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2. On xxxi. 5-9. THE LORD ALONE IS THE blems of the calamities of life, and especially of SHELTER OF HIS OWN. 1) He will be such (ver. God's judgments on sin. Distress and impend5); 2) IIe must be such (ver. 9 b, His own interesting judgment make men seek shelter. Christ is demands this); 3) He alone can be such (ver. the only adequate hiding-place and covert. Let 8); 4) He will be such on one condition (ver. 6). men run to Him with the eagerness of travellers 3. [On xxxi. 6, 7. A GENUINE REFORMA- in the burning desert taking refuge under a rock TION. 1) It is general: every one shall cast away from the coming storm. The same rock-cliff his own idols and begin with them before trying often has a bountiful stream issuing just there to demolish those of other people, which there where its cavernous recess affords the best shelter. will be no need of when every man reforms him- While the traveller is safe from the tempest, he self. 2) It is thorough: for they shall part with may rest and refresh himself from the distress their idolatry, their beloved sin, made more pre- he has endured. The rock "not only excludes cious by the gold and silver devoted to it. 3) the rays of the sun, but it has itself a refreshing It is on the right principle: a principle of piety coolness that is most grateful to a weary traveller." and not of policy; because idolatry was a sin and -BARNES. "Some observe here, that as the not because it was profitless ("deeply revolted," covert, and hiding-place, and the rock, do them"sinfully made idols"). After M. HENRY, in selves receive the battering of the wind and loc-TR.]. storm, to save those from it that take shelter in them, so Christ bore the storm Himself to keep it off from us."-M. HENRY. TR.].

Weib hat tausend Schritt voraus." Therefore the punishment falls the hardest on them. As the weaker and more delicate, they suffer the most under the blows of misfortune.

4. On xxxii. 1-8. As there are always poor people, so there must always be persons of power and superior rank. The latter must know that 6. On xxxii. 9-11. When a land goes to ruin they are there for the sake of the people, as a great part of the blame of it rests on the women. guardians of right, as protectors of the poor and For they are more easily prompted to evil, as weak, so to speak, as the eyes, ears and tongues they are to good. Where evil has once taken of the commonwealth. But as in God's king-root, they are the ones that carry it to an exdom descent from Abraham counts for nothing treme. "Und geht es zu des Bösen Haus, das any more, and true worship is no more that which is offered in Jerusalem, but that which is in spirit and in truth, so, too, the nobility of the flesh must yield precedence to nobility of the spirit. Not he that is noble according to the flesh, but a fool according to the spirit shall be called noble. Only he that has princely thoughts shall be called a prince; for truth reigns in the kingdom of God. 5. [On xxxii. 2. This may be given a spiritual application by a special reference to Christ, as eminently true of Him, the King of kings. This application is old and precious. Wind and tempest, rain and hail and burning heat are em

7. On xxxii. 15 sqq. When once the Spirit of God is poured out on all flesh (Joel iii. 1) then the personal and impersonal creation will be glorified. Then Satan will be bound, and the LORD alone will rule in men, and in nature. Then at last will it be beautiful on earth. For then right and righteousness will reign on earth, and peace, and that rest that is promised to the people of God (Heb. iv. 9).

V.-THE FIFTH WOE.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

1. THE GLORIOUS TURNING POINT: THE WOE UPON ISRAEL BECOMES A

1

WOE UPON ASSYRIA.

CHAP. XXXIII. 1.

WOE to thee that spoilest and thou wast not spoiled;

And dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee!

When thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled;

And when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacher ously with thee.

TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL.

71 and 7117 conjoined as in xxi. 2.—The primary see EWALD, 114 a, GREEN, 141, 3.

stands for

meaning of 1 is "to cover;" hence "the cover,, comp. iii. 8; the Dag. f. in the is because of garment." Hence the secondary meaning of perfidious, the Masorets assuming a synkope, whereas, properly, treacherous doing [like the secondary meaning of the English word "to cloak."-TR.].-On the inf. there is an elision.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL.

The season of preparation for withstanding the Assyrian foe, that Israel has spent in so perverse a fashion, is past. The enemy is at hand (comp. ver. 7). But now, too, is the time when God will fulfil His word that He would smite the Assyrian (xxx. 18 sqq.; 31 sqq.; xxxi. 8 sq.). Now, therefore, the Prophet turns the woe against Assyria. This power, hitherto unconquered, will be overthrown (ver. 1). This is the principal thought of the chapter, which the Prophet puts at the head ver. 1, as a theme. But as a stone thrown into the water makes wave-lines that extend in concentric circles wider and wider,

so the Prophet joins on to this primary theme three declarations which, enlarging in extent and contents, state the particulars of the condition, the completion and consequence of that act of deliverance. This woe follows as a fifth those of xxviii. 1; xxix. 1; xxx. 1; xxxi. 1. But unlike the preceding, which are directed against Israel, this is against Assyria (comp. x. 1, 5). For, according to the contents of the chapter, none but Assyria can be the desolater. This announcement of its destruction is opposed to that audacious presumption that regarded itself as invincible (x. 5–14).

2

2. THE PRAYER OF FAITH QUICKLY HEARD.
CHAPTER XXXIII. 2-6.

O LORD. be gracious unto us; "we have waited for thee:

Be thou their arm every morning,

Our salvation also in the time of trouble.

3 At the noise of the tumult the people 'fled;

At the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered.

4 And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpillar; As the running to and fro of the locusts shall he run upon them.

5 The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on high:

He hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.

6 And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of the times, And strength of 'salvation:

The fear of the LORD is his treasure.

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Ver. 6. The Plural D'ny occurs principally in later books; still also Job xxiv. 1. Only here in Isa.: comp. Ps. xxxi. 16.-ny is predicate, the following

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opes, thesau

Ver. 4. D may not be taken passively (with CAP pellus, Doederlein, DRECHSLER, etc.), as appears from the substantives to are subject. image itself, and from Q1 (ä. λey. comp. ] Nah. iii. rus," only here in Isaiah comp. Prov. xv. 6; xxvil. 24; 17; Amos vil. 1, certainly a name of the locust, al-Jer. xx. 5; Ezek. xxii. 25.— xxvi. 18, elsewhere though of uncertain derivation and meaning. Comp. only in the Pss. xviii. 51; xxviii. 8; xlli. 6, 12; xllif. 5, HERZ. R. Enc,, VI. p. 70). This latter word is expressly etc.--The suffix in 178 relates to the same subject as active.On O comp. xxiv. 22. the suffix in Ty. Interchange of person often occurs xxxii. 10 a noun (Mic. vii. 1). As to construction, it is in Isaiah, but it is not always so easily traced to its mo. to be regarded as in the acc. modalis. on only heretive as in ver. 2. See below in Exeget. and Crit.

is here as אֹסֶף

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL.

2. O LORD-His treasure.-Vers. 2-6. This short prayer, that unexpectedly interrupts the prophecy, is assuredly not an involuntary sigh, but it occupies a place in the discourse chosen with deliberation. The Prophet intends two things by it. First he would present to the people what they must do on their part to obtain deliverance. They must believe and confide in the LORD, according to the words "if ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established" (vii. 9), and he that believes will not yield" (xxviii. 16.). But as the Prophet gives, not a warning to pray merely, but an example of it, and himself intercedes, he gives on the one hand an example to men, and on the other hand a proof to God that there are still righteous men in Israel (comp. Gen. xviii. 24 sqq.) that love the people and trust in God. A people from which issues such prayer is no dead heap of ashes. There is a glow in them that can be kindled up again (xlii. 3). The prayer has the form of those in the Pss. (comp. xii.).

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1. The first wave-circle! In grand, rapid flight | etc.), to smite the enemy. The expression is anthe Prophet's gaze hastens through three stages:thropomorphic, he, so to speak, raises himself he shows what must precede the overthrow of high aloft. In ver. 4 the Prophet addresses the Assyria, then this itself, then its contrast in the Assyrian. He sees the Israelites plundering his remote future. For having by a prayer intimated camp, gathering the spoil with a celerity like that believing trust in Jehovah is the condition locusts clearing off a field. Seeing in this coming of salvation (ver. 2), he describes the immedi- victory a type of the final, crowning triumph of ately consequent overthrow of Assyria (vers. 3, Jehovah over the world-power, he contemplates 4). But on this present earthly salvation follows this glory in ver. 5, chiefly from its inner side. for the Prophet at once the Messianic future with He would intimate that the treasures of salvaits blessings, of which the deliverance from As- tion, that Israel will then acquire, will, because syria is a type. of a spiritual sort, be more glorious than the goods found in the Assyrian camp (comp. ver. 23; xxxvii. 36, comp. 2 Kings vii. 16). On ac count of this typical relation, the two periods are treated as a connected whole, without regard to their temporal disconnection. In this the Prophet does not contradict what he had said xxxii. 15 of the continuance of the desolation till the initiation of the great regeneration of the last time. For that period of the desolation falls precisely in the period that the Prophet over-leaps from the stand-point of his manner of regarding the matter. He thus sees the LORD elevated on high and withdrawn from every hostile attack because enthroned on high. From this height the LORD fills Zion with right and righteousness, which plainly recalls xxxii. 15, 16. Likewise ver. 6 recalls xxxii. 17; the very beginning with coincides. But "the stability of thy times" corresponds to what in xxxii. 17 sq., is called peace, assurance, sure dwelling, quiet resting place.' Thus we must give here the meaning "security," a condition that guarantees peace, tranquility, confidence (ver. 16). When the times are such that there is no disturbance of the public welfare apprehended, then they have the quality of then one may speak of an D. But of course occurs only here in this sense (comp. ver. 16). As in xxxii. 16 the security appears as the fruit of moral inworkings, so here also. Fulness of salvations, wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability, etc. As in the familiar declaration l'empire c'est la paix the copula has a tropical sense, so here there is the trope of the metonymy, since two things that actually stand fied in expression. Thus the security of those related as cause and effect are, apparently, identitimes is the effect of the treasure, the wealth in treasures of salvation. It will not rest on subjective human possessions, as the women at ease (xxxii. 9) suppose, but upon objective, God-given treasures of salvation. The kind is declared in what follows, viz.: inward, spiritual goods: wisdom and knowledge (on these notions comp. xi. 2). "The fear of the LORD" is named last, although it is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. i. 7). But it seems to me the Prophet would distinguish But it is no human army: for, as ap-between and on. The fear of the LORD pears from and from xxix. 6; xxx. 30 is the treasure-house ( as e. g. Joel i. 17; 2 sq., the LORD effects that noise. He brings about Chr. xi. 11, etc., = a panic among them by letting them hear a that hides that treasure in itself. Our passage tumult that has no actual existence (comp. Ps. recalls xi. 2 in many ways: also in this that, liii. 6; Exod. xiv. 24 sq.; xv. 16; Judg. iv. 15; rightly counted, seven spiritual goods are named: vii. 22; 1 Sam. vii. 10). The fleeing nations are 1) judgment, 2) righteousness, 3) security, 4) of course those of Assyria. The LORD arises riches of salvations, 5) wisdom, 6) knowledge, 7) (comp. ver. 10; xxx. 18; Ps. xxi. 14; xlvi. 11, the fear of the LORD.

The (suffix of the) third person in Dy "their arm," that occurs in such harsh dissonance with (the suffixes of) the first person preceding and following, is to be explained, it seems to me, by the word "arm" itself. The Prophet means here those called to protect city and state with the power of their arm. He and many others do what they can with heart, and head and otherwise. But when it concerns defence against an outward enemy, then those that serve with the arm are very important. Therefore the prayer that the LORD Himself might be the arm of those who have devoted their arm to the country. Comp. Ps. lxxxiii. 9; lxxxix. 11, 22, etc. op comp. Ps. lxxiii. 14; ci. 8. comp. xxvi. 9; Ps. xvi. 6; xviii. 49, etc. Also y is very frequent in the Pss.: Ixviii. 20; xxxv. 3; lxii. 2, etc. my, see Ps. xxxvii. 39; comp. Ps. xx. 2; 1. 15.

In vers. 3, 4 is announced the hearing of the prayer. In very drastic form, but, with all its brevity, still vivid, the flight of the Assyrian and the plundering of their camp are depicted. The enemy hear a loud tumult like the onset of

an army.

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,(.Jer. 1. 25, etc בֵּית הָאוֹצָר

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אראלם or אראלם or אראלם | from אראלם Ver. 7. The LXX.have somehow derived

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as eight codices actuto be afraid," for they translate: “ev т poß vμally have D Taking DN as the mean beavtoi þоßηonσovTal." The other ancient versions refer the tween the Masoretic reading and what is otherwise deword to. Thus the VULG. ecce videntes clamabunt foriɛ.manded, we must in addition construe it as collective SYMM. and THEOD. “öߤýσquaι avrois” AQUILA: òpatýσoμal. (ihre Heldenschaft).-- (comp. v. 20; xxxviii. 15, 17)

: יבכיון is as accusative to be regarded as dependent on אֶרָאלָם as if it were אראלם It appears that they read

TT"

T

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T

"T"

T

14).—

(syncopated from 8, like D from "they weep bitterness," i. e., bitter tears (comp. Zeph. i.
D). Similarly the Chald. and Syr. (comp. GESEN. in The form ¡2' occurs again only Job xxxi. 38;
Loc.). But these derivations and explanations are un- comp. Isa. xxi. 12; xxxi. 3.
grammatical and do not suit the context. In 2 Sam.
xxiii. 30 seems to serve as designation for he-
roes, and in fact as nom. propr. though still retaining its
fundamental appellative meaning, since it reads there
or ". But from

and not

Ver. 8. DN with following accusative Job ix. 21; with 2, Judg. ix. 38; Job xix. 18. Comp. Ps. lxxxix. 39, where DN is used in the same sense as .

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T

Ver. 9. in the masculine as a propositive and remote predicate. Comp. xxiv. 4, 7; xxvi. 8; xix. 8.—

.direct catusative Hiphil-pudorem producit, liv החפיר from אַבְנֵר like) אַרְאֵל may be derived either אֲרִיאֵל

,.see GREEN's Gr אֶתְרוֹמָם stands for אֵרוֹמָם .10 .Ver

אבינר

1 Sam. xiv. 50), and this form underlies the pa-4- only again xix. 6. Pattahh in pause, Gr. 3 65 a. (Gen. xlvi. 16; Num. xxvi. 17); or

tronymic

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282, 5 a.

from 'N (1 Sam. xxii. 20 sq., etc.).

TT

T

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From comes our present word. "God's lx. 4; Ps. vii. 15.— see v. 21.—op

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lion," i. c., hero, a designation that occurs also in the
Arabic and Persian (comp. asadallah and schir-choda. Ver. 12. Dip comp. on xxxii. 13.-D is desccare,
BOCHART Пicroz. II, p. 7, ed. ROSENMUELLER, and GESEN. abscindere: the word only here in Isaiah. Comp. Ps..
Thes., p. 147). But this does not explain the daghesh | 1xxx. 17.——17`, comp. ix. 17; Jer. xli. 58; xlix. 2,
forte in the. I would side with those that read GREEN's Gram., § 24, c, 149, 1.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL.

1. The second wave-circle. It is broader as to extent than the foregoing, but as regards intensity it is narrower. For it issues from the same point as the first, but extends only to the eve of the saving act. The distress occasioned by the hostile Assyrian is portrayed concretely and visibly, and

just as visibly then do we see the LORD, as it.
were provoked by the intolerable distress, come
to the rescue. A respectable embassy that Heze-
kiah had sent with a ransom had returned without
accomplishing anything (ver. 7). They could
only say that the Assyrian had indeed accepted

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with fire.-Vers. 7-12. By ps and the Prophet intends to express contrasts. Heroes raise a loud cry of lament; messengers of peace, that should bring and feel joy, weep. Almost all commentators agree that the Prophet means by these heroes and messengers of peace the ambassadors that Hezekiah sent to the Assyrian king to Lacish (2 Kings xviii. 14). They were to purchase the withdrawal of the Assyrians at the cost of subjection and a heavy ransom. Both were accepted. But after the prodigious sum of 300 talents in silver and 30 talents in gold was paid, the Assyrians still would not retire, but demanded beside the surrender of the capital. The ambassadors came back with this sad news, that was afterwards confirmed by the message of Rabshakeh, and with news of all the ruin that the Assyrians had wrought in the land. In verses 8, 9 they give information of the condition of the land as they had found it in consequence of these desolations. The roads lay desolate (comp. Judg. v. 20;) passengers along them had ceased (Ps. viii. 9; Isa. xxiii. 2; Lam. i. 12; ii. 15); there was no commerce over them. He, i. e., the king of Assyria had broken covenant, in that, spite of the ransom he had accepted, he still did not retire, but made further demands. He treated the cities lightly, that is, not he despised them, but he captured them by his snperior force that enabled him to make little account of their resistance. The words contain an intimation of the capture of the cities of Judah of which xxxvi. 1; 1 Kings xviii. 13; 2 Chr. xxxii. 1, speak. Moreover he does not regard

man; i. e., he sacrifices human life unsparingly (comp. ii. 22; xiii. 17).

To this point the discourse is prose. Now it becomes poetry. For ver. 9 the Prophet personifies things of nature. The general notion earth is specified by naming the particular parts distinguished by their vegetation. First Lebanon, to the north of the Holy Land, is named. It is ashamed, withered. Sharon, rich in flowers, the plain between Cæsarea and Joppa, has become like a steppe (lxv. 10). The two fruitful elevations east and west, Bashan and Carmel, espe cially noted for their forests (ii. 13) autumnlike shake off their leaves (lii. 2, comp. Exod. xiv. 27; Ps. cxxxvi. 15). The sad news of the embassy is at an end. It bows the hearts of the Israelites down deep, but for the LORD it is the signal that now has come the moment to interfere. But with Him the interference is bitter earnest. This appears in the three-membered sentence with its thrice repeated self-summons, ver. 10. The LORD announces to the Assyrians the vanity of their purpose, yea its ruin to themselves. "Ye shall conceive hay," . e., your plans shall be like hay; not fresh, full of life, but utterly dry, without strength or sap; and hence when they come to the light they shall prove to be dry, dead stubble. That they shall prove their own destruction the Prophet expresses by saying: your puffing (comp. xlv. 4; xxx. 28) shall be a fire to devour you (i. 31; ix. 17). This is characterized by a two-fold image (ver. 12). The first is burning lime. Water poured on lime causes it to sink away without flame (comp. Jer. xxxiv. 5; Deut. xxvii. 2, 4; Amos ii. 1). But thorns burn with a bright flame, a loud crackling and much smoke. It seems to me the Prophet would say that, in the overthrow of the Assyrians, many nations would disappear in the great conflagration unnoticed and leaving no trace, whereas the fall of others (he means, doubtless, the greater and better known) will make the world wonder at the grand spectacle they present.

4. THE ALARM OF SINNERS; THE COMFORT OF THE PIOUS.

13 Hear, ye

CHAPTER XXXIII. 13-22.

that are far off, what I have done;

And, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.

14 The sinners in Zion are afraid;

Fearfulness hath surprised the "hypocrites.

Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire?
Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
15 He that walketh 'righteously, and speaketh uprightly
He that despiseth the gain of 'oppressions,

That shaketh his hands from holding of bribes,
That stoppeth his ears from hearing of 'blood,
And shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

16 He shall dwell on high:

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His place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: 'Bread shall be given him;

His waters shall be sure.

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