nations weep and lRment, and are burnt up Lord shall the AH;rrlan be beat.en down ; bv Goo's anger, Rud swept nway by hie ml.her, for at (ha ooice of the Lord, ehall ••ornrllowing flood," and guided to their Assyria be dismayed (compo.ro the llrst clo.uso de8truction by his bridle in their jaws, Israel of ver. 30). Whioh ■mote with a rod; 1·ather, shall rejoice "ith singing. As in the night with llUJ rod will he (i.e. Jehovah) smite. when a holy solemnity is kept. Perhaps a Ver, 32. -In every plaoe where the special reference is intended t,o the Pass- grounded staff shall pass, etc.; rather, and it over-fea8t, which commoncod with an even- shall come to pMS that every strol,e (literully, ing or night celebration (Exod. xii. 6, 8, 42; pMsage) of th6 destined rod, whicl, Jehovah l111ttt. xxYi. 30). Or perhaps" Isaiah is not causes to rest 1tpo11 hi,n shall be with a11 referring to one f,•ast moro than another" accompaniment of drums and aitherns. (Cheyne), night-rituals belonging to all Each lllow dealt to Assyria shall rejoioe her fea8t.s, sinc-c the day commenced with the enemies, and co.use them to break out into sun8et. The Passover-song consisted. of songs of praise, accompanied by the musio Ps. c:i;:iii.-cxviii. And as when one goeth of various instruments (comp. ver. 29; and with a pipe to come into the monntain of the see Riso Exod. xv. 1-21). In battles .of Lord. Joyful processions from the country shaking; or, battles of swinging-" those iE districts to Jerusa.lem are alluded to. These which Jehovah swings his rod, and deals were commonly hcadc<l by a piper or a band (repeated) blows to his enemies" (Cheyne). of pipers (Vitringa.). They took place several Will he fight with it; rather, will he fight times in the year-at each of the thxee great against her; i.e. against AssyriB. feasts, ancl irregularly when any district Ver. 33.-For Tophet is ordained of old; ecnt up its fustfrnits to the temple treasury rather, for a Tophet has been long since pre- (Neh. x. 35-37). To the Mighty One of pared. A " Tophet " is a place of burning, Israel; literally, to the Flock of Israel; i.e. to probably derived from the Aryan root tap Jehqwah (comp. eh. xvii. 10; and see also or taph, found in Greek -r&tpos, -rl,Ppa, Latin Dent. x:nii. 4, 15, 18, :JO, 31; Ps. xviii. 2, tep-idus, Sanskrit tap, Persian tdphtan. The :JI, 46, etc.). The idea. embodied in the name was specially attached to a partionlar metaphor is ratber that of au unfailing spot in the Valley of Hinnom, where sacrifices refuge than of mere might and power. were offered to Moloch (2 Kings xxiii. 10 ; Ver. 30.-The Lord shall oa.uehis gloriou Jer. vii 31; xi.x. 6, 11, etc.); but Isaiah voice to be heard; lit.erally, the maje.sty of his seems to use it generically, as if the1·e were 'IJOice. Mr. Cheyne renders, "the peal of many Topbeta. l!'or the king it is prepared; his voice." Deli tzsch understands fearful literally, it also ia prepared for the king-in thundering, like that at Sinai (Exod. xix. the Hebrew" for the melech," which is the 16; xx. 18), to be intended (comp. Ps. xxix. same word as "Moloch," who we.a looked 3-9). The lighting down of his arm; i.e. upon by his worshippers as" the king," ,ca-r' the blow causing the destruction, of ver. 3 l, il;ox~v. Isaiah means to say," As the •ro- of whatever kind that destruction migllt be phet of the Vale of Hinnom is prepared for a -blasting by lightning, plague, eimoom, king (Maloch), so this new Tophet is pre- death by the visitation of God, as men pared for another king(the King of Assyria)." slept, or any other sndden. sweeping co.to.s- :S:e hath made it deep and large-a. vast trophe. With the indignation of his anger; burning-pls.ce for a vast multitude (2 Kin~ mther, in /wry of anger. With the ftame of xix. 35), with the fire aud the wood ready, a devouring :fire; rather, with a flame of only awaiting the breath of Jehovah to devOU,rtng fire. All the elements of storm kindle it. As the bodies of grea.t malefactors a.re aooumule.ted by the prophet, to express were burnt (Josh. vii. 25), o.nd not buried, the terrible character of the coming judg- so the prophet consigns to a great burning ment-lightuing, and sce.ttering (of crops?), the hundred o.nd eighty-five thousand As- tempestuous wind, and hail-atones. syrian .corpses, of which it would soon be Ver. 31.-For through the voice of the necessary to dispose in some way.
HOMILETICS. Vera. 1-7.-A godless policy issues in disaster, however seemingly wise. In the sight of ma11 there was no more prudent course for the Jews to take than to ally them~ selves with Egypt. Egypt was the only power in their neighbourhood that could possibly make head against Assyria. Egypt had a standing army, trained warriors, an ancient military system, numerous cha.riots and horses, ample siege material, and abundant appliances of war. She was at the time closely connected with Ethiopia, and could bring into the field the forces of two great nations. Had ehe been thoroughly awake to her own interests, she would have strained every nerve to make an cffectiv1 oa. :ux. 1-33.J THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 495
league of the smnll nations and tribes lying between her and Assyria Proper, in order to oheck the advance of that ambitious and dangerous power. Hezekiah and his advisers might naturally see in Egypt, not only their only possible protector, but one to whoso protection they might look with confidence and hope. There was one thing only to be set against all this. 'l'he Egyptians were a nation of idolaters, and God had expressly wnrned the Jews, by the mouth of Isaiah, against relying on them (eh. xx. 2-6). Thus reliance o~ Egypt was. a godless yolicy-inv~lved taking up a position_ of hostility to God; censrng to nsk his counsel (ver.1), turnmg a deaf ear to any warnmgs that might be addressed to them by God's prophets (eh. xxi.x. 10---14). And God made it of none effect. God blinded Tirhakah to his true interests, and made him act in the most foolish way possible-first encourage Hezekiah to revolt, and then desert him in the hour of need and peril. Some such result follows always on the adoption of a godless policy. The expectations of those who engage in it :i.re disappointed; there is a. failure somewhere : " God arises, a.nd his enemies are scattered; " their clever schemes break down and come to nought,