EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)
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Therefore said I, Look away from me.—The tone is that of one who wishes to be alone in his sorrow. It is too deep for visits of consolation. He “refuses to be comforted.” Isaiah bewails the destruction of “the daughter of his people” in much the same strain as that of Jeremiah over a later catastrophe (
Lamentations 3:48).
Isaiah 22:4-5.
Therefore said I,&c. — “Behold the prophet here anticipating those lamentations which he was afterward to pour forth, and which Jeremiah so pathetically poured forth, an eye-witness of this calamity. For the expressions here are too strong to be applied to any other calamity than the great and final one, when the Jews were carried captives to Babylon;”
of which the prophet had a clear foresight.
Look away from me— Take off your eyes and thoughts from me, and leave me alone, that I may take my fill of sorrow.
Labour not to comfort me— For all your labour will be lost. I neither can nor will receive any consolation.
Because of the spoiling,&c. — Of that city and nation, whereof I am a member. The title of
daughteris often given both to cities and nations, as hath been observed before.
For it is a day of treadling down— In which my people are trodden under foot by their insolent enemies;
and of perplexity by the Lord of hosts— This is added, partly to show, that this did not happen without God’s providence; and partly to aggravate their calamity, because, not only men, but God himself fought against them;
breaking down the walls— Of the strong cities of Judah; which was done both by Sennacherib and by Nebuchadnezzar;
and of crying to the mountains— With such loud and dismal outcries as should reach to the neighbouring mountains. “Who does not see,” says Vitringa, “in Isaiah, thus weeping over Jerusalem, a type of Jesus weeping over this same city in its last extremity?”
22:1-7 Why is Jerusalem in such terror? Her slain men are not slain with the sword, but with famine; or, slain with fear, disheartened. Their rulers fled, but were overtaken. The servants of God, who foresee and warn sinners of coming miseries, are affected by the prospect. But all the horrors of a city taken by storm, faintly shadow forth the terrors of the day of wrath.
Look away from me - Do not look upon me - an indication of deep grief, for sorrow seeks to be alone, and grief avoids publicity and exposure.
I will weep bitterly - Hebrew, 'I will be bitter in weeping.' Thus we speak of "bitter" sorrow, indicating excessive grief (see the note atIsaiah 15:5; compareJeremiah 13:17;Jeremiah 14:17;Lamentations 1:16;Lamentations 2:11;Micah 1:8-9).
Labour not - The sense is, 'My grief is so great that I cannot be comforted. There are no topics of consolation that can be presented. I must be alone, and allowed to indulge in deep and overwhelming sorrow at the calamities that are coming upon my nation and people.'
Because of the spoiling - The desolation; the ruin that is coming upon them.
The daughter of my people - Jerusalem (see the note atIsaiah 1:8; compareJeremiah 4:11;Jeremiah 6:14;Jeremiah 8:19,Jeremiah 8:21-22;Lamentations 2:11;Lamentations 4:3,Lamentations 4:6,Lamentations 4:10).
4. Look … from me—Deep grief seeks to be alone; while others feast joyously, Isaiah mourns in prospect of the disaster coming on Jerusalem (Mic 1:8, 9).
daughter, &c.—(see on [720]Isa 1:8; [721]La 2:11).
Look away from me; take off your eyes and thoughts from me, and leave me alone, that I may take my fill of sorrows.
Labour not to comfort me; for all your labour will be lost, I neither can nor will receive any consolation.
Of the daughter of my people; of that city and nation whereof I am a member. The title of
daughter is oft given both to cities and nations, as hath been noted before.
Therefore said I,.... Not God to the ministering angels, as Jarchi; but the prophet to those that were about him, his relations, friends, and acquaintance:
look away from me; turn away from me, look another way; cease from me, let me alone; leave me to myself, that I may weep in secret, take my fill of sorrow, and give full vent to it:
I will weep bitterly; or, "I will be bitter", or, "bitter myself in weeping" (n); it denotes the vehemence of his grief, the greatness of his sorrow, and the strength of his passion:
labour not to comfort me; make use of no arguments to persuade me to lay aside my mourning; do not be urgent and importunate with me to receive consolation, for my soul refuses to be comforted:
because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people; his countrymen, which were as dear to him as a daughter to a tender parent, now spoiled, plundered, and made desolate by the ravages of the enemy, in many cities of Judea.
(n) "amarificabo me in fletu", Montanus; "amaritudine afficiam me in isto fletu", Junius & Tremellius.
Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep{g} bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the plundering of the daughter of my people.(g) He shows what is the duty of the godly, when God's plagues hang over the Church, and especially of the ministers, Jer 9:1.
