temporal and spiritual mercies are beautifully mingled, though the latter still predominate. This hymn, like the preceding, is beautifully diversified by the frequent change of speakers. It opens with a chorus of the church, celebrating the protection vouchsafed by God to his people, and the happiness of the righteous, whom he protects, contrasted with the misery of the wicked, whom he punishes. To this very naturally succeed their own pious resolutions of obedience, and trust and delighting in God. Here the prophet breaks in, in his own person, eagerly catching the last words of the chorus, which were perfectly in unison with his own feelings; these he beautifully repeats, as one musical instrument reverberates the sound of another in unison with it. He makes, likewise, a suitable response to what had been said on the judgments of God; and observes their different effects on good and bad men, improving the one, and hardening the other.

Ver. 12. is supposed to commence another chorus, in which the hand of God is acknowledged, all idol worship is abjured, and God is praised for increasing the nation, and enlarging its boundaries.

In verses 16 to 18, Israel is compared to a woman supposing herself pregnant, first pouring out her sorrows in secret, and afterwards more vehemently, in the agony of supposed labour, which, however, proves to be a mistake. They conceived and brought forth wind. They made great professions of reform, and in consequence of those professions, indulged hopes of deliverance; but their professions were bypocritical, and their hopes were disappointed. Still, however, they are encouraged to hope; and though their situation is compared to that of the dead, they are directed to look to him who is able to raise the dead, for a moral and political resurrection. From hence, says Bp. Louth, justly," It appears that the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead was at that time a popular and common doctrine; for an image which is assumed in order to express or represent any thing in the way of allegory, or metaphor, whether poetical or prophetical, must be an image commonly known and understood; otherwise it will not answer the purpose for which it is assumed." The chapter closes with inviting God's people to fly to him in prayer, while he arises to punish sinners.

CHAP. XXVII. Ver. 1. Leviathan.-The name is used for any great monster, eitoer by sea or land, and especially for the crocodile; see Expos. of Job xli. Three sorts of monsters seem here intended; if so, the vau rendered even in the first verse, should be rendered" and," as immediately after.

Ver. 2. Sing ye-Lowth, "Sing ye a responsive song," which the Hebrew certainly implies. (See Neh. xi. 31-40, with our Notes.) · A vineyard of red wine-Lowth, "The beloved vineyard," so a great number of MSS, some printed Editions, the LXX, and Chaldee. The Hebrew in no case has any remark to distinguish the speakers, as we have; but the learned Bishop just quoted distributes them thus:

Ver. 4. (Vineyard)

I have no wall for my defence:

O that I had a fence of the thorn and briar!

(Jehov.) Against them should I march in battle; I should burn them up together.

5. Ah! let her rather take hold of my pro

tection.

(Viney.) Let him make peace with me!

Peace let him make with me.

6. (Jek.) They that come, &c.

This verse seems to end the dialogue. To this version and distribution, Dr. Boothroyd adheres very nearly, except in the 6th verse. To render this intelligible, it may be proper to remark on ver. 4, that hedges of thorn and briar are often used instead of stone; but in these hot countries they are so combustible as easily to take fire, and are often employed for fuel.

In ver. 4, instead of Fury is not in me, Lowth

God's conduct]

7 Hath he smitten him, as he smote those that smote him? or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him?

8 In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind.

9 By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up.

10 Yet the defenced city shall be desolate, and the habitation forsaken, and left like a wilderness: there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof.

CHAP. XXVII.

[towards his church.

11 When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on fire: for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour.

12 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel.

13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem. (C)

(C) God's conduct toward his church represented by the care of a Husbandman over his vineyard. The first verse evidently belongs to the preceding chapter. God there announces his rising to execute judgment: here he states the objects of his vengeance. The straight serpent is plainly the crocodile-the crooked serpent, probably the Boa-constrictor, and the Sea-serpent, perhaps that enormous creature lately seen upon the American shores, though generally supposed to be the whale. These were undoubtedly designed to typify tyrannical powers of the first class, but which of them it is not easy, nor perhaps possible to ascertain.

Then comes in the beautiful parable of the Vineyard, which is doubtless designed to represent the nature of God's dealings with his people Israel, in a kind of Dialogue (called in the original "a responsive song") between Jehovah, the great Hus

bandman (John xv. 1.), and the people of Israel, who are his vineyard. According to Bp. Lowth's view of this passage, "The church wishes for a wall, or a defence of thorns; human strength and protection: Jehovah replies that this would nought avail her, nor defend her against his wrath: he counsels her therefore to betake herself to his protection. On which she entreats him to make peace with her."-Such is the import of this "responsive song."

The prophet then compares the afflictions of Israel with the more terrible judgments against their enemies, and asks, "Hath he smitten him (Jacob) as he smote those that smote him?" i. e. their enemies. The answer is, No: his judgments on Israel are tempered with mercy (ver. 8.), and intended to purify and not destroy. And therefore when their enemies shall be utterly destroyed, as fuel for the fire, they shall be gathered, like fruit, from every country into which they have been scattered.

Teads, "I have no wall;" which, however, does not differ widely in the original; for the Heb. word for fary, by the insertion of a vau becomes" a wall;" and in this change he is supported by the LXX and the Syriac.

Ver. 8 In measure when it skooteth forth-Marg. "When thou sendest it forth," that is, the rod of Correction," thou wilt debate with it." This, though rejected by the Bp. and Dr. B. we think very beautiful; it is the portrait of a father chastising his child, and hesitating, or debating with the rod, that it be not too severe. Again he stayeth, holdeth hack (see Prov. xxx. 4.) the roughness of the wind in the day of tempest.

Ver. 9. And this is all the fruit-Boothroyd, "This shall be the whole fruit;" i. e. the ultimate consequence, even " the removal of his sin."When he maketh, &c.-that is, when he destroyeth all the vestiges of idolatry, and particularly the "sun images," as the margin reads. (See chap. xvii. 8.)

Ver. 10. The defenced (or fortified) city - Dr. B. refers this to Babylon, which, like a worthless vine, was to be broken down and burnt.

Ver. 12. The Lord shall beat off, &c.-Boothroyd, "Shall gather his fruit, from the flood of the river unto," &c. This was done by beating the fruit from the trees,

OE to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!

2 Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. 3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under

feet:

4 And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer: which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.

5 In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,

6 And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.

7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out

[against Judah and Israel, of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink: they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.

8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.

9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest: and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

CHAP. XXVIII. Ver. 1. The crown of prideBp. Lowth considers the city of Samaria situated upon a hill of oval form, surrounded with a rich valley, and then with other hills, as suggesting the idea of a chaplet; such as was worn in banquets, not only by the Greeks, but the luxurious Israelites, as appears in ver. 1, 3, 4; and from the apocryphal book of Wisdom, chap. ii. 7, 8. This to drunkards was the "crown of pride," though composed but of "fading flowers."

Ver. 2. A mighty and strong one.-This evidently refers to Shalmanezer, king of Assyria, as related 2 Kings xviii. 9-12. With the-Lowth, "His "

hand.

Ver. 4. It seeth--Houbigant, by the transposition of only a letter, reads, He plucketh it," which avoids tautology, and is followed both by Lowth and Boothroyd.. -Eateth it up--Heb. "Swalloweth it." Compare Hosea ix. 10.

Ver. 6. That turn the battle to the gate-that is, according to Lowth, "That repel the war" (to the gate of the enemy). See the fulfilment of this in 2 Kings xviii. 8.

Ver. 7. The priest and the prophet.-It is much to be feared, that being destitute both of the spirit of prophecy and the fervour of devotion, these might seek inspiration from their liquor, and in that state did they "err in vision," by substituting the dreams of intemperance for prophetic visions, and mock the true prophets of the Lord.

14 Wherefore hear the word of the

Ver. 9. Whom shall he teach ?-i. e. does the prophet think we are but babes? So Lowth, who reads the whole of this verse in the interrogative.

Ver. 10, Precept must be-Lowth, "is" but there is no verb in the original. Lowth considers this verse also as the language of these drunken prophets.

Boothroyd takes a different view of the passage, which we subjoin. He considers ver. 9 as the language of the prophet, who represents these Jewish priests, &c. as utterly incompetent to be teachers;

Whom can such teach knowledge? and adds, "They are like children weaned from the milk," &c. And what is said, ver. 10, "Precept upon precept," &c. he considers as referring to their im perfect method of instruction, by bits and scraps, and in stammering accents.

Ver. 11. For with stammering lips, and another (i. e. a foreign) tongue will he speak-Marg. "He hath spoken."

Both interpretations consider this and the follow. ing verses as the language of the prophet Isaiah. The substance of the Bishop's Exposition is given in ours; and Dr. B. does not here materially differ. Ver. 12. This is the rest-that is, the true rest: namely, trust in God's word.

Ver. 13. But the word of the Lord was Lowtby **Shall be." So Boothroyd.

Ver. 14. That rule this people-Lowth, "Ye people that utter sententious speeches," or parables; such

LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this 2 people which is in Jerusalem.

15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves :

16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.

20 For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.

[with mercy.

as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange

act.

22 Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the LORD God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.

23 Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.

24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?

25 When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat, and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?

26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.

27 For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.

28 Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.

29 This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in work

CHAP. XXVIII.

(D) Judgments denounced, both against Israel and Judah-but intermixed with mercy. This chapter begins with a denunciation of the approaching ruin of the Israelites by Shalmanezer, whose power

is compared to a tempest or flood, and his keenness to the avidity with which one plucks and swallows the fruit that is first ripe, and which, according to Dr. Shaw, is a great delicacy in the east. Ver. 5. the Prophet turns to the king

Ver. 15. We have made a covenant with death and with hell, &c.-Lowth, "The grave." The expres sion implies, that they felt themselves perfectly seCure. See Job v. 23; Hos. ii. 18.

Ver. 16. A stone.-See Ps. exviii. 22 and Note. Ver. 19. Only to understand, &c.-Lowth, "Even the report alone shall cause terror."

Ver. 2. For the bed is shorter, &c. - Another proverbial saying, implying that all means would be is adequate to their protection.

Ver. 21. As in mount Perazim, &c,

v. 20-25; Josh. x. 12.

See 2 Sam.

Ver. 22. Whole earth-Lowth, "Whole land."

Ver. 25. Made plain—that is, even, level. Fitches, or vetches; a species of tares.-Cummin is supposed to be an herb resembling fennel, still largely cultivated in Malta.

Ver. 27. Not threshed.-Four different methods of threshing, appropriated to different grain, &c. are here referred to; viz. 1. the staff, or flail; 2. the drag, somewhat resembling our harrows; 3 the cart-wain; and 4. the treading of cattle.

Ver. 28. Horsemen - Lowth, “The hoofs of his cattle." So Syriac, Symachus, Theod. and Vulgate : the original varying but one letter, samech for skin.

The invasion of Judah]

CHAP. XXIX.

WOE to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.

2 Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow; and it shall be unto me as Ariel.

3 And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee.

4 And thou shalt be brought down and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust; and thy voice shall be, as of one that

[by Sennacherit announced.

hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.

5 Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away; yea it shall be at an instant suddenly.

6 Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.

7 And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition,

dom of Judah, to whom the Lord promises, ia opposition to the fading crowns of Ephraim, to be himself a crown of glory, which is thought to have reference to the reign of Hezekiah. But Judah also degenerated to intemperance and profaneness; for they are introduced as not only scornfully rejecting, but also mocking and ridiculing the instructions of the Prophet. "Whom shall he teach?" &c. To this God immediately retorts, in terms alluding to their own mocking, but differently applied. "Yes, my dealing with you shall be according to your own words; in a country whither you shall be carried captives, you must, like children, learn a strange language, with a stammering tongue; it shall then be command upon command for your punishment; it shall be line upon line to mark out your ruin (compare 2 Kings xxi. 13.); it shall come upon you at different times, and by different degrees, till all my threatenings against you be fulfilled. The Prophet then (ver. 14.) addresses these profane scoffers, who considered themselves

secure from every evil, and assures them that there was no method but one, by which they could be saved; namely, by faith in him, and in the means of his appointment. (Comp. ver. 16 with Ephes. ii. 20.) "The Prophet concludes with a beautiful parable in explanation and defence of God's dealings with his people.-"As the husbandman uses various methods in preparing his land, and adapting it to the several kinds of seeds to be sown, with a due observation of times and seasons; and when he bath gathered in the harvest, employs methods as various in separating the corn from the straw and chaff by different instruments, according to the nature of the different sorts of grain;-so God, with unerring wisdom and impartial justice, instructs, admonishes, and corrects his people; chastises and punishes them in various ways, as the exigency of the case requires; always tempering justice with mercy; in order to reclaim the wicked, to improve the good; and, finally, to separate the one from the other." Bp. Lowth.

CHAP. XXIX. Ver. 1. Woe to Ariel.-Ariel, according to some, means," the lion of God;" according to others, and to which Lowth inclines, "the fire of God," which interpretation seems countenanced by ver, 2.-The city where David dwelt-i. e. Jernsalem. .Add ye year to year-spoken ironically, according to Lowth: "Go on, year after year, keep your solemn feasts: yet know that God will punish you for your hypocritical worship, consisting of mere form, destitute of true piety."

Ver. 2. As Ariel-Either as "the lion of God," i. e. a strong lion, or "the fire of God," the sacred fire: but why so called, is still a question. The modern Persians say that their capital was called Shiraz, "a lion," for the great quantity of provisions it consumed. See Orient. Cust. No. 1074. So might Jerusalem be called "the lion of God," or a strong lion, for the vast quantity of flesh it consumed, the sacrifices included; or, "the fire of God," from its

being the residence of the sacred fire. As Ariel may therefore mean, either "fierce as a lion," as Boothroyd explains it; or, covered with flame, like the sacred altar, as Lowth seems to understand it. See ciap. xxxi.9.

Ver. 4. Shult speak out of the ground.—It was a popular notion of the heathen, that ghosts uttered hollow sepulchral sounds," which seems here alluded to. The Necromancers were, many of them, Ventriloquists, and whispered " as out of the dust." See Lowth.

Ver. 5. The multitude of thy strangers.-Here, as elsewhere, (see Note on xxv. 2.) Bp. Lowth exchanges the term strangers for "the prond," as we conceive, without necessity. The multitude of strangers" here, we consider as "the multitude of all nations;" ver. 7.

Ver. 7. A dream of a night vision.-See 2 Kings

xix. .