Speak ye to the heart of Jerusalem, and call to her: for her evil is come to an end, her iniquity is forgiven: she hath received of the hand of the Lord double for all her sins.

“How is it that some receive at the Lord's hand double for their sins and the measure of their wickedness is doubly filled up, as in the correction of Israel, while the sins of others are removed by a sevenfold compensation? What is the measure of the Amorites that is not yet full? And how is the sinner either acquitted or chastised again, acquitted perhaps, because reserved for the other world, chastised because healed thereby in this?”

“for she has become full [from] her host Jonathan renders: She is destined to become full from the people of the exiles, as though it would say, “She has become full from her host.” Others interpret צְבָאָה like (Job 7:1), “Is there not a time (צָבָא) for man on the earth?” has been appeased Heb. נִרְצָה, has been appeased. for she has taken etc. [Jonathan paraphrases:] For she has received a cup of consolation from before the Lord as though she has been punished doubly for all her sins. According to its simple meaning, it is possible to explain, ‘for she received double punishment.’ Now if you ask, how is it the standard of the Holy One, blessed be He, to pay back a person double his sin, I will tell you that we find an explicit verse (Jer. 16:18): “And I will pay first the doubling of their iniquity and their sin.””

“דברו על לב Speak ye comfortably. The expression דבר על לב speak to the heart means always to speak kindly, so as to remove sorrow and regret for things which have already past; comp. Gen. 50:21. Jerusalem. The congregation of Israel is meant. צבאה Her time. Comp. צבאי my appointed time (Job 14:14); צבא (ib. vii .1). The commentators generally take it in its usual sense; her host; but the first explanation is the right one. נרצה Is accomplished, that is, is finished and at an end; comp. עד ירצה till he shall accomplish (Job 14:6); תרצה shall accomplish (Levit. 26:34); נרצה עונה has the same meaning as the phrase תם עונן the punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished (Lam. 4:22). Double. Twice as much affliction as other nations had to suffer. בכל For all.”

“1 Be comforted, be comforted, and so forth. This is the second principal part of this book, in which he mainly intends the consolation of the people through many promised benefits. It is divided into two parts. In the first he leads them to the expectation of the things promised; in the second he carries out the promise of the divine benefits, below, chapter 45: "Thus says the Lord to my anointed," and so forth. The first is divided into three: in the first he comforts them through the power of the one promising; in the second through his love, chapter 41: "let them keep silence before me," etc.; in the third through the weakness of the idols, which might be believed able to resist, chapter 44: "and now hear, Jacob," and so forth. Concerning the first he does three things. First he leads them to consolation; second he promises a comforter, "the voice of one crying," etc.; in the third he shows the power of God who consoles, "who has measured with the fist," and so forth. Concerning the first, three things. First he leads the people into consolation: "be comforted," in spiritual things, "be comforted," in temporal goods granted. Ecclesiasticus 48: "he comforted," etc., Zechariah 1: "the Lord answered the angel," and so forth. Second he enjoins on the prophets and priests the announcement of consolation: "speak to the heart," namely by consoling; "call," away from sadness, away from idolatry. Hosea 2: "I will lead her into the wilderness." Third he assigns the reason: as to the remission of guilt, "for it is completed," etc., above chapter 27: "and here all the fruit," etc.; as to the ending of punishments, "she has received," etc. — he speaks according to the time after the captivity. Jeremiah 17: "with double destruction," etc. But on the contrary: Nahum 1: "a double tribulation shall not arise." And it must be said that they are called double as to the punishment of body and soul, just as guilt too is in both. "The voice of one crying," and so forth. Here he promises a comforter; and concerning this he does three things. First he sets forth the preparation; second he shows the firmness of the prophecy, "the voice of one saying," etc.; third he foretells the comforter to come, "upon a mountain," and so forth. Concerning the first, three things. First he enjoins the preparation: "the voice of one crying in the wilderness," namely of John the Baptist: this it will be, "prepare," through conversion from evils, "in the wilderness," of vices. Amos 4: "prepare to meet your God," and so forth. Second he foretells the fulfillment, "every valley," following the metaphor of a bad road: if it is mountainous, it causes toil — hence he says, the valley shall be exalted, so that it may be made level with the mountains, and the whole made plain; if it is crooked it causes wandering, and as to this he says, "crooked things shall be," etc.; if it is stony it causes pain to the feet, and as to this: "rough things into ways," by which is signified that faintheartedness will be turned into security, pride into humility, wickedness into uprightness, and cruelty into gentleness. Jeremiah 31: "direct your heart into the way," and so forth. Third he shows the usefulness of the preparation, "and the glory shall be revealed," that is, the Son. Jeremiah 33: "I will heal them," etc.; "shall see" — that is, he will show himself visible to all. Or he speaks of the day of judgment. Apocalypse 1: "every eye shall see him, and they who," and so forth. Some explain it thus. "The voice," of God, "crying," this is it, "prepare in the wilderness," that is, in the land of Judah, once a wasteland, "the way of the Lord," namely for going to the temple, or in the wilderness that is between Babylon and Judah. "Every valley." By these words it is shown that all obstacles are removed, so that the people may return freely. "Glory," in the destruction of the Chaldeans, through which he will appear glorious. "The voice of one saying." In this part he shows the firmness of the prophecy, by comparison to human frailty: hence the Lord first enjoins the cry, which signifies an express and plain announcement. "Cry out." Below, chapter 58: "cry, cease not," etc.; second he enjoins the human frailty that is to be cried out, the prophet asking, "and I said, what shall I cry?" — fearing lest he be commanded to cry out something against his own people, as above chapter 6; and the Lord answering, "all flesh," and so forth. James 1: "for the sun has risen," etc.; third he shows the firmness of the divine word, "surely the grass," etc., Luke 21: "heaven and earth," and so forth. "Upon a high mountain," and so forth. Here he foretells the comforter to come; and concerning this he does three things. First the Lord enjoins upon the prophet the announcement; in the second he sets forth the promise of the coming, "behold, God"; in the third he shows the condition of the one coming, "behold the Lord." Concerning the first he determines who, to whom, and how he is to announce. Who: because it is the one who has the office, "you who bring good tidings." Romans 10: "how shall they preach, unless," and so forth. He designates the manner through three things. Through the height of the place, so that, announcing good things, he may be heard from far off, "upon a mountain," etc. — mystically, Christ, or heavenly conversation and contemplation. Above chapter 2: "come, let us ascend," etc., below chapter 42: "from the top of the mountains," etc.; through the loudness of the voice, "lift it up with strength," so that many may hear, by preaching plainly and steadfastly. Below chapter 58: "cry, cease not," etc.; through the security of the heart, "lift it up, do not," and so forth. Jeremiah 1: "be not afraid before the face," and so forth. To whom it is to be announced he determines as to three things: as to the province of the kingdom, "say to the cities," etc.; as to the metropolis of the province, "you who bring good tidings to Jerusalem"; as to the rulers of the city, "Zion," where the temple and the royal house were. Below chapter 41: "the first shall say to Zion," and so forth. Acts 13: "it was necessary that to you," and so forth. "Behold." Here he sets down the promise of God's coming, "behold," at hand, "your God" — "he will come." Above chapter 35: "God himself will come," and so forth. "Behold the Lord." Here he shows the condition of the one coming; and first he shows that he will come strong to deliver, "in strength." "Arm" — strength on the day of judgment; or in the first coming of Christ, in the power of miracles, or in the destruction of Babylon. Job 40: "if you have an arm like God," and so forth; second, that he will come just to reward, "behold, a reward." "Work before him," because it is in the ease of the will. Wisdom 5: "but the just for ever," etc.; third he shows that he will come merciful, to console, "like a shepherd." To feed the hungry, "he will feed his flock." Ezekiel 34: "in the richest pastures," etc., Jeremiah 3: "I will give you shepherds," etc.; to gather together those who dissent, "in the arm," etc., John 10: "other sheep I have," etc.; to carry the failing, "in his bosom," etc., Luke 15: "when he has found it," and so forth. "Who has measured," and so forth. Here he shows the divine power; and first he establishes it against the errors of the idolaters, who derogated from the divine power by making the creature equal to the Creator. Romans 1: "they served the creature," etc.; second, against the despair of the Jews, who derogated from the divine power by distrust, "lift up on high," and so forth. Concerning the first, two things: first he shows the power of God; second he excludes the error, "to whom then like," and so forth. Concerning the first, three things. First he shows the divine power, together with wisdom, in the easy measuring and creation of all things: for he made all things "in number," as to the multitude of principles; "in measure," as to determination under proper being; "in weight," as to inclination toward an end. Wisdom 11: "with the fist" — that is, easily, as things that are measured with the fist, which is the closed hand; "with the palm" — that is, easily, which is the open hand: "he hung it upon nothing," Job 26, because it is supported by nothing external; otherwise the earth's rest would be violent. "Upon the waters," in Psalm 28, as to position, because it is surrounded by waters. Psalm 103: "upon its own stability," as to its own cause of rest, which is its own nature: "with three fingers" — easily; or by three properties, gravity, dryness, and immobility, "he weighed" — he made them balanced by their own weight. Second he shows the sufficiency of his power, because he needs no helper, "who helped" — against the philosophers who held that, through the mediation of the first things caused, the last things were created; of wisdom, because he needs no counsel, "or who," that he might give him counsel; "with whom," that he might ask of him; "instructed him" — the form of the work; "the path of justice" — of natural justice, which he prefixed to all things, so that no thing might exceed the bounds of its own nature; "knowledge" — concerning the cognition of created things, both universal and particular, against the philosophers; "the way of prudence" — as to the governance of the world. Job 26: "whose helper are you? is it not," and so forth. Third he shows his excellence: because he exceeds the whole multitude of the nations, "behold the nations." "As a drop" — a small drop — "of the bucket," falling from the bucket, which is a water vessel fit for the thirsty, which is reckoned as nothing; "the moment" which is between the arms of the scale, which easily inclines to either side. Job 26: "when scarce a small drop," etc.; he shows also that he exceeds every fitting honor, and especially as to offering. "And Lebanon" — that is, the wood of Lebanon, with which it abounds, because it is wooded, and the animals, with which it abounds, because it is full of pasture. Micah 6: "what worthy thing shall I offer to the Lord," etc.; he shows also that he exceeds every perfection of creatures: both the natural, because their being, with respect to God, is non-being — for Dionysius says, in the book On the Divine Names, chapter 12, that by as much as things participating exceed things not participating, and the participations exceed the things participating, by so much does he who is the principle of the participations exceed both the participations and the things participating. "All nations are as if they were not," etc.; and as to the perfections superadded, which in a certain way are filling — "and as nothing," etc., Jeremiah 4: "I beheld the earth," and so forth. "To whom then," and so forth. Here he excludes the error; and first he derides the error as to the intention of the one working, because they wanted to make God. Therefore, since he is so powerful, "to whom like?" He speaks according to the error of those who thought the very likenesses themselves were gods. "Or what image?" As to those who thought that the things of which they were likenesses — such as the sun or the moon, etc. — Exodus 15: "who is like you among the strong," etc.; and as to the foolish working, because they wanted to induce a most noble form into vile matter, "has the graven image," etc., Wisdom 14: "the incommunicable name," and so forth. Second he convicts the one in error; and first from the natural law dictating, "shall you not know?" — by natural reason, that idols are not gods; and from the written law forbidding, "has it not been declared?" Romans 10: "have they not heard," and so forth. He convicts also from the consideration of creatures: of earthly things, as to creation, "have you not understood the foundations of the earth?" — that they were founded by him; that is, that part of the earth which is near the center. Proverbs 8: "when he weighed out the foundations," etc.; and as to the creator, who "sits upon the circle" — because it is spherical — as one governing; and "the inhabitants" are "as locusts," with respect to the greatness of the earth, or of God himself. From the creation also of the heavenly creatures: "who stretches out" — as to the magnitude of the heaven — "as nothing" — as to the subtlety of its substance — "as a tent" — for himself, as that in which his power first shines forth among bodily things, as to power. Or as for the habitation of the angels and saints, as to dignity; or also of the whole lower creation, as to its brightness. Jeremiah 10: "he prepares the world in wisdom," and so forth. Third he convicts them as to the subjugation of the great, setting forth the destruction of those who are great. Whether according to knowledge, "who gives" — of secrets, namely the philosophers; or according to power, "the judges" — that is, the princes. Psalm 63: "they have failed that search," etc.; and he shows the ease of the destruction through the likeness of grass, or of a tree that does not have firm roots in the earth. "And indeed not even," etc., Job 13: "against a leaf that is carried away by the wind," and so forth. Third he sets down the conclusion, "and to whom have you likened," etc., Psalm 88: "who among the clouds shall be equaled," and so forth. "Lift up," and so forth. Here he establishes the same thing against those who despair; and first he establishes the divine majesty from the creation of things, "who created these," namely the heavenly things. Psalm 32: "he spoke, and they were made," etc.; from the perfection of knowledge, "who brings out," to fulfill his own will, "in number," determined in his own knowledge, "their host" — namely, of the heavens, the stars or the angels — "by name," determining for each its own proper nature, whence it might be named. Psalm 146: "who numbers the multitude," etc.; from the fullness of dominion, "because of the greatness of his might" — for attacking; "of strength" — for resisting; "of power" — for working: "was" — from his lordship. Job 25: "is there any number," and so forth. Second he excludes the error. And first he sets down the error, "why do you say." "Hidden" — he does not see the evils I suffer, otherwise he would defend me. "Judgment" — that is, the power of judging, which he formerly had. Ecclesiasticus 16: "say not, I shall be hidden from God," etc., Ezekiel 9: "they said, he has forsaken," and so forth. Second he sets down the refutation of the error; and first the confirmation of the proof from the law: "do you not know?" — by the natural law; "or have you not heard?" — by the written law — these things that follow. Second he sets down the refutation, first showing the greatness of God from those things which he has in himself, namely, the eternity of dominion, "the everlasting God," etc., Exodus 15: "the Lord has reigned forever," etc.; the unfailing power, "he shall not faint" — so as to be unable to do all things — "nor labor" — so as to be able only with difficulty, Daniel 7: "his power," etc.; the incomprehensibility of knowledge, "nor is there any searching out." Romans 11: "how incomprehensible are," and so forth. Second, through the great things which he does in others: and first in those whom he comforts — their former weakness — "who gives to the weary," as to him who was formerly strong and has failed; and "to those who are not," as to those who were never strong, above chapter 25: "made a strength to the poor," etc., Romans 4: "calls the things that are not," 1 Corinthians 1: "has chosen the things that are weak." Second he shows the greatness of this strength by comparison with natural strength, which he first shows to fail: "the children shall faint" — those who are in the state of growing; "the young men" — who seem robust. 1 Kings 2: "not in his own strength," and so forth. Second, the greatness of the strength given by God: "but they who hope shall change their strength" — namely, natural strength into divine — so that they are not wearied by ascent, "they shall take wings," Proverbs 23: "they shall make themselves wings," etc., nor even by swift running, "they shall run," nor even by continuous walking, "they shall walk," etc., above chapter 5: "there is none that is faint nor labors," etc. (Collationes, chapter 40). The spirit of the Lord is helped (not in creation but in justification — Augustine: "he who created you without you," etc.): through preaching, 1 Corinthians 3: "God's helpers," etc., through preparation, James 4: "draw near to the Lord," etc., through cooperation, Hebrews 12: "watching, lest anyone be lacking," and so forth. The saints are compared to eagles: because of the height of their flight, Job 39: "is it at your command," etc. — in which is the eminence of contemplation, above chapter 33: "the king in his beauty," etc.; because of the keenness of their scent, Luke 16: "wherever the body shall be," etc. — in which is the fervor of love, Song of Songs 1: "draw me after you," etc.; because of the loftiness of their dwelling place, Proverbs 30: "there are three things to me," etc. — in which is the zeal for heavenly conversation, Philippians 3: "our conversation," etc.; because of the swiftness of their movement, Lamentations 4: "they were swifter," etc. — in which is the readiness for good work, Proverbs 22: "you have seen a man," etc.; because of their renewal, Psalm: "it shall be renewed as the eagle's," etc. — in which is the zeal for amendment and progress, 2 Corinthians 4: "although he who is outward," etc.; because of the beauty of their limbs, Ezekiel 17: "a great eagle," etc. — in which is the beauty of the virtues, Song of Songs 4: "you are all fair," etc.; because of their solicitude for their young, Deuteronomy 32: "as an eagle provoking," etc. — in which is the solicitude of the saints, 2 Corinthians 11: "who is weak," and so forth.”

“Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her,.... Or, "speak to or according to the heart of Jerusalem (h)"; to her very heart, what will be a cordial to her, very acceptable, grateful, and comfortable; and let it be proclaimed aloud, that she may hear and understand it. By "Jerusalem" is meant the Gospel church, and the true members of it. Aben Ezra interprets it of the congregation of Israel; see Heb 12:22, that her warfare is accomplished; this life is a warfare; saints have many enemies to engage with, sin, Satan, and the world; many battles to fight, a great fight of afflictions, and the good fight of faith: this is "accomplished", or "filled up (i)"; not that it is at an end before this life is, while that lasts there will be a continual conflict; yet all enemies are now conquered by Christ, and in a short time will be under the feet of his people; the Captain of their salvation, who has got the victory, is gone before them; the crown is laid up for them, and is sure unto them. Some interpret it, as Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech, "her set or appointed time (k)"; and compare it with Job 7:1, and may be understood either of the time of deliverance from captivity: so the Targum, "that her captivity by the people is filled up:'' or of the time of the Messiah's coming, the fulness of time, when he should appear, afterwards prophesied of; or of the servitude and bondage of the law being at an end, and of all the fatigue, labour, and trouble of that dispensation; and of the Gospel dispensation taking place: it follows, that her iniquity is pardoned; which is God's act, flows from his free grace, is obtained by the blood of Christ, is full and complete, and yields great relief and comfort to guilty minds: or "is accepted" (l); that is, the punishment of it as bore by her surety; see Lev 26:43. The allusion is to the sacrifices being accepted for the atonement of sin, Lev 1:4, and may have respect here to the acceptation of Christ's sacrifice, for the expiation of the sins of his people. Jarchi interprets the word "appeased"; and so it may be applied to the reconciliation for sin made by the blood of Christ. The Targum understands it of forgiveness, as we do: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins; which may be understood either of a sufficiency of chastisements for sin; though they are not more, but less, than are deserved, yet are as much as their heavenly Father, in his great tenderness and compassion, thinks are enough; and though they are in measure, and do not exceed, yet are in large measure often, at least in their own apprehension: or else of the large and copious blessings of grace and goodness received, instead of punishment for sins, that might be expected: or rather at the complete satisfaction made by Christ for her sins, and of her receiving at the Lord's hands, in her surety, full punishment for them; not that more was required than was due, but that ample satisfaction was made, and, being infinite, fully answers the demerit of sin; and this being in the room and stead of God's people, clears them, and yields comfort to them. (h) , Sept. "loquimini ad cor", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Vitringa; "secundum cor", Calvin. (i) "completa est militia ejus", Pagninus, Montanus. (k) "Tempus praefinitum", Junius & Tremellius. (l) "acccpta est", Piscator, Forerius.”

“comfortably--literally, "to the heart"; not merely to the intellect. Jerusalem--Jerusalem though then in ruins, regarded by God as about to be rebuilt; her people are chiefly meant, but the city is personified. cry--publicly and emphatically as a herald cries aloud (Isa 40:3). warfare--or, the appointed time of her misery (Job 7:1, Margin; Job 14:14; Dan 10:1). The ulterior and Messianic reference probably is the definite time when the legal economy of burdensome rites is at an end (Gal 4:3-4). pardoned--The Hebrew expresses that her iniquity is so expiated that God now delights in restoring her. double for all her sins--This can only, in a very restricted sense, hold good of Judah's restoration after the first captivity. For how can it be said her "warfare was accomplished," when as yet the galling yoke of Antiochus and also of Rome was before them? The "double for her sins" must refer to the twofold captivity, the Assyrian and the Roman; at the coming close of this latter dispersion, and then only, can her "iniquity" be said to be "pardoned," or fully expiated [HOUBIGANT]. It does not mean double as much as she deserved, but ample punishment in her twofold captivity. Messiah is the antitypical Israel (compare Mat 2:15, with Hos 11:1). He indeed has "received" of sufferings amply more than enough to expiate "for our sins" (Rom 5:15, Rom 5:17). Otherwise (cry unto her) "that she shall receive (blessings) of the Lord's hand double to the punishment of all her sins" (so "sin" is used, Zac 14:19, Margin) [LOWTH]. The English Version is simpler.”

“The summons is now repeated with still greater emphasis, the substance of the consoling proclamation being also given. "Speak ye to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her affliction is ended, that her debt is paid, that she has received from the hand of Jehovah double for all her sins." The holy city is thought of here in connection with the population belonging to it. על־לב דּבּר (to speak to the heart) is an expression applied in Gen 34:3 and Jdg 19:3 to words adapted to win the heart; in Gen 50:21, to the words used by Joseph to inspire his brethren with confidence; whilst here it is used in precisely the same sense as in Hos 2:16, and possibly not without a reminiscence of this earlier prophecy. אל קרא (to call to a person) is applied to a prophetic announcement made to a person, as in Jer 7:27; Zac 1:4. The announcement to be made to Jerusalem is then introduced with כּי, ὅτι, which serves as the introduction to either an indirect or a direct address (Ges. 155, 1, e). (1.) Her affliction has become full, and therefore has come to an end. צבא, military service, then feudal service, and hardship generally (Job 7:1); here it applies to the captivity or exile - that unsheltered bivouac, as it were, of the people who had bee transported into a foreign land, and were living there in bondage, restlessness, and insecurity. (2.) Her iniquity is atoned for, and the justice of God is satisfied: nirtsâh, which generally denotes a satisfactory reception, is used here in the sense of meeting with a satisfactory payment, like עון רצה in Lev 26:41, Lev 26:43, to pay off the debt of sin by enduring the punishment of sin. (3.) The third clause repeats the substance of the previous ones with greater emphasis and in a fuller tone: Jerusalem has already suffered fully for her sins. In direct opposition to לקחה, which cannot, when connected with two actual perfects as it is here, be take as a perfect used to indicate the certainty of some future occurrence, Gesenius, Hitzig, Ewald, Umbreit, Stier, and Hahn suppose kiphlayim to refer to the double favour that Jerusalem was about to receive (like mishneh in Isa 61:7, and possibly borrowed from Isaiah in Zac 9:12), instead of to the double punishment which Jerusalem had endured (like mishneh in Jer 16:18). It is not to be taken, however, in a judicial sense; in which case God would appear over-rigid, and therefore unjust. Jerusalem had not suffered more than its sins had deserved; but the compassion of God regarded what His justice had been obliged to inflict upon Jerusalem as superabundant. This compassion also expresses itself in the words "for all" (bekhol, c. Beth pretii): there is nothing left for further punishment. The turning-point from wrath to love has arrived. The wrath has gone forth in double measure. With what intensity, therefore, will the love break forth, which has been so long restrained!”