Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

Vers. 2. Take the millstones, and grind meal: lose thy locks, make bare the feet, uncover the leg, and pass through the floods.

Vers. 2. Take the milstones, and grind meale: lose thy lockes, make bare the feete, vncouer the leg, and passe thorow the floods.

All this description tends to this end,¹ namely, that Chaldea shall taste of a wonderful change. For this City which before was in great honour, shall be brought into extreme dishonour, and every way put to such drudgery, that all shall perceive evident and apparent signs of Gods wrath therein. Behold then the marks of a most servile bondage, Take the millstones, and grind meal. For they were wont in ancient time, to put slaves of the basest and abjectest condition to the mill. Their condition then must needs be miserable, when they were held no better then horses: for in war, those that got the conquest, handled some of their prisoners with much better respect. But here the Prophet propounds nothing before the Chaldeans, but a woeful condition in all points, to the end the faithful might assure themselves that they should go forth freely;² when the Chaldeans, who held them captives, should themselves be captivated. Now howsoever we read not that the great states of the land were thus dishonourably used, yet it sufficed for the accomplishment of the prophecy; that Cyrus suffering them to enjoy some base offices, made them uncapable of any rule or authority, by constraining them to cease from all honest exercises, and liberal sciences.

ALl this description tends to this end,¹ namely, that Chaldea shal taste of a wonderfull change. For this Citie which before was in great honour, shall bee brought into extreme dishonout, and euery way put to such drudgerie, that all shall perceiue euident and apparant signes of Gods wrath therein. Behold then the marks of a most seruile bondage, Take the milstones, and grind meale. For they were wont in ancient time, to put slaues of the basest and abiectest condition to the mill. Their condition then must needs bee miserable, when they were held no better then horses: for in warre, those that got the conquest, handled some of their prisoners with much better respect. But heere the Prophet propounds nothing before the Chaldeans, but a wofull condition in all points, to the end the faithfull might assure themselues that they should goe forth freely;