The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 67

Ver. 19.-The workman melteth II graven paesnge thus: "Have ye not understood the image j rather, the worleman oa8teth an image foundations of the earth?" i.e. how it was (oomp. oh. :Iii. 7; xliv. 9-17; xlvi. 6, 7). founded, or created-the.t its creation wu.s Iero.ol's tendeooy to idolatry has been touched God's sole a.et? (so the LXX., the Vulgate, on in the earlier prophecies once or twice Gesenius, Hitzig, Delitzsch, Knobel, Kay ; ( eh. ii. 8, 20; xu:i. 7) ; but in the later but Ewald, Henderson,Weir, and Mr. Cheyne chapters idolatry is assailed with a frequency, prefer the rendering of the Authorized o. pungenoy, e.nd a vigour that are new, and Version). that imply a change, either in the prophet's Ver. 22.-It is he that sitteth upon the oiroumetancee or in hie standpoint. Per- eirole of the earth; rather, above the vault of haps it ie enough to suppose thnt, placing the earth; above the vault of sky which himself ideally among the captives, Isaiah seems to arch over the earth. As gre.ss- sees that the Babylonian idolatry will be, hoppers; i.e. minute, scarcely visible ( comp. or e.t any rate may he, e. snare to them, e.nd Numb. xiii. 33). That atretcheth out the provides an antidote against the subtle heavens e.a a curtain. So in Ps. civ. 2, only poison. The specie.I antidote which he em- that here the " curtain" is represented na ploys is ridioule, and the first ground of his one of thin gauze. The idea is common to ridicule is the genesis or formation of an lsailih with Job (ix. BJ. Jeremie.h (x. rn; Ii. image. It ie me.de by man himself, out of 15), e.nd Zeche.rie.h (xii. 1), and is e. favourite known material substances. Either e. figure one in these later chapters ( comp. eh. xiii. is oaet in some inferior metal, and then 5; xliv. 24; xiv. 12; Ii. 13). As e. tent coated with gold and finished with the grav- (comp. Pe. xix. 4, where Goel is said to havo ing tool, or a mere block of wood ie taken set in the heavens e. "te.berne.cle "-• ohel, the and cut into shape. Can it be supposed word used here-for the sun). that such things are "likenesses" or God, or Ver. 23.-The princes ... the judges; that he is comparable to them? Casteth rather, princes, judges. The entire class of silver chains; as ornaments to be worn by such is meant, not any special inclividue.le the images, which were often dressed (see (comp. Ps. evil. 40; Job xii. 19-21). As Thucyd., ii. 13; Baruch vi. 9-12). vanity; or, 48 cliaos-the same word thnt is Ver. 20.-He that is so impoverished, etc.; used in ver. 17. rather, Tie that can only make a poor offering, Ver. 24.-They shall not be planted ... i.e. that cannot spend much on religion. shall not be sown . , . shall not te.ke root. Chooseth a tree; rather, clioosetli wood-goes The verbs a.re all of them in the past tense, to the carpenter, and selects e. good sound Translate, have 11ot beeu planted, ... so,rn, etc. block of wood, out of whioh his idol shall be The meaning is that princes aucl judges of mnde. After this he has to find a skilful the earth are not fixed in their pbce.-, hnve worl1mau, who will carve his image for him no firm root in the soil, e.re easily overturnc,I. aud set it up, so that it she.II not shake. As Even if the case were different, a brmtli Delitzsch observes, "The thing carries its from the Almighty would, as a wnltcr of own so.tire" in the mere pie.in description of course, dry them up (see ver. 7) and blow it. Is such a thing comparable to God? them t\Way. Aa stubble (comp. eh. v. 2-l; Ver. 21.-He.ve ye not known 1 Hitherto Pe. lxxxiii. 13). the prophet has restrained himself, and con- Ver. 25.-To whom then, etc.? This is[\ fined himself to quiet ee.roasm. Now he summary, to conclude the section (vers. I!) bursts out. Is there any one so insensate, -2!), as ver. 18 concludes the preceding so devoid of nature.I reason and understand- one. If God is pnre.mount over idols (vers. ing, as not to know whe.t has been known to 19, 20) and over nature (ver. 22) ancl over all from the beginning-yea, from the fo1l.D.- huwe.nity (vere. 23, 24), to whom can he be dations of the earth-by" the light the.t is in likened? Is he not altogether unique an,l them," viz. that God is something wholly incomparable? Saith the Holy One (comp. differont from this ?-that he ie such a One eh. !vii. 15). Isaiah's specie.I desigoo.tion ,1f as the prophet proceeds to describe in vers. God, at once preguant and almost peculiar 22-2-1, a.like above nature and nbove man, (see the comment ou eh. i. 4), is "tlie Holy Lord of heaven and earth, and absolute Dis- One of Israel." Thie is, here and in eh. !vii. poser of the fates of 1111 men ? He.th it not 15, abbreviated. been told you 1 If ye he.ve not known the Ver. 26.-Lift up your eyes, etc. Once nature of God by the light of nature, has it more an appeal ie made to creation, e.s prov- not come down to you by tradition? Have ing God's greatucss. "Lift up your eyes not your fathers told it you? Has it not been on high, and see who bath created those handed on by sire to son from tho very (hel\vens), bringing out their host (i.e. tho foundation of the earth? The appeal is to stars) by number, or in their full numbor men generally, not especially to Israel. Have (Cheyne), and onlling them all by names" ye not understood, eto.? Some omit the pre- (comp. Ps. oxlvii. 4, 5, "He tellcth thu 11osUion after " understood," and render the number of the st,\rs, uml co.lleth them all by  70 TliE BOOK OF TlIE l>ROPlIE'l' tSAlAIJ. [ou. n.. 1--.'31.