Ver. 1. Woe to the rebellious children.] Vae filiis desertoribus, vel apostatis, so he boldly calleth the politicians of his time, the counsellors of state, Shebna and others, who gave good Hezekiah ill counsel to send to Egypt for help when Sennacherib invaded him. Well might St Paul say, “Esaias is very bold.” (Romans 10:20) Consurgens enim, proceres inquit, quid hoc rei est quod occeptatis? male omnina factum! vae vobls, vae reipublicae toti! Such another bold court preacher was Elias, Amos, John Baptist, Chrysostom, Latimer, Dearing, &c. See Latimer’s letter to King Henry VIII after the proclamation for abolishing English books, Acts and Mon., fol. 1591, where we may see and marvel at his great boldness and stoutness, saith Mr Foxe, who, as yet being no bishop, so freely and plainly, without all fear of death, adventuring his own life to discharge his conscience so boldly, to so mighty a prince, in such a dangerous case, against the king’s law and proclamation, set out in such a terrible time, dared take upon him to write and to admonish that which no counsellor dared once speak unto him in defenee of Christ’s gospel, &c. That take council, but not of me.] Though I am “the wonderful Counsellor,” (Isaiah 9:6) and though they profess to be my children, but unruly, rebellious ones. I must needs say, they are such as, like petty gods within themselves, run on of their own heads, and “lean to their own understanding,” (Proverbs 3:5) as if I were nothing to them, or as if Consilii satis est in me mihi were their motto. See the like folly, Joshua 9:14. That cover with a covering.] But it will not reach. (Isaiah 28:20) God will make the strongest sinew in the arm of flesh to crack, and the fairest blossoms of human policies to wither. That they may add sin to sin,] i.e., Thereby adding sin to sin. (Deuteronomy 29:19 Job 34:37) [See Trapp on “De 29:19”] [See Trapp on “Job 34:37”] Est species quaedam αποστασιας aliunde quam a Deo auxilium petere. Et ordiremini telam.
Ver. 2. That walk to go down into Egypt.] This they were flatly forbidden to do. But state policy doth sometimes carry it against express Scripture, to the formalising and enervating of the power of truth, till at length they have left us a heartless and sapless religion, as one well observeth. This is no thriving course certainly; here we have a dreadful woe hanged at the heels of it. The Grecian Churches first called in the Turks to their help, who distressed them, and then, through fear of the Turks, A.D. 1438, sent and subjected themselves to the Bishop of Rome, that they might have the help of the Latin Churches; but shortly after they were destroyed, their empire subdued, &c., teaching all others by their example not to trust to carnal combinations, not to seek the association of others in a sinful way.
Ver. 3. Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame.] They that consult not with God “consult shame to their own houses”; (Hebrews 2:10) and because they despise him, they shall be lightly esteemed. (1 Samuel 2:30) When any came to Bacon and Burleigh, Queen Elizabeth’s gravest counsellors, with a project or design of raising her revenue, or promoting her interest, they would ask him how much reputation would redound unto her by it. Moses, who was faithful in all God’s house, had the like care of God’s glory, (Exodus 32:10,12) and is therefore renowned to all posterity. But these apostates in the text, for carnal policy and contempt of God, are justly branded and threatened with disgrace and disappointment.
Ver. 4. For his princes were at Zoan.] Where Pharaoh kept his court, and Moses had done his miracles. And his ambassadors came to Hanes.] This was, saith Jerome, a famous city in the utmost part of Egypt, toward Ethiopia. Oecolampadius saith it lay beyond Egypt. So far did these men travel and trouble themselves in seeking foreign help, when they might have stayed at home to better purpose.
Ver. 5. They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them.] Either could not or would not, for fear of provoking the Assyrian, so potent and formidable a prince. When Queen Elizabeth undertook to protect the Netherlanders against the Spaniard, the King of Sweden, hearing of it, said, that she had taken the crown off her own head and set it on the head of Fortune.
Ver. 6. The burden,] i.e., The gifts and presents wherewith the Hebrews’ beasts were laden to carry southward, to hire help from Egypt. A man’s gift maketh room for him. (Proverbs 18:11) Philip was wont to say, that he doubted not of taking any town or tower, if he could but thrust into it an ass laden with gold. But these Jewish ambassadors lost both their labour and their treasures, carried upon the shoulders of many young asses, and upon the bunches of camels, to a very great quantity. See what a present was sent to a poor prophet, even of every good thing of Damascus forty camels’ burden, (2 Kings 8:9) and guess by that what a deal of wealth went now to Egypt to procure help. Into the land of trouble and anguish.] That great and terrible wilderness of Arabia, wherein were “fiery serpents and scorpions,” (Deuteronomy 8:15) and other fell creatures not a few. Through that “waste howling desert” (Deuteronomy 32:10) that lay between Judea and Egypt, travelled these beasts with their burdens; but all was labour in vain, and cost cast away, because God was not of the counsel.