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“Hear this, house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, and have come out of the waters of Judah. You swear by the LORD’s name, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness—
Verse 1. Waters; people, (Revelation 17:15. Bible.) or from the stock of Juda. Proverbs 5:15. Calmet.—He claimed the sovereign power, but had not the fortitude or wisdom for Israel. Worthington.
for they call themselves citizens of the holy city, and rely on the God of Israel; the LORD of Armies is his name.
Verse 2. City: citizens of Jerusalem. Daniel 3:28. Matthew 4:5.
I have declared the former things from of old. Yes, they went out of my mouth, and I revealed them. I did them suddenly, and they happened.
Verse 3. Suddenly, when there was no human appearance of the event, as when I foretold the exploits of Cyrus and the ruin of Babylon so long before.
Because I knew that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew, and your brow bronze;
Verse 4. Brass; unblushing. Jeremiah 3:3. Calmet.—Os tuum ferreum. Cic. c. Piso.
therefore I have declared it to you from of old; before it came to pass I showed it to you; lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them. My engraved image and my molten image has commanded them.’
You have heard it. Now see all this. And you, won’t you declare it? “I have shown you new things from this time, even hidden things, which you have not known.
Verse 6. Them. Could you have believed them?—Knowest not. He upbraids their ignorance and indocility.
They are created now, and not from of old. Before today, you didn’t hear them, lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’
Verse 7. Knew. Therefore I did not speak of the liberation from Egypt, but from Babylon, which is represented as just taking place. Calmet.
Yes, you didn’t hear. Yes, you didn’t know. Yes, from of old your ear was not opened, for I knew that you dealt very treacherously, and were called a transgressor from the womb.
Verse 8. Opened; docile, (Theod.) or acquainted with these things. Isaias first made known the captivity of Babylon, and its end; and he insists so much, that people may discern the truth of his predictions, and of religion. No atheist can, with a good conscience, hold out against his arguments. Calmet. 40. and so forth
For my name’s sake, I will defer my anger, and for my praise, I hold it back for you so that I don’t cut you off.
Verse 9. Bridle thee, like a headstrong beast, ( Calmet.) running to its own ruin. Bible.—God pardons freely, that people may be saved if they will. Worthington.
Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver. I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.
Verse 10. Poverty, at Babylon. I have not treated thee with the utmost rigour, nor attempted to render thee free from every imperfection. Calmet.—Septuagint “Lo, I have sold thee, but not for silver; I have snatched thee from the,” and so forth Bible.
For my own sake, for my own sake, I will do it; for how would my name be profaned? I will not give my glory to another.
“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he. I am the first. I am also the last.
Yes, my hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has spread out the heavens. when I call to them, they stand up together.
“Assemble yourselves, all of you, and hear! Who among them has declared these things? He whom the LORD loves will do what he likes to Babylon, and his arm will be against the Chaldeans.
Verse 14. Things, as I have done respecting Cyrus? (Saint Cyril and so forth) who was a figure of Christ. verse 15.
I, even I, have spoken. Yes, I have called him. I have brought him and he shall make his way prosperous.
“Come near to me and hear this: “From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it happened, I was there.” Now the Lord GOD has sent me with his Spirit.
Verse 16. Spirit. The Fathers here find the three Persons of the blessed Trinity specified. Isaias was not from the beginning, though the text may also speak of him Calmet. as the spoke long before the event, by divine inspiration. Chal. Saint Jerome
The LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, says: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way that you should go.
Oh that you had listened to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
Your offspring also would have been as the sand and the descendants of your body like its grains. His name would not be cut off nor destroyed from before me.”
Verse 19. Name. The Jews were not forgotten, till they had rejected the Messias.
Leave Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With the sound of joyful shouting announce this, tell it even to the end of the earth; say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”
They didn’t thirst when he led them through the deserts. He caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them. He also split the rock and the waters gushed out.
Verse 21. Out. Their return was facilitated. This may easily be applied ( Calmet.) to the conversion of the Gentiles. Saint Jerome
“There is no peace”, says the LORD, “for the wicked.”
Verse 22. Peace. Septuagint “rejoicing,” or prosperity for the Chaldees or wicked Jews. verse 18. Calmet.—It is promised only to the penitent. Worthington.