1 I proaching calamity, it was at the same time necessary that the hope of believers should be held longer in suspense. have said that Babylon was not so speedily overturned, and that the Medes did not inflict such a calamity upon it that it could be compared to a desert. He therefore said that it would quickly happen, because the beginnings of it were soon afterwards seen; for the Jews ought to have been satisfied with knowing that the punishment had not been threatened without good grounds. And her time is near. The Holy Spirit also keeps in view our ardour and rashness. We would choose that God should immediately execute his judgments, and punish wicked men whenever we wish. But God knows what is the proper time, for which our eagerness does not allow us to wait. Yet if we would take into consideration his eternity, we should quickly find that by patience we laid the bridle on excessive haste; but as our eagerness can hardly be restrained in any other manner, God sometimes deals with us gently to some extent, by declaring that He will soon come. Again, let us not judge of the shortness of time according to our own jua views, but, disregarding the days of this life, let us raise our hearts to heaven. Especially let us learn to bow, whenever we are made to feel, even in a small degree, the judgments of God, though he delay their full accomplishment for a longer period. And her days shall not be prolonged. This second clause is added for confirmation; as if he had said that the Lord hath appointed a day, and that none shall be admitted to obtain a truce. CHAPTER XIV. 1. For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. 2. And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place; and the house of Israel shall possess them 1. Jam miserebitur Iehova Iacob, et eliget adhuc Israelem, et faciet eos quiescere super terram suam; adjungeturque illis advena; sociabuntur, inquam, domui Iacob. 2. Et assument eos populi, inducentque eos in locum suum, possidebitque eos domus Israel in terra in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors. 3. And it shall come to pass, in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, 4. That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! 5. The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers. 6. He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. 7. The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet they break forth into singing. 8. Yea, the fir-trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us. 9. Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth: it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. 10. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? 11. Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. 12. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13. For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: Iehova, in servos et ancillas; et capient eos quorum fuerant captivi, imperabuntque oppressoribus suis. 3. Et erit in die quo tibi requiem dederit Iehova a labore tuo, et a tremore tuo, et a servitudine dura quæ imposita fuerat tibi : 4. Tunc sumes dictum hoc super Regem Babylonis, et dices: Quomodo cessavit exactor? Cessavit cupida auri? 5. Confregit Iehova baculum impiorum, sceptrum dominantium. 6. Quod percutiebat populos in ira plaga perpetua; dominabatur in iracundia Gentibus; si quis persequutionem patiebatur, non prohibuit. 7. Quievit, tranquilla est omnis terra, cecinerant laudem. 8. Etiam abietes lætatæ sunt super te, cedri Libani; ex quo quievisti non ascendit succisor contra nos. 9. Infernus subtus commotus est propter te, in occursum adventus tui excitavit tibi mortuos, et omnes duces terræ suscitavit de soliis suis, omnes Reges gentium. 10. Omnes loquentur, et dicent tibi: Tu quoque infirmitate affectus es sicut nos? et similis factus es nobis ? 11. Deposita est in sepulchrum magnificentia tua, et strepitus musicorum instrumentorum tuorum ; subter te stratus est vermis, et operiunt te vermiculi. 12. Quomodo cecidisti e cœlo Lucifer fili Aurora? Quomodo in terram detractus es, sortem projiciens super Gentes (vel, debilitans gentes)? 13. Atqui tu dicebas in corde tuo, Ascendam in cœlum: in supernis juxta sidera Dei collocabo solium meum, et sedebo in monte testimonii, in lateribus Aquilonis. 14. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 16. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; 17. That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? 18. All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house : 19. But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet. 20. Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people the seed of evil doers shall never be renowned. 21. Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities. 22. For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD. 23. I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water; and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts. 24. The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand; 25. That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoul ders. 14. Ascendam super excelsa nubium, et ero similis Altissimo. 15. Tu verò in sepulchrum detractus es, ad latera foveæ. 16. Videntes te inclinabunt se, et attentè intuebuntur. Anne hic est vir ille tremefaciens terram, concutiens regna? 17. Posuit orbem quasi desertum, urbes ejus excidit, vinctis suis non aperuit domum. 18. Omnes Reges gentium, ipsi, inquam, omnes jacent cum gloria; quisque domi suæ. 19. Tu autem projectus es e sepulchro tuo, tanquam surculus detestandus, tanquam vestes interfectorum, qui gladio cæsi sunt, descendentes in foveam; ut cadaver proculcatum. 20. Non conjunges te cum eis in sepultura; quoniam terram tuam vastasti, populum tuum occidisti, non memorabitur perpetuò semen impiorum. 21. Præparate filiis ejus mactationem, in iniquitate patrum suorum; ne consurgant et possideant terram, atque impleant superficiem orbis urbibus. 22. Nam consurgam super eos dicit Iehova exercituum, et exterminabo e Babylone nomen et reliquias, filium et nepotem, dicit Iehova. 23. Et ponam eam in possessionem erinacei, et in stagna aquarum, et scopabo eam scopa evacuans, dicit Iehova exercituum. 24. Juravit Iehova exercituum, dicendo: Si non quemadmodum cogitavi, sic factum est; et quemadmodum consultavi, ita stabit; 25. Ut conteram Assur in terra mea, et in montibus meis conculcem eum; et recedat ab eis jugum illius, et onus illius ab humero ejus auferatur. 26. This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. 27. For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? 28. In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden. 29. Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent. 30. And the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety; and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant. 31. Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times. 32. What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it. 26. Hoc consilium quod consultatum est super totam terram; et hæc manus extenta super omnes gentes. 27. Quoniam Iehova exercituum decrevit, et quis dissolvet? Manus ejus extenta, et quis avertet eam? 28. Anno quo mortuus est Rex Achaz, fuit hoc onus. 29. Ne læteris universa tu Philistea; quoniam confracta sit virga percutientis te. Nam de radice colubri nascetur regulus, et fructus ejus serpens ignitus. 30. Et pascentur primogeniti pauperum, et inopes securè accubabunt; et fame interire faciam radicem tuam, et reliquias tuas occidet. 31. Ulula porta, clama civitas, liquefacta es Palestina, universa tu. Quoniam ab Aquilone venit fumus; nec quisquam solus præfixo ejus die. 32. Quid autem respondebitur nuntiis gentis? Nempe quòd Iehova fundavit Sion, et in ea fiduciam habebunt pauperes populi ejus. 1. For the LORD will have compassion on Jacob. The particle (ki) having various significations, we might take it as signifying But, and might connect this verse with the former verse in the following manner: But (or, yet) the LORD will have compassion on Jacob. But I consider it to be better and more appropriate to view the particle (k), in this as well as in many other passages, as used for assigning a reason; and thus the meaning will be, "God will destroy Babylon, because he will have compassion on Israel, whom he cannot despise or reject." Hence we see that the Prophet had hitherto endeavoured to soothe the grief of a wretched people, in order to inform them that they ought to entertain good hopes in the midst of their afflictions, of which God Here, therefore, as in a would be the avenger. (Ps. xciv. 1.) picture, Babylon is contrasted with the Church of God; Babylon, I say, elevated to the highest power, which had VOL. I. 2 E plunged the Church into such a miserable and afflicted condition, that it was not probable that she could ever be raised up again. But the Lord casts down Babylon from her lofty situation, and thus testifies that he cares for his people, however mean and despicable they may be. It yields very great consolation to us to learn that the whole world is governed by God for our salvation. All things are directed to this object, that those whom he has elected may be saved, and may not be overwhelmed by any changes, however numerous, that shall befall them. It will be asked, Was there a period during which God had no compassion? Undoubtedly, he always had compassion; but while the people were distressed by heavy calamities, it was not perceived; for, having their minds previously occupied with a view of God's anger, and, judging from outward appearances, they could not perceive God's compassion. Yet the Lord was always like himself, and never laid aside his nature. Thus it is proper to distinguish between the knowledge which springs from faith and the knowledge which springs from experience; for when the tokens of God's anger are visible all around, and when the judgment of the flesh leads us to believe that he is angry, his favour is concealed from us; but faith raises our hearts above this darkness, to behold God in heaven as reconciled towards us. What follows is somewhat more startling. And will yet choose Israel, or, will again choose Israel. God's election is eternal. He does not choose us as if this had never before come into his mind; and as we were chosen before the foundation of the world, (Eph. i. 4,) so he never repents of his choice. (Rom. xi. 29.) But when the Lord chastises his people, this has the appearance of rejecting them; as we learn from the frequent complaints of the saints, LORD, why hast thou cast us off? (Ps. lxxiv. 1.) We look at God's rejection or election according to our weakness, and judge of his feelings toward us by the outward action. (I speak of the knowledge which is derived from experience, and which is corrected by the light of faith.) Accordingly, when the Lord calls us, that is, confirms his election, he is said to choose us; and when he gives evidence |