No lion shall be there, nor shall any mischievous beast go up by it, nor be found there: but they shall walk there that shall be delivered.

“a profligate beast The boar out of the forest (80:14). There is none as profligate among the beasts as the boar, and also “the lions from his thicket” (Jer. 4:7), i.e., Nebuchadnezzar, shall not be found there. nor shall...ascend thereon On that road (הַדֶּרֶךְ). The word דֶּרֶךְ is used both as masculine and feminine gender, as it is written (Ex. 18:20): “The way (הַדֶּרֶךְ) upon which (בָּהּ) they shall walk.” (Lit., on her.) Thus it is feminine. Comp. (Deut. 28:7) “In one road (בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֶחָד) they shall come out to you.” Thus it is masculine. it shall not be found any wild beast there.”

“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.”

“No lion shall be there,.... That is, in the way before described; no wicked persons, comparable to lions for their savage and cruel dispositions towards the people of God; for those who have been as such, as Saul before conversion, yet when brought into this way become as tame as lambs. The Targum interprets it of tyrannical kings and princes, "there shall not be there a king doing evil, nor an oppressive governor;'' and Jarchi applies it to Nebuchadnezzar, as in Jer 4:7 and the sense may be, that when this way shall be more known on earth, in the latter day, there will be no persecutor of the church and people of God: or else Satan, the roaring lion, is here meant, who has no part nor lot in this way of salvation; and all that are in it are out of his reach; and though he may disturb in the paths of duty and ordinances, yet he can never destroy those who are in Christ the way: nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon; upon the high way; the same may be intended as before: it shall not be found there; walking, ravaging, and destroying: but the redeemed shall walk there; without fear, as Kimchi adds, since no lion, or any beast of prey, shall be found upon it: the "redeemed" are the redeemed of the Lord, and by him, and are peculiarly his, being bought with his precious blood, redeemed from among men, and unto God, and from sin, the law, its curse, and condemnation; these "shall walk" in the way of life and salvation by Christ, in consequence of their being redeemed; which supposes life, strength, and wisdom, which are given them, and a proficiency or going forward: they "shall" walk here; though they have been blind, their eyes shall be opened to see this way; and, though weak, they shall have strength to walk in it; and, though foolish, they shall have wisdom to guide their feet with discretion; and, though they may stumble and fall, they shall rise again, and shall keep on walking to the end.”