Commentary on Isaiah - Volume 3 Author(s): Calvin, John (1509-1564) (Alternative) (Translator) Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library Description: In this volume, John Calvin provides an engaging comment- ary on the book of Isaiah. Like many Reformed commentat- ors, Calvin takes an allegorical interpretation of many pas- sages. Always an apt commentator, Calvin frequently offers his own translations of a passage, explaining the subtleties and nuances of his translation. He has a penchant for incor- porating keen pastoral insight into the text as well. He always interacts with other theologians, commentators, and portions of the Bible when interpreting a particular passage. Calvin's Commentary on Isaiah remains instructive, engaging, and lively. Tim Perrine CCEL Staff Writer This volume contains Calvin's commentary on chapters 33 through 48. Subjects: The Bible Works about the Bible i Contents Commentary on Isaiah 33-48 1 Chapter 33 2 Isaiah 33:1-24 3 Chapter 34 31 Isaiah 34:1-17 32 Chapter 35 45 Isaiah 35:1-10 46 Chapter 36 57 Isaiah 36:1-22 58 Chapter 37 79 Isaiah 37:1-38 80 Chapter 38 116 Isaiah 38:1-22 117 Chapter 39 142 Isaiah 39:1-8 143 Chapter 40 153 Isaiah 40:1-31 154 Chapter 41 189 Isaiah 41:1-29 190 Chapter 42 221 Isaiah 42:1-25 222 Chapter 43 247 Isaiah 43:1-28 248 Chapter 44 277 Isaiah 44:1-28 278 Chapter 45 306 ii Isaiah 45:1-25 307 Chapter 46 337 Isaiah 46:1-13 338 Chapter 47 350 Isaiah 47:1-15 351 Chapter 48 364 Isaiah 48:1-22 365 Translation of Isaiah 33-48 386 Chapter 33 387 Chapter 34 389 Chapter 35 391 Chapter 36 392 Chapter 37 394 Chapter 38 397 Chapter 39 399 Chapter 40 400 Chapter 41 402 Chapter 42 404 Chapter 43 406 Chapter 44 408 Chapter 45 410 Chapter 46 412 Chapter 47 413 Chapter 48 415 The Sun-Dial of Ahaz 417 Indexes 419 Index of Scripture References 420 Index of Scripture Commentary 424 Greek Words and Phrases 425 Hebrew Words and Phrases 426 Latin Words and Phrases 432 French Words and Phrases 433 iii This PDF file is from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library, www.ccel.org. 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Written permission is required for commercial use. iv Commentary on Isaiah 33-48 Commentary on Isaiah 33-48 COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH   BY JOHN CALVIN     TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL LATIN, AND COLLATED WITH THE LATEST FRENCH VERSION BY THE REV. WILLIAM PRINGLE     VOLUME THIRD     CHRISTIAN CLASSICS ETHEREAL LIBRARY GRAND RAPIDS, MI http://www.ccel.org 1 Chapter 33 Chapter 33 CHAPTER 33 2 Isaiah 33:1-24 Isaiah 33:1-24 Isaiah 33:1-24 1.Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast 1. Vae qui spolias, nec fuisti spoliatus; qui not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and inique agis, nec inique actum in to fuit! Ubi they dealt not treacherously with thee! when desieris spoilare, spoliaberis; ubi tinem thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be inique agendi feceris, inique in to agetur. spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treach- erously with thee. 2. O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have 2.Iehova, miserere nostri; in to speravimus; waited for thee: be thou their arm every esto, qui fuisti brachium eorum in matutinis, morning, our salvation also in the time of etiam salus nostra in tempore tribulationis. trouble. 3.At the noise of the tumult the people fled; 3.A voce tumultus fugerunt pcpuli; ab exal- at the lifting up of thyself the nations were tatione tua dissipatae sunt gentes. scattered. 4.And your spoil shall be gathered like the 4. Et colligetur praeda vestra collectione gathering of the caterpillar: as the running bruchorum; secundum discursum locustar- to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them. um pergens illuc. 5.The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on 5. Exaltatus est Iehova, qui habitat in ex- high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and celsis. Implevit Sion judicio et justitia. righteousness. 6.And wisdom and knowledge shall be the 6.Et erit stabilitas temporum tuorum forti- stability of thy times, and strength of salva- tudo, salutes, sapientia, et scientia; timor Je- tion: the fear of the LORD ishis treasure. hovae ipse thesaurus ejus. 7. Behold, their valiant ones shall cry 7. Ecce nuncii eorum vociferabuntur foris; without: the ambassadors of peace shall weep legati pacis amare flebunt. bitterly. 8.The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man 8. Desolatae sunt viae, cessavit viator; ir- ceaseth; he hath broken the covenant, he ritum fecit foedus, sprevit civitates, nihil hath despised the cities, he regardeth no reputavit hominem. man. 9.The earth mourneth and languisheth: Le- 9. Luxit, emarcuit terra; pudefactus est banon is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon Libanus et succisus; facta est Saron instar deserti; excussus est Basan et Carmelus. 3 Isaiah 33:1-24 is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits. 10. Now will I rise, saith the LORD; now will 10. Nunc surgam, dicit Jehova; nunc ex- I be exalted; now will I lift up myself. altabor, nunc extollar. 11. Ye shall conceive chaff; ye shall bring 11.Concipietis quisquilias, parietis stipulas; forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall de- spiritus vestri ignis devorabit vos. vour you. 12.And the people shall be as the burnings 12.Et erunt populi combustiones calcis, (vel, of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned calx combusta,) tanquam spinae abscissae in the fire. igni exurentur. 13. Hear, ye that are far off, what I have 13.Andite, qui longe abestis, quid fecerim; done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my cognoscite, vicini, potentiam meam. might. 14.The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness 14.Expaverunt in Sion impii; terror appre- hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among hendit hypocritas (vel, sceleratos.) Quis ex us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who nobis (vel, pro nobis) habitabit cam igne de- among us shall dwell with everlasting burn- vorante? Quis ex nobis habitabit cum ar- ings? doribus aeternis? 15.He that walketh righteously, and speak- 15.Ambulans injustitiis, loquens recta, as- eth uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of pernars lucrum ex vi et calumnia, excutiens oppressions, that shaketh his hands from manus suas a susceptione muneris; obturans holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from aurem suam, ne audiat sanguines; hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from comprimens oculos suos, ne videat malum. seeing evil; 16. He shall dwell on high: his place of de- 16.Hic in excelsis habitabit; propugnacula fence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread petrarum asylum ejus; huic panis dabitur, shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. et aquae ejus certae (erunt.) 17. Thine eyes shall see the king in his 17.Regem in decore suo videbunt oculi tui; beauty: they shall behold the land that is very videbunt terram procul remotam. far off. 18.Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where 18. Cor tuum meditabitur terrorem. Ubi is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is scriba? Ubi appensor? Ubi qui annotat do- he that counted the towers? mos insigniores? 4 Isaiah 33:1-24 19. Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a 19.Popalum trucem non videbis, populum people of a deeper speech than thou canst abstrusi labii, ut non intelligas; linguae bal- perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou bae, ut non capins. canst not understand. 20.Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnit- 20. Aspice Sionem civitatem solennitatum ies: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet (vel, conventuum) nostrarum; oculi tui habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be videbunt Ierusalem, habitaculum tranquil- taken down; not one of the stakes thereof lum, tentorium quod non transferetur; cujus shall ever be removed, neither shall any of paxilli non amovebuntur in seculum, et the cords thereof be broken. cujus funes cuncti non rumpentur. 21.But there the glorious LORD will be unto 21. Adeo (vel, quia si) illic fortis nobis Ie- us a place of broad rivers and streams; hova locus fluminum, rivorum spatiis wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither amplorum, per quem non transibit navis shall gallant ship pass thereby. remigum, et per quem navis magnifica non pertransibit. 22.For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is 22.Quia Iehova judex noster, Iehova legis- our lawgiver, the LORD isour king; he will lator noster, Iehova rex noster; idem servabit save us. nos. 23.Thy tacklings are loosed; they could not 23.Laxati sunt funes tui, ut non solidaverint well strengthen their mast, they could not malum suum, neque expanderint velum; spread the sail: then is the prey of a great tunc divisa est praeda spolii multi, claudi spoil divided; the lame take the prey. quoque dirlpuerunt praedam. 24. And the inhabitant shall not say, I am 24. Nec dicet habitator, AEgrotus sum; sick: the people that dwell therein shall be populus habitans in ea solutus est ab forgiven their iniquity. iniquitate.   1.Wo to thee that spoilest. If these words shall be expounded as relating to the Babylo- nians, the strain will flow easily enough; for, after having promised freedom to the prisoners, (Isaiah 32:15,) he now appropriately taunts the conquerors. Besides, they needed to be pe- culiarly confirmed, that they might give credit to a prediction which appeared to be incredible; for they could not think it probable that such vast power would be destroyed and overthrown, and that, the wretched prisoners who were now in a state of despair would speedily be per- mitted to return to their native country. Amidst such distresses, therefore, they might have fainted and given up all hope of safety, if the Prophet had not met them with these exhorta- tions. Accordingly, he anticipates those doubts which might have tormented their minds and tempted them to despair, after having been carried away by the Babylonians, and reduced 5