They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces
thitherward,
&c.] Either to Jerusalem, near to which Mount Zion was; or to
the land of Israel, so called, from a principal part of it: and
this also is not to be understood of their return thither, upon
the taking of Babylon by Cyrus, and the liberty he gave them; for
they had no need to inquire their way thither, nor do we find any
where that they did; for though there might be many among them
born in the captivity, who knew not the way; yet there were
others that did, and could direct and go before them, even such
who had seen the former temple, ( Ezra 3:12 ) ; but this
suits better with the Jews in the latter day, upon the fall of
mystical Babylon, when they shall be converted and return to
their own land, and shall ask their way thither; being under a
strong impulse of mind, and being bent upon it, and having full
resolution to go thither: or else by Zion may be meant the church
of God in Gospel times, as it often is; the way into which the
converted Jews will ask, being deter mined to give up themselves
to it, and become members of it; which way is not a religious
education, mere morality, or a bare attendance on worship; but
faith in Christ, and a profession of it, and submission to the
ordinance of baptism; [saying], come, and let us join
ourselves unto the Lord in a perpetual
covenant [that] shall not be forgotten;
and then may they be said to "join [themselves] to the Lord",
when, under a divine influence, they shall give up themselves to
Christ, to be saved by him; when they shall lay hold on him,
embrace him, and believe in him; when they shall follow him in
his own ways, and cleave unto him with full purpose of heart; and
also when they shall join themselves to his people, to the
churches of Christ, and abide by his truths and ordinances; to
all which they shall stir up and encourage one another; either
laying hold on the covenant of grace, which is an everlasting
one, and will never be forgotten by the Lord; he is ever mindful
of it, and keeps it; which is done when men join themselves to
the Lord, ( Isaiah 56:6 ) ; or
making an agreement or covenant with one another, and the
churches to which they join themselves, to walk together in all
the ways, ordinances, and commandments of the Lord; which
agreement or covenant ought to be perpetually observed, and never
forgotten. Kimchi owns that this part of the verse belongs to the
days of the Messiah. The Targum is,
``they shall come and be added unto the people of the Lord, and he shall make with them an everlasting covenant, which shall not cease.''