Geneva Study Bible Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Comfort {a} ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
(a) This is a consolation for the Church, assuring them that they will never be destitute of prophets by which he exhorts the true ministers of God that then were, and those also that would come after him, to comfort the poor afflicted and to assure them of their deliverance both of body and soul. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins. Speak ye kindly to Jerusalem, and cry to her, that her {b} warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received from the LORD'S hand {c} double for all her sins.
(b) The time of her affliction. (c) Meaning, sufficient as in Isa 61:7 and full correction, or double grace, while she deserved double punishment. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. The {d} voice of him that crieth in the {e} wilderness, (f) Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
(d) That is, of the prophets. (e) That is, in Babylonia and other places, where they were kept in captivity and misery. (f) Meaning Cyrus and Darius who would deliver God's people out of captivity and make them a ready way to Jerusalem. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: Every valley shall be exalted, and every {g} mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
(g) Whatever may prevent or hinder this deliverance will be removed. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all {h} flesh together shall see it: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
(h) This miracle will be so great, that it will be known through all the world. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The {i} voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all its {k} beauty is as the flower of the field:
(i) The voice of God which spoke to the prophet Isaiah. (k) Meaning, all man's wisdom and natural powers, Jas 1:10, 1Pe 1:24. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the {l} breath of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
(l) The spirit of God will discover the vanity in all that seems to have any excellency of themselves. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the {m} word of our God shall stand for ever.
(m) Though considering the frailty of man's nature many of the Jews would perish, and so not be partakers of this deliverance, yet God's promise would be fulfilled, and they who remained, would feel the fruit of it. O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! O Zion, that bringest good tidings, go up upon the high {n} mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say to the cities of Judah, Behold {o} your God!
(n) To publish this benefit through all the world. (o) He shows in one word the perfection of all man's happiness, which is to have God's presence. Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and {p} his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
(p) His power will be sufficient without help of any other, and will have all means in himself to bring his will to pass. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with {q} young.
(q) He will show his care and favour over them who are weak and tender. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who hath comprehended the waters in the hollow of his {r} hand, and measured heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
(r) Declaring that as only God has all power, so does he use the same for the defence and maintenance of his Church. Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counseller hath taught him? Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being {s} his counsellor hath taught him?
(s) He shows God's infinite wisdom for the same. With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.
All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. All nations before him are as {t} nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
(t) He speaks all this to the intent that they would neither fear man nor put their trust in any, save only in God. To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? To whom then {u} will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare to him?
(u) By this he arms them against the idolatry with which they would be tempted in Babylon. The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved. He that is so {x} impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh for himself a skilful workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.
(x) He shows the rage of the idolaters, seeing that the poor who do not have enough to meet their own needs will defraud themselves to serve their idols. Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? Have ye not known? have ye not {y} heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the {z} foundations of the earth?
(y) Do you not have the word of God, which plainly condemns idolatry? (z) Can you not learn by the visible creatures whom God has made for your use, that you should not serve them or worship them? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also {a} blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.
(a) So that his power appears in every place we turn our eyes. To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth {b} out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
(b) Who has set in order the infinite number of the stars. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, {c} My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over by my God?
(c) He rebukes the Jews because they did not rest on the providence of God, but thought that he had forsaken them in their troubles. Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the {d} ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his {e} understanding.
(d) And therefore all power is in his hand to deliver when his time comes. (e) Showing that men must patiently abide, and not curiously seek out the cause of God's delay in our affliction. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: {f} Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
(f) They who trust in their own virtue, and do not acknowledge that all comes from God. But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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