Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Isaiah » Chapter 33 » Verse 9

Isaiah 33:9 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

9 The earth H776 mourneth H56 and languisheth: H535 Lebanon H3844 is ashamed H2659 and hewn down: H7060 Sharon H8289 is like a wilderness; H6160 and Bashan H1316 and Carmel H3760 shake off H5287 their fruits.

Cross Reference

Isaiah 35:2 STRONG

It shall blossom H6524 abundantly, H6524 and rejoice H1523 even with joy H1525 and singing: H7444 the glory H3519 of Lebanon H3844 shall be given H5414 unto it, the excellency H1926 of Carmel H3760 and Sharon, H8289 they shall see H7200 the glory H3519 of the LORD, H3068 and the excellency H1926 of our God. H430

Nahum 1:4 STRONG

He rebuketh H1605 the sea, H3220 and maketh it dry, H2717 and drieth up H3001 all the rivers: H5104 Bashan H1316 languisheth, H535 and Carmel, H3760 and the flower H6525 of Lebanon H3844 languisheth. H535

Isaiah 65:10 STRONG

And Sharon H8289 shall be a fold H5116 of flocks, H6629 and the valley H6010 of Achor H5911 a place for the herds H1241 to lie down in, H7258 for my people H5971 that have sought H1875 me.

Isaiah 24:19-20 STRONG

The earth H776 is utterly H7489 broken down, H7489 the earth H776 is clean H6565 dissolved, H6565 the earth H776 is moved H4131 exceedingly. H4131 The earth H776 shall reel H5128 to and fro H5128 like a drunkard, H7910 and shall be removed H5110 like a cottage; H4412 and the transgression H6588 thereof shall be heavy H3513 upon it; and it shall fall, H5307 and not rise H6965 again. H3254

Zechariah 11:1-3 STRONG

Open H6605 thy doors, H1817 O Lebanon, H3844 that the fire H784 may devour H398 thy cedars. H730 Howl, H3213 fir tree; H1265 for the cedar H730 is fallen; H5307 because the mighty H117 are spoiled: H7703 howl, H3213 O ye oaks H437 of Bashan; H1316 for the forest H3293 of the vintage H1208 H1219 is come down. H3381 There is a voice H6963 of the howling H3215 of the shepherds; H7462 for their glory H155 is spoiled: H7703 a voice H6963 of the roaring H7581 of young lions; H3715 for the pride H1347 of Jordan H3383 is spoiled. H7703

Micah 7:14 STRONG

Feed H7462 thy people H5971 with thy rod, H7626 the flock H6629 of thine heritage, H5159 which dwell H7931 solitarily H910 in the wood, H3293 in the midst H8432 of Carmel: H3760 let them feed H7462 in Bashan H1316 and Gilead, H1568 as in the days H3117 of old. H5769

Jeremiah 50:19 STRONG

And I will bring H7725 Israel H3478 again H7725 to his habitation, H5116 and he shall feed H7462 on Carmel H3760 and Bashan, H1316 and his soul H5315 shall be satisfied H7646 upon mount H2022 Ephraim H669 and Gilead. H1568

Jeremiah 4:20-26 STRONG

Destruction H7667 upon destruction H7667 is cried; H7121 for the whole land H776 is spoiled: H7703 suddenly H6597 are my tents H168 spoiled, H7703 and my curtains H3407 in a moment. H7281 How long shall I see H7200 the standard, H5251 and hear H8085 the sound H6963 of the trumpet? H7782 For my people H5971 is foolish, H191 they have not known H3045 me; they are sottish H5530 children, H1121 and they have none understanding: H995 they are wise H2450 to do evil, H7489 but to do good H3190 they have no knowledge. H3045 I beheld H7200 the earth, H776 and, lo, it was without form, H8414 and void; H922 and the heavens, H8064 and they had no light. H216 I beheld H7200 the mountains, H2022 and, lo, they trembled, H7493 and all the hills H1389 moved lightly. H7043 I beheld, H7200 and, lo, there was no man, H120 and all the birds H5775 of the heavens H8064 were fled. H5074 I beheld, H7200 and, lo, the fruitful place H3759 was a wilderness, H4057 and all the cities H5892 thereof were broken down H5422 at the presence H6440 of the LORD, H3068 and by his fierce H2740 anger. H639

Isaiah 37:24 STRONG

By H3027 thy servants H5650 hast thou reproached H2778 the Lord, H136 and hast said, H559 By the multitude H7230 of my chariots H7393 am I come up H5927 to the height H4791 of the mountains, H2022 to the sides H3411 of Lebanon; H3844 and I will cut down H3772 the tall H6967 cedars H730 thereof, and the choice H4005 fir trees H1265 thereof: and I will enter H935 into the height H4791 of his border, H7093 and the forest H3293 of his Carmel. H3760

Deuteronomy 3:4 STRONG

And we took H3920 all his cities H5892 at that time, H6256 there was not a city H7151 which we took H3947 not from them, threescore H8346 cities, H5892 all the region H2256 of Argob, H709 the kingdom H4467 of Og H5747 in Bashan. H1316

Isaiah 24:4-6 STRONG

The earth H776 mourneth H56 and fadeth away, H5034 the world H8398 languisheth H535 and fadeth away, H5034 the haughty H4791 people H5971 of the earth H776 do languish. H535 The earth H776 also is defiled H2610 under the inhabitants H3427 thereof; because they have transgressed H5674 the laws, H8451 changed H2498 the ordinance, H2706 broken H6565 the everlasting H5769 covenant. H1285 Therefore hath the curse H423 devoured H398 the earth, H776 and they that dwell H3427 therein are desolate: H816 therefore the inhabitants H3427 of the earth H776 are burned, H2787 and few H4213 men H582 left. H7604

Isaiah 24:1 STRONG

Behold, the LORD H3068 maketh the earth H776 empty, H1238 and maketh it waste, H1110 and turneth H5753 it upside down, H6440 and scattereth abroad H6327 the inhabitants H3427 thereof.

Isaiah 14:8 STRONG

Yea, the fir trees H1265 rejoice H8055 at thee, and the cedars H730 of Lebanon, H3844 saying, Since thou art laid down, H7901 no feller H3772 is come up H5927 against us.

Isaiah 3:26 STRONG

And her gates H6607 shall lament H578 and mourn; H56 and she being desolate H5352 shall sit H3427 upon the ground. H776

Isaiah 2:13 STRONG

And upon all the cedars H730 of Lebanon, H3844 that are high H7311 and lifted up, H5375 and upon all the oaks H437 of Bashan, H1316

Isaiah 1:7-8 STRONG

Your country H776 is desolate, H8077 your cities H5892 are burned H8313 with fire: H784 your land, H127 strangers H2114 devour H398 it in your presence, and it is desolate, H8077 as overthrown H4114 by strangers. H2114 And the daughter H1323 of Zion H6726 is left H3498 as a cottage H5521 in a vineyard, H3754 as a lodge H4412 in a garden of cucumbers, H4750 as a besieged H5341 city. H5892

Song of Solomon 2:1 STRONG

I am the rose H2261 of Sharon, H8289 and the lily H7799 of the valleys. H6010

Commentary on Isaiah 33 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible


Introduction

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 33

This chapter contains an account of God's judgments upon the enemies of his people, and of the peaceable, comfortable, and happy state of the church in the latter day. The judgment denounced, Isaiah 33:1 a prayer of the church for safety and protection, which it promises itself from what God had heretofore done, Isaiah 33:2 an answer to it, declaring the spoil of the enemy, and the happy times the people of God should enjoy through his appearance for them, Isaiah 33:4 though previous thereunto there would be very distressing ones, Isaiah 33:7 when the Lord resolves to arise and exert his power in the destruction of the people, who should be burnt up like stubble, thorns, and lime, Isaiah 33:10 persons far and near are called upon to take notice of this, Isaiah 33:13 which would issue in a different manner, in the surprise and terror of hypocrites, and in the safety and plenty of provisions for good men, who are described, Isaiah 33:14 and then follow promises to them, of seeing the King in his beauty, and beholding a distant country of reflecting on past terror with pleasure, being freed from it, and in no danger of a foreign enemy, Isaiah 33:17 and the chapter is concluded with a famous prophecy of the peace, prosperity, and safety of the church, and of the healthfulness of its inhabitants, under the protection of Christ, its King and Lawgiver, its enemies being also an easy prey to it, Isaiah 33:20.


Verse 1

Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled,.... Which some understand of Nebuchadnezzar; others of Sennacherib, which is more probable; it seems best to interpret it of the Romish antichrist. Kimchi thinks that, if it respects the times of Hezekiah, Sennacherib is meant; but if the times of the Messiah, then the king of nations that shall be in those days; and he adds, this is the kingdom of Persia, in the vision of Daniel. Vatringa applies this to Antiochus Epiphanes, and the whole prophecy to the times of the Maccabees; but it best agrees with the beast of Rome, to whom power has been given over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations, the Apollyon, the spoiler and destroyer of the earth, especially of the saints, whom he has made war with and overcome; see Revelation 9:11 now this spoiler of man, of their substance by confiscation, of their bodies by imprisonment and death, and of their societies and families by his violent persecutions, and of the souls of others by his false doctrine; though he may continue long in prosperity and glory, and not be spoiled, or destroyed, yet not always. The Vulgate Latin version renders the last clause interrogatively, and perhaps not amiss, "shall thou not be spoiled?" verily thou shalt; the same measure he has meted to others shall be measured to him again; the spoiler of others shall be stripped of all himself; he that destroyed the earth shall be destroyed from off the earth; he that leads into captivity shall go into it; and he that kills with the sword shall be slain by it, Revelation 11:18,

and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee; or, "shall they not deal treacherously with thee?" so the above version renders it with an interrogation; and both this and the preceding clause are thus paraphrased by the Targum,

"woe to thee that comest to spoil, and shall they not spoil thee? and who comest to oppress, and shall they not oppress thee?'

truly they shall; the kings of the earth that were in confederacy with the beast, and gave their kingdoms to him, shall hate the whore, eat her flesh, and burn her with fire, Revelation 17:16,

when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shall be spoiled; when the time is come that antichrist shall be suffered no longer to ravage in the earth, and spoil the bodies, souls, and substance of men, then shall he himself be spoiled of his power and authority, riches and grandeur; his plagues shall come upon him at once, fire, famine, and death; for his cessation from spoiling will not be his own option, nor the fruit and effect of repentance and reformation, but will be owing to the sovereign power of God in restraining him:

and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee; for the coming of antichrist was with lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness; he has the appearance of a lamb, but speaks like a dragon; has used many wiles, arts, and stratagems, and treacherous methods to deceive and impose on men, and to ensnare and entrap them; and when the time is come that he will not be permitted to proceed any further and longer in his deceitful practices, the kings of the earth, who have been deceived by him, and brought in subjection to him, will pay him in his own coin; see 2 Thessalonians 2:9.


Verse 2

O Lord, be gracious unto us,.... This is a prayer of the church under the persecutions of antichrist, imploring the grace and favour of God in their miserable and distressed circumstances; desiring his gracious help, assistance, and deliverance; pleading not any merits of their own, but casting themselves upon the mercy and kindness of God:

we have waited for thee; time after time, year after year, in the use of means; hoping for the manifestations of thyself, and kind appearance for us; expecting help and salvation, and still continue to wait, believing the time will come when favour will be shown:

be thou their arm every morning; when they pray unto thee, the morning being the time of prayer; and also be their arm all the day long, to lean and depend upon, to support, protect, and defend them; there is a change of person from the first to the third, usual in prophetic and poetic writings: some take them to be the words of the Old Testament church, praying for the New Testament church; and others a prayer of the church for her children and members. The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "our arm"; and the Syriac version, "our helper"; and the Targum,

"our strength:'

some read the words in connection with the following clause, thus, "be thou", who wast "their arm every morning", referring to their forefathers, whose strength and support the Lord was,

our salvation also in the time of troubleF19So some in De Dieu. ; the deliverer of us from the antichristian yoke of bondage, from all his persecutions and oppressions, from the last struggle of the beast, from that hour of trouble and temptation that shall come upon all the earth.


Verse 3

At the noise of the tumult the people fled,.... The Vulgate Latin Version renders it, "at the voice of the angel"; and Jerom reports it as the opinion of the Jews, that it was Gabriel; and many interpret the words either of the noise the angel made in the air, or was made in the Assyrian camp, when the angel descended, and smote such a vast number of them, at which the remnant, being frightened, fled, 2 Kings 19:35 but either this is to be understood as expressing what had been done in time past, and therefore the church took encouragement that it might and would be so again; or as a continuance of her prayer, thus, "at the noise of the tumult", or multitudeF20מקול המון "a voce multitudinis", Pagninus; "a voce turbae", Montanus, Cocceius. , "let the people flee"F21Fugiant, so some in Gataker. ; or as a prediction, "they shall flee"F23Profugient, Piscator. ; that is, at the noise of the multitude of saints, the faithful, called, and chosen armies of heaven, that follow Christ on white horses, and clothed in white; when he shall go forth to battle with the kings of the earth, beast, and false prophet, let the people under them flee, or they shall flee, and not be able to stand before so puissant a General, and so powerful an army; see Revelation 17:14,

at the lifting up of thyself, the nations were scattered; so it has been in times past, when the Lord has lifted up himself, and appeared on behalf of his people, and has exerted himself, and displayed his power; and so it will be again; or so let it be: "let the nations be scattered"; the antichristian nations, as they will be, when the Lord shall lift up his hand, and pour out the vials of his wrath upon them.


Verse 4

And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpillar,.... This is the answer of the Lord to the prayer of his church, signifying that their enemies should flee, be scattered, and perish, and that they should be victorious, and enjoy the spoils of them; which they should gather as easily as the caterpillar or locust, as some render it, gathers and consumes herbs, and every green thing; or as easily as they are gathered, and laid on heaps, being weak and unable to defend themselves: most understand it of the Jews going into the camp of the Assyrians, after the destruction of them by the angel, and gathering their spoil. The Targum is,

"and the house of Israel shall gather the substance of the people, their enemies, as they gather a locust:'

the antichristian locusts or caterpillars are here meant, whose substance shall fall into the hands of the followers of Christ, when they shall have got the victory of them; this is the flesh of the whore, her worldly substance, which the kings of the earth, the Christian kings, shall eat or enjoy, Revelation 17:16,

as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them: or "upon it"; the spoil; as these locusts, of which see Revelation 9:3 run to and fro, and pillaged them in times past, as the creatures, to whom they are compared, run to and fro and destroy the fruits of the earth, so now everyone of the followers of Christ shall run and seize upon the spoil of the antichristian states.


Verse 5

The Lord is exalted,.... These are the words of the church, or of true believers, setting the praise and glory of God, on account of the victory and spoil of their enemies; by which the Lord is exalted, magnified, and honoured, as he will be in the hearts and mouths of his people when these times shall come; see Revelation 11:15 this will be true of Christ, and indeed this will be the time when he, and he alone, shall be exalted, Isaiah 2:17,

for he dwelleth on high; in the highest heaven, and is above his greatest enemies, and can, and will, pour down his wrath and vengeance on them:

he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness; the church of God, where Christ her King will reign in righteousness, and when all the administrations of his kingly power and government will appear to be just and true; where his word shall be faithfully preached, and his ordinances duly administered; and when all his subjects and people shall be righteous, and live soberly and righteously. The Targum is,

"with those that do true judgment and righteousness.'


Verse 6

And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times,.... Some take these words to be directed to Hezekiah; but rather they are an apostrophe to the Messiah, and respect the later times of Christ, when many shall run to and fro, and the knowledge of him shall be increased, and the earth shall be covered with it, as the waters cover the sea; and which, as it will make these times comfortable and pleasant, so firm, durable, and lasting: or else they are the words of believers in those times, addressed to Zion the church, before spoken of, observing the great increase of spiritual wisdom and knowledge after the destruction of antichrist; by means of which there would be settled times of peace, joy, and comfort to the church:

and strength of salvation; or "salvations"F24חסן ישועת "fortitudo salutum", Pagninus, Montanus; "rebur ominis, vel multiplicis salutis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. ; or strong and lasting salvations; eternal salvation by Jesus Christ, and complete salvation from antichrist, and from every other enemy; which, together with spiritual wisdom, and experimental knowledge of Christ, and his Gospel, will be the stability of those happy times, which will make the spiritual reign of Christ. The whole may be rendered, according to the accentsF25Vid. Reinbeck de Accent. Heb. p. 405. , and "he" (that is, the Lord, before spoken of) "shall be the stability of thy times; the strength of salvations shall be wisdom and knowledge":

the fear of the Lord is his treasure; either Hezekiah's, as some, who esteemed the fear of the Lord above all his treasure; and was more zealous in settling and establishing the true worship of God than in amassing treasures to himself: or rather the Lord's treasure, from which he receives a tribute of honour, of more value than the greatest treasure: or, best of all, the church's treasure, and every true believer's; this being the beginning of wisdom, or true grace, the best of riches, and which secures the saints' final perseverance to glory, the better and more enduring substance.


Verse 7

Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without,.... Or, "in the street": this, and the two following verses Isaiah 33:8, describe the sad and desolate condition of the people of God, before the above happy times take place; "their valiant ones", such who have been valiant for the truth on earth; or "their angels", as Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech interpret the word; these are the angels and pastors of the churches, the two witnesses that prophesy in sackcloth openly and publicly, and who will be slain, and their bodies lie unburied in the street of the great city, Revelation 11:3,

the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly; most interpreters understand this of the ambassadors which Hezekiah sent to the king of Assyria to obtain peace, but could not succeed, on account of which they are said to weep bitterly; but the character of "ambassadors of peace" well agrees with the ministers of the Gospel, who are "ambassadors" in Christ's stead, and whose work it is to exhort men to "be reconciled to God", and to preach the Gospel of peace to sinful men; these now will "weep bitterly", when they are removed into corners, and are silenced, and not suffered to deliver their messages of peace, to the comfort of the Lord's people, and the glory of his name; which will be the case at the time of the slaying of the witnesses.


Verse 8

The highways lie waste,.... No man walking in them, for fear of the enemy; "the ways of Zion", which are said to "mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts", Lamentations 1:4 none daring to attend the ministry of the word and ordinances; see Isaiah 35:8,

the wayfaring man ceaseth; or, "the traveller rests"F26שבת עבר ארח "cessaverat viator", Junius & Tremellius; "desiit viator", Cocceius. ; or stops; he does not proceed on his journey; a stop is put to a religious course and conversation; there is an entire cessation of religious worship; a sabbath is kept, but not a religious one; he that would walk in Zion's ways is forbid, and is obliged to sit still:

he hath broken the covenant; some, as Kimchi's father, interpret this of the Jews' complaining that God had broken his covenant with them, as in Psalm 89:39 but most of Sennacherib's breaking his covenant with Hezekiah, 2 Kings 18:14 rather this is to be understood of antichrist, whose doctrine is, that faith is not to be kept with heretics, and which will abundantly appear at this distressing time:

he hath despised the cities; as Sennacherib did the fenced cities of Judah; he despised their fortifications, and easily took them, and treated the inhabitants with disdain and contempt; and so will the reformed Protestant cities and countries be invaded, seized upon, and insulted, by the Romish antichrist:

he regardeth no man; so as to keep covenant with them, have compassion on them, and spare them, he fearing neither God nor man.


Verse 9

The earth mourneth and languisheth,.... All Christendom, being now under the power, dominion, and tyranny of antichrist, and the church's faithful witnesses slain, and a stop put to all Gospel ministrations; and therefore the church must be in a very languishing condition, and great reason for mourning:

Lebanon is ashamed, and hewn down; being stripped of its stately cedars; as now the church of Christ, comparable to that goodly mountain Lebanon, will be deprived of its able ministers, which were like tall and spreading Cedars, for their gifts, grace, strength, and usefulness:

Sharon is like a wilderness; such parts, as Great Britain, which have been most fruitful (as Sharon was a very fruitful place) for the Gospel, and Gospel ordinances, in the purity of them, and for professors of religion, being fruitful in grace, and in good works, shall now be like a desert; there being no ministry, no ordinances, nor any, that dare to make an open profession of the true religion:

and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits; before they are ripe, or come to anything; places noted for being fruitful, and pastures for flocks; and denote, as before, such spots in Christendom where the Gospel has most flourished, but now should be like barren heaths, and desert places.


Verse 10

Now will I rise, saith the Lord,.... At the last extremity, when things are come to a crisis; his interest at the lowest, and the kingdom of antichrist at its highest pitch; the whore of Rome triumphing over the slain witnesses, and boasting she was a queen, and knew no sorrow: this will be God's fit time to exert himself, and get him honour and glory: he before was as one lain down and asleep, as if quite negligent and careless about his honour and interest; but now he determines to arise, and show himself strong on the behalf of it; see Psalm 12:5,

now will I be exalted; that is, in his power, by the destruction of the enemies of his church; and in the hearts and mouths of his people, on account of their deliverance and salvation:

now will I lift up myself; show himself above his enemies, higher and greater than they, and reduce them to a low estate and condition. The repetition of the word "now" has its emphasis; and is designed to observe the time of God's appearing in the cause of his people, and the fitness and propriety of it; and to quicken their attention to it, as well as to express the certainty of it, and the firmness of his resolution to do it without delay, and the vehemence and ardour with which he would set about it.


Verse 11

Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble,.... Signifying that all the counsels, designs, and schemes, of the antichristian party, to continue themselves in their present state, and save themselves from ruin, as well as utterly to destroy the interest of Christ, would be weak, vain, and fruitless; their conceptions and actions, their purposes and attempts, would be alike; would be abortive, like chaff and stubble, and only serve as such for their own destruction:

your breath as fire shall devour you; or, "your spirit"F1רוחכם "spiritus vester", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, &c. ; your pride and haughtiness, in self praises, commendations, and glorying; your rage, wrath, and fury, against the saints; your blasphemy against God and Christ shall be the reason why the fire of God's wrath shall consume you. The Targum is,

"you have thought for yourselves, O ye people, thoughts of wickedness; ye have done for yourselves evil works; because of your evil works, my Word shall destroy you, as a whirlwind the stubble;'

Christ, the essential Word of God.


Verse 12

And the people shall be as the burnings of lime,.... Like chalk stones that are burnt to make lime of; which may denote not only their hardness and impenitency, which brought upon them and issued in the wrath of God; but the miserable condition into which they are brought, and the torture they should be put to: perhaps this may refer to the casting of the beast and false prophet alive into the lake burning with fire and brimstone, Revelation 19:20,

as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire; "thorns" are a fit simile to express the unfruitfulness, uselessness, and harmfulness of wicked men, particularly the sons of Belial, the followers of antichrist; and these "cut up", and so not green and moist, but dry, and fit fuel for the fire, which burn the more easily and quickly, makes the metaphor more agreeable. The burning of Rome seems here to be pointed at, Revelation 17:16.


Verse 13

Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done,.... Not meaning the destruction of the Assyrian, as it is commonly interpreted; but the ruin of antichrist, the beast, and false prophet, and the burning of the city and whore of Rome; for, whoever will be the instruments, the work is the Lord's, and therefore it will be done: "she shall be utterly burnt with fire, for strong is the Lord who judgeth her", Revelation 18:8 and this shall be heard of far and near, who shall applaud the mighty work, and give God the glory of it, Revelation 19:1,

and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might; even his omnipotence, which will be seen, observed, and owned by multitudes, who will say, "Allelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth", Revelation 19:6 there will be some that will be nigh, that shall stand afar off, lamenting her case, and will not own the hand of God in it, Revelation 18:9 but others will.


Verse 14

The sinners in Zion are afraid, and fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites,.... Meaning not persons of such a character that dwelt in Jerusalem, who had the guise and form of religion, and not the power of it, and were for fleeing to Egypt, and trusting in Pharaoh, and not in the Lord; who were seized with dread and terror, when the Assyrian army besieged them, or when it was so awfully destroyed by the angel in the night; when, observing the visible and immediate hand of God in it, they might fear the like judgment would fall upon them for their irreligion and hypocrisy; but rather formal professors, and hypocritical persons, in the reformed churches, or Protestants having only a form of godliness, without the power of it, are meant; who, observing God's judgments upon antichrist, shall be seized with a panic, lest the like should come down upon them for their hypocrisy and deceit; unless it should be rather thought that antichrist, and his followers themselves, are designed, who himself is said to sit in the temple of God, and who claim to themselves the name of the church of God, and pretend to be Christians, though they are not; when they shall see the city of Rome in flames, and the vials of God's wrath poured on the antichristian states, shall dread the vengeance of eternal fire, which they express in the following words:

Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? that is, the wrath of God in hell, which is the fire that feeds upon and devours Christless sinners; which shall never be quenched, and is called everlasting fire, in which the followers of antichrist will be tormented for ever; and the smoke of which will ascend for ever and ever, and will be intolerable; none will be able to abide and endure it; see Revelation 14:9. So the Targum interprets it of the place where the ungodly are to be judged and delivered into hell, an everlasting burning.


Verse 15

He that walketh righteously,.... These are the words of the prophet, in answer to those of the hypocrites. So the Targum,

"the prophet said, the righteous shall dwell in it;'

not in the devouring fire and everlasting burnings, but in Zion, in Jerusalem, on high, in the munition of rocks, safe from those burnings; for these words are to be connected not with the preceding, but with the following verse Isaiah 33:16, "thus, he that walketh righteously", &c. "he shall dwell on high", &c. and such an one is he that walks by faith on Christ as his righteousness; that walks after the Spirit, and not after the flesh; that walks uprightly, according to the rule of the Gospel, and as becomes it; that walks in the ways of judgment and righteousness, in which Christ leads his people, and lives soberly, righteously, and godly:

and speaketh uprightly; or "uprightnesses"F2דבר מישרים "qui loquitur recta", Piscator; "loquens recta", Cocceius; "loquens aequitates", Montanus. ; upright things, what is in his heart, what is agreeable to the word of God, the standard of truth; who makes mention continually of the righteousness of Christ, and that only as his justifying one: and whose tongue talks of judgment, just and righteous things, and not what is corrupt, profane, impure, and impious:

he that despiseth the gain of oppressions; that which is got by oppression and rapine; the mammon of iniquity, as the Targum calls it; but reckons the gain of wisdom, and of godliness, exceeding preferable to it:

that shaketh his hand from holding of bribes; that will not receive any, but when they are put into his hands shakes them out, and will not retain them; expressing his abhorrence of such practices, and declaring that he is not to be influenced by such methods from speaking truth, and doing justice:

that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood; or "bloods"F3משמע דמים "ab audiendo sanquines", Montanus; "ne audiat sanquines", Cocceius. ; from hearing those that shed innocent blood, as the Targum; who will not hearken to any solicitations to shed blood; will not converse with men about it, or enter into schemes in order to it, much less join them in shedding it:

and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; done by others; he abhors it in himself, and dislikes it in others; turns his eyes from beholding it, so far from taking pleasure in it, and in those that do it: all this is opposed to the hypocrisy, impiety, profaneness, rapine, bribery, murders, and wickedness of the church of Rome; see Revelation 9:21.


Verse 16

He shall dwell on high,.... And so in safety: this is opposed to the fears of hypocrites, the grovelling life of a worldling, and the low life of many professors, and is expressive of the security of good men. It may respect the state of the saints on earth, who dwell by faith on God, as their covenant God, on his everlasting love and unchangeable grace; on Christ, as their Redeemer and Saviour; and in their thoughts and contemplations on heavenly things, where Christ is; and particularly in the spiritual reign of Christ, after the destruction of antichrist, when such shall dwell quietly and safely in God's holy hill, the church, which shall be established upon the top of the mountains: and it may also respect the state of the saints in heaven, which is a dwelling on high, and where they will be safe from everlasting burnings, and out of the reach of all enemies:

his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks; Christ is "the place of defence" to his people, against avenging justice, the curse and condemnation of the law, the wrath of God, sin and all its dreadful consequences, Satan and all enemies: and he is "the munitions of rocks"; he is "a Rock" himself, for them to build upon, and shelter in; and like "fortresses" made out of "rocks", which can never be undermined, blown up, or broke through:

bread shall be given him: not only shall he be in safety, but shall enjoy the greatest plenty of blessings, particularly spiritual ones; above all, Christ, the bread of God from heaven, the true bread, the bread of life, which gives and supports life, and secures an eternal one; as also the word and ordinances, which are the provisions of Zion, and which all its inhabitants are favoured with; for these are all the "gifts" of divine goodness. The Targum is,

"in the house of the sanctuary his soul shall be satisfied, his food shall be sufficient:'

his waters shall be sure; Christ and his fulness, the Spirit and his grace, the Gospel doctrines, and ordinances of it; the believer may be assured of a supply from Christ's fulness; the grace of the Spirit is never failing, and is persevering; and Gospel doctrines and ordinances are not deceitful brooks, but yield comfort and refreshment: compare with this, Revelation 7:15.


Verse 17

Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty,.... Not merely Hezekiah in his royal robes, and with a cheerful countenance, having put off his sackcloth and his sadness, upon the breaking up of the siege; but a greater than he, even the King Messiah, in the glory of his person and office, especially as a King reigning gloriously before his ancients in Jerusalem: the apostles saw him in his glory, in the days of his flesh, corporeally and spiritually; believers now see him by faith, crowded with glory and honour, as well as see his beauty, fulness, and suitableness, as a Saviour; and, before long, their eyes shall see him personally in his own and his Father's glory. This is to be understood of the eyes of good men, before described. The Targum is,

"thine eyes shall see the glory of the Majesty of the King of worlds in his praise;'

and Jarchi interprets it of the glory of the Majesty of God; so, according to both, a divine Person is meant, and indeed no other than Christ:

they shall behold the land that is very far off; not the land of hell, as the Targum, which paraphrases it thus;

"thou shalt behold and see those that go down into the land of hell;'

but rather the heavenly country, the better one, the land of uprightness, typified by the land of Canaan; and may be said to be "a land afar off", with respect to the earth on which the saints now are, and with regard to the present sight of it, which is a distant one, and will be always afar off to wicked men; this now the saints have at times a view of by faith, which is very delightful, and greatly supports them under their present trials: though it may be that an enlargement of Christ's kingdom all over the world, to the distant parts of it, may be here meant; which may be called, as the words may be rendered, "a land of distances", or "of far distances"F4ארץ מרחקים "terram distantiarum", Vatablus, Montanus, Gataker. ; that reaches far and near, from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth; which will be the case when the kingdoms of this world shall become Christ's, and the kingdom, and the greatness of it under the whole heaven, shall be given to the saints of the most High; a glorious sight this will be. And this sense agrees with the context, and declares what will be after the destruction of antichrist.


Verse 18

Thine heart shall meditate terror,.... shall recollect, and think of with pleasure and thankfulness, the terror they were formerly seized with, when surrounded and oppressed by their enemies, particularly at the time of the slaying of the witnesses, which will be a terrible time to the church and people of God; but when that is over, they will call it to mind with gratitude, for deliverance from itF5So Ben Melech interprets it,

"thine heart, which was meditating terror before this.'