The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 389

ver. 14, where it is found to be "the city of e.s the time of Jacob, when they carried the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of "spicery and balm and myrrh" from the Iernol." Zion has long been proetrate in land of Gilead into Egypt (Gen. xxxvii. 25, the duet from the prophet's standpoint, and 28, 36). Ephah is a sub-tribe of Midi1>n covered with thick darkness. Now she is (Gen. xxv. 4). These nomads would visit bidden to "a.rise'' and " shine forth as the the distant Sheba, in Happy Arabia, for de.y." For thy light is come. Zion cannot purposes of trade, and would procure there shine with her own light, for ehe has no gold and incense, which they wou Id convey light. of her own, he.ving preferred to "walk to Palestine. The ''Sheba" intended is iu darkness" ( eh. !ix. 9). But she may doubtless that whose queen visited Solomon, reflect the radiance which etreams from the and brought with her gold in abundance, Person of Jehovah, whose glory is risen upon and "of spices very great store, and precious her. "In thy light shall we see light" stones" (I Kings x. 10). The Egyptians (Ps. xxxvi. 9). appear to have called the kingdom of the 'Ver. 2.-For, behold, the darlmess shall Shebaim (Sabreans) "Punt," and to have cover the earth. As in Egypt a " thick traded with it from a very early time, darkness" covered the whole land at the especially for frankincense (' Records of the word of Moses (Exod. x. 22), wliile still Past,' vol. x. pp. 14-19; Rawlinson, 'His- "tho children of Israel had liglit in their tory of Ancient Egypt,' vol. ii. pp. 132-134, dwellings," so now tho world and , " the 221-224). The dromedaries; rather, the nations " of the world lay in e. deep ob- young cameu, or the camel colt,. All they scurity, into which scarcely a ray of liglit from Sheba shall come; rather, they (i.e. the penetrated, while on Israel there dawned a camels of Midian and Ephah) shall come glory which streamed from the throne of all together from Sheba. God, and at once transfigured her, and gave Ver. 7.-Kedar. , . Nebe.ioth. Arab tribes, her the appearance of an angel of the Most like the Midio.nites and Se.breans. (With High. In the radiance of this light she respect to Kedar, see the comment on eh. was to stand up and show herself, and then xxi. 15.) "Nebaioth" stands for the tribe great results would follow. called by the Greeks and Romans the Ver. 3.-The Gentiles shall oome to thy "Nabatreans," and by the Assyrians the light. Plunged in darkness them eel ves "Nabaiti,'' who were one of the most power- (ver. 2), the Gentiles shall be astonished ful in the peninsnla. Abont e.c. 645 Ne.- and attracted by Israel's radiance, and shall than, their king, warred with Asshur-bani-pal draw near to it_ and seek to partake of it. (Smith's 'llist. of Asshur-bani-pal,' pp. 256- Among them shall come even their " kings," 298). During the l\laccabee period we find dro.wn by the brightness of the glory ( comp. the Nabat!llans in alliance with the Jews, oh. xlix. 23). and giving them some valuable assistance Ver. 4.-Lift up thine eyes (see eh. xlix. ( L Mace. v. 25 ; ix. 35). The locality of the 18). Thy sons ... thy daughters, Not so N abatreans was northern Arabia, or tile tract much J ewe of the diepersion, as Gentiles, lying between the Elnnitic Gulf and the who will become thy adopted "sons" and Lower Euphrates. The wenlth of the Naba- "daughters." Shall be nursed e.t thy side; treans and the Kedarenes was in their flocks rather, shall be carried on thy Bide. Oriental and herds; and this wealth, it is prophesied, mothers often carry a small child on their they will place at the disposal of Israel. hip, with the arm round it to prevent its Mine altar ... the house of my glory. The fo.lling off. renovated Zion contains a glorious temple, Vere. 5-9.-The seco11d atama. Zion's and the temple has in it e.n o.ltnr, to which wealth. the sheep and rums nre brought-not, how- Ver. 5.-Thine heart shall fear; rather, ever, to be offered in sacrifice, but to be shall throb; "beat with excitement." Be- presented to God and liecome o. part of the oe.use the abundance of the see. shall be oon- wealth of the Church. verted unto thee; i.e. the maritime commerce, Ver. 8.-Who are these, etc.? The pro- which bas hitherto enriched other nations, phet beholds the waters of the Mediterranean shall bo turned thy way and be e.t thy dis- See. covered with numerous ships, whose pose.I. The forces of the Gentiles; rather, sails remind him of white clouds moving the riches of the Gentiles-a.a in oh. viii. 4 : e.oroes the blue oxpnnse of he1>ven, o.nd x. 14 : xx.x. 6: lxi. 6. Details of the riches again of doves wending their way home- follow in vere. 6-9. wards to their accustomed dove-cotes. The Ver. 6.-The multitude of oe.mels; rather, "windows" of the dove-cotes are the openings a multitude-a continual stream of caravana through which the birds pass into the towers (Kay), These would be composed of mor- where they breed. ohe.nts from Midie.n and Ephe.h, and would Ver. 9.-Surely the isles shall we.it for bring goods from Sheba. The Midie.nite me. The "isles," or maritime countries of earavane of camels are mention~d e.s enrly the West, have long waited for a Redeomer IBAIAH-II, 2 D  402 THE BOOK OF 'l'HE PROPHE'f ISAIAH. [cH, LX, 1-22,