Isaiah 2

Sodom ne people of Gomorrah,) no less spirited and elegant. In verse 10, and following, the vanity of trusting to the performance of outward rites and ceremonies of religion is exposed; and the necessity of repentance and reformation strongly urged, as well by the most encouraging promises, as by the most awful threatening. The oo poe aware that neither of these motives would produce their proper effect, he bitterly laments their degeneracy; and concludes with declaring, in the name of Jehovah, his purpose of inflicting still heavier judgments, such as would destroy the wicked, and excite in the righteous (who should also pass through the furnace) an everlasting shame and abhorrence of every thing connected with idolatry, the source of all their misery.

“The whole chapter affords a beautiful example of this great prophet’s manner; whose writings, like nis lips, were touched with hallowed fire.” Chap. II. Ver. 1—22. Isaiah prophecies the coming of Messiah’s kingdom, and the destruction of idolatry.—This and the two following chapters make one section of prophecy, to which the verse with which it opens is the title. The first five verses foretel the kingdom of the Messiah, and the conversion Ver. 25. And I will turn, &c.—Lowth, ‘I will bring again my hand over him,’ that the term “latter days” always refers to the times of the Messiah. In the remaining part of the chapter is foretold the punishment of the unbelieving Jews for that idolatrous practices; their self-confidence and distrust in God; also the destruction of idolatry, in consequence of the establishment of Messiah’s kingdom.

The description which this chapter contains of the terrible consternation that will seize the wicked, who shall in vain seek for rocks and mountains to hide them from the face of God in the day of his judgments, is beautifully and highly worked up. But to what period these judgments are to be referred is doubtful. Some have applied them to the first, and some to the second coming of our Lord; some to the destruction of the Jews, and some to the fall of Antichrist! Perhaps we ought not to confine the words to any one of these events exclusively. The prophecy has, no doubt, been in a [large] measure fulfilled by the [great] and astonishing success of the gospel: yet the happy period so beautifully predicted in verse 4th, has only yet dawned, and some signal revolutions may yet be necessary to the establishment of universal peace.

Of part of these predictions at least we have lived to see the fulfilment. Messiah is come; the Gentiles have been admitted Ver. 6. Replenished from the East.—Lowth, “Filled (with diviners) from,” into his church. Idolatry in many nations has been suppressed; and, even in our own time, [the] inhabitants of the South Sea Islands, as also of some parts of Africa, and even India, have thrown away their idols. We cannot indeed say that men “learn war no more;’’ but the calamities attending the late European wars, have induced the nations to make a pause; and it is now generally admitted among civilized governments, that no wars are defensible that are not founded on principles of justice. This is a grand point gained, and, we think, may lead eventually to the attainment of universal peace, the principles of which cannot be too much cherished in the Christian world.

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Notes on the verses

Her converts.—See margin. Lowth, ‘Her captives.” P Ver. 29. The oaks…. the gardens—That is, the scene and object of their idolatries. [Atalah is supposed by Celsius to denote the terebinth or turpentine tree, as the LXX. sometimes render, though in other cases they have an oak. Lowth, however, supposes it to denote the ilex (which Vossius derives from the Hebrew word) or kolly-oak, which, in a good soil, grows to a considerable height. The leaves are from three to four inches long, one broad near the base, and gradually lessening towards a point, of a lucid green on the upper side, but whitish and downy on the lower, standing on pretty long footstalks, and retaining their verdure throughout the year.]—Bagster.

Ver. 31. And the maker.—‘And his work.” So Lowth. Chap. II. Ver. 1. That Isaiah saw.—Lowth, ‘That was revealed to Isaiah.” Ver. 4. Pruning-hooks.—(The highly poetical and beautiful image used here to describe a well established peace, has also been employed by the Roman poets: “Sweet peace has transformed me: I was once the property of a soldier, and am now the property of the husbandman.” Martial.)—Bagster. ba toss Belg | lease themselves.—Lowth, “‘They multiply a spurious brood of strange children.”” This refers to the illegitimate produce of their licentious connexion with the heathen, which is here compared (in the original) with the corn, or grass, springing from seed accidentally scattered.

4 Ver. 7. Full of silver and gold…. horses, &c.—This was contrary to (Deuteronomy 17:16-17). He followed the example of Solomon, (2 Chronicles 1:14-15). Ver. 9. The mean man boweth, &c.—That is, all ranks bow down to idols; but Lowth renders this in the future; “therefore shall the mean man be bowing.” Boothroyd.—Forgive them not.—Lowth, “Thou wilt not forgive.” Ver. 12. Shall be upon.—“Is against,” and so in the four following verses, Ver. 13. Cedars of Lebanon, &c.—That is, great men, princes, &c. Ver. 14. High mountains.—Kingdoms, states, &c. Ver. 15. Every high tower.—Military state. Ver. 16. Ships of Tarshish.—Maritime powers.—Pleasant pictures,—See margin. Lowth, “Every lovely work of art.”

Ver. 18. And the idols, &c.—See margin. Lowth, “Disappear.” Ver. 20. To the moles and to the bats.—That is, for shame and fear, he shall hide them in darkness and obscurity. [Three MSS. read chepharphairoth, in one word; which, from chaphar, to dig, delve, is an excellent periphrasis for the mole, which is formed to burrow and live wholly under the earth. It is less than a rat, and bigger than a mouse, with a coat of fine, short, glossy, black hair; nose, long and pointed; eyes, scarcely discernible, but sufficient for a creature which lives in darkness; ears, merely two holes; neck, short; body, thick and round; tail, small and short; legs, very short, the hind being longer and weaker than the fore, which are very short and strong, each furnished with five claws, turned outwards and backwards, by which it throws back the earth with ease.—Bats.—Atallaiph, from atal, “darkness,” and Pee “flying,” well characterizes the bat, which only flies abroad in the night. It has the body of a mouse, and wings of a leathery skin, with feet or claws growing out of them. They frequent tops of houses, caves, and old ruins, and live upon flies, insects, &c.)—Bagster. Chap. III. Ver. 7. Clothing, &c.—[Princes and great men in the East, as Sir J. Chardin testifies, are obliged to have a great stock of clothes in readiness for presents on all occasions; and a great quantity of provisions for the table is equally necessary, (see (1 Kings 4:22-23). (Nehemiah 5:17-18).) Hence the person desired to undertake the » Gg on alleges as an excuse that he is not able to support the dignity of his station.

}—Bagster. Ver. 8. The eyes of his glory.—That is, his omniscience. Ver. 12. And destroy.—See margin. So the monsters of the deep destroy: but to “swallow away,” seems to refer to an inundation of error and vice, which prevented their progress in the way of duty. Ver. 14. The ancients.—Lowth, “Elders.” 4 Ver. 16. Wanton eyes.—See margin: i.e. by amorous glances. Lowth thinks this refers to painting the eyes. See (Jeremiah 4:30).—Tinkling with their feet.—(The Eastern ladies wear on their ankles large rings, to which smaller ones are attached, which make a tinkling sound as they move nimbly. Roger.)—B. Ver. 17. Discover their secret parts.—Lowth, “Nakedness.” The text refers to the barbarous custom of exposing captives naked.

Ver. 18. Tinkling ornaments.—Lowth, “Feet-rings;” i.e. rings on the toes, which tinkled in tripping as they went. See ver. 16.—Round tiers, &c.—Lowth, “Crescents.” Ver. 19. The chains.—Lowth, “The pendants.” The mufflers.—See margin. Lowth, “Their veils.” Ver. 20. The bonnets.—Lowth, “Tires;” i.e. high head-dresses.—The tablets.—See margin; which Lowth ingeniously explains of “perfume boxes,” and the ear-rings as “amulets,” or ornaments worn as charms against disease. Ver. 21. Nose jewels were certainly used by ladies in the East, as they are in some parts to this day. See note on (Genesis 24:47); also, (Ezekiel 16:12). Lowth reads, “Jewels of the nostril.” Ver. 22. The changeable suits, &c.—Lowth, “The embroidered robes and the tunics.”

The wimples and the crisping pins.—Lowth, “The cloaks and the little purses.” Ver. 23. The glasses—Lowth, “The transparent garments;” a kind of silken gauze, worn by women of light character.—The hoods and the veils.—Lowth, “The turbans and the mantles.” Ver. 24. Instead of a sweet smell, a stink.—Lowth, “Instead of a perfume, a putrid ulcer.” Instead of a girdle, a rent.—Lowth, “Instead of well-girt raiment, rags.” A stomacher.—Lowth, “A zone.” And burning.—Lowth, “A sun-burnt skin.” Ver. 26. And she (being) desolate, shall sit upon the ground.—See (Lamentations 2:8). Addison remarks, that on several coins of Vespasian and Titus, Judæa Capta is so represented. Cap. IV. Ver. 2. The branch of the Lord.—‘The Messiah of Jehovah,”

says the Chaldee.—Fruit of the earth.—Lowth, “Of the land;” i.e. of Judah. By this expression, if not exactly parallel with the preceding, Lowth [seems to] understand its fruit; ‘the blessings consequent upon his redemp- Ver. 3. Among the living—i.e. enrolled among the remnant left. See (Ezekiel 13:9). Ver. 4. A spirit of burning.—Meaning the fire of God’s wrath, by which (in his furnace) he will purify his people.” Lowth. See (Ezekiel 22:17-22) Ver. 5. Upon all the glory shall be a defence.—Heb. “Above all the glory shall be a covering.” See (Exodus 13:21). xl. 38. Chap. V. Ver. 1, In a very fruitful hill—(Rendered by Lowth, “on a high and fruitful hill.” The situation of Canaan, being high and mountainous, is represented by a horn, which is higher than any other [part] of the animal; and the “son of oil”

is a Hebraism denoting fertility, oil-olive being one of the most esteemed and valuable productions of the land.)—Bagster. Ver. 2. He fenced it.—“Made a wall about it, which was generally formed of the stones found upon the land.” The choicest vine.—(Sorek, in Arabic, sharik, certainly denotes an excellent vine; but some, with Bishop Lowth, retain it as a proper name. Sorek was a valley lying between Askalon and Gaza, so called from the excellence of its vines. Ju. 16. 4.)—Bagster.—Built a tower.—See (Matthew 21:23).—Made a wine-press.—See margin. Not the press itself; but the lake, which received the must from the wine press, which was often under ground, in the recess of a rock, &c.—Wild grapes.—Lowth, “Poisonous berries.”

See (2 Kings 4:39-41). also, (Deuteronomy 32:32-33). Ver. 9. In mine ears said, &c.—Lowth, ‘In mine ears hath the Lord revealed it.”——Of a truth.—A usual form of swearing. Lowth, “Surely.” Ver. 10. One bath.—Less than eight gallons. a Be: 14. Hell.—Lowth, “Hades,” which he here explains of the grave. See ab. ii. 5. Ver. 17. The lambs…. after their manner.—That is, in their own way, without guidance or restraint. Lowth, with a slight variation, reads, “Kids shall depasture the desolate fields of the luxurious.” But if we adhere to the present text, we must explain it of foreigners. Ver. 18. Cords of vanity—Seem to be long and thin cords: by a cart-rope is evidently meant, a thick and strong cord, such as are used for the traces of a wagon; taking both images together, the sense is, they use all possible means to accomplish their ends.

Ver. 24. As the fire devoureth.—(That is, as a Rabbin explains it, the flame, so called from its resemblance to a tongue. The metaphor, as Lowth observes, is so exceedingly obvious, as well as beautiful, that one may wonder it has not been more frequently used. Virgil elegantly intimates, rather than expresses, the image; “With gentle touch the lambent flame glides harmless along his hair, and feeds around his temples.” And more boldly of Etna darting out flames; “And throws up globes of flame, and licks the stars.”) —Bagster, Ver. 26. Will hiss (Lowth, ‘hist’) unto them.—It alludes to the practice of those who keep bees, who hiss or whistle to draw them from their hives. Lowth. See (Isaiah 7:18).