Thou shalt no more be called Forsaken: and thy land shall no more be called Desolate: but thou shalt be called My pleasure in her, and thy land inhabited. Because the Lord hath been well pleased with thee: and thy land shall be inhabited.

“"Married," since on the days of the captivity [your land] had become a widow, without kings or children; now, on the contrary, because of the return, it will be a married woman and a mother of children. "Your land shall be married," that is, it will be sowed and made fertile, or it will now cooperate in its tilling and germination.”

“For Sion's sake. Here he promises the people the honor of glory: and first the prophet's petition is set down; second, the Lord's promise: "the Lord has sworn." Concerning the first, two things: first he himself petitions; second he induces others to petition likewise, "you who remind." Concerning the first, again two things. First he himself petitions for this: the rising of the savior. "For Sion's sake," namely for her usefulness, or love, "I will not be silent" — from prayers before God; "the savior" — Cyrus; "as brightness" — in the glory of the kingdom. Mystically, "I will not be silent" — from the preaching of Christ, on account of contradiction; "Sion" — of the king; "Jerusalem" — of the priests; "the savior" — Christ. Dan. 10: his face was like an appearance. Second, he shows the fruit of the coming. First, as to the glory of the city, promising that same glory in three respects. In the dignity of a king: "and they shall see," admiring and venerating, "the just one" — Christ or Cyrus. Ps. 97: "all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God." In the newness of the name: "and it shall be called," after the custom of the ancients, who imposed new names from new events. And this name he will express afterward. Mystically, the Church, which before was the synagogue. Apoc. 2: "I will give him a stone." In the defense of divine protection: "you shall be a crown of glory," because "your God will glory in you," as a king glories in the crown of the kingdom in his hand, that is, in his protection. Wis. 5: "receiving a kingdom of beauty." Mystically, the Church is as it were the crown of God; the Son is crowned by the Father. And he excludes disgrace, in which likewise he expresses the new name: "you shall not be called." Ez. 36: "because they say of you, etc." Second, as to the joy of the inhabitants: as to children, "the young man shall dwell"; as to men of full age, "and they shall dwell"; and as to the married, "and he shall rejoice." Jer. 33: "there shall yet be heard in the place, etc." Mystically, the young man with the virgin, chastely, as Mary with Joseph; the bridegroom — Christ; the bride — the Church. Third, as to the diligent guarding of the buildings, which is expressed in 2 Esdras 4: "with one hand they built, and with the other they fought." "Upon the walls I will not be silent": he speaks according to the likeness of watchmen who guard a city; or by metaphor he designates the diligence of princes, who governed the people, or of preachers in the Church. Apoc. 4: "they had no rest, crying out: holy, holy." "You who remind." Here he induces others to a similar petition. "Do not be silent" — from prayer to him, to God. 1 Thess. 5: "rejoice always, pray without ceasing." "The Lord has sworn." Here the Lord promises to fulfill the petition: and first, as to the driving off of enemies, "if I shall give" — supply: do not believe me. Prov. 28: "who works the land, and does not eat the fruit from it." Second, as to the liberation of the captives. As to the preparation of the way: "pass through" — you messengers of Cyrus and Darius; "the stones" — the obstacles. Jer. 50: "take away the stones from the way." Or: you, guardians of the walls, the preachers. As to the granting of joy: "lift up a sign" — the edict of Cyrus that all should return, or the sign of the cross. Above, ch. 11: "he shall lift up a sign for the nations." And as to the recompense of justice: "say to the daughter" — to the people of the Jews; "the savior" — God or Cyrus; "the reward" — that good things be rendered to you, and evil to the enemies. Mystically, of the coming of Christ to judgment. Above, ch. 40, the same. Third, there, "and they shall call," he sets down the honor of the liberated, who were held in great fame of holiness on account of the benefits bestowed on them. Above, ch. 1: "after this you shall be called." Mystically, of the Church and the Christian people. Note, on that word, "for Sion's sake I will not be silent," that the saints are not silent: first, on account of enkindled desire. Jer. 20: "and the word of the Lord became in my heart as a burning fire." Second, on account of evident truth. Acts 4: "for we cannot... the things which we have seen." Third, on account of an enjoined office. 1 Cor. 9: "necessity lies upon me; for woe is to me if I do not preach the gospel." Fourth, on account of the reward awaited. Galatians, last chapter: "for let us not fail in doing good; for in due time we shall reap, if we do not fail." Likewise, on that word, "until he come forth as brightness," that Christ shines: first, as the image of the Father. Heb. 1: "since he is the brightness of glory, and the figure of his substance." Second, by the light of the saints. Ps. 109: "in the brightness of the saints, before the daystar I begot you." Third, by the fullness of glory. Matt. 17: "his face shone as the sun." Fourth, by the rightness of doctrine. Above, ch. 60: "the nations shall walk in your light, and kings in the brightness of your rising."”

“Thou shall no more be termed Forsaken,.... That is, of the Lord her God, as she had seemed to be to others, and thought to be so by herself, Isa 49:14, not having so much of his gracious presence as is desirable; sensible communion with him being withheld; the word and ordinances not owned and blessed, or very little; and few souls converted; and the interest of Christ, labouring under many difficulties and discouragements, under the reproaches and persecutions of men, and so looked as if forsaken of God; but in the latter day all these complaints shall be removed; and the presence of God will be very manifest in his churches, and among his people; and they will appear to be his care and charge; see Isa 60:15, neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate; as the Gentile world was before the preaching of the Gospel in it; and as the land of Israel now is, and the Jewish people are, having rejected the Messiah, and continuing in impenitence and unbelief; and as the church of Christ is, when the word and ordinances are neglected, or little success attends them; but now more shall be the children of the desolate than of the married wife; many souls shall be born again in Zion, and many sons and daughters brought there, and brought up there, and therefore shall not be called desolate, Isa 49:19, but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah; the former of these was the name of Hezekiah's mother, Kg2 21:1 and a fit name for the church of Christ, who is pleasant to him for delights, Sol 7:6 and the latter well agrees with her being married to Christ. The meaning of these names is explained in the next clause; or the reason of their being given: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land is married; the former explains "Hephzibah", which signifies "my delight is in her"; Christ delighted in his church from everlasting, as they were the objects of his own and his Father's love; as chosen in him, and given to him as his spouse and bride, Pro 8:31 and he delights in them in time, as clothed with his righteousness, washed in his blood, and adorned with the graces of his Spirit; he delights in their company, to hear their voice, and see their countenance; they are the excellent in the earth, in whom is all his delight, Psa 16:2, and he will delight in them hereafter, in the spiritual reign, when he will glorify and beautify them, and make them an eternal excellency, Isa 60:7, and in the personal reign, when they shall be as a bride adorned for her husband, and his tabernacle shall be among them, and he will reign with them, and they with him; during which time he will be presenting them to himself, and delighting in them, as a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, Rev 21:2 and in heaven to all eternity. The latter clause explains "Beulah", which signifies "married", as the church secretly was to Christ from all eternity; in the latter day the espousals of her to him will be more open and manifest; then the marriage of the Lamb will be come, and it will more clearly appear that she is in such a state, by the numerous converts in her, or sons and daughters that will be born in her to Christ, both of Jews and Gentiles, Rev 19:7.”

“be termed--be "forsaken," so as that that term could be applicable to thee. Hephzi-bah-- (Kg2 21:1), the name of Hezekiah's wife, a type of Jerusalem, as Hezekiah was of Messiah (Isa 32:1): "my delight is in her." Beulah--"Thou art married." See the same contrast of Zion's past and future state under the same figure (Isa 54:4-6; Rev 21:2, Rev 21:4). land . . . married--to Jehovah as its Lord and Husband: implying not only ownership, but protection on the part of the Owner [HORSLEY].”

“Zion will be once more the beloved of God, and her home the bride of her children. "Men will no more call thee 'Forsaken one;' and thy land they will no more call 'Desert:' but men will name thee 'My delight in her,' and thy home 'Married one:' for Jehovah hath delight in thee, and thy land is married. For the young man marrieth the maiden, thy children will marry thee; and as the bridegroom rejoiceth in the bride, thy God will rejoice in thee." The prophecy mentions new names, which will now take the place of the old ones; but these names indicate what Zion appears to be, not her true nature which is brought to the light. In the explanatory clause לך stands at the head, because the name of Zion is given first in distinction from the name of her land. Zion has hitherto been called ‛ăzūbhâh, forsaken by Jehovah, who formerly loved her; but she now receives instead the name of chephtsı̄-bhâh (really the name of a woman, viz., the wife of Hezekiah, and mother of Manasseh, Kg2 21:1), for she is now the object of true affection on the part of Jehovah. With the rejoicing of a bridegroom in his bride (the accusative is used here in the same sense as in גדלה שׂמחה שׂמח; Ges. 138, 1) will her God rejoice in her, turning to her again with a love as strong and deep as the first love of a bridal pair. And the land of Zion's abode, the fatherland of her children, was hitherto called shemâmâh; it was turned into a desert by the heathen, and the connection that existed between it and the children of the land was severed; but now it shall be called be‛ūlâh, for it will be newly married. A young man marries a virgin, thy children will marry thee: the figure and the fact are placed side by side in the form of an emblematical proverb, the particle of comparison being omitted (see Herzog's Cyclopaedia, xiv 696, and Ges. 155, 2, h). The church in its relation to Jehovah is a weak but beloved woman, which has Him for its Lord and Husband (Isa 54:5); but in relation to her home she is the totality of those who are lords or possessors (ba‛alē, Sa2 6:2) of the land, and who call the land their own as it were by right of marriage. Out of the loving relation in which the church stands to its God, there flows its relation of authority over every earthly thing of which it stands in need. In some MSS there is a break here.”