Notes on the Old and New Testaments

7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the ^unrighteous man nis thoughts; dand let him return

reach of pardon and of grace! How amazing the stupidity of mon, who suffer their present moments to pass away unimproved, and who amidst the gayeties and the business of life permit the day of salvation to pass by, and lose their souls! And how just is the condemnation of the sinner! If a man will not do so simple a thing as to ask for pardon, he ought to perish. The universe will approve the condemnation of such a man; and the voice of complaint can never be raised against that Holy Being who consigns such a sinner to hell. IT Call ye upon him. That is, implore his mercy. See Rom. x. 13. Comp. Joel ii. 32. How easy are the terms of salvation! How just will be the condemnation of a sinner if he will not call upon God! Assuredly if men will not breathe out one broken-hearted petition to the God of heaven that they may be saved, they have only to blame themselves if they are lost. The terms of salvation could be made no easier; and man can ask nothing more simple. IT While he is near. In an important sense God is equally near to us at all times. But this figurative language is taken from the mode of speaking among men, and it denotes that there are influences more favourable for seeking him at some periods than others. Thus God comes near to us in the preaching of his word, when it is borne with power to the conscience; in his providences, when he strikes down a friend and comes into the very circle where we move, or the very dwelling where we abide; when he lays his hand upon us in sickness he is near us by day and by night; in a revival of religion, or when a pious friend pleads with us, God is near to us then, and is calling us to his favour. These are favourable times for salvation; times, which if they are suffered to pass by un.mproved, return no more; periods which wJl all soon be gone, and when they are gone, the sinner irrecoverably dies.

unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him: and to our God, for he will abundantly 'pardon.

7. Let the wicked, &c. In this verse we are told what is necessary in order to seek God and to return to him, and the encouragement which we have to do it. The first step is for the sinner to forsake his way. He must come to a solemn pause, and resolve to abandon all his transgressions. His evil course; his vices; his corrupt practices; and his dissipated companions, must be forsaken. IT And the unrighteous man. Marg. " man of iniquity." This is a literal translation. The address is made to all men; for all are such. IT His thoughts. The Hebrew word denotes all that is the object of thought; and the idea is, that the man must abandon hi3 plana and purposes of life. The thoughts, in the sight of a holy God, are not less im- * portant than the external deportment; and no man can obtain his favour, who is not ready to abandon his erroneous opinions, his pride and vanity, his plans of evil, and his purposes of life that are opposed to God. H And let him return unto the Lord. Man, in the Scriptures is every where described as having wandered away from the true God Religion consists in returning to him for pardon; for consolation, for protection, for support. The true penitent is desirous of returning to him, as the pro digal son returned to his father's house; the man who loves sin chooses to remain at a distance from God. IT And to our God. The God of his people; the God of the speaker here. It is the language of those who have found mercy. The idea is, that he who has bestowed mercy on us, will be ready to bestow it on others. ' We have returned to God. We have had experience of his compassion, and we have such a conviction of his overflowing mercy that we can assure all others that if they will return to our God, he will abundantly pardon them.' The doctrine is, that they who have found iavour have a deep conviction of the abounding compassion of God, and such a sense of

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your

the fiilness of his mercy, that they are disposed to offer the assurance to all others, that they may also obtain full forgiveness. Comp. Rev. xxii. 17: "And let him that heareth say, come." IT For he will abundantly pardon. Marg. as in the Hebrew, " multiply to pardon." He abounds in forgiveness. This is the conviction of those who are pardoned; this is the promise of inestimable worth which is made to all who are willing to return to God. On the ground of this promise all may come to him, and none who come shall be sent empty away.

8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts. Interpreters have differed in regard to the connexion of this verse with the preceding. It is evident, I think, that it is properly connected with the subject of pardon; and the sense must be, that the plans and purposes of God in regard to forgiveness are as far above those of men as the heavens are. higher than the earth, ver. 9. But in what respects his plan of pardon differs from those of men, the prophet does not intimate, and can be understood only by the views which are presented in other parts of the Bible. The connexion here would seem to demand some such view as the following: (1.) Men find it difficult to pardon at all. They harbour malice; they seek revenge; they are Blow to forgive an injury. Not so with God. He harbours no malice; he has no desire of revenge; he has no reluctance to forgive. (2.) It may refer to the number of offences. Men, if they forgive once, are slow to forgive a second time, and still more reluctant to forgive a third time, and if the oflence is often repeated they refuse to forgive altogether. Not so with God. No matter how often we have violated his lav/, yet he can multiply forgiveness in proportion to our faults. (3.) The number of the offenders. Men may pardon me, or a few who injure them, but if the number is greatly increased, their compassions are closed, and they feel that the world is arrayed against them. Not so with God. No matter how numerous the offenders — though they embrace the inhabitants of the whole world — yet he can extend forgiveness to them all. (4.) In regard to the aggravation of offences. A slight injury men forgive. But if it is aggravated, they are slow to pardon. But not so with God. No matter how aggravated the offence, he is ready to forgive. It may be added, (5) that his thoughts in regard to the mode of pardc/i ar~ far above ours. The plan of forgive; ess through a Redeemer — the scheme of pardon so fully illustrated inch. liii.,and on which the reasoning of the prophet here is based — is as far above any of the modes of pardon among men, as the heavens are above the earth. The scheme which contemplated the incarnation of the Son of God; which proffered forgiveness only through his substituted sufferings, and in virtue of hij bitter death, was one which man could not have thought of, and which surpasses all the schemes and plans of men. In this respect, God's ways are not our ways, and his thoughts are not our thoughts. — But at the same time that this passage refers primarily to the subject of pardon, and should be interpreted as having a main reference to that, it is also true of the ways of God in general His ways are not our ways, and his thoughts are not ours in regard to his plans in the creation and government of the world. He has plans for accomplishing his purposes which are different from ours, and he secures our own welfare by schemes that cross our own. He disappoints our hopes; foils our expectations; crosses our designs; removes our property, or our friends; and thwarts our purposes in life. He leads us in a path which we had not intended; and secures our ultimate happiness in modes which are contrary to all our designs and desires. It follows from thisj (1.) That we should form our plans with submission to the higher purposes of

9 For fas the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain ^Cometh down, and the snow, from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that

God. (2.) We should resign ourselves to him when he chooses to thwart our plans, and to take away our comforts.

9. For as the heavens, &c. This verse is designed merely to illustrate the idea in the former. There is as great a difference between the plans of God and those of men as between the heavens and the earth. A similar comparison occurs in Ps. ciii. 11:

For as the heaven is high above the earth,

So great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, And thy truth unto the clouds.

Mercy shall be built up for ever, Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.

The idea in all these passages is substantially the same — that the mercy and compassion of God are illimitable.

10. For as the rain cometh down. The meaning of this verse and the following is plain. This refers evidently, as the whole passage does, to the times which should succeed the coming of the Messiah. The hearts of men by nature are what the earth would be without the rains of heaven — barren and sterile. But God says that his truth shall certainly accomplish an effect similar to that produced by descending showers. The rain never descends in vain. It makes the earth fertile, beautiful, and lovely. So would it be with his truth in the moral world. The comparison of truth with descending rain or dews is exceedingly beautiful, and occurs not unfrcquently in the Bible. See Deut. Kxxii. 2:

My doctrine shall drop as the rain, My speech shall distil as the dew, As the small rain upon the te.ider herb, And as the showers upon the grass.

it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eatei;

11 So shall my word be tnat goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void* •but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Comp. Ps. lxxii. 6. 2 Sam. xxiii. 4. fsa. v. 6. Note Isa. xliv. 3. *ff And the snow. This is a part of the emblem or symbol designed to denote the fertilizing effect of the truth of God. The snow, as well as the rain, accomplishes important purposes in rendering the earth fertile. It constitutes a covering that contributes to the warmth and preservation of plants and vegetation in the colder latitudes, and on the hills and mountains is accumulated in the winter-months to fill the streams, or produce the overflowing oi the rivers in the spring and the summer. This expression should not however be pressed ad ungucm in the interpretation, as if it contained any special spiritual signification. It is a part of the general description of that which descends from heaven to render the earth fertile. 1T From heaven. From the clouds. IF And returneth not thither. That is, not in the form in which they descend on the earth. They return not thither as rain and snow. The main idea is, they do not return without accomplishing the effect which God intends. 1T And hud. Put forth its increase; causes it to sprout up, or germinate. The word •' bud " is applied rather to the small protuberance on the end of limbs and branches, which contains the germ oJ the future leaf or flower. This word l"1^?^ means rather to germinate, or ta cause to vegetate in general. It is applied to the putting forth of vegetation on the earth when the showers descend. 11. So shall my word be. All the truth which God reveals is as much adapted to produce an effect on the hard and sterile hearts of men as the rain is on the earth. IT It shall not return unto me void. It shall not return to m«

12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall

without accomplishing that which I intend. IT And it shall prosper. See Note ch. lii. 13. This proves, (1.) That God has a design in giving his word to men. He has as distinct an intention 13a his word as he has in sending down pain upon the earth. (2.) That whatever is his design in giving the gospel, it shall be accomplished. It is never spoken in vain, and never fails to produce the effect which he intends. The gospel is no more preached in vain than the rain falls in vain. And though that often falls on barren rocks, or on arid sands; on extended piains where no vegetation is produced, or in the wilderness " where no man is," and seems to our eyes in vain, yet it is not so. God has a design in each drop that falls on sands or rocks, as really as in the copious shower that falls on fertile fields. And so the gospel often falls on the hard and barren hearis of men. It is addressed to the proud, the sensual, the avaricious, and the unbelieving, and seems to be spoken in vain, and to return void unto God. But it is not so. He has some design in it, and that will be accomplished. It is proof of the fulness of his mercy. It leaves men without excuse, and justifies himself. Or when long presented — apparently long in vain — it ultimately becomes successful, and sinners are at last brought to abandon their sins, and to turn unto God. It is indeed often rejected and despised. It falls on the ears of men apparently as the rain falls on the hard rock, and there are, so to speak, large fields where the gospel is preached as barren and unfruitful of any spiritual good as the extended desert is of vegetation, and the gospel seems to be preached to almost entire communities with as little effect as is produced when the rains fall on the desert of Arabia, or of Africa. But there will be better and happier times. Though the gospel may not now produce all the good effects which we may desire, yet it will be ultimately successful to the

break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

full wish of the widest benevolence, and the whole world shall be filled with the knowledge and the love of God.

12. For ye shall go ovt with joy. This language is that which is properly applicable to the exiles in Babylon, but there can be no doubt that the prophet looks also to the future happier times oi the Messiah. Comp. Notes ch. lii. 7. IT The mountains and the hills. Language like this is common in Isaiah, where all nature is called on to rejoice, or where inanimate objects are represented as expressing their sympathy with the joy of the people of God. See Note ch/xiv. 8, xxxv. 1,2, 10, xlii. 10, 11, xliv. 23. Indeed this imagery is common in all poetry. Thus Virgil:

Ipsi Iaetitia voces ad sidrra jactant, Intonsi montes: ipsa: jam earmina rupe3, Ipsa sonant urbusta.

The untiil'd mountains strike the echoin? sky; And rocks and towers the triumph speed abroad.

Such language occurs especially in the poetry of the Orientals. Thus when th* god Ramar was going to the desert says Roberts, it was said to him, " the trees will watch for you; they will say, he is come, he is come; and the white flowers will clap their hands. The leaves as they shake will say, come, come, and the thorny places will be changed into gardens of flowers." 1T And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. To clap the hands is expressive of joy and rejoicing. Comp. Ps. xlvii. 1. 2 Kings xi. 12. Thus in Ps. xcviii. 8, it is said:

Among the Jews the language was sometimes used to express malignant joy at the calamity of others. Comp. Job. xxvii. 3, xxxiv. 37. Lam. ii. 15 Ezek. X*v. 6. Here it is an expression of the universal rejoicing which would attend the extension of the kingdom o> God on the earth,

13 Instead wof the thorn shall come up the fir-tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the

13. Instead of the thorn. Comp. Notes ch. xi. b"-8, xli. 19, xlii. 20, xxxv. 1, 2. The word rendered thorn, VJ1S?3i occurs only here and in Isa. vii. 19. It evidently means a thorn, hedge, or thorny bush. IT Shall come up the fir-tree. ttJ"H3 berosh. See Notes on ch. xiv. 8. Isa. xxxvii, 24, Ix. 13. Zech. xi. 2. A change would be produced in the moral condition of man as great as if in the natural world the rough and useless thorn should be succeeded by the beautiful and useful cypress. Comp. Isa. Ix. 13. IT And instead, of the brier. The brier is every where an emblem of desolation, and of an uncultivated country. Isa. v. 6, vii. 23, 24. T The myrtle-tree. See Notes ch. xli. 19. The idea here is, that under the gospel the change would be as great in the moral world as if a field all overrun with briers should at once become thick Bet with myrtles. IT And it shall be to the Lord. The reference here is to all

myrtle-tree: and *it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign, that shall not be cut off.

that had been said in the chapter. The gift of the Messiah; the universal offer of the gospel; the bestowing of pardon; the turning of the wicked unto God; and the great and salutary changes produced by the gospel, would all be a memorial of the benevolence and glory of Jehovah. 1T For a name. It should tend to diffuse his name; to spread abroad a knowledge of himself. ^ An everlasting sign. On the meaning of the word rendered " sign," sec Notes ch. vii. 14. Here it means that it would be an eternal memorial of the meicy and goodness of Jehovah. V Thav shall not be cut off. The gospel with i«d rich and varied blessings shall erect enduring monuments in the earth, to the praise and honour of God. It will be more enduring as a memorial of him than all altars and statues, and temples erected to celebrate and perpetuate idolatry; as wide-diffused as are his works of creation, and more fruitful of blessings thar. any thing elsewhere conferred on man.

This chapter to ver. 9 is evidently a continuation of the same general sitbjcct which is discus?nd in the previous chapters, and is closely connected with the great truths communicated in ch. hi. 13—15, and ch. liii., respecting the work of the Messiah. The general design of the prophet seems to be to state the happy results which would follow his coming. In ch. liv. he states that that work would render the establishment and perpetuity of the Church certain. In ch. lv. he states that it would lay the foundation for the offer of the gospel to all men, and that it should certainly be successful on the earth and finally triumph, and produce groat and important changes In this chapter (vs. 1—9) the same idea is presented in another lorm, that no one would be exclude;! from the offeror salvation, and that strangers and foreigners would become connected, with equal privileges, with the people of God. At ver. 9, a new subject is introduced— the invasion of the land of Judea by foreign armies, and the consequent punishment of the wicked and idolatrous part of the nation. This subject i.-, continued in the following chapter. The following analysis wi;l present a view of the design and scope of this.

I. The kincdom of Cod was nen-. The great work of man's redemption, to which the prophet referred, would not be long delayed and those who were expecting the coming of the Messiah should be holy, ver. l.. "

II. The blessedness of those who should be admitted to the privileges connected with tho kingdom of God, and the coming of the Messiah, vs. '2—8.

(B The privileges of thus being admitted to the favour and friendship of God, vs. 7, 8. (1.) They should be brought to his holy mountain. (2) They should be made joylul in the house of prayer. (3.) Their ol'eiings should be hcc< pted. (4.) These favours should be extended n^all people, vs. 7, 8. II!. A prophecy respecting the invasion oftheiand on account of the crime* cf the nation. (I.) The invasion is represented undur the image of wild beasts coming to devour, ver. i. 12.) The cause of this, vs. 10—12.

(a) The indolence and unfaithfulness of the watchmen, ver. 10.

1 Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye 4 judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

1. Thus saith the Lord. That is, in view of the fact that the kingdom of God was to come at no distant period. Jehovah states what was necessary to prepare themselves for it, and what was the character which he demanded of those who were disposed to embrace its offers, and who would be admitted to its privileges. IT Keep ye judgment. Marg. equity. Break off your sins, and be holy. A somewhat similar declaration was made by John the Baptist when he announced the coming of the Messiah: " Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matt.:ii. 2. The general idea is, that it was not only appropriate that the prospect of his coming and his near approach should lead them to a holy life, but it was necessary in order that they might escape his indignation. IT My salvation is near to come. It is to be borne in mind that this was regarded as addressed to the Jews in exile in Babylon, and there is probably a primary reference in the words to the deliverance which they were about to experience from their long and painful captivity. But at the eame time the language is appropriate to the coming of the kingdom of God under the Messiah, and the whole scope of the passage requires us to understand it of that event. Language wimilar to this occurs frequently in the New Testament, where the sacred writers seem to have had this passage in their eye. See Matt. iii. 2. Luke xxi. $1. Rom xiii. 11. Comp. Isa. lxii. l-ll. It i3 to be rtgarded, therefore, as having |

2 Blessed Hs the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath cfrom polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.

a reference to the future coming of the Messiah — perhaps as designed to describe the series of deliverances which were to close the painful bondage in Babylon, and to bring the people of God to perfect freedom, and to the full fruition of his favour. Though the actual coming of the Messiah at the time of the exile was at a period comparatively remote, yet the commencement of the great work of their deliverance was near at hand. They were soon to be rescued, and this rescue was to be but the first in the train of deliverances that would result in the entire redemption of the people of God, and was to be the public pledge that all that he had promised cf the redemption of the world should be certainly effected. IT To be revealed. To be made known; to be publicly manifested.

2 Blessed is the man. Heb. " The blessings of the man." See Ps. i. 1. The sense is, ' happy is the man.' The word here rendered man, ^"^ usually denotes a man in humble life or in a subordinate rank, in contradistinction from ^n^, a man in elevated rank. As the object of the prophet here is particularly to say, that the " stranger" and the " eunuch" would be admitted to these privileges, it is possible that he designedly used a word denoting one in humble life. The particular blessing to which he refers is specified in vs. 7, 8. * Thai docth this. That is, this which the prophet soon specifier — keeping the Sabbath, and abstaining

3 Neither let the son of the stranger, dthat hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying,

from evil. IT And the son of man. Another form of expression denoting man. ^ That laycth hold on it. Heb. Binds himself fast to it; or seizes upon it with strength. That is, he adheres firmly to the purpose, as a man seizes upon a thing with an intention not to iet it go. IT That keepeth the sabbath from polluting it. Who sacredly observes the day of holy rest which God has appointed. The Sabbath was one of the peculiar rites of the Jewish religion, and one of the most important of their institutions. Its observance entered essentially into the idea of their worship, and was designed to be the standing memorial or sign between God and the Jewish nation. Ex. xxxi. 13- 17. At home, in their own nation., it kept up the constant sense of religion; abroad, when they travelled among strangers, it would serve to remind all of the peculiar nature of their institutions, and be the public evidence that they were the worshippers of Jehovah. Hence, as this served to distinguish them from other people, it comes to be used here to signify the observance of the ikes which pertained to the public worship of God; and evidently includes whatever was to be perpetual and unchanging in the public worship of the Creator. It is remarkable that the prophet does not pronounce a blessing on him who came to bloody altars with sacrifices, or him who burned incense, or him who conformed to the peculiar rites of the Jewish religion. These rites were to pass away, and the obligation to observe them was to cease; and in this indirect manner the sacred writer has given an intimation that there would be blessings on those who did not observe those rites, and that the period would arrive when the divine favour and mercy would descend on | men in a different channel. In regard | to the importance of the Sabbath, see Notes tn the close of chapter lviii.

The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the 'eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

IT And kcepeih his hand, &c. That is, is an upright, holy, honest man. He not only worships God and keeps the Sabbath, but he is upright in the discharge of all the duties which he owes to his fellow men. These two specifications are evidently designed to include all the influences of religion — the proper service and worship of God, and an upright and ho/y life. Never in fact are they separated, and the religion of the Bible was designed to secure the one as much as the other

3. Neither let the son of the sir anger The foreigner who shall become a proselyte to the true religion. IT That hath joined himself. That has embraced the true faith, and become a worshipper of the true God. It is evidently implied here that there would be such proselytes, and that the true religion would be extended so as to include and embrace them. The idea is, that they should be admitted to the same privileges with those who had been long recognized as the people of God. IT The Lord hath utterly separated. Let him not esteem himself to be an outcast, or cut off from the privileges of the people of God This language is used with reference to the opinion which prevailed among the Jews, that the Gentiles were excluded from the privileges of the people of God, and it is designed to intimate that here after all such barriers would be broken down. They who entered the Church as proselytes from the heathen world were not to come in with any sense oi inferiority in regard to their rights among his people; but they were to feel that all the barriers which had heretofore existed were now broken down, and that all men were on a level. There is to be no assumption of superiority of one nation or rank over another; there is to be no sense of inferiority of one class in reference to another. H Neither let the eunuch say. This class of men v as usually set over the harems of the

4 For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;

5 Even unto them will I give

Fast (Est. ii. 3, 14, 15. iv. 5); and they were employed also as high officers at court. Est. i. 10, 12, 15. Acts viii. 27. Dan. i. 3. The word is sometimes used to denote a minister of court; a court officer in general. Gen. xxxvii. 6, xxxix. i. The Targum often renders the word by X2H a prince. IT Behold, I am a dry tree. A dry tree is an emblem of that which is barren, useless, unfruitful. By the law of Moses such persons could not be enrolled or numbered in the congregation of the Lord. Deut. xxiii. 2. The sense here is, that they should not hereafter be subjected to the religious and civil disabilities to which they had been. These external barriers to the full privileges among the people of God, would be removed. All classes and ranks would be admitted to the same privileges; all would be on the same level. See ver. 5.

4. For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs. Even the eunuchs, who have hitherto been excluded from the privileges of the people of God, and who have been regarded as a separated and degraded people, shall be admitted to the same privileges as others. 1T That keep my sabbaths. The word is here used in the plural, though the weekly Sabbath is probably particularly intended. It may be, however, that the word is used to represent religious observances in general. See Notes on ver. 2. T And choose the things that please me. Who will be willing to sacrifice their own pleasure and preferences to those things which I choose, and in which I delight. IT And take hold of my covenant. Hold fast, or steadily maintain my covenant. On the meaning of the word " covenant," see Notes ch. xxviii. 18, xlii. 6, xlix. 8, liv. 10.

in mine house, *and within my walls, a place and a name better *than of sons and of daughters *. I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

leges of entering my house of prayer and of being regarded as my true worshippers, and this shall be to them a more invaluable privilege than would be any earthly advantages. The word " house" here refers undoubtedly to the temple, regarded as emblematic of the place of public worship in all ages. IT And within my walls. The walls of the city where God dwelt, referring primarily to the walls of Jerusalem. They should be permitted to dwell with God, and be admitted to all the privileges of others. All, of all classes and conditions, under the reign of the Messiah should be regarded as on a level, and entitled to equal advantages. There should be no religious disabilities arising from caste, age, country, colour, or rank of life. Those who had any physical defect should not on that account be excluded from his favour, or be regarded as not entitled to his offers of mercy. The lame, therefore, the halt, the blind; the man of colour, the African, the red man of the woods; the Hindoo and the Islander; all are to be regarded as alike invited to participate in the favour oi God, and none are to be excluded from the " house" erected to his praise, and from within the " walls " of the holy city where he dwells. IT A place. Heb. "p a hand. The word is however used to denote a place. Deut. xxiii. 13. Num. ii. 17. Josh. viii. 10. It is sometimes used in the sense of monument or trophy (1 Sam. xv. 12. 2 Sam. xviii. 18), as if a monument were a hand pointing out or showing any thing. The word here denotes, however, a place, and means that the excluded foreigner and the ennuch should be admitted to a place in the temple of God; tnac is should be admitted to the favour of God, and be permitted to dwell with him. IT And a name. As it was reganW

6 Also the sons of the stranger that join 'themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;

among the Hebrews as one of the highest honours to have a numerous posterity, the idea here is, that they should be admitted to the highest possible honour — the honour of being regarded as the children of God, and treated as his friends. IT And I will give them an everlasting name. Their memory shall not perish. They shall be admitted to eternal and unchangeable honours — the everlasting honour of being treated as the friends of God.

6. Also the sons of the stranger. See Note on ver. 3. The conditions on which they should be admitted to the same privileges are specified, and are the ibllowing: (1.) They were to "join themselves to the Lord." Note ver. 3. (2.) This should be with a purpose to " serve him." Their aim and design should be to keep his commandments and to do his will. (3.) They were to " love the name of the Lord;" that is, to love Jehovah himself, for the " name" of the Lord is often used as denoting the Lord himself. (4.) They were to keep his Sabbaths. See Notes on ver. 4. (5.) They were to take hold of his covenant. See Notes on ver. 4. On these conditions the sons of the foreigner were to be admitted to all the privileges of the children of God, and to be united with all who love and serve him.

7. Even them will I bring to my holy mountain. See Notes ch. ii. 3. That is, they should be admitted to the fellowship and privileges of his people. 11 And make them joyful. In the participation of the privileges of the true religion, and in the service of God, they shall be made happy. IT In my house of prayer. In the temple — here called the house of prayer. The language here is ull derived from the wor-

7 Even 'them -vill I brin^ to my holy mountain; and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices 'shall be accepted upon mine altar: for 'mine house

ship of the Jews, though the meaning evidently is, that under the new dispensation all nations would be admitted to the privileges of his people, and that the appropriate services of religion which they would offer would be acceptable to God. 1T Their burnt-offerings. That is, their worship shall be as acceptable as that of the ancient people of God. This evidently contemplates the future times of the Messiah, and the sense is, that in those times the Gentiles would be admitted to the same privileges of the people of God as the Jewish nation had been. It is true that proselytes were admitted to the privileges of religion among the Jews, and were permitted to offer burnt-offerings and sacrifices, nor can there be a doubt that they were then acceptable to God. But it is also true that there was a conviction that they were admitted as proselytes, and that there would be a superiority felt by the native-born Jews over the foreigners who were admitted to their society. Under the Jewish religion this distinction was inevitable, and it would involve, in spite of every effort to the contrary, much of the feeling of caste — a sense of superiority on the one hand, and of inferiority on the other; a conviction on the one part that they were the descendants of Abraham and the inheritors of the ancient and venerable promises, and on the other that they had come in as foreigners, and had been admitted by special favour to these privileges. But all this was to be abolished under the Messiah. No one waa to claim superiority on account of any supposed advantage from birth, or na tion, or country; no one, however humble he might feel in respect to God and to his own deserts, was to admit into

shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

8 The Lord God, which gathereth the outcasts rof Israel, saith,

nis bosom any sense of inferiority in regard to his origin, his country, his complexion, his former character. All were to have the same near access to God, and the offering of one was to be as acceptable as that of another. IT For mine house. This passage is quoted by the Saviour (Matt. xxi. 13), to show the impropriety of employing the temple as a place of traffic and exchange. In that passage he simply quotes the declaration that it should be " a house of prayer." There are two ideas in the passage as used by Isaiah; (1) that the temple should be regarded as a house of prayer; and (2) that the privileges of that house should be extended to all people. The main design of the temple was that God might be there invoked, and the inestimable privilege of calling on him, was to be extended to all the nations of the earth.

8. The Lord God. This verse is a continuation of the promise made in the previous verses, that those of other nations would be united to the ancient people of God. The sense is, that Jehovah would not only gather back to their country those who were scattered abroad in other lands, but would also call to the same privileges multitudes of those who were now aliens and strangers. IT Which gathereih the outcasts of Israel. Who will collect again and restore to their own country those of the Jews who were scattered abroad — the exiles who were in distant lands. IT Yet will I gather others to him. To Israel; that is, to the Jews. See John x. 16. IT Besides those. Marg. ' to his gathered.' To those who are collected from their exile and restored to their own country I will add many others of other nations. — This completes the promise referred to in this and the previous chapters. The next verse introduces a Jew subject, and here a division should

9 All ye beasts of the field

have been made in tie chapters. The great truth is here fully expressed, that under the Messiah the heathen world would be admitted to the privileges of tne people of God. The formidable and longexisting barriers between the nations would be broken down. • No one nation would be permitted to come before God claiming any peculiar privileges; none should regard themselves as in any sense inferior to any other portion of the world on account of their birth, their rank, their privileges by nature. Under this economy we are permitted to live — happy now in the assurance that though we were once regarded as strangers and foreigners, yet we are " now fellowcitizens with the saints and of the household of God." Eph. ii. 19. The whole world lies on a level before God in regard to its origin — for God " has made of one blood all the nations of men to dwell on the face of all the earth." Act9 xviii. 26. The whole race is on a level in regard to moral character — for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And the whole race is on a level in regard to redemption — for the same Saviour died for all; the same heaven is offered to all; and the same eternal and most blessed God is ready to admit all to his favour, and to confer on all everlasting life. What thanks do we owe to the God of grace for the blessings of the eternal gospel; and how anxious should we be that the offers cl salvation should in fact be made known to all men! The wide world may be saved, and there is not one of the human race so degraded in rank, or colour, or ignorance, that he may not be admitted to the same heaven with Abraham and the prophets, and whose prayeis and praises would not be as acceptable to God as those of the most magnificent monarch who ever wore a crown.

come jo devour; yea, all ye beasts in the forest.

10 His watchmen are blind; /hey are all ignorant, they are

and refers to some invasion of the land of Judea. In the previous chapter the prophet had comforted the people by the assurance of the coming of the Messiah, and by the fact that they should be enlarged by the accession of the Gentiles. He proceeds here to a more disagreeable part of the subject. The design is, to reprove particularly the sins of the rulers of the people, and to assure them that such conduct would incur the vengeance of heaven. The sins reproved are indolence and inattention to duty; a spirit of self-indulgence and of slumber (ver. 10); avarice and selfishness (ver. 11); and luxury and intemperance, ver. 12. The vengeance here referred to, Lowth supposes to be the invasion of the land by the Chaldeans, and perhaps by the Romans. Grotius supposes that it refers to the Egyptians, and to bands of robbers from the Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites. Vitringa — strangely enough — refers it to the barbarous nations which broke in upon the Christian Church to lay it waste and destroy it during the decline of the Roman empire, particularly the Huns, Saracens, Turks, Turcomans, Tartars, &c. &c. But the connexion seems to demand that it should be understood of some events, not far distant from the time of the prophet, which would be a proper punishment of the crimes then existing. According to this interpretation, the reference here, I suppose, is to the invasion of the land by the Chaldeans. They would come as wild beasts to spread terror and devastation before them. And so great were the national crimes that the prophet calls on them to come and devour all before them. The comparison of invaders to wild beasts is not uncommon in the Scriptures. Thus Jeremiah xii. 9:

Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, The birds round about are ajiainst her; Come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, Come to devour.

Israel is a scattered sheep; The lions have driven him away; First the king of Assyria hath devoured rim, And last this Nel>iich;if!rezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.

10. His watchmen. The prophet proceeds to specify the sins which had thus induced God to send the desolating armies of foreign nations. The first is specified in this verse, the apathy, indifference, and unfaithfulness, which prevailed among those who were appointed to guard their interests and defend the cause of truth. The word rendered "his watchmen," 12 2S, is derived from •"tSX, to look about; to view from a distance; to see afar. It is applied appropriately to those who were stationed on the walls of a city, or on a tower, in order that they might see the approach of an enemy. 1 Sam. xiv. 16. 2 Sam. xiii. 34, xviii. 24. It is then applied to prophets, who are as it were placed on an elevated post of observation, and who are able to cast the eye far into future scenes and to predict future events. Jer. vi. 17. Ez. iii. 17. Note Isa. xxi. 6-11, lii. 8. Comp. lxii. 6. Here it refers undoubtedly to the public teachers of the Jews who had failed to perceive the crimes and dangers of the people; or who, if they had seen them, had neglected to warn them of the prevalence oi sin and of the dangers to which they were exposed. IT Are blind. They have become wilfully blind to the existence of idolatry and vice, or they are sc corrupt in sentiment and practice, that they fail to notice the existence of the prevailing sins. IT They are all ignorant. Heb. " They do not know." This may either mean that they were not possessed of the proper qualifications for the office of prophets, or that they were so immersed in sin themselves^ and so indolent, that they did not observe the existence of the national sins. In either case, they were unfit for tha

11 Yea, they are 4 greedy dogs which can 6never have enough, and they are shepherds that can-

station. IF They are all dumb dogs. Dogs are appointed to guard a house or flock, and to give notice of the approach cf a robber by night. Job xxx. 1. They are thus an emblem of a prophet — appointed to announce danger. Generally in the Scriptures the dog is mentioned as the symbol of uncleanness, of vileness, of apostacy, of that which deserved the utmost contempt. 1 Sam. xxiv. 14. 2 Sam. ix. 8. Deut. xxiii. 18. Rev. xxi. 8, xxii. 15. Prov. xxvi. 11. 2 Peter ii. 22. Phil. iii. 2. Comp. Virgil, Georg. i. 470. But here the dog is an emblem of vigilance. The phrase " dumb dogs," is applicable to prophets who from any cause failed to warn the nation of their guilt and danger. IT They cannot bark. They cannot give warning of the danger which threatens. The reason why they could not do this the prophet immediately states. They loved to slumber — they delighted in indolence and repose. IT Sleeping. Margin, 1 dreaming, or talking in their sleep.'

The word to^TH hozlm, is from ^1*} hdzd, to dream, to talk in one's dreams. It is kindred to ""itn hhdzd, to see, and the primary idea seems to be that of nocturnal visions. The LXX render it ivvTTvia^onwoi Koirnv, sleeping in bed. Aq. (pavTa^opzvoi — having visions, or phantasms. The idea is that probably of dreaming, or drowsing; a state of indolence and unfaithfulness to their high trust. Perhaps also there is included the idea of their being deluded by vain imaginations, and by false opinions, instead of being under the influence of truth. For it is commonly the case that false and unfaithful teachers of religion are not merely inactive; they act under the influence of deluding and delusive views — like men who are dreaming and who see nothing real. Such was probably the case with the false prophets in the time of Isaiah. f Lying down. As dogs do who are iniolent. They are inactive, unfaithful,

not understand; they all look to their own way, every one for hia gain from his quarter.

and delighting in ease. IT Loving tt slumber. Perhaps there was never a more graphic and striking description of an indolent and unfaithful ministry than this. Alas, that it should be too true of multitudes who bear the sacred office, and who are appointed to warn their fellow men of danger! How many come still under the description of " dumb dogs who cannot bark, and who love to slumber!" Some are afraid of giving offence; some have no deep sense of the importance of religious truth, and the actual danger of the ungodly; some embrace false opinions — led on by daydreams and fictions of the imagination, as unreal, as vain, and as inconsistent, as are the incoherent expressions which are uttered in sleep; some engage in worldly projects, and fill up their time with the cares and plans of this life; and some are invincibly indolent. Nothing will rouse them; nothing induce them to forego the pleasures of sleep, and ease, and of an inactive life. The friends of God are unrebuked when they err; and an inactive and unfaithful ministry suffers the great enemy to come and bear away the soul to death, as an unfaithful mastiff would suffer the thief to approach the dwelling without warning the inmates. But the mastiff is usually more faithful than an indolent ministry. To the deep shame of man be it spoken, there are more ministers of religion who are indolent, inactive, and unfaithful, than there are of the canine race. Instinct prompts them to act the part which God intends; but alas, there are men — men in the ministry — whom neither instinct, nor conscience, nor reason, nor hope, nor fear, nor love, nor the command of God, nor the apprehension of eternal judgment, will rouse to put forth unwearied efforts to save souls from an eternal hell!

12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill our-

ders it, canes impudentissimi. So the LXX, kvvs i dvaitrfs rrj rpvxv — d°gs lwl" vudent in soul. They were greedy and insatiable in that which the soul or the appetite demands. The idea here is, that the prophets to whom reference is here made were sensual, and disposed to gorge themselves; living only for carnal indulgence, insensible to the rights of others, and never satisfied.? And they are shepherds that cannot understand. Who are ignorant of the wants of the people, and who cannot be made to comprehend what is needed by them. See ver. 10. IF They all look to their own way. That is, they are all selfish. The ministers of religion are set apart not to promote their own interests but the welfare and salvation of others. IF Every one for his gain. For his own private ends and emoluments. IT From his own quarter. Lowth, " From the highest to the lowest." So Rosenmuller. Sept. * Each one according to his Own purpose,' Kara to eavTOv. The Heb. is literally, * from his end, or extremity.' Gen. xix. 4: " From every quarter," ilSJTE, that is, from one end to the other; one and all, the whole. This seems to be the idea here, that one and all were given to selfishness, to covetousness, and to indulgence in luxury and sensuality.

12. Come ye, say they. Comp. Notes on ch. xxii. 13. That is, one says to another, ' I will fetch wine;' or as we would say, * I will take another glass.' The object is to describe a drinkingbout, or carousal, when the glass is shoved around, and there is drinking to excess. The language denotes the state of exhilaration and excitement when sitting at the table and already under the influence of wine. This is not designed to be descriptive of the people at large, but of the " watchmen," or public teachers of the nation, and it certainly ihows a state of most lamentable degeneracy and corruption. Unhappily, howevir, it has not been confined to the tiims of to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

Manasseh. There have been periods in the history of the Christian Church, and there are still portions of that Cr.urch, where the language here used with so much severity would be an appropriam description even of the Christian ministry; scenes where the professed heralds of salvation sit long at the wine, and join with the gay, the worldly, and the profane, in * shoving round ' the sparkling cup. No severer language is used in the prophets to describe and denounce any class of sinners than is appropriated to such men; at no time has the church more occasion to sit in the dust and to weep, than when her ministers " rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink; and continue until night till wine inflame them." Isa. v. 11. 1T We will Jill oursehes with strong drink. See Notes ch. v. 11. IT And to-morrow, &c. That is, indulgence of this kind was habitual. There was an intention to continue it. It was not that they had been once overtaken and had erred; but it was that they loved it, and meant to drink deeper and deeper. So now the guilt of ministers is greatly aggravated in the same way. It is not merely that they drink wine; it is not even that they on a single occasion drink too much, and say and do foolish and wicked things — liable as all are to this who indulge in drinking wine at all, and certainly as ministers will do it who indulge in the habit; — it is that they mean to do it; they resolve hni lo abandon it, but purpose to persevere in the habit " to-morrow." Hence, such men refuse to join a Society of Temperance; hence they oppose such societies as ultra and fai.atical; and hence by not joining them they proclaim to the world, 'come ye, and I will take another glass, and to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant ' It is this settled purpose — this fixed resolution, stretching into future time and embracing coming years, that is so offensive to God. And there is not on earth a condition of more public iniquity thafl when the ministers of religion take this bold and open stand, and resolve that they will not abandon intoxicating drinks, but will continue to drink " tomorrow," and ever onward. Hopeless is the work of reformation when the ministers of religion take this stand: and dark is he prospect for the Chu-cron earth when the messengers of salvation cannot be induced to stand before the Church of God as examples and advocates for temperance on the most strict and uncompromising principles.

This chapter is evidently closely connected in sense with ch. Ivi. 9—1-2. Tn the closing part of (ho last, chapter the prophet had said that the land of Israel would be invaded hy foreign armies, reprc Kilted under the image of ravening Leasts come to devour. One of the causes of this hi; had aha stated— to wit: the general licentiousness, avarice, and intemperance of the rulers of the nation. Tlia same general subject is pursued in this chapter— which has been very improperly separated from the preceding. In this the prophet states specifically the sins of the nation at large— evidently as a reason why the calamities of the foreign invasion were coming uron them. It is probable lhat the chapter has primary reference to the times of Manasseh. Of the characteristics of his cruel reign, see the Introduction. §3. It was a time of persecution and blood. Thu righteous wee put to death; the public service of God was profaned and desecrated; and the evils of idolatry were seen and felt, under the royal patronage, throughout the land. Yet notwithstanding this, the nation was stupid and insensible. They were not affected as they should have been by the fiict that the righteous were cut off by persecution, and that idolatry was patronized throughout the land. A few, like the prophets, felt, and deeply felt. Their hearts were desponding, and their spirits drooped. To encourage them, and to rebuke the mass of the stupid and guilty nation, was the design of tins chapter.

I, The fact that the righteous were put to death, and yet that the nation was sunk in deep and deplorable stupidity.

(a) The proof of the insensibility of the nation, visible in the fact that the just were taken away, and that they were unmoved, ver. 1.

(b) A statement of the comparative happy -condition of the righteous, thorgh they suffered under persecution, and were put to a violent death, ver. 1, last part, ver. 2. So far as ihey were concerned it was well, for

(l.) They were taken away from more fearful approaching evils. (■2) They entered into rest. II A solemn address of JEHOVAH, himself sitting as judge on the tribunal, and stati.g the crimes and demonstrating the guilt of the nation, vs. 3—14.

(a) The nation summoned helore him as having been apostatized— under the image so coinmon In the prophets of their being guilty of adultery, ver. 3.

(b) They were guilty of falsehood and unfaithfulness to him, and of deriding his government and laws. ver. 4.

(f) The statement of the prevalence of idolatry in all parts of the nation, under every j?reen tree, in every valley, in the clefts of the rocks, upon every mountain, and in every cocret

I 1 ice, vs. 5—8. (J) They had gone and sought alliance with foreign powers— under the image of a woman unfaithful to her marriage vow, ver. 9. (e) They had not feared God in the prevalence of the evil and in the corruption of the ration, vs. 10. ll. (/) For all this God denounces heavy judgment, vs. 12—14. Their works should not prolt them

(ver. 12): nothing on which they relied could deliver them (ver. 13, first part); but the piouc who confided in God should be protected (ver. 13, last pan); and the stumbling bloc I: should be taken up out of the way of his people, ver. 14. III. Consolation and assurances of pardon, protection, and peace* fo those who would repent and put their trust in God. Their state contrasted with that of the wicked, vs. 15—21. 1. The righteotis, ver. 15—19. (a) Though God was high and great and holy, yet he dwelt with the lowly and the penitent.

They were, therefore, encouraged to return, ver 15. \b) Though he had entered into controversy with his people for their sins, yet he would not or ntinue it forever. The feeble powers of man could not long endure the expressions of his displeasure, and he therefore would withdraw the tokens of his wrath, ver. 16.

(d) He was the author of peace, and all \yho were far off, and all who were near, who woula return to him, should enjoy it, ver. 19.

Their condition was one strongly contrasted witb that of the -'"ghteous, vs. 20, 21. (a) They were like the troubled sea, ver. 20. {I) They had no peace, ver. 21.

1 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and *merciful men are taken away,

1. The righteous perisheth. This refers, a3 I suppose, to the time of Manaecjeh. See the Introduction, § 3. Grctius supposes, that it refers to king Josvah; Vitringa that it refers to martyrs in general. But it seems probable to me that the prophet designs to describe the state of stupidity which prevailed in his own time, and to urge as one proof of it that the pious part of the nation was taken away by violent death, and that the nation was not affected by it. Such was the guilt of Manasseh; so violent was the persecution which he excited against the just, that it is said of him that he "shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another." 2 Kings xxii. 16. There is evidence (see Intro. § 2), that Isaiah lived to his time, and it is probable that he himself ultimately fell a victim to the rage of Manasseh. Though he had, on account of his great age, retired from the public functions of the prophetic office, yet he could not be insensible to the existence of these evils, and his spirit would not suffer him to be silent, even though bowed down by age, when the land was filled with abominations, and when the best blood of the nation was poured out like water. The word rendered

" perisheth," ^?^» as well as the word rendered " taken away," t\0#f denot;s violence, and is indicative of the fa:t that they were removed by a prematuie death. V And no man layeth. it to heart. No one is aroused by it, or is concerned about it. The sentiment of the passage is, that it is proof of great stupidity and guilt when men see the righteous die without concern. If the pious die by persecution and others are not aroused, it shows that they acquiesce in it, or have no confidence in God, and no desire that his people should be preserved; if they die in the ordinary mode and Khe people are unaffected, it shows their •rapidity. The withdrawment ^f a none considering that the right, eous is taken away •from the evil pious man from the earth is a public calamity. His prayers, his example, his life, were among the richest blessings of the world, and men should be deeply affected when they are withdrawn; and it shows their guilt and stupidity when they see this with indifference. It increases the evidence of this guilt when, as is sometimes the case, the removal of the righteous by death is an occasion of joy. The wicked hate the secret rebuke which ia furnished by a holy life, and they often feel a secret exultation when such men die. IT And merciful men. Marg. " men of kindness, or godliness." Lowth and Noyes render it, " pious men." The LXX, av&pcs SIkclioi, just men. The Hebrew word denotes mercy or kindness, ^P-^* Here it probably means, * men of mercy;' that is, men who are the subjects of mercy; men who are pious, or devoted to God. IF Are taken away. Heb. Are gathered. That is, they are gathered to their fathers by death. IT None considering, They were not anxious to know what was the design of Divine Providence in permitting it. IT From the evil to come. Marg. ' that which is evil.' The idea here evidently is, that severe calamities were coming upon the nation. God was about to give them up to foreign invasion (ch. lvi. 9, seq.); and the true reason why the just were removed was that they may not be subject of the di vine wrath which ehould come upon the nation; they wero not to be required to contemplate the painful state of things when an enemy should fire the cities, the palaces, and the temple, and cause the sacred services of religion to cease. It was a less evil for them to be removed by death — even by the painful death of persecution — than to be compelled to participate in these coming sorrows. At the same time this passage may be regarded as inculcating a more general truth still. It is, that the pious are often

2 He shall 'enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking Hn his *uprightness.

removed in order that they may not be exposed to evils which they would experience should they live. There might be the pains and sorrows of persecution; there might be long and lingering disease; there might be poverty and want; there might be the prevalence of iniquity and infidelity over which their hearts would bleed; there might be long and painful conflicts with their own evil hearts, or there might be danger that they would fall into sin and dishonour their high calling. For some or all these reasons the righteous may be withdrawn from the world; and could we see those reasons as God does, nothing more would be necessary to induce us to acquiesce entirely in the justice of his dealings.

2. He shall enter into peace. Lowth, " He shall go in peace." So the margin. Vulg. ' peace shall come.' Sept. ' his sepulture (>; rap:i r.vrov) shall be in peace.' The idea is, that by his death the righteous man shall enter into rest. He shall get away from conflict, strife, agitation and distress. This may either refer to the peaceful rest of the grave, or to that which awaits the just in a better world. The direct meaning here intended is probably the former, since the grave is often spoken of as a place of rest. Thus Job (iii. 17), speaking of the grave, says:

There the wicked cease from troubling: And there the weary be at rest.

The connexion here seems also to demand the same sense, as it is immediately added, " they shall rest in their beds." The grave is a place of peace:

Nor pain, nor grief, nor anxious fear, Invade thy bounds; no mortal woes Can reacli the peaceful sleeper here, While angels watch the soft repose.— Wittts.

At the same time it is true that the dying saint 'goes in peace!' He has calmness in his dying, as well as peace in his grave. He forgives all who have injured him; prays for all who have Persecuted him; and peacefully and

3 But draw near nither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed oi the adulterer and the whore.

calmly dies. He lies in a peaeefu] grave — often represented in the Scriptures as a place of repose, where the righteous "sleep" in the hope of being awakened in the morning of the resurrection. He enters into the rest el heaven— the world of perfect and eternal repose. No persecution comes there; no trial awaits him there. no calamity shall meet him there. Thus, in all respects, the righteous leave the world in peace; and thus death ceases to be a calamity, and this most dreaded of aL evils is turned into the highest blessing ff They shall rest in their beds. That is, in their graves. IT Each one walking ir. his uprightness. Marg. " or before him*'

The word H33 means straight, right, and is used of one who walks straight forward. It here means an upright man. who is often represented as walking ir. a straight path in opposition to sinners, who are represented as walking ir. crooked ways. Ps. exxv. 5. Pror. ii 15. Isa. lix. 8. Phil. ii. 15. The sense here is, that all who are upright shal. leave the world in peace, and rest quietly in their graves.

3. But draw near hither. That is, come near to hear the solemn sentence which God pronounces in regard to your character and doom. This is addressed to the impenitent and unbelieving part of the nation, and is designed to set before them the greatness of their sin, and the certainty that they would be punished. IT Ye sons of the sorceress. You who are addicted to sorcery 3nc enchantments; who consult the oracles of the heathen rather than the only true God. On the meaning of the word used here, see Notes ch. ii. 6. The Hebrews, like other inhabitants of the East, were much addicted to this, and particularly in the time of Manasseh. 2 Kings xxi. G: "And he made his sons pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits, and wizards." So

4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children

much were they devoted to this in hia time, that they might be called by way of eminence " the sons of the sorceress;" as if a sorceress had been their mother, and they had grown up to walk in her steps, and to imitate her example. IT The seed of the adulterer. Implying that the obligations of the marriage contract were disregarded, and that licentiousness prevailed in the nation. Amidst the other abominations which existed under the wicked and corrupt reign of Manasseh (2 Kings xxi.), there is every probability that these sins also abounded. Licentiousness had been the invariable attendant on idol worship; and dissoluteness of manners is the usual accompaniment of all other crimes. It is observable also that the Saviour often charges the same sin on the nation in his own time. John viii. 1, seq.; Matt. xii. 39, xvi. 4. In the language here, however, there is a reference to the fact that the nation had apostatized from God, and they were guilty of spiritual adultery — that is, of unfaithfulness to God. They fixed their affections on other objects than God, and loved the images of idol worship more than they did their Creator.

4. Against whom do ye sport yourselves? The word here rendered " sport," 332 means properly to live delicately and tenderly; then to rejoice, to take pleasure or delight. Here, however, it is evidently used in the sense of to sport one's self over any one, i. e. to deride; and the idea is, probably, that they made a sport or mockery of God, and of the institutions of religion. The prophet asks, with deep indignation and emotion, against whom they did this. Were they aware of the majesty and glory of that Being whom they thus derided 1 IT Against whom make ye a wide moutk? That is, in derision or contempt. Ps. xxxv. 21: " Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me." R Ani draw out the tongue? Lowth

1 Loll the tongue;' or, as we would say, ' run out the tongue.' Perhaps it was done with a rapid motion, as in mockery of the true prophets when they delivered the message of God. Comp. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 16. Contempt was sometimes shown also by protruding the lips (Ps. xxii. 7), " they shoot out the lip;" and also by gaping upon a person (Ps. txii. 13), "they gaped upon me with their mouths." IT Are ye not children of transgression? That is, in view of the fact that you make a sport of sacred things, and deilde the laws and the prophets of God. IT A seed of falsehood. A generation that is unfaithful to God and to his cause.

5. Inflaming yourselves. Burning, i. e. with lust. The whole language here is derived from adulterous intercourse. The sense is, that they were greatly addicted to idolatry, and that they used every means to increase and extend the practice of it. The Vulgate, however, renders this, " who console yourselves." The LXX render it, " invoking (TrapaKa\ovi>T£s) idols." But the proper meaning of the Hebrew word

Vulg. in diis — ' with the gods.' Septidols, clSwXa. So the Chaldee and Syriac. The Hebrew may denote " with gods," i. e. with idol gods; or it may denote, as in the margin, ' among the oaks,' or the terebinth groves, from;Vs»fc plural 6*i*jijt» or fci*>K, — the terebinth. See the word explained in the Note on ch. i. 29. Kimchi and Jarchi here render it by the terebinth tree. Lowth renders it, "burning with the lust of idols j" and probably this is the correct interpretation; for, if it had meant oaks or the terebinth tree, the phrase would have been under ft ftp, instead of *j »'«, or with. IT Under every Ripen- t]t9

idols * under every green tree, slaying 'the children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks? 6 Among the smooth stones of

See Notes ch. i. 29. Comp. Deut. xxii. 2. 2 Kings xvii. 10. 2 Chron. xxviii. 4. IT Slaying the children. That is,, sacrificing them to the idol gods. This was commonly dene by burning them, as when they were offered to Moloch, though it is not improbable that they were sometimes sacrificed in other ways. It was a common custom among the worshippers of Moloch. Thus it is said of Ahaz (2 Chron xxviii. 3), that "he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire." The same thing is said of Mannsseh — to whose time the prophet most probably refers. " And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom." 2 Chron. xxxiii. 6. Comp. Jer. vii. 31. The same thing was practised in the countries of the Babylonian empire (2 Kings xvii. 31), and from Deut. xii. 31, it is evident that it was commonly practised by heathen nations. The Phoenicians, according to Eusebius (Praep. Evan. iv. 16), and the Carthagenians, according to Diodorus Siculus (xx. 14) practised it. IT In the valleys. The place where these abominations were practised by the Jews was the valley of the son of Hinnom (see the references above); that is the valley of Jehoshaphat, lying to the south and the southeast of Jerusalem. A large hollow, brazen statue was erected, and the fire was enkindled within it, and the child was placed in bis heated arms and thus put to death. The cries of the child were drowned by the music of the £fi\ toph, or kettle drums (see Notes ch. v. 12, where this instrument is fully described), and hence the name of the valley was Tophct. IT Under the clefts of the rocks. Dark and shady groves, and deep and sombre caverns were the places where the abominable rites of the heathen superstition* were practised. Comp. Notes ch an. 21.

the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot; even to them hast thou poured a drink-offering, thou hast offered a meat-offering. Should I receive comfort in these?

6. Among the smooth etones of the streams. In the original here, there is a paronomasia, which cannot be fully retained in our English version. There has been also considertMe diversity oi opinion in regard to the sense of the passage from the ambiguity of the words in the original. Jerome (Vulg.) renders it, " In partibus torrentis pars tua" — thy portion is in the parts of the torrent. The LXX translate it, " This is thy portion; this is thy lot." The word rendered in our version " smooth stones " p^n hhcleq, means properly smoothness, hence, barrenness or bare place; and supposes that the idea is, their lot was in the bare places of the valley, i. e. in the open (not wooded) places where they worshipped idols — an interpretation not very consistent with the fact that groves were commonly selected as the place where they worshipped idols. It seems to me, therefore, that the idea of smoothness here, whether of the valley or of the stones, is not the idea intended. Indeed, in no place, it is believed, does the word mean " smooth stones;" and it is difficult to conceive what was the exact idea which our translators intended to convey, or why they supposed that such worship was celebrated among the smooth, or much worn stones of the running stream. The true idea can probably be obtained by reverting to the primitive sense of the word as derived from the verb. The verb p^H hhahldq, means (1) to smooth; (2) to divide^ to distribute, to appropriate — as the dividing c" spoil, ccc. Hence the noun also means dividing, or portion, as that which is divided — whether an inheritance, or whether the dividings of spoil after battle. Retaining this idea, the literal sense, as I conceive, would be this — in which also something of the rironomasia will be retained. * Among tna dividings of the valley is thy dividing,' i. e. thy portion. In the places wuer.i

7 Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.

the valley divides, is thy lot. Thy lot is there instead of the place which God appointed. There you worship; there you pour out your libations to the false gods; and there you must partake of the protection and favour which the gods whom you worship can give. You have chosen that as your inheritance, and by the results of that you irrust abide. IT Of the streams. The word here rendered " streams," ^pt3 nahhdl, means eithei ft stream, or a rivulet of water, (Num. xxxiv. 5. Josh. xv. 4-47); or it means a valley with a brook or torrent; a low place with water. Here it means evidently the latter — as it cannot be supposed they would worship in a stream, though they undoubtedly worshipped in a vale or low place where there was occasionally a rivulet of water. This entire description is strikingly applicable to the valley of Jehoshaphat — a low vale, broken by chasms and by projecting and overhanging rocks, and along the centre of which flowed a small brook, much swelled occasionally by the waters that fell from the adjacent hills. At some seasons of the year, however, the valley was entirely dry. The idea here is, that they had chosen their portion in the dividings of that valley instead of the adjacent hills on which the worship of God was celebrated. That valley became afterwards the emblem of punishment: and may it not be implied in this passage that they were to inherit whatever would descend on that valley; that is, that they were to participate in the punishment which would be the just expression of the divine displeasure? IT Even to them hast thou poured out. That is, to these "dols erected in the valleys. IT A drinkoffering. A libation, or drink-offering wad usually poured out in the worship ■jf heathen gods. Jer. vii. 18. It was common also in the worship of the true God. See Gen. xxxv. 14. Among ho Hebrews it consisted of wine and

8 Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy re« membrance; for 6thou hast dis-

minhhd, see Notes ch. i. 13, xliii. 2'i. The word "meat" formerly denoted in the English language food in general, and was not confined as it is now to animal food. Hence the word "meatoffering" is so often used in the Scri] - tures when a sacrifice is intended which was not a bloody sacrifice. The minhha was in fact an offering of meal, fine flour, &c, mingled with oil (Lev. xiv. 10. Num. vii. 13), and was distinguished expressly from the bloody sacrifice. The word '?rcca/-offering' would much more appropriately express the sense of the original than ' meat-offering.' This was a common offering made to idols aa well as to the true God, and was designed as an expression of thankfulness. IF Should I receive comfort in these? It is implied that God could not behold them but with displeasure, and that for them he would punish them. The Vulgate and the LXX well express it, ' on account of these things shall I not be enraged V

7. Upon a lofty and high mountain. The design of this verse and the following, is, to show the extent, the prevalence, the publicity and Jie grossness of their idolatry. The language is that which would appropriately express adulterous intercourse, and is designed to show the abhorrence in which God held their conduct. The language is easy to be understood, and it would not be proper to go into an extended explanation of the phrases used. It is common in the Scriptures to compare idolatry among the people of God., with unfaithfulness to the marriage vow. The declaration that they had placed their bed on a ligh mountain, means, that in the rites of idolatrous worship, there was no concealment. It was public and shameless.

covered thyself to another than me, and art gone up: thou hast enlarged thy bed, and 2 made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed 3 where thou s a west it.

and posts and beams of their houses, they had erected the memorials of idolatrous worship. <5T Hast thou set up thy remembrance. That is, they had filled their houses with the images of tuteltry gods, or with something dedicated to them. The Greeks and Romans had their Lares and Penates — their household or domestic gods — the images of which were in every family. The same was true of the apostate Hebrews. They had filled their houses with the memorials of idol worship, and there was no part of their dwellings in which such memorials were not to be found. When a people forget God, the memorials of their apostacy will be found in every part of their habitations. The shrines of idol gods may not be there; the beautiful images of the Greek and Roman mythology, or the clumsy devices of less refined heathens may not be there; but the furniture, the style of living will reveal from " behind every door and the posts" of the house that God is forgotten, and that they are influenced by other principles than a regard to his name. The sofa, the carpet, the chandelier, the centre-table, the instruments of music, the splendid mirror, may be of such workmanship as to show, as clearly as the image of a heathen god, that Jehovah is not honoured in the dwelling, and that his law does not control the domestic arrangements. It may be added here that this custom of the Hebrews of placing the images of idols in their dwellings, was in direct violation of the law of Moses. They were expressly directed to write the laws of God on the posts of the house and on die gate3 (Deut. vi. 9, xi. 20); and a curse was denounced against the man who made a graven or molttn image mcl put it in a secret place. Deut. xxvii. 15. 1T For thou hast discovered thy-

9 And thou 4wentest to tha king with ointment, rfand didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.

self. This language is taken from adulterous intercourse, and is designed to show the love which they had for idolatrous worship, and the extent of their unfaithfulness to God. IT And made thee a covenant with them. Marg. "hewed it for thyself larger than theirs." The true sense is, that they had made an agreement with idolaters, or had entered into a covenant with them 1T Thou lovedst their bed. Marg. • thou providedst roo?n.' Literally, 1 Thou lovest their bed; thou hast provided a place for it." The word "^ here rendered " where" means literally a hand; then a side, a place. See Notes ch. lvi. 5. The passage means, that they had delighted in the temples, altars, groves, and sacrifices of idolatry, and had provided a place for them in their own land.

9. And thou wentest to the Icing. Marg. respectedst. Jerome renders this, " thou hast adorned thyself with royal ointment, and hast multiplied thy painting;" and evidently understands it as a continuance of the sentiment in the previous verses as referring to the kind of decoration which harlots used. The LXX render it, " thou hast multiplied thy fornication with them, and hast done it with many who are far from thee." The Chaldee renders it, " when thou didst keep the law thou wert prosperous in the kingdom; and when thou didst abound in good works, then thine armies were multiplied." Lowth supposes that the king of Egypt or Assyria is intended, and that the prophet refers to the fact that the Hebrews had sought an alliance with them, and in ore er tc secure it, had carried a present of raiuable unguents after the manner of llie East. Rosenmuller supposes that by the king an idol was intended, and thai

10 Thou art wearied in the greatness Aof thy way; yet s&idst

the sense is, that they had anointed themselves with oil and prepared perfumes in order to be acceptable to the idol; that is, had decorated themselves as harlots did. Grotius supposes that it means that they had imitated foreign kings, and copied the customs of other nations, and refers to the example of Ahaz, 2 Kings xvi. 10. Others suppose that the word " king" is to be taken collectively, and that it means that they had sought the alliance, and imitated the customs of foreign nations in general. It is probable that the prophet refers to •some such fact. On former occasions mey had sought the alliance of the king of Assyria (see ch. vii. seq.); and on one occasion at least they had meditated an alliance with the king of Egypt. Ch. xxx. 2, seq. The essential idea is, that they had proved unfaithful to Jehovah. This idea is presented here under the image of a female unfaithful to her husband, who had decorated and perfumed herself that she might allure others. Thus the Jews had forsaken God, and had endeavoured to make themselves agreeable in the sight of other nations, and had courted their friendship and alliance. The word " king" according to this, refers not to idols, but to foreign princes whose as- Bistance had been sought. IT And didst increase thy perfumes. That is, for the purpose of rendering thyself agreeable, after the manner of a licentious female. See Prov. vii. 17. The custom of perfuming the. person was common in the East, and is still practised there. IT And didst send thy messengers. That is, to distant nations, for the purpose of securing their alliance. IT And didst debase thyself even unto hell. On the meaning of the word " hell," gee Notes on ch. v. 14. The idea is, that they had sunk to the deepest possible debasement. In forsaking Jehovah; in seeking foreign alliances; in their anxiety to secure their aid when Jehovah was abundantly able and willing \o protect them, they had sunk to the thou not, There U no hope: thoi hast found the Jiib7 of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.

lov/est degradation of character and condition. The sentiment is, that mr n degrade themselves when they do not put confidence in God, and when, distrusting his ability, they put reliance on any other aid than his. If men have God for their protector, why should they court the friendship of earthly princes and kings?

10. Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way. That is, in the length of thy journeys in order to procure foreign aid. Thou hast travelled to distant nations for this purpose, and in doing it hast become weary without securing the object in view. f Yet saidst thou not, There is no hope.' 1 Thou didst not say it is to be despaired of, ^£13, or it is vain. Though re pulsed in one place, you applied to another; though weary, you did not givt it up. Instead of returning to God anc* seeking his aid, you still sought humar alliances, and supposed you would find assistance from the help of men.' This is a striking illustration of the conduct of men in seeking happiness away from God. They wander from object to object; they become weary in the pursuit, yet they do not abandon it; they still cling to hope though often repulsed — and though the world gives them no permanent comfort — though wealth, ambition, gayety, and vice all fail in imparting the happiness which they sought, yet they do not give it up in despair. They still feel that it is to be found in some other way than by the disagreeable necessity of returning to God, and they wander from object to object, and from land to land, and become exhausted in the pursuit, and still are not ready to say ' there is no hope, we give it up in despair, and we will now seek happiness in God.' IT Thou hast found the life of thine hand. Marg. " living." Lowth, " thou has' found the support of thy life by thy labour." Noyes, " thou yet findest life in thy hand." Much diversity of

11 And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that Ihou

opinion has prevailed in regard to the interpretation of this passage. Vitringa interprets the whole passage of their devotion to idols, and supposes that this means that they had borne all the expense and difficulty and toil attending it because it gratified their hearts, and because they found a pleasure in it which sustained them. Calvin supposes that it is to be understood ironically. Why didst thou not repent and turn to me? Why didst thou not see and acknowledge thy madness? It was because thou didst find thy life in thy hand. All things prospered and succeeded according to thy desire, and conferred happiness.' The LXX render it, u because in full strength {tvKJx^0Vaa) thou hast done this; therefore thou Ehouldst not supplicate me." Jerome explains it to mean, " because they have done the things referred to in the previous verses, therefore they had not supplicated the Lord, trusting more in their own virtues than in God." The Syriac renders it, " the guilt of thy hand has contracted rust for thee, therefore thou hast not offered supplication." The Chaldee renders it, " thou hast amassed wealth, therefore thou didst not repent." Kimchi explains it to mean, " thou hast found something which is as pleasant to thee as the food is which is the life of man." The phrase ' life of thy hand' occurs nowhere else. The hand is the instrument by which we execute our purposes; and by the life of the hand here, there seems to be meant that which will give full and continued employment. They had found in these things that which effectually prevented them from repenting and returning to God. They had relied on their own plans rather than on God; they had sought the aid of foreign powers; they had obtained that which kept them from absolute despair, and from feeling their need of the assistance of God. Or, if it rulers to their idol worship, as Vitringa supposes, then it means that, notwith- Itanding all the trouble, toil, and expense which they had experienced, they tad found so much to gratify them that they continued to serve them, and were unwilling to return to God. 1T Therefore thou wast not grieved. Lowth, " thou hast not utterly fainted." The word used here **^\ means to be polished; then to be worn down W strength; to be weak or exhausted. Judges xvi. 7; then to be sick, diseased, made weak. Here it means, that either by the aid which they had obtained by foreign alliances, or by the gratification experienced in the service of idols, they had found so much to uphold them that they had no; been in utter despair. And the passage may teach the general truth, that notwithstanding all the trials and disappointments of life, still sinners find si much comfort in the ways of sin lha they are not utterly overwhelmed in despair. They still find the ' life of their hand in them.' If a plan fails, they repeat it, or they try another. In the pursuits of ambition, of wealth, and of fashion, notwithstanding all the expense, and irksomeness, and disappointment, they find a kind of pleasure which sustains them, and enough success to keep them from returning to God. It is this imperfect pleasure and success which the world gives amidst all its disappointments, and this hope of less diminished joys and more ample success in schemes of gain, and pleasure, and ambition, that sustains the votaries of this world in their career, and keeps them from seeking the pure and unmingled pleasures of religion. When the world becomes all gloom, and disappointment, and care, then there is felt the necessity of a better portion, and the mind is turned to God. Or when, as is more common, the mind becomes convinced that all the joys which the world can give — allowing the utmost limit to what is said by its friends of its powers — are poor and trifling compared with the joys which flow from the eternal friendship of God, then the blessings of salvation are sought with a full heart; and then man comes and consecrates the fulness of his energies and his immortal vigour to the service of the God that made him. 11. And of whom hast thou heet

hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor "laid it to thy heart 1 have *not I held my peace even of old, and thou fcarest me not?

12 I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.

13 When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee: but the

afraid. The sense of this verse is exceedingly obscure. The design is evidently to reprove the Jews for the course which they had been pursuing in practising idolatry, and in seeking the alliance of foreign powers. The main scope of the passage seems to be, to state that all this was proof that they did not fear God. Their conduct did not originate from any reverence for him, or any respect to his commands. And the question, " of whom hast thou been afraid," seems to mean that they had not been afraid of God. If they had had any reverence for any being or object that had led to the course which they had pursued, it was not for God. IT That thou hast lied. That thou hast been false and unfaithful to God. The image is here kept up of unfaithfulness to the marriage vow, vs. 6-8. IT And hast not remembered me. The proof of this was, that they had fallen into idolatry, and had sought the alliance and friendship of foreign powers. IT Have not I held my peace. The idea here seems to be, that God had been silent a long time, and they had therefore been emboldened to sin. He had, as it were, connived at their apostacy and infidelity, and they had thus cast off the fear of him and given themselves wholly to idolatry. Comp. Eccl. viii. 11.

12. I will declare thy righteousness. This is evidently spoken ironically. The eense is, ' you have devoted yourselves to idols, and you have sought the aid of foreigners. I will now announce to you the true nature of the deliverance which they can bring to you.' This is done in lie following verse: J3. When thou criest. That is, wind shall carry I hem all away; vanity shall take them: but he 'that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;

14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block mout of the way of my people.

when you are in trouble, and feel youi need of help. 1T Let thy companies deliver thee. The word here used (I'lap) means properly a gathering; a throng; a collection. Here it refers either to the throngs of idols which they had collected and on which they relied; or to the collection of foreigners which they had summoned to their assistance. The idea is, that if men trust to other objects for aid than the arm of God, they will be left in the day of trial to such assistance as they can render them. IF But the wind shall carry. They shall be like the protection which the wind sweeps away. The Saviour expresses a similar sentiment in Matt. vii. 26, 27. ^ Vanity shall take them. Lowth and Noyes, "a breath shall take them off."

The word ^H hc-bhel, properly means a breath; and probably denotes here a gentle breeze, the slightest breath of air, denoting the entire instability of the objects on which they trusted when they could be so easily swept off 1T Shall possess the land. The assurances of the favour and friendship of God are usually expressed in this way. Comp. Notes ch. xlix. 8. See Ps. xxxvii. 11 " The meek shall inherit the earth." Comp. Matt. v. 5. Ps. lxix. 35, 36. 1T And shall inherit my holy mountain. In Jerusalem. That is, they shall be admitted to elevated spiritual privileges and joys — as great as if they had possession of a portion of the mount on which the temp le was built and were permitted to dwell there.

14. And shall say. Lowth, " then will I say." Noyes, ** men will say." The word *"?!< seems to be used her«

15 For thus saith the high and lofty T)ne that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and "holy place, with

impersonally, and to mean, ' one shall Bay,' i. e. it shall be said. The LXX and the Syriac render it, " they shall Bay." The idea is, that the obstacles would be removed from the path of those who put their trust in God. The language is derived from the return from the exile, as if persons should go before th,era, and should cry ' cast ye up,' or as if the cry of the people all along their journey should be, ' remove the obstacles to their return." IT Cast ye up, cast ye up. That is, remove the obstacles; level the hills; take up any obstruction out of the way. Comp. Notes ch. xxxv. 8. xl. 3, 4. This cry is often heard before the coming of a distinguished prince or conqueror in the East. The Rev. Joseph Wolff stated in a Lecture in Philadelphia (Sept. 18,1837), that on entering Jerusalem from the west, in the direction of Gaza, the road rbr a considerable distance from Jerusalem was so full of stones that it was impracticable to ride, and those who were entering the city were obliged to dismount. When the Pacha (Ibrahim, Bon of Mohammed Ali) approached Jerusalem, it was customary for a considerable number of labourers to go before him, and remove the stones from the way. This was done amidst a constant cry, ' cast up, cast up the way, remove the stones; remove the stones.' And on a placard, or standard, it was written, ' the Pacha is coming;' and every where the cry was heard, ' the Pacha is coming, the Pacha is coming, cast up the way; remove the stones/

15. For thus saith. The design of this verse is, to furnish the assurance that the promise made to the people of God would certainly be accomplished. Ii was not to be presumed that he was bo high and lofty that he did not condescend to notice the affairs of men; but though he in fact dwelt in eternity, Pet he also had his abode in the human

him also pthatis of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive 'the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

heart. Many of the ancient heathens supposed that God was so lofty that he did not condescend to notice human affairs. This was the view of the Epicureans (see Notes on Acts xvii. 18), and the belief extensively prevailed in the Oriental world that God had committed the management of the affairs of men to inferior beings which he had created. This was the basis of ihe Gnostic philosophy. According to this, God reposed far in the distant heavens, and was regardless of the affairs and plans of mortals, and personally unconcerned in the government of this lower world. But the Bible reveals him as a very different Being. True, he is vast and illimitable in his existence and perfections. But at the same time he is the most condescending of all beings. He dwells with men, and he delights in making his abode with the penitent and the contrite. IT The high and lofty One. One MS. reads " Jehovah," before " saith," and Lowth has adopted the reading. But the authority is not sufficient. The sense is, that he who ia here spoken of, is by way of eminence the high and lofty one; the most high and the most exalted being in the universe. He is so far above all creatures of all ranks that it is not needful to specify his name in order to designate him. No one can be compared with him; no one so nearly approaches him that there can be any danger of confounding him with other beings. IT That inhabiteth eternity. Comp. Notes ch. ix. G. Th»» word " eternity" here evidently stands in contrast with the " contrite and humble spirit;" and it seems to be used to denote the elevated place of an eternal dwelling, or heaven. lie dwells not only among men, but he dwells in eternity— where time is unknown — in a world where succession is not marked — and long before the interminable du* rati on was broken in upon by the revo»

16 For rI will not contend for ever, neither will I be always

.utions of years and days. IT Whose name is Holy. See Notes on ch. i. 4, xxx. 11, xli. 14, xliii. 3, 8, 14, xlvii. 4. IT / dwell in the high and holy place. In heaven — uniformly represented as far exalted above the earth, and as the peculiar home or dwelling-place of God. Thus in ch. lxiii. 15, heaven is called the habitation of the holiness and glory of Jehovah. 1T With him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit. The word

" contrite," ^3"!!> means properly that which is broken, crushed, beaten small, trodden down. Here it denotes a soul that is borne down with a sense of sin and umrorthiness; a heart that is, as it were, crushed under a superincumbent weight of guilt. See Ps. xxxiv. 18, exxxviii. 6. T To revive the spirit. Literally, ' to make alive.' The sense is, he imparts spiritual life and comibrt. He is to them what refreshing rains and genial suns and dews are to a drooping plant.

16. For I will not contend for ever. I will not be angry with my people for ever, nor always refuse to pardon and comfort them. See Ps. clii. 9. This is to be regarded as having been primarily addressed to the Jews in their long and painful exile in Babylon. It is, however, couched in general language, and the idea is, that although God would punish his people for their sins, yet his wrath would not be perpetual. If they were his children, he would visit them again in mercy, and would restore to them his favour. IT For the spirit should fail before me. Critics have taken a great deal of pains on this part of the verse, which they suppose to be very obscure. The simple meaning seems to be, that if God should continue in anger against men they would be consumed. The human soul could not endure a long-continued controversy with God. Its powers would fail; its strength decay; it must sink to destruction. As God did not intend this in regard to his rwn people; as he meant that his chas-

wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which 1 have made.

tiscments should not be for their destruction but for their salvation; and as he knew how much they could bear, and how much they needed; he would lighten the burden, and restore them to his favour. And the truth taught here is, that if we are his children we are safe. We may suffer much and long. We may suffer so much that it seems scarcely possible that %vt should endure more. But he knows how much we can bear, and he will remove the load so that we shall not be utterly crushed. A similar sentiment is found in the two following elegant passages of the Psalms, which are evidently parallel to this and express the same idea:

But he being full of compassion, Forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not; Yea many a time turned he his anger away, And did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that thyy were but flesh; A wind that passeth away and returneth not again.— Ps. Ixxviii. 38, 39.

He will not always chide;

Neither will he keep his anger for ever.

Like as a father pitieth his children,

So the Lord piiieth them that tear him.

For he knoweth our frame;

He remembereth that we are dust.

The Hebrew word which is here rendered " should fail," ►j^S, means properly to cover as with a garment; or to envelope with any thing, as darkness. Then it is used in the sense of having the mind covered or muffled up with sorrow; and means to languish, to be faint, or feeble; to fail. Thus it is used in Lam. ii. 11, 12, 19. Ps. lxi. 2 cxlii. 3. Jonah ii. 7. Ps. cvii. 5. Other interpretations of this verse may be seen in Rosenmuller, but the above seems to be the true sense. According to this, it furnishes ground of encouragement and comfort to all the children of God who are afflicted. No sorrow will be sent which they will not be able Ic endure, no calamity which will not be finally for their own good. At the same time it is a passage full of alarm to the sinner. How can he contend for ever with God? How can he straggle ahvay*

17 For the iniquity of his *covctousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on 3frowardly in the way of his heart.

16 1 have seen his ways, and will 'heal him: I will lead him

with the Almighty? And what must be the state in that dreadful world where God shall contend for ever with the soul, and where all its powers shall be crushed beneath the vengeance of his eternal arm!

17. For the iniquity of his covefousncss. The guilt of his avarice; that is, of the Jewish people. The word here tendered " covetousness," 2?2K2, means plunder, rapine, prey; then unjust gains, or lucre from bribes, 1 Sam. vii. 3. Isa. xxxiii. 15; or by any other means. Here the sense is, that one of the prevailing sins of the Jewish people which drew upon them the divine vengeance, was avarice, or the love of gain. Probably this was especially manifest in the readiness with which those who dispensed justice received bribes. Comp. ch. ii. 7. See also Jer. vi. 13: " For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness." IT And smote him. That is, I brought heavy judgments on the Jewish people. IT I hid me. I withdrew the evidences of my presence and the tokens of my favour, and left them to themselves. 1T And he went on frowardly. Marg. " turning away." That is, abandoned by me, the Jewish people declined from my service and sunk deeper into 6in. The idea here is, that if God withdraws from his people, such is their tendency to depravity, that they will wander away from him, and sink deeper in guilt — a truth which is manifest in the experience of individuals as well as of communities and churches.

18. / hate seen his ways. That is, turner his ways of sin, or of repentance. Most probably it means the former; and the idea is, that God had seen how prone hi* ncople were to sin, and that

alsC; and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

19 I create the fruit "of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is fai "off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him.

he would now interpose and correct their proneness to sin against him, and remove from them the judgments which had been brought upon them in consequence of their crimes. TT And will heal him. That is, I will pardon and restore him. Sin in the Scriptures ia often represented as a disease, and pardon and salvation as a healing of the disease. Jer. xxxii. 6. 2 Chron. vii. 14. Ps. xli. 4. Jer. iii. 22, xvii. 4. Hos. xiv. 4. Notes Isa. vi. 10. V And to his mourners. To the pious portion that mourned over their sin; or to the nation which would sigh in their long and painful captivity in Babylon.

19. I create the fruit of the lips. The Chaldee and Syriac render this, " the words of the lips." The " fruit" of the lips is that which the lips produce, that is, words; and the reference here is doubtless to offerings of praise and thanksgiving. See Heb. xiii. 15, where the phrase tcapndg ^zt\iwv, * fruit of the lips' is explained to mean praise. Comp. Hos. xiv. 2, where the expression " we will render the calves of the lips," means that they would offer praise. The sense here is, that God bestowed such blessings as made thanksgiving proper, and thus he ' created the fruit of the lips.' IT Peace, peace. The great subject of the thanksgiving would be peace. The peace here referred to probably had a primary reference to the cessation of the calamities which would soon overwhelm the Jewish nation, and their restoration again to their own land. But the whole strain of the passage also shows that the prophet had a more general truth in his view, and that he refers to that peace which would diffuse joy among all who were far off, and those who were nigh. Paul evidently alludes to this passage in Eph. ii. 14-17