“Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.”
Waters; people, (Apocalypse xvii. 15.; Haydock) or from the stock of Juda, Proverbs v. 15. (Calmet) — He claimed the sovereign power, but had not the fortitude or wisdom of Israel. (Worthington)
“For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name.”
City: citizens of Jerusalem, Daniel iii. 28., and Matthew iv. 5.
“I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass.”
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 thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; obstinate: Heb. hard”
Brass; unblushing, Jeremias iii. 3. (Calmet) — Os tuum ferreum. (Cicero, contra Pis.)
“Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.”
Them. Could you have believed them? — Knowest not. He upbraids their ignorance and indocility.
“They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them.”
Knew. Therefore I did not speak of the liberation from Egypt, but from Babylon, which is represented as just taking place. (Calmet)
“Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.”
Opened; docile, (Theodoret) 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, chap. xl., &c.
“For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.”
Bridle thee, like a headstrong beast, (Calmet) running to its own ruin. (Haydock) — God pardons freely, that people may be saved if they will. (Worthington)
“Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. with: or, for silver”
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,” &c. (Haydock)
“All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these things? The LORD hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.”
Things, as I have done respecting Cyrus? (St. Cyril, &c.) who was a figure of Christ, ver. 15.
“Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.”
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 he spoke long before the event, by divine inspiration. (Chaldean) (St. Jerome)
“Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.”
Name. The Jews were not forgotten, till they had rejected the Messias.
“And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.”
Out. Their return was facilitated. This may easily be applied (Calmet) to the conversion of the Gentiles. (St. Jerome)
“There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.”
Peace. Septuagint, “rejoicing,” or prosperity for the Chaldeans or wicked Jews, ver. 18. (Calmet) — It is promised only to the penitent. (Worthington)