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Out of him came forth the corner - This is spoken of the tribe of Judah: all strength, counsel, and excellence came from that tribe. The corner stone, the ornament and completion of the building; the nail, by which the tents were fastened, and on which they hung their clothes, armor, etc., the battlebow, the choicest archers.

Every oppressor together - Those heroes and generals, by whom, under God, their foes should be totally routed. Newcome translates, "Every ruler together." Perhaps all this is spoken of the Messiah.

Out of him came forth - Or rather, “From him is the corner,” as Jeremiah, “Their nobles shall be from themselves, and their governor shall go forth from the midst of them” Jeremiah 30:21. Her strength, though given by God, was to be inherent in her, though from her too was to come He who was to be “the head-corned-stone,” the sure Foundation and Crowner of the whole building.

From thee the nail - An emblem of fixedness in itself, (as Isaiah says, “I will fasten him a nail to a sure place” Isaiah 22:23) and of security given to others dependent on Him, as Isaiah says further, “And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father‘s house, the offspring and the issue, from the vessels of cups to the vessels of flagons” Isaiah 22:24; all, of much or little account, the least and the greatest. Osorius: “Christ is the cornerstone; Christ is the nail fixed in the wall, whereby all vessels are supported. The word of Christ is the bow, whence the arrows rend the king‘s enemies.”

From it every exactor shall go forth together - God had promised Zechariah 9:8 that no “oppressor,” or “exactor Isaiah 14:2, shall pass through them anymore.” He seems to repeat it here. “From thee shall go forth every oppressor together; go forth,” not to return: as lsaiah had said, “Thy children shall make haste to return; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee” Isaiah 49:17. “From it, its cornerstone; from it, the sure nail; from it, the battle bow; from it,” he no longer unites closely with it, that which should be from it, or of it, but - “from it shall go forth every oppressor together;” one and all, as we say; a confused pele-mele body, as Isaiah, “all that are found of thee are bound together” Isaiah 22:3; “together shall they all perish” Isaiah 31:3; or, in separate clauses, “they are all of them put to shame; together they shall go into confusion” Isaiah 45:16.

Spiritual blessings had been promised under figurative allusions to earthly plenty. Seasonable rain is a great mercy, which we may ask of God when there is most need of it, and we may look for it to come. We must in our prayers ask for mercies in their proper time. The Lord would make bright clouds, and give showers of rain. This may be an exhortation to seek the influences of the Holy Spirit, in faith and by prayer, through which the blessings held forth in the promises are obtained and enjoyed. The prophet shows the folly of making addresses to idols, as their fathers had done. The Lord visited the remnant of his flock in mercy, and was about to renew their courage and strength for conflict and victory. Every creature is to us what God makes it to be. Every one raised to support the nation, as a corner-stone does the building, or to unite those that differ, as nails join the different timbers, must come from the Lord; and those employed to overcome their enemies, must have strength and success from him. This may be applied to Christ; to him we must look to raise up persons to unite, support, and defend his people. He never will say, Seek ye me in vain.