Isaiah 50

Isaiah 50:1

Cried not - Whereby he signifies both his irresistible power, and his continued cruelty.

Isaiah 50:2

All - That is, other things most commonly do. Lie - Are buried in their own sepulchres, having stately monuments erected to their memory.

Isaiah 50:3

Cast out - Or, cast from thy grave or burying - place. Which very probably happened to Belshazzar, when his people had neither opportunity nor heart to bestow an honourable interment upon him, and the conquerors would not suffer them to do it. Like - Like a rotten twig of a tree, which he that prunes the trees, casts away. Raiment - Which, being mangled, and besmeared with mire, and blood, was cast away with contempt. Go down - Who being slain, are cast into some pit. He saith, to the stones of the pit, because when dead bodies are cast in thither, men use to throw an heap of stones upon them. Trodden - Neglected, like such a carcase. And this might literally happen to Belshazzar’s dead body.

Isaiah 50:4

Joined - Not buried as they are. Slain - Thou hast exercised great tyranny and cruelty, not only to thine enemies, but even to thine own subjects. The seed - Such as Belshazzar was, being descended from that Nebuchadnezzar who had made such horrid slaughters and devastations in the world, merely to gratify his own insatiable lusts, and who had been so impious towards God and his temple, and so bloody towards his church and people. Renowned - Or, shall not be renowned for ever: although I have long borne with thee and thy family.

Isaiah 50:5

Children - Cut off all the branches of the royal family. Rise - Not recover their former power.

Isaiah 50:6

Remnant - The remembrance of those that are dead, and the persons of those who yet survive.

Isaiah 50:7

Bittern - A great water fowl, which delights in solitary places, as also in watery grounds. Such as those were about Babylon. Pools - The ground about Babylon was of itself very moist, because of the great river Euphrates, running by it, which was kept from overflowing the country with charge and labour; this being neglected, when the city was destroyed, it was easily turned into pools of water.

Isaiah 50:8

Saying - This verse does not only concern Babylon’s destruction, but also the overthrow of Sennacherib and the Assyrian host, which was a pledge of the destruction of the city and empire of Babylon.

Isaiah 50:9

My land - In Judea, which is my land in a peculiar manner. Mountains - In my mountainous country, for such Judea was, especially about Jerusalem.

Isaiah 50:10

The earth - Upon this vast empire, now in the hands of the Assyrians, and shortly to come into the hands of the Babylonians. The hand - The providence of God executing his purpose.