Isaiah 2

i. ARGUMENT/ The former part of this chapter describes the’promulgation and success of the gospel upon the first coming of Christ; the latter part represents his second coming to judgment: the first and second coming of Christ aro often * joined together by the prophets: one reason of which • may be, because the destruction of the Jewish state quickly followed after the promulgation of the gospel, which is represented in words. that denote the general dissolution of all things. See Joel ii. 31. Matt. xxiv. 29. as indeed all God’s remarkable judgments are types and forerunners of the last and general one. (See note on xiii. 10.) listines.] The prophet assigns the reason of God’s withdrawing his kindness from the Jews of the present age(as there would be a more remarkable rejection of them under the gospel), because of their following the corrupt manners of the idolatrous nations round about them, in seeking to soothsayers and wizards, which God had so expressly forbidden them, (Dent, xviii. 14.) Both the eastern parts that border upon Judea, i. e. Syria and Chaldea, were famous for pretenders to this sort of science: (see Numb, xxiii. 7. Isa. xlvii. 13.) and likewise the Philistines, who lay westward of it. (See 1 Sam. vi. 2. 2 Kings i. 2.) They please themselves in the children of strangers.] They invited or encouraged pretenders to such knowledge from foreign parts: or, they took pleasure in learning the idolatrous practices of the strangers round about them; a thing often forbidden in their law. (See Deut. xii. 30. Exod. xxxiv. 16. 1 Kings xii. 1, 2.)

Isaiah 2:1

JL HE word that Isaiah saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Tlie word, that is, the vision which concerns tho state of the church and people of God in aftertimes, •(ver. 2.) Judah and’ Jerusalem, including the Christian •church, who aro the true Israel of God. (See note on Ix. 14.)

Isaiah 2:2

[And it shall come to pass in the last days. The last days signify in the prophets the times of the Messias. The Jews commonly divided the times or successions of * the world into three ages, or periods: The first, before the law; the second, under the law; the third, vnder the Messias. This being the last dispensation, which God designed should continue till the consummation of all things, it is denoted by the prophets under the title of the last times or latter days. (Sec Joel ii. 28. compared with Acts ii. 17. Micah iv. 1. compared with Ileb.i.l. IPet.i. 20. 1 Johnii. 18.) Accordingly St. Paul tells us, that Christ appeared Itri avvrtXtly twv aJwvwv, at the cojtsummation of the ages, or several periods of the world; (Hcb. ix. 2G.) and speaking of his own times, saith, that the ends of the’ world were come, (1 Cor. x. 11.) tAtj twv aubveovy the conclusion of the ages of it. The mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established upon the top of the mountains.] That is, shall be eminently conspicuous, so as to be the light of the world, and draw * all nations* to embrace the truths therein professed. (Compare Matt. v. 14.) The Jewish temple stood upon Mount Moriah, (2 Chron. iii. 1.) It is here metaphorically taken for the church, (compare xi. 9. xxiv. 23. xxv. 6, 7. 10. xxvii. 13. Ixv. 11. Ixvi. 20. Ezek. xvii. 23. xx. 40. xl. 2.) which Daniel prophesies should become a great mountain, and fill the earth, (Dan. ii. 35.) This prophecy will not receive its utmost completion, till the destruction of the four monarchies there mentioned, and tlie fulness of the Jews and gentiles arc come into the church. (Compare Micah iv. 1. C, 7. 13.) But yet both these prophecies may be partly fulfilled, in the several advances which Christ’s kingdom makes in the world, who is described as going forth conquering, and to conquer, (llev. vi. 2.)

Isaiah 2:3

And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, &c. i. e. Let us join ourselves to the Christian church; the phrase alludes to the Jews going up in companies to Jerusalem at the three solemn feasts of the year. (Compare Ix. 4.7. 9. Ixvi. 23. Zech. viii. 21, 22. xiv. 1G. Jer. xxxi. 6. 1. 5.) For out ofZion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.] Sec this fulfilled, Luke xxiv. 47. Acts i. 8..

Isaiah 2:4

And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people. Both by the power of his word, which is compared to a two-edged sword in Scripture; and by the remarkable judgments he will exercise upon those who are incorrigible. (See Psal. ex. C. Luke xix. 27. Rev. xix. 15.) Tliey shall beat their sivords into plough-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks.] The state of war is described by Virgil under the same metaphor: " Et curvae rigidum falces conflantur in ensem,." Their pruning-hooks are turned into swords. Georgic. 1. ad fin* Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither slvall they learn war any more.] Peace is mentioned as the distinguishing character of Christ’s kingdom: (see xi. 6. Ixv. 25. Psal. lxxii. 7. Zech. ix. 10. Luke ii. 14.) and he himself is called the Prince of Peace, (Isa. ix. 6.) The spiritual sense of this prophecy implies our Saviour’s being the great peace-maker, who should reconcile the Jews and gentiles to God, and to each other, Ephes. ii. 14. (See more in the notes upon xi. 9.) But if we look upon this and the like prophecies, as foretelling the outward peacefulness of Christ’s church or kingdom, which the natural.sense. of the words imports, they seem to relate to some more flourishing state of the church than hath yet been seen.upon earth, when Christ, after having subdued all his enemies, shall grant rest unto his faithful servants* (2 Thess. i. 7.) And thus much is implied in the former part of the verse, and will farther appear by comparing Zech. ix. 10. Hagg. ii. 21—23.

Isaiah 2:5

O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord!. The prophet addresses himself to those.Jews of later times/that should live when the glad tidings of the gospel were published, and exhorts them to make use of those means of grace which God would so plentifully afford them, and not continue stubborn and refractory as their forefathers had done, which disobedience of theirs had provoked him to forsake them: as it follows. Ver. C. Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people.] This is not an inference from what goes before, as Mr. White pretends, in order to confine the preceding prophecy to Isaiah’s own time, but is rather an inference from what follows, and should be translated, For this reason thou hast forsaken thy people, because they be replenished^ &c, (See a like instance, v. 13.) • Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people — because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Phi*

Isaiah 2:7

Their land also is full of silver and gold. The prophet reproves those who, in the midst of the public calamities, made no conscience of enriching themselves by oppression and injustice. (Compare L 23. v. 7, 8. see likewise 2 Kings v. 2G.) Their land also is full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots.] The king was forbidden to fetch horses out of Egypt, (Deut. xvii. 16.) which was a country that abounded in horses, of which there was great scarcity in Judea; (see 1 Kings x. 29. Isa. xxxi. 1. xxxvi. 9.) One reason of that prohibition was, that the Jews might not have any alliance with Egypt, which the prophets often reprove them for. Indeed, if they had continued firm in their obedience, they need not have sought the alliance of any of their neighbours. (See Dent, xxviii. 10.)

Isaiah 2:9

And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself. The words denote a universal corruption, that both high and low are given to idolatry: (see Psal. xlix. 2.). - Therefore forgive them not.] i. e* Thou wilt not forgive them: the imperative is here taken for the future. (See the like instances, vi. 10. xxiii. 1G. Zech. xiii. 7.) -God’s judgments are sometimes foretold by way of imprecation: (sec 2 Tim. iv. 1G.) and many of the imprecations of the Psalms may be understood as so many predictions. (See likewise Gen. ix. 25.) [Therefore forgive them not.] If we understand the words in the sense of an imprecation, they are supposed to be uttered against incorrigible sinners; and it is for the glory of God’s justice, that such persons should receive the due rewards of their deeds. Compare Nehem. iv. 5. Psal. xxviii. 4. lix. 5. lxix. 27, Jer. xviii. 23.]

Isaiah 2:10

Enter into the rock. The remaining part of the chapter is a prediction of some general judgment that should end in the utter destruction of the Jewish land and government: such was that of the captivity. But many of the expressions are such as relate to the last judgment: (see the note at the beginning of the chapter.) The prophets often take occasion to represent the terrors of the last day, from the particular judgments which should befal some one nation. (See note on xiii. 10. xxiv. 1.) Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear oj the Lord.] The words express the great consternation of wicked men, especially at the day of judgment, whose guilt shall prompt them to cast aboutwberc to hide themselves. (See ver. 19. 21. of this chapter, Luke xxii. 30. Rev. vi. 15.) *

Isaiah 2:11

The lofty looks of man shall be humbled. Pride being the beginning of sin, as the wise man speaks, (Ecclus. x. 13.) God’s judgments are more especially levelled against it: and one end of the destructions he brings upon particular countries, and will bring upon the whole world, is to stain the pride of all worldly glory, as our prophet speaks, (xxiii. 9.) and to convince men that there is nothing in this world worth men’s setting their hearts upon. (Compare xxvi. 5.)

Isaiah 2:13

And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted tip, and upon all the oaks of Bashan. i. e+ The great and principal persons of any city or nation* (See the same metaphor, x. 33, 34. xiv. 8. xxxvii. 24.)

Isaiah 2:14

And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted tip. The words may signify greater or lesser magistrates. (Compare Psal. lxxii. 3.)

Isaiah 2:15

And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall. Upon all the cities and towns of strength. Ver. 1G. And upon all the ships of Tarshish.] Bochart docs probably guess, that Tarshish, in its primary signification, was a port in Spain, called afterward Tartessus* But it likewise appears, by comparing 1 Kings xxii. 48. with 2 Chron. xx. 3G. that there was a place of the same name near Ophir, famous for its gold; which Ophir the same learned person places in India; (see his Phaleg. lib. ii. cap. 27. iii. 7.) and Huetius, in the eastern coast of Africa, (lib. de Navigat. Solomonis, cap. 2.) Wherever this Tarshish stood (and it is not unlikely that in process of time this name might be given to more places than one), it was famous in former times for the traffic of the Phoenicians, who were the first merchant adventurers. From thence, ships of Tarshish signify in Scripture any trading or merchant ships. Accordingly here the Septuagint render the words, ships of the sea, as our old English translation does, Psal. xlviii. 6. The words here, joined with what follows, and upon all pleasant pictures, denote the destruction of all fine and elegant furniture, and those rarities which are brought by sea from foreign parts, in which men are apt to pride themselves. (Compare Rev. xviii.

Isaiah 2:18

And the idols he shall utterly abolish. See note on i. 29.

Isaiah 2:19

And they shall go into the holes of the rocks.’) See note on ver. 10.

Isaiah 2:20

In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold — to the moles and to the bats J. They shall bury their idols under ground, or hide them in some dark corner, as what they are perfectly ashamed of.

Isaiah 2:22

Cease ye from man. i. e. From valuing man. - (See note on ver. 11.) See the like phrase, Prov. xxiii. 4. Cease from thine own wisdom; i. e. from esteeming it. •