Chapter XXXI (continued, part 7)
it reaches its maturity I will destroy it (v. 5; Ecclesiastes
8. 11, 12). lilie a elear heat—rather, "at the time of the clear (serene) heat." [Maurer.] upon herbs—answering to "harvest" in the parallel clause. Maurer trans-
Jate», "in the sun-light" (Job 31.26; 37.21; Habakkuk 3.
4). lilse . . . dew—rather, " at the time of the dew-cloud "
God's "silence" is mistaken by the ungodly for consent; His delay in taking vengeance for forgetfulness (Psalm
50.21); so it shall be before the vengeance which in the last day shall usher in the restoration of the Jews (ch. 34. 1-
8; 57. 11, end of the verse ; 2 Peter 3. 3-10). 5. For—rather,
liut. perfect—perfected. When the enemy's plans are on the verge of completion, sour grape . . . flower—rather, "wlien the flower shall become the ripening grape." [Mauber.] sprigs—the shoots with the grapes on them. God will not only disconcert their present plans, but prevent tliem forming any future ones. Horsley takes the "harvest" and vintage here as referring to purifying judgments which cause the excision of the ungodly from the earth, and the placing of the faitliful in a state of peace on the earth: not tlie last judgment (Jolin 15. 2; Revelation It. 15-20). 6. birds . . . beasts—transition from the image "sprigs," " branches," to the tiling meant : the Assyrian soldiers and leaders shall be the prey of birds
title of their kings runs thus: "Lord of Upper and Lower Egypt." idols—the bull, crocodile, &c. The idols poetically are said to be " moved" with fear at the presence of one raiglitier than even they were supposed to be (Exodus
12.12; Jeremiah 43. 12). 2. set—stir up. Gbnesius trans-
lates, "arm." Egypt against Egypt — Lower against Upper: and Saitic against both. (See ch. 3. 10.) Newton refers it to tlie civil wars between Apries and Amasis at the time of Nebuchadnezzar's invasion; also between Tachos, Nectanebus, and tlie Mendesians, just before Ochus subdued Egypt, kingdom against kingdom—The LXX. have "nome against nome;'' Egypt was divided Into forty-two names or districts. 3. spirit wisdcmi, for which Egypt was famed (ch. 31. 2; 1 Kings 4. 30; Acts 7. 22); answering to " counsel" in tlie parallel clause, tail—lit., be poured out, t. e., be made void (Jeremiah 19.7). They shall "seek" help from sources that can alford none, "cliarmers," &c. (cli. 8. 19). charmers lit., those making a faint sound: the soothsayers imitated the faint sound which was attributed to the spirits of the dead {Note, oh.
and l)easts, the whole year through, "winter" and "sum-
iHi«r," so numerous shall be their carcasses. Horsley iranslates the Hebrew which is singular: "upon it," not "upon tlicm:" the " It " refers to God's " dwelling-place
(v. 4) in the Holy Land, which Antichrist ("the bird of prey" with the "beasts," his rebel hosts) is to possess himself of, and wherelie is to perish. 7. present . . . peoiplc -sciittered and peeled—For the right rendering, see
note on i'. 2. The repetition of epithets enhances the honour paid to Jehovah by so mighty a nation. Tlie Ethiopians, wonder-struck at such an interposition of Jeliovah
8.19). 4. cruel lord—Sargon, in Hebrew it is lords; plural is often used to express greatness, where erne aloM
In belialf of His people, shall send gifts to Jerusalem in His honour (ch. 16. 1 ; Psalm 68. 31 ; 72. 10). Thus translate, " a present—/roOT a people." Or translate, as English VerHon, "tlie present" will mean "the people" of Etliiopia converted to God (Romans 15. 16). Horsley takes the people converted to Jehovah, as the Jews in the latter
Is meant (Genesis 39. 2). The parallel word "king" (.tingii-
lar) proves it. Newton makes the general reference to be to Nebuchadnezzar, and a particular reference to Camby-
ses, son of Cyrus (who killed the Egyptian god, Apis), and
Prophecy as to Egypt. ISAIAH XIX. Her Culling to the Cliurck,
plans 3. 5). "Pharaoh" was the common name of all tha kings: Sethos, probably, is here meant. l!4. let them know—t. e., How Is it tliat, with all their boast of knowing tlie future (Diodorus, 1. 81), they do not know what Jehovah of hosts, &c. 13. Noph—called also Moph ; Greek,
Ochus, Persian conquerors of Egypt, noted for their " fierce
cruelty." Gesenius refers it to Psammetichus, who had brought into Egypt Greel£ and other foreign mercenaries
to subdue the other eleven princes of the dodecarchy. 5. the sea—Z^M? Nile. Physical calamities, it is observed in his-
Jl/ewyj/tis (Hosea 9. 6) ; on the western banlc of the Nile, capital of Lower Egypt, second only to Thebes in all Egypt: residence of tlie kings, until tlie Ptolemies removed to Alexandria ; the word means the port of the
tory, often accompany political convulsions (Ezekiel 30. 12). Tlie Nile shall" fail" to rise to its wonted height, the result of which will be barrenness and famine. Its " waters" ai the time of tiie overflow resemble "a sea" (Pliny, H. N.,
g-ood (Plutarch). The military caste probably ruled in it: "they also are deceived," in fancying their country secure from Assyrian invasion, stay of . . . tribes—rather, "corner-stone of her castes" [Maurer], i. e., the princes, the two ruling castes, the priests and the warriors: image from a building which rests mainly on its cornerstones (ti. 10, iV^ote .• ch.28.16; P.salm 118. 22; Numiier.s 21. 17; Margin; Judges 20. 2; 1 Samuel 14. HS, Margin ; Zochariah
te. U); and it is still called El-Bahr, "the sea," by the Egyptians (ch. 18.2; Jeremiah 51. 36). A public record is kept at Cairo of tlie daily rise of the water at the proper time of overflow, viz., August: if it rise to a less height than twelve cubits, it will not overflow the land, and famine must be the result. So, also, when it rises higher than sixteen; for tlie waters are not drained ofT in time Bufflcient to sow tlie seed. 6. they shall turn the rivers —rather, "the streams shall become putrid;" i. e., the ar-
10. J). 14:. err In every work thereof—referring to the anarchy arising from their internal feuds. Horsley
tificial streams made for irrigation shall become stagnant and ofTensive when the waters fail. [Madreb.] Hoksley, with LXX., translates, "And waters from the sea sliall be drunk:" by the failure of the river-water they shall be reduced to sea-water, brooks of defence—rather, "canals of Egypt:'' canals, lit,, "Niles," Nile canals, the plural of the Egyptian term for the great river. The same Hebrew word, Mntzor, whence comes Mitzraim, expresses Egypt, and a place of " defence." Horsley, as English Version translates it, "embanked canals." reeds . . . flags—the papyrus. "Reed and rush:" utter withering. 7. paper reeds— rather, pastures, lit., places naked of wood, and famed for rich herbage, on the banks of the Nile. (Gesenius.] Cf. Genesis 13. 10; Deuteronomy 11. 10. Horsley
translates, "with respect to all His (God's) works ;" they misinterpreted God's dealings at every step. "Mingled" contains the same image as "drunken:" as one mixes spices with wine to make it intoxicating (ch. 5. 22; Prov-
erljs 9. 2, 5), so Jehovah has poured among them a spirit of giddiness, so that they are as helpless as a "drunken man." 15. work for Egypt—nothing wliicii Egypt can do to extricate itself from the difficulty, head or tailhigh or low (v. 11-15, and 8-10). braneli or msh—the lofty palm branch or the humble reed (ch. 9. 14, 15; 10. 33, 34). 16. like . . . women—timid and lielpless (Jeremiah 51.
30; Nahum 3. 13). shaking of . . . hand—his judgments by means of the invaders (ch. 10. 5, 32; 11. 15). 17. Judah
. . . terror unto Egypt—not by itself: but at tliis time Hezekiah was the active suliordinate ally of Assyria In
translates, "Nakedness upon the river," descriptive of the appearance of a river when its bottom is bare, and its banks stripped of verdure by long drought: so Vulgate. the brooks—Wie river, month—rather, the source. [Vulgate.] " Even close to the river's side vegetation shall be so withered as to be scattered in the shape of powder by the wind" {English Version, "driven away"). [Horsley.] 8. fishers—Tlie Nile was famed for flsh (Numbers 11.5); numbers would be thrown out of employment by the failure of fishes, angle a hook. Used in the " brooks" or canals, as the " net" was in " the waters" of the river Itself. 9. fine flax—Gesenius, for "fine," translates, "combed:" fine linen was worn by the rich only (Luke 16. 19). Egypt was famous for it (Exodus 9. 31; 1 Kings 10.28; Proverbs 7. 16; Ezekiel 27. 7). The processes of its manufacture are represented on the Egyptian tombs. Israel learned the art iu Egypt (Exodus 26. :^6). The cloth now found on the mummies was linen, as is shown by the microscope. Wilkinson mentions linen from Egypt which has 5i0 (or 270 double) threads in one inch in the warp; whereas some modern cambric has but 160. [Barnes.] networks rather, white cloth (Esther 1. 6; 8. 16). 10. In the purposes rather, thefoundations, i. e., "the nobles shall be broken" or brought low: soch. 3. 1; Psalm 11.3; cf. v. l.S, " The princes —the stay of the tribes." The Arabs call a prince "a, pillar of the people." [Maurer.] " Their weaving-frames.''' [Horsley.] " Dykes." [Barnes.] all that make slntces, Ac.—" makers of dams," made to confine the waters which overflow from the Nile in artificial fish-ponds. [Horsley.] "Makers of gain," <. e., the common people who have to earn their livelihood, as opposed to the " nobles" previou.sly. [Maurer.] 11. Zoan—The Greeks called itTanis, a city of Lower Egypt, east of the Tanitic arm of the Nile, now fSan; it was one of the nearest Egyptian towns to Palestine (Numbers 13. 22), the scene of Moses' miracles (Psalm 78. 12, 43). It, or else Memphis, was the capital under Sethos. lam . . . son of the wise . . . kings—Ye have no advice to suggest to Pharaoh in the crisis, notwithstanding that ye boast of descent from wise and royal ancestors. The priests were the usual "counsellors" of the Egyptian king. He was generally chosen from the priestly caste, or, if from the warrior caste, he was admitted into the sacred order, and was called a priest. The priests are, therefore, meant, by the expression, "son of the wise, and of ancient kings:" this was their favourite boast (Herodotus, 2. 141 ; cf. Amos 7. 14 ; Acts 23. 6 ; Philip-
its invasion of Egypt under Sargon. Similarly to tlie alliance of Judah witli Assyria here is 2 Kings 2;}. 20. where Josiah takes the field against Pharaoh-necho of Egypt, probalily as ally of Assyria against Egypt. [G. V. Smith.] ViTRiNGA explains it that, Egypt in its calamities would remember that prophets of Jndali ha^d foretold them, and so Judah would be "a terror unto Egypt." thereof—of Judah. It—Egypt. 18-23. SutTering shall lead to repentance. Struck witli "terror" and " afraid" (u. 17) because of Jehovah's judgments, Egypt shall be converted to Him: nay, even Assyria shall join in serving Him; so that Israel, Assyria, and Egypt, once mutual foes, shall be bound together by the tie of a common faith as one people. So a similar issue from other prophecies (ch. 18.
7; 23. 18). Ave cities—t. e., several cities, as in ch. 17. 6; 30.
17; Genesis 43. .34; Leviticus 26.8. Rather, five definite
cities of Lower Egypt {v. 11. 13; ch. 30. 4), which had close Intercourse with the neiglibouring Jewish cities [Maurer]; some say, Heliopolis, Leontopolis (else Diospolis), Migdol, Daphne (Tahpanes), and Memphis, language of Canaan i. e., of the Hebrews in Canaan, the language of revelation. Fig. for. They shall embrace the Jewish
religion: so "a pure language" and conversion to God are connected in Zephaniah 3. 9; as also the first confounding and multiplication of languages was the punisliment of
tlie making of gods at Babel, otlier than the One God. Pentecost (Acts 2. 4) was the counterpart of Babel : tlie separation of nations is not to hinder the unity of faith
the full realization of tliis is .yet future (Zechariali 14.9; John 17. 21). The next clause, " swear to the Lord of Hosts," agrees with this view, i. e., bind themselves to Him by solemn covenant (ch. 45. 23; 65. 16; Deuteronomy
6.13). city of destruction—Onias; "city of the swn," i. i,. On, or Heliopolis; he persuaded Ptolemy Philometer (149 B.C.) to let him build a temple in the prefecture (nome) of Heliopolis, on the ground that it would induce Jews to reside tliere, and tliat tlie very site was foretold by Isaiah 600 years before. The reading of tlie Hebrew text is, however, better supported, "city of destruction ;" referring to Leontopolis, the site of Onias' temple: wliich casts a reproach on that city because it was about to contain a temple rivalling the only sanctioned temple, that at Jerusalem. Maurer, with some MSS., reads " city of defence.-' or "deliverance;" viz., Memphis, or some such city, m» 451
The ri-cdicled Caplivity ISAIAH XX. of Egypt and Ethiopia.
wnich God was about to send "a saviour" (v. 20), to "de-
Khorsabad, inscriptions state tliat 27,280 Israelites were led captive by, the founder of the palace. Whilst Shalmaneser was engaged in the siege of Samaria, Sargon probably usurped the supreme power and destroyed him ; the siege began in 723 B. c, and ended In 721 B. c, the first j-ear of .Sargon's reign. Hence arises the paucity of inscriptions of the two predecessors of Sargon, Tiglathpileser and Shalmaneser; the usurper destroyed them, just as Tiglath-pileser destroyed those of Pul (Sardanapalus), the last of the old line of Ninus; the names of his fatlier and grandfather, which have been deciphered in the palace of his son Sennacherib, do not appear iu the list of Assyrian kings, wluch confirms the view that he was a satrap who usurped the throne. He was so able a general that Hezekiah made no attempt to shake oS' the tribute until the reign of Sennacherib; hence Judah was not invaded now as the land of the Philistines and Egypt were. After conquering Israel he sent his general, Tartan, to attack the Philistine cities, "Aslidod," Ac, preliminary to his invasion of Egypt and Ethiopia; for the line of march to Egypt lay along the south-west coast of Palestine. The inscriptions confirm the prophecy; they tell us he received tribute from a Pharaoh of "Egypt;" besides destroying In part the Ethiopian "No-ammon," or Thebes (Nahum 3.8); also that he warred with the kings of "Ashdod," Gaza, Ac, in harmony with Isaiah here; a memorial tablet of him is found in Cyprus also, showing that he extended his arms to that island. His reign was six or seven years in duration—722-715 B. c. [G. V. Smith.] 1. Tartan—probably the same general as was sent by Sennacherib against Hezekiah (2 Kings 18. 17). GESENIU.S takes "Tartan" as a title. AsUdod—called by the Greeks Azotus (Acts 8. 40) ; on the Mediterranean, one of the "five" cities of the Philistines. The taking of it was a necessary preliminary to the invasion of Egypt, to which it was the key in that quarter, the Philistines being allies of Egypt. So strongly did the Assyrians fortify it that it stood a twenty-nine years' siege, when it was retaken by the Egyptian Psammetichus. sent— Sargon himself remained behind engaged with the Phoenician cities, or else led the main force more directly into Egypt out of Judah. [G. V. Smith.] 3. by—lit, try the hand of (cf. Ezekiel 3. 14). sackcloth—the loose outer garment of coarse dark hair-cloth worn by mourners (2 Samuel 3. 31) and by prophets, fastened at the waist by a girdle (Matthew 3. 4 ; 2 Kings 1. 8 ; Zechariah 13. 4). naked —rather, uncovered; he merely put off the outer sackcloth, retaining still the tunic or inner vest (1 Samuel 19.
liver them." 19. altar—not for sacrifice, but as the " pillar" for memorial and worship (Joshua 22. 22-26). Isaiah
lines uot coatemplatea temple in Egypt: for the only legal Icniple was at Jerusalem; but, like the patriarchs, they
i liall have altars in various places, pillar—such as Jacob reared (Genesis 28. 18 ; 3.5. 14); it was a common practice in
K,gj-pt to raise obelisks commemorating Divine and great
e>'ents. at tUe border—of Egypt and Judah, to proclaim
to both countries the common faith. This passage shows how the Holy Spirit raised Isaiah abovea narrow-minded nationality to a charityanticipatory of gospel catholicity. 20. It—the altar and pillar, a sign—(of the fulfilment of prophecy) to their contemporaries, a witness—to their descendants, unto tlie Iiord—no longer, to their idols, but to Jehovah, for they sliall cry—or, " a sign, &c., that they cried, Ac and He sent to them a saviour :" probably, Alexander thb Ifreat (so "a great one"), whom the Eg:^plians welcomed as a deliverer (Greek, Soter, a title of the Ptolemies) out of the hands of the Persians, who under Cambyses had 1 een their "oppressors." At Alexandria, called from hini, the Old Testament was translated into Greek for the ' jreek-speaking Jews, who in large numbers dwelt in Kgj-pt under the Ptolemies, his successors. Messiah ip the antitype ultimately intended (cf. Acts 2.10, " Egypt"). 31. oblation—unbloody. 33. heal—as described (v. 18-20). return—for heathen sin and idolatry are an apostasy from primitive truth. 33. highway free communication, resting on the highest basis, the common faith of both (v. 18; ch. 11. 16). Assyria and Egypt were joined under Alexander as parts of his empire: Jews and proselytes from both met at the feasts of Jerusalem. A type of gospel times to come, serve with—serve Jehovah with the Assyrians. So "serve" is used absolutely (Job 36. 11). 34r. third—the three shall be joined as one nation, blessing—the source of blessings toother nations, and the object of their benedictions. In the midst of the land—rather, earth (Micah 5. 7). Judah Is designed to be the grand centre of the whole earth (Jeremiah 3. 17). 35. Whom—rather. Which, viz., "the land," or" earth," t. e., the people of it. [Maurer.] my people— the peculiar designation of Israel the elect people, here applied to Egypt to express its entire admission to religious privileges (Romans 9. 24-26; 1 Peter 2. 9, 10). work ofmy hands —spiritually (Hosea 2. 23; Ephesians 2. 10).
Ver. 1-6. Continuation of the Subject of Chap. 19., BUT at a later date. Captivity of Egypt and Ethiopia. In the reign of Sargon (722-715 e. c), the successor of Shalmaneser, an Assyrian invasion of Egypt took place. Its success is here foretold, and hence a party among the Jews are warned of the folly of their " expectation" of aid from Egypt or Ethiopia. At a later period
24; Amos 2. 16; John 21. 7); an emblem to show that Egypt should be stripped of its possessions; the very dress of Isaiah was a silent exhortation to repentance. 3. three years—"Isaiah's symbolical action did not continue all this time, but at intervals, to keep it before the people's mind during that period. [Rosenmuller.] Rather, join "three years" with "sign," a three years' sign, i. e., a sign that a three years' calamity would come on Egypt and Ethiopia [Barnes], (ch. 8. 18). This is the only instance of a strictly symbolical act performed by Isaiah. With later prophets, as Jeremiah and Ezekiel, such acts weie common. In some cases they were performed, not literally, but only in prophetic vision, wonder—rather, o?nm; conveying a threat as to the future. [G. V. Smith.] upon —in reference to, against. 4. buttocks uncovered BelzoNi says that captives are found represented thus on Egyptian monuments (ch. 47. 2, 3; Nahum 3. 5, 8, 9), where as here, Egypt and PIthiopia arc mentioned as in alUance. 5. they—the Philistine allies of Egypt who trusted in it
(ch. 18.), when Tirhakah of Ethiopia was their ally, the Ethiopians are treated ds friends, to whom God announces the overthrow of the common Assyrian foe, Sennacherib. Egypt and Ethiopia in this chapter {v. 3, 4) are represented as allied together, the result no doubt of fear of the common foe; previously they had been at strife, and the Ethiopian king had. Just before Sethos' usurpation, withdrawn from occupation of part of Lower Egypt. Hence, " Egypt" is mentioned alone in ch. 19., which refers to a somewh.at earlier stage of the same event; a delicate mark of truth. Sargon seems to have been the king who fitvished the capture of Samsyia which Shalmaneser began; the alliance of Hoshea with So or Sabacho II. of Ethiopia, and his refusal to pay the usual tribute, provoked Shalmaneser to the invasion. On clay cylindrical seals found in Sennacherib's palace at Koyunjik, the name of Sabaciio is deciphered ; the two seals are thought, «rorn the inscriptions, to have been attached to the treaty of peace between Egypt and Assyria, which resulted from the invasion of Egypt by Sargon, described In this chapter; 2 Kings 18. 10 curiously confirms the view derived from Assyrian inscriptions, that though Shalmaneser began, .Sargon finished the conquest of Samaria; "Jf/ifytook it
for help against Assyria. A warning to the party among the Jews, who though Judah was then the subordinate ally of Assyria, were looking to Egypt as a preferable ally
(ch. 30. 7). Ethiopia was tlieir " expectation ;" for Palestine had not yet obtained, but hoped for alliance with it. Egypt was their "glory," i.e., boast (ch. 13.19); for the alliance with it was completed. 0. isle—i. e., coast on the Mediterranean—Philistia, perhaps Phronicia (cf. ch. 23. 2;
11. U; 13. 22; Psalm 72. m. we—emphatical ; if Egypt, In which we trusted, was overcome, how shall we, a small weak state, escape ?
" (ff 2 Kings 17 4-6). In Sargou's palace at 452
The Fall of Babylon. ISAIAH XXI. Prophecy as to Idumea.
[Maurer.] Horsley translates, "One drawn in a car, with a pair of riders, di-awn bj' an ass, drawn by a camel Cyrus is the man ; the car drawn by a camel and ass yoked tog^tlier and driven by two postilions, one on each, is the joint array of Medes and Persians under their respective leaders. He thinks the more ancient military cars were driven by men riding on the beasts tliat drew them; v. 9 favours this. 8. A Hon—rather "(Tlie watchman) cried, I am as a lion;" so as is understood (ch. 62. 5; Psalm 11. 1). The point of comparison to "a lion" is in Revelation 10. 3, the loudness of the cry. But here it is rather his vigilanee. The lion's eyelids are short, so that, even when asleep, he seems to be on the viratch, awake; hence he was painted on doors of temples as the symbol of watchfulness, guarding the place. Hor. Apollo. [Horsley.] 9. chariot of men—chariots with men in them; or rather, the same body of riders, horsemen two abreast, as in V. 7. [Maurer.] But Horsley, " The man drawn in a car with a pair of riders." The first half of this verse describes what the watchman sees; the second half, what the watchman says, in consequence of what he sees. In the interval between v. 7 and 9, the overtlirow of Babylon by the horsemen, or man in the car, is accomplished. The overthrow needed to be announced to the prophet by the watchman, owing to the great extent of the city. Herodotus (1. 131) says, that one part of the city was captured some time before the other received the tidings of it. answered—not to something said previously, but in reference to the subject in the mind of the writer, to be collected from the preceding discourse; proclaimeth (Job
Ver. I-IO. Repetition of the Assurance given in Chap. 13. and 14. to the Jews about to be Captives in Babylon, that theik Enemy should be Destroyed AND they be Delivered. He does not narrate the event, but graphically supposes himself a watchman in Baby-
lon, beholding the events as they pass. 1. desci-1>-the champaign between Babylon and Persia; it was once a
desert, and it was to become so again, of the sea—the plain was covered with the water of the Euphrates like a "sea" (Jeremiah 51. 13,30; so ch. 11.15, the Nile), until Semiramis raised great dams against it. Cyrus removed these dykes, and so converted tlie whole country again Into a vast desert-marsh. wlUrlwlnds lii the south— (Job 37. 9; Zechariah 9. 14.) The south wind comes upon Babylon from the deserts of Arabia, and its violence is the greater from Its course being unbroken along the plain (.lob 1. 19). desert—the plain between Babylon and Persia, terx-ible land—Media; to guard against which was the object of Nitocris' great works (Herodotus, 1.
185). Cf. as to "terrible" applied to a wilderness, as being
full of unknown dangers, Deuteronomy 1. 19. 3. dealeth treacherously—referring to the military stratagem employed by Cyrus in taking Babylon. It may be trans-
lated, is repaid with treachery ; tlien the subject of the verb is Babylon. She is repaid in her own coin; ch. 33.
1; Habakkuk 2. 8, favour this. Go tip—Isaiah abruptly
recites the order which he hears God giving to the Persians, the instruments of His vengeance (ch. 13. 3,
17). Elam—a province of Persia, the original place of their settlement (Genesis 10.22), east of the Euphrates. The name Persia was not in use unt' the captivity; it means a horseman; Cyrus first traintrd the Persians in horsemanship. It is a mark of autlienticlty that the name isnot found before Daniel and Ezekiel. |Bochart.] thereof—the "sighing" caused by Babylon (ch. 1-1. 7, 8). 3. Isaiah imagines himself among the exiles in Babylon, and cannot help feeling moved by the calamities wliich come on it. So for Moab (ch. 15. 5; 16. 11). pain—(Cf. ch.
3. 2; Margin, Daniel 2. 26; Acts 5. 8). fallen . . . fallen— The repetition expresses emphasis and certainty (Psalm
92. 9; 93. 3; cf. Jeremiah 51. 8; Revelation 18. 2). imagesBel, Merodach, &c. (Jeremiah 50.2; 51.44,52). The Persians had no images, temples, or altars, and charged the makers of such with madness (Herodotus 1. 131); therefore they dashed the Babylonian "images broken unto the ground." 10. my threshing-i. e., my people (the Jews) trodden down by Babylon, com of my floor Hebrew, my son of the floor, i. e., my people, treated as corn laid on the floor for threshing; implying, too, that by affliction, a remnant (grain) would be separated from the ungodly (chaff'). [Maurer.] Horsley translates, "O tliou object of my unremitting prophetic pains." See ch.
13. 8; Ezekiel 30. 4, 19; Nahum 2. 10.) at the hearing—The Hebrew may mean, " I was so bowed down that I could not hear; I was so dismayed that I could not see" (Genesis 16.
2; Psalm 69. 23). [Mauker.] 4. panted—" is bewildered." [Barnes.] night of my pleasure—the prophet supposes himself one of the banqueters at Belshazzar's feast, on the night that Babylon was about to be taken by surprise; hence his expression, "my pleasure" (ch. 14. 11; Jeremiah
2S. 27, 28. Some, from Jeremiah 51. 33, make Babylon the object of the threshing; but Isaiah is plainly addressing his countrymen, as the next words show, not the Babylonians.
11, 12. A Prophecy to the Idumeans WHO Taunted THE Afflicted Jews in the Babylonish Captivity. One out of Seir asks, Wliat of the night? Is there a hope of the dawn of deliverance? Isaiah replies, The morning is beginning to dawn (tous); but night is also coming (to you). Cf. Psalm 137. 7. The Hebrew captives would be delivered, and taunting Edom punished. If the Idumean wish to ask again, he may do so; if he wishes an answer of peace for his country, then let him "return (repent), come." [Barnes.] 11. Dumah—A tribe and region of Ishmael in Arabia (Genesis 25. 14 ; I Chronicles 1. 30) ; now called Dumah the Stony, situated on the confines of Arabia and the Syrian desert; a part put for the whole of Edom. Vitringa thinks "Dumah," Hebrew, "silence," is heie used for Idumea, to imply that it was soon to be reducc>l to silence or destruction. Seir—The principal mountain in Idumea, south of the Dead Sea, In Arabia Petrea. " Ho calleth" ought to be rather, " The^-e is a call from Seir." to me—Isaiah. So the heathen Balak and Ahaziah received oracles from a Hebrew prophet, watchman—the prophet (ch. 62. 6; Jeremiah 6. 17), so called, because, like a watchman on the look-out from a tower, he announcen future events which he sees in prophetic vision (Habakkuk 2. 1, 2). what of the night—What tidings have you to give as to the state of the night? Rather, "What remain* of tlie night?" How much of it is past? [Maurer.) "Night" means calamity (Job .35. 10; Micah 3. 6), which, then, in the wars between Egypt and Assyria, pres.sed sore on Edom; or on Jtidahdf, as Barnes thinks, the question IS asked in mockery of the suflTering Jews in Baby-
51. 39; Daniel 5.). 5. Prepare the table viz., the feast in Bal)ylon ; during which Cj'rus opened the dykes made by Semiramis to confine the Euphrates to one channel, and
Buflfered them to overflow the country, so that he could enter Babylon by the channel of the river. Isaiah first represents the king ordering the feast to be got ready. The suddenness of the irruption of the foe is graphically expressed by the rapid turn in the language to an alarm addressed to the Babylonian princes, "Arise," &c. (cf. ch.
22. 13). Maurer translates, " They prepare the table," &c. But see ch. 8. 9. watch In . . . -watch-tower—rather, set the xratch. Tliis done, they thouglit they might feast in entire security. Bal)ylon had many watch-towers on its walls, anoint . . . shield—this was done to prevent the leather of the shield becoming hard and liable to crack. "Make ready for defence;" tlie mention of tlie "shield" alone implies that it is the Babylonian revellers who are called on to prepare for instant self-defence. Horsley translates, " Gripe tlie oiled shield." G. God's direction to Isaiah to sot a watchmAn to " declare" what he sees. But as in V. 10, Isaiah himself is represented as the one who "declared." Horsley makes him the " watchman," and translates, "Come, let him who standeth on the watchtower report what he seeth." 7. chariot, &c.—rather, a body of riders (namely), some riding in pairs on horses {lit.,
pairs of horsemen, i. e., two abreast), others on asses, others on camels (cf. i;. 9; ch. 22. 6). "Chariot" is not appropriate to be joined, as EnglUih Version translates, viMh "asses;" the Hebrew means plainly In v. 7, as in v. 9, "a body of men riding." The Persians used asses and camels for war.
Prophecy as to an ISAIAH XXII. Attatk (ni Jemsalen,
supposing that the Jews in the city .'juft'ered such extrem-
Ion). The rtiictition oi t..e question marks, in the former view, the anxiety of tlie Idumeans. 1!4. Reply of the prophet, JVie OTW)i!)i(7 (prosperity) comelh, and (soon after follows) the ni(/fU (adversity). Though you, Idumeans, may have a gleam of prosperity, it will soon be followed by adversity again. Otherwise, as Barnes, "Prosperity conieth (to the Jews) to be quickly followed by adversity
ities of plague at that lime, when God destroyed their foes. Barnes refers it to those slain in flight, not in open honourable " battle ;" v. 3 favours thi.s. 3. rulers—rather, generals (Joshua 10.21; .Judges 11.6,11). bound—rather, " are taken." by the archers lit., by the bmv : so ch. 21. 17. Bowmen were the light troops, whose province it was to skirmish in front and (2 Kings 6. 22) pursue fugitives
(to you, Idumeans, who exult in the fall of Jerusalem, have seized on the southern part of their land in tlieir absence during the captivity, and now deride them by your question") (ch. S4. 5-7). Tliis view is favoured by Obadiah 10-21. if ye will inquire. Inquire—If ye choose to consult lue again, do so (similar phrases occur Genesis 43. U; 2 Kings 7.4; Esther 4. Ifi). return, come—"Be converted to God (and then), come" [Ge«enius]; you will then receive a more favourable answer.
(2 Kings 25.5); this verse applies better to the attack of Nebuchadnezzar than that of Sennacherib, all . . . lo tliee—all found in the city (ch. 13. 1-5), not merely the "rulers" or generaLs. fled from far—Those who had fled from distant parts to Jeru.salem as a place of safety ; rather. fled afar. 4. LooU . . . from me—Deep grief seeks to be alone; whilst others feast joyously, Isaiah mourns in prospect of the disaster coming on Jerusalem (Micah 1. 8,
13-17. Pkophecy that Arabia would be Overrun BY a Foreign Foe within a Year. Probably in the wars between Assyria and Egypt; Idumea and Arabia
9). daughter, &c.—(iVo<e, ch. 1. 8; Lamentations 2. 11.) 5. trouiile . . . by the Lord i. e., sent by or fro/n the Tjord
(JS'ole, ch. 19. 15; Luke 21. 2'i-24). valley of vision—(Aw/e
V. 1.) Some think a valley near Ophel is meant as about to be the .scene of devastation (cf. ch. .32. 13, 14, jS'ote). breaking . . . walls—!, e., "a day of breaking the walls" of the city, crying to the mountains—the mournful cry of the townsmen reaches to (Maurer translate,; t(iward.<i) the mountains, and is echoed back by them. Joseph ua describes in the very same language the scene at the assault of Jeru.salem under Titus. To this tlie prophecy, probably, refers ultimately. If, as some think, the "cry"
lay somewhat on the intermediate line of march. 13. upon i. e., respecting, forest—not a grove of trees, but a
region of thick underwood, rugged and inaecessib e : for Ara-
bia has no forest of trees, travelling companies cara-
vans: ye shall be driven through fear of the foe to unfrequented routes (ch. 33. 8; Judges 5. 6; Jeremiah 49. 8 is
parallel to this passage). Dedanlm—In North Arabia (Genesis 2.5. 3; Jeremiah 25.23; Ezekiel 2-5. 13; 27.20; a dif-
ferent " Dedan" occurs Genesis 10. 7). 14:. Tema—a kindred tribe: an oasis in that region (Jeremiah 25. 23). The Temeans give water to the faint and thirsting Dedanites;
is that of those escaping to the mountains, cf. Matthew 13.
14; 21. 16, with this. 6. Elam—the country stretching east from the Lower Tigris, answering to what was alterwards called Persia (Note, ch. 21.2). Later, Elam was a province of Persia (Ezra 4. 9). In Sennacherib's time, Elam was subject to Assyria (2 Kings IS. 11), and so furnished a contingent to its invading armies. Famed for the bow (ch. 13. IS; Jeremiah 49. 35), ii. which the P^thiopians alone excelled tlieiii. with chaWots of men and horsemen i. e., they use the bow both in chariots and on horseback. "Chariots of men," i.e., chariots in which men are borne, war-chariots (cf. Note, ch. 21. 7, 9). Kir another people subject to As.syria (2 Kings 16. 9) ; the region about the river Kur, between the Caspian and Black .Seas, uncovered—took olf for the battle the leather covering of the shield, intended to protect the embossed figures on
the greatest act of hospitality in the burning lands of the
East, where water is so scarce, prevented—i. e., antici-
pated the wants of the fugitive Dedanites by supplying bread (Genesis 14. 18). their breatl—rather, "his (the fugi-
tive s) bread:" the bread due to him, necessary for his sup-
port; so "thy grave" (ch. 14. 19). [Maorer.j 15. they—
t!ie fugitive Dedanites and other Arabs. 16. years of . . . hireling—{iYo<c, ch. IG. 14.) Kedar-A wandering tribe
tl\salia 120. 5). North of Arabia Petrea, and south of Ara-
bia Deserta; put for Arabia in general. 17. residue . . . diminished—the remnant of Arab warriors, famous in
tlie bow, left alter the invasion, shall be small.
it from dust or injury during the march. "The quiver" and "the shield" express two classes— light and heavy armed troops. 7. valleys—East, north, and south of Jerusalem : Hinnom on tlie .south side was the riciicst val-
Ver. 1-14. Prophecy as to an Attack on Jeru.salem: that by Sennacherib, in the 14th year of Hezekiah ;
V. 8-11, the preparations for defence and securing of ivater
ley. In array at the gate—Habshakeh stood at the upper pool close to the city (ch. .36. 11-1.3). 8. he discovered tlie covering—rather, the veil of Jadah shall be taken o^[IIOR- .SLey]: fig. for exposing to shame as a captive (qVi. 47. 3; Nahum 3. 5). Sennacherib dismantled all "the defenced
exactly answer to those in 2 Chronicles 32. 4, 5, 30. " Sheb-
na," too(y. 15), was scribe at this time (ch. 36. 3). [Maurer.]
Tlie language of v. 12, 13, and 14, as to the intidelity and consequent utter ruin of the Jews, seems rather to foreshadow the destruction by Nebuchadnezzar in Zedekiah's
cities of Judah" (ch. 36. 1). thou didst look—rather, thou Shalt look, house of . . . forest—The house of armoury built of cedar from the forest of Lebanon by Solomon, on a slope of Zion called Ophel (lKings7.2; 10.17; Nehemiah
reign, and cannot be restricted to Hezekiah's time. rLoWTH.] 1. of . . . valley of vision—rather, respecting
tlie valley of visions: viz., Jerusalem, the seat of Divine
revelations and visions, "the nur.sery of prophets" [Je-
3.19). Isaiah says (w. 8-13) his countrymen will look to their own strength to defend themselves, whilst others of them will drown their sorrows as to their country in feasting, but none will look to Jehovah. 9. \'e have seen rather. Ye shall see. city of David—the upper city, on Zion, the south side of Jerusalem (2 Samuel .5. 7, 9; 1 Kings
KO.MEJ, (ch. 2.3; 29.1; Ezekiel 23.4, Margin; Lulce 13.33).
It lay ill a "valley" surrounded by hills higher thanZion and MorhUi (Fsalni 125.2; Jeremiah 21. 13). tliee—the peo-
ple of Jerusalem personified, house-tops—Panic-struck,
tliey went up on the flat balustraded roofs to look fortli and see whether the enemy is near, and partly to defend themselves from the roofs (Judges 9. 51, &c.). 3. art—
8. 1); surrounded by a wall of its own ; but even in it there shall be " breaches." Hezekiah's preparations for defence accord with this (2 Chronicles ,32. 5). ye gathered-rather ye shall gather, lower pool—(iVo^, v. 11.) Ye shall bring together into the city by subterranean passages cut in the rock of Zion, the fountain from which the lower pool (only mentioned here) Is supplied. Note, eh. 7. 3; 2 Kings 20. 20;
rather, wert; for it could not 'now be said to be "a joyous
rity" (ch. 32.13). The cause of t\\e\v joy (v. 13) may have been because Sennacherib had accepted Hezekiah's oiler
to renew the payment of tribute, and they were glad to nave peace on any terms however huniiliatiug (2 Kings
IS. 14-16), or on account of the alliance with Egypt. If the
2 Chronicles .32..3-.5, represent Hezekiah as having stopped the fountains to prevent the Assyrians get ting water. But
reference be to Zedekiah's time, the joy and feasting are not inapplicable, for this recklessness was a general cha-
this Is consistent with the passage here. The superlluoaa waters of the lower pool usually flov.ed Into Hinnom val-
racteristic of the unbelieving Jews (ch. 56. 12). not slain with t.lic sword—but with the famine and pestilence about to be caused by the coming siege (Lamentations 4.
ley, and so through that of Jehoshaphat to the brook Kedron. Hezekiah built a wall round it, stopped the out. (lowing of its waters to deliar the foe Irom the use of them, and turned them into the city 10. numbered—
8^. Mai rkr refers this to the plague by which he thinks Sennaclierib's army was destroyed, and Hezekiah was mttde sick (ch. 37. 36; ,38. 1). But there is no authority for 454
ANCIENT MILITARY WEAPONS.
EGYPTIAN PRINCES IN THKIR CHARIOT.
From Wilkinson. Ex. xiv. 7.
EGYPTIAN STANDARD.". From Wilkinson. Numb. ii. '1.
Deposition of Shebna, ISAIAH XXIII. Prophecy respecting Tyn.
rather, yt Jhall number, viz., in order to see which of them may be pulled down with the least loss to the city, and with uio.st advantage for the repair of the walls and rearing of towers (2 Chronicles 32. 5). Uave ye broken down — rather, ye shall break down. UU Ye made . . . a ditclx—rather. Ye shall make a reservoir for receiving the water of, <ic. Hezekiah surrounded Siloah, from which the old (or Icing's, or upper) pool took its rise, with a wall Joined to the wall of Zion on both sides; between these two walls he nxade a new pool, into which he directed the waters of the former, thus cutting off the foe from his supply of water also. The opening from which the upper pool received its water was nearer Zion tlian the other from which the lower pool took its rise, so that the water which flowed from the former could easily be shut in by a
niflceut chariots." It is not meant that he would have these in a distant land, as he had in Jerusalem, but that he would be borne thither in ignominy instead of in his magnificent chariots. The Jews say tliat he was tied to the tails of horses by the enemy, to whom he had designed to betray Jerusalem, as they thought he was inoclcing them; and so he died. 19. state— office, lie— Gotl. A similar cliauge of persons occurs (ch. 34. 16). 20. sou of Ililkiah-Supposed by Kimchi to be the same as Aza-
riali, son of Hillciah, who perhaps had two names, and who was "over the household" in Hezekiah's time (1 Chronicles 6. 13). 21. thy robe— of office, girdle — in which the purse was carried, and to it was attaclied the sword ; often adorned with gold and jewels, father— i. c, a counsellor and friend. 23. key—emblem of his office over the house; to " open" or " shut;" access rested witii him. upon . . . shoulder— So keys are carried sometimes in the East, hanging from the kerchief on the shoulder. But tlie phrase is rather fig., for sustaining the government on one's shoulders. Eliakim, as his name implies, is here plainly a type of the God-man Christ, the son of "David," of wliom Isaiah (ch.9. 6) uses the same language as the former clause of this verse, and Himself, in Revelation 3. 7, tlie same language as tlie latter clause (cf. Job
wall, whereas that which flowed from the latter could only be brought in by subterranean conduits (cf. Note v.
9; ch. 7. 3; 2 Kings 20. 20 ; 2 Chronicles 32. 3-5, 30; Ecolesi-
astes 48. 17). Both were south-west of Jerusalem, liave not looked . . . neltlier liad respect—answering by con-
trast to "Thou didst look to the armour, ye have seen (liad
respect, or regard to) the breaches" {v. 8, 9). maker tliereof—God, by whose command and aid these defences Were made, and who gave this fountain " long ago." G. V. Smith traiulales, "Him who doeth it," i.e., has brought
12. 14). uall . . . sure place—large nails or pegs stood in ancient houses on which were suspended the ornaments of the family. The sense is. All that is valuable to the nation shall rest securely on him. In Ezra 0. 8 " nail"
this danger on you—"Him who hath prepared it from afar," t. c, planned it even from a distant time. 13. did the Liord . . . call—usually the ^«-t€i;ts gave the summons to national mourning (Joel 1. 14); now Jehovah Himself shall give it; the "call" shall consist in the presence of a
is used of the large spike driven into the ground to fasten the cords of lent to. throne resting-place to liis family, as applied to Eliakim; but "throne," in the strict sense, as applied to Messiah the antitype (Luke 1. 32, Z^). 34. Same image as in v. 23. It was customary to "hang" the valuables of a house on nails (I Kings 10. 16, 17, 21 ; Song of Solomon!. 4). oflfspringand issue—rather, " the ofTshoots of the family, high andlow." [Vitringa.] Eliakim would reflect honour even on the latter, vessels of cups—of small capacity : answering to tlie low and humble offshoots. vessels of flagons—larger vessels : answering to the higJi, offshoots. 35. nail . . . fastened — Shebna, who was supposed to be firmly fixed in his post, burden upon it—a.l that were dependent on Shebna, all his emoluments and rank will fail, as when a peg is suddenly "cut down" tha ornaments on it fall with it. Sin reaches in its effects even to the family of the guilty (Exodus 20. 5).
terrible foe. Translate, shall call, baldness—emblem of grief (Job 1. 20; Micah 1. 16). 13. Notwithstanding Jehovah's "call to mourning" (v. 12), many shall make the desperate state of affairs a reason for reckless revelry (ch. 5.
11, 12, 14; Jeremiah 18. 12; 1 Corinthians 15. 32).
15-2.5. Prophecy that Shebna should be Deposed FROM BEING Prefect of the Palace, and Eliakim Pp.oMOTED TO the Office. In ch. 36. 3, 22 ; 37. 2, we And Shebna "a scribe," and no longer prefect of the palace ("over the household"), and Eliakim in that office, as is here foretold. Shebna is singled out as the subject of prophecy (the only instance of an individual being so in Isaiah), as being one of the irreligious faction that set at naught the prophet's warnings (ch. 28.-33.); perhaps it was he who advised the temporary ignominious submission of Hezekiah to Sennacherib. 15. Go, get tliee unto—rather, Go in to (i. e.,inlo the house to), treasurer "him who dwells in the tabernacle" [Jbkome] ; viz., in a room of the temple set apart for the treasurer. Rather, "the king's friend," or " principal offlccr of the court" (X Kings 4.5; 18.3; 1 Chronicles 27. 33, " the king's counsellor"). [Maureb.] "This"
Ver. 1-18. Prophecy respecting Tyre. Menander, the historian, notices a siege of Tyre by Shalinaneser, about the time of the siege of Samaria. Sidon, Acco, and Old Tyre, on the mainland, were soon reduced; but New Tyre, on an island half a mile from the shore, held out for five years. Sargon probably finished the siege. Sennacherib does not, however, mention it among the cities whicli the Assj'rian kings conquered (ch. 36.; 37). The expression, "Chaldeans" (v. 13), may imply reference to
Is prefixed contemptuously (Exodus 32. 1). unto Shebna The Hebreiv for unto indicates an accosting of Sliebna with an unwelcome message. 16. WTiat . . . whom—The prophet accosts Shebna at the very place where he was building a grand sepulchre for himself and his family (ef. ch. 14, 18; Genesis 2;^. ; 49. 20 ; 50. 13). "What (business) hast thou here, and whom hast thou (of thy family, who is likely to be buried) here, that thou buildest," &e., seeing that thou art soon to he deposed from office and carried into captivity? [Maureb.] on lilgli—sepulchres were made in the highest rocks (2 Chronicles 32. .3.3, Margin). Iiabitatlon for himself—cf. "His own house" (ch. 14. 18). 17. carry
its siege under Nebuchadnezzar, whicli lasted thirteen years. Alexander the Great destroyed New Tyre after a seven montlis' siege. 1. Tyre—Hebrew, Tsur, i. e.. Rock. ships of T.Trshish—ships of Tyre returning from their voyage to Tarshish, or Tartessus in Spain, with which the Phoenicians had much commerce (Ezekiel 27. 12-2.5). " Ships of Tarshish" is a phrase also used of large and distantvoyaging merchant vessels (ch. 2 16; 1 Kings 10. 22; Psalm
. . . away with . . . captivity— rather, "will east thee away with a mighty throw." [Maurer.] " Mighty," Jiz., " of a man" (so ,Iob 38. 3). sxirely cover—viz., with shame, where tliou art rearing a monument to perpetuate thy fame. [Vitringa.] " Rolling will roll thee," i. e., will coretinually roll thee on, as a ball to be tossed away. [Maurer.]
48.7). no house—viz., left; sucli was the case as to Old Tyre, after Nebuchadnezzar's siege, no enterijig—There
is no house to enter (ch. 24. 10). [G. V. Smith.] Or, Tyre ia so laid waste, that there is no possibility of entering the Artrftour [Barne.s]; which is appropriate to the previous "ships." Chlttlni—Cyprus, of which the cities, including Citium in the south (whence came "Chittira"), were mostly Phoenician (Ezekiel 27.6). The ships from Tai • shish on their way to Tyre learn the tidings (" it Ss revealed to them") of the downfall of Tyre. At a later period Chittim denoted the islands and coasts of the Mediterranean (Daniel 11. 30). 3. Be still—struck dumb with awe. Addressed to those already in the country, eye-wlt-
Cf. V. 18. 18. violently turn and toss lit., whirling He will whirl thee, i. e.,Ue-will,without intermission, whirl thee. [Maxjrek.] " He will whirl thee round and round, and (then)cast thee away," as .a stone inasling isflrst whirled round repeatedly, before the string is let go. [Lowth.] larsfc country—perhaps Assyria, chariots . . . shall be the shame of thy L.ord*s house—rather, "thy splendid chariots shall he there, O thou disgrace of tliy Lord's boose" [NovES]; " chariots of thy glory" mean "thymag-
A Prophecy respecting Tyre. ISAL\H XXIII. Its Miserable Overthrow,
try Canaan. 13. He—God. rejoice—riotously (t). 7). op« pressed—" deflowered ;" laying aside the Hgure taken by storm: the Arabs compare a city never taken to an undefiled virgin (cf. Nahum 3. 5, &c.). dangliter «f Zidon— Tyre : or else, sons of Zidon, i. e., the whole land and people of Phoenicia (jVo/c i'. 2). [Maurer.] Cliittltn—Citium in Cyrus (v. 1). there also . . . no rest—Thy colonies, having been harslily treated by thee, will now repay thee in kind (JVote v. 10). But Vitringa refers it to tlie calamities which befel the Tyrians in their settlements subsequently, viz.. Sicily, Corcyra, Carthage, and Spain, all flowing from the original curse of Noah against the posterity of Canaan (Genesis 9. 2.>-'27). 13. Behold—Calling attention to the fact, 8*3 tiumiliating to Tyre, that a people of yesterday, like the Chaldees, should destroy the most ancient of cities. Tyre, was not—had no existence as a recognized nation; the Chaldees were previously but a rude, predatory people (Job 1. 17). Assyrian founded it—The Chaldees ("them that dwell in the wilderness ") lived a nomadic life in the mountains of Armenia originally (Arphaxad, in Genesis 10. 22, refers to such a region of Assyria near Armenia), nortli and east of Assyria proiier. Somq may have settled in Mesopotamia and Baljylonia very early, and given origin to the astrologers called Cfuildeei in later times. But most of the people had been transferred only a little before the time of this prophecy from their original seats in the north to Mesopotamia, and soon afterwards to South Babylonia. "P'ounded it," means " assigned it (the land) to them wlio had (heretofore) dwelt in t)ie wilderness" as a permanent settlement
nesses of its ruin (Lamentations 2. 10); or, In contrast to the din of coiiimerce once heard in Tyre; now all is hushed and still. Isle—strictly applicable to New Tyre: In the sense coast, to tlie mainland city, Old Tyre (cf. v. 6; ch. 20. 6). Zldoii—of whicli Tyre was a colony, planted wlien Zidon was conquered by the Philistines of Ascalon. Zidon means a fishing station: tiiis was its beginning, replenished—willi wealtli and an industrious population (Ezekiel 27.3,8,23). Here "Zidon," as the oldest city of Phoenicia, Includes all llie Phoenician towns on the strip of "coast." Thus, Etlibaal, king of Tyre (Joseplius, Antiqui-
ties, 8. 3, 2), is called king of tlie Sidonians (1 Kings 16. 31): and ou coins l^yre is called the metropolis of t!ie Sidonians. .3. great waters—tlie wide waters of the sea. seed grain, or
cr02>, as in 1 Samuel 8. 15 ; Job 39. 12. SiUoe—lit., Dark-coloured: applied to the Nile, as the Egyptian Jeor, and the
Greek 3Ielas, to express the dark, turbid colours given to
its waters by tlie fertilizing soil which it deposits at its yearly overflow (Jeremiah 2. 18). hai-vest of tlie river the growth of the Delta; tlie produce due to the overflow of the Nile: Egypt was the great granary of corn in the ancient world (Genesis 41.; 42.; 43). lier revenue—Tyrian vessels carried Egyptian produce got in exchange for wine, oil, glass, Ac, into various lands, and so made large
profits, iviai-t—(K/ekiel 27. 3.) No city was more favourably situated for commerce. 4. Zidon—called on, as being the parent country of Tyre (v. 12), and here equi>4alent to Phceniciain general, to feel the shame (as it was esteemed in the East) of being now as childless as. if she
never had any. "I (no more now) travail, nor bring
forth," &c. " strength of the sea," i. e., stronghold, viz.. New Tyre, on a ivck (us " Tyre " means) surrounded by the sea (Ezekiel 2(>. 4; 15. 17; so Venice was called "Bride of the
(so in Psalm 104. 8). [Maurer.] It was the Assyrian policy to infuse into their own population of the plain the fresh blood of hardy mountaineers, for the sake of recruiting their armies. Ultimately the Chaldees, by their powerful priest-caste, gained tlie supremacy, .and established the later or Chaldean empire. Horsi.ey refers it to Tyre, founded by an Assyrian race, towci-s thereof—
sea,'" Zechariah 9. :^). 5. As, &c.—rattier, "When the report (shall reacli) the people of Egypt, they shall be sorely pained at the n-port concerning Tyre " (viz., its overthrow). So Jekome, "When the Egyptians shall hear that so pow-
viz., of Babylon, wliose towers, Herouotus says, were " set np" by the Assyrians. [Barnes.] Rather, "The Chaldees set up their siege-totcers " against Tyre, made for the attack of high walls, from which the besiegers hurled mis-
jrful a neighbouring nation has been destroj'ed, tliey must know their own end is near." [Lowth, &c.] 6. Pass . . . over—Escape from Tyre to your colonies as Taisliish (cf. v. 12). The Tyrians fled to Carthage and elsewhere, l)otli at tlie siege under Neliucliadnezzar and that under Alexander. 7. 7.s Z7ii\s silent ruin all that is left of
siles, as depicted in the Assyrian sculptures. [G. V. Smith.] raised up—rather, "They lay bare," viz., the foundations of ?ier (Tyre's) palaces, i. e., utterly overthrow them (Psalm
1/ovr once joyoii.f city {v. 12)? antiquity—The Tyrian
priests boasted in Herodotus' time tliat tlieir city had already existed 2300 years : an exaggeration, but still implying that it was ancient even then. Iier own feet— walliing on foot as captives to an enemy's land. 8. AVlko
137.7). 14. strengtii—4-i!?-07i(7;io?rf (cf. Ezekiel 26. 15-18). 15. forgotten—Having lost its former renown, Tyre sliall be in obscurity, seventy years—(so Jeremiah 25. 11, 12; 29.
10). days of one king i. e., a dynasty. The Babylonian monarchy lasted properly but seventy years. From the
ans\ver,.'d in v. 9, "The Lord of hosts." crowning—crowngiving: i. e., the city from which dependent kingdoms had arisen, as Tartessus in Spain, Citium in Cyprus, and Carthage in Africa (Ezekiel 27. 33). trafficUers lit., Canaan-
first j'ear of Nebuchadnezzar to the taking of Babylon, by Cyrus, was seventy years ; then the subjected nations would be restored to liberty. Tyre was taken in tlie middle of that period, but it is classed in common witli the
ites, who were famed for commerce (cf. Hosea 12. 7, Margin).
rest, some conquered sooner and others la ter, all, however,
9. Whoever be the instruments in overtlirowing haughty sinners, God, who has all hosts at His command, is the First Cause (cli. 10. 5-7). stain-rather, to jwo/ajie .• as in Exodus 31. 14, the Sabbath, and other objects of religious reverence; so here, "the pride of all glory" may refer to
alilte about to be delivered at the end of the period. So " king " is used for dyrtasty (Daniel 7. 17; 8. 20) : Nebuchadnezzar, his son Evil-merodach, and his grandson, Belshazzar, formed the whole dynasty (Jeremiah 25. 11, 12; 27
7; 29. 10). shall Tyre sing as . . . Itarlot^It shall be to Tyre as the song of the liarlot, i^iz., a harlot that has been forgotten, but who attracts notice again by her song. Large marts of comukerce are often compared to harlots seeking many lovers, i. e., they court mercliants of all na-
t.tie Tifrian temple of Hercules, the oldest in the world, according toArrian (cli. 2. IG): the prophet of the true God would naturally single out for notice the idol of Tyre. [G. v. SMiTir.] It may, hovs'ever, be a general proposition; the destruction of Tyre will exliibit to all liow God mars the lustre of whatever is haughty (ch. 2. 11). 10. a river—
tions, and admit any one for the sake of gain (Nahum 3.
Jlehrexv, the river, viz., Nile, daughter of Tarslilsli7)y?-e and its Inhabitrmts (ch. 1. 8), aliout henceforth, owing to the ruin of Tyre, to become inhabitants of its colony, TartesBus: they would pour forth i'rorci Tyre, as waters flow on when tlie barriers are removed. [LoWTH.] Rather, Tar-
4; Revelation 18. 3). Covetousness is closcl.y akin to idolatry and licentiousness, as the connection (lOphesians 5.5; Colossians 5) proves (cf. ch. 2. (i-8, 16). 16. Same figure to express thatTj're woulii again prosperand attractcommer-
cial intercourse of nations to her, and be the same Joyous, self-indulging city as before. 17. visit—not in wrath, but mercy, hire—imag<? from a harlot: her gains by eotnmerce. After tlie Babylonian dynasty was i>jid«l. Tyre was rebuilt; also, again, after the lU'struclion under Alexander. IS. merchandise . . . holiness—Her traffic and gains shall at last (long after the restoration mentioned in V. 17) be consecrated to Jehovah. Jesus Christ visited the neighbo'n'iorvi o*" Tvre (Matthew 15. 21); Paul found disciples there (Acta 21. 3-6); it early became a Christiiui
shish, or Tartessns and its inhabitants, as the phrase usually means: they had been kept in hard bondage, working in
silver and lead mines near Tarshish, by the parent city (Ezekiel 26. 17): l)Ut now the bond of restraint (lor so "strength," Margin, girdle, i. e., bond, Psalin 2. 3, ouglit to be trniuilated) is removed, since Tyre is no more. 11. He— Jehovali. Ulngdoms—the Phoenician cities and colonies,
tintiiercliant city -ratlier, Canaan, meaning the north
of il, i'72 , riuenicia. On their coins, they call their couu-
4">G
PLAINS OF BABYLON.
BANKS OF THE Nlt.E.
The Judfjinents of God on the Land, ISAIAH XXIV, XXV. which shall Advance His Kinydom.
bishopric, but the full evangelization of that whole race, as of the Etliiopians (ch. IS.), of the Egyptians and As6yrians (ciu 19.), is yet to come (ch. 60. 5). not treasured but fioely expended in His service, tliemtliat dwell before the Xiord—tlie ministers of religion. But Horsley translates "tlieni tliat sit before Jehovah" as disciples, durable clotlilng—Clianges of raiment constituted much of the wealth of former days.
rer.] Wheresoever ye be scattered, east or west, still glorify the Lord (Malachi 1. H). 16. Songs to God come in together to Palestine from distant lands, as a grand chorus, glory to the righteous—the burden of the songs (ch. 26. 2,7). Amidst exile, the loss of their temple, and all that is dear to man, their confidence in God is unshaken. These songs recall the joy of other times, and draw from Jerusalem in her present calamities, the cry, " My leanness." Horsley translates, "glory to the Just One:" then My leanness expresses his sense of man's corruption, which led the Jews, "the treacherous dealers" (Jeremiah
CHAPTEE XXIV. The Last Times of tme Wokld in Genekal, and of JUDAH and the CHUKCH IN PARTICULAR. The foUr chaps. ^.-27. form one continuous poetical prophecy: descriptive of the dispersion and successive calamities of the Jews (ch. 24. 1-12); the preaching of the gospel by the first Hebrew converts throughout the world (v. 13-16); the judgments on tlie adversaries of the Church and its final triumph {v. 16-23); thanksgiving for the overthrow of the apostate faction (ch. 25.), and establishment of the righteous in lasting peace (ch.26.); judgment on leviathan and entire purgation of the Church (ch. 27). Having treated of the several natiort^ in pai-iicular—Bsxbylon, Phil-
5. 11), to crucify the Just One ; and his deficiency of righteousness which made hiin need to be clothed with the righteousness of tlie Just One (Psalm 106. 15). treacherous dealers—the foreign nations that oppress Jerusalem, and overcome it by stratagem (so in ch. 21. 2). [Barnes.] 17. This verse explains the wretchedness spoken of in v.
16. Jeremiah (48. 43, 41) uses the same words. They are proverbial ; v. 18 expressing that the inliabitants were nowhere sale ; if thejescaped one danger, they fell into another, and worse,on the opposite side(Amos 5. 10). "Fear"
is the term applied to the cords with featliers of all colours which, when fluttered in tlie air, scare beasts into the pit-
fall, or birds into tlie snare. Horsley makes the connection. Indignant at the treatment which the Just One received, tlie prophet threatens the guilty land with instant vengeance. 18. noise of . . . fenr—the shout designed to rouse the game and drive it into the pitfall, windows
Istia, Moab, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Edom, and Tyre (the miniature representative of all, as all kingdoms flocked Into it)—he passes to the last times of the world at large and of Judah the representative and future head of the churches.
Ver. 1-23. 1. tlie eaj-tli—rather, the land of Judah (so In f . 3, 5, 6 ; Joel 1. 2). The desolation under Nebuchadnezzar prefigured (hat under Titus. 3. as with . . . people, so wltlk tite priest—All alike shall share the same calamity: no favoured class shall escape (cf. Ezekiel 7. 12, 13; flosea l. 9; Revelation G. 15). 4. world—the kingdom of Israel; as in ch. 13. 11, Babylon, haughty lit., the height of the people: abstract for concrete, i. e.. Vie high people; even the nobles share the general distress. 5. earthrather, the land, defiled under . . . inhabitants— viz., witli innocent blood (Genesis 4. 11; Numbers 35. 33; Psalm
. . . open—taken from the account of the deluge (Genesis
7. 11) ; t!ie flood-gates. So the final judgments of fire on the apostate world are compared to the deluge (2 Peter 3. 5-7). 19. earth—the land: image from an eartliquake. 20. removed like a. cottage-(ATo^e, ch. 1. 8.) Here, a hanging couch, suspended from the ti-ees by cords, such as Niebuhr describes the Arab keepers of lands as having, to enable them to keep watch, and at the same time to be secure from wild beasts. Translate, "Shall wave to and fro like a hammock" swung about by the wind, heavy ujion it like an overwhelming burden, not rise again — not meaning, tliat it never would rise (v. 23), but in tliose convulsions it would not rise, it would surely fall. ai. host of . . . high ones—the heavenly host, i. e., either the visible host of heaven (the present economy of nature, affected by the sun, moon, and stars, the objects of idolatry, being abolished, ch.65. 17; 60.19, simultaneously with the corrupt polity of men); or rather, the invisible rulers of the darkness of this world, as the antithesis to "kings of the earth" shows. Angels, moreover, preside, as it were, over kingdoms of the world (Daniel 10. 13, 20, 21). 23. In the pit —ra,t\\er,/orthepit. [Horsley.] " In dungeon." [Maurer.] Image from captives thrust together into a dungeon, prison—i. e., as in a prison. This sheds light on the disputed passage, 1 Peter 3. 19, where also the prison is
106. 38). laws . . . ordinance . . . everlasting covenant —The moral laws, positive statutes, and national covenant deuigned to t)e tor ever between God and them. 6. earth —the land, burned viz., with the consuming wrath of heaven: either internally, as Job 30. 30 [Rosenmuller] ; or externally, the prophet has before his eyes the people being consumed with the withering dryness of their doorned land (so Joel 1. 10, 12). [Maurbr.] 7. mourneth —because there are none to drink it. [Barnes.] Rather,
is become vapid. [Horsley.] languisheth—because there are none to cultivate it now. 8. (Revelation 18. 22.) 9. with a song—the usual accompaniment of feasts, strong drink—fiVode, ch. 5. 11.) " Date wine" [Horsley]. bitter —in consequence of the national calamities. 10. city of confusion— ratiier, desolation. What Jerusalem would be; by anticipation It is called so. Horsley translates, "The city is broken down; it Is a ruin." shvit up througli fear; or rather, choked up by ruins. H. crying for wine—to drown their sorrows in drink (ch. 16.9); Joel 1. 5, written aljout the same time, resembles this. 12. Avith destruction rather, crash. [Gesenius.] "With a great tumult the gate is battered down." [Horsley.] 13. the laud—Judea. Put the comma after "land," not after "people." "There shall be among the people (a remnant left), as the shaking (the after-picking) of an olive tree:" as in gathering olives, a few remain on the highest l)OUghs (ch. 17. 5, 6). H. They—Those who are
flg. The "shutting up" of the Jews in Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar, and again under Titus, was to be followed by a TOi-ito^/on. of mercy "after many days"—seventy years in the case of the former—the time is not yet elapsed in the caseof the latter. Horsley takes " visited" in a bad sense, viz., in ivrath, as in ch. 26. 14; cf. ch. 29. 6; the punishment being the heavier in the factof the delay. Probably a double visitation is intended, deliverance to the elect, wrath to hardened unbelievers; as v. 23 plainly contemplates judgments on proud sinners, symbolized by the "sun" and "moon." 33. (Jeremiah 3. 17.) Still future: of wliich Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem amidst hosannas was a pledge, his ancients—the elders of His people; or in general. His ancient people, the Jews. After the overthrow of the world-kingdoms, Jehovah's shall be set up with a splendour exceeding the light of the sun and moon under the previous order of things (ch. 60. 19, 20).
left: tlie remnant, sing for the majesty of the Lord sing a thanksgiving for the goodness of tlie Lord, who has so mercifully preserved them, from the sea—from the distant lands beyond the sea, whither they have escaped, in the fires—ViTRiNGA translates, " in the eaves." Could it mean the fires of affliction (1 Peter 1.7)? They were exiles at the time. The fires on'.y loose the carnal bonds off tlie soul, without injuring a hair, as in the case of Sbadrach, Mesliach, and Abed-nego. Lowth reads, in tiie islands (E/.ckiel 26. 18). Ratlier translate for "fires," "in the regions of morning light," i. e., the east, in