Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou [wast] not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; [and] when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee. Ver. 1. _Woe to the... [ Continue Reading ]
O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble. Ver. 2. _O Lord, be gracious unto us._] _Brevicula sed pulchra precatio,_ a short but sweet prayer of the prophet, teaching thereby the people to put the promise in suit... [ Continue Reading ]
At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered. Ver. 3. _At the noise of the tumult the people fled,_] _i.e., _ The Assyrian soldiers shall flee at the coming of the angel, with a hurry noise in the air for greater terror; _a_ but he shall give t... [ Continue Reading ]
_And your spoil shall be gathered [like] the gathering of the caterpiller: as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them._ Ver. 4. _And your spoils shall be gathered._] The spoil of the Assyrian's camp now become yours. _as _ 1Sa 30:20 _ Like the gathering of caterpillars._] _Quae ad... [ Continue Reading ]
The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness. Ver. 5. _The Lord is exalted._] He hath made him a name, gained abundance of honour. _ For he dwelleth on high._] Whence he can pour down plagues at his pleasure on his proud enemies, and fill Zion w... [ Continue Reading ]
And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, [and] strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD [is] his treasure. Ver. 6. _And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times._] Thy times, O Hezekiah; but especially, O Christ. Or, the stability of thy times and strong safe... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly._ Ver. 7. _Behold their valiant ones._] Or, Their heralds, messengers. Heb., _Hen Erelam,_ behold their Erel, or their Ariel Isa 29:1-2 - that is, their altar, shall they (_i.e., _ the Assyrians) cry without... [ Continue Reading ]
_The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man._ Ver. 8. _The highways lie waste._] And byways are more frequented, through fear of the enemy. _ He hath broken the covenant._] _Irritum factum est pactum._ He took the... [ Continue Reading ]
The earth mourneth [and] languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed [and] hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off [their fruits]. Ver. 9. _The earth mourneth and languisheth._] _a_ Or the land _luget et languet._ Thus they go on in their doleful relation: _Miserrima sunt omnia,... [ Continue Reading ]
Now will I rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself. Ver. 10. _Now will I rise, saith the Lord, now._] Now, now, now. _Emphasin habet ingeminatio vocis "nunc."_ This "now," thrice repeated, importeth both the opportunity of time and God's readiness to relieve. _Cum dup... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, [as] fire, shall devour you. Ver. 11. _Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble._] _Gravidi estis stramiue, parietis stipulum._ So did Pharaoh, Antiochus, Julian, &c. So doth Antichrist and his champions, notwithstandi... [ Continue Reading ]
And the people shall be [as] the burnings of lime: [as] thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire. Ver. 12. _And the people shall be as the burning of lime._] As hard chalk stones, which, when burnt to make lime crumble to crattle. _ As thorns cut up._] Sear thorns, that crackle under a pot,... [ Continue Reading ]
Hear, ye [that are] far off, what I have done; and, ye [that are] near, acknowledge my might. Ver. 13. _Hear, ye that are afar off._] _Longinqui, propinqui._ God's great works are to be noted and noticed by all. The Egyptians heard of what God had done to the Assyrian army, and memorised it by a mo... [ Continue Reading ]
The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? Ver. 14. _The sinners in Zion are afraid._] At the invasion of the Assyrian. Those that formerly fleared and jeered God's... [ Continue Reading ]
He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; Ver. 15. _He that walketh righteously,_] _q.d., _ Though you cannot, y... [ Continue Reading ]
_He shall dwell on high: his place of defence [shall be] the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters [shall be] sure._ Ver. 16. _He shall dwell on high._] _Extra iactum,_ out of the gunshot, the reach of evils and enemies. Or in heaven shall he dwell with God in safety who is to th... [ Continue Reading ]
Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off. Ver. 17. _Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty._] Hezekiah in his pristine state and lustre; yea, more glorious and renowned than ever before. Jerome understandeth it of Christ reigning gloriously i... [ Continue Reading ]
Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where [is] the scribe? where [is] the receiver? where [is] he that counted the towers? Ver. 18. _Thine heart shall meditate terror._] But thou shalt now think of it as "waters that are past," calling to mind what speeches among those late distractions had fallen f... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, [that thou canst] not understand. Ver. 19. _Thou shalt not see a fierce people._] Or, Look not upon a fierce people; or, as some render it, a barbarous people, of a stammering tongue, t... [ Continue Reading ]
Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle [that] shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. Ver. 20. _Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities._... [ Continue Reading ]
But there the glorious LORD [will be] unto us a place of broad rivers [and] streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby. Ver. 21. _But there the glorious Lord will be._] The Church must needs be invincible, because the glorious Lord is her champion, or "wi... [ Continue Reading ]
For the LORD [is] our judge, the LORD [is] our lawgiver, the LORD [is] our king; he will save us. Ver. 22. _For the Lord is our judge._] Ours in all relations, therefore we shall not die or do amiss. See Habakkuk 1:12, with the note. Our Judge will do us right; our Lawgiver will give us the best di... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail: then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey. Ver. 23. _Thy tacklings are loosed._] Thy shipping, O Assyrian, is wrecked and dissipated. _Ubi per furies tentoria; per vela, vexi... [ Continue Reading ]
And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein [shall be] forgiven [their] iniquity. Ver. 24. _And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick._] _sc., _ By reason of the long and strait siege. None shall be so lame, Isa 33:23 or sick and in pain (as here), but that he shall... [ Continue Reading ]