Symmachu3 and the Arabic Saadiaa render it in the same manner. The LXX render it, ' we have been as at the beginning when thou didst not rule over us, neither were we called by thy name;' that is, we have gone back practically to our former heatnen condition, by rejecting thy laws, and by breaking thy covenant. Each of these interpretations makes a consistent sense, but it seems to me that the one which I have expressed above is more in accordance with the Hebrew. IT Thou never barest rule over them. Over our enemies — regarded in the prophetic vision as then in possession of the land. The idea is, that they have come into thy land by violence, and laid waste a nation where they had no right to claim any jurisdiction, and have now no claim to thy protection. T They were not called by thy name. Heb. ' Thy name was not called upon them.' They wew aliens and strangers who had unjustly intruded into the heritage of th Lord.
For an analysis of this chapter, see the Analysis prefixed to ch. lxiii. This chapter is closely con r.ected with that in its design, and should not have been separated from it, This is one ol the man) instances where the division seems to have been made without any intelligent view of the scope oi the sacred writer.
1 Oh *that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest
.1. Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens. That is, in view of the considerations urged in the previous chapter. In view of the fact that the temple is burned up (ver. 11); that the city is desolate; that the land lies waste, and 1hat thine own people are carried cap- tive to a distant land. The phrase ' rend the heavens,' implies a sudden and sublime descent of Jehovah to execute vengeance on his foes, as if hi? heart was full of vengeance, and the firmament were violently rent asunder a' his sudden appearance. It is language
2 As when the 8melting fire burnelh, tne fire causeth the waters 10 boil; to make thy name
properly expressive of a purpose to execute wrath on his foes, rather than to confer blessings on his people. The latter is more appropriately expressed by the heavens being gently opened to make way for the descending blessings. The word here rendered ' rend/ 2^£, means properly to tear asunder, as e. g. the garments in grief. Gen. xxxvii. 29 2 Sam. xiii. 31; or as a wild beast does the breast of any one, Hos. xiii. 8. The LXX, however, render it by a milder word — dvoi^rii — ' If thou wouldst open the heavens,' &c. So the Syriac renders it by '0 that thou wouldst open,' using a word that is usually applied to the opening of a door. God is often represented as coming down from heaven in a sublime manner amidst tempests, fire, and storms, to take vengeance on his foes. Thus Ps. xviii. 9:
He bowed the heavens also and came down; And darkness was under his feet,
Comp. Hab. iii. 5, 6. It should be remembered that the main idea in the passage before us is, that of Jehovah Doming down to destroy his foes. His people entreat him to descend with the proofs of his indignation, so that every obstacle shall be destroyed before him. Thus he is described in Ps. cxliv. 5, 6:
Bow thy heavens, 0 Lord, and come down; Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke; Cast forth lightning, and scatter them Shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.
IT That the mountains mi ght flow down at thy presence. The idea here is, that the presence of Jehovah would be like an intense burning heat, so that the mountains would melt and flow away. It is a most sublime description of his majesty, and is one that is several times employed in the Bible. Thus in relation to his appearance on Mount Sinai, in the song of Deborah (Judges v. 4, 5):
The earth trembled and the heavens dropped, The clouds also dropped water. The m'liintains melted lrom before JEHOVAH, Even Sinai from before JEHOVAH, the God of Israel.
So also in Micah i. 3, 4:
Lo, JEHOVAH cometh forth out of his place, And will come down and tread upon the hicl
places of the earth, And the mountains shall be molten under him, And the valleys shall be cleft, As wax before the fire, And as the waters pour down a precipice.
2. As when the melting fire burnetii. Mo'-g. ' tne fire of meltings.' Lowth renders it, " as when the fire kindleth the dry fuel." So Noyes, " as fire kindleth the dry stubble." The LXX render it, " as wax is melted before the fire,"
So the Syriac renders it. The Hebrew word rendered here in the margin ' meltings,' D^O'Stl, properly means, according to Gesenius, brushwood, twigs. So Saadias renders it. And the true idea here is, that the presence of Jehovah would cause the mountains to melt as a fire consumes light and dry brushwood or stubble. Dr. Jubb supposes that the meaning is, ' as the fire of things smelted burnetii' — an idea which would furnish a striking comparison, but there is much doubt whether the Hebrew will bear that construction. The comparison is a very vivid and sublime one, as it ia in the view given above — that the presence of Jehovah would set on fire the mountains, and cause them to flow down as under the operation of an intense heat. I do not know that there is reas®n to suppose that the prophet had any reference to a volcanic eruption, or that he was acquainted with such a phenomenon— though Syria and Palestine abounded in volcanic appearances, and the country around the Dead Sea is evidently volcanic (see Lyell's Geok-jy, Vol. i. p. 299); but the following description may furnish an illustration of what would be exhibited by the flowing down of the mountains at the presence of Jehovah, and may serve to show the force of the language which the prophet employs in these verses. It is a description of an eruption of Vesuvius in
3 When tnou didst terrible thirds which we looked not for,
ihou earnest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.
4 For csince the beginning of
.779, by Sir William Hamilton. " Jets of liquid lava," says he, " mixed with Stones and scoria;, were thrown up to file height of at least 10,000 feet, having the appearance of a column of fire. The falling matter being nearly as vividly inflamed as that which was continually issuing forth from the crater, formed with it one complete body of fire which could not be less than two miles and a half in breadth, and of the extraordinary height above mentioned, casting a heat to the distance of at least six miles around it." Speaking of the lava which flowed from the mountain, he says, " At the point where it issued from an arched chasm in the side of the mountain, the vivid torrent rushed with the velocity of a flood. It was in perfect fusion, unattended with any scoria? on its surface, or any gross material not in a state of complete solution. It flowed with the translucency of honey, in regular channels cut finer than art can imitate, and glowing with all the splendour of the sun." Lyell's Geology, Vol. i. p. 316, Edit. Phil. 1837. Perhaps there can be conceived no more sublime representation of what was in the mind of the prophet than such an overflowing volcano. It should be observed, however, that Gesenius supposes that the word which is rendered (vs. 1-3) " flow down," Is'S, is derived not from?!3 ndzdl, to flow, to run as liquids do; but from ^\] zaldl, to shake, to tremble, to quake as mountains do in tn earthquake. But it seems to me that the connexion rather demands the former signification, aa the principal element in the figure is fire — and the office of fire is not to cause to tremble, but to burn or melt. The effect here described as illustrative to the presence of God was that produced by intense burning neat. IT The fire causeth the waters to hoil Such an effect was anticipated at the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neitnei hath the eye 9seen, O God, besides thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
the presence of Jehovah. The idea is still that of an intense heat, that should cause all obstacles to be consumed before the presence of the Lord. To illustrate this, the prophet speaks of that whieh is known to be most intense, that which causes water to boil; and the prayer is, that Jehovah would descend in the manner of such intense and glowing fire, in order that all the foes of the people might be destroyed, and all the obstacles to the restoration of his people removed. The exact point of the comparison, as I conceive, is the intensity of the heat, as emblematic of the majesty of Jehovah, and of the certain destruction of his foes IT To make thy name known. By the exhibition of thy majesty and glory.
3. When thou didst terrible things. In delivering the people from Egypt, and in conducting them to the promised land. 1F Which we looked not for. Which we had never before witnessed, and which we had no right to expect. IT Thou earnest down. As on Mount Sinai. IT The mountains flowed down. See Notes above. The reference is to the manifestations of smoke and fire when Jehovah descended on Mount Sinai. See Ex. xix. 18.
4. For since the beginning of the world. This verse is quoted, though not literally, by the Apostle Paul as illustrating the effects of the gospel in producing happiness and salvation. See Notes on 1 Cor. ii. 9. The meaning here is, that nowhere else among men had there been such blessings imparted and such happiness enjoyed; or so many proofs of love and protection, as among those who were the people of God and who feared him. IT Men have not heard. In no nation in all past time have deeds been heard of such as thou hast performed. IT Nor perceived by the ear. Paul (1 Cor. ii. 9) renders this, " neithei have entered into the heart of man,** " which," says Lowth, " is a phrasa
5 Thou 'meetest him that rejoiceth and vvorketh rigliteousness. those that remember thee
purely Hebrew, and which should seem to belong to the prophet." The phrase, " nor perceived by the ear," he says, is repeated without force or propriety, and he seems to suppose that this place has been either wilfully corrupted by the Jews, or that Paul made his quotation from some Apocryphal book — either the ascension of Esaiah, or the Apocalypse of Elias, in both of which the passage is found as quoted by Paul. The phrase is wholly omitted by the LXX and the Arabic, but is found in the Vulgate and Syriac. There is no authority from the Hebrew MSS. to omit it. T Neither hath the eye seen. The margin here undoubtedly expresses the true sense. So Lowth renders it, " nor hath the eye seen a God beside thee which doeth such things for those that trust in him." In a similar manner the LXX translate it, ' neither have our eyes seen a God beside thee — iioi ol d^OaXfiol $/tc5y ci6ji> Qtdv ■t:\r\v aov — and thy works which thou hast done for those who wait for mercy." The sense is, no eye had ever seen such a God as Jehovah; one who so richly rewarded those who put their trust in him. In the Hebrew, the word rendered " O God," may be either in the accusative or vocative case, and the sense is, that Jehovah was a more glorious rewarder and protector than any of the gods which had ever been worshipped by the nations, tf What he hath prepared. Heb. " he doeth," or will do — do' — a noififfcit. The sense given by our translators — 'what he hath prepared,' has been evidently adopted to accommodate the passage to the sense given by Paul (1 Cor. ii. 9), <? tjtoi[ia<isi', k. t. X. — ' What God hag prepared.' But the idea is in the Hebrew not what God has prepared or laid up in the Bense of preserving it for the future; but what he had alreauy done in the past. No god had done what he had; no human being had ever witnessed such
in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, e and we shall be saved.
manifestations from any other god. 1T For him that waiteth for him, Lowth and Noyes, " for him who trusteth in him." Paul renders this, " for them that love him," and it is evident that he did not intend to quote this literally, but meant to give the general sense. The idea in the Hebrew is, ' for him who waits (•"l?^?) for Jehovah,' i. e. who feels his helplessness, and relies on him to interpose and save him. Piety is often represented as an attitude of waiting on God. Ps. xxv. 3, 5, 21, xxvii. 14, xxxvii. 9, exxx. 5. The sense of the whole verse is, that God in his past dealings had given mainfestations of his existence, power, and goodness, to those who were his friends, which had been furnished nowhere else. To those interpositions the suppliant? appeal as a reason why he should again interpose, and why he should save them in their heavy calamities.
5. Thou meetest him. Perhaps there are few verses in the Bible that have given more perplexity to interpreters than this; and after all that has been done, the general impression seems to be that it is wholly inexplicable, or without meaning — as it certainly is in our translation. Noyes says of his own translation of the last member of the verse, " I am not satisfied with this or any other translation of the line which I have seen." Lowth says, " I am fully persuaded that these words as they stand at present in the Hebrew text are utterly unintelligible. There is no doubt of the meaning of each word separately, but put together they make no sense at all. I conclude, therefore, that tha copy has suffered by transcribers in this place." And after proposing an important change in the text, withou' any authority, he says, " perhaps these may not be the very words of the prophet, but, however, it is better than to impose upon him what makes no sense at all, as they generally do who pretcDd t» render such corrupted passages." Arch, feecker, also proposed an important change in the Hebrew text, but there is no good authority in the MSS. it is be-.ieved, for any change. Without repeating what has been said by expositors on the text, I shall endeavour to state what eeems to me to be its probable signification Its general purpose, I think, is clear It is to urge as an argument for God's interposition the fact that he was accustomed to regard with pleasure these who did well; yet to admit that h« xas now justly angry on account of thiir sins, and that they had continued do long in them that they had no hope of being saved but in his mercy. An examination of the words and phrases which occur, will prepare us to present at a single view the probable meaning. The word rendered " thou meetest," ^5?> means probably to strike upon, to impinge; then to fall upon in a hostile manner, to urge in any way as with petitions and prayers; and then to strike a peace or league with any one. See the word explained in the Notes on ch. xlvii. 3. Here it means, as I suppose, to meet for purposes of peace, friendship, protection; that is, it was a characteristic of God that he met sach persons as are described for purposes of kindness and favour; and it expresses the belief of the petitioners that whatever they were suffering, still they had no doubt that it was the character of God to bless the righteous. IT That rejoiccth. This translation evidently does not express the sense of the Hebrew, unless it be understood as meaning that God meets with favour those who rejoice in doing righteousness. So Gesenius translates it, " thou makest peace with him who rejoices to do justice; i. e. with the just and upright man thou art in league, thou delightest in him." So Noyes renders it, " thou art the friend of those who joyfully do righteousness." Lowtk, u thou meetest with joy those who work righteousness." Jerome, " thou meetest him who rejoices and does right." The phrase used, ^J^'^^.j seems to me to mean, ' with joy,' and to denote the geneial habit of God. It was a characteristic of him to meet the just 'with joy,' i. e. joyfully. IT And worketh righteousness. Heb. ' and him that doeth righteousness;' i. e. 'thou art accustomed to meet the just with joy, and him that does right.' It was a pleasure for God to do it, and to impart to them his favours.? Those that remember thee in thy ways. On the word ' remember' used:*n this connexion, see Notes on ch. lxii. G. The idea is, that such persons remembered God in the modes which he had appointed; that is, by prayer, sacrifices, and praise. With such persons he delighted to meet, and such he was ever ready to succour. IT Behold, thou art wroth. This is language of deep feeling on the part of the suppliants. Notwithstanding the mercy of God, and his readiness to meet and bless the just, they could not be ignorant of the fact that he was now angry with them. They were suffering under the tokens of his displeasure; but they were not now disposed to blame him. They felt the utmost assurance that ht was just, whatever they might have endured. It is to be borne in mind, that this is language supposed to be used by the exiles in Babylon, near the close of the captivity; and the evidences that God was angry were to be seen in their heavy sorrows there, in their desolate land, and in the ruins of their prostrate city and temple. See Notes on vs. 10, 11. IT In those is continuance. Lowth has correctly remarked that this conveys no idea. To what does the word "those" refer? No antecedent is mentioned, and expositors have been greatly perplexed with the passage. Lowth, in accordance with his too usual custom, seems to suppose that the text is corrupted, but is not satisfied with any proposed mode of amending it. He renders it, " because of our deeds; for we have been rebellious;" — changing entirely the text — though following substantially the sense of the Septuagint. Noyes renders it, " long doth the punishment endure, until we be delivered;" but expresses, aa has been already remarked, dissatisfaction even with this translation, and with all others which he has seen. Jerome renders it, in ipsis fuimus semper — we
6 But we aie all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all
have always been in ihcm, i. e. in our BU1S. The LXX, Siii rovro trr\avfiOr]ixep, k. r. A. — f* Because of this we wandered, and became all of us as unclean, and all our righteousness as a filthy rag." It eeems to me that the phrase EH3, "in them, or in those," refers to sins understood; and that the word rendered
* continuance," EPI^, is equivalent to a long former period; meaning that their Bins had been of long continuance, or as we would express it, ' we have been always sinners.' It is the language of humble confession, denoting that this had been the characteristic of the nation, and that this was the reason why God was angry at them. IT And we shall be saved. Lowth render this — or rather substitutes a phrase for it — thus, " for we have been rebellious" — amending it wholly by conjecture. But it seems to me that Castellio has given an intelligible and obvious interpretation by regarding it as a question: " Jamdiu peccavimus, et servabimur 1" * Long time have we sinned, and shall we be saved?' That is, we have sinned so long, our offences have been so aggravated, how can we hope to be saved? Is salvation possible for such sinners? It indicates a deep consciousness of guilt, and is language such as is used by all who feel their deep depravity before God. Nothing is more common in conviction for sin, or when suffering under great calamities as a consequence of sin, than to ask the question whether it is possible for such sinners to be Baved. — I have thus given, perhaps at tedious length, my view of this verse, which has so much perplexed commentators. And though the view must be submitted with great diffidence after such a man a9 Lowth has declared it to be without sense as the Hebrew text now stands, and though no important doctrine of religion is involved by the exposition, yet some service is rendered if a plausible and probable interpretation js given to a much disputed passage of
do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have carried us away.
the Sacred Scriptures, and if we are saved from the necessity of supposing a corruption in the Hebrew text.
6. But we are all as an unclean thing. We are all polluted and defiled.
The word here used (^'?^),nKans properly that which is polluted and defiled («) in a Levitical sense; that is, which was regarded as polluted and abominable by the law of Moses (Lev. v. 2, Deut. xiv. 19), and may refer to animals, men, or things; (b) in a moral sense, Job xiv. 4. The sense is, that they regarded themselves as wholly polluted and depraved. IT And all our righteousnesses. The plural form is used to denote the deeds which they had performed— meaning that pollution extended to every individual thing of the numerous acts which they had done. The sense is, that all their prayers, sacrifices, alms, praises, were mingled with pollution, and were worthy only of deep detestation and abhorrence. IT As filthy rags. ' Like a garment of stated times,' t3n^2? — from the root T!? (obsol.) to number, to reckon, to determine; scil. time. No language could convey deeper abhorrence of their deeds of righteousness than this reference — as it is undoubtedly — to the vestis menstruis polluta. " Non est ambigendum," say a Vitringa/'quin vestis E^S? notet linteum aut p annum immundum ex immunditie legali, eundemque foedum aspectu: cujusmodi fuerit inprimis vestis, pannust aut linteum feminee menstruo profluvio laborantis; verisimile est, id potissimum hac phrasi designari. Sic accepit earn Alexandrinus, vertens, wr Routes dnoKadri- [ltvrig — ut pannus sedentis; proprie • ut pannus mulieris languidae et desidentia ex menstruo iraOfipan." Lev. xv. 33, Comp. xx. 18. See Lam. i. 17. IT And we all do fade as a leaf. We are all withered away like d\e leaf of autumn. Our beauty is gone; our strength is fled. Comp. Notes on ch. xl. 6, 7, 1. 30. What a beautiful description this is of the stat«
7 And Hliere is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid *thy face from us, and hast consumed 3us, because 'of our iniquities.
of man! Strength, vigour, comeliness, and beauty thus fade away, and like the u sere and yellow leaf" of autumn fall to the earth. The earth is thus strewed with that which was once comely like the leaves of spring, now falling and decaying like the faded verdure of the forest. IT And our iniquities like the wind. As a tempest sweeps away the leaves of the forest, so have we been swept away by our sins.
7. And there is none that calleth upon thy name. The nation is corrupt and degenerate. None worship God in sincerity. IT That stirreth up himself. The word here used ("H 1*3? HE) refers to the effort which is requisite to rouse one's self when oppressed by a spirit of heavy slumber; and the idea here is, that the nation was sunk in spiritual torpor, and that the same effort was needful to excite it which was requisite to rouse one who had sunk down to deep sleep. How aptly this describes the state of a sinful world! How much disposed is that world to give itself to spiritual slumber! How indisposed to rouse itself to call upon God! No man rises to God without effort; and unless men make an effort for this they fall into the stupidity of sin, just as certainly as a drowsy man sinks back into deep sleep. IT To take hold of thee. The
Hebrew word — P!fJ — means properly to bind fast, to gird tight, and then to make firm or strong, to strengthen; and the idea of strengthening one's self is implied in the use of the word here. It means, that with the consciousness of feebleness we should seek strength in God. This the people referred to by.he prophet were indisposed to do. This tb world at large is indisposed to do. f For thou hast hid thy face. Thou our Father; we mare the clay; and thou our Potte~; and we all are the work of thy hand.
9 Be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither cremember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.
hast withdrawn thy favour from us, as a people, on account of our sins. This is an acknowledgment that one effect of his withdrawing his favour, and one evidence of it waa, that no one was disposed to call upon his name. All had sunk into the deep lethargy of sin. IT And hast consumed us. Marg.
'melted: The Hebrew word, MB, means to melt, to flow down; and hence in Pilel to cause to melt or flow down. It is used to denote the fact that an army or host of men seem to melt away, or become dissolved by fear and terror. Ex. xv. 15. Josh. ii. 9-24. Job xxx. 22 " Thou dissolvest — (^iian) — my substance;" i. e. thou causest me to dissolve before thy indignation. This is described as one of the effects of the wrath of God, that his enemies vanish away, or are dissolved before him. IT Because of our iniquities. Marg. as in Hebrew, " by the hand;" i. e. our iniquities have been the hand, the agent or instrument by which this has been done.
8. But now, 0 Lord, thou art our Father. See Notes ch. lxiii. 16. IT We are the clay. The idea seems to be, that their condition then had been produced by him as clay is moulded by the potter, and that they were to be returned and restored entirely by him — as they had no more power to do it than the clay had to shape itself. The sense is, that they were wholly in his hand a^d at his disposal. See Notes on ch. xxi.t. 16, xlv. 9. IT And thou our Potter. Thou hast power to mould us as the potter does the clay. IT And we all are the work of thy hand. That is, as tha vessel made by the potter is his work. We have been formed by thee, and we are dependent on thee to make us what
10 Thy holy Cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
"1 Our holy and our beautiful
thou wilt have us to be. This whole verse is an acknowledgment of the sovereignty of God. It expresses the feeling which all have when under conviction for sin; and when they are sensible that they are exposed to the divine displeasure for their transgressions. Then they feel that rf they are to be saved, it must be by the mere sovereignty of God; and then they implore his interposition to " mould and guide them at his will."
10. Thy holy cities are a wilderness. It is to be remembered that this is supposed to be spoken near the close of the exile in Babylon. In accordance with the usual custom in this book, Isaiah throws himself forward by prophetic anticipation into that future period, and describes the scene as if it were passing before his eyes. See Introduction, § 7. He uses language such as the exiles would use; he puts arguments into their mouths which it would be proper for them to use; he describes the feelings which they would then have. The phrase, " thy holy cities," may either mean the cities of the holy land— which belonged to God and were " holy," as they pertained to his people; or it may mean, as many critics have supposed, the different parts of Jerusalem. A part of Jerusalem was built on Mount Zion, and was called the ' upper city,' in contradistinction from that built on Mount Acra, which was called the * lower city.' But I th.irvk it more probable that the prophet refers to the c'.ties throughout the land that were laid waste. If Are a wilderness. They were uninhabited, and were lying in ruins. H Zion is a wilderness. On the name Zion, see Notes ch. i. 8. The idea here is, that Jerusalem was laid waste. Its temple was burned; ita palaces destroyed; its houses uninhabited. This is to be regarded as being uttered at the clone of the exile, after Jerusalem had been lying in ruins for seventy years — a time dur-
'house, where our fathers praised thee, is burnt up with fire; and all our pleasant things are laid waste.
ing which any forsaken city Would be in a condition which might not impvopei-ly be called a desert. When Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem, he burnt the temple, broke down the wail, and consumed all the palaces with fire. 2 Chro'n. xxxvi. 19. We have only to conceive wl. *t must have been the state of the city seventy years after this, to see the force of the description here.
11. Our holy and our beautiful house. The temple. It was called " holy," because it was dedicated to the service of God; and "beautiful," on account of its extraordinary magnificence. The original word more properly means glorious. IT Where our fathers praised thee. Few attachments become stronger than that which is formed for a place of worship where our ancestors have long been engaged in the service of God. It was now a great aggravation of their sufferings, that that beautiful place, consecrated by the fact that their forefathers had long there offered praise to God, was lying in ruins. H Is burned up with fire. See 2 Chron. xxxvi. 19. IT And all our pleasant things. All that is precious to us; (Heb.) all the objects of our desire. The reference is to their temple, their homes, their city — to all that was dear to them in their native land. It would be difficult to find a passage any where in the Bible — or out of it — that equals this for tenderness and true pathos. They were an exiled people; long suffering in a distant land with the reflection that their homes were in ruins; their splendid temple long since fired and lying in desolation; the rank grass growing in their streete: and their whole country overrun with wild beasts and with a rank and unsubdued vegetation. To that land they longed to return, and here wish the deepest emotion they plead with God in behalf of their desolate country. The sentiment here is, that we should go to 1 God with deep emotion when his church
12 Wilt thou refrain 'thyself, ror these things, O Lord? wilt
s prostrate, and that then is the time ♦vhen we should use the most tender pleadings, and when our hearts should be melted within us.
12. Wilt thou refrain thyself. Wilt thou refuse to come to our aid? Wilt thou decline to visit us, and save us from our calamities 1 IT Wilt thou hold thy peace. Wilt thou not speak for our rescue, and command us to be delivered? Thus closes this chapter of great tenderness and beauty. It is a model of affectionate and earnest entreaty for the divine interposition in the day of calamity. With such tender and affectionate earnestness may we learn to plead with God! Thus may all his people learn to approach him as a Father; thus feel that they have the inestimable privilege, in times of trial, of making known their wants to the High and Holy One. Thus, when calamity presses on us; when as individuals or as families we are afflicted; or when our country or the church is suffering under long trials, may we go to God and humbly confess our sins, and urge his promises, and take hold of his strength, and plead with him to interpose. Thus pleading, he will hear us; thus presenting our cause, he will interpose to save.
It is generally supposed that this chapter is closely connected in sense with the preceding; and that its object is, to defend the proceedings of God in regard to the Jews, and especially with reference to the complaint in the preceding chapter. If so, it is designed to state the reasons why he haa thus attlicti-d them, and to encourage the pious among them with the expectation of great future irosperity and safety. A general view of the chapter may be obtained by a glance at the following analysis of the. subjects introduced in it.
I. Go I states in general that he had called another people who had not sought him, and extended the blessings of salvation to those who had been strangers to his name. ver. 1. This is evidently intended to show that many of his ancient people would be rejected, and that the blessings of salvation would be extended to others. See Rom. x. 20. In the previous chapter they had plead (ver. 9). that they were '' all " his people; they h*d urged, because their nation had been in covenant with God, that he should interpose and save them. Here an important principle is introduced, that they were nor to be saved of course because they were Jews; and that others would be introduced to his favour who belonged to nations which had not known him, while his ancient covenant people would OQ rejected. The Jews were slow to believe this; and hence Paul says (Rom. x. 20), that Isaiah was
II. God states the true reason why he had punished them, vs. 2—7. It was on account of their Bins. It was not because he was changeable, or was unjrtst in his dealings with them. He had punished them, and he had resolved to reject a large portion of them, though they belonged to his ancient covenant people, on account ot their numerous and deeply aggravated crimes. He specifies particularly,
(a) That they had been a rebellious people, and that he had stretched out his hands to them m vain, inviting them to return, ver. 2.
(6) That they were a people which had constantly provoked him by their idolatries; their abominable sacrifices; and by eating the things which he had forbidden, vs. 3, 4.
(c) That they were eminently proud and self-righteous, saying to others, stand by yourselves, for we are holier than you, ver. 5.
Id) That for these sins God could not but punish them. His law required it, and his justice demanded ihat he should not pass such offences by unnoticed, vs. 6, 7.
III. Yet he said that the wh>>le nation should not be destroyed. His elect would be saved: in accordance with the uniform doctrine of the Scriptures that all the seed of Abraham should not be cut BfT, but that a remnant should be kept to accomplish important purposes in referenceto the salvation &f the world, vs. 8. 9, 10.
IV. Yet the wicked portion of the nation should be cut off, and God by the prophet describes th<!crt&in punishment which awaited them, vs. 11—16.
(b) They would be subjected to hunger and want, while his true servants would have abundance ver. 13.,,..
(c) They would cry in deep sorrow, while his servants would rejoice, ver. 14.
\jl) Their destruction would he a blessing to his people, and the result of their punishment would be to cause his own people to see more fully the value of their icligion, and to prize it mor« ys. 15, 16.
V. Yet there would be future glory and prosperity, siu h as his true people had desired, and «uch as tiiey had nought in iheir prayers; and the chapter concludes with a glowing description of the glory which would biess his church anil people, vs. 17—25.
(a) God would create new heavens and a new earth— far surpassing the former in beauty and glory, ver. 17.
(b) Jerusalem would be made an occasion of rejoicing, ver. 13.
(r) Its prosperity is described as a state of peace, security, and happiness, vs. 19—25.
1. Great age would be attained by its inhabitants, and Jerusalem would be full of venerable and pious old men, ver. 20.
2. They would enjoy the fruit of their own labour without annoyance, vs. 21, 22, 23.
3. Their prayers would be speedily answered— even while they were speaking, ver. 24.
4. The true religion would produce a change on the passions of men as if the nature of wild and ferocious anim;4s were changed, and the wolf and the lamb should feed together. and tho lion should eat straw like the ox. There would be universal security and peace throughout the whole wo Id where the true religion would be spread, ver. 25.
There can be no doabt, I think, that this refers to the times of ihe Messiah. Particular rroof of rtlis will be furnished hi the exposition of the chapter. It is to be regarded, indeed, as well as the previous chapters, as primarily addressed to the exiles in Eabylon, but the mind of the prophet is thrown forward. He looks at future events. He sees a large part of the nation permanently rejected. He sees the Gentiles called to partake of the privileges of the true religion. He sees still a remnant of the ancient Jewish people preserved in all their sufferings, and future glory rise upon them under the Messiah, when a new heavens and a new earth should be created. It is adapted, therefore, not only to comfort the ancient arfhe'-ed people of God, but it contains most important and cheering truth in regard to the final prevalence of the true religion, and the state of the world when the Gospel shall every where prevail.
1 I "am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.
1. I am sought of them that asked not for me. That is, by the Gentiles. So Paul applies it in Rom. x. 20. Lowth translates the word which is rendered, " I am sought," by " I am made known;" Noyes, " I have heard." The LXX render it, i^nvng iyzvr$r\v, — I became manifest. Jerome, " they sought me who had not before inquired for me." The Chaldee, " I am sought in my word by those who had not asked before my face." The Hebrew word, ttj'-i^ means properly to frequent a place; to search or seek; and in Niphal — the form here used — to be sought unto; to grant access to any one; hence to hear and answer prayer. Ezek. xiv. 3, xx. 3 — 31. Here there is not only the idea that he was sought, but that they obtained access to him, for he listened to their supplications. The phrase, " that nsked not for rne," means that they had not been accustomed to worship the true God. The idea is, that those had obtained mercy who had not been accustomed to call upon him. IT / am found of thera. Paul has rendered this (Rom. Jl. SO), euifravhs iytv6jir]v — ' I was made manifest.' The idea is, that they ob-
2 I "have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts.
tained his favour. IT I said, Behold me, behold me. I offered them my favour and invited them to partake of salvation. Paul has omitted this in his quotation. IT Unto a nation. This does not refer to any particular nation, but to people who had never been admitted to favour with God. IF That was not called by my name. See Notes ch. lxiii. 19.
2. / have spread out my hands. To spread out the hands is an action denoting invitation or entreaty. Prov. i. 24. The sense is, that God had invited the Jews constantly to partake of his favours, but they had been rebellious and had rejected his offers. IT All the day. I have not ceased to do it. The Chaldee renders this, " I sent my prophets all the day to a rebellious people." IT Unto a rebellious people. See Notes ch. i. 2. Paul renders this, u unto a disobedient and gainsaying people," — the sense is substantially preserved T Which icalketh. In what way they did this, the prophet specifies in the following verse. This is the general reason why he had rejected them, and why he had resolved to make the effex
3 A people that provoketh pme j to anger continually to my face; | that sacrificeth rin gardens, and j burnetii incense upon 2altars of bricks;
of salvation to the Gentiles. This at first was a reason for the calamities which God had brought upon the nation in the suffering of the exile, but it also contains a general principle of which that was only one specimen. They had been rebellious, and God had brought this calamity upon them. It would be also true in future times that he would reject them and offer salvation to the heathen world, and would be found by those who had never sought for him or called on his name.
3. A people. This verse contains a specification of the reasons why God had rejected them and brought the calamities upon them. IT That provoketh me to anger. That is, by their sins. They give constant occasion for my indignation. IT Continually. ^EFI It is not once merely, but their conduct as a people is constantly such as to excite my displeasure. IT To my face. There is no attempt at concealment. Their abominations are public. It is always regarded as an additional affront when an offence is committed in the very presence of another, and when there is not even the apology that it was supposed he did not see the offender. It is a great aggravation of the guilt of the sinner that his offence is committed in the very presence, and under the very eye of God. IT That sacrificeth in gardens. See Notes ch. i. 29. IT And burnetii incense. On the meaning of the word incense, see Notes ch. i. 13. IT Upon altars of brick. Marg. <l bricks" The Hebrew is simply w upon bricks." The command of God was that the altars for sacrifice should be made of unhewn stone. Ex. xx. 24, 25. But the heathen had altars of a differen description, and the Jews had sacrificed on those a\tars. Some have supposed that fcifl means that the* sacrificed on the
4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments; which eat swine's flesh, and 4 broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
roofs of their houses, which were flat and paved with brick, or tile, or plaster. That altars were constructed sometimes on the roofs of their houses, we know from 2 Kings xxiii. 12, where Josiah is said to have beaten down the " altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the king of Judah had made." But it is not necessary to suppose that such sacrifices are referred to here. They had disobeyed the command of God, which required that the altars should be made only of unhewn stone. They had built other altars, and had joined with the heathen in offering sacrifices thereon. The reason why God forbade that the altar should be of any thing but unhewn stone is not certainly known, and is not necessary to be understood in order to explain this passage. It may have been (1) in order effectually to separate his people from all others — as well in the construction of the altar as in any thing and every thing else; (2) because various inscriptions and carvings were usually made on altars; and as this tended to superstition, God commanded that the chisel should not be used at all in the construction of the altars where his people should worship.
4. Which remain among the graves. That is, evidently for purposes of necromancy and divination. They do it to appear to hold converse with the dead, and to receive communications from them. The idea in necromancy was, that departed spirits must be acquainted with future events, or at least with the secret things of the invisible world where they dwelt, and that certain persons by various arts could become intimate with them, or "familiar" with them, and by obtaining their secrets be able to communicate important truths to the lining. It seems to l^ave been supposed that this acquaintance might be increased by lodging in the tombs and among the monuments, that they might thus be near to the dead, and have more intimate communion with them. Comp. Notes on ch. viii. 19, 20. It is to be recollected that tombs among the ancients, and especially in oriental countries, were commonly excavations from the sides of hills, or frequently were large caves. Such places would furnish spacious lodgings for -those who chose to reside there, and were in fact often resorted to by those who had no homes, and by robbers. See Matt. viii. 28. Mark v. 3. IT And lodge in the monuments. Evidently for some purpose of superstition and idolatry. There is, however, some considerable variety in the exposition of the word here rendered " monuments," as well as in regard to the whole passage. The word rendered " lodge," n}*fyi, means properly to pass the night, and refers not to a permanent dwelling in any place, but to remaining over night; and the probability is, that they went to the places referred to, to sleep — in order that they might receive communications in their dreams from idols, by being near them, or in order that they might have communication with departed spirits. The is derived from ^j natzar to watch, to guard, to keep; then to keep from view, to hide — and means properly hidden recesses; dark and obscure retreats. It may be applied either to the adyta or secret places of heathen temples where their oracles were consulted and many of their rites were performed; or it may be applied to sepulchral caverns, the dark and hidden places where the dead were buried. The LXX render it, * they sleep in tombs and in caves (iv roXi cnri\aioi<;) for the purpose of dreaming"— 6ui tvvTTvia; — in allusion to the custom of sleeping in the temples, or near the oraeles of their gods, for the purpose of obtaining from them communications by dreams. This custom is not unfi-equently alluded to by the ancient writers. An instance of this kind, occurs in Virgil:
hue dona saeero'os
Cum tuJit, et caesarum ovium sub nocte silenti Pellibus incubuit stratis, somnosque petivit: Multa modis simulacra videtvoiilantia miris, Et varias audit treses, iruiturque Dcorum, Colloquio, Liquc ht-s Acheronta afiatur Averni* JEiieid vii. 66— i)l
" Here in distress the Italian nations come, Anxious to clear their doul.es and earn thci!
doom; First on the fleeces of the slaughtered sheep, By night the sacred priest dissolves in sleep; When in a train before his slumbering eye, Their airy forms and wondrous visions *ly: He calls the powers who guard the infernal Hood* And talks inspired familiar with the gods."— Pitt
In the temples of Serapis and iEsculapius, it was common for the sick and infirm who came there to be cured to sleep there, with the belief that the proper remedy would be communicated by dreams. The following places may also be referred to as illustrating this custom. Pausan. Phoc. 31; Cic. Divin. i. 43; Strabo vi. 3, § 9; S. H. Meibom. de incubatione in fanis Deorum olim facta. Hehnst. 1659, 4. Lowth and Noyes render it, " in caverns." The Chaldee renders it," who dwelt in houses which are built of the dust of sepulchres, and abide with the dead bodies of dead men." There can be no doubt that the prophet here alludes to some such custom of sleeping in the tombs for the alleged purpose of conversing with the dead, or in temples for the purpose of communion with the idols by dreams, or with the expectation that they would receive responses by dreams. Comp. Notes on ch. xiv. 9. V Which cat swine's flesh. This was expressly forbidden by the Jewish law (Lev. xi. 7), and is held in abomination by the Jews now. Yet the flesh of the swine was freely eaten by the heathen, and when the Jews conformed to their customs in other respects, they doubtless forgot also the law commanding a distinction to be made in meats. Antiochus Epiphanes compelled the Jews tc eat swine's flesh as a token of their submission, and of their renouncing their religion. The case of Eleazer, who chose to die as a martyr, rathei than give such a proof that he had renounced his religion, and who preferred death rather than to dissemble, is recorded in 2 Mace. vi. 19-31. See also 'he affecting case of the mother and her ueven suns who all died in a similar manner, in 2 Mace. vii. Yet it seems that in the time of Isaiah they had no cuch devotedness to their national religion. They freely conformed to the nation? around them, and thus gave publi) demonstration that they disregards: the commands of Jehovah. It is also to be observed that swine were often sacrificed by the heathen, and were eaten in their feasts in honour of idols. The crime here referred to, therefore, was not merely that of partaking ti the flesh, but it was that of joining wi'.h the heathen in idolatrous sacrifices. Thus Ovid says:
Prima Ceres avidae gavisa est sanguine porcse, Ulta suas merita caide nocentis opes.
Hie porcum Laribus—.
Thus Varro (Lib. ii. de Re Rustic, c.4, p. 162), says, " the swine is called in Greek vs (formerly Qvs), and was so called from the word which signifies to sacrifice (Bvsiv), for the swine seems first to have been used in sacrifices. Of this custom we have vestiges in the fact that the first sacrifices to Ceres are of the swine; and that in the beginning of peace when a treaty is made a hog is sacrificed; and that in the beginning of marriage-contracts in Etruria, the new wife and the new husband first sacrifice a hog. The primitive Latins, and also the Greeks in Italy, seem to have done the same thing." Spencer (de Legi. Hebrae. Lib. i. cap. vii. p. 137, Ed. Tubing. 1732), supposes that this was done often in caves and dark recesses, and that the prophet refers to this custom here. If this view be correct, then the offence consisted not merely in eating swine's flesh, but in eating it in connexion with sacrifices, or joining with the heathen in their idolatrous worship. 1F And broth of abominable things. Margin, " pieces. " Lowth lays that this was for " lustrations, magical arts, and other superstitious and abominable practices." The word here rendered " broth," and in the margin * pieces; P^B> is derived from the verb
P1B pardk, to break (whence tht Lati* frango, the Goth, brikan; the Germ breoken; and the English break), and means that which is broken, or a fragment; and hence broth or soup, from the fragments or crumbs of bread over which the broth is poured. The LXX render this, " and all their vessels are polluted." It is not improbable that the broth or soup here used was in some way employed in arts of incant.it:' en or necromancy. Comp. Shakspeare's account of the witches in Macbeth:
2. Witch. Killing swine. Act. Scene 3. lice. Your vessels and your spells provide,
Your charms and every tiling beside. Actiii. Scene 5. 1. Witch. Round about the caldron go,
In the poisoned entrails throw, Toad that under the cold stone, Days and nights hath thirty-one, Fillet of a finny snake, In the caldron boil and bake, Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adder's fork, and blind worm's stinj. Lizard's leg, and howlet's wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
It seems probable that some such magical incantations were used in the time of Isaiah. Such things are known to have been practised in regions of idolatry. See Marco Polo de region. Orient. L. iii. c. 24. " When the priests of the idol," says he, " wish to engage in sacred things, they call the consecrated girls, and with them, in the presence of the idols, they engage in the dance, and sing aloud. These girls bear with them vessels of food, which they place on the table before the idols, and they entreat the gods to eat of the food, and particularly they pour out broth made of flesh before them, that they may appease them." The whole scene here described by the prophet is one connected with idolatry and magical incantations, and the prophet means to rebuke them for having forsaken God and fallen into all the abominable and stupid arts of idolaters. It was not merely that they had eaten the flesh of swine, or that they had made broth of unclean mea's — which would have been minor, though real offences — it was that they had fallen into all the abominable practicel connected with idolatry and necromancy.
<# Which say, Stand by thy- Reii* come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are
5. Which say, stand by thyself. Who at the time that they engage in these abominations are distinguished for spiritual pride. The most worthless men are commonly the most proud; and they who have wandered farthest from God nave in general the most exalted idea of their own goodness. It was a characteristic of a large part of the Jewish nation, and especially of the Pharisees, to be self-righteous and proud. A striking illustration of this we have in the following description of the Hindoo Yogees, by Roberts. " Those men are so isolated by their superstition and penances, that they hold but little intercourse with the rest of mankind. They wander about in the dark in the place of burning the dead, or 'among the graves;' there they affect to hold converse with evil and other spirits; and there they pretend to receive intimations respecting the destinies of others. They will eat things which are religiously clean or unclean; they neither wash their bodies, nor comb their hair, nor cut their nails, nor wear clothes. They are counted to be most holy among the people, and are looked upon as beings of another world." T These are a smoke in my nose. Marg. *' anger." The word rendered nose, f]X» means Bometimes nose (Num. xi. 20, Job xl. 24), and sometimes anger — because anger is evinced by hard breathing. The LXX render this, " this is the smoke of my anger." But the correct idea is, probably, that their conduct was offensive to God, as smoke is unpleasant or painful in the nostrils; or as smoke excites irritation when breathed, so their conduct excited displeasure. Rosenmtiller. Or it may mean, as Lowth euggests, that their conduct kindled a Einoke and a fire in h'.s nose as the emblems of his wrath. There is probably an allusion to their sacrifices here. The smoke of their sacrifices constantly ascending was unpleasant and provoking
6 Behold, it is written before me; I will not keep silence, but
to God. H A fire that burneth all tK day. The idea here probably is, thai their conduct kindled a fire of indigna* tion that was continually breathed out upon them. A similar figure occurs in Deut. xxxii. 22, " for a fire is kindled in mine anger" — or in my nose — ">3X3 —
" and shall burn unto the lowest hell *" So in Ps. xviii. 8:
There went up a smoke out of his nostrila. And fire out oi his mouth devoured:
6. Behold, it is written before me. That is, the crimes of which they had been guilty, or the sentence which would be consequent thereon. The allusion is to the custom of having the decrees of kings recorded in a volume or on a table and kept in their presence, so that they might be seen and not forgotten. An allusion to this custom of opening the books containing a record of this kind on trials, occurs in Dan. vii. 10, " The judgment was set, and the books were opened." So also Rev. xx. 12, " And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works." So here. An impartial record had been made, and God would recompense them according to their deeds. IT I will not keep silence. Nothing shall compel me to desist from declaring a sentence which shall be just and right. IF But will recompense, even recompense. That is, I will certainly requite them. The word is repeated in accordance with the usual manner in Hebrew to denote emphasis. IT Intt their bosom. See Ps. lxxix. 12. Jer. xxxii. 18. Luke vi. 38. The word bosom, here refers to a custom among the Orientals of making the bosom or front of their garments large and iooso so that, articles tould be carried in thena.
7 Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the Lord, which have burnt incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their
answering the purpose of our pockets. Comp. Ex. iv. 6, 7. Prov. vi. 27. The Bense here is, that God would abundantly punish them for their sins.
7. Your iniquities. Their idolatry and their forsaking God, and their arts of necromancy. IT And the iniquities of your fathers together. The consequences of your own sins, and of the long defection of the nation from virtue and pure religion, shall come rushing upon you like accumulated floods. This is in accordance with the Scripture doctrine every where, that the consequences of the sins of ancestors pass over and visit their posterity. See Ex. xx. 5, xxxiv. 7. Job xxi. 19, Num. xiv. 18. Luke xi. 50, 51. See Notes on Rom. v. 19. The case here was, that the nation had been characteristically prone to wander from God and to fall into idolatry. Crime had thus been accumulating, like pent-up waters, for ages, and now it swept away every barrier. So crime often accumulates in a nation. Age after age rolls on, and it is unpunished until it breaks over every obstacle, and all that is valuable and happy is swept suddenly away. 1T Which have burnt incense upon the mountains. Notes ver. 3. IT And blasphemed me upon the hills. That is, they have dishonoured me by worshipping idols, and by denying me in that public manner. Idols were usually worshipped on high places. 1T Will I measure their former work. I will recompense them; [ will pour the reward of their work or pf their doing3 into their bosom.
8. Thus saith the Lord. This verse is designed to keep their minds from Utter despair, and to assure them that they should not be utterly destroyed, lee the analysis of the chapter. IT As
8 Thus saith the Lord, As th<j new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes,that I may not destroy them all.
9 And I will bring forth a seed
the new wine. The Hebrew word _iere used, ttJIVFl, means properly must or new wine. See Notes ch. xxiv. 7. The LXX render it here 6 pw£, a grain or berry; meaning probably a good grape. The Chaldee renders it, " as Noah wa3 found pure in the generation of the deluge, and 1 said I would not destroy them, that I might raise up a generation from him, so will I do on account of my servants, that I may not destroy all." Jerome renders it granum — a kernel, or berry. IT Is found in the cluster. Expositors have differed in the interpretation of this passage. The true image* seems to be taken from collecting grapes when a large part of them were in some way damaged or spoiled — either by the quality of the vine, or by a bad season, or by having been gathered too early, or being suffered to remain too long in a heap. In such a case the vine-dresser would be ready to throw them away. But in the mass he would find a few that were ripe and good. While he was throwing away the mass, some one would say that a part was good, and would entreat him not to destroy it. So with the Jews. The mass was corrupt, and was to be cut off. But still a portion should be left. This is in accordance with the doctrine every where occurring in Isaiah and elsewhere in the Scriptures, that the whole Jewish nation should not be cut off, but that a remnant should be preserved. See Notes ch. vi. 13, comp ch. i. 9, vii. 3, x. 21, xi. 11- 1G. 1T For a blessing. That which ia regarded as a blessing; that is, wine. Comp. J^ges ix. 13. IT So will I do. The whole nation shall not be cat off, but a remnant shall be kept and paved. 9. And I toill bring forth a seed I will give descendants to Jacob, wb*
out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect 2shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.
10 And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor n place for the herds to lie down
shall share my favour and repossess the land. IT An inheritor of my mountains. The mountains of Palestine — Jerusalem and the vicinity — called the mountains of God because he claimed that land as his peculiar residence, and the place where his holy religion was established. IT And mine elect. They who have been chosen by me to maintain my religion in the world.
10. And Sharon. Sharon was properly a district south of Mount Carmel, along the coast of the Mediterranean, and extending from Casarea to Joppa. In the Scripture, this is almost a proverbial name to denote extraordinary beauty and fertility. See Notes on ch. xxx. 9, xxxii. 5. IT Shall be a fold of flocks. At the time contemplated here by the prophet — the close of the exile — that whole country would have lain waste about seventy years. Of course, during that long period it would be spread over with a wild luxuriance of trees and shrubs. Once it was celebrated pasture-ground, and was exceedingly beautiful as a place for flocks and herds. Such a place it would be again when the exiles should return, and cultivate their native land. The following description of Sharon in the spring of 1824, by the Rev. Mr. Thompson, an American Missionary, will give an idea of the natural appearance of that part of Palestine. The view taken was from a high tower in Ramla. " The whole valley of Sharon, from the mountains of Jerusalem to the sea, and from the foot of Carmel to the hills of Gaza, is Bpread before you like a painted map, and is extremely beautiful, especially at evening, when the last rays of the setting iun gild the distant mountain-tops, the weary husbandman returns from his lain, for my people that have sought me.
11 But ye are they that fo* sake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that 'troop, and that furnish the drink-offering unto thai 2number.
bour, and the bleating flocks come frisking and joyful to their fold. At such a time I saw it, and lingered long in pensive meditation until the stars looked out from the sky, and the cool breezes of evening began to shed soft dews on the feverish land. What a paradise was here when Solomon reigned in Jerusalem, and sang of the roses of Sharon.'" IT And the valley of Achor. This was a valley near to Jericho, and was distinguished as the place where Achan was put to death by stoning. Josh. vii. 24, xv. 7. Hos. ii. 15. The word Achor,
"*'*-!^» means properly causing affliction, and the name was probably given to that valley from the trouble or affliction which was there caused to the Israelites from the sin of Achan. The phrase, " the valley of Achor," would probably thence become a proverbial expression to denote that which caused trouble of any kind. And the sense here probably is, that that which had been to the nation a source of calamity should become a source of blessing — as if a place distinguished for causing trouble should become as celebrated for producing happiness. As that valley had been a source of great trouble on their first entering into the land of Canaan, so it would become a place of great exultation, peace, and joy, on their return from their exile. They would naturally enter Canaan near to that valley, and the place which to them had been once the occasion of sc much distress, would be found a quiet and peaceful place where their herds might lie down in safety. Comp. Hos. ii. 15.
11. But ye are tliey that forsake the Lord. Or rather, ' ye who forsake Js« hovah, and who forget my holy mountain, I will number to the sword.' Tb# design of this verse is to remind them of their idolatries, and to assure them that they should not escape unpunished. IT That forget my holy mountain. Mount Moriah, the sacred mountain on which the temple was built. IF That prepare a table. It was usual to set food and drink before idols — with the belief that the gods consumed what was thus placed before them. See Notes on ver. 4. The meaning here is, that the Jews had united with the heathen in thus ' preparing a table;' that is, setting it before the idols rererred to, and placing food on it for them. IT For that troop. Marg. Gad. Perhaps there is nowhere a more unhappy translation than this. It has been made evidently because our translators were not aware of the true meaning of the word, and did not seem to understand that it referred to idolatry. The translation seems to have been adopted with some reference to the paronomasia occurring in Gen. xlix. 19; " Gad, a troop shall overcome word Gad has some resemblance to the word rendered troop. The word Gad itself, however, never means troop, and evidently should not be so rendered here. Much has been written on this place, and the views of the learned concerning Gad and Meni are very various and uncertain. Those who are disposed to examine the subject at length, may consult Rosenmuller, Vitringa, and Gesenius on the passage; and also the following works. On this passage the reader may consult the Dissertation of David Mills, de Gad et Meni, and also the Dissertation of Jo. Goth. Lakemacher, de Gad et Meni, both of which are to be found in Ugolin, Thesau. Ant. Sac. Tom. xxiii. pp. 671-718, where the subject is examined at length. Mills supposes that the names Gad and Meni are two names for the moon — sidus bonum, and unvn mine. He remarks that " on account of the power which the moon is supposed to exert river sublunary things, it was often called the goddess Fortune. It is certain that.he Egyptians by Tv%ji (Fortune), which ihcy numbered among the gods who *ere present at the birth of man, understood the moon." Among the Arabian and Persians tne moon is said to have been denominated sidus felix et fansturn, the happy and propitious star. See RosenmiiUer in loc. Lakemachei supposes that two idols are meant— Hecate and Mana. Vitringa and Rosenmuller suppose that the buii and moon are intended. Grotius supposes that the name Gad means the same as the goddess Fortune which was worshipped by the Hebrews, Chaldeans, and Arabians; and that Meni means a divinity of that name which Strabo says was worshipped in Armenia and Phrygia. Other opinions may be seen in Vitringa. That two idols are intended here there can be no doubt. For, (1.) The circumstance mentioned of their preparing a table for them, and pouring out a drink-ofTering, is expressive of idolatry. (2.) The connexion implies this, as the reproof in this chapter is to a considerable extent for their idolatry. (3.) The universal opinion of expositors, though they have varied in regard to tl*e idols intended, proves this. Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and the Rabbins generally suppose that by Gad the planet Jupiter was intended, which they say was worshipped throughout the East as the god of fortune, and this is now the prevalent opinion. The word "*3 Gad, says Gesenius, means fortune, especially the god Fortune which was worshipped in Babylon. He supposes that it was the same idol which was also called Baal or Bel (comp. Notes ch. xlvi. 1), and that by this name the planet Jupiter — Stella Jovis — was intended, which was regarded throughout the East as the genius and giver of good fortune, hence called by the Arabians bona for tuna major — ' the greater good fortune.' The word Meni, on the other hand, Geseniufi supposes to denote the planet Venu?, called in the East bona foriuna mitwt' — ' the lesser good fortune. The Vulgate renders this, Fortunes — to fortune The LXX, rw tiaifioviM — to a demon, though in the corresponding member Meni is rendered by rjf ru^i? — to Fortune, and it is possible that the order of the words has been inverted, and that they meant to render the word Gad b*
12 Therefore dwill I number rou to the sword, and ye shall all
Fortune. The Chaldee renders it simply* "pSJttb t° idols. It is agreed on all nands that some idol is here referred to that was extensively worshipped in the East; and the general impression is, that it was an idol representing Fortune. But whether it was the Sun, or the planet Jupiter, is not easy to determine. That it was customary to place a table before the idol has been already remarked, and is expressly affirmed by Jerome. " In all cities," says he, " and especially in Egypt, and in Alexandria, it was an ancient custom of idolatry, that on the last day of the year, and of the lae* month, they placed a table filled with kod of various kinds, and a cup containing wine and honey mixed together— poculum mulso mistinn — either as an expression of thankfulness for the fertility of the past year, or invoking fertility for the coming year." Thus Herodotus also describes the celebrated table of the sun in Ethiopia. " What they call the table of the sun was this: A plain in the vicinity of the city was filled to the height "of four feet with roasted flesh of all kinds of animals, which was carried there in the night under the inspection of magistrates; during the day, whoever pleased was at liberty to go and satisfy his hunger. The natives of the place affirm that the earth spontaneously produces all these viands; this, however, is what they call the table of the sun." Book iii. 18. IT And that furnish the drink-offering. In all ancient worship, it was customary to pour out a libation, or a drink-offering. This was done among idolaters, to complete the idea of a repast. As they placed food before the idols, so they also poured out wine before them, with the idea of propitiating them. See Notes onch. lvii. 6. IT To that number. Marg. Meni. The phrase, " to that number" evidently conveys no idea, and j it would have been much better to have retained the name Meni, without any attempt to translate it. The rendering, ' to that number" was adopted because the word "^ me.nl, is derived from ^373 mana, to allot, to appoint, to number. Various opinions also have been entertained in regard to this. Rosenmiiller and many others suppose that the moon is intended, and it has been supposed that the name Meni was given to that luminary because it numbered the months, or divided the time. Bynams and David Mills have endeavoured to demonstrate that this was the moon, and that this was extensively worshipped in Eastern nations. Vitringa supposes that it was the same deity which was worshipped by the Syrians and Philistines by the name of Astartc, or Ashtaroth as it is called in the Scripture; or as oipavtrfs, the queen of heaven; and if the name Gad be supposed to represent the sun, the name Meni will doubtless represent the moon. The goddess Ashtaroth or Astarte, was a goddess of the Sidonians, and was much worshipped in Syria and Phoenicia. Solomon introduced her worship into Jerusalem. 1 Kings xi. 33. Three hundred priests were constantly employed in her service at Hierapolis in Syria. She was called " the queen of heaven;" and is usually mentioned in connexion with Baal. Gesenius supposes that the planet Venus is intended, regarded as the source of good fortune, and worshipped extensively in connexion with the planet Jupiter, especially in the regions of Babylonia. It seems to be agreed that the word refers to the worship of either the moon or the planet Venu3, regarded as the goddess of good fortune. It is not very material which is intended, nor is it easy to determine. The works referred to above may be consulted for a more full examination of the subject than is consistent with the design of tihese Notes. The leading idea of th« prophet ■$, that they v/ere deeply sunken and debased in thus forsaking Jehovahand endeavouring to propitiate the fa« vour of idol gods.
cause when f I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did Hot hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.
13 Therefore thus saith the
allusion here to the idol Meni mentioned in ver. 11, and a play upon the name, in accordance with a custom quite common in the sacred Scriptures. The word T^STS mdnithi, " I will number," is derived from f$3 rnana, the same word from which 7'MS mini is derived. The idea is, since they worshipped a god whose name denoted number — perhaps one who was supposed to number or appoint the fates of men — God would number them. He would determine their destiny. It would not be done by any idol that was supposed to preside over the destiny of men; not by blind fate, or by any one of the heavenly bodies, but it would be by an intelligent and holy God. And this numbering ox determining their lots would not be in accordance with their expectations, imparting to them a happy fortune, but would be devoting them to the sword, that is, to destruction. The allusion is, probably, to the calamities which God afterwards brought on them by the invasion of the Chaldeans. IT And ye shall all bow down to the slaughter. This is evidently strong, and probably hyperbolic language, meaning that a large portion of the nation would be cut off by the sword. The allusion here is, I think, to the slaughter of the Jewish people in the invasion of the Chaldeans. The evil of idolatry prevailed in the time of Isaiah under the reign of Manasse*<, and in the time of Zedekiah it had increased so much even in Jerusalem that it was said, " all the chief priests, and the people, transgressed very much af.er all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.... And they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, fcnd misused his prophets, until the
Lord God, Beheld, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall reioice, but ya shall be ashamed:
wrath of the Lord arose against hia people, till there was no remedy. Therefore, he brought upon them the king of the Chaldeans, who slew their young men with the sword ir. the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man or him that stooped for age; he gave them all into their hand." 2 Chron. xxxvi. 14, 16, 17. It is possible also that this is intended to express a more general truth, and to intimate that when hia people forsake him he will punish them; but the primary reference.it is probable, was to the slaughter caused by the Babylonians when they destroyed Jerusalem. IT Because when I called. When I called you by the prophets to repentance and to my service. See Prov. i. 24, seq. IT Ye did not answer. You showed the same disregard and contempt which a child does who suffers a parent to call him, and who pays no attention to it. One of the chief aggravations of human guilt is, that the sinner pays no attention to the calls of God. He pretends not to hear; or he hears to disregard it. No more decided contempt can be shown to the Almighty; no deeper proof of the stupidity and guilt of men can be furnished. IT But did evil before mine eyes. See Notes on ver. 3.
13. Therefore thus saith the Lord God. The design of this verse is, to show what would be the difference between those who kept, and those who forsook his commandments. The one would be objects of his favour, and have abundance; the other would be objects of his displeasure, and be subjected to the evils of poverty, grief, and want, IT My servants shall eat. Shall have abundance. They shall be objects of my favour. IT But ye. Ye who revolt from me, and who worship idoia.
14 Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye 'shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for 'vexation of spirit.
15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse "unto my chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:
IT Shall be hungry. Shall be subjected to the evils of want. The idea is, that the one should partake of his favour; the other should be punished.
14. Shall sing for joy of heart. They who serve me shall have abundant occasion of rejoicing. IT But ye — shall howl. You shall shriek under the anguish and distress that shall come upon you. IF For vexation of spirit. Margin as in the Hebrew, " breaking." That is, your spirit shall be broken and crushed under the weight of the calamities that shall come upon you.
15. And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen. To my people; to those whom I have selected to be my friends. The word here rendered " curse," ns^ntiJ, means properly an oath, or a swearing; and then an imprecation or a curse. See Num. v. 21. Dan. ix. 11. The sense here seems to be, that their punishment would be so great that it would become the subject of imprecation when others wished to bind themselves in the most solemn manner by an oath. The pious, who wished to confirm a promise or a covenant in the most solemn manner, would itay, ' If we do not perform the promise,:hen let us experience the same punishment at the hand of God which they have done.' Comp. Jer. xxix. 22. Or it may mean, that their name would be used proverbially, like that of Sodom, as * signal example of wickedness and of the abhorrence of God. 11 And call his servants by another name. So disgraceful and dishonourable shall be that name, that Jehovah will apply another name to his people. Is there not an allusion here to the designed change of
16 That he who blesseth himself in the earth, shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth 6in the earth, shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are for gotten; and because they are hid from mine eyes.
the name by which the people of God are known? Has it not beea by the special providence of God that hi3 true people are now known by another appellation? Is there any name on earth now that is more the subject of reproach and execration than all the appellations by which his ancient people were known? The name Jew — what idea does it convey to all the nations of the earth 1 It is connected with reproach: a name regarded as belonging to a people accursed by God; a name more universally detested than any other known among men. And was it not because this name would be thus dishonoured, reproached, and despised, that another was given to the true people of God — the name Christian — an honoured name — denoting true attachment to the Messiah?
16. That he who blcsseth himself in the earth. That is, he who shall invoke blessings on himself. IT Shall bless himself in the God of truth. Or by the true God. He shall not seek & blessing from a false god; but he shall come before the true God and seek a blessing at his hand. IT And he thai sweareth. Every oath that is taken in the land shall be by the true God. There shall be no swearing by idols, but the true God shall be every where acknowledged. T Because the former troubles are forgotten. The former punishments and calamities shall be passed away. The favour of God shall be restored. His pure worship shall be re-established, and his name shalj be celebrated again in the land. The image here is one of returning prosperity and favour; a state when the happines* will be so great that all the former tri
17 For behold, I create new aheavcns, and a new earth: and he former shall not be remembered, nor come 2into mind.
17. For behold. The idea in this verse is, that there should be a state of glory as great as if a new heaven and a new earth were to be made. IT I create new heavens. Calamity and punishment in the Bible are often represented by the heavens growing dark, and being rolled up a*3 a scroll, or passing away. See Notes on ch. xiii. 10, xxxiv. 4. On the contrary, prosperity, happiness, and the divine favour are represented by the clearing up of a cloudy sky; by the restoration of the serene and pure light of the sun; or, as here, by the creation of new heavens. Comp. Notes on ch. li. 16. The figure of great transformations in material things is one that is often employed in the Scriptures, and especially in Isaiah, to denote great spiritual changes. See ch. xi., li. 3, xxxv. 1, 2, 7, Ix. 13, 17. In the New Testament, the phrase here used is employed to denote the future state of the righteous, but whether on earth, after it shall have been purified bv fire, or in heaven, has been a subject of great difference of opinion. See 2 Peter iii. 13. Rev. xxi. 1. The passage before us is highly poetical, and we are not required to understand it literally. There is, so far as *he language is concerned, no more reason for understanding this literally, than there is for so understanding the numerous declarations which affirm that the brute creation will undergo a change in their very nature, on the introduction of the gospel (ch. xi.); and all that the language necessarily implies is, that there would be changes in the condition of the people of God as great as if the heavens, overcast with clouds and subject to storms, should be re-created so as to become always mild and serene, or as if the earth, so barren in many places, should become universally fertile *nd beautiful. The immediate reference
18 But be ye gkd and rejoice cfor ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem £ rejoicing, and her people a joy.
here is, doubtless, to the land of Palestine, and to the important changes which would be produced there on the return of the exiles; but it cannot be doubted that under this imagery there was couched a reference to far more important changes and blessings in future times under the Messiah; — changes aa great as if a barren and sterile world should become universally becutiful and fertile. IF For the former shall not be remembered. That is, that which shall be created shall be so superior in beauty as entirely to eclipse the former. The sense is, that the future condition of the people of God would be as superior to what it was in ancient times, as would be a newly created earth and heaven superior in beauty to this — where the heavens are so often obscured by clouds, and where the earth is so extensively desolate or barren. IT Nor come into mind. Marg. as in the Hebrew, " vpon the heart." That is, it shall not be thought of; it shall be wholly forgotten. On this verse comp. Notes ch. li. 16.
18. But be ye glad and rejoice. See Notes on ch. li. 11. IT For ever. It is not to be momentary happiness — like a bright morning that is soon overcast with clouds. The joy of God's people is to endure for ever, and they shall have ceaseless cause of praise and thanksgiving. 1T / create Jerusalem a rejoicing. A source of rejoicing; or a place of rejoicing, T And her people a joy. That is, in themselves joyful, and a source of joy to all others. The idea is that the church would be a place of the highest happiness, and that they who were redeemed would have occa. sion of perpetual joy. The Saviour did not come to minister gloom, nor is the true effect of religion to make his peo« pie melancholy. Religion produces seriousness; but seriousness is not inconsistent, with permanent happiness. Religion produces deep thought and sober
19 And el ivill rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping 'shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
r^ess of deportment and conversation; but this is not inconsistent with a heart at ease, or with a good conscience, or with permanent joy. Religion fills the mind with hope of eternal life; and the highest happiness which the soul can know must be in connexion with the prospect of unchanging blessedness beyond the grave.
19. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem- See Notes on ch. lxii. 5. IT And the voice of weeping shall no more be heard. See Notes on ch. xxv. 7, 8.
20. There shall he no more thence. The LXX, the Syriac, and the Vulgate read this, * there shall not be there.' The change requires the omission of a single letter in the present Hebrew text, and the sense seems to demand it. The design of the prophet here is, to describe the times of happiness and prosperity which would succeed the calamities under which the nation had been suffering. This he does by a great variety of images, all denoting substantially the same thing. In ver. 17, the change is represented to be as great as if a new heaven and a new earth should be created; in this verse the image is, that the inhabitants would reach a great age, and that the comparatively happy times of the patriarchs would be restored; in ver. 21, the image is taken from the perfect security in their plans of labour, and the fact that they would enjoy the fruit of their toil; in ver. 25, the image employed is that taken from the change in the nature of the animal creation. All these are poetic images designed as illustrations of the general iruth, and like other poetic images they are not to be taken literally. *ir An infant of days. A child; a sucking child. So the Hebrew word, ^ir$, denotes. The LXX rende* it, ' nor shall
thence an infant of day*?, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the dinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
there be there any more an untimely birth' — jicopos — * and an old man who has not filled up his time.' The idea is not that there should be no infant in those future times — which would be an idea so absurd that a prophet would not use it even in poetic fiction — but that there will not be an infant who shall not fill up his days, or who will be short-lived. All shall live long, and all shall be blessed with health, and continual vigour and youth. H Nor an old man that hath not filled his days. They shall enjoy the blessings of great longevity, and that not a longevity that shall be broken and feeble, but which shall be vigorous and happy. In further illustration of this sentiment, we may remark, (1.) That there is no reason to suppose that it will be literally fulfilled even in the millennium. If it is to be regarded as literally to be fulfilled, then for the same reason we are to suppose that in that time the nature of the lion will be literally changed, and that he will eat straw like the ox, and that the nature of the wolf and the lamb will be so far changed that they shall lie down together, ver. 25. But there ia no reason to suppose this; nor is there any good reason to suppose that literally no infant or child will die in those times, or that no old man will be infirm, or that all will live to the same great age. (2.) The promise of long life is regarded in the Bible as a blessing, and is an image, every where, of prosperity and happiness. Thus the patriarchs were regarded as having been highly favoured men, because God lengthened out their days; and throughout the Scriptures it is represented as a proof of the favour of God, that a man is permitted to live long and to see a numerous pos* terity. See Gen. xlv. 10. Ps. exxviii- 6, xxi. 4, xxiii. 6, (Heh) xci. 16. Frov iii. 2-14. xvii. G. (3.) No one can doubt that the prevalence of the gospel every where would greatly lengthen out the life of man. Let any one reflect on the great number that are now cut off in childhood in heathen lands by their parents— all of whom would have been spared had their parents been Christians; on the, numbers of children who are destroyed in early life by the effects of the intemperance of their parents — most of whom would have survived if their parents had been virtuous; on the numbers of young men now cut down by vice — who would have continued to live if they had been under the influence of the gospel; on the immense hosts cut off, and most of them in middle life, by war — who would have lived to a good old age if the gospel had prevailed and put a period to wars; on the millions who are annually cut down by intemperance and lust and other raging passions, by murder and piracy, or who are punished by death for crime; on the millions destroyed by pestilential disease sent by offended heaven on guilty nations: and let him reflect that these sources of death will be dried up by the prevalence of pure virtue and religion, and he will see that a great change may yet take place literally in the life of man. (4.) A similar image is used by the classic writers to denote a golden age, or an age of great prosperity and happiness. Thus the Sybil, in the Sybiiline Oracles, Lib vii., speaking of the future age, says, Er/jo-a 61 ro yivos^ tos napos rjv coi — a race shall be restored as it was in the ancient times. So Hesiod, describing the silver age, introduces a boy as having reached the age of an hundred years, and yet but a child:
AXV l<ardv jxiv iraii erca irapa [irjTEpi KtSvjj, ErptycT aTaWcov \niya vf/mos w ivi oikcj.
T For the child shall die an hundred years old. That is, he that is an hundred years old when he dies, shall still be a child or a youth. This is nearly "iie same sentiment which is expressed oy Ilesoid, as quoted above. The prophet has evidently in his eye the longevity of the patriarchs, when an individual at an hundred years of age was comparatively young — the proportion between that and the usual period of life then being about the same as that between the age of ten and the usual period of life now. We are not, I apprehend, to suppose that this is to be taken literally, but it is figurative language designed to describe the comparatively happy state referred to by the prophet, as if human life should be lengthened out to the age of the patriarchs, and as if he who is now regarded as an old man should then be regarded as in the vigour of his days. At the same time it is true, that the influence of temperance, industry, and soberness of life, such as would exist if the rules of the gospel were obeyed, would carry forward the vigour of youth far into advancing years, and mitigate most of the evils now incident to the decline of life. The few imperfect experiments which have been made of the effect of entire temperance and of elevated virtue; of subduing the passions by the influence of the gospel, and of prudent means for prolonging health and life, such as the gospel will prompt a man to use, who has any just view of the value of life, show what may yet be done in happier times. It is an obvious reflection here, that if such effects are to be anticipated from the prevalence of true religion and of temperance, then he is the best friend of man who endeavours most sedulously to bring others under the influence of the gospel, and to extend the principles of temperance and virtue. The gospel of Christ would do more to prolong human life than all other causes combined; and when that prevails every where, putting a period, as it must, to infanticide, and war, and intemperance, and murder, and piracy, and suicide, and duelling, and raging and consuming passions, then it is impossible for the most vivid imagination to conceive the effect which shall be produced on the health and long life, as well as on the happiness of mankind. *T But the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. The sense of this appears to be, ' not all who reach to a great age shall be judged to be the friends and favourites of God. Though a sinner shall reach that advanced pe-
21 And 'they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
22 They shall not build, and "another inhabit; they shall not pliJit, and another eat; for as the Javs of a tree pare the days of
riod of life, yet he shall be cursed of God, and shall be cut down in his sins. He shall be held to be a sinner and shall die, and shall be regarded as accursed.' Other interpretations of this expression may be seen in Pool and in Vitringa. The above seems to me to be the true exposition.
21. And they shall build houses. See Notes on ch. lxii. 8, 9.
22. They shall not build and another inhabit. Every man shall enjoy the avails of his labour. IT For as the days of a tree are the days of my people. That is, in that future time, such shall be the length of the lives of the people. See ver. 21. The LXX render this, " the days of the tree of life." The Syriac, " as the days of trees." The Chaldee as the LXX. The idea is, that the lives of his people would be greatly prolonged. See Notes on ver. 20. A tree is among the most long-lived of material objects The oak, the terebinth, the cypress, the cedar, the banyan, attain to a great age. Many trees also live to a much longer period than a thousand years. The Boabab tree of Senegal (Adansonia digitata) is supposed to attain the age of several thousand years. Adanson inferred that one which he measured, and found to be thirty feet in diameter, had attained the age of 5150 years. Having made an incision to a certain depth, he first counted three hundred rings of annual growth, and observed what thickness the tree had gained in that period. The average rate of growth of younger trees, of the same species, was then ascertained, and the calculation made according to a supposed mean rate of intrease. De C5"r,/>1* considers it not my people, and mine elect shall 4 long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble: for they rare the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.
improbable that the celebrated Taxodiurn, of Chapultepec, in Mexico, which is 117 feet in circumference, may be still more aged. In Macartney's Embassy to China, vol. i. p. 131, an account is given of a tree of this description which was found to be at the base no less than fifty-six feet in girth. On the longevity of trees, see Biblictheca Univ. May, 1831, quoted in Lyell's Geology, vol. ii. 261. The idea here is, simply, that his people would attain to an age like that of the trees of the forest; that is, that the state of things under the Messiah would be as if human life were greatly prolonged. See Notes on ver. 20. IT And mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. Marg. make them continue long, or wear out. The word here used, sfea?, from «"^2, means properly to fall, to fall away, to fail; to wear out, to wax old. Dent. viii. 4, xxix. 4. Isa. 1. 9, li. 6; hence in Piel, to consume. The idea here is, that they would live to consume; i. e. to enjoy the productions of their own labour. Their property should not be wrested from them by injurious taxation, or by plunder; but they would be permitted long to possesss it, until they should wear it out, or until it should be consumed. Vulg. " the works of theli hands — inveterabunt" — shall be of long continuance, or shall be kept a long time. The LXX, " for the works of their labours — t&v irovuv — shall become old, or of long continuance, vd\aiu><jovciv" See Notes on ch. lxii. 8, 9
23. They shall not labour in <,ztn. That is, either because their land shall be unfruitful, or because others ehaL plunder them. % Nor bring forth fot
. 24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will an-
trouble. Lowth renders this, " neither Bhall they generate a short-lived race." Noyes, " nor bring forth children for an early death." The LXX render it, ovdi T£KVGTrair)(TOV(Tiv eis Kariipav — ' 1101* shall they bring forth children for a curse.' The Chaldee, " nor shall they nourish them for death." There can be no doubt that this refers to their posterity, and that the sense is, that they should not be the parents of children who would be subject to an early death or to a curse. The word here rendered • bring forth,' ^ *?.*?,, is a word that uniformly means to bear, to bring forth as a mother, or to beget as a father. And the promise here is, that which would be so grateful to parental feelings, that their posterity would be long-lived and respected. The word here rendered
'trouble,' •"•r^-?, means properly terror, and then the effect of terror, or that which causes terror — sudden destruction. It is derived from ^nS bdhal, to trouble, to shake, to be in trepidation, to flee, and then to punish suddenly; and the connexion here seems to require the sense that their children should not be devoted to sudden destruction. H For they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord. See Notes on ch. lix. 21. 24. Before they call, I will answer. That is, their desires shall be anticipated. God will see their wants, and lie will impart to them the blessings which they need. He will not wait to be applied to for the blessing. How many such blessings do all his people receive at the hand of God! How ready is he to anticipate our wants! How watchful is he of our necessities; and how rich his tenevolence in providing for us! Even the most faithful and prayerful of his people receive numerous favours and comforts at his hand for which they have not directly asked him. The prayer for the supply of our daily food, ■ Give us this day our daily bread," God had anticipated, and had prepared the means of answering it, long before,
25 The 'wolf and the lams
in the abundant harvest. Had he waited until the prayer was offered, it could not have been answered witL.ut a miracle. Ever watchful, he anticipates our necessities, and in his providence and grace lays the foundation for granting the favour long before we ask him. IT And while they are yet speaking, 1 loill hear. So it was with Daniel. Dan. ix. 20, 21. Comp. Ps. xxxii. 5. So it was with the early disciples when they were assembled in an upper room in Jerusalem, and when the Spirit of God descended with great power on the day of Pentecost. Acts ii. 1, 2. So when Paul and Silas, in the prison at Philippi, " prayed and sang praises to God," he heard them and came for their rescue. Acts xvi. 25, 26. So it has often been — and especially in revivals of religion. When his people have been deeply impressed with a sense of the languishing state of religion; when they have gone unitedly before God and implored a blessing; God has heard their prayers, and even while they were speaking has begun a work of grace. Hundreds of such instances have occurred— alike demonstrating the faithfulness of God to his promises, and fitted to encourage his people and to excite them to prayer. It is one of the precious promises pertaining to the blessings of the reign of the Messiah that the answer of prayer shall be immediate — and for this his people should look, and this they should expect. God can as easily answer prayer at once as to delay it; and when the proper state of mind exists, he is as ready to answer it now as to defer it to a future time. What encouragement have we to pray! How faithful, how fervent should we be in our supplications! How full of guilt are we if one single blessing is withhfld from our world that might have been imparted if we had prayed as we ought; if one single soul shall be lost who might have been saved if we had nol been unfaithful in prayer! 25. The wolf and the lamb shall feed
shall feed toge.iier, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust "shall be the serpent's
together. See Notes on ch. xi. IT And the lion shall eat straw. Shall eat hay or provender like the ox. The food of the lion now is flesh. Changes shall take place as great as if his nature were changed, and he should graze with the herds of the field. See a full illustration of this sentiment from the classic writers in the Notes on ch. xi. 6. IF Like the bullock. Or the ox — the cattle that herd together — for so the Hebrew word,
"1£2» means. The word may be applied to a bullock, an ox, or a cow. IT And dust shall be the serpent's meat. There is evidently here an allusion to the sentence pronounced on the serpent in Gen. iii. 14. The meaning of the declaration here is, probably, that dust should continue to be the food of the serpent. The sentence on him should be perpetual. He should not be injurious to man — either by tempting him again, or by the venom of his fangs. The state of security would be as great under the Messiah as ij the most deadly and poisonous kinds of reptiles should become wholly innoxious, and should meat. They shall not hurt noi destroy in all my holy mountain, saitli the Lord.
not attempt to prey upon men. It is t< be remembered that many of the serpent kind included under the general word used here (^*7$), were danger^"* to men; and indeed a large portion of them are deadly in their bite. But in future times, there will be a state of security as great as if the whole serpent tribe were innocuous and should live on the dust alone. There can be no doubt that the prophet means here to describe the passions and evil propensities of men, which have a strong resemblance to the ferocity of the v* olf, or the lion, and the deadly poison of the serpent, and to say that those passions would be subdued, and that peace and concord would prevail on the earth. See Notes on ch. xi. 8. IT They shall not hurt nor destroy. See this explained in the Notes on ch. xi. 9. All this is partially realized wherever the gospel prevails, but it will be more fully realized when that gospel shall exert its full power and shall be spread around the world.
It is generally supposed that this chapter is a continuation of the subject of the foregoing. Loicth The general design is to reprove the hypocritical portion of the nation, and to comfort the pious with the assurance of the favour of God, the accession of the Gentile world, and the destruction of the fbe« of the church. The Jews valued themselves much upon the pomp of their temple worship and the splendour of their ritual: they supposed that that was to be perpetual; and they assumed great merit to themselves for the regular services of their religion. Before the captivity in Eabvlon they were
Crone to fall into idolatry: afterwards they were kept from it, and to the present time thev have noi eon guilty of it— so effectual was that heavy judgment in correcting this national propensity. But after their captivity their national proneness to sin assumed another form. That love of form and strict ceremony; that dependence on mere rites and the external duties of religion; that heartless and pompous system of worship commenced, which ultimately terminated in Pharisaic pride, and whici was scarcely less an object of abhorrence to God than gross idolatry. To that state of things the prophet probably looked forward; and his object in this chapter was to reprove that reliance on the mere forms of external worship, and the pfide in their temple and its service which he saw wo*li kvicceed the return from the exile in Babylon.