The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 340

by Dl\bylon to the nations, to the captives, of horsemen; rather, a troop of horsemen and to the !tinge w!JoRe prison-doors were riding two and two, This is exactly how a kept closed (oh. xiv. 17), God has in his cavalry foree was ordinarily represented by counsels determined to bring to an end. the Aseyriane. Chariots are not intended Ver. 8.-Therefore are my loins filled either here or in ver. 9. They were not with pain, etc. (comp. above, eh. xv. 5; employed by the Persians until a late xvi. 9-11). The prophet is horrorstruok at period of their history (see 'Ancient Mo- the vision shown him-at the devastation, narchies,' vol. iv. pp. I 13, 122). A. chariot the ruin, the carnage (eh. xiii. 18). He of aSBes, and a chariot of oamels; rather, does not stop to oonsider how well desened men mounted on rusea and on camela. It is the punishment is; he does not, perhap11, as well known that both animals were em- yet know how that, in smiting Babylon, God ployed by the Persians in their expeditions will be specially avenging the sufferings of to carry the baggage (Herod., i. 80; iv. hie own nation (see the introductory para- 129 ; Xen., ' Cyrop.,' vii. 1, etc.). But graph). I was bowed down at the hearing, neither animal was ever attached to a etc. ; rather, I am 80 a.gonized that I cannot chariot. hear; I am 80 terrified that I cannot see. Ver. 8.-And he cried, A lion; rather, he Ver. 4.-My heart panted; rather, my cried as a lion ; i.e. with a loud deep voice heart trembleth, or fluttereth. The night of (comp. Rev. x. 3). The watchman, after long my pleasure; i.e. "the night, wherein, I am waiting, becomes impatient, and can contain wont to enjoy peaceful and pleasant slum- himself no long&r. He mahe complaint of bers." his long vain watch. My lord; rather, 0 Ver. 5.-Prepare the table, etc. With Lord. The watchman addresses his com- lyrical abruptness, the prophet turns from plaint to Jehovah. hie own feelings to draw a picture of Ba- Ver. 9.-And, behold, here oometh, etc. 1,ylon at the time when she is attacked. Our translators make the words those of He uses historical infinitives, the most the watchman. But they aJ"e better taken lively form of narrative. Translate, They as the prophet's statement of a fact, "And declc the table, set the watch, eat, drink ; behold, just then there cometh a troop of i.e. having decked the table, they commit men, riding two and two" -the sign for the task of watching to a few, and then which he was to watch (ver. 7), or rather give themselves up to feasting and revelling, the first part of it. We must suppose the as if there were no danger. It is impossible rest of the sign to follow, and the watchman not to think of Belehuzzar'e feast, and the then to listen a.while attentively. Suddenly descriptions of the Greek historians (Herod., he hears the sound of a sacked town, and i. 191; Xen., 'Cyrop.,' vii. 23), which mark he exclaimB, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, at any rate the strength of the tradition etc. All the graven images of her gods he that, when Babylon was taken, its inhabi- hath broken Ullto the ground. Recent docu- tants were engaged in revelry. Arise, ye ments, belonging to the time of Cyrns, and prinoee, and anoint the shield. In the treating of his capture of Babylon, show midst of the feast there enters to the that this expression is not to be understood revellers one from the outside, with these literally. Cyrus was not an iconoclast; he words, '' Rise, quit the banquet; get your did not break into pieces, or in any way shields; anoint them ; arm yourselves." destroy or insult the Babylonian idols. 0B That shields were greased with fat or oil the contrary, he maintained them in thei1 before being used in battle 11ppears from several shrines, or restored them where Virg., • 1Eueid,' vii. 625, and other places. they had been displaced; he professed him- It was thought that the enemy's weapons self a worshipper of the chief Babylouian would more readily glance off an oiled But• gods-Bel, Nebo, and Merodach-he re- face. paired the temple of Merodach ; he pruyecl Ver. 6.-Go, set a watohman. The event to Bel and Nebo to lengthen hie days; ho is not to be immediate, it is to be watohed caused hie son, Cambysee, to take part in for; and Isaiah is not to watch himself, but the great religious ceremony wherewith the to set the watohmun. Moreover, the watch- Babylonians opened the new year. Thus man waits long before he sees anything hie oonquest of Bubylon did not bring (ver. 8). These unusual features of the upon its gods a physical, but only a moral, narrative seem to mBrk a remote, not a nee.r, destruction. The Persian victory discredited accomplishment of the prophecy. nnd degraded them. It proclaimed to Ver. 7.-And he saw ... he hearkened; W estem Asia that the idolatrous system so rather, he shall see ... he shall hearkffl long prevalent in the region between Mount (Kay). He iij to wait and watch until he Zagros and the Ml'cliterranean was no sees a certain sight; then he is to listen longer in the ascendant, but lay at the attentively, and he will hear the oruh of mercy of another quite different religion, the falling oity. A ohariot with a oonple which comle8cendrd to accord it toleration. 1B41/,H, :i; 838 '11HE BOOK OF 'THE 'rnOPHE'l' lSAIAii. (oll, xxr. 1--11.