The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 493

Vore, 18-26.-A RENEWAL OF PROMISE, mtions, but sufflcien t ; and thy teachera The denunciations of tho preoeding paese.ge 8ha ll not, etc. Be removed into a corner ; (vcre. 9-17) had boon so terrible that, with- i.e." ha~e to hide themeell'cs from pereecu- tion." A persecution or Jehovnh's prophets out some countcrpoiee of promise, they must had commenoed in Judah during the reign hn,•e produced a goueral despair. This wae of Joash (2 Chron. xxiv. 19-22), nnd had not the Divine purpose. Ju,iah'e probation probably continued with more or less se- still rontinued. Therefore it was neoessary verity ever since. to let it be seen that the Dinne long-suffer- Ver. 21.-Thine ears shall hear II word ing was not yet exhausted-there were still behind thee. Kay so.ys, "The teacher will go before his flock, marking out the way conditions under which God would be gra- before them." But in that case, the flock cious to his people. The conditions were would henr the word before them. Delitzsoh "crying to the Lord" (ver. 19), and entire explains better, "ThPy (the teachers), as abolition of idolatry (ver. 22). the shepherds of the flock, would follow th~ people with friendly words of admonition." Ver. 1S.-And therefore. "Because your Even in the East, shepherds sometimes fol- sins require this chastisement" (Kay); low their flocks (see Gen. xxxii.17). When " Decnuse of the extremity of your need" ye turn, i.e. when ye are about to tum. (Cheyne). It is, perhaps, best to own that Ver. 22.-Ye shall defile also the oovering the motives of the Divine action are very of thy graven images of silver. Idolatry, com111only obscure; and, if seen clculy by greatly encouraged by Ahaz, he.d been the prophets, are certainly not clearly set strictly forbidden by Hezekiah at the be- forth, being (it may be) inscrutable. While ginning of his reign (2 Kings xviii. 4); but the motive, however, is obscure, the promise the present passl\ge, among others, shows is plain and unmistakable. rhe Lord will how impossible it was for a king, with the wait, that he may be gracious unto you. best intentions, to effect the extirpation of God is not about at present to "make a full idolatry, if his subjects were attached to it. end;" he is bent on "waiting "-hiB intent Evidently the Jews he.d, .in me.ny cases, is "to be gracious." Re will be exalted, that secretly maintained .their idols and their he may have mercy. He will find some idolatrous practices, despite the efforts of means of nndice.ting his honour and exalt- Hezekiah. But now, in their repentance, ing liimself, short of your destruction, in they would "defile" (i.e. destroy) both the order that it may be open to him to give outer " covering " of precious metal, and the vou a further chance of repentance, whereby inner core of wood or stone, or be.se metallic you would obtain mercy. For the Lord is a substance. The ornament of thy molten God of ju.dgment. God is essentially just; images of gold ; rather, the coating or over- sin must recei <e punishment; but the punish- laying. It was usual to overlay with gold or ment may he short of destruction. Justice silver molten imagee of bronze or other in- does not exclude mercy. If men bear their ferior metal. Cast them away; literally, punishment with pe.tience, and wait for scat/JJr; i.e. either grind them io powder God, a brighter day will de.wn on them in (2 Kings xxiii. 6), or at any rate break them eonr,;e of time. to LitH, and then disperse the fragments far ,er. 19.-For the people Bhall dwell in and wide. Zion; rather, a people shall continue. J eru- Ver. 23.-Then shall he give the re.in· of S'.llem ~hall not now be made desolate, or thy seed, that thou shalt sow the gronnd deprived of its inhabitants. Whatever the withal; rather, then shall he give rain for number of captives taken, "a people shall thy seed, wherewith thou sowest the ground. remain." rhou shalt weep no more. The God, he.ving forgiven his people, will once reasons for weeping shall be removed. Re more renew the blessings of his ordinary will be very gracious unto thee at the voice providence, giving them "re.in from hee.ven, of thy cry. For God to be gracioUB to them, and fruitful seaaolll', filling their hearts with they must first " cry" to him-make an food and gladness" (Acts xiv. 17). Bread earnest, hearty appeal to him for mercy. of the increase of the earth; rather, bread, Their "cry" will be answered as soon ae the prodwie of the ground ; i.e. ordinary heard, i.e. as soon as uttered. bread, not "bread from heaven," like tbe Ver. 20.-And though the Lord give you manna in the wilderness. Fat and plenteous; the bread of adversity (so Mr. Cheyne). literally, rich and/at. Thyoattle. To com- But most modern critics (Kay, Delitzsch, plete the general prosperity, there should be Ve.nee Smith, etc.) rege.rd the words as a plentiful pasture for the flocks and herds. promise of support through the siege, and Ver. 24.-The oxen likewise and the young omit the interpolat.ed "though," Translate, asses that ear the gronnd; rather, that till And tl.e Lord 'IDl,11 give you bread of ad- or culti11ate the ground. The Hebrew word ""'"11• and 10ater of ajl,iction ; i.e. liC&Dt ii generic, and does not apply t.o '' earing •• cm. xxx. 1-33.J 'fHE BOOK OF TIIE PROPHET ISAIAH. 493