Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

Vers. 3. For thus saith the Lord, ye were sold for nought, therefore shall you be redeemed without money.

Vers. 3. For thus saith the Lord, yee were sold for nought, therefore shall you be redeemed without money.

¹This verse hath bin ill expounded by many, who have descanted here too subtlety, for they have invented many things besides the Prophets purpose. Now this agrees with that which he hath said in the 50. Chapter vers. 1. where he asketh for the creditor to whom he sold them: and here he saith in like manner, you were sold for nought: as if he had said, that he took no money, neither was he engaged to any creditor at all that could challenge them by right of sale. This serves greatly to confirm the promise: for the Jews might doubt touching the truth of this promised freedom, in regard the Chaldeans the mightiest of all nations, held them prisoners a long time. But the Lord prevents this doubt, saying, I neither sold, nor pawned you. You were sold for nought, and therefore I may require you again, and claim you as mine own. Stand not so much then whether the matter be hard to compass or no, seeing I have promised you liberty, neither dispute you too and fro of the matter by your carnal reason, for the Chaldeans have no right at all to ke•pe possession, neither can they be able to hinder your passage. To conclude, even as in the place before alleged he cleared himself from the imputation of an unthrift, who is compelled to make sale of, or to pawn his children for debt, so in this place he shows that they were taken from him, and were let go of him gratis, for no other cause, but in regard they had provoked him thereunto by their iniquities, Chap. 50.1. Therefore there is no more difficulty to redeem them, then there was in parting from them.

¹THis verse hath bin ill expounded by many, who haue descanted here too subtilty, for they haue inuented many things besides the Prophets purpose. Now this agrees with that which he hath said in the 50. Chapter vers. 1. where he asketh for the creditor to whom he sold them: and here he saith in like maner, you vvere sold for nought: as if he had said, that he tooke no money, neither was he engaged to any creditor at all that could challenge them by right of sale. This serues greatly to cōfirme the promise: for the Iewes might doubt touching the truth of this promised freedome, in regard the Chaldeans the mightiest of all nations, held them prisoners a long time. But the Lord preuēts this doubt, saying, I neither sold, nor pawned you. You were sold for nought, and therefore I may require you againe, and claime you as mine owne. Stand not so much then whether the matter be hard to compasse or no, seeing I haue promised you libertie, neither dispute you too and fro of the matter by your carnall reason, for ye Chaldeans haue no right at all to kepe possession, neither can they be able to hinder your passage. To conclude, euen as in the place before alleaged he cleared himselfe from the imputation of an vnthrift, who is compelled to make sale of, or to pawne his children for debt, so in this place he shewes that they were taken from him, and were let go of him gratis, for no other cause, but in regard they had prouoked him thereunto by their iniquities, Chap. 50.1. Therefore there is no more difficultie to redeeme them, then there was in parting from them.