Isaiah 10

WO unto them that decree unrighteous decrees Unto those Magistrates who make unjust Laws, and give unjust Sentences., and that write Either, 1. the Scribes, who were assistant to the Magistrates, and oft times did promote or execute such Decrees; or, 2. the unjust Magistrates, whose Decrees were usually written. So the same thing is repeated in other Words. Only this writing may note their Obstinacy or Perseverance in their unjust Decrees, and their proceeding to the Execution of them. grievousness Grievous things, such unjust Decrees as cause Grief and Vexation to their Subjects., which they have prescribed:

To turn aside the needy from Judgment Or, from their right, as it is in the next Clause: or, from obtaining a just Sentence, because they either denied or delayed to hear their Causes, or gave a wrong Sentence., and to take away the right from the poor Whom I have in a special manner committed to your Care. of my people Of Israelites, who profess themselves to be my People, and whom I did take into Covenant with my self; and therefore this is an injury not only to them, but to me also., that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless.

And what will ye do To save your selves. in the day of visitation When I shall come to visit you in wrath, as the next Words limit it, and as this Phrase is oft used; although sometimes it signifies a Visitation in mercy, as Luk. 19. 44. and elsewhere., and in the desolation which shall come from far From the Ass... rious. This he adds, because the Israelites, having weakned the Iews, and being in Amity with the Syrians their next Neighbours, were secure., to whom will ye flee for help To the Syrians, as now you do? But they shall be destroyed together with you, as they were, 2 Kings 16.? and where will you leave To be kept safe for your use, and to be restored to you when you call for it. your glory Either, 1. your Power and Authority, which now you so wickedly abuse; or, 2. your Wealth, got by Injustice, as glory is taken, Gen. 31. 1. Psal. 49. 16, 17, &c.?

Without me they shall bow down The Words thus translated seem to contain an Answer to the foregoing Questions: In vain do you seek for a Refuge and Help from others; for without me, without my Favour and Help, which you have forfeited, and do not seek to recover, and which I shall withdraw from you; or, because you are without me, or forsaken by me, you shall bow down, notwithstanding all your Succours. In the Hebrew here is a change of the Person and Number, which is very usual in Prophetical Writings. The Seventy, and some others, joyn these Words to the foregoing Verse, and translate them thus, that you may not bow down: So the sense of the Place is, What will you do to prevent your Captivity or Slaughter? And it is true, that the first Word is elsewhere taken for a Negative Particle: But the former Translation seems more genuine. under Or rather, in the place (as this Particle signifies, and is rendred by Interpreters, Gen. 30. 2. & 50. 19. Exod. 16. 29. Ios. 5. 8. and elsewhere) of the prisoners, or among the prisoners: And so in the next Clause, among or in the place of the slain. the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain: For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

O Assyrian So it is God's Call or Invitation to him to take the Charge, and set upon the Work. Or, Wo to the Assyrian, because though he do my Work, yet he does it in a wicked manner, and for wicked Ends, as we shall see., the rod of mine anger The Instrument of mine Anger, wherewith I shall chastise my People., and the staff in their hand is mine indignation Mine Anger against my People puts the Weapons of War into their Hand, and gives them Strength and Success in this Expedition..

I will send him Not by express Commission, but by the secret yet powerful Conduct of my Providence, giving him both Occasion and Inclination to this Expedition. against an hypocritical See on ch. 9. 17. nation, and against the people of my wrath The Objects of my just Wrath, devoted to Destruction. will I give him a charge By putting this Instinct into his Mind. to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets Which signifies that he should easily conquer them, and utterly destroy them, as he did after this time..

Howbeit, he meaneth not so He does not at all design the Execution of my Will, and the Glory of my Justice, in punishing mine Enemies; but only to enlarge his own Empire, and satisfie his own Lusts. Which is seasonably added, to justifie God in his Judgments threatned to the Assyrian, notwithstanding this Service., neither does his heart think so, but it is in his heart to destroy, and cut off nations not a few To sacrifice multitudes of People to his own Ambition and Covetousness; which is abominable Impiety..

For he † says, Are not my Princes altogether kings Equal for Power, and Wealth, and Glory, to the Kings of other Nations, though my Subjects and Servants. See the like Vaunts, 2 Kings 20. 10, &c.?

Is not Calno, as Carchemish Have not I conquered one Place as well as another, the stronger as well as the weaker? Have I not from time to time added new Conquests to the old? Calno seems to be the same with Calneh, Gen. 10. 10. Amos 6. 2. a great and strong City. Carchemish was a City upon Euphrates, of which 2 Chron. 35. 20. Ier. 46. 2.? is not Hamath, as Arpad Hamath was an eminent City of Syria, not far from Euphrates, called Hemath o... Hamath the Great, Amos 6. 2. of which see 2 Kings 14. 28. & 17. 24. Ier. 49. 23, 27. Arpad seems to have been an obscure Place, not being elsewhere named. Is not that as soon conquered as this?? is not Samaria as Damascus Or, Shall not Samaria be as Damascus? Shall I not take that, as I have done this City? For although Damascus possibly was not yet taken by the Assyrian, yet the Prophet speaks of it as actually taken, because these Words are Prophetically delivered, and supposed to be uttered by the King of Assyria, at or about the Siege of Samaria, when Damascus was taken.?

As my hand has found i. e. Has taken, as this Word is used Prov. 1. 13. and oft elsewhere, the Antecedent being put for the Consequent, because what men find they commonly take to themselves. the kingdoms of the idols Which worshipped their own proper Idols, and vainly imagined that they could protect them from my Power. He calls the Gods of the several Nations, not excepting Ierusalem, Idols, by way of contempt, because none of them could deliver their People out of his hands, as he brags Isa. 37. 11, 12. and because he judged them to be but Petty Gods, far inferiour to the Sun, which was the great God of the Assyrians., and whose graven images did excel them To wit, in Reputation and Strength. Which Blasphemy of his proceeded from his deep Ignorance of the True God. of Jerusalem, and of Samaria:

Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols I shall certainly do it, and neither God nor Man can hinder me.?

Wherefore Because of this impudent Blasphemy. it shall come to pass, that when the LORD has performed his whole work Of chastising his People so long and so much as he sees fit and necessary for them., upon mount Zion, and on Jerusalem, I will punish Heb. visit, to wit, in wrath, as before on v. 3. the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks His insolent Words and Carriages, proceeding from intolerable Pride of Heart..

For he says Not only within himself, but before his Courtiers and others., By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom I owe all my Successes to my own Power, and Valour, and wise Conduct, and to no other God or Man.; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds I have invaded their Lands, and added them to my own Dominions, as this Phrase is used Prov. 22. 28. Hos. 5. 10. of the people, and have robbed their treasures Heb. their prepared things, their Gold, and Silver, and other precious things, which they had long been preparing and laying in store., and I have put down Deprived of their former Glory and Power. the inhabitants like a valiant man.

And my hand has found as a nest As one findeth young Birds in a Nest, the nest being put for the Birds in it, as Deut. 32. 11. No less easily do I both find and take them. the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left Which the Dam has left in her Nest. This is more easie than the former; for the young Birds might possibly make some faint resistance, or flutter away; but the Eggs could do neither., have I gathered all the earth All the Riches of the Earth or World. An Hyperbole not unusual in the Mouths of such Persons, upon such Occasions., and there was none that moved the Wing, or opened the mouth or peeped As Birds do, which, when they see and cannot hinder the robbing of their Nests, express their Grief and Anger, by hovering about them, and by mournful Cries..

Shall the ax boast it self against him that heweth therewith How absurd and unreasonable a thing is it, for thee, who art but an Instrument in God's hand, and canst do nothing without his leave and help, to blaspheme thy Lord and Master, who has as great a power over thee, to manage thee as he pleaseth, as a Man has over the Ax wherewith he heweth?? or shall the saw magnifie it self against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake it self against them that lift it up Or, as it is rendred in the Margin, and by other Interpreters, as if a rod should shake (i. e. shall pretend to shake, or, should boast that it would or could shake; which may easily be understood out of the foregoing words) them that lift it up., or as if the staff should lift up it self, as if it were no wood As if a Staff should forget that it was Wood, and should pretend or attempt to lift up it self either without or against the man that moveth it. Which is absurd in the very supposition of it, and were much more unreasonable in the practice. Nor are thy Boasts less ridiculous..

Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts The Sovereign Lord and General of thine and all other Armies., send among his fat ones leanness Strip him, and all his great Princes and Commanders, of all their Wealth, and Might, and Glory., and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire He will destroy his numerous and victorious Army, and that suddenly and irrecoverably, as the Fire does those combustible things which are cast into it. Which was fulfilled 2 Kings 19. 25..

And the light of Israel That God who is and will be a comfortable Light to his People. shall be for a fire To the Assyrians, who shall have Heat without Light, as it is in Hell., and his holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and briers His vast Army, which is no more able to resist God, than dry Thorns and Briers are to oppose the Fire which is kindled among them. in one day:

And shall consume the glory of his forest Of his great Army, which may not unfitly be compared to a Forest, either for the multitude of their Spears, which, when lifted up together, resemble the Trees of a Wood or Forest; or for the numbers of Men, which stood as thick as Trees do in a Forest., and of his fruitful field Of his Soldiers, which stood as thick as Ears of Corn do in a fruitful Field. Heb. of his Carmel. Wherein it is not improbably conjectured by our late most Learned Mr. Gataker, that there is an Allusion to that Brag of the Assyrian, who threatens that he would go up to the sides of (Israels) Lebanon, and to the forest of his Carmel, and there cut down the tall cedars thereof. Which though it was not uttered by the Assyrian till some years after this time, yet was exactly foreknown to God, who understandeth mens thoughts, and much more their Words, afar off, Psal. 139. 2, 3, 4. and therefore might direct the Prophet to use the same Words, and to turn them against himself, Whereas thou threatnest to destroy Israel's Carmel, I will destroy thy Carmel., both soul and body i. e. Totally, both inwardly and outwardly, both Strength and Lise. Heb. from the soul even to the flesh. Which may possibly signifie the manner of their Death, which should be by a sudden Stroke of the destroying Angel upon their inward and vital Parts, which was speedily followed by the consumption of their Flesh. See Isa. 37. 35, 36.: and they shall be The State of that King, and of his great and valiant Army, shall be. as when a standardbearer fainteth Like that of an Army when their Standard-bearer either is slain, or rather flees away, which strikes a Panick Terrour into the whole Army, and puts them to flight..

And the rest of the trees of his forest The Remainders of that mighty Host., shall be few, that a child may write them That they may be easily numbred by the meanest Accomptant. A Child may be their Mustermaster..

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob Such Ieus as shall be preserved from that sweeping Assyrian Scourge, by which great numbers both of Israel and Iudah were destroyed, and from their succeeding Calamities. For that this Place looks beyond the Deliverance from the Assyrian Army, and unto the Times of the New Testament, seems probable, 1. from the following Verses, which belong to that Time, as we shall see: 2. from the State of the Iewish Nation, which, after that Deliverance, continued to be very sad and corrupt, and averse from that Reformation which Hezekiah and Iosiah prosecuted with all their might; and therefore the Body of that People had not yet learned this Lesson of sincere Trusting in God alone: 3. from S. Paul's Explication and Application of these Words, Rom. 9. 27. of which more may be said when I come thither. And for the Words in that day, which may seem to restrain this to the time of the Assyrian Invasion, they are frequently used in the Prophets of the times of the Gospel, as Isa. 2. 11. & 4. 2. & 11. 10. &c., shall no more again stay upon him that smote them Shall learn by this Judgment, and Experience, never to trust to the Assyrians for Help, as Ahaz and his People now did.: but shall stay upon the LORD, the holy One of Israel in truth Not only by profession, but sincerely..

The remnant Or, a remnant; or, but a remnant; or, a remnant only. Which Particles are oft understood, as has been formerly and frequently observed, and may be here supplied from the following Verses. shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God Unto the Messiah, expresly called the mighty God, Isa. 9. 6..

For though thy people Israel Or, O Israel: to whom by an Apostrophe he directeth his Speech. be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant Or, a remnant only, as before: For that this is a Threatning in respect of some, as well a Promise in respect of others, is evident from the rest of this, and from the following Verse. of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow The Destruction of the People of Israel was already decreed or determined (as it is in the next Verse) by the fixed Counsel of God, and therefore must needs be executed, and like a Deluge overflow them. with righteousness As this Word is rendred Rom. 9. 28. the Preposition in or with being here understood, as it is every where. And this is added, to show, that although this Judgment of God may seem very severe, yet it is most just, not only by the Laws of strict and rigid Justice, but even by the Rules of Equity and Clemency, as this Word oft signifies, inasmuch as he has spared a considerable Remnant of them, when he might have destroyed them utterly. And so this Word is added as a Reason why a Remnant, and why but a Remnant, should return; because God would both glorifie his Justice, and manifest his Mercy. And in this mixed sense the Apostle seems to expound this Place, Rom. 9. 27, 28..

For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined The same thing is repeated in other Words, with some addition: God will execute his own Decree concerning the Destruction of Israel, which he is well able to do, because he is the Lord of Hosts. in the midst of all the land In all the Parts of the Land, not excepting Ierusalem, which was to be preserved in the Assyrian Invasion, when almost all the other fenced Cities of Iudah should be taken; but should afterwards be taken and destroyed, as it was, first by the Babylonians, and then by the Romans..

Therefore This is an Inference, not from the Words immediately foregoing, but from the whole Prophecy. Seeing the Assyrian shall be destroyed, and a Remnant of my People preserved and restored. thus says the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion In Ierusalem, which is frequently called Sion, as Psal. 48. 12. & 87. 2. Isa. 1. 8, 27. & 33. 20. &c. Which he mentions, because this was the principal Object of the Assyrians Design and Rage, and there were the Temple, and Thrones of Justice, and the King and his Princes; and Multitudes had fled thither from the Assyrian,, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod He shall afflict thee, but not destroy thee. Compare 1 Kings 12. 11., and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt As the Egyptians formerly did, and with the same ill Success to themselves, and comfortable Issue to you..

For yet a very little while, and the indignation Mine Anger, as it is explained in the next Clause; either, 1. towards my People; which shall weaken the Assyrian, whose great Strength lay there; of which, see above, v. 5. or, 2. towards the Assyrian, with whom God was very angry, v. 12. &c. yea, so angry, as not to be satisfied without their Destruction, as it follows. shall cease As Anger commonly does, when Vengeance is fully executed., and mine anger in their destruction.

And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge Shall send a destroying Angel, Isa 37. 36. for him, according to the slaughter of Midian Whom God slew suddenly, and unexpectedly, and in the Night, as he did the Assyrians. at the rock of Oreb Upon which one of their Chief Princes was slain, and nigh unto which the Midianites were destroyed.: and as his rod was upon the sea To smite and divide it, and so to make way both for thy Deliverance, and for the Destruction of the Egyptians., so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt As he did in Egypt, to bring his Plagues upon that Land and People..

And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden The Burden of the Assyrian; for so it was actively, because imposed by him; though passively it was Israel's Burden, as being laid upon him shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroy'd because of the anointing Out of the respect which I bear to that Holy Unction, which I have established amongst you. And so this may relate either, 1. to the Body of the People, who were in some sort anointed, being made by God a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation, Exod. 19. 6. or, 2. to that Sacred Kingdom which God had, by his positive Precept, and solemn Covenant, established in David and his Posterity for ever. The Iews therefore, and some others, understand this of Hezekiah, to whom God had a singular respect, and upon whose Prayers God gave this Deliverance, as we read Isa, 37. 15, &c. Possibly it might be better understood of David, who is oft mentioned in Scripture by the name of God's anointed, as Psal. 20. 6. & 89. 20. & 132. 17. and elsewhere; and for whose sake God gave many Deliverances to the succeeding Kings and Ages, as is expresly affirmed 1 Kings 11. 32, 34. 2 Kings 8. 19. And, which is more considerable, God declareth, that he would give this very Deliverance from the Assyrian for Davids sake, 2 Kings 19. 34. and 20. 6. But the Messiah, I doubt not, is here principally intended, of whom David was but a Type; and who was in a peculiar manner anointed above all his fellows, as is said Psal. 45. 7. For he is the Foundation of all the Promises, 2 Cor. 1. 20. and of all the Deliverances and Mercies granted to God's People in all Ages; whence this very Prophet makes use of this great Promise of the Messiah, as an Assurance that God would make good his Promises of particular Deliverances from their present or approaching Calamities, as Isa. 7. 14. &c. and 9. 4, &c. And therefore the Prophet might well say, that God would grant this Deliverance for Christs sake: Especially if it be considered, that this was the very Reason why God had promised, and did so constantly perform his Mercy promised unto the Tribe of Iudah, and unto the House of David, until the coming of the Messiah, because the Messiah was to come of the Tribe of Iudah, and of the Posterity of David, and was to succeed David in his Throne and Kingdom; and he was to be known by this Character: and therefore this Tribe and House and Kingdom were to continue, and that in a visible manner, till Christ came..

He is come to Ajath Here the Prophet returns to his former Discourse concerning the Assyrian Inva... ion into Iudah; which he describes, after the manner of the Prophets, as a thing present, and sets down the several Stages by which he marched towards Ierusalem. The Places here named are most of them Towns of Benjamin, and some of Iudah, as appears from other Scriptures; of which it is needless to say more in this place. He, to wit, Sennacherib King of Assyria, is come in his way to Ierusalem., he is passed to Migron: at Michmash he has laid up his carriages Leaving such things there as were less necessary, that so he might march with more expedition. Heb. he visited his vessels or instruments: which may be meant of his taking a Survey of his Army and Artillery, to see that all things were ready for his Enterprise..

They are gone over the passage Some considerable Passage then well known; possibly that 1 Sam. 14. 5.: they have taken up their lodging at Geba, Ramah is afraid, Gibeah of Saul is fled The People fled to Ierusalem for fear of the Assyrian..

Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim Ierusalem was the Mother-City, and lesser Towns are commonly called her daughters, as has been oft noted.: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth.

Madmenah is removed, the inhabitants of Gebin gather themselves to flee.

As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand By way of Commination. But withal he intimates, that he should be able to do no more against it, and that there his proud Waves should be stayed, as it is declared in the following Verses, and in the History. against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

Behold the Lord, the LORD of hosts shall lop the bough The top-bough,; or, the loughs, his valiant Soldiers or Commanders of his Army, which he compareth to a Forest, v. 18. & 34. with terrour With a most terrible and amazing Stroke by an Angel.: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.

And he shall cut down the thickets of the forrest with iron Or, as with iron, as the Trees of the Forest are cut down by Instruments of Iron., and Lebanon Or, his Lebanon, the Pronoun being oft understood in the Hebrew Text: the Assyrian Army, which being before compared to a Forest or Wood, and being called his Ca... mel in the Hebrew Text, v. 18. may very fitly, upon the same ground, be called his Lebanon here; especially considering that the King of Assyria is called a cedar of Lebanon, Ezek. 31. 3. shall fall by a mighty one By a mighty Angel, Isa. 37. 36..