or the nobles hRd been "burnt with fire" more closely oonnccted with what follows (2 Kings xxv. 9 ; 2 Chron. xxxvi. rn). The it than with what precedes. Some wou!,l poorer houses had been left. Even these, detach it altogether from oh. Iii. aud attaoh however must in the spnce of fifty years have fo; the most part rallen into deoay. it to eh. !iii. But this is not nocesso.ry. The ruins lll"e now c1tlled upon to join in The passage has a completeness in itself. the general chorus of rejoicing, as they rise It is a connecting link. 'l'he exaltation of from their ashes. Kath comforted ... hath Israel, the collective "Servant of the Lord" redeemed. Perfects or prophetic certitude. (eh. xliv. 1, 21), brings to the prophet's Ver. 10.-The nations ... the ends of the mind the exaltation of the individual earth. It may well add to the general joy that the work wrought for Isr11el is not "a "Servant" (eh. xiii. 1-7; xliii. 10; xlix. thing done in a corner," but one on which 1-12), through which alone the full ex- the eyes of the" nations" have been turned, altation of Israel is possible. He is bound and to which the attention or" the ends of to complete his account of the individual the earth" has been called (comp. eh. xii. "Servant" by telling of his exnlto.tion, e.nd 5). The holy arm of Jehovah, made bare for battle, has been seen far and wide. The of the road which led to it. This is done world has stood to gaze at the contest be- in eh. !iii., in what has beon co.lied the tween Persia and Bab:vlon. "Great Passional," But the " Great Pas- Yer. 11.-Go ye out from thence i i.e. sional" needs a "prelude," an "introduc- "from Babylon "-the standpoint of the pro- tion," if only as indicative' of its greatness. phet in the present chapter being Jernsa~em. And this prelude we have bore, in these When the time came, earnest exhortations to depart would be found not superfluous, three verses, whioh briefly note (1) the fact for there would be an indisposition on the of the exaltation; (2) the depth of the part of some to qnit their possessions, and humiliation preceding it; and (3) the of others to affront the perils of the way. far- extending blessedness which shall Touch no unclean thing. Bring with yon result to the world from both. none of the Babylonian idols, none of the Babylonian charms, spells, and the like Ver. 13.-My Servant shall deal prudently; (see tl.te comment on eh. :xlvii. 9). Be ye rather, shall deal wisely; i.e. shall so act olean; rather, purify yourseltJes. The de- throu~bout his mission as to secure it the parting captives _generally are call~ upon most ~mplete success. " Wisdom is justi- to avoid polluting themselves with the fied of her children," and of none so entirely unclean thing!! of Babylon ; but for those justified as of him '' in whom were a.II the who bee.r the veuels of the Lord this nega- treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid tive purity is insufficient. They are for- away" (Col. ii. 3). Exalted and exto~ed; mally to "purify themselves" (2 Chron. or high and lifted up-the so.me expressions xxi:x. 34) before undertaking their sacred as' are used of the Almighty in eh. vi. 1 and office. By "the vessels of the Lord" we lvii. 15. Even there, however, seems to the must understand those which Nebuchad- prophet not enough; so he adds, " and ex- nezzar carried off from the temple (2 Kings alted exceedingly" (comp. eh. !iii. 10-12 :xxv. 14-16; Dan. i. 2), and which, on the and Phil. ii. 6--9). retnm of the Jews from captivity, were Ver. 14.-As many were astonied at thee. restored by Cyrus (Ezra i. 7-11) and The world was '' e.stonied " to see, in One Artaxerxes (Ezra viii. 25-34). como to deliver it, no outward show of ·grandeur or magnificence, no special beauty Ver. 12.-With haste . . . by flight. As or "comeliness" (eh. liii. 2), but a Pre~ence at the going forth from Egypt (Exod. xii. unattractive to the mass of men at all times, B3; xvi. 5). Then they were •• thrust and in the end so cruelly marred and dis- out; " now there would he no need of figured e.s to retain scarcely e.ny resemblance hurry. They would have the free pe:- to the ordinary form aud face of man. The mission of their sovereign to depart at their prophet, as Delitzscb says, sits at the foot own time, and might proceed with calm of the cross on Calvary, e.nd sees the deliberateness. God would go before them, Redeemer as be hung upon the accursed as he did on that forme1· occasion (Exod. tree, after he he.d been bufl'.eted, and xiii. 21), though not now visibly; and he crowned with thorns, e.nd smitten, e.nd would also defend them from attacks by scourged, and crucified, when his face was the way, being at once their Guide and their covered with bruises and with gore, e.nd Rereward, or Rearguard. his frame and features distorted with agony. Vere. 13-15.-PBELUDE TO THE "GREAT Ver. 15.-Bo 1hall he 1prinkle many P ASSIONAL." It is generally allowed by natiou. The Septuagint ho.s, " Bo she.II modem commentator& that this p&11111,ge le 1111111f 11&tf.on1 . ~ e l at him; " and this en, LII, 1-15.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 281
tro.nslotion is followed by Gesenias and of him. In reverential awe of hie surpass- Ewald. Mr. Ohiyne thinks that tho pre- ing greatness (comp. Micah vii. 16). That sent Hebrew text is corrupt, nncl suggests which had not been told them she.ll they see, that a verb was used antithetical to the They will learn the facts of Christ's humili- "astonied" of ver. 14, expressing "joyful ation, sufferings, death, resurrection, and surprise." It is certainly hard to see how ascension to heaven--eventa that it had the idea of" sprinkling," even if it can mean never entered into the heart of man to con- "purifying," comes in here, Kings she.ll eeive, and of which, therefore, no tongue bad abut their mouths at him; rather, because ever spoken.