In that day; about and after that time; when the Lord shall have washed away (as this time is particularly expressed, Isaiah 4:4) the filth of Zion by those dreadful judgments now described. The branch of the Lord; either,
1. The church and people of Israel, oft called God's vine or vineyard, as we saw before, and the branch of God's planting, Isaiah 60:21. Or,
2. The Messiah, who is commonly defined in Scripture by this title, the Branch, Isaiah 11:1 Jeremiah 23:5, Jeremiah 33:15 Malachi 3:8, whose name is expressly said to be the Branch, Malachi 6:12, of whom not only Christians, but even the Hebrew doctors, understand it. For after the foregoing miseries were brought upon the Jews, by the remainders of the Grecian empire, of which Daniel prophesies of exactly and particularly, and afterwards by the Roman empire, the Messiah was born; and after that utter destruction brought upon the Jewish city, and temple, and nation by Titus, the kingdom of the Messiah became beautiful and glorious, as it here follows. The fruit of the earth shall be excellent; the land which for the sins of the people was made barren, upon their repentance and return to Christ, shall recover its former fertility. Under this one mercy he seems to understand all temporal blessings, which, together with spiritual and eternal, God shall confer upon them; and withal to intimate the fruitfulness of the people (the earth or land being oft put for its inhabitants,) in knowledge, and grace, and all good works. That are escaped; that shall survive all the forementioned calamities.