Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Chfisl the Sure Foundation. ISAIAH XXIX. Coming Invasion of Jerusalem.
that His judgments, being put off so long, would ne Ter come at all, ch. 5. 19); His object being not to destroy His people any more than the farmer's object in threshing is
Itosea 2. 18; 1 Corinthians 3. 22). overflowing scourge— two jnetapliors : the lioslile Assyrian armies like an overwheltning flood, pass tliroiigh—viz., through Judea on to destroy his crop; this vindicates God's " strange work" their way to Egypt, to punish it as the protector of Sama-
(v. 21) in punishing his people. Cf. tlie same Image, Jeremiah 24. 6; Hosea 2. 23; Matthew 3. 12. 24. aU day—emphatic; he is not nZtmys ploughing : he also "sows," and ria (2 Kings 17. 4). lies— 2Vipj/ did not use these words, but
Isaiah designates their sentiments by their true name (Amos 2. 4). 16. Lit, Behold me as Him who has laid; viz., that, too, in accordance with sure rules (v. 25). do«li he open—supply aZway*. Is he always harrowing f 25. face —the surface of the ground: "made plain," or level, by harrowing, fltclies—rather, dill, or fennel, Nigella romana, with black seed, easily beaten out, used as a condiment and medicine in the East. So the LXX., "cummin" was used in the same way. cast in . . . principal wheat—rather, plant the wheat in rows (for wheat was thought to yield the largest crop, by being planted sparingly; Pliny, H. N. 18. 21); [Maurbr] ; "sow the wheat regularly" [Horsley]. But Gesenius, like English Ver-
In my Divine counsel (Revelation 13.8); none save I could lay it (ch. G3. 5). stone—Jesus Christ; Hezekiah [Maukek], or the temple lEyfAiA)], do not realize the full signiflcancy of the language ; but only in type point to Him, in whom the propliecy receives its exhaustive accomplishment; whether Isaiah understood its fulness or not (1 Peter 1. 11,
12), the Holy Ghost plainly contemplated its fulfilment In
Christ alone; so in ch. 32. 1; cf. Genesis 49. 24; Psalm 118.
22; Matthew 21. 42; Romans 10. 11; Ephesians 2. 20. tried —both by the devil (Luke 4. 1-13) and by men (Luke 20. 1-
38), and even by God (Matthew 27. 46) ; a stone of tested sion, " fat," or " principal," i. e., excellent wheat, appointed barley—rather, " barley in its appointed place. [Mauker.] in their place—rather, "in its (the field's) border. [Maurer.] 26. to discretion—in the due rules of husbandry; God first taught it to man (Genesis 3. 23). 27. The husbandman uses the same discretion in thresliiug. The solidity to bear the vast superstructure of man's redemption. The tested righteousness of Christ gives its peculiar merit to His vicarious sacrifice. The connection with the context is, though a " scourge" shall visit Judea (v. 15), yet God's gracious purpose as to the elect remnant, and His kingdom of which "Ziou ' shall be tlje centre, shall, not dill ("fitches") and cummin, leguminous and tender grains, are beaten out, not as wheat, &c., with the heavy corn-drag ("threshing instrument"), but with "a staff;" heavy instruments would crush and injure the seed, cart wheel—two iron wheels armed with iron teeth, like a saw, joined together by a wooden axle. The "corndrag" was made of three or four wooden cylinders, armed with iron teeth or flint stones fixe<i underneath, and joined like a sledge. Both instruments cut the straw for fodder as well as separated the corn, staff—used also where they had but a small quantity of corn: the flail (Ruth 2. 17). 28. Bread-corn—Corn of which bread is mftde. bruised— threshed with the corn-drag (as contrasted with dill and cummin, "beaten with the stafl""), fail, because it rests on Messiah (Matthew 7. 24, 25 ; 2 Timothy 2. 19). i>»-eclous lit., of preciousness ; so in the Greek,
1 Peter 2. 7, He is preciousness. corner-stone—(1 Kings 5.
17 ; 7. 9; Job 3.S. G) ; the stone laid at the corner where two walls meet and connecting them; often costly, maltc Uaate—flee in hastyalarm ; but LXX. have "be ashamed ;" so Romans 9. 33, and 1 Peter 2. 6, "be confounded," substantially the same idea; he who rests on Him shall not have the shame of disappointment, nor flee in sudden panic
(see ch. 30. 15; 32. 17). 17. line-the measuring-line of the plummet. Horsley translates, " I will appoint judgment for tlie rule,and justice for the plummet." As the cornerstone stands most perpendicular and exactly proportioned, so Jehovah, while holding out grace to believers In the Foundation-stone, will judge the scoffers (v. 15) according to the exact justice of the law (cf. James 2. 13). liall—Divine judgments (ch. 30. 30; 32. 19). 18. cUgaunailed—obliterated, as letters traced on a waxen tablet are obliterated by passing the stylus over it. trodden down—passing from the metaphor in "scourge" to the thing meant, the artny which treads down its enemies. 19. Prom tlic time, &c.—rather, " As often as it comes over or, "trodden out" by the hoofs of cattle driven over it on the threshing-floor [G. V. Smith], (Deuteronomy 25.4; Micah 4.13). because— rather, but [Horsi.ey]; though the corn is threshed with the heavy instrument, yet he will not always be thus threshing it. brealt It—"drive over it (continually) the wheel." [Maurer.] cart—threshing-drag, horseman—rather, horses: used to tread out corn. 20. Tliis also—The skill wherewith the husbandman duly adjusts his modes of threshing is given by God, as well as the skill (v. 26) wherewith he tills and sows (v. 24, 25). Therefore He must also be able to adapt His modes of treatment to the several moral needs of His creatures. His object in sending tribidation (derived from the Latin tribulum,a, threshing instrument, Luke 22.31; Romans 5. 3) is to sever the moral chaff from the wheat, not to crush utterly; "His judgments are usuallj' in the line of our offences; by the nature of the judgments we may usually ascertain the nature of the sin." [Barnes.]
(i.e., passes through), it shall overtake you" [Horsley]; like a flood returning /rojn. time to time, frequent hostile invasions shall assail Judah, after the deportation of the ten tribes, vexation . . . Iiear . . . report—rather, " It shall be a terror even to hear the mere report of it." [Mauker.] (1 Samuel 3. 11.) But G. V. Smith, "Hard treatment (Hor.si.ey, dispersion) only shall make you to understand instruction ;" they scorned at the simple way in which the prophet ollered it {v. 9), therefore, they must be taught by the severe teachings of adversity. 20. Proverbial, for thcj' shall And all their sources of confidence fail them ; all shall be hopeless perplexity in their afl'airs. 21. Perazim—In the valley of Rephaim (2Samuel5. 18,20;
CHAPTEK XXIX.
1 Chronicles 14. 11), there Jehovah, by David, broke forth as waters do, and made a breach among the Philistines, David's enemies, as Perazim means, expre.ssing a sudden and complete overthrow. Gibeon—(1 Chronicles 14. 16 ; 2 Samuel 5.25; Margin.) Not Joshua's victory (Joshua 10.10). •trange—as being against His own people ; judgment Is not what God delights in, it is, though necessary, yet strange to Him (Lamentations 3. .«). work—punishing the guilty
Ver. 1-24. Coming Invasion of Jerusalem : its Failure : Unbelief op the Jews. This chapter opens the series of prophecies as to the invasion of Judea under Sennacherib, and its deliverance. 1. Ariel Jerusalem; Ariel means Lion of God, i. e., city rendered by God invincible: the lion is emblem of a mighty hero (2 Samuel 23.
20). Otherwise, Hearth of Ood, i. e., place where the altarflre continually burns to God (ch. 31. 9; Ezekiel 43. 15, 16). add . . . year to year—ironically; suffer one year after another to glide on in the round of formal, heartless "sacrifices." Rather, "add yet another jear" to the one just closed. [Maurer.] Let a year elapse and a little more (ch. 32. 10; Margin), let . . . Kill sacrifices—rather, "let the beasts (of another year) go round" [Mauuer]:
(cli. 10. 12). -i'l. moc Jtcrs—a sin which tliey had committed (d. 9. 10). bands—their Assyrian bondage (ch. 10. 27); Judah was then tributary to Assyria; or, " lost your punishment be made still more severe" (ch. 24. 22). con Buinptlon—destruction (ch. 10. 2'2, 23; Daniel 9. 27). 23. Calling attention to the following illustration from husbandry (Psalm 49. 1, 2'. As the husbandman does his different kinds of work, each in its right time unA due jrroportion, so God adapts His measures to the varying exigencies of the several cases: now mercy, now judgments; t. e., after the completion of a year " I will distress Ariel." 2. Yet— rather. Then, heaviness . . . sorrow — rather, preserving the Hebrew paronomasia, groaning and moaning, as Ariel—either, " the city shall be as a lion of Ood, now punishing sooner, now later (an answer to the scoff i.e., it shall emerge from its dangers unvanqulshed ; or
2Tke Coming Invasion of Jerusalem,. ISAIAH XXIX. and the Unbelief of the Jew*.
quotation of this verse from the LXX. 14. (Habakknk 1.
-It shall be as the altar of burnt offering," consuming with Are the besieiiers (v. 6; ch. 30. 30 ; 31. 9; Leviticus 10. 2); or
5; Acts 13.41.) The "marvellnus work" is one of unparalbest, as the next verse continues the tlireai, and the pi'omleled vengeance on tlie hypocrites: cf. "strange work," ch.
28.21. The judgment, too, will visit the wise in that respect in which they most pride themselves; their wisdom shall be hid, i. e., shall no longer appear, so as to help tlie nation in its distress (cf. 1 Corinthians 1. 19). 15. seek deep to hide—rather, "That seek to hide deeply," &c. (cf. ch. 30. 1,2). The reference is to the secret plan which many of the Jewisli nol:)les had of seeking Egyptian aid against ise o{ deliverance does not come till v. 4, " it shall be lilte a hearth of burning," t. e., a scene of devastation by fire.
[G. V. Smith.] The prophecy, probably, contemplates uUimaleli/, besides the affliction and deliverance in Sennaclierib s time, the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome, the dispersion of the Jews, their restoration, the destruction of the enemies that besiege the city (Zeehariah 14. 2), and the final glory of Israel (v. 17-24). 3. I—Jehovah, acting through tlie Assyrian, &c.. His instruments (ch. 10. 5). iwouiit—an artificial mound formed to out-top high walls
Assyria, contrary to the advice of Isaiah. At tlie same time the hypocrite in general is described, who, under a plausible exterior, tries to hide his real character, not only from men, but even from God. 16. Rather, "Ah! your perverseness ! just as if the potter .should be esteemed as the clay !" [JNIaurer.] Or, " Ye invert (turn upside down) the order of things, putting yourselves instead of God," and vice versa, just as If the potter should be esteemed as the clay [Horsley], (ch. 45. 9; 64. 8). 17. turned—as contrasted with yoxir "turnings of things upside down" (v. 16), there shall be other and better ^trnmsr* or revolutions: the outpouring of the Spirit In the latter days (ch. 32. 15); first on the Jews; which shall be followed by their national restoration (Note, vji; Zeehariah 12. 10); then on the Gen-
(ch. 37. 33). Else a station, viz., of warriors, for the siege, round all)o«t—not fully realized under Sennacherib, but
In the Boman siege (Luke 19.43; 21. 20). forts— siegetowers (Deuteronomy 20. 20). 4. Jerusalem shall be as a captive, humbled to the dust. Her voice shall come from the earth as that of the spirit-charmers or necromancers
(ch. 8. 19), faint and shrill, as the voice of the dead was supposed to be : ventriloquism was doubtless the trick caused to make tlie voice appear to come from the earth
(eh. 19. 3). An appropriate retribution that Jerusalem, which consulted necromancers, should be made like them! 5. Moreover—ratlier. Yet: yet in this extremity help shall come, and the enemy be scattered, strangers tiles (Joel 2. 28). fruitful fielda Carmel (Note, ch. 10.
18). The moral change in the Jewish nation shall be as great as if the wooded Lebanon were to become a fruitful foi'eign enemies, invaders (ch. 25. 2). It slinU be—tiiz., the destruction of the enemy, at an Instant—in a moment field, and vice versa. Cf. Matthew 11. 12, Greek, "the kingdom of heaven forces itself," as it were, on man's acceptance ; instead of men having to seek Messiah, as they had John, in a desert. He presents Himself before them with loving invitations; thus men's hearts, once a moral desert, are reclaimed so as to bear fruits of righteousness
(ch. 30. 2:3). 6. TUon—The Assyrian army, tlumder—&c. —not lit., in the case of the Assyrians (ch. 37. 36); but Jig., for an awful judgment (ch. 30. 30; 28. 17). The ulterior fulfilment, in the case of the Jews' foes in the last days, may be more literal (see as to "earthquake," Zeehariah 14. 4).
vice versa, the ungodly who seemed prosperous, both in the moral and literal sense, shall be exhibited in their real barrenness. 18. deaf. . . blind—(Cf. Matthew 11. 5.) The spiritually blind, &e., are chiefly meant; "the book," as Bevelation is called pre-eminently, shall be no longer ".sealed," as is described {v. 11), but the most unintelligent shall hear and see (ch. .35. 5). 19. meeU—rather, the afflicted godly: the \dea.\?,,xnrtnoiis suffering (ch.<n.\; Psalm 25.9;
7, miinltlon—fortress. 8. Their disappointment in the very height of their confident expectation of taking Jerusalem shall be as great as that of the hungry man who in a dream fancies he eats, but awakes to hunger still (Psalm
73. 20); their dream shall be dissipated on the fatal morning (ch. 37. 3G). soul — simply his appetite; he is still thirsty. 9. Stay—rather, Be astounded: expressing the Btapid and amazed incredulity with which the Jews received Isaiah's announcement, wonder—the second tm-
37.11). [Barnes.1 poor among men—t. e., the poorest o( men, viz., the pious poor, rejoice—when they see their oppressors punislied (v. 20, 21), and Jehovah exhibited as their protector and rewarder {v. 22-24; ch. 41. 17; James 2.
perative, as often (ch. 8. 9), Is a threat ; the first is a simple declaration of a fact, "Be astounded, since you choose to be so, at the prophecy, soon }/ou will be amazed at the sight of the actual event." |Mauker.] cry . . . out . . . cry-
5). 30. terrible—Viz., the persecutors among the Jewish nobles, scorner— (Ch. 28. 14, 22.) watch for—not only commit iniquity, but watch for opportunities of committing it, and make It their whole study (see Micah 2. 1; Matthew 26. 59 ; 27. 1). 31. Bather, "Who make a man guilty in his cause" [Gesenius], i. e., unjustly condemn him. "A man" is in the Hebrew, apoor man, upon whom such unjust condemnations might be practiced with more impunity than on the rich; cf. v. 19, "the meek . . . the poor." him that reproveth—rather, pjeade^/i ,• one who has a suit at issue, gate—the place ofconcour.se in a city, where courts of justice were held (Buth 4. 11; Proverbs rather, " Bo ye blinded (since you choose to be so, though the liglit sliines all round you), and soon ye sliall be blinded" in good earnest to your sorrow [Maurer], (ch. 6.
9,10). not wltU wine—but with spiritual paralysis (ch.
51. 17, 21). ye . . . tliey—the cliange from speaking to, to speaking of them, intimates tliat the prophet turns away from tliem t o a greater distance, because of their stupid unbelief. 10. Jehovah gives them up Judicially to their own hardness of heart (cf. Zeehariah 14. 13). Quoted by Paul, With variations from the LXX., Bomans 11. 8. See ch. 6.
10; Psalm 69. 23. eyes ; the propliets, Ac-rather, " Hath closed your eyes, tlie prophets; and your heads (Margin, see also ch. 3. 2), the seers, He hatli covered." Tlie Orien-
31.23; Amos 5. 10, 12). just—one who has a just cause; or, Jesus Christ, "the Just One." [Horsley.] for a thing of nanglit—lather, " through falsehood," "by a decision that is null in justice." [Barnes.] Cf. as to Christ, Proverbs 28.21; Matthew 26.15; Acts 3. 13, 14; 8. 33. 33. Join "saith . . . concerning the house of Jacob." redeemed out of Ur, a land of idolaters (Josliua 24. 3). not now tals cover tlie head to sleep; thus "covered" is parallel to "closed your eyes" (Judges 4. 19). Covering the face was also preparatory to execution (Esther 7. 8). This cannot apply to the time when Isaiah himself prophesied, but to subsequent times. 11. of all—rather, " the whole vinxon."
Vision is the same here as revelation, or law: in ch. 28. 15, the same Hebrew word is translated, covenant. [Maukf.r.] sealed—(ch. 8. 16), God seals up the truth so that even the learned, because tliey want believing docility, cannot discern it (.Mattliew 13. 10-17 ; 11. 25). Prophecy remained comparatively a sealed volume (Daniel 12. 4, 9), until Jesus, who "alone is worthy," "opened the seals" (Revelation after the moral revolution described (t). 17), the children of Jacol) shall no longer give cause to their forefathers to blush for them, wax pale—with shame and disappointment at the wicked degeneracy of his posterity, and fear as to their punishment. 33. But—rattier, /for. he—Jacob, work of mine hands—spiritually, as well as physically
(ch. 19.25; 60.21; Kpliesians 2.10). By Jehovah's agency
5.1-5,9; 6.1). 1^. Tlie unlearned succeed no better than the learned, not from want of human learning, as they fancy, but from not having the teaching of God (cii. 51. 13; Jeremiah 31.31; John 6.45; 1 Corinthians 2. 7-10; 1 John
Israel shiill be cleansed of its corruptions, and shall consist wholly of pious men (cli. 51. 13, 11 ; 52. 1 ; 60. 21). midst of him—;, r., his land. Or else " His children" are the Oentiles adopted amongst the Israelites, his lineal desrendantt (Bomans 9. 26; Ephesians 3. 0). [HoRSLEY.] 34. They . . . that erred—(Ch. 28.7.) Icai-n doctrine— rather, shall re-
2. 20). 1-3. precept of men— 1 nstead of the precepts of God, given by His prophets; also worship external, and by ceive discipline or instruction. " Murmuring" was the ctiarule, not lieartfelt as God requires (John 4. 24). Cf. Christ's
4()2
Conf.dmce in Egypt Reproved. ISAIAH XXX. God!s Mercies towards His Church,
It. No man, />ro/e.?sed?2/, wished to be deceived; but many seek a kind of teaching wliich is deceit; and wliich, if they would examine, they miglitknow to bo such (1 Kings racteristic of Israel's rebellion against God (Exodus 16. 8
Psalm 106. 2-5). This shall be so no more. Chastisements, and, in Horsi-ey's view, the piety of the Gentiles provoking the Jews to holy jealousy (Romans 11. 11, 14), shall then produce the desired effect.
22. 13). The Jews desired success to be foretold as tlie issue of their league with Egypt, though ill had Ix en announced b5' God's pi'ophet as tlie result; this constituted the "deceits." 11. Depart from the true "way" (so in Acts 19. 9,
CHAPTEE XXX.
23) of religion, cause ... to cease—let us hear no mora of His name. God's holiness is what troubles sinners most. 13. Holy One—Isaiah so little yields to their wicked prejudices, that he repeats the very name and truth which they disliked, this word—Isaiah's exhortation to reliance on Jehovah, oppression—whereby tliey levied the treasures to be sent to conciliate Egj'pt (v. 6). perverseness—in relying on Egypt, rather than on Jehovah. 13. Image from a curve swelling out In a wall (Psalm 62. 3), when the former gives way, it causes the downfall of the whole wall; so their policy as to Egypt. 14. lie—the enemy; or rather, God (Psalm 2. 9; Jeremiah 19. 11). it-the Jewish state, potter's vessel—earthen and fragile, sherd —a fragment of the vessel large enough to take up a live coal, &c. pit—cistern or pool. The swell of the wall is at
Ver. 1-32. Chaps. 30 - 32. befbk pkobably to the Summer of 714 b. c, as Chap. 29. to the Passovek OF that Year. Jewish ambassadors were now on their way to Egypt to seek aid against Assyria (eh. 30.
15; 31. 1). Isaiah denounces this reliance on Egypt rather than on Jehovah. God had prohibited such alliances with heathen nations, and It was a leading part of Jewish polity that they should be a separate people (Exodus 23. 32; Deuteronomy 7. 2). 1. take counsel rather, as v. 4, 6, imply, execute counsels, cover . . . covering—t. e., wrap themselves in reliances disloyal towards Jehovah. "Cover" thus answers to "seek to hide deeply their counsel from the Lord" (ch. 29. 15). But the Hebrew
Is lit., "who pour out libations:" as It was by these that leagues were made (Exodus 24. 8; Zechariah 9. 11), translate, " who make a league." not of—not suggested " by my Spirit" (Numbers 27. 21 ; Joshua 9. 14). that they may add —the consequence is here spoken of as their intention, so reckless were they of sinning: one sin entails the commission of another (Deuteronomy 29.19). 3. walk—are now setting out, viz., their ambassadors (u. 4). Egypt See JVofe, in the beginning of ch. 19. and 20. Pharaoh The generic name of the kings of Egypt, as C(Esar was at Kome. The word in Egyptian means king (Jo.sephtjs, Anfirst imperceptible and gradual, but at last it comes to the crisis; so the decay of the Jewish state. 15. returning and rest—turning back from your embassy to Egypt, and ceasing from warlike preparations, quietness—answering to " wait for Him " (God) (v. 18). 16. flee—not as fugitives, but we will speed our course, viz., against the Assyrians, by the help of cavalry supplied by Egypt (ch. 31.
1). Tills was expressly against the Mosaic law (Deuteronomy 17. 16; cf. iVo«e, ch. 2. 7 ; Hosea 14. 3). sliall . . . flee —lU., before your enemies; their sin and its punishment correspond. 17. One thousand—A thousand at once, or. As one man. [Maureb.] rebuke—the battle-cry. sliall ye—at the rebuke of five shall ye, viz., all (in contrast to tiquities, 8. 6, 2). Phra, " the sun," was the hieroglyphic symbol and title of tlie king, shadow—image from shelter against heat: protection (Psalm 121.5, 6). 3. shamedisappointment. Egypt, weakened by its internal dissensions, can give no solid help. 41. his—Judah's (cf. ch. 9. 21). at Zoan—are already arrived there on their errand to Pharaoli (see ch. 19. 11). came to Hanea—are come there. West of the Nile, in central Egypt: Egyptian Hnes; the Greek Hcracleopolis : perhaps the Anysis of Herodotus tlie "one thousand") flee so utterly that even two shall not be left together, but each one shall be as solitary "as a signal staff [G. V. Smith], or a banner on a hill
26; 11. 12). The signal-staff was erected to rally a nation in war. The remnant of Jews left would be beacons to warn all men of the justice of God, and the truth of liis threatening.?. Gbsenius, from Leviticus 20. K; Deuteronomy 32.30, arbitrarily inserts "ten thousand." "At the rebuke of five shall ten thousand of you flee." 18. tlxerefore—on account of your wicked perverseness (v. 1,
(2. 137); according to Grotius; Tahpanhes contracted (Jei-emiah 43. 7-9) ; the seat of a reigning prince at the time, as was Zoan, hence the Jewish ambassadors go to both. 5. (Jeremiah 2. 36.) 6. bnrden—tlie prophecy as to, &c. [Maurer]; so LXX., the fresh inscription here marks emphatically the prediction that follows. Or, rather. Isaiah sees in vision, the ambassadors' beasts burdened with rich presents travelling southwards {viz.,to Egypt, Daniel 11. 5, 6), and exclaims. Oh the burden of treasure on the beasts ! &c. (Hosea 8. 9 ; 12. 1). Ian* of tronble—the desert between Palestine and Egypt, destitute of water and abounding in dangerous animals (Deuteronomy 8. 15; Jeremiah 2. G). flying serpent—(ch. 14. 29), a species which springs like a dart from trees, on its prey, will carry rather. Present, carry, viz., as presents to Egypt (1 Kings
2, 9, 15, 16), Jehovah will delay to be gracious. [Hoksley.] Ratlier, wait or delay in punishing, to give you time for repentance {v. 13, 14,17). [Maurer]. Or, Yet thei-e/ore {viz., because of the distress spoken of in the previous verses: tliat distress will lead the Jews to repentance, and .so Jehovah will pity them). [Gbsenius.] beexalted-men will have more elevated views of God's mercy; or else, "He will rise up to fl|ty you." [G.V.Smith.] Or [taking tlie previous clause as Maurer, " Therefore Jehovah will delay " in punishing you, "m order that He may be gracious to you," if ye repent], He will be far removed Ironi you [so in Psalm 10. 5, far above out of sight], i. e.. He will not immediately descend to punish, "in order that He may have mercy, &c. judgmentjustice ; faithfulness to His covenant, wait—cf. V. 15, wait, viz., for His times of having mercy. 19. (Ch. 65.9.) The restoration from Babylon only typifies the full accomplishment of the prophecy (u.
15.19). young asses—rather, full-grown asses. [Mauker.J t. "Egypt is vanity, and to no purpose will they help." (G. V. Smith.] strength Hebrew, Rahab, a designation of Egypt (ch. 51.9; Psalm 87.4), Implying her haughty fierceness ; translate, "Therefore I call her Arrogance that sitteth still." .She who boasted of the help she would give, when it came to the test, sat still (ch. 36. 6). English Version agrees with v. 15 and ch. 7. 4. 8. table—o tablet (Habakkuk 2. 2), which should be set in public, containing the prophecy in a briefer form, to be read by all. a tiook viz., a parclimont roll, containing the prophecy in
18-33). weep no more—(Ch. 25. 8.) thy cry—(Ch. 26. 8, 9; Jeremiah 29. 12-14.) 30. Rather, "The Lord will give;" the though is not in the original, bread of adversity He will not deny you food enough to save you in j'our adversity (1 Kings 22. 27; Psalm 127. 2). be removed—rather, "hide themselves;" they shall no more be forced to hide themselves from persecution, but shall be openly received with reverence. [Maurer.] Contrast with this Psalm 71.
full, for the use of distant posterity. Its truth will be seen hereafter when the event has come to pass. See ch.
8. 1, 16, Notes, for ever and ever—rather read, " For a testimony for ever" [Chaldeb, Jerome, Lowth]: "testimony is often joined to the notion of perpetuity (Deuteronomy 31. 19, 21, 26). ». lying-unfaithful to Jehovah, whose covenant they had taken on them as His adopted children (ch. .59. 13 : Proverbs 30. 9). 10. (Micah 2. 6, 11 ; 3.
9; Amos 8. 11. 31. word—conscience, guided by the Holy Spirit (John 16. 13). 32. covering of . . . images—ratlier, images (formed of wood or potter's clay, and ) covered with silver. Hezekiah, and afterwards Josiah, defiled them (2 Kings2.3. 8, 10, 14,16; 2 Chronicles 31. 1 ; cf.ch. 2.20; Deuteronomy?.^), as. rain of—rather, "/or <7i3/ seed." Physical prosperity accompanies national piety; especially undei the Old Testament. The early rain fell soon after the seed
6). See not—as you now do, foretelling misfortune. Prophesy not . . . right things—Not that they avowedly requested tins, but their conduct virtually expressed