Judgments denounced]

5 For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end; upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform

this.

8 The LORD sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.

9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart,

10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.

11 Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;

12 The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall de

[against the impenitent.

vour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

13 For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts.

14 Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.

15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

17 Therefore the LORD shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evil doer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

18 For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.

19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.

20 And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be

and is of very doubtful meaning. Lowth renders it greaves," (i. e. leg-armour) and reads the verse thus: "For the greaves of the armed warrior in the conflict, and the garment rolled in much blood, shall be for a burning, even fuel for the fire." This learned critic mentions, that "a medal, struck by Vespasian, on finishing his wars, represents the goddess Peace, holding an olive-branch in one hand, and, with a lighted torch in the other, setting fire to a heap of armour." Comp. Psalm xlvi. 9; Ezek. xxxix. 8-10.

Ver. 6. The government - that is, the key, and other ensigns of government. See ch. xxii. 22.The everlasting father.-Some (as Dathe) read, The father of eternity;" meaning, the eternal.' But Lowth, and many others, following the LXX, read, "The father of the future age;" meaning, the Christian dispensation.

Ver. 9. And all the people shall know." Know what?" says Bp. Lowth, suspecting an error in the Hebrew text; but we conceive that nothing is wantine but to supply the pronoun it, as is often done; namely, that the word is from God. So Gataker.

Ver. 10. The bricks, &c.-The bricks of the ancients were, in general, of clay, dried in the sun; consequently, much inferior to stone.

Ver. 11. Adversaries of Rezin-namely, the Assyrians. See 2 Kings xvi. 9.—And join his enemies-Heb. "Mingle."

Ver. 12. The Syrians before-Heb." On the East." -With open mouth-Heb. "With the whole mouth." The meaning is, that the Syrians, who had before joined with Israel, having fallen under the power of Assyria, now combined with that power to destroy them" with open mouth," like ravenous beasts.

Ver. 16. The leaders... and they that are led -Heb. "The blessers, and they that are blessed;" the former meaning either the priests (whose office it was; or the false prophets, who flattered them with success: the latter (they that are blessed) means certainly the people.

Ver. 17. Speaketh- Swalloweth up folly." Ver. 18. The briers and thorns, &c.-that is, it shall devour every thing. See Ezek. xx. 47. Ver. 19. Fuel-Heb. "Meat for the fire;" i. e. to feed the flame.

Ver. 20. Snatch-Heb. "Cut."-The flesh of his own arm - Lowth (following the LXX and Chaldee) reads, "The flesh of his neighbour (as Jer. xix. 9.) The difference in the Hebrew is inconsiderable. Compare verse 21.

Judgment denounced]

satisfied they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:

21 Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this

his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. (I)

CHAP. X.

WOE unto them that decree un

righteous decrees, and that wtite grievousness which they have prescribed;

2 To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!

3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?

CHAP. IX.

[against oppressors.

4 Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

50 Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.

6 I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

7 Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.

8 For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings?

9 Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria 2 as Damascus ?

10 As my hand hath found the

(1) A prophecy of the blessings of Messiah's kingdom, and judgments denounced against the impenitent.-The first verse of this chapter connects intimately with the close of the preceding, from which it is improperly divided. There, the unbelieving Jews, who rejected God's counsels, and even his Messiah, are represented as plunging deeper and deeper into the gloom of na. tional troubles. Here is a dawn of better days, even in the parts most grievously afflicted by the invasion of Tiglath-pileser; namely, "lands of Zebulun and Naphtali, and that part of Galilee beyond Jordan." (2 Kings xv. 29.) Here, it is predicted, should arise the first dawn of salvation by the Messiah. Here, accordingly, our Lord began his ministry, as St. Matthew informs us, with reference to this very chapter. (See Matt. iv. 12-16.) Here" the Sun of Righteousness" arose, and spread his influences like the morning light, first over the land of Judah, and then through the Gentile world. His conquests are represented as no less extraordinary than those of Gideon over the Midianites. (Judges viii.)

But their success, in the gradual establish ment of peace, and truth, and righteous ness throughout the earth, was to be effected, not by "the battle of the warriors, but by the incarnation of the prince of peace. His first appearance in our world is, however, in the form of infancy; but as his character is developed, his dominion spreads, till it becomes supreme, universal, and eternal.

From ver. 8. of this chapter to the end of ver. 4. of the next, though broken by an im proper division of the chapter, is one distinct prophecy; a beautiful piece of poetry, remarkable for its elegance and regularity. It relates chiefly, if not altogether, to the kingdom of Israel, and is divided into four parts, or stanzas, each threatening the particular punishment of some heinous sin; as of pride, in defying the divine judgments; also habits of vice, profligacy, and impiety, which, spreading like a conflagration, threatened to devour the whole country. To each part is added a distich, menacing farther judgments, and forming, as it were, the burden of the song. "But for all this his hand is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still."

CHAP. X. Ver. 1. And that write, &c. - - Marg. "To the writers that write grievousness." Ver. 3. Leave your glory?-Lowth, "Deposit your wealth?"

Ver. 5. O Assyrian! - Marg. "Wor;" Lowth. "Ho to the Assyrian!"

Ver.6. An hypocritical nation.-See chap. ix. 17. Ver. 11. As I have done,-From this and preced

kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria ;

11 Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jeru salem and her idols?

12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.

13 For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant

man:

14 And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.

15 Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up; or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.

16 Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.

17 And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day;

18 And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field,

[from Assyria.

both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth.

19 And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them.

20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

21 The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.

22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteous

ness.

23. For the Lord GoD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land.

24 Therefore thus saith the Lord GoD of hosts. O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt.

25 For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.

26 And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt.

27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the

wood Marg. "Not wood;" i. e. as if it were a living agent.

Ver. 17. It shall burn-Compare chap. ix. 18, 19. Ver. 18. Both soul and body-Heb. "From the soul even to the fe A standard-bearer faint

eth. See Note on Sol. Song, v. 10. Ver. 19. Few- Heb. "A number;" i. e. a small number, as in the next clause.

Vez. 22. A remnant.-See Rom. ix. 27. Ver. 25. For-Lowth," But." Gesenius remarks Kiis so rendered, Gen. xlv. 8; Exod. xvi. 8; 1 Kings xxi. 15.

The peaceable] yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

28 He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages:

29 They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.

30 Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth.

31 Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.

32 As yet shall he remain at Nob that day he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

33 Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be

CHAP. X.

[kingdom of Messiah.

hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.

34 And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.

CHAP. XI.

. (K)

ND there shall come forth a rod

out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him; the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the LORD;

3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity

(K) Judgment is denounced against all oppressors, and particularly against Assyria, from whom Israel is promised deliverance. The first four verses of this chapter (as already intimated) are connected closely with the preceding, But the 5th verse begins a new and distinct prophecy, which is continued to the end of chap. xii. The subject of it is, the invasion of Judah by Sennacherib, king of Assyria, and the destruction of his army. "That mighty monarch is represented as a rod in the hand of God, to correct his people for their sins: and his ambitious purposes, contrary to his own intentions, are made subservient to the great designs of Provi dence. Having accomplished the work allotted him, the Almighty takes account of his impious vauntings, and threatens utter destruction to the small and great of his army, represented by the thorns, and

the glory of the forest. With this predic tion the prophet consoles his countrymen. The close of the chapter gives a brief description of the march of Sennacherib towards Jerusalem, and of the alarm and ter ror which he spread every where as he hastened forward. The spirit, and the rapidity of the description is admirably suited to the subject. You see the affrighted people fleeing, and the eager invader pursuing. You hear the cries of one city echo to those of another, and groan swiftly suc ceeds to groan, till at length the rod is lifted over the last citadel. In this critical situation, however, the promise of a divine interposition is seasonably renewed; the scene instantly changes, the uplifted arm of this mighty tyrant is at once arrested, and laid low by the hand of heaven; and the mind is equally pleased with the equity of the judgment, and the beauty and majesty of the description."— Dr. J. Smith.

Ver. 27. Be taken away-Heb. "Shall remove." Because of the anointing-Heb. " Before the oiled." The word is used Judges iii. 19. for Insty, powerful men. Some, however, apply it to Hezekiah, as a type of Messiah.

Ver. 28. Aiath, &c.-These places are all in the vicinity of Jerusalem.

Ver. 29. Gone over the passage-Lowth, "They have passed the strait;" viz. Michmash, a very narrow passage between two sharp hills. See I Sam. xiv. 4, 5.

Ver. 30. Lift up thy voice-Heb. "Cry shrilly." Ver. 32. Remain at Nob.-Probably within two or three miles of Jerusalem, and Lowth thinks Senna

cherib's army was destroyed very near this place.

CHAP. XI. Ver. 1. A branch shall grow-Heb. "Shall become fruitful." The Targum of Jonathan expressly refers this to the Messiah, and St. John applies it to our Lord, Rev. v. 5.-xxii. 16.

Ver. 3. Of quick understanding-Heb. "Of quick scent, or sinell." See Rom. xv. 12.1

Ver. 4. Rod-or sceptre: Chaldee, "word." Bat Houbigant and Lowth read, (by the exchange of a letter) "blast." Compare Thes. ii. 8.

Ver. 7. Shall feed-that is, feed together, as in the next clause. So LXX and Syriac.- -Eat strawthat is, chopped straw, which was used to fodder cattle. See Gen. xxiv. 25.

for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek and his rest shall be glorious.

11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be

CHAP. XI.

[the Gentiles. left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.

14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.

15 And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and maké men go over dryshod.

-16 And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt. (L)

(L) The peaceable kingdom of Messiah, the return of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles. In the close of the preceding chapter, Bp. Lowth remarks, “the prophet har described the destruction of the Assyrian army, under the image of a mighty forest.. .... now laid low by the axe, wielded by the hand of some powerful

and illustrious agent. In opposition to this, he represents the Great Person who makes the subject of this chapter, as a slender twig, shooting up from the trunk of an old tree, cut down and decayed; which tender plant, so weak in appearance, should nevertheless become fruitful, and prosper. This contrast shows plainly the connexion between this and the pre

Ver. 8. The weaned-Lowth, "The new-weaned ebild." -Cockatrice - Lowth, "Basilisk." Cover the sea-Lowth, "The depths of the sea." Ver. 10. Glorious-Heb. "Glory."

Ver. 11. Pathros is in Egypt; Cush, Ethiopia, or Arabia; Elam is Persia; Shinar, Babylon; Ha math, on the confines of Judea; Islands of the sea, Europe. Prebend. Lowth's Comment. (N. B. the father of the Bishop.)

Ver 12, Four corners-Heb. "Wings;" i. e. the extremities, toward the four winds of heaven.

Ver. 14. They shall fly upon the shoulders

Lowth, "Invade the borders of the Philistines." "I take the expression to be idiomatic." Boothroyd. Ibid. Spoil them i. e." the children of the East. Ver. 15. Utterly destroy - Lowth, "Smite with a drought;" i, e. dry it, so as to render it fordable. Comp. Rev. xvi. 12.—Shall smite it in, &c.-Lowth, "Shall smite it into seven streams." This has been sometimes done by cutting various streams from a river, to divide the current. See Orient. Cust. No. 1066. The tongue of a sea, or river, is its bay. See Josh, xv. 2, 5.—xviii. 19. Marg.