Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary: Isaias
Chapter 54
Ver. 1. Barren Jews in captivity, or Church of the Gentiles, to which alone many of the expressions can be applied. (Calmet) --- The Gentiles were before unfruitful, as the Jews will be till towards the latter times. (Worthington)
Ver. 2. Stakes, to receive so great a family. All the Israelites did not return, and it does not appear that many embraced their religion, as they have done that of Christ.
Ver. 3. Left. To the north and south. Jerusalem increased. But what was it compared with the Christian establishment!
Ver. 4. Widowhood. Thy former excesses shall be forgotten. (Calmet)
Ver. 5. Thee. Hebrew, "Bohalaic (Haydock) shall be your Baalim," or husband, who was styled Lord, 1 Peter iii. 6. Perhaps he may allude to the two wives, the synagogue and the Church, or to the idols, which should be adored no more.
Ver. 6. Youth. This enhances her fault. God is pleased to overlook it, in the captives (chap. l. 1.) and Gentiles.
Ver. 9. Earth. Giving him the rainbow for a sign. My covenant with the Church is equally irrevocable: she is founded on a rock, Matthew xvi. 18. (Calmet) --- Christ will no more abandon her than he will drown the world. Some mountains shall be moved out of their place, but she shall not. (Worthington)
Ver. 11. Sapphires. Hebrew, "antimony," a mineral shining like silver, 4 Kings ix. 30.
Ver. 12. Bulwarks. Hebrew, windows of crystal; (Ezechiel xxvii. 1[].; Calmet) Protestants, "of agate." (Haydock) --- All this is allegorical, like the redemption of the new Jerusalem, Apocalypse xxi.
Ver. 13. Lord, Christ, Jeremias xxxi. 33., and John vi. 45.
Ver. 14. Thee. The Cutheans rendered the Jews suspected, 1 Esdras iv. 2., and vi. 1.
Ver. 15. To thee, in the inheritance. This was verified in the Church. We have no account of many being converted before.
Ver. 16. Destroy. I can give peace or war. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "but I have created thee not for utter destruction." (Haydock)
Bible Text & Cross-references:
The Gentiles, who were barren before, shall multiply in the Church of Christ: from which God's mercy shall never depart.
1 Give *praise, O thou barren, that bearest not: sing forth praise, and make a joyful noise, thou that didst not travail with child: for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her that hath a husband, saith the Lord.
2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and stretch out the skins of thy tabernacles, spare not: lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.
3 For thou shalt pass on to the right hand, and to the left: and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and shall inhabit the desolate cities.
4 Fear not, for thou shalt not be confounded, nor blush: for thou shalt not be put to shame, because thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt remember no more the reproach of thy widowhood.
5 For he that made thee shall rule over thee, *the Lord of hosts is his name: and thy Redeemer, the holy One of Israel, shall be called the God of all the earth.
6 For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and mourning in spirit, and as a wife cast off from her youth, said thy God.
7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee.
8 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.
9 *This thing is to me as in the days of Noe, to whom I swore, that I would no more bring in the waters of Noe upon the earth: so have I sworn not to be angry with thee, and not to rebuke thee.
10 For the mountains shall be moved, and the hills shall tremble: but my mercy shall not depart from thee, and the covenant of my peace shall not be moved: said the Lord that hath mercy on thee.
11 O poor little one, tossed with tempest, without all comfort, behold, I will lay thy stones in order, and will lay thy foundations with sapphires.
12 And I will make thy bulwarks of jasper: and thy gates of graven stones, and all thy borders of desirable stones.
13 *All thy children shall be taught of the Lord: and great shall be the peace of thy children.
14 And thou shalt be founded in justice: depart far from oppression, for thou shalt not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near thee.
15 Behold, an inhabitant shall come, who was not with me; he that was a stranger to thee before, shall be joined to thee.
16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the killer to destroy.
17 No weapon that is formed against thee, shall prosper: and every tongue that resisteth thee in judgment, thou shalt condemn. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their justice with me, saith the Lord.
____________________
*
1: Luke xxiii. 9.; Galatians iv. 27.
5: Luke xi. 32.
9: Genesis ix. 15.
13: John vi. 45.
Chapter 55
Ver. 1. Waters, which in that country are very scarce. --- Milk. Septuagint, "fat." (Calmet) --- In the western Churches, wine and honey were given to the new baptized, chap. vii. 15. (St. Jerome) --- Christ invites all to come to him, John iv. 14., and vii. 37. The establishment of the Church is described under the figure of the return from Babylon. (Calmet) --- Grace is offered to all. But only those are justified who thirst, and do their best, Matthew v. 6. (Worthington)
Ver. 3. David. I will be equally faithful to you, Psalm lxxxviii. 29. Septuagint, "the holy things of David faithful," Acts xiii. 34. The resurrection of Christ fully accomplished the promise made to David.
Ver. 4. Him. David, who continually proclaimed the divine mercies, (Psalm xvii. 1.) or rather Christ; though Grotius alone would refer it to Jeremias. (Calmet)
Ver. 5. Not with approbation. (Haydock) --- The Gentiles are converted.
Ver. 6. Near. He will shortly (Calmet) turn to the Gentiles, John xii. 35., and Acts xiii. 46. (Haydock)
Ver. 7. Way. This is a necessary preliminary to God's service. (Worthington)
Ver. 8. My ways. I am not vindictive, but require a sincere conversion. (Calmet) --- We cannot serve both God and the world. We must therefore adhere to the former. (Worthington)
Ver. 11. Sent it. I will assuredly bring you from Babylon; and the rain shall sooner return upwards than I will break my promise.
Ver. 12. Peace, by strangers, chap. xlix. 22. --- Hands, for joy. (Calmet) --- Ipsa sonant arbusta Deus Deus ille, Menalca. (Virgil, Eclogues v.)
Ver. 13. Myrtle-tree. Instead of the wicked, the just shall be seen. (Chaldean) --- Away. The conversion and sanctity of the Gentiles shall be a trophy to the Lord. (Menochius)
Bible Text & Cross-references:
God promises abundance of spiritual graces to the faithful, that shall believe in Christ out of all nations, and sincerely serve him.
1 All *you that thirst, come to the waters: and you that have no money, make haste, buy, and eat: come ye, buy wine, and milk, without money, and without any price.
2 Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which doth not satisfy you? Hearken diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and your soul shall be delighted in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come to me: hear and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, *the faithful mercies of David.
4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people; for a leader and a master to the Gentiles.
5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation, which thou knewest not: and the nations that knew not thee, shall run to thee, because of the Lord thy God, and for the holy One of Israel, for he hath glorified thee.
6 Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found: call upon him, while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unjust man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God: for he is bountiful to forgive.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts: nor your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are my ways exalted above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts.
10 And as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return no more thither, but soak the earth, and water it, and make it to spring, and give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be, which shall go forth from my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall do whatsoever I please, and shall prosper in the things for which I sent it.
12 For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall sing praise before you, and all the trees of the country shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the shrub, shall come up the fir-tree, and instead of the nettle, shall come up the myrtle-tree: and the Lord shall be named for an everlasting sign, that shall not be taken away.
____________________
*
1: John vii. 37.; Ecclesiasticus li. 33.; Apocalypse xxii. 17.; Jeremias xv. 16.; Ezechiel iii. 3.; Proverbs ix. 5.
3: Acts xiii. 34.