Isaiah 49

Isaiah 49:1

It - Babylon. A roe - Fearful in itself, especially when it is pursued by the hunter. A sheep - In a most forlorn condition. Every man - Those soldiers of other nations, whom she had hired to assist her.

Isaiah 49:2

Found - In Babylon, at the taking of it.

Isaiah 49:4

Medes - Under whom he comprehends the Persians. Not delight - Which is to be understood comparatively. They shall more eagerly pursue the destruction of the people, than the getting of spoil.

Isaiah 49:5

Bows - Under which are comprehended, other weapons of war. Dash - Or, shalt pierce the young men through, as the Chaldee, renders it.

Isaiah 49:6

Glory - Which once was the most noble of all the kingdoms. Beauty - The beautiful seat of the Chaldean monarchy shall be totally and irrecoverably destroyed.

Isaiah 49:7

Inhabited - After the destruction threatened shall be fully accomplished. Arabian - Who dwelt in tents, and wandered from place to place, where they could find pasture.

Isaiah 49:8

Satyrs - The learned agree, that these are frightful and solitary creatures.

Isaiah 49:9

Prolonged - Beyond the time appointed by God.

Isaiah 49:11

Chuse - Will renew his choice of them; for he had rejected them.

Isaiah 49:12

Rule - Which they literally did, after their return into their own land. But this was more eminently verified in a spiritual sense, in the days of the gospel.

Isaiah 49:14

Golden city - As they used to call themselves; which therefore he expresses here in a word of their own language.

Isaiah 49:16

Anger - With rigour and not with clemency. None - Neither the Babylonians themselves, nor their confederates.

Isaiah 49:17

The earth - The subjects of that vast empire, who groaned under their cruel bondage.

Isaiah 49:18

The trees - Which were felled for the service of her pride and luxury, but now are suffered to stand.

Isaiah 49:19

Thrones - From their graves, which he seems to call their thrones by way of irony: the only thrones now left to them. Thrones both paved and covered with worms, instead of their former thrones, adorned with gold and precious stones.

Isaiah 49:21

Thy pomp - All thy glory is buried with thee. Viols - All thy musical instruments, which were much used in Babylon, and were doubtless used in Belshazzar’s solemn feasts, Daniel 5:1, at which time the city was taken; to which possibly the prophet here alludes. The worm - Instead of those stately carpets upon which thou didst frequently tread.

Isaiah 49:22

Fallen - From the height of thy glory. Lucifer - Which properly is a bright star, that ushers in the morning; but is here metaphorically taken for the mighty king of Babylon. Son - The title of son is given in scripture not only to a person or thing begotten or produced by another, but also to any thing which is related, to it, in which sense we read of the son of a night, Jonah 4:10, a son of perdition, John 17:12, and, which is more agreeable, to the present case, the sons of Arcturus, Job 38:32.

Isaiah 49:23

I - I will advance myself above the state of a weak man. Above - Above all other kings and potentates; or, above the most eminent persons of God’s church. North - This is added as a more exact description of the place of the temple; it stood upon mount Moriah, which was northward from the hill of Zion strictly so called.

Isaiah 49:24

Like - In the uncontrolableness of my power, and the universal extent of my dominion.