Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

The Prophet promiseth the Jews here, that they shall be set at liberty to return home again into their country, to the end that being afterward carried captive into Babylon, they might not imagine it to be a perpetual banishment. And yet me thinks this sentence should extend it self further. For as heretofore he promised them abundance and store of blessings,¹ where there was nothing but barrenness; so he saith now, that the place where none dwelt, shall be inhabited and frequented by multitudes. To be short, that Judea shall be in such league and amity with other nations, that one of them shall mutually pass to the other without any danger at all: for where places are not inhabited, what traffic can men have there? You shall see no man pass to and fro there. He saith then it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have egress and regress (as we use to speak) to traffic with others, after they are come home, and shall be settled in their Country.

THe Prophet promiseth the Iewes heere, that they shall bee set at libertie to returne home againe into their country, to the end that being afterward carried captiue into Babylon, they might not imagin it to be a perpetuall banishment. And yet me thinkes this sentence should extend it selfe further. For as heretofore hee promised them abundance and store of blessings,¹ where there was nothing but barrennesse; so he saith now, that the place where none dwelt, shall be inhabited and frequented by multitudes. To bee short, that Iudea shall be in such league and amitie with other nations, that one of them shall mutually passe to the other without any danger at all: for where places are not inhabited, what traffique can men haue there? You shall see no man passe to and fro there. He saith then it shall come to passe that the Iewes shall haue egresse and regresse (as we vse to speake) to traffique with others, after they are come home, and shall bee setled in their Country.

1. 1Vers. 7.