John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 34:16

"Seek ye out of the book of Jehovah, and read: no one of these shall be missing, none shall want her mate; for my mouth, it hath commanded, and his Spirit, it hath gathered them." — Isaiah 34:16 (ASV)

Inquire at the book of Jehovah. By “the book of the Lord” some understand this prophecy, as if he had instructed them to read this prediction attentively; for not even in the minutest point will it fail at the appointed time, as he will add later. Others explain it more ingeniously as denoting the eternal decree of God: “inquire if such is not the purpose of God.” However, this interpretation is not natural enough. I willingly interpret it as denoting the Law itself, which is pre-eminently called “the book of the Lord,” for the Prophets drew their doctrine from the Law, as from its source, as we have often remarked.

To prevent the strangeness of the event from causing the prediction to be disbelieved, Isaiah says that the Jews had been warned of it long before. Thus, he indirectly criticizes the unbelief of those who were astonished by the announcement, as if it were something uncommon. He appropriately brings them back to the Law, in which God often declares that he will take care of his people and that he will punish the wicked and reprobate.

Since Moses spoke in this manner long ago, the Prophet says that there is no reason why it should be difficult to believe what he foretells, as he presents nothing new, but only confirms now what Moses declared and testified. This appears to me to be the natural meaning of the Prophet. By these words, he intended to strengthen the Jews to look patiently for what the Lord promised and to fully believe that all that had been foretold about the Edomites and the other adversaries of the Church would eventually be fulfilled, since Moses was a credible witness that God would always be the avenger of his people.

Besides, it was appropriate that they should be reminded of this, so that when these things happened to the Edomites, they might not think that they had occurred by chance, but might know that they were brought about by the judgment of God. Such is the rebellion of humanity that people do not believe God when he forewarns them, and what later takes place by the judgment of God they attribute to fortune. Isaiah therefore addresses this and instructs them to inquire of Moses, whose authority they all revered.

Not one of those—that is, of the animals—for the Hebrew writers use these terms, איש (ish) and אשה, (ishshah,) not only for men and women, but for males and females of any species.

For his mouth has commanded. He confirms what he previously said; for although the works of God are sufficiently plain, yet by his mouth—that is, by the Word—he makes them clearer to us, so that we may see them more distinctly. This is the true contemplation of the works of God: when we keep our eye fixed on the mirror of the Word.

Otherwise, our boldness is carried to excess, and we take greater liberty than is proper if heavenly doctrine does not guide us like a lamp. This ought therefore to restrain the boldness and rashness of people who, despising the doctrine of the Word, wish to dispute and form opinions about the judgments of God and all his worlds. If they inquired at the book and asked at the mouth of the Lord, we would see greater piety and religion among them.

Yet by “the mouth of the Lord,” the Prophet intended to confirm the vengeance which he had foretold, because nothing that has come out of God’s holy mouth can fail to have its effect. Isaiah affirms that what God has once decreed and published in his own name cannot be reversed. With this shield, he thus repels all the doubts that quickly arise whenever the promises of God go beyond what our senses can perceive.

Sometimes, indeed, he threatens conditionally, as he threatened the Ninevites (Jonah 1:2), Pharaoh (Genesis 12:17), and Abimelech (Genesis 20:3), whom he spared because they repented. However, when he has once determined to avenge and punish, he gives actual proof that he is no less true and powerful than when he promised salvation to his people. The agreement of the words Mouth and Spirit makes this still more evident.

And his Spirit has gathered them. Although “the breath of the mouth” often means the same thing as “speech,” and although it is customary for Hebrew writers to repeat the same thing twice, here he elegantly alludes to the breath from which words proceed and by which they are formed. It is as if he were saying that this prediction is abundantly powerful because the same God who by his voice commanded the brute animals to possess the land of Edom will bring them by merely breathing. He speaks of a secret influence.

We should not wonder that the slightest expression of God’s will causes all the animals to assemble, as happened at the flood (Genesis 7:15), and likewise at the very creation of the world when, as Moses relates, all the animals were gathered together by God’s command to the first man, so that they might be subject to his authority (Genesis 2:19).

Undoubtedly, they would have continued to be subject and obedient to him, had not his own rebellion deprived him of that power and authority. However, when he rebelled against God, the animals at the same time began to refuse subjection and to attack him.