Chapter XXXV
Ver. i-10. Continuation of the Prophecy in Chap.
It of one horn, the notion of the unicorn arose. Here is meant the portion of the Edomites which was strong and warlike, comedown—rather, /aii <iou>n, slain. [Lowth.] with them—with the " lambs and goats," the less power-
34. See introduction there. 1. solitary place—ZtY., a dr}, place, without springs of water. A moral wilderness is meant, for them—I'iz., on account of the punishment inflicted according to the preceding prophecy on the enemy
ful Edomites {v. 6). bullocks . . . bulls—the young and old Edomites : aM classes, dust—ground. 8. recompenses for the controversy of ZIon—t. e., the year when God will
probably the blessings set forth in tliis chapter are included in the causes for joy (ch. 55. 12). rose—rather, tfie meadow saffron, an autumnal flower with bulbous roots; so Syriac translation. H, glory of Lebanon—its ornament, viz., its cedars (ch. 10. 34). excellency of Carmel
retaliate on those who have contended with Zion. Her controversy is His. Edom had thought to extend its borders by laying hold of its neighbour's lands, and had instigated Babylon to cruelty towards fallen Judah (Psalm
tu'2., its beauty. Sharon—famed for its fertility, see . . . glory of the Lord . . . excellency—(Ch. 40. 5, 9.) Whilst the wilderness which had neither "glory" nor "excellency" sliall have both "given to it," the Lord shall have
137.7; Ezekiel 36.5); therefore Edom shall suffer the same herself (Lamentations 4, 21, 22). The final winding up of the controversy between God and all enemies of Him and His people is also shadowed forth (ch. 61. 2; 63. 4; 66. 11-16; Malachi 4. 1,3; 2 ThesSalonians 1.7,8,9; Revelation 11.18;
all the " glory" and " excellency" ascribed to Him, not to the transformed wilderness (Matthew 5. 16). 3. Strengthen
. . . hands . . . confirm . . . knees—The Hebrew {bt "strengthen" refers to the strength residing in the hatut
18. 20 ; 19. 2). 9. Images from the overthrow of Sodom and
Sennacherib Invadeih Judea. ISAIAH XXXVI. RabalMkeh SolicUeth the People to Revolt
fur grasping and holding a thing manfully; "confirm," to
rib was thought by Hezekiah the opportune time to refuse
tlie long-paid tribute; Egypt and Ethiopia, to secure aa ally against Assyria on their Asiatic frontier, promised help; Isaiah, whilst opposed to submission to Assyria, advised reliance on Jeliovah, and not on Egypt, but his advice was disregarded, and so Sennacherib Invaded Judea, 712 B. c. He was the builder of the largest ol the excavated palaces, that of Koyuujik. Hincks has deciphered his name in the inscriptions. In the third yeai of his reign, these state that he overran Syria, took Sidon and other Phoenician cities, and then passed to South-west Palestine, where he defeated the Egyptians and Ethiopians (cf. 2 Kings 18. 21; 19.9). His subsequent retreat, after his host was destroyed by God, is of course suppressed in the inscriptions. But other particulars inscribed agree strikingly with the Bible; the capture of the " defenced cities of Judah," the devastation of the country and deportation of its inhabitants; the increased tribute Imposed on Hezekiah—thirty talents of gold—this exact number being given in both; the silver is set down in the inscriptions at 800 talents, in the Bible 300; the latter may have been the actual amount carried off, the larger sum may include the silver from the temple doors, pillars, &c. (2 Kings 18. 16). 1. fourteenth—the third of Sennacherib's reign. His ultimate object was Egypt, Hezekiah's ally. Hence he, with the great body of his army (2 Chronicles 32. 9), advanced towards the Egyptian frontier, ia South-west Palestine, and did not approach Jerusalem. 3. Rahsliakeh—In 2 Kings 18. 17, Tartan and Rabsaris are joined with him. Rabshakeh was probably the chief leader; Itab is a title of authority, " chief—cup-bearer." Lachish—a frontier town south-west of Jerusalem, in Judah ; represented as a great fortified city in a hilly and fruitful country in the Koyunjik bas-reliefs, now in the British Museum; also, its name is found on a slab over a figure of Sennacherib on liis throne, upper pool—the side on which the Assyrians would approach Jerusalem coming from the south-west (note, ch. 7. 3). 3. Ellakim—successor to Shebna, who had been " over the household," i. e., chief minister of the king; in ch. 22. 15-20, this was foretold, scribe—secretary, recorder lit., one who reminds; a remembrancer to keep the king informed on important facts, and to act as historiographer. In 2 Kings 18. 18, the additional fact is given, that the Assyrian envoys "called to the king," in consequence of which Eliakim, &c., "came out to them." 4. great king-the usual title of the Persian and Assyrian kings, as they had many subordinate princes or kings under them over provinces (ch. 10. 8). 5. conitsel—Egypt was famed for its wi.sdom. 6. It was a similar alliance with So (i. e., Sabacho, or else Sevechus), the Ethiopian king of Egypt, which provoked the Assyrian to invade and destroy Israel, the northern kingdom, under Iloshea. 7. The Assyrian mistakes Hezekiali's religious reforms whereby he took away the high places (3 Kings 18. 4) as directed against Jehovah. Some of the high places may have been dedicated to Jeliovah, but worshipped under the form of an image in violation of the second commandment: the " brazen serpent," also (broken in pieces by Hezekiah, and called Nehushtan, "a piece of brass," because it was worshipped by Israel) was originally set up by Ood's command. Hence the Assyrian's allegation has a specious colour : you cannot look for help from Jehovah, for yourking has " taken away His altars." to Jei-usnlcin — (Deuteronomy 12.5, 11; John 4.20.) 8. give pledges—a taunting challenge. Only give the guarantee that you can supply as many as 2000 riders, and I will give thee 2000 horses. But seeing that you have not even this small number (Note, ch. 2. 7), how can you stand against the hosts of Assyrian cavalry? The Jews tried to supply their weakness in this "arm" from Egypt (ch. 31.
the firmness with which one keeps his ground, so as not to be dislodged by any other. [Maureb.] Encourage the .Tews, now desponding, by the assurance of the blessings jiroinised. fearful Margin, hasty, i.e., with a heart fluttered with agitation, with—the Hebrew is more forcible than the English Version "God will come, vengeance! tiven God, a recompense!" The sense Is the same. 5, 6. Language fig. descriptive of the joy felt at the deliverance liom Assyria and Babylon, lit., true of the antitypical times of Messiah and His miracles (see Margin references). G.leap— fulfllled(Acts3.8; 14.10). slug—joyful thanksgivings. Ill . . . wilderness . . . waters—(Ch. 41. 18.) 7. parcliecl ground—rather, "the mirage (Hebrew, Sharab, the sun's heat) shall become a (real) lake." The sun's rays refracted on the glowing sands at mid-day give the appearance of a lake of water, and often deceive the
thirsty traveller (cf. Jeremiah 2. 13; eh. 41. 18). dragons— rather, jackals, each— yiz., jackal, grass—rather, " a du'eHing or receptacle (answering to the previous " habitation") for reeds," &c. (which only grow where there is water. Job 8. 11). Where once there was no water, water shall abound. 8. higliway—such a causeway (raised way, from a Hebrew root, to cast up) as was used for the march of armies ; valleys being filled up, hills and other obstructions removed (ch. 62. 10; cf. ch. 40. 3, 4). way of Iiollness —Hebraism for the holy way. Horsley translates, "the way of the Holy One;" but the words that follow, and i'.
10, show it is the way leading the redeemed back to Jerusalem, both the litei-al and the heavenly (ch. 52. 1; Joel
3. 17; Revelation 21. 27); still Christ at His coming again shall be the Leader on the way, for which reason it is called, "The way of the Lord" (ch. 40. 3; Malachi 3. 1). it shall he for those : tlie wayfaring men—rather, " He (the Holy One) shall be with them, walking in tlie way." [HoKSLEY.] thongh fools—rather, "And (even) fools,"i.e., the simple sliall not go astray, viz., because "He shall be with them" (Matthew 11. 25; 1 Corinthians 1. 26-28). 9. BTo lion—such as might be feared on tlie way through the wilderness which abounded in wild beasts, back to Judea. Every danger shall be warded off the returning people
(ch. 11. 6-9; Ezekiel 34. 25; Hosea 2. 18). Cf. spiritually, Proverbs 3. 17. 10. Language lit., applying to the return from Babylon ; fig. and more fully to the completed redemption of both literal and spiritual Israel, joy upon
. . . heads—(Psalm 126. 2.) Joy manifested in their countenances. Some fancy an allusion to the custom of pouring oil "upon the head," or wearing chaplets in times of public festivity (Ecclesiastes 9. 8).