Isaiah · Chapter 3

Verse 1. The stay and the staff— “Every stay and support”] Hebrew, “the support masculine, and the support feminine:” that is, every kind of support, whether great or small, strong or weak. “Al Kanitz, wal-kanitzah; the wild beasts, male and female. Proverbially applied both to fishing and hunting: i.e., I seized the prey, great or little, good or bad. From hence, as Schultens observes, is explained Isaiah 3:1, literally, the male and female stay: i.e., the strong and weak, the great and small.”—Chappelow, note on Hariri, Assembly I. Compare Ecclesiastes 2:8. The Hebrew words ומשענה משענ mashen umashenah come from the same root שענ shaan, to lean against, to incline, to support; and here, being masculine and feminine, they may signify all things necessary for the support both of man and woman. My old MS. understands the staff and stay as meaning particular persons, and translates the verse thus:—Lo forsoth, the Lordschip Lord of Hoostis schal don awey fro Jerusalem and fro Juda the stalworth and the stronge.

The two following verses, 2, 3, are very clearly explained by the sacred historian’s account of the event, the captivity of Jehoiachin by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon: “And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths; none remained save the poorest sort of the people of the land,” 2 Kings 24:14. Which is supplied by our version.

Verse 1. For, &c. — The prophet, having in the preceding chapter declared, in general terms, the terror of the day of the Lord, now descends to a more particular explication, and special confirmation of what he had advanced concerning it. Behold — Look upon what follows to be as certain as if it were already accomplished; the Lord doth take away, &c., the stay and the staff — All their supports, of what kind soever; all the things they trust to, and look for help and relief from; the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water — Bread is commonly called the staff of life: see Leviticus 26:26; Ezekiel 14:13. But by bread and water here are meant all kinds of aliment, whereby the body is supported. This judgment seems to relate especially to the siege of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, when bread and water were both very scarce: see Jeremiah 14:1-6, and 37:21, and 38:9.

Verse 1. Behold, the Lord doth take away from Jerusalem—the whole stay of bread. This threatening is understood of the Chaldean invasion in the reign of Jechoniah, and after the death of king Josiah. The prophet, as in the preseding chapter, continues to speak of future times. Habakkuk is considered as referring to the same invasion, when he says, Though the figtree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be on the vine, &c. Habakkuk 3:17.

1-7. Cease ye from man is now the order. For behold — Attention is challenged. The Lord — (Ha-Adon.) “The Lord” as sovereign. The Lord of hosts — The self-existent God, the revealed God; God, as it were, rallying all his forces of angels and subordinate agencies of whatever kind — for such is virtually the meaning of “Jehovah of hosts.” Doth take away — Is taking, or is about to take, away. Stay… staff — Both nearly the same word, but of different genders, the one masculine, the other feminine. Together they mean every kind of support on which they had depended. God was the true “stay “and “staff.” Isaiah 10:20; 50:10. Bread… water — Judah’s spiritual food here symbolized. Civil prosperity depends on this. Verses 9, 10, 16-18. The “stay” and “staff” are now particularized.

V. 2. The judge-The civil magistrates. The ancient-Whose wisdom was increased by long experience.

Verses 2, 3. The mighty man, &c. — Strong and valiant men. The judge — The civil magistrates; and the prophet — Either strictly so called, the want of whom is matter of grief, (Psalm 74:9,) or more largely taken, so as to include all skilful and faithful teachers; and the prudent — Whose wisdom and conduct were necessary to preserve them from ruin; and the ancient — Whose wisdom was increased by long experience. This likewise relates to the same times, particularly to Jehoiachin’s captivity, when all the men of note were carried away captive with him, 2 Kings 24:14. The captain of fifty — There shall not be a man left able to command fifty soldiers, much less such as could command hundreds or thousands, who yet were necessary; and the honourable man — Men of high birth, place, power, and reputation; and the counsellor — Wise and learned statesmen; and the cunning artificer — Who could make either ornaments for times of peace, or instruments for war, whom therefore conquerors were wont to take away from those nations whom they subdued, 1 Samuel 13:19, 20; 2 Kings 24:14; and the eloquent orator — Hebrew, vjl ˆwbn, literally, the skilful of charm, or the skilful charmer, or enchanter; whereby he understands either, 1st, Charmers, whom he threatens God would take away, not as if such persons were blessings to a people, or the removing of them a curse, but only because they made great use of them, and trusted to them. And so he signifies that God would remove all the grounds of their confidence, both right and wrong, and make their case desperate. Thus, for the same reason, God threatens the Israelites, (Hosea 3:4,) that they should be, as without a sacrifice, so without an image and teraphim. Or, he may mean, 2d, Such as could persuade powerfully, and, as it were, charm people, by their eloquence, and induce them to do those things which were necessary for their safety; for the expression may be taken in a good sense, as µsq, divination, is Proverbs 16:10. Accordingly, Bishop Lowth translates it, the powerful in persuasion.

Ver. 2. The mighty man. The soldier shall be devoid of courage, the judge destitute of wisdom, the prophet hopeless, the false prophet struck dumb on seeing all his predictions of plenty, terminate in want of bread, and in a diversion of the streams of water from the city. A nation without God; a people torporized with guilt! They were then made to know the breach of God’s covenant.

2. 3. Mighty man… man of war — Besides men, martial armaments are included. Uzziah had a widespread military organization. 2 Chronicles 26:11-15. Prudent — About the same as prophet. Men on secular principles occupied in divining future events. Ancient — Elders, heads of families. The captain of fifty — A title near in rank to that of the people. The honourable — A favourite of the people; of dignified aspect. Artificer — A maker of war weapons. Eloquent orator — Not this in our modern sense, but rather, an enchanter; literally, whisperer. Chapter 8:19. Akin to “prudent.”

Verses 2, 3. The mighty man, &c. — Strong and valiant men. The judge — The civil magistrates; and the prophet — Either strictly so called, the want of whom is matter of grief, (Psalm 74:9,) or more largely taken, so as to include all skilful and faithful teachers; and the prudent — Whose wisdom and conduct were necessary to preserve them from ruin; and the ancient — Whose wisdom was increased by long experience. This likewise relates to the same times, particularly to Jehoiachin’s captivity, when all the men of note were carried away captive with him, 2 Kings 24:14. The captain of fifty — There shall not be a man left able to command fifty soldiers, much less such as could command hundreds or thousands, who yet were necessary; and the honourable man — Men of high birth, place, power, and reputation; and the counsellor — Wise and learned statesmen; and the cunning artificer — Who could make either ornaments for times of peace, or instruments for war, whom therefore conquerors were wont to take away from those nations whom they subdued, 1 Samuel 13:19, 20; 2 Kings 24:14; and the eloquent orator — Hebrew, vjl ˆwbn, literally, the skilful of charm, or the skilful charmer, or enchanter; whereby he understands either, 1st, Charmers, whom he threatens God would take away, not as if such persons were blessings to a people, or the removing of them a curse, but only because they made great use of them, and trusted to them. And so he signifies that God would remove all the grounds of their confidence, both right and wrong, and make their case desperate. Thus, for the same reason, God threatens the Israelites, (Hosea 3:4,) that they should be, as without a sacrifice, so without an image and teraphim. Or, he may mean, 2d, Such as could persuade powerfully, and, as it were, charm people, by their eloquence, and induce them to do those things which were necessary for their safety; for the expression may be taken in a good sense, as µsq, divination, is Proverbs 16:10. Accordingly, Bishop Lowth translates it, the powerful in persuasion.

1-7. Cease ye from man is now the order. For behold — Attention is challenged. The Lord — (Ha-Adon.) “The Lord” as sovereign. The Lord of hosts — The self-existent God, the revealed God; God, as it were, rallying all his forces of angels and subordinate agencies of whatever kind — for such is virtually the meaning of “Jehovah of hosts.” Doth take away — Is taking, or is about to take, away. Stay… staff — Both nearly the same word, but of different genders, the one masculine, the other feminine. Together they mean every kind of support on which they had depended. God was the true “stay “and “staff.” Isaiah 10:20; 50:10. Bread… water — Judah’s spiritual food here symbolized. Civil prosperity depends on this. Verses 9, 10, 16-18. The “stay” and “staff” are now particularized.

Verse 4. I will give children to be their princes— “I will make boys their princes”] This also was fully accomplished in the succession of weak and wicked princes, from the death of Josiah to the destruction of the city and temple, and the taking of Zedekiah, the last of them, by Nebuchadnezzar. Babes shall rule over them.] Dymennysche men schul lordschopen to hem.—Old MS. Bible.

Verses 4, 5. And I will give children to be their princes — Either, 1st, Children in age, whose minority corrupt ministers of state commonly abuse, to the producing of much evil: or, 2d, In understanding and experience. When all the eminent persons, mentioned verses 2, 3, were removed, the necessary consequence must be, that persons of no qualifications for government must succeed in their places. This also was fully accomplished in the succession of weak and wicked princes, from the death of Josiah to the destruction of the city and temple. And the people shall be oppressed — By the command or permission of such childish rulers. The child shall behave himself proudly, &c. — The child in understanding, or the young and inexperienced; and the base against the honourable — “The usual effects,” says Lowth, “of a weak and unsettled government, where faction grows too hard for justice, and seditious men become so bold as openly to insult those that are in authority.”

Ver. 4. I will give children to be their princes. The four last kings of David’s race were young men, mere boys in wisdom, and their baseness augmented the calamities of their country. See 2 Kings 24:14.

4, 5. Children to be their princes — A phrase descriptive of the evil condition of a state deprived of wise rulers. See conduct of Rehoboam, 1 Kings 12. Babes — Ignorant and incompetent persons. Did the prophet here look forth one hundred years, and describe what is stated as history in 2 Kings 22-25? Grotius well calls this a state of anarchy; to the Hebrew tone of life a state intensely revolting.

V. 5. Oppressed-By thy command or permission of such childish rulers.

Verses 4, 5. And I will give children to be their princes — Either, 1st, Children in age, whose minority corrupt ministers of state commonly abuse, to the producing of much evil: or, 2d, In understanding and experience. When all the eminent persons, mentioned verses 2, 3, were removed, the necessary consequence must be, that persons of no qualifications for government must succeed in their places. This also was fully accomplished in the succession of weak and wicked princes, from the death of Josiah to the destruction of the city and temple. And the people shall be oppressed — By the command or permission of such childish rulers. The child shall behave himself proudly, &c. — The child in understanding, or the young and inexperienced; and the base against the honourable — “The usual effects,” says Lowth, “of a weak and unsettled government, where faction grows too hard for justice, and seditious men become so bold as openly to insult those that are in authority.”

4, 5. Children to be their princes — A phrase descriptive of the evil condition of a state deprived of wise rulers. See conduct of Rehoboam, 1 Kings 12. Babes — Ignorant and incompetent persons. Did the prophet here look forth one hundred years, and describe what is stated as history in 2 Kings 22-25? Grotius well calls this a state of anarchy; to the Hebrew tone of life a state intensely revolting.

V. 6. Thou hast-We are utterly undone, and have neither food nor raiment; but thou hast something left to support the dignity which we offer to thee. Under thine hand-To heal it.

Verse 6. Of the house of his father— “Of his father’s house”] For tyb beith, the house, the ancient interpreters seem to have read tybm mibbeith, from the house; tou oikeiou tou patrov autou, Septuagint; domesticum patris sui, Vulgate; which gives no good sense. But the Septuagint MS. I. D. II. for oikeiou has oikou. And, his brother, of his father’s house, is little better than a tautology. The case seems to require that the man should apply to a person of some sort of rank and eminence; one that was the head of his father’s house, (see Joshua 12:14,) whether of the house of him who applies to him, or of any other; wyba tyb var rosh beith abaiu, the chief, or head of his father’s house. I cannot help suspecting, therefore, that the word var rosh, head, chief, has been lost out of the text.

Saying] Before hlmc simlah, garment, two MSS., one ancient, and the Babylonish Talmud have the word rmal lemor, saying; and so the Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, and Chaldee. I place it with Houbigant, after hlmc simlah.

Thou hast clothing— “Take by the garment”] That is, shall entreat him in an humble and supplicating manner. “Ten men shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, Let us go with you; for we have heard that God is with you,” Zechariah 8:23. And so in Isaiah 4:1, the same gesture is used to express earnest and humble entreaty. The behaviour of Saul towards Samuel was of the same kind, when he laid hold on the skirt of his raiment, 1 Samuel 15:27. The preceding and following verses show, that his whole deportment, in regard to the prophet, was full of submission and humility.

And let this ruin be under thy hand— “And let thy hand support”] Before Ëdy tjt tachath yadecha, a MS. adds hyht tihyeh, “let it be; “ another MS. adds in the same place, Ëdyb jqt takach beyadecha, which latter seems to be a various reading of the two preceding words, making a very good sense: “Take into thy hand our ruinous state.” Twenty-one MSS. of Kennicott’s, thirteen of Deuteronomy Rossi’s, one of my own, ancient, and three editions of the Babylonish Talmud have Ëydy yadeycha, plural, “thy hands.”

Verses 6-8. A man shall take hold of his brother — Of his relation, friend, or neighbour. To take hold of another implies entreating his assistance; see Isaiah 4:1; Zechariah 8:23; saying, Thou hast clothing — We are utterly undone, and have neither food nor raiment; but thou hast something left to support the dignity, which we offer to thee; be thou our ruler — And we will be subject to thee. It is taken for granted that there would be no way of redressing all these grievances, and bringing things into order again, but by good magistrates, who should be invested with power by common consent, and exert that power for the good of the community; and let this ruin be under thy hand — Namely, to heal it. In that day he shall swear — To show that he was resolved. Hebrew, he shall lift up, namely, his hand, which was the usual gesture in swearing; I will not be a healer — A repairer of the ruins of the state; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing — I have not sufficient provisions, either of food or raiment, for my own family; much less, as you falsely suppose, for the discharge of so high a trust. For Jerusalem is ruined — The case is desperate, and past relief: it will be to no purpose to attempt affording any; because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord — They have broken the law of God in word and deed, and that in contempt of his authority and defiance of his justice. Their tongue was against the Lord, for they contradicted his prophets, and their doings were against him, for they acted as they spoke; to provoke the eyes of his glory — Of his glorious majesty, whom they ought to reverence and adore; the all-seeing eyes of Him who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, unless with abhorrence.

6, 7. Nobody desires state-position in anarchy like this. Take hold of his brother — In a supplicating way, and then only on a kinsman, or one of his tribe. Outside of ties of blood no one ventures. Hast clothing — A large wardrobe, which was a mark of oriental wealth. Be thou our ruler — A like example is that of Jephthah, but in times when anarchy was less desperate, and probably less general (Judges 11:6) than that here represented. In that day — In that time of anarchy. Shall he swear — Literally, lift up the hand; this being the usual form of oath-taking. Not be a healer — Or, binder up; the chief proceeding in oriental surgery. The body politic has been too long and irrecoverably diseased. In my house — Powerful and wealthy though it has been, it is now impoverished; it has neither bread nor clothing. “It is customary for Eastern rulers to gather an immense quantity of clothes, for there fashions never alter.” — Chardin. “The kings of Persia have great wardrobes,… many habits to spare and to give away, on occasion, as presents.” — Lowth. The picture here is that of extreme poverty as the result of a long continued ruinous civil and moral condition.

V. 7. An healer-A repairer of the ruins of the state.

Verse 7. In that day shall he swear— “Then shall he openly declare”] The Septuagint, Syriac, and Jerome, read acyw veyissa, adding the conjunction, which seems necessary in this place.

I will not be a healer] I am not a leche.—Old MS. Bible. Leech was the ancient English word for a physician.

For in my house is neither bread nor clothing— “For in my house is neither bread nor raiment”] “It is customary through all the East,” says Sir J. Chardin, “to gather together an immense quantity of furniture and clothes; for their fashions never alter.” Princes and great men are obliged to have a great stock of such things in readiness for presents upon all occasions. “The kings of Persia,” says the same author, “have great wardrobes, where there are always many hundreds of habits ready, designed for presents, and sorted,” Harmer, Observ., II. 11 and 88. A great quantity of provision for the table was equally necessary. The daily provision for Solomon’s household, whose attendants were exceedingly numerous, was proportionately great, 1 Kings 4:22, 23. Even Nehemiah, in his strait circumstances, had a large supply daily for his table; at which he received a hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, besides those that came from among the neighbouring heathen, Nehemiah 5:17, 18.

This explains the meaning of the excuse made by him that is desired to undertake the government. He alleges that he has not wherewithal to support the dignity of the station, by such acts of liberality and hospitality as the law of custom required of persons of superior rank. See Harmer’s Observations, I. 340, II. 88.

Verses 6-8. A man shall take hold of his brother — Of his relation, friend, or neighbour. To take hold of another implies entreating his assistance; see Isaiah 4:1; Zechariah 8:23; saying, Thou hast clothing — We are utterly undone, and have neither food nor raiment; but thou hast something left to support the dignity, which we offer to thee; be thou our ruler — And we will be subject to thee. It is taken for granted that there would be no way of redressing all these grievances, and bringing things into order again, but by good magistrates, who should be invested with power by common consent, and exert that power for the good of the community; and let this ruin be under thy hand — Namely, to heal it. In that day he shall swear — To show that he was resolved. Hebrew, he shall lift up, namely, his hand, which was the usual gesture in swearing; I will not be a healer — A repairer of the ruins of the state; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing — I have not sufficient provisions, either of food or raiment, for my own family; much less, as you falsely suppose, for the discharge of so high a trust. For Jerusalem is ruined — The case is desperate, and past relief: it will be to no purpose to attempt affording any; because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord — They have broken the law of God in word and deed, and that in contempt of his authority and defiance of his justice. Their tongue was against the Lord, for they contradicted his prophets, and their doings were against him, for they acted as they spoke; to provoke the eyes of his glory — Of his glorious majesty, whom they ought to reverence and adore; the all-seeing eyes of Him who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, unless with abhorrence.

6, 7. Nobody desires state-position in anarchy like this. Take hold of his brother — In a supplicating way, and then only on a kinsman, or one of his tribe. Outside of ties of blood no one ventures. Hast clothing — A large wardrobe, which was a mark of oriental wealth. Be thou our ruler — A like example is that of Jephthah, but in times when anarchy was less desperate, and probably less general (Judges 11:6) than that here represented. In that day — In that time of anarchy. Shall he swear — Literally, lift up the hand; this being the usual form of oath-taking. Not be a healer — Or, binder up; the chief proceeding in oriental surgery. The body politic has been too long and irrecoverably diseased. In my house — Powerful and wealthy though it has been, it is now impoverished; it has neither bread nor clothing. “It is customary for Eastern rulers to gather an immense quantity of clothes, for there fashions never alter.” — Chardin. “The kings of Persia have great wardrobes,… many habits to spare and to give away, on occasion, as presents.” — Lowth. The picture here is that of extreme poverty as the result of a long continued ruinous civil and moral condition.

Verse 8. The eyes— “The cloud”] This word appears to be of very doubtful form, from the printed editions, the MSS., and the ancient versions. The first yod in yny[ eyney, which is necessary according to the common interpretation, is in many of them omitted; the two last letters are upon a rasure in two MSS. I think it should be ˆn[ anan, “a cloud,” as the Syriac reads; and the allusion is to the cloud in which the glory of the Lord appeared above the tabernacle; see Exodus 16:9, 10; 40:34-38; Numbers 16:41, 42.

Either of the readings gives a very good sense. The allusion may be to the cloud of the Divine presence in the wilderness: or the eyes of the Lord may be meant, as they are in every place beholding the evil and the good. And he cannot look upon iniquity but with abhorrence; therefore, the eyes of his glory might be well provoked by their crimes.

Verses 6-8. A man shall take hold of his brother — Of his relation, friend, or neighbour. To take hold of another implies entreating his assistance; see Isaiah 4:1; Zechariah 8:23; saying, Thou hast clothing — We are utterly undone, and have neither food nor raiment; but thou hast something left to support the dignity, which we offer to thee; be thou our ruler — And we will be subject to thee. It is taken for granted that there would be no way of redressing all these grievances, and bringing things into order again, but by good magistrates, who should be invested with power by common consent, and exert that power for the good of the community; and let this ruin be under thy hand — Namely, to heal it. In that day he shall swear — To show that he was resolved. Hebrew, he shall lift up, namely, his hand, which was the usual gesture in swearing; I will not be a healer — A repairer of the ruins of the state; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing — I have not sufficient provisions, either of food or raiment, for my own family; much less, as you falsely suppose, for the discharge of so high a trust. For Jerusalem is ruined — The case is desperate, and past relief: it will be to no purpose to attempt affording any; because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord — They have broken the law of God in word and deed, and that in contempt of his authority and defiance of his justice. Their tongue was against the Lord, for they contradicted his prophets, and their doings were against him, for they acted as they spoke; to provoke the eyes of his glory — Of his glorious majesty, whom they ought to reverence and adore; the all-seeing eyes of Him who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, unless with abhorrence.

8. The causes of this ruin are now stated. Its character is implied in its causes. It is moral ruin, drawing after it, of course, ruin political and national. “Jerusalem reels, Judah falls,” all because of their tongue and their doings. They have mocked God in pretended temple worship. They have at the same time insulted him in acts of idolatry among the hills, groves, and gardens. They have provoked the eyes of his glory. They have affronted — brazenly faced down — “the eyes of glory,” which streamed forth in love for his faithful ones. The eye, as an outward sense, is the quickest to indicate thought and emotion — to light up with joy or flash in indignation. The word “glory” is a probable allusion to the shekinah, which, in its shining and its withdrawal, or darkening, gave outward expression to the emotions of Jehovah.

V. 9. The shew-Their pride, and wantonness, and impiety m manifestly shews itself in their very looks. They declare-They act it publickly, casting off all fear of God and reverence to men. Rewarded-Procured a fit recompense for their wickedness, even utter ruin.

Verse 9. The show of their countenance] Bishop Lowth has it the steadfastness of their countenance—they appear to be bent on iniquity, their eyes tell the wickedness of their hearts. The eye is the index of the mind. Envy, hatred, malice, malevolence, concupiscence, and murder, when in the heart, look most intelligently out at the eye. They tell the innocent to be on their guard; and serve the same purpose as the sonorous rings in the tail of the rattlesnake—they announce the presence of the destroyer.

They declare their sin as Sodom] Impure propensities are particularly legible in the eyes: whoever has beheld the face of a debauchee or a prostitute knows this; of these it may be said, they wish to appear what they really are. They glory in their iniquity. This is the highest pitch of ungodliness.

They have rewarded evil unto themselves.] Every man’s sin is against his own soul. Evil awaiteth sinners—and he that offends his God injures himself.

Verse 9. The show of their countenance — Their pride, wantonness, and impiety, manifestly show themselves in their very looks and whole behaviour, and will be swift witnesses against them, both before God and men. They declare their sin as Sodom — They commit it publicly, casting off all fear of God, and reverence to men; and they glory in it. They hide it not — As men do, who have any remains of modesty or ingenuity. They have rewarded evil to themselves — That is, procured a fit recompense for their wickedness, even utter ruin; or, they have done evil, &c. They cannot blame God, but themselves: their destruction is wholly from themselves. The word hrkh, rendered show, in the first clause of the verse, not occurring elsewhere in the Bible, is of rather uncertain signification. Bishop Lowth renders it, steadfastness; and Dr. Waterland, impudence. The former translates the whole verse thus: “The steadfastness of their countenance witnesseth against them: for their sin, like Sodom, they publish, they hide it not: wo to their souls! for upon themselves have they brought down evil.”

9. Show of… countenance — Its bold, staring effrontery declares, testifies, against them; reveals their own true character exactly. Thoughts only of evil are mirrored in their countenances, and are as clearly open to every one’s view as were the open sins of Sodom. The meaning is not that their looks betray them, but that they attempt no concealment, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul — This expresses the highest abhorrence of their acts. Rewarded evil unto themselves — Reaped punishment as the only proper retribution.

V. 10. Say ye-O ye priests and Levites, that God will be their safeguard and portion.

Verse 10. Say ye to the righteous] qydxl letsaddik, the l lamed is added here by one MS. and the Chaldee. The righteous is the person, 1. Who fears God. 2. Departs from evil. 3. Walks according to the testimony of God. 4. And expects and prepares for a glorious immortality. “Pronounce ye.”—The reading of this verse is very dubious. The Septuagint for wrma imru read rsan neasor, or both, rsan wrma imru neasor, and wnl bwc al yk ki lo tob lanu. dhswmen ton dikaion, oti duscrhstov hmin esti. Perhaps, for wrma imru, the true reading may be wrva ashsheru, “bless you;” or yrva wrma imru ashrey, “say ye, blessed is.” The Vulgate and an ancient MS. read in the singular number, lkay yochel, comedat, “he shall eat.”

“It shall be well with him:”—bwc yk ki tob, “that good.” Say nothing to such but good. He is a good man, he does nothing but good, and has a good God to deal with, from whom he expects nothing but goodness. It shall be well with such in all circumstances of life. 1. In prosperity. 2. In adversity. 3. In sickness. 4. In health. 5. In death. 6. In judgment. And, 7. Through eternity. In every case, occurrence, and circumstance, he shall eat the fruit of his doings-he shall derive benefit from being a righteous man, and walking in a righteous way.

Verses 10, 11. Say ye to the righteous — O ye priests and Levites, in your sermons and exhortations to the people; that it shall be well with him — Even when it is ill with the wicked, and with the nation in general; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings — God will be their safeguard and portion in the common calamity; therefore let them not fear, but let them commit themselves, and their all, to his protection, and resign themselves up to his disposal. They shall either be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger, or shall have divine supports and comforts, which shall abound in proportion as trials and troubles abound. “This is an admirable sentence to support the souls of the pious, amidst all the calamities of this life. God will not forsake those who truly love and serve him. This, reason teaches us; this, the experience of all times confirms; and it is the constant and comfortable doctrine of the word of God. The event must and will be happy to the good man.” Wo unto the wicked, &c. — These heavy judgments are designed against them, and shall certainly find them out, though here they be mixed with the righteous. As happiness, either in this world or the next, is, by the divine determination, the certain consequence of righteousness, so the contrary is the certain consequence of wickedness.

Ver. 10. Say ye to the righteous. See on Ezekiel 21:3.

10, 11. These verses express general truths. Their meaning is deep. All that is possible to think or feel from the two simple propositions, “It is well to be righteous,” “It is ill to be wicked,” cannot exceed what they mean. The reason for these truths here may be this: The word “Sodom” brought to the prophet the thought of Abraham and Lot; this thought suggested resemblance and contrast: resemblance pushed forward the bad men of the plains; contrast, the good man Lot; then both suggest the awards due to each. As the rule by which God governs and awards, the principle here expressed is true for all in the earth, the righteous and the wicked, but emphatically now true of the Jews to whom the prophet at once returns.

Verse 11. Wo unto the wicked] [vrl lerasha, the man who is, 1. Evil in his heart. 2. Evil in his purposes. 3. Evil in his life. As he is wicked, he does that which is wicked; and is influenced by the wicked one, of whom he is the servant and the son. It shall be ill with him, [r ra; in a single word say to him—evil! Of him you can speak no good; and to him you can speak no good-all is evil, in him—before him—after him—round about him—above him—below him. Evil in time—evil through eternity!

The reward of his hands.] What he has deserved he shall get. He shall be paid that for which he has laboured, and his reward shall be in proportion to his work. O, what a lot is that of the wicked! Cursed in time, and accursed through eternity!

Verses 10, 11. Say ye to the righteous — O ye priests and Levites, in your sermons and exhortations to the people; that it shall be well with him — Even when it is ill with the wicked, and with the nation in general; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings — God will be their safeguard and portion in the common calamity; therefore let them not fear, but let them commit themselves, and their all, to his protection, and resign themselves up to his disposal. They shall either be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger, or shall have divine supports and comforts, which shall abound in proportion as trials and troubles abound. “This is an admirable sentence to support the souls of the pious, amidst all the calamities of this life. God will not forsake those who truly love and serve him. This, reason teaches us; this, the experience of all times confirms; and it is the constant and comfortable doctrine of the word of God. The event must and will be happy to the good man.” Wo unto the wicked, &c. — These heavy judgments are designed against them, and shall certainly find them out, though here they be mixed with the righteous. As happiness, either in this world or the next, is, by the divine determination, the certain consequence of righteousness, so the contrary is the certain consequence of wickedness.

10, 11. These verses express general truths. Their meaning is deep. All that is possible to think or feel from the two simple propositions, “It is well to be righteous,” “It is ill to be wicked,” cannot exceed what they mean. The reason for these truths here may be this: The word “Sodom” brought to the prophet the thought of Abraham and Lot; this thought suggested resemblance and contrast: resemblance pushed forward the bad men of the plains; contrast, the good man Lot; then both suggest the awards due to each. As the rule by which God governs and awards, the principle here expressed is true for all in the earth, the righteous and the wicked, but emphatically now true of the Jews to whom the prophet at once returns.

V. 12. Women-Weak and effeminate rulers. They-Thy rulers civil and ecclesiastical.

Verse 12. Err— “Pervert”] בלעו billeu, “swallow.” Among many unsatisfactory methods of accounting for the unusual meaning of this word in this place, I choose Jarchi’s explication, as making the best sense. “Read wllb billalu, ‘confound.’ Syriac.”—Dr. Judd. “Read wlhb beholu, ‘disturb or trouble.’”—Secker. So Septuagint.

This verse might be read, “The collectors of grapes shall be their oppressors; and usurers (noshim, instead of nashim, women) shall rule over them.”

Verse 12. As for my people — In this and the following verses, says Dr. Dodd, “the prophet describes the incapacity and weakness, the ignorance and corruption, the oppression and cruelty of the priests and rulers of the people; such as we learn from history they were before the Babylonish captivity.” Children are their oppressors — Persons young in years, of little experience, and who have not due consideration, but, following the impulse of their passions, without regard to any thing else, have the power in their hands, which they use at their pleasure, of exacting tribute of the people; and women rule over them — Weak and effeminate rulers. Or, perhaps he speaks of the wives and concubines of their kings and great men, who, by their arts, gaining an ascendency over their husbands, induced them to act as they desired, though frequently to the people’s prejudice, and in a manner contrary to all the laws. Thus it was in the reign of Jehoram, king of Judah, whose wife Athaliah, a cruel and weak woman, occasioned great disorders in the state; see 2 Chronicles chap. 21. and 22.; and thus undoubtedly it frequently happened after the time Isaiah uttered this prophecy. They who lead thee — Thy rulers, civil and ecclesiastical, whose duty it is to show thee the right way; or, as ˆyrvam, may be properly rendered, they that bless thee; that is, thy false prophets, who flatter thee, and speak, peace to thee; cause thee to err — From the way of truth and duty, from the way of safety and prosperity. Instead of leading thee to repentance and reformation, they encourage thee to go on in sin and rebellion against him, on whom thou art dependant for all things. Those teachers are indeed impostors, that pronounce a people safe and happy who continue in sin; for it is contrary to the very nature of things, that any people can be happy who are contemners of the divine laws. Their punishment may be delayed, but it is not therefore remitted; and every step they take in such a way is a step toward misery and ruin. And destroy the way of thy paths — Keep thee from the knowledge or practice of those paths which lead to safety and happiness, and mislead thee into evil courses, by their wicked counsels or examples.

Ver. 12. Children are their oppressors. Their rulers were children in understanding, such imbeciles as Rehoboam and Ahaz.—Women rule over them. A soft husband is often hen pecked, and often for the good of the family. Cato, in one of his satirical humours, said, Mulieres regunt nos, nos Senatum; Senatus Romam. That is, women rule over us; they rule the senate; the senate is an old wife.

12. Through a vista of years the prophet sees the Jews much reduced in power, pusillanimous in character, enslaved to evil-doing, and so helpless in that slavery, that he says, children — that is, men of weakest moral force are allowed to overpower them; and women, women of the royal court, that is, from the royal harem, rule over them. The statement here seems made in a tone of contempt. The law as to the sexes seems reversed. (Genesis 3:16.) The divine order was first invaded by Solomon, whose wives prattled to him about Chemosh and Milcom, and prevailed. They which lead thee cause thee to err — Compromises with idolatry are destructive of moral and civil order. The way of thy paths — The way appointed for Israel; the guide-marks of which along the whole way become obliterated, in so far as any taint of idolatry infests the heart of the people.

V. 13. Standeth-He will shortly and certainly stand up as a judge, to enquire into the cause, and to give sentence. To judge-To defend and deliver them.

Verse 13. The people— “His people”] wm[ ammo, Septuagint.

Verses 13-15. The Lord standeth up to plead — He will shortly and certainly stand up as a judge to inquire into the cause, and to give sentence; and standeth to judge the people — To call the wicked into judgment, and to denounce upon them as they deserve; or to defend and deliver his own people, judging for them, as this phrase often means. Will enter into judgment with the ancients — The princes or rulers, as it is explained in the next clause, often called elders, because they were commonly chosen from those that were advanced in years. For ye have eaten up the vineyard — Destroyed, instead of preserving and dressing it, as you should have done. The church and commonwealth of Israel is often called God’s vineyard, and here the vineyard, by way of eminence, intrusted to the care of these rulers. The spoil of the poor is in your houses — The goods which you have violently taken away from them. What mean ye that ye beat my people? — What warrant have ye for it? How durst you presume to do it? and grind the faces of the poor — A strong metaphor to denote grievous oppression; but it is exceeded by the Prophet Micah 3:1-3.

13. This headlong life of the nation cannot last. The Lord standeth up — He cometh forward (that is the verb’s meaning) after sufficient trial and endurance. To plead — To litigate, to contend, to inflict punishment.

V. 14. Ancients-The princes or rulers; such were commonly chosen out of those who were in ripe years. Eaten-Destroyed instead of preserving the church and commonwealth of Israel. Spoil-The goods which you have violently taken away from the poor.

Verse 14. The vineyard.— “My vineyard”] ymrk carmi, Septuagint, Chaldee, Jerome.

Verses 13-15. The Lord standeth up to plead — He will shortly and certainly stand up as a judge to inquire into the cause, and to give sentence; and standeth to judge the people — To call the wicked into judgment, and to denounce upon them as they deserve; or to defend and deliver his own people, judging for them, as this phrase often means. Will enter into judgment with the ancients — The princes or rulers, as it is explained in the next clause, often called elders, because they were commonly chosen from those that were advanced in years. For ye have eaten up the vineyard — Destroyed, instead of preserving and dressing it, as you should have done. The church and commonwealth of Israel is often called God’s vineyard, and here the vineyard, by way of eminence, intrusted to the care of these rulers. The spoil of the poor is in your houses — The goods which you have violently taken away from them. What mean ye that ye beat my people? — What warrant have ye for it? How durst you presume to do it? and grind the faces of the poor — A strong metaphor to denote grievous oppression; but it is exceeded by the Prophet Micah 3:1-3.

Ver. 14. Ye have eaten up the vineyard. The elders of Israel had taken advantage of every change in the nation to wrest the lots of land from the poor, as their own freeholds for ever. At the captivity, the jubilee was but a name: now the Lord wrested the land from the oppressors. The prophet Micah follows Isaiah in raising his voice against the oppressors, who ground the faces of the poor, and sold the needy for a pair of shoes.

14. The parties are now distinctly named. The ancients — The elders, heads of houses and tribes, responsible representatives of the people. Ye have — The address is direct. The charge is against these guides. Eaten up the vineyard — Destroyed God’s Church by subverting its purity. Ye have “eaten” (literally, burnt) this up. The same in effect as if it stood, “Ye have robbed my people;” and thus it better accords with the word spoil, plunder; the evidence of which is, that it is in your houses.

Verse 15. And grind the faces] The expression and the image is strong, to denote grievous oppression but is exceeded by the prophet Micah, Micah 3:1-3:—

“Hear, I pray you, ye chiefs of Jacob,

And ye princes of the house of Israel:

Is it not yours to know what is right?

Ye that hate good and love evil:

Who tear their skins from off them,

And their flesh from off their bones;

Who devour the flesh of my people;

And flay from off them their skin;

And their bones they dash in pieces;

And chop them asunder, as morsels for the pot: And as flesh thrown into the midst of the caldron.” In the last line but one, for rvak keasher, read, by the transposition of a letter, ravk kisher, with the Septuagint and Chaldee.

Verses 13-15. The Lord standeth up to plead — He will shortly and certainly stand up as a judge to inquire into the cause, and to give sentence; and standeth to judge the people — To call the wicked into judgment, and to denounce upon them as they deserve; or to defend and deliver his own people, judging for them, as this phrase often means. Will enter into judgment with the ancients — The princes or rulers, as it is explained in the next clause, often called elders, because they were commonly chosen from those that were advanced in years. For ye have eaten up the vineyard — Destroyed, instead of preserving and dressing it, as you should have done. The church and commonwealth of Israel is often called God’s vineyard, and here the vineyard, by way of eminence, intrusted to the care of these rulers. The spoil of the poor is in your houses — The goods which you have violently taken away from them. What mean ye that ye beat my people? — What warrant have ye for it? How durst you presume to do it? and grind the faces of the poor — A strong metaphor to denote grievous oppression; but it is exceeded by the Prophet Micah 3:1-3.

15. What mean ye — What induces such foul injustice? What motive, what right, impels such action toward the poor? A blow aimed at the public conscience, though parried just for that lawless time, nevertheless comes home some day with its full death stroke. Grind the faces of the poor — This signifies great oppression. To “grind” is to trample on. “Faces” is here equivalent to persons. The poor are claimed in the Scriptures (Amos 2:6, 7; Micah 3:2, etc.) as well as in the universal conscience, as objects of care and protection. In times when justice is prostrate, such as the prophet foresaw in Judah and Jerusalem, crushing oppression of the poor is the greatest social crime.

V. 16. The daughters-The women; (hitherto he reproved the men). A tinkling-By some ornaments which they wore upon their shoes.

Verse 16. And wanton eyes— “And falsely setting off their eyes with paint”] Hebrew, falsifying their eyes. I take this to be the true meaning and literal rendering of the word; from rqv shakar. The Masoretes have pointed it, as if it were from rqc sakar, a different word. This arose, as I imagine, from their supposing that the word was the same with rqs sakar, Chaldee, “intueri, innuere oculis; “ or that it had an affinity with the noun arqys sikra, which the Chaldeans, or the rabbins at least, use for stibium, the mineral which was commonly used in colouring the eyes. See Jarchi’s comment on the place. Though the colouring of the eyes with stibium be not particularly here expressed, yet I suppose it to be implied; and so the Chaldee paraphrase explains it; stibio linitis oculis, “with eyes dressed with stibium.” This fashion seems to have prevailed very generally among the Eastern people in ancient times; and they retain the very same to this day. Pietro delta Valle, giving a description of his wife, an Assyrian lady born in Mesopotamia, and educated at Bagdad, whom he married in that country, (Viaggi, Tom. I., Lettera 17,) says, “Her eyelashes, which are long, and, according to the custom of the East, dressed with stibium, (as we often read in the Holy Scriptures of the Hebrew women of old, Jeremiah 4:30; Ezekiel 23:40; and in Xenophon, of Astyages the grandfather of Cyrus, and of the Medes of that time, Cyropæd. lib. i.,) give a dark, and at the same time a majestic, shade to the eyes.” “Great eyes,” says Sandys, Travels, p. 67, speaking of the Turkish women, “they have in principal repute; and of those the blacker they be the more amiable; insomuch that they put between the eyelids and the eye a certain black powder with a fine long pencil, made of a mineral, brought from the kingdom of Fez, and called Alcohole; which by the not disagreeable staining of the lids doth better set forth the whiteness of the eye; and though it be troublesome for a time, yet it comforteth the sight, and repelleth ill humours.” Vis ejus (stibii) astringe ac refrigerare, principalis autem circa oculos; namque ideo etiam plerique Platyophthalmon id appellavere, quoniam in calliblepharis mulierum dilatat oculos; et fluxiones inhibet oculorum exulcerationesque. “It is astringent in its virtue, and refrigerant, and to be chiefly employed about the eyes, and it is called Platyophthalmon, for being put into those ointments with which women beautify their eyes, it dilates them, removes defluxions, and heals any ulcerations that may be about the eyelids.”— Pliny, Nat. Hist. xxxiii. 6.

Ille supercilium madida fuligine tactum

Obliqua producit acu, pingitque trementes

Attollens oculos

Juv. Sat. ii. 93.

One his eyebrows, tinged with black soot,

Lengthens with an oblique bodkin, and paints,

Lifting up his winking eyes.

“But none of those [Moorish] ladies,” says Dr. Shaw, Travels, p. 294, fol., “take themselves to be completely dressed, till they have tinged the hair and edges of their eyelids with alkahol, the powder of lead ore. This operation is performed by dipping first into the powder a small wooden bodkin of the thickness of a quill; and then drawing it afterwards through the eyelids, over the ball of the eye.” Ezekiel, Ezekiel 23:40, uses the same word in the form of a verb, Ëyn[ tljk cachalt eynayik, “thou didst dress thine eyes with alcahol;” which the Septuagint render estibizou touv, ofqalmouv sou, “thou didst dress thine eyes with stibium;” just as they do when the word Ëwp phuch is employed: compare 2 Kings 9:30; Jeremiah 4:30. They supposed, therefore, that Ëwp phuch and ljk cachal, or in the Arabic form, alcahol, meant the same thing; and probably the mineral used of old for this purpose was the same that is used now; which Dr. Shaw (ibid. note) says is “a rich lead ore, pounded into an impalpable powder.” Alcoholados; the word twrqvm meshakkeroth in this place is thus rendered in an old Spanish translation.—Sanctius. See also Russell’s Nat. Hist. of Aleppo, p. 102.

The following inventory, as one may call it, of the wardrobe of a Hebrew lady, must, from its antiquity, and the nature of the subject, have been very obscure even to the most ancient interpreters which we have of it; and from its obscurity must have been also peculiarly liable to the mistakes of transcribers. However, it is rather matter of curiosity than of importance; and is indeed, upon the whole, more intelligible and less corrupted than one might have reasonably expected. Clemens Alexandrinus, Pædag. lib. ii., c. 12, and Julius Pollux, lib. vii., c. 22, have each of them preserved from a comedy of Aristophanes, now lost, a similar catalogue of the several parts of the dress and ornaments of a Grecian lady; which, though much more capable of illustration from other writers, though of later date, and quoted and transmitted down to us by two different authors, yet seems to be much less intelligible, and considerably more corrupted, than this passage of Isaiah. Salmasius has endeavoured, by comparing the two quotations, and by much critical conjecture and learned disquisition, to restore the true reading, and to explain the particulars; with what success, I leave to the determination of the learned reader, whose curiosity shall lead him to compare the passage of the comedian with this of the prophet, and to examine the critic’s learned labours upon it. Exercit. Plinian, p. 1148; or see Clem. Alex. as cited above, edit. Potter, where the passage, as corrected by Salmasius, is given.

Nich. Guel. Schroederus, professor of oriental languages in the University of Marpurg, has published a very learned and judicious treatise upon this passage of Isaiah. The title of it is, “Commentarius Philologico-Criticus de Vestitu Mulierum Hebræarum ad Iesai iii. ver. 16-24. Lugd. Bat. 1745.” 4to. As I think no one has handled this subject with so much judgment and ability as this author, I have for the most part followed him, in giving the explanation of the several terms denoting the different parts of dress, of which this passage consists; signifying the reasons of my dissent, where he does not give me full satisfaction.

Bishop Lowth’s translation of these verses is the following:—

18. In that day will the Lord take from them the ornaments, Of the feet-rings, and the net-works, and the crescents;

19. The pendants, and the bracelets, and the veils;

20. The tires, and the fetters, and the zones,

And the perfume-boxes, and the amulets;

21. The rings, and the jewels of the nostrils;

22. The embroidered robes, and the tunics,

And the cloaks, and the little purses,

23. The transparent garments, and the fine linen vests,

And the turbans, and the mantles.

24. And there shall be instead of perfume, a putrid ulcer; And instead of well-girt raiment, rags;

And instead of high-dressed hair, baldness;

And instead of a zone, a girdle of sackcloth;

And sun-burnt skin, instead of beauty.

The daughters of Zion—walk] What is meant by these several kinds of action and articles of dress cannot be well conjectured. How our ancestors understood them will appear from the following, which is the translation of these verses in my old MS. Bible:—

16. The doughteris of Syon wenteh with strught out necks, and in beckes (winking) of eegen, geeden and flappeden with hondis for joye, and geeden: and with theire feet in curyous goying geeden; 17. the Lord schall fully make ballid the top of the boughtris of Syon: and the Lord the her of hem schal naken. And for ournemente schal be schenschip.

18. In that day, the Lord schal don awey the ournement of Schoon and hoosis: 19. and beegis, and brochis, and armeerclis, and mytris; 20. and coombis,and rybanys and reversis at the hemmys, and oynment boris and ereringis; 21. and ryngis and jemmys in the frount hongynge; 22. and chaunginge clothis, and litil pallis, and scheetis, and prynys; 23. and scheweris, and neche hercheuys, and flyetis, and roketis; 24. and ther schal be for swot smel, stynke, and for gyrdil, a litl coord; and for crisp her, ballidnesse; and for brest boond and heyr.

Some of these things are hard to be understood, though I think this version as good as that of the very learned bishop: but there is little doubt that articles of clothing and dress bore these names in the fourteenth century.

Verse 16. Moreover, the Lord saith — After God had reproved the rulers of the Jews for their iniquity, injustice, and rapacity in spoiling the people, “he draws an argument of the same kind from the pride and luxury of the noble matrons and virgins, whose ornaments, collected from the spoils of the people, were borne proudly and insolently by them; upon whom therefore he denounces judgments; for of these two parts consists this last period of his reproving discourse: urging, 1st, In this verse the crimes of luxury and wanton haughtiness; denouncing, 2d, The punishment with which God would pursue these crimes, verse 17 to chap. 4:1:” see Vitringa and Dodd. Because the daughters of Zion are haughty — Proud and disdainful; and walk with stretched-forth necks — Affecting stateliness, (Psalm 75:5,) and endeavouring to appear tall; and wanton eyes — Hebrew, twrqcm, falsifying their eyes; that is, falsely setting off their eyes with paint, as Bishop Lowth translates it, observing that he takes it to be the true meaning and literal rendering of the word; walking and mincing as they go — Taking petty tripping steps in their walking, that they may appear the younger; making a tinkling with their feet — Dr. Waterland renders this clause, and with chains, or shackles, upon their feet. The prophet is thought, by some learned men, to “allude to a custom among the eastern ladies of wearing on their legs large hollow rings, or circles, with little rings hanging round them; the cavities of these rings being filled with small flints, which caused them to sound like bells on the least motion.” Bishop Lowth translates the last two clauses, “Mincing their steps as they go, and with their feet lightly tripping along.”

Ver. 16. The daughters of Zion are haughty. Women are particularly formed for maternal virtues, and to shine in all the paths of piety, like the noble Grecian ladies mentioned in the reflections on Acts 4. At present they play a high game in the fashionable world; and even religious women are seen on Saturday at the theatre, and on Sunday at the sacrament! They had better look at the daughters of Zion, dragged in a state of nudity to the markets of Babylon, as in ver. 17. An offended God has the rod in his hand; the sword, disease, and captivity, are at his command. The cholera makes the wicked fear, and all have reason to exclaim with the dying patriot, Oh my country! We have now also a powerful empire in our front. Since the peace of 1815, France, which so much excels us in population, has revived all her energies of agriculture, of commerce, of naval and military grandeur. All her seamen are registered, and ready at a moment’s command. When the wary Romans made peace with Antiochus they stipulated concerning the extent of his navy, to obviate future fears. Tradito et naves longas armamentaque earum; neve plures quam decem naves actuarias (nulla plusquam triginta remis agatur) habeto; neve monerem ex bella causa, quod ipse illaturus erit, &c.

16. The course of thought which had been interrupted at verse 12 is here resumed. Moreover the Lord saith — In addition to what he had already said, as reasons for divine judgment yet to come on Judah and Jerusalem. Because the daughters of Zion — Or, the women of Jerusalem. Are haughty — Are proud. In the prosperous reign of Uzziah there was not only much wealth, but probably it was generally diffused. And walk with stretched forth necks — With ostentatious display of neck, perhaps to appear taller; the Septuagint, “with lofty neck.” And wanton eyes — With fascinating glance of eyes, or with attempts to allure, as they walked. And mincing as they go — Taking affectedly short steps. Making a tinkling — With ankle-rings made of silver, or gold, or ivory; still used by upper class women in Syria, India, and Egypt.

V. 17. Secret paths-By giving her into the power of those enemies that shall strip her of all her raiment.

Verse 17. The Lord will smite— “Will the Lord humble”] tapeinwsei, Septuagint; and so Syriac and Chaldee. For jpc sippach they read lpv shaphal. Instead of hwhy Yehovah, many MSS. have ynda Adonai. Will discover their secret parts— “Expose their nakedness”] It was the barbarous custom of the conquerors of those times to strip their captives naked, and to make them travel in that condition, exposed to the inclemency of the weather; and the worst of all, to the intolerable heat of the sun. But this to the women was the height of cruelty and indignity; and especially to such as those here described, who had indulged themselves in all manner of delicacies of living, and all the superfluities of ornamental dress; and even whose faces had hardly ever been exposed to the sight of man. This is always mentioned as the hardest part of the lot of captives. Nahum, Nahum 3:5, 6, denouncing the fate of Nineveh, paints it in very strong colours:—

“Behold, I am against thee, saith JEHOVAH, God of hosts: And I will discover thy skirts upon thy face;

And I will expose thy nakedness to the nations;

And to the kingdoms thy shame.

And I will throw ordures upon thee;

And I will make thee vile, and set thee as a gazing-stock.”

Verse 17. Therefore the Lord will smite, &c. — Will humble the head of the daughters of Zion; and Jehovah will expose their nakedness. Thus Bishop Lowth renders the verse, observing, that “it was the barbarous custom of the conquerors of those times to strip their captives naked, and to make them travel in that condition, exposed to the inclemency of the weather; and, which was worst of all, to the intolerable heat of the sun. But this, to the women, was the height of cruelty and indignity; and especially to such as those here described, who had indulged themselves in all manner of delicacies of living, and all the superfluities of ornamental dress; and even whose faces had hardly ever been exposed to the sight of man. This is always mentioned as the hardest part of the lot of captives. Nahum, denouncing the fate of Nineveh, paints it in very strong colours,” Nahum 3:5, 6.

17. Smite with a scab — Leprosy, no doubt, or its equivalent result. The latter seems the view of the Septuagint, the Targums, and the Syriac. Few things are deemed more degrading to the Hebrew women than baldness. Discover — This was the highest disgrace. As items of their punishment, they are to be stripped of ornaments, made bald, and taken naked into captivity.

V. 18. Cauls-It is agreed by all, that this and several words that follow, were ornaments used in those times. And it is of no concern, exactly to understand the nature and differences of them. The moon-There were in ancient times, and at this day there are some ornaments worn, which carry a manifest resemblance to the moon or half moon.

Verse 18. Ornaments about their feet— “The ornaments of the feet rings”] The late learned Dr. Hunt, professor of Hebrew and Arabic in the University of Oxford, has very well explained the word sk[ both verb and noun, in his very ingenious Dissertation on Proverbs 7:22, 23. The verb means to skip, to bound, to dance along; and the noun, those ornaments of the feet which the Eastern ladies wore; chains or rings, which made a tinkling sound as they moved nimbly in walking. Eugene Roger, Description de la Terre Sainte, Liv. ii. ch. 2, speaking of the Arabian women, of the first rank in Palestine, says,— “Au lieu de brasselets elles ont de menottes d’argent, qu’elles portent aux poignets et aux pieds; ou sont attachez quantite de petits annelets d’argent, qui font un cliquetis comme d’une cymbale, lorsqu’elles cheminent ou se mouvent quelque peu.” See Dr. Hunt’s Dissertation; where he produces other testimonies to the same purpose from authors of travels. Hindoo women of ill fame wear loose ornaments one above another on their ankles, which at every motion make a tinkling noise. See WARD.

And their cauls— “the net-works”] I am obliged to differ from the learned Schroederus almost at first setting out. He renders the word µysybv shebisim by soliculi, little ornaments, bullæ, or studs, in shape representing the sun, and so answering to the following word µynrhc saharonim, lunulæ, crescents. He supposes the word to be the same with שמישים shemishim, the y yod in the second syllable making the word diminutive, and the letter m mem being changed for b beth, a letter of the same organ. How just and well founded his authorities for the transmutation of these letters in the Arabic language are, I cannot pretend to judge; but as I know of no such instance in Hebrew, it seems to me a very forced etymology. Being dissatisfied with this account of the matter, I applied to my good friend above mentioned, the late Dr. Hunt, who very kindly returned the following answer to my inquiries:—

“I have consulted the Arabic Lexicons, as well MS. as printed, but cannot find µysybv shebisim in any of them, nor any thing belonging to it; so that no help is to be had from that language towards clearing up the meaning of this difficult word. But what the Arabic denies, the Syriac perhaps may afford; in which I find the verb cbv shabas, to entangle or interweave, an etymology which is equally favourable to our marginal translation, net-works, with xbv shabats, to make chequer work, or embroider, (the word by which Kimchi and others have explained sybv shabis;) and has moreover this advantage over it, that the letters c sin and s samech are very frequently put for each other, but x tsaddi and s samech scarcely ever. Aben Ezra joins µysybv shebisim and µysk[ achasim, which immediately precedes it, together; and says that sybv shabis was the ornament of the legs, as sk[ eches was of the feet. His words are,— רגלים lv sk[ wmk µyqwv lv cyvkt sybv-L.”

Verse 18. In that day the Lord, &c. — “Punishment, which, though slow, always follows vice, is here denounced upon the luxurious and proud women: first, taking away, not only the ornaments, wherewith they set off their beauty, but also their garments, which were of necessary use, to verse 24; secondly, deprivation of their husbands and children, verses 25, 26; thirdly, the consequence hereof, by which this loss might be repaired, Isaiah 4:1” see Vitringa. Will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments, &c. — It is justly observed by a learned commentator here, that the words which describe the women’s ornaments in this and the following verses are of very doubtful signification; the modes of every age and country varying so often, that the succeeding fashion makes the former to be quickly forgotten, and the words that express it to become obscure, or even unintelligible. Probably a hundred years hence the names of some of the ornaments that are now in use in our own land will be as little understood as some of those here named. It is judged unnecessary and improper, therefore, to trouble the reader here with the different interpretations which learned men have given of them. It is agreed by all, that they were ornaments used by the women in Judea at that time, and that they were made the means of increasing their pride and other vices, and therefore were displeasing to God. And it is of no concern exactly to understand the differences of them. Instead therefore of spending time on this barren subject, we shall content ourselves with laying before the reader Bishop Lowth’s translation of the Hebrew terms used to express them, with some occasional observations which he has made on some of the articles. In that day will the Lord take away from them the ornaments of the feet-rings, and the net-works, and the crescents, verse 18. The pendents, and the bracelets, and the thin veils, verse 19. The tires, and the fetters, and the zones, and the perfume-boxes, and the amulets, verse 20. The rings, and the jewels of the nostril, verse 21. Many commentators explain this of jewels, or strings of pearl, hanging from the forehead, and reaching to the upper part of the nose. But it appears from many passages of Holy Scripture, that the phrase is to be literally and properly understood of nose-jewels, rings set with jewels, hanging from the nostrils, as ear-rings from the ears, by holes bored to receive them. Ezekiel, enumerating the common ornaments of women of the first rank, has not omitted this particular, and is to be understood in the same manner, Ezekiel 16:11, 12; see also Genesis 24:47, and Proverbs 11:22.

Ver. 18. Round tires like the moon. An ornament horned like the moon, a species of golden torque to support their robes. See Deuteronomy 1:28. Proverbs 1:9.

18, 19. In that day — The day of their coming punishment. Bravery — In Isaiah 4:2 this word means comely. It is applied to different things: in Isaiah 60:7, to the temple; in Isaiah 64:11, to Jerusalem. May it not here mean finery? (There is difficulty in determining the meaning of terms in these verses, because many of them are used only here in the Bible. According to best means at hand, scholars have made them out, generally, as here given.) Cauls — A network covering for the top of the head, usually made of silk. According to Furst, they are little suns or spangles. Round tires — Literally, moons, in crescent form; used, perhaps, to deck the network veils. Chains — More properly eardrops; resembling amber drops. Bracelets — For the wrists, or collars for the neck. Mufflers — Veils, light and tremulous; “a veil for the face used by higher-class ladies.”

18, 19. In that day — The day of their coming punishment. Bravery — In Isaiah 4:2 this word means comely. It is applied to different things: in Isaiah 60:7, to the temple; in Isaiah 64:11, to Jerusalem. May it not here mean finery? (There is difficulty in determining the meaning of terms in these verses, because many of them are used only here in the Bible. According to best means at hand, scholars have made them out, generally, as here given.) Cauls — A network covering for the top of the head, usually made of silk. According to Furst, they are little suns or spangles. Round tires — Literally, moons, in crescent form; used, perhaps, to deck the network veils. Chains — More properly eardrops; resembling amber drops. Bracelets — For the wrists, or collars for the neck. Mufflers — Veils, light and tremulous; “a veil for the face used by higher-class ladies.”

V. 20. Tablets-He seems to mean boxes of perfumes.

Verse 20. The tablets] The words vpnh ytb bottey hannephesh, which we translate tablets, and Bishop Lowth, perfume boxes, literally signify houses of the soul; and may refer to strong-scented bottles used for pleasure and against fainting; similar to bottles with otto of roses, worn by the ladies of the East to the present time.

20. The bonnets — Used of priestly head-bands, Exodus 39:28; it probably means here, ladies’ caps, or similar ornamental headdresses. Ornaments of the legs — Short stepping chains from one foot to the other, to give a measured gait, (the “mincing” of verse 16;) these were attached to the ankle rings, verse 16. Headbands — Literally, girdles. In Jeremiah 2:32, the same word is used for “sashes,” especially as worn by a bride. Tablets — Singularly, the literal meaning of the Hebrew is, houses of the soul, or breath; hence, smelling boxes, which were carried about the person.

V. 21. Nose-jewels-Which were fastened to the head, and hung down upon the forehead to the beginning of the nose.

Verse 21. Nose-jewels— “The jewels of the nostril.”] ãah ymzn nizmey haaph. Schroederus explains this, as many others do, of jewels, or strings of pearl hanging from the forehead, and reaching to the upper part of the nose; than which nothing can be more ridiculous, as such are seldom seen on an Asiatic face. But it appears from many passages of Holy Scripture that the phrase is to be literally and properly understood of nose-jewels, rings set with jewels hanging from the nostrils, as ear-rings from the ears, by holes bored to receive them.

Ezekiel, enumerating the common ornaments of women of the first rank, has not omitted this particular, and is to be understood in the same manner, Ezekiel 16:11, 12. See also Genesis 24:47:— “And I decked thee with ornaments;

And I put bracelets upon thine hands,

And a chain on thy neck:

And I put a jewel on thy nose,

And ear-rings on thine ears,

And a splendid crown upon thine head.”

And in an elegant proverb of Solomon, Proverbs 11:22, there is a manifest allusion to this kind of ornament, which shows it to have been used in his time:—

“As a jewel of gold in the snout of a swine;

So is a woman beautiful, but wanting discretion.”

This fashion, however strange it may appear to us, was formerly and is still common in many parts of the East, among women of all ranks. Paul Lucas, speaking of a village or clan of wandering people, a little on this side of the Euphrates, says, (2d Voyage du Levant, tom. i., art. 24,) “The women, almost all of them, travel on foot; I saw none handsome among them. They have almost all of them the nose bored; and wear in it a great ring, which makes them still more deformed.” But in regard to this custom, better authority cannot be produced than that of Pietro della Valle, in the account which he gives of the lady before mentioned, Signora Maani Gioerida, his own wife. The description of her dress, as to the ornamental parts of it, with which he introduces the mention of this particular, will give us some notion of the taste of the Eastern ladies for finery. “The ornaments of gold and of jewels for the head, for the neck, for the arms, for the legs, and for the feet (for they wear rings even on their toes) are indeed, unlike those of the Turks, carried to great excess, but not of great value: for in Bagdad jewels of high price are either not to be had, or are not used; and they wear such only as are of little value, as turquoises, small rubies, emeralds, carbuncles, garnets, pearls, and the like. My spouse dresses herself with all of them according to their fashion; with exception, however, of certain ugly rings of very large size, set with jewels, which, in truth, very absurdly, it is the custom to wear fastened to one of their nostrils, like buffaloes: an ancient custom, however, in the East, which, as we find in the Holy Scriptures, prevailed among the Hebrew ladies even in the time of Solomon, Proverbs 11:22. These nose-rings, in complaisance to me, she has left off, but I have not yet been able to prevail with her cousin and her sisters to do the same; so fond are they of an old custom, be it ever so absurd, who have been long habituated to it.” Viaggi, Tom. i., Let. 17.

It is the left nostril that is bored and ornamented with rings and jewels. More than one hundred drawings from life of Eastern ladies lie now before me, and scarcely one is without the nose-jewel: both the arms and wrists are covered with bracelets, arm-circles, &c., as also their legs and feet; the soles of their feet and palms of their hands coloured beautifully red with henna, and their hair plaited and ornamented superbly. These beautiful drawings are a fine comment on this chapter.

Ver. 21. Nose jewels. In Holdsworth’s book of Asiatic dresses, nose jewels are not to be found; they occur in bones of white ivory in some untutored negroes of Africa, and among the Indians of the South sea. The human face being the noblest work of God, both for perfection and beauty, jewels only degrade its noble aspect. What can diamonds add to a countenance which should ever shine with the moral glory of God.

21. Rings — Usually the word denotes signet rings. But here, finger rings, earrings, or rings in general; gems with inscriptions of magic formulas. Nose jewels — Suspended from the pierced cartilage of the left nostril.

V. 22. Pins-Of silver or gold, either used to curl the hair, or fastened and worn in the hair.

Verses 22-24. The embroidered robes, and the tunics, and the cloaks, and the little purses, verse 22. The transparent garments — A kind of silken dress, transparent like gauze; worn only by the most delicate women, and such as dressed themselves, as Sallust observes, “elegantius quam necesse esset probis,” more elegantly than was necessary for modest women. This sort of garments was afterward in use among the Greeks. And the fine linen vests; and the turbans, and the mantles, verse 23. And there shall be, instead of perfume, a putrid ulcer — A principal part of the delicacy of the Asiatic ladies consists in the use of baths, and of the richest oils and perfumes; an attention to which is, in some degree, necessary in those hot countries. Frequent mention (as we have seen) is made of the rich ointments of the spouse in the Song of Solomon; and the preparation for Esther’s being introduced to King Ahasuerus was a course of bathing and perfuming for a whole year; six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, Esther 2:12. A diseased and loathsome habit of body, instead of a beautiful skin, softened and made agreeable with all that art could devise, and all that nature, so prodigal, in those countries, of the richest perfumes, could supply, must have been a punishment the most severe and the most mortifying to the delicacy of these haughty daughters of Zion. And, instead of well-girt raiment, rags; and, instead of high-dressed hair, baldness; and, instead of a zone, a girdle of sackcloth: a sun-burnt skin, instead of beauty, verse 24.

22. What is now mentioned consists of entire articles. Hitherto only single ornaments were named. Changeable suits — Put on and off on occasions; holiday dresses. A variety of these indicated wealth. Mantles — Flowing upper garments; fuller tunics with sleeves. Wimples — A head covering; intended, perhaps, for a cloak or shawl, thrown over head and shoulders. Crisping pins — A strange rendering of what seems to mean money bags, purses. But it is one of the most difficult words to determine.

V. 23. Glasses-The looking-glasses, as we call them, tho’ in truth they were not made of glass, but of bright and burnished brass.

Verse 23. The glasses] The conjunction w vau, and—AND the glasses, is added here by forty-three of Kennicott’s and thirty-four of Deuteronomy Rossi’s MSS., and one of my own, ancient, as well as by many editions. And the veils.— “The transparent garments.”] Ta diafanh dakwnika, Sept. A kind of silken dress, transparent, like gauze; worn only by the most elegant women, and such as dressed themselves elegantius quam necesse esset probis, “more elegantly than modest women should.” Such garments are worn to the present day; garments that not only show the shape of every part of the body, but the very colour of the skin. This is evidently the case in some scores of drawings of Asiatic females now before me. This sort of garments was afterwards in use among the Greeks. Prodicus, in his celebrated fable (Xenoph. Memorab. Socr. lib. ii.) exhibits the personage of Sloth in this dress: Esqhta de, ex hv an malista wra dialampoi:— “Her robe betray’d

Through the clear texture every tender limb,

Height’ning the charms it only seem’d to shade;

And as it flow’d adown so loose and thin,

Her stature show’d more tall, more snowy white her skin.” They were called multitia and coa (scil, vestimenta) by the Romans, from their being invented, or rather introduced into Greece, by one Pamphila of the island of Cos. This, like other Grecian fashions, was received at Rome, when luxury began to prevail under the emperors. It was sometimes worn even by the men, but looked upon as a mark of extreme effeminacy. See Juvenal, Sat. ii., 65, &c. Publius Syrus, who lived when the fashion was first introduced, has given a humorous satirical description of it in two lines, which by chance have been preserved:—

“Æquum est, induere nuptam ventum textilem?

Palam prostare nudam in nebula linea?”

Verses 22-24. The embroidered robes, and the tunics, and the cloaks, and the little purses, verse 22. The transparent garments — A kind of silken dress, transparent like gauze; worn only by the most delicate women, and such as dressed themselves, as Sallust observes, “elegantius quam necesse esset probis,” more elegantly than was necessary for modest women. This sort of garments was afterward in use among the Greeks. And the fine linen vests; and the turbans, and the mantles, verse 23. And there shall be, instead of perfume, a putrid ulcer — A principal part of the delicacy of the Asiatic ladies consists in the use of baths, and of the richest oils and perfumes; an attention to which is, in some degree, necessary in those hot countries. Frequent mention (as we have seen) is made of the rich ointments of the spouse in the Song of Solomon; and the preparation for Esther’s being introduced to King Ahasuerus was a course of bathing and perfuming for a whole year; six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, Esther 2:12. A diseased and loathsome habit of body, instead of a beautiful skin, softened and made agreeable with all that art could devise, and all that nature, so prodigal, in those countries, of the richest perfumes, could supply, must have been a punishment the most severe and the most mortifying to the delicacy of these haughty daughters of Zion. And, instead of well-girt raiment, rags; and, instead of high-dressed hair, baldness; and, instead of a zone, a girdle of sackcloth: a sun-burnt skin, instead of beauty, verse 24.

Ver. 23. The glasses—polished reflectors of copper or mixed metals. Glass was not discovered till about fifty years before the birth of our Saviour.

23. Glasses — Mirrors made of polished metal, carried on the person. Fine linen — Inner wear, undergarments. Hoods — Turbans, mitres, diadems. Isaiah 60:3; Zechariah 3:5. Veils — Coverings of the face, minus the eyes, dropping to near the feet. Distinct from “mufflers,” or smaller veils. In 1 Corinthians 11:10 used as a token of woman’s subjection.

V. 24. Girdle-Which were fine and costly, and useful to gird their garments about them. A rent-Torn and tattered garments. Burning-By the heat of the sun, to which they are now commonly exposed, from which they used formerly to guard themselves with the utmost care.

Verse 24. Instead of sweet smell— “perfume.”] A principal part of the delicacy of the Asiatic ladies consists in the use of baths, and of the richest oils and perfumes; an attention to which is in some degree necessary in those hot countries. Frequent mention is made of the rich ointments of the spouse in the Song of Solomon, Song of Solomon 4:10, 11:— “How beautiful are thy breasts, my sister, my spouse!

How much more excellent than wine;

And the odour of thine ointments than all perfumes!

Thy lips drop as the honey-comb, my spouse!

Honey and milk are under thy tongue:

And the odour of thy garments is as the odour of Lebanon.” The preparation for Esther’s being introduced to King Ahasuerus was a course of bathing and perfuming for a whole year; “six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours;” Esther 2:12. See the notes on this place. See Clarke “Es 2:12”. A diseased and loathsome habit of body, instead of a beautiful skin, softened and made agreeable with all that art could devise, and all that nature, so prodigal in those countries of the richest perfumes, could supply, must have been a punishment the most severe and the most mortifying to the delicacy of these haughty daughters of Sion.

Burning instead of beauty— “A sunburnt skin.”] Gaspar Sanctius thinks the words tjt yk ki thachath an interpolation, because the Vulgate has omitted them. The clause ypy tjt yk ki thachath yophi seems to me rather to be imperfect at the end. Not to mention that yk ki, taken as a noun for adustio, burning, is without example, and very improbable. The passage ends abruptly, and seems to want a fuller conclusion. In agreement with which opinion, of the defect of the Hebrew text in this place, the Septuagint, according to MSS. Pachom. and 1 D. ii., and Marchal., which are of the best authority, express it with the same evident marks of imperfection at the end of the sentence; thus: tauta soi anti kallwpismou—The two latter add dou. This chasm in the text, from the loss probably of three or four words, seems therefore to be of long standing.

Taking yk ki in its usual sense, as a particle, and supplying Ël lech from the soi of the Septuagint, it might possibly have been originally somewhat in this form:—

מראה רעת Ël hyht ypy tjt yk

marah raath lech thihyeh yophi thachath ki

“Yea, instead of beauty thou shalt have an ill-favoured countenance.” ypy tjt yk ki thachath yophi (q. tjy yachath,) “for beauty shall be destroyed.” Syr. ttj chathath or tjn nachath.—Dr. DURELL. “May it not be yhk cohey, ‘wrinkles instead of beauty?’ as from hpy yaphah is formed ypy yephi, yophi; from hrm marah, yrm meri, &c.; so from hhk cahah, to be wrinkled, yhk cohey.”—Dr. JUBB. The yk ki is wanting in one MS., and has been omitted by several of the ancients.

Verses 22-24. The embroidered robes, and the tunics, and the cloaks, and the little purses, verse 22. The transparent garments — A kind of silken dress, transparent like gauze; worn only by the most delicate women, and such as dressed themselves, as Sallust observes, “elegantius quam necesse esset probis,” more elegantly than was necessary for modest women. This sort of garments was afterward in use among the Greeks. And the fine linen vests; and the turbans, and the mantles, verse 23. And there shall be, instead of perfume, a putrid ulcer — A principal part of the delicacy of the Asiatic ladies consists in the use of baths, and of the richest oils and perfumes; an attention to which is, in some degree, necessary in those hot countries. Frequent mention (as we have seen) is made of the rich ointments of the spouse in the Song of Solomon; and the preparation for Esther’s being introduced to King Ahasuerus was a course of bathing and perfuming for a whole year; six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, Esther 2:12. A diseased and loathsome habit of body, instead of a beautiful skin, softened and made agreeable with all that art could devise, and all that nature, so prodigal, in those countries, of the richest perfumes, could supply, must have been a punishment the most severe and the most mortifying to the delicacy of these haughty daughters of Zion. And, instead of well-girt raiment, rags; and, instead of high-dressed hair, baldness; and, instead of a zone, a girdle of sackcloth: a sun-burnt skin, instead of beauty, verse 24.

24. It shall come to pass — The divine judgment against this luxurious finery is, that in place of sweet smell — aromatics, spicy fragrance, and the like, upon the garments of the person, (Roberts says, “No one ever enters a company without being perfumed,”) there shall be stink — a stench from dead bodies. Instead of a girdle — An ornament for the waist; used, also, to hold up the gathers of the long outer robe when engaged in active employment. A rent — Better, a rope; either an emblem of poverty or of captivity: in the latter case the proud females being thereby hauled along in the train of conquerors. Well set hair — Hair curiously braided and adorned. Baldness — In this connexion made so by the razor, the hair being shaved off; as conquerors of old time resorted to the last degree of humiliations upon their captives. Stomacher — It is matter of uncertainty what is meant by this. Most concur in its being a plaited or stiffened ornament worn on the breast, or a broad plaited girdle for the breast. A girding of sackcloth — The material only changed. “Sackcloth” was of the coarsest material, and worn only in affliction. Burning — A sunburnt face, from the exposures of captivity and slavery. This, instead of the fair complexion and the well adorned person in a highly civilized and luxurious life.

Verse 25. Thy mighty men.] For Ëtrwbg geburathech an ancient MS. has Ërwbg gibborech. The true reading, from the Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, and Chaldee, seems to be Ëyrwbg gibborayich.

Verses 25, 26. Thy men shall fall, &c. — We have in these verses the second evil; the desolation and widowhood of the matrons and virgins: see Lamentations 2:21, 22. But we must observe, that the prophet here does not address the women themselves, but Zion, which frequently is spoken of and represented in the character of a woman. Her gates shall lament — The gates of Zion, which, by a figure, are said to lament, to imply the great desolation of the place, that there would be no people to go out and come in by them, or to meet together there as they used to do. And she, being desolate — Bereaved of her children; Hebrew, htqn, emptied, or cleansed, that is, deprived of all that she had held dear, and delighted in; shall sit upon the ground — In the posture of a mourner, bewailing her sad calamity. Sitting on the ground, the reader will observe, was a posture denoting deep distress: see on Job 2:13. The Prophet Jeremiah has noticed it, in the first place, among many indications of sorrow, in an elegant description of this same state of distress of his country, Lamentations 2:8-10. Thus also the psalmist, By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. For, undoubtedly, Isaiah in this prophecy had in his view, at least first and immediately, the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, and the dissolution of the Jewish state under the captivity of Babylon. His prediction, however, received a second, and still more awful accomplishment, in the destruction of that city and nation by the Romans. And, what is remarkable, in a medal coined by Vespasian’s order, Jerusalem is represented, according to the picture drawn of her here by the prophet, as lamenting that calamity, under the emblem of a woman sitting on the ground in a melancholy and mournful posture.

25. And the proximate cause of all this shall be the profuse slaughter of the male population. Thy men — The men of Judah and Jerusalem, for these are here evidently addressed.

V. 26. Gates-The gates of Zion or Jerusalem, which, by a figure, are said to lament, to imply the great desolation of the place; that there would be no people to go out and come in by the gates, as they used to do. Shall sit-Like a mournful woman bewailing the loss of her husband and children.

Verse 26. Sit upon the ground.] Sitting on the ground was a posture that denoted mourning and deep distress. The prophet Jeremiah (Lamentations 2:8) has given it the first place among many indications of sorrow, in the following elegant description of the same state of distress of his country:—

“The elders of the daughter of Sion sit

on the ground, they are silent:

They have cast up dust on their heads;

they have girded themselves with sackcloth;

The virgins of Jerusalem have bowed

down their heads to the ground.”

“We find Judea,” says Mr. Addison, (on Medals, Dial. ii,) “on several coins of Vespasian and Titus, in a posture that denotes sorrow and captivity. I need not mention her sitting on the ground, because we have already spoken of the aptness of such a posture to represent an extreme affliction. I fancy the Romans might have an eye on the customs of the Jewish nation, as well as those of their country, in the several marks of sorrow they have set on this figure. The psalmist describes the Jews lamenting their captivity in the same pensive posture: ‘By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, when we remembered thee, O Zion.’ But what is more remarkable, we find Judea represented as a woman in sorrow sitting on the ground, in a passage of the prophet, that foretells the very captivity recorded on this medal.” Mr. Addison, I presume, refers to this place of Isaiah; and therefore must have understood it as foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation by the Romans: whereas it seems plainly to relate, in its first and more immediate view at least, to the destruction of the city by Nebuchadnezzar, and the dissolution of the Jewish state under the captivity at Babylon.—L.

Several of the coins mentioned here by Mr. Addison are in my own collection: and to such I have already referred in this work. I shall describe one here. On the obverse a fine head of the emperor Vespasian with this legend, Imperator Julius Cæsar Vespasianus Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, Tribunitia Potestate Pater Patriæ, Consul VIII.

On the reverse a tall palm tree, emblem of the land of Palestine, the emperor standing on the left, close to the tree, with a trophy behind him; on the right, Judea under the figure of a female captive sitting on the ground, with her head resting on her hand, the elbow on her knee, weeping. Around is this legend, Judea Capta. Senates Consulto. However this prediction may refer proximately to the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, I am fully of opinion that it ultimately refers to the final ruin of the Jewish state by the Romans. And so it has been understood by the general run of the best and most learned interpreters and critics. ISAIAH

Verses 25, 26. Thy men shall fall, &c. — We have in these verses the second evil; the desolation and widowhood of the matrons and virgins: see Lamentations 2:21, 22. But we must observe, that the prophet here does not address the women themselves, but Zion, which frequently is spoken of and represented in the character of a woman. Her gates shall lament — The gates of Zion, which, by a figure, are said to lament, to imply the great desolation of the place, that there would be no people to go out and come in by them, or to meet together there as they used to do. And she, being desolate — Bereaved of her children; Hebrew, htqn, emptied, or cleansed, that is, deprived of all that she had held dear, and delighted in; shall sit upon the ground — In the posture of a mourner, bewailing her sad calamity. Sitting on the ground, the reader will observe, was a posture denoting deep distress: see on Job 2:13. The Prophet Jeremiah has noticed it, in the first place, among many indications of sorrow, in an elegant description of this same state of distress of his country, Lamentations 2:8-10. Thus also the psalmist, By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. For, undoubtedly, Isaiah in this prophecy had in his view, at least first and immediately, the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, and the dissolution of the Jewish state under the captivity of Babylon. His prediction, however, received a second, and still more awful accomplishment, in the destruction of that city and nation by the Romans. And, what is remarkable, in a medal coined by Vespasian’s order, Jerusalem is represented, according to the picture drawn of her here by the prophet, as lamenting that calamity, under the emblem of a woman sitting on the ground in a melancholy and mournful posture.

26. Her gates — A poetical soliloquizing. The “gates” of Jerusalem were places busy with concourses occupied in imparting news, in trades, and in settling of disputes. Lament and mourn — The usual daily, commonplace air of the above scenes is to be changed to loud wailings, such as Orientals well know how to make. Sit upon the ground — This was the posture of grief and mourning; and so Judea is represented in the medals struck on the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans.

The destruction and captivity, however, here looked forward to by the prophet, was probably the first destruction of the city by Nebuchadnezzar.