The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 209

or, but ,wt in the manner of silver (Delitzsch); Ver. 14.-All ye, assemble yourselves. i.e. not with thEI severity with which ·silver " Once more tho nations are ohallenged to is refined (see Ps. xii. 6). I have chosen say which of their deities has foretold the thee ; rather, I ha~ tnted thee. The work that the Lord hwi willed to perform furnaoe of aflliotion is here the Baby- on Dabylon" (Kay) (see above, eh. xliii. 9). lonian capti-l'ity. The object of the Cap- If none ha~ done so, will not Israel see and ti,ity was to "test" and "refiue," or aclmowledgo the superiority of Jehovah to purify God's people to a. certain extent- such blind deities? The Lord hath loved uot with extreme severity, but in such sort him. U bad not bccu previously declared AS to fit them to "bear his Name before the in so many words that J ehov,ih "loved" Gentiles" for auother five hundred years. Cyrus; but it had been sufficiently indi- Yer. 11.-How shonld my Name be pol- cated by the way iu which be was spoken luted 1 i.e. how should I allow of its pollu- of in oh. xliv. 28 and xiv. 1-5. God tion or desecration (see the comment on "loves" all who "in an honest and good ver. 9)? I will not give my glory unto heart" seek according to their lights to do another (comp. eh. xiii. 8). God would his will and servo him faithfully. Nebu- ha'l'e ceded his glory to some· god of the chadnezzar is called his "servant" (Jer. nations, had he under existing circum- xxv. 9 ; xxvii. G; Ezek. :nix. 18, 20), Cyrus stances forsaken Israel. (in eh. xiv. 1) his "anointed." It is but Vers. 12-15. - Tm: SECOND ADDRESS. going one step furlher to call the latter his The tone of complaint is now dropped. "loved one." He will do his plea.sure; i.e. "God's plea.sure," not his own (see eh. xliv. Israel is invited to reflect seriously on the 28). His arm shall be on the Cha.ldeans. chief points urged in the preceding chapters. The Hebrew is very harsh, and perhaps (1) Their near relation t.o Jehovah (ver.12); requires emendation; but the meaning ce.n (2) Jeho'l'ah's eternity and omnipotence scarcely be other than that expressed in our (vers. I 2, 13) ; (3) the superiority of version. J eho,,,h to the gods of the nations, o.s Ver. 15.-1 have called him (comp. eh. shown by his prophetic power (ver. 14); the rlvi. 11, " Calling a ravenous bird from east"). Cyrus is represented e.s raised and (4) the near approach of deliverance up by God, " called" by him, and com- by Cyrus (vers. 14, 15). missioned by him " to do all his pleasure." Ver. 12.-0 J'a.cob and Israel (comp. eh. God has brought him on his way, nnd me.de xl. 27 ; xii. 8, 14; xlii.i. 1, 22; xliv. 1, 21; that way prosperous. According to the xi'l'i. 3; xlviii 1). The figure is used account of Herodotus, Cyrus received nu which rhetoricians ca.11 hendiadys. The two check of any kiud until the last expedition, names designate one and the same object. in which he lost his life. His " prospe1·ily" Ky called. " Called" and "chosen " from was beyond that of almost any other com- of old, out of all the nations of the earth mander. (comp. eh. :tli 9; xliv. 1, 2, etc.); there- Vers.16-22.-TuETHmDADDBEBB. Israel fore bound io "hear" and to attend. Still is reminded of God's merciful teaching e.nd more bound, considering who it is by whom leading in the past (vers. 16, 17); expos- they have been called-I AM HE-i.e. "I am the absolute and eternally unchange- tulated with on their disobedience (vers. able One, the Alpha and Omega of all 18, 19); exhorted to go forth boldly and hist.ory " (Delitzsch). The First, and also joyfully from Babylon (vers. 20, 21); and the Last, "from whom and to whom are finally wamed that God's blessings-even ell things " (Rom. xi. 36). such a blessing as deliverance - are no Ver. 13.-Mine hand also ha.th laid the follJldation of the earth (comp. eh. xl. 12, blessings to any but the righteous (ver. 22). 22, 26, 28; xlii. 5; xliv. 24; xlv. 12, 18). Ver. 16.-I have not spokon in seoret from As the Maker of heaven and earth, God is the beginning. God," from the beginning," entitled to the attention and obedience of i.e. from !Jis first dealings with Israel, haJ all the dwellers in heaven and ea1th. My raised up a succession of prophets, who he.d right hand ha.th spe.nn~d the heavens; i.e. declared his will, not "in secret," or nm- measured them, as with a span (eh. xli. 12)- biguously, but openly and pie.inly, so that fi.Ked their limits and dimensions. When all who heard might undcrst,.ud (comp. eh I call unto them, they stand up together xiv. 19, an<l see the comment ad loc.). From (comp. eh. xl 26). Heaven and earth, and the time that it wae, there am I ; i.e. "from all things that are in them, except man, the time the.t the ee.rlh we.a, there (in the are prompt t.o perform God's will, and rise succession of my prophetic messengers) was up at once at his call t.o show their rea<l.iness. I." It was I who spe.ke by their mouth, The metaphor is drawn from the conduct and thus announced my will publicly. of inteJ.liiell.~ agent&. u4 DOW the Lord God, and _hill Spirit, hath on. xtvm. 1-22.J 'l'Hlil nooK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 217