Isaiah 25

Some parts of the last chapter having a relation to the end of the.world, we may, without breaking in upon the connexion of the prophecy, suppose the triumphant hymns,, in this and the next chapter, principally to regard the same time, and to be of the same nature, with those ro; • corded Rev. xi. 17. xv. 3. xix. G. tl\em, and enemies to it: (see vcr. 4, 5.) or, as a learned friend hath suggested to mo, this appellation very properly belongs to Babylon, which was built for the strangers and sojourners, who before dwelt in tents, as wanderers in Arabia Deserta! (See the notes upon xxiii. 13.)

Isaiah 25:1

JL HY counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. What thou hast formerly decreed, thou, dost in due time punctually fulfil.

Isaiah 25:2

For thou hast made of a city a heap. That is, of several cities, such as Babylon, Tyre, Samaria, and others, mentioned in the foregoing chapters. (Compare xxiv. 10. 12. and see the. note on xxvi. 5. xxvii. 10.) A palace of strangers.]. By strangers are meant heathens, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, as St. Paul calls 3U2

Isaiah 25:3

Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee. The word naz, which is translated strong, does likewise signify fierce, and so it is rendered by our interpreters, xix. 4. and so it should be translated in Samson’s riddle, Judg. xiv. 14.- Out of the fierce came forth sweetness. I take this verse to be parallel to that of Psal. lxxvi. 10. The fierceness of man shall turn to thy praise: the humbling of these potent cities and terrible nations, or terrible ones, as they are called ver. 4, 5. will be a means of bringing them to give glory to God, • and to acknowledge that the Most High rules over the children of men.

Isaiah 25:4

For thou hast been — a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, &c. Compare iv. 0. xxxii. 2. This verse nmy be applied to the deliverance which God vouchsafed to the Jews from their formidable enemy Sennacherib: but I presume it may more fitly be expounded of the church’s deliverance from the tyranny of mystical Babylon, (see xiv. 3, &c.) and the insults of all her enemies; when the saints shall sing the song of Moses, as those who are delivered out of a state of bondage and slavery. (Sec Rev. xv. 3.) Vcr. 5. Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place, even the heat. with the shadow of a cloud.] Lud. de Dieu hath translated the words more clearly. thus,- The noise [or tumult] of strangers is ds the heat in a dry place, thou shalt bring down (or abate) the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the prophet compares the oppressions of those strangers and infidels to an excessive, drought, which parcheth up everything, vcr. 4. and here he says, that God will overshadow his people, and protect them till this tyranny be overpast: our English translation adheres more strictly to that distinction of. the sentences, which the Hebrew accents point out; but we do not find, that the ancient versions took any notice of those distinctions; and our own translation in some places neglects, them,- where the sense is clearer if we divide the. sentences, otherwise: indeed, the rabbins are not agreed what is the use of those accents, and therefore it seems a needless curiosity to lay any stress upon them. The branch of the terrible ones shall be broitght low.] Some render zemir, the rejoicing of the terrible ones, &c.'

Isaiah 25:6

And in this mountain. Called Mount Zion, xxiv. 23. (See the note there, and upon ii. 2.) Shall the Lord of hosts make a feast of fat things, &c] God’s calling men by his grace, is often expressed:in Scripture by the metaphor of inviting them to a feast: (see Prov. ix. 2 v Matt. xxii. 4.) and the joys of heaven are described by the same metaphor, Lukejxxii. 29. Rev. xix. 9. The same representation is used here, and implies that God will bestow his grace in a plentiful manner upon his people, and fill them with spiritual delights, when the Jews shall bo converted, and the fulness of the gentiles shall come into the church. The words may likewise allude to those religious feasts which were kept at Jerusalem, when the Jews were commanded to rejoice before the Lord. (Dent, xii.18. xiv. 2G.);:……… Of fat things full of marrow.] An expression denoting the richest taste. (See Psal. lxiii. 5. Job xxxvi. 1G.) Of wines on the lees well refined.] Of wines that had been settled on the lees, and thereby enriched, and afterward drawn off for use.

Isaiah 25:7

And he will destroy — the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. * The face of the covering is put for the covering of the face, > by an hypallage usual in Scripture: the phrase may signify all tokens of mourning and sorrow, which were expressed by covering the face, or putting a veil upon it. (See note on [ xxii. 17.) If we take the words in this sense, they are equivalent to wiping away the tears from off all faces, in the • following verse; or they may denote the taking away all ignorance and prejudice from men s minds, which St. Paul compares to a veil, (2 Cor. iii. 13, 14.) and the word covering is used in the same sense in this prophecy, (xxix.10.)* Mr. White is pleased to slight this interpretation, but I. think it is every whit as proper a one as that which he produces out of Grotius, and he hath not thought fit to explain* how all people, and all the earth, could be concerned in the terror which Sennacherib brought upon Jerusalem..

Isaiah 25:8

He will swallow up death in victory J. Or, for ever, as the word lanetsach often signifies: St. Paul ex-i pounds this text of the general resurrection, and tells us it will not be brought to pass till then; (1 Cor. xv. 54.) whose; authority, I think, ought to oblige every Christian to acquiesce in this interpretation: and they that strain their wits; to find out some other meaning of the place, can offer nothing but what is forced and trifling. And the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces.] This too is applied by St. John to the heavenly state, Rev.* vii. 17. xxi. 4. and will never be made good till then.: And the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all tlie earth.]. Or, the reproach of his people, as the phrase; is translated, Micah vi. 16. That is, those reproaches which they endured under their several distresses and per-", secutions in divers parts of the world, which made their, enemies scorn them, as persons despised and rejected by God himself. (Compare Psal. xlii. 10. Joel ii. 17.)

Isaiah 25:10

For in this mountain [see ver. C. shall the hand of the Lord rest.] The church is called the place of God’s rest, xi. 10. (see the.noto there); where his power in pro-, tecting his people shall visibly exert itself, as the words? here import. And Moab shall be trodden down under him, as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.] Or in Madmenah, as the margin reads, which was a city of Moab, (Jer. xlviii. 2.). Moab is put here for the enemies of the church in general. (See note on xi. 14.)

Isaiah 25:11

And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim. Some understand these words of Moab, and render, them thus, Although he spread forth his hands, &c. that is, though he do all he can to save himself, as swimmers use their utmost skill w r hen they are in danger of drowning, yet God shall bring down his pride. Others interpret the whole verse.of God; that he should stretch forth his hands, and reach his enemies wherever they are. The expression, in the midst of them, or, i?i the midst thereof, as the Hebrew, word signifies, favours the latter exposition.‘Together icith the spoils of their hands.] With the goods