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The invasion of Judah]

ISAIAH.

and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

11 Then said I, LORD, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,

12 And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.

13 But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof. (F)

:

CHAP. VII.

[by Syria and Israel. the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.

2 And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was

moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.

3 Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-jashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field;

4 And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be faint hearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of

AND it came to pass in the days of Rezin with Syria, and the son of Re

Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son

of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin,

CHAP. VI.

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EXPOSITION.

Temple, is here supposed to be taken away; for the Prophet, to whom the whole (F) Isaiah's vision of the divine glory, is exhibited, is manifestly placed by the and prophecy respecting the Jews.-Bishop altar of burnt-offering, at the entrance of Lowth remarks, "In this vision the ideas the Temple-(compare Ezek. xliii. 5, 6)— are taken, in general, from Royal Majesty, which was filled with the train of the robe, as displayed by the Monarchs of the East: the spreading and overflowing of Divine for the Prophct could not represent the Glory. The Lord upon the throne, accordineffable presence of God by any other ing to St. John (ch. xii. 41,) was Christ, than sensible and earthly images. The and the vision related to his future kingparticular scenery of it is taken from the dom ; when the veil of separation was to Temple. God is represented as seated on be removed, and the whole earth was to his throne above the Ark, in the most holy be filled with the glory of God, revealed to place, where the glory appeared above the all mankind; which is likewise implied in Cherubim, surrounded by his attendant the hymn of the Seraphim, [which Jerom ministers. This is called, by God himself, considers as a demonstration of the TriThe place of his throne, and the place of nity.] It (the prophecy) relates indeed the soles of his feet.' (Ezek. xliii. 7.) A primarily to the Prophet's own time, and glorious throne, exalted of old, is the place the obduration of the Jews of that age, of our sanctuary, saith the Prophet Jere- with their punishment by the Babylonish miah, (ch. xvii. 12.) The very posture of captivity; but extends, in its full latitude, sitting is a mark of state and solemnity; to the age of Messiah, and the blindas is observed by Jerom. St. John, who ness of the Jews to the Gospel-(see Matt. has taken many sublime images from the xiii. 14; John xii. 40; Acts xxviii. 26; Rom. Prophets of the Old Testament, and in par- xi. 8) the desolation of their country by ticular from Isaiah, hath exhibited the the Romans, and their being rejected by same scenery, drawn out into a greater God; that, nevertheless, a holy seed, a number of particulars. (Rev. iv. 2-8.) remnant, should be preserved, and that the nation should sprout out and flourish again from the old stock."

"The veil separating the most holy place from the holy, or outermost part of the

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Ver. 11. Utterly desolate · Heb. "Desolate with desolation."

Ver. 12. A great forsaking - Lowth, "Many a deserted woman." See chap. iv. 1.

Ver, 13, But yet, &c....This verse is very obscure;

but Lowth reads, "And though there be a tenth part remaining in it, even this shall undergo a repeated destruction. Yet as the ilex (or teil-tree) and the oak, though cut down, hath its stock remaining, a holy seed shall be the stock of the nations

=Deliverance]

CHAP. VII.

son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying,

6 Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal :

7 Thus saith the Lord GOD, it shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.

8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people.

9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. 10 Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying,

11 Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.

12 But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.

13 And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?

14 Therefore the LORD himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may to know refuse the evil, and choose the good.

16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good,

[promised to Ahaz.

the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.

17 The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria.

18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.

19 And they shall come, and 'shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all bushes.

20 In the same day shall the LORD shave with a razor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard.

21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep;

22 And it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk that they shall give, that he shall eat butter: for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land.

23 And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall even be for

briers and thorns.

24 With arrows and with bows shall men come thither; because all

NOTES.

CHAP. VII. Ver. 1 to 3, inclusive, are prose. Ver. 2. Syria is confederate with-Heb. Resteth on" Lowth," Is supported by" Ephraim.

Ver. 3. Shear-jashub means, as in the Margin, The remnant shall return."-Highway-Marg. Causeway." See 2 Kings xviii. 17.

Ver. 4. Tails of these smoking firebrands—i. e. the remains of half-burnt twigs, which must soon expire. Harmer.

Ver. 6. Vex-Lowth, "Harass."

Ver. 8. That it be not-Heb. "From being " a people. This is reckoned from the second year of Ahaz. Jubb, in Lowth's Notes. That the land was not wholly stripped of its inhabitants before this period, see 2 Chron. xxxiv. 6, 7, 33, and xxxv. 18; 2 Kings xxiii. 19, 20.

Ver. 14. A sign. - This sign, as Bp. Hurd remarks, was to Ahaz a simple assurance of deliverance at hand; to the house of David, a type of Christ, and a pledge of full deliverance by him. See Hurd on Proph. Ser. v. N.

Ibid. A virgin shall conceive -Lowth, "THE virgin conceiveth." IMMANUEL or “Emmanuel;" that is, "God with us." Matt. i. 23.

Ver. 15. Butter (or cream) and honey-the usual food of children, and even grown persons, in times of prosperity, 2 Sam. xvii. 29. That he may know-Lowth, "When he shall know." With submission, however, we should prefer rendering the particle lamed" for," or, because of, as Ps. cxix. 20. He would eat it, because he knew what was good. Ver. 18. Hiss-Lowth, "Hist." See ch. v. 26. Ver. 19. Upon all bushes-Marg. "Commendable trees;" Lowth," Thickets."

Ver. 20. A razor that is hired-Namely, the king of Assyria.

Ver. 22. In-Heb. "In the midst of" the land. Ver. 23. Silverlings-Lowth, "Pieces of silver." Ver. 25. There shall not come, &c. Lowth, "Where the fear or thorns and briars never came, shall be for the range of the ox," &c.

The invasion of Judah]

· ISAIAH.

and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

11 Then said I, LORD, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,

12 And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.

13 But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten : as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof. (F)

CHAP. VII.

[by Syria and Israel. the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.

2 And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was

moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.

3 Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-jashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field;

4 And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be faint hearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of

AND it came to pass in the days of Rezin with Syria, and the son of Re

Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son

of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin,

CHAP. VI.

maliah :

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EXPOSITION.

Temple, is here supposed to be taken away; for the Prophet, to whom the whole (F) Isaiah's vision of the divine glory, is exhibited, is manifestly placed by the and prophecy respecting the Jews.-Bishop altar of burnt-offering, at the entrance of Lowth remarks, " In this vision the ideas the Temple-(compare Ezek. xliii. 5, 6)— are taken, in general, from Royal Majesty, which was filled with the train of the robe, as displayed by the Monarchs of the East: the spreading and overflowing of Divine for the Prophet could not represent the Glory. The Lord upon the throne, accordineffable presence of God by any other ing to St. John (ch. xii. 41,) was Christ, thau sensible and earthly images. The and the vision related to his future kingparticular scenery of it is taken from the dom ; when the veil of separation was to Temple. God is represented as seated on be removed, and the whole earth was to his throne above the Ark, in the most holy be filled with the glory of God, revealed to place, where the glory appeared above the all mankind; which is likewise implied Cherubim, surrounded by his attendant the hymn of the Seraphim, [which Jerom ministers. This is called, by God himself, considers as a demonstration of the TriThe place of his throne, and the place of nity.] It (the prophecy) relates indeed the soles of his feet.' (Ezek. xliii. 7.) A primarily to the Prophet's own time, and glorious throne, exalted of old, is the place the obduration of the Jews of that age, of our sanctuary,' saith the Prophet Jere- with their punishment by the Babylonish miah, (ch. xvii. 12.) The very posture of captivity; but extends, in its full latitude, sitting is a mark of state and solemnity; to the age of Messiah, and the blindas is observed by Jerom. St. John, who ness of the Jews to the Gospel-(see Matt. has taken many sublime images from the xiii. 14; John xii. 40; Acts xxviii. 26; Rom. Prophets of the Old Testament, and in par- xi. 8) the desolation of their country by ticular from Isaiah, hath exhibited the the Romans, and their being rejected by same scenery, drawn out into a greater God; that, nevertheless, a holy seed, a number of particulars. (Rev. iv. 2-8.) remnant, should be preserved, and that the nation should sprout out and flourish again from the old stock."

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"The veil separating the most holy place from the holy, or outermost part of the

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Ver. 13, But yet, &c.---This verse is very obscure;

but Lowth reads, " And though there be a tenth part remaining in it, even this shall undergo a repeated destruction. Yet as the lex (or teil-tree) and the oak, though cut down, hath its stock re maining, a holy seed shall be the stock of the nations

The subjection of]

CHAP. VIII.

CHAP. VIII.

MOREOVER the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

3 And I went unto the prophetess ; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his pame Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

4 For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.

5 The LORD spake also unto me again, saying,

6 Forasmuch, as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;

7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks:

8 And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

9 Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken

[Israel to Assyria.

in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.

10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand for God is with us.

11 For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,

12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.

13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel; for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

17 And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

NOTES.

CHAP. VIII. Ver. 1. A great roll.-The papyrus (or Egyptian reed) of which, probably, the first paper was made, was always rolled: it would not bear folding. Lowth, however, renders this word a mirror; i e. a polished metal tablet: so inst: ad of pen he reads " a Worsman's tool. Maher-shalal-hash-bazi. e. Making speed to the spoil, he hasteneth the prey." Lowth,To hasten the spoil, to take quickly the prey." The first three verses of this chapter are prosaic.

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Ver. 6. Waters of Shiloah-" A small fountain and brook, just without Jerusalem, which supplied a pool within the city." Lowth.

Ver. 8. Immanuel-the same name as in ch. vii. 14. Ver. 12. Say ye not, A confederacy-Lowth," Say

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20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

21 And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.

22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness. (H)

CHAP. IX.

NEV EVERTHELESS the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly

CHAP. VIII.

[the Messiah. afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.

2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light

shined.

3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Mídian.

EXPOSITION.

(H) The subjection both of Israel, and subsequently of Judah, to the Assyrian power. -The foregoing chapter, and the first four verses of this, refer only to the kingdom of Judah; the 6th and 7th verses appear to include Israel, which, for rejecting the gentle stream of Shiloah, (nigh Jerusalem) should be overflown by the great river of Assyria; alluding to the conquests of Tiglath-pileser and Shalmanezer over that kingdom. The 8th verse again refers to the kingdom of Judah, which would be in such imminent danger from the same quarter (under Sennacherib) as a man that is drowning, when he can but just keep his head above the waters.

The two next verses (9, 10.) are addressed by the prophet to the Israelites and Syrians, confederated against Judah, and perhaps to all the enemies of God's people; assuring them that all their efforts would be fruitless, for that the promised IMMANUEL (or" God with us") would be the defence of his people. He then proceeds to warn his countrymen against false alarms on the one hand, aud against idolatry, divination, and the like sinful practices, on the

other; exhorting them to trust in God, and seek direction from his word; professing, in a beautiful apostrophe to God, (ver. 17.) that this was his own determined resolution. And to enforce this counsel, and strengthen their faith, he points to his children, whose symbolic names were signs or pledges of the divine promises: the one (chap. vii. 13.) imply ing that a remnant should return from the captivity; the other (chap. viii. 1, 3.) that their enemies were devoted to destruction: intimating withal, that the faithful, who should attend to his counsels, should find security; while the generality of the nation would be involved in the utmost distress, in consequence of their rejecting it. This part of the prophecy respects principally the time of the Messiah's manifestation, when the generality of the Jews, rejecting God's foundation, stumbled at that stone which he had laid in Zion, and all their hopes were "broken" on the stone on which they ought to have been built. (See Ps. cxviii. 22; Rom. ix. 33; 1 Pet. ii. 8.)

And this led to the awful destruction of their city and their temple, when they themselves were "driven into darkness and despair."

NOTES.

CHAP. IX. Ver. 1. Such as was in her vexation. Here the Chaldee and Vulgate, Drs. Lowth and Mede, divide the chapters, but Bp. Lowth begins this chapter with the second verse of the authorized edition.

Ibid. In her vexation. The same words (in chap. viii. 22,) is rendered" anguish."-- then at the first, &c.-Different scenes of affliction are evidently here referred to in the invasions of the country, each increasing in calamity.

Ver. 3. And not increased the joy. Our mar ginal notes here intimate a different reading; and Bp. Lowth remarks, that instead of la," not," eleven MSS. (two of which are ancient) read lo, "to him;" he therefore reads in the affirmative, "Thou hast increased their joy."

Ver. 4. The staff of his shoulder-Lowth, "The staff laid on his shoulder."

Ver. 5. For every battle of the warrior, &c.-The word rendered" battle," occurs only in this place,

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