The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 538

88 in the m11,rgiu, la withered away ( comp. of a happy, tre.nquil Judah melting into oh. xix. 6). Lebe.non, Bh11,rou, Carmel, a.nd that of Messiah's glorious kingdom. Bo.sho.n o.ro the four moet beo.utiful regions of Ver. 13.-Hear, ye the.t are far off', etc. the Holy La.ud, ta.king the word in its widest Jehovah speaks by the mouth of his prophet, extent. Lebo.non is the northern mounta.in- and calls on the nations of the earth, fnr ro.nge, one hundred a.nd twenty miles in and near, to consider and acknowledge his length, cla.d with cedars a.nd firs, a.nd generally might, as shown in his judgment on Assyria. orowned with snow, whence the name (from (comp. Exod. xv. 14-16). laban, white). Bh11ron is "the broad rich Ver. H.-The sinners in Zion are afraid. tro.ot of lo.nd" which stretches southwards The prophet proceeds to speak in his own from the foot of Carmel, e.nd melts into the person. The judgment on Assyria., he says, Shefele.h,noted for its flowers (Ce.ut. ii. I) and cannot but strike terror into the hearts of forests (Josephus, •Ant. Jud.,' xiv. 13, § 3). the immoral o.nd irreligious in Zion. They Carmel is the uplo.nd dividing Bhe.ron from cannot foil to realize their own danger, and the Esdrnelon plain, fa.moue for its "rocky to tremble o.t it. Who among ua, they dells" e.nd "deep jungles of copse." Finally, will say, can dwell with the devouring lire l Ba.she.n is the tmns-Jorda.nic upland, stretch- Who among ua shall dwell with everlasting ing from the fle.nks of Hermon to Gilead, bnrDings l They will recognize God as "a celebrated for its " high dowus" e.nd " wide- consuming Fire" (Deut. iv. 24), whose next sweeping plains," for its '' forests of oa~," outbreak may be upon themselves, and will e.nd in ancient times for its herds of wild shudder at the prospect. cattle. All a.re so.id to be " waste,'' " with- Ver.15.-He that welketh righteously, etc. ered," e.nd the like, partly on account of The prophet answers the question which he the Assyrian ravages, but perhaps still more has supposed to be asked. None can endlll'e 1),11 sympathizing with the Jewiah nation in the revelation of the preseuce of God but their distress-" a.aho.med " for them, e.nd the holy and the upright-" he that bath clad in mourning on their account. She.ke clean hands, and a plll'e heart; who hath off their fruits; ro.ther, perhaps, shake down not lifted up hie soul unto vanity, nor their leaves. Mr. Cheyne conjectures that swom deceitfully" (Pe. xxiv. 4; comp. xv. the prophecy was delivered in autumn. 2-5). Uprightness is then explained as Ver. 10.-Now will I rise, Judah's ex- consisting in six things mainly-{!) Just tremity is Jehovah'e opportunity. "Now" conduct; (2) righteous speech; (3) hatred e.t length the time is come for God to show of oppression; (4) rejection of bribes; (5) himself. He will rise from hie throne, a.nd closing the ear against murderous sugges- e.ctively display his power; ~e "!ill exe.lt tions; (6) closing tho eye against sinful himself above the heathen-lift himself up sights. We mo.y compare with this sum- a.hove the nations. mary those of the Psalms above quoted. Ver. 11.-Ye ahe.11 oonoeive ohaff. The No enumemtion is complete, or intended A.seyrinn plane against Jerusalem shall be to be complete. Isaiah's ho.a special refer- mere "cha.ff" e.nd "stubble." They shall ence to the fe.vourite sins of the time-injus- come to nought. Nay, the fury of the foe tice ( eh. iii. 15 ; v. 23), oppression ( eh. i. against J erosalem shall be the fire to destroy 17, 23; iii. 12, 14; v. 7; etc.), the receiving them. of bribes (eh. i. 23; Hos. iv. 18; Micah iii. Ver. 12.-The people; rather, tlle peoples, 11), and bloodshed reh. i. 15, 21; lix. 3). e.s in ver. 3; i.e. the nations composing the Ver. 16.-He shlill dwell on high; lite- Assyrian army. As the burnings of lime; mlly, inhabit heights-live, e.a it were, in the as thorns. Things that fire consumes utterly perpetual presence of God. His plaoe ot and quickly. defenoe shall be the munition.a of rocks ; ro.ther, strongholds of rocks (i.e. rocky strong- Vera. 13-24.-REFLECTIONS ON Assrnu.'s holds) shall be his refuge. He shall fly to 0VEBTBBOW VIEWED AS ACCOlll'LIBHED, The God, as hie " Rook and his_ Fortress" (Ps. prophet's first thought is, how wonderfully xviii. 2), not from him, as hie " Enemy and the overthrow ha.a manifested the might of Avena-er" (Ps. viii. 2). Bread ... watera; God (ver. 13). Next, how it must thrill i.e. all that is necessary for his support and euetenanoe. Shall be given him . . . shnll with fear the hearts of the wicked amoug be sure; rather, ill given him ... iB sure. his people (var. 14). Thirdly, how the Godliness has " the promise of the life that righteous nre by it pla.oed in seourity, and now is," as well a.s that of the life "which oe.n look buck with joy to their escape, nnd is to come" (l Tim. iv. 8). can with confidence look forwnrd to a future Ver. 17.-Thine eyes. Another transi- tion. Here from the third person to the of ho.ppinesa and tranquillity (vers. 15-24). second, the prophet now o.ddressing those Mesaiunio idea.a intermingle with these righteous ones of whom he has been speak- }Qtter thoughts (vof8, l 7, 23), tho Ullage ing 41 the two preceding versee. Shall 1eo  642 'l'HE BOOK OF THE PROI'llET ISAIAH, (ou. xx.xm. l-24,