The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 472

knowledge, while o.t the eame time etriving glosses, which have crept from the margin if by any meo.ne he mo.y aronee some from into the text (Eichhorn, Koppa, Cheyne). If their condition of <lull a.po.thy. so, they a.re probably mistaken glosses, the . allusion being, not to particular classes, but • i Ver. 9.-Stay yourselves, and wonder; to the actual" heads" and "eyes" of indi- rather, stand stupefied and be astonished. vidue.l Hebrews, which were " closed" and • The prophet bicls them I act as he knows " covered " by the judicial action of the thnt they will act. They will simply Almighty. In the East a covering is often "stnre with astonishment" o.t o. prophecy drawn over the head during sleep. which will seem to them " out of o.11 rela- Ver. 11.-The vision of e.11 ; i.e. "the en- tion to facts" (Cheyne). They will not tire vision "-all thnt Isaiah has put before yield it the slightest credence. They will them in vers. 1-8. As the words of a only mo.rvel how II snne mn.n could have book that is sealed; rather, the worru of a uttered such egregious folly. Cry ye out, letter (marginal rendering) or writing, and ory. Delitzsch and Mr. Cheyne trans- Written documents were often sealed up to late, "Blind yourselves, and be blind," secure secrecy, the sealing being done in which certainly gives a much better sense, various ways. When the writing was on e. and is justified by the use of the same verb clay tablet, it was often enclosed in a clay in eh. vi. 10. As Pharo.oh began by harden- envelope, so that the document could not be ing his own heart, and then God hardened read till the outer clay covering was broken. it (' Pulpit Commentary ' on Exodus, pp. Rolls of papyrus or parchment were secured 103 166, 203, etc.), so those who blind differently. One that is learned; i.e. " one their own eyes, and will not see when they that can read writing," which the ordinary have the power, are, in the end, if they Jew could not do, any more than the ordi- persist, judicially blinded by God. They nary Enropean in the Middle Ages. Neither are drunken, but not with wine. The the learned nor the unlearned Jews would drunkards of Ephrnim" (eh. xxviii. 3) were be a.hie t.o understand Isaiah's prophecy, so such literally. They "erred through strong as to realize and accept its literal truth. drink" (eh. xxviii. 7); they "were swal- They were devoid of spiritual discernment. lowed up of wine;" but the case was dif- Even the rulers were but "blind leaders of ferent with the infe.tuated ones of Judah. the blind.", They were morally, not physically, intoxi- Ver. 12.-Xim that is not learned; i.e. cated. Their pride and self-trust rendered "that cannot read writing." Even in our them as irrational and as unimpressionable Lord's day the ordinary Jew was not taught as ever drunkenness rendered any man ; to read and write. Hence the surprise of but they were not actual drunkards. the rulers at hie teaching the people out of Ver. 10.-The Lord hath poured out upon the Law (John vii. 15, "How knoweth this you the spirit of deep aleep. " Sleep," in me.n letters, having never learned? "). Scripture, is sometimes" rest," "repose from trouble" (" So he giveth his beloved sleep," Vers. 13-16.-A RENEWAL OF WA.BnNG. Ps. cxxviii. 2). But here it is "spiritual The inability of the Jews to comprehend deadness and impnssiveness"-an inability Isniah's threatening prophecies probably to appreciate, or even to underst!l-nd, arose in plll't from their accomplishment spiritual warnings: The :J~ws of Ise.1ah's seeming to be inconceivable, since they ran time were sunk rn a spmtual lethargy, counter to the covene.nt promises made by from which be vainly endeavoured to a.rouse them. This spiritunl lethargy is here said God to Israel. Isainh is therefore instructed to have been "poured out upon them by to inform them the.t it was a most m11,Ivel- J ehovRh ; " but we a.re not to suppose that lous and e.lmost inconceivable thing th,; t there wns anything exceptional in their God wo.a now purposing to do, yet a thing treatment-" because they did not like to justified by their hypocrisy (ver. 13) and retain God in their knowledge, God gnve them over to o. roprobo.te mind" (Rom. i. their rebellion (vers. 15, 16). 28), as be does men generally. Hath oloaed Yer. 13.-Wherefore the Lord said; your eyes (comp. oh. vi. 10 ; nnd see also rnther moreover the Lord said. This people Mo.tt. xii. 13; Mo.rk iv. 12; Luke viii. 10; draw ~ear me with their mouth. S,uuo.ri,i John xii. 40; xi. 8, etc.). The prophets. h11d been punished for open idolo.try au<l As the text sto.nds, the proper translation fingrant neglect of Jehovah (2 Kings xvii. would be, "For the Lord bath poured out 7-17). Jerusalem had not gone these upon you the spirit of doep sleep, nncl hC1th lengths. She still, in profession, clung to closed your eyes (the prophets), nnd your the worship of Jehovah, and hnd even re- bends (the seers) bath he covered." But it cently accepted o. purification of religiou 1\t • is rensouo.bly conjectured th .. ~ the expres- the h11nd of Hezekiah, who had "1en1oveu eions, " the prophtits," " the seers," are the high ph1,oe11, . i • u.ncl out down the 47-l TIIE BOOK OF THE PllOPBET lSAIAH, [cat. :u.1x. 1-24,