Isaiah 15
PATin aftertimes, styled by the name of the world. (See Luke ii. 1.) It is not certain when, this prophecy, contained in this and. the following chapter, was fulfilled; only thus far, that it was brought to pass three years after the publishing of it. (See xvi. 14.) Archbishop Usher, in his Annals of the Old Testament, ad A. M. 3280. supposes it fulfilled by Shalmaneser, two years before the captivity of the ten tribes; but the fourth and fifth verses of the sixteenth chapter, speak of the people of Judea as lately delivered from some v6ry grievous calamity, wherein the Moabites afforded them no assistance; which makes it probable, that this judgment fell upon them some time after Sennacherib’s invasion. Without question, this prophecy relates to a different time from that of Jerer miah, chap, xlviii. erly parts of the world; for the islands of the sea, a phrase elsewhere used, mean the same with the islands of the Western Sea. (See the notes upon xi. 11. xxiv. 14.) And the prophet Hosea, speaking of the return of the Jews from their dispersions in several parts of the world, saith, When the Lord shall roar like a lion (which denotes some efficacious call of Providence, or powerful preaching of the gospel), then the children shall tremble (or come flying, as the following verse explains it) from theivest. (Hosea xi. 10.) So that by the isles afar off, which have not heard God’s fame, may.be meant even the West Indies themselves. UPON THE PROPHECY AND LAMENTATIONS OF
Isaiah 15:1
JlSeCAUSE in the night Ar ofMoab is laid waste, and brought to silence [or cut off, as the margin reads. ; because in the night Kir ofMoab is laid waste, &c] Ar and Kir are originally appellatives, and signify a city or a fortified place: there are two cities called by the name of Kir in Scripture; this here mentioned belonging to Moab, the other a city in Media, spoken of 2 Kings, xvi. 9. and Amos L5.
Isaiah 15:2
" He is gone tip to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep. He, that is, the people ofMoab, are gone up to Bajith; which word may be taken for an appellative, and signify the house or temple of an idol, which the Moabites worshipped: or it may signify the place where that temple stood, called Beth-baal-meon, Josh. xiii. 17. On all heads shall be baldness, and.every beard cut off.] These were tokens of great mourning, and frequently used in the funeral obsequies of the gentiles, and upon that account forbidden by the Jewish law: (see Lev. xix. 27, 28. xxi. 5. Deut. xiv. 1.) but seem to have been lawfully practised upon other sorrowful occasions. (See Ezra ix. 3. Job i. 20. Isa. xxii. 12. Jer. vii. 29. Mieah i. 16.)
Isaiah 15:3
On the tops of their houses every one shall howl,. It was the custom of those countries to build their houses with flat roofs; (see Deut. xxii. 8.) thither they retired to pay their idolatrous worship, and for that purpose dedicated altars on the tops of their houses to the host of heaven. (See 2 Kings xxiii. 12. Jer. xix. 13. Zeph. i. 5.) Or they might go up to their house-tops to discover the motions of the enemy, or to look out for assistance. (Compare xxii. 1.)
Isaiah 15:4
Their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz. A frontier-town ofMoab. (Sec Numb. xxi. 23.) Tlie armed soldiers qf Moab shall cry out.] Even the soldiers shall lose their courage, and cry out like women.
Isaiah 15:5
My heart sltall cry out for Moab,,. This seems to be spoken in the person of the Moabites, (compare xvi. 7. xxi. 3. Jer. xlviii. 31. 36.) or in order to excite them to bewail their own misfortunes, according to that rule of the critic, si vis me flere,dolendw\iest Primuin ipsi tibi. (Horat. in Art. Poet.) Ifwe understand the prophet as speaking in his own person, it implies that the calamities ofMoab are so great, as to extort pity even from an enemy. It may be farther observed, that God’s judgments, as they wefe represented to the prophets, did sometimes raise such ideas of terror in them, as to affect them in an extraordinary manner. (See Jer. xxiii. 9. Dan. vii. 28. Habak. iff. 1G.) -! • His fugitives tfiall flee unto Zoar, and an heifer of three years old.] The sense. would run clearer, if, instead. of
And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord, out of all nations. The words may be understood, either of the Jews, that are escaped, converting the gentiles, and bringing them for an offering to God, the very phrase which St. Paul uses, speaking of this subject: (Rom. xv. 16.) or else, that they shall convert their own brethren that still remain scattered in the remote countries of the gentiles. Or the place may be understood, in general, of the mystical Israel, which shall be saved from all the ends of the earth. (See xlv. 17. 22. 25.) Upon horses, and in chariots— to my holy mountain Jerusalem.] God’s holy mountain commonly signifies the church in the prophetical writings. (See the note upon ii. 2.) So the expressions of going up to God’s holy mountain, in the several conveniences of carriage here mentioned, are an allusion to the Jews going up with their gifts and offerings to Jerusalem at the solemn festivals. (Compare Ix. 9.) Or we may understand it, in >a more literal sense, of the Jews returning to their own country, from their several dispersions, and hastening to Jerusalem, with joy and singing psalms, as the Septuagint express the sense. But this interpretation does not agree so well with the new heavens and new earth mentioned in the twenty-second verse, of which state these things are spoken.
And aho I will take of them for priests, and for Levites. All that have a share in this, blessed state (called the new heavens and new earth, in the following verse) shall be priests unto God, and attend upon his service without distraction. (Compare Rev. xx. 6.) Or the words may import the restoring the Jews to their ancient privilege of being a kingdom of priests to God, and continually attending his service. (See Ixi. G.)
For as the new heavens, and the new earth, which I make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your nam$ remain. This new state of things, already described Ixv. 17, &c. is created to be inhabited by the mystical Israel, who shall be saved from all the parts of the earth with an everlasting salvation, (xlv. 17,
And it shall come to pass, from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, all flesh shall come and worship before me. These saints shall not lave set times for God’s worship, but shall b t e perpetually employed in serving and praising him. (See Rev. iv. 8. vii. 15.) The worship of the New Jerusalem is represented by the practice of. the Jewish temple, as if the prophet had said, that state shall be one continued festival. It is usual with the prophets to describe the gospel dispensations by the usages of their own times. (See the notes upon xix. 19. Ivi. 7. and compare Zech. xiv. 16.) These metaphors are continued even in the writings of the New Testament, where the’ church is represented by the twelve tribes of Israel, (Luke xxii. 30. Rev. vii. 4.) The Christians are called Jews, Rom. ii. 28, 29. Rev. ii. 9. and the heavenly sanctuary is described by the model of the Jewish tabernacle, Rev. iv. 5, 6, xi. 1, 2. 19. xv. 5, 6. Mr. White, in his argument upon this chapter, and elsewhere, insists upon these and such-like expressions, as irrefragable arguments, that the sense of this prophet is to be confined to occurrences in or near his own time. But this way of arguing shews him not to have thoroughly considered the genius of the prophetical writings, which as they are always full of metaphors, and love to give but dark hints of things, wrapped up in symbols and figures, so the very life and spirit of them consist in pointing out the times of the Messias, and the state of God’s kingdom under his administration: according to that maxim delivered by the angel, Rev. xix. 10. that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, without which it is but a kind of dead letter.
And they shall go forth. Without the circuit of the new Jerusalem, (Rev. xxi. 12.) or the camp of tlie saints, (Rev. xx. 9.) The expression alludes to the custom of the Jews, of executing offenders without the camp or city, and excluding all unclean persons out of it. (See Numb. v. 1.4. Heb. xiii. 11— 13.) And look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me.] Those enemies of God that were slaiu in the battle, mentioned ver. 1.6. Their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be guenched.] They shall be like so many putrefying carcasses, lying slain in the field of battle, and overrun with worms and stench; they shall be a lasting monument of God’s justice, like Sodom, set forth for an example of the Divine vengeance, of that eternal fire which is prepared for the ungodly in hell. (Compare Judith xvi. 17. Ecclus, vii. 17, Mark ix. 44.) And they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh. ] Their reproach shall be perpetual; men shall abhor them as they do the stench of a camp of dead bodies, or the filth of the valley of Hinnom, the figure and picture of hell. (See the notes upon xxx. 33. and compare Ez,ck. xxxix. 11. 16.)
In the tjear that king Ahaz died was this burdm. Here begins a new prophecy against the Philistines,‘called a burden, as that against Babylon, (xiii. I.) They rejoiced upon the death of Ahaz, which gave occasion to this prophecy against them.
Rejoice not thou, whole Palestine. All the tribes or clans of the Philistines, who had five lords or heads over them. (See Josh. xiii. 3. 1 Sam. vi. 6.) Because the rod of him that smote thee is broken.’] Because Ahaz iis dead, the son of Uzziah thy deadly enemy. (See 2 Chron. xxvi. 6.) Children are commonly represented by rods or shoots, that grow ont of the root of a tree. (See xi. I.) For out of the serpent’s root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.] As much as a cockatrice, or a fiery flying serpent, is more to be dreaded than a common viper; so much more reason have yoa to fear Hezekiah, than his grandfather Uzziah, because the grandson will make an entire conquest of your country. (See 2 Kings xviii. 8.) A flying serpent is what the Latin’s call serpens jaculus, who darts himself against any creature he meets: and they are called fiery, because they cause an inflammation where they sting. (See xxx. 6.)
And the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety. The same Hezekiah shall be a mild and gracious governor to his own subjects; he shall take care of them as a shepherd does of his flock, and relieve those who w r ere oppressed by the Philistines in his father’s time. (See 2 -Chron. xxviii. 18.) The firstborn of the poor denotes those who are remarkably such, as the first-born of death (Job xviii. 13.) signifies some unusual disease, and such as is distinguished from the common ways of dying.
For there shall come from the north a smoke. Judea lay northward of the Philistines, from whence this judgment is threatened.’ Smoke and fife are emblems of Cod’s wrath, and of great calamities. (See Gen. xv. 17. Psal. xviii. 8.) And none shall be alone in his appointed time.] The Jews shall all go out as one man against the Philistines, at the time appointed by their leaders.
What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it. It was usual for neighbouring nations, who were friends and allies, to send ambassadors, and congratulate each other’s success. -(See 2 Sam. viii. 10. 2 Kings xx. 12.) And when this good success against the Philistines shall be known abroad, it will be a proper answer to give to such ambassadors, that God is the founder of the Jewish kingdom, and Zion, the place of his residence, is under his peculiar protection, where nil humble and devout persons shall find a safe retreat: and this promise will be’more fully verified in the Christian church, f See the notes upon xi. 4. xxvi. 6.) •