Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Judgments on Idumea, ISAIAH XXXV. Judgments on Idumea.
Gomorrah (Genesis 19. 24-28 ; so Deuteronomy 29. 23 ; Jeremiah 49. 17, 18). 10. It—Tlie burning pitch, &c.(t). 9). smok* fr<ym all its foe, and happier times shall stvcceed under Messiah. 1. All creation is summoned to hear God's judgments (Ezekiel 6. 3 ; Deuteronomy 32. 1 ; Psalm 50. 4 ; Micah, . . for ever—(Revelation 14. 11 ; 18.18; 19.3). generation to generation—(Malachi 1.4.) none . . . pass through Edom's original offence was, they would not let Israel pass through their land in peace to Canaan : God " recompenses" tfiem in kind, no traveller shall pass through Edom. VoLNEY, the infidel, was forced to confirm tlie truth of this prophecy : " From the reports of the Arabs, south-east of the Dead Sea, within three days'' journey, are upwards of thirty ruined towns, absolutely deserted." 11. cormorai»t— the Hebrew is rendered, in Psalm 102. pelican, which is a sea-fowl, and cannot be meant here: some water-fowl
6. 1, 2), for they set forth His glory, which is the end of creation (Revelation 15. 3; 4. U). tUat come fortli of 1^- answering to "all that is therein;" or Hebrew, "all whatever flUs it," Margin, a. utterly destroyed— rather, doomed them to an utter curse. [Horsley.] delivered— rather, appointed. 3. cost out — unburied (cli. 14. 19). melted—washed away as with a descending torrent. 4. (Psalm 102. 26 ; Joel 2. 31 ; 3. 15 ; Matthew 24. 29.) dissolved —(2 Peter 3. 10-12.) Violent convulsions of nature are in Scripture made the imagen of great changes in the human world (ch. 24. 19-21), and shall literally accompany them at the winding up of the present dispensation, scroll—books were In those days sheets of parchment rolled together (Revelation 6. 14). fall down—tlie stars shall fall when the heavens in which they are fixed pass away, fig tree (Revelation 6. 13.) 5. sword— (Jeremiah 46. 10.) Or else,
(katta, according to Burckhardt) that tenants desert places is intended, bittern—rather, the hedgehog, ov porcupine [Gesenius] (ch. 14. 23). owl—from its being enumerated among water-birds in Leviticus 11. 17; Deuteronomy 14. 16. Maurer thinks rather the heron or crane is meant; from a Hebrew root, to blow, as it utters a sound like the blowing of a horn (Revelation 18. 2). confusion devastation, line . . . stones—metaphor from an archiknife for sacrifice : for God does not here appear as a warrior with His sword, but as one about to sacrifice victims doomed to slaughter. [Vitkinga.] (Ezekiel 39. 17.) batlied —rather intoxicated, viz., with anger (so Deuteronomy 32.
tect with line and plummet-stone (Note, ch. 18. 2; 28. 17); God will render to it the exact measure ofjustice without mercy (James 2. 13 ; 2 Kings 21. 13 ; Lamentations 2. 8 ; Ainos 7. 7,
42). " In heaven" implies the place where God's purpose of wrath is formed in antithesis to its "coming down" in the next clause. Idumea—originally extending from the Dead Sea to tlie Red Sea; afterwards they obtained possession of the country east of Moab, of which Bozrah was
8). emptiness — desolation. Edom is now a waste of "stones." 13. Rather, "As to her nobles, there sliall be none there who shall declare a kingdom," i. e., a king [Mauker]; or else, "There shall be no one there wliom they shall call to the kingdom" [Rosenmuller] (ch. 3. 6, &c.). Idumea was at first governed by dukes (Genesis 30.
capital. Petra or Selah, called Joktheel (2 Kings 14. 7), was capital of South Edom {Note, ch. 16. 1). David subjugated Edom (2 Samuel 8. 13, 14). Under Jehoram they regained Independence (2 Chronicles 21. 8). Under Amaziah they were again subdued, and Selah taken (2 Kings 14. 7). When Judah was captive in Babylon, Edom, in every way, insulted over her fallen mistress, and killed many of those Jews whom the Chaldeans had left, and hence was held guilty of fratricide by God (Esau, their ancestor, having been brother to Jacob): this was the cause of the denunciations of the prophets against Edom (ch. 63. 1, &c. ; Jeremiah 49. 7; Ezekiel 25. 12-14; 35. 3-15; Joel 3. 19; Amos 1, 11,
15), out of them the king was chosen when the constitution became a monarchy. 13. dragons {Note, cli. 1'}. 21,
22.) court for owls—rather, a dwelling /or ostriches. 14. wild beasts of the desert . . . Island—rath er, wild cats . .
jackals (ch. 13. 21). screech owl—rather, the night-spectre in Jewish superstition a female, elegantly dressed, that carried off children by night. The text does not assert the existence of such objects of superstition, but describes tlie place as one which superstition would people witli such beings. 15. great owl—rather, the arrow-snake, so called from its darting on its prey. [Gesenius.] lay—tnz., pggs gather under her shadow—rather, cherishes her young under, &c. (Jeremiah 17. 11). 16. book of the Lord—the volume in which the various prophecies and other parts of Scripture began henceforward to be collected together (ch. 30. 8; Daniel 9. 2). "Seek" (so ch. 8. 16, 20; John 5. 39;
12; Obadiah 8, 10, 12-18; Malachi 1. 3, 4). Nebuchadnezzar humbled Idumea accordingly (Jeremiah 25. 15-21). of my curse—t. e., doomed to it. to judgment i. e., to execute
It. 6. filled — glutted. The Image of a sacrifice is continued, blood . . . fat—the parts especially devoted to God in a sacrifice (2 Samuel 1. 22). lambs . . . goats—socriftdal animals : the Idumeans, of all classes, doomed to Slaughter, are meant (Zephaniah 1. 7). Bozrah—called Bosira by the Romans, <fec., assigned in Jeremiah 48. 24 to Moab, so that it seems to have been at one time in the dominion of Edom, and at another in that of Moab (ch. 63.
7. 52). no one . . . fall—of these prophecies (Matthew 5.
18). none shall want . . . mate—Image from pairing of animals mentioned, v. 15 ("mate"): no prediction shall want a futilment as Its companion. Or rather, "none of these wild animals (just spoken of) shall be wanting: noae shall be without its mate" to pair and breed with, in desolate Idumea. my . . . his—such changes of person are frequent in Hebrew poetry, them—the wild beasts. 17. cast . . . lot—As conquerors apportion lands by lot, so Jehovah has appointed and marked out ("divided") Edom for the wild beasts (Numbers 26. 55, 56 ; Joshua 18. 4-6).
1; Jeremiah 49. 13, 20, 22); It was strictly not in Edom, but the capital of Auranitis (the Houran) : Edom seems to have extended its dominion so as to include it (cf. Lamentations
4. 21). 7. unicorns Hebrew, reem : conveying the idea of loftiness, power, and pre-eminence (see Note, Job .39. 9), in the Bible; at one time the image In the term answers to a reality in nature, at another it symbolizes an abstraction. The rhinoceros was the original type. The Arab rim is two-horned: it was the oryx (the leucoryx, antelope, bold and pugnacious) ; but when accident or artifice deprived
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).
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Ver. 1-22. Sennacherib's Invasion; Rabshakeh's Blasphemous Solicitations; Hezekiah is toi.d of THEM. This and chaps. 37., 38., 39., form the historical appendix closing the first division of Isaiah's prophecies, and were added to mnke the parts of these referring to Assyria more intelligible. So ch. 52., in Jeremiah; ef. 2 Kings 25. The section occurs almost word for word (2 Kings 18. 13, 17-20, 97); 2 Kings 18. 14-16, however, is additional matter. Hezekiah's "writing" also is in Isaiah, not in Kings (ch. 38. 9-20). We know from 2 Chronicles 32. 32 that Isaiah wrote the acts of Hezekiah. It is, therefore, probable, that his record here (ch. 36.-39.) was incorporated into tlie book of Kings l)y its compiler. Sennacherib lived, according to Assyrian inscriptions, more than twenty years after his invasion; but, as Isaiah survived Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 82. 32), who lived upwards of fifteen years after the invasion (ch. ^.5), the record of Sennacherib's death (ch. 37. 38) is no objection to this section having come from Isaiah ; 2 Chronicles 32. is probably an abstract drawn from Isaiah's account, as the chronicler liimself implies («. .32). Pul was probably the
1). 9. captain—a governor under a satrap; even Ae commands more horsemen than this. 10. A boastful Inference from the past successes of Assyria, designed to luflu« ence the Jews to surrender: their own principles bound them to yield to Jehovah's will. He may have, heard, from partisans In Judah what Isaiali had foretold (ch. 10, last of the old dynasty, and Sargon, a powerful satrap, who contrived to possess himself of supreme power, and found a new dynasty (see note, ch. 20. 1). No attempt was made by Jiulah to throw off the Assyrian yoke during nls vigorous reign. The accession of his son Sennache468
5, 6). 11. Syrian—rather, Aranwan: the language spo Uea north and east of Palestine, and understood by LUa Aa-