Notes on the Old and New Testaments

21 The remnant* shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.

22 For though thy people Is.

them to trust in God. IT But shall stay, &,c. They shall depend upon Jehovah, or shall trust in him for protection and defence. IT The Holy One of Israel. See ver. 17. ^ In truth. They shall serve him sincerely and heartily, not with feigned or divided service, Thdy shall be so fully satisfied that the Assyrian cannot aid them, and be so severely punished for ever having formed an alliance with him, that they shall now return to Jehovah, and become his sincere worshippers. In this verse, the prophet refers doubtless to the times of Hezekiah, and tc the extensive reformation and genera* prevalence of piety which would take place under his reign. 2 Chron. xxxii. 22-33. Vitringa, Cocceius, Schmidius, &c., however, refer this to the time of the Messiah; Vitringa supposing that the prophet refers immediately to the times of Hezekiah, but in a secondary sense, for the complete fulfilment of the prophecy, to the times of the Messiah. But it is not clear that he had reference to any other period than that which would immediately follow the invasion of Sennacherib.

21. The remnant, &c. That is, those who shall be left after the invasion of Sennacherib. IT Shall return. Shall abandon their idolatrous rites and places of worship, and shall worship the true God. IT The mighty God. The God that had evinced his power in overcoming and destroying the armies of Sennacherib.

22. For though, &c. In this verse, and in ver. 23, the prophet expresses positively the idea that btit a remnant of the people should be presei-ved amidst the calamities. He had said (vs. 20, 21,) that a remnant should re« turn to God. He now carries forward the idea, and states that only a rem-

lael be as the sand of the sea, yet '-'a remnant *of them shall return: the consumption" de-

nant should be preserved out of the multitude, hov/ever great it was. Admitting that the number was then very great, yet the great mass of the nation would be cut off, and only a small portion would remain. IT Thy people Israel. Or rather, ' thy people, O Israel,' making it a direct address to the Jews, rather than to God. IT Be as the sand of the sea. The sands of the sea cannot be numbered, and hence the bxpression is used in the Bible to denote a number indefinitely great. Ps. cxix. 18. Gen. xxii. 17, xli. 49. Josh. xi. 4. Judges vii. 12. 1 Sam. xiii. 5, Sz,c. IT Yet a remnant. The word yet has been supplied by the translators, and evidently obscures the sense. The idea is, that a remnant only, a very small portion of the whole, should be preserved. Though they were exceedingly numerous as a nation, yet the n jass of the nation would be cut off or carried into captivity, and only a few would be left. T Shall return. That is, shall be saved from destruction, and return by repentance unto God, ver. 21. Or, if it has reference to the approaching captivity of the nation, it means that but a few of them would return from captivity to the land of their fathers. IT The consutnption. The general sense of this is plain. The prophet is giving a reason why only a few of them would return, and he says, that the judgment which God had determined on was inevitable, and would overflow the land in justice. As God had determined this, their numbers availed nothing, but the consumption would be certainly accomplished. The word consumption, "il*^^!? from •^^3 kdld to complete, to finish, to waste away, vanish, d \sappear; denotes a languishing, or ^vasting away — as in disease — and then destruction, or that ivhich completes life and prosperity. It denotes such a series of judgments as •vo»ild be a completion of the national

23 For the Lord God of hosts

^'^^ hhdratz to sharpen or bring to a point; to rend, tear, lacerate; to be quick, active, diligent; and then to decide, determine, decree; because that which is decreed is brought to a point, or issue. Taylor. It evidently meai.g here that it was fixed upon or decreed in the mind of God, and that being thus decreed, it must certainly take place. IT Shall overflow. >^'?^ shoteph. This word is usually applied to an inundation, when a stream rises above its banks and overflows the adjacent land. Isa. xxx. 28, Ixvi. 12. Ps. Ixxviii. 20. Here it means evidently that the threatened judgment would spread like an overflowing river through the land, and would accomplish the devastation which God had determined. If With righteousness. With justice, or in the infliction of justice. Justice would abound or overflow, and the consequence would be that the nation would be desolated.

23. For the Lord God of hosts. Note ch. i. 9. IT Shall make a consumption. The Hebrew of this verse might be rendered, " for its [destruction] is completed, and is determined on; the Lord Jehovah of hosts will execute it in the midst of the land." Our translation, however, expresses the force of the original. It means that the destruction was fixed in the mind or purpose of God, and would be certainly executed. The translation by the LXX, which is followed in the main by the Apostle Paul in quoting this passage, is somewhat different. " For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness; for a short work will the Lord make in the whole habitable world" — iv rfj olKovficvy oXjj; as quoted by Paul, '* upon the earth ** — £Ti rrjs yns. Fqt the manner in whick

shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land.

24 Therefore thus sailh the Lord God of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not •afraid of the Assyrian: he shall

this passage is quoted by Paul, see Notes on Rom. ix. 27, 28. IT In the midst of all the land. That is, the land of Israel, for the threatened judgment extended no farther.

24. Therefore, &c. In thij verse the prophet returns to the main subject of this prophecy, which is to i;omfort the people of Jerusalem with the assurance that the army of the Assyrian. would be destroyed. IT O my people. An expression ot tenderness, showing that God regarded them as his children, and notwithstanding the judgments that he would bring upon them for their sins In the midst of severe judgments God speaks the language of tenderness; and, even when he punishes, has towards his people the feelings of a father. Heb. xii. 5-11. IT That dwelleth in Zion. Literally, in mount Zion; but here taken for the whole city of Jerusalem. See Note ch. i. 8. IT Be not afraid, &,c. For his course shall be arrested, and he shall be repelled and punished, vs. 25- 27. '^ He shall smite thee. He shall, indeed, smite thee, but shall not utterly destroy thee. IT And shall lift \\p his staff. Note ver. 5. The staff here is regarded as an instrument of punishment, comp. Note ch. ix. 4, and the sense is, that by his invasion, and by his exactions, he would oppress and punish the nation. IT After the manner of Egypt. Heb. In the way of Egypt. Some interpreters have supposed that this means that Sennacherib would oppress and afflict the Jews in his going down to Egypt, or on his way thither to attack the Egyptians. But the more correct interpretation is that which is expressed in our translation; after the manner of Egypt. That is, the nature

smite thee with a rod, *and shal. lift up his staff against thee, aftei the manner of Egypt.

25 For yet a very little while, and the indignation'' shall cease, and mine anger in their Mestruction.

of his oppressions shall be like thos* which the Egyptians under Pharaoh in flicted on the Jews. There are tvm ideas evidently implied here. (1.) That the oppression would be heavy and severe. Those which their fathers experienced in Egypt were exceedingly burdensome and cruel. So it would be in the calamities that the Assyrian would bring upon them. But (2,) their fathers had been delivered from the oppressions of the Egyptians. And so it would be now. The Assyrian would oppress them; but God would deliver and save them. The phrase " in the way of," is used to denote after the manner of, or, as an example, in Amos iv. 10, " I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt." Heb. In the way of Egypt. Comp. Ezek. XX. 30.

25. For yet a very little while. This is designed to console them with the hope of deliverance. The threatened invasion was brief, and was soon ended by the pestilence that swept off the ^greater part of the army of the Assyrian. IT The indignation shall cease. The anger of God against his offending people shall come to an end; his purposes of chastisement shall be completed; and the land shall be delivered. IT In their destruction. ^T\*^\2'Pr'b'S from n^S hdld to wear out; to consume; to be annihilated. It means here, that his anger would terminate in the entire annihilation of their power to injure them. Such was the complete overthrow of Sennacherib by the pestilence. 2 Kingf xix 35. Th<! word here used, occurs in this form in no other place in the Hebrew Bible^ though the verb is used,, and othei

26 And the Lokb ©f-' hosts shall stir up a scojirge f<ir him, according to the slaughter of Midian* at the rock of Oreb: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt. '.

^^. And the JjOTiT) of hosts shall stir up. Or shall raise up that which shall prove as a scourge to him* ^ A scourge for him. That is, that which shall punish him. The scourge or rod is used to denote severe punishment of any kind, The nature of this punishment is immediately specified. IT According to the slaughter of Midian. That is, as the Midianites were discomfited and punished. There is reference here, doubtless, to the discomfiture and slaughter of the Midianites by Gideon, as recorded in Judges vii. 24, 25. That was signal and entire; and the prophet means to say that the destruction of the Assyrian would be also signal and total. The country of Midian or Madian was on the east side of the Elanitic branch of the Rejd Sea; but it extended also north along the desert of Mount Seir to the country of the Moabites. See Note on ch. Ix. 3. IT At the rock of Or eh. At this rock Gideon slew the two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb (Judges vii. 25); and from tliis circumstance, probably, the name was given to the rock; Lev. xi. 15. Deut, xiv. 14. It was on the east side of the Jordan. H And as his rod, &c. That is, as God punished the Egyptians in the Red Sea. IT So shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt. As God overthrew the Egyptians in the Red Sea, so ihall he overthrow and destroy the Assyrian, By these two comparisons, Uicreforc, the prophet represents the toraplete destruction of the Assyrian

27 And it shall come to past in that day, that his burden shall *be taken away from ofl thy shoulder, and his. yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the ointing.

army.. In both of these cases the enemies of the Jews had been completely overthrown, and so it would be in regard to tiie hosts of the Assyrian.

27. His burden shall be taken away. The oppressions and exactions of the Assyrian. IT From off thy shoulder. We bear a burden on the shoLjder; and hence any grievous exaction or oppression is represented as borne upon the shoulder. ^ And his yoke, &,c. Another image denoting deliverance from oppression and calamity. IT And the ^ yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. In the interpretation of these words, expositors have greatly differed. The Hebrew is literally, * from the face of oil,' ')^;>r-'^2QTa. The Vulgate renders it literally a facie olei. The LXX, « His fear shall be taken from thee, and his yoke from thy shoulders.' The Syriac, • His yoke shall be broken before the oxen.' The Chaldee Paraphrase, ' The people shah be broken before the Messiah.* Lowth renders it, • The yoke shall perish from off' your shoulders;' following the Septuagint. Grotius suggests that it rrieang that the yoke which the Assyrians had imposed upon the Jews would be broken by Hezekiah, the king who had been anointed with oil. Jarchi also supposet that it refers to one who was anointed —to the king; and many interpreters have referred it to the Messiah, as the anointed of God. Vitringa supposes that the Holy Spirit is here intended. Kiriichi supposes that the figure is derived from the effect of oil on wood in destroying its consistency, and loosening its fibres; and that the expression means that the yoke would be broken or dissolved as if it were penetrated with oil. Bu this is ascribing a pro-

28. He is iiome to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Mich-

perty to oil which it does not possess. Archbishop Seckar supposes that instead of oil, the text should read shoulder, by a slight change in the Hebrew. But for this conjectural reading there is no authority. Cocceius 'ipposes that the word oil here means fatness, and is used to denote prosperity and wealth, and that the prophet means to say that the Assyrian would be corrupted and destroyed by the great amount of wealth which he would amass. The Rabbins say that this deliverance was wrought on account of the great quantity of oil which Hezekiah caused to be consumed in the synagogues for the study of the law — a striking instance of the weak and puerile methods of interpretation which they have every where evinced. I confess that none of these explanations seem to me to be satisfactory, and that I do not know what is the meaning of the expression.

28. He is come to Aiath, These verses 28-32) contain a description of the march of the army of Sennacherib as he approached Jerusalem to invest it. The description is expressed with great beauty. It is rapid and hurried, and is such ais one would give who was alarmed by the sudden and near approach of an enemy — as if while the narrator was stating that the invader had arrived at one place, he had already come to another; or as if while one messenger should say that he had come to one place, another should answer that he was still nearer, and a third, that he was nearer still, so as to produce universal consternation. The prophet speaks of this as if he saw it (comp. Note ch. i. 1); as if with the glance of the eye he sees Sennacherib advancing rapidly to Jerusalem. The general course of this march is from the northeast to the southwest towards Jerusalem, and it is possible still to follow the route by the names of the places here mentioned, and which remain at present. All the places are in the vicinity of Jerusalem, and thii shows how much his rapid approach was fitted to excite alarm. The name Aiath f^^? does not occur elsewhere but Ai ^'^ is often mentioned, and Aijah K*? is found in Neh. xi. 31 Doubtless the same city is meant, ll was situated near Bethel eastward. Josh. vii. 2. It was at this place that Joshua was repulsed on account of the sin of Ahaz, though the city was afterwards taken by Joshua, the king seized and hanged, and the city destroyed. It was afterwiards rebuilt, and is often mentioned. Ezra ii. 28. Neh. vii. 32. It is called by the LXX, 'Ayyai; and by Josephus, Aina. In the time of Eusebius and Jerome its site and scanty ruins were still pointed out, not far distant from Bethel towards the East. The name, however, has at present wholly perished, and no trace of the place now remains. It is probable that it was near the modern Deir Diwan, about three miles to the East of Bethel. See Robinson's Bibli. Research, ii. 119, 312, 313. IT He i« passed to Migron. That is, he does not remain at Aiath, but is advancing rapidly towards Jerusalem. This place is mentioned in 1 Sara. xiv. 2, from which it appears that it was near Gibeah,and was in the boundaries of the tribe of Benjamin, to the southwest of Ai and Bethel. No trace of this place now remains. IT Ai Michmash. This was a town within the tribe of Ephraim, on the confines of Benjamin. Ezra ii. 27. Neh. vii. 31. This place is now called Mukhmas, and is situated on a slope or low ridge of land between two Bmall Wadys, or water-courses. It is now desolate, but bears the marks of having been a much larger and stronger place than the other towns in the neighbourhood. There are many foundations of hewn stones; and some columns are lying among them. It is about nine miles to the northeast ot Jerusalem, and in the- immcdia.e neigh

29 They are gone over the passage: they have taken up

bourhood of Gibeah and Ramah. — Robinson's Bibli. Research, ii. 117. In the time of Eusebius it was a large village. Onomast. Art. Machmas. % He hath laid up his carriages. Heb. • He hath deposited his v/eapons/ The word rendered hath laid up (T^^S*^) may possibly mean he reviewed, or he took an account of; that is, he made that the place of review preparatory to his attack on Jerusalem. Jerome says, that the passage means that he had Buch confidence of taking Jerusalem that he deposited his armour at Michmash, as being unnecessary in the siege of Jerusalem. I think, however, that the passage means simply that he had made Michmash one of his stations to which he had come, and that the expression " he hath deposited his armour there," denotes merely that he had come there as one of his stations, and had pitched his camp in that place on the way to Jerusalem. The English word carriage sometimes meant formerly that which is carried, baggage, vessels, furniture, &,c. (Webster.) In this sense it is used in this place, and also in 1 Sam. xvii. 22. Acts xxi. 15. 29. They are gone over the passage.

The word passage (•^'^^^'?) may refer to any passage or ford of a stream, a shallow part of a river where crossing was practicable; or it may refer to any narrow pass, or place of passing in mountains. The Chaldee Paraphrase renders this, * they have passed the Jordan;' but this cannot be the meaning, as all the transactions referred to here occurred in the vicinity of Jerusalem, and long after they had crossed the Jordan. In 1 Sam, xiii. 23, the •'* passage of Michmash " is mentioned as the boundary of th« garrison of the Philistines. Between eba' and MukhmSs there is now a steep, precipitous valley, wnich is pro »ably the ' passage' here referred to. This Wady or valley runs into anothci that joins it on the gortL. end then issues out upon the

their lodging at Geba; Ramah' is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled

plain not far from Jericho. In the val« ley are two hills of a conical form having steep rocky sides, which are probably the rocks mentioned, in connexion with Jonathan's adventure, as a narrow defile or way between the rock Bozez on the one side, and Seneh on the other. 1 Sam. xiv. 4, 5. This valley appears at a later time to have been the dividing line between the tribes of Ephraim and Benjamin, for Geba on the south side of this valley was the northern limit of Judah and Benjamin, 2 Kings xxiii. 8; while Bethel on its north side was on the southern border c f Ephraim. Judges xvi. 1, 2. Robinson's Bibli. Research. ii. 116. Of course it was an important place, and could be easily guardedlike the strait of Thermopylae. By his having passed this place is denoted an advance towards Jerusalem, showing that nothing impeded his progress, and that he was rapidly hastening with his army to the city. IT They have taken up their lodging at Geba. They have pitched their camp there, being entirely through the defile of Michmash. Heb. * Geba is a lodging place for us;' that is, for the Assyrians. Perhaps, however, there is an error in the common Hebrew text here, and that it should be

1^5 Idmo, for them, instead of ^^^ Idnu, for us. The LXX and the Chaldee so read it, and so our translators have understood it. Geba here is not to be confounded with " Gibeah of Saul," mentioned just after. It was in the tribe of Benjamin (1 Kinga XV. 22); and was on the line, or nearly on the line of Judah, so as to be ita northern boundary. 2 Kings xxiii. 8. It was not far from Gibeah, or Gibeon. There are at present no traces of th-^ place known. IT Ramah. This city was in the tribe of Benjamin. It was between Geba and Gibeah. Jt waa called Ramah from its being on elevated ground. Comp. Note Matt. ii. 18. Rahmah, now called er-Ram, lies on a b^gh

30 Lift' up thy voice, O daugh- ' ter of Gallim: cause it to be

nill a little east of the road from Jeru- Balem to Bethel. It is now a miserable village with few houses, and these in the summer mostly deserted. There are here large square stones, and also columns scattered about in the fields, indicating an ancient place of some importance. A small mosk is here with columns which seems once to have been a church. Its situation is very conspicuous, and commands a fine prospect. It is near Gibeah, about six Roman miles from Jerusalem. So Jerome, comra. in Hos. v. 8. " Rama quae est juxta Gabaa in septimo lapide a Jerosolym s sita." Josephus places it at forty stadia from Jerusalem. Ant. viii. 12. 3. IT Is afraid. Is terrified and alarmed at the approach of Sennacherib— a beautiful variation in the description denoting his rapid and certain advance on the city of Jerusalem, spreading consternation every where, f Gibeah of Saul. This was called '•' Gibeah oi Saul," because it was the birth-place ot Sau! (I Sam. xi. 4, xv. 34. 2 Sam. xxi. n^; and to distinguish it from Gibean in the tribe of Judah (Josh. XV. 57;. uad also a Gibeah where Eleazer was buried. Josti. xxiv. 33. Jerome mentions Gibeah as in liis day level with the ground. Epis. 86. ad Eustoch. It has been almost wholly, since his time, unnoticed by travellers. It is probably the same as the modern village of Jeba, lying in a direction to the southwest of iMiikhmas. This village is sn.-all, and is half in ruins. Among these there are occasionally seen large hewn stones indicating antiquity. There is here the ruin of a small tower almost solid, and a small building having the appearance of an ancierU church. It is an elevated place from which several villages are visible. Robinson's Bibli. Research, ii. 113. IT Is fled. That is, the inhabitants have fled. Such was the consternation produced by the march of the army of Sennacherib that the city was thrown nta commotion and left empty.

30. Lift up thy voice. That is, crj aloud from alarm and terror. Th« prophet here changes the manner of describing the advance of Sennacherib He had described his rapid march from place to place (vs. 28, 29\ and the consternation at Ramah and Gibeah; he now changes the mode of description, and calls on Gallim to lift up her voice of alarm at the approach of the army, so that it might reverberate among the hills, and be heard by neighbouring towns. IT Daughter. A term often applied to a beautiful city or town See Note on ch. i. 8. IT Gallim. This was a city of Benjamin, north of Jerusalem. It is mentioned only in this place and in 1 Sam. xxv. 44. No traces of this place are now to be found. IT Cause it to be heard. That is, cause thy voice to be heard. Raise the cry of distress and alarm. IT Unto Laish. There was a city of this name in the northern part of Palestine, in the bounds of the tribe of Dan. Judges xviii. 7, 29. But it is contrary to all the circumstances of the case to suppose that the prophet refers to a place in the north of Palestine. It was probably a small village in the neighbourhood of Gallim. There are at present no traces of the village. In 1 Mac. IX. 9, a city of this name is mentioned in the vicinity of Jerusalem, which is doubdess the one here referred to. IT 0 pO(rr c'inathoth..4nathoih was a city of Benjamin fJosh. sxi. IS'' where Jeremiah was born. }ex i I 'Anata, which is tloubtless ttie same place here intended, is situated on e broad ridge of land at the distance ol one hour and a quarter, or about three miles from Jerusalem. Josephus describes Anathoth as twenty stad a distant from Jerusalem (Ant. x. 7. 3); and Eusebius and Jerome mention it as about three miles to the north ol the city. 'Anata appears to have been once a walled town, and a place of strength. Portions of the wall still remain, built of large kewn stones, and

31 Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.

apparently ancient, as are also the foundations of some of the houses. The houses are few, and the people are poor and miserable. From this point there is an extensive view over the whole eastern slope of the mountainous country of Benjamin, including all the valley of the Jordan, and the northern part of the Dead Sea. From this place, also, several of the villages here mentioned are visible. Robinson's Bibli. Research ii. 109-111. The word poor applied to it here (•^^??) denotes afflicted, oppressed j and the language ie that of pity on account of the impending calamity, and is not designed to be descriptive of its ordinary state. The language in the Hebre;w is a paranomasia, a species of writing quite common in the sacred writings. See Gen. i. 2, iv. 12. Isa. xxviii. 10, 13. Joel i. 15. Isa. xxxii. 7. Micah i. 10, 14. Zeph. ii. 4. Comp. Stuart's Heb. Gram. Ed. 1, § 246. The figure abounded not only in the Hebrew but among the Orientals generally. Lowth reads this, " answer her, O Anathoth •" following in this the Syriac version, which reads the word rendered poor

(•^1-?,) as a verb from f2$ dndy to answer, or respond, and supposes that the idea is retained of an echo, or reverberation among the hills, from which he thinks Anathoth, from the same verb, took its name. But the meaning of the Hebrew text is that given in our translation. The simple idea is that of neighbouring cities and towns lifting up the voice of alarm at the approach of the enemy..;

31. Madmenah. This city is mentioned nowhere else. The city of Madmanna, or Medemene, mentioned in Josh. XV. 31, was in the bounds of the tribe of Simeon, and was far south towards Gaza. It cannot be the place mtended here. Y Is removed. Or, the inhabitants have fled from fear. See

Nob that dav: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of J**

ver. 29. IT Gebim. This place is un known. It is nowhere else mentioned. f Gather themselves to flee. A description of the alarm prevailing at the approach of Sennacherib.

32. As yet shall he remain. Thia is still a description of his advancing towards Jerusalem. He would make a station at Nob and remain there a day, meaning, perhaps, onZy one day, such would be his impatience to attack and destroy Jerusalem. IT At Nob. Nob was a city of Benjamin inhabited by priests. Neh. xi. 32. When David was driven away by Saul he came to this city and received supplies from Ahimelech the priest. 1 Sam. xxi. 1- 6. Nob must have been situated somewhere upon the ridge of the Mount of Olives to the northeast of the city. So Jerome, professedly from Hebrew tradition, says, " Stans in oppidulo Nob et procul urbem conspiciens Jerusalem." Comm. in loc. Messrs. Robinson and Smith sought all along the ridge of the Mount of Olives from the Damascus road to the summit opposite to the city for some traces of an ancient site which might be regarded as the place of Nob; but without the slightest success. Bibli. Research, ii. 150. IT He shall shake his hand. That is, in the attitude of menace or threatening. This language implies that the city of Nob was so near to Jerusalem that the latter city could be seen from it, and the description denotes, that at the sight of Jerusalem Sennacherib would be full of indignation, and utter against it the threat of speedy and complete ruin. H The mount of the daughter of Zion. See Note ch. i. 8. The Chaldee renderi this, " He shall come, and stand in Nob, the city of the priests, over against the wall of Jerusalem, and shall answer and say to his army, ♦ is not this that city of Jerusalem against which I have assembled all my armiea,

S3 Behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall he hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.

and on account of which I have made an exaction on all my provinces? And io, it is less and more feeble than any of the defences of the people which I.have subjected in the strength of my hand.* Over against that he shall stand, and shake his head, and shall bring his hand against the Mount of the sanctuary which is Zibn, and agjinst the court which is in Jerusalem." Jarchi and Kimchi say that Nob was so near to Jerusalem that it c«uld be seen from thence; and hence this is mentioned as the last station of the army of the Assyrian, the end of his inarch, and where the prize seeined to be within his grasp. i:^^. Behold, the Zsrdy &,c. The jprophet had described in the previous verses the riiarch of the Assyrian, towards Jerasalem, station by station. He had accompanied him in his description until he had arrived in full sight of the city which was the object of all his preparation. He had described the consternation which was felt at his approach in all the smaller towns. Nothing bad been able to stand before him; ^nd now, flushed with success, and confident that Jerusalem would fall, he stands before the devoted city. But here, the prophet announces that his career was to close; and here his arms to be stayed. Here he was to meet with an overthrow, and Jeiusalem would still be safe. This is the design of the prophecy, to comfort the inhabitants of Jerusalem with the assurance that they still would be safe. IT Will lop the bough. The word bough here (fT^XS) is from *15JS to adorn, to beautify; and is given to a branch or bough of a tree on account of its beauly. It is, therefore, descriptive of that

34 And he shall cut down the thickets of the forests with iron and Lebanon shall fall 'by 9

which is beautiful; honoured; proud; and is applied to the Assyrian on account of his pride and magnificence. In vs. 18, 19, the prophet had described the army of the Assyrian as a magnificent forest. Here he says that the glory of that army shouli be destroyed, as the vitality and beauty of the waving bough of a tree is quickly destroyed when it is lopped with an axe. There can scarcely be conceived a description that would more beautifully represent the fading strength of the army of the Assyrian than this. If With terror. In such a way as to iMSpife terror. IT The high ones of stature. The chief men and officers bf the aririy.

34. And he shall cut down the thick' ets of the forest. The army of the Assyrians, described here as a thick, dense forest. Comp. vs. 18,19. *!( With iron. As a forest is cut down with an axe, so the prophet uses this phrase here iokeep up and carry out the figure. The army was destroyed with the pesr tilence (2 Kings xix. 35); but it fell as certainly a9 a forest falls before the aXe. 1" And Lebanon. Lebanon is here evidently descriptive of the army of the Assyrian, retaining the idea of a beautiful and magnificent forest. Thus in Ezek. xxxi. 3, it is said, "the king of the Assyrians was a cedar of Lebanon with faif branches." Lebanon la usually applied to the Jews as descriptive of them (Jer. xxii. 6, 23. Zech. x. 10, xi. 1), but it is evidently applied here to the Assyrian army; and the sense is, that that army should be soon and certainly destroyed, and that^ therefore, the inhabitants of Jerusalem had no cause bf alarm. See Notes of ch. xxxvii.

Tl.ia chapto is connected with the preceding as part of the same general prophe »y. In that, tha

Eropliet had described the invasion of Sennacherib, and had given the assurance that Jerusalem should e safe, notwithstanding the threatened invasion. The general design of that prophecy was to cotv sale the people with the assurance of their deliverance from impending calamity. But it was a general nrinciple with the Hebrew prophets, and particularly witn Isaiah, when any event tending to console the people, or to excite the nation's gratitude occurred, to cast the eye forward to that great future deliverance which ther anticipated under the Messiah. See the Introduction § 7, (3.) The contemplation of present objects dies away; the mind fixes more iutenlly on the gIor»es or tn« Messiah's reign; the prophetic vision ranges over the beauties of his person and the glories of hit kingdom, until the prophet seems to have forgotten the subject with which he commenced. Thii was perfectly natural. It was by an obvious law of association in the mind, by which the mention of deliverance in any form, however humble, would suggest that great deliverance on which the eye of every Jew would rest. It hence follows, that wherever the prophet begins, he usually ends with a glowing description of the reign of the Messiah. However far from this central object of revealed religion he may commence, yet there is a tendency every where to it in the prophetic writings; and thb moment that by any law of association this object is suggested, or the eye catches a glimpse of it, the former object sinks out of view, and the person and reign of the Messiah becomes the sole theme of the prophetic description. This is the case here. Isaiah had commenced the prophecy with an account of the invasion of Sennacherib, ch. x. 5, &c. He had described the deliverance from that dar>ger, ch. x. 33, 34. The mention of this deliverance directs his thoughts to that far greater deliverance which would take place under the Messiah; and immediately (ch. xi.) he commences a glowing description of his coming and his reign. The language with which he commenced the prophecy is retained; the illustrations are drawn from the subject before under consideration; but the description pertains to the glories of the reign of the Messiah. The proof of this will appear in the Notes on particular passages in the chapter. Its general design is, to console the people by the prospect of a great future deliverance under the Messiah, and by a prospect of the glories of his reign He describes, (i) The certainty that he would come, and his character, vs. I — 5. (ii.) The peace and pri>sperity which would follow from his advent, vs. 6—9. (iii.) The fact that the Gentiles would be called to partake of the privileges of his reign, ver. 10. (iv.) The restoration of the exiles to theif native land under his reign, vs. 11,12. (v.) The fact that his reign would put a period to dissen* sfons and strifes between the contending nations of the Jews, ver. 13; and (vi.) The universal prevalence of his religion, and the deliverance of his people, vs. 14—16.

1 And ^there shall come forth a rod out of the stem-^ of Jesse,

1. And there shall come forth a rod. In the previous chapter the prophet had represented the Assyrian monarch and his army under the image of a dense and flourishing forest with all its glory and grandeur. In opposition to this, he describes the illustrious personage who is the subject of this chapter under the image of a slender twig or shoot sprouting up from the root of a decayed and fallen tree. Between the Assyrian, therefore, and the person who is the Bubject of this chapter, there is a most striking and beautiful contrast. The one was at first magnificent — like a vast spreading forest — yet should soon fall and decay; the other was the little sprout of a decayed tree, which should yet rise, expand, and flourish. IT A rod pi?n hhoter). This word occurs in but one other place, Prov. xiv. 3: •* In the mouth of the foolish is a rod if pride/' Here it means, evidently, a and a branch^ shall grow out of his roots:

branch, a twig, a shoot, such as starts up from the roots of a decayed tree, and is synonymous with the word rendered branch (^'^^ izemdhh) in ch. iv. 2. See the Note on that place. IT Qui of the stem, (^l^^.) This word occurs but three times in the Old Testament. See Job xiv. 8; where it is rendered stock:

Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, And the stoc/c thereof die in the ground; and in Isa. xl. 24: " Yea their stock shall not take root in the earth." It means, therefore, the stock or stump of a tree that has been cut down — a stock, however, which may not be quite dead, but where it may send up a branch or shoot from its roots. It is beautifully applied to an ancient family that is fallen into decay, yet whera there may be a descendant that slial rise and flouiish — as a t;ee may fall and decay, but still there may be vitality in the root, and it shall send up a tender germ or sprout. IT Of Jesse. The father of David. It means, that he who is here spoken of sh'>x<id ke of the family of Jesse or Davi(/ Though Jesse had died; and though tne ancient family of David would fall into decay, yet there would arise from that family an illustrious descendant. The beauty of this description is apparent if we bear in recollection that when the Messiah was born, the ancient and much honoured family of David had fallen into decay; that the mother of Jesus, though appertaining to that family, was poor, obscure and unknown; and that, to all appearance, the glory of the family had departed. Yet from that, as from a long-decayed root in the ground, he should spring who would restore the family to more than its ancient glory, and shed additional lustre on the honoured name of Jesse. IT And a branch p^.? netztr). A twig, branch, or shoot; a slip, scion, or young sucker of a tree that is selected for transplanting, and that requires to be watched with peculiar care. The word occurs but four times. Isa. Ix. 21: " They shall inherit the land for ever, the BRANCH of my planting." Isa. xiv. 19: " But thou art cast out of thy grave as an abominable branch." Dan. xi. 7. The word rendered branch in Jer. xxiii 5, xxxiii. 15, is a different word in the original (J^'^. tzemdhh), though meaning substantially the same thing. The word branch is also used by our translators in rendering several other Hebrew words. See Taylor's Concordance. Here the word is synonymous with that which is rendered rod in the previous part of the verse — a shoot, or twig, from the root of a decayed tree. IF Out of his roots. As a ehoot starts up from the roots of a decayed tree. The LXX render this, " and a flower, apdog, shall arise from the root." The Chaldee, " and a king shall proceed from the sons of Jesse, and the Messiah from his sons' sons Kiall arise;" showing conclusively that the ancient Jews referred this to the Messiah.

That this verse and the subsequent parts of the chapter refer to the Messiah, may be argued from the following considerations. (1.) The fact that it is expressly applied to him in the New Testament. Thus Paul, in Rom. xv. 12, quotes the tenth verse of this chapter as expressly applicable to the times of the Messiah. (2.) The Chaldee Paraphrase shows that this was the sense which the ancient Jews put upon the passage. That paraphrase is of authority only to show that this was the sense which appeared to be the true one by the ancient interpreters. (3.) The description in the chapter is not applicable to any other personage than the Messiah. Grotius supposes that the passage refers to Hezekiah, though " in a more sublime sense," to the Messiah. Others have referred it to Zerubbabel. But none of the things here related apply to either, except the fact that they had a descent from the family of Jesse; for neither of those families had fallen into the decay which the prophet here describes. (4.) The peace, prosperity, harmony and order, referred to in the subsequent portions of the chapter, are not descriptive of anj' portion of the reign of Hezekiah. (5.) The terms and descriptions here accord with other portions of the Scriptures as applicable to the Messiah. Thus Jeremiah, xxiii. 5, xxxiii. 15, describes the Messiah under the similitude of a branch, a germ or shoot — using, indeed, a different Hebrew word, but retaining the same idea and image. Comp Zech. iii. 8. It accords also with the description by Isaiah of the same personage in ch. iv. 2. See Note on the place. (6.) I may add, that nearly all commentators have referred this to the Messiah; and perhaps it would not be possible to find greater unanimity in regard to the interpretation of any passage of Scripture than on this.

2. And the Spirit of the Lord. The Spirit of Jehovah. Chaldee, "And there shall rest upon him the spirit of prophecy from before Jehovah." la

2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon'* him, the spirit of wisdom* and understanding,

the previous verse the prophet had announced his origin and his birth. In this, he proceeds to describe his extraordinary endowments, as eminently holy, pure, and wise. There can be no doubt that reference is here had to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the sacred Trinity, as descending upon him ill the fulness of his influences, and producing in him perfect wisdom, knowledge, and the fear 6f the Lord. The Spirit of Jehcvah shall rest upon him — a spirit producing wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, &c. All these are in the Scriptures traced to the agency of the Holy Spirit. See 1 Cor. xii. 8, 9, 10, 11. The meaning here is, that the Messiah should be endowed with these eminent prophetic gifts and qualifications for his ministry by the agency of the Holy Spirit. It was by that Spirit that the prophets had been inspired (see 2 Pet. i. 21. 2 Tim. iii 16); and as the Messiah was to be a prophet (Deut. xviii. 15, 18), there was a fitness that he should be endowed in the same manner. If it be asked how one who was divine in his own nature could be thus endowed by the aid of the Spirit, the answer is, that he was also to be a man descended from the honoured line of Diavid, and that as a man he might be furnished for his work by the agency of the Holy Ghost. His human nature was kept pure; his mind was made eminently wise; his heart always retained the fear and love of God, and there is no absurdity in Bupp'osirig that these extraordinary endowments were to be traced to God. That he was thus under the influence cf the Holy Spirit, is abundantly taught in the New Testament. Thus in Matt, iii. 16, the Holy Spirit is represented as descending on him at his baptism. In Jchn iii 34, it is said, " For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God; for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto hini." Comp. Coil. i. 19.

the spirit of counsel find might, the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord;

IT Shall rest upon kirn. That is, shall descend on him and remain with him. It shall not merely come upon him, but shall attend him permanently. Comp. Num. xi. 25,26. IT The spirit of wisdom. The spirit producing wisdom, or making him wise. Wisdom consists in the choice of the best means to secure the best ends. This attribute is often given to the Messiah in the New Testament, and was always evinced by him. Comp. I Cor. i. 30. Eph. i. 17. Coll. ii. 3: " In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." IT And understanding. The difference between the words here rendered wisdom and understanding is, that the former denotes wisdom properly; and the latter that judgment resulting from wisdom by which we distinguish things or decide on their character. IT The spirit of counsel. That by which he shall be qualified to give counsel or advice; the qualification of a public instructor and guide. See Note on ch. jx. 6. ^< And might. Strength, vigour, energy; that strength of heart and purpose which will enable a man to meet difficulties, to encountef dangers, to be bold, open, and fearless in the discharge of his duties. It is not necessary to remark that this characteristic was found in an eminent degree in the Lord Jesus Christ. IF Of knowledge. That is, the knowledge of the attributes and plans of Jehovah. Comp. Matt. xi. 27: '* Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son." John i. 18: "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." 1 John v. 20. ^^ And of the fear of the Lord. The fear of Jehovah is often used to denote piety in general, as consisting in a reverence for the divine commandsi and a dread of offending him; i. e. a desire to please iim, which is piety. Comp. Job xxvii'i. 28. Ps. xix. 9, cxi.

3 And shall make him of 'quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes,

10. Prov. i. 7, in. 13, xv. 33, xix. 23. That this characteristic was found eminently in the Lord Jesus it is not necessary to attempt to prove.

3. And shall make him of quick understanding, (in^nni.) The LXX render this, " And the spirit of the fear of God shall fill him." The Chaldee, " And the Lord shall draw him near to him in his fear." The Syriac, " And he shall be resplendent (like the sun, or the stars) in the fear of the Lord." The Hebrew word here used is probably derived from IT^*!. ridhh, used only in Hiphil, to smell; and is kindred with n^'^ rudhh, wind, breath, for fragrant substances breathe out an odour. Gesenius. It then denotes to take delight in smelling (Ex. xxx. 38. Lev, xxvi. 31); and thence by an easy transition to take delight in any thing. Amos v. 2L The reason is, that the objects of smell are usually pleasant and agreeable; and especially such as were the aroma tics used in public worship. The sense here is, probably, that he would take pleasure in the fear of Jehovah, that is, in piety, and in devoting himself to his service. The interpretation given in our translation, is that given by many expositors; though that above suggested is probably the correct one. The word is used to denote pleasure in a thing; it is not used any where, it is believed, to denote a quick understanding. Comp. Ex. v. 21. Phil. iv. 18. The idea which is conveyed by our translators is probably derived from the discernment of the quality of objects by an acute sense of smell, and hence they interpreted the word to denote an acute discrimination of any objects. IT And he shall not judge aftet the sight of his eyes. He shall not judge of things by their external appearance, or with partiality. This is language which is ap-

4 But ''with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and ^reprove

plicable to a magist-wte, and is spoken of the Messiah as vhe descendant of David, and as sitting on his throne as a ruler of his people. He who judges " after the sight of his eyes," does it according to external appearances, showing favour to rank, to the rich and the great; or judging as things appear without a close and careful inquiry into their true nature and bearings. Comp. John vii. 24: " Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." Deut. i. 16, 17. IT Neither reprove. ^'^'^.'^'^ • This word means to show, to prove; to correct, reprove, convince; to reproach, or censure; to punish; to judge, decide, &-c. Here it is evidently used as synonymous with " shall he judge" in the former part of the parallelism — retaining the idea of a just judge who decides not accordinj^; to the hearing of the ears, but according to justice. ^ After the hearing of his ears. Not by plausible statements, and ingenious defences, but by weighing evidence, and by an impartial examination of the true merits of the case. This belonged to the Lord Jesus, because, (1.) He was never influenced by any undue regard to rank, honour, or office. His opinions were always impartial; his judgments without bias, or favouritism. (2.) He was able to discern the true merits of every case. He knew what was in man, saw the true state of the heart, and therefore was not deceived or imposed upon as human judges are. See John ii. 24, 25. Comp. Rev. ii. 23. John vi. 64.

4. Shall he judge the poor. That is, he shall see that impartial justice is done them; he shall not take part with the rich against the poor, but shall show that he is the friend of justice. This is the quality of a just and upright magistrate, and this character the Lord Jesus every where evinced. He chosa his disciples from among the poor; he

with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the

condescended to be their companion and friend; he provided for their wants; and he pronounced their condition blessed. Matt. v. 3. There may be a reference here to the poor in spirit — the humble, the penitent — but the main idea is, that he would not be influenced by any undue regard for the higher ranks of life, but would be the friend and patron of the poor. IT And reprove.

H'^S'n. And judge, decide, or argue for; that is, he shall be their friend and their impartial judge, ver. 3. IT With equity. With uprightness, or uncoriupted integrity. ^ For the meek of the earth. 7'^^'"M3S. For the humble, the lower class; referring to those who were usually passed by or oppressed by those in power. IT And he shall smite the earth. By the earth here, or the land, is meant evidently the wicked, as the following member of the parallelism shows. Perhaps it is intended to be implied that the earth when he should come would be eminently depraved — which was the fact. The characteristic here is that of an upright judge or prince, who would punish the wicked. To smite the earth, or the wicked, is expressive of punishment; and this characteristic is elsewhere attributed to the Messiah. See Ps. ii. 9-12. Rev. ii. 27. The trait is that of a just, upright, impartial exercise of power — such as would be manifested in the defence of the poor and the innocent, and in the punishment of the proud and the guilty. IT IVith the rod of his mouth. The word k3!3t!0 here rendered " rod," denotes properly a stick or staff; a rod for chastisement or correction (Prov. X. 13, xiii. 24. Job ix. 34, xxi. 9); the staff or sceptre of a ruler — as an emblem of office; a measuring rod; a spear, &c. Note ch. x. 5. It is not elsewhere applied to the mouth, though it is often used in other connections. It means that wliich goes out of the earth with the rod* of his mouthj and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

mouth — a word, command, threatening, decision; and it is implied that it would go forth to pronounce sentence of condemnation, and to punish. Hif word would be so just, impartial, and authoritative, that the effect would be to overwhelm the wicked. In a sense similar to this, Christ is said to have been seen by John when " out of hia mouth went a sharp two-edged sword' (Rev. i. 16); that is, his commands and decisions were so authoritative and so certain in their execution as to be like a sharp sword. Comp. Heb. iv. 12. Isa. xlix. 2: " And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword." The discriminating preaching; the pungent discourses; the authoritative commands of the Lord Jesus when on earth showed, and his judicial decisions in the day of judgment will show, the manner of the fulfilment of the prediction. ^And with the breath of his lips. This is synonymous with the previous member of the parallelism. " The breath of hia lips" means that which goes forth from his lips — ^his doctrines, his commands, his decisions. IT Shall he slay the wicked. That is, he shall condemn the wicked; or he shall sentence them to punishment. This is descriptive of a prince or ruler, who by his commands and decisions effectually subdues and punishes the wicked — that is, he does justice to all. Grotius interprets this, " by his prayers," referring it to Hezekiah, and to the influence of his prayers in destroying the Assyrians. The Chaldee Paraphrast translates it, * And by the word of his lips he shall slay the impious Armillus.' By Armillut the Jews mean the last great enemy of their nation, who would come after Gog and Magog and wage furious wars, and who would slay the Messiah Ben Ephraim, whom the Jews expect, bm who would be himself slain by the rod of the Messiah Ben David, or the son of David. Castell.

5 And righteousness shall be the girdles' of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

6 The *wolf also shall dwell

girdle of his loins. The sense of this verse is plain. He will always exhibit himself as a just and faithful king. The girdle of the loins refers to the cincture ©r band with which the ancients girded themselves. A part of their dress consisted of an outward, loose, flowing robe. This robe it was necessary to gird up, or to confine close to the body in active labour, or in running; and the meaning of the figure here used is, probably, that the virtues of righteousness and justice would adhere to him as closely and inseparably as the garment does to the body to which it was bound. The figure of representing the virtues as clothing, or describing them as parts of dress with which we are invested, is common in the Scriptures.

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My judgment was as a robe and a diadem.

For he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation,

He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness,

Comp. Rev. xix. 8, and Paul's beautiful description in Eph. vi. 13-17. In like manner, vice and wickedness are sometimes represented as so closely adhering to a man as to be a part of his very clothing. Ps. cix. 18, 19:

He clothed himself with cursing like as with a garment.

Let It be unto him as the garment which covereth him.

And for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.

The Chaldee renders this, "And the just shall be round about him on every side (*i'in& ^"ino), and the servants of truth shall come near to him." The idea is, that he shall be distinguished for justice and truth, and that a zeal for these shall make him strong and with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; ana the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

active in executing the purposes of his reign. This closes the description of the personal qualities of the Messiah, The account of the effects of his reign follows in the subsequent verses.

6. The wolf also. In this, and the following verses, the prophet describes the eff*ect of his reign in producing peace and tranquillity on the earth. The description is highly poetical, and is one that is common in ancient writings in describing a golden age. The two leading ideas are those of peace and security. The figure is taken from the condition of animals of all descriptions living in a state of harmony, where those which are by nature defenceless, and which are usually made the prey of the strong, are suffered to live in secunty. By nature the wolf preys upon the lamb, and the leopard upon the kid, and the adder is venomous, and the bear, and the cow, and the lion and the ox cannot live together. But if a state of things should arise where all this hostility would cease; where the wild animals would lay aside their ferocity, and where the feeble and the gentle would be safe; where the adder would cease to be venomous, and where all would be so mild and harmless that a little child would be safe, and could lead even the most ferocious animals, that state would represent the reign of the Messiah. Under his dominion such a change would be produced as that those who are by nature violent, severe, and oppressive; those whose disposition is illustrated by the itrocious and blood-thirsty propensities of the lion and the leopard, and by the poison of the adder, would be changed and subdued, and would be disposed to live in peace and harmony with others. This is the general idea of the passage. We are not to cut the interpretation to the quick, and to press the expressions t' Anow what particular class of men are represented by the lion, the bear, or the adder. The general image that is before the prophet's mind is that of peace and safety, such as that would be if a change were to be produced in wild animals, making them tame and peaceful and harmless.

This description of a golden age is one that is common in Oriental writers, where the wild beasts are represented A3 growing tame; where serpents are harmless; and where all is plenty, peace, and happiness. Thus Jones, in his commentary on Asiatic poetry, quotes from an Arabic poet, Ihn Onein, p. 380:

Jiistitia, a qua mansuetusfit lupus fame astrictus, Esuriens, licet hianulum candidum videat.

• Justice, by which the ravening wolf, driven by hunger, becomes tame, although he sees a white kid.' Thus, also, Ferdusi, a Persian poet:

Rerum Dominus, Mahmud, rex potens, Ad cujus aquam potum veniunt simul agnus et lupus.

• Mahmud, mighty king, lord of events, to whose fountain the lamb and the wolf come to drink.* Thus Virgil, Eclogue iv. 21:

Ips8B lactae domum referent distenta capellae Ubera; nee magnos metuent armenta leones.

Home their full udders, goats, unurged shall bear, >'or shall the herd the lordly lion fear.

Occidet et serpens, et fallax herba veneni Occidet; —

The snake, and poison's treacherous weed shall die. Wrangham.

Nee lupus insidias pecori, nee retia cervis

Ulla dolum mediantur: amat bonus otia Daphnis.

Nee vespertinus circumgemit ursus ovile, Nee intumescit alta viperis humus.

See also Claudian, Lib. ii. v. 25 seq.; and Theocritus, Idyll, xxiv. 84, as quoted by Gesenius and Rosenmiiller. These passages are beautiful, and highly poetic; but they do not equal the beauty of the prophet. There is an exquisite sweetness in the passage of Isaiah — in the picture which he has drawn — particularly in the introduction <>f the security of the young child.

That this passage is descriptive di the times of the Messiah, there can be no doubt. It has been a question, to what particular part of his reign the prophet has reference. Some have referred it to the time when he came, and to the influence of his gospel in mitigating the ferocity of his enemies, and ultimately disposing them to suffe: Christians to live with them— the infu riated enemies of the cross under the emblem of the wolf, the bear, the leopard, and the aMder, becoming willing that the Christian, under the emblem of the lamb, and the kid, should live with them without molestation. This is the interpretation of Vitringa. Others have referred it to the Millennium — aa descriptive of a state of happiness, peace, and universal security then. Others have referred it to the second coming of the Messiah, as descriptive of a time when it is supposed that he will reign personally on the earth, and when there shall be universal security and peace, and when the nature of animals shall be so far changed that the ferocity of those which are wild and ravenous shall cease, and they shall become harmless to the defenceless. Without attempting to examine these opinions at length, we may, perhaps, express the sense of the passage by the following observations: (1.) The eye of the prophet is fixed upon the reign of the Messiah, not with reference to time, but with reference to the actual facts of that reign. He saw the scene pass before his mind in vision (see the Introduction, § 7. iii. (4.) (5.), and it is not the nature of such descriptions to mark the time, but the order, the passing aspect of the scene. Under the reign of the Messiah he saw that this would occur: — looking down distant times, as on a beautiful landscape, he perceived under the mild reign of the Prince of Peace a state of things which would be well represented by the wolf dwelling with the lamb, tha leopard crouching down with the kid, and a little child safe in their midst. (2.) It was, in fact, partially fulfilled

In the earliest times of the gospel, and has been every where. Undoir that gospel the mad passions of men have been subdued; their wild ferocious nature has been changed; their love of conquest and war and blood taken away; and the change has been such as would be beautifully symbolized by the change of the disposition of the wolf and the leopard — suffering the innocent and the harmless to live with them in peace. (3.) The scene will not be fully realized until the reign of the Messiah shall be extended to all nations, and his gospel shall every where accomplish its full effects. The vision of Isaiah here has not yet received a full completion; nor will it until the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, ver. 9. The mind iS;, therefore, still directed onward. In future times, under the reign of THE Me53IAh, what is here described shall occur — a state of security and peace and happiness. Isaiah saw that splendid vision as in a picture pass before the mind; the wars, and persecutions, and trials of the Messiah's kingdom were for a time at least thrown into the back ground or not represented, and in that future tine he saw what is here represent'jd. It has been partially fulfilled— in all the changes which the Messiah's reign has made in the natural ferocity and cruelty of men; in all the peace which at any time the church has been permitted to enjoy; in all the revolutions promoting human safety, welfare, and happiness, which Christianity has produced. It is to receive the complete fulfilment — rd dnoTeXiana — only in that future time when the gospel shall be every where established on the earth. The essential thing, therefore, in the prophecy, is the representation of the peace, safety and harmony which shall take place under the Messiah. So to speak, it was a taking out, and causing to pass before the mind of the prophet, all the circumstances of harmony, order, and love in his reign — as in a beautiful panoramic view of a landscape the beauties of the whole scene may be made to poss before the mind; the circumstances that might even then, '.i surveyed closely, give pain, were hid from the view or lost in the loveliness of the whole scene. (4.) That it does not refer to any literal change in the nature of animals so that the ferocity of the untamed shall be wholly laid aside; the disposition to prey on one another wholly cease, and the poisonous nature of the adder be destroyed, seems to me to be evident. (1.) Because the whole description has a highly figurative and poetical cast. (2.) Because such figurative expressions are common *n all poetry, and especially among <ne Orientals. (-3.) Because it does not appear how the gospel has any tendency to change the nature of the lion, the bear, or the serpent. It acts on men, not on brutes; on human hearts, not on the organization of wild animals. (4.) Because such a state of things could not occur without a perpetual miracle, changing the physical nature of the whole animal creation. The lion, the wolf, the panther, are made to live on flesh. The whole organization of their teeth and digestive powers is adapted to this, and this alone. To fit them to live on vegetable food would require a change in their whole structure, and confound t}\ the doctrines of natural history. The adder is poisonous, and nothing but a miracle would prevent the poisonous secretion, and make his bite innocuous. But where is a promise of any such continued m.iracle as shall change the whole structure of the animal creation, and make the physical world different from what it is? It is indeed probable that wild animals and venomous serpents will wholly retire before the progress of civilization and Christianity, and that the earth may be inhabited every where with safety — ioi such is the tendency of the advance of civilization — but this is a very different thing from a change in the physical nature of the animal creation. The fair interpretation of this passage is, therefore, that revolutions will be produced in the wild and evil passions of men — the only thing with which the gospel has to do — as great as if a change were produced in the aniraaj

'—The wolf (3^1 zeebk) is a well- Known animal, so called from his yellow or golden colour. The Hebrew name is formed by changing t^ he in the word -"^^ zdhabh, gold, to &< aleph. Bochart. The wolf, in the Scriptures, is described as ravenous, fierce, cruel; and is the emblem of that which is wild, ferocious, and savage among men. Gen. xlix. 27: " Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf." Ezek. xxii. 27: "Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey." Matth. vii. 15: *' Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." John X. 12. Matth. x. IG. Luke x. 3. Acts XX. 29. The wolf is described as sanguinary and bloody (Ezek. xxii. 27), and as taking its prey by night, and as therefore particularly an object of dread. Jer. v. 6: "A wolf of the evenings shall spoil them." Habak. i. 8: " Their horses are more fierce than the evening wolves." Zeph. iii. 3: "Her judges are evening wolves, they gnaw not the bones till to-morrow." In the Scriptures, the wolf is constantly represented in contrast with the lamb; the one the emblem of ferocity, the other of gentleness and innocence. Matth. X. IG. Luke x. 3. The heathen poets also regard the wolf as an emblem of ferocity and cruelty:

Inde lupi oeu Rapforos, atra in nebula, quos tmproba ventris Exegit ccecos rabies -etc.

As hungry wolves, with raginfj appetite,

Scour through the fields, nor fear tlie stormy

night — Their whelps at honae expect the promised food, And long to temper their dry chaps in blood — So rushed we lorth at once. Dri/den.

Cervi, luporum praeda rapacium

See a full illustration of the nature and habits of the wolf in Bochart, Hieroz. Part i. B. iii. ch. x. pp. 821-830. T Shall dwell "^5 • Shall sojourn, or abide. The word usually denotes a resideno2 for a time only away fi-om home, not a permanent dwelling. The viea here is, that they shall remain peacefully together. The same imagf occurs in ch. Ixv. 25, in another form. " The wolf and the lamb shall feed together." H The lamb. Every where the emblem of mildness, gentleness, and innocence; and therefore applied often to the people of God, as mild; inoffensive and forbearing. John xxi. 15. Luke x. 3. Isa. xl. 2. It is very often applied by way of eminence to the Lord Jesus Christ. John i. 29. Acta viii. 32. Isa. ii. 7. 1 Pet. i. 19. Rev. v. 6, 8, 12, 13, vi. 16, vii. 9, 10, 14, 17 et al. IT And the leopard. "1^3 ndmer, The leopard, a well known wild beast, was regarded in Oriental countries as second in dignity only to the lion. The Arabic writers say, " he is second in rank to the lion, and as there is a natural hatred between them, victory is alternate between them." Hence in the Scriptures, the lion and the leopard are often joined together as ani mals of the same character and rank. Cant. iv. 8:

Therefore I will be unto them as a lion,

As a leopard by the way will I observe them.

The leopard is distinguished for hw spots (Jer. xiii. 23, " Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard hia spots?"); it has small white eyes, wide jaws, sharp teeth, and is represented as extremely cruel to man. It was common in Palestine, and was an object of great dread. It lurked for its prey like the lion, and seized upon il suddenly (Jer. v. 6, Hos. xiii, 7), and was particularly distinguished for its velocity (Habak. i. 8), and is often referred to in the classic writers as an emblem of fleetness. See Bochart. The image here used by Isaiah that " the leopard should lie down with the kid," as an emblem of peace and safety, occurs almost in the same form in the Sybilline oracles. Lib iii:

' leopards shall feed together with kids. See Bochart Hieroz. Par, i. Lib. iii, cap. vii. pp. 786-791. IT With the kid

7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

Tlie young of the goat. Gen. xxxvii. 21. Lev. xxiii. 19. Luke xv. 29. Like the lamb, it was an emblem of gentleness, mildness, and inofFensiveness. IT And the calf. Another emblem of inoffensiveness and innocence. IT And the young lion. The Hebrew word here used, ^^^'^., denotes one that is old enough to go abroad for prey. It is employed as emblematic of dangerous enemies (Ps. xxxiv. 2, xxxv. 17, Iviii. 7); and also as emblematic of young heroes, or defenders of a state. Ezi k. xxxviii. 15. Nah. ii. 14. IT And the failing. The calf or other animal that was well fed, and that would be therefore particularly an object of desire to a wild beast. The beauty of the ima^ is heightened by the circumstance that now the ravenous beast would live with that Which usually excites its keenest appetite, without attempting to injure it. ^ And a little child shall lead them. This is a peculiarly beautiful image introduced into the picture of peace and prosperity. Naturally, the lion and the leopard are objects of dread to a young child. But here, the state of peace and safety is represented as not only so entire that the child might live with them in safety, but their natural ferocity is so far subdued and tamed that they could be led by him at his will. The verisimilitude of the picture is increased by the circumstance that these wild beasts may he so far tamed as to become subject to the will of a man, and even of a child. 7. And the cow and the hear shall feed. That is, together. Animals that by nature do not dwell together, where by nature the one would be the prey of the other, shall dwell together —an image of safety and peace. IT And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. A representation of the change that will take place under the reign of the Mes- Bifih in the natural disposition of men.

8 And the suckijg child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put hia hand on the ^cockatrice's den.

and in the aspect of society; as great as if the lion were to lose his natural appetite for blood, and to live on the usual food of the ox. This cannot be taken literally; for such an interpretation would suppose a change in the physical organization of the lion^of hie appetites, his teeth, his digestive organs — a change which it would be absurd to suppose will ever exist. It would in fact make him a different being. And it is clear, therefore, that the whole passage is to be interpreted in a moral sense, as denoting gfeat and important changes in society, and in the hearts of men.

8. And the sucking child. An emblem here of harmlessness and innocence. The change in the world under the Messiah shall be as great as if a sucking infant should be able to play unharmed with a venomous serpent. IT Shall play. Shall delight himself

C^'^?.—) as children usually engage h\ their sports. Comp. Prov. viii. 30, 31. Ps. cxix. 24. IT On the hole of the asp. Over, or around the cavern, hole, or place of retreat of the asp. He shall play over that place as safely as if the nature of the asp was changed, and it had become innocuous. The Hebrew word here rendered asp (11^3 pethen) denotes the serpent usually called the asp, whose poison is of such rapid operation that it kills almost instantly. See Job xx. 14, 16. Ps. Iviii. 4. xci. 13. Deut. xxxii. 33. The word occurs in no other places in the Old Testament. This serpent is small. It is found particularly in Egypt, though also in other places. See Note on.Tob xx. 14. It is here used as the emblem of the more sudden, malignant, and violent passions; and the idea is, that undel the Messiah a change would be wrought in men of malignant and deadly passions as signal as if the asp or adder were to lose his venom and become

9 They shall not hurt* nor clestroy in all my holy mountain: for hhe earth shall be full of the

innocuous to a child. IT And the weaned child. But still, a young and helpless child. The image is varied, but the same idea is retained. IF Shall put his hand. That is, he shall do it safely, or uninjured. "IT On the cockatrice' den. Marg. or, adder's. The word here rendered cockatrice ("^ilS?^^ tziphoni) occurs only in the following places: Isa. xiv. "29, xi. 8, lix. 5. Prov. xxiii. 32. Jer. viii. 17. In all these places, it is rendered cockatrice, except in Prov. xxiii. 32. The cockatrice was a fabulous kind of serpent, supposed to be hatched from the egg of a cock. The serpent here designated is doubtless a species of the adder, more venomous, perhaps, than the peihen, but still belonging to the same species. Bochart (Hieroz. P. ii. L. iii. ch. ix.) supposes that the basilisk is intended — a species of serpent that he says was supposed to poison even with its breath. The general idea is the same here as above. — It is in vain to attempt to spiritualize these expressions, and to show that they refer to certain individuals, or that the animals here designated refer to particular classes of the enemies of the gospel. It is a mere poetic description, denoting great peace and security; and all the changes in the mad, malignant, and envenomed passions of men, that may be necessary to produce and perpetuate that peace. Pope has versified this description in the following beautiful manner:

The Iambs with wolves shall graze the verdant

mead, And boys in flowery bands the tigers lead. The steer and lion at one crib shall meet. And harmless serpents lick the pilgrim's feet. The smiling infant in his hand shall take The crested basilis.k and speckled snake; Pleased, the green lustre of the scales survey, And with their forked tongue shall innocently

9. They shall not hurt. That is, those who are designated above under the emblems of the lion, the leopard, the bear, and the adder. IT Nor destroy in all my holy mountain. Mount Zion;

here used, as elsewhere, to denote the seat of his reign on the earth, or hia church. Notes ch. i. 8, ii. 4. The disposition of men, naturally ferocioua and cruel, shall be changed so entirely, that the causes of strife and contention shall cease. They shall be disposed to do justice, and to promote each other's welfare every where. IT For the earth. That is, in the times of the Messiah. It does not say that it shall be immediate under his reign, but undei' hia reign this shall occur on the earth. IT The knowledge of the Lord. This is put for piety, as the fear of the Lord often is. The earth shall be full of a correct understanding of the existence, perfections, plans, and claims of God; and shall be disposed to yield to those claims — thus producing universal peace. IT As the waters cover the sea. That is, the depths or the bottom of the sea. Comp. Hab. ii. 14. The vast waters of the ocean cover all its depths, find their way into all the caverns, flow into all the recesses on the shore — and thus shall the knowledge of Jehovah spread like deep, flowing waters, until the earth shall be pervaded and covered with it. It is evident that a time is here spoken of which has not yet fully come, and the mind is still directed onward, as was that of the prophet, to a future period when this shall be accomplished. The prophecy has been indeed in part fulfilled. Wherever the gospel has spread, its eflfect has been just that which is predicted here. It has calmed and subdued the angry passions of men; changed their feelinga and their conduct; disposed them to peace; and tended to mitigate national ferocity, to produce kindness to captives, and to those who had been oppressed. It has mitigated laws that were cruel and bloody; and has abolished customs, games, sports, and pas times that were ferocious and savage It has often changed the bitter persecutor, as it did Saul of Tarsus, to the

10 And in that day there shall be a '''root Df Jes«G^ which shall stand for an ensign of the people;

hnildness and gentleness of a lamb; and lit has spread an influence over nations (tending to produce humanity and benevolence, it has produced mildness, gentleness and love in the domestic circle; changed the cruel and lordly husband to a companion and friend; and the character of the stern and inexorable father to one of paternal kindness and peace. Wherever it has spread in truth and not inform merely, it has shed a mild, calming, and subduing influence over the passions, laws, and customs of men. But its effects have been but partially felt; and we are led, therefore, to look forward to future limes, when the prophecy shall be entirely fulfilled, and the power of the gospel shall be felt in all nations.

10. And in that day. That future time n^hen the reign of the Messiah shai' be established. Note ch. iii. 2, iv. L The prophet having described the birtli, and the personal characteristics of the great personage to whom he referred, together with the peaceful effects of his reign, proceeds to state the resuit of that reign in some other respects. The first is (ver. 10), that the Gentiles would be brought under his reign; the second (ver. 14), that it would be attended with the restoration of the scattered people of Judea; and the third (vs. 15, 16), that it would be followed by the destruction of the enemies of the people of God. IT There shall he a root of Jesse. There shall be a sprout, shoot, or scion of the ancient and decayed family of Jesse. See Note v, 1. Chaldee, " There shall be a son of the sons of Jesse." The word root here (llj'llu) is evidently used in the sense of a root that is alive when the tree is dead; a root that sends up a shoot or sprout; and is thus aj>plied to him who should proceed from the ancient and decayed family of Jesse See ch. liii. 2. Thus in Rev. v. 5, the Messiah is called " the root of David," and in Rev. xxii. 1 6, " the root and the offspring 11* of David." IF Which shall stand. There is reference here, doubtless, to the fact that military ensigns were sometimes raised on mountains or towers which were permanent, and which, therefore, could be rallying points to an army or a people. The idea is, that the root of Jesse, i. e the Messiah, should be conspicuous, and that the nations should flee to him, and rally around him as a people do around a military standard. Thus the Saviour gays (John xii. 32): " And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." ^ For an ensign. For a standard, or a sign around v/hich they shall rally. IT Of the people. That is, as the parallelism shows, of the Gentiles. IT To it shall the Gentiles seek. The heathen world shall look to it for safety and deliverance. In the Scriptures, the world is spoken of aa divided into Jews and Gentiles. All who are not Jews come under this appellation. This is a distinct prophecy that other nations than the Jews should be benefited by the work of the Messiah, and constitute a part of his kingdom. This fact is often referred to by Isaiah, and constitutes a very material feature in his prophecies; ch. xlii. 1,6, xlix. 22, liv. 3, lx.3,5, 11,16, Ixi. 6,9, Ixii. 2, Ixvi. J2, 19. The word seek here is used in the sense of seeking as a deliverer, or a Saviour: they shall apply to him for instruction, guidance, and salvation; or they shall apply to him as a nation looks to its deliverer to protect it. Comp. ch. viii. 19. 2 Kin. i. 3. Isa. Ixv. 1. IT And his rest. The rest, peace and quietness which he shall give. This evidently includes all the rest or peace which he shall impart to those who seek him. The word nn*12Ta menuhhd sometimes denotes a restingplace, or a habitation (Numb. x. 33. Micah ii. 10. Ps. cxxxii. 8); but it also denotes a slate of rest, quietness. Ruth i. 9. Jer. xlv. 3. Ps. xxiii. 2. Ps. xcv. 11. Deut. xii. 9. Isa. xxviii.

in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant o£ his people, which shall be left,

12. Isa. Ixvi. 1. Here it evidently means the latter. It may refer, (1) To the peace which he gives to the conscience of the aw^akened and troubled sinner (Matt. xi. 28-30); or (2) to the prosperity and peace which his reign shall produce. IT Shall be glorious. Heb. Shall be glory. That is, shall be full of glory and honour. It shall be such as shall confer signal honour on his reign. The Chaldee understands this of his place of residence, his palace or court. " And the place of his abode shall be in glory." The Vulgate renders it, " and his sepulchre shall be glorious."

11. And it shall come to pass. The prophet, having in the previous verse stated the effect of the reign of the Messiah on the Gentile world, proceeds to state the result on the scattered Jews. Whether it is to be a literal re-collecting of the scattered tribes to the land of their fathers, has been a subject of debate, and is still so by expositors. We may be able to determine what is the correct general interpretation after the particular phrases have been examined. IT In that day. That future time referred to in this whole prophecy. The word day is often used to denote a long time — or the time during which any thing continues, as Ike day denotes all the hours until it is terminated by night. So day denotes the time of a man's life — " his day;" or time in general; or the time when one shall be prominent, or be the principal object at that time. Thus it is applied to the time of the Messiah, as being the period of the world in which he will be the prominent or distinguished object. John viii. 56: " Abraham rejoiced to see my day." Luke xvii. 24: " So shall the Son of Man be in his day." The expression here means, that somewhere in that future

from ^Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush^ and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

time when the Messiah should appear, or wheii the world should be put under him as the Mediator, the event would take place which is here predicted. As the word " day" includes all the time of the Messiah, or all his reign from his first to his second advent, it is not to be supposed that the event would take place when he was personally on earth. Isaiah saw it in vision, as one of the events which was to occur after the "root of Jesse" should stand as an ensign to the nations. IT That the Lord shall set his hand. That Jehovah shall undertake this, and accomplish it. To set the hand to any thing is to undertake to perform it. H The second time (H'^tU). This word properly means, as it is here translated^ the second time, implying that the prophet here speaks of a deliverance which would resemble, in some respects, a former deliverance or recovery. By the former recovery to which he here refers, he cannot mean the deliverance from Egypt under Moses, for at that time there was no recovery from scattered and distant nations. Besides, if that was the reference by the former deliverance, then that here mentioned as the " second" deliverance would be that from the Babylonish captivity. But on the return from that captivity there was not a collecting of the Jewa from all the nations here specified When the Jews were led back to Judea under Nehemiah, there is no record of their having been collected from " Egypt," or from " Cush," er from " the islands of the sea." It ia evident, therefore, I think, that by the former deliverance to which the prophet here alludes — the deliverance which was to precede that designated here as the second — he refers to the return from the captivity of Babylon; I and by the " second," to some stiii more future recovery that should take place under the administration of the Messiah. This is further confirmed from the fact that the whole scope of the prophecy points to that future period. IT To recover. Heb. to possess, or to obtain possession of (ni3pP liqnoth). This word properly means to obtain possession of by purchasing or buying any thing. But it is also applied to any possession obtained of an object by power, labour, skill, or by delivering from bonda-ge or captivity, and is thus synonymous with redeein or deliver. Thus it is applied to the deliverance of the people from Egypt. Deut. xxxii. 6. Ex. xv. 16. Ps. h xiv. 2. It means here, that Jehovah wovld redeem, rescue, recover his people; but it does not specify the mode in which it would be done. Any mode — either by collecting and rescuing them from the regions into which they were scattered into one place, or by a spiritual turning to him, wherever they might be, would meet the force of this word. If in the lands where they were scattered, and where they had wandered away from the true God, they were converted, and should become again his people, the event would correspond with all that is meant by the word here. They would then be purchased, possessed, or recovered to himself, by being delivered from their spiritual oppression. It is not necessary, therefore, to resort to the interpretation that they should in this '* second" deliverance be restored literally to the land of Canaan. Any argument for that doctrine from this passage must be drawn from the word here used — " recover"— and that that idea is not necessarily involved in this word is abundantly manifest from its familiar use in the Old Testament. All that that word implies, is that they should he possessed by God as his people; an idea which is fully met by the supposition that the scattered Jews every where will be converted to the Messiah, and thus become his true people. For this use of the word, see Gen. xxv. 10, xlvii. 22, xlix. 30, I. 13. Josh. «iv. 32. 2 Sam. xii. 3. Fs. Ixviii. 54.

Lev. xxvii. 24. Neh. v. 8. In nt place does it necessarily Imply the idea of collecting or restoring a scattered people to their own land. IT The rennant of his people. That is, the remnant of the Jews, still called his people. In all the predictions respecting the calamities that should ever come upon them, the idea is always held out that the nation would not be wholly extinguished; but that however great the national judgments, a remnant would still survive. This was particularly true in regard to the fearful judgments which Moses denounced on the nation if they should be disobedient, and which have been so strikingly fulfilled. Deut. xxviii. As the result of those judgments, Moses does not say that Jehovah would annihilate the nai.'on, or extinguish their name, but thai they would be *' left few in number" (Deut. xxviii. 62); that Jehovah would scatter them among all people, from the one end of the earth even to the other (Deut. xxviii. 64); and that among those nations they should find no ease, neither should the sole of their foot have rest, ver. 65. In like manner it was predicted that they should be scattered every where. " I will scatter them also among the heathen — whom neither they nor their fathers have known. I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for theii hurt, to be a reproach, a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I will drive them," Jer. xxiv. 9,10. " I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds," Ezek- V. 10. " I will also scatter them among the nations, among the heathen, and disperse them in the countries," Ezek. xii. 15. " I will sift the house of Israel among the nations, like as corn la sifted in a sieve, yet shah not the least grain fall upon the earth. They shall be wanderers among the nations," Amos ix. 9. "I will make a full end of the nations whither I have driven thee, but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measuie; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpwu ished," Jer. xlv.. 28. From all these, and from numerous other passages in the Old Testament, it is evident that it was designed that the Jewish nation should never be wholly destroyed; that though they were scattered among the nations, they should still be a distinct people; that while other nations would wholly cease to exist, yet that a remnant of the Jewish people, with the national peculiarities and customs, would still survive. How entirely this has been fulfilled, the remarkable history of the Jewish people every where testifies. Their present condition on the earth as a people scattered in all nations, yet surviving; without a king and a temple, yet preserving their national prejudices and peculiarities, is a most striking fulfilment of the prophecy. See Keith's Evidence of the Fulfilment of Prophecy, p. 64—82. IT From Assyria. The name Assyria is commonly applied to that region of country which lies between Media, Mesopotamia, Armenia, and Babylon, and which is now called Kurdistan. The boundaries of the kingdom have often varied, and as a kingdom or separate nation, it has long since ceased to exist. The name Assyria in Scripture is given (1) to ancient Assyria, lying east of the Tigris, and between Armenia, Susiana, and Media — the region comprising mostly the modern kingdoms and the pashalik of Mosul. (2.) Most generally the name Assyria means the kingdom of Assyria, including Babylonia and Mesopotamia, and extending to the Euphrates. Isa. vii. 20, viii. 7. (3.) After the overthrow of the Assyrian empire, the name continued to be applied to those countries which were formerly held under its dominion — including Babylonia (2 Kings xxiii. 29. Jer. ii. 18), Persia (Ezra vi. 22), and Syria. Eob. Cal. It is in this place applied to that extensive region, and means that the Jews scattered there — of whom there have always been many — shall be brought under the dominion of the Messiah. If the Nestorian Christians in the mountains of Kurdistan are the descendants of the lost ten tribes (see Note on ver. VH), then the reference here is doubtless t<f them. There are, however, other Jews there, as there always has been. See Dr. Grant's work on the " Nestorians, or the lost Tea Tribes," New- York, 1841. IF And from Egypt. The wellknown country in Africa watered by the Nile. In all ages, there have been many Jews there. Its vicinity to Palestine; its remarkable fertility, and the advantages which it ofiered to thera, attracted many Jews there; and at some periods they have composed no inconsiderable part of the population. It was in this country that the translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into the Greek language called the Septuagint was made for the use of the numerous Jews residing there. At present they are numerous there, thcigh the exact number is unknown. During the reign of Bonaparte an estimate was made for his information of the number of Jews in the world, and in that estimate 1,000,000 was assigned to the Turkish empire — probably about a third part of all on the earth. A large portion of this number is in Egypt. IT And from Pathros. This w^as one of the three ancient divisions of Egypt. It was the same as Upper Egypt, or the southern part of Egypt, the Coptic portion of that country. The inhabitants of that country are called Fathrusini. To that place many of the Jews retired in the calamities of the nation not^vithstanding the remonstrances of Isaiah. Jer. xliv. 1, 15. For this act God severely threatened them. See Jer. xliv. 26-29. IT And from Gush. The Chaldee reads this, " and from Judea." The Syriac, " and from Ethiopia." This country denotes properly the regions settled by the descendants of Cush, the eldest son of Ham. Gen. x. 8. Commentators have differed very much about the region understood in the Scriptures by the name Cush. Bochart supposes that by it the southern parts of Arabia are always meant. Gesenius supposes that by Cush is always meant a region in Africa. Michaelis supposes that by Cu«h the southern part of Arabia and the African Ethiopia were both in* tended. In the Scriptures, however, it is evident that the name is given to different regions. (I.) It means what may be called the Oriental Cask, inciudmg the region of the ancient Susiana, and bounded on the south by the Persian Gulf, and on the west and southwest by the Tigris, which separates it from the Arabian Irak. This province has the name Chusastan or Chusistan, and was probably the anvicnt Cash mentioned in Zeph. iii. 10: " From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia (Keb. Cash), my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering." The principal rivers there were the Ulai, the Kur, the Chobar, and the Choaspes. The same place is referred to in 2 Kings xvii. 24, where the king of Assyria is said to have "brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava," where the word Cuthah evidently refers to Cash, the Armenian mode of pronouncing Cush, by exchanging the letters Shin for Tav, as they always do in pronouncing Ashur, calling it Athur, &c. See the Chaldee Paraphrase, and the Syriac version passim. (II.) Cush, as employed by the Hebrews, usually denoted the southern parts of Arabia, and was situated chiefly along the coast of the Red Sea, since there are several passages of Scripture where the name Cush occurs which can be applied to no other country, and least of all to the African Cush or Ethiopia. See Num. xii. 1, where the woman whom Moses married is called an " Ethiopian" (Heb. Cushite) It can be scarcely supposed that she came from the distant regions of Ethiopia in Africa, but it is evident that she came from Bome part of Arabia. Also Habakkuk iii. 7, says:

I saw the tents of Cuskan in affliction; And the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

from which it is evident that Cushan and Midian were countries adjacent; ♦hat is, in the southern part of Arabia. Comp. 2 Chron. xxi. 16, xiv. 9. (III.) The word Cush is applied to Ethiopia, or the country south of Egypt, now called Abyssinia. This country con»- prehended not only Ethiopia above Syene and the Catara cts, but likewise Thebais or Upper Egypt. Comp. Jer. xiii. 23. Dan. xi. 3. Ezek. xxx. 4, 5. Isa. xliv. 14. See Notes on Isa. xviii

1. To which of these regions the pro phet here refers, it is not easy to deter mine. As the other countries here mentioned, however, are chiefly in the East, it is most natural to suppose that he refers to the Oriental Cush men^ tioned under the first division. The general idea of the prophet is plain, that the scattered Jews should be gathered back to God. IT And from Elam. This was the name of a country originally possessed by the Persians, and so called from the son of Shem of the same name. Gen. xiv. 1. It was the southern part of Persia, situated on the Persian Gulf, and included, probably, the whole of the region now called Susiana or Khusistan. The city Susa or Shushan was in it. Dan. viii. 2. IT And from Shinar. This was a part of Babylonia, and is supposed to be the plain lying between the Tigris and the Euphrates. Gen. x. 10, xi. 2. Dan. i.

2. Zech. V. 11. It was the region elsewhere called Mesopotamia. The LXX render it, " and from Babylon;" and it is remarkable that Luke (Acts ii. 9), where he has reference probably to the place, speaks of " the dwellers in Mesopotamia " as among those who heard "the wonderful works of God" in their own language. It was in this plain that the tower of Babel was commenced. Gen. x. IT And from Hamath. See Note ch. x. 9. IT And from the islands of the sea. This expression probably denotes the islands situated in the Mediterranean, a part of which wens known to the Hebrews. But, as geography was imperfectly known, the phrase came to denote the regions lying west of the land of Canaan; the unknown countries which were situated in that sea, or west of it, and thus included the countries lying around the Mediterranean. The word 1, anslated islands here (C'l'X) mean)* properly habitable dry land in opposition to water. Isa. xlii. 13. "I will make the rivers dry land;" where ta

12 And he shall stt up an ensign* for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts' of Israel,

translate it islands would make nonsense. Hence, it means also land adjacent to water, either washed by it, or surrounded by it, that is, a maritime country, coast or island. Thus it means coast when applied to Ashdod (Isa. xx. 6); to Tyre (Isa. xxii. 2, 6); to Peloponnesus or Greece (called Chittim, Ezek. xxvii. 6). It means an island when applied to Caphtor or Crete (Jer. xlvii. 4. Amosix. 7). The word was commonly used by the Hebrews to denote distant regions beyond the sea, whether coasts or islands, and especially the maritime countiies of the West, to them imperfectly known through the voyages of the Phenicians. See Note on ch. xli. 1. Comp. Isa. xxiv. 15, xl. 15, xlii. 4, 10, 12, li. 5.

12. And he shall set vp an ensign. See ver. 10. The Messiah shall stand m view of the nations, as a standard is erected by a military leader. An ensign or standard was usually lifted up on the mountains or on some elevated place (comp. ch. xviii. 3); and the meaning here is, that the Messiah would be the conspicuous object around which the nations would rally. IT And shall assemble. This word, f^Oi^ dsdph, properly means, to gather, collect, to assemble together, as fruits are collected for preservation (Ex. xxiii. 10); to collect a people together (Num. xxi. 16); to gather or collect gold. 2 Kings xxii. iv. It may also mean to gather or collect any thing for destruction (.Ter. viii. 13); and hence to take out of the way, to kill, destroy, 1 Sam. XV. 6. Ezek. xxiv. 29. Here, it is evidently synonymous with the word "recover" in ver. 11. It cannot be proved that it means that God will literally reassemble all the scattered Jews; for the collecting them, or regathering them to himself as his people, though they may be still scattered among the nations, is all that the words Necessarily ini;?ly. Thus when the and gather together the dispersed* of Judah from the four corners* of the earth.

word is used, as it is repeatedly, to denote the death of the patriarchs, where it is said they were " gathered to their fathers," it does not mean that they were buried in the same grave, or the same vicinity, but that they were united to them in death; they partook of the same lot; they all alike went down to the dead. Gen. xxv. 8, xxxv. 29, xlix. 29. Num. xx. 24. Deut. xxxii. 50. IT The outcasts f Israel. The name * Israel,' applied at first to all the descendants of Jacob, came at length to denote the * kingdom of Israel,' or of the * ten tribes,' or of* Ephraim,' as the tribes which revolted under Jeroboam were called. In this sense it is used in the Scriptures after the time of Jeroboam, and thus it acquired a technical signification distinguishing it from Judah. IT The dispersed of Judah. ' Judah,' also, though often used in a general sense to denote the Jews as such without reference to the distinction into tribes, is also used technically to denote the kingdom of Judah as distinguished from the kingdom of Israel. The tribe of Judah was much larger than Benjamin, and the name of the latter was lost in the former. A considerable part of the ten tribes returned again to their own land with those of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin; a portion remained still in the countries of the East, and were intermingled with the other Jews who remained there. All distinctions of the tribes were gradually abolished, and there is no reason to think that the ' ten tribes,' here referred to by the name * Israel,' have now any where a distinct and separate existence. See this point fully proved in a Review of Dr. Grant's work on " The Nestorians, or the Lost Tribes," in the Biblical Repository for October, 1841, and January, 1842, by Prof Robinson. Tho literal meaning here then would be, that he would gather the remains oi those scattered people, whether per

13 The ^envy also of Ephraim

.aining to * Israel ' or * Judah/ from the regions v/here they were dispersed. It does not necessarily mean that they would be regathered in their distinctive capacity as ' Israel' and * Judah,' or that the distinction would be still preserved, but that the people of God would be gathered together, and that all sources of alienation and discord would cease. The meaning, probably, is, that under the Messiah all the remains of that scattered people, in all parts of the earth, whether originally appertaining to 'Israel' or 'Judah,' Ehould be collected into one spiritual kingdom, constituting one happy and harmonious people. To the fulfilment of this, it is not necessary to be supposed that they would be literally gathered into one place, or that they would be restored to their own land, or that they would be preserved as a distinct and separate community. The leading idea is, that the Messiah would set up a glorious kingdom in which all causes of alienation and discord would cease. IT From the four corners of the earth. Chaldee, " from the four winds of the earth." The LXX render it, "from the four wings, Trrepvyoiv, of the earth." It means that they should be collected to God from each of the four parts of the earth — the east, the west, the north, and the south. The Hebrew word here rendered " corners," means properly " wings." It is applied however to the corner, or border of a thing, as a skirt, or mantle (1 Sam. xxiv. 5, 11. Deut. xxiii, 1); and hence to the boundaries, or corners of the earth, because the earth seems to have been represented as a quadrangular plain. Ezek. vii. 2.

13. The envy also. The word envy here is used in the sense of hatred, or the hatred which arose from the ambition of Ephraim, and from the prosperity of Judah. Ephraim here is the name for the kingdom of Israel or the ten tribes. The reasons of their envy and enmity towards Judah — all arising from their ambition — ^were the following: