Annotations upon the Holy Bible. Vol. I wherein the sacred text is inserted, and various readings annex'd, together with parallel scriptures, the more difficult terms in each verse are explained, seeming contradictions reconciled, questions and doubts resolved, and the whole text opened / by the late reverend and learned divine Mr. Matthew Poole.

CHAP. LV.

1 HO, every one a that thirsteth b, come ye to the waters c, and he that hath no money d; come ye, buy e and eat, yea come, buy wine and milk f, without money, and without price.

2 Wherefore do ye † spend money e for that which is not bread f, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me g, and eat ye that which is good h, and let your soul delight itself in fat∣ness i.

3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear k, and your soul shall live l, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you m, even the sure mercies of Da∣vid n.

4 Behold, I have given him p for a witness q to the people r, a leader and commander s to the peo∣ple.

5 Behold, thou l shalt call m a nation that thou ‖ knowest not n, and nations that knew not thee o shall run unto thee p, because of the LORD thy God q, and for the holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee r.

6 Seek ye the LORD s while he may be found t; call ye upon him while he is near u.

7 Let the wicked man x forsake his way y, and † the unrighteous man his thoughts z: and let him return un∣to the LORD a, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our GOD b, for † he will abundantly par∣don c.

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways d, saith the LORD.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth e, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow f from heaven, and returneth not thither g, but water∣eth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater h.

11 So shall my word i be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void k, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall pros∣per in the thing whereto I sent it l.

12 For m ye shall go out n with joy, and be led forth o with peace p: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands q.

13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree, and instead of the briar shall come up the myrtle-tree q: and it shall be to the LORD for a name r, for an ever∣lasting sign s that shall not be cut off t.

Notes

• Joh 4. 14. & 7. 37. Rev. 21. 6. & 22. 17.
• a

  Not only Jews but Gentiles. The Prophet having largely dis∣coursed of Christ, ch. 53. and of the Church of Christ, ch. 54. doth here invite all persons to come to Christ, and to his Church.
• b

  For the Grace of God, and the blessings of the Gospel. This thirst implies a vehement, and active, and restless Desire after it, not to be satisfied with any thing short of it.
• c

  Which are menti∣oned either 1. As the place where they were to buy the follow∣ing commodities, it being usual to convey provisions to Cities by Rivers Or rather 2. As the commodity to be bought, the Graces and comforts of Gods Spirit, which are frequently compared to Waters, as Isa. 12. 3. & 35. 6, 7. Ioh. 7. 37, 38. and elsewhere, and which are designed by all these Metaphorical Expressions of Waters▪ Wine, Milk, and Bread.
• d

  Even those who are most poor▪ in the World, and those who are most worthless and wicked, if they do but thirst, may be welcome.
• e

  i. e. Procure or receive that which is freely offered to you if you do but come for it, and are willing to take it. Thus buying is used, Pro. 23. 23. Rev. 3. 18. Nor can this be understood of buying properly, because here is no price paid.
• f

  Which are Synecdochically put for all sorts of pro∣visions; which also are to be understood of Spiritual and Gospel-Blessings, as is evident from the following words.
• †

  Heb. weigh.
• e

  All your time, and strength, and cost in seeking it.
• f

  For those vain or foolish things which can never nourish or satisfie you, such as worldly goods, or your own Inventions, Superstitions and Idolatries.
• g

  Unto my Doctrine and Counsel.
• h

  That which is truly, and solidly, and everlastingly good, and not such things which though they be called, and seem to be good, yet really are evil, and most pernicious to men.
• i

  In this fat and most pleasant food of Gospel-enjoyments.
• k

  Hearken attentively and obediently to my counsel: hearing being oft put for, obeying, as Deut. 18. 15. 1 Sam. 15. 22, 23. Psal. 95. 7. &c.
• l

  To wit, comfortably and happily; which only is worthy of the name of Life.
• m

  That everlasting Covenant of Grace and Peace which I made with Abraham, and his Seed, the Is∣raelites, I am ready to make it with every one of you thirsting Gentiles.
• 2 Sam. 7. 8. 2 Chr. 6. 42. Ps. 89. 24. 28, 29, 33, 37. Act. 13. 34.
• n

  Even that Covenant which was made first with Abra∣ham, and then with David, concerning the exhibition of those glo∣rious and sure Mercies or Blessings which God hath promised to his People, one and the chief of which Mercies was the giving of Christ to die for their sins, and to rise again for their justifica∣tion. This Exposition may receive light and strength by compa∣ring this place with Act. 13. 33, 34. He mentions David rather than Abraham, either 1. Because these Promises, and especially that great promise, which is the foundation of all the rest, concerning Christ and his eternal Kingdom, were far more frequently, and ex∣presly, & fully made & revealed to David, than they were to Abraham. Or 2. Because David was a more evident and illustrious type of Christ than Abraham was, as being raised from a mean condition to the highest honour, being made a great and most victorious and righteous King, and the first King of that Throne upon which the Messiah was to fit. Or 3. Because the name of David is not here put personally for the King of that Name, but patronimically for the Messiah who was to be Davids Son and Successor, and who is therefore called David in the prophetical Scriptures, as Ier. 30. 9. Ezek. 34. 23, 24. & 37. 24, 25. Hos. 3. 5. as Rehoboam upon the same account is called David, 1 Kin. 12. 16. And this is the more probable, because the next verse, which hath a manifest Relation to this verse, is confessedly understood of Christ.
• p

  The David last mentioned, even Christ, the Son and Successor of David, as is plain and certain from the titles and works ascribed to him in this and in the following Verse. But of this see the last note upon the former verse.
• q

  To be a Prophet or Teacher, to declare the counsel and will of God concerning the duty and Salvation of Men, to bear witness unto the truth, as Christ himself affirmeth, Ioh. 18. 37. to confirm Gods Promises, Rom. 15. 8. and, amongst others, those which respect the calling and reconciliation of the Gentiles, to be a witness for both parties of that Covenant made between God and Men.
• r

  Not only to my People of Israel, but to all Peo∣ple, Gentiles no less than Jews, as is evident from the following verse, and from Isa. 49. 6. and divers other places.
• s

  A soveraign Prince to give them Laws, and exact their Obedience, and in case of their Obedience to give them Protection and Rewards.
• o I have already appointed, and will in due time actually give.
• l

  Thou, O Messiah, of whom he now spake, v. 4. and to whom he suddenly turneth his speech, as is very common in the Prophets.
• m

  To wit, unto thy self, and to the knowledg of thy self, as ap∣pears from the following words, and by thee unto acquaintance and fellowship with God.
• ‖

  Or, knewest not.
• n

  Or rather, didst not know, to wit, with that special knowledg which implies approbation, and tender Care and Affection, as words of knowledg are most frequently u∣sed in Scripture: the Gentiles to whom, in former times, thou didst not make known thy Law and Covenant, and the way of Sal∣vation. Act. 14. 16. & 17. 30.
• o

  That had but little knowledge of God, and no knowledg of the Messiah.
• p

  Upon thy call shall spee∣dily and readily come to thee to receive Instructions from thee, and to follow thee whithersoever thou shalt lead them.
• q

  Because the Lord shall by many evident and unquestionable tokens, manifest himself to be thy God, and thee to be his Son and faithful servant.
• r

  Because the God of Israel, who is the only true God, will highly honour thee by his singular presence with thee, by his almighty Power accompanying thy Word, and making it wonderfully ef∣fectual for the conversion of an innumerable company, both of Jews and Gentiles, and by confirming thy Word with illustrious signs and miracles, and particularly by thy Resurrection and glori∣ous Ascension. These and other like considerations were the mo∣tives which convinced the Gentiles, that Christ was the true Mes∣siah, and the Religion which he taught was the true Religion.
• Ps. 32. 6.
• s

  Having discoursed of the Office and Work of Christ, and shew∣ed that he should call People and Nations to himself, and to God, he now endeavours to persuade the People to hearken to his Call, and to seek the Lord, i. e. To labour to get the knowledge of Gods Will, and to obtain his Grace and Favour; neither of which things were to be done but in and through Christ. And this Invi∣tation or exhortation is general like that v. 1. reaching to all Na∣tions, both Jews and Gentiles, implying, that both of them had lost him and his Favour, and were gone astray from him. Seek him ye Gentiles, whom he now inviteth so to do, and will assist in finding him. And seeing the Gentiles seek him earnestly, let their example provoke you Jews to imitate them therein, and take heed that you do not reject him whom they will receive and own.
• t

  In this day of Grace, whilest he offereth Mercy and Reconcilia∣tion to you; which he will not always do. Compare Prov. 1. 24, &c. Luk. 19. 44. 2 Cor. 6. 2.
• u

  Near to you by his gracious pre∣sence and offers, in his Ordinances, ready and desirous to receive you to Mercy upon the following conditions.
• x

  Any wicked man, either Jew or Gentile.
• y

  His evil or wick∣ed way, as is evident from the foregoing word, and as it is more fully expressed, Ier. 18. 11. & 25. 5. which is called his way, be∣cause it is natural, and customary, and dear to him, and in oppo∣sition to Gods good way: his sinful course or manner of Life. Let him cease to do evil, as it is Isa. 1. 16. This he adds to intimate that Mens seeking and calling upon God will do them no good without Reformation of their Lives.
• †

  Heb. the man of iniquity.
• z

  The sinful devices and purposes of his Mind. Thus he strikes at the root of sinful actions, and sheweth that the heart must be purged and changed as well as the outward actions.
• a

  As he hath departed from God by sin, let him turn to him by sincere Repentance, and the practice of all Gods precepts. Whereby he intimates that a meer abstinence from wicked courses is not sufficient, without the exercise of the contrary Graces, that we must not only cease to do evil, but also learn to do well, as it is prescribed, Isa. 1. 16.
• b

  To the God of Is∣rael, who is and hath shewed himself to be a most merciful and gra∣cious God.
• †

  Heb. he will multiply to par∣don.
• c

  He useth so many Words and Arguments to encou∣rage them to Repentance, because the persons here invited were guilty of Idolatry, Apostacy, and many other gross wickednesses: which he knew, when they came to themselves, and to a serious sense of their sins, and of the just and holy Nature and Law of God, would be an insupportable burden to their awakened Consci∣ences, and make them very prone to conclude, that God either could not or would not pardon such horrid Delinquencies, and therefore would rather drive them from God, than draw them to him.
• d

  My disposition and carriage is vastly differing from yours. If any man provoke or injure you, especially if he do it greatly and frequently and maliciously, you are very slow and backward to for∣give him, and if you do or seem to forgive him, and promise to forget, and pass it by, yet you retain a secret grudge in your hearts, and upon the least occasion, and sleight offence, you forget your Promise, and you are soon weary with forgiving, and prone to re∣venge your selves upon him; but it is not so with me: For I am slow to anger, and ready to forgive all true penitents, how many, and great, and numberless soever their sins be, and my Promises of Mercy and Pardon shall be infallibly made good to them. And therefore you need not fear to come to me, or to find Mercy and acceptance with me.
• e

  Inexpressibly and infinitely: for the distance between the Earth and the highest Heavens is unmeasurable by any man upon Earth.
• Deut. 32. 2▪
• f

  Which in its season contributes to the fruitfulness of the Earth as well as the Rain.
• g

  To wit, void or without effect, as it is ex∣pressed in the next verse: or immediately: it is not drawn up a∣gain as soon as it is come down, but abides for a convenient time upon the Earth, until it do that work for which it was sent.
• h

  That it may bring forth store of Bread-corn, both for mens pre∣sent supplies, and for seed for the next year.
• i

  My promises before recited concerning the sending of the Messiah, and the blessing of his Labours with such wonderful suc∣cess, and concerning the reconciliation and pardon of the greatest sinners, and concerning the Redemption and Salvation of his Peo∣ple.
• Ch. 45. 23. Mat 10. 13.
• k

  Without success. It is an allusion to an Ambassadour who returns without dispatching that business for which he was sent.
• l

  It shall have that effect which I intended, it shall certainly be ful∣filled in manner before expressed.
• m

  Or, Therefore: because God hath promised it▪ and therefore will effect it.
• n

  Ye shall be released from the place and state of your Bondage. He alludes to their going out of Egypt, which was a type of their succeeding deliverances, and especially of their Re∣demption by Christ from the power of sin and of the Devil.
• o

  Or, be led along, be conducted by the gracious and powerful presence of God, as you were in the Wilderness.
• p

  Safely and triumphant∣ly without fear of being retaken and brought back into slavery by your Enemies.
• Ps. 96. 1•…•…. & 98. 8. Ch. 35. 1.
• 1 Chr. 16. 33.
• q

  There shall be a great and a general rejoycing at your deliverance: so that even the senseless Creatures shall seem to rejoice with you and for you.
• Ch. 41. 19, 20.
• q

  Whereas your Land was filled with Thorns and Briars, as was foretold, Isa. 7. 24. they shall be rooted out, and it shall be plant∣ed with Fir-trees and Myrtle-trees, and such other Trees, which are useful either for Fruit or for Delight. Or, this Promise may be answerable to that Ezek. 28. 24. There shall be no more a pricking briar unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn, &c. but instead of them shall be such Trees as shall yield shade and refreshment. The meaning is, The Church shall be delivered from pernicious men and things, and replenished with sincere and serious Believers, and with all sorts of divine Graces and Blessings.
• r

  This wonderful change shall bring much honour to that God by whom it is wrought.
• t

  Which shall never be abolished, but shall always live and flourish in the Minds and mouths of Men.
• t For a Monument, or evident and glorious Token of Gods infi∣nite Power, and Faithfulness, and Love to his People unto all suc∣ceeding Generations.