rd

Isaiah 32

The conditions of good rulers and officers described by the government of Hezekiah, who was the figure of Christ.
1.Behold, aa King shall reign in justice, and the princes shall rule bin judgement.
2.And that man shalbe as an hiding place from the wind, and as a refuge for the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, & as the shadow of a great rock in ca weary land.
3.The eyes of dthe seeing shall not be shut, and the ears of them that hear, shall hearken.
4.And the heart of the foolish shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stutters shalbe ready to speak distinctly.
5.A enigarde shall no more be called liberal, nor the churl rich.
6.But the nigarde will speak of nigardness, and his heart will work iniquity, and do wickedly, and speak falsely against the Lord, to make empty the hungry soul, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
7.For the weapons of the churl are wicked: he deviseth wicked counsels, to undo the poor with lying words, and to speak against the poor in judgement.
8.But the liberal man will devise of liberal things, and he will continue his liberality.
9.¶ Rise up, ye women that are at ease: hear my voice, ye fcareless daughters: hearken to my words.
10.Ye women, that are careless, shalbe in fear gabove a year in days: hfor the vintage shall fail, and the gathering shall come no more.
11.Ye women, that are at ease, be astonied: fear, ô ye careless women put off the clothes: make bare, and gird sack cloth upon the loines.
12.Men shall lament for the iteates, even for the pleasant fields, and for the fruitful vine.
13.Upon the land of my people shall grow thorns & briers: yea, upon all the houses of joy in the city of rejoicing,
14.Because the palace shalbe forsaken, and the ^noise of the city shalbe left: the tower and fortress shalbe dens for ever, and the delight of wild asses, and a pasture for flocks,
15.Until the kSpirit be poured upon us from above, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the lplenteous field be counted as a forest.
16.And judgement shall dwell in the desert, and justice shall remain in the fruitful field.
17.And the work of justice shalbe peace, even the work of justice and quietness, and assurance for ever.
18.And my people shall dwell in the tabernacle of peace and in sure dwellings, and in safe resting places.
19.When it haileth, it shall fall on the forest, and the mcity shalbe set in the low place,
20.Blessed are ye nthat sow upon all waters, and odrive thether the feet of the ox and the ass.

Notes

1-a.
This prophecy is of Hezekiah who was a figure of Christ, and therefore it ought chiefly to be referred to him.
1-b.
By in judgement and justice is meant an upright government, both in policy and religion.
2-c.
Where men are weary with travelling, for lack of water.
3-d.
He promises to give the true light, which is the pure doctrine of God’s word, and understanding, and zeal of the same, contrary to the threaten- ings against the wicked, Ch. 6.9 and 29.10.
5-e.
Vice shall no more be called virtue, not virtue esteemed by power, and riches.
9-f.
He prophesies of such calamity to come, that they will not spare the women and children, and therefore wills them to take heed and provide.
10-g.
Meaning, that the affliction should continue long, and when one year were past, yet they should look for new plagues.
10-h.
God will take from you the means and occasions, which made you to contemn him, to wit, abundance of worldly goods.
12-i.
By the teats he means the plentiful fields, whereby men are nourished, as children with the teat or the mothers for sorrow, and leaness shall lack milk.
14-^.
Or, multitude.
15-k.
That is, when the Church shall be restored thus the Prophets after they have denounced God’s judgements against the wicked, use to comfort the godly, lest they should faint.
15-l.
The field which is now fruitful, shall be but as a barren forest in comparison of that it shall be then, as Ch. 29.17, which shall be fulfilled in Christ’s time: for then they that where before as the barren wilderness, being regenerate, shall be fruitful, and they that had some beginning of godliness shall bring forth fruits in such abundance, that their former life shall seem but as a wilderness, where no fruits were.
19-m.
They shall not need to build it in high places for fear of the enemy for God will defend it and turn away the storms from hurting of their commodities.
20-n.
That is, upon fat ground and well watered, which brings forth in abundance or in places which before were covered with waters, and now made dry for your uses.
20-o.
The fields shall be so rank, that they shall send out their cattle to eat up the first crop, which abundance shall be signs of God’s favour and love towards them.