THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
ISAIAH

Isaiah 2

1Isaiah prophesieth the coming of Christ's kingdom. 6Wickedness is why God hath forsaken his people. 10The prophet forewarneth them of the terrible day of the Lord.


1THE 1word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw 2concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

1 That is, the prophecy which was revealed unto him by God in a vision.

2 Or, of, that is, how it would fare with the people of the Jews by reason of their sins and impenitence.

2And it shall come to pass 3in the last days, that 4thea mountain of the LORD's house shall be established 5in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and 6all nations shall flow unto it.

3 Namely, at the time of the appearance of Jesus Christ, when the Gospel shall be preached throughout the entire world. Compare Micah 4:1, and the annotation.

4 That is, the mountain upon which the house of the Lord or the temple was built, namely, mount Zion or Moriah. And this is to be understood of the christian church, which was first gathered at Jerusalem in the time of Christ and His apostles. Yet afterwards it was greatly increased by the addition of the Gentiles, which is here signified and expressed by the words flow unto it. See Acts 2:41, 47.

a Micah 4:1.

5 Or, on the height. Hebr. head, that is, it shall be exalted above all other mountains. This is later repeated in other words. Other, for an head of the mountains.

6 That is, some out of all pagan nations, as appears from verse 3.

3And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us 7of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: 8for outb of Zion 9shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

7 Namely, the manner how we shall honor and serve Him for to be saved. The same is repeated later in other words.

8 These are the words of the prophet, not of the people.

b Psalm 110:2.

9 As such is called the doctrine of the Holy Gospel in this place. See the fulfillment of this prophecy Acts 8:1, 4; 11:20, etc.; 13:2, etc. See also the annotation on Psalm 1 on verse 2.

4And 10he shall judge among the nations, and shall 11rebuke many people: 12and they shall beat their swordsc into 13plowshares, and their spears into 14pruninghooks: 15nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they 16learn war any more.

10 Namely, the Lord Christ. Other, it, namely, the Word of God. It is all one, for, God rules in Christ by His Word.

11 Namely, by the preaching of His Word, that is, He shall convince them, that they have deserved eternal death by their sins, and that they cannot be delivered from it by any other means than by Him alone.

12 Or, then, or, as such, that is, hereby shall they be moved to beat their swords, etc.

c Joel 3:10.

13 Or, mattocks. An instrument which gardeners do use to pluck up and destroy tares or roots out of the ground.

14 Or, scythes, or pruning knives.

15 The prophet intimates that all nations, which are truly converted unto Christ, shall be of one judgment in point of faith, see Acts 4:32, and shall live together in love and unity, for, from faith flows love. Compare Isa. 11:6.

16 They shall live in christian peace and unity together, without strife and dissension, therefore they shall have no need to learn war.

5O house of Jacob, 17come ye, and let us walk 18in the light of the LORD.

17 That is, ye Israelites, who are descended from Jacob. The prophet exhorts the Jews that they embrace likewise the doctrine of the Lord, according to the example of the converted Gentiles, which he has set before them.

18 That is, in the saving knowledge of God, which proceeds from His Word.

619Therefore thou hast forsaken 20thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished 21from the east, and are 22soothsayers like the Philistines, 23and they 24please themselves in the children of strangers.

19 The prophet here turns himself to God, and makes a lamentation concerning the Jews, who were rejected and cast off by God. The sense is: But why do I exhort my countrymen unto faith in Christ, seeing it is but in vain? For, O Lord, Thou hast decreed to reject or cast them off.

20 Namely, a part of Thy people, for, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, says the apostle, Rom. 11:25.

21 Or, more than the east, that is, with the wickedness of the nations that dwell eastward or toward the rising of the sun; meaning the Chaldeans, Syrians, Mesopotamians and other eastern nations, who were very prone to superstition, witchcraft and soothsaying.

22 See the annotation Lev. 19:26; 2 Kings 21:6.

23 That is, unto strangers, in their manners and course of life. Some perceive this to be spoken of the marriages of their daughters with strange nations, which were forbidden, Deut. 7:1, 2, 3.

24 The Hebrew word signifies as much as to show or manifest, delight or pleasure, by or with hand gesture, or, as it were, by or with clapping of the hands.

725Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots:

25 Namely, the people of Jacob. Other, his, namely, the land of Jacob. Likewise further in this verse and the following.

8Their land also is full 26of idols; they worship the work 27of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:

26 Hebr. with vanities or nothings. Thus are idols called, 1 Cor. 8:4. See Isa. 44:10, and Lev. 19 on verse 4.

27 That is, before idols, which they themselves have made.

928And the meand man boweth down, and 29the great man humbleth himself: therefore 30forgive them not.

28 Namely, before the idols.

d obscure, low, inferior men*

29 See Psalm 4 on verse 2; Psalm 49 on verse 2.

30 Other, forgive it them not, thus they are the words of the prophet, speaking unto God the Lord, and beseeching Him to punish idolaters for their idolatry.

1031Enter into the rock, and hide thee 32in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty.

31 Here the prophet turns himself to the hardened Jews and he announces God’s judgment against them; as if he said: The Lord shall send enemies against you, which shall so terrify and affright you, that you shall hide yourselves in caves and rocks. See verses 19 and 21.

32 That is, in dens and caves below the ground.

11Thee33lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be 34exalted 35in that day.

e Isa. 5:15.

33 In Psalm 101:5 David calls a proud man one that hath an high look. See also Prov. 21:4.

34 Namely, as a mighty Conqueror and Avenger.

35 Namely, when God shall smite and humble the Jews by the Chaldeans. See further on verse 12.

12For 36the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and 37he shall be brought low:

36 That is, the punishment of the Lord in the Old and New Testament. See Job 24 on verse 1; Isa. 13:6.

37 That is, everyone among them.

13And upon 38all the 39cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of 40Bashan,

38 That is, upon every authority, power, might and glory, whereon men do rely themselves.

39 That is, which grow upon mount Lebanon in great numbers.

40 A country beyond the Jordan.

14And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up,

15And upon every 41high tower, and upon every fenced wall,

41 See the annotation at Isa. 41 on verse 15.

16And upon all the 42ships of Tarshish, and upon all 43pleasant pictures.

42 Understand here not only the ships, but also the riches and costly wares that are transported by ships over the sea and waters.

43 Or, images and other adornments, which they had on their ships, or in their houses.

17And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted 44in that day.

44 Namely, after the proud shall have been destroyed.

18And the idols he shall utterly abolish.

19And 45they shall go 46into the holes of the rocks, and 47into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly 48the earth.

45 Namely, the idolaters. See Hosea 10:8; Luke 23:30; Rev. 6:16; 9:6.

46 Namely, hiding themselves for fear and terror from the face of the Lord.

47 Namely, into the hollow places, clefts, and chinks or crannies.

48 Or, to break the land in pieces, namely, the earth itself, as also the inhabitants thereof. And understand this first of the land of the Jews, and the inhabitants thereof, and further of the judgments of the Messiah throughout the entire world. And also verse 21.

20In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to 49the moles and to the bats;

49 Hebr. of the digger of pits or holes. It is a description of the mole. And the prophet intimates in these words that they should cast away their idols into unclean and contemptible corners.

21To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the 50tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

50 Hebr. branches.

2251Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for 52wherein is he to be accounted of?

51 The sense is: Seeing ye hear that great ones cannot help, therefore put not your trust in men, whose breath and life is in their nostrils. Stop but their nose and mouth, and die they must immediately. Compare Job 27:3.

52 Or, wherefore. The sense is: What is there in man in whom we should put our trust and confidence? He is nothing at all. See Psalm 39:11.