■onglira. No particulo.r "book " is intended thing of nought; rather, and depri11,, tht -,epher being without tho article, but the jiut [of their right] by empty charge6. "Turn- words of any ,writing put forth with Div:ine ing aside the just" means turning them nuthority, The eyes of the blind aha.II see frmn their right (Amos v. 12; Exod. xxiii. also ont of obscurity. Men ehall aho.ke 6); and bat-tohu is not "for nothing" but oft' the "deep sleep" (vcr. 10) in which "by nothing," i.e. by some vo.in empty pre- they h11ve long lain, Rnd h11ve once more tence. "eyes to see" the truth. Ver. 22.-The Lord, who redeemed Abra- Ver. 19.-The meek . , . the poor. The ho.m j rather, who delivered Abraham, as "evangelical prophet" anticipates the the verb user! is often rendered (see Job gospel in this, nmong other points-that he xxxiii. 28; Ps. Iv. 18; lxix. 18; lxxviii. promises his choicest blessings, not to the 42, etc.). God's directions to Abraham to rich and mighty, but to the poor and meek remove from a land of idolaters (Josh. xxiv. (comp. eh, !vii. 15; lxi. I). 2, 3 ; Acts vii. 2, 3) were practically o Ver. 20.-The terrible one ... the scorner. "delivero.nce." The work thus commenced "The ierrible one" m11y be the foreign would not be suffered to remain incomplete. enemy, as in ver. 5, or, possibly, the native Israel-the true lsro.el-would not be oppr~ssor (eh. i. 23; v. 23, etc.)-a. still more ashamed, or wax pale through fear any fearful evil, "The scorner" is the godless more; they would be God's children, his true ri1an, who scoffs at religion (eh. xxviii. 14, worshippers, and would ho.ve no need to 22). Both classes would be "consumed" experience either fear or shame. and "brought to ·nought" when the new Ver. 23.-The work of mine hands; i.e. -sto.te · of things was established. All that regenerated and "created anew unto good watch for iniquity; i.e. " all those who, for works" (Eph. ii. 10)-God's work, and no the furtherance of their iniquitous schemes, longer denying themselves to be such (ver. rise up early and late take rest, e.nd eat the 16). They shall sanctify my Name, and bread of cl!.refu\ness" (Ps. cxxvii. 2). sanctify, etc.; rather, they shall sanctify my Ver. 21.-That make a man an offender Name, they shall ei:en sanctify the Ho/1.1 One for a word.. The meanin~ of this clo.use· is of Jacob, and fear the God of I,rael. The very doubtful.., Ko.y translates, " Tho.t lead last two clauses are exegetical of tae first men into sin by words ; " Mr. Cheyne, (Kay). '' Tho.t m11.ke out people to ' be sinners by Ver. 24.-They also that erred in spirit; their words," i.e. by bearing fa.lee witness i.e. those who were blind o.nd deaf (ver. ngo.inst them; while Delitzsch upholds the 18). Shall come to nndersta.nding; litemlly, 1·endering of the Authorized Version. Mr. shall know understanding; i.e. recover their Vo.nee Smith has other suggestions(' Pro- power of spiritual discernment. They tho.t phecies,' p. -171). There seems to be, on munnured. The reference cannot be to the the.· whole, no sufficient reason for setting "murmuring" in Egypt, though the verb e.side the o.uthorized rendering, which con- used occurs only elsewhere in Deut. i. 27 demns <ine form of oppression-the severe and Ps. cvi. 25, where that murmuring is punishment of mere words. And lay a spoken of. We must look for some later snare for him that reproveth in the gate. discontent, which we mo.y find in quite "The gate" was the pie.co where judgment recent" murmuring resisto.nce to the admo- was given and public assemblies held. If nitions of Jehovah" (Delitzsch), without any one boldly stood up and reproved the going back so far us the time of the Exodus. oppressors "in the gate," they inst11ntly set Shall learn dootrine ; i.e. " sho.11 willingly to work to lay e. trap for him o.nd bring him receive the teaching, of God's prophets, and to ruin. And tum aside the j11J1t for a profit by it."
HOMILETICS. Vera. 1-4.-" Woe to ,41-teZ I" The lesson of this section seems to be that even those nearest and dearest to God, who bear his name, who are in e. certain sense his, are not exempt from suffering nt his hands, Evon Jerusalem," the city where David dwelt"- " God's 'lion," his champion, his" mighty one "-was shortly to experience all the horrors of a prolonged siege, to be brought down to the dust-to be distressed, weakened, humiliated. The memory of David would not 1mve her; her name of "Ariel" would not exempt her. She would have to go through the fearful ordeal. The Christian may humbly ask-Wherefore? l. BEOAUBE, BAVING BINNED, 8IlE DESERVED PUNISHMENT, God cannot allow sin to go unpunished. _His attribute_ of perfect j~1stice requires that even_ for pardo~ed si_n •tli:ere should bo a penrilty. It 1s well for srnners when the penalty 1s exacted m th1~ 4i6 THE BOOK OIi' TH~ PROPHET ISAIAH. (du. xx1x. 1-2+.