1The dereliction of the Jews to be imputed to their own sins, and not to God's inability to save. 4Christ's commission to speak comfort to the weary: 5his patient suffering of indignities, 7and confidence in God's help. 10An exhortation to trust in God, and not in human resources.
1THUS saith the LORD, 1Where is 2the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have 3put away? or which of my 4creditors is it 5to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
1 God addresses here the wicked Jews, with whom it was a custom in time past to give their wives a bill of divorcement when they like them not, Deut. 24:1. Thus God did not deal with the people of the Jews, as that He would have sent them away to Babel without some great and special cause, but they have sinned grievously and abominably against Him.
2 Concerning the giving of a bill of divorcement, see Deut. 24 on verse 1.
3 That is, have left her, which is to say in this place: have caused her to be carried away captive.
4 To whom money or goods are due.
5 Among the Jews it was wont to be a lawful and usual thing that a father, who was in debt and had not wherewithal to pay or give satisfaction to the creditor, might sell his daughter for a bondwoman, Exod. 21:7; 2 Kings 4:1, although the children had not deserved it; but God did not deal with the Jews in such a manner, but He sold them for their iniquities, that is, delivered them into the hands of the Babylonians.
2Wherefore, when I came, 6was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Isa my hand shortened 7at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke 8I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.
6 Namely, who heard and obeyed My Word, when I called you to repentance, and offered you My grace by the prophets, My servants.
a Num. 11:23; Isa. 59:1.
7 Hebr. growing short grown short. As if the Lord said: Is it therefore that ye would not hear nor obey Me, because ye doubted about My Omnipotence? As if I was not able to deliver you out of your misery?
8 As appeared at the Red Sea, Exod. 14:21, and at the river Jordan, Joshua 3:16. As if the Lord said: Inasmuch as I am able to do this, likewise I do not lack any power to deliver you. Of God’s rebuking, see Psalm 9 on verse 5; 18:15; 104:7.
39I clothe the heavens with 10blackness, and I make 11sackcloth their covering.
9 That is, I cover the heaven with dark clouds whenever I please. See Exod. 20:21.
10 That is, darkness.
11 That is, a dark cloud, as a sack or hairy garment.
412The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue 13of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word 14in season to him that is 15weary: 16he wakeneth 17morning by morning, 18he wakeneth mine ear to hear 19as the learned.
12 The Lord Christ, or the prophet speaks this in Christ’s Name, and understand here by the Lord GOD, God the Father.
13 That is, of them who have diligently learned the Word of God, and are led and governed by His Spirit. See Mat. 10:19, 20.
14 The Hebrew word that is here used signifies as much as to speak or do a thing in due time.
15 That is, those, who are dejected in their conscience, do I comfort and cheer up. See Mat. 11:28.
16 That is, He makes Me continually mindful of Mine office by the internal working of His Holy Spirit, and He makes Me willing and ready to do His will.
17 Hebr. in morning in morning.
18 That is, He makes Me to hear His Word willingly and to understand it aright; He instructs Me diligently as a master does his scholar, making Me apt to learn and obedient.
19 That is, to hear with diligence and attention, as those do, who wish and desire to be taught.
5¶The Lord GOD 20hath opened mine ear, and Ib was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
20 That is, He made Me willing and apt to do that which He commanded and enjoined Me.
b John 14:31; Philip. 2:8; Heb. 10:5, etc.
621I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them 22that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face 23from shame and 24spitting.
21 The meanings is: I suffer all harm, shame and reproach, which is inflicted unto Me, with patience and contentment. See Mat. 26:67, etc.; 27:26.
22 Or, that plucked out mine hairs or plucked my skin.
23 Or, from manifold reproach.
24 See the annotation Job 30 on verse 10.
7¶For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore 25have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
25 That is, I overcome all wrong, which is afflicted unto Me, with steadfastness. See similar phrase Jer. 1:18; 15:20; Ezek. 3:8, 9.
826He is near thatc justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: 27who is mine adversary? 28let him come near to me.
26 As if Christ said: God, My heavenly Father, will bring My innocence to light, namely, partly by the miracles that shall be wrought in My death, partly in My resurrection from the grave and exaltation at His right hand. Others take the first words of this verse thus: as if Christ said: He assists Me, and He defends Me against My adversaries.
c Rom. 8:32, 33.
27 Or, who hath cause to plead with me? Hebr. who is a lord of my judgment? See Gen. 14 on verse 13.
28 Or, let him come near to me. As if He said: let him join and come up close to Me.
9Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he 29that shall condemn me? lo, 30they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.
29 Namely, justly. Hebr. shall make me wicked.
30 Namely, all Mine adversaries.
10 ¶ 31Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth 32the voice of his servant, 33that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and 34stay upon his God.
31 Here Christ addresses the godly and the believing Jews.
32 That is, to My voice, I, Who am the Lord’s Servant, as Isa. 42:1; 49:5.
33 Or, when he, that is, though he live in misery. See Psalm 23:4. Likewise Isa. 9:2.
34 That is, let him rely upon that God, Who has made a gracious covenant with him.
1135Behold, all ye 36that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: 37walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. 38This shall ye have 39of mine hand; ye shall lie down 40in sorrow.
35 Here Christ addresses the false teachers, namely, the scribes and the pharisees.
36 That is, who utter wisdom out of your own hearts, without the Word of God, which alone is the light to our feet; thinking to prevent and turn away misery and calamity by your own wisdom and strength.
37 The meaning is: Do whatsoever you will or may, use all your devices, walk on after your own fancy and imagination, seeing ye will by no means walk in the light of God’s Word, which I tender and preach unto you.
38 Or, Such.
39 Whereby I do justly give you up to such perverseness and blindness of heart; therefore shall ye not be able to escape the punishments.
40 Namely, in hellish torment, in sorrow and trouble of your conscience. A bad conscience is a gnawing worm that never dies.