John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 10

Woe to them that decree. He now attacks the people more closely, as he did in the first and second chapters, to make them feel that they are justly afflicted; for people never acknowledge that they are justly punished until they have been clearly convicted and compelled. Although they were sufficiently convicted by former proofs, he still found it necessary to address specific details, so that through them their hypocrisy might be exposed.

For people are so brazen-faced that they think any excuse shields them, and they openly accuse God. When they had become so shameless, it was impossible for him to rebuke them too sharply or to carry his accusations beyond proper limits, in order to shut their mouths, whether they willed it or not.

עמל (gnamal) and און (aven) are often joined together in Scripture, as in Psalm 7:14. און signifies vanity and iniquity, but the latter meaning agrees better with this passage. עמל, (gnamal), on the other hand, denotes vexation, and often the very cause of the vexation—that is, the oppression inflicted by the stronger on the weaker when they abuse their authority and power. Having formerly shown that the wickedness originated from the governors themselves (Isaiah 1:10, 23), he places them in the first rank, so that they may undergo the punishment of the crimes which they had caused. This should be carefully observed, for those who are elevated to the highest rank imagine that they are exempted from the ordinary lot of other people, and that they are not bound to give an account to God; and therefore he threatens that they will have this privilege: they will be the first to be punished.

Some think that two classes are described here and draw a distinction between חקקים, (chokekim), those who decree, and מכתבים, (mechattebim), those who write. But I do not approve of this, for he generally attacks, without distinction, princes and magistrates who oppressed the people by unjust and tyrannical decrees, in such a manner that their actions approached absolute robbery; and therefore he includes every class of magistrates and governors.

To keep back. Others render it, to cause them to turn aside; but the true meaning is, to keep back the poor from judgment, or make them lose their cause. This is the iniquity and oppression which he had mentioned in the former verse, that the poor are deprived of their rights, and are robbed for the sake of the rich, and go away mocked from the judgment-seat, while everything is laid open to plunder.

He chiefly mentions the poor, because for the most part they are destitute of help and assistance. While magistrates and judges ought to have assisted them more than others, they allow themselves greater liberty, and indulge more contemptuously in oppressing them. Those who have wealth, or friends, or favor, are less liable to be oppressed; for they have arms in their hands to defend and even to revenge themselves.

But the Lord says that he takes special care of the poor (Exodus 22:23; Deuteronomy 15:9; Deuteronomy 24:15), even though they are commonly despised. He takes such care of them that he does not allow oppression inflicted on them to pass unpunished. For it is not without good ground that he calls himself the protector and defender of such persons (Psalms 68:5).

From this consideration, therefore, the poor and weak ought to derive consolation, and more calmly to endure distresses and afflictions, because they learn that God takes care of them, and will not permit any injustice done to them to pass unpunished.

The powerful and wealthy are at the same time warned not to take it as an incentive to sin that they have not been punished; for though no avenger is now seen, still the Lord will avenge, and will undertake the cause of those whom they imagined to be destitute of all assistance.

And what will you do? Here the Prophet severely threatens princes who were careless and indolent in their distresses, as men intoxicated by prosperity are accustomed to haughtily despise every danger. He therefore warns them that, though God delays, He has still fixed a time for judgment, and it is already close at hand. Because they had vanquished the neighboring nations in war and fortified themselves by an alliance with a very powerful nation, they no longer had any fear. Therefore, he expressly declares that their calamity will come from afar.

In the day of visitation. By visitation, judgment is meant here, for God visits us in two ways: in mercy and in judgment. In both ways He reveals Himself and His power to us, both when, in compassion for us, He rescues us from dangers, and when He punishes those who are ungodly and who despise the word. Both kinds of visitation have the same object in view, for we do not see the Lord except in His works; and we think He is absent unless He gives us a token of His presence. Therefore, Scripture presents this visitation in a way suited to our understanding. For when we are pressed down by afflictions, and when the ungodly freely give themselves up to wickedness, we suppose that God is far away and takes no interest in our affairs.

Accordingly, visitation must here be understood to mean the judgment by which God, in opposition to the waywardness and insolence of the ungodly, will bring them back like deserters. But if the judgments of God are so dreadful in this life, how dreadful will He be when He finally comes to judge the world! All the instances of punishment that now produce fear or terror are nothing more than preparations for that final vengeance with which He will thunder against the reprobate. Many things He appears to pass by, He purposely reserves and delays until that last day. And if the ungodly cannot bear these chastisements, how much less will they be capable of enduring His glorious and inconceivable majesty when He ascends that awful tribunal, before which the angels themselves tremble!

And when the desolation shall come from afar. When he says from afar, it is important to observe that we must not allow the prosperity we now enjoy to deprive us of our senses. For those who carelessly sleep in their vices, and by this wicked indifference call God's power into question, will quickly feel that He can, in a moment, whenever He pleases, shake heaven and earth from east to west.

To whom will you flee? He declares that it is in vain for them to rely on their resources, for, in opposition to the hand of God, they will be fruitless and of no use at all. At the same time, He likewise shows that this will be a most righteous reward, for when they are cruel toward others, they will justly be made to feel that they now have no help either from God or from men.

They will have judgment without mercy who have showed no mercy (James 2:13).

This applies especially to the judges, who ought to have been a protection to the whole people, for they have been appointed to defend the poor and wretched. But if they neglect and betray, and even plunder them, it is right that they should be made to feel, through their own destitute condition, how greatly this cruelty offends God.

Where will you deposit your glory? This is understood by commentators to mean that they will be thrown down from their high rank. They suppose it to be an ironical and contemptuous question from the Prophet: “What will become of that illustrious rank of which the nobles cruelly and foolishly boast whenever God spares them for a short time?”

But as this was a strained interpretation, I think instead that Isaiah asks, “Where will they find a safe hiding-place in which they may deposit their glory?” Thus, I consider the meaning to be to leave, for the sake of preservation. The two clauses correspond to each other: To whom will you flee? and, “Where will you find a refuge for your glory to preserve it?”

But perhaps preference will be given to a different view, which I have noted in the margin, for the verb עזב (gnazab) also signifies to strengthen.

Again, if God thus condemns to destruction princes who are thrown down from an elevated position, what will become of the lowest? No one, therefore, has any reason to flatter himself, for we will all be like stubble when the Lord’s wrath has been kindled against us (Psalms 83:13).

If they shall not fall down. As the meaning of the particle בלתי (bilti) is ambiguous, commentators have given various interpretations of it. Some take it in an exclusive sense, as in many other passages of Scripture; as if he had said, Only he shall fall down among the bound and slain; that is, because all will be condemned and given up either to captivity or to death.

Others render it, Without me they shall fall. If this rendering is preferred, the Prophet shows that the cause of their destruction is that they have revolted from God; and unquestionably, the cause of all our distresses is to forsake the fountain of life and of salvation, and of all blessings.

In this manner, he sharply reproves the madness of the ungodly, who boast of having been forsaken by God, as if nothing were more desirable or pleasant than to withdraw to the greatest distance from Him. Thus it will be an ironical reproof: their calamity will arise from no other source than from the absence of God, in whom, without any good reason, they had rejoiced.

Others consider it to be an elliptical expression, meaning that they will have no hiding-place except by throwing themselves down under the captives and the slain.

It might also be a form of an oath, If they shall not. In that case, the meaning would be highly appropriate: that God swears in wrath that He will spare none of them, but will abandon some to captivity and deliver up others to be put to death.

In a word, this declaration shows what consequences await all those who, after being warned by the word of God, do not repent.

From what immediately follows, we learn that a dreadful and alarming destruction is threatened. For the Prophet repeats what he has already said frequently: that the wrath of the Lord is not yet apparent, and that God will find more frightful punishments to avenge Himself.

This teaches us that nothing is more truly desirable than to be moved by sincere repentance and to acknowledge our fault, so that we may obtain pardon from the Lord.

O Assyrian. What now follows relates to the threat of punishment, but at the same time mingles some consolation to alleviate the distresses of the godly.

Indeed, the greater part of the discourse is occupied with this doctrine: that all the afflictions which will be brought upon them by the Assyrians are a temporary scourge inflicted by God, but that unbelievers, after having too freely indulged themselves, will at length be brought to submission.

The word הוי (hoi) is sometimes an interjection expressive of lamentation, such as Ah! Sometimes it denotes addressing, such as O! Sometimes it means, as the old translator rendered it, Woe to.

But here it cannot be explained in any other way than that God calls the Assyrians, or assumes the character of one who sighs because He is compelled to inflict punishment on His people by means of the Assyrians.

But when I more closely examine the whole matter, I rather come to this opinion: that here the Lord calls on the Assyrians, as if He armed them by His authority to carry on war.

He had formerly said that they would come; but hypocrites are so careless that they are never moved by the fear of God until His scourges are not only seen but felt.

This is the reason why He now addresses them, Come; as if a judge called an officer and ordered him to put a malefactor in chains, or delivered him to the executioner to inflict capital punishment upon him.

Thus the Lord calls the Assyrians to execute His vengeance by their hands.

And the staff in their hand is mine indignation. This may be viewed as referring to the Assyrian and may be explained as a repetition of the same statement, with a slight change of words.

But I distinguish between them in this manner: that the Assyrians are called the rod of God’s indignation; and next, that the swords and weapons with which they are furnished are nothing else than God’s anger.

It is as if the Prophet had said that God, according to His pleasure, made use of the Assyrians in the same manner as swords for the execution of His anger.

Furthermore, although they bear swords, there will still be no reason to be afraid of them, except insofar as the wrath of God will be displayed against the Jews.

The general meaning is: “All the strength which the enemy will possess proceeds from the wrath of God, and they are moved by His secret impulse to destroy the people, for otherwise He would not move a finger.”

God declares that the staff which is carried in their hand is His anger, in order to inform the Jews that the blind attacks of the enemies are regulated by a heavenly providence.

The phrase בידם (beyadam) is rendered by some as in place of them, or as into their country; but I do not approve of this, and it is too far-fetched.

In a word, the Lord calls the Assyrians, as the ministers of His wrath, to punish the sins of His people by their hand, and declares that everything that is in their hand is His wrath.

This doctrine has two objects in view.

First, it aims to terrify the ungodly and to inform them that the Lord does not threaten their destruction in vain. Next, He points out the reason why He punishes them.

This was of the greatest importance for shaking off the sluggishness of the ungodly, who laughed to scorn all the discourses and threats of the Prophet.

Secondly, this doctrine was of great importance when the people themselves began to be afflicted by the Assyrians. For then they actually saw that what the Prophets had foretold was not without foundation, and that these things did not happen by chance.

It will be objected: Why does He afterwards call the staff His anger, since He formerly said that the Assyrian is the rod of His indignation?

For He ought rather to have spoken thus: “The Assyrian is My wrath, and the staff which he carries is the staff of My indignation.”

But we need not anxiously dwell on the words when we understand the Prophet’s meaning.

He calls men the staff of His anger because He uses them like a staff. He calls men’s weapons the wrath of God because they are not regulated by their own choice, but are proofs of the wrath of God.

The Prophet therefore spoke appropriately, so that we might not think that the wicked rush forward, without control, wherever their lawless passions lead them; but, on the contrary, that a bridle restrains and keeps them back from doing anything without the will of God.

Hence we ought to learn that the Lord acts even by the hand of the wicked. But here we must think and speak soberly, for it is proper to make a wise and judicious distinction between the work of God and the work of men. There are three ways in which God acts by men.

1. All of us move and exist by Him (Acts 17:28). Hence it follows that all actions proceed from His power.
2. In a peculiar manner He impels and directs the wicked according as He thinks fit; and although nothing is further from their thoughts, still He makes use of their agency so that they may kill and destroy one another, or that by their hand He may chastise His people. Of this method the Prophet speaks in this passage.
3. When He guides by His Spirit of sanctification, which is peculiar to the elect.

Whether, therefore, we are attacked by tyrants or robbers, or any other person, or foreign nations rise up against us, let us always plainly see the hand of God amidst the greatest agitation and confusion, and let us not suppose that anything happens by chance.