Bible Commentaries

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.

For the Lord will have mercy upon Jacob. — And therefore destroy Babylon. as Isaiah 13:1-22 Such is his love to his Church that for her sake, and in revenge of her wrongs, he will fall foul upon her enemies. Si in Hierosolymis fiat scrutinium, quanto magis in Babylon. Bernard.

And the strangers shall be joined with them. — Proselyted, especially when made partakers of the grace of the gospel.

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And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them 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.

For servants and for handmaids. — Their converts shall be willing to lay their hands under their feet, as we say, and glad to do them any service, like as Cyprian was for Caecilius, whom he called novae vitae parentem, parent of new life, and Latimer for Bilney, whom he called Blessed Bilney. See Isaiah 49:23 .

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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,

That the Lord shall give thee rest, … — The Church hath her halcyons here; neither is she "smitten as those are that smote her, but in measure, in the branches," … God "stayeth his rough wind" Isaiah 27:8 that is, such afflictions as would shake his plants too much, or quite blow them down. Yea, whether south or north wind bloweth, all shall blow good to them Song of Solomon 4:16 Blow off their unkindly blossoms, and refresh them both under and after all their sorrow, fear, and hardship.

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That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

That thou shalt take up this proverb. — Or, Taunting speech; Carmen, ελεγκτικον και ονειδιστικον . this exultatory and insultatory song, which upon the fall of Babylon shall be in every man’s mouth.

How hath the oppressor ceased! — q.d., This is wonderful and beyond all expectation.

The golden city. — Or, Gold thirsty city. Aurata vel auri avida.

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The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, [and] the sceptre of the rulers.

The Lord hath broken the staff. — Wherewith these exactors cudgelled men, as so many beasts, into subjection and obedience.

And the sceptre. — Or Rod of the rulers who ruled with rigour.

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He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, [and] none hindereth.

He that smote the people in wrath, … — This is the tyrant’s epitaph; there is at their death a general joy, as was the time when the world was well rid of Tiberius, Caligula, Nero, Heliogabalus, … When Domitian died, the senate decreed that his name should be erased, that all his acts should be rescinded, and his memorial abolished quite for ever. When Caligula was cut off, his monies were all melted by the decree of the senate; Aurel. Victor. like as King Richard III’s cognisance, the white boar, was torn from every sign, that his memory might perish. Speed.

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The whole earth is at rest, [and] is quiet: they break forth into singing.

The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet. — Quievit, conticuit. ανεπαυσατο πεποιθως . - Sept. All is hushed that was used to be set in an uproar by these restless ambitionists.

They break forth into singing. — By a wide opening of the lips and lungs, as the word signifieth.

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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.

Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee. — A notable metaphor, whereby sense and speech is attributed to senseless creatures; the trees once afraid to be felled are now freed from that fear. This tyrant was the terror of things on earth, and things under earth. Hence men and trees are said to rejoice, hell to be in a hurry, …

No feller is come up against us. — As was wont to do, for thy shipping, buildings, warlike engines, …

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