ISAIAH CHAPTER 32 Christ's kingdom, and its blessings, ISAIAH 32:1. Careless women shall be troubled, ISAIAH 32:9, and the land laid waste, ISAIAH 32:12, until a restoration, ISAIAH 32:15. This seems to me to be a distinct prophecy from the former, and delivered at another time, and probably before... [ Continue Reading ]
_ A man_; either, 1. The man or king spoken of. Or, 2. Each or every one, to wit, of his princes. That king shall not patch up an old garment with new cloth, nor mingle good and bad together; but shall take care to purge out all the corrupt magistrates, and, as far as he can, to settle good ones in... [ Continue Reading ]
This is meant either, 1. Of the princes or magistrates, who are instead of eyes and ears, both to the king and to the people, who, by their office, are to see and observe all things, and to hear all causes. These, saith he, shall not shut their eyes, nor suffer them to be blinded with gifts, to fav... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RASH; who were hasty and heady in judging of things; which is an argument of ignorance and folly. SHALL UNDERSTAND KNOWLEDGE; shall become more knowing and considerate in their judgments and actions. THE STAMMERERS; that used to speak of the things of God darkly, and doubtfully, and unwillingly.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE VILE PERSON; base and worthless men. Heb. _the fool_; which in Scripture use commonly signifies a wicked man. SHALL BE NO MORE CALLED LIBERAL, or _noble_, or _a prince_, or _lord_, as this word is used, PSALMS 118:9, PSALMS 146:3, and elsewhere. The sense of the place is, either, 1. Unworthy me... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE VILE PERSON WILL SPEAK VILLANY: so this is a reason of the assertion, ISAIAH 32:5; either thus, Such shall not be advanced to places of trust and dignity; for if they were, they would abuse them by unjust sentences and practices. Or thus, Men shall no longer be miscalled; for every one will... [ Continue Reading ]
THE INSTRUMENTS ALSO OF THE CHURL ARE EVIL, Heb. _The vessels_, &c., which is a word of a very general signification among the Hebrews, and signifies any person or thing which is employed in a man's use and service. I say person, for the name of _vessel_ is given to such persons as are instrumental... [ Continue Reading ]
He who is truly liberal and virtuous will show it by designing and practising liberal or virtuous actions; and he who doth so will not destroy himself thereby, as wicked men falsely suppose, but establish and advance himself. But this verse also, as Well as the former, is and may be otherwise render... [ Continue Reading ]
RISE UP; bestir and prepare yourselves to hear, as it follows, and shake off sloth and carelessness. THAT ARE AT EASE; that indulge yourselves in idleness and luxury. CARELESS, Heb. _confident or secure_, who are insensible of your sin and danger. DAUGHTERS; the same before called _women_; whom he h... [ Continue Reading ]
MANY DAYS AND YEARS, Heb. _Days above a year_, i.e. a year and some days; which notes either, 1. The time from this prophecy to the beginning of this judgment; or rather, 2. The time of the continuance of it, that it should last for above one year; as indeed this did, and no longer; for Hezekiah re... [ Continue Reading ]
STRIP YOU, AND MAKE YOU BARE; put off your ornaments, as God commanded upon a like occasion, EXODUS 33:5, that you may put on sackcloth instead of them, as mourners and penitents used to do.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL LAMENT FOR THE TEATS; either, 1. Properly, because through famine your teats are destitute of milk for the nourishment of your poor children. Or rather, 2. Metaphorically, as the following words explain it, FOR THE PLEASANT AND FRUITFUL FIELDS, which like teats yielded you plentiful and... [ Continue Reading ]
UPON THE LAND OF MY PEOPLE SHALL COME UP THORNS AND BRIERS. If any of you think there is no great cause for such trembling and lamentation, which shall last but for a year and some days, know that this calamity by the Assyrians is but an earnest of further and sorer judgments; for the time is coming... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PALACES, Heb. _the palace_; the king's house, and other magnificent buildings in the city. SHALL BE LEFT; or rather, _shall be forsaken_, to wit, of God, and given up into their enemies hands. And the verb in the foregoing clause may be rendered, _shall be left_. A JOY OF WILD ASSES; desolate pl... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTIL THE SPIRIT BE POURED UPON US FROM ON HIGH: and this calamity and desolation shall, in a manner, continue until the time come, in which God will _pour_, or, as the Hebrew word properly signifies, reveal, i.e. evidently and plentifully pour out, his Spirit from heaven upon his people; which was... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDGMENT; just judgment, as the next clause explains it. Justice shall be executed in all the parts of the land, both in the barren and fruitful places, and shall be practised by all my people; which agrees with that promise, ISAIAH 60:21, _Thy people shall be all righteous_, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORK OF RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL BE PEACE; the effect of this prevailing practice of righteousness shall be prosperity and outward felicity. QUIETNESS; tranquillity, both of mind and outward estate. ASSURANCE; or, _confidence_. The observation of God's precepts will beget in them a confidence and ass... [ Continue Reading ]
MY PEOPLE; either the Gentiles, who then shall be my people; or the Jews, to whom this promise shall be made good upon their conversion to Christ in the latter times of the gospel.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN IT SHALL HAIL, COMING DOWN ON THE FOREST, Heb. _And it shall hail_, &c. As my blessings shall be poured down upon my people, who from a wilderness are turned into a fruitful field, as it is said, ISAIAH 32:15; so my wrath and judgments (which are signified by hail, ISAIAH 28:2,17, and elsewhere... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED ARE YE THAT SOW: as the barren forest shall be destroyed with hail, ISAIAH 32:19, so the fruitful field shall be improved, and bring forth much fruit; which is signified by a declaration of the blessedness of them that sow in it. BESIDE ALL WATERS; in all moist and fat grounds, which are lik... [ Continue Reading ]