A. M. 3263. 8 And he shall not look to the al- || pleasant plants, and shalt set it with A. M. 3263 tars, the work of his hands, neither strange slips: shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves or the 1 images.

9 In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: || sorrow. and there shall be desolation. 12

10 Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the Rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant

would spew them out as it spewed out the nations which were before them.

Verses 10, 11. Because thou, O Israel, hast forgotten the God of thy salvation-That God, who was thy only sure defence; therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants-Fetched from far countries, and therefore highly esteemed. The sense is, Thou shalt use much industry and cost, but to no purpose, as it follows. In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, &c.-Beginning early in the morning, thou shalt, from day to day, use all care and diligence, || that what thou hast planted and sown may thrive; but the harvest shall be a heap, &c.—But in the time of your grief, or when this grievous calamity shall come, all your harvest shall be but one heap, very inconsiderable in itself, and easily carried away by your enemies: in other words, "when thou expectest to reap the fruit of thy labours, thou shalt find nothing but loss and disappointment."-Lowth. See the margin, where the day of inheritance means the time of enjoying any thing which we have taken pains for.

The land shadowing

A. M. 3263.
B. C. 741.

B. C. 741.

13 The nations shall rush like the || rolling thing before the whirlwind. A. M. 3263. rushing of many waters: but God 14 And behold at evening-tide shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, trouble; and before the morning he is not. and shall be chased as the chaff of the This is the portion of them that spoil us, and mountains before the wind, and like a || the lot of them that rob us.

k Psa. ix. 5.- Psa. lxxxiii. 13; Hos. xiii. 3.

5

5 Or, thistle-down.

ferent countries united in one mighty overwhelming with what ease God overcomes his enemies. And army. Bishop Lowth translates the clause, And to|| behold at even-tide trouble-Great terror and conthe roaring of the nations, who make a roaring like || sternation among God's people for fear of their the roaring of mighty waters. Like the roaring || enemies; and before the morning he is not―Their of mighty waters do the nations roar. And he ob- enemies are cut off by the hand of God. The proserves that, "though this simile is taken from a com- || phet here evidently "alludes to the time and circummon appearance, it is wrought up with such an stances of the judgment which was inflicted on the elegant boldness and inexpressible propriety, that Assyrian by night, and indeed in one night. At we are at a loss whether we should admire most the even-tide the Jews were certainly in great terror, judgment or sublimity of the sacred writer." But perplexity, and perturbation, when besieged by the God shall rebuke them-Not in words, but in deeds; Assyrians: in the morning, behold these their eneshall discomfit and overthrow them. But the He- mies were all dead corpses. Such is the sudden brew, D1, should rather be rendered, But|| and unexpected deliverance which God sometimes God rebukes him, and he flees from far, namely, grants to his people, when their enemies are ready Sennacherib, who is here immediately pointed out, to devour them: weeping may endure for a night, one hundred and eighty-five thousand of his army but joy cometh in the morning. This is the portion being smitten with instantaneous death. The pro- of them that spoil us, &c.-This is a triumphant phet's idea seems to have been taken from God's conclusion, uttered by the prophet in the name of rebuke of the sea, when the Israelites passed God's people. "It holds good in all ages of the through out of Egypt. And they shall be chased as church; none can endeavour to remove this stone the chaff of the mountains-The Jews used to thrash from its place, but they will find hurt to themselves, and winnow their corn on hills and places exposed Zech. xii. 3. In this one example we see the fall of to the wind, which dispersed and blew away the all the great empires and kingdoms of the world chaff; and like a rolling thing--Which is moved by which oppose the kingdom of Christ, and the event the slightest touch, and much more by a violent wind. || of all the attempts of Satan tending to its destrucThe word, which is 11, is rendered thistle-down in ||tion in the evening, confusion; in the morning, the margin, and gossamer, which is the down of any serenity, arising by divine grace on the church." See plants, by Bishop Lowth. The metaphor shows | Vitringa.

CHAPTER XVIII.

The prophecy contained in this chapter, says Bishop Lowth, "is one of the most obscure in the whole book of Isaiah. The subject of it, the end and design of it, the people to whom it is addressed, the history to which it belongs, the person who sends the messengers, and the nation to whom the messengers are sent, are all obscure and doubtful." Hence, as may be easily supposed, this prophecy has been very differently interpreted by learned men, with whose discordant opinions, however, we shall not trouble the reader, but rather shall lay before him that exposition which seems to be attended with the fewest difficulties, and therefore to be most probable. Vitringa, who has bestowed much labour upon it, considers it as being closely connected with the preceding prophecy concerning the destruction of the Assyrian army, of which he thinks it contains an enarration. According to him, we have a description of Egypt, 1, 2. A command to send messengers to them, as also to other nations, to inform them concerning this great work of divine justice to be effected on the Assyrian power, 3-6. The glory that would hereby redound to God, 7.

WO to the land shadowing with
wings, which is beyond the

rivers of Ethiopia:

a Chap. xx. 4, 5; Ezek. xxx.

NOTES ON CHAPTER XVIII. Verse 1. Wo to the land-Or, rather, as Bishop Lowth renders it, and as the particle 1, here used, undoubtedly means, chap. lv. 1, and elsewhere, Ho! 130

The land shadowing

A. M. 3290. to
B. C. 714.

b

a nation1 scattered and peel- || beginning hitherto; 2 a 3 nation meted A. M. 3290. ed, to a people terrible from their out and trodden down, 4 whose

B. C. 714.

4

↳ Verse 7.——1 Or, outspread and polished.——a Or, a nation that Hebrew, a nation of line, line, and treading under foot.————a Or, meteth out, and treadeth down. whose land the rivers despise.

shadowed with wings, a description which, it is of news whatsoever; travellers, merchants, and the thought, agrees to Egypt, as connected with Ethiopia, || like, the instruments and agents of common fame; because it is situated between two mountains on the these are ordered to publish this declaration, made eastern and western side of the Nile, which, as it by the prophet, throughout Egypt, and to excite their were, overshadow it, especially where it is most nar- attention to the promised visible interposition of row, toward Ethiopia, and which unfold themselves Providence." Thus Bishop Lowth; who further more and more in the manner of two wings, from says, "I suppose that this prophecy was delivered the south toward the north. Thus Vitringa inter- before Sennacherib's return from his Egyptian exprets the first member of the prophet's description. || pedition, which took up three years; and that it was But the Hebrew word, which our translators render designed to give to the Jews, and perhaps likewise shadowing, properly signifies a sort of timbrel, call- to the Egyptians, an intimation of God's counsels in ed in Latin sistrum, which was an instrument of regard to the destruction of their great and powerful music peculiar to the Egyptians in their sacrifices to enemy." To a nation scattered-Or stretched out, Isis; and the two words here used, xx, as many translate . "Egypt, that is, the fruittziltzal kenaphim, are interpreted by some, a wing- || ful part of it, exclusive of the deserts on each side, ed timbrel or cymbal, which is an exact description of the Egyptian sistrum, and therefore is supposed to be made use of here as a distinguishing epithet of Egypt, termed the land of the winged timbrel, or cymbal. This interpretation is adopted by Bishop Lowth and many others. Both interpretations agree in this, that Egypt is the land intended; which is still more manifest from the second attribute men-ed, as may be rendered. This, Bishop Lowth tioned as descriptive of it, that it is beyond, or rather thinks, "either relates to the practice of the Egypborders upon, the rivers of Ethiopia, the word, tian priests, who made their bodies smooth by shavsignifying either on this side, or on the further side. ing off the hair; or, rather, to the country's being The word , chush, here rendered Ethiopia, some-made smooth, perfectly plain and level, by the overtimes signifies Arabia, and some interpreters think flowing of the Nile." Terrible from the beginning some rivers of a part of Arabia are meant, beyond || hitherto-This also well suits the Egyptians, whose which Egypt lay; but Vitringa, Bishop Lowth, and kingdom was one of the most ancient, and continued many others, understand the prophet as speaking of long to be extremely formidable. And they were the Nile, and some great and celebrated rivers which wont to boast extravagantly of the antiquity and flow into it from Ethiopia, and very much increase greatness of their kingdom, asserting that gods were its waters. It is probable, that either the eastern their first kings, and then demi-gods, and lastly men. branches of the lower Nile, the boundary of Egypt A nation meted out and trodden down-Hebrew, toward Arabia, are intended, or the parts of the up-opp, a nation of line, line, and treading per Nile toward Ethiopia. It is thought the prophet the rather denominates Egypt from this epithet, because at this time it was under the power of the Ethiopians.

is one long vale, through the middle of which runs the Nile, bounded on each side to the east and west by a chain of mountains, seven hundred and fifty miles in length, in breadth, from one to two or three || days' journey: even at the widest part of the Delta, from Pelusium to Alexandria, not above two hundred and fifty miles broad." And peeled-Or rather smooth

Verse 2. That sendeth ambassadors by sea-That is accustomed to send, or at this time is sending, ambassadors to strengthen themselves with leagues and alliances, or to encourage their confederates; in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters-This circumstance agrees perfectly well with Egypt; Pliny, Lucan, Diodorus Siculus, and Strabo, all affirming that the Egyptians commonly used on the Nile a light sort of ships, or boats, made of the reed papyrus. Go, ye swift messengers-"To this nation before mentioned, who, by the Nile, and by their || numerous canals, have the means of spreading the report, in the most expeditious manner, through the|| whole country; go and carry this notice of God's designs in regard to them. By the swift messengers are meant, not any particular persons specially appointed to this office, but any of the usual conveyers

down. See the margin. The prophet is here generally supposed to refer, 1st, To the necessity which the Egyptians were frequently under of having recourse to mensuration, in order to determine the boundaries of their lands, after the inundations of the Nile; which is thought by some to have given birth to the science of geometry; (Strabo, lib. 17;) and, 2d, To a peculiar method of tillage in use among them. "Both Herodotus and Diodorus say, that when the Nile had retired within its banks, and the ground became somewhat dry, they sowed their land, and then sent in their cattle to tread in the seed; and without any further care expected the harvest." Whose land the rivers have spoiled-The word 18, here used, may either be rendered spoiled, or despised. It seems plainly to relate to the overflowing of the Nile; which, as it were, claims Egypt to itself, while it overwhelms with its waters the whole land, except the cities and towns, secured by the banks raised about them. It is true, this overflow is rather an advantage than a disadvantage to

God's interposition in

B. C. 714.

ISAIAH.

B. C. 714.

favour of his people. A. M. 3290. land the rivers have spoiled! || pruning-hooks, and take away and A. M. 3290. 3 All ye inhabitants of the world, cut down the branches. and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.

с

the land, as it renders it fruitful; nevertheless it puts the inhabitants to very great inconveniences during its continuance.

6 They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them. 7 In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people "scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.

d Psalm lxviii. 31; lxxii. 10; Chapter xvi. 1; Zeph. iii. 10; Mal. i. 11.- -7 Or, outspread and polished, verse 2.

flowers, and the flowers the sour grapes, which too were beginning to ripen, is suddenly stripped of its shoots and branches by the pruning-hook of the vine-dresser, who leaves them, burdened with grapes, a prey to the fowls of heaven, and the beasts of the earth. By which allegory, continued through this and the sixth verse, the prophet means, that, when every thing respecting the Assyrians was in the most promising situation, when Sennacherib's great designs seemed almost mature, and just ready to be crowned with success, his mighty efforts should be in a moment frustrated, his vast expectations rendered abortive, and the chief part of his immense

Verse 3. All ye inhabitants of the world, &c., see ye-Take notice of what I say, and what God will do: Or, Ye shall see. "We have here the declaration made to the other people of the world, to expect the fall of the Assyrian. God invites all the people of the earth to this sight; that, as soon as they should observe the sign appointed by God, namely, the standards lifted up by Sennacherib, on the mountains of Judea, and the sound of the trumpets of the hostile army preparing to besiege Jerusalem, they should attend to the execution of this divine judg-army made a prey to the beasts and birds. ment."-Vitringa.

Verse 4. For so the Lord said unto me-That is, revealed this thing to me from his secret purposes; I will take my rest-While the Assyrian is forming designs for the destruction of my people, I will seem to rest, as if I had no regard for their preservation. The reader will observe, God is said in Scripture to rest, or sit still, when he does not work on the behalf of a person or people; as, on the contrary, he is said to bestir himself when he acts for them. And I will consider in my dwelling-place-Namely, in the heavens, what time will be most proper for the execution of my purpose upon these proud blasphemers of my name, and persecutors of my people. This is spoken after the manner of men. Like a clear heat upon herbs, &c.-The meaning of these metaphorical expressions is, that God would not so rest as to lay aside all care and regard for his people; but that he rested with the best and most benevolent purpose of comforting them after this affliction, and of giving them refreshment, like that of a serene heat after a heavy rain, or a cloud of dew in the time of harvest.

Verse 5. For afore the harvest-Here the Lord informs his people how he would act toward those of their adversaries, for whom he had prepared this great slaughter. He compares them to a vine, which, after it hath sent forth its buds, then its

Verse 7. In that time-After the execution of this signal judgment; shall the present be brought unto the Lord, &c.-Here the prophet foretels that Egypt, being delivered from the oppression of the Assyrian, and avenged, by the hand of God, of the wrongs which she had suffered, should return thanks for the wonderful deliverance, both of herself and of the Jews, from this most powerful adversary. "The Egyptians," it must be observed, "were in alliance with the kingdom of Judah, and were fellow-sufferers with the Jews, under the invasion of the common enemy Sennacherib; and so were very nearly interested in the great and miraculous deliverance of that kingdom, by the destruction of the Assyrian army. Upon which wonderful event it is said, (2 Chron. xxxii. 23,) that many brought gifts unto Jehovah, to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah; so that he was magnified of all nations from thenceforth. And it is not to be doubted, that among these the Egyptians distinguished themselves in their acknowledgments on this occasion." These offerings, then made from Egypt and other nations, were a prelude of a more perfect conversion of the Gentiles to the God of Israel; and there is nothing more certain than that God, after the remarkable overthrow of Sennacherib, was like the clear heat after rain, and like dew in the time of harvest, to the people of Israel. See Bishop Lowth and Vitringa.

The desolations

CHAPTER XIX.

CHAPTER XIX.

of Egypt.

The prophecy contained in this chapter is two-fold. The first part describes the evils which should happen to Egypt. These are enumerated, 1-4. The consequence of them is set forth, 5-10. The immediate causes of those evils, 11-17. The latter part exhibits declarations and promises concerning the grace of God, and the knowledge of true religion to be communicated to the Egyptians, with the causes and consequences of these benefits, 18-25.

NOTES ON CHAPTER XIX. Verse 1. The burden of Egypt-Concerning the term burden, see on chap. xiii. 1. "Not many years after the destruction of Sennacherib's army before Jerusalem, by which the Egyptians were freed from the yoke with which they were threatened by so powerful an enemy, who had carried on a successful war of three years' continuance against them, the affairs of Egypt were again thrown into confusion by intestine broils among themselves, which ended in a perfect anarchy that lasted some years. This was followed by an aristocracy, or rather tyranny, || of twelve princes, who divided the country between them, and at last by the sole dominion of Psammitichus, which he held for fifty-four years. Not long after that, followed the invasion and conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzer; and then by the Persians under Cambyses, the son of Cyrus. The yoke || of the Persians was so grievous, that the conquest of the Persians by Alexander may well be considered || as a deliverance to Egypt; especially as he and his successors greatly favoured the people, and improved the country. To all these events the prophet seems to have had a view in this chapter;" which contains the fifth discourse of the second part of Isaiah's prophecies, delivered at another time, and much later than the preceding, and copiously setting forth the fate of Egypt, a nation, from the remotest antiquity, famous in the East. See Bishop Lowth and Vitringa.

Behold, the Lord rideth on a swift cloud-As a general at the head of his army: or, as a judge going in state to the bench, to try and condemn malefactors. He makes the clouds his chariots, and rides upon the wings of the wind, with a power far above the reach of opposition or resistance, and with a majesty far excelling the greatest pomp and splendour of earthly princes. He is said to ride upon a swift cloud, to signify that the judgment should come speedily and unexpectedly: for God's judgments do not linger when the time of his long-suffering is completed. And the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence-From their seats, and from their former reputation. Or they shall shake or tremble, as the word y, here used, properly signifies. So far shall they be from helping the Egyptians, as they expect, that they shall tremble for themselves. And

the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of itThe Egyptians shall lose all their ancient strength and courage, and their very souls shall faint within them, through dread of their approaching calamities. From these particulars of the prediction we learn, that the prince who should come upon Egypt, as the executer of the decrees of the divine justice, should approach with the most swift and rapid motion; that he should throw down and destroy their idols, and fill all Egypt with the greatest consternation. Now it is certain that Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, the Persian, exactly fulfilled these things, particularly with respect to the idols of Egypt. "The first attempt made by Cambyses," says Bishop Newton, "was upon Pelusium, a strong town at the entrance of Egypt, and the key of the kingdom; and he succeeded by the stratagem of placing before his army a great number of dogs, sheep, cats, and other animals, which being held sacred by the Egyptians, not one of them would cast a javelin or shoot an arrow that way: and so the town was stormed and taken, in a manner, without resistance. He treated the gods of Egypt with marvellous contempt, laughed at the people, and chastised the priests for worshipping such deities. He slew Apis, or the sacred ox which the Egyptians worshipped, with his own hand; and burned and demolished their other idols and temples; and would likewise, if he had not been prevented, have destroyed the famous temple of Jupiter Ammon. Ochus, too, who was another king of Persia, and subdued the Egyptians again, after they had revolted, plundered their temples, and caused Apis to be slain, and served up in a banquet to him and his friends."

Verses 2, 3. I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians-Two principal calamities to befall Egypt are foretold in this prophecy; the first of which is here described: civil wars should arise among them. They shall fight every one against his brother and neighbour-Whom he ought to love as himself. City against city, and kingdom against kingdom→ "The LXX. read, voμos eлi voμov, province against province, Egypt being divided into prefectures, or provinces. Vitringa and others apply this to the time of the twelve kings, the anarchy that preceded, and the civil wars that ensued, in which Psammitichus prevailed over the rest; but it may, perhaps,