V. 1. But woe to you, you destroyer!
1 He now returns to his subject, namely the Assyrians; and to comfort his own, he prophesies to the Assyrians their future defeat. Woe unto thee, thou destroyer, who art not destroyed! Thus, I think, it must be translated, so that he may secretly have his aim on the speeches of those who frightened the people with the fear of the Assyrians. As if he wanted to say: I know well that the king of Assyria is a disturber and has not been disturbed by anyone yet. But it is nothing that you frighten the weak with these speeches.
When you have completed the disturbing.
This is an excellent and quite theological passage, that God saves His own when they seem to be completely lost, and that He then disturbs the wicked when they think they already have the victory in their hands. Therefore, in the 9th Psalm, v. 10 [Vulg.], he is called "a helper in due time." Therefore the godly hope where there is nothing to hope for, and believe when all is lost, and so are saved. For they know that if one stretches the bow too much, it breaks, and if one has risen to the highest, he falls back again. But the wicked have no measure in stretching the bow, that is, they are sure, and do not think that any danger lies ahead of them. Therefore they go on raising their hopes higher and higher; and when these are in the best bloom, they are destroyed, and the bow jumps together with the string, and leaves the wicked in his presumption. Furthermore, this should serve as an example for us to maintain faith in perils and hardships. This is how the pope began to fall at the Costnitz Council, when he had risen to the highest.
V. 2. Lord, have mercy on us.
3. after the prophet has strengthened the people through his preaching, he also prays. Because through these two pieces, the word and the prayer,
we contend, and entertain faith. For the word sustains faith, and prayer overcomes and triumphs even against the psorts of hell. For God cannot abandon the faithful, especially when they pray.
Be her arm early.
4 This is my people who are so fearful. The prayer is short, but powerful; just as the sermon, which he sent before, is short, but exceedingly fierce. For that he adds "early" expresses the fervor of the one praying. For when the heart is fearful, and faith is in distress, and when no outcome appears, then all delay is too long. Therefore, "early" means as much as quick.
(5) Furthermore, the prayer must be such that there is nothing in it of merit or human power, but only the divine mercy is invoked. The impending distress was so great, and yet he does not need many words, but sighs constantly in his heart. The washers in prayer only make much effort with the mouth, but the heart knows nothing of it, and it is only an effort of the body. Such a prayer Christ rejects as a useless one.
V. 3. Let the nations flee from the great tumult (a voce angeli).
(6) To the prayer he attached a promise and a prophecy of future salvation. As if to say, "Why are you afraid of the king of Assyria? He may have a great multitude, but he will flee at the voice of a single angel, and will leave you in peace. "The voice" he calls the thunder by which the Assyrians were struck and put to flight.
V. 4. How to gather up the locusts.
7 Let us take a likeness of our small flying animals (aviculis). The king of Assyria gnaws and corrupts everything with
His army, like the locusts; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be driven out of one another suddenly, and shall be scattered, as the sparrows are scattered out of the threshingfloor. But what the Latin translator has given: Velat cum fossae plenae, etc., should be translated thus, "As the beetles are scattered when they are attacked."
V. 5. 6. The Lord is exalted.
8. the reason why such a mighty king will perish is this: Because, saith he, the LORD is a citizen in Zion 2c. He has given us his word, therefore all things are full of judgment and righteousness. For with those who believe this word (as at least some must necessarily believe) is dominion, salvation, wisdom, prudence and the fear of the Lord. By these weapons Sanherib will be overcome.
(9) Now this is emphatically spoken, that he saith, In thy time. As if he were mocking the Assyrians: these gifts are within these walls which you have shut in by siege. These will put thee to flight and scatter thy men of war.
V. 7. Behold, their messengers.
(10) This is a refutation of those rumors which the unbelievers spread, with which they frightened the simple-minded people. For the following words are to be taken in imitation.
V. 8 The paths are desolate.
11. as if to say: everything is occupied by the weapons of the Assyrians, there is nowhere safe to go.
It does not hold good faith.
12 That is, the enemy keeps no terms of peace, neither faith nor loyalty, but devastates everything with fire and sword.
He does not respect people.
That is, he does everything with force and weapons. He gives no ear to the pleas of the supplicants 2c. All circumstances make the despair greater.
14 But "messengers of peace" is what he mockingly calls those who, in comforting the people
sten, and diminish the powers of Sanherib, increasing the terror, and bringing the people to despair by their sad message.
15 These are excellent examples that should comfort us in the temptations of Satan, when he snatches away all hope and trust in divine mercy, and presents God to us as a wrathful one. But it is clear from this what a great faith must have been in Isaiah, which was able to stand up against these despairing speeches with the words.
V. 9. Lebanon stands shamefully hewn.
Some follow here the secret interpretation; I take it as a confusion of the names for Jerusalem itself; as if the messengers wanted to say with their bad news, which made the Assyrians power great: 1)) It seems to me as if I saw Jerusalem, which is like Lebanon and Saron 2c., laid in ashes by the Assyrians.
V. 10. Now I will make up my mind.
(17) This passage is very theological and useful in all temptations, whether of death or other dangers. For it contains a description of the victory against Satan. For when we see that with us is the highest despair, and with the adversaries hope, then come the arrows of Satan, who pours oil on the fire, and blows on it to press us and tread us under foot. "God has forsaken him, pursue after him and seize him" [Ps. 71:11].
18 Accordingly, this passage comforts us that we learn that Satan falls when he most fiercely opposes us and stands at the top of the wheel. We have seen examples of this in Muenzer and in the peasants, whose defiance was so great that they did not want to enter into any contracts or agree to any conditions. But what happens? They have suddenly been overthrown and are lying low. Therefore, we are to learn that this is God's way, that He lets the devil rise so high that he cannot rise any higher. When this has happened, only then does he speak, as follows: Now I will
1) The Erlanger has here wrong interpungirt: quasi Uieant: ÜXuneii ete.
Now I will rise wonderfully. That is why the godly hope most persistently when they are beset by the most certain despair.
V. 11. 12. You get pregnant with straw.
This is arrogance against arrogance, and presumption against presumption, as also in the second Psalm [v. 1 ff.], where in the first three verses the highest despair is indicated, since it is said: the nations, the kings, the princes, the heathen, in sum, the whole world rages against Christ; and yet he immediately adds: "He who dwells in heaven laughs at them. And so he answers scornfully to the greatest threats. The prophet does the same thing here. He says: "You messengers are with child along with the Asfyrians; you want nothing but the destruction of the city of Jerusalem and to give birth to your glorious triumphs. But you will give birth to stubble, which the fire will consume. For the likeness is taken from fearful hearts, which, as the poet [Horace] says, want to give birth to mountains, and after great effort give birth to a mouse.
(20) But it is a good consolation to raise us up in the midst of death, and in the midst of the battle against all the Turks and the Teusel. For every wicked man, when he rages most fiercely, gives birth to stubble. Thus Absalom let himself think that he wanted to take the whole kingdom, he was indeed a very swollen belly, but he gave birth to "misfortune and a miss", as it says in the 7th Psalm, v. 15. "He did a miss."
Fire will consume you with your courage.
21 Translate: "Fire will consume you with your courage. As if to say, "What is it that you are so puffed up about and pregnant with? Certainly it is stubble that is prepared for fire. But it is exceedingly his images that he calls being pregnant, being puffed up in his courage, and relying on his strength. If one asks the Assyrian for the cause of this, it is that he has many men of war and an abundance of all military equipment. But what are these things? If one consults the flesh
If the Jewish people are not drawn, they are insurmountable weapons that will bring certain destruction and devastation to the Jewish empire. But the faith considers it as stubble, which a single spark consumes and burns. It alludes to the thunder and lightning with which God destroyed the Assyrians and drove them into flight.
(22) Thus, if we believe God and call upon Him, our adversaries are truly stubble and chaff, regardless of how great and powerful they are, and even if they were so great and powerful that, in comparison with them, we seemed to be chaff and stubble, but they seemed to be immovable rocks and mountains, like the Caucasus. And yet, against this power, we can surely boast that so many angry princes, so many weapons and steeds are stubble, and if they also accomplish something, that this is also stubble, however much they are puffed up and promise themselves a certain victory.
(23) It is therefore a glorious comfort to the godly that Sanherib will perish and Jerusalem will remain unharmed. And especially is this image to be noted, that he says: Sanherib with his army are stubble, as if I would call the Turkish army in the siege before Vienna stubble. And this faith overcame and defeated the Assyrian army; but we should also apply it to our own trials. If someone is oppressed by poverty, he feels that it rages like a man in armor. But faith in the Lord Jesus Christ feels that it is not a man in armor, but stubble. Thus sin is like the great Goliath, and assails the conscience with all its might. But if you believe in the Lord Jesus, who died for you, you will feel that sin is lighter and weaker than stubble.
(24) In this way, consciences must be raised so that no storm is so great that, when it is overcome by faith, one does not feel that it is only stubble. Thus it is said in the second Psalm, v. 4, that the raging of the whole world against Christ does nothing but move God to laughter. But here we feel
We must recognize the weakness of our faith, which cannot believe this in such a way that it thinks that all the heads in a great army of war are individual straws which a little breeze can move. Thus he opposes this to each other, as faith looks at a thing, and as it falls into the eyes. Thus I consider the pope and our angry neighbors to be stubble and straws. For they are not to be considered tyrants, but weak straws and stubble. Therefore, this passage contains an excellent example of faith.
V. 13. Hear therefore, ye that are afar off.
The prophet continues to comfort his own and to refute the wicked who increase the fear of the people through sad rumors. Here, too, he cites the speeches of the wicked:
V. 14. Who is among us that may dwell by a consuming fire? 2c.
26 As if to say, "It will happen that Jerusalem will be set on fire by the Assyrians, who will be able to stay there? The prophet and the Holy Spirit answer, "The godly will remain, and they will remain in the highest happiness and in the abundance of all things. But you, the wicked, together with the enemies, the Assyrians, will perish at the same time. But the prophet shows by such sermons, although with concealed words, whath ) some courtiers of the king have taught against him, in order to put the people into unrest and to frighten them. For this is what reason is wont to do: it measures the forces and the armaments on both sides. But this shall not be done by the godly, but they shall believe that the adversaries are pregnant with stubble.
27 Note the saying, "The sinners of Zion are terrified; trembling has come to the hypocrites." For this kind of people are the most secure in good days; again, in adversity, the most despondent.
V. 15. He who walks in righteousness.
28 This is a description of the godly. "He who walks in righteousness" is,
h) In the 1532 edition: "that".
in faith, by which we receive mercy or forgiveness of sins from God, and in turn are merciful to others. He who is such a one will remain unharmed even if he were alone among a hundred thousand Assyrians. Therefore, be just and holy, serve God in faith, and do good to your neighbor; then you will be safe from all danger.
V. 16: He certainly has his water (Aquae ejus fideles erunt).
29. fideles, that is, certainly, that will not deceive, will not cease, will not lack. These are apt promises, as that in the 37th Psalm, v. 25. is, "I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed go after bread."
V. 17. You will see the land expanded.
30 That is, your eyes will not only see the city freed from the siege, but also everything outside the city safe from the enemies. These are excellent promises for the faithful, in which he imagines that things will look quite different from what they saw, and by which he promises something quite different from what the messengers had promised, whose unbelief had brought them the siege and the other hardships of the war.
V. 18. That your heart will be greatly astonished.
That is, you will tremble before the majesty of the king, and you will be amazed at such great and sudden happiness, because in one night the siege will be lifted and everything will be restored to its former state.
Now where are the scribes?
This word [literatus] seems to mean such a man who has experience in laws as those who are in the courts, who are counselors to the princes. When the king of Assyria is defeated, you will say, "Where are his councilors and chancellors now?
Where are the councilors?
33 I take ponderator for a pension master, who is appointed over the pensions and takes care of the [royal] treasury.
Where are the chancellors?
I understand by doctor parvulorum a chancellor who writes the orders and settles the cases 2c. As if he wanted to say: All scholars, mighty men, wise men, whom Sanherib has with him, will be put to flight and perish.
V. 19. The people of deep speech.
35 Thus he calls the Assyrians, as foreigners (barbaros), who used a language other than Hebrew.
V. 20. 21. Look, Zion.
He continues with the promises of the future deliverance, and compares Jerusalem to a permanent "tabernacle. What he says about the streams or "moats" is to be taken figuratively and not historically; and the prophet himself explains the image, and says what kind of moats they are, namely "the LORD our judge" 2c.
Which nails shall never again be pulled out.
37 He still remains in the picture, because the huts are used to be fastened with nails. Therefore the opinion is this: Jerusalem will remain as a fortified and stable tabernacle until Christ.
V. 22. For the LORD is our judge.
38 Here he explains the moat with which Jerusalem is fortified, namely the LORD as judge and teacher and protector.
V. 23. Let them tighten their ropes, yet they will not hold.
39 For greater comfort, he makes a comparison, comparing the tabernacle of Jerusalem to the tents of the Assyrians. As if he wanted to say: The Assyrians also have tents that are fastened, but their nails and ropes are not strong and firm enough, therefore they will fall over the heap. A "pole tree" he calls the one on which the flag hangs. You will flee from it so full of fear that you will not have room nor heart to put out the field signs or flags, but one will flee out here, the other out there.
Then much delicious plunder will be distributed.
40. After the Assyrians are put to flight by God Himself, they will leave you very great spoils.
V. 24. The people will have forgiveness of sins.
41 Because the godly people have a gracious God, their sins will be forgiven and they will receive a very happy and very rich victory.