Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Gud hy Hi? Oinnipaleney, ISAIAH XLT. ChaUenffeth OMienee lo JTim.
to be ablp lo show whei'e snoh treasnros were to be found ; In opposilion to tlieir pretensions, God says, He will really ^ive hidden treasures to Cyrus (Jeremiah 50. ;57; 51.
a child, born in less favourable circumstances, to upbraKl his parents with having given hin> birth, a fdi-liiyri, it to upbraid God for His <lealings with us. U.-ttiier translate, "« lather. . .a woman." Tlie Jews considered them:;elve» ex<'lusivel}- God's children, and were angry that God should adopt t)ie Gentiles besides. Woe to him who says to one alre.uly a father. Why dost thou beget other children? [H0RSI.EY.] 11. AsSt . . . co Humn ml—Instead of striving with me in regard to my purposes, your wisdom
13). Pi,[N V, JI. jY., 3:?. 3, s;iys that Cyrus obtained from the con()ui'St of Asia 31,000 pounds weight of gold, besides f!<>l<-li n v:iscs, and 5!)0,(K)0 talents of silver, and the goblet of Seniirauiis, weighing fifteen talents. tUaf tUoii niayest know— not merely that He was "the God of Israel," but that He was Jehovah, the true God. Ezra 1.
is in prayer to ask, and even command me, in so far as it I'H for nty gloi y, and for your real good (M:-.rk 11.24; Jojin ll>.
1, 2 shows lhat the correspondence of the event with the predi. tioii liad the desired effect on Cyrus, ivlilcli call. . . fUy name—so long before designate thee by name
2:!, 13, latter part of the verse ; 1 John 3. 22). sons—tCh. 51.
13; Galatians3.2fi.) wovkof my Itnud—spiritually (Ephesians 2. 10); also literal Israel (ch. til). 21). Mauker /r«»i.*-
(eh. ^3. 1). 4-. {Xote, ch. 41. 8; 43. 14.) sm-jiamtd— i. e., designate<l to carrjout my design of restoring Judah (see
JS'otr, ch. 44. 5; 44. 2S; 45. 1). Maurer here, as in ch. 44. 5, lates, instead of "command,"/,(;are it to me, in mydealing.i concei ning my sons and concerning the* work of my hands, to do what 1 will with my own. Lowni reads it inti'rrog;Uivcly, Do ye presume to question me and dictate to me (see V. 9, 10)? The same sense is given, if the words be taken in irony. But English Version is best. The same argument for prayer, drawn from God's omnipotence and consequent power, to grant any re- .quest, occurs (cli. 40. 26-31). I, even iiiy hands—So Hebrew (Psalm 41. 2), "Thou . . . thy hand transhitf'.t, "I have addres.ted thee bt/ on honourable name," Uast not known me—^-evious to my calling thee to this of Kco; n/lei God's call, Cyrus did know Him in some degree (Kzra 1. 1-3). 5. (Ch. 42. 8; 43. 3, 11; 44. 8; 46.9.) girded lltec—whereas " I will loose (the girdle ofi) the loins of kings" (v. 1), strengthening thee, but enfeebling them liefore thee, tliougli . . . not known me—(?,>. 4.) God knoy/s His elect before they are made to know Him (Galatians 4. !); John 15. 16). 6. From the rising to the setting of the sun, i. e., from east to west, the whole habitable world. It is not said, " from north to south," for that would not implj' the habitable world, as, "from east to west " does (Ezra 1. 1, &c). The conquest of Jerusalem, by
' (both nominatives, in apposition). 13. him—Cyrus, type of Messiah, who redeems the captives of Satan "without money and without price" (ch.55.1), " freely" (gratuitously) (cli. 52. 3; 61.1,. Zechariah !). II; Romans 3. 21). in rtglttcwnsnegs-to fulfil my righteous purpose (^'oi"?, ch. 41. 2; 42. 6; Jeremiah
' Babylon, the capital of the world, and the overthrow of
Babylon and restoration of the Jews, by Cyrus, who expressly acknowledged himself to be but the instrument in God's hands, were admirably suited to secure, througliout the world, the acknowledgment of Jehovah as the only true God. 7. form . . . create— Yatzar, to give " form" to previously-existing matter. Bara, to " create" from nothing the chaotic dark material, light . . . darltness— (Genesis 1'. 1-3), emblematical also, prosperity to Cyrus, calamity to Babylon and the nations to be vanqiiished. [Grotius.] Isaiah refers also to the Oriental belief in two coexistent, eternal principles, ever struggling with each other, light or good, and darkness or evil, Oroniasden and Ahrimanen. God, here, in opposition, asserts His sovereignty over both. ['Vitringa.] create evil—not moral evil (James 1. 13), but in contrast to "peace'' in the parallel clause, war, disaster (of. Psalm 65.
23. 6). 14. The language but cursoi ily alludes to Egypt, Elliiopia, and S<'l>a, being given to Cyrus as a I'ansom in lieu of Israel whom he restored (ch. 43. 3), but mainly and fully describes the gathering in of the Gentiles to Isi aeK Acts 2.10,11; 8. '27-.'iS), especially at Israel's future restoration (ch. 2. 2; 14. I, 2; 1',). 18-22; 60. IVM; 4!). 2;i; Psalm 68. ol; 72.
10, 11). labour—wealth acciuiied by labour (Jeremiah 3.
2t). Sabcans . . . of statnxe—the men Of Meroe, in Upper Egypt. Herodotu.-! i;3. 30) calls the Ethiopians " the tall" est of men" (Note, ch. 18. 2; 1 Chronicles 11.23). tiieo— Jerusalem ("my city," v. 13). in clialns — (Psalm 119!,
8.) "The Siilnts shall Judge the world" (1 Corinthians 6,
2) and "rule the nations with a rod of iron" (Zechariah 4. 12-19; Revelation 2. 26, 27). The "chains," in the case of the obedient, shall be the easy yoke of MessiaJi as "the sword of the .Spirit" also is saving to the believer, condemnatory to tlie 'v-liever (John 1"2. 48; Hebrews 4. 12; Revelation' 1!1. 151. C!«d Is in thee—(Jei'cmiah
7; Amos 3.61. 8. Drop viz., the fertilizing rain (Psalm
65. 12). skies — clouds. Lower than the "heavens." rlgliteousness i. p., the dews of the Hol.v Spirit, whereby "righteousness" shall "spring up." (See latter end of the verse.) eartli—/fgr. for the hearts of men on it, opened for receiving the truth by tlie Holy Ghost (Acts 16. 14). them—the earth and the heavens. Horsley prefers witli Queen Elizabeth's Bible, " Let the earth open, and let salvation and justice grow forth ; let it bring them forth together
3. 1!).) 15. God that hidest thyself— IIoR.SJ.EY, after JEROME, explains this as the confession of Egypt, <fec., that God is concealed in human form In the person of Jestis, Rather, connected with r. 9, 10, the prophet, contemplating the wonderful issue of the seemingly dark counsels of God, implies a ceusuie oii those wlio presume to Vjuestlon God'.s dealings (cii.55. 8, 9; Deuteronomy 29. 29). Faith
I the Lord have created him" (v. 13). Maurer translates, "Let all kinds of salvation (prosperity) be fruitful" (Psalm 72. 3, 6, 7). The revival of religion after (he return from Babylon suggests to the prophet the diffusion of Messiah's gospel, especially in days still future; hence the elevation of the language to a pitch above what is applicable to the state of religion after the return. 9. Anticipating the objections which the .lews might raise as to why God permitted their captivity, and when He did restore tlicm, why He did so by a foreign prince, Cyrus, not a Jew (cli. 40. 27, &c.), but mainly and ultimately, the objections about to be raised by the Jews against God's sovereign act in adopting the whole Gentile world as His tpiritual Jsritcl (u. 8, referring to this co/ZioMc diirnsion of the gospel), as if it were an infringement of their nation's still di-scerns, even under the veil, the covenant-keeping
God of Isr(tel the Saviour (ch. 8. 17). 16. nsliamed—df.wppointed \ry their expectation of help from their idols (Kvte, ch. 42. 17; Psalm 97. 7). 17. in the Lord—(v. 21, 2:5), contrasted with the idols which cannot give even temjiorary help(u. 16); in Jehovah there Is everlasting salvat Xow (ch. 26. 4) not . . . asliamed—opposed to the doom of the idolaters, who, in the hour of need, shall bo "ashamed" (Note, v. 16). 18. {Note, V. 12.) not in vain [but] to he inlial>ited—Therefore, Judah, lying waste during the Baliylonish cnjilivlty, shall be peopled again l)y the exiles. The Jews, from this passage, infer that, after the resurrection, the earth shall "be inhabited, for there can be no reason why the earth should then exist in vain anymore than now (2 Peter :i.
13). 19. not . . . secret— not like the heathen oracles which gave their responses fron\ darlc caverns, with studied obscurity (ch. 48. 16). Christ plainly quotes these word.s, thereby identifying Himse lf wil h Jehovah (John 1!*.
orivi leges; so Paul expressly quotes it, Romans !). 4-S, 11-
21. JLot . . . strive—Not in X,\\e Ilebrew ; rather, in appo Hition with "him," "A potsherd among the potsherds of the eartli !" A creature fragile and worthless as the fragment of nn earthern vessel, amongst others equally so, and y«t presuming to strive with his Maker! English Vei-sion Imiilies, it ifi appropriate for man to strive with man, in opposition to 2 Timothy 2. 24. [GK.SENIUS.] thy . he— shalltljv work .vnj/ o/</iee, He, &C.T 10. If it be wrong for
20). I said not . . . Seek . . . iu vain—When I commanded you to seek me (JehoVah did so, t>. 11, "Ask me," &c.), It was not in order that ye might bi' sent empty awRy (Deuteronomy 32.47). Espc(^ially in Israel's time of trial, God's interposition, in be.ialf of Ziori hereafter, Is expressly stated as about to be 1 he answer to prayer (oh. 62. 0, 7-10;
48'2
Babylon's Idols could not Save .ler. ISAIAH XLVI, XLVII. Ood Saveth His People to the End.
tian Anubis. The extensive worship of it is shown by the many proper names compounded of it : Neb-uchadnczzar, Neb-uzaradan, Nal)-onassar, ite. wereupon i. e., were a 6urcie» (supplied from the following clause) upon. It was customary to transport the gods of the vanquislied to the land of the conquerors, who thought tiiereby the more effectually to keep down the smyect people (1 Samuel 5.
Psalm 102.1.3-17, 19-21). So in the case of all believers, the.
Kji'iiiual Israel, rljliteoitsness—what is veracious: not in tlie equivix'jil term.s of heathen responses, fitly symbolized by llie "dark places" from which they were uttered.
"rifUt—true (Note, ch. 41. 26). 20. escaped of tUe nations
—thoise of tlie nations who shall .have escaped the slaughter
Inllicted by Cyrus. Now, at last, ye shall see tlie folly of ."praying to a koJ tliat cannot save" (v. 16). Ultimately, those that shall be "left of all the nations which shall come against .Jerusalem" are meant (Zechariah 14. 16). Tliey shall tlien all be converted to the Lord (ch. 66. 23, 24; Jiircmiah 3. 17; Zechariah 8.20-2:^). 21. Challenge the wor-
1, (fee. ; Jeremiaii 48. 7 ; 49.3; Daniel 11. 8). carriages— in the Old English sense of the Ihtngs carried, the linages borne by you: the lading (Acts 21. 15), "carriages," not X\\e velti-
' Or, the images which used to be carried by you formerly in your solemn processions. [Maukem.] were heavy loaden—rather, areptd as a loud on tlie beasts of burden. [Maxjrer.] IIorsley translates, "They who should have been your carriers (as Jeliovaii is to His people, v. 3, 4) are become burdens" (see Note, v. 4). 3. deliver— from the enemies' hands, burden —their images laid on the beasts (u. 1). themselves—the gods, here also distinguished from their images. 3. in contrast to wliat precedes: Babylon's idols, so far from bearing its people safel.v, are themselves borne off, a burden to the laden beast; but Jehovah bears His people in safet.y even from the womb to old age (ch. 6^3.9; Deuteronomy 32. 11; Psalm 71. 6. 18). God compares Himself to a nursfe, tenderly carrying a child; contrast Moses" language (Numbers 11. 12). 4. olA age—As your—you—you, are not in tlie Hebreiv, the •sentiment is more general than Englisli Vercles, but the baggage.
siiippers of idols (ch. 41. 1). take counsel together—as to thi best arnments vvhei-ewith to defend the cause of idolatry, who . . . from that time—(Ch. 41. 22, 23; Note, ch.
44. 8.) Which of the idols has done what God hath, I'iz., foretold, primaril.v as to Cyrus; ultimately as to the final restoration of Israel hereafter? The idolatry of Israel before Cj ius' time will liave its counterpart in the Anticlirist and the apostasy, which sliall precede Christ's manifestation, just . . . and . . . Saviour righteous in keeping His promises, and tlierefore a Saviour to His people. Not only is it not inconsistent with, but it is the result of, His rir/htcou.incis, or justice, that He should nave His redeemed (cli. 42. 6, 21 ; Psalm 85. 10, 11 ; Romans 3. 26). 33. Lioolk . . . and be j'e saved—The second imperative expresses the result which will follow obedience to the first ('ienesis 12. 18); ye shall be saved (John 3. 14, 15). Numbers sion, tliougli of course \tincludes the Jews from tlie infi'.ncy to the more advanced age of their history (ch. 17. 6). 1 am he—i.e., the same (Psalm 102. 27; John 8. 24; Hebrews 13.
21. !•: "If a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld file serpent of brass he lived." What so simple as a look? Not do something, but look to tlie Saviour (Acts 16. 30, 31). Believers look by laith, the eye of the soul. The look is
8). I will bear . . . carry—Not only do I not need to be borne and carried myself, as the idols (v. 1). 5. (Ch, 40. 18, tliat of one tiirning (see Margin) to God, as at once "Just and the Saviour" {v. 21), t. e., the look of conversion (Psalm as.) 6. (Ch. 40. 19, 20 ; 41. 7.) They lavish gold out of their purses, and spare no expense for their idol. Their profuseness shames tire niggardliness of professors wlio worship God with what cost tlieni nothing. Sin' is always a costly service. 7. cry . . . can . . . not . . . save—(Ch. 45. 20, witli which contrast y. 19.) 8. show yoxirselves men—renounce the childishness of idolatry as shown in what precedes (i Corinthians 14. 20; 16. 13; Ephesians 4. 14). In order to Ije manly we must be godly: for man was made " in the image of God," and only rises to his true dignity when joined to God ; virtue is derived from the Latin vir, " a man.'^' bring ... to mind—rat her, lay it to heart, transgressors-^addressed to the idolaters among the Jews. 9. former viz., proofs of the sole Godship of Jehovali, from predictions
22. 27). 33. sworn by myself—equivalent to, "As I live,"' as Romans It. 11 quotes U. So Numbers 14. 21. God could swear b.v no greater, therefore swears by Himself (Hebrew.s 6. 13,. 16;. word ... In rlgliteoisness— rather, "the truth (yolc, v. 19) is gone forth from my mouth, the word (of promise J, and it shall not return (i. e., which shall not be rev(jked)." [Lowth.] But the accents favour jS'/ijrlish Version, tongue . . . swear viz., an oath of allegiance to God as their true King {Note, cl). 1!). 18; 65.16). Yet to be tulfilled (Zechariah 14. 9). 34. Rather, " Only in Jeliovaii shall men say o/me (this clause is parenthetical), is there righteousness" (which includes «a/fa Ziow, v. 21, "a just God and a Saviour," ch. 46. 13), -Ac. [Maurer.J sirength— t/z., to save, shall men come—Thase v/ho have set tliemselves up against God shall come to Him in penitence for the past (ch. 19. 22). ashamed—(u. 16 ; ch. 54.17; 41.11.) 35. all . . . Israel—the spiritual Israel (Romans 2. 29) and the literal Israel, 'i. e., tlie final remnant wliich shall all be saved (v. 17; Romans 11. 26). jiisti Hed—treate<t /-i-t ?/ tliey were just, through Christ's righteousness and de.ilh (Jeremiah 23. 5). glorj'— i/?., siiuj in Kis prai.se (Jeremiah 9. 24; I Corinthians 1. 31).
fulfilled, and interpositions of God in behalf of Israel (ch.
45. 5). 10. (Ch. 45. 21; 41.. 22, 23; 44. 20.) yet— not in the Hebrew. Translate, ''\Vhat had not been done." [HouSLEY.] do all my pleasure—(Ch. 53. 10; Romans 9. 19.) 11. ravenous bird—Cyrus so called on account of the rapidity of his marches from tlie distant regions of Persia to pounce on his prey (see Notes, cli.41. 2, 25; Jeremiah 49. 22; Ezekiel
17. 3). Tlie standard of Cyrus, too, was a golden eagle on a spear (see the heathen historian, Xenopiion, 7., where almost the same word is used, aetos, as here, ayit). executeth my counsel—(Ch. 44. 28 ; 45. 13.) Babylon represents, mystically, the apostate faction : the destruction of
CHAPTER XLVI.
its idols symliolizes the future general extirpation of all idolatry and unbelief, purposed . . . also do it^—(Ch. 43.
Ver. 1-13. Babylon's Idols could not Save themselves, ItUCll LKSS HEK. BUT GOD CAN AND WILL SAVE Israel: (ykl-s is His instkoment. l. Bel—The same ns the I'litt Miieian Baal, i. e., lord, the chief god of Babylon; to it was dedicated tlie celebrated tower of Baby-
13.) 13. stout-hearted—stubborn in resisting God (Psalm 76.5; Acts 7.51.) far from righteousness—(Ch. 59. 9; Habakkuk 2. 4.) 13. near—antithetical to "far" (v. 12; ch. 51. 5; 56. 1; 61. 10, 11; Romans, 10. 6-S).' righteousness — answering to "salvation"' in the parallel clause; therefore it means here, my righteous deliverance; righteous, because praving the truth oX God's promises, and so contrived aa to not compromise, butf vindicate. His righteousness (ch.
in the c<'nlre of one of tlie two parts into wliioli the city v.-as divided, the palace being in the centre of the olh(;r. Identical with the sun, worshipped on turrets, lioa.sctops, and other high places, so as to be nearer the heavenly hosti (Hal)a) (Jeremiah 19.13; 32.29; Zeplianiah
42..21 ; Romans 3. 26.) Zion . . . my glory—ratlier, " I will give Siilvation in Zion; to Israel (1 will give) my glory." [HORSLUY, with Q,UEKN ELIZAniSTH'S ijjBLE.J (Ch. 63. 11; Psalm 11. 7; Luke 2. 32.)
1.5). Oe.sknii;s identifies Bel with the planet Juiiitcr, whicli, with t.lie planet Venus (under the name Astarte or Asluroth), vras worshipped in the East as the rjod of I'orlunc, the most propitious star to be born under (iVoCe, ch. la. 11). A<;cordiug to the Apocryphal book, Bel and the Ijragon, Bel was c<ist down by Cyrus, boweth . . . •toopeth— fallet 1 prostrate* (ch. 10.4; 1 Samuel 5.3,4; ?>;alm 20. S). Nebo—Tlie planet Mercury or Hermes, In astrology. Tl)6 scribe of heaven, answering to the Egyp-
CHAPTER XLVII.
Ver. 1-15. The Destruction of Babylon is reprksenteij under the Image of a Royal Vikoin broikjut DOWN IN A Moment from her Magnificent Throne to
48a
/adgmenls nppn Babylmi and Chaldea. ISAIAH XLVIII. The Revelation of the Prophec'cs.
"in full measure." for . . . for—rather, 'notwithstanding the . . . notwithstanding;" "in spite of." [Lowth.] So "for" (Numbers 14. 11). Babylon was famous for "expiations or 'sacrifices, and other incantations, whereby they tried to avert evil and obtain good." [Diodokus Sicv ULUS.] 10. wickedness—as in ch. 13. 11, the cruelty with which Babylon treated its subject states, none sceth me —(PsalmlO.ll; 94.7.) "There is none to exact punishment from me." Sinners are not safe, thougli seeming secret, thy wisdom—astrological and political (ch. 19. 11, &c., 8S to Egypt), perverted-turns thee aside from tlie right and safe path. 11. from whence It rlseth Hebrew, the daum
THE EXTREME OF DEGRADATION. 1. Ill tile dtiat—(J\'ote, .
ch. 3. 26; Job 2. 13; Lamentations 2. 10). virgin— i. e., heretofore uncaptured. [Herodotus, 1. 191.] daughter of Bal)yloji—Babylon and its inhabitants (Notes, ch. 1. 8; 37.
22). no tHrone— The seat of empire was transferred to.Sliushan. Alexander intended to have made Babylon his seat of empire, but Providence defeated his design. He soon died ; and Seleucia, being built near, robbed it of its inhabitants, and even of its name, which was applied to
Seleucia. delicate—alluding to the effeminate debauchery and prostitution of all classes at banquets and religious rites. [CuRTius, 5. 1; Hekodottis, 1. 199; Baruch, 6. 43.] a. millstones— lilie the querns or hand-mills, found in thereof, i. e., its first rising. Evil shall come on thee without the least previous intimation. [RoSENMtri/LER.] But dawn is not applied to " evil," but to prosperity sliining out after misery (oh. 21. 12). Translate, "Thou shall not see any dawn " (of alleviation). [Maurer.] put . . . off this country, before the invention of water-mills and wind-mills : a convex stone, made by the hand to turn in a concave stone, fitted to receive it, the corn being ground between them : the ofiice of a female slave in tlie East ratlier, a,s -Margin, "remove by expiation it shall be never ending, not know—unawares: wliicli thou dost not appreliend. Proving the fallacy of thj' divinations and astrology (Job 9. 5; Psalm as. 8). 13. St.ind—forth most degrading (Job 31. 10; Matthew 24. 41). uncover tliy locks—rather, "take off thy veil" [Horsley]: perhaps the removal of the plaited hair worn round the women's temples is Included ; it, too, is a covering (1 Corinthians 11.
a scornful eliallenge to Babylon's magicians to sliow whetlier tliey can defend their city, laboured—The devil's service is a laboi-ious yet fruitless one (ch. 55. 2), 13. wearied—(Cf. 57. 10 ; Ezekiel 24. 12.) astrologers—iii., those who form combinations of the heavens ; \yho watch conjunctions anfl oppositions of the stars. "Casters of the configurations of the sky." [Horsley.] Gesenius explains it: the dividers of the heavens. In casting a nativity they observed four signs:—the horoscope, or sign which arose at the time one was born; the mid-heaven;
15) ; to remove it and the veil is the badge of tlie lowest female degradation; in the East the head is the seat of female modesty ; the face of a woman is seldom, the whole head never almost, seen bare (Note, ch. 22. 8). make bare tlie leg—rather, " lift up (lit., uncover ; as in lifting up tlie train the leg is uncovered) thy flomng train." In Mesopotamia, women of low rank, as occasion requires, wade across the rivers with stript legs, or else entirely put off their garments and swim across. "Exchange thy rich, loose, queenly robe, for the most abject condition, that of one going to and fro through rivers as a slave, to draw water," &c. uncover . . . tliigli—gather up the robe, so as to wade across. 3. not meet ... as a man—rather, " I will not meet a man," i. e., sufferman to intercede with me— the sign opposite the horoscope towards tlie west ; and the hypogee. monthly prognosticators—Those wlio at each new moon profess to tell thereby what is about to happen. Join, not as English Version, " save . . . from those things," &c. ; but, "They that at new moons make known from (by means of) tlieyn the things that shall come upon thee." [Maurer.] 14. (Ch. 29.6; 30.30.) not ... a coal—Like stubble, they shall burn to a dead ash, without leaving a live coal or cinder (cf. ch. 30. 14), so utterly shall they be destroyed. 15. Thus, &c.—Sucli shall be the fate of those astrologers wlio cost thee such an amount of trouble and money, thy merchants from thy youth i. e., with whom thou hast trafl Scked from thy earliest history, t-he foreigners sojourning in Babylon for the sake of commerce give man an audience. [Hoksley.] Or, " I will not make peace witli any man," before all are destroyed. Lit., strike a league with ; a plirase arising from the custom of striking hands together in making a compact [Mauber] (Note, Proverbs I". 18; 22. 26; 11. 15, Margin). Or else from striking the victims sacrificed in making treaties. *. As for rather supply, " Thus saith our Redeemer." [Maurer.] LowTH supposes this verse to be the exclamation of a cliorus breaking in with praises, " Our Redeemer ! Jehovah of hosts," &c. (Jeremiah 50. 34). 5. Sit—The posture of mourning (Ezra 9. 4; Job 2. 13; Lamentations 2. 10). darkness— mourning and misery (Lamentations 3. 2; Micah 7. 8). lady of kingdoms—mistress of the world
(ch. 13. 14; Jeremiah 51. 6, 9; Nahum 3. 16, 17). [Barnes.; Rather, the astrologers, with whom Babylon had so many dealings (v. 12-14). [Horsley.] to his quarter lit., straight before ?Mm<Ezekiel 1.9, 12). The foreigners, whether soothsayers or merchants, shall flee home out of Babylon (Jeremiah 50. 16).
(oh. 13. 19). 6. reason for God's vengeance on Babylon : in executing God's will against His people, she had done so with wanton cruelty (ch. 10, 5, &c. ; Jeremiah 50. 17; 51. 33; Zechariah 1. 15). polluted my inheritance—(Gh. 43. 28.) the ancient—even old age was disregarded by the Chaldeans, who treated all alike with cruelty (Lamentations
CHAPTEE XLVIII.
Ver. 1-22. The Things that befai,!, Babylon Jehovah PREDICTED LONG BEFORE, LEST ISRAEL, SHOULD ATTRIBUTE THEM, IN ITS "OBSTINATE" PERVERSITY, TO Strange Gods (v. 1-5). 1. the waters of Judah—spring from the fountain of Judah (Numbers 24. 7; Deuteronomy
4. 16; 5. 12). [RosENMTJLLER.] Or, "the ancient" means Israel, worn out with calamities in the latter period of its history (ch. 46.4), as its earlier stage of liistory is called its " youth" (ch. 54. 6; Ezekiel 16. 60). 7. so thatthrough thy vain expectation of being sL queen for ever, thou didst advance to sucli a pitch of insolence as not to believe " these things" (viz., as to thy overthrow, v. 1-5) possible, end of
33. 28; Psalm 68. 26, Margin). Judah has the "fountain'' attributed to it, because it survived the ten tribes, and from it Messiah was to spring, swear toy . . . l.ord—(Ch. 19.18; 45.23 ; 65.16.) mention—in prayers and praises, not In truth—(Jcremiali 5. 2 ; John 4. 24.) 3. For—Ye deserve these reproofs; for ye call yourselves citizens of "the holy city" (ch. 52. 1), but not In truth (ti. 1; Nehemiah 11. 1; Daniel 9. 24); so the Inscription on their coins of tlie time of the Maccabees. "Jerusalem the Holy.'- 3. former—things wlilch have happened in time past to Israel (ch. 42. 9 ; 44. 7, 8 ; 45. 21 ; 46. 10). suddenly—they came to pass so unexpectedly, tliat tlie proplieoy could not have resulted from mere liuman sagacity. 4. obstlna.tc—Hebmv, hard (Deuteronomy 9. 27 ; E«elciel 8. 7, Mar-
It viz., of th-y insolence, implied in her words, " I shall be a lady for ever." 8. given to pleasures—(iVoie, v. 1.) In no city were there so many incentives to licentiousness, lam . . . none . . . beside me—(v. 10.) Language of arrogance in man's moutlr; fitting for God alone (ch. 45. 6). See cli. 5. 8, latter part, widow . . . loss of children— state, represerfted as a female. When it has fallen is called a widow, because its king is no more ; and childless, because it lias no inhabitants, they having been carried off as captives (ch. 23. 4 ; 54. 1, 4, 5; Revelation 18. 7, 8). 9. In a moment—It should not decay slowly, but be suddenly and unexpectedly destroyed; in a single niglit It was taken by Cyrus. The prophecy was again literally fulfilled when Babylon revolted against Darius; and, in order gin), iron sinew—inflexible (Acts 7. 51). brow brassshameless as a harlot (see Jeremiah 6. 28; 3. 3; Ezekiel 3.
to liold out to the last, each man chose one woman of liis family, iui<l strangled the rest, to save provisions. Darius impaled -WW of the revoltera. In . . . perfection—i. e., 484
7, Margin). 5. (See Notes, v. 1, 3.) 6. Thou, &c.—So "ye are my witnesses" (ch. 43. 10). Thou canst testify the prodiction was uttered long before the fulfilment: "see all