and look upon the earth beneath: for sal 102. the heavens shall vanish away like Matth. 24. smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

7 ¶ Hearken unto me, ye that Pal 37 know righteousness, the people in Marth. whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to gene

ration.

the "heaven and earth that now are" (2 Pet. iii. 7) might take place, recent discoveries in science help us in some degree to conceive; for we know that what once appeared to be the most tranquil and least mutable of visible things, the sun, has forces of tremendous energy constantly at work upon it.

in like manner] Rather, as in like manner; as though subjected to the law of change which pervades the physical world. Such, in general, is the rendering of LXX., Aq., Syr., Targ., Vulg.-There is an emphasis on the word die (cp. v. 12), which should be retained at whatever sacrifice of rhythm:and her inhabitants, as in like manner, shall die. This is what gives point to the antithesis in the second member of the verse. Man is conformed to the same law of perishableness as the outward world; but in a far worse way. They decay: he suffers the penalty of sin, and DIES. That this heaven and earth, specially prepared to be man's residence, should at length wear away or be dissolved, contains in it nothing which shocks our sense of moral fitness: that man, made in the image of God, should turn to corruption, does. Is man, then, not to be restored to righteousness, and thereby to attain

eternal salvation?

and my righteousness]-which I, the Righteous One, am introducing (liii. 11). Shall not be abolished; or, "dismayed (s. w. a. in v. 7, xxxi. 4). It shall hold on its course with the calmness of infinite Power and Wisdom, Holiness and Love.

Obs. In Gen. xv. 5 the childless patriarch was bidden to "look toward heaven and number the stars;" and then it was said, "So shall thy seed be." But what comfort

was there in mere physical multiplication of offspring for one who was pursuing after righteousness (ib. 6)? Until righteousness and salvation were effectively established by One, who should be in reality-what Isaac was in figure-triumphant over death,-the blessing on Abraham would remain imperfect.

7. ye that know] No longer only, "that seek" (v. 1): for they have His "law in their heart" (cp. Ps. xl. 8).

the reproach of men] Hebr. enosh: "frail man" (and so in v. 12).

neither be ye afraid of (or, "dismayed at," v. 6) their revilings; at the bitter sarcasms of the enemy, who taunts you with the apparent failure of God's plans (s. w. a. xliii. 28). How little reason there was for the Church to be dismayed at such "revilings," had been seen in the typical history of Sennacherib (xxxvii. 6, 23).

9. Awake] (lii. 1). It is the cry of the Martyr Church, Ps. xliv. 23.-Arm of the Lord; xxx. 30, xl. 10, liii. 1; Ps. xliv. 3.

that hath cut...] Or, that hewed Rahab (xxx. 7) in pieces, that pierced the dragon (xxvii. 1). Cp. Job xxvi, 12, 13.

11. Therefore] Or, So: when that Arm shall have clothed itself with strength. This verse is the same as xxxv. 10; except that the absence of one letter in the Hebrew makes the last clause run: sorrow and sighing are fled away.

12. he that comforteth] s. a. a. Lam. i. 2, 9, 16, 17.

who art thou...] Art thou the bride of the Eternal? whom He rescued of old from

13. of the oppressor] Lit. "of him that distresseth; s. w. a. xxix. 7. LXX. Toi Oxißovros. As though (Job x. 19) he had made ready to destroy (s. w. a. xxxvi. 10, xxxvii. 12); as if thy destruction must needs follow, when the merciless enemy's plans appeared to be so complete and his force so overwhelming. Yet how soon was Pharaoh, how soon was the Assyrian, deprived of his intended prey!

where is...] Where is it, when thou hast thy God "comforting thee" (v. 12)? Fear not man, then (viii. 12): fear only "the fury of the Lord" (vv. 20, 22), which is the consequence of thy own sin. (Cp. xxvii. 4.)

14. The captive exile] s. w. a. Ixiii. I, ("travelling"). In the only other places where the word occurs (Jer. ii. 20, xlviii. 12), it is taken by A.V. to mean, "wander." Perhaps, the rendering of LXX. in Jer. xlviii. 12 (KλivovTES, Vulg. "stratores") is the one that has fewest difficulties.-Where is the fury of him, who made that terrific onslaught? Did Sennacherib,-did even the King of Terrors,succeed in destroying Hezekiah? Nay:-He that was bent down hath made haste to be loosed; and he shall not die in the pit,-lit. "unto the pit," so as to belong to the pit of corruption (xxxviii. 17, s. w.), which seemed already to have claimed him for her own, neither shall his bread fail (cp. xxxiii. 16).

15. But I am...] Or (xli. 13), "And I, the Lord thy God, am He that stirreth up (see on Job xxvi. 12) the sea." That rushing, roaring, tide of enemies (v. 30, xvii. 12) was sent by Him;-it could not exceed the limit He had assigned it (Jer. v. 22; Ps. xlvi. 3).

Isaiah).

The LORD of hosts] whose omnipotence guaranteed His people's safety.

16. I have put my words in thy mouth] Who, then, can the Person here addressed be, but the Great One of whom God said to Moses, "I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and will put My words in His mouth” (Deut. xviii. 18, s. w.; cp. John iii, 34)? The same terms are employed in ch. lix. 21.

Obs. Isai. li. 12-lii. 12 is the Haftarah to Deut. xvi. 18-xxi. 9.

that I may plant the heavens]—the new heavens (lxv. 17). The verb is used of the planting of Paradise (Gen. ii. 8). The "Pauniverse, what that first Paradise was designed radise of God" (Rev. ii. 7) shall be to the to have been to the earth,-its central Fountain of Life.-Lit. "to plant;" which is equally capable (cp. xlix. 8) of the sense given by Vulg., "that thou mayest plant."

17. Awake...] Or, Rouse thyself (not s. w. a. in v. 9, and lii. 1). The vision of Zion given in v. 16 was in strange contrast to the actual condition of the city which was lying prostrate in death-like stupor:-having drunk the cup of trembling (or, as A.V. in Ps. lx. 3, "of astonishment," of dizzying horror. Cp. the cognate noun in Zech. xii. 2). Wring them out; s. a. a. Ps. lxxv. 8.

18. none...among all the sons] None of these,— king, or prophet, or righteous man-could guide, or (xl. 11) "gently lead," her back to comfort and peace.

brought forth...brought up] The words used in Tyre's lament, xxiii. 4.

that taketh her by the hand] in order to raise

her up.

20 Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God.

21 ¶ Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:

22 Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again :

Obs. In v. 17 and lii. 2 the Hebrew for "arise" is the word recorded by St Mark (v. 41) to have been used by our Lord, when He "took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Arise" (Cumi). He alone could lift Jerusalem out of her deadly sleep.

19. two things] Probably (so A. Ezra and Kimchi), the two things are described, first in general terms, as "wasting and destruction" (lix. 7, lx. 18), and then more particularly, as "famine and the sword; "--the famine inside, the sword outside (Deut. xxxii. 25; Ezek. vii. 15; cp. xiv. 21).

who shall be sorry for thee?] Rather, who will mourn with thee? Cp. Job ii. 11, "to mourn with him, to comfort him" (both verbs the same as here). Poor solitary Zion has none to condole with her; and even her unchangeable Friend asks, How shall I comfort thee?-lit. who? in what form or capacity? (Vitr., after Cocceius, who compares the Hebrew of Amos vii. 2, 5: and so Knob., Del.) Simply as the Holy One, He could not do so. To comfort her, He must take the form of a servant.

20. a wild bull] Or, an antelope; swift and strong and handsome; but hunted down into the net; and now exhausted with fruitless attempts to escape. (See on Deut. xiv. 5.)

21. thou afflicted] s. w. a. liv. II, X. 30. Drunken, but not with wine, xxix. 9.

23. to thy soul] with disdainful reproaches, aimed at the soul's humiliation. Ps. cxxiv. 5; "The proud waters had gone over our soul.”

23 But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.

CHAPTER LII.

1 Christ persuadeth the church to believe his free redemption, 7 to receive the ministers thereof, 9 to joy in the power thereof, 11 and to free themselves from bondage. 13 Christ's kingdom shall be exalted.

thou hast laid...] Rather, thou didst place thy back (1. 6) as the ground. She had fallen with her face to the earth in utter despair. She that was the "Perfection of Beauty" was "cast down from heaven to earth" (Lam. ii. 1) and "the plowers plowed upon her back" (Ps. cxxix. 3; Micah iii. 12).

CHAP. LII. The words, which the supplicating Church had used in li. 9, are now

addressed to her.

1. Awake] Thy Lord needs no awakening; awake thou to righteousness (1 Cor. xv. 34; Eph. v. 14). Put on thy strength; making the good confession, "only in the Lord is righteousness and strength" (xlv. 24). Put on thy garments of beautys. w. a. Exod. xxviii. 2 (of Aaron's priestly robes).

the uncircumcised and the unclean] Israel had been "uncircumcised in heart" (see on xiv. 28); "a people of unclean lips" (vi. 5): therefore the uncircumcised and unclean were allowed to come into the gates of Jerusalem (Lam. iv. 12). But now that she had become in truth the "Holy City," none of the unclean could approach her (xxxv. 8). Cp. Nahum i. 15.

2. from the dust] in which thou hast been lying as one dead (xxvi. 19).—Arise (li. 17), sit down; the reverse of the command given to Babel; "Come down, and sit in the dust." Zion is to arise and sit "on a throne of glory" (Targ.).

loose thyself...] Rather (Kethiv; Targ.), the bands of thy neck are unloosed;-they have fallen off at the sound of God's voice; as "the

6.

3 For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money. 4 For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Gen. 46. Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. 5. Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name conEzek. 36. tinually every day is blasphemed.

20, 23. Rom. 2.24.

6 Therefore my people shall know

chains fell off" from Peter's hands, when the angel raised him up" from sleep, saying, Arise up quickly (Acts xii. 7).

3. Ye have sold yourselves (11) for nought]-gaining nothing by it. He, who bought you to be his slaves, gave no "valuable consideration" for you; and therefore has no claim to any price for your redemption.-The redemption will be made without money (cp. lv. 1): for, since it was "through their iniquities that they were sold" (1. 1; Jer. xv. 13), liberation from that captivity can be effected only by their iniquities being taken away (liii. 6, 11: cp. 1 Pet. i. 18, 19).

4. The general statement of v. 3 is illustrated by a reference to history. In old time, Israel had not deserved ill of Egypt. They had been invited to go down to sojourn there, as the relatives of Egypt's great benefactor (Gen. xlv. 18; cp. Wisdom of Sol. xix. 14 16). It was malignant jealousy that led to their oppression. So too, as regarded the Assyrians; they were influenced by imperial ambition. Both Pharaoh and Sennacherib oppressed Israel in order that they might triumph over Israel's God. In each case, there was causeless oppression.

5. So should it be now with oppressed Zion. God would return (v. 8) and vindicate her rights.

what have I here]-here, apart from the suffering Church (cp. 1 K. xix. 9, 13). What do I, while Zion is prostrate (li. 17, lii. 1), as though I took no interest in her welfare (lxiii. 15, Ixiv. 12); while My people are in the land of pollution (v. 11)?—The context shews that the object present to the eye of the speaker is, Zion. It is from Zion that the messengers are seen upon the mountains (v. 7); from Zion that the injunction is issued, "Go ye out from thence" (v. 11).

make them to bowl] As the verb is not elsewhere causative, it is better to render, make a bowling (s. c. a. xiii. 6, xv. 2,

xxiii. 1, 6, 14, lxv. 14). The rulers of Israel (xxviii. 14) are overtaken by despairing grief (Jer. xxv. 36; cp. Hos. vii. 14).

Ps. xliv. 22). His name was spoken of conevery day] Rather, all the day (li. 13; temptuously, as if He had been unable to save His people.

6. shall know my name]-know it, so as to reverence it (Ps. xci. 14); because it has been verified in act (cp. Jer. xvi. 21).

behold, it is I] Lit. "behold Me," or, "here I am (s. w. a. lviii. 9, lxv. 1). He, who had "spoken at sundry times, and in divers manners," of old, now intervenes personally. Cp. xl. 9, “Behold, your God."

7. upon the mountains...] of Judæa; cp. xl. 9. În Nahum i. 15 we have the words, "upon the mountains...peace," used in a similar context;-after mention of the destruction of the "counsellor of Belial." (See on xxxii. 7.)

of him that bringeth good tidings...] Primarily, Messiah Himself (v. 6; Ixi. 1; Acts x. 35; Eph. ii. 17); then, His envoys (Rom. X. 15; 2 Cor. v. 19, 20).

Obs. Eph. ii. 17 combines Isai. lii. 7 and lvii. 19.

This was the substance of the "glad tidings;" Thy God reigneth] (see on Ps. xciii. 1). -whence, in Mark i. 14, we read, "Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God." Cp. Matt. iv. 23, ix. 35; Luke viii. 1; Acts xxviii. 23, 31.-So long as the oppressor had sway, God's sovereignty appeared to be in abeyance.

8. Thy watchmen shall...] Rather, The voice of thy watchers! They have lifted up the voice; they shout joyfully together. They who looked forth from their watch-tower (xxi. 6), "waiting for the consolation of Israel," rejoiced because they "saw the Lord's Christ" (Luke ii. 25-38).

Eye to eye; no longer seen in prophetic vision, but personally present,

shall bring again Zion] So Vulg. Better (as Kimchi),-returneth to Zion (cp. Num. x. 36; Deut. xxx. 3). Targ. "bringeth back His Shekinah to Zion."

10. bath made bare...] Cp. liii. 1. The Church had prayed (li. 9), “Clothe thee with strength, O arm of the Lord." The prayer was fulfilled by the arm's being laid bare:the robe of kingly dignity being thrown aside, that the arm might be ready for battle (cp. Ps. lxxiv. 11). So it was, when "the Word was made flesh," divesting Himself of His glory, that He might enter into conflict with man's enemy..

11.

Depart ye...] Or, Away! away!The words are used in warning one not to approach that which is polluting; Lam. iv. 15.-Go ye out; s. w. a. xlviii. 20.

be ye clean] Or, “purify yourselves;" LXX. apopioonte (quoted in 2 Cor. vi. 17). that bear the vessels...] The work of the priests (Num. iv. 15, 24, 32; Ezra viii. 24 f.),

12. Great indeed was the need of this sanctification; for the redeemed host would be encompassed with the glorious presence of God Himself. Their march would not be, as on that passover night, in haste (Exod. xii. 11; Deut. xvi. 3, s. a.). The Lord would go before them (cp. Micah ii. 13), and be their rereward, or, rear-guard (Exod. xiv. 19).

13-15. These three verses, while they form a striking preparation for ch. liii (an overture to the "Great Passional "), are yet closely related to the preceding twelve verses. They tell us how that vast host, which was to go forth to occupy the "holy city" (v. 1), shall be cleansed. God's exalted Servant "shall sprinkle many nations" (v. 15), thereby purifying them from "uncleanness."-The word rendered "sprinkle" is frequently used in connexion with the word in vv. 1, 11,

13. my servant] who had been presented in 1. 5-7 as exposed to the lowest indignities. But, in the midst of all, He shall deal prudently, with meek and calm wisdom, ever keeping the great end in view (Heb. xii. 1, 2), and therefore He "shall prosper," and "have good success" (Josh. i. 7, 8; Jer. xxiii. 5, s. w.). Nay, He shall be high and lofty (s. ww. a. in vi. 1, lvii. 15) and very exalted (s. w. a. in v. 16): all three words being used (in the passages cited) of "the Lord of Hosts."-So in Phil. ii. 6-9, He who took upon Him "the form of a servant" is "highly exalted," and receives “a name which is above every name." (Cp. on xlv. 23.)-LXX. vewonσerai (Acts ii. 33).

14. As many were astonied at thee] According as.... The verb is used in Lev. xxvi. 32, Jer. xviii. 16, of the amazement with which men should gaze on the desolation of Israel's land:-here of Him, who is "bearing Israel's iniquity" (liii. 11.) The remainder of the verse is parenthetical, assigning the reason of their astonishment. So-to such a degree-was His visage marred more than any man (or, unlike a man's), and His form more than (or, unlike that of) the sons of men. (Cp. Ps. xxii. 6.)

15. So] The antithesis to 14 a. As His degradation was most surprising, exceeding any in human history; so shall His exaltation be. Many had looked wonderingly on Him as a wretched criminal; now He shall purify not "many," but many nations (Del.). Sprinkle. See Note A.-Aq. and Theod. here have parrioe (s. w. a. Heb. ix. 13, x. 22; cp. xii. 24; 1 Pet. i. 2).

the kings...] Or, because of Him kings