Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

THE XI. CHAPTER.

Vers. 1. But there shall come a rod forth of the stock of Ishai, and a graft shall grow out of his roots.

Vers. 1. But there shall come a rod forth of the stock of Ishai, and a graffe shall grow out of his rootes.

Because the description of so horrible calamities might astonish the faithful, and might therewithal minister matter of despair unto them, it was very requisite to set some word of consolation before their eyes. For the beholding of the kingdom wasted, the cities overthrown, and all parts of the country destroyed, could not but work sighs and deep groanings in them, so as they might very easily have been shaken, and in the end utterly become desperate if the Lord had not prevented them by this consolation. The Prophet then shows what the Lord will do in time to come, as also how he will restore the kingdom. Now he still continues the similitude which he had used in the former Chapter,¹ for there he said that Judea should be brought to nought, even as the fire consumes the forest. The deformity of this country then should resemble a wast ground, where nothing can be discerned but ashes, after the trees have been consumed with fire. But to the end there might be some resemblance between things opposite, he saith, that a rod ⟨p. 119⟩shall come forth of a stock, which yet shall become a tree, and shall spread his branches and fruits far and near. For this cause I have chosen rather to translate the word Gueza, A dry stock; then root: although the matter be not great whether of them both we use; and yet this word stock, notwithstanding doth better express the Prophets meaning: for he signifies, that howsoever the stock be dry, yet the graft which shall come forth of it, shall be more excellent then all the forests in the world.