In a moment of indignation have I hid my face a little while from thee, but with everlasting kindness have I had mercy on thee, said the Lord thy Redeemer.

“I seem, indeed, to hear that voice from him who gathers together those who are broken and welcomes the oppressed.… The measure of his kindness exceeds the measure of his discipline. The former things were owing to our wickedness, the present things to the adorable Trinity, the former for our cleansing, the present for my Glory.”

“בשצף In a little. It is hap. leg. With everlasting kindness, etc. This is the opposite of the idea expressed in, I hid my face for a moment. The kingdom of Israel will remain for ever (comp. Dan. 7:27); and the days of the exile, though many, will be like a moment in comparison with the everlasting days of the future happiness.”

“Sing, O barren one. Here, against the casting down of things, he promises the remedy of exaltation: and first he promises a multitude against a paucity; second, the restoration of honor against confusion, do not fear; third, prosperity against former adversity, poor little one. Concerning the first he does three things. First he foretells the multitude of children, indicating the praise of thanksgiving: "O barren one" — Jerusalem, who do not bear; "because forsaken" — deserted; "sing" — to God, for the benefits granted. The gladness of those who praise: "sing forth praise" — for a song is the exultation of the mind broken forth into voice; and the greatness of the gladness: "neigh" — in the manner of a horse, unable because of the greatness to form a voice to express it. Jer. 31: Exult in gladness, Jacob. Ps. 146: Let praise of our God be pleasant and comely. And promising the multitude of children: "because many" — as if to say, your children will be multiplied more, although you are deserted, than that of the cities which have husbands for begetting. 1 Reg. 2: until the barren woman has borne very many, and she who had many children is weakened. Second he exhorts to the enlargement of the place, under the metaphor of a tent: "enlarge the place" — as to the ground on which it is extended; "the skins" — by which it is covered; "the cords" — by which the pegs are bound; "the nails" — by which the boards are joined, or the pegs themselves. And these are read to have been in the tabernacle of the covenant: Exod. 26, and 36. On account of this multitude of men it is fitting to seek a greater dwelling than the land of promise is. Above, 49: still the children of barrenness say, etc. Third he foretells the fulfillment of the exhortation: "for to the right hand" — as if to say, you shall spread yourself on every side: which was fulfilled in the time of the Maccabees, when certain cities from the region of Samaria, and from others, were added to the kingdom of the Jews. Gen. 24: may your seed possess the gates of your enemies. Do not fear. Here he promises the restoration of former honor, against the confusion which they had previously endured. Second, the firmness of the promise: as in the days of Noah. Concerning the first he does two things. First he promises the forgetting of the former confusion: "you shall not be confounded" — inwardly; "you shall not blush" — outwardly. "You shall be ashamed" — from the consideration of your baseness; "you shall forget" — because of the abundance of glory; "of youth" — when you sinned in the desert; "of widowhood" — when you were separated from God in the captivity of Babylon. Above, 45: you shall not be confounded, nor shall you blush. Sopho. 3: in that day you shall not be confounded for all your devisings. Second he promises the restoration of former honor: and first he sets down the restoration as to dominion, "because he shall rule"; above, 26: O Lord, they have possessed us; and as to marriage, "a forsaken wife." Jerem. 3: if a man put away his wife, and she depart from him and marry another man, shall she return to him any more? Second he promises the enlargement of honor as to the multitude of honors: "says the Lord" — "in a little" — you have suffered little in respect of the things which I, having mercy, shall bestow on you. 2 Corinth. 4: for that which is at present is momentary. And as to duration, "in a moment" — as if to say: for a brief time you have felt my anger, in respect of that in which I will have mercy on you. Above, 26: hide yourself a little while. But all these things that have been said are expounded mystically of the calling of the Gentiles: because the Gentile world, barren at first, afterward gathered many children, according to the Gloss. As in the days. Here he shows the firmness of the promise. And first from the likeness of the former promise: "I have sworn" — I have firmly determined, provided, however, that you remain in my precepts. Gen. 9: I will establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you. Eccli. 44: the covenants of the age. Second, from the working of stable creatures: "for the mountains" — as if to say: it is easier for mountains and hills to be changed than for my words to be made void. Or by mountains and hills, the powerful of the world. Ps. 45: we will not fear, while the earth is troubled. Note on that word, "sing, O barren one," that there is a barrenness, first, of perverse action. Job 15: the congregation of the hypocrite is barren. Second, of sacred contemplation. Genes. 29: Rachel was barren. Third, of temporal tribulation. Above, 49: the children of barrenness shall still say in your ears. Likewise note, on that phrase "enlarge the tent," that the heart must be enlarged, first, on account of the greatness of the guest. Jerem. 23: do not I fill heaven and earth, says the Lord? Second, on account of the multitude of gifts. Below, 60: you shall see, and abound, and your heart shall be enlarged. Third, on account of the fulfilling of the way. Psalm. 118: I have run the way of your commandments. Likewise on that phrase "in great mercies," that the mercies to come are great: first because they are intrinsic. Rom. 8: I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared to the glory to come that shall be revealed in us. Second, because they are eternal. 2 Cor. 4: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. Third, because they are perfect. Luc. 1: for behold, from now on all generations shall call me blessed. Fourth, because they are extended to many. Luc. 14: a certain man made a great supper, and invited many. Fifth, because they are whole. Apoc. 21: God shall wipe away every tear from the eyes of the saints. Poor little one. Here he promises prosperity against adversity: and first he recalls the former adversity: "poor little one" — Jerusalem despoiled of goods; "by tempest" — by adversity. Above, 18: to a nation rent and torn I will send you. Second he promises future prosperity, both as to the abundance of goods, setting forth a metaphor: "behold I will lay" — as it were in a pavement, by the "stones," "precious," signifying men eminent in virtues, "in order," each one in his own order: Tob. 13: the gates of Jerusalem; and explaining it as to the doctrine of divine knowledge: "all" — Jer. 31: I will give my law in their bowels, and write it in their heart. As to the abundance of peace: "multitude." Psalm. 118: much peace have they that love your law. And as to the justice of works: "and in justice." Above, 1: Sion shall be redeemed in judgment; and they shall bring her back in justice. Second, as to the freedom from evils, promising first the escape from dangers: "depart" — that is, you shall depart, because you shall not suffer calumny. Ps. 71: he shall humble the slanderers. Second, the adherence of strangers: "behold, the sojourner" — because many from among the Gentiles going forth from captivity adhered. Below, 56: let not the son of the stranger, who adheres to the Lord, say: the Lord will divide me by separation from his people. Third, promising the destruction of enemies: "behold I." And first he shows the power of the one promising, setting forth a comparison: "the smith" — the persecutor, who blows upon the vessels in the fire of tribulation, adversaries, according to his own will: Job 41: his breath, coals; and explaining it: "I have created." 1 Reg. 2: the Lord kills and makes alive. Second he sets forth the promise: "every vessel" — that is, he will scatter every thing formed, as to those who assail by deeds; and "every tongue," as to those who assail by words. Above, 41: and they shall be as if they were not.”

“In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment,.... This signifies much the same as before, when God hides his face from his people, withdraws his gracious presence, and does not grant the discoveries of his love; or they are under the frowns of his providence, and have not the smiles of his face and the light of his countenance as formerly, then they think they are forsaken by him; though all this is but for a moment, a small period of time; and though it seems to be in "wrath", it is but "little wrath"; and this wrath is no other than the displeasure of a loving and tender hearted father. The Syriac version renders it, "great wrath"; and so Schultens (o) thinks the word signifies "overflowing wrath" (p), and the vehemency of it; to which agrees R. Menachem (q), who interprets it, "the heat of wrath"; so the Lord's suffering such a scene of bloody persecutions to attend his church in the first ages of Christianity might seem to be: but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer; all the dealings of God with his people, however dark and dismal they be, whatever appearances there are in them of wrath and displeasure, they are all agreeable to, and do not contradict, his everlasting love; and sooner or later he will make it manifest, he has mercy in store for his people, which he does and will exercise towards them; this mercy flows from his love and kindness to them, which kindness is everlasting, and continues in and through all states and conditions into which they come; the consideration of which is very comfortable and encouraging, and of which they may be assured from the relation the Lord stands in to them as their Redeemer; for, having redeemed them at the expense of his blood, he will effectually gather them by grace in calling, and will never lose them, or suffer them to perish here or hereafter. (o) Animadv. in Job, p. 145, 146. (p) "pauxillo irae exundantis, vel exiguo irae ebullientis", Vitringa. (q) Apud Jarchi, Kimchi, & Ben Melech, in loc.”