12 I fhave made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have [ commanded.
13 I have raised him up in
This interpretation also is adopted by Vitringa, Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and some others. Grotius renders it, " that is, hinder, if you can, my doing what I will with them. Thus you will show what you can do, and what I can do." Rosenmuller supposes it to mean, ' commit my sons, and the work of my hands to me; suffer me to do with my own what I will.' It seems to me, however, that the word " command," is here to be taken rather as indicating the privilege of his people to present their desires in the language of fervent and respectful petition; and that God here indicates that he would, so to speak, allow them to direct him;that he would hear their prayers, and would conform the events of his administration to their wishes and their welfare. This is the most obvious interpretation; and this will, perhaps, suit the connexion as well as any other. Instead of complaining, and opposing his administration (vs. 9, 10), it was their privilege to come before him and spread out their wants, and even to give direction in regard to future events, so far as the events of his administration would Dear on them, and he would meet their desires. Thus interpreted, it accords with the numerous passages of the Bible which command us to pray; and with the promises of God that he will lend a listening ear to our cries.
12. / have made the earth. God here asserts that he had made all things, doubtless with a view to show that he was able to hear their cry, and to grant an answer to their requests. His agency wa3 visible every where, alike in forming and sustaining all things, and in raising up for them a deliverer. They mignt, therefore, go before him with confidence, and spread out all their tvants. f Have stretched out the he&vcns. Notes ch. xl. 2G. IT And righteousness, and I will 4dire<rt all his ways: he shall build Amy city, and he shall let go my cap. tives, not for price *nor reward, saith the Loud of hosts.
all their host. The stars. Notes ch. xl. 2G. IT Have I commanded. All are under my direction and control. What more can be needed by his people than the friendship and protection of him who made the heavens, and the earth and who leads on the stars!
13. / have raised him «;?. That is, Cyrus. Notes ch. xli. 2. IT In righteousness. In ch. xli. 2, he is called " the righteous man." He had raised him up to accomplish his own righteous plans. It does not necessarily mean that Cyrus was a righteous man. See Notes ch. xli. 2. V And I will direct all his ways. Marg. Make straight. This is the meaning of the Hebrew word. Notes ch. xl. 4. The sense here is, I will make his paths all smooth and level, i. e. whatever obstacles are in his way I will remove, and give him eminent success. IF He shall build my city. Jerusalem. See Ezra i. 2, where in his proclamation, Cyrus says, " Jehovah, God of heaven, hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah." It is very probable that Cyrus was made acquainted with these predictions of Isaiah. Nothing would be more natural than that the Jews in Babylon, when he should become master of the city, knowing that he was the monarch to whom Isaiah referred, and that he had been raised up for their deliverance, should acquaint him with these remarkable prophecies, and show him that God had long before designated him to accomplish this great work. Comp. Notea ch. xliv. 28. IT And he shall let go my captives. The Hebrew is, my captivity, or my viigration; i. e. those of his people who were in captivity. IT Not fci price. They shall not be purchased oi him as slaves, nor shall they be required
14 Thus saith the Lord, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over 'unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee;
\o purchase their own freedom. They shall be sent away as freemen, and no price shall be exacted for their ransom. Comp. ch. lii. 3. The Jews in Babylon were regarded as captives in war, and therefore as slaves. TT Nor for reward.
The Hebrew word here used ^TVH denotes properly that which is given to conciliate the favour of others, and hence often a bribe. Here it means, that nothing should be given to Cyrus for their purchase, or to induce him to Bet them at liberty. He should do it of his own accord. It was a fact that he not only released them, but that he endowed them with rich and valuable gifts to enable them to restore their temple and city. Ezra i. 7—11.
14. Thus saith the Lord. This verse i3 designed to denote the favours which in subsequent times would be conferred on Jerusalem, the city which (ver. 13) was to be rebuilt. It has reference, according to Lowth, to the conversion of the Gentiles, and their admission into the church of God. Grotius, however, understands it as addrcascd to Cyrus, and as meaning that because he had released the Jews without reward, therefore God would give him the wealth of Egypt, Ethiopia, Sabcea, and that those nations should be subject to him. But in this opinion probably he stands alone, and the objections to it are so obvious that they need not be specified. Some of the Jewish interpreters suppose that it refers to the same events as those recorded in ch. xliii. 3, and that it relates to the fact that God had formerly given those nations for the deliverance and protection of his people. They suppose that particular reference is had to the slaughter and destruction of the army of Sennacherib. Vitringa regards it as referring to the fact that proselytes
in chains ""they shall come over, and they shall fall down unts thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely "God is in thee; and there i& none else, there is no God.
should be made from all these nations to the true religion, and finds, as he supposes, a fulfilment of it in the times of the Saviour and the Apostles. In regard to the true meaning of the passage, we may observe (1) that it refers to the times that would succeed their return from their exile; and not to events that were then past. This is apparent on the face of the passage. (2.) It relates to Jerusalem, or to the people of God, and not to Cyrus. This is evident, because it was not true that these nations became subject to Cyrus after his taking Babylon, for it was not Cyrus, but his son Cambyses that invaded and subdued Egypt, and because the whole phraseology has reference to a conveision to religion, and not to the subjection involved in the conquests of war. (3.) It appropriately relates to a conversion to the true God, and an embracing of the true religion. This is implied in the language in the close of the verse, " saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God." (4.) The passage, therefore, means that subsequent to their return from Babylon there would be the conversion of those nations; or that they — perhaps here mentioned as the representatives of great and mighty nations in general — would be converted to the true faith, and that their wealth and power would be consecrated to tbs cause of Jehovah. The time when this was to be, is not fixed in the prophecy itself. It is only determined that it was to be subsequent to the return from the exile, and to be one of the consequences of that return. The fulfilment, therefore, may be sought either under the first preaching of the gospel, or in times still more remote. A more full explanation will occur in the examination of the different parts cf the versa.
V The labour of Egypt. That is, the fruit, or result of the labour of Egypt; the wealth of Egypt. See the word
46. The idea is, that Egypt would be converted to the true religion, and its wealth consecrated to the service of the true God. The conversion of Egypt is not unfrequently foretold. Ps. lxviii.
Princes shall come out of Egypt, Ethiopia shall soou stretch out her hands unto
See Notes on ch. xix. 18-22 — where the conversion of Egypt is introduced and discussed at length. IT And merchandise of Ethiopia. On the situation of Ethiopia, see Notes on ch. xviii. 1. The word "merchandise" here means the same as wealth, since their wealth consisted in their traffic. That Cush or Ethiopia would be converted to the true religion and be united to the people of God, is declared in the passage above quoted from Ps. lxviii. 31; and also in various other places. Thus in Ps. lxvii. 4: " Behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there." Zeph. iii. 10: " From beyond the ruins of Ethiopia, my suppliants, even the daughters of my dispersed, shall bring mine ofFering." IT And of the Sabeans, men of stature.
D^7^- The inhabitants of Seba, K?0 Seba, not K2UJ Sheba. Sheba, and the Sabeans of that name were a country and people of Arabia Felix — comprising a considerable part of the country now known as Yemen, lying in the southwest part of Arabia. Joel iv. 8. Job i. 15. That country abounded in frankincense, myrrh, spices, gold and precious stones. 1 Kings x. 1. Isa lx. 6. Jer. vi. 20. Seba, here referred to, was a different country. It was inhabited by a descendant of Cush, Gen. x. 7, and was probably the same as Meroe in Upper Egypt. See Notes on Isa. xliii.3. That this people was distinguished for height of stature is expressly affirmed by Herodotus (iii. 20), who says of the Ethiopians, among whom the Sabeans jire to be reckoned, that they were " the "tellest of men," \lyovrai eivai ^iyiarti avQpMTTuv; and Solinus affirms that the Ethiopians are " twelve feet high." Agatharchides, an ancient Greek poet quoted by Bochart, Phaleg. ii. 26, says of the Sabeans, to. c-w/jard tun 7u>v koltoi- those who dwell there are worthy oi special remark/ This shows at least a coincidence between the accounts o* Scripture and of profane writers. This country is alluded to by Solomon in Psalm Ixxii. 10:
The kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring
presents; The kings of riheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
They are connected here with the Egyptians, and with the inhabitants of Ethiopia or Cush; and their conversion to the true religion would occur probably about the same time. Doubtless the Christian religion was early introduced into these countries, for among those converted on the day of Pentecost, were foreigners from Egypt, and the adjacent countries (Acts ii. 10, 11), who would carry the gospel with them on their return. See also the case of the Eunuch of Ethiopia, Acts viii. 26- 39, by whom, undoubtedly, the gospel was conveyed to that region. The first Bishop of Ethiopia was Frumentius, who was made bishop of that country about A. D. 330. There is a current tradition among the Ethiopians that the queen of Sheba, who visited Solomon, was called Maqueda, and that she was not from Arabia, but was a queen of their own country. They say that she adopted the Jewish religion, and introduced it among her people; and the eunuch, who was treasurer under queen Candace, was probably a Jew by religion, if not by birth. Yet there will be in future times a more signal fulfilment of this prophecy, when the inhabitants of these countries, and the people of all other nations shall be converted to the true religion, and shall give themselves to God. Comp. Notes on ch. lx. 3-14. That prophecy has a remarkable similarity to this, and indeed is little more than a beautiful expansion of it. IT Shall come over unto thee. To thy religion; or shall be united to thee in the worship of the true God. It denotes a change not of place, but of character, and of religion. IT And they shall be thina. A part of thy people; united to thee. The whole language of this description, however, is taken from the custom in the conquests of war, where one nation is made subject to another, and is led along in chains. It is here figurative, denoting that the true religion would make rapid and extensive conquests among the heathen; that is, that the t:ue religion would every where triumph over all others. The phrase " shall come over," denotes that their subjection would be voluntary, and that they should freely abandon their own systems; while the phrases " shall be thine," " in chains," denote the triumphant and mighty power of the truth. IT They shall come after thee. You shall precede them in the honour of having conveyed to them the true religion, and in that priority of rank which always belongs to those who are first blessed with intelligence, and with the revelation of God. IT In chains shall they come over. Language taken from conquests when subjugated nations are led along as captives; and here denoting the power of that truth which would subdue their false systems, and bring them into complete and entire subjection to the true religion. This does not mean that it would be against their will, or that they could not have resisted it; but merely that they would be in fact as entirely subject to the true religion as are prisoners of war, in chains, to the will of their conquerors. See Notes on ch. xiv. 1,2. IT And they shall fall down unto thee. Recognizing thee as having the knowledge of the true God. To fall down is indicative of reverence; and it means here that Jerusalem would be honoured as being the source whence the true religion should emanate. Comp. Luke xxiv. 47. An expression similar to that here used occurs in Isa. xlix. 23: u And kings — and queens — shall bow down Y>theewitK fheir face toward the earth.
and lick up the dusi of thy feet." IT The$ shall make supplication unto thee Lowth renders this, " And in suppliant guise address thee." The Hebrew properly means, they shall pray unto thee but the idea is, that they should come as suppliants to Jerusalem, confessing that there was the knowledge of the only true God, and praying her inhabitants to impart to them an acquaintance with the true religion. See Notes on ch. ii. 3. The idea indicated by this is, that there would be a condition of anxious solicitude among heathen nations on the subject of the true religion, and that they would seek counsel and direction from those who were in possession of it. Such a state has already existed to some extent among the heathen; and the Scriptures, I think, lead us to suppose that the final spread and triumph of the gospel will be preceded by such an inquiry prevailing extensively in the heathen world. God will show them the folly of idolatry; he will raise up reformers among themselves; the extension of commercial intercourse will acquaint them with the comparative happiness and prosperity of Christian nations; and the growing consciousness of their own inferiority will lead them to desire that which has conferred so extensive benefits on other lands, and lead them to come as suppliants and ask that teachers and the ministers of religion may be sent to them. One of the most remarkable characteristics of the present time is, that heathen nations are becoming increasingly sensible of their ignorance and comparative degradation; that they welcome the ministers and teachers sent out from Christian lands; and the increased commerce of the world is thus preparing the world for the final spread of the gospel. If God is in thee. In Jerusalem; or thou art in possession of the only true system of religion, and art the worsh'pper of the only true God. See ch. xlix. 7, lx. 14-
16 They shall be ashamed, ar*d also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together, that arc makers of idols.
17 But Israel 9shall be saved
counsels and plans. The idea is, that the ways of God seem to be dark until the distant event discloses his purpose: that a long series of mysterious events seem to succeed each other, trying to the faith of his people, and where the reason of his doings cannot be seen. The remark here seems to be made by the prophet, in view of the fact, that the dealings of God with his people in their k>ng and painful exile would be to them inscrutable, but that a future glorious manifestation would disclose the nature of his designs, and make his purposes known. See ch. lv. 8, 9. " My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways." Comp. Ps. xliv. 24. Notes Isa. viii. 17. If The Saviour. Still the Saviour of his people, though his ways are mysterious and the reasons of his dealings are unknown. The LXX render this, " for thou art God, though we did not know it, O God of Israel the Saviour." — This verse teaches U3 that we should not repine or murmur under the mysterious allotments of Providence. They may be dark now. But in due time they will be disclosed, and we shall oe permitted to see his design, and to witness results so glorious, as shall satisfy us that his ways are all just and his dealings right.
16. They shall be ashamed and confounded. That is, they shall find all iheir hopes fail, and shall be suffused with shame that they were ever so Ecnseless as to trust in blocks of wood and stone. See Notes ch. i. 29, xx. 5, xxx. 5, xlii. 17. IT They shall go to confusion. They shall all retire in shame and disgrace. That is, when they have gone to supplicate their idols, aey shall find them unable to render tuna any aid, and they shall retire with fihame.
17. But Israel shall be saved. Rein the Lord with an everlast. iii2;r salvation: ve shall not ba ashamed *nor confounded 'world without end.
ferring primarily to the Jews in Babylon, but affirming the universal truth that the true Israel (comp. Rom. ii. 28, 29), that is, the people of God, shall be saved from all their trials, and shall be brought to his everlasting kingdom.
IT In the Lord. By Jehovah — •"'Jn"l2j Sept. urro Kipiov. It shall be done by the power of Jehovah, and shall be traced to him alone. No mere human power could have saved them from their captivity in Babylon; no human power can save the soul from hell. IT With an everlasting salvation. It shall not be a temporary deliverance; but it shall be perpetual. In heaven his people shall meet no more foes; they shall suffer no more calamity; they shall be driven into no exile; they shall never die. IT Ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded. This means (1) that they should never find God to fail, i. e. to be either unable or unwilling to befriend and rescue them. Ps. xlvi. 1. (2.) That they should never be ashamed, i. e. have cause to regret that they had puf their trust in him. The idea is, that they who become his friends never regret it; never are ashamed of it. The time never can come, when any one who has become a true friend of God will regret it. In prosperity or adversity; in sickness or health; at home oi abroad; in safety or in danger; in life or in death; there will be no situation in which they will be ashamed that they gave their hearts to God. There nevci have been any true Christians who re* gretted that they became the friends oi the Redeemer. Their religion maj have exposed them to persecution; theii names may have been cast out as ev*i; they mny have been stripped of their property; they may have been thrown into dungeons, laid on the rack. Oi led to the stake; but they have not regret
18 For thus saith the Lord tha; created the heavens, God himself that formed the earth and made it, he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited; I am the Lord, and there is none else.
ted that they became the friends of God. Nor will they ever regret it. No man on a dying bed regrets that he is a friend of God. No man at the judgment, bar will be ashamed to be a Christian. And in all the interminable duration of the world to come, the period never will, never can arrive, when any one will ever be ashamed that he gave his heart early, and entirely to the Redeemer. Why then should not all become his friends? Why will not men pursue that course which they know they never can regret, rather than the ways of sin and folly, which they know must cover them with shame and confusion hereafter?
18. For thus saith the Lord. This verse is designed to induce them to put unwavering confidence in the true God. For this purpose, the prophet enumerates the great things which God had done in proof that he alone was Almighty, and was worthy of trust. If He hath established it. That is, the earth. The language here is derived from the supposition that the earth is laid upon a foundation, and is made firm. The LXX render this, " God who displayed *ie earth to view, and who, having made it, divided it," Sitopiatv airiiv; that is, parcelled it out to be inhabited. This accords well with the scope of the passage. ^ He created it not in vain. He did net form it to remain a vast desert without inhabitants. IT He formed it to be inhabited. By man, and the various tribes of animals. He makes it a convenient habitation for them; adapts its climates, its soil, and its productions, lo their nature; and makes it yield abundance for their support. The "nain idea, I think, in the statement of »ni3 general truth is, that God designed tiat the earth at lar/je should be inhabit-
19 I have not spoken in sec ret, ain a dark place of the earth: 1 said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in cvain. I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
ed; and that, therefore, lie intended that Judca — then lying waste while the captives were in Babylon — should be re-peopled, and again become the happy abode of the returning exiles. So Grotius interprets it. The Jews from this passage infer, that the earth shall be inhabited after the resurrection — an idea which has every probability, since there will not be fewer reasons why the earth should be inhabited then than there are now; nor can there be any reasons why the earth should then exist in vain any more than now. "0" And there is none else. See Note on ver. 6. 19. I have not spoken in secret. The word rendered " secret," *1\?0 denotes a hiding, or covering; and the phrase here means secretly, privately. He did not imitate the heathen oracles by uttering his predictions from dark and deep caverns, and encompassed with the circumstances of awful mystery, and with designed obscurity, *& In a dark place of the earth. From a cave, or dark recess, in the manner of the heathen oracles. The heathen responses were usually given from some dark cavern or recess, doubtless the better to impress with awe the minds of those who consulted the oracles, and to make them more ready to credit the revelations of the fancied god. Such was the seat of the Sybil mentioned by Virgil.
Such also was the famous oracle at Delphi. Strabo says, " the oracle is said to be a hollow cavern of considerable depth, with an opening not very wide." Lib. 9. Diodorus, giving an account of this oracle, says, " that there was in that place a great chasm, or cleft iu the earth; in which ve.ry place is now situated what is called th*
20 Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: 4they have no knowledge that set
Adytum of the temple. In contradistinction from all this, God says that he hud spoken openly, and without these circumstances of designed obscurity and darkness. In the language here, there is a remarkable resemblance to what the Saviour said of himself, and it is not improbable that he had this passage in his mind: "I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing." John xviii. 20. A similar declaration occurs in Deut. xxx. 11: "This commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far ofT." V / said not to the seed of Jacob. The seed, or the race of Jacob, here means bis people: and the idea is, that he had not commanded them to call upon him without his being ready to answer them. IT Seek ye me in vain. The phrase, " seek ye," may refer to worship in general; or more properly to their calling upon him in times of calamity and tkial. The sense is, that it had not boen a vain or useless thing for them to serve him; that he had been their protector, and their friend; and that they had not gone to him, and spread out their wants for nought. It is still true, that God does not command his people to seek him in vain. Comp. Deut. xxxii. 47. His service is always attended with a rich blessing to them; and they are his witnesses that he confers on them inexpressibly great and valuable rewards. It follows from this, (1) that his people have abundant encouragement to go to him in all times of trial, persecution, and affliction; (2) that they have encouragement to go to him in a low state of religion, to confess their sins, to supplicate his mercy, and to pray for the influences of his Holy Spirit, and the revival of his work; and (3) that the service of God is always attended w th rich reward. Idols do
up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god thai cannot save.
not benefit those who serve them. Tha pursuit of pleasure, gain, and ambition, is often attended with no reward, and is never attended with any benefits that satisfy the wants of the undying mind; but the service of God meets all the wants of the soul, fills all its desires, and confers permanent and eternal rewards. IT / the Lord speak righteousness. This stands in opposition to the heathen oracles, which often gave false, delusive, and unjust responses. But not so with God. He had not spoken, as they did, from deep and dark places — fit emblems of t)\e obscurity of their answers; he had not, as tney had, commanded a service that was unprofitable and vain; and he had not, as they had, uttered oracles which were untrue and fitted to delude. IT / declare things that are right. Lowth renders this, " who give direct answers;" and supposes it refera to the fact that the heathen oracles often give ambiguous and deceitful responses. God never deceived. Hia responses were always true, and unambiguous.
20. Assemble yourselves, and come. This, like the passage in ch. xli. 1, seq., is a solemn appeal to the worshippers of idols, to come and produce the evidences of their being endowed with omniscience and with almighty power, and of their having claims to the homage of their worshippers. IT Ye that are escaped of the nations. This phrase has been very variously interpreted. Kimchi supposes that it means those who were distinguished among the nations, their chiefs, and rulers; Aben Ezra, that the Babylonians are meant especially; Vitringa, that the phrase denotes proselytes, as those who have escaped from the idolatry of the heathen, and have embraced the true religion; Grotius, that it denotes those who survived the slaughter which Cyrus inflicted on -the nations. Rcsenmuller coincides in opinion with Vitringa. The word bera used, Iji^s denotes properly one wh«
21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told
has escaped by flight from battle, danger, or slaughter. Gen. xiv. 13. Josh, viii. 32. It is not used any where in the sense of a proselyte; and the idea here is, I think, that those who escaped from the slaughter which Cyrus would bring on the nations, whr.re invited to come and declare what benefit they had derived from trusting in idol gods. In ver. 16, God had said they should all be ashamed and confounded who thus put their trust in idols; and he here calls on them as living witnesses that it was so. Those who had put their confidence in idols, and who had seen Cyrus carry his arms over nations notwithstanding their vain confidence, could now testify that no reliance was to be placed on them, and could be adduced as witnesses to show the importance of putting their trust in Jehovah. 1T That set up the wood. The word wood is used here to show the folly of worshipping an image thus made, and to show how utterly unable it was to save.
21. Tell ye, and being them near. That is, announce, and bring forward your strongest arguments. See Notes ch. xli. i. IT Who hath declared this ^rom ancient time? Who has clearly announced the events respecting Cyrus, and the conquest of Babylon, and the deliverance from the captivity? The argument is an appeal to the fact that God had clearly foretold these events /ong beibie, and that therefore he was the true God. To this argument he often appeals in proof that he alone is God. See Note ch. xli. 22, 23 HAnd there is no God else beside me. See ver. 5. H A just God. A God whose attribute it is always to do right; whose word is true; whose promises are fulfilled; whose threatenings are executed; and who always does that which, under the circumstances of the case, ought to be done. This does not refer particularly to the fact that he it from that time? have not I the Lord? and there is no God else beside me; a just *God and a Saviour: there wnone beside me.
will punish the guilty, but, in the connection here, rather seems to mean that his course would be one of equity. ^And a Saviour. Saving his people. It was a characteristic of him, that he saved or preserved his pe#ople; and his equity, or truth, or justice, was seen in his doing that. His being " a just God" and " a Saviour" are not set here in contrast or contradiction, as if there was any incongruity in them, or as if they needed to be reconciled; but they refer to the same thing, and mean that he was just and true in saving his people; it was a characteristic of him that he was so true to his promises, and so equitable in his government, that he would save them. There is here no peculiar and special reference to the work of the atonement. But the language is such as will accurately express the great leading fact in regard to the salvation of sinners. It is in the cross of the Redeemer that God has shown himself eminently to be just, and yet a Saviour; true, and merciful; expressing his abhorrence of sin, and yet pardoning it; maintaining the honour of his violated law, and yet remitting its penalty and forgiving the offender. It is here, in the beautiful language of the Psalmist, that
Mercy an<\ truth are met together, Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Ps. lxxxv. 10.
The same idea is expressed in Rom. iii. 26: " That he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus." It is the glory of the character of God that he can be ihus just and merciful at the same time; that he can maintain the honour of his law, secure the stability ol his government, and yet extend pardon to any extent. No human administration can do this. Pardon under a human government always does much to weaken the authority of the government, and to set aside the majesty of the law.
If never exercised, indeed, government assumes the form of tyranny; if often, the law loses its terrors, and Crime will walk fearless through the earth. But in the divine administration, through the atonement, pardon may be extended to any extent, and yet the honour of the law be maintained, for the substituted sufferings of the innocent in the place of the guilty, will in fact do more to restrain from transgression than where the guilty themselves suffer. Of no human administration can it be said that it is at the same time just, and yet forgiving; evincing hatred of the violation of the lav/, and yet extending mercy to any extent to the violators of the laws. The blending together of these apparently inconsistent attributes belongs only to God, and is manifested only in the plan of salvation through the atonement.
22. Look unto me, and be ye saved. This is said in view of the declaration made in the previous verse, that he is a just God and a Saviour. It is because he sustains this character that all are invited to look to him; and the doctrine is, that the fact that God is at the same time just and yet a Saviour, or can save consistently with his justice, is an argument why they should lock to him, and confide in him. If he is at the same time just — true to his promises; righteous in his dealings; maintaining the honour of his law and government, and showing his hatred of sin; and a!so merciful, kind, and forgiving, it is a ground of confidence in him, and we should rejoice in the privilege of looking to him for salvation. The phrase " look nnto me" means the same as, direct the attention to, as we do to one from whom we expect aid. It denotes a conviction en our part of helplessness — a3 when a man is drowning, he casts an imploring eye to one en the shore who can help nim; or when a man is dying, he casts an imploring eye on a physician for assistance. Thus the direction to look to God for salvation implies a deep couvic- tion of helplessness and of sin; and a deep conviction that he only can save. At the same time it shows the ease of salvation. What is more easy than to look to one for help ] What more easy than to cast the eyes towards God the Saviour 1 What more reasonable than that he should require us to do it? And what more just than that God, if men will not look to him in order that they may be saved, should cast them ofF for ever? Assuredly, if a dying, ruined, and helpless sinner will not do so simple a thing as to look to God for salvation, he ought to be excluded from heaven, and the universe will acquiesce in the decision which consigns him to despair.
"ft All the ends of the earth. For the meaning of this phrase, see Note ch, xl. 23. The invitation here proves, (1) that the offers of the gospel are universal. None are excluded. The end3 of the earth, the remotest parts of the world, are invited to embrace salvation, and all those portions of the world might, under this invitation, come and accept the offers of life. (2.) That God is willing to save all; — since he would not give an invitation at all unless he was willing to save them. (3.) That there is ample provision for their salvation — since God could not invite them to accept of what was not provided for them, nor could he ask them to partake of salvation which had no existence. (4.) That it is his serious and settled purpose that all the ends of the earth shall be invited to embrace the offers of life. The invitation has gone from his lips, and the command has gone forth that it should be carried to every creature (Mark xvi. 15;) and now it appertains to his church to bear the glad news of salvation around the world. God intends that it shah be done, and on his church rests the responsibility of seeing it speedily executed 11 For I am God. This i3 a reason why they should look to him to be saved. It is clear that none but the true God can save, the soul. No one else but he
23 I have sworn mby myself, the word is gone out of my moith tn righteousness, and shall not
can pronounce sin forgiven; no one but he can rescue from a deserved hell. No idol, no man, no angel can save; •lid if, therefore, the sinner is saved, he Kisst come to the true God, and depend on him. That he may thus come, whatever may have been his character, is abundantly proved by this passage. This verse contains truth enough, if properly understood and applied, to save the world; and on the ground of this, all men, of all ages, nations, climes, ranks, and character, might come and obtain eternal salvation.
23. / have swoin by myself. This verse contains a fuller statement of the truth intimated in the previous verse, that the benefits of salvation should yet be extended to all the world. It is the expression of God's solemn purpose that all nations should yet be brought to acknowledge him, and partake of the benefits of the true religion. The expression, " I have sworn by myself," denotes a purpose formed in the most solemn manner, and ratified in the most sacred form. God could swear by no greater (Heb. vi. 13, 1G); and this, therefore, is the most solemn assurance that could be possibly given that the purpose which he had formed should be executed. To swear by himself is the same as to swear by his life, or to affirm solemnly that the event shall as certainly occur as that he exists. The same idea is often expressed by the phrase, " as I live." See a parallel declaration in Num. xiv. 21: " But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord." Comp. Num. xiv. 28. Isa. xlix. 18. Jer. rxii. 24. Ezek. v. 11, xiv. 16, 18, 20. Seph. ii. 9. Rom. xiv. 11. This passage tei quoted by Paul in Rom. xiv. 11, where tile phrase, " I have sworn by myself" 19 rendered, " as I live, saith the Lord," showing that they are equivalent expressions The word is gone out of my mouth. The LXX render this," righteousness shall proceed from my mouth,
return, That unto me, *every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear/
my words shall not return." Lowth renders it, " truth is gone forth from my mouth; the word, and it shall not be revoked." Jerome, " the word of righteousness has gone forth from my mouth, and shall not return." Rosenmuller accords with the interpretation of Lowth. Frobably the correct translation is "righteousness" (i. e. the righteous sentence, or purpose, where the word i"1!?^ is used in the sense of truth, see ver. 19), has gone out of my mouth, the word (i. e. the promise), and it shall not return." In this construction the t van before j<^ Id has the force of a relative pronoun, and is to be referred to ^2^ dkdbhdr, the word. The sense is, that God had spoken it, and that all which he has spoken shall certainly be fulfilled. The fact that the declaration has once passed his lips, is full proof that the purpose shall be accomplished. This is not to be understood of any promise which he had made before, but it is a solemn declaration which he now makes by the prophet. IT That unto me every knee shall bow. To bow, or bend the knee, is indicative of homage or adoration; and the idea is, that all should yet acknowledge him to be God. See Note on Rom. xiv. 11. The ancient mode of offering adoration, or of paying homage, was to place the knee on the ground, and then slowly to incline the body until the head touched the earth. This is practised now in eastern countries. Comp. 1 Kings xix. 18. Gen xli. 43. Matt, xxvii. 29. Rom. xi. 4. Phil. ii. 10. Eph. iii. 14. 2 Chron. vi. 13. The obvious and proper signification of this is, that the time would come when God would be every where acknowledged as the true God. It refers therefore to the future period of glory on the earth, when all men shall have embraced the true religion, and when idolatry shall have come to an end. IT Every tongue shall
24 Surely, 'shall one say, In the Lord have I Righteousness1 and strength:" even to him "shall men come; and all that are in-
swear. This expression is evidently taken from the practice of taking an oath of allegiance to a sovereign, and here means that all would solemnly acknowledge him to be the true God, and submit themselves to his government and will. See the phrase explained in the Note on ch. xix. 18. That 1*113 refers to the Messiah and his times, is apparent from the fact that it is twice referred to by the Apostle Paul, and ap- Dlied by him to the Lord Jesus and his religion. Rom. xiv. 11. Phil. ii. 10. It is a glorious promise which remains yet to be fulfilled, and there is no promise in the Bible more certain than that this earth shall yet be filled with the knowledge of the true God.
24. Surely shall one say. In the margin, " he shall say of me, In the Lord is all righteousness and strength." The design of the verse is, to set forth more fully the effect of the prevalence of the true religion; and the main thought is, that there shall be an universal acknowledgment that salvation and strength were in Jehovah alone. Idols and men could not save; and salvation was to be traced to Jehovah only. A literal translation of the passage would be, ' truly in Jehovah, he said unto me,' or it is said unto me, i. e I heard it said, ' is righteousness and strength,' that is, this would be every where the prevailing sentiment that righteousness and strength were to be found in Jehovah alone. The sense is, (1) that it was by him alone that they could be pardoned and justified, and (2) that it was by him alone that they could obtain strength to meet their enemies, to overcome their sins, to discharge their duties, to encounter temptatiors, to bear afnictions, and to support them in death. These two things, righteousness and strength, are all that man needs. The whole of religion con-
25 In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified,* and shall glory.
sists essentially in the feeling that righteousness and strength are to be found in God our Saviour. The LXX render this, " every tongue shall swear to God, saying, righteousness and glory shall come unto him, and all those who make distinctions among them shall be ashamed." *H Even to him shall men come. For the purpose of being saved. Bee Notes ch. ii. 3. IT And all that art incensed against kim. All that are opposed to hi3 government and laws. 1T Shall he ashamed. Note ver. 16. The enemies of God shall see their own feebleness, and folly; and they shall be ashamed that they have endeavoured to oppose one so mighty and so glorious as the living God. The multitudes that have in various ways resisted him shall see the folly of their course, and be overwhelmed with shame that they have dared to lift the hand against the God that made the heavens. Jarchi renders this, " all who have opposed themselves to God, shall come to him, led by penitence on account of the things which they have done, and shall be ashamed." 25. In the Lord. It shall be only in Jehovah that they shall find justification, and this must mean, that it is by hia mercy and grace. The entire passage here, I suppose, has reference to the times of the Redeemer. See Notes on vs. 21-24. If so, it means that justification can be obtained only by the mercy of God through a Redeemer. The great truth is, therefore, here brought into view, which constitutes the sum of the New Testament, that men are not justified by their own works, but by the mercy and grace of God IT All the sce-d of Israel. All the spiritual seed or descendants of Jacob. It cannot mean that every individual shall be justified and saved, for the Bible abundantly teaches the contrary
See Matt. viii. 11, 12. Rom. xi. But It must mean that all who have a character Tesembling that of Israel, or Jacob; all who are the true children and fiiendu of God. See Rom. ii. 28, 29, iv. 9-13. IT Be justified. Be regarded and treated as righteous. Their sins shall be pardoned, and they shall be acknowledged and treated as the children of God. See Notes on Rom. iii. 24, 25. To justify here, i3 not to pronounce them innocent, or to regard them as deserving of his favour; but it is to receive them into favour, and to resolve to treat them as if they had not sinned; that is, to treat them as if they were righteous. All this is by the mere mercy and grace of God, and is through the merits of the Redeemer, who died in their place. IT And shall glory. Or rather, shall praise and celebrate his goodness. The word here used (^n haldl,) raeans in Piel to sing, to chant, to celebrate, the praises of any one, Pa. cxvii. l,cxlv. 2, xliv. 9, 1 Chron. xvi. 36, and is the word of which the word hallelujah is in part composed. Here it means, that the effect of their being justified by Jehovah would be, that they would be filled with joy, and would celebrate the goodness of God. This effect of being justified, is more fully stated in Rom. v. 1-5. It is a result which always follows; and a disposition to praise and magnify the name of God in view of his boundless mercy in providing a way by which sinners may be justified, is one of the first promptings of a renewed heart, and one of the evidence* that a soul is born again.
This chapter is a continuation of the argument before commenced to show the foily of idolatry nnd to induce the captive and exile Jows to put their trust in JEHOVAH. The argument consists oj the following particulars:
I. The idols of Babylon should be overthrown, vs. 1, 2. Tbe prophet sees those idols removed from their places, laid on beasts of burden, and borne away. They were unable to deliver their city from the arm of the conqueror, but were themselves carried into captivity. The exiles, therefore, had the certain prospect of deliverance.
II. God appeals to the fact that he had always protected the Jewish people; that he had dealt with them as a parent in the infancy and youth of their nation, and he solemnly assures them that he would not leave them in their old age and their trials, v3. 3, 4.
III. He shows them the folly of idolatry, and the vanity of idols, vs. 5—7. They could not aid oi defend in the day of trial; and, therefore, the people should put their trust in the true God.
IV. He appeals to them by the recollection of former events, and reminds them of hi9 mercifu. interposition, vs. 8, 9.
V. He appeals to them by the fact that he had predicted future events, and especially by the faci that he had raised up a distinguished conqueror— Cyrus— who would accomplish all his pleasure, vs. 10, 11.
VI. He assures them that his righteous purpose was near to be accomplished, and that he wo.ild restore Zion to its former splendour, and that his salvation should be made known to his people vs. 18, 13.
The scene of this prophecy is laid in Babylon, and at the time when the city was about to bt taken by Cyrus, and the Jews about to be delivered from captivity. The idols of the ChaJceanB, anablc to defend the city, are borne in haste away for safety, and Cyrus is at the /;ates. The design is to give to the exiles there an assurance that when they should see these thir.ys, they should conelude that their deliverance drew near; and to furnish them thus with ample demonstration thai JEHOVAH was the true God, and that he was their protector and friend. In their long and painful captivity also, they would have these promises to comfort them; and when they surveyed the spiep dour of the idol worship in Babylon, and their hearts were pained with the prevalent idolatrv, triewould have als j the assurance that those idols were to be removed, and that that idolatry wcua cor*' to an end.
1 Bel 'boweth down, Nebo" stoopeth; their idols were upon the beasts,5 and upon the cattle:
'?? Baal) was the chief domestic god of the Babylonians, and was worshipped in the celebrated tower of Babylon. Gonip. Jer. 1. 2, li. 44. It was usual to compound names of the titles of the divinities that were worshipped, and hence we often meet with this name, as in Bel-shazzar, Bel-teshazzar, Baal-Peor, Baal-zebub, Baal-Gad, Baal-Berith. The Greek and Roman writers compare Bel with Jupiter, and the common name which they give to this idol is Jupiter Belus. Pliny N. His. xxxvii. 10. Cic. ie Nat. Deor. iii. 16. Diod. ii. 8, 9. Herodotus (B. i. 181-183) says, that in:he centre of each division of the city &f Babylon (for the Euphrates divided!he city into two parts) there is a circular space surrounded by a wall. In one of these stands the royal palace, which fills a large and strongly defended space. The Temple of Jupiter Belus, says he, occupies the other, whose huge gates of brass may still be seen. It is a square building, each side of which is of the length of two furlongs. In the midst, a tower rises of the solid depth and height of one furlong; on which, resting as a base, seven other turrets, are built in regular succession. The ascent on the outside, winding from the ground, is continued to the highest tower; and in the middle of the whole structure there is a convenient resting place. In this temple there is a small chapel which contains a figure of Jupiter in a sitting posture, with a large table before him.; these with the base of the table, and the ssat of the throne, are all of the purest gold. There was formerly in this temple a statue of solid gold twelve cubits high. This was seized, says Herodotus, by Xerxes, who put the priest to death who endeavoured to prevent its removal. The unper room of this tower was oc-:upied as an observatory. — The idol
your carriages were heavy load, en; they are a burden to the weary beast.
Baal, or Bel, was peculiarly the god of the Phenicians, of the Canaanites, of the Chaldeans, of the Moabites, and of some of the surrounding l.ations. The most common opinion has been, that the idol was the sun (see Notes on Isa. xvii. 8. xvii. 9), and that, under this name, tin*, luminary received divine honours. But Gcsenius supposes that by the name Jupiter Belus was not denoted Jupiter, " the father of the gods," but the planet Jupiter, Stella Jovis, which was regarded, together with Venus, as the giver of all good fortune: and which forms with Venus the most fortunate of all constellations under which sovereigns can be bom. The planet Jupiter, therefore, he supposes, to have been worshipped under the name Bel, and the planet Venus under the name of Astarte, or Astaroth. See Gesenius, Comm. zu Isa. ii. 333, seq., and Rob. Cal. Art. BaaL The phrase " boweth down," means here, probably, that the idol sunk down, fell, or was removed. It was unable to defend the city, and was taken captive, and carried away. Jerome renders it, " confractus est Bel," Bel is broken; the LXX "KTTeac Bri\ — Bel has fallen. Perhaps in the language there is allusion to the fact that Dagon fell before the ark of God. 1 Sam. v. 2, 3, 7. The sense is, that even the object of worship — that which was regarded as the most sacred among the Chaldeans — would be removed.? Nebo stoopeth. This was an idol god of the Chaldeans. In the astrological mythology of the Babylonians, according to Gesenius (Comm. zu Isa. ii. p. 333, seq), this idol was the planet Mercury. He is regarded as the scribe of the heavens, who records the succession of the celestial and terrestrial events; and is related to the Egyptian Hermes and Anubis. The extensive worship of this idol among the Chalde. ans and Assyrians is evident from the many compound proper names occurring in he Scriptures, of which this r;ord
2 They stoop, they bow down together, they could not deliver ihe burden, but themselves3 are gone into captivity.
l'orms a part, as Neb-uchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan; and also in the classics, as Nab-onad, Nab-onassar. Nebo was, therefore, regarded as an attendant on Bel, or as his scribe. The exact form of the idol is, however, unknown. The word " stoopeth," means that it had fallen down, as when one is struck dead he falls suddenly to the earth; and the language denotes conquest, where even the idols so long worshipped would be thrown down. The scene is in Babylon, and the image in the mind of the prophet is that of the city taken, and the idols that were worshipped thrown down by the conqueror, and carried away in triumph. IT Their idols were upon the beasts. That is, they are laid upon the beasts to be borne away in triumph. It was customary for conquerors to carry away all that was splendid and valuable to grace their triumph on their return; and nothing would ba a more certain indication of victory, or a more splendid accompaniment to a triumph, than the gods whom the vanquished nations had adored. Thus in Jer. xlviii. 7, it is said, " And Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, with his priests and his princes together." Comp. Jer. xlix. 3, margin. IT Your carriages. That is, they were laden with the idols that were thus borne off in triumph. IT They are a burden. They are so numerous; so heavy; and to be borne so far. This is a very striking and impressive manner of foretelling that the city of Babylon would be destroyed. Instead of employing the direct language of prophecy, the prophet represents himself as seeing the heavy laden animals and wagons moving along elowly, pressed down under the weight of the captured gods to be borne into the distant country of the conqueror. They move forth from Babylon, and the caravan laden with the idols, the spoils of
of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne dby me from the belly, which are carried from the womb.
2. They stoop. Bel, and Nebo, and all the Babylonian gods. See ver. 1. IT They could not deliver the burden. The word " t «rden" here probably means the load of metal, wood, and stone, of which the idols were composed. The gods whom the Babylonians worshipped had not even power to protect the images which were made to represent them, and which had now become a heavy burden to the animals and wains which were carrying them away. They could not rescue them from the hands of the conqueror; and how unable were they, therefore, to defend those who put their trust in them. The Vulgate renders this, " They could not deliver him that bare them." The LXX, "You are carrying them like a burden bound on the weary, faint, and hungry; who are all without strength, and unable to escape from battle; and as for them, they are carried away captives!" T But themselves. Margin, as in the Hebrew, " their soul." The sense is> that the gods thus worshipped, so far from being able to defend those who worshipped them, had themselves become captive, and were borne to a distant land.
3. Hearken unto me. From this view of the captive gods, the address is now turned to the Jews. The utter vanity of the idols had been set before them; and in view of that, God now addresses his own people, and entreata them to put their trust in him. The address he commences with words cf great tenderness and endearment, designed to lead them to confide in him as their Father and friend. IT And all the remnant. All who were left from slaughter, and all who were borne into captivity to Babylon. The language here Is all full of tenderness, and is fii«
4 And even to your old age' I am, he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
ted to inspire them with confidence in God. The idols of the heathen, so far from being able to protect their worshippers, were themselves carried away into ignoble bondage, but Jehovah was himself able to carry his people, and to sustain them. IT Which are borne by me. Like an indulgent father, or a tender nurse, he had carried them from the very infancy of their nation. The same image occurs in Deut. i. 31: " And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the Lokd thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place." A similar figure occurs in Ex. xix. 4: " Ye have seen, how I bare ^ou on eagles' wings, and brought you ianto myself." So Deut. xxxii. 11,12. Comp. Num. xi. 12. Isa. lxiii. 9. All this here stands opposed to the idols, of the Babylonians. They were unable to protect their people. They were themselves made captive. Bat God had shown the part of a father and a protector to his people in all times. He had sustained and guided them; he had never forsaken them; he had never, like the idol gods, been compelled to leave them in the power of their enemies. From the fact that he had always, even from the infancy of their nation, thus protected them, they are called on to put their trust in him.
4. And even to your old age, I am he. Or rather, I am the same. I remain, unchangeably, with the same tenderness, the same affection, the same care. In this the care of God for his people surpasses that of the most tender parent, and the most kind nourisher of the young. The care of the parent naturally dies away as the child reaches manhood, and he is usually removed by death before the son or daughter that excited so much solicitude in infancy and childhood, reaches old age. But not so with God. His people are always tne objects of his
5 To whom will ye liksn me, and make me equal, and com* pare me, that we may be like?
6 They 'lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the bal-
tender solicitude. Age does not make them less dependent, and experience only teaches them more and more theii need of his sustaining grace. The ar~ gument here is, that he who had watched over the infancy of his people with so much solicitude would not leave them in the exposures, and infirmities, and trials of the advanced years of their history. The doctrine is, (1) that his people always need his protection and care; (2) that he will never leave nor forsake them; (3) that he who is the God of infancy and childhood will be the God of age, and that he will not leave nor forsake his people, who have been the objects of his care and affection in childhood, when they become old. For though this passage refers primarily to a people, or a community as such, yet I see no reason why the principle should not be regarded as applicable to those who are literally aged. They need the care of God no less than childhood does; and if they have walked in his ways in the vigour and strength of their life, he will not cast them off " when they are ole and gray-headed." Hoary hairs, thero fore, if" found in the ways of righteous ness," may trust in God; and the " second childhood" of man may find him no less certainly a protector than the first.
5. To whom will ye liken me. Sea Notes ch. xl. 18, 25. The design of this and the following verses is, to show the folly of idolatry, and the vanity of trusting in idols. This is a subject that the prophet often dwells on. The argument here is derived from the fact that the idols of Babylon were unable to defend the city, and were themselvea carried away in triumph; vs. 1,2. If so, how vain was it to rely on them; how foolish to suppose that the living and true God could resemble such weak and defenceless blocks.
jince, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall iov/n; yea, they worship.
7 They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth. from his place shall he not
tbftil to pour out abundantly, or in a lavish manner. It is used in connexion with the idea of squandering in Prow xxiii. 21, xxviii. 7, Deut. xxi. 20. Here the idea is, that they spared no expense; they poured out gold as if it were vile and worthless, in order to make an idol. The design of this verse is, to show the superstition of those who were idolaters; and particularly, how much they were willing to devote in order to maintain idol worship. H Out of the bag. They pour their geld out of the bag, or purse, where they have kept it; that is, they lavish it freely. T And weigh silver in the balance. Perhaps the idea is here, that they used silver so lavishly that they did not wait to count it, but weighed it as they would the grosser metals. The word here used and translated '* balance," '^I-, means properly cane, reed, calamus; then a measuring reed, or rod, Ezek. xl. 3, 5; then a rod, or beam of a balance, or scales. Gr. £ayfa.
T And hire a goldsmith. See Notes on ch. xl. 19, 20. IF And he maketh it a god. The goldsmith manufactures the gold and the silver into an image. The object of the prophet isj to deride the custom of offering divine homage to a god formed in this manner. See Notes on ch. xliv. 9-19.
7. They bear him upon the shoulder. They carry the idol which they have made on their shoulder to the temple, or place where it is to be fixed. This circumstance, with the others, is doubtless introduced to show how ridiculous and absurd it was to offer divine homage to a god whom they could thus carry about on tha shoulder. ^ And set him in his vlace. Fix the idol on its basis or pedestal, in its proper niche, or place in the temple. The whole design of this
remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nol save him out of his trouble.
8 Remember this, and show yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.
verse is to contrast the idol with Jehovah. Jehovah is uncreated and eternal; — the idol on the contrary is riade by men, is borne about, is fixed in its place, has no power to move, remains there until it is taken down, and has no ability either to hear or save those who worship it.
8. Hememher this. Bear in mind what is now said of the manner in which idols are made. This is addressed, doubtless, to the Jews, and is designed to keep them from idolatry. ^T And show yourselves men. Act as men; throw away the childish trifles of idolaters. The word here used, ^'^S^F;, occurs nowhere else in the Bible. It is, according to Gesenius, derived from E^X a man and means to act as a man. A similar word is used in 1 Cor. xvi. 13, foSpifrirBe, from din'ip a man, and is correctly rendered there " quit you like men." This Greek word often occurs in the Septuaghit. It is used as a translation of Y"Z^ in Josh. i. 6, 7, 9, 18, 1 Chron. xxviii. 20, 2 Chron. xxxii. 7, Neh. ii. 1; of Ha in Ruth i. 12; of pVH in Dent. xxxi. 6, 7, 23, Josh. x. 25, 2 Kings x. 12, xiii. 28, Ps. xxvi. 20, and in several other places. Jerome renders the Hebrew word here " be confounded;" the LXX oTeva^aTC) groan; the Syriac." consider" or understand. The meaning is, that they were to act as became men — not as children; as became those endowed with an immortal mind, and not as the brutes. So Kimchi renders it: "Be men, and not brutes, which neither consider nor understand." V O ye trans' gressors. Ye who have violated tha laws of God by the worship of idcla. In the time of Manasseh, the Israelites i were much addicted to idolatry, and
9 Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is none else; J am God, and there is none like me;
probably this ia to be regarded as addressed to them, and as designed to recall them from it to the worship of the true God.
9. Remember the former tilings, &c. Bear in mind the repeated and constant proofs that have been given that Jehovah is the true God — the proofs derived from the prediction of future events, and from the frequent interpositions of his Providence in your behalf as a nation. IT For 1 am God. See Notes ch. xliv. 6.
10. Declaring the end from the beginning. Foretelling accurately the course of future events. This is an argument to which God often appeals in proof that he is the only true God. See ch. xli. 22, 23, xliii. 12, xliv. 26. IF My counsel shall stand. My purpose, my design, my will. The phrase " shall stand" means that it shall be stable, settled, fixed, established. This proves, (1.) That God has a purpose or plan in regard to human affairs. If he had not, he could not predict future events, since a contingent event cannot be foreknown and predicted; that is it cannot be foretold that an event shall certainly occur in one way, when by the very supposition of its being contingent it.nay happen either that way, or some other way, or not at all. (2.) That God's plan will not be frustrated. He has power enough to secure the execution of his designs, and he will exert that power in order that all his plans may be accomplished. — We may observe, also, that it is a matter of unspeakable joy that God has a plan, and that it will be executed. For (1) if there were no plan n relation to human things, the mind could find no rest. If there was no evidence that One Mind presided over human affairs; that an infinitely wise plan had been formed, and that all things had oeen adjusted so as best to secure the Ultimate accomplishment of that plan, every thing would have the appearance
beginning, and from ancient timet the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
of chaos, and the mind must be filled with doubts and distractions. But oui anxieties vanish in regard to the apparent irregularities and disorders of the universe, when we feel that all things are under the direction of an Infinite Mind, and will be made to accomplish his plans, and further his great designs. (2.) If his plans were not accomplished there would be occasion of equal doubt, and dismay. If there was any power; that could defeat the purposes of God; if there was any stubbornness of matter, or any inflexible perverseness in the nature of mind; if there were any unexpected and unforeseen extraneous causes that could interpose to thwart his plans, then the mind must be full of agitation and distress. But the moment it can fasten on the conviction that God has formed a plan that embraces all things, and that all things which occur will be in some way made tributary to that plan, that moment the mind can be calm in resignation to his holy will. IT And 1 will do all my pleasure. I will accomplish all my wish, or effect all my desire. The word nere rendered " pleasure," f^tt, means properly delight, or pleasure, 1 Sam. xv. 22, Ps. i. 2, xvi. 3,
Eccl. v. 4; xii. 10, then desire, wish, will, Job. xxxi. 16; and then business cause, affairs, Isa. liii. 10. Here it means that God would accomplish every thing which was to him an object of desire; every thing which he wished, or willed. And why should he not? Who has power to hinder or prevent him 1 Rom. ix. 19. And why should not wc rejoice that he will do all that is pleasing to him? What better evidence have we that it is desirable that any thing should be done, than that it is agreeable, or pleasing to God? What better fiecurity can we have that it is right, than that he wills it? What more substantial and permanent ground of rejoicing ia
11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man 5that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
there in regard to any thing, than that it is such as God prefers, loves, and wills 1 11. Calling a ravenous bird from the east. There can be no doubt that Cyrus is intended here. See Notes ch. xli. 2, 25. The east here means Persia. The word rendered "ravenous bird" E^S, is rendered fowl in Job xxviii. 7; bird or birds in Jer. xii. 9; fowls in Gen. xv. 11, Isa. xviii. 6; and ravenous birds in Ezek. xxxix. 4. It does not occur elsewhere in the Bible. It is here used as an emblem of a warlike king, and the emblem may either denote the rapidity of his movements — moving with, the flight of an eagle; or it may denote the devastation which he would spread — an emblem in either sense peculiarly applicable to Cyrus. It is not uncommon in the Bible to compare a warlike prince to an eagle, Jer. xlix. 22, Ezek. xvii. 3; and the idea here is, probably, that Cyrus would come with great power and velocity upon nations, like the king of birds, and would pounce suddenly and unexpectedly upon his prey. Perhaps also there may be here allusion to the standard or banner of Cyrus. Xenophon (Cyrop. L. vii.) says, that it was a golden eagle affixed to a long spear; and it is well remarked by Lowth, that Xenophon has used the very word which the prophet uses here, as near as could be, expressing it in Greek letters. The word of the prophet is i:*9 dylt; the Greek word used by Xenophon is dirds, aetos. The Chaldee has, however, given a different rendering to this passage: " I, who say that t will gather my captivity irom the east, and will lead publicly like a swift bird from a distant.and the sons of Abraham, my friend." IT The man that executeth my counsel. Marg. of my counsel. So the Hebrew. vol. ir — 8*
13 1 bring near my righteousness;• it shall not be far oil*, and my salvation shall not 'airy: 6and I will place salvation in Zion for eIsrael my glory.
It may either mean the man whom he had designated by his counsel; or it may mean the man who should execute his purpose. IT Yea I have spoken. He spake it by the prophets; and the idea I is, that all that he had spoken should be certainly accomplished.
12. Hearken unto me. This is de signed to call the attention of the skep tical and unbelieving Jews to the important truth which he was delivering. Many among them might be disposed to say that the fulfilment was delayed and he therefore calls upon them to attend particularly to his solemn declarations. IT Ye stout-hearted. The phrase " stout-hearted" would naturally denote those who were bold and courageous. But here it evidently means those whose hearts were strong against God; wh* nerved themselves to resist and oppose his plans and government; who were stubborn and rebellious.
13. / bring near my righteousness. The word righteousness here evidently denotes his truth; the fulfilment of hia promises. His righteous and true character would be manifested to them so plainly and clearly, that they would be able no longer to doubt. It would not be remote in time, or in place, but it would be so near that they could see it, and so plain that they could no longer doubt or misunderstand it. H And my salvation shall not tarry. The people shall be delivered from their bondage at the exact time which has been predicted IT / will place salvation in Zion. Zieu or Jerusalem shall be rebuilt, and sarva tion shall emanate from that as from * centre to the whole world, tf Israel my glory. The people whom he had chosen, and who reflected his glory. God's honour and glory on earth are seen 'Of and by the church, and he designs i.r.a the church shall be the moans of making hia glory known among men. Or it paay mean, I wiL' give my glory to Israel.
I will show to theni. my perfections* ara will make their nation the place of the manifestations of my glorious attributes
Tn the closing verse of the previous chapter, God had given the assurance that his people should certainly be delivered from their captivity in Babylon, and restored to their own land. In this chapter, he describes the vengeance which he would take on Babylon, and the entire chapter is occupied
•i portraying, under various images, the prostration and humiliation of that proud and oppressive seat of magnificence and of empire. Babylon is described under the image of a lady, carefully nourl hed and decorated; and all the images of her destruction are drawn from those circumstances which would tend to humble a gay and proud female that had been accustomed to luxury, and u iiised to scenes of humiliation, poverty, and bereavement. The scope of the chapter is,tostatetho crimes for which she would be humbled and punished, and the manner in which it would be done.
J hese are intermingled, but they may be contemplated separately. The chapter may, therelbre, be regarded as consisting of the following items.
I. Babylon is addressed, by an apostrophe to her, as the seat of empire, and her humiliation 19 directly predicted under the image of a gay, and delicately-reared female, suddenly reduced to circumstances of great humiliation and disgrace, vs. 1 — 5. She is commanded to sit down in the dust; she should no longer be treated as tender and delicate (ver. 1): she would be reduced to the most abject condition— like a delicate and tender female from elevated life compelled to perioral the most menial offices, and stripped of all her gay attire (vs. 2, 3) she was to sit in darkness, or obscurity; her honour was to be taken away, and she was no more to be called the lady of kingdoms (ver. 5); and all this was to be done by JEHOVAH, to take vengeance on the oppressors of his people, vs. 3, 4.
II. God states the reasons why he would thus humble and punish her, vs. 6, 7. It was because she had shown no mercy to his people, and had laid a heavy yoke on an ancient nation (ver. 6); ana because she had vainly calculated that her power and magnificence would continue for ever, notwithstanding the manner in which she had oppressed the people whom God had given into her hand, ver. 7.
III. The nature of the punishment which should come upon her for this is more distinctly and fully predicted, intermingled with further statements of the causes why she should be punished and humbkd, vs. 8, 9. The causes were, that luxury and effeminacy abounded; that she was proud, and did not apprehend that it was possible that she should be reduced from her state of magnificence:.nd grandeur; and that she had cherished sorcerers and enchantments. The -punishment was, that Bhe should be reduced in a moment tothe condition of a widow, and to the state of one who had been suddenly berelt of all her children.
IV. The crime and the punishment of the city are further stated, vs. 10, 11. The crime was, that she had supposed no avenging God saw her; and that she had become proud and vain of her w>sdom eiuI knowledge. The punishment would be, that evil would come upon her from a quarter where she little expected it, and in a manner which she could not prevent.
V. Babylon is sarcastically called on to invoke to her aid those in whom she had trusted— the astrologers, the star-gazers, and those who practised sorcery and enchantments, vs. 12, 13.
VI. The chapter concludes with a statement of the utter vanity of the sorcerers, and the absolute folly of trusting in them, vs. 14, 15. Even the flame would pass over them; and so far were they from having any power to deliver those who trusted in them, that they had no power to preserve themselves from ruin.
This chapter, therefore, contains many very particular statements about the manner in which Babylon was to be destroyed; statements which will be found to have been fulfilled vyith surprising accuracy. They are statements, moreover, which could not have been the result of conjecture, or mere political sagacity, for political conjecture and sagacity do not descend to minute particulars and details. It is to be borne in remembrance that this prophecy was uttered a hundred and fifty years before its fulfilment, and that there were no circumstances existing in the time of Isaiah which could have laid the foundation for conjecture in regard to the events predicted here. The temple was then standing; the city of Jerusalem was strongly fortified; the kingdom of Judah was powerful; Babylon was just rising into magnificence; the power which ultimately overthrew it had scarcely begun to start iiito being: and none of the causes which ultimately led Cyrus to attack and destroy it, had as yet 2n existence. And if these things were so, then the conclusion is inevitable that Isaiah was under the influence of divine inspiration. It is the particularity of the description in the prophets long before the events occurred, which, more than any thing else, distinguishes them from mere political conjecture; and?/the particular descriptions here and elsewhere recorded of the overthrow of Babylon, ind of other future events, were actually made before the events occurred, then the conclusion if? rresistible that they were inspired by God.
dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground: there u and power. The design of this verse has already been stated in the analysis.
no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no
It is to foretell that Babylon would be humbled, and that she would be reduced, from her magnificence and pride to a condition of abject wretchedness. She is therefore represented as a proud female accustomed, to luxury and ease, suddenly brought to the lowest condition, and compelled to perform the most menial services. IT And sit in the dust. To sit on the ground, and to cast dust on the head, is a condition often referred to in the Scriptures as expressive of humiliation, and of mourning. Josh. viii. 6. Lam. iii. 29. Job ii. 12, x. 9. Ps. xxii. 15. In this manner also on the medals which were struck by Titus and Vespasian to commemorate the capture of Jerusalem, Jerusalem is represented under the image of a female sitting on the ground under a palm-tree, with the Inscription Judaea capta. See Notes ©n ch. iii. 26. The design here is, to represent Babylon as reduced to the lowest condition, and as having great occasion of grief. IT 0 virgin daughter of Babylon. It is common in the Scriptures to speak of cities under the image of a virgin, a daughter, or a beautiful woman. See Notes ch. i. 8, xxxvii. 22. Comp. Lam. i. 15, Jer. xxxi. 2l,xlvi. 11. Kimchi supposes that the term virgin is here given to Babylon, because it had remained to that time uncaptured by any foreign power; but the main purpose is doubtless to refer to Babylon as a beautiful and splendid city, and as being distinguished for delicacy, and the prevalence of what was regarded as ornamental. Gesenius supposes that the words " virgin daughter of Babylon," denote not Babylon itself, but Chaldea, and that the whole land or nation is personified. But the common interpretation, and one evidently more xn accordance with the Scripture usage, is to refer it to the city itself. IT There is no throne. Thou shalt be reduced from the throne; or the throne shall be taken away. That is, Babylon shall be Ho longer the seat of empire, or the capital of kingdoms. How truly this was more be called tender and deli fulfilled, needs not to be told to those who are familiar with the history o{ Babylon. Its power Vras broken when Cyrus conquered it; its walls were reduced by Darius; Seleucia rose in ita stead, and Uok away its trade and a large portion of its inhabitants, until it was completely destroyed, so that it became for a long time a question where it had formerly stood. See Notes on chs. xiii. xvi. 1T Thou shalt no more bt called tender and drHcate. A place to which luxuries flow, and where they abound. The allusion is to a female that had been delicately and tenderly brought up, and that would be reduced to the lowest condition of servitude, and even of disgrace. It is possible that there may be an allusion here to the effeminacy and the consequent corruption of morals which prevailed in Babylon, and which made it a place sought with greediness by those who wished to spend their time in licentious pleasures. The corruption of Babylon, consequent on its wealth and magnificence, was almost proverbial, and was unsurpassed by any city of ancient times. The following extract from Curtius (v. 1), which it would not be proper to translate, will give some idea of tne prevailing state of morals. Nihil urbis ejus corruptius moribus, nihil ad irritandas illkiendasque immodicas voluptates instructius. Liberos conjugesque cum hospitibus stupro coire, modo pretium flagitii detur, parentes maritique patiuntur. Babylonii maxime in vinum, et quae ebrietatem sequuntur, effusi sunt. Fceminarum conviva ineuntium, inprin* cipio modestus est habitus, dein summa quaeque amicula exuunt paulatimquo pudorem profanant; ad ultimum Jiorror auribus est) ima corporum velamenta projiciuut. Nee meretricum hoc dedecus est, sed matronarum virginumque, apud quas comitas habetur vulgati corporis vilitas. See also the description oi a loathsome, disgusting an I abominable custom which prevailed nc where elseeven in the corrupt nations of antiquity
2 Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks,
except Babylon, in Herodotus, Book i. 199. I cannot transcribe this passage. The description is too loathsome, and would do little good. Its substance is expressed in a single sentence, traoav uiyOnvai dvopl fcivoi. It adds to the abomination of this custom that it was connected with the rites of religion, and was a part of the worship of the gods!! Strabo speaking of this custom (iii. 348)
See also Baruch vi. 43, where the same custom is alluded to. For an extended description of the wealth and commerce of Babylon, see an article in the Biblical Repository, vol. vii. pp. 364-390.
2. Take the millstones, and grind meal. The design of this is plain. Babylon, that had been regarded as a delicately trained female, was to be reduced to the lowest condition of poverty and wretchedness — represented here by being compelled to perform the most Inenial and laborious offices, and submitting to the deepest disgrace and ignominy. There is an allusion here to the custom of grinding in the East. The mills which were there commonly used, and which are also extensively used to this day, consisted of two stones, of which the lower one was convex on the upper side, and the upper one was con- Cave on the lower side, so that they fitred into each other. The hole for receiving the grain was in the centre of.he upper stone, and in the process of grinding the lower one was fixed, and the upper one was turned round, usually by two women (see Matt. xxiv. 41), with considerable velocity by means of a handle. Water-mills were not invented till a little before the time of Au^usus Caesar; and wind-mills long after. The custom of using hand-mills is the primitive custom every where, and they are still in use in some parts of Scotland, and generally in the East. See Mr. Pennant's Tour to the Hebrides, and the Oriental travellers generally. Grinding fcras usually performed by the women, hough it was ofte^ regarded as the
make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.
In the East it was the usual work oJ female slaves. See Ex. xi. 5, in the Septuagint. " Women alone are employed to grind their corn." Shaw, Algiers and Tunis, p. 297. " They are the female slaves that are generally employed in the East at those hand-mills. It is extremely laborious, and esteemed the lowest employment in the house." Sir J. Chardin, Harmer'sObs. i. p. 153. Com. Lowth, and Gesen. Comm. iiber Isa. This idea of its being a low employment is expressed by Job xxxi. 10: " Let my wife grind unto another." The idea of its being a most humble and laborious employment was long since exhibited by Homer
A woman next, thnn labouring at the mill, Hard by, where all his numerous mills he kept, Gave him the sign propitious from within. Twelve damsels toiled to turn them, day by day Meal grinding, some of barley, some of wheat. Marrow of man. The rest (their portion ground) All slept, one only from her tusk as yet Ceased not, for she was feeblest of them all: She rested on her mill, and thus pronounced: 'Jove, Father, Governor, of heaven and earth!
4 O grant the prayer Of a poor bond-icon an. Appoint their least. This day the last, that in Ulysses' house, The suitors shall enjoy, for whom I drudge, Grinding to weariness of heart and limb, Meal for their use.'
The sense here is, that Babylon should be reduced to the lowest state, like that of reducing a female delicately and tenderly reared, to the hard and laborious condition of working the hand-mill — the usual work of slaves. IT Uncover thy lochs. Gescnius renders tiiis, " raise thy veil." The word here used, •1E2C is rendered " locks," in Canticles iv. 1, 3, vi. 7, as well as here. It occurs nowhere else in the B»ble. Gesenius derives it from ~J2I£ Icimdm, to braid, to plaid, and then to bm»l fast, aa a veil; to veil. Jerome renders it, denuda turpetudinem tuam. The LXX render it, to Kara>a'At>/i/ia oov, thy veil. The Syriac also renders it, " thy veil/
The Chaldeeh&s paraphrased the whole verse thus: " Go into servitude; reveal the glory of thy kingdom. Broken are thy princes; dispersed are the people of thy host; they have gone into captivity like the waters of a river." Jarchi says, that the word here used, i"1^^, denotes whatever is bound up, or tied together. Kimchi says that it means the hair, which a woman disposes around her temples over her face, and which she covers with a veil, deeming it an ornament; but that when a female goes into captivity this is removed, as a sign of an abject condition. It properly means that which is plaited, or gathered together; and it may refer either to the hair so plaited as an ornament, or a covering for the head and face (comp. \ote on 1 Cor. xi. 15); or it may denote a veil. To remove either would be regarded as disgraceful. It is known that oriental females pay great attention to their hair, and also that it is a universal custom to wear a close veil. To remove either, and to leave the head Lare, or the face exposed, was deemed highly humiliating and dishonourable. See Notes on ch. iii. 24. " The head," Bays the editor of the Pictorial Bible, " is the seat of female modesty in the East; and no woman allows her head to be ueen bare. In our travelling experience, we saw the faces of very many women, but never the bare head of any except one — a female servant, whose face we were in the constant habit of seei'.ig, and whom we accidentally surprised while dressing her hair. The pevfect consternation, and deep sense of humiliation which she expressed on that occasion, could not easily be forgotten, and furnish a most striking illustration i( *he present text." IT Make bare the left. In the interpretation of this, also, Commentators vary. Jerome renders it, u discoopteri humerum," uncover the shoulder. The LXX dvaK&Xvipai rag iroXiuj, uncover thy grey locks. The Syriac, "cat oif thy hoary hairs." Jarchi, and Kimchi, suppose it means, u remove the waters from the paths, so tiifci they might pass over them." The rise; to grow; to flow copiously. Hence the noun in its various forms means a path, Ps. lxxvii. 19, Jer. xviii. 15; ear* of corn, shibboleth, Judg. xli. 6, Job xxiv. 24, Gen. xli. 5, Isa. xvii. 5, Ruto ii. 2; Hoods, Ps. lxix. 15; branches Zech. iv. 12. In no place has it th« certain signification of a leg; but i* rather refers to that which jlows> flows copiously; and probably here means thd train of a robe, (Gesenius, and liosenmUller): and the expression means ' uncover, or make bare the train;' that is, lift it up, as would be necessary in passing through a stream, so that the leg would be made bare. The Orientals, as is well known, wore a long loose flowing robe, and in passing through waters, it would be necessary to lift, oi gather it up, so that the legs would b« bare. The idea is, that she who had sat as a queen, and who had been clad in the rich, loose, and flowing robe which those usually wore who were in the most elevated ranks of life, would now be compelled to leave the seat oj magnificence, and in such a manner as to be subject to the deepest shame and disgrace, IT Uncover the thigh. By collecting, and gathering up the train of the robe, so as to pass through the streams. IT Pass over the rivers. Heb. Pass the. rivers; that is, by wading, oi fording them. This image is taken from the fact that Babylon was surrounded by many artificial rivers oi streams, and that one in passing from it would be compelled to ford many ol them. It does not mean that the population of Babylon would be removed into captivity by the conquerors — for there is no evidence that this was done; but the image is that of Babylon, represented as a delicately-reared and magnificently attired femab, compelled tc ford the streams. The idea is, that th» power and magnificence of the cit) would be transferred to other places RosenmUller remarks that it is common in the countries bordering on the Tigrif and the Euphrates, for females of humble rank to ford the streams, or ever to swim across them.
3 Thy nakedness shail be ''uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.
3. Thy nakedness. This denotes the abject condition to which the city would be reduced. All its pride wonld be taken away; and it would be brought to such a state as to fill its inhabitants with the deepest mortification and Ehame. Vitringa supposes that it means, that all the imbecility and weakness; the vileness; the real poverty; the cruelty and injustice of Babylon, would be exposed. But it more probably means, that it would be reduced to the deepest ignominy. No language could more forcibly express the depths of its shame and disgrace than that which the prophet here uses. IT I will take vengeance. This expresses literally what had been before expressed in a figurative manner. The whole purpose of God was to inflict vengeance on her for her pride, her luxury, and oppression, and especially for her want of kindness towards his people. See ver. 6. IT And I will not meet thee as a man. This phrase has been very variously interpreted. Jerome renders it, " and man shall not resist me." The LXX render it, " I will take that which is just of thee, and will no more deliver thee up to men." The Syriac, " I will not suffer man to meet thee." Grotius, " I will not suffer any man to be an intercessor." So Lowth, " Neither will I suffer man to intercede with me." Noyes, " I will make peace with none." So Gesenius renders it, " I will take vengeance, and will not make peace with man; i. e. will make peace with none before all are destroyed."
Lex. by Robinson. The word here used 5?5SX» is derived from 3!}|j, which means, to strike upon, or against; to impinge upon any one, or any thing; to fall upon in a hostile manner, 1 Sam. xxii. 17; to kill, to slay, Judg. viii. 21, xv. 12; to assail with petitions, to urge, entreat any one, Ruth i. 16, Jer. vii. 16; to light upon, or meet with any one, Gen. xvviii, 11; and then, according to |
4 As for our ^Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.
Gesenius, to strike a ieague with any one, to make peace with him. Jarchi renders it, " I will not solicit any mac that he should take vengeance;"' i. e. J will do it myself. Eben Ezra, " I 'wi'l not admit the intercession of any man." Vitringa renders it, " I will take vengeance, and will not have a man to concur with me; that is, although I should not have a man to concur with me who should execute the vengeance which meditate; on which account I ha\e raised up Cyras from Persia, of whom no one thought." In my view, the meaning which best accords with the usual sense of the word, is that proposed by Lowth, that no one should be allowed to interpose, or intercede for them. All the interpretations concur in the same general signification, that Babylon should be totally destroyed; and that no man, whether as Jerome supposes by resistance, or as Lowth, by intercession, should be allowed to oppose the execution of the divine purpose of vengeance.
4. As for our Redeemer. This versa stands absolutely, and is not connected with the preceding or the following. It seems to be an expression of admiration, or of grateful surprise, by which the prophet saw Jehovah as the Redeemer of his people. He saw, in vision, Babylon humbled, and, full of the subject, he breaks out into an expression of grateful surprise and rejoicing. • O! our Redeemer! it is the work of ouv Saviour, the Holy One of Israel! How great is his power! How faithful is he- How manifestly is he revealed! Bab}> Ion is destroyed. Her idols could not save her. Her destruction has been accomplished by him who is the Redeemer of his people, and the Holy One of Israel.' Lowth regards this verse as ths language of a chorus that breaks ii* upon the midst of the subject, celebrating the praises of God. The subject it resumed in the next verse.
5 Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called The lady of kingdoms.
5. Sit thou silent. The same geneial sentiment is expressed here as in Vhe preceding verses, though the figure is changed. In vs. 1-3, Babylon is represented under the image of a gay and delicately-reared female, suddenly reduced from her exalted station, and compelled to engage in the most menial and laborious employment. Here she is represented as in a posture of mourning. To sit in silence is emblematic of deep sorrow, or affliction. See Lam. Si. 10: " The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground and keep silence, they have cast up dust upon their lieads." See Note on Isaiah iii. 26: ' And she (Jerusalem) being desolate Shall sit upon the ground." Job ii. 13:
* So they (the three friends of Job) sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him, for they saw thai his grief was very great." Comp. Ezra ix. 4. IT Get thee into darkness. That is, into a place of mourning. Persons greatly afflicted, almost as a matter of course, shut out the light from their dwellings, as emblematic of their feelings. This is common even in this country — and particularly in the city in which I write — where the universal custom prevails of making a house dark during the time of mourning. Nature prompts to this; for there is an obvious similarity between darkness and sorrow. That this custom also prevailed in the East is apparent. See Lam. iii. 2:
* He hatii led me, and brought me into darkness, and not into light." Micah viii. 8: "When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me." The idea is, that Babylon would be brought to desolation, and have occasion of sorrow, like a delicately trained female •uddenly deprived of children (ver.)), pie; I have polluied mine inheritance, and given them into* thine hand: thou* didst show them no mercy; upon the an. cient hast thou very heavily lair1 the yoke.
and that she would seek a place of darkness and silence where she might fully indulge her grief. IT 0 daughter oj the Chaldeans. See Notes on ver. 1. 1T For thou shalt no more be called The lady of kingdoms. The magnificence, splendour, beauty and power, which have given occasion to ihis appellation, and which have led the nations by common consent to give it to thee, shall be entirely and for ever removed. The appellation, " lady of kingdoms," is equivalent to that so often used of Rome, as " the mistress of the world;" and the idea is, that Babylon sustained by its power and spkndour the relation of mistress, and that all other cities were regarded as servants, or as subordinate.
6. / was wroth with my people. In this verse and the following, a reason is assigned why God would deal deal so severely with her. One of the reasons was, that in executing the punishment which he had designed on the Jewish people, she had done it with pride, ambition, and severity; so that though God intended they should be punished, yet the feelings of Babylon in doing it, were such also as to deserve his decided rebuke and wrath. IT / have polluted mine inheritance. Jerusalem and the land of Judea. See Notes ch. xliii. 28. He had stripped it of its glory; caused the temple and city to be destroyed; and spread desolation over the land. Though it had been done by the Chaldeans, yet it had been in accordance with his purpose, and under his direction. Ps. xxviii. 9. Deut. iv. 20. IT Thou didst show them no mercy Though God had given up his people to be punished for their sins, yet this did uot justify the spirit with which the Chaldeans had dore it, or make p opei
? And thou saidst, I 'shall be a lady for ever: so that thou the cruelty which they had evinced towards them. It is true that some of the. Jewish captives, as e. g. Daniel, were honoured and favoured in Babylon. It is not improbable that the circumstances of many of them were comparatively easy while there, and that they acquired possessions and formed attachments there which made them unwilling to leave that land when Cyrus permitted them to return to their own country. But it is also true, that Nebuchadnezzar showed them no compassion when he destroyed the temple and city, that the mass of them were treated with great indignity and cruelty in Babylon. See Ps. cxxxvii. 1-3, where they pathetically and beautifully record their sufferings:
By the riverg of Babylon there we sat down, Yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. For tliere they that carried us away captive required of U3 a song; And they that wasted as required of us mirth. Saying, Sing us one of the sonys of Zion.
Thus also Jeremiah describes the cruelty of their conquerors. Jer. 1. 17: " Israel is a scattered sheep — the lions have driven him away; this Nebuchadnezzar hath broken his bones." See also Jer. li. 34. Lam. iv. 16, v. 11-14. 2 Kings xxv. 5, 6-36. H Upon the ancient. That is, upon the old man. The idea is, that they had oppressed, and reduced to hard servitude those who were venerable by years, and by experience. To treat the aged with veneration is every where in the Scriptures regarded as an important and sacred duty (Lev. xix. 32. Job xxxii. 4-6); and to disregard age, and pour contempt on hoary hairs, is every where spoken of as a crime of an aggravated nature. Comp. 2 Kings ii. 23-25. Prov. xxx. 17. That the Chaldeans had thus disregarded age and rank, is a frequent subject of complaint among the sacred writers:
They respected not the persons of the priests Vfoey favoured not the ciders.
didst not lay these things to thj heart, neither didst, remember the latter end of it.
Princes are hanged up by their hand; The faces of elders were not honoured.
V Laid the yoke. The yoke in the Bible is an emblem (1) of slavery or bondage, Lev. xXvi. 13. Deut. xxxiii. 48; (2) of afflictions and crosses, Lam. iii. 27;
(4) of God's commandments, Matt, xi 29, 30. Here it refers to the bondage and affliction which they < xperienced in Babylon.
7. And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever. This passage describes the pride, and self-confidence of Babylon. She was confident in her wealth; the strength of her gates and walls; and in her abundant rea< urces to resist an enemy, or to sustain a siege. Babylon was ten miles square; and it was supposed to contain provisions enough to maintain a siege for many years There were, moreover, no symptoms of internal decay; there were no apparent external reasons why her prosperity should not continue; there were no causes at work, which human sagacity could detect, which would prevent her continuing to any indefinite period of time. IT Thou didst not lay these things to thy heart. Thou didst not consider what, under the government of a holy and just God, must be the effect of treating a captured and oppressed people in this manner. Babylon supposed that notwithstanding her pride and haughtiness and oppressions she would be able to stand for ever. IT Neither didst remember the latter end of it. The end of pride, arrogance, and cruelty. The sense is, that Babylon might have learned from the fate of other kingdoms that had been like her arrogant and cruel, what must inevitably be her own destiny. But she refused to learn a lesson from their doom. So common is it for nations to disregard the lessons which hstory teaches; so common for individuals to neglect the warnings furnished by the i&Strhei'OB of the wicked.
8 Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that ^dwellest carelessly; that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:
8. Therefore hear now this. The prophet proceeds, in this verse and the following, to detail more particularly the sins of Babylon, and to state the certainty of the punishment which would come upon her. In the previous verses, the denunciation of punishment had been figurative. It had been represented under the image of a lady delicately trained and nurtured, doomed to the lowest condition of life, and compelled to stoop to the most menial offices. Here the prophet uses language without.igure, and states directly her crimes, and her doom. IT That are given to pleasures. Devoted to dissipation, and to the effeminate pleasures which luxury engenders. See the Notes on ver. I. Curtius, in his history of Babylon as it was in the times of Alexander, Lib. v. c. v. § 36; Herodotus, i. § 198; and Strabo, Georg. Lib. xvi., have given a description of it, all representing it as corrupt, licentious, and dissipated in the extreme. Curtius, in the passage quoted on ver. 1, says, among other things, that no city was more corrupt in its morals; nowhere were there so many excitements to licentious and guilty pleasures. IT That dwellest carelessly. In vain security; without any consciousness of danger, and without alarm. Comp. Zeph. ii. 15. 1 J am, and none else besides me. The language of pride. She regarded herself as the principal city of the world, and all others as unworthy to be named in comparison with her. Comp. Note on ch. xlv. 6. Language remarkably similar to this occurs n Martial's decription of Rome:
Terrarura dea gentiumque, Roma, Cui par est nihil, et nihil secundum.
Rome, goddess of the earth and of nations, to whom nothing is equal, no-
9 But these i\vo things shall come to thee in a moment, in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection, for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantmerjts.
thing second.' IT I shall not sit as a widow. On the word " sit," see Note on ver. 1. The sense is, that she would never be lonely, sad, and afflicted, like a wife deprived of her husband, and a mother of her children. The figure is changed from ver. 1, where she is represented as a virgin; but the same idea is presented under another form. Comp. Note ch. xxiii. 4.