Isaiah 35:6,7 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

For in the wilderness, &c.— The prophet here gives us another specimen of the wonderful change in the nature of things with respect to their spiritual state; not only the weak, those who were devoid of comfort, and thirsting for grace among the people of God—who were like a desart, shall at this time satisfy their thirst, and be largely enriched with the blessings of grace; but also nations, and those the most barbarous, heretofore strangers to all spiritual grace and comfort, possessed and inhabited of Satan and his legions, should at this time be abundantly endued with the gifts of the Holy Ghost, in order to their spiritual instruction and life; nay, among those very nations, formerly dry, barren, and void of the knowledge of God, learned and wise teachers, exercised in the word of righteousness, should spring up, who should plenteously produce the salutary waters of divine truth, for the instruction and consolation of others. Vitringa renders the last clause, In the habitation of dragons, in the places where they used to lie, shall reeds and rushes plentifully spring up. The meaning is, that the dens of dragons, formerly sandy and burning with heat, should be turned into pools, where reeds and rushes should grow luxuriously. The idea is kept up of a sandy thirsty desart changed into a fruitful and well-watered plain; for we should remember that it is the want of water which renders the vast desarts of the eastern world so intolerable and uninhabitable.