DT, as an epithet; your sinful hands. The LXX render the pronoun in the third person, ài xuges aurw; and an ancient MS has, agreeably to that rendering, on, for DJS; which word they have likewise omitted, as not necessary to complete the sense. CHAPTER XXXII. 1. And princes-], without ; so the ancient versions. An ancient MS has , and his princes. 2. As the shadow of a great rock] The shadow of a great projecting rock is the most refreshing that is possible in a hot country; not only as most perfectly excluding the rays of the sun, but also having in itself a natural coolness, which it reflects and communicates to every thing about it. "Speluncæque tegant, et saxea procubet umbra." Virg. Georg. iii. 145. "Let the cool cave and shady rock protect them." Αυαλεος δε τε χρως απο καυματος αλλα τοτ' ηδη Hesiod. ii. 206. When Sirius rages, and thine aching head, 3. And him the eyes] For Le Clerc reads ; of which mistake the Masoretes acknowledge there are fifteen instances; and many more are reckoned by others. The removal of the negative restores to the yerb its true and usual sense. 6. The fool will still utter folly] A sort of proverbial saying; which Euripides (Baccha, 369.) has expressed in the very same manner and words: μωρα γαρ μωρος λέγει. Of this kind of simple and unadorned proverb or parable, see De S. Poes. Hebr. Prælect. xxiv. Ibid. Against JEHOVAH] For N, two MSS read by, more properly. 7. As for the niggard his instruments-] His machinations, his designs. The paronomasia, which the Prophet frequently deals in, suggested this expression: ". The first word is expressed with some variety in the MSS: וכולי another וכל one וכילי seven MSS read Ibid. And to defeat the assertions-] A word seems to have been lost here, and two others to have suffered a small alteration; which has made the sentence very obscure. The LXX have happily retained the rendering of the lost word, and restored the sentence in all its parts: και διασκεδασαι λου They frequently render the verb by diaσxedασα. A MS reads 77; which gives authority for the perposition necessary to the sense; and LXX, Syr. Chald. read I. ל ולהפר דברי אביון במשפט Vous Tarsivan Ev gids 8. And he by his generous-] "Of the four sorts of persons mentioned ver. 5. three are described, ver. 6, 7, and 8. but not the fourth:" SECKER. Perhaps for NT we ought .ושוע to read 11. gird the sackcloth-] pv, sackcloth, a word necessary to the sense, is here lost, but preserved by LXX, MSS Alex. and Pachom. and I. D. II. and Edit. Ald. and Comp. and Arab. and Syr. Ibid. Tremble-be disquieted-strip ye-] LUD, &c. These are infinitives, with a paragogic, according to Schultens, Institut. Ling. Hebr. p. 453. and are to be taken in an imperative sense. 12. Mourn ye for the pleasant field] The LXX, Syr. and Vulg. read 170, mourn ye, imperative: twelve MSS (five ancient), two editions, LXX, Aquila, Sym. Theod. Syr. Vulg. all read TT, field; not, breasts. 13.—and the brier shall come up] All the ancient versions read, with the conjunction. And an ancient MS has byn, which seems to be right; or rather : and there is a rasure in the place of in another ancient MS. Ibid. Yea over all-] For ", the ancient versions, except Vulg. seem to have read. may perhaps be a mistake for 1 or 2 above-mentioned. It is not necessary in this place. 13-18. Over the land of my people-] This description of impending distress belongs to other times than that of Senacherib's invasion, from which they were so soon delivered. It must at least extend to the ruin of the country and city by the Chaldeans. And the promise of blessings, which follows, was not fulfilled under the Mosaic dispensation; they belong to the kingdom of Messiah. Compare ver. 15. with chap. xxix. 17. and see the note there. 14. Ophel] It was a part of Mount Sion, rising higher than the rest; at the eastern extremity, near to the temple, a little to the south of it; called by Micah, iv. 8. "Ophel of the daughter of Sion." It was naturally strong by its situation, and had a wall of its own, by which it was separated from the rest of Sion. 15. And the fruitful field], fifteen MSS (six ancient), and two editions; which seems to make the noun an appellative. 19. The city shall be laid level with the plain] For now, Syr. reads . The city, probably Nineveh or Babylon: but this verse is very obscure. "Saltus; Assyriorum regnum: civitas; magnifica Assyriorum castra:" Ephræm. Syr. in loc. For 1, a MS has 77"; and so conjectured Archbishop Secker, referring to Zech. xi. 2. 20. who sow your seed in every watery place] Sir John Chardin's note on this place is: "This exactly answers the manner of planting rice; for they sow it upon the water: and before sowing, while the earth is covered with water, they cause the ground to be trodden by oxen, horses, and asses, who go mid-leg deep; and this is the way of preparing the ground for sowing. As they sow the rice on the water, they transplant it in the water:" Harmer's Observ. i. p. 280. "Rice is the food of two-thirds of mankind :" Dr Arbuthnot. "It is cultivated in most of the eastern countries:" Miller. "It is good for all, and at all times:" Sir J. Chardin, ibid. "Le riz, qui est leur principal aliment et leur froment (i. e. des Siamois), n'est jamais assez arrosé; il croit au milieu de l'eau, et les campagnes où on le cultive ressemblent plutôt à de maréts que non pas à des terres qu'on laboure avec la charue. Le riz a bien cette force, que quoy qu'il y ait six ou sept pieds d'eau sur lui, il pousse toujours sa tige au dessus, et le tuyau qui le porte s'elève et croit à proportion de la hauteur de l'eau qui noye son champ:" Voyage de l'Evêque de Beryte, p. 144.; Paris, 1666. CHAPTER XXXIII. THE plan of the prophecy, continued in this chapter, and which is manifestly distinct from the foregoing, is peculiarly elegant. To set it in a proper light, it will be necessary to mark the transitions from one part of it to another. In ver. 1. the Prophet addresses himself to Senacherib, briefly, but strongly and elegantly, expressing the injustice of his ambitious designs, and the sudden disappointment of them. Ver. 2. the Jews are introduced offering up their earnest supplications to God in their present distressful condition; with expressions of their trust and confidence in his protec tion. Ver. 3. and 4. the Prophet, in the name of God, or rather God himself, is introduced addressing himself to Senacherib, and threatening him, that notwithstanding the terror which he had occasioned in the invaded countries, yet he should fall, and become an easy prey to those whom he had intended to subdue. Ver. 5. and 6. a chorus of Jews is introduced, acknowledging the mercy and power of God, who had undertaken to protect them; extolling it with direct opposition to the boasted power of their enemies; and celebrating the wisdom and piety of their king Hezekiah, who had placed his confidence in the favour of God. Then follows, ver. 7-9. a description of the distress and despair of the Jews, upon the king of Assyria's marching against Jerusalem, and sending his summons to them to surrender, after the treaty he had made with Hezekiah on the conditions of his paying, as he actually did pay to him, three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold; 2 Kings xviii. 14-16. Ver. 10. God himself is again introduced, declaring that he will interpose in this critical situation of affairs, and disappoint the vain designs of the enemies of his people, by discomfiting and utterly consuming them. Then follows, ver. 11-22. still in the person of God, (which however falls at last into that of the Prophet), a description of the dreadful apprehensions of the wicked in those times of distress and imminent danger; finely contrasted with the confidence and security of the righteous, and their trust in the promises of God, that he will be their never-failing strength and protector. The whole concludes, in the person of the Prophet, with a description of the security of the Jews under the protection of God, and of the wretched state of Senacherib and his army, wholly discomfited, and exposed to be plundered even by the weakest of the enemy. Much of the beauty of this passage depends on the explanation above given of ver. 3. and 4. as addressed by the Prophet, or by God himself, to Senacherib; not, as it is usually taken, as addressed by the Jews to God, ver. 3. and then, ver. 4. as addressed to the Assyrians. To set this in a clear light, it may be of use to compare it with a passage of the Prophet Joel; where, speaking of the destruction caused by the locusts, he sets in the same strong light of opposition, as Isaiah does here, the power of the enemy, and the power of JEHOVAH who would destroy that enemy. Thus Isaiah, to Senacherib: "When thou didst raise thyself up, the nations were dispersed. "But now will I arise, saith JEHOVAH; Now will I be exalted." And thus Joel, ii. 20, 21. ver. 3. ver. 10. "His stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall ascend; Though he hath done great things. Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice; For JEHOVAH will do great things." 1. thou plunderer-] See note on chap. xxi. 2. Ibid. when thou art weary-] alibi non, כנלתך : extat in s. s. nisi f. Job xv. 29. -simplicius est legere 7. Vid. Capell. nec repugnat Vitringa. Vid. Dan. ix. .SECKER ": התים כלה .24 2. our strength-] For Dy, Syr. Chald. Vulg. read y, in the first person of the pronoun, not the third: the edition of Felix Pratensis has in the margin. 3. From thy terrible voice-] read : whom I follow. For 2, LXX and Syr. 6. thy treasure-] 'o Inoaugos rou, Sym. He had in אצרו not אצרך his copy 7.the mighty men raise a grievous cry] Three MSS read ; that is, lions of God, or strong lions: so they called valiant men heroes; which appellation the Arabians and Persians still use. See Bochart, Hieroz. Part I. lib. iii. cap. 1. "Mahomet ayant reconnu Hamzeh son oncle pour homme de courage et de valeur, lui donne le titre ou surnom d'Assad Allah, qui signifie, le Lion de Dieu:" D'Herbelot, p. 427. And for 3, Syr. and Chald. read TP; whom I follow. Chald. Syr. Aquila, Sym. and with what meaning, is ;יראה or, אראה להם Theod. read not clear. 9.—are stripped-] LXX, pavega sorar they ready. 11. And my spirit-] ": רוחי כמו read רוחכם For » |