Matthew Poole and continuators on Isaiah 40

1. COmfort ye, comfort ye my people , saith your God.

Ye Prophets and Ministers of the Lord, which now are: Or hereafter shall be, deliver this comfortable message from me to my People, that they may not sink under their burdens.

2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her , that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned : for she hath received of the LORDS hand double for all her sins.

Proclaim it in my name.

The time of her servitude, and captivity, and misery.

I am reconciled to her; I will not impute sin to her, to punish her any longer for it.

Not twice as much as her sins deserved, for she her self confessed the contrary, Ezra 9. 1[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ Lament. 3. 22. but abundantly enough to answer Gods design in this chastilement, which was to humble and reform them, and to warn others by their example. Double is oft put for abundantly, as Isa. 61. 7. Ier. 16. 18. and 17. 18. God here speaks of himself after the manner of men, and compareth himself to a tender-hearted Father, who when he hath corrected his Child for his misdemeanour relenteth and repenteth of his severity, and casteth his Rod away.

Marginal references: Heb. to the heart.; Or, appointed time.; Jer. 16. 18. Lam. 1. 12. Dan. 9. 12.

3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness , Prepare ye the way of the LORD , make straight in the desert a high way for our God.

An abrupt and imperfect speech, such as there are many in the Hebrew Language. Methinks I hear a voice▪ Or, a voice shall be heard.

Which words declare the place either. 1. Where the cry was made: Or, 2. Where the way was to be prepared, as it is expressed in the following clause, which is added to explain this. And such places being commonly path-less, and many wayes incommodious to passengers, it was the more necessary to prepare a way there. But both come to one thing, for the cry was to be in that place which was to be prepared. This place seems to be understood immediately of the deliverance of the Iews out of Babylon, and of smoothing their passage from thence to Iudea, which lay through a great Wilderness; but ultimately and principally concerning their Redem[illegible: 1+ letters]on by the Messiah, whose coming is ushered in by the Cry [illegible: 1 word] the Baptist, who did both cry and prepare the way in the Wilderness, as we read, Mat. 3. 1, &c. Where this Text is directly expounded of him. But withal the terms of Wilderness and Desert, seem to be here chiefly used in a metaphorical sence, to express the desolate and forlorn condition of the Jewish Nation, and especially of the Gentile-world, when Christ came to redeem them▪ for so these words are frequently used in prophetical writings, as hath been noted in divers places.

You to whom this work belongs. He alludes to the custom of Princes who send Pioneers before them to prepare the way through which they intend to pass. The meaning is onely this, That God shall by his Spirit so dispose mens hearts, and by his providence so order the Empires and affairs of the World, as to make way for the accomplishment of this promise.

For the Lord as it is expounded in the next clause, that the Lord may wal[illegible: 1+ letters] in it: Which though it may be understood of their coming out of Babylon, when God might in some sort be said to march in the head of them, conducting and preserving them, yet it was much more evidently and eminently fulfilled, when Christ who was and is God blessed for ever, came into the World in a visible manner.

Either direct in opposition to crooked, or even and level in opposition to the Mountains and Valleys mentioned in the next verse.

Marginal references: Mal. 3. 1. Mat. 3. 3. Mark. 1. 3. Luke 3. 4. John 1. 23.

4. Every Valley shall be exalted, and every Mountain and Hill shall be brought low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain .

This is only a more particular explication of that which was generally expressed ver. 3. The sence is, All obstructions shall be removed, and the way made in all respects convenient and easy for the passenger.

Marginal references: Or, a straight place.; Or, a plain place.

5. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed , and all flesh , shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it .

So it was in some sort, when God brought them out of Babylon, which was a glorious work of God, but far more properly and eminently, when Christ who was the glorious God, was manifested in the flesh, and gave much clearer and fuller discoveries of Gods glorious wisdom, and holiness, and goodness, and other divine perfections than ever yet had been imparted to mankind and to the Church.

All Nations, both Iewes and Gentiles.

Though this may seem incredible, yet God is able to accomplish it.

6. The voice said , Cry. And he said , What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodness thereof is as the flower of the field .

God speakes unto his Prophets or Ministers.

The Prophet desires to know Gods mind, and his message.

The Prophet having foretold glorious and wonderful things, which God had declared and determined to do, and suspecting that men [illegible: 1 word] hardly believe them; he confirmeth their faith, and the certainty of the thing in this, and the two next verses, by representing to their minds the vast difference between the nature, and word, and work of men and of God. All that men are or have▪ yea their highest accomplishments, are but like the grass or flower of the field, weak and vanishing, soon nipt and brought to nothing; but Gods word is like himself, Immutable and Irresistible: and therefore as the mouth of the Lord, and not of man, hath spoken these things, as was said ver. 5. so doubt not but they shall be fulfilled.

Marginal references: Job. 14. 2. Psal. 102. 11. and 103. 15. Jam. 1. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 24.

7. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; because the Spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it▪ surely the People is grass.

Or, The breath, &c. as this word is rendred, Psal. 147. 18. the wind as it frequently signifies, which hath this effect upon grass and flowers, Psal. 103. 16. Iam. 1. 11.

The same which he called Flesh, and said they were Grass, ver. 6. Which that he might prove, in this verse he first declares the frail nature of Grass and Flowers, and then he applies this to the People: Or, this People, the Iewes no less than the Gentiles; for here is an Article in the Hebrew Text, which is frequently emphatical and restrictive.

Marginal references: Psal. 147. 18. Hos. 13. 15.

8. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand for ever .

Whatsoever God hath said shall infallibly come to pass.

Marginal references: John 12. 34. 1 Pet. 1. 25.

9. O Zion that bringest good tidings , get thee up into the high mountain : O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid : say unto the Cities of Judah , Behold your God .

O Zion, to whom the glad tidings of the coming of Christ into the World, and of the Salvation of Mankind by him were first published by Christ and his Apostles, and by whom they were published to all Nations. But the words are otherwise rendred in the margent, and by others, O thou (whosoever thou art, Prophet or Apostle) that bringest good tidings to Zion. So Sion is not the deliverer but the receiver of these good tidings, as she is in the Parallel place, Isa. 52. 7. But our translation seems to agree better with the Hebrew Text, in which the particle, unto, is not here expressed, as it is in the latter part of the verse, by comparing which part with the former, it seems most probable, that Zion or Ierusalem is the Speaker or Publisher, and the Cityes of Iudah the hearers.

That thy voice may be better heard, as appears from the next branch of the verse. See Iudg. 9. 7. 1 Sam. 26. 13, 14.

Lest thou shouldest be found a false Prophet; for it shall certainly be fulfilled.

To all my People in the several places of their abode, whether Cityes or Countries. Onely he names Cityes to intimate, that they also, though they should be destroyed, yet should afterward be rebuilt, and inhabited again.

Take notice of this wonderful Work, and glorious appearance of your God, who will be visibly[illegible: 1+ letters] present with you, so that men may point at him and say, Behold here he is.

Marginal references: Or, O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion.; ‖ Or, O thou that tellest good tidings to Ierusalem.

10. Behold the Lord GOD will come with strong hand , and his arms shall rule for him ; behold, his reward is with him , and his work before him .

With invincible strength conquering all his enemies. The word Hand or Arm, may very well be understood out of the following clause.

He shall need no succours, for his own power shall be sufficient to govern his People, and to destroy his Adversaries.

He comes furnished with recompences as well of Mercy and Blessings for his friends and followers, as of Justice and Vengeance for his enemies.

He carrieth on his work or design effectually, so as none can hinder him: for that is said in Scripture to be before a man which is in his Power, as Gen. 20. 15. and 24. 51. &c. Or Work is here put for the reward of the Work▪ as it is, Isa. 49. 4. and 65. 7. and elsewhere. And so the same thing is repeated in other words, as is very usual.

Marginal references: Or, against the strong.; Chap. 62. 11.; Or, recompence for his work.

11. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosome, and shall gently lead those that are with young .

He shall perform all the Offices of a tender and faithful Shepherd towards his People, carrying himself with great Wisdome and Condescension, and Compassion to every one of them according to their several Capacities and Infirmities.

Marginal references: Chap. 49. 10. Ezek. 34. 23. John 10. 11.; Or, that give suck.

12. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand ? and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the Mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance!

i. e. Who can measure them? for indicative Verbs in the Hebrew Language are oft taken potentially; who can do this and the following things but God? And this discourse of Gods infinite Power and Wisdom, is here conveniently added to give them the greater assurance, that God was able▪ as he had declared himself willing, to do these great and wonderful things which he had promised; and that neither men nor false Gods were able to hinder him in it. God is here compared to a mighty Giant, supposed to be so big that he can take up, and hold all the waters of the Sea and Rivers of the whole World in one hand, and span the Heavens, and then take up and weigh the whole Earth with the other hand.

Marginal references: Heb. a tierce.

13. Who hath directed the spirit of the Lord or being his counsellour hath taught him ?

Who did God either need or take to advise him in any of his Work, either of Creation or the Government of the World? Were they not all the effects of his own sole infinite Wisdom? Therefore though all the Nations of the World contrive and conspire against him, and against this Work of his, as indeed they will do, yet his own counsel shall confound all their devices, and carry on his Work in spight of them.

Marginal references: Job 21. 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. & 36. 22, 23. Rom. 11. 34. 1 Cor. 2. 16.; Heb. weighed Prov. 16. 1.; Heb. man of his counsel.

14. With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment , and taught him knowledg, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

How to walk and manage all his Affairs with good Judgment and Discretion.

Marginal references: Heb. made him understand.; Heb. understandings.

15. Behold, the nations , are as a drop of a bucket , and are counted , as the small dust of the balance ; behold, he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing.

All the Nations of the World;

Compared with all the Water in the Bucket wherein are innumerable drops▪ such are they if compared with God.

By him, and in comparison of him.

Which accidently cleaves to the Ballance, but make no alteration in the weight.

Those numerous and vast Countries to which they went from Iudaea by Sea, which are commonly called Isles, as hath been oft observed.

16. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering .

And although he is pleased to accept of poor and small Sacrifices from his People, yet if men were to offer a Sacrifice agreeable to his infinite excellency, the whole Forest of Lebanon could not afford either a sufficient number of Beasts to be sacrificed: Or, a sufficient quantity of Wood to consume the Sacrifice.

17. All nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him less than nothing , and vanity.

Either in his eyes: Or, being set against him, as this Hebrew word properly and most usually signifies.

Either in his Judgment: Or, in comparison of him.

Less than a thing of nought or of no account or worth: Or, as others render it, For nothing.

Marginal references: Dan. 4. 35.

18. To whom then will ye liken God ? or what likeness will ye compare unto him.

This is a proper inference from the foregoing discourse of Gods immense and infinite greatness; from whence he taketh occasion to shew both the folly of those that make mean and visible representations of God, as not the Gentiles onely but even some of the Iews did; and the utter inability of Men or Idols to give any opposition to God in the doing of these great Works. And this discourse of the madness of Idolaters prosecuted both here, and in the following Chapter was designed by God, as a necessary antidote whereby the Iews might be preserved from the contagion of Idolatry, to which God saw they now had strong inclinations, and would have many and great temptations when they were in Captivity.

Marginal references: Chap. 46. 5. Act. 17. 29.

19. The workman melteth a graven image , and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold , and casteth silver chains .

He melteth some base Metal into a mould, which giveth it the form of an Image, which afterwards is graven or carved to make it more exact and amiable. Thus the Image oweth all its excellency to the Earth for the matter of it, and to the art of man for the form or fashion of it.

Beaten out into Leaves or Plates.

Either for Ornaments: Or, rather for use, to fasten it to a Wall or Pillar, least it should fall down, and be broken in peices. Which is spoken in way of scorn and derisson of such ridiculous deities as needed such supports.

Marginal references: Chap. 41. 7. & 44. 12. Jer. 10. 3.

20. He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation , chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image that shall not be removed .

That he can hardly procure Mony sufficient to buy the meanest Sacrifice for his God.

He is so mad upon his Idols, that he will one way or other find mony to procure the choicest materials, and the help of the best Artist to make his Idol.

Which after all this cost and art, cannot stir one step out of its place to give you any help.

Marginal references: Heb. is poor of oblation.; Chap. 41. 7.

21. Have ye not known ? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning ? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

To wit, God to be the onely true God, the Maker and Governour of the World, and all its Inhabitants: how can you be ignorant of so evident a truth? He adresseth his speech to the Idolatrous Gentiles.

To wit, of the World, as the next clause explains it: Were not these infinite perfections of God manifestly discovered to all mankind by the Creation of the World?

22. It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth , and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers , that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in :

As a Judge or Governour upon his Throne:

Or, above the Circle, &c. far above this round Earth, ever in the highest Heavens; from whence he looketh down upon the Earth, where men appear to him like Grashoppers. He alludes to one that looks down upon the Earth below him from some very high place. As here we have the Circle of the Earth, so elsewhere we read of the Circle of Heaven, Ioh 22. 14. and of the Circle of the Deep, or Sea, Prov. 8. 27. because the form of the Heaven, and Earth, and Sea is circular or round, as is evident both from Sense, and from the Principles of Philosophy.

Small and Contemptible in his sight. Compare Numb. 13. 33.

For the benefit of the Earth and of Mankind, that all parts might partake of its comfortable influences. See on Iob. 9. 8. Psal. 104. 2.

Marginal references: Or, him that sitteth▪ &c.; Job 9. 8. Psal. 104. 2. Chap, 44. 24. Jer. 10. 12.

23. That bringeth the princes to nothing , he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.

That can at his pleasure destroy all the great Potentates of the World.

Marginal references: Job 12. 21. Psal. 107. 40.

24. Yea, they shall not be planted, yea, they shall not be sown , yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth; and he shall also blow upon them , and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.

The Princes and Judges last mentioned.

They shall take no root, as it follows, for Planting and Sowing are in order to taking root, and are necessary to it. They shall not continue and flourish, as they have vainly imagined, but shall be rooted up and perish, as is declared in the rest of the verse.

Blast them, as a vehement eastwind doth Plants.

25 To whom then will ye liken me , or shall I be equal? saith the holy One.

He repeateth what he said, ver. 18. that he might oblige them to the more serious and frequent consideration of the absurdity of the Idolatry.

26 Lift up your eyes on high , and behold who, hath created these things , that bringeth out their host by number , he calleth them all by names , by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power , not one faileth .

To the high and starry Heaven, as appears from the following words.

Which you see on High, the Host of Heaven as it follows.

That at first brought them out of nothing, and from day to day brings them forth, making them to rise and set in their appointed and fixed times.

As a General brings forth his Army into the Field, and there musters them.

As a Master calleth all the Members of his Family.

Which work is a certain and evident proof of Gods infinite power▪

Either to appear when he calleth them; or to do[illegible: 1+ letters] work to which he sends them.

Marginal references: Psal. 147. 4.

27 Why sayst thou , O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God ?

In thy heart, why dost thou give way to such jealousies concerning thy God, of whose infinite Power and Wisdom, and Goodness, there are such evident demonstrations given to all mankind, and to thee in a singular manner?

The course and condition of my Life. He takes no notice of my Prayers and Tears, and Sufferings for his Name, but suffers my Enemies to abuse me at their pleasure, and doth not attempt to rescue me out of their hands. This complaint is uttered in the name of the People being prophetically supposed to be in Captivity.

Either 1. My Punishment: Or, rather 2. My Cause, as this word is most commonly used. God hath neglected to plead my Cause, and to give Judgment for me against mine enemies, as he hath formerly done.

God hath dismissed it, and left it and me in the hands of mine Enemies, and now our case is so desperate that God cannot help us: for which reason they compared themselves to dry Bones lying in the Grave, Ezek. 37.

28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary ? there is no searching of his understanding .

Of all the Earth and the inhabitants thereof, from one end to another. He seems to mention the ends or utmost bounds, because they must seem to be more out of the reach and care of Gods providence, as being most remote from Ierusalem, the only place of Gods solemn and publick Worship in the World, and being then thought to [illegible: 1+ letters]inhabited. The argument is clear and strong: God who made all, even the most desolate and barbarous parts of the Earth, and consequently takes care of them, will not neglect his own Land and People.

He is not by age or hard labour become weak and unable to help his People, as men are apt to be.

His Counsels by which he governeth all the World, and in a most particular manner thine affaires are far above the reach of thy understanding: and therefore thou dost ignorantly and foolishly in passing so rash a censure upon the Wayes and Works of the infinitely Wise God.

Marginal references: Psal. 147. 5.

29 He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength .

He hath strength enough not onely for himself but for all, even the weakest of his creatures, whom he can easily strengthen to bear all their burdens, and to vanquish all their oppressors.

30 Even the youths shall faint, and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.

The youngest and strongest men, left to themselves or without Gods help, or which do not wait upon God; which is easily understood from the opposition in the following verse.

31 But they that wait upon the LORD , shall renew their strength , they shall mount up with wings as eagles , they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint .

That rely upon him for strength to bear their burdens, and for deliverance from them in due time.

Shall grow stronger and stronger in Faith and Patience, and Fortitude, whereby they shall be more than Conquerors over all their Enemies and Adversities.

Which flyes most strongly and swiftly and high out of the reach of all danger.

They shall be enabled to run or walk in their way as they please, without any weariness.

Marginal references: Heb. change.