FOR Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. 2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. 3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. 4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called 'Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. 5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and 'as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. 6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: 'ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, 7 And give him no 'rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth 8 The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured: 9 But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness. 10 ¶ Go through, go through the gates; "prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people. 11 Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, 'Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his "reward is with him, and his "work before him. 12 And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken. 1 Hos. 1. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 10. That is, my delight is in her. 3 That is, married. 4 Heb. with the joy of the bridegroom. Verse 4. "The land shall be married.”—In the East it is still customary to describe a king as having married that land which he has recently acquired, by conquest or otherwise, and united to his former dominions. 5. “A young man marrieth a virgin."-There is perhaps no particular point intended here: but it may allude to such a custom as that which very much prevails in the East, particularly among Mahommedans-which is, that a young man not previously married always marries a virgin; never a widow or divorced woman, who can only hope to contract a new alliance with a man who has been or is already married. CHAPTER LXIII. 1 Christ sheweth who he is, 2 what his victory over his enemies, 7 and what his mercy toward his church. 10 In his just wrath he remembereth his free mercy. 15 The church in their prayer, 17 and complaint, profess their faith. WHO is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is 'glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? 3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood e house of Israel, which he hath bestowed n them according to his mercies, and acrding to the multitude of his lovingkind esses. 8 For he said, Surely they are my people, ildren that will not lie: so he was their aviour. 9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, nd the angel of his presence saved them n his love and in his pity he redeemed em; and he bare them, and carried them 1 the days of old. 10 But they rebelled, and vexed his oly Spirit: therefore he was turned to e their enemy, and he fought against em. 11 Then he remembered the days of old, loses, and his people, saying, Where is he at brought them up out of the sea with e shepherd of his flock? where is he that at his holy Spirit within him? 12 That led them by the right hand of loses with his glorious arm, 'dividing the ater before them, to make himself an eversting name? 13 That led them through the deep, as 5 Deut. 7. 7, 8. 9 Exod. 14, 21. Josh. 3. 16. an horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble? 14 As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest : so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name. 15 Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, "the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained? 16 Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting. 17 O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance. 18 The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary. 19 We are thine: thou never barest rule over them; they were not called by thy name. Exod. 15. 24. Num. 14. 11. Psal. 78.56, and 95. 9. 7 Exod. 14. 30. 8 Or, shepherds, as Psal. 77. 20. Verse 1. "Who is this," &c.-Bishop Lowth, in the seventh of his "Prælections on the Sacred Poetry of the Heews," in which he treats of "Poetic Imagery from Common Life," thus speaks of the present example. "I ought t in this place to omit that supremely magnificent delineation of the divine vengeance expressed by imagery taken m the wine-press; an image which frequently occurs in the sacred poets, but which no other poetry has presumed introduce. But where shall we find expressions of equal dignity with the original in any modern language? By at art of the pencil can we exhibit a shadow or an outline of that description in which Isaiah depicts the Messiah coming to vengeance?" 3. "Trodden the winepress alone."-It was usual for several persons together to tread in the wine-press; hence e distinction conveyed by the word "alone." 13. “As an horse in the wilderness."-By "wilderness" we are here, as in most other instances, to understand "a plain,” d preferably "a desert plain ;" and probably the allusion may be derived from the speed and facility with which the abians withdraw, upon their famous horses, from the presence of powerful enemies into the deserts, where those who tempt to pursue them often miserably perish. With like ease did the Hebrews pass through the Red Sea; and in e manner did the Egyptian host, which had the temerity to pursue them, perish. CHAPTER LXIV. The church prayeth for the illustration of God's power. 5 Celebrating God's mercy, it maketh confession of their natural corruptions. 9 It complaineth of their affliction. H that thou wouldest rend the heavens, at thou wouldest come down, that the ountains might flow down at thy pre nce, 2 As when 'the melting fire burneth, the Heb. the fire of meltings. 2 Psal. 31. 19. 2 Cor. 2. 9. we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence. 4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. 5 Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved. 6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and * Or, seen a God besides thee which doeth so for him, &c. we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, | neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, like the wind, have taken us away. 7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast 'consumed us, because of our iniquities. 8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. 9¶ Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, • Psal. 90. 5, 6. CHAPTER LXV. see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people. 10 Thy holy cities are a wilderness. Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation 11 Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire and all our pleasant things are laid waste. : 12 Wilt thou refrain thyself for tnese things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore ? 5 Heb. melted. 1 The calling of the Gentiles. 2 The Jews, for their incredulity, idolatry, and hypocrisy, are rejected. 8 A remnant shall be saved. 11 Judgments on the wicked, and blessings on the godly. 17 The blessed state of the new Jerusalem. I 'AM Sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. 2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; 3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense 'upon altars of brick; 4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; 5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. 6 Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom, 7 Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom. 8 Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all. 9 And I will bring forth a seed out of • Psal. 79. 8. Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there. : 10 And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, herds to lie down in, for my people that and the valley of Achor a place for the have sought me. 11 But ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that 'number. 12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: 'because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not. 13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed. 14 Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for 'vexation of spirit. 15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name: 16 That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes. 17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor 1ocome into mind. 18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 1 Rom. 9. 24, 25, 26, and 10. 20. Ephes. 2. 12, 13. Heb. upon bricks. 3 Or, pieces. 5 Or, Gad. Or, Menu 10 Heb. come upon the heart 19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the "voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. 20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. 21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect "shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. 24 And it shall come to pass, that "before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. 25 The "wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD. 11 Revel. 21. 4. 18 Heb. shall make them continue long, or, shall wear out. 13 Psal. 32. 5. 14 Chap. 11. 6, 7. Verse 3. "Sacrificeth in gardens.”—This and what follows alludes to idolatrous and superstitious practices, involving idolatry, which were forbidden to the Hebrews, but to which they were, nevertheless, as we frequently observe in the historical and prophetical books, excessively addicted, previously to the Babylonish captivity. Gardens in the East are rather orchards or plantations than what we call gardens. Worshipping in gardens is therefore equivalent to worshipping in groves-a practice from which the Jews were so strongly interdicted, that they were commanded (Deut. xii. 2) to burn the groves in which their idolatrous predecessors in the possession of Palestine, had been wont to worship. "Allars of brick."-This was against the law which forbade the Hebrews to have any altars but of earth or unhewn stone. (Exod. xx. 24, 25.) 4. "Remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments."—It was an idolatrous superstition in most ancient nations, for certain persons to resort to the sepulchres, &c. for the purpose of magic or necromancy. There they expected, or pretended, to hold intercourse with spirits and dæmons, or to receive instructions or oracles in dreams and visions. There are frequent allusions to this practice in heathen writers; and it appears that the Hebrews were also addicted to them. There are (we cannot quite say were) superstitions in our own country connected with graves and sepulchres, which might but too well be cited in illustration. And if, with Bishop Lowth, we read the last word as "caverns instead of "monuments," the observation would be equally applicable, as there is perhaps not a noted cavern in England with which some superstitious dread is not associated, in consequence of a tradition concerning some wizard or necromancer who once abode within its gloom. 11. "A table for that troop...the drink offering unto that_number.”—The words rendered "troop" and "number" ar more usually, as in the margin, given as the proper names of idols, T, Gad, and D, Meni. As the former word means fortune in the Syriac dialect, some suppose the imaginary goddess of fortune to be intended; and so the Septuagint, Tux, and the Vulgate, Fortuna: and some of the Rabbins are of the same opinion. R. Moses, however, says it was the planet Jupiter, which was distinguished as the fortunate star. Meni is supposed by some, from the etymology of the name, to be Fate or Destiny; others imagine the seven planets to be intended, and some conclude it to be the planet Mercury in particular. Perhaps the most probable opinion is that which makes it to be the idol Manah (li) which was in ancient times worshipped by the Arabians. Some mythologists incline to the opinion that Gad was the sun and Meni the moon. 20. “An infant of days."-One who lived but a short time-an infant of few days; "few" being understood. This seems to say that none shall die in infancy, during the blessed time of which the prophet speaks. "The child shall die an hundred years old."-This seems to intimate that one who dies at a hundred years old shall be considered to have died in childhood-so long then shall be the years of man's life. The Hebrew writers imagine that life will then attain its antediluvian duration. 22. "As the days of a tree," &c.-This is a figurative repetition of the same idea of longevity, as many kinds of timber trees remain in life for ages-oaks and cedars, for example. CHAPTER LXVI. 1 The glorious God will be served in humble sincerity. 5 He comforteth the humble with the marvellous generation, 10 and with the gracious benefits of the church. 15 God's severe judgments against the wicked. 19 The Gentiles shall have an holy church, 24 and see the damnation of the wicked. THUS saith the LORD, 'The heaven is my 5 N 2 throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. 3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a 827 '1 Kings 8. 27. 2 Chron. 6. 18. Acta 7. 49, and 17 24. man; he that sacrificeth a 'lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. 4 I also will choose their 'delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; 'because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not. 5 Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, "Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. 6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies. 7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. 8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. 9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not 'cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God. 10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: 11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. 12 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be "borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. 13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. 14 And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies. 15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh : and the slain of the LORD shall be many. 17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens "behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD. 18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. 19 And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. 20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in "litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem. saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. 21 And I will also take of them for 12priests and for Levites, saith the LORD. 22 For as 13the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. 23 And it shall come to pass, that "from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to wor ship before me, saith the LORD. 24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their "worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. Chap. 5. 19. Or, kid. 3 Heb. maketh a memorial of. 4 Or, devices. 5 Prov. 1. 24. Chap. 65. 12. Jer. 7. 13. 7 Or, bege. 8 Or, brightness 9 Chap. 49. 22, and 60. 4. 10 Or, one after another. 11 Or, coaches. 12 Exod. 19.6 Chap. 61 6. 1 Pet 2.9. He L 13 Chap. 65. 17. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Revel. 21. 1. 14 Heb from new-moon to his new-moon, and from sabeath to his sal bath. Verse 17. 15 Mark 9. 44 Behind one tree."-The word "tree" is not in the original. The word TN, achad. certainly meas |