3. Now the Egyptians are men. They are nothing but men; they have and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail to. gether.
4 For thus hath the Lord spoken unto me. Like as the lion ^''and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the ^noise of them: so shall the Lord
no power but such as other men possess. The idea here is, that the case in reference to which they sought aid was one in which divine help was indispensable, and that, therefore, they relied on the aid of the Egyptians in vain. H And their horses flesh, and not spirit. There is need, not merely oiphysical strength, but of wisdom, and intelligence, and it is in vain to look for that in mere brutes. IT Both he that helpeth. Egypt, whose aid is sought. IT And he that is holpen. Judah, that had sought the aid of Egypt. Neither of them would be able to stand against the wrath of God.
4. For thus hath the Lord spoken. The design of this verse and the following is to assure the Jews of the certain protection of Jehovah, and thus to induce them to put their trust in h'm rather than to seek the alliance w»th Egypt. To do this the prophet makes use of two striking illustrations, the first of which is that Jehovah would be no more alarmed at the number and power of their enemies than a fierce lion would be that was intent on his prey, and cou'd not be frightened from of hosts come down to fight for it by any number of men that should come against him. The point of this comparison i5, that as the lion that was iniPitt on his purpose could not be frightened from it by numbers, so it would be with Jehov'ah, who was equally intent on his jmrpose — the defence of the city of Jerusalem. It does not mean, of course, that the purpose of God and of the lion resembled each other, but merely, that there was similar intensity of purpose, and similar adherence to it notwithstanding all opposition. The figure is one that denotes the highest vigilance, firmness, steadiness, and a deteimination on the part of Jehovah that Jerusalem should not fall into the hands of the Assyrians. ^ Like as the lion. The divine nature and purposes are often represented in the Scriptures by metaphors, allegories, and comparisons taken from animals, and especially from the lion. See Hos. xi. 10. Deut. xxxiii. 20. Job x. 16. Ps. vii. 2. IT And the young lion. The vigorous, strong, fierce lion. The use of the two here gives intensity and strength to the comparison. It is observable that the lion is seldom mentioned alone in the Scriptures. ^ Roaring on his prey. Roaring as he seizes on his prey. This is the moment of the greatest intensity of purpose in the lion, and it is therefore used by Isaiah to denote the intense purpose of Jehovah to defend Jerusalem, and not to be deterred by any number of enemies. T When a multitude of shepherds is called forth. When the neighbourhood is alarmed, and all the inhabitants turn »ut to destroy him. This comparison is almost exactly in the spirit and language of Homer, Iliad xii. 209, scq.:
So press(!<l with huneer from tV)e mountain's brow
Descends a lion on the flocks below;
So staiivs tlie lordly savage o'er the plain,
In.*u!len majesty and stern disdain:
III vain loud mastiffs bay him from afar,
\n'.i aheplierds gal! him with an iron war;
Lord of hosts defend ^Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it and passing over he will pre. serve it.
Regardless, furious, he pursues his way; He loams, lie roars, he rends the panting prey.
—But checked he turns; repulsed attacks agsin, With fiercer shouts his lingering troop.4 he fires, Nor yields a step, nor from his post retires; So watchful shepherds strive to forca ni vain, The hungry lion from the carcass slain. Fopt.
IT He will not he afraid. He will be so intent on his prey that he will not heed their shouting. IT I^or oha.se himself. That is, he will njt be frightened, or disheartened, "li So shall the Lord of hosts. That is, with the same intensity of purpose; with the same fixedness of d 'sign. He will be aa little dismayed and diverted from his purpose by the number, the des'ifns, and the war-shout of the Assyrian armies.
5. As hirds flying. This is another comparison indicating substantially the same thing as the former, that Jehovah would protect Jerusalem. The idea here is that He would do it m the same manner as birds defend their young by hovering over them, securing theni under their wings, and leaping forvsard, if they are suddenly attacked, to defend them. Our Saviour has used a similar figure to indicate his readiness to have defended and saved the same city (Matt, xxiii. 27), and it is possible that he may have had this passage in his eye. The phrase "birds flying" may denote the rapidity with which, birds fly to defend their young, and hence the rapidity with which God would come to defend Jerusalem; ot it may refer to the fact that birds, when their young are attacked, fly, or flutter around them to defend tl em; they will not leave them. IT And passing over.' f^^iO^ pdsodhh. Lowth renders this, " leaping forward." Thia word, which is usually applied in some of its forms to the Passover (Ex. xii 13,23,27. 2Chron.xxc. 18. N.im ix
6 Turn *ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply ''revolted.
7 For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and *his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin.
8 Then shall the Assyriai. fall* with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a
4. Josh. V. 11), properly means as a verb to pass over, and hence to preserve or spare. The idea in the passage is, that Jehovah would protect Jerusalem, as a bird defends its young.
6. Turn ye unto him. In view of the fact that he will assuredly defend Jerusalem, commit yourselves unto him rather than seek the aid of Egypt. IF Have deeply revolted. For the meaning of this phrase see Note ch. xxix. 15.
7 For in that day. That is, in the invasion of Sennacherib, and the events that shall be consequent thereon. IT Every man shall cast away his idols. See Note ch. xxx. 22. Comp. Note ch. ii. 20. IT For a sin. Or rather, the Bin which your own hands have made. The sense is, that the making of those idols had been a sin, or ein itself It had been the sin by way of eminence which was chargeable upon them., 8. Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword. The sword is often used as an instrument of punishment. It is not meant here literally that the sword would be used, but it is employed to denote that complete destruction would come upon them. ^ Not of a migldy man. The idea here is, that the army should not fall by the valour of a distinguished warrior, but that it should be done by the direct interposition of God, See ch. xxxvii. 36. •ir Of a mean man. Of a man of humble rank. His army shall not be slain by the hand of mortals. IT But he shall flee. The Assyrian monarch mean man, shall devour him: hul he shall flee 'from the sword, anc his young men shall be *discom. iited.
9 And ^he shall pass over tc his ^strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the Lord, whose fire is \n Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.
escaped when his army was destroyed, and fled towards his own land; ch. xxxvii. 37. ^ From the sword. Pvlarg. 'for fear of.' The Heb. is ' from the face of the sword;' and the sense is, that he would flee in consequence of the destruction of his host, here represented as destroyed by the sword of Jehovah. IT And his young men. The flower and strength of his army. II Shall be discomfited. Marg. ' for melting; or tribute, or tributary;' LXX, * for destruction,' els nTrrtjxa. The
Hebrew word D^ mds, derived probably from ^013 mdsds, to melt away, to dissolve, is most usually employed to denote a levy, fine, or tax — so called, says Taylor, because it wastes or exhausts the substance and strength of a people. The word is often used to denote that men become tributary, or vassals, as in Gen. xlix. 15. Deut. xx. 11. Comp. 1 Kings v. 13. Est. x. 1. 2 Sam. XX. 24. 1 Kings iv. 6. Josh, xvi. 10. Probably it does not here mean that the strength of the Assyrian army would become literally tributary to the Jews, but that they would be as if they had been placed under a levy to them; their vigour and strength would melt away, as property and numbers do under taxation and tribute. 9. And he shall pass over. Marg ' His rock shall pass away for fear.' The Hebrew would bear this, but it does not convey a clear idea. The sense seems to be this. The word rendered ' strong hold ' (Heb. his rocle dcnoies his forlifications, or the places of strength ia which he trusted. Probably the Assyrian monarch had many 8uch places which he regarded as perfectly secure, both in the limits of his own kingdom, and on the line of his inarch towards Judea. Those places would naturally be made strong, in order to afford a refuge in case of a defeat. The idea here is, that so great would be his alarm at the sudden destruction of his army and the failure of his plans, that in his flight he would pass over or beyond these strong places; he would not even stop to take refuge there and reorganize his scattered forces, but would flee with alarm beyond them, and make his way to his own capital. This appears to have been most strikingly fulfilled. See ch. xxxvii. 37. H And his princes. Those perhaps that ruled over his dependent provinces. H Shall be afraid of the ensign. That is, of any standard or banner that they saw. They would suppose that it was the standard of an enemy. This denotes a state of great consternation, when all the princes and nobles under the command of the Assyrian would be completely dismayed.
IT Whose fire is in Zion, Sec. That is whose altar is there, and always burni there. That was the place where he was worshipped, and it was a place, therefore, which he would defend. The meaning is, that they would be as certainly destroyed as the God whoso altar was in Jerusalem was a (Jod of truth, and would defend the place where he was worshipped. ^ And hU furnace, &c. See Note ch. xxix. 1. Where his altar continually burns.
The word rendered " furnace" ("1^3^) means properly a baking oven. Ex. vii. 28. Lev. ii. 4, vn. 9, xi. 35. This was either a large conical pot which was heated, in which the cakes we^e baked at the sides; or an excavation made in the earth which was heated by putting wood in it, and when that was removed the dough was put in it. — Perhaps the whole idea here is, that Jehovah had a home in Jerusalem, with the usual appendages of a house; that his fire and his oven were there — an expression descriptive of a dwelling-place. If so, then the meaning is, that he would defend his own home, and that the Assyrian could not expect to prevail againsf it.
This chapter has been regarded by many as a continuation and conclusion of the prediction commenced in the preceding chapter. Though it was, however, probably uttered at about the same time, and with reterencf to the s;tme general subject, yet there is no impropriety in its being separated. The previous chapter closes with a prediction that the Assyriiin army, which had been so much the ol) ect of dread, would be totally destroyed. This would be of conrs; followed with important consequences, soms of which are depicted in this chapter. The prophet, thereture, states (vs, 1—8) that the deft-at of Sennacherib would be followed by the peaceful and prosperous state of the kingdom under a righteous prince: — under whose reign there would be ample protection ver 2i; at which lime the advantages of instruction would prevail and the ignorant would be enlightened (vs 3,4; when there would be a proper estimate put on moral worth, and when illiberality, hypocrisy, and fil.'sehood would be no longer hold in repute (vs. 6, 7; and when the character of the nation would be that of a people which devised and executed l;irge and liberal purposes (ver. 8). That this has a reference to the reign of Hezekiah, has been abundantly shown by Vitringa; and indeed must be oovious on the slightest inspection. For, (I.) It is immediately connected with the ace<iunt of the destrnction of Sennacherib, and evidently means that the state of things here described would immediately succeed that. (-2) There is no hing in the account that does not fully accord wiih the prosf erous and hanjiy times of the rei^rn of He/.ekiah. (3.) There are statements in it vvhi' h cannot be Ri'I '.'.^d directly, or with propriety literally to the times of the Messiah. For example, the statement (ver. 1);t.at 'princes shall rule in righteousness" cannot be applied with any propriety to the apostles, smce they are not any where designated by that name. That, after the usual manner of I&aiah, he might not also in the progress of lii'^ description have glanced at tha times of the Messiah perha!'s there can be no reason to doubt. But the m;iin and leading purpose was (loubtles>3 to give a description of the happy times that would succeed the destruction of the army of the Assyrian, (^alvi:i «ii|)pove3, not improbably, I think, that this prophecy may have been uttered in the time of Ahaz, 01 whose reii-'u wicke Ine3.5 so murrh abounded, and ignorance and idolatry so much prevailed Bui »vhet.ht-r the prof "lecy was actu:illy it'terid in the time of Ahaz or not— which cannot now b« deter- »iined-yet it may have been uttered in view of the ignorance, and superstition, and hypoci sy wbt<h rrei'ailed in his r»i?n, and which extended their influence into the time ofhis successor, and on ac« count of which t.:e nation was to be subjected to the calamities arising from the invasion of Sennacherib After that, the king- Hezekiah would rule in rigliteousness, and his kingdom would enjoy *he blessings of his mild and virtuous reign.
Vhe prophet tlien (vs. 10—14) proceeds to show that previous to the prosperous times predicted there wouid be a state of desolation and alarm. This is indicated by his calling on the daughters ol luxury and fashion, who were re|:osing in security and confidence, to rise up in consternation at the calamities which were impending (vs lo, U), and by the assurance that there would be a time when they would sigh for the luxuries which ihey had before enjoyed, vs VZ—U. This is descriptive of tfie calamities which would attend the invasion of the Assyrian. Yet the prophet says, as is usual wi h hira, that these calamiiies would be succeeded by more happy times, vs 15—20. 'I'hey would continue until the Spirit should be poured out from on high (ver. 15), and the residt of this would be the iirevalence of righteousness in the nation (ver 16), and peace and safety (vs. 17, 18): there v\ouid \j& saety, and the privilege of pursuing the peaceful pursuits of aericulture, and of cultivating the entire land witLsut ^molestation (vs. 19, 20).
1 Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, ** and princes shall rule in judgment.
2 And a nnan shall be as an hiding-place from the wind, and
1. Behold, a Icing. That is, Hezekiah. That it refers to him is apparent from the connection. The reign of Ahaz had been one of oppression and idolatry. This was to be succeeded by the reign of one under whom the rights of the people would be secured, and under whom there would be a state of general prosperity. This may have been uttered while Ahaz was on the throne, or it may have been when Hezekiah began to reign. Perhaps the latter *3 the more probable, as Ahaz might not have tolerated any thing that would have looked like a reflection on his own reign; nor, perhaps, while he was on the throne would Isaiah have given a description that would have been a contrast between his reign and that of his successor. IT Shall reign in righteousness. That ii3, a righteous king bhall reig'i; or his administration shall be one of justice, and strongly in contrast with that of his predecessor. This was certainly the general characteristic of the reign of Hezekiah.
^ And princes shall rule. Heb. For princes, or, as to princes. ^'^yii\. Lowth proposes to read this without the b as the ancient versions do. But it is not necessary to change the text. It may be rendered, * As to princes, they shall rule ' Comp. Ps. xvi. 3. The " princes " here denote the various officers of government, or those to whom the administration was confided. T Tn judsmeni. That this is a just
a covert* from the tempest; as rivers*^ of water in a dry place; as the shadow of a 'great rock in a weary land.
description of the reign of Hezekiah.^ apparent from the history. See 2 Kings xviii. 3-6: " He removed the high places, and broke the images, and cut down the groves. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him, for he clave unto the Lord, and departed not from following him."
2. And a man. That is, evidently, the man referred to in the previous verse, to wit, Hezekiah. H Shall he as an hiding-place from the wind. A place where one may take refuge from a violent wind and tempest. See Note ch. XXV. 4. ^ A covert. A place of shelter and security. Wind and tempest are emblematic of calamity and oppression; and the sense is, that Hezekiah would be the protector of his people, and would save them from the calamities to which they had been subjected in former reigns. ^ Js rivers of water. This figure is often used in Isaiah. See ch. xxxv. 6, 7. Notes xli, 18. It means that the blessings of such a reign would be as grateful and refreshing as gushing fountains and running streams were to a thirsty traveller. Here it refers to the benefits that would be conferred by the reign of Hezekiah— a reign which, compared with that of his father, would be like a refreshing fountain to a weary pilgrim in a pathless desert. ^ As the shaduu of a great rock. In a burning deser of sand nothing is more grateiul than
8 And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim: and the ears cf them that hear shall hearken.
the cooling shade of a far-projecting rock. It not only excludes the rays of the sun, but it has itself a refreshing coolness that is most grateful to a weary traveller. The same figure is often used by the classic writers. See Virgil, Georg. iii. 145; Hesiod ii. 106, ^ lit a iceary land. A land where there is fatigue and weariness. Probably here it is used to denote a land destitute of trees, and groves, and pleasant abodes; a land where one expects weariness and fatigue, without any refreshment and shelter. The following description from Campbell's Travels in Africa will explain this: " Well does the traveller remember a day in the wilds of Africa, where the country was chiefly covered with burning sand; when scorched with the powerful rays of an almost vertical sun, the thermometer in the shade standing at 100°. He remembers long looking hither and thither for something that would afford protection from the almost insupportable heat, and where the least motion of air felt like a flame coming against the face. At length he e»pied a huge loose rock leaning against the front of a small cliff which faced the sun. At once he fled for refuge underneath its inviting shade. The coolness emitted from this rocky canopy he found exquisitely exhilarating. The wild beasts of the deserts were all fled to their dens, and the feathered songsters were all roosting among the thickest foliage they could find of the evergreen trees. The whole creation around seemed to groan, as if their vigour had been entirely exhausted. A small river was providentially at hand, to the side of which, after a while, he ventured, and sipped H little of its cooling water, which tasted better than the best Burgundy, 5r the finest old Hock in the world. V.iring all tliis enjoyment, the above
4 The heart also of the *rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerera shall be ready to speak ^plainly.
apropos text was the interesting subject of the traveller's meditation; though the allusion, as a figure, must fall infinitely short of that which is meant to be prefigured by it."
3. And the eyes of them that see, &c. The sense of this verse is, that there shall be, under the reign of this wise and pious prince, on the part of the prophets and teachers a clear view of divine truth, and on the part of the people who hear a disposition io hearken and to attend to it. The phrase " of them that see," refers probably to the pi-ophets, as those who were called seers (Note ch. xxix. 10, xxx. 10. comp. 1 Sam. ix. 9), or those who had visions (Note ch. i. 1) of the things that God would communicate to men. The word rendered "be dim" (!l3"ir;>L^ri)^ is derived from ^<^, which usually signifies to see, to look, but it also hag a meaning similar to 2.'2Jt5, to spread over, to close, to make blind. Of this fact Lowth seems not to have been aware when he proposed, without the authority of any MS., to change the text. The sense is, ihat those who were prophets and religious teachers should no more see obscurely, but should have clear and just views of divine truth. ^ And the ears of them that hear. Of the people who were instructed by their religious teachers. f Shall hearken. It shall be a characteristic of those times that they shall be disposed to attend to the truth of God.
4. The heart also of the rash. Marg. hasty. The Hebrew word denotes those who hasten; that is, those who are precipitate in f()rming a judgment, or deciding on a course of action. They do not take time to deliberate, and consequently they are led headlong into error, and into improper courses of life. IT Shall understand knowledge. They shall take time tP
5 The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to he bountiful.
6 For the vile person will s'speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to praclise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the Lord, to make empty the
deliberate; and they shall consequently form a more enlightened judgment. H And the tongue of the stammerers. The stammerers (comp. Note ch. xxviii. 11) seem here to denote those who had indistinct and confused views of subjects or who were incapable of expressing clear and intelligible views of divine truth, II Shall be ready to speak plainly. Marg. elegantly. The Hebrew is r^'ir^ clear, 7^5/a7<?, usually applied to a bright, clear, white light. The sense is, that there should be no indistinctness or obscurity in their views and modes of utterance.
5. The vile person. Heb. fool. But the connection requires us to understand this as the opposite of liberal; and it means a person who is close, miserly, narrow-minded, covetous. This person is designated, very appropriately, as a fool. H Shall be no more called liberal. It is probable that under the reign of former princes, when all views of right and wrong had been perverted, men of unprincipled character had been the subjects of flattery, and names of virtue had been attributed to them by their friends and admirers. But it would not be so under the virtuous reign of the prince here celebrated. Things would be called by their right names, and flattery would not be allowed to attribute to men qualities which they did not possess. IT Nor the t/mrl. The word churl means properly a rude, surly, ill-bred man; then a miser, a niggard. The Hebrew word means properly a deceiver, a fraudulent man. Ges'nius. The word avaricious, howev(;, seems to suit the connection. Lowth renders it " nigifnid;" Noyes, " crafty." IT Bounti-
soul of the hungry; and he will cause the drink ot the thirsty tc fail.
7 The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when ''the needy speaketh right.
ful. Flattery shall no more ascribe to a miserly man a character which doea not belong to him.
6. For the vile person. Heb. the fool. This word more properly expresses the idea than "vile person." The Hebrews used the name fool to denote not or'v one destitute of understanding, but a knave, a dishonest man — regarding sin as the highest folly. See 1 Sam. xxv. 25. 2 Sam. iii. 33. Job ii. 10. IT Will speak villany. Heb. will speak folly. That is, he will act in accordance with his nature; it is his nature to speak folly, and he will do it. Under a wicked and unjust administration such persons might be the subjects of flattery (ver. 5), and might be raised to office and power. But under the administration of a virtuous king they would not be admitted to favour; and the reason was, that they would act out their nature, and would corrupt all around them. A monarch, therefore, who regarded the honour of his own throne, and the welfare of hia subjects, would exclude them from hia counsels. IT To make empty the soul of the hungry. Probably this refers to spiritual hunger and thirst; and means that such a person would take away the means of knowledge from the people, and leave them to error, ignorance, and want. The sense is, that if such persons were raised to office they would corrupt the nation and destroy their confidence in God; and this was' a reason why a virtuous prince would exclude them from any participation in his government.
7. The instruments also. In the Hebrew here there is a paronoma.viu which cannot be imitated in a transla
8 But the liberal deviseth liberal thinos; and by liberal things shall he ®stand.
tion. The word instruments here denotes evidently the means by which the churl accomplishes his object; — whetlier it be by words; by judicial decisions; or by crafty devices. This is also a kind of proverbial expression, and is given as a further reason why such a person would not be employed by a wise and virtuous prince. IF Are evil. He will make use of any unprincipled means, any wicked plan or device, to accomplish his purpose. IT With lying words. With false representations; or with deceitful promises and assurances. His aim would be particularly directed to the poor and humble, as more easily deprived of their rights than the rich and powerful. It was also of greater importance to defend the rights of the poor, and therefore the prophet says that such a person should not be in the employ of a just and virtuous ruler. IT Even when the needy speaketh right. That is, although the cause of the needy is one of truth and equity. When this would be manifest, the unprincipled man in Dower would deprive him of his rights, and, therefore, under a wise and virtuous administration such a person should tlot be employed.
8. But the liberal. This seems, also, to have the force of a proverbial expression. The word * liberal ' means generous, noble, large-hearted, benevolent; a man of large views and of public spirit; a man above covetousness, avarice, and self-seeking; a man who is willing to devote himself to the welfare of his country, and to the incerests of his fellow-men. It is implied here that such persons would be selected to administer the affairs of the government under the wise and virtuous prince of which the prophet speaks. IT Deviseth liberal things. He purposes those things which will tend tt> promote the i>ublic welfare, and not those merely which will conduce to his private ends
9 Rise up, ye women that aia at *ease; hear my voice, ye careless daughters; give ear unto my speech.
and gratification. IT And by liberal things shall he stand. Marg. " be established.*' That is, according to the connection, he shall be confirmed, or approved in the government of the virtuous king referred to. It is, however, a proposition in a general form, and means also that a man by a liberal course shall be established; that is, his character, reputation, hopes, shall be established by it. This is true now. If a man wishes to obtain permanent peace and honour, the esteem of his fellow-men, or the evidence of divine approbation, it can be best done by large and liberal schemes to advance the happiness of a dying world. He who is avaricious and narrow-minded has no happiness, and no durable reputation; he who is large-hearted and benevolent, has the approbation of the wise and good, the favour of God, and a firm and unshaken support in the trials of life and in the agonies of death.
9. Rise upf &c. RosenmQller supposes that this commences a new vision or prophecy; and that the former part (vs. 9-14) refers to the desolation of Judea by the invasion of Sennacherib, and the latter (vs. 15-20) to the prosperity which would succeed that invasion. It cannot be doubted that this is the general reference of the passage, but there does not seem to be a necessity of making a division here. The entire prophecy, including the whole chapter, relates in general to the reign of Hezekiah; and as these events were to occur during his reign, the prophet groups them together, and presents them as constituting important events in his reign. The general design of this portion of the prophecy (vs. 9-14) is to show the desolation that would come upon the land of.Tudea in consequence of that invasion. This he represents in a poetical manner, by calling on the daughters of fashion and ease to arouse, since all their comforts
10. Many 'days and years Bhall ye be troubled, ye careless women: for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come.
11 Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye
strip ye, and make ye bare, and gird sackcloth iipon your loins.
were to be taken away. IT Ye women that are at ease. They who are surrounded by the comforts which affluence gives, and that have no fear of being reduced to want. Comp. eh. iii. 16-26. IT Ye careless daughters. Heb. * daughters confiding;' that is, those who felt no alarm, and who did »iot regard God and his threatenings. 10. Many days and years. Marg.
* days above a year.' This is a literal translation of the Hebrew. LXX, ' Make mention of a day of a year in (Borrow, with hope.' Targum, • Days with years.' Kimchi supposes it means ' two years.' Grotius supposes it means ' within three years.' Various other interpretations may be seen in Pool's Synop&is. Gesenius renders it, * for a year's time,* according to the vulgar expression ' a year and a day,' denoting a complete year, and supposes that it means a considerable time, a long period. The phrase literally means
• the days upon [or beyond] a year,' and may denote a long time; as the entire days in a year would denote a long period of suff'ering, Lowth renders it, not in accordance with the Hebrew, ' years upon years.' Noyes, * one fear more and ye shall tremble.' Perhaps this expresses the sense; and then it would denote not the length of time which they would suffer, but would indicate that the calamities would soon come upon them. IT For the virda^e shall fail. A large part of the wealth and the luxury of the nation consisted in the vintage. When Uie vine failed, there would be, of course, great distress. The sense is, that in consequence of the invasion »r the Assyriav.4, either the people
12 They shall lament for the teats, for the pleasant' fields, fo* the fruitful vine.
13 Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns^ aiid briers, ^yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city.
would neglect to cultivate the lands, or they would fail to collect the harvest. This might occur either from the dread of the invasion, or because the Assyrian would destroy every thing in his march,
11. Strip ye, and 7nake ye bare. That is, take off your gay and siplendid apparel, and put on the habiliments of mourning, indicative of a great calamity. IT And gird sackcloth. See Note ch. iii. 24.
12. They shall lament for the teats. Interpreters have been not a little perplexed by this expression. Lowth supposes it is to be taken in connection with the previous verse, and that it denotes that sackcloth was to be girded upon the breast as well as upon the loins. Others have supposed that it denotes to " smite upon the breasts," as a token of grief; others, that the word * breast' here denotes children by a synecdoche, as having been nourished by the breast, and that the women here were called to mourn over their children. But it is evident, I think, that the word breasts here is used to denote that which nourishes or sustains life, and is synonymous with fruitful fields. It is so used in Homer (Iliad, ix. 141), where ovdap dpovpTjg denotes fertility of land. And here the sense doubtless is, that they would mourn over the fields which once contributed to sustain life, bi t which were now desolate. In regard to the grammatical difficulties of the place, Rosenmiiller and Gesenius may be consulted. IT The pleasant fields. Marg. as in the Hebrew, "fields of desire."
13. Upon the land of my people A description similar to this, in regard to the consequences of the invasion of
14 Because tlie palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left: the forts *and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;
Sennacherib, is given in cK. vii. 20-25. See JSotes on that passage. IT Yea, upon all the houses of joy. Margin, *' Or, burning vpon." The marginal reading has originated from the supposition that the word ""3 is derived from n^3, to be burned. This conjecture has been adopted by Junius and Tremellius, and by some others. But it is evidently mere conjecture, and is not demanded. The word " yea " will express the sense, meaning that desolation, indicated by the growth of thorns and briers, would come upon the cities that were then filled with joy. This does not refer to Jerusalem, which was not taken by Sennacherib, but to the other cities that were destroyed by him in his march, and this account accords with the statement in ch. vii. 20-25.
14. because the palaces shall be forsaken. That is, the palaces in the cities and toWns which Sennacherib would lay waste. Or, if it refers, as Lowth supposes, to the invasion of the land in the time of the Chaldeans, then it relates to the palaces in Jerusalem. Vitringa supposes that the temple at Jerusalem is particularly designated by the word rendered palaces. But that is not the usual word to denote the temple, and it is not necessary to suppose that that is particularly referred to. The word "jiTa-is^ usually denotes a palace, or royal residence in some part of the royal citadel. See Isa. xxv. 2. Jer. XXX. 18. Amos i. 4, 7, 10, 12. 1 Kings xvi. 18. IT The forts. Marg. -** cliff's and watch towers." Heb.?S2> ophel. This word properly denotes a hill or a cliff', such as is an advantageous situation for fortresses. It is translated in Micah iv. 8, " the strong hoJd;" in 2 Kings v. 24, " the tower;" ^ 2 Chron. xxvii. 3. Neh. iii. 27, xi.
15 Until the Spirit ''be pourea upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and ^the fruitful field be counted foi a forest.
21, "Ophel;" also in. 2 Chron. xxx. 14. With the article (the hill) it was given by way of eminence to a bluff or hill lying north-east of Mount Zion and south of Mount Moriah, which waa surrounded and fortified with a walL Josephus' Jewish Wars, vi. 6. It extends south from Mount Moriah, running down to the Fountain of Siloam, lying between the valley of Jehoshaphat on the east, and the Tyropoeon, or Valley of Cheesemongers on the west. It terminates over the Pool of Siloam in a steep point of rock forty or fifty feet high. The top of the ridge is flat, and the ground is now tilled and planted with olive and other fruit-trees. See Robinson's Bibli. Research, i. pp. 341, 394. It may be used here, however to denote a hill or cliff, a strongly fortified place in general, without supposing of necessity that it refers to the mountain in Jerusalem. ^^ Towers. Towers were erected on the walls of cities at convenient distances for purposes of observation. IT Shall be for dens. Shall become places where banditti and robbers may abide, and secure themselves. IT For ever. This is evidently one instance in which the word " for ever," Cbi3'"i;^, denotes a long time, because in the verse following there is a period specified when the desolation would terminate. When the word is used without any such limitation it denotes proper eternity. U A joy of wild asses. A place where wild animals will have unlimited range.
15. Until the Spirit. The Spirit of God, as the source of all blessings ind especially as able to meet and remote the ills of the long calamity and desolation. This evidently refers to some future period when the evils which the prophet was contemplating would be succeeded by the spread of the lrii(»
16 Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; ^and the
religion. If the prophet meant to eonfine his description of calamities to those which would attend the invasion of Sennacherib, then this refers to the piety and prosperity which would prevail after that during the reign of Hezekiah. If he designed, as Lowth supposes, to describe the calamities which would attend the invasion of the Chaldeans and the desolation of the city of Jerusalem during the captivity, then this refers to the prosperous times that would occur after their return to their own land. And if he looked forward beyond even that, then this refers to the times of the Messiah also, and he designed to describe the happy period when the Messiah should have come, and when the Spirit should be poured out. Vitringa supposes that all three of these events are referred to. But although the expressions are such as are used in reference to the times of the Messiah, yet the word " until " seems to limit the prediction to some event previous to that. The plain sense of the passage is, that the city would lie waste, and would be a pasture for flocks, until the Spirit should be poured out; that is, would lie waste a long time, and then be succeeded by the merciful interposition of God restoring them to their land and privileges. This idea would seem to limit it, at the utmost, to the return from Babylon. H Be poured out. This is a common and usual mode of indicating that the influences of the Spirit of God would be imparted. Ezek. xxxix. 2d. Isa. xliv. 3. Joel ii. 28, 29. Acts ii. 17, 18. IT From on high. From heaven. Comp. Luke xxiv. 49. ^ And the wilderness be a fruitful field. Until that change shall come when the places that are desolate shall become fertile, UhJ the places which are now fertile
effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever.
18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable ^habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places,
and prosperous shall become desolate and barren. This may refer to the time when Jerusalem, that would have lain so long waste, would be again inhabited and cultivated, and when Babylon, then so prosperous, would become desolate and ruined. The expression has a proverbial cast, and denotes change and revolution. See Note ch. xxix. 17.
justice shall make its appropriate dwelling-place there. U In the wilderness. In the place that was a wilderness, but that shall now be turned to a fruitful field. IT In the fruitful field. In the nation that is like a fruitful field; in Judea restored.
17. And the work of righteousness. That which righteousness produces; or the effect of the prevalence of righteousness on the nation. IF Shall be peace. There shall be no internal agitation, and no conflicts with foreign nations. IT Quietness and assurance. This is a beautiful description of the happy effect of the prevalence of piety; and it is as true now as it was in the time of Isaiah. True religion would put an end to strifes and litigations; to riots and mobs; to oppressions and tumults; to alarms and robbery; to battle, and murder, and conflict.
18. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation. In cities and towns that would not be alarmed by internal or external foes. IT And in sure dwellings. In dwellings that would be secure from invasion — All this is descriptive of the peaceful times, and the general security which followed the return from Babylon. To this period of happiness and prosperity, Isaiah, as well as the other prophets, oftep refers.
19 When it shall hail, 'coming down on the forest; and the city shall be ^low in a low place.
19. When it shall hail. ITl^a ^^n and it shall hail in coming dov/n.' There is a paranomasia in the original here which cannot be expressed in a translation — a figure of speech, which, as we have seen, is common in Isaiah. Hail is an image of divine vengeance or punishment; and the reference here is doubtless to the storms of indignation that would come on the enemies of the.lews, particularly the Assyrians. See Notes ch. XXX. 30. IT Coiniug down on the forest. Coming down on the army of the Assyrian, which is here called a forest. The same term forest is given to the army of the Assyrians in ch. x. 18, 19, 33, 34. The sense is, that the divine judgment would come down on that army with as much severity as a storm of hail descends on a forest — stripping the leaves from the trees, destroying its beauty, and laying it waste. IT And the city. According to Gesenius this is Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire. According to RosenmUJler, Grotius, and others, it is Babylon. Hensler supposes that it is Jerusalem, and that the sense is, that as a city that is situated in a valley is safe when the storm and tempest sweep over the hills, so would it be to Jerusalem when the storm of wrath should sweep away the army of the Assyrian. But the connexion evidently requires us to understand it of the capital of the enemy; though whether it be Nineveh or Babylon perhaps cannot be determined. IT Shall be low in a low place. Marg. *« Utterly abased." Heb. ' In humility shall be humbled.' The sense is, shall be completely prostrate. Those who refer this to Jerusalem suppose it refers to the time when God should humble it by bringing the enemy so near, and exciting so much con- Bternati(n and alarm. Those who refer it to Babylon suppose it relates to its destruction. If referred to Nineveh, >*. must mean when the pride of the
20 Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, "that send forth Ihither the feet of the ox and the ass,
capital of the Assyrian empire should be humbled by ihe complete overthrow of their army, and the annihilation of their hopes. The connexion seems to require us to adopt this latter interpretation. The whole verse is very obscure; but perhaps the above will express its general feense.
20. Blessed are ye. The sense oi this verse is, that while the enemies oi the Jews would be overthrown, they themselves would be permitted to cultivate their lands in security. Instead of predicting this directly, the prophet implies that this would occur, by declaring that those who were permitted to do this were happy. IT That saw beside all waters. Heb. ' Upon (^?) all waters.' This may mean that they selected places near running streams as being most fertile; or it may refer, as Lowth supposes, to the manner of sowing grain, and particularly rice, in eastern countries. This is done by casting the seed upon the water. This custom is referred to in Eccl. xi. 1, " Cast thy bread," i. e. thy seed, " upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days;" — that is, cast ^hy seed upon the waters when the river overflows the banks, and the seed will sink into the slime and mud, and will spring up when the waters subside, and you will find it again after many days in a rich and luxuriant harvest. Sir John Chardin thus describes this mode of sowing: " They sow it (the rice) upon the water; and before sowing, while the earth is covered with water, they cause the ground to be trodden by oxen, horses, and asses, who go mid-leg deep; and this is the way they prepare the ground for sowing." Harmer's Obs. i. p. 280. IT That send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass. That is, for the purpose of treading the earth while the water is on it, and preparing it for the seed. In this way the ground would need no ploughing^, but the seeJ wonid fall into the »lime, and be sufficiently covered when the waters should subside. The idea in this verse is, that there would be a state of security succeeding the destruction of their ene* mies; and that they would be permit" ted to pursue the cultivation of the soii unannoyed and undisturbed.
This chapter comprises a new and distinct prophecy, though manifest'y relating to the sanne peneral subject as the preceding. In ver. 19 of the previous chapter, the prophet had foretold the de- Btraction of the army of Sennacherib; and this chapter is designed still further to set forth the circumstances and the ettects of that destruction. That it refers to Sennacherib is apparent from the whole structure of the prophecy. So it is understood by Lowth, Rosenmuller, Grotius and Calvin, kliough Vitringa supposes that it refers to the destruction of the Syrians, instead of the Assyrians, and particularly after the time, and for the crimes of Antiochus Epiphanes. All the circumstances, as well as the connexion, however, agree witn the invasion by Sennacherib, and agree far better with that than either with the destruction of Babylon, or tlie judgments that came upon the Syrians. The design ot the prophecy is to assure the Jews that their nation and city would be safe notwithstanding the invasion of the Assyrian, and that JEHOVAH would be to them a source of constant protection and consolation, ver. 21. The object of the prophecy, therefore, is, to comfort them ii this threatened invasion, and to lead them to look up to God.
The prophecy, or poem, is one of uncommon beauty in its structure, and is peculiarly elegant in its expressions. It abounds, indeed, in transitions; but they are easily seen, and can be distinctly marked. The structure and design of the poem may be seen in the following analysis.
I. Wo is denounced against the Assyrian who had invaded Judea without provocation, and who was spreading desolation over a nation that had not injured him, ver. 1. I'his contains the general scope and purport ot the chapter.
II. The Jews are introduced (ver. 2,) as offering up supplications to JEHOVAH in view of the threatened invasion, and beseeching him to ue merciful to them, and expressing their confidence in him.
III. God himself is introduced declaring the overthrow of Sennacherib, vs. 3, 4. This he represents (ver. 3) under the image of the people— that is, the people in his army — fleeing at the noise of the tumult caused by the desolating tempest that should sweep them away, and at the act of God's Lftinp up himself to scatter the nations.
IV. A chorus of Jews i8 introduced (vs. 5, 6) extolling the greatness and mercy of God (ver..5."*; and also celebrating the wisdom and piety of Hezekiah, who had put his confidence in God, ver. 6.
V. In vs. 7—9, the despair and alarm of the Jews are described on the approach of Sennacherib. This is exhibited in the following manner:
(a) The messengers whom Hezekiah had sent to Sennacherib with three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold, to propitiate his tavour (2 Kings xviii. 14—16), return without success and weeping bitterly, ver. 7.
(5) The desolation is described that attended the march of Sennacherib— a desolation that extended to the highways, the cities, and to the most beautiful and fertile places, represented by hewing down Lebanon, and turning Carmel into a wilderness, vs. 8, 9.
71. God is now introduced (vs 10— IS) as saying that he would take the work of the destruction of the Assyrian into his own hand, and showing that he would be himself exalted (ver. 10);
that he would disappoint their expectations (ver. 11); that they should be totally destroyed as if by fire (ver. 1'2), and calling on the nations near and remote to hear what he had done, ver. 13.
VII. The various effects of the invasion on the inhabitants of Jerusalem are described (vs. H— 19).
(a) The effect on the hypocrites, producing consternation and alarm of the highest degree,
(6) This is finely contrasted with the confidence and security of the righteous in that time. They would confide in God (vs. 15, 16); they would see the king in his beauty (ver. 17; and they would see their foe completely destroyed, vs. 18, 19.
VIII. The whole account is closed with a statement of the tiict that Jerusalem was safe, and that the enemy would be completely destroyed, vs. 20—24.
1 Wo to thee that spoilest, ^''and thou wast not spoilecj; and dealest treacherously, and they
1. Wo to thee that spoilest. This oeecription accords entirely with Sennacherib and his army, who had
dealt not treacherously with thee) when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou ^shalt be spoiled; and when
plundered the cities and countries which they had invaded, and who were about to advance to.Terusalem for th«
thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.
2 O Lord, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee:
same purpose. Comp. ch. xxix. 7, 8, xxxvii. 11. IT And thou wast not spoiled. That is, thou hadst not been plundered by the Jews against whom thou art coming. It was because the war was so unprovoked and unjust, that God would bring so signal vengeance on them. IT.4/jri dealest treacherously. See Note ch. xxi. 2. The treachery of the Assyrians consisted in the fact that when their assistance was asked by the Jews, in order to aid them against the combined forces of Syria and Samaria (see ch. vii. 1, 2), they had taken occasion from that invitation to bring desolation on Judah. See ch. vii. 17, 20. Notes ch. viii. 6-8, x. 6. Hekekiah also gave to Sennacherib thirty talents of gold and three hundred talents of silver, evidently with an understanding that this was aU that he demanded, and that if this was paid he would leave the nation in peace. But this implied promise he perfidiously disregarded. See 2 Kings xviii. 14, 15. IT When thou shalt cease to spoil. This does not refer to his having voluntarily ceased to plunder, but to the fact that God would put an end to it. IT Thou shalt be spoiled. This was literally fulfilled. The Assyrian monarchy lost its splendour and power, and was finally merged in the more mighty empire of Babylon. The nation was, of course, subject to the depredation of the conquerors, and compelled to submit to tliem. ^ When thou shalt make an end. The idea is, that there would be a completion, or a finishing of his acts of treachery towards the Jews, and that would be when God should overthrow hirn and his army, IT They shall deal treacherously with thee. The words " they shall," are here equivalent to, ' tliou shalt be dealt with in a treacherous manner.* The result was, that Sennacherib was treacherously slain by his own sons as he was " worshipping be thou their arm every moi ning,. our salvation also in the time of trouble.
3 At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up
in the house of Nisroch his god " (Isa. xxxvii. 38), and thus the prophecy was literally fulfilled. The sense of the whole is, that God would rewaid their desire of plundering a nation that had not injured them by the desolation of their own land; and would recompense the perfidiousness of the kings of Assyria that had sought to subject Jerusalem to their power, by perfidiousness in the royal family itself
2. O Lord. This is a solemn prayer to Jehovah, made by the Jews in the apprehension of the invasion of the Assyrian. It is not meant that this prayer was actually ofi'ered, but it is a prophetic representation indicating the alarm of the Jews at his approach, and their disposition to throw themselves upon the mercy of God. IT We have waited for thee. That is, we have looked for deliverance from this threatened invasion, from, thy hand. Comp. Note ch. xxvi. 8. IT Be thou their arm. The arm is a symbol of strength. It is used in the Scriptures as emblematic of the divine protection, or of the interposition of God in time of calamity and danger. E.x. xv. 16. Jobxl.9. Ps. xliv. S.lxxvii. 15. lxxxix.21,xcviii. 1. Lowth proposes to read " our arm " instead of " their arm;*' and the connexion would seem to demand ^uch a reading. The Vulgate and the Chaldee read it in this manner, but there is no authority from MSS. for a change in the text. The truth seems to be, that Isaiah, impelled by prophetic inspiration, here interposes his own feelings as a Jew, and offers his own prayer that God would be the strength of the nation. The form, however, is immediately changed, and he presents the prayer of the people. ^ Every morning. Constantly; at all times. ^ In the time of trouble. Referring particularly to the trouble consequcnlion the invasion of the Assyrians.
4 And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpillar; as the running to
supposes that this is addressed by the prophet in the name of God, or rather by God himself to the Assyrian, and that it means that notwithstanding the terror which he had caused the invaded countries, he would himself fall and become an easy prey to those w^hom he intended to subdue. But probably it should be regarded as a part of the address which the Jews made to Jehovah (ver. 2), and the word "tumult" ('jl^H sound, noise, as of rain, 1 Kings xviii. 41, or of music, Ezek. xxvi. 13. Amos V. 23, or the bustle or tumult of a people 1 Sara. Iv. 11, xiv. 19. Job xxxix. 7), refers here to the voice of God by which the army was overthrown. Jehovah is often represented as speaking to men in a voice fitted to produce consternation and alarm. Thus it is said of the vision which Daniel saw of a man by the side of the river Hiddekel, " his words " were " like the voice of a multitude " ('"i^), Dan. X. 6. And thus m Rev. i. 10, the voice of Christ is said to have been ** like the voice of a trumpet;" and in ver. 15, " like the sound many waters." It will be recollected also that it was said that God would send upon the Assyrian army " thunder, and an earthquake, and a great noise, with storm and tempest, and a flame of devouring fire" (Isa. xxix. 6, comp. ch. XXX. 30); and it is doubtless to this prediction that the prophet refers here. God would come forth with the voice of indignation, and would scatter the combined armies of the Assyrian. ^ The people fled. The people in the army of the Assyrian, A large part of them were slain by the angel of the Lord in a single night, but a portion of them with Sennacherib escaped and fled to their own land. Isa. x.xxvii. 36, 37. H At the lifting up of thyself. Of Jehovah; as when one rouses himself to strike. IT The vitions. The and fro of locusts upon them.
5 The Lord is
shall he run exalted: *^for he dwelleth on high: he hath
army of Sennacherib was doubtless made up of levies from the nations that had been subdued, and that composed the Assyrian empire.
4. And your spoil. The booty.nat the Assyrian army had gathered in their march towards Jerusalem, and which would now be left by them to be collected by the Jews. IF Shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpillar. The grammatical construction here is such that this may admit of two interpretations. It may either mea^i, as the caterpillar or the locust is gathered; or it may mean, as the caterpillar gathers its spoil. It often occurred that in countries where the locust was an article of food, they were scraped together in large quantities, and thrown into ditches, or into reservoirs, and retained to be eaten. This is the custom in some parts of Africa. But the meaning here is, undoubtedly, that the plunder of the Assyrian army would be collected by the Jews, as the locust gathered its food. The sense is, that as locusts spread themselves out over a land; as they go to and fro without rule and without molestation, gathering whatever is in their way, and consuming every thing, so the Jews in great numbers, and without regular military array, would run to and fro collecting the spoils of the Assyrian army. In a country where such devastation was made by the caterpillar and locust as in Palestine, this was a very striking figure. The word rendered " caterpillar " here (p'^On from ^OH to cut off, consume), properly denotes the devourer, and la applied usually to a species of locust. So it is understood here by most of the versions. The LXX render it, " as if one were gathering locusts, so will they insult you."
6 And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times,
xcvii. 9. The prophet here introduces a chorus of the Jews, celebrating the praises of God for delivering them from the Assyrian. IT He hath filled Zion with judgment. That is, the effect of his destroying his enemies will be to fill Jerusalem with reverence for his name. The deliverance would be so signal, and the manifestation of the divine mercy so great, that the effect would be that the nation would turn to God, and acknowledge his gracious interposition. See ch. xxx. 22-26, 29, xxxi. 6, xxxii. 15-18.
6. And wisdom and knowledge shall be. This verse contains evidently an address to Hezekiah, and asserts that his reign would be characterized by the prevalence of piety and knowledge. This chapter abounds in sudden transitions; and it accords with its general character that when Jehovah had been addressed (ver. 5), there should then be a direct address to Hezekiah. IT The stability. This word denotes firmness, steadiness, constancy; and means that in his times knowledge and the fear of the Lord would be settled on a firm foundation. The whole history of the virtuous reign of Hezekiah shows thai this was fulfilled. See 2 Kings xviii. IT And strength of salvation. Or saving strength; that is, mighty or distinguished salvation. Thy times shall be distinguished for great reforms, and for the prevalence of the doctrines of salvation. IT The fear of the Lord is his treasure. The principal riches of Hezekiah. His reign shall not be distinguished for wars and conquests, for commercial enterprise, or for external Bplcndour, but for the prevalence of piety, and the fear of the Lord.
7. Behold. This verse introduces a new subject by a very sudden transition. It is designed, with the two following, U> exhibit the desolation of the land on Ifae invasion of Serj>acherib^ and the
and strength of salvation \* the fear -^of the Lord is histreasure> 7 Behold their ^valiant ones shall cry without; the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.
consternation that would prevail. For this purpose, the prophet intioducea (ver. 7,) the ambassadors who had been sent to sue for peace, as having sought it in vain, and as weeping now bitterly; he represents (in ver. 8,) the desolation that abounded, and the fact that Sennacherib refused to come to any terms; and (in ver. 9) the extended desolations that had come upon the fairest portions of the land. IT Their valiant ones. The " valiant ones " of the Jews who had been sent to Sennacherib to obtain conditions of peace, or to enter into a negociation with him to spare the city and the nation. The word which is here rendered " valiant ones," ^SiJ'^'v ' has given great perplexity to expositors. It occurs nowhere else in the Scriptures. The LXX render the verse, " with the dread of you shall they be terrified; they, of whom you have been afraid, will, for fear of you, raise a grievous cry.'* Jerome renders it, " Behold, they seeing, cry without," as if the word was derived from •^^'7 to see. The Chaldee renders it, " And when it shall be revealed to them, the messengers of the people who went to announce peace, shall cry bitterly." The Syriac, " If he shall permit himself to be seen by them, they shall weep bitterly." Sym« machus and Theodotion render it, i6ov d(pQf]ao^ai avroXi — Lo, I will appear to them. So Aquila, hpadfiaoiiai avroTg. Most or all the versions seem to have read it as if it were compounded of C? rifi<^X / will appear to them. Bu" probably the word is formed from ^^^'^B| the same as ^S^^*^^ Ariel a hero (see Note ch. xxix. 1), and means their hero in a collective sense, or their heroes that is, their men who were distinguished as military leaders, and who were cent to propose terms of peace with Sennacherib. The moat honourabla
8 The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath
and valiant men would be selected of course for this purpose (comp. Note ch. XXX. 4), but they had made the effort to obtain peace in vain, and were returning with consternation and alarm. IF Shall cry without. They would lift up their voice with weeping as they returned, and publicly proclaim with bitter lamentation that their efforts to obtain peace had failed. IT The ambassadors of peace. When Sennacherib invaded the land, and had advanced as far as to Lachish, Hezekiah sent messengers to him with a rich present, having stripped the temple of its gold, and sent him all the silver which was in his treasury, for the purpose of propitiating his favour, and of inducing him to return to his own land. 2 Kings xviii. 14-16. But it was all in vaiii. Sennacherib sent his generals with a great host against Jerusalem, and was unmoved by all the treasures which Hezekiah had sent to him, and by his solicitations for peace. 2 Kings xviii. 17. It was to the failure of this embassy that Isaiah refers in the passage before us.
8. The highways lie waste. This verse contains a description of the desolations that had been caused by the invasion of Sennacherib. Some have understood it as containing the account which the ambassadors sent by Hezekiah gave of the effects of the invasion. Thus Grotius interprets it. But it is probably a description made by the prophet himself, and is designed to state orie cause why the messengers that had been sent out wept bitterly. They had not only failed of inducing Sennacherib to abandon his purpose of attacking Jerusalem, but they had witnessed the effects of his invasion already. The public ways were desolate. In the consternation and alarm that was produced by his approach, the roads that had been usually thronged were now i^litary, and still. A mournful deaolalation already prevailed, and they ap- prehended still greater calamities, and hence they wept. IT The wayfaring man ceaseth. Heb. He that passes along the road ceases. That is, there is a cessation of travel. No one is seen passing along the streets that used to be thronged. H He hath broken the covenant. This may either mean that the Assyrian king had violated the compact which had been made with him by Ahaz, by which he was to come and aid.Terusalem against the allied armies of Syria and Samaria (see Notes on ch. vii.), or it may mean that he had violated an implied compact with Hezekiah. When Judea was threatened with an invasion by Sennacherib, Hezekiah had sent to him when he was at Lachish and had sought for peace. 2 Kings xviii. 14. In that embassy Hezekiah said, "I have offended, return from me; that which thou puttest on me I will bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold." To pay this, Hezekiah exhausted his treasury, and even stripped the temple of its golden ornaments. 2 Kings xviii. 15, 16. A compact was thus made by which it was understood that Sennacherib was to withdraw his army, and depart from the land. But notwithstanding this, he still persisted in his purpose, and immediately despatched a part of his army to lay siege to Jerusalem. All the treaties, therefore, had been violated. He had disregarded that which was made with Ahaz, and that which he had now himself made with Hezekiah, and was advancing in violation of all to lay siege to the city. IT He hath despised the cities. That is, he disregards their defences, and their strength; he invades and takea all that comes in his way. He speake of them with contempt and scorn as being unable to stand before him, or to resist his march. See his vain and confident boasting in ehs. x. 9, and
9 The earth mourneth and languisheth; Lebanon is ashamed and 'hewn down; Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake o^ their fruits.
10 Now will I rise, saith the
xxxvi. 19. IF He regardcth no man. He spares no one, and he observes no compact with any man.
9. The earth mourneth. The land through which he has passed. For the sense of this phrase, see Note eh. xxiv. 4. IT Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down. For the situation of Lebanon see Note eh. x. 34. Lebanon was distinguished for its ornaments of beautiful cedars. Here it is represented as being stript of these ornaments, and as covered with shame on that account. TheT« is not any direct historical evidence that Sennacherib had advanced to Lebanon, though there are some intimations that this had occurred (see Note ch. xiv. 8), and it was certainly a part of his boast that he had done it. See ch. xxxvii. 24. There is no improbability in supposing that he had sent a part of his army to plunder the country in the vicinity of Lebanon. See ch. xx. 1. IT Sharon is like a wilderness. Sharon was the name of a district south of Mount Carmel along the coast of the Mediterranean, extending to Cesarea and Joppa. The name was almost proverbial to express any place of extraordinary beauty and fertility. See Isa. xxxv. 2, Ixv. 10. 1 Chron. v. 16, xxvii. 29. Cant. ii. 1. There was also another Sharon on the east side of the Jordan, and in the vicinity of Bashan, which was also a fertile region. 1 Chron. v. 16. To this, it is more probable that the prophet here refers^ though it is not certain. The object seems to be to mention the most fertile places in the land as being now desolate. TT Bashan. For an account of the situation of Bashan subsequently called Batanea, see Note ch. ii. 13. '^ And Carmel. See Note on ch. xxix. 17. IT ^Affl^'^ o/ their fruits. The <^ords " their fruit*/' are not m the will I be exalted;
11 Ye shall conceive chaff; ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath as fire shall devour you.
Hebrew. The LXX read this, *' Galilee and Carmel are made bare," (pavepa Earai k. t. X. The Hebrew word "^5^ probably means to shake; to shake out, or off; and refers here to the fact probably that Bashan and Carmel are represented as having shaken off their leaves, and were now lying desolate aa in winter.
10. Now. This verse commences another transition. In the previous verses the desolation of the land had been described, and the hopelessness of obtaining any terms of favour from Sennacherib, or of binding him to any compact had been stated. In this state of things, when inevitable ruin seemed to be coming upon the nation, God said that he would interpose. IT Will 1 rise. To vengeance; or to punish the invading host. The emphasis in this passage should be placed on " I," indicating that Jehovah would himself do what could not be effected by men. IT Now will I be exalted. That is, God would so interpose that it should be manifest that it was his hand that brought deliverance.
11. Ye shall conceive chaff. An address of God to the Assyrians. The figure is one that denotes that their counsels would be in vain. Chaff and stubble are used in the Scriptures, in contrast with grain, to denote any thing which is not solid, nutritious or substantial; then any tiling which is frivolous, useless, vain. A similai image occurs in ch. xxvi. 18. Se« Note on that place. Comp. ch. lix 4. T Your breath as fire shall devour you. The word " hreath *' here (ni'l spirit) is evidently used in the sense of the Greek Qv}i6i, and denotes anger, as in ch. xxx. 28. It refers to the haughty and a^rrogant spirit ©f
12 And the people shall be as the burnings of lime; as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.
13 Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and ye that are near, acknowledge my might.
Sennacherib; the enraged and excited mind intent on victory and plunder. The sense is, that his mind so intent on conquest — so proud, excited, and angry, would be the means of his own destruction. Lowth proposes to read " my spirit," bat for this change there is no authority from MSS. See Notes on ch. i. 31.
12. And the people. In the army of Sennacherib. IT As the burnings of lime. As if placed in a burning lime-kiln, where they must certainly be destroyed. See ch. xxx. 33. Comp. Amos ii. 1. IT As thorns cut up. As thorns, or small brush-wood, that has been long cut up and perfectly dried are speedily consumed, so shall it be with the Assyrian army. This is an image like many that are employed, denoting that the destractioa of the army of the x\ssyrians would be sudden and entire.
13. Hear, ye t'ant are fur off. This is an address of Jehovah, indicating that the destruction of the Assyrian army would be so signal rha-t it would be known to distant nntions, and would constitute an adino-i-h.ii. t-'tlieni. "ff Ye that are r/crtr. Yf.ie.v3; oi- the nations immediately adjacent to Judea. The phrase " far and near," is equivalent to all.
14. The sinner -9 in Zion are afraid. This verse is evidently designed to de- Ecribe the alarm that was produced in Jerusalem on impenitent sinners and hypocrites by a view of the judgment of God on the array of Sennacherib. They would see his wrath on his enemies then, and in view of the terrors of his indignation in relation to that army they would be alarmed, and would ask how it would be possible for them to endure such wrath for ever. If the effect of the wrath of God even /or a
14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised *^the hypocrites: who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire 1 who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
night, when it should blaze against that great army, was so terrible, how could it be borne for eve»*? This seems to be the general idea of the passage. A great variety of interpretations have been proposed which may l e seen in Vitringa and Pool. The phrase, " sinners in Zion" here refers to the wicked and rebellious in Jerusalem. IT Fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites Those who professed to serve God, and yet who were secretly depending on the aid of Egypt. See ch. xxxi. Connp. Note ch. ix. 17. The sentiment here is, that those who professedly are the friends of God, but who are secretly and really his enemies, are often alarmed at his judgments. When the judgments of God overtake sinners, they are conscious that they deserve also his wrath, and their minds are filletF with consternation. So in a time of prevailing sickness, or of pestilence, they who have really no confidence in God, and no evidence that they are prepared to die, are filled with alarm. A true friend of God will be calm in such scenes; a hypocrite will show by his consternation that he has no religion, "if ]Vh,o among us shall dwell with the devouring fire. Some have understood this as referring to the firea which they supposed the Assyrian would kindle in Jerusalem, apprehending that he would take and burn the city. But the more probable intei-pretation is that which refers it to the judgment that would be brought upon the Assyrians — the burning wrath ci God like fire that would consume tliera. The destruction of the Assyrians is repeatedly represented under the image of a storm and tempest, where there would be the " flame of devouring fire.'' See Note ch. xxix. 6. The sense it this. * God has suddenly consumed
15 He '"that waiketh 'righteously and speaketh ^uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of *op. pressions, that shaketh his hands
that immense army of his foes. Such must be the awful punishment of the wicked. How can we abide it? We also, though among his people, are his foes, and are exposed to his wrath. How can we endure the terrors of that day when his burning indignation shall also overtake us V M Shall dwell with everlasting burnings? Who among us could endure to suffer amid such burning wrath for ever? If that wrath is so fierce as to consume such an immense host in a single night, who could abide it should it be continued for ever and for ever? This is the obvious sense of this passage; and it implies (1.) That hypocrites will be greatly alarmed when they see punishment come upon the open and avowed enemies of God. (2.) That in such times they will have none of ihe peace and quiet confidence which his true friends have, (3.) That Buch an alarm is evidence of conscious guilt and hypocrisy. (4.) That the persons here spoken of had a belief of the doctrine of eternal punishment — a belief which hypocrites and sinners always have, else w hy should they be alarmed? (5.) That the punishment of hypocrites in the church will be dreadful and terrific. This seems to have been the conviction here. They saw that if such judgments came upon those who had no knowledge of the true God, it must be infinitely more terrible on those who had been trained amidst the institutions of religion, and who had professed attachment to Jehovah. And so it will be in a pre-eminent degree among those who have been trained in the Christian church, and who have been ihe professed but insincere followers »f the Lord Jesus Christ.
15. He that waiketh righteously. In this and the following verses the prophet presents, in contrast, the confidence and Ihe security of the righteous. He first, Vi this verse, descK bes the character- from holding of bribes, that stop, peth his ears from hearing of ^ blood, and shutteth his "eyes istics of the righteous, and in the following verses their confidence in God, and their security and safety. The first characteristic of the righteous man ia that he walks righteously; that is, he lives righteously; he does right. IT And speaketh uprightly. The second characteristic— his words are well-ordered. He is not false, perfidious, slanderous, or obscene in his words. If a private individual, his words are simple, honest, and true; if a magistrate, his decisions are according to justice. IT He that despiseth the gain of oppressions. Marg. deceits. The third characteristic— he abhors the gain that is the result of imposition, false dealing, and false weights. Or if it mean oppressions, as the word usually does, then the sense is, that he does not oppress the poor, or take advantage of their needy condition, or afilix exorbitant prices, or extort payment in a manner that is harsh and cruel. IT That shaketh his hands from holding of bribes. The fourth characteristic. This relates particularly to magistrates. They adjudge causes according to justice, and do not allow their judgment to be swayed by the prospect of reward. IT That stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood. This is the fifth characteristic. It means, evidently, he who does not listen to a proposal to shed blood, or to any scheme of violence, and robbery, and murder. See Note ch, i. 15. IT And thutteth his eyes from seeing evil. He does not desire to see it; he is not found in the places where it is committed. A righteous man should not only have no part in evil, but he will keep himself if possible from being a witness of it. A man who sees all the evil that is going forward; that ia present in every brawl and contentionj is usually a man who has a fondness for such scenes, and, who may be expected to take part in them. It is s
16 He shall dwell on "high; his place of defence shall he i e munitions of rocks; bread shall be given him, his waters shall he Bure.
17 Thine eyes shall see *the King in his beauty: they shall
remarkable fact that very few of the society of Friends are ever seen in Jourls of justice as witnesses. The reason is, that they have no fondness for seeing the strifes and contentions of men, and are not found in those places where evil is usually committed. This is the sixth characteristic of the righteous man; and the sum of the whole is, that he keeps himself from all forms of iniquity.
16. He shall dwell on high. See the margin. Heights, or high places, were usually places of safety, being inaccessible to an enemy. The sense here is, that such a man as is described in ver. 15 should be preserved from alarm and danger, as if his habitation were on a lofty cliff or rock. The particular and special meaning is, that he should be safe from the anger, wrath, and consuming fire, which the sinner and the hypocrite dreaded. Ver. 14. IT The munitions of rocks. The literal translation of this place would be, * The strong holds of the rocks shall be his lofty fortress.' Comp. Note ch. ii. 21. ^ Bread shaU be given him. He shall be sustained, and his life shall be preserved.
17. Thine eyes. The eyes of the ighteous, described in ver. 15. IT Shall see the King in his beauty. Some understand this of the Assyrian king. Thus Kimchi understands it, and supposes it means that they shall see him at the walls of Jerusalem; that is, shall see him destroyed. Vitringa supposes J. means Jehovah himself, as the king of his people, and that they should see him in his glory. Others suppose it refers to the Messiah. But the immediate connection requires us to understand it of Hezekiah. Comp. Note sh. xxxii. 1, 2. The sense is, * You shall be defended from the hostile army
18 Thine neart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the ^receiver? where is he that counted the towers /
of the Assyrian. You shall be permitted to live under the peaceful and prosperous reign of your pious monarch, and shall see him, not with diminished territory and resources, but with the appropriate magnificence which becomes a monarch of Israel.* IT The land that is very far off. You shall be permitted to look to the remotest part of the land of Judea as delivered from enemies, and as still under the happy sceptre of your king. You shall not be confined by a siege, and straitened within the narrow walls of Jerusalem. The empire of Hezekiah shall be extended over the wide dominions that appropriately belong to him, and you shall be permitted to range freely over the whole land, even over the parts that are now occupied by the forces of the Assyrian. Virgil has a beautiful passage remarkably similar to this:
18. Thine heart. The heart of the people of Jerusalem. ^ Shall meditate terror. This is similar to the expression in Virgil:
The sense here is, * You shall hereafter think over all this alarm and distress. When the enemy is destroyed, the city saved, and the king shall reign in magnificence over all the nation then enjoying peace and prosperity, you shall recall these days of terror and alarm, and shall then ask with gratitude and astonishment. Where are they who caused this alarm 1 Where are now they who so confidently calculatea on taking the city 1 They are all gone — and gone in a manner fitted to excite astonishment and adoring gratitude. " Sweet is the recollection," says Ro«
19 Thou shalt not see a fierce people; a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a ^stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.
20 Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes
eenmuller, " of dangers that are passed.** ^ Where is the scribe? How soon, how suddenly has he vanished! The word scribe here ("SO) evidently refers to some prominent class of officers ill the Assyrian army. It is from *1§0 j to count, to number, to write; and probably refers to a secretary^ perhaps a secretary of state or of wai, or an injector general^ who had the charge of reviewing an army. Jer. xxxvii. 15, lii. 25. 2 Kings xxv. 19. IT Where is the receiver? Margin, as in the liebrew, weigher. The Vulgate renders this, " Where is he that ponders the words of the law V The LXX," Where are the counsellors (av^8ov\ivovT£g) V* Probably the word refers to him who weighed the tribute, or the pay of the Boldiers; and means, doubtless, some officer in the army of the Assyrian; probably one whose office it was to have charge of the military chesty and to pay the army. IT Where is he that counted the towers? That is, who made an estimate of the strength of Jerusalem— either Sennacherib, or some one appointed by him to reconnoitre and report on the means which the city had of defence. Comp. ch. xxxvi. 4.
19. Thou shalt not see a fierce people. Or, rather, ' this fierce and boasting people you shall not see.* They shall not enter the city; but though they are advancing with so much confidence, they shall be suddenly cut oflf" and de» stroyed. The word rendered " fierce,'* tSiU from 955, probably means strong, or wicked. Lowth renders it, " barbarous people,'* as if it were t5ip. Michaelis also adopts this reading by supposing an error in transcribing, a change of 5 into?. Such a change might have easily occurred, but there
shal 1 see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall nor he taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever ''be removed, neither shall any of tha cords thereof be broken.
is no authority from the MSS. fof making an alteration in the text. The word strong, or mighty ^ agrees weL with the connection. II A jteople of a deeper speech. A people whose language is so deep^ i. e. so dark, or obscure, that it cannot be understood by you. This refers to the army of the Assyrians, who spoke the Syrian language, which was understood by some of the Jews, but which was unintelligible to the mass. See ch. xxxvi. 11 If Than thou canst perceive. Than you can understand. ^ Of a siam' mering tongue. See Note ch. xxviii. 11. The margin is, " ridiculous;" a sense which the Hebrew will bear, bul the more appropriate meaning is that of a barbarous, or unintelligible foreign language.
20. Look vpon Zion. Lowlh renders this, "Thou shalt see Zion,'* by changing the Hebrew te.vt in conformity with tlie Chaldee. There is no doubt that this accords with the sense of the passage, but there is no authority for the change. It stands in contrast with what had been said in ver. 19. There, the prophet had said that they should no more see those foreign armies that were coming to invade them. Here he directs them to look upon Zion, implying that they should be permitted to behold Zion in a situation such as he proceeds to describe it. * You shall not see that foreign army carrying desolation as they design through the city and the land. They shall be destroyed. But behold Zion! Her you shall see quiet, prosperous^ happy, peaceful.* IT The city of our solemnities. Where the religious so« lemnities of the nation were celebrated. IT A quiet habitation. Free from in* vasion, and ^rom the terrors of war-
21 But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place *of bioad rivers and streams; where-
V A tabernacle. A tent; a dwellirtg, Buch as was common in the nomadic mode of life in the East. The whole city is described under the image of a tent that is fixed and undisturbed, wliere the family may reside in safety and comfort. IT iVa< one of the s^takes thereof. The stakes here refer to the in shall go no galley with oars neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.
poles Of fixtures which were driven into the ground in order to fasten the tent to enable them to spread it, or to the small stakes or pins that were driven in the ground in order to secure tho cords by which the tent was extended The followmg cut will give an idea of the mode in which tents were com monly pitched, and will serve to explain this passage, as well as the similar passage in ch. liv. 2, IT Shall ever be removed. It shall be a fixed and permanent habitation. The word " ever " must mean an indefinite period of duration. Sennacherib had designed to blot out the name of the people of God, and destroy their separate and independent existence. The prophet 5ays tlrat that should never be done. Terusalem, the residence of his people and the emblem of his church, would be safe, and would not be destroyed. There would alwaifs be a safe and quiet abode for the friends of the Most High. In this sense it accords with Aie declaration of the Saviour, that the gates of hell should not prevail against his church. 11 Neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. Cords were 22* used in tents to fasten the cloth to the poles, or to fasten it to the pins which had been driven into the ground, in order to extend the cloth, and to make it firm.
21. But there. In Jerusalem; or in his church, of which Jerusalem was the emblem, IT The glorious Lord. Lowth renders it, " the glorious name of Jehovah,'* taking D'^ to be a noun as if it were pointed t3l^. So the Syriac and the LXX read it. The word glorious, '^"'^i^, means magnificent; denoting that Jehovah would manifest himself there as magnificent or great in the destruction of his enemies, and in the protection of his people. H Will be unto us a place. It seems to be harsh to say that Jehovah would be a place: bat the meaning is, thet* In
22 For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our ^law-giver, the
would be to them as such a place; that is, his presence and blessing would be such as would be represented by broad rivers and streams flowing through a land, or encompassing a city. Rivers and streams are sources of fertility, the channels of commerce, and objects of great beauty. Such seems to be the idea here. The presence of JiiHOVAH would be to them a source of great prosperity and happiness; and a beauty would be thrown around the city and nation like majestic and useful rivers. It is possible that there may have been some allusion here to cities that were encompassed or penetrated by rivers and canals, like Babylon, or Thebes in Egypt. Such cities derived important advantages from rivers. But Jerusalem had nothing of this nature to contribute to its prosperity or beauty. The prophet says, that the presence of Jehovah would be to them what these rivers were to other cities. IT Of broad rivers and streams. Heb. * rivers, streams bioad of hands.' The sense seems to be, broad rivers that are made up of confluent streams; or rivers to which many streams are tributary — like the Nile — and which are therefore made broad, and capable of navigation. The phrase here used — in the Heb. 'broad of hands,' — properly denotes h'oad on both hands, or as we would say, on loth sides; that is, the shores would be separated far from each other. The word hand is often used in Hebrew to denote the side, the shore, or the bank of a river. The following extract will show the importance of Buch rivers: " In such a highly-cultivated country as England, and where great drought is almost unknown, we have not an opportunity to observe the fertilizing influence of a broad river; but in South Africa, where almost no human means are employed for improving the land, the benign influence of rivers is most evident. The Great, or Orange River, is a remarkable instance of this. I travelled^ on its banks.
Lord is our king; he will save us.
at one time, for five or six weeks; when, for several hundred miles, 1 found both sides of it delightfully covered with trees of various kinds, all in health and vigour, and abundance of the richest verdure; but all the cour.Uy beyond the reach of its influence was complete desert. Every thing appeared to be struggling for mere existence; so that we might be said to have had the wilderness on one side, and a kind of paradise on the other." Campbell. h Wherein shall go. The mention of broad rivers here seems to have suggested to the prophet the idea that navigable rivers, while they were the channels of commerce, also gave to an enemy the opportunity of approaching easily with vessels of war, and attacking a city. He, therefore, says that no such consequence would follow, from the fact that Jehovah would be to them in the place of broad rivers. No advantage could be taken from what was to them a source of prosperity and happiness. While other cities were exposed to an enemy from the very sources from which they derived their wealth and prosperity, it would not be so with them. From what constituted their glory — the protection of Jehovah — no danger ever could be apprehended. It had all the advantages of broad rivers and streams, but with none of their attendant exposures and perils. H No galley with oars. That is, no small vessel — for larger vessels were propelled by sails. Still the reference is doubtless to a vessel of war; since vessels of commerce would be an advantage, and it would not be an object of congratulation that none of them should be there. If Neither shall gallant ship. No great 0^1^) or magnificent ship; no ship fitted out for pur poses of war. The sense is, therefore, that though Jerusalem should be thus favoured, yet it would be unapproacb able by an enemy.
22. For the Lord is our judge, J»
23 Thy ''tacklings are loosed; tht y could not well strengthen tlieir mast; they could not spread the sail; then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame*^ take the prey.
HOVAH will be to us nothing but a source of happiness, truth, and prosperity. His presence will be to us only a blessing, and a means of success and joy. The repetition of the name Jehovah three times is common in the Scriptures.
'23. Thy tacklings. This is evidently an address to Sennacherib. The mention of the war-galley and the ship seems to have suggested the application of the figure to the enemies of the Jews, and particularly to Sennacherib. The prophet, therefore, compares the Assyrian to a ship that was rendered unserviceable; whose sails were unfastened, and whose mast could not be made firm, and which was therefore at the mercy of winds and waves. The Hebrew which is here rendered " thy tacklings are loosed," means * thy cords are let go;' that is, the cords or ropes that fastened the sails, the masts, and the rudder, were loosened. In such a condition the ship would, of course, go to ruin. IT They could not well strengthen their mast. They could not fix it firm or secure. It is evident that if the mast cannot be made firm, it is impossible to navigate a ship. It is to be observed here, however, that the word which our translators have rendered " well," 1?, not only signifies well as an adverb, but is also used as a noun, and means a stand or station (Gen. xl. 13, xli. 13. Dan. xi. 20,21); and also a base or pedestal. 1 Kings vii. 31. Ex. XXX. 18, 28, xxxi. 9, xxxv. 16, xxxviii. 8. Lev. viii. II. It may be naed here to denote the socket, or base of the ship's mast; or the cross-beam which the mast passed through, and which held it firm. This was called by •he Greeks IrrTDircSri (Odyssey xii. 51), or ueaoSiiti, laroSoKTi (Iliad i. 434). The translation, therefore, * They could not
24 And the inhabitai ts shall not say, I am sick j* the people that dwell therein shall be ibr^ given^ their iniquity.
make fast the base of their mast,* would better express the sense of the Hebrew. The LXX render it, " thy mast gave way." IT They could not spread the sail. Of course as the ropes were all loosened, and the mast could not be made firm, it would be in vain to attempt to spread a sail. The sense is, that the plan of the Assyrian would be disconcerted, his scheme discomfited; and his enterprise would come to naught. He and his army would be like a vessel at sea without sails. H Then is the prey of a great spoil divided. The word divided here means shall be distributed or apportioned as plunder was usually among victors. The sense is, that much booty would be taken from the army of the Assyrian and distributed among the Jews. See Note on ver. 4. It is certain that Hezekiah had given to Sennacherib three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold, and had stripped the temple, and given the gold that was on the temple to him (2 Kings xviii. 14-16), and this treasure was doubtless in the camp of the Assyrians. And it is certain that after this invasion of Sennacherib, the treasures of Hezekiali were replenished, and his wealth so much abounded that he made an improper and ostentatious display of it to the ambassadors that came from Babylon (2 Kings XX. 13-15); and there is every presumption, therefore, that a great amount of spoil was collected from the camp of the Assyrian. IT The lame take the prey. It shall be so abundant, and shall be so entirely abandoned by the Assyrians, that even the feeble and the defenceless shall go forth to the camp and take the spoil that is left.
24. And the inhalitant. The inhabitant of Jerusalem. IT Shall not say I am sick. That is, probably, tha
Bpoil shall be so abundant, and the facility for taking it so great, that even the sick, the aged, and the infirm shall go forth nerved v/ith new vigour to gather the spoil. IT The people that Iwell therein. In Jerusalem. IT Shall be forgiven their iniquity. This is cquivalen' to saying that the calamities of the invasion would be entirely removed. This invasion is represented as coming upon them as a judgment for their sins. When the Assyrian should be overthrown it would be a proof that the sin which had been the t aase af the invasion had been forgiven.
and that God was now disposed to show them favour and mercy. It i» common in the Scriptures to represeiA any calamity as the consequence of sin, to identify the removal of the ^alam'ty and the forgiveness of the sin. Thus the Saviour said (Mark ii. 5,) to the man afflicted with the palsy, " Son, thy sins be forgiven thee." And when the scribes murmured, be urged that the power of forgiving sins and of healing disease was the same, or that the forgiveness of sin was equivalent totb« removal of disease Mark ii. 9.
The xxxivth and xxxvth chapters make one distinct and beautiful proph<icy, consisting of iwi parts, the first containing a denunciation of judsrment on the enemies of the.'ews -particularly Fi om (ch. xxxiv); and the sccoikI a most beautiful description of the flourishing state of the people of Get which would follow the^e judgments, ch. xxxv.
At wh»t time the prophecy was delivered it is uncertain, and indeed can be determined by nothing in the prophecy itself It is observable, however, that it is the cloj^e of the first part of the prop/j-c?!ejof Isaiah, the remaining chapters to the xlth, which commences the second part of the prophecies, being occupied with an historical description of the invasion of Sennacherib and hi.« army. It has heen supposed (see the Introduction § 2,.3,) that between tlie delivery of the prophecies in tlie first and second portion of Isaiah, an interval of some years elapsed, and that the second part was dehvered for his own consolation, and the consolation of the people, near the clos-e of bis life.
A somewhat similar purpose, as I apprehend, led to the composition and publication of the prophecy before us. The general strainot' h'la prophecies thus far has been that, liowever numerouj and mighty were the enemies of the Jews, the people of God would be delivered from them all..Such was the case in regard to the allied armies of Syria and Samaria (chs. vii. viii.); of the Assyrian (ch. X.); of Babylon ichs. xiii, xiv.); of Moab (clis. xv, xvi.); of Damascus and Ethiopia (chs. xvii. xviii.); of Egypt (chs xiv. xx.): and more particuliarly of the Assyrians imder Sennacherib (chs. xxv, xxix, XXX. xxxi. xxxii. xxxiii.). The prophecy before ii.'» I regard as a kind of summing up, or recapitulation of all that he had delivered; and the general idea is, that the peojtt,-" of God would be delivered from all their foes, and that happier times under th'i Messiah vjould succeed all ih«ir calamities. This he had expressed often in the particular prophecies; he here expresses it in a summary and eondensed manner.
Keeping this general design of the prophecy in view, we may obseFV& that it consists of the folowing parts.
I. A general statement that all the enemies of the people of God would ba destroyed, ch. xxxiv. 1—4.
(a.) The nations of the earth are summoned to see this, and to become acquainted with the purpose of God thus to destroy all his enemies, ver. I. ib.) The destruction of the enemies of God described under the image of a great slaughter, vs. 2, 3. (c.) The same destruction described under the image of the heavens rolled together at a scroll, ver, 4.
II. This general truth particularly applied to £dom or Idumea as among th& most viruieut of their enemies, vs. 5—17.
(a.) JEHOVAH'S vengeance would come upon the landof Idumea, and the land woulct be covered with the.«lain. and soaked in blood, vs. 5 — 8.
(ft.) The entire and utter desolation of the land of Idumea is foretold. The kiiiaruoni.should be destroyed; the land laid waste; and the whole country b«come a dwelling place of wild beasts, vs. 9 — IT.
III. The happy times that would succeed— the times of the Messiah— are exhibited (ch. xxxv.) in language of great beauty and sublimity. This is the substance of all that the prophet had predicted, and all his visions terminate there. The wilderness shall blossom; and the sick and afflicted shall be healed; the desolate lands shall be fertile; there shall be no enemy to annoy, and the r^isomed of the Lord shall retiura and come to Zion with aoag* and everlasting joy upon their heads.
An so large a part of this prophecy relates to Edom, or Tdnraea, it may be proper to preface the reposition of the chapter with a brief notice of the history of that country, and of the cjiuses for whicli CkKl denounced vengeance upon it.
Idumea was the name given by tlie Greeks to the lasd of Edom, the coxuitiy which wa> settled br
Esan. The territory which they occupied extended onginally from the Dead Pea to the Ehnitjc gnit> «ftlic Red Sea. Their territory, however, ihey extended consideral)ly by conquest, and carried ilietraraai- -O the east and northeast of.\loal>, ar)d obtained porjsession of the country of which Bozr«h was the eni«f city. To 'his they had access throHt'h the intervening desert wittiout croft^ing the country of the iVloabites, or Ammonites. The capital of East Idumea was Bozrah; the capital of South £dom was Petra, or Selah— called in 2 Kings xiv. 7, Joktheel. See Notes ch. xvi. 1.
This country received daname from Esau, the pon of Isaac, and the twin brother of Jacobs He ^as called Edom, which signifies red, from the colour of the red pottage which he obtained from Jacob by the sale of his birthright. Gen. xxv. 30. After his marriage, he removed to Mount Seir, «nd made that his permanent abode, and the country adjacent to it received the name of Edom>. Mount Seir had been occupie<i by a people railed Korites, who were dis^placed by t^au, when lie took possession of their country and made it hi* own, Reut. ii 12. The Edomiles were at first governed by piinceSj impit»perly translated " Dukes," in Gen.x.\xvi. 9—31. They were an indopendent people until the tmie of David. They seem to have continued under the government of separate prjiceSt until the apprehension of foreign invasion compelled them to unite under one leader, and to submit tnemselves to a king. When the children of Israet were passing through the wilderness, as the land of Edom lay between them and Canaan, Mo-ses sent ambas.sadors to the king of Edom soliciting the privilege of a peaceful passaee through their country, on the ground that they were descended ifroBi the same ancestor, and promising that the property of the Edomitcs should not be injured, and ofiering to pay for all that they should consume. Num. xx. 14—19. To this reasonable request the king of Edom sent a positive refusal, and came out with a strong army to resist them. Num. xx. 20. This refusal was long remembered by the Jews, and was one cause of the hostile feeling which waff cherished against them. The kingdom of Edom seems to have risen to a- considerahle degree of prosperity. There is indeed no direct mention made of it after this until the time of David; but it seems t(» have then risen into so much importamce as to have attracted his attention. David carried his arms there after having obtained a victory over the Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites. It i« not known, indeed, what was the cause of this war, but it is known that he slew eighteen thousand.{domitesin the valley of Salt (2 Sam. viii. 13. 1 Chron. xviii. 12), and the rest of them were either brought inta EubjectioH under Joab, or forced to fiy into foreign countries; Hadad, their young king, fled to Egypt,, and was favorably received by Pharaoh, and was highly honoured at his court. He was married to. the sister of Tahpanes, who was the queen of Egypt, l Kings xi. 15—20. Yet though he lived sJL the court of Pharaoh, he waited only for an opporturuty to recover his kingdom, and when David and Joab were dead he proposed to the king of Egypt to make an eftbrt to accomplish it. He returned to Idumea, but was unsuccessful in his attempts to overcome the garri.-;ons which David had stationed to guard and secure the country. Joseph. Ant. B. viii. ch. 2. The kingdom of Edom continued under the house of David until the time of Jeho^shaphat, and was probiibly governed by deputie.s or viceroys appointed by the kings of Judah. In the reign of Jehoshaphat they joined the Moabites and Ammonites in an attempt to recover their freedom, hut they were unsuccessltd. In the reign of Jehoram the pon of Jehoshaphat, however, they rose in a Iwdy. and though they sufiered great —laughter, yet they regained their liberty. 2 Chron. xxi. 8— 10. After this, no attempts were made to suhdue them for more than sixty years. In the reign of Amaziah king of Judah, however, they were attacked, and ten thousand of them fell in battle in the valley of Salt, and many were made prisoners; their capital, Selah, was taken by storm, and the two thousand captives were by Atnaziah's orders thrown dmvn the ragged precipices near the city, and dashed in pieces. 2 Kings xiv. 7. 2 Chron. xxv. 12. Universal History, Vol. i. p. 380, Ed. Lond. 1779. 8vo. When the Jews were subdued by the Babylonians, and carried captive, they seem to have regarded it as a favourable opportui.ity to avenge all the injusticfr which they had sidi'ered from the hands of tlie Jews. They joined the Babylonians in their attempta>^ to sid)due Jerusalem, and exulted in the fall and ruin of the city.