13. 25 That fruſtraceth the tokens of the liars q, and maketh diviners mad r;that turneth wiſe wer backward
s, and maketh rheir knowledge fooliſh :
9 Of the Magicians, and Aſtrologers, and Sorcerers, who were numerous, and greatly employed and eſteemed in Badylet, 1/a. 47. 12, 13. Dan. 2. 2, 48. and who had foretold the long continuance and proſperity of the Chaldean Empire. Bur, ſaith God, I will con- fute their tokens or prediQions, and prove them to be Liars. r With grief for the diſappointment of their hopes and prediftions, and
their diſgiaceand loſs which followed it. 5 Stopping their way,
thwarting and blaſting their deſigns, ſo as they can proceed no fur- ther, bur are forced to retreat and rake new Counſels, and giving
them up to ſuch counſels and courſes, as are fooliſh ang pernici+
ous to themſelves. ;
26 That confirmeth the word of his ſervant :, and performeth the counſel of his meſſengers 3 that faith co Jeruſalem, Thou ſhalc be inhabited, and to the cities of Judah, Ye ſhall be built, and I will raiſe up the + deeayed places thereof. |
: Of his Servants, the Prophets,as appears from the next Clauſe, which anſwers to this, where he uſeth the plural number, his Meſſen-
gers ; Iſaiah and other Prophets, whom God ſent upon this Errand, to foretll the deſtruQion of Pabylon, and the redemption of his Peo-
i Heb.
waſts,
'Ch.50.2. . up thy rivers «,
# That with a'word can and will dry up the Sea ( Which in Scripture is very frequently called the deep, as Pſal. Lo7. 24. Ija. 63. 13. Jonah 2+ 3, &c. ) and Rivers, and remove all impediments,and make the Way plain, that my People may return. Some think theſe words relate to that ſtratagem of Cyrus, whereby he diverted, and in a great meaſure dryed up the River Euphrates,and made it paſl:ble for his Army. Burt he ſeems rather to allude to that great Attion of God's drying up the Red-Sea and Jordan, to give paſlage to the Iſraelites.
28 That ſaith of Cyrus x, He is my ſhepherd y, and ſhall perform all my pleaſure z, even ſaying to Jeruſa- lem, * Thou ſhalt be builc ; and co the Temple, "Thy
22, 23 foundation ball be laid.
Ira. 1,1, x Whom God here deſigneth by his proper Name, Two Hundred Oc, Cha, Years before he was born, that this might be an undeniable Evidence 45. 13, of the certainty and exattneſs of God's tore-knowledge, and a con- vincing Argumenr, and ſo moit fit to Conclude this Diſpute be- between God and Idols. y Him wil fet up ro be the Shepherd of my People, to Reſcue them from Wolves or Tyrants, ro gather them together, to Rule them gently, and to provide comfortably for them. % All that I command himrto do, even to give ave
":Chr.36.
le. : 27 That faith * to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry |
-
a. —
7 2 and order, for therebuilding of the City and Temple of Jeruſalem,
as it here follows.
CH A P. XLV. Cyrus his work and ſtrength foreto!4, 1——4. God hath all Power,s 2. will aſſiſt Cyrus, 13. 14. the myſtery of Providence, 15. Idols and their worſvippers ſhall be deſtroyed : and God fylone exalted, 16 20. the Gentiles come in to Chrift, 22, 23.
Hus faith the LORD to his anointed a, to Cyrus, whoſe right hand I have || holden 6, to ſubdue na- || Or,
tions c before him : and I will * looſe the loyns of kings /7e72#%ne | * Dan. W
d to = before him the two leaved gates e, and the gates ſhall not be ſhut.
2 4. e. His King, whom God hath deſigned, and ſeparated, and fitted, in all reſpeQs, for his Work and Service; - in which, and ſuch like Reſpe&s, divers Perſons are ſaid.to be Anointed, who ne- ver had any matcrial Oyl poured upon them, as the King of Þyrus, Ezek. 28. 14« and Chriſt, 1a. 61. 1. and Zerubbabel, Zech. 4. 14. and Chriſtians, 2 Cor. 1. 21. 2 Joh; 2. 27. And they are thus called by way of alluſion to the praQce of the Jews, whoſe Kings were fre= quently Anointed, 1 Sam. 10. 1. and 16. t3, &c. 6 Or, Strength= ned; whom I will powerfully affiſt, teaching his Hands to War, as the Phraſe 1s,Pſal. 18. 34. ſupporting and dire&ing his right Hand to ſtrike home. c The Babylonians, and thoſe other Nations which were Confederate with them, and fought for them, as may be ga- thered from Jer. 51.9. & 1 will weaken them, for a Man's ſtrength conſiſts much in his Loyns : and receiveth ſome advantage by the girding of bis Loyns, Or, I will take away their Girdle, which was about their Loyns ; to wit, their Power and Authori- ty, whereot that was an Enſign, of which, ſee on Jeb 12. 18. 1/a.22, 21. e The greatand magnificent Gates of their Cities and Palaces, which ſhall be opened to him as Conqueror.
2 I will go before thee f, and make the crooked places ſtraight : I will break in pices the gates of braſs, and cut inſunder the bars of iron g.
f Toremove all obſtruQions, and to prepare the Way for thee, as it follows. g I will Deſtroy all them that oppoſe thee, and car- ry thee through the greateſt difficulties. FE
3 AndI will give thee the treaſures of darkneſs þ, and hidden riches of ſecret places, rhat thou mayeſt know 3, that I the LORD, which || cail hee by thy name, am the God of Iſrael.
þ Such as have been ſtored up, and long kept in dark and ſecret Places, as well n Babylon, Fer. 50. 37. and 51. 13. as in other Coun- tries, which Cyrzs Conquered , and from which he took infinite Treaſures, as Pliny and othersrelate. # By the accompliſhment of theſe PrediQtions, |
4 For Jacob my ſervants ſake,and Iſrael mine elec, I have even called thee by thy name & : I have ſirna- med thee, though thou haſt not known me J.
k I have called thee to this Honour, and that by name ; not for thy ſake, . but for J/raels ſake : Therefore do not deſpiſe them, thou wilt find them a poor and inflaved People, neither be puffed up in- ro a great Opinion of thy ſelf. 7 I knew, and called thee by thy ; name, when thou didft neither know nor think of me ; nay, when | thou hadſt no Being. *D
5 * I amthe LORD, and zhere 5s none elſe, * there is Fs ho: t no God beſides me ; I girded thee m, though thou halt 32: 39. not known mes Ch. 44.
1 T made thee ſtrong and aQiive, and fitted, and diſpoſed thee for * Ver. 1 theſe great and warlike Enterprizes. For theſe were the uſes and 18. 21, ſignifications of girding in Scripture : See 1 Kings 20. 11. Pf. 18. 32.
[Or, 1 Cha. 44.
45: 3-
6 That they may know » from the riſing of the ſun, and from the weſt, thar zhere is none beſide me ; Iam the LORD, andrhere is none elſe.