View Isaiah 32 in the note window.
Christ's kingdom and its blessings, ver. 1 - 8.
Careless women, shall be troubled, ver. 9 - 11.
And the land laid waste, ver. 12 - 14.
Until a restoration, ver. 16 - 20.
1: Behold - This seems to be a distinct prophecy from the former,
and delivered before that which is related in the former chapters. The
prophecies are not always set down in that order, in which the prophets
delivered them. The foregoing prophecy was delivered, not in the time
of Ahaz for he sent to the Assyrian, not the Egyptian, for help;
it was Hezekiah, who rebelled against the king of Assyria, and was
too prone to trust upon the staff of Egypt. But this seems to have
been delivered in the time of Ahaz. A king - Hezekiah, a type of
Christ, and Christ typified by him.
2: A man - Each of his princes. A hiding place - Unto the people
under their government. The wind - From the rage and violence of evil
men. As rivers - No less refreshing. As the shadow - In a dry and
scorched country, which is called weary, because it makes travellers
weary; as death is called pale in other authors, because it makes
mens faces pale.
3: The eyes - The people, they shall not shut their eyes and ears
against the good counsels and examples of their religious king and
rulers, as they have done formerly: both princes and people shall
be reformed.
4: The rash - Who were hasty in judging of things; which is an
argument of ignorance and folly. The tongue - That used to speak of
the things of God, darkly, and doubtfully; which though it was in
part fulfilled in Hezekiah, yet was truly and fully accomplished
only by Christ, who wrought this wonderful change in an innumerable
company both of Jews and Gentiles.
5: The vile - Base and worthless men. Liberal - Shall no longer be
reputed honourable, because of their high and honourable places, but
wickedness shall be discovered where ever it is, and virtue manifested
and rewarded. The churl - The sordid and covetous man; but under this
one vice, all vices are understood, as under the opposite virtue of
bountifulness; all virtues are comprehended.
6: Villainy - Men shall no longer be miscalled; for every one will
discover what he is by his words and actions. Will work - He will, from
time to time, be advising wickedness, that he may execute it when he
hath opportunity. To practise - To do bad things, tho' with a pretence
of religion and justice. To utter - To pass unjust sentence, directly
contrary to the command of God. Cause the drink - Whereby they take away
the bread and the drink of the poor.
7: Lying words - With false and unrighteous decrees. Even - When
their cause is just and good.
9: Ye - That indulge yourselves in idleness and luxury.
Careless - Who are insensible of your sin and danger.
10: The vintage shall fail - During the time of the Assyrian
invasion. The gathering - Of the other fruits of the earth.
11: Strip - Put off your ornaments.
12: The teats - For the pleasant and fruitful fields, which like
teats yielded you plentiful and excellent nourishment.
13: Yea - Upon that ground, where now your houses stand, in which you
take your fill of mirth and pleasure.
14: Forsaken - Of God, and given up into their enemies hands.
A joy - Desolate places, in which wild asses delight to be.
15: Until - Until the time come, in which God will pour, or, as
the Hebrew word properly signifies, reveal, evidently and plentifully
pour out his spirit from heaven upon his people, which was fully
accomplished in the days of the Messiah. The fruitful field - God's
people who were desolate, shall be revived and flourish, and their
flourishing enemies shall be brought to destruction.
16: Judgment - Just judgment. Righteousness - Justice shall be
executed in all the parts of the land.
17: The work - The effect of this shall be prosperity.
Quietness - Tranquility, both of mind and outward estate.
Assurance - Of God's mercy, and the fulfilling of his promises.
19: It shall hail - As my blessings shall be poured down upon my
people, who, from a wilderness, are turned into a fruitful field, so
my judgments (which are signified by hail, (Isa 28:2,17), and
elsewhere) shall fall upon them, who were a fruitful field, but are
turned into a forest, upon the unbelieving and rebellious Jews.
The city - Jerusalem, which, though now it was the seat of God's
worship and people, yet he foresaw, would be the great enemy of the
Messiah. Low - Heb. shall be humbled with humiliation: shall be
greatly humbled, or brought very low.
20: Blessed - As the barren forest shall be destroyed, so the fruitful
field shall be improved, and bring forth much fruit; which is signified
by a declaration of the blessedness of them that sow in it. Waters - In
all moist grounds, which are like to yield good fruit. But this also
is to be understood of the times of the gospel, and of the great and
happy success of the ministers of it. The ox - Which they employed in
plowing and sowing the ground.
