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-It is incomprehen

the Israelites purpose in ver. 9.-)
sible how EWALD can prefer, the reading of some
MSS. to ' of the text; or how CHEYNE can construe
as genitive of the subject, seeing that the same
power that slew Rezin and conquered his land, not

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twenty years later actually made an end to the kingdom
of Ephraim. is found only here and xix. 2.
The verb
129,

מָסָךְ סִכּוּת סִכָּה) with all its derivatives

Ezek. xl. 42; lapides caesurae, i. e., caesi, only here in Isa. -That means not simply exstruere, construere, "build up," 66 'construct," ," but also simply struere "to pile," "pile up," appears from passages like 1 Kings xviii. 32; Exod. xx. 25.—'p only here. x. 33; xiv. 12; xxii. 25; xlv. 2 (from these examples it appears that it is wont to be joined with 5); but the context shows that not cutting down trees is meant, as DRECHSLER supposes, but breaking down wooden buildings. (see on viii. 8) is "to exchange." Hiph. is) has the sense of "covering." Now there is a word 7, spina (Num. xxxiii. 65) and telum acutum (Job xl. 31). As regards the exchange of for compare Exod. xxxiii. 22. Seeing the meaning “to cover in the sense usual with the Hebrews, i. e., "to protect," does not at all suit here (comp. ver. 11), and "to cover," "to cover with arms, to arm," cannot be supported, I prefer, with TARG., SYR., SAAD., GESENIUS (Thes.), DELITZSCH, [J. A. ALEXANDER), to take in the sense of "to set on," stimulare, concitare.

-- ** let come in as exchange, reparation;" comp. xl. 31;

xli. 1.

On ver. 10.1 and also 1, ver. 11, are praeter. propheticum. The involves at the same time adverbial meaning. DRECHSLER remarks that Pi. has always the meaning "to make high, unattainable, place higher, defendere, munire." But then it is construed with ↑♫ (Ps. lix. 2; cvii. 41). That by stands here proves

that the word is taken in an offensive sense, which it may very well have. Moreover it is to be noticed that stands in contrast with the high structures which

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On ver. 11. The formula 1 - beside here and vers. 16, 20; x. 4, is found only ver. 25.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL.

1. The Lord sent cedars.-Vers. 810 (7-9). It seems to me that the words, "A word has the LORD sent," etc., "is fallen," etc., must be judged of according to passages like Job iv. 12; xxxv. 4; Ps. lxii. 12. As in those, a single little word, tossed to them, as it were, from the mouth of the Lord as from a judging and destroying power, is opposed to human pride and haughtiness, so the Prophet here opposes a single, brief word of the LORD to the Ephraimites which, as it were, falls by the way, but which suffices to humble that foolish pride. “The word" (7) therefore, stands first with emphasis, as if the Prophet would say: only a word, nothing more has the LORD sent. And this word has, as it were, fallen in Israel by accident.. I prefer to compare Ruth iii. 18, for the meaning of "to fall," rather than Dan. iv. 28, because there, too, is the underlying idea of (at least seeming) accident. This mode of expression, by which the Prophet represents the following language as something accidental and by the way, has its reason, likely, in this, that Isaiah is a Prophet primarily for Judah, and not for Israel. He therefore steps beyond the sphere of his own proper activity with these words, which fall like a morsel from the table prepared for the

children.

Jacob stands only poetically for Israel. It can mean the whole nation, and the people of the Ten Tribes just as well as the name Israel (comp. ii. 3, 5, 6; viii. 17). Only the context decides in what sense the name is to be taken where it occurs. In the introduction to this section, we have showed that both Jacob and Israel mean the kingdom of the Ten Tribes. This antithesis of Jacob and Israel in parallelism occurs here for the first time. It is found again as designation of the entire Israel, x. 20; xiv. 1; xxvii. 6; xxix. 23; xl. 27; xli. 8, 14; xlii. 24; xliii. 1, 22, 28; xliv. 1, (2), 5, 21, 23; xlv. 4; xlvi. 3; xlviii. 1, 12; xlix. 5, 6. This antithesis is found

first in Hos. xii. 13 (of the Patriarch): then in Micah, and relatively the oftenest in him: Mic. i. 5; ii. 12; iii. 1, 8, 9. In Nahum ii. 3. In Jeremiah ii. 4; xxx. 10; xxxi. 7; xlvi. 27. Ezek. xxxix. 25. From this it appears that the form of expression is pre-eminently characteristic of Isaiah. If it is asked: what kind of word the LORD sent? I would refer for answer neither to v. 25 nor to vii. 14 sqq. For both are remote. Those are right that take ver. 8, or say ver. 10 sq., as the word referred to in ver. 7. Nothing is more natural; any word more remote must be more exactly designated. The word "they shall know it," ver. 8, favors this. For what should word of which ver. 7 speaks. At the same time the Ephraimites know? Certainly, the very the context makes it clear, that they should learn how ill the plan of Jehovah (according to ver. 10) will suit their proud plans. Therefore, "the word," ver. 7, is identical with the object of they shall know," ver. 8, and we are justified in translating " and shall know it.”

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"Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria " are contrasted here just as "the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem," v. 3, comp. i. 1: ii. 1. The Ephraimites and Samaritans, then, shall come to a certain knowledge, as persons that are in a state of pride and height of courage, for which just that knowledge commends itself as the best remedy. Wherein the pride consists is said ver. 9.

The haughty language consists of two simple, easily understood contrasts. Wood and stone are the chief materials for building. Bricks are poorer than hewn stones, and sycamores than cedars. "Sycamore trees are common in Palestine," as THEODORET in loc. says. Flourishing in low places, (signum camporum sunt sycamori,) says the JERUS. GEMARA, comp. 1 Chron. xxvii. 28); they are prized as wood for building, but not compared with the cedar. (Comp. under Text, and Gram.) The sense of the figurative language is plain. They acknowledge that Ephraim has suffered, but they hope abundantly to repair all these damages.

2. Therefore the Lord--stretched out still.-Vers. 11, 12 (10, 11). Jehovah's doing ver. 10 sq. brings to nought the proud hopes of ver. 9, and is announced here as the contents of "the word" of ver. 7. They would rise high, but the LORD raises above even their high house, the oppressors of Rezin. These oppresBors are the Assyrians. They had proved themselves such even at that time. They are called oppressors of Rezin, because Israel's strength at that time, lay in the alliance with Rezin. The same power that killed Rezin, and conquered his kingdom, actually made an end of Ephraim not twenty years later. Syria itself, compelled by Assyria, is represented as marching against Ephraim. Because of the words, "the Philistines behind," DELITZSCH supposes that the Prophet, from ver. 11 on, extends his view and has in mind all Israel, since the northern kingdom never had to suffer from the Philistines, whereas (acc. to 2 Chr. xxviii. 16-19) an invasion by the Philistines in Judah is expressly mentioned as belonging to the judgments of Ahaz's time. But

if this were so, ver. 12 (11) would need to be
more distinctly disconnected from ver. 11 (10).
hind" must be taken as dependent on
For, as they stand, the words "the Syrians-be-
"will set on," and the nations named here as
specifications of "the enemies" ver. 11 (10).
But then those attacked by Syria and the Philis
tines are identical with Ephraim to whom "him"
and "his" (the suffixes in " and "hy (ver.
10) refer. But ver. 12 a (11) is not to be taken
in a literal sense. Syria and the Philistines re-
present East and West. Isa. ii. 6; xi. 14 puts
the Philistines as representatives of the West as
opposed to (DP) the East. Moreover we must
not take "eating with a full mouth" as meaning
a complete destruction. On the contrary, we see
from ver. 12 b (11), that recurs afterwards three
times, that the Prophet would say: ye hold the
damage that ye hope easily to repair, to be the
end of your calamity. But I say to you: you
are destined to have your oppressors come on you
from every side in superior power, and yet even
this will be but the beginning of the end.

13 (12)

2. THE DECEIVERS THE BANE OF THE DECEIVED.
CHAP. IX. 13-17 (12-16).

FOR the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them,

Neither do they seek the LORD of hosts.

14 (13) Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, Branch and rush, in one day.

15 (14) The ancient and honourable, he is the head;

And the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

16 (15) For the leaders of this people cause them to err:

And they that are 'led of them are 'destroyed.

17 (16) 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.

1 Or, they that call them blessed.

8 Heb. swallowed up.

■ Palm top.

Or, called blessed of them.
4 Or, villainy.
bunclean and abominable.

TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL.

On ver. 12. By before by the thought of this verse | is to be explained by the pronominal force of the article is paratactically co-ordinated with the foregoing, where- according to which it refers back to ver. 11 b. as it ought properly to be subordinated in the form of On ver. 13. ") and I'm'1, ver. 15, must be taken as assigning a reason. For had the people been converted praet. propheticum, with which accord the fut. imperf. by the chastisement, then had the wrath of Jehovah

sounds

been turned away. We have here therefore one of those' and ' ver. 16.- found only here, xix. frequent instances where the demands definition, 15 and Job xv. 32.— found again only xix. 15; which however the reader must supply.-Iviii. 5, what grows in DN, "the swamp.”—D`] NJUI comp. on iii 3.— in Isaiah again only xxx. 20. comp. on iii. 12. Notice the paro

like an echo of the same words in the foregoing verse.

: אל not seldom stands for ,שׁוּב especially after עַד

Deut. iv. 30; xxx. 2; Joel ii. 12; Amos iv. 6-11; Isa. xix. 22, etc. It appears that all these prophetic passages just cited rest on the original passage in Deuteronomy also cited. The expression 1 recalls Deut. iv. 29.-The article before n is against the rule. The exception

TT

On ver. 15.

nomasia of the last two words.
On ver. 16.

pausal מִרָע

properly, "unclean, spotted,” pollutus, immundus: x. 6; xxiv. 5; xxxiii. 14.—) form of y, unless it is — èk Toû novηpoû as_KNOBEL translates.

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EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL.

2. For the leaders-destroyed.-Ver. 16 (15). As Isaiah intimates here the final destiny of leaders and led, the verse corresponds to "will cut off," ver. 14 (13) being, as it were, the specification of the notion. The leaders are misleaders of the people, and are themselves given over to error and its peril; but those led astray are swallowed up (iii. 12), a figure that recalls the position of the rush in the water. For, if it is long submerged, it perishes.

For the people—he is the tail.-Vers. | semblance to a hand (72, Latin palma) means of 12 (13)-14 (15). The four expressions, head and course the elevated ones, the rush the lowly. tail, palm-branch and rush, are to be found in Thus three of the figures represent the leaders, the same order xix. 15. Many expositors (since and only one, those that are led, the humble ones. KOPPE'S Anmm. zum Lowthschen Tesaias, 1799, "One day" (comp. x. 17; xlvii. 9) expresses sqq. the most of them) have misunderstood the that the destruction comes with such might as to figures. They have taken head and tail, as well take off its victim with one blow. as palm-branch and rush, as a figurative expression for "honorable and insignificant," and, because ver. 14 does not suit this construction, they have declared it to be not genuine. But just that ver. 14 ought to have convinced the expositors that head and tail did not mean superior and inferior, but two sorts of leaders, the genuine and the bad, i. e. those who as the elders and as men of high standing had a natural right to be leaders, and those that by lying prophecies presumed to leadership. KNOBEL says: making the tail to 3. Therefore- - stretched out still.mean a prophet that teaches lies is false, because Ver. 17 (16). It might be objected to the Prothe false prophets, too, were leaders of the peo- phet that among the led were many that were irple, and therefore belonged to the head." But responsible; thus without their fault they were that is what the prophet means. Only the irony led astray. Does the Lord make no exception has not been understood, with which Isaiah de- in their favor? The Prophet denies this, saying clares the false prophets to be such as have their that inasmuch as all those led astray are swallowed place where the tail is. Thus he mocks them. up, it is to be understood that none are spared, He intimates thereby that the lying prophets are not even the young men, children and widows. only seeming heads, but in fact representatives of But are not the children required to follow their the region of the tail, and that if men take them elders? Are they not innocent then if led into for heads and follow in the direction of their error's ways by them? Ought they not, spite of would be heads, then Israel will go directly back- this, to remain the ornament, the bloom of the ward instead of forward. Such is essentially the nation, and consequently the delight of the Lord? exposition of DRECHSLER and UMBREIT. ["The But it shall not be thus. The wish expressed Ps. false Prophets are called the tail, because they exliv. 12 shall not be fulfilled. If the Lord, were morally the basest of the people, and be- therefore, takes no more pleasure in the young, cause they were the servile adherents and sup- He leaves them indifferently to their fate. What porters of wicked rulers. With respect both it is may be imagined. Widows and orphans, to the head which they followed and the body of without the guidance of husband and father seem, which they were the vilest part, they might just-too, to be innocent and thus deserving of compasly be called the tail. The Prophet does not make a like explanation of the palm-leaf and the rush, because they are not equally suited to express his contempt for the false Prophets."-J. A. ALEXANDER]. The palm-branch growing high up on the trunk, so named because of its re

sion. But no. They are all contaminated and thoroughly penetrated with evil. They are corrupt, atrociously bad, and what they say is insane wickedness. Therefore there can be no sparing. In fact the last degree of their judgment is far from being attained.

18 (17)

3. ISRAEL DEVOURING ITSELF BY THE FLAMES OF DISCORD.
CHAPTER IX. 18-21 (17-20).

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 (18) 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 (19) And he shall 'snatch on the right hand, and be hungry;

And he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied:
They shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:

21 (20) 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.

1 Heb. meat.

• charred.

• Heb. cut.

TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL.

On ver. 17., in the older writings found only up in height of the smoke." The construction is analoin Deut. ix. 4, 5; xxv. 2; in Isaiah only here; beside gous to why v. 6; xxxiv. 13; Prov. xxiv. this only in post Isaiah writings; so that the expres- 31.- must be regarded as accusative, and of that sion seems to be a reminiscence of Deuteronomy.

species that follows verbs of fulness. The expression

.3 .perhaps a reminiscence of Num. xi בעיה כאש .10 .Ps. lxxxix גֵאוּת הַיָּם recalls גאות עשן

- ז

The formy occurs only once more in Isa. xxxiii. 12, and there it is undoubtedly passive. Consider in addition that here the preposition occasions surprise if thereby the object of the kindling is expressed (GESEN. would take this in a partitive sense, Thes., p. 172, sub. A. 2), whereas occurs often (Amos i. 14; Jer. xvii. 27; xxi. 14; xliii. 13, etc.) thus it seems to me

more probable that is to be taken as passive of

. As to the form, see EWALD, 197, a.

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On ver. 18. Däπ. λey. “burnt up, charred.” often with y; Exod. ii. 6; 1 Sam. xv. 3, 9, 15; xxiii. 21, etc. Here y stands for as Jer. 1. 14; li. 3. On ver. 19. means secuit, and is used of cutting through the middle a living body (1 Kings iii. 25 sq.) or a dead one (2 Kings vi. 4), comp. a cutting implement," 2 Sam. xii. 31. It is better then to translate it, "to hew," than "to bite."

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הפך seems related to אבן is ar. Aey. The root התאבן את-מנשה את אפרים On ver. 20. The accusatives

whereby the meaning is approximated "to turn one's self, to roll, whirl" (comp. Judg. vii. 13): "they whirled

depend on 1, whereas - depends on the notion of the hostile onslaught that lies in ver. 19 a.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL.

tacks do no good: for those attacking get no blessing thereby; they remain hungry after as

1. This strophe plainly divides into two parts. In the first (vers. 17-18 a.), the dissension is described figuratively. In the following, the Pro-well as before. They do harm in fact. For it phet himself explains the figure.

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2. For wickedness fuel of the fire. -Vers. 18 (17)-19 (18). The '? "for" appears to introduce the proof not only for ver. (16 b), but also for (16 a). For the impregnation with badness, that is declared of the whole people, ver. (16), displays itself as real, if its condition may be compared to an all-devouring conflagration. The badness burns like fire; not as a fire that devours only thorns and thistles (comp., on ver. 6) the lowlier products of the open field, but also the thickets (the standing timber, x. 34), of the forests, consequently seizes on the entire vegetation of the land, high and low. The fire of ver. 17 is the fire of sin, consequently a fire hateful to God, and which therefore bears no blessing in it, but a curse. The Prophet therefore can say that the effect of this fire is at the same time an effect of divine wrath. This effect is that the land looks burnt up, charred, while the people dwelling in it are become food of the fire. So far the figure.

4. No man shall spare -stretched out still. Ver. 19 b (18) - 21 (20). With these words the Prophet explains the figure. It is plain that he means the fire of dissension. This he first characterizes negatively by saying, that one behaves himself pitilessly, unsparingly against the other; then positively by describing how the rough, selfish men direct their attacks now on the right, now on the left. But these at

appears that those men of violence have raged against themselves, and (comp. Jer. xix. 9) have, sense he means this, the Prophet explains ver. so to speak, devoured their own flesh. In what 21 (20) a: The tribes of the northern kingdom were divided among themselves, but united for hostility against Judah. It is to be noticed that he does not say; Israel and Judah were mutually hostile; but names only Ephraim and Manasseh as embroiled in mutual strife. Judah, however, appears outside of their communion and the object of their common hatred, while, moreover, there is no reference to a hostility of Judah against Israel. Thus it appears that the Prophet represents the flames of discord as raging only in the bounds of the Ten Tribes. This is another proof that the entire passage, ix. 7-x. 4 is directed only against the northern kingdom. Manasseh and Ephraim are mentioned because these two tribes were descendants of uterine brothers, the sons of Joseph. From of old there was jealousy between these tribes (comp. 1 Sam. x. 27; 2 Sam. xx. 1; 1 Kings xii. 16; xv. 27 sqq.; xvi. 21 sqq.; 2 Kings ix. 14, etc.). From the first the Ten Tribes were little inclined to David's dynasty (2 Sam. ii. 8 sqq.); but their own history is a continued alternation of conspiracy and murder. It may be said that the Israelites did themselves more harm than all foreign foes could ever have done. Thus dissension was the destruction of Israel. And still even this is not the last stage of the divine judgment.

1

4. INJUSTICE AND VIOLENCE FILL UP THE MEASURE AND PRECIPITATE ISRAEL INTO THE HORRORS OF EXILE. CHAPTER X. 1-4.

WOE unto them that decree unrighteous decrees,

And 'that write 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?

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.

1 Or, to the writers that write grievousness. And writing evil they write.

b (Nothing) except to bow among. TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL.

PP

On ver. 1. ' comp. on i. 4. Because of this ", which seems to correspond to that in ver. 5, this last section has been incorporated in the chap. x.—¡ is "to hoe, hoe into, hew into, dig into" (xxx. 8; xlix. 16), then (mediately, through the notion of digging or graving in decrees into the tables of the laws) "to establish, decree" (xxxiii. 22). The participle pp curs again xxii. 16 and Judg. v. 9.—¡

OC

again only) חָקְקִים.

Judg. v. 15) means the same as 'p. As to the form,

• among.

xviii. 5, or simply pyn Amos v. 12; comp. Isa xxix. 21.—

xiv. 32.

ruin.

again עניי עם .only here in Isaiah גזל

פקרה

:

T

On ver. 3. The before has evidently an adversative sense: ye are shrewd and busy in violence and robbery (comp. Piel above) but what will ye do, etc.- before D has more than a temporal sense. The inquiry is evidently what sort of action will they develop to ward off the day of visitation and impending see EWALD, 186 sq.- frequent in Isa. i. 13; xxix. found again xv. 7 ; lx. 17.—7 is pro20; xxxi. 2; lviii. 9; lix. 6, 7, etc.-The second clause cella, tempestas, and is found again xlvii. 11. The word of ver. 1 can be variously construed: Either, "And is usually joined with 12, Prov. i. 26; iii. 25; Ezek. writing harm they write," or: "And (woe to) the writers xxxviii. 9.—-y for p, a usage very frequent that write harm." I prefer the former [which ABEN EZRA and J. A. ALEXANDER adopt because the accents rein Jeremiah (comp. x. 1) and not unusual in Isa. (comp. ver. 25; xi. 8; xxii. 15; xxiv. 22; xxix. 11, 12; xxxvi. 12). quire to be governed by .-TR.] 1) Because the quick return to the temp. finitum is a peculiarity On ver. 4. (found again xiv. 6; xlviii. 9) after a of Hebrew (comp. the second clause of ver. 2b); 2) be- foregoing negation, which must be supplied here as a cause, otherwise, one might expect '. More-negative reply to 'n ver. 3, is equivalent to

over, according to this explanation, " relates equally to the second clause of the verse: only it is to be subordinated to the first. Piel, which is found only here, is evidently intensive, meaning an occupation of writing significant for quality as well as quantity. We might conjecture that we have here a trace of mischievous, bureaucratic clerical administration.

On ver. 2. 1

to say boop niu

:T

only here; it is commoner Exod. xxiii. 6; Deut. xvi. 19, etc.,

xxii. 19, etc., Ewald, 356.- impersonal, “one praeter, nisi, "except" (Gen. xxi. 26; xlvii. 18 Exod. bows himself" (comp. vi. 10).—The phrase no cannot mean either: "lie among the fallen," nor, "fall under one slain," for the latter is hardly conceivable. It must mean "fall among the slain." One knocked dead may precipitate himself on one still living, and, when this happens wholesale, the situation of those alive under the slain is frightful. In this trait, too, there seems to me presented a contrast with the former

Prov. xvii. 23 pay On Prov. glory (ver. 3) and power (vers. 1 and 2) of those ad

dressed.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL.

1. Woe unto them-the fatherless. Vers. 1, 2. We might suppose that we have here a trace of mischievous, bureaucratic clerical administration. See above in Text. and Gramm.Ver. 2. names the object that bureaucratic administration pursues. It is a negative and a positive. First they aim at excluding the lowly from justice as much as possible, or to rob them of the benefits of justice that are their rights. This negative proceeding has the further aim of making themselves possessors of the property of widows and orphans. For substance comp. i. 21 sq.; iii.

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vi. 11 sq.; Jer. v. 15, etc.). "To whom will ye flee," is an allusion to the disposition so often reproved by the Prophet to seek aid from foreign nations. , according to the context, can only mean what those addressed, i. e., the powerful among the people, regard as their "glory," i.e., the ornament and adornment of their life, viz., their treasures, valuables, etc. The description is drastic: the hostile storm bursts, the panic-stricken flee, their valuables they seek to leave behind in a secure place. The reply to the question "what will ye do?" etc. is given ironically in ver. 4. Ye can do nothing, says the Prophet, except, etc. The lot of those addressed here will be worse than that of the other captives and slain. Whether in prison or in the train of those led away, the other captives will tread them under foot. Once they were honorable and powerful. Then they were

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