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. LXI.

1 THe * 1.1 spirit of the LORD is upon me n 1.2, be∣cause the LORD hath anointed o 1.3 me to preach good tidings p 1.4 unto the meek, he hath sent me to bind up q 1.5 the broken-hearted r 1.6, to proclaim liberty to the captives s 1.7, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound t 1.8.

2 To proclaim u 1.9 the acceptable x 1.10 year y 1.11 of the LORD, and the day of vengeance z 1.12 of our God, to comfort all that mourn a 1.13.

3 To appoint b 1.14 unto them that mourn in Zion c 1.15, to give unto them beauty for ashes d 1.16, the oyl of joy for mourning e 1.17, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called f 1.18 trees of righteousness g 1.19, the planting of the LORD h 1.20, that he might be glorified i 1.21.

4 And they shall * 1.22 build the old wasts, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall re∣pair the wast cities, the desolations of many gene∣rations k 1.23.

5 And strangers l 1.24 shall stand m 1.25 and feed your flocks n 1.26, and the sons of the alien o 1.27 shall be your plowmen, and your vine-dressers p 1.28.

6 But ye shall be named the priests q 1.29 * 1.30 of the LORD: men shall call you the ministers of God: * 1.31 ye shall eat r 1.32 the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast s 1.33 your selves.

7. For your shame ye shall have double t 1.34; and for confusion they shall rejoyce in their portion u 1.35: therefore x 1.36 in their Land they shall possess the double: everlasting y 1.37 joy shall be unto them.

8 For I the LORD love judgment z 1.38, * 1.39 I hate robbery a 1.40 for burnt-offerings, and I will ‖ 1.41 direct their work in truth b 1.42, and I will make an everlast∣ing covenant c 1.43 with them.

9 And their seed shall be among the Gentiles d 1.44, and their off-spring among the People: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed e 1.45.

10 I will greatly rejoyce f 1.46 in the LORD g 1.47, my soul shall be joyful in my God h 1.48; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation i 1.49, he hath cover∣ed me with the robe of righteousness k 1.50, as a bride∣groom † 1.51 decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

11 * 1.52 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth l 1.53: so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness m 1.54 and praise n 1.55 to spring forth before all Nations o 1.56.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luke 4. 18.
• n 1.2

  As it were to accomplish that which is foretold, and promised in the foregoing Chapter, whereby this appears to be either the Holy-Ghost, see on, 1 King, 18. 12. or the Spirit of Prophecy; i. e. the gift of Prophecy; so we are often to understand by the Spirit, viz. The gifts, as the Spirit upon Sampson, viz. The gift of valor, & courage and strength, see, 1 Cor. 12. 4. &c. Though the Prophet may speak this of himself in Person, yet that it is principally under∣stood of Christ, is evident, because he applieth this Text unto him∣self, Luke 4. 18. being the first text he preached upon after his Bap∣tism, at which time the Holy Ghost did descend upon him in a visi∣ble shape, of which that Iohn, who Baptized him, was an ocular witness, Iohn 1. 32, 33▪ and so making good the truth of this Pro∣phecy; and it is said to rest upon, and dwell in him, according as it is prophecied, ch. 11. 2. & 42. 1.
• o 1.3

  Set me apart. i e. both capacitating him with Gifts, and commissionating him with Au∣thority, and yet more, as it is applied to Christ, a Power to make all effectual, from whence he hath also the name of Messiah among the Hebrews, and of Christ among the Greeks; nay Christ alone a∣mong the Prophets hath obtained this name, Psal. 45. 7. and the Prophet seems here to describe, first, who Christ is, and then what are his Offices, this being the usual Ceremony for the designing Per∣sons to the Offices of Prophets, Priests, and Kings, as hath been di∣verse times shewen, in all which respects it doth most eminently be∣long to Christ, so that the Prophet doth hereby intimate both the final cause of his unction, viz. that he should execute these Offices to which he was anointed, and the effect of it; that unction being upon him as the head, it would flow from thence to his members, and so is an unction more peculiar to them, and in a more general way it hath respect unto all the faithful, 2 Cor. 1. 21, 22. 1 Iohn 2. 20, 27.
• p 1.4

  Being meant of Christ, this relates to his Propheti∣cal Office. Literally this points at the good news that Isaiah brought of Cyrus his being raised up to bring them out of Babylon, now they are become meek and humble, but if it be thus taken, it must be understood of his Prophecies left behind him, for he died many years before the Captivity. But they chiefly signify the good ti∣dings of the Gospel, that discovers Christ come in the flesh to re∣deem poor sinners from the Captivity of sin, and Satan, such as are meek, and humble, or afflicted, as the word signifies, because ordi∣narily afflictions make men meek, and humble, called also the Poor, and our Saviour expresseth it by that word, Luke 4. 18. To these the Gospel, these good tidings are brought, Mat. 11. 5. Whether by Poor you understand, 1. The Gentile void of all Grace, and Salvation, or tenders of it till now. Or, 2. Properly so called, indigent and needy Persons, of which sort were the greatest number that follow∣ed Christ, of which the reason might be, because Christ preached the contempt of the World, and Riches, which the Poor would therefore sooner embrace, and the Rich more likely to oppose. Or, 3. The Poor in Spirit.
• q 1.5

  Now follow several particular expres∣sions to describe the same thing that he mentioned before more generally, a Metaphor taken from Chirurgions, that carefully and tenderly roll up▪ a broken bone, Hos. 6. 1. and this relates to Christs Priestly Office.
• r 1.6

  The heart dejected, and broken with sorrow, I am sent to ease their pains, whose Consciences are wounded with a sense of Gods wrath.
• s 1.7

  Those Captives in Babylon, but principal∣ly to Satan, that they shall be delivered, and this appertains to Christs Kingly Office, whereby he proclaims liberty from the Do∣minion, and Bondage of sin, and from the Fear▪ and Terrour of Hell. See ch. 42. 7.
• t 1.8

  i. e. Supposing them to be in chains, and fetters, yet they should be delivered, though in the greatest bon∣dage: the further explication of these things will be found upon Luke 4. 18. Because there are some passages expresly mentioned here.
• u 1.9

  To declare, as it respects the Jews, that their liberty is at hand.
• x 1.10

  Viz. the happy age of Gods grace, either which will be grateful, and welcome news to them, or acceptable to God, a time wherein it pleaseth him to favour them, but this must be under∣stood of a farther extent than to Babylon, and rather unto Mankind in Jesus Christ. Gal. 4. 4. and Tit. 3. 4. called a time of Gods good will in that Angelical song, Luke 2. 14. On the account of those good tidings which the Angel brought, v. 10. 11. called so possibly from the arbitrariness, and good pleasure of God having no re∣spect to any satisfaction from man.
• y 1.11

  Not precisely, as if Christ preached but one year, the mistake of some Ancients mentioned, and r•…•…uted by Irenaeus, lib. 2. ch. 38. But for time indefinitely, and may include the whole time of preaching the Gospel. See Rom. 10. 15. which I take to be the meaning of that now, 2 Cor. 6. 2. and probably hath a pertinent allusion to the year of Iubile, which was a general release proclaimed by sound of Trumpet, which re∣lates also here to the word Proclaiming, Lev. 25. 10.
• z 1.12

  Viz. on Ba∣bylon, it being necessary, that where God will deliver his People, he should take vengeance on their enemies; but mystically, and prin∣cipally on the enemies of his Church, and the Spiritual ones chief∣ly, viz. Satan, Sin, and Death.
• a 1.13

  Either by reason of their suffe∣rings, or of their sins, Mat. 11. 28. Or, the miseries of Sion. See on ch. 57. 18.
• b 1.14

  Supple it. Viz. Comfort, or Joy, or else it may refer to those Accusative cases following, Beauty, Oyl, Garments.
• c 1.15

  Put by a Me∣tonymy for the Jews. q. d. among the Jews; and they for the Church of God, or, according to the Hebrew For Zion.
• d 1.16

  By ashes under∣stand whatever is most proper for days of mourning, as Sackcloth sprinkled with Ashes, and these ashes which were sprinkled on their heads, mixing themselves with their tears, would render them of a woful Aspect, which was wont to be the habit of Mourners, as by Beauty whatever may be beautiful, or become times of rejoycing.
• e 1.17

  The sense is the same with the former, he calls it Oyl of joy in al∣lusion to those anointings they were wont to use in times of joy, Psal. 104. 15. and also the same with what follows, viz. Gladness for heaviness, gladness brings forth Praise to God; and it is called a Gar∣ment in allusion to their Festival Ornaments, for they had Garments appropriated to their conditions, some suitable to times of rejoy∣cing, and some to times of mourning, or else an allusion to comely garments; and the spirit of heaviness, because heaviness doth op∣press, and debase the Spirits. It is all but an elegant description of the same thing by a three-fold Antithesis.
• f 1.18

  That is, that they may be so, as it is usually expressed. Ch 58. 12. & 60. 18. they shall be acknowledged so, v. 9.
• g 1.19

  He ascribes Righteousness to Trees, understanding thereby Persons by a Metaphor, by which he means, that they shall be firm, solid, and well rooted, being by faith engraf∣ted into Christ, and bringing sorth fruit suitable to the Soil wherein they are planted, that had been as dry trees, see on Isa. 56. 3. viz. the Church, the Vineyard of God, and the hand by which they were planted, as in the next words.
• h 1.20

  Planted by the holy Lord, who being himself holy, and righteous, would plant none but such, which notes also their soundness, and stability, an allusion to that passage in Moses his Song, Exod. 15. 17.
• i 1.21

  Either in that glory which he should conser upon them, or that glory he may expect and receive from them, that so it may be evident whose handy work it was. See ch. 60. 21.
• * 1.22

  Chap. 58. 12.
• k 1.23

  See ch. 58. 12. As it is applied to Gospel times, the meaning may be, that Gentilism, which was as a wilderness overgrown with Briars, and Thorns, shall be cultivated, and those Cities, and Pro∣vinces of the Gentiles, that lay as it were wast, void of all true Re∣ligion, shall now by the Ministry of the Word, be edified in the true worship of God.
• l 1.24

  Viz. Gentiles, such as are not of the natural race of the Jews, but Gentile Converts. Or, such as shall have no more then an out∣ward profession, strangers to the true work of Grace.
• m 1.25

  Ready to be at thy service, a like expression, ch. 48. 13.
• n 1.26

  The Churches with the word of God.
• o 1.27

  The same with strangers, or their suc∣cessours.
• p 1.28

  As the words describe the prosperous estate of the Jews, the meaning of them is, that they should be in such a flou∣rishing and prosperous condition, that without their own labour, they should have all inferiour offices executed, either by slaves ta∣ken in War, or by Persons hired for reward, which they should have Riches and Wealth enough to accomplish; But as they prin∣cipally relate to the spiritual State of the Church, so probably by Strangers we may understand Converted Gentiles with their Suc∣cessors meant by the Sons of Aliens, which should be ready to dis∣charge all Offices for the advan•…•…age of the Church feeding the Flocks, viz. the Churches of Christ wi•…•…h the Word of God, and should manage the whole work of God's Spiritual Husbandry there∣in; see 1 Cor. 3. 6, 7, 8, 9. Or, by Strangers may be meant Mem∣bers of the Church onely by an outward Profession, even they shall be some way serviceable to her in ordinary and inferiour matters: The Earth shall help the Woman, Rev. 12. 16.
• q 1.29

  For your part, ye emphatically shall be as Priests, Either, 1. For 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as the Priests of old were plentifully provided for without their labour, so shall you by the labour of Strangers: Or, 2. For Countenance, you shall be every whereas greatly valued as the Priests were wont to be; you shall be esteemed as Princes; for so the word is often used, the word Priest being applied not onely to the Sacred Function, but to one that was of great note a∣mong the People, and was supplied with all necessaries from others, without any labour of his own. Thus David's Sons were called Priests, or Princes: Or rather, 3. For Priviledge, the whole body of them shall now be as peculiar, and as near to God as the Priests were formerly, and shall be a Royal Priesthood, 1 Pet. 2. 9. This is most certainly true of all the faithful under the Gospel; hence they have also their Spiritual Sacrifices, Rom. 12. 1. Heb. 13. 15, 16. 1 Pet. 2. 5.
• * 1.30

  1 Pet. 2. 5, 9. Rev. 1. 6. & 5. 10.
• * 1.31

  Chap. 60. 6, 16.
• r 1.32

  It relates to the Riches of the Gentiles, which did consist most in Flocks, and Herds: Or, what you eat shall be pur∣chased by the Riches of the Gentiles.
• s 1.33

  You shall exalt your selves, or be renowned by others. The LXX render it, you shall be wonderful, or to admiration; or, grow high by the access of that glory, which they shall bring unto you, viz. in Riches, Parts, Learn∣ing, Chap. 60. 5, 11.
• t 1.34

  See on Chap. 40. 2. Supple honour; though you have been little accompted of among your Enemies, yet now you shall be greatly in their esteem, Zech. 9. 12. you shall have double damages.
• u 1.35

  viz. of honour, that God will give them, the same thing with the former; or, in their Inheritance, which God shall restore to them; and that either, 1. For worth and value through God's blessing upon it: Or 2. For room and space, and that possibly by reason of the few that will return to inhabit there, viz. onely a tenth part, Chap. 6. 13. Or, that which he shall give them out of their Ene∣mies Land.
• x 1.36

  Or rather, Because, being rendred as a reason of their rejoycing, because of the doubling of their portion, in which sense it is taken, Chap. 16. 14.
• y 1.37

  Of long continuance here, and everlasting hereafter; or, to be perpetually remembred on their Anniversary Festivals; though this had its accomplishment in their return from Babylon, yet was it most signally made good in that great change for the better, which they should find in the Gos∣pel-state in the enlargement of Christ's Kingdom, and encrease of his People, with whom they should ever rejoyce together.
• z 1.38

  q. d. They have suffered a great deal of hardship under their Enemies, and I will do them Right, for I love Justice in my self, and in them that practise it: Or, he gives a reason why he will recompense those Strangers that did▪ so freely minister to his People.
• * 1.39

  Chap. 1. 13.
• a 1.40

  All things gotten by injustice, though it be for Sacri∣fice: As God will not accept of that which cost nothing; so much less of that which is the Effect of Rapin, and Oppression; a foun∣dation, whereon most of our Abbies and Monasteries were built, viz. to expiate some great Crimes. And thus by making God a Receiver, they did interpretatively make him a Confederate.
• ‖ 1.41

  Or, recom∣pense. Heb. give, Ezek. 7. 3.
• b 1.42

  Either I will lead, and guide them so, that they shall do all things in sincerity; they shall do good works, and to good Ends; they shall now love Truth, and walk in Truth, and serve him in Spirit and Truth: Or, I will reward them; or, I will make their work stable and firm. Truth notes stability; see the Notes on Chap. 16. 5. (work being here put metonymically for the reward of work) pro∣portionably to their work.
• c 1.43

  q. d. Though you have broken Co∣venant with me, and I have seemed to forsake you in giving you up to Captivity, yet I will renew my ancient Covenant made with your Fathers, confirmed with the blood of Christ, and it shall be everlasting, never to be abrogated, viz. it shall be continued in the Gentiles that shall come in your rooms, that for breach of Cove∣nant were broken off.
• d 1.44

  i. e. Eminently, a promise of the encrease of the Church; such shall be their prosperity, and multiplying, that they shall be known abroad by their great encrease; or else, the meaning is, the Church shall have a seed of the Gentiles, the borders of the Church shall be enlarged, whereas it hath been confined as it were to one corner of the world, now it shall remain in one Nation alone no more, but shall fill all the Nations of the Earth.
• e 1.45

  They shall be known to be the seed of Abraham, partly by their holy conversa∣tion, and partly by their exceeding blessings, it being the seed that the Lord had so often promised to bless: There shall be such visible Characters of God's love to them, & of God's grace in them.
• f 1.46

  This by a Prosopopoeia is spoken in the Person of the Church, wherein she doth thankfully acknowledge God's kindness to her in the forementioned promises expressed here in the greatness of her affection with reference both to her present deliverance from Baby∣lon and to the happiness of her Gospel state.
• g 1.47

  Or because of the Lord, or of the goodness of the Lord towards me, an usual form of gratulation. 1. Sam. 2. 1. and Hab. 3. 18. and Luk. 1. 47. or thus, I will not rejoice so much in my deliverance, as in the Lord.
• h 1.48

  This clause is to the same purpose, save only she varies the ex∣pression, q. d. Yea I do it with my whole Soul.
• i 1.49

  With Salva∣tion, as with a garment, so in the next with righteousness, as with a Robe, the meaning is the Salvation, that God will work for me, will render me as beautiful, and considerable, as they are, that are clothed with the richest garments, as Bridegrooms usually are, and Brides with their Jewels, or as venerable, as Kings in their Princely Robes, my Sac-cloath will now be turned into Robes or, I shall be compassed about with glory, as garments do compass the body.
• k 1.50

  i. e. Either with the fruits, and effects of his Love, and many Favours to the Church, in which sense Righteousness is taken, Psa. 112. 3, 4, 9. comp. with 2 Cor. 9. 9. and chap. 51. 6, 8. she should see the Righteousness of God in fulfilling all these promises. Or that Righteousness of Christ imputed to us, which we are said to put on, Rom. 13. 14. or those graces imparted to us, and acted in an holy life.
• † 1.51

  Heb. de•…•…k∣eth as a priest.
• * 1.52

  Chap. 45. •…•….
• l 1.53

  By this and the other Metaphor he shews not only the revi∣ving of the blessings of the Church after they had been as it were dead in the winter of affliction, but the great plenty, and abundance of blessings that should break forth; that which had been as a wil∣derness, shall be as a Paradise, pointing at the effects of his grace, and bounty.
• m 1.54

  i. e. His great work of Salvation shall break out and appear.
• n 1.55

  As the natural product, and fruit of it, his own glory being the Principal end of making his Righteousness to appear and manifest its self.
• o 1.56

  These things will not be done in a Corner, but will be eminently conspicuous in the sight of all the world, for which purpose those Hymns penned by the godly will ever be famous in the Churches of Christ to all ages, as of Moses, Hannah, Mary, Zechary, Simeon, &c.