They have sought me that before asked not for me, they have found me that sought me not. I said: Behold me, behold me, to a nation that did not call upon my name.

“And after that Righteous One was put to death, we flourished as another people, and shot forth as new and prosperous corn; as the prophets said, "And many nations shall betake themselves to the Lord in that day for a people: and they shall dwell in the midst of all the earth." But we are not only a people, but also a holy people, as we have shown already. "And they shall call them the holy people, redeemed by the Lord." Therefore we are not a people to be despised, nor a barbarous race, nor such as the Carian and Phrygian nations; but God has even chosen us and He has become manifest to those who asked not after Him. "Behold, I am God," He says, "to the nation which called not on My name." For this is that nation which God of old promised to Abraham, when He declared that He would make him a father of many nations; not meaning, however, the Arabians, or Egyptians, or Idumaeans, since Ishmael became the father of a mighty nation, and so did Esau; and there is now a great multitude of Ammonites. Noah, moreover, was the father of Abraham, and in fact of all men; and others were the progenitors of others. What larger measure of grace, then, did Christ bestow on Abraham? This, namely, that He called him with His voice by the like calling, telling him to quit the land wherein he dwelt. And He has called all of us by that voice, and we have left already the way of living in which we used to spend our days, passing our time in evil after the fashions of the other inhabitants of the earth; and along with Abraham we shall inherit the holy land, when we shall receive the inheritance for an endless eternity, being children of Abraham through the like faith. For as he believed the voice of God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness, in like manner we having believed God's voice spoken by the apostles of Christ, and promulgated to us by the prophets, have renounced even to death all the things of the world. Accordingly, He promises to him a nation of similar faith, God-fearing, righteous, and delighting the Father; but it is not you, "in whom is no faith."”

“Who then, one might say to the Jews, is he that was made manifest? For if it is the prophet, let them say just when he was hid, afterward to appear again. And what manner of prophet is this, who was not only openly made manifest from obscurity but also stretched out his hands on the cross? None surely of the righteous, save the Word of God only, who, incorporeal by nature, appeared for our sakes in the body and suffered for all.”

“I allowed Myself to be sought by those who did not ask The Holy One, blessed be He, replies to him, It is impossible not to avenge Myself on them, for I allowed Myself to be sought by them by reproving them through My prophets, but they did not ask. I said, “Here I am; here I am!” Return to Me, and I am ready to accept you. to a nation not called by My name That did not wish to be called by My name.”

“I was sought, etc. This is the reply of God to the prayer of the Israelites; He says: Your fathers have provoked me, but ‘ I was sought,’ that is, I offered myself to be found whenever they were in trouble, to them that asked me not, that I should be accessible to them. I said, ‘ Behold me, behold me,’ repeatedly through the prophets. That was not called by my name in those days, but by the name of Baal.”

“They have sought. Here the judge, namely God, gives the sentence concerning the distinguishing of the evil from the good, in the receiving of the promised salvation. And it is divided into two parts. In the first he pronounces the sentence of distinction; in the second he determines the manner of its execution, chapter 66: Thus says the Lord. Concerning the first, two things. First he promises a response, showing the fitting occasion for responding: They have sought; as if he were to say: until now you Jews were not seeking from me, but from idols. Since you now seek, I will respond. Mystically, concerning the conversion of the Gentiles. Romans 10: I was found by those who did not seek. And he sets down the promise: I said: Behold, I am to a nation: I will respond, namely, to the Jews, or I will turn to the nations that have been converted. Song of Songs 6: I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine. Second, he pronounces the sentence of distinction: I have spread out my hands; and first he pronounces the distinguishing of the evil from the good on account of the sins of transgression; second, on account of the sins of omission: And you who have forsaken. The first is divided into two. In the first he threatens the wicked with punishments; in the second he promises the good their rewards: Thus says the Lord. Concerning the first, two things. First he charges them with the fault of transgression; second he threatens the punishment: These shall be smoke. He charges them with their fault on three grounds. First, from ingratitude for his benefits: I have spread out — by giving many benefits — all the day, that is, the whole time since I took them to myself. Mystically, on the cross. Jeremiah 16: Each one walks. Second, from the continuity of their sinning: a people before the face, because all things are naked and open to his eyes. Hebrews 4. Or because they set up an idol in the temple. Deuteronomy 32: They have provoked me with that which is not God. Third, from the diversity or gravity of their sins, with respect to four things. First, with respect to the worship of idols: who sacrifice — to idols — in gardens, because they worshipped idols in pleasurable places; upon bricks — upon altars built out of bricks, so that they could sustain the fire of the sacrifice. Above, chapter 1: They shall be confounded by their idols. Second, with respect to their pursuit of divinations: who dwell among the tombs, so that they might have answers from the dead; and in shrines — temples of idols, so called from diluendo, washing away, because there they thought all things were washed clean. Or because of the fountains that were there for washing the victims. And the priests sleep — upon the skins of the victims, for the sake of divination. Ezekiel 6: Your shrines shall be broken down. Third, with respect to the uncleanness of foods: who eat; and a profane broth, of swine. Below, the last chapter: those who ate swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together. Fourth, with respect to their contempt of the just, who say — namely, to those not adoring idols; Wisdom 2: He is grievous to us; or who say — to God, Job 21: who say to God: Depart from us, we do not desire the knowledge of your ways. These shall be smoke. Here he threatens the punishment: and first the length of the punishment: smoke; that is, as smoke is consumed by fire; and they shall be kindled in my wrath. Deuteronomy 32: A fire is kindled in my fury, and shall burn even to the depths of hell. Second, the certainty of the punishment: Behold, it is written; because the sin is fixed firmly in memory, and the punishment in predetermination. I will not keep silence, dissembling. Jeremiah 17: The sin of Judah is written; above, chapter 42: I have kept silence, I have always held my peace. Third, the multitude of the punishments, because for all the sins of the fathers: but I will repay. Exodus 20: I am a jealous God, visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children. They have reproached — by adoring idols upon the high places; and for the sins also of their youth: and I will measure back — as if to say, I will measure the punishment to match the fault. Above, chapter 40: She has received double from the hand of the Lord. Thus says the Lord. Here he promises the good their rewards: and first, with respect to their preservation from evils: the grain, of the grape, a blessing; that is, it pleases God that it be kept in reserve as a blessing, for the sake of the servants: our fathers, that is, the whole race of the Jews. Above, chapter 17: It shall be like one gathering. Second, with respect to their advancement in goods: and first with respect to the multiplying of seed: And I will bring forth from Jacob. Above, chapter 1: Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a seed, we should have been like Sodom. Second, with respect to the restoring of their ancestral inheritance: And they shall inherit. Ezekiel 36: They shall possess you as an inheritance, and you shall be their inheritance. Third, with respect to the abundance of pastures: and there shall be plains, and the valley of Achor — named from him who was stoned there, Joshua 7. Hosea 2: I will give them the valley of Achor, to open hope. And you who have forsaken. Here he distinguishes the wicked from the consolation of the good, on account of their sins of omission: and first he threatens the wicked with punishments; second, the good with rewards, because to oblivion. Concerning the first, two things. First he threatens them because they have forsaken God, setting down the fault: and you, O Jews, to Fortune — the god of the Egyptians — a table: he touches upon the rite by which it was worshipped, because at the end of the year a table was prepared for it, laden with every kind of food. Deuteronomy 32: They forsook God who made them, and departed from God their savior. Setting down also the punishment: I will number; as if to say: so that none shall remain who is not oppressed. Jeremiah 44: They shall fall by the sword and by famine. Second, because they did not obey him calling them back, setting down the fault: because I called. Proverbs 1: I called, and you refused; and he threatens the punishment of this distinction, first in the satiety of the body: therefore thus says the Lord, Psalm 33: The rich have wanted and suffered hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not be deprived of any good. Second, in the gladness of heart: Behold, my servants shall rejoice. Wisdom 5: Doing penance. Third, in the difference of name. And first he sets down what the name of the impious shall be: and you shall leave — as an oath, so that they might confirm their words thus: if it is not so, may it happen to me just as to them. Jeremiah 44: They shall die by the sword and by famine; and they shall be for an oath, and for a wonder, and for a curse, and for a reproach. And then he sets down what the name of the good shall be: and his servants — in which name, namely, the name is Jesus — Amen, that is, faithfully. Above, chapter 62: You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord has named. Because to oblivion. Here he promises the seen rewards. And first, in general, with respect to the removal of evils: because to oblivion — not from a defect of knowledge, but from the succession of goods. Above, chapter 54: You shall forget the confusion of your youth. And with respect to the restoring of goods: for behold, I create new heavens — new helps from heaven; a new earth — new benefits from the earth. Or with reference to the day of judgment, when the world shall be renewed unto the glory of the saints. Apocalypse 21: The former things have passed away. Second, in particular: for behold, I create Jerusalem. And first, with respect to the gladness of hearts: Jerusalem — the earthly one; but rather heavenly exultation, emphatically, so that it might be wholly absorbed in joy. Above, chapter 35: They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and mourning shall flee from them. Second, with respect to the length of life: there shall no longer be one who does not fulfill — dying before his time; but the child shall die at a hundred years old, that is, when he has come to such an age; and if there be a sinner, although he has lived so long, he shall be subject to a curse. Genesis 25: Abraham died in a good old age. Mystically, in the heavenly Jerusalem all shall fulfill their days, because no one shall die. The child of a hundred years, that is, he who has lived childishly even up to the age of old age, shall die, with an eternal death. Wisdom 4: For venerable old age is not that of long time, nor counted by the number of years. Third, with respect to the prosperity of goods: both with respect to the security of possessions, and they shall build. Psalm: And they built houses; Amos, the last chapter: They shall plant vineyards. And he assigns the reason: for according to the days, that is, because they shall live long, just as the wood of a tree lasts long. They shall grow old; that is, they shall remain for their use even unto old age. Psalm 1: He shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters. Above, chapter 49: They have labored in vain. And also with respect to the peace of their children: neither shall they beget in trouble, as those begetting children into the servitude of enemies. Ecclesiasticus 44: Good things continue with their seed. Fourth, with respect to the hearing of prayers: and it shall be, before they cry — with the mouth. Above, chapter 30: At the voice of your cry, as soon as he shall hear, he will answer you. Fifth, with respect to the tranquility of peace: the wolf and the lamb; because those who were formerly tyrants and evildoers shall dwell peaceably with others; above, chapter 11, the same.”

“The apostle Paul (an expositor we may depend upon) has given us the true sense of these verses, and told us what was the event they pointed at and were fulfilled in, namely, the calling in of the Gentiles and the rejection of the Jews, by the preaching of the gospel, Rom 10:20, Rom 10:21. And he observes that herein Esaias is very bold, not only in foretelling a thing so improbable ever to be brought about, but in foretelling it to the Jews, who would take it as a gross affront to their nation, and therein Moses's words would be made good (Deu 32:21), I will provoke you to jealousy by those that are no people. I. It is here foretold that the Gentiles, who had been afar off, should be made nigh, Isa 65:1. Paul reads it thus: I was found of those that sought me not; I was made manifest to those that asked not for me. Observe what a wonderful and blessed change was made with them and how they were surprised into it. 1. Those who had long been without God in the world shall now be set a seeking him; those who had not said, Where is God my maker? shall now begin to enquire after him. Neither they nor their fathers had called upon his name, but either lived without prayer or prayed to stocks and stones, the work of men's hands. But now they shall be baptized and call on the name of the Lord, Act 2:21. With what pleasure does the great God here speak of his being sought unto, and how does he glory in it, especially by those who in time past had not asked for him! For there is joy in heaven over great sinners who repent. 2. God shall anticipate their prayers with his blessings: I am found of those that sought me not. This happy acquaintance and correspondence between God and the Gentile world began on his side; they came to know God because they were known of him (Gal 4:9), to seek God and find him because they were first sought and found of him. Though in after-communion God is found of those that seek him (Pro 8:17), yet in the first conversion he is found of those that seek him not; for therefore we love him because he first loved us. The design of the bounty of common providence to them was that they might seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him, Act 17:27. But they sought him not; still he was to them an unknown God, and yet God was found of them. 3. God gave the advantages of a divine revelation to those who had never made a profession of religion: I said, Behold me, behold me (gave them a sight of me and invited them to take the comfort and benefit of it) to those who were not called by my name, as the Jews for many ages had been. When the apostles went about from place to place, preaching the gospel, this was the substance of what they preached: "Behold God, behold him, turn towards him, fix the eyes of your minds upon him, acquaint yourselves with him, admire him, adore him; look off from your idols that you have made, and look upon the living God who made you." Christ in them said, Behold me, behold me with an eye of faith; look unto me, and be you saved. And this was said to those that had long been lo-ammi, and lo-ruhamah (Hos 1:8, Hos 1:9), not a people, and that had not obtained mercy, Rom 9:25, Rom 9:26. II. It is here foretold that the Jews, who had long been a people near to God, should be cast off and set at a distance Isa 65:2. The apostle applies this to the Jews in his time, as a seed of evil-doers. Rom 10:21, But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. Here observe, 1. How the Jews were courted to the divine grace. God himself, by his prophets, by his Son, by his apostles, stretched forth his hands to them, as Wisdom did, Pro 1:24. God spread out his hands to them, as one reasoning and expostulating with them, not only beckoned to them with the finger, but spread out his hands, as being ready to embrace and entertain them, reaching forth the tokens of his favour to them, and importuning them to accept them. When Christ was crucified his hands were spread out and stretched forth, as if he were preparing to receive returning sinners into his bosom; and this all the day, all the gospel-day. He waited to be gracious, and was not weary of waiting; even those that came in at the eleventh hour of the day were not rejected. 2. How they contemned the invitation; it was given to a rebellious and gainsaying people; they were invited to the wedding-supper, and would not come, but rejected the counsel of God against themselves. Now here we have, (1.) The bad character of this people. The world shall see that it was not for nothing that they were rejected of God; no, it was for their whoredoms that they were put away. [1.] Their character in general was such as one would not expect of those who had been so much the favourites of Heaven. First, They were very wilful. Right or wrong they would do as they had a mind. "They generally walk on in a way that is not good, not the right way, not a safe way, for they walk after their own thought, their own devices and desires." If our guide be our own thoughts, our way is not likely to be good; for every imagination of the thought of our hearts is only evil. God had told them his thoughts, what his mind and will were, but they would walk after their own thoughts, would do what they thought best. Secondly, They were very provoking. This was God's complaint of them all along - they grieved him, they vexed his Holy Spirit, as if they would contrive how to make him their enemy: They provoke me to anger continually to my face. They cared not what affront they gave to God, though it were in his sight and presence, in a downright contempt of his authority and defiance of his justice; and this continually; it had been their way and manner ever since they were a people, witness the day of temptation in the wilderness. [2.] The prophet speaks more particularly of their iniquities and the iniquities of their fathers, as the ground of God's casting them off, Isa 65:7. Now he gives instances of both. First, The most provoking iniquity of their fathers was idolatry; this, the prophet tells them, was provoking God to his face; and it is an iniquity which, as appears by the second commandment, God often visits upon the children. This was the sin that brought them into captivity, and, though the captivity pretty well cured them of it, yet, when the final ruin of that nation came, that was again brought into the account against them; for in the day when God visits he will visit that, Exo 32:34. Perhaps there were many, long after the captivity, who, though they did not worship other gods, were yet guilty of the disorders here mentioned; for they married strange wives. 1. They forsook God's temple, and sacrificed in gardens or groves, that they might have the satisfaction of doing it in their own way, for they liked not God's institutions. 2. They forsook God's altar, and burnt incense upon bricks, altars of their own contriving (they burnt incense according to their own inventions, which were of no more value, in comparison with God's institution, than an altar of bricks in comparison with the golden altar which God appointed them to burn incense on), or upon tiles (so some read it), such as they covered their flat-roofed houses with, and on them sometimes they burnt incense to their idols, as appears, Kg2 23:12, where we read of altars on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, and Jer 19:13, of their burning incense to the host of heaven upon the roofs of their houses. 3. "They used necromancy, or consulting with the dead, and, in order to that, they remained among the graves, and lodged in the monuments," to seek for the living to the dead (Jer 8:19), as the witch of Endor. Or they used to consult the evil spirits that haunted the sepulchres. 4. They violated the laws of God about their meat, and broke through the distinction between clean and unclean before it was taken away by the gospel. They ate swine's flesh. Some indeed chose rather to die than to eat swine's flesh, as Eleazar and the seven brethren in the story of the Maccabees; but it is probable that many ate of it, especially when it came to be a condition of life. In our Saviour's time we read of a vast herd of swine among them, which gives us cause to suspect that there were many then who made so little conscience of the law as to eat swine's flesh, for which they were justly punished in the destruction of the swine. And the broth, or pieces, of other forbidden meats, called here abominable things, was in their vessels, and was made use of for food. The forbidden meat is called an abomination, and those that meddle with it are said to make themselves abominable, Lev 11:42, Lev 11:43. Those that durst not eat the meat yet made bold with the broth, because they would come as near as might be to that which was forbidden, to show how they coveted the forbidden fruit. Perhaps this is here put figuratively for all forbidden pleasures and profits which are obtained by sin, that abominable thing which the Lord hates; they loved to be dallying with it, to be tasting of its broth. But those who thus take a pride in venturing upon the borders of sin, and the brink of it, are in danger of falling into the depths of it. But, Secondly, The most provoking iniquity of the Jews in our Saviour's time was their pride and hypocrisy, that sin of the scribes and Pharisees against which Christ denounced so many woes, Isa 65:5. They say, "Stand by thyself, keep off" (get thee to thine, so the original is); "keep to thy own companions, but come not near to me, lest thou pollute me; touch me not; I will not allow thee any familiarity with me, for I am holier than thou, and therefore thou art not good enough to converse with me; I am not as other men are, nor even as this publican." This they were ready to say to every one they met with, so that, in saying, I am holier than thou, they thought themselves holier than any, not only very good, as good as they should be, as good as they needed to be, but better than any of their neighbours. These are a smoke in my nose (says God), such a smoke as comes not from a quick fire, which soon becomes glowing and pleasant, but from a fire of wet wood, which burns all the day, and is nothing but smoke. Note, Nothing in men is more odious and offensive to God than a proud conceit of themselves and contempt of others; for commonly those are most unholy of all that think themselves holier than any. (2.) The controversy God had with them for this. The proof against them is plain: Behold, it is written before me, Isa 65:6. It is written, to be remembered against them in time to come; for they may not perhaps be immediately reckoned with. The sins of sinners, and particularly the vainglorious boasts and scorns of hypocrites, are laid up in store with God, Deu 32:34. And what is written shall be read and proceeded upon: "I will not keep silence always, though I may keep silence long." They shall not think him altogether such a one as themselves, as sometimes they have done; but he will recompense, even recompense into their bosom. Those basely abuse religion, that honourable and sacred thing, who make their profession of it the matter of their pride, and the jealous God will reckon with them for it; the profession they boast of shall but serve to aggravate their condemnation. [1.] The iniquity of their fathers shall come against them; not but that their own sin deserved whatever judgments God brought upon them, and much heavier; and this they owned, Ezr 9:13. But God would not have wrought so great a desolation upon them if he had not therein had an eye to the sins of their fathers. Therefore in the last destruction of Jerusalem God is said to bring upon them the blood of the Old Testament martyrs, even that of Abel, Mat 23:35. God will reckon with them, not only for their fathers' idols, but for their high places, their burning incense upon the mountains and the hills, though perhaps it was to the true God only. This was blaspheming or reproaching God; it was a reflection upon the choice he had made of the place where he would record his name, and the promise he had made that there he would meet them and bless them. [2.] Their own with that shall bring ruin upon them: Your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together, the one aggravating the other, constitute the former work, which, though it may seem to be overlooked and forgotten, shall be measured into their bosom. God will render into the bosom, not only of his open enemies (Psa 79:12), but of his false and treacherous friends, the reproach wherewith they have reproached him.”

“I am sought of them that asked not for me,.... That this is a prophecy of the calling and conversion of the Gentiles is not to be doubted, since the Apostle Paul has quoted it, and applied it to that case, Rom 10:20 and is here mentioned as an aggravation of the sin of the Jews, in rejecting Christ, when the Gentiles received him; and was the reason of their being rejected of God, and the Gospel being taken away from them, and given to another people, and of the Lord's removing his presence from the one to the other. The Gentiles are described as those that "asked not for" Christ, or after him, as the apostle supplies it; they had not asked for him, nor after him, nor anything about him; nor of him "before" this time, as the Vulgate Latin version renders it; they were without Christ, the promises and prophecies concerning him; and so had no knowledge of him, nor made any inquiry about him, who or what he was; they did not ask after his coming, or for it; did not desire it, or him, and were in no expectation of it; they asked no favour of him, nor saw any need of him, or worth in him; and yet now he was "sought of them"; or, as the apostle has it, "was made manifest unto them"; and so the Septuagint version; that is, he was manifested to them in the Gospel, and by the ministry of it; which is a revelation of him, of salvation by him, of justification by his righteousness, of peace and pardon by his blood, of atonement by his sacrifice, and of eternal life through him; and the words will bear to be rendered, "I was preached unto them": for from this word are derived others (g), which signify an expounder, and an interpretation, or exposition; and this was matter of fact, that Christ was preached to the Gentiles upon the Jews' rejection of him, which is one branch of the mystery of godliness, Ti1 3:16 and upon this he was sought of them: they sought him early and earnestly, and desired to have him and his Gospel preached to them again and again, Act 13:42 they sought after the knowledge of him, and for an interest in him, and for all grace from him, righteousness, salvation, and eternal life; and for all the supplies of grace, as all sensible sinners do; this they did as soon as he was made manifest to them by the word, and especially as soon as he was revealed in them, or made manifest in their hearts by his Spirit: I am found of them that sought me not; that had not sought him before the Gospel came to them; they sought the world, and the thing, of it, "for after all these things do the Gentiles seek"; they sought after the wisdom of the world, the vain philosophy of it; "the Greeks seek after wisdom"; and at most and best they only sought after morality and outward righteousness, but not after Christ, till he was set up in the Gospel as an ensign to them, Isa 11:10, but being preached in it, they were set a seeking after him, and "found" him in it, of whom it is full; in the doctrines, promises, and ordinances of it; in whom they found righteousness, life, and salvation, food, and plenty of it, rest, spiritual and eternal, and everlasting glory and happiness: I said, behold me, behold unto a nation that was not called by my name; which still describes the Gentiles, who formerly were not called the people of God, even those who now are, Hos 2:23, this Christ says to them in the Gospel, whose eyes he opens by his Spirit, to behold the glory of his person, the riches of his grace, his wondrous love and condescension, the abundance of blessings in him, and the complete salvation he has wrought out for sinners; and the words are repeated to show that Christ is only to be beheld, and is always to be looked unto; as well as it declares the heartiness of Christ, and his willingness that sinners should look unto him, and be saved; and all this is a proof of the preventing grace of God in the conversion of men, he is first in it; before they ask anything of him, or about him, or his Son, he manifests himself; he reveals Christ, bestows his grace, and presents them with the blessings of his goodness. R. Moses the priest, as Aben Ezra observes, interprets this of the nations of the world; and that the sense is, "even to the Gentiles that are not called by my name I am preached;'' which agrees with the apostle's sense of them; See Gill on Rom 10:20. (g) So, with the Rabbins, is "to preach"; is "a preacher"; is "a sermon"; "the name of a book of sermons"; and "an exposition"; see Buxtorf. Lex. Rab. col. 583, 584.”

“After the people have poured out their heart before Jehovah, He announces what they may expect from Him. But instead of commencing with a promise, as we might anticipate after the foregoing prayer, He begins with reproach and threatening; for although the penitential portion of the community had included the whole nation in their prayer, it was destruction, and not deliverance, which awaited one portion of the nation, and that portion was the greater one. The great mass were in that state of "sin unto death" which defies all intercession (Jo1 5:16), because they had so scornfully and obstinately resisted the grace which had been so long and so incessantly offered to them. "I was discernible to those who did not inquire, discoverable by those who did not seek me. I said, 'Here am I, here am I,' to a nation where my name was not called. I spread out my hands all the day to a refractory people, who walked in the way that was not good, after their own thoughts." The lxx (A) render Isa 65:1, "I was found by those who did not seek me, I became manifest to those who did not ask for me" (B reverses the order); and in Rom 10:20-21, Paul refers Isa 65:1 to the Gentiles, and Isa 65:2 to Israel. The former, to whom He has hitherto been strange, enter into fellowship with Him; whilst the latter, to whom He has constantly offered Himself, thrust Him away, and lose His fellowship. Luther accordingly adopts this rendering: "I shall be sought by those who did not ask for me, I shall be found by those who did not seek me. And to the heathen who did not call upon my name, I say, Here am I, here am I." Zwingli, again, observes on Isa 65:1, "This is an irresistible testimony to the adoption of the Gentiles." Calvin also follows the apostle's exposition, and observes, that "Paul argues boldly for the calling of the Gentiles on the ground of this passage, and says that Isaiah dared to proclaim and assert that the Gentiles had been called by God, because he announced a greater thing, and announced it more clearly than the reason of those times would bear." Of all the Jewish expositors, where is only one, viz., Gecatilia, who refers v. 1 to the Gentiles; and of all the Christina expositors of modern times, there is only one, viz., Hendewerk, who interprets it in this way, without having been influenced by the quotation made by Paul. Hofman, however, and Stier, feel obliged to follow the apostle's exposition, and endeavour to vindicate it. But we have no sympathy with any such untenable efforts to save the apostle's honour. In Rom 9:25-26, he also quotes Hos 2:23 and Hos 2:1 in support of the calling of the Gentiles; whereas he could not have failed to know, that it is the restoration of Israel to favour which is alluded to there. He merely appeals to Hos 2 in support of the New Testament fact of the calling of the Gentiles, so far as it is in these words of the Old Testament prophet that the fact is most adequately expressed. And according to Pe1 2:10, Peter received the same impression from Hosea's words. But with the passage before us it is very different. The apostle shows, by the way in which he applies the Scripture, how he depended in this instance upon the Septuagint translation, which was in his own hands and those of his readers also, and by which the allusion to the Gentiles is naturally suggested, even if not actually demanded. And we may also assume that the apostle himself understood the Hebrew text, with which he, the pupil of Rabban Gamaliel, was of course well acquainted, in the same sense, viz., as relating to the calling of the Gentiles, without being therefore legally bound to adopt the same interpretation. The interchange of גּוי (cf., Isa 55:5) and עם; the attribute בשׁים קרא לא, which applies to heathen, and heathen only; the possibility of interpreting Isa 65:1-2, in harmony with the context both before and after, if Isa 65:1 be taken as referring to the Gentiles, on the supposition that Jehovah is here contrasting His success with the Gentiles and His failure with Israel: all these certainly throw weight into the scale. Nevertheless they are not decisive, if we look at the Hebrew alone, apart altogether from the lxx. For nidrashtı̄ does not mean "I have become manifest;" but, regarded as the so-called niphal tolerativum (according to Eze 14:3; Eze 20:3, Eze 20:31; Eze 36:37), "I permitted myself to be explored or found out;" and consequently נמצאתי, according to Isa 55:6, "I let myself be found." And so explained, Isa 65:1 stands in a parallel relation to Isa 55:6 : Jehovah was searchable, was discoverable (cf., Zep 1:6) to those who asked no questions, and did not seek Him (ללוא = לא לאשׁר, Ges. 123, 3), i.e., He displayed to Israel the fulness of His nature and the possibility of His fellowship, although they did not bestir themselves or trouble themselves in the least about Him - a view which is confirmed by the fact that Isa 65:1 merely refers to offers made to them, and not to results of any kind. Israel, however, is called בשׁמי אל־קרא גוי, not as a nation that was not called by Jehovah's name (which would be expressed by נקרא, Isa 43:7; cf., מקראי, κλητός μου, Isa 48:12), but as a nation where (supply 'ăsher) Jehovah's name was not invoked (lxx "who called not upon my name"), and therefore as a thoroughly heathenish nation; for which reason we have gōi (lxx ἔθνος) here, and not ‛am (lxx λαός). Israel was estranged from Him, just like the heathen; but He still turned towards them with infinite patience, and (as is added in Isa 65:2) with ever open arms of love. He spread out His hands (as a man does to draw another towards him to embrace him) all the day (i.e., continually, cf., Isa 28:24) towards an obstinate people, who walked in the way that was not good (cf., Psa 36:5; Pro 16:29; here with the article, which could not be repeated with the adjective, because of the לא), behind their own thoughts. That which led them, and which they followed, was not the will of God, but selfish views and purposes, according to their won hearts' lusts; and yet Jehovah did not let them alone, but they were the constant thought and object of His love, which was ever seeking, alluring, and longing for their salvation.”