— strangers shall be joined with them, &c.] It is probable that many strangers might become proselytes to the Jewish religion during the captivity. W. Lowth.

History indeed bears testimony to a partial completion of even the most literal sense of this prophecy, as the Jews brought back with them from Babylon some thousands of slaves; and afterwards, for a time, under the prosperous government of the Asmonean princes, held their neighbours and ancient enemies in subjection: but we must look farther to the spiritual completion: this and similar descriptions do import the conversion of whole nations and all nations to the true religion; and consequently could not be completed in the proselyting only of a few particular persons, but must intend a general reduction of all people to the same obedience. See notes on chap. xlv. 14; xlix. 23. Vitringu, Dr. Berriman.

in the sides of the north.] This is mount Zion, or rather mount Moriah on the north side of it, on which the temple was built. It might better be rendered “mount of the convention;” so called, not because the people assembled there to perform their religious ceremonies, but because God there manifested Himself, as He had before appointed to meet the people in the tabernacle, Exod. xxix. 43. This perhaps only literally explains what was figuratively expressed in the former part of the verse: “heaven” and the “stars of God” standing, according to the Eastern manner, for the sanctuary and God’s ministers. Vitrinya. 16. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee.] Certain persons are introduced here, who light upon the corpse of the king of Babylon, cast out, and lying naked on the bare ground, covered with wounds, and so disfigured, that it is some time before they know him. They accost him with the severest taunts, and bitterly reproach him with his ambition and cruelty, which have deservedly brought on him this ignominious treatment, so different from that which those of his rank usually meet with, and so full of disgrace to his posterity. Bp. Lowth.

Isaiah 13:4

4. — shalt take up this proverb] The word thus translated signifies not only a proverbial speech, but an acute and excellent saying, drawn up with art, and adorned with rhetorical figures. W. Lowth. See Bp. Lowth’s note on Job xxvii. 1; and Abp. Newcome’s on Numb. xxiii. 7.

— and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! &c.] A chorus of Jews is here introduced, expressing their surprise and astonishment at the sudden downfall of Babylon, and the great reverse of fortune that had befallen the tyrant, who, like his predecessors, had oppressed his own, and harassed the neighbouring kingdoms. These oppressed kingdoms, or their rulers, are represented under the image of the fir trees and cedars of Libanus, frequently used to express any thing in the political or religious world that is superimmunity great and majestic: the whole earth shouteth for joy; the cedars of Libanus utter a severe taunt over the fallen tyrant, and boast their security now he is no more. Bp. Lowth.

Isaiah 13:8

8. — their faces shall be as flames.] Black and ghastly, like smoke and flames. See Joel ii. 6; Nahum ii. 10. Bp. Wilson, W. Lowth.

Isaiah 13:9

9. Hell from beneath is moved for thee &c.] See notes on Gen. xxxvii. 35; and Job xxvi. 5, 6. The scene is here changed, and a new set of persons is introduced:

the regions of the dead are laid open, and hades is represented as rousing up the shades of the departed monarchs; they rise from their thrones to meet the king of Babylon at his coming, and insult him on his being reduced to the same estate of impotence and dissolution with themselves. This is one of the boldest figures that ever was attempted in poetry, and is executed with astonishing brevity and perspicuity, and with that peculiar force, which in a great subject naturally results from both. This image of the state of the dead is taken from the Eastern custom of burying, those at least of higher rank, in large sepulchral vaults hewn in the rock. Maundrell mentions remains of sepulchres of this kind at Jerusalem, said to be the sepulchres of the kings of Judah. Travellers tell us of similar monuments in Persia; mentioned by Diodorus Siculus as sepulchres of the kings of Persia. We must form to ourselves an idea of an immense subterraneous vault, a vast gloomy cavern, all round the sides of which there are cells to receive the dead bodies; here the deceased monarchs lie, in a distinguished sort of state, each on his couch with his arms beside him, and his sword at his head; see Ezek. xxxii. 27; on which place Chardin remarks, that this is the custom in Mingrelia. These illustrious shades rise at once from their couches, as from their thrones, and advance to the entrance of the cavern, to meet the king of Babylon, and to receive him with insults on his fall. Bp. Lowth.

Isaiah 13:10

10. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light:] When the Hebrew poets represent the destruction and overthrow of kingdoms, the stars are obscure, the moon withdraws her light, the sun shines no more; the earth quakes, the heavens tremble; and all things seem tending to their original chaos. See Joel ii. 10; iii. 15, 16; Amos viii. 9; Matt. xxiv. 29. Bp. Lowth.

All these high expressions are the peculiar and even natural language of the Eastern nations; no more, even at this day, would be understood to be meant by them, than that Babylon should be utterly destroyed, the government ruined, and the people severely treated. Bp. Wilson.

Isaiah 13:11

11. And I will punish the world] The Prophet suddenly transfers the speech from himself to God, and sets forth, under a variety of the most striking images, the dreadful destruction of the inhabitants of Babylon which will follow, ver. 11—16; and the everlasting desolation, to which that great city is doomed, ver. 17—22. See chap. xxi. 10, and notes there. “The world” here signifies the Babylonish empire, as it does the Roman empire, or Judea, in Luke ii. 1; Acts xi. 28. Bp. Lowth.

Isaiah 13:12

12. I will make a man more precious than fine gold:] Such shall be the destruction of men fit to bear arms: see the like calamity described, chap. iv. 1. Or the words may import, that the Medes should spare no man’s life, though he could purchase it with gold; see ver. 17. W. Lowth.

VOL. II. — of Ophir.] See notes on 1 Kings ix. 28.

13. — I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove &c.? The figurative language of the Prophets is taken from the analogy between the world natural, and an empire or kingdom considered as a world politick. The heavens and the things therein signify thrones and dignities, and those who enjoy them; the earth with the things thereon, the inferior people. Great earthquakes, and the shaking of heaven and earth, are put for the shaking of kingdoms, so as to distract and overthrow them. Sir I. Newton.

14. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,] Princes and rulers are figuratively expressed by the host of heaven; and the king of Babylon, who outshone others, is here represented by the morning star: see notes on chap. xiii. 13. The expression likewise alludes to the fall of Satan, prince of the apostate angels, Luke x. 18. W. Lowth.

The Jews now resume the speech: they address the king of Babylon, as the morning star fallen from heaven, as the first in splendour and dignity in the political world fallen from his high state: they introduce him as uttering the most extravagant vaunts of his

R 2 Israel’s insulation over Babylon. God’s purpose against Assyria. Before CHRIST about 712.

Isaiah 13:17

17. — which shall not regard silver:] That is, shall not be induced by large offers of ransom to spare. It is remarkable that Xenophon makes Cyrus open a speech to his army with praising them for a similar disregard of riches: “Ye Medes, and others who now hear me, I well know that you have not accompanied me in this expedition with a view of acquiring wealth.” Bp. Lowth.

Isaiah 13:18

18. Their bows also] The Persians were celebrated for their archery, chap. xxii. 6; Jer. xlix. 35. (See note on chap. xxi. 2.) Profane writers mention the magnitude of their bows. Probably their neighbours and allies, the Medes too dealt much in the same sort of arms. Bp. Lowth.

The Medes is a general name for both nations, and so used and applied by Greek historians, as well as sacred writers. Bp. Newton.

18. — every one in his own house.] That is, in his sepulchre. So the grave is called the “long home,” as our translation well expresses it, Eccles. xii. 5. W. Lowth.

Isaiah 13:19

19. — Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency.] After Nineveh was destroyed, Babylon became the queen of the East. Semiramus is said by some, and Belus, who is probably the same as Nimrod, (see note on Gen. x. 9.) by others, to have

R The utter desolation of Babylon. Ochim. Or. ostriches. daughters of the owl. Or. palaces.

19. — like an abominable branch.] Fit for nothing but to rot on the ground. W. Lowth. Or, we may understand him compared to the tree on which a malefactor had been hanged. The Jews held this an object of abomination, and covered it with earth, together with the malefactor. Bp. Lowth. — the raiment of those that are slain.] The touching of such clothes did contract uncleanness by the law, Numb. xix. 16. W. Lowth.

Isaiah 13:20

20—22. It shall never be inhabited, &c.] Babylon never recovered its ancient splendour after it was taken by Cyrus, but, upon the removal of the seat of empire from thence by the Persians, by degrees decayed till it was at last reduced to an utter solitude. Berosus in Josephus says, that Cyrus ordered the outer walls to be pulled down; the Persian kings ever regarded Babylon with a jealous eye; Darius Hystaspes, upon a revolt, greatly depopulated the place, lowered the walls, and demolished the gates; Xerxes destroyed the temples; the building of Seleucia on the Tigris exhausted Babylon by its neighbourhood, as well as by the immediate loss of inhabitants taken away by Seleucus to people his new city; a king of the Parthians soon after carried away into slavery a great number, and destroyed the most beautiful parts of the city. In more modern times, St. Jerome (who lived in the fourth century) mentions Babylon as nothing more than a chase for wild beasts to feed and breed there for the king of Persia’s hunting, exactly agreeing with ver. 21; and later travellers, who have endeavoured to find the remains of Babylon, give but very unsatisfactory accounts, some taking what ruins they saw to be those of Nebuchadnezzar’s palace, or the tower of Babel; others supposing them the remains of some more modern building. The place thereabouts is represented as overrun with

houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.

CHAP. XIV.

20. — neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.] This is a proper representation of complete and entire desolation: for it is common in the East for shepherds to make use of remaining ruins to shelter their flocks in: and it implies a great degree of solitude, when it is said, that the place where great cities stood should be turned into pasturage, chap. xvii. 2; xxvii. 10; but it is predicted that the ruins of Babylon shall be fit for wild creatures only to resort to! Horner, W. Lowth.

It is uncertain what creatures are meant by some Hebrew words in the following verses; particularly what the word signifies which our English renders satyrs. It originally means goats; in which shape evil spirits were supposed to appear; on which account our interpreters sometimes render it devils: see note at Lev. xvii. 7; 2 Chron. xi. 15; but here and chap. xxxiv. 14, it is rendered satyrs. Desolate and forlorn places were supposed to be inhabited by evil spirits. Compare Baruch iv. 35; Rev. xviii. 2. W. Lowth.

Chap. XIV. ver. 1. For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel.] However He may seem to desert them. Judah, whose deliverance from captivity was the immediate consequence of the revolution foretold in the last chapter, is sometimes called Israel; see Ezek. xiii. 16; Mal. i. 1; ii. 11: but the name of Jacob and of Israel, used apparently with design in this place, each of which names includes the twelve tribes, and the other circumstances mentioned in this and the next verse, which did not in any complete sense accompany the return from the captivity of Babylon, seem to intimate that this whole prophecy extends its views beyond that event. Bp. Lowth. And, generally, whenever the Prophets speak of the blessings to follow upon the return from the captivity, it is to be understood, that the beginnings of their promises are to take place in that temporary restoration of the Jewish state; but that their full and final completion is to be looked for only in the days of the Messiah. This is the key to open the meaning of all oracles on this subject; this the true light to guide us to the interpretation of the prophetic word. Vitriga.

The deliverance of Judah from captivity, which is here set forth, without being much enlarged upon, or greatly amplified, introduces, with the greatest ease and the utmost propriety, the triumphant song on the overthrow of the Babylonian monarchy, ver. 4—28. Bp. Lowth. This passage (ver. 4—28,) contains a greater assemblage of sublime ideas, of bold and daring figures, than is perhaps any where else to be met with. Dr. Blair.

God’s merciful restoration of Israel. CHAP. XIV. Their triumphant insulation over Babel. Before CHRIST about 712.

the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.

Isaiah 13:21

21. — that they do not rise.] The Persian monarchs took care to prevent Babylon’s recovering its former greatness: the Jews were first brought to Babylon to people and strengthen it; and the weakening and dispeopling of it might be one reason for their being sent back. Bp. Lowth, Dean Prideaux. 22. For I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of hosts, &c.] To complete the whole, God is here introduced, declaring the fate of Babylon, the utter extirpation of the royal family, and the total desolation of the city; the deliverance of his people, and the destruction of their enemies; confirming the irreversible decree by the awful sanction of his oath. Bp. Lowth. — nephew.] The same Hebrew word is translated, Gen. xxi. 23, “son’s son,” and so it should be here. It may mean, Evil-merodach, (Nebuchadnezzar the great king of Babylon’s son,) and Belshazzar. See Jer. xxvii. 6, 7. Dean Prideaux, W. Lowth. 23. I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water.] Cyrus took the city of Babylon, by diverting the waters of the Euphrates, which ran through the midst of it, and entering the place at night by the channel. It was two furlongs wide; but he had made it fordable by means of the lake, (see note on chap. xiii. 19,) and trenches which he had prepared. The river being thus turned, by the breaking down of dams and banks, and no care taken afterwards to repair the breach, all the country was overflowed and drowned, and ultimately a whole province lost. Alexander, who intended to have made Babylon the seat of his empire, set about remedying the mischief; but difficulties arising, he soon after dying, and the work being never more thought of, that country has remained bog and marsh ever since. Bp. Lowth, Dean Prideaux. 25. — I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot:] The Assyrians