nature, not spirit-horses, wHh o life and inatitution or tho Passover, when the angol, vigour of their own, by which they could sometimes iclentified with Jehovah himself, ho a. real tower of strength to those on "po.seed over" and spared the Israelites. whose aide they ranged themeolves. They Ver. 6.--Turn ya unto him. Then, at all shall fnil 'together ; i.e. the helpers and any rate, if not before, tnrn to him who the helped (comp11re the ooncludiug clauses will have deliverecl you from so great a of ver. 2). peril. "Turn to him, 0 children of l81'ael, Vore. 4-9.-A PnoMIBE OF PIIOTECTION, from whom men have so deeply revolted." Al_.D OF TBl!I DIBCOMFITUBID OF ASSYRIA. The third person ie used instead of tho second, out of tenderness, not to hurt their In the promise of protection (vcre. 4, 5) feelings by mingling with promise an open there ie nothing new but the imagery, rebuke. whioh ie of remarkable boouty. The Ver 7.-For in that day every man shall promise is followed by e. brief exhortation cast away his idols. "In that day "-the (vers. 6, 7); and then the discomfiture of day of Assyria's discomfiture - shall the vanity of idols be seen a.nd recognized. Aseyrill ie declared in the plainest terms, They have not helped Aosyria. How should and her flight before the avenging sword of they help Judah (comp. eh. xxx. 22)? God (vers. 8, 9). Ver. 8.-Then shall the Assyrian fall with Ver. 4.-Like as the lion, etc. The re- the sword, not of a mighty man; rather, semble.nee of this eimiletoHom., 'Iliad,' x.viii. and Assyria shall fall by the BWOTd of ,m~ ll. 161, 162, has been often noticed. In both, who ia not a man. Assyria's destruction the lion has seized his prey, and is orouch- will not be by the visible swords of hum.:rn ing over it ; the shepherds gather them- enemies, but by the invisible sword of God s.el ves together age.inst him, and seek to (comp. 2 Kings xix. 35). And the sword, scare him away; but he remains firm, not of a mean man, shall devour him; rather, un<;launted by their three.ta and cries, never and the sword of one who is not a mortal shall for a moment relinquishing the body of devour him-an instanco of " synonymous whioh he has made himself the master. parallelism." He shall dee; more literally, The image is best explained as representing betake himself to fliaht. His young men Jehovah, standing over and keeping guard shall be discomfited ; rnther, a.s in the on Jerusalem, wh~ch he will allow~no one margin, shall be for tribute. They shall to rend from him. And the young lion; become the vassals of e. foreign power. rather, even the young lion (Lowth). A Ver. 9.-And he sha.11 pus over to his single animal must be intended. Roaring strong hold for fear ; rather, and hia Roel, on his prey ; rather, gr<Yll!kth over his prey. shall pass atcay for fear (marginal render- So shall th11 Lord of hosts oome down to fight ing). It is generally agreed by recent for Mount Zion; rather, so shall the Lord commentators (Kay, Delitzsch, Cheyne), of ho_sts descend, to fight, on Mount Zion. that the rock intended, which i. contrasted If we oounect the concluding words of the with the "princes" of the next clause, is ola.use with tsaba, to fight, the meaning Assyria's king (see the contrast of the king, must be•• fight ago.inst," e.s Delitzsch shows who is "a great rock," and his princes, in conclusively: But we may connect them eh. xxxii. 1, 2). (On the hurried flight of with the more distant yered, will descend, Sennacherib to Ninevell, see below, eh. in which case they will mean "on," or xx.xvii. 37.) His princes shall be afraid of "upon Mount Zion" (comp. Exod. xix. 18; the ensign. The word nes, ensign, seems Ps. cxxxiii. 3). The best commentators 11re to be here used collectively. The Assyrian of opinion that this must be the sense. The princes would tremble at every signal that words are .a promise, not a threat. they saw disphyed along their line of route, Ver. 5.-As birds fiying; rather, as birds expecting some enemy to fall upon them. hovering, or fluttering, over their young, to llis furno.oa. Jehov11h was at once II Light protect them. A second simile, expressive to hia people, and " a. consuming Fire " of tenderness, as the former one was of (Heh. xii. 20) to his enemies. His presence, power and strength. Defending also, cto. indicated by the Shechinah iu the holy of Tre.nslato, defend-ing and deliverinr,, passinr, holies, was 11t onoe for blessing and for ooer and preserving. In tho word "passing buruing. over " there seems to be a referonoe to the
HOMILETICS. Vere. 2, 3.-Thefolly o/ trusting in an arm of flesh. "Put not your trust in priuces, nor in any child of man," says the psalmist (Ps. cxlvi. 3); "for there i~ no help in tbem." All huma.n props are uncertllin- 612 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [on. xxxr. 1-9.