Isaiah 34

ARGUMENT. " We may distinguish this prophecy into several parts, or sections, as hath been observed at the beginning of this work. The foregoing section ended with a description of the general judgment, and some of the remarkable circumstances that do attend it; (chap, xxiv.) and then follow the sbngs and grateful acknowledgments of the church, (chap. xxv. — xxvii.) This chapter seems to treat much of the same subject with the twenty-fourth, and the following chapter entertains us with a new scene of the church’s glories which should succeed. - [ciiAr. xxxv. it, &c.] It is a great degree of desolation, when a place that was the resort for multitudes of men becomes a habitation of wild and savage creatures. Comparoxiii. 21, xiv. 23. Rev. xviii. 2. where these, expressions signify utter desolation. And he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness.’] Tho word eben, which signifies a stone, is sometimes taken for n plummet: (see Zech. iv.10.) and that sense agrees best with this place, and makes it exactly parallel with 2 Kings xxi. 13. I will stretch over Jerusalenl the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the hotise ofAhab: in both which texts the instruments of building are applied to destroying. Ver. ]2. They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom, but none shall be there.]^T\e words might more clearly be translated thus, They shall call (or summon) their nobles, but there shall be no kingdom there: there shall be no sign of any government. This may relate to the final destruction of antiehristian states and governments, (Compare the fourth and fifth verses of this chapter.)

Isaiah 34:1

\jOME near, ye nations, to hear, &c. A summons to all the world to this description of the general judgment, whicrTconcerns them all. (Compare Psal. 1. 1.) ■

Isaiah 34:2

For the indignation of the Lord is vpon all nations, and his fury vpon all their armies, &c. These two * verses may very fitly be applied to the battle of the great day of the Almighty, mentioned Rev. xvi. 14. 1G. compared with xvii. 14. xix. 19.

Isaiah 34:3

And the mountains shall be melted with their blood. The effusion of blood shall be so great, that it shall’run down in streams from the sides of the mountains, as if the hills themselves were melted into blood.

Isaiah 34:4

And all the host oflteaven shall be dissolved, &c. See note on xiii. 10.

Isaiah 34:5

For my sword shall be bathed in heaven. Princes and magistrates are denoted by the host of heaven: (see the forementioned place, and xxiv. 21.) and the words here import, that God’s sword shall not spare the mightiest any more than the meanest. It shall come down vpon Idumea.] The enemies of God’s church are often represented by the name of some country which was remarkable for its hatred and ill usage of the Jews: such as Egypt, Babylon, Edom, and Moab; (see note on xi. 14.) and thus Edom or Idumea may be taken here, that people always bearing a particular spite | and hatred to the Jews, though they were nearly related to them: (see Psal. exxxvii. 7. Obad. ver. 10, &c.) where they are likewise threatened with utter excision, which certainly came to pass. (See Mal..i. 3.) But the words here seem to describe a more general judgment; of which the destruction of Edom was an imperfect representation. To confirm which interpretation, it may be farther observed, that the words Edom and Bozrah may be taken figuratively, because in their original sense they may fitly be applied to any place of slaughter. Edom signifies red, as blood is; and Bozrah, a vintage; which, in the prophetical idiom, denotes God’s vengeance upon the wicked; (see Joel iii.13. Rev. xiv. 19.) and is otherwise expressed by the wine-press of God’s wrath, (Isa. lxiii. 3. Rev. xix. 14.) To confirm this exposition, we may observe, that Edom and Bozrah are joined together again, lxiii. 1. a place parallel to this, where another scene of God’s vengeance is represented. The prophets in their denunciations of God’s judgments, sometimes allude to the etymology of the names by which places are called. (See Micah i. 10. 14.) And several parts of Jacob’s prophecy allude to, the names of each tribe. (See Gen. xlix. 8. 13. 15, 1G.) The Jewish writers do generally suppose, that. Edom in.the writings of the prophets stands for Rome: and if we. compare this chapter with Rev. xvii. and the context before and after (which place several popish commentators, as well as the protestants, explain of modern Rome), we shall find a great agreement and correspondence between several verses in each chapter, particularly between ver. 2. 6,7. of this chapter, and Rev. xvii. 14. between ver. 8. and Rev. xviii. 5. 8. 20. between ver. 9, 10. and Rev. xviii. 9, 10. and xix. 3. between ver. 11. 13 — 15. and Rev. xviii. 2..

Isaiah 34:6

TJie sword of the Lord is filled tvith the blood of lambs and goats, &c. Lambs, goats, and rants, in this verse, -and unicorns, bullocks, and bulls, in the next, mean all Tanks and sorts of people, the strongest as well as the weakest, who shall all be brought down like beasts to the slaughter. (Compare Psal. lxviii. 31. Jer. 1. 27. li. 40. Ezek. xxxix. 18.) For the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea.] A great slaughter is called a sacrifice, because it is offered up for the atonement of God’s justice. (See note on xxix. 2.):-

Isaiah 34:8

For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion. A time which shall be remarkable for God’s vindicating the. cause of his oppressed truth and people. (Compare lxiii. 4. Jer. 1. 28. li. 3G.) A day and a year are equivalent here; and as the word day is often taken for some remarkable* time, so a year is here used in that large and unlimited sense. In the like sense we read of the acceptable year of tho Lord, lxi. 2…

Isaiah 34:9

And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, &c. An allusion to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, which was an emblem of the everlasting destruction of the wicked at the last day. (See St. Jude, ver. 7.)

Isaiah 34:10

It’ shall not be quenched night nor day,- the smoke thereof shall go up for ever. The same expressions are used to denote the final destruction of the wicked, Rev. xiv. 11. xix. 3. and import that the wicked shall feel the effects of God’s wrath for ever.

Isaiah 34:11

But the cormorant and the bittern shallpossess

Isaiah 34:13

And thorns shall come up in her palaces. Compare xxxii. 13. Ibid, and

Isaiah 34:14

It shall be a habitation for dragons and a court for owls. The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, &c. See the notes on xiii. 21,22. Ver. 1G. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read.] God’s omniscience, whereby all events, past, present, and to come, are represented to him under one single view, is often described in Scripture, as if it were in the nature of a register-book, wherein every occurrence is exactly set down. (See.xxx. 8. Ixv, 6. Deut. xxxii. 34. Psal. lvi. 8. Dan. vii. 10. Mai. iii. 1G.) In like manner, saith the text, tliis prophecy is a register of the fate of Idumea, (see ver. 6.) and w T hosoever, in aftertimes, will compare the event with this prophecy* will find every circumstance here foretold to be punctually fulfilled. No one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate.] No one. of the creatures mentioned in the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth verses.

Isaiah 34:17

And he hath cast the lot for them, his hand hath divided it unto them by line. God hath appointed to each of these animals its particular share of the. laud, with the same exactness as he divided Judea by lot among the children of Israel. (Compare. Psal. lxxviii. 55. Josh. XYiii. 8.)