Isaiah 52

The Prophet speaketh in this chapter of the deliverance of the people of the Jews out of the Babylonian captivity, which is a type of the spiritual redemption of the church by Christ ver.1. &c. the grace and acceptableness of the preaching of the Gospel, 7. A promise that the Lord will protect his church. 10. After this is shewed that Christ shall be exalted, 13. After he shall have humbled himself to the utmost, 14. A prophesy concerning the calling of the Gentiles, 15.

1. Awake, Awake, put on thy strength [That is, be bold, or, courageous: see above chap.51.ver.17.] temporal, and especially of the spiritual Jerusalem] put on thy beautiful garments O Jerusalem, thou holy city: [Heb. Thou city of holiness] for henceforth (there) shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised, and the unclean. [that is, thou shalt henceforth be no more over-powered by wicked and heathenish tyrants, whether Babylonians, or others. This is chiefly and principally to be understood of the heavenly Jerusalem, as Rev.21.27.]

2. Shake thy self from the dust, [That is, be joyful, and mourn no more] loose thy self (from) the hands of thy neck, [That is, serve God in holiness and righteousness now thou art delivered from the hands of thine enemies. See above chap.42.7. Luke 74.75.] thou captive daughter of Zion. [That is, the people of Zion, that is, of Jerusalem.]

3. For thus saith the LORD, ye were sold for nought, ye shall also be redeemed. [To wit, from the Babylonian thraldom or bondage. See further on ver.1. As if the Lord should say, the Babylonians gave me nothing, that I should deliver you unto them as servants and bond-men forever: Therefore I am at liberty when I please, to redeem you out of their hand without any ransom at all. See Psal.44.13. and compare above chap.45.13.]

4. For thus saith the Lord LORD, in former times [Or, formerly, aforetime, heretofore. Heb. That first] my people went down into Egypt, to sojourn there: and Assur oppressed them for nought. [Or without cause. The meaning is, I have sorely plagued the Egyptians, because they had grievously afflicted my people, which notwithstanding voluntarily and of their own accord went down into Egypt: how much more will I grievously plague the Assyrians and the Babylonians that have carried them away out of the land of Canaan, which I gave them for an inheritance, and have dealt so cruelly and barbarously with them? See Gen.46.6.]

5. And now what have I here (to do)? Saith the LORD, [Heb. What unto me here? That is, what have I here to do, or what am I to do now? As if the LORD had said, I will stay here no longer, but I will forth with go to Babel, to deliver my people, seeing the Babylonians have now filled up their measures. It is spoken of God after the manner of men] seeing my people is taken away [that is, is carried away captivity by the Babylonians. Here for brevity sake one word is used for two, taken away, for is taken away and carried away] for nought, (and) they that rule over them, make (them) to howl, saith the LORD, [in regard they plague them so heavily and so ;unmercifully. Others, (and) their rulers howl; as if he had said, the Babylonians do not spare even the rulers of the Jews themselves, much less do they spare the common sort of people] and my name all the day continually is blasphemed [as if I were not able to defend and protect my people against their violence and cruelty, and were not able for the present to deliver them out of their hands. See Ezek.36.20,23. Rom.2.24.]

6. Therefore (shall) my people, therefore shall they know my name [That is, me. See Psal.9.on ver.11.] in that day, [to wit, when I shall deliver them from the Babylonian captivity, corporally: but it is also especially to be understood of the spiritual deliverance or redemption from the power of the Devil] that I am he that do speak, [that is, that my promise concerning their deliverance is true.] behold (here) am I.

7. How pleasant [Heb. How beautiful] upon the mountains are the feet of him that declareth good, that causeth peace to be heard: of him that bringeth good tidings of good, that causeth salvation to be heard, of him that saith unto Zion, thy God is King? [they are words of admiration, with joy and gladness, looking not so much at the publishing and proclaiming of deliverance from the Babylonian captivity, as at the preaching of the Apostles and other teachers of the New Testament, that should publish and preach both to Jews and Gentiles the spiritual redemption from the power of the Devil. (upon the mountains) understand the Mountains of the mountainous or hilly country of Judea: and by them the Church of God both within and without Jerusalem and the land of Juda (of him that declareth good) that is, they that bring glad tidings, namely first, the deliverance from the Babylonian captivity, and secondly, the spiritual redemption by Jesus Christ. Compare Rom.10.15. (that causeth peace to be heard) that is, that preacheth or publisheth peace. So that causeth salvation to he heard; that is, that preacheth or publisheth salvation. In this verse the Prophet relateth often one and the same thing sundry ways, as being not able to find out words sufficient to express that exceeding great mercy and benefit of God shewed to us in Christ. (of him that saith unto Zion,) that is, unto the Church of God (thy God is King) to wit, Christ Jesus, who is our everlasting King, and doth govern his Church with his word and Spirit. See Psal.93. the Annotat. On ver.1. Others, Thy God reigneth as King.]

8. There is a voice of thy watchmen; [That is, of thy Prophets and Apostles, &c.] they lift up the voice, they shout together: for they shall see [To wit, with delight] eye to eye [that is, distinctly, plainly. Compare Numb.14.14. Or, eye by eyes; that is, all eyes] when the LORD shall bring again Zion [From the Babylonian captivity: as also from the power of the Devil and of sin. Others, shall convert Zion.]

9. Make a sound, shout together ye wast places of Jerusalem: [Understand here those places, that about Jerusalem and elsewhere in the land of Juda had now lain a good while waste, having been wasted by their enemies; and by them the waste and desolate condition of the Church, when Christ gathered it] for the LORD hath comforted his people, he that redeemed Jerusalem.

10. The LORD hath made bare his holy arm [That is, hath stretched it forth, to smite the Babylonians, and to redeem and deliver his people out of their hand, and the Christian Church from their spiritual enemies. (his holy arm) Heb. The arm of his holiness [that is, his divine omnipotence, or almighty power, which he manifested in delivering of his people. Compare herewith Luk.1.68.] before the eyes of all the heathen; and all the ends of the earth [that is, all men dwelling in the utmost ends of the world] shall see the salvation of our God. [This came to pass when Christ sent forth his Apostles to go and preach the Gospel throughout the whole world, Matth.28.19. See Psal.98.2. Luk.3.6. (the salvation of our God) that is, the salvation which out God shall effect and work for us.]

11. Depart, depart, go out from thence, [An exhortation unto the people of God, to depart speedily out of corporal & spiritual Babel. (from thence) from Babelin Chaldea; as above chap.48.20.& also from spiritual Babel, namely, from the kingdom of the Devil, and of Antichrist] touch not the unclean thing: [Understand withal, but give thy self to all manner of holiness. See ver.1. Compare 2 Cor.6.17. Revel.18.4.] go out of the midst of her; cleanse your selves, ye that bear the vessels of the LORD. [That is, ye Priests and Levites: And in the New Testament, all the believers, as being spiritual priests. See 1 Thess.4.4. 2 Tim.2.21. 1 Pet.2.5. Revel.1.6.]

12. For ye shall not go out with haste, nor depart by flight: for the LORD will go before your face, and the God of Israel will be your reward. [A description of the departure or going forth of the people of God, and the grace and favour which God would shew them in it. (ye shall not go out with haste) To wit, as your fathers were fain to do, when they went forth out of Egypt, from whence they were as it were driven forth, Exod.12.33. Understand withal, but ye shall go out with ease, and without fear, yea with joy. See the accomplishment thereof, Ezra chap.1.] (nor depart by flight) to wit, out of corporal and spiritual or mystical Babel. (the God of Israel will be your reward) Or, be your hinder guard, or, your rear. Heb. Will assemble you, or, gather you together: That is, he will defend and protect you on every side. See Psal.10.on ver.25.]

13. Behold, my servant [To wit, Christ. God the Father speaketh this, Some begin the 53. Chapter here] shall deal understandingly: [Or deal happily, prudently, prosperously: that is, he shall well and duly perform and execute the office that I have imposed upon him] he shall be exalted and lifted up, yea be very high. [See Phil.2.9.]

14. Like as many were astonished [Or, were amazed or, became amazed] at thee [O Jesus Christ] his visage [or, his face: to wit, my servant Jesus Christs face] was so married, [or, his visage shall be so horribly deformed, namely, by reason of the crowning with a crown of thorns, the scourging and crucifying, whereof is spoken more at large in the next chapter. See Phil.2.7. They are the words of God, speaking in the third person, wherein he sheweth a reason why many should be amazed or astonished at Christ. Some conceive that they are the Prophets words inserted here. See below chap.53.3.] more then any mans: and his form more then of (other) children of men:

15. So shall he [To, wit, Chirst] sprinkle [To wit, with his blood-shed, and with the sending forth of the gifts and graces of his Spirit by the preaching of the Gospel, and by the use of the holy Sacraments] many heathen, (yea) the kings shall shut and stop their mouth at him: [Or, before him, or, for him; that is, for his sake; To wit, when he shall by the preaching of the Gospel be published and preached in their presence, and in their Kingdoms and dominions; and when they shall hear and understand that he is King of all the world] for they to whom it [Or, whereof, as the Apostle Paul expoundeth it, Rom.15.21.] was not declared [that is, the Gentiles, from whom the mystery of Salvation had formerly been kept secret. See Rom.15.21.] they shall see it: and they which have not heard it, they shall understand it.