Commentary on Isaiah Volume 2 John Calvin (continued)
JOHN CALVIN
not be necessary to make a pecuniary bargain with the Babylonians, whom, in spite of their opposition, he will have no difficulty in driving out of their unjust possession.
4. Into Egypt my people went down aforetime. Here also the commentators touch neither heaven nor earth; for the Jews dream of three captivities, and Christians differ from them by thinking that this denotes a third captivity, which shall be under Antichrist, and from which Christ will deliver them. But the Prophet's meaning, in my opinion, is quite different; for he argues from the less to the greater, by quoting the instance of the Egyptian captivity, from which the people were formerly recalled by the wonderful power of God. (Exodus 14:28.) The argument therefore stands thus: "If the Lord punished the Egyptians because their treatment of his people was harsh and unjust, (Genesis 15:14,) much more will he punish the Babylonians, who have cruelly tyrannized over them."
But the Assyrian has oppressed them without cause. There was much greater plausibility in Pharaoh's claim of dominion over the Jews than in that of the Babylonians; for Jacob, having voluntarily come down to Egypt with his family, (Genesis 46:5,) undoubtedly became subject to the power of Pharaoh, who, in return for the kindness received from Joseph, 281 had assigned to him a large country and abundant pasturage. Pharaoh's successors, ungrateful and forgetful of the benefit conferred on them by Joseph, afflicted all the posterity of Jacob in various ways. This ingratitude and cruelty the Lord severely punished. But far more base and savage was the wickedness of the Babylonians, who drove the Jews out of a lawful possession, and dragged them into bondage. If then the Lord could not bear the Egyptians, who were unthankful and ruled by unjust laws, though in other respects they had a just title to possession, much less will he endure the violent and cruel Babylonians, who have no right to govern his people and oppress them by tyranny.
By "the Assyrian," he means the Babylonians, who were united under the same monarchy with the Assyrians; but he takes special notice of "the Assyrian," because he was the first that grievously distressed the Jews, and that prepared the way for this captivity.
5. What have I here? He follows out and confirms what I have already said, that it; is not reasonable that he should silently permit his people to be any longer oppressed. By these words he reproves, in some measure, his own delay; as if he had said, "Shall I not stretch out my hand? Shall I not avenge my people? If Pharaoh did not hinder me, though he was a lawful master, shall the violence of robbers hinder me?" He next enumerates the reasons which ought to move him to bring back the people.
That my people should be carried away for nought. There must be understood an implied contrast to the participle "carried away;" for the Egyptians
281"En recognoissance du bien que Joseph avoit fait au royaume." "In gratitude for the benefit which Joseph had conferred on the kingdom."