fidelium in regno Chriſti, ſaith Piſcator: Theſe are the words of the Subjects of Chriſts Kingdom, who in the end of the former Chapter are called his Ancients or Elders: See Rev. 4.4. But that of Oecolompadius I like better; More ſuo in jubilum & hymnum [illegible: 1 letter]rumpit Propheta. The Prophet as his manner is, breaketh forth into a joyful jubilation: and being raviſhed, and as it were rapt beyond himſelf with the conſideration of ſo marvelous things, he firſt maketh a ſtop or breathing, and then ſweetly celebrateth Gods Power, Truth, Juſtice, and Mercy; the naked bowels whereof were ſeen (as it were in an anatomy) in the ſending of his Son, and the benefits thereby: concerning which, the Apoſtles afterwards diſcourſing more plainly and plentifully, do yet make uſe of ſome paſſages in this Chapter, as is to be ſeen, 1 Cor. 15. Rev. 7. & 21.

Thou art my God] So to ſay ex animo is the very pith of true Faith: the property whereof is to individuate God, and appropriate him to it ſelf.

I will exalt thee] This we do, when we bleſs and praiſe him for his bleſſings. But what a mercy is it of ſo great a Majeſty, that he ſhould count himſelf thus exalted and magnified by ſuch worthleſs worms as we are? and how ſhould this excite and edge us to ſo holy a ſervice?

For thou haſt done wonderful things] In the Worlds creation, but eſpecially in the Churches preſervation.

Thy counſels of old] Thy promiſes and threatnings are all fulfilled and verified: they are faithful and firm.

Ver. 2. For thou haſt made of a City an heap] Babylonem intelligit, ſay ſome. Narratur everſio urbis Romae, ſay others: the ruin of Rome is here foretold: [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Sept. which is therefore alſo, ſay they, called a palace of Strangers, becauſe Antichriſt with his adherents reigneth there. Hierom ſaith, the Jews underſtand it of Rome, which ſhall be in the end deſtroyed, and then their poor Nation ſhall be relieved, as v. 4. It may be ſo.

Ver. 3. Therefore ſhall the ſtrong people glorifie thee] Will they, nill they, they ſhall confeſs, as Julian did, that thou art too hard for them: and that thy Church is invincible. Thus God wringeth out of the mouth of the wicked a confeſſion of his praiſes, and a counterfeit ſubjection, Iſa. 60.14.

Ver. 4. For thou haſt been a ſtrength to the poor, &c.] That is, Thou haſt protected thy poor people from the perſecution of the Antichriſtian rout, ſaith Piſcator. Great is Gods mercy in ſuccouring his oppreſſed ones: This is here ſet forth by a double compariſon: Firſt

A refuge from the ſtorm, a ſhadow from the heat, Chriſt is a ſhadow, &c. when as all worldly comforts are but as ſo many burning-glaſſes to ſcorch the ſoul more. &c.] Where the Churches enemies are compared to raging waters that bear down all before them: God to a place of refuge to fly unto. Secondly

Ver. 5. As the heat in a dry place] Where the inſolency of theſe Strangers (from the l[illegible: 1 letter]fe of God, the Antichriſtian rabble) the ſtir and ado they make, is reſembled to a heat and drought that doth parch and ſcorch the godly: Gods protection of his, to a thick ſhadow.

The branch of the terrible ones ſhall be brought low] Some read the Text thus: As the heat (is ubated) with a thick ſhadow: So the ſong or chanting of the terrible ones was abaſed: Others, the whole verſe thus, As the heat in a drought thou haſt brought down the ſtir of the ſtrangers: heat, I ſay with the ſhadow of a cloud, which (heat) did anſwer (a life) to the branch of the terrible ones. That is (ſay they) ſerved well their turn, and was moſt commodious for the wicked, who think their branches ſpread and flouriſh, when the Godly are ſcorched with calamities.

Ver. 6. And in this mountain] i. e. in the Church, Chap. 2.2. Gods Court, chap. 24.23. as the Tableſtood in the Sanctuary.

Shall the Lord of hoſts make] Inſtead of that tree of life, in Paradiſe, See Rev. 2.7.

Ʋnto all people] i. e. To the Elect among all people: for reprobates are not worthy, Mat. 22.8. with Rev. 3.4.

Convivium opimum, & munificentiſ. convivium medullatorum. A feaſt of fat things] The very beſt of the beſt; fat things, and marrow of fatneſs; wines, and the moſt refined; ſo that the meek ſhall eat and be ſatisfied, Pſal. 22.16. Their ſoul ſhall delight it ſelf in fatneſs, chap. 55.2. In the life to come, eſpecially where there ſhall be ſolidum hujus convivii complementum ac plena perfruitio. Meanwhile the Saints have here (at the Lords Table eſpecially) their dainties and junketting diſhes, their celeſtial viands, and moſt precious proviſions, fat things marrowed, (as the Hebrew word is) not only full of marrow, but picked, as it were, and culled out of the heart of marrow: Wine, firſt in the lees that keepeth the ſmell, taſte and vigour,Vina probantur odore, colore, ſapore, nitore. Convivium faecium, Heb. Shemarim: faeces, enim vina ipſa conſervant. (Vinum Cos, as they call it) as Jer. 48.11. Next, of the fineſt and the beſt; ſuch as at Lovain they call Vinum Theologicum, becauſe the Divines there (as alſo the Sorboniſts at Paris) drink much of it. Jeſus Chriſt in his Ordinances and Graces, is all this, and much more, Prov. 9.2. Mat. 22.2. and yet men had rather, as Swine feed on ſwill and husks, then on theſe incomparable delicacies.

Ver. 7. And he will deſtroy in this mountain, &c.] Abſorbebit velum faciei, id eſt, faciem veli. Chriſt came a light into the world, that whoſoever believeth on him, ſhould not abide in darkneſs, Joh. 12.46. Faith freeth from blindneſs; we no ſooner taſte of the bread of life by Faith, but the vail of ignorance, which naturally covereth all fleſh, is torn: and men are ſuddenly brought out of darkneſs into a marvelous light. 1 Pet. 2.9. This is the firſt Elogy and noble commendation of the doctrine of the Goſpel, Light: there follow two more, viz. Life, and Joy ſpiritual (chap. 35.6.) which is the life of that life, ver. 8.

Ver. 8. He will ſwallow up death in victory] As the fire ſwalloweth up the fuel: or as Moſes's Serpent ſwallowed up the Sorcerers Serpents. The kiſſes of Chriſts mouth have ſucked out the ſting of death from a juſtified believer: ſo that his heart doth live for ever, as Pſal. 22.6. and if ſo, then in death it ſelf: which made Cyprian receive the ſentence of death with a Deo gratias; as did alſo Bradford, and many more Martyrs, accounting the dayes of their death their Birth-days, and welcoming them accordingly. Hierom inſults over death as diſarmed and devoured, Illius morte tu mortua es: Animaſque in vulnere ponunt. V[illegible: 2 letters]g. devoraſti, & devorata es, &c. Ever ſince Death ran through the veins of Jeſus Chriſt, who is Life Eſſential, it is deſtroyed or ſwallowed up: like as the Bee dieth, when ſhe hath left her ſting in the wound. Hence Saint Paul doth ſo crow over death, and as it were, call it craven, 1 Cor. 15.55, 56, 57.

And the Lord God w[illegible: 1 letter]ll wipe away] A Metaphor from a Mother.

And the rebuke of his people] Or, the reproach; their afflictions and perſecutions, for which the world reproacheth them.

Ver. 9. Lo this is our God] ſc. Jeſus Chriſt our ſole Saviour, who is God bleſſed for ever; and our God by a ſpecialty. Wait for him, for he waiteth to be gracious, chap. 30.18.

Ver. 10. For in this mountain] In the Church, as ver. 6, 7.

Shall the hand of the Lord reſt] i. e. ſettle for their ſafeguard.

Junius. And Moab ſhall be trodden down] i. e. Contumax quiſque & perverſus hoſtis Dei & Eccleſiae Piſcator thinketh Papiſts are here meant by theſe Moabites, who were nearly allied to Gods Iſrael, but Ardeliones, bitter and brutiſh enemies, skilful only to deſtroy, as Ezek. 21.31.

As ſtraw for the dung-hil] Or, as ſtraw in Madmenab, Jer. 48.2. God will make an hand of all his peoples adverſaries, as is here and in the following verſes ſet forth by three ſeveral Metaphors.

Ver. 11. And he ſhall ſpread forth his hands▪ &c. i. e. He ſhall deſtroy them with greateſt facility. The motion in ſwimming is eaſie, not ſtrong: for ſtrong ſtrokes in the water would rather ſink then ſupport. Vatablus referrs this to Chriſt ſtretching out his hands upon the Croſs, whereby he overcame Satan and his Imps.

Together with the ſpoyls] Or, wiles of his hands, i. e. his wealth gotten by wrench and wile, as we ſay.

Ver. 12. Shall he bring down, &c.] To ſhew that there is no ſtrength againſt the Lord, the true [non-Latin text not transcribed].