The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 198

"within a brief apace." It is not to be mken Vem. 22, 23.-These versos are excgetioal litere.Ily. of the term "remnant," and bring out ita Ver. 18.-P'orellt . . , fruitful :fteld, full force. The promise had been me.de to ••Forest" and "frnitful field" (oo.nnel) are Abraham the.t hie seed should be " like the "Sometimes united together, sometimes oon• sand of the sea for multitude" (Gen. :uii. treated. Literally, they denote wild and 17). This promise hod been fulfilled (1 Kings cultivated woodland. Used symbolicolly, as iv. 20); but no,v the sius of the people here, they RJ'e not so much intended to desig- would produce e. reversal of it. It would be nate different parts of Assyrfa's glory, as to a remnant,, and only a remnant, of the nation ronny the idea that the destruction will be that would escape. Judah would have to unil'Prsal. Both soul and body. Here meta- make a fresh start ns from e. new beginning phor is suddenly dropped, and IsRiRh shows ( see Ezra ii. 64 ). that be is speaking of the Assyi-ian peopui, Ver. 22.-The oonsumption deoreed she.ll not of the le.nd or its products. Their de- overflow with righteousness ; rather, t1wJ struction. wicked BS they were, would be one eomummation (Dan. ix. 27) determined on i, both of bodv and soul. As when a stand8l'd- one that overflows with righleo11,Sness ( comp. bearer fainteth; rather, as when one that i.s eh. xxviii. 22). The prophet means that faint fai11teth. Utter prostration and ex- God is about to visit the land in such a spirit haustion is indicated, whichever way the of severe jus lice that it cannot be expected passage is translated. that more than e. remnant will suvive the Yer. 19.-The rest of the trees; i.e. those awful visitation. tlrn t <>Scape the burning--llhall be few ; Ver. 23.-The Lord , , . ehe.11 make a oon- literally, a number; i.e. so few that their sumption; rather, a consummation-a final number shall be apparent. and decisive end of things. Even deter- Vers. 20-34.--CoNSOLATION FOB TBB mined ; i.e. " determined on beforehand." FAITBF"CL IN lsru.EL. The destruction of In the midst of all the land. "Throughout the entire lend," not merely in some po1-tiona Assyria shall be followed-how soon, is not of it. said-bv the return of a " remnant of Israel," Ver. 24.-0 my people . . . be not afraid. not so ~uch to their own le.nd, e.e to God God now addresses those who are faithful -to (vers. 20, 21). The remnant, however, shall him among the people ; they have no need to be but a remnant-jndgment shall have over- fear-he will bring them 811fely through all the coming trou blee. Ke shall smite the11 ; taken the bulk of the people (vers. 22, 23). rather, if he smite thee; or, though he smite Still, there is reason for the faithful to take thee. After the me.nner of Egypt ; i.e. as the coumge and be of good heart ; Assyria will Egyptians did in the oppression thnt pre- shortly receive a check (vers. 24-27)-wLen ceded the Exodus. The yoke of AsSYTia her armies swoop upon Jerusalem, God will we.a heavy even upon the nations that sub- mitted to her. She claimed to march her swoop down on her (vers. 28-34). armies through their territories at her plea- Yer. 20.-In that day ; i.e. "at tbat time" sure, and probably pressed men and cattle - the time of the destruction of Assyria. into her service. She exacted a heavy The reDIIl8llt of Israel (see eh. i 9). Isaiah tribute, and otherwise "distressed" her hod indicated his firm belfof in the existence many vossals. of this faithful remnant end its return, in Ver. 25.-The indignation she.11 oease; the name which he had given to his son, rather, there shall be an end of 1D1"ath; i.e. Shear-Juhub (see note on oh. vii. 3). The "my wrath against Isr11.el shall come to esc:i.ped. Those who escape from the de- an end "-Israel having been sufficiently struction to be caused by the Assyrian in- punished. And mine anger in their destruo- ,·asion. Sh&ll no more age.in stay npon him tion; rather, and my anger shall be to their that 1mote them. We are told in the Second deetrttetion; i.e. to the <lestruction of the Book of Chronicles (.u:viii. 23) that Ahaz Assyrians (see the margin of the Revised " 1!8Crificed to the gode of Dame.scus tl!hicl, Version). 1/ffWte him "--snd we know that Le also Ver. 26.-The Lord , , , shall stir up a trusted to Tiglath-Pileser, who "distressed aoourge for him; or, lift up a scourge over him and strengthened him not '' (2 Cbrou. him. Isaiah uses the metaphor of the :u:viii. 21). Among the "remnant" there •• scoarge" again in eh. xxviii. 16, 18. It is 11hall be no such mistaken confidences. But rare in Scripture, though common among ahal.J stay upon the Lord ; i.e. " shall put the Greek and Latin writers. Aooording to their trust in God, and him only" (comp. the slaughter of Midian at the rook of Oreb 2 8am. :u::ii. 19; Ps. xviii. 18). ( comp. eh. ix. 4). The "slaughter of Mid ion Ver. 21.-The mighty God (comp. eh. at the rock of Oreb" we.a that great destruc- Ix. 6). The name ill not, however, Mennie tion of the Midie.nites which was begun by ill this place. the three hundred under Gideon, and com-  (JR, X, 1-34.) THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 189