Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel: My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?

“Why should you say My people ([K’li Paz, mss.:] the people of) Jacob, and speak in exile. My way has been hidden from the Lord He hid from before His eyes all that we served Him, and gave those who did not know Him, dominion over us. and from my God, my judgment passes? He ignores the judgment of the good reward He should have paid our forefathers and us.”

“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.”

“Here, I. The prophet reproves the people of God, who are now supposed to be captives in Babylon for their unbelief and distrust of God, and the dejections and despondencies of their spirit under their affliction (Isa 40:27): "Why sayest thou, O Jacob! to thyself and to those about thee, My way is hidden from the Lord? Why dost thou make hard and melancholy conclusions concerning thyself and thy present case as if the latter were desperate?" 1. The titles he here gives them were enough to shame them out of their distrusts: O Jacob! O Israel! Let them remember whence they took these names - from one who had found God faithful to him and kind in all his straits; and why they bore these names - as God's professing people, a people in covenant with him. 2. The way of reproving them is by reasoning with them: "Why? Consider whether thou hast any ground to say so." Many of our foolish frets and foolish fears would vanish before a strict enquiry into the causes of them. 3. That which they are reproved for is an ill-natured, ill-favoured, word they spoke of God, as if he had cast them off. There seems to be an emphasis laid upon their saying it: Why sayest thou and speakest thou? It is bad to have evil thoughts rise in our mind, but it is worse to put an imprimatur - a sanction to them, and turn them into evil words. David reflects with regret upon what he said in his haste, when he was in distress. 4. The ill word they said was a word of despair concerning their present calamitous condition. They were ready to conclude, (1.) That God would not heed them: "My way is hidden from the Lord; he takes no notice of our straits, nor concerns himself any more in our concernments. There are such difficulties in our case that even divine wisdom and power will be nonplussed." A man whose way is hidden is one whom God has hedged in, Job 3:23. (2.) That God could not help them: "My judgment is passed over from my God; my case is past relief, so far past it that God himself cannot redress the grievances of it. Our bones are dried." Eze 37:11. II. He reminds them of that which, if duly considered, was sufficient to silence all those fears and distrust. For their conviction, as before for the conviction of idolaters (Isa 40:21), he appeals to what they had known and what they had heard. Jacob and Israel were a knowing people, or might have been, and their knowledge came by hearing; for Wisdom cried in their chief places of concourse. Now, among other things, they had heard that God had spoken once, twice, yea, many a time they had heard it, That power belongs unto God (Psa 62:11), That is, 1. He is himself an almighty God. He must needs be so, for he is the everlasting God, even Jehovah. He was from eternity; he will be to eternity; and therefore with him there is no deficiency, no decay. He has his being of himself, and therefore all his perfections must needs be boundless. He is without beginning of days or end of life, and therefore with him there is no change. He is also the Creator of the ends of the earth, that is, of the whole earth and all that is in it from end to end. He therefore is the rightful owner and ruler of all, and must be concluded to have an absolute power over all and an all-sufficiency to help his people in their greatest straits. Doubtless he is still as able to save his church as he was at first to make the world. (1.) He has wisdom to contrive the salvation, and that wisdom is never at a loss: There is no searching of his understanding, so as to countermine the counsels of it and defeat its intentions; no, nor so as to determine what he will do, for he has ways by himself, ways in the sea. None can say, "Thus far God's wisdom can go, and no further;" for, when we know not what to do, he knows. (2.) He has power to bring about the salvation, and that power is never exhausted: He faints not, nor is weary; he upholds the whole creation, and governs all the creatures, and is neither tired nor toiled; and therefore, no doubt, he has power to relieve his church, when it is brought ever so low, without weakness or weariness. 2. He gives strength and power to his people, and helps them by enabling them to help themselves. He that is the strong God is the strength of Israel. (1.) He can help the weak, Isa 40:29. Many a time he gives power to the faint, to those that are ready to faint away; and to those that have no might he not only gives, but increases strength, as there is more and more occasion for it. Many out of bodily weakness are wonderfully recovered, and made strong, by the providence of God: and many that are feeble in spirit, timorous and faint-hearted, unfit for services and sufferings, are yet strengthened by the grace of God with all might in the inward man. To those who are sensible of their weakness, and ready to acknowledge they have no might, God does in a special manner increase strength; for, when we are weak in ourselves, then are we strong in the Lord. (2.) He will help the willing, will help those who, in a humble dependence upon him, help themselves, and will do well for those who do their best, Isa 40:30, Isa 40:31. Those who trust to their own sufficiency, and are so confident of it that they neither exert themselves to the utmost nor seek unto God for his grace, are the youth and the young men, who are strong, but are apt to think themselves stronger than they are. And they shall faint and be weary, yea, they shall utterly fail in their services, in their conflicts, and under their burdens; they shall soon be made to see the folly of trusting to themselves. But those that wait on the Lord, who make conscience of their duty to him, and by faith rely upon him and commit themselves to his guidance, shall find that God will not fail them. [1.] They shall have grace sufficient for them: They shall renew their strength as their work is renewed, as there is new occasion; they shall be anointed, and their lamps supplied, with fresh oil. God will be their arm every morning, Isa 33:2. If at any time they have been foiled and weakened they shall recover themselves, and so renew their strength. Heb. They shall change their strength, as their work is changed - doing work, suffering work; they shall have strength to labour, strength to wrestle, strength to resist, strength to bear. As the day so shall the strength be. [2.] They shall use this grace for the best purposes. Being strengthened, First, They shall soar upward, upward towards God: They shall mount up with wings like eagles, so strongly, so swiftly, so high and heaven-ward. In the strength of divine grace, their souls shall ascend above the world, and even enter into the holiest. Pious and devout affections are the eagles' wings on which gracious souls mount up, Psa 25:1. Secondly, They shall press forward, forward towards heaven. They shall walk, they shall run, the way of God's commandments, cheerfully and with alacrity (they shall not be weary), constantly and with perseverance (they shall not faint); and therefore in due season they shall reap. Let Jacob and Israel therefore, in their greatest distresses, continue waiting upon God, and not despair of timely and effectual relief and succour from him.”

“Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard?.... From the history of the church in all ages; from the experience of all good men; from their own knowledge and observation; from the Scriptures, and the prophets, the interpreters of them; both that what is before suggested is wrong, and that what follows is true, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? or, "the God of the world"; that has made it, and upholds it, and governs it, and judges righteously in it; who is from everlasting to everlasting, unchangeably the same; whose name alone is Jehovah, the self-existent and all comprehending Being, the Maker and Former of all things; who has not only created the earth, and the foundations of it, as the Targum, or the continent, and the habitable part of the world, that is most known and dwelt in, but even the extremities of the earth; and therefore knows and will take care of his own people, let them be where they will: and though the work of creation, and of upholding creatures in their beings, and of governing the world, and providing for all in it, and of taking care of his church and people in particular, requires so much power, as well as wisdom, yet he never sinks under it, nor is weary of it; wherefore they have no reason to give way to such unbelief and despondency, as above expressed: there is no searching of his understanding; it is infinite, it reaches to all persons and things, and therefore he cannot be at a loss to provide for his people, or plead their cause; nor can their case be unknown to him, or he want either power or skill to help them.”

“Since these things are so, thou hast no reason to think that thine interest ("way," that is, condition, Psa 37:5; Jer 12:1) is disregarded by God. judgment is passed over from--rather, "My cause is neglected by my God; He passes by my case in my bondage and distress without noticing it." my God--who especially might be expected to care for me.”

“Such of the Israelites are required first of all to be brought to a consciousness of the folly of idolatry are not called Israel at all, because they place themselves on a part with the gōyı̄m. But now the prophet addresses those of little faith, who nevertheless desire salvation; those who are cast down, but not in utter despair. "Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hidden from Jehovah, and my right is overlooked by my God?" The name Jacob stands here at the head, as in Isa 29:22, as being the more exquisite name, and the one which more immediately recalled their patriarchal ancestor. They fancied that Jehovah had completely turned away from them in wrath and weariness. "My way" refers to their thorny way of life; "my right" (mishpâtı̄) to their good right, in opposition to their oppressors. Of all this He appeared to take no notice at all. He seemed to have no thought of vindicating it judicially (on the double min, away from him, see Ges. 154, 3, c).”