and quiet spirit” (1 Pet. iii. 3, 4): (b) that this social immodesty, as it was the offspring, was also a symbol, of the religious irreverence, which made ornate ceremonial observances a cover for habitual neglect of the duties enjoined by the Second Table of the Law. What were the priestly dresses and the "fair beauty" of the temple now but the meretricious ornaments of the apostate city (i. 21)? Cp. Jer. vi. 1, 2.

16. haughty] s.w.a. in ii. 11, 15, 17, V. 15.

with stretched forth necks] Or, “throat" (lviii. 1); as when a person is shouting.

and wanton eyes] Or, "staring with their eyes." The verb occurs here only: and its meaning is only conjectured from a similar verb in Chaldee. Many MSS. and editions have another reading; which means, "lying," or “dealing falsely" (s. w. a. in lxiii. 8).

mincing] Or, "taking affectedly short steps" (here only). The verb closely resembles that from which the noun for "phylacteries" is derived. These were fastened on the brow "between the eyes," and had written on them, among other passages, Deut. vi. 4—9.

making a tinkling] The verb occurs here only. The corresponding noun, in v. 18, is taken to denote "anklets" (of silver, ivory, or even gold), such as are still used in Syria, Egypt, and India. The noun occurs elsewhere only in Prov. vii. 22.

(A verb of almost the same sound is used in, "They have made them crooked paths,' lix. 8.)

17. smite with a scab] Here only. The verb which gives name to the "scab" of leprosy (Lev. xiii. 2, 6—8, xiv. 56) is almost identical. This would cause the hair to fall off.

discover] Or, "lay bare." The word is used of razing a city (Ps. cxxxvii. 7). The noun which follows occurs here only. The Vulg., and some Jewish authorities, render "hair;"a very similar noun being so used (Lev. xix. 27: cp. Jer. xlviii. 45; Lev. xiii. 30).

18. the bravery] The s. w. is rendered by "comely" in iv. 2. It is applied to the temple in lx. 7, lxiv. 11; to Jerusalem in Lam. ii. 1; to the priestly robes Exod. xxviii. 2, 40; cp. ch. lii. 1.

tinkling ornaments] Or, anklets: see on V. 16.

cauls] Or, "caps of network:”—cognate to the nouns rendered "broidered (work)" (Exod. xxviii. 4) and "ouches" (ib. 11, 13, 14, &c.).

round tires like the moon] Or, crescents. This and the first word in v. 19 are the words used in Judg. viii. 26 of the ornaments taken from the kings of Midian. These trinkets formed part of the Ephod, after which "all Israel went a whoring " (Judg. viii. 27).

19. The chains] Most moderns, “eardrops."

mufflers] Or, veils:-light and tremulous.

20. bonnets] Used of the priestly headbands, Exod. xxxix. 28; cp. ch. lxi. 3, 10 (s. w.).

ornaments of...] Or, "stepping-chains;" which fastened the two anklets together. headbands] Or, "sashes" (Jer. ii. 32). tablets] Or, "scent-boxes." Lit. "houses of soul."

earrings] Rather, amulets; charms, worn as a protection against evil.

22. changeable suits...] Or, "festal robes." Elsewhere only in Zech. iii. 4.

wimples] Or, "shawls:" Ruth iii. 15. crisping pins] Or, sachels; or, "purses" (2 K. v. 23).

23. glasses] Or, "mirrors;" of polished metal. (Cp. viii. 1, s. w.)

fine linen] Or, "muslin," Hebr. sedin; probably, like our "satin," akin to sindon, or Indian-cloth. Elsewhere only in Judg. xiv. 12, 13; Prov. xxxi. 24.

boods] Rather, diadems (lxii. 3; Zech. iii. 5). An allied noun is used of the priestly "mitre," Exod. xxviii. 37, &c.

+ Heb.

houses of the soul.

instead of a girdle] Or, "a well-girt dress." a rent] Girdle and robe torn asunder by the hand of violence. Here only. The LXX., Vulg., and others, "a rope."

or

well set hair] Lit. "carved work," "beaten work;" Exod. xxv. 36. So elaborate was the setting of the ringlets. baldness] The hair being shorn as in deep mourning, Amos viii. 10.

a stomacher] Here only. A cognate word is used in Exod. xxviii. 28 of the blue lace which fastened the High-Priest's breastplate to the ephod; and in Num. xv. 38 of the blue lace which was to be put by Israelites on the tassel of their garments-the tassel, which was to remind them whose they were; "that ye search not after your own heart and your own eyes; after which ye go a-whoring."

burning] Here only. The parallel word in Arabic is commonly used of cautery. To human eyes all had looked like the bloom of health,—“the perfection of beauty" (Lam. ii. 15). The wise and good Surgeon came near and removed the gay clothing, and there was seen a festering cancer beneath, which called for the application of "the spirit of burning" (iv. 4).

25. The last word has disclosed the aim of the allegory. Zion herself is to be laid low. The transition is made by the use of a peculiar word, which is used of the members of a community:

Thy men] The word is used in Deut. ii. 34. iii. 6, of the men of the Amorite cities that were devoted to destruction. Alas! must Zion now be laid under the like ban? (Cp. on i. 31.)

and thy mighty Lit. "thy might;" the entire body of her mighty men (v. 2).

The earlier portion of the chapter appears to be summed up in v. 25; the latter in v. 26. 26. ber gates] Or, doors (the common meaning of the word). The doors of the queenly city's palace:-or, perhaps, the doors of the temple, once gladdened by thronging crowds of worshippers.

VOL. V.

she being desolate, &c.] Lit. "and she shall be purged; on the earth shall she sit." Both expressions are noticeable.

(1) The latter one is easy. It occurs only in xlvii. 1: "Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground:"-in Job ii. 13: "So they sate down with him upon the ground...; and none spake a word unto him; for they saw his grief was very great:"-and in Lam. ii. 10: "The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, and keep silence." Most commentators are reminded of the Roman medal in which "Judaa Capta" is represented as a woman sitting in an attitude of despairing grief.

Obs. The LXX. has εἰς τὴν γῆν ἐδαponon: with which cp. Luke xix. 44, καὶ ἐδαφιοῦσί σε (a little before the Parable of the Vineyard, xx. 9—16).

The LXX. uses edapos for "dust" in xxv. 12, xxvi. 5, xxix. 4.

(2) The earlier expression is more difficult. It is used twice (Num. v. 19, 28) of the woman who was subjected to the Trial of Jealousy:-" be thou free from this bitter water she be free, and shall conceive seed" (v. 28). that causeth the curse" (v. 19); "then shall As regards the application here, we must bear in mind the complex character that belongs to Zion. As the visible Church, she had been unfaithful; therefore the "bitter waters" must take effect on her (cp. Jer. ii. 19). They must work out their curse on the body ecclesiastical. The external framework must go to decay. But the true Church, the Holy Seed (vi. 13), could not perish. What to the outward polity was a cause of death, should be only "purgation" to the true Zion. The faithful Church would arise after passing through this ordeal, and "put on her beautiful garments" (lii. 1).

Obs. 1. The word is probably used with a similar reference to Num. v in Jer. ii. 35.

Obs. 2. There is an evident allusion to Num. v. 23 in Deut. xxix. 20, 21, 27 (Hebr. 19, 20, 26). Cp. on ch. iv. 4.

Obs. 3. The LXX. has κal KaTaλEιponon μóvn. The same words occur in John viii. 9; in that wonderful history, which tells how He who was "the Light of the World" exerted "the spirit of judgment." By stooping

D

down and "writing on the earth," He reminded the seemingly zealous champions of the Law that its curses rested on all who "forsake the Lord" (Jer. xvii. 5, 13). Then, under the scrutiny of that secret Eye, which "searches the hearts and tries the reins" (ib. v. 10), they all went forth from the temple; leaving the guilt-stricken woman without an

accuser; leaving her alone, to hear from the lips of the one True Priest the sentence, "Go, and sin no more."-So would He now banish "the sinners in Zion" (xxxiii. 14), “her destroyers and them that laid her waste" (xlix. 17); in order that all who remained might "be called holy" (iv. 3).

I. In Zech. iii. 8 there is an undoubted reference to Isai. iv. 2: "my servant, the Branch." But in v. 4 Joshua the High-Priest, who was "as a brand plucked out of the fire,' -the representative of the elect Church saved out, of the fires of Babel,-is clothed with : a word that occurs besides only in Isai. iii. 22. This "change of raiment" took the place of his "filthy" garments: the word for filthy," D'i, being one which occurs only in Zech. iii, but is derived from 1, which occurs only in Isai. iv. 4, xxviii. 8; Prov. xxx. 12.

Afterwards Joshua has a "mitre” set on his head, , a word which occurs elsewhere only in Isai. iii. 23, lxii. 3, and Job xxix. 14. The following words refer to the priestly

2.

dress:

and תשבץ compare :(18 .) שביסים

nya. This comparison was given by Kimchi, and is admitted by most lexicographers.

(v. 19, bracelets); a. λ. Cp. (chains), Exod. xxviii. 14 (cp. 22); 1 K. vii. 17.

DND (v. 20): s. w. a. in Exod. xxxix. 28. niyab (v. 21): s. w. a. in Exod. xxviii. 23-28, &c. It occurs in Exodus 36 times; but elsewhere only here.

ND (v. 18): s. w. a. Exod. xxviii. 2, 40. 3. The following lend themselves readily to the allegory:

no (v. 17), of smiting with (leprous) scab: cp. Lev. xiii. 2. (The "head" containing an allusion to Uzziah.)

CHAPTER IV.

In the extremity of evils, Christ's kingdom shall be a sanctuary.

CHAP. IV. At the end of ch. iii we had the picture of Zion, her royal house and her temple, in desolation. It was a fuller delineation of what Amos had foretold: "all the sinners of my people shall die by the sword" (Amos ix. 1o; cp. ch. iii. 25). But Amos proceeded to say (v. 11): "In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David which is fallen, ...that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord that doeth this." So

(v. 17), of laying bare the foundations of a city or house (Ps. cxxxvii. 7; cp. Hab. iii. 13; Zeph. ii. 14).

(v. 18), and i' (v. 19), occur only in the mention of the trinkets taken from the Midianites in Judg. viii (vv. 21 and 26). The effect produced by the introduction of these and of the Dunb (v. 20) into, the list is very like that of the Dop and ens pas in

VV. 2, 3.

מחמד עיניכם v. 20). Cp. the) בתי נפש

DOWN of Ezek. xxiv. 21 (of the temple), and п 'na, Ezek. xxvi. 12. DW (v. 24): Exod. xxx. 23, &c. nupp пey (ib.); Exod. xxv. 31, 36. 'D' (ib., of Zion), Ps. 1. 2; Lam. ii. 15; Ezek. xvi. 14, 15, 25. Cp. Song of Sol. i. 8, 15. &c.

. Henderson quotes the Arabic proverb, "After medicine burning (al-kayy).” 4. A very slight change is needed for the following:

(v. 24), here only. Cp. n, Exod. xxviii. 28; Num. xv. 38.

mpi (v. 16), here only. Cp. p, Ixiii. 8; Lev. xix. 11; Ps. xliv. 17; (Jer. vii. 4).

Day (v. 16), here only. But py is used of making crooked paths, lix, 8; Prov. x. 9 (cp. Prov. xxviii. 18).

1 (v. 16), here only. Cp. nii (for bubo) Exod. xiii. 16; Deut. vi. 8, xi. 18. Whilst the frontlet between the eyes" spoke of the duty of loving God supremely, they "played false" and gazed on their idols of gold and silver.

here Isaiah comes forward with a repeated "In that day" (vv. 1, 2) to speak of a restored and ennobled Zion.

1. seven women shall take hold of one man] The key to the meaning is supplied by 2 Chro. vii. 12—22 (= 1 K. ix. 1—9); where Solomon is told that if Israel "forsook the Lord, their God," and "took hold of other gods, and worshipped them," He would root them out of the land He had given them; "and this house, which I have hallowed. for my name, will I

cast out of my sight, and Israel shall be a pro-
verb and a byword to all peoples."

66

That this is the force of the verb "take
hold of" is further ascertained by its use in
xxvii. 5, "let him take hold of my strength,"
in lvi. 4, 6, (the sons of the stranger) that
take hold of my covenant;" and in lxiv. 7 (6),
“There is none that stirreth up himself to take
bold of Thee." (Cp. Prov. iii. 18.)

What if Israel had slighted her privileges,
and been cast away? God's purpose should
not fail. Her loss should be abundantly com-
pensated for; supplied "sevenfold." (Cp. I
S. ii. 5.) Seven women should "take hold
of" the covenant established in, and by, "the
man whose name is The Branch" (Zech. vi.
12), who should "build the temple of the
Lord," and Himself "bear the glory," and
"sit as a priest upon His throne" (ib. v. 13).
Obs. 1. In Rev. i-iii, seven is the mystical
number of the branches of the Catholic Church;
whose calling is to "hold fast the name" (ii.
13) of Him who was "like unto the Son of
Man," yet was "the First and the Last.” (Cp.
Prov. ix. 1.)

Obs. 2.
The word for "man" had been
already used allegorically, of God's relation to
Israel (in contrast to the Baalim), in Hos. ii.
16 (LXX. ó àvýp μov). Bp Wordsworth com-
pares 2 Cor. xi. 2.

We will eat our own bread]. These new
communities would not be, like Israel of old,
under God's immediate temporal government;
--not planted down by Him in earthly Canaans
under promises like those of Lev. xxvi. 4—10,
Deut. xxviii. 2—14. Their request would be
for the spiritual portion of Israel's privileges.
(Cp. 2 Thess. iii. 8—12.)

only let us be called by thy name] This
form of expression is, with one exception (2
S. xii. 28), always used of God's name. See
e.g. Deut. xxviii. 9, 10 ("The Lord shall esta-
blish thee a boly people unto Himself...and all
the peoples of the earth shall see that the name
of the Lord is called upon thee"); 1 K. viii. 43;
2 Chro. vi. 33, vii. 14; ch. lxiii. 19; Jer. vii.
10, II, 14, 30, xiv. 9; Dan. ix. 18, 19.

to take away our reproach] The reproach
of barrenness (Gen. xxx. 23). This reproach
belonged to Jew and Gentile alike by nature
(Eph. ii. 3); all being dead, and yielding "the
unfruitful works of darkness" (ib. v. 11). Only
when "quickened together with Christ" (ib.
ii. 5), could any bring forth "the fruit of the
Spirit." (Cp. vv. 2, 3.) See also xxv. 8,
liv. 4; Jer. xxxi. 19; Lam. v. I.

2. David's covenant the "everlasting

covenant" (2 S. xxiii. 5)—instead of "germi-
nating" (ib.), had seemed to be stricken with
barrenness, and made utterly "void" (Ps.
lxxxix. 39). But "in that day” it shall be
established by One who is here called,—

the branch of the LORD] Not the same word
as in xi. 1 (nétser). The word here used
(tsemach) is the one that occurs in Jer. xxiii.
5, Zech. iii. 8, vi. 12, of King Messiah. It
denotes a budding or springing plant; "a
sprout." The verb from which it comes is
used in xliii. 19, xlv. 8, lxi. 11; Deut. xxix.
23 (22); 2 S. xxiii. 5; Ps. lxxxv. 11, cxxxii.

17.

Obs. I.
The sentence on the unfaithful
land, Deut. xxix. 23 (22), was: "It shall not
be sown, nor send forth bud (s. w.)." Now
the curse is to be removed by One in whom is
divine life; "the second man, the Lord from
heaven;" who is "a life-giving Spirit” (1 Cor.
xv. 45, 47). Though God's "pleasant plant"
(v. 7) were rooted up, He abode for ever
"the True Vine" (John xv. 1).

Obs. 2.

Zech. vi. 12 identifies the "man"
of v. I with this divine "Sprout:" as the
King of righteousness is in a like pointed way
called "a man," in xxxii. 1, 2; before the
allegory respecting the "women that are at
ease" (v. 9).

be beautiful and glorious] It is better to
render lit., for ornament and for glory;
as in the next clause to render the words "ex-
cellent and comely" lit., for majesty and for
beauty. The words "glory" and "beauty"
are those which are used in Exod. xxviii. 2, 40
of the priestly robes: so that here we have the
antithesis of the allegorical description in iii.
16-24. His holiness would be the reality, of
which the "holy attire" was but a figure.

Obs. I.
In Heb. vii, where the "Priest
for ever after the style of Melchizedek" is
placed in antithesis to the Levitical Priesthood,
and it is remarked that "our Lord sprang out of
Judah," the verb used (avaréraλkev “sprouted")
is the same that is used by the LXX. in xliii. 19,
&c.; Deut. xxix. 23; Ps. lxxxv. 11; Zech. vi.

12.

Obs. 2. The word for "majesty" is the
same that was used in ii. 10, 19, 21 of God's
own majesty.

Obs. 3.
In xxviii. 5, it is said: "In that
day the Lord of Hosts shall be for a crown of
ornament (s. w.), and for a diadem of beauty
(s. a.) to the remnant of His people." (Cp.
lx. 19.)

and the fruit of the earth] He who was
"the sprout of the Lord" was also "the fruit

that is left in Zion, and he that re-
maineth in Jerusalem, shall be called

of the earth" (cp. xlv. 8; Ps. lxxxv. 11); of
this sin-stained earth; for he took the curse
away when He became as "a grain of wheat
that falls into the earth and dies," and so
"brings forth much fruit."

Delitzsch observes: "HE was the grain of
wheat, which redeeming love sowed in the
earth on Good-Friday: which began to break
through the ground and grow toward heaven
on Easter Sunday; whose golden blade as-
cended heavenward on Ascension-Day; whose
myriad-fold ear bent down to the earth on the
day of Pentecost, and poured out the grains
from which the holy Church not only was born,

but still continues to be born."

Obs. I.
As the word 'Avaroλn, used by
the LXX. in Zech. iii. 8, vi. 12 for "Branch,"
is used of the rising of the sun (Judg. v. 31,
cp. on Luke i. 78), and (in the plural) of
the East; so our Easter is probably from the

same root as East.

Obs. 2.
In Jer. xxiii. 5 we read: "I will
raise up (LXX. ávaσrýow) unto David a righte-
ous Branch:" and in Rom. i. 2-4 our Lord's
"resurrection from the dead" is spoken of
as definitively declaring the divine sonship of
Him, who was "born of the seed of David
according to the flesh." In Him alone could
"the tabernacle of David which was fallen
down" be raised up out of its ashes (Amos ix.
II, LXX. ἀναστήσω).

Obs. 3. After speaking of Himself as a seed
that should fall into the ground and die, Jesus
again spoke of Himself as "the Light" of the
world (John xii. 35).—“Light," yet "sown"
(Ps. xcvii. 11); what then is the harvest?
What, but that which was foretold in Ps.
lxvii?-God makes His face to shine on His
people; all the nations are glad and sing for
joy; the earth yields her increase.

Obs. 4. Through Him, "the first-fruits,"
the bodies of the sanctified, sown in corrup-
tion and dishonour and weakness, shall be
raised in incorruption and glory and power
(1 Cor. xv. 42-44).

for them that are escaped of Israel] that
have survived that crisis of judgment. That
there should be such a remnant had been fore-
told by Joel, ii. 32 (H. iii. 5, s. w.). Cp.
Obad. v. 17. Of this there was a historical
type in the deliverance which Isaiah himself
lived to see (xxxvii. 31, s. w.).

Another historical type was supplied by the
remnant who returned from Babylon. But
the prophecy was adequately fulfilled only in
those who "saved themselves" (Acts ii.
47) from the generation which rejected
Christ. That remnant was the germ of the
Church Catholic; made such by being incor-
porated into the Truc Vine. Partaking of

His vital power, they "brought forth much
fruit" (John xv. 5, 8); and sending out
new suckers beyond the limits of Canaan,
they "brought forth fruit in all the world"
(Col. i. 6, cp. Rom. i. 13); fruit which was
to them "a crown of rejoicing" (1 Thess. ii.
19; cp. Rom. xv. 16, 17), as a testimony to the
mighty power of Him in whom alone they
gloried (1 Cor. i. 31).

3. shall be called boly] Realizing Israel's
original vocation, Exod. xix. 6; Deut. xxviii.
So the first Christians were actually called
9

(Acts ix. 13),

Obs. In Rom. i. 5-7 the title Antoi
ayı ("holy by vocation") is given to all who

are in Christ.

that is written among the living] Or,
"unto life;" registered as heirs of eternal life
(Luke x. 20; Phil. iv. 3; Rev. xvii. 8;
cp. Exod. xxxii, 32, 33; Ps. lxix. 28; Dan.
xii. 1; Heb. xii. 23).

Obs. In Acts xiii. 46, 48 the Jews, who
rejected the word of God, "judged themselves
unworthy of eternal life;" while the Gen-
tiles "glorified the word of the Lord, and
believed, as many as were ordained to eternal

life."

4-6. Vitringa and Delitzsch (like our
authorized version) connect v. 4 with what
precedes. But the particle with which v. 4
opens nearly always introduces the protasis of
a sentence (so Knob. and Ew. here). It is
better, therefore, to put a full stop at the end
of v. 3, and a colon at the end of v. 4; and to
commence v. 5, "Then will the Lord create."

This division is also favoured by the rhythm
of v. 3; by the fact that the Masoretes end
their first section (seder) with v. 3; and by
the sense of the following verses. The order
of thought is that of Ps. li. :-First: "Wash
me throughly from my iniquity; create in
me a clean heart, O God; and renew a sted-
fast spirit within me." Then, "Do good unto
Zion; accept the sacrifices of righteousness,
the burnt-offerings that now mount up on Thy
altar." So too in 2 Cor. vi. 16, the promise, "I
will dwell among them and walk among them,"
is to be fulfilled to those who "cleanse them-
selves from all filthiness of the flesh and of the
spirit (ib. vii. 1)."

The verses teem with allegory. The two
leading truths figured in them are these:

(1) The Church can become truly God's
house only when it is a purified "whole offer-
ing," a "living" sacrifice, "transformed by a
renewing of mind" (Rom. xii. 1, 2).

(2) When that is realized, then it is filled
with divine glory,-is the true spouse of Christ,
-and has His protection,