Ver. 3. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.] That is, from God’s inexhaustible bounty, which is the fountain of all blessings in Jesus Christ: see Ps. xxxvi. 9; Jer. ii. 13. Bp. Wilson, W. Lowth.

On the last day of the feast of tabernacles, the Jews fetched water in a golden pitcher from the fountain of Siloah; brought it through the watergate into the temple, and poured it, mixed with wine, on the sacrifice as it lay upon the altar, with great rejoicing. This custom is not ordained in the law of Moses; and seems to have been taken up in allusion to this passage of Isaiah. Our Saviour applied the ceremony, and the intention of it, to Himself, and to the effusion of the Holy Ghost, promised, and to be given, by Him, John vii. 37. 39. Bp. Lowth.

Chap. XIII. This chapter and the next (striking off a few of the last verses of it, which belong to a different subject) contain one entire prophecy, foretelling the destruction of Babylon by the Medes and Persians; delivered probably in the reign of Ahaz, about 200 years before the completion of it. The captivity itself of the Jews at Babylon (which the Prophet does not expressly foretell, but supposes, in the spirit of prophecy, as what was actually effected) did not fully take place till about 130 years after the delivery of this prophecy; and the Medes, who are expressly mentioned,

Ver. 1. The burden of Babylon.] A prophecy threatening ruin or some severe punishment. Bp. Wilson.

The word in the original is of more general import and signification: it sometimes signifies a prophecy of good as well as evil. Bps. Newton and Chandler.

Isaiah 11:2

2. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him.] That is, as man He shall be endued with the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, without measure, and at all times. Dr. Wells. The characters here given to the Spirit which was to rest on the Messiah, are the same which we find in the Old Testament applied to the Prophets. Dean Allix. He being the Great Prophet, foretold Deut. xviii. 15, is described as more plentifully endued with these gifts than any other ever was, chap. xiii. 1; lxi. 1; Ps. xiv. 7; John iii. 34; Acts x. 3a. W. Lowth.

2, 3. Lift ye up a banner &c.] The prophecy opens with the command of God to gather the forces which He had destined to his service against Babylon: upon which the Prophet immediately hears the tumultuous noise of the different nations crowding together to the standard; he sees them advancing prepared to execute the Divine wrath, ver. 4, 5; and proceeds to describe the dreadful consequences of this visitation, and the consternation which will seize those that are objects of it. Bp. Lowth.

2.—into the gates of the nobles.] To enlist under their several commanders. W. Lowth.

Isaiah 11:3

3. — of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord.] In things pertaining unto holiness, He shall lay hold of all opportunities of promoting true piety, and advancing God’s honour: this exactly answers Christ’s character of Himself, John iv. 34. W. Lowth.

— he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.] He shall not judge after the appearance, but shall judge righteous judgment; as our Saviour speaks, John vii. 24. W. Lowth.

3. I have commanded my sanctified ones.] This signifies those whom God had set apart for his purpose. So He calls Cyrus his anointed, chap. xlv. 1, and Nebuchadnezzar his servant, Jer. xxv. 9. W. Lowth.

Isaiah 11:4

4. — reprove with equity for the meek of the earth.] To afford protection to the poor and humble, is the constant character of Christ’s kingdom; (chap xviii. 19; lxi. 1; Ps. lxxii. 2. 12;) to them the blessings of the Gospel are peculiarly promised, Matt. v. 3; James ii. 5. W. Lowth.

— he shall smile the earth with the rod of his mouth.] The “earth” here signifies the ungodly, called by St. John, chap. vii. 7; xvii. 9, the “world;” who make the greatest part of it, and have the greatest share in it: the “rod of his mouth” signifies the “word of God,” containing threats and judgments against sinners, which is said to be “sharper than any twoedged sword,” Heb. iv. 12; and as such is described, Rev. i. 16, as proceeding “out of the mouth of Christ.” St. Paul, in the passage given in the margin, applies this particularly to the destruction of Antichrist. See also Rev. xix. 21. W. Lowth.

Isaiah 11:5

5. — righteousness shall be the girdle &c.] The meaning is, that a zeal for justice and truth shall make Him active and strong in executing the great work which He shall undertake. Bp. Lowth. See note on chap. v. 27.

Isaiah 11:6

6—8. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, &c.] The expressions here used are plainly designed to shew, in a figurative way, that there should be as great a

the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

Isaiah 11:11

11. — the Lord shall set his hand again the second time &c.] These words imply, that this shall be as great a deliverance as that out of Egypt: compare Ps. lxviii. 22; Mic. vii. 15. W. Lowth.

— from Pathros, &c.] Pathros is a country in Egypt, Jer. xliv. 1; Ezek. xxix. 14. Elam, Persia; Shinar, Babylon, Gen. xi. 2. W. Lowth.

Respecting Cush, see notes on chap. xviii. 1; Numb. xii. 1. Hamath, note on chap. x. 9. Elam, note on chap. xxi. 2.

— islands of the sea.] By this expression, are to be understood, in the Scripture style, not only islanders properly so called, but all who dwelt on the sea-coast, primarily, perhaps, those on the shores of the Mediterranean; all distant nations, which may best appear from chap. xlix. 1; Jer. xxxi. 10; all to the west of Canaan. These last were the isles of the Gentiles, to be peopled by the posterity of Japhet, Gen. x. 5; under this title of islands they are mentioned in all passages, where the extension of the Gospel to the Gentiles is prophesied of, with a view, no doubt, to the flourishing

depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.

Isaiah 11:13

13. — the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off.] The Hebrew might be rendered, the “enmity” of Judah; and what follows, “Judah shall not vex Ephraim,” seems to require that it should. Abp. Secker.

Isaiah 11:14

14. But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines &c.] The people mentioned in this verse were all of them borderers upon the territory of the Jews, and took all occasions of shewing their spite and ill-will against them: on which account, in the prophetick dialect they are often used in a general sense for the enemies of God’s truth and people. Compare chap. xxv. 10; xxxiv. 5, 6; Joel iii. 19; Amos ix. 12. W. Lowth.

It is the style and genius of the prophetical books, to set whole countries, and kingdoms, and societies of men, to signify, not those places, and persons, and powers only, but others also, who should be in after-ages like them, in the same sins and circumstances. Dean Stanhope.

15. — the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; the word “tongue,” when applied to the sea, signifies a bay, and is so translated, Josh. xv. 2, and xviii. 19. W. Lowth. Most interpreters apply the expression here to that bay of the Red sea, over which the Israelites passed. Vitringa.

Perhaps “the tongue of the Egyptian sea” may mean that part of the land of Egypt which was enclosed among the mouths of the Nile; the Nile being understood to be the Egyptian sea. This has at times been described under the semblance of a pear, and an heart, and also a tongue; all these objects having some analogy in their shape. Bryant.

— with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, &c.] This plainly alludes to the passage of the Red sea, and refers to the particular circumstance mentioned Exod. xiv. 21. Bp. Lowth. Whether we understand the river here of the Nile, famous for its seven mouths, or the Euphrates, (see note on chap. vii. 20,) and suppose allusion made to Cyrus draining that river when he took Babylon, chap. xliv. 27; Jer. i. 38;

Before CHRIST about 713. children of the east. and Moab shall be the laying on of their hand. children of Ammon their obedience. shoes. A thanksgiving of the faithful. God mustereth the armies of his wrath. Before CHRIST about 713. e Exod. 14. 29.

for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

CHAP. XII. A joyful thanksgiving of the faithful for the mercies of God.

AND in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.

a Exod. 12. 2. Ps. 113. 14.