The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 134

tloned whether reo.lly this ever formed e. (On the need of such escort; see Ezre. viii. portion of the Persio.n empire. But Iso.io.h 22, 31. On the actual furnishing of e.n hos probo.bly no very cliat.inct knowledge escort in one case by a Persian king, see of the geogro.phico.l position of Seba., or of Neh. ii. 7, 8.) ~e relations between the Sa.breo.ns a.ncl the Ver. 7.-Every one that is oalled by my rest of the Ethiopians. He couples the. two name. The very name of "Israel " meant together, both here e.ncl in eh. xl v. 14, as "prince of God," or" soldier of God," and formin~ two portions of one nation. The thns every Israelite was "called by Gorl's snbject'on of the Ethiopians involves, in his name." Israelites were also known among eyes, tl,e subjection of the So.breans. And the nations as Jehovah-worshippers (see the we co.nnot say that he is wrong, since it is Moo.bite Stone, line 18). I have created not o.t a.II clear that the folabroans were not . . . formed ... made him (comp. ver. l). generally spread through Ethiopia, or at "The three verbs describe the process of any rato scattered in various parts of the formation from the first rough cuttin"' to the country. perfecting of the work" (Cheynet The Ver. 4.-Since thou wast preoious. "Since" third verb would, perhaps, be best trans- probably means "from the time that" lated," I have perfected,'' or" I have com- (LX.X., /up' oli), not" because," as Delitzsch plete,! (him)." All three acts-creation, and Mr. Cheyne render. Israel became formation, e.nd completion-are done by "precious" from the time that the promise God for his own glory (comp. Prov. xvi. 4). was given to Jacob that in his seed all the Vers. 8-13.-A RENEWED CHALLENGE TO natioils of the earth should be bkssed (Gen. xxviii. H). Theuceforwo.rd God placed lhe THE NATIONS. The nations are once more interests of Israel above those of " men " challenged (comp. eh. xii. l, 21-26) to set generally, and marki,dly above those of any forth the claims of their gods against those other "people." People; rather, peoples- of J ehovab. Israel is summoned on the o.a l\1izraim, Cush, Seba (ver. 3). one hand (ver. 8); the nations on the other Ver. 5.-Fear not: for I am with thee ( comp. eh. xii. 10). I will bring thy seed (ver. 9). What prophecy can the nations from the east . . . from the west. The produce, either old or new? The Israelites e.clual extent of the Jewish diaspora in ce.n abundantly witness on behalf of J ehovnh Isaiah's de.y has been greatly exaggerated (ver. 10). Jehovah adds a further witness by some modern critics, who say that there of himself (vers. ll-13). were at that date "bands of Jewish exiles in the far lands of the Mediterranean, and Ver. 8.-Bring forth the blind people that even in Chino." (Cheyne). Israel had been have eyes. A tribunal is supposed to have carried captive into Mesopotamia and into been prepared, before which the contending Media (2 Kings xvii. 6; l Chron. v. 26), pMties a.re summoned to appear nnd plead. perhaps, also, into other regions belonging Israel is first summoned, as " o blind at the time to Assyria, o.s Dabylonia, Assyria people that have eyes;" i.e. a people long Proper, Syria. Two hundred thousand Jews blind (eh. xxix. 18; xxxv, 5; xlii. 7, JS, had been ta.ken to Nineveh by Sennacherib 19), who have now, to some extent, recoverer! (' Eponym Canon,' p. 13!), e.ncl p\11ntcd prob- their sight (eh. xxxii. 3; nxv. 5), and a.re ably by him in outlying portions of his ready to witness for God. Next, the nations dorninions. But such transplantation would nre summoned (see the following verse). not carry the dispersion further than Cilicia Ver. 9.-All the nations; ro.ther, all ye and Cyprus towards the west, Armenia nations. Israel is a witness on the one towards the north, Media towards the east, hand, a multitude of nRtions on the other, and the shores of the Persinn Gulf towards recalling tho contention of Elijah with the the south. Any scattering of the nation four huU<lred priests of Ban! ( I Kings xviii. into regions more remote than these, o.s into 22). The people; rather, the peoples. Who Egypt, Ethiopia, Elam (eh. xi.11),aud Chino. among them can deole.re this 1 i.e. which of -if !"-inim is China (eh. xlix. 12)-must them cun show any prediction mnr!e by their have been seen by Isaiah in vision, or ma.de gods comparable to the one conlo.ined in known to him by revelation. It bad not vers. 1-7 l And show us former things. taken place in his de.y. The expression, "Exhibit the past history of the world in "ends of the earth" (ver. 6), must not be well-attested documents" (Kay); "Make pressed in Isaiah e.ny more tho.n in Herodotus, mention of pest events which they hRve whore the luxaTla, T;js ol1touµ.,v11s a.re India, oorrcctly foretold" (Cheyne, Delitzsch). Are.hie., Ethiopia., and Soythia (iii.106-116). According to the former rendering, the con- Ver. 6.-Bring my ions. The niitions are trast is between the s,)!emn, serious hisfory co.lied upon, not merely to '' Jet Isrnel go,'' of early times in Genesis, o.nd the grotesque but tc conduct o.nd escort them from the e.nd extravagant myths in which the nations places of their o.bo1le to their own oountry. generally embodied their views of the primi-  138 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [cu. nm.1-28,