Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall be free: for waters are broken out in the desert, and streams in the wilderness.

“And that it was predicted that our Christ should heal all diseases and raise the dead, hear what was said. There are these words: "At His coming the lame shall leap as an hart, and the tongue of the stammerer shall be clear speaking: the blind shall see, and the lepers shall be cleansed; and the dead shall rise, and walk about." And that He did those things, you can learn from the Acts of Pontius Pilate.”

“Let me dispel at once the … assertion that the prophets make all their announcements in figures of speech. Now, if this were the case, the figures themselves could not possibly have been distinguished, inasmuch as the verities would not have been declared, out of which the figurative language is stretched. And, indeed, if all are figures, where will be that of which they are the figures? How can you hold up a mirror for your face, if the face nowhere exists? But, in truth, all are not figures, but there are also literal statements; nor are all shadows, but there are bodies too. We have prophecies about the Lord himself even, which are clearer than the day. For it was not figuratively that the Virgin conceived in her womb.… Not even of his mighty works have [the prophets] used parabolic language. Or else, were not the eyes of the blind opened? Did not the tongue of the mute recover speech? Did not the relaxed hands and palsied knees become strong, and the lame leap like a deer? No doubt we are accustomed also to give a spiritual significance to these statements of prophecy, according to the analogy of the physical diseases that were healed by the Lord. But still they were all fulfilled literally, thus showing that the prophets foretold both senses, except that very many of their words can be taken only in a pure and simple signification and free from all allegorical obscurity.”

“Now what can they [i.e., those who deny the incarnation] say to this, or how can they dare to face this at all? For the prophecy not only indicated that God is to sojourn here but also announces the signs and the time of his coming. For they connect the blind recovering their sight, and the lame walking, and the deaf hearing, and the tongue of the one who stammers being made plain, with the divine coming which is to take place. Let them say, then, when such signs have come to pass in Israel, or where in Judah anything of the sort has occurred. Naaman, a leper, was cleansed, but no deaf man heard nor lame walked. Elijah raised a dead man; so did Elisha;64 but none blind from birth regained his sight. For in good truth, to raise a dead man is a great thing, but it is not like the wonder wrought by the Savior. Only, if Scripture has not passed over the case of the leper and of the dead son of the widow, certainly had it come to pass that a lame man also had walked and a blind man recovered his sight, the narrative would not have omitted to mention this also. Since, then, nothing is said in the [Old Testament] Scriptures, it is evident that these things had never taken place before. When, then, have they taken place, save when the Word of God himself came in the body? Or when did he come, if not when lame men walked, and those who stammer were made to speak plainly, and deaf men heard, and men blind from birth regained their sight?”

“Then the lame shall skip like a hart, etc. Israel, who are now lame and weak. We find that he calls the weak with an expression of ‘lame,’ as the matter is stated (above 33:23): “The lame take the prey.” shall sing in My salvation. the tongue of the mute The tongue of Israel, who are among the nations as mutes, for they hear their scorn and do not respond. for water has broken out in the desert For My salvation shall cheer them up, and they shall blossom like a desert wasteland, which thirsts for water, and springs break out into it; i.e., for salvation shall sprout for the crushed ones.”

“The desert shall rejoice, etc. In this part he sets down the effect of the prosperity following upon the Jews from the destruction of their enemies: and it is divided into two. In the first is set down a consoling promise; in the second an encouraging exhortation, "Strengthen ye the hands," etc. Concerning the first, three things. First he sets down the gladness of men, which he compares to a flowering meadow, which is also called laughing, and which indeed has beauty in its flower: hence he says: "the desert," that is, the land of the Jews, which before, the Assyrians laying it waste, was of this kind — by metonymy, that is, the men themselves — "like the lily," which is the most beautiful flower, and lasts long. Ecclesiasticus 39: "flourish, ye flowers," etc.; it has also beauty in the bud: hence he says, "budding," etc., Proverbs 11: "the just as one flourishing," etc.: for as the bud comes from the flower, so exterior gladness comes from the joy of the heart. Secondly he promises the fertility of the land: "the glory of Lebanon," etc., that is, the fertility of diverse things, which is the glory of these places, will be in the land of promise. Hosea, last chapter: "he shall be as the olive tree," etc. Thirdly, the nearness of both: "themselves," that is, it will not be deferred to the times of the sons. Above, 33: "the king in his beauty," etc. Strengthen ye. Here is set down the encouraging exhortation: and concerning this three things. And first is set down the injunction of the office for exhorting: "strengthen ye the hands," in which is weakness for working; "the trembling knees," in which is weakness for sustaining. Hebrews 12: "the hands that hang down," etc. Secondly is set down the encouragement itself: "say to the faint-hearted," etc. Luke 12: "fear not, little," etc. Thirdly the reason for the encouragement is assigned: and first as to the removal of evils, by freeing from enemies, "behold your God"; Deuteronomy 32: "the blood of the servants," etc.; and by healing from infirmities, "then shall be opened." And these are metaphorical expressions, if they are referred to the time after the destruction of the Assyrians, so that spiritual defects are understood, as above. Or literally, if they are referred to the coming of Christ in the flesh, as is said Matthew 11: "the blind see," etc. Secondly as to the conferring of four goods. First as to the abundance of waters, because "the waters are broken" (metaphorically) for consolations. Or because it will rain much, so that there is great fertility. Psalm 106: "he turned the desert into pools," etc. Secondly the beauty of the fields: "in the dens," that is, the land, which before was desert, so that these animals might dwell there, will be cultivated. "The green of reed and rush," which arise in green places. Job 40: "he sleeps under the shadow," etc. Thirdly as to the restoration of the ways, setting down the holiness of the way: "and there shall be there," in the land of Judah, a path leading to the temple. "The polluted," the gentile, as before. Or mystically, concerning the Church militant or triumphant. Apocalypse 21: "there shall not enter into it," etc.; he also sets down its straightness: "and this shall be"; "the foolish," that is, however simple, shall not err, because of the multitude of those passing by. Jeremiah 31: "I will bring them by the torrents," etc.; he also sets down the security of the way: "there shall not be there," etc. Above, 11: "they shall not hurt nor kill," etc.; and he sets down the frequenting of the ways: "and the redeemed," etc., from the aforesaid dangers. Baruch 4: "behold, thy sons come," etc. Fourthly he promises them the gladness of hearts: "everlasting gladness." Above, 25: "he shall take away the tear," etc.; is also shown the condition of the gladness of the saints in the fatherland: that it is everlasting; that it is full, "they shall obtain"; that it is pure, "sorrow shall flee." Apocalypse 21: "God shall wipe away every tear," etc. The saints are compared to lilies: because of the height of the stem, from which comes constancy in adversities. Canticle 2: "as the lily among thorns," etc.; because of the sweetness of scent, from which comes good fame. Ecclesiasticus 39: "flourish, ye flowers, as the lily," etc.; because of the greenness of its moisture, from which comes strength of mind. Ecclesiasticus 50: "as lilies by the course of water." Because of connection, from which comes the charity of the saints. Canticle 7: "thy belly is like," etc. These lilies, Christ: he clothes them as to the gifts of the virtues. Matthew 6: "consider the lilies of the field," etc.; he gathers them unto eternal rewards. Canticle 6: "my beloved is gone down into the garden," etc.; he rests in them through good pleasure. Canticle 2: "my beloved to me," etc.; and therefore he himself the lily. Canticle 2: "I am the flower of the field," etc.”

“Then shall the lame man leap as an hart..... As the lame man did healed by Peter, Act 3:1 there were many instances of such persons cured by Christ when here on earth, Mat 15:30 and in a spiritual sense this was verified in many who were impotent to that which is good; had neither will nor power to go to Christ for life and salvation, nor to walk by faith in him, nor to walk in his ways; who yet, by the mighty power of the Spirit and grace of God, became able and willing to go to him, and venture their souls on him; walked on in him as they had received him; and not only walked in his ways, but ran in the ways of his commandments, and leaped for joy for what they saw and heard of him, and received from him; and innumerable will be the instances of such mighty grace at the spiritual coming and reign of Christ: and the tongue of the dumb shall sing; this had its accomplishment, in a literal sense, at the first coming of Christ, Mat 9:32, Mat 12:22 and, in a spiritual sense, in many who before had nothing to say to God in prayer, nor in praise; nothing to say of Christ, or for him; or of the blessed Spirit, and his divine operations; but now, by divine grace, are made to speak unto God, both in a petitionary way, and in a way of thankfulness; and of Christ, and of the blessed Spirit; and of the great things each have done for them; and even to sing for joy, because of the wondrous blessings of grace they were made partakers of; and many more such there will be in the latter day, when the Spirit is poured down from on high. Kimchi interprets all this of the Israelites, who were in captivity as blind, deaf, lame, and dumb. So the Targum of this and the preceding verse Isa 35:5, "then shall the eyes of the house of Israel be opened, who were as blind men as to the law; and the ears of them that are as deaf men, to attend to the words of the prophets shall hear; then when they shall see the captives of Israel gathered to go up to their own land as the swift harts, and not tarry,'' &c.; but it may be better applied to their present state, and to their case when they shall be turned to the Lord in the latter day: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert; not literally, but mystically; and may be understood both of the doctrines of the Gospel breaking out in the ministry of them, in such places as were like unto the wilderness and desert, quite barren, and destitute of the knowledge, grace, and fear of God; see Joe 3:18 and of the abundance of grace, and the efficacy of it, making the word effectual to the conversion and fruitfulness of multitudes of souls, bringing along with it a vast variety of spiritual blessings; see Joh 7:37 to both which, the one as the means, and the other as the cause, all the above wonderful things are owing.”