The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 96

olggctrdlincse thrift, cind wctsteful profusion the latter from the nataml decBy of a blos- goneroeity. The enme men nre apt nleo to soming plant or tree. In either cRae the 01111 good evil ; they brnnd prudence with destruction is complete, bot in the one it tho nctmo of ounning, coll meekneee wnnt arieee from en external force, fire ; in the of proper epirit, sincerity rudeness, and firm- other from an internal frlilare of vitality. noes obetinncy. This dendness to moral The ruin of Israel would include both ; it distinctione i~ the eign of deep moral cor- would be bronght about by an internal ruption, nnd fully deeerves to hnve o. specie.I cause, their corruption, and an external " woe" pronounced agninst it. That put one, God's anger. Ae the ftre devoureth darkness tor light. "Light" and " dark- the stubble ; literally, as a tongue of fire eats ness" symbolize good and evil throughout up &tubble. " Tongue of fire " ie an unusual Scripture (1 Sam. ii. 9; 2 Sam. xxii. 29; phrase, occurring in all Scripture only here Job xxix. 3: Ps. cxii. 4 ; Prov. ii. 13 : and in Acts ii. 3. Bnt it well depicta the Eccles. ii. 13; eh. iL 2; Matt. vi. 22; John power of fue to lick up clean all tha.t comes i. 19 ; Acts :u:vi. 18: Rom. xiii. 12 : 1 Cor. in its way. Isaiah elsewhere notes the iv. 5, etc.). 'fhey are sometimes mere analogy, making it the foundation of a synonyms, as here; but sometimes they ex- simile (eh. xxx. 27). And the flame con- press mther the intellectual eide of morality. sumeth the chaff; rather, and as dry grass :Bitter tor sweet. More symbolism, but of Binks down in flame. Tbe withered grnss of a mrer kind. Jeremiah calls wickedness pastures was burnt by farmers to improve "bitter" (ii. 19; iv. 18), e.nd the pealmist the after-growth (Luca.n, • Pharsal.,' ix. 182). calle the judgments of God" sweet" (Ps. cix. Their root shall be u rottennese (comp 103). But the terms are not often used with Hoe. ix. 16). The root is the last thing to e.ny more.I bee.ring. decay. When that fails, the case is des- Ver. 21.-Woe unto them the.t are wise perate. J udah'e "root" did not utterly in their own eyes. The fifth woe. Self- fail (see eh. xi. 1): but the present warning conceit is the antithesis of humility: e.nd as is to individuals and classes (vere. 8, 11, 18, humility is, in e. certain sense, the crowning 20-23), not to the nation. Their blouom virtue, so self-conceit is a sort of finishing &hall go up u dust; i.e. their external touch put to vice. While e. me.n thinks glory shall crumble and waste away. :Be- humbly of himself, there is a chance that he oause they have oast away the Law. All may repent and amend. When he is "wise the sins of Israel had this one thing in in his own eyes," he does not see why he common-they were transgressions of the should obange. Le.w of God as delivered to them by Moses, Ver. 22.-Woe unto them that are mighty and enforced upon them by the prophetical to drink wine. The sizth woe seems at first order (comp. 2 Kings xvii. 13-16). De- sight a repetition of the second. But there spised the word ; or, the ,peech. Imrah is is this difference, thnt the drinkere in the mrely need by Isaiah. It does not refer to preeent verse do not succumb to their liquor, the written" Word,'' but to the declarations or remnin at the bnnquet e.11 de.y, but pro- of God by the mouth of his prophets (see ceed to the business of their lives, attend oh. xxviii. 23 : xxxii. 9). courts and judge onuses, but with brain Vere. 25-30.-THE NATURE OP TEii obfuscnted e.nd more.I vision bedimmed, so that they are ensily induced to pervert jus- Col!ING JUDGMENT EXPLAINED. Hints ho.ve tice on receipt of e. bribe. The sixth woe been already given that the judgment whioh may be considered to be pronounced rother is to fall on the ncttion is a foreign war, or a upon their corruption than 1;1pon _th~ir drink- series of foreign ware (see eh. iii. 25 : v. 13). ing, nnd so to be really qmte distinct from But now for the first time a terrible inva- the second (comp. Prov. xxxi. 4, 5). sion, in which many nations will participate, Ver. 23.-Justify the wioked; i.e. "deoide his onuse in his favour," declare him to be is clearly announced. At first the imagery right e.nd his adversary wrong. For re- is obscure (var. 25), but it soon grows more ward; or, for a bribe. Take away the distinct. "Nations" are summoned to the righteousness of the righteoUB ; i.e. " declare attack: a vast army comes, and comes" with him .to be in the wrong by deciding his speed swiftly" (ver. 26): then their array oauee 11gninst him." Ver. l!4.-Therefore, etc. A general judg- is deeorihed (vers. 27, 28): e.nd finally their ment is now pronounced ag11inst all the re.vin is compared to that of lions, e.nd forms of wickedness enumerated-a judg- their suooess in oatohing e.nd carrying off ment of ruiu or destruction. It ie expressed their prey is prophesied (ver. 29). In the last by a mixed metaphor, or "oombiuation of verse of the ohapter the prophet Calle b&ak two figures," the former _taken from the into vaguer imagery, comparing tile roar of burning of stubble e.nd withered grase by the farmer when he is oleaning hie flelde, the inv~ere to the roaring of the sea, ud lU.IAU. Ii 82 THE BOOK OF THE rROPBET ISAIAH. [cu. T, 1-30.