Commentary on Isaiah Volume 2 John Calvin (continued)
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
did not "carry away" Jacob by force; he came down to it of his own accord when he was pressed by famine, yet he was delivered from it; 282 how much more shall he be rescued out of the hand of those who tore him from his native country, and carried him by violence into captivity?
That they should cause them to howl. In order to express more forcibly the baseness of this conduct, he says that they are constrained to howl without ceasing. Some translate the vero as neuter; 283 but I think that it is intended to express the strength of their hatred, and therefore I consider it to be an active verb, expressive of the violence which the Babylonians exercised towards the Jews; for they not only ruled unjustly over them, but also treated them harshly. To "howl" is more than to sigh or weep; for there is reason to believe that the pain which sends forth loud and strong cries is exceedingly severe. The metaphor is taken from wild beasts, and denotes extreme despair.
The third and principal reason why the Lord will deliver his people is, that his name is continually exposed to the reproach and blasphemy of wicked men.
For the sake of his own honor the Lord preserves the Church, and defends the pure worship of his name. Because wicked men seize on the Church's calamitous state as a reason for blasphemy, and insolently mock God, with good reason does he say, that by delivering his people, he will plead his own cause. I do not here relate the various interpretations, or stay to refute them; for it will be enough for me to have briefly explained the Prophet's real meaning.
6. Therefore shall my people know. In this verse he concludes what he had glanced at in the two preceding verses, that at length the people must be redeemed by God, who cannot be unlike himself; for, if he redeemed the fathers, if he always assisted the Church, their posterity, whom he has adopted in the same manner, will never be suffered by him to be overwhelmed. We ought carefully to observe the word "know;" for to "know the name of the Lord" is to lay aside every false opinion, and to know him from his word, which is his true image, and next from his works. We must not imagine God according to the fancy of men, but must comprehend him as he declares himself to us. The Lord, therefore, concludes that he will actually assist them, and will fulfill all that he has promised, that the people may know that their hope has not been without foundation, and that they may be more and more confirmed in the knowledge of his name. We must keep in remembrance what we have elsewhere said about experimental knowledge, which confirms the truth of the word.
That it is I who speak. The verb "to speak" relates to the promises. {}הנני (hinni,) Behold I, relates to actual power; as if he had said, "Although now there be nothing more than that there sound in your ears the words by which I promise what is hardly probable, yet you shall speedily obtain it;
282"Toutes fois sa posterite en a este delivree." "Yet his posterity was delivered from it." 283That is, that the verb means "to howl," instead of "to cause to howl." — Ed.