The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 97

writer fn.milio.r with the Po.leelanian region, mentators regard "the former thinge" as but not fomilie.r with Babylonio.. things actually past--•• the bcginninge or Ver. 20.-The.t they me.y see, etc. The history, for instance, which to the heathen cho.nge would be such thnt those who ex- nations were, wrapped in darkness" (Kay); perienced it could not fail to recognize but it seems better, on the whole, to under- "Jehove.h, the Holy One of Iere.el," e.s its etand (with Vitringa, Stier, Hahn, Cheyne, Author. end Delitzsch) by "the former thinge" Vere. 21-29.-JEHOVAB's CONTROVERSY those in the immediate futnre, by "thin~ WITH THE NATIONS AND THEIR IDOL-Goos. for to come" those about to happen in remoter times. The former are, of course, The argument is now taken up from vere. much the easier to predict, since they fall 1-4. Jehove.h e.nd his worshippers e.re on to some extent within the domain of human the one side; the idol-gods e.nd their votaries foresight; the latter are more difficult; but on the other. The direct cbe.llenge, how- the idol-gnds are challenged to produce ever, is given by Jehove.h himself to the either the one or the other. Whe.t they be. A definite and clear etatement is required idols: I. Whe.t predictions of their own to preclude such vague and ambiguous can they bring forward o.e proofs of SU· utterances as the heathen oracles delighted pernaturo.l knowledge? 2. What ,'.indica• to put forth. That we me.y consider them tions can they give of power either to do (or, lay them to heart), and know the latter good or to do evil (vers. 22, 23)? If they end of them; i.e. compare them with tbe event, when the time comes. can do neither, they are vanity (ver. 24). Ver. 23.-Yea, do good, or do evil. Here Jehovah hns both reared up Cyrus-he the proof required of tbe idol-gods is and he only-and has announced the good changed. If they cannot prophesy, can tidings to his people (vere. 25-27). No they effect anything? Can they do either such announcement ho.s been made by the good or harm? Let them show this. It is idol-gods; they o.re therefore mere " wind a plain "abatement" from the first demand, and therefore properly introduce<l by "yea" e.nd confusion" (vers. 28, 29). (aph); comp. I Kings viii. 27. The.t we Ver. 21.-Produce your oause. The may be disme.yed; i.e. rather, perhaps, that ne.tions had been told to "draw near"-to we may look to it, or examine it ; i.e. see if " keep. silence " while God spoke-and you have really shown a power of doing any- "then to epeo.k" (ver. I). Now the time thing. for them to speak is come, and they are Ver. 24.-A pause may be mpposed challenged to "produce" and pleo.d "their between vers. 23 and 2-!, during which the cause." Your strong reasons; literally, your idol-gods o.re given the opportunity of bulwar1's, or defences. Saith the King of "bringing forth their strong reasons," o.nd, J'e.oob. Tho king and tutelary god of the in one wo.y or other, proving their Divinity. nation, Ismol, really holding tho position But they are stricken dumb; they say tho.t the idol-gods were regarded as holding nothing. Accordingly, "judgment goes towards the peoples that worshipped them. against them by default" (Cheyne), an,! The "kingly" clmro.cter of the idol-gods Jehomh breo.ke out upon them with wonls wo.s indico.tcd in such names as Moloch of contempt and contumely, :Behold, ye (equivo.lent to "king"), l\1elko.rth (equiva- are of nothing, eto. "Ye are utterly vain lent to "king of the city"), Atlrammeleoh and futile." ( equivalent to " glorious king "), Baal Ver. 25.-It remo.ine for Jehovah to plead (equivalent to" lord"), Adonis (equivalent hie own cause, to vindicate his own Divinity. to " my lord "), eto. He adduces, as proof of his power in action, Ver. 22.-Let them , . , show us whe.t the foot of his raising up Cyrus; o.s proot will happen, God cle.ims that the power of of hie o.bility to predict, the fo.ct that he has predicting the future is his own inalienable announced his coming. One from the north prerogative. He defies the idol-gods and , . . from the rising of the sun. Both as a their T0to.ries to give any clear prediction Persian, and as King of Elam, Cyrus might of future events. No doubt the claim to be considered to come from the east. In possess the power was made very generally fact, however, when lie attacked Do.bylon, among the idolo.trous no.tione, who almost he fell upon it mainly from the north. universally practised divination, and in After hie conquest of Astyages (Ietivegu), mo.ny cases possessed oracles. But it was he made Eobo.tnna his co.pita! (Herod., i e. fo.leo claim, based upon fro.ud and cunning, 153); and it was from this comparatively which deceived men as often as dependence northern city that he directed hie C1ttack was placed upon it (Herod., i. 53, 91) and upon N,ibonidue. His march lay by way of landed them in misfortune. The former Atbelo. (' Tralll!e.Ctione of the Society of Bibi. thinga , . . things for to oome. Some oom- ArohlllOI.,' vol. vii. p. 159) and Sipparo.  100 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [oH, XLI, 1-29,