rege.rded o.s o. femo.le (" the virgin de.ughter hours. Henceforth this plundering should of Zion," eh. xxxvii. 22) is also married to cease. Jehove.h, e.nd recognizes him e.s her Bride- Ver. 9.-Bhall drink it in the courts of my groom (comp. oh. !iv. 5). As Bridegroom, holineBB. This is not to be understood lite- God calls his bride "Hephzi-bah "-'' my re.lly, at any ro.te, of the whole produce of the delight is in her." land. What is mean\ is, that the produce Ver, 6.-1 have set watchmen upon thy will be coDsecrated by such festal means as walls. '' The Serve.nt " ho.a appointed the Law enjoined (Dent. xiv. 22-27), and watchers upon the wo.lls of Zion-either that then the remainder will be consumed "prophets" (Delitzsch), or "priests and with due thanks and acknowledgments. prophets" (Kay), or, more probably, "an- Ver. 10.-Go through, go through the gelic beings" (Cheyne), who keep perpetual gates. The spee.ker returns to tbe period of we.tch and ward (comp. eh. Iii. 8). Neither the exile, e.nd exhorts the people to pass forth day nor night do they hold their peace, or from Babylon, and speed on their way l,ome- keep silence, but ever intercede with God wards ( comp. cb. xl viii. 20; Iii. 11 ). Some for his people, like the '' angel of Jehovah" of them are to clear a.way obstacles, others in Zeeb. i. 12, reminding him of his cove- a.re to bring materials and construct a high- ne.nt with them, e.nd his promises to them, way along which the stream of emigrants and exhorting him to "a.wake, awe.ke " for may march (comp. eh. lvii.14), while a. third his own honour's sake (eh. Ii. 9-11). It is body removes such stones as might cause generally allowed that the " watchers " in stumbling, and a fourth lifts up a standard Dan. iv. 13, 17, 23 a.re angels: and the same to direct the much. interpretation best suits the "watchmen" Ver. 11.-Meanwhile Jehovah, by his of the present passage. Ye that make men- angels or hie prophets, causes it to be made tion of the Lord; rather, as in the margin, known to the ends of the earth that the ye that are the Lord's remembrancers; i.e. redemption of Israel dra.ws nigh, and that "ye whose business it is to call to God's Zion's" se.lvation" approaches. His reward remembrance the needs and cla.ims of 114s is with him, etc. The words are repeated people, and the obligations of his covenant from eh. xl. 10. Here they are certainly promises." said of Israel. They go forth from Ba.bylon, Ver. 7.--Giu him no rest. Compare the he.ving their reward with them-i.e. Iiberty, teaching of our Lord with re~pect to the honour, riches to some extent (Ezra i. 4-11), efficacy of importunity (Luke xi. 5-8; xvili. and their work, or rather their recompen,e- 1-8). the possession of Palestine-before them. Ver. 8.-The Lord bath sworn. In answer Ver. 12.-They sha.ll call them; or, to the represente.tions of the " remem- men shall call them, equivalent to "they brancers," God solemnly binds himself by an shall be called." The holy people. The oath to come to the relief of the people, to Persie.ns in some degree recognized this restore them to their own Io.nd, and to give character in the Israelites (Ezrn i. 2, 3; vi. them the enjoyment of its fruits in peace. 8-12: vii. 12-26). So did Alexander, By his right hand. God commonly swears according to Josephus. The Romans, on "by himself" (Gen. xxii. 16; eh. xlv. 23; the contrary, regarded them e.s the votaries Jar. xlix. 13; li. 14; Amos vi 5), or "by of e. degrading superstition. Swee the his holiness" (Ps. lxxxix. 35: Amos iv. 2). Rome.n conquest, they have been almost Once he swears "by his great Name" ( J er. uni,el':lally de~pised. Perho.ps the prophecy xliv. 26), and once "by the excellency of me.y be considered to still await its complete Ja.cob" (Amos viii. 7). There is no other fulfilment. Thou shalt be called. "Thou " place in Scripture where he ewee.rs" by his refers to Zion or Jerusalem. She should rignt hand and arm "-emblems of his be ce.lled Bought out-i.e. a special ob- pr,wer to a.et. Thy oom . . , thy wine ; ject of God's ea.re-and A city not for- ,.e. the fruits of thy lo.nd. Hitherto, even aa..ken-the very opposite of her former w.nen Israel was in possession of Palestine, name (ver. 4), which WRS "Forsaken." All its fruits were constantly destroyed, or the conditions of her former existence would oa.rried off, by the raids of hostile neigh- be e.ltered, nay, reve1·sed, in the future.
HOMILETICS. Vers. 2, 4, 12.-The teaching of Scripture with respect eo names. Names an, not spoken of in the Scriptures e.s unimportant, but as of a very high importance. I. A SPECIAL VALUE lB BET ON THE NAMES OF GOD. 'l'he names of God are signi- ficant, and set forth his nature. "El" is "the Great;" "Shaddai," "the Strong; n "Jehovah,n "the Alone-existent.n God selected this last name as that by which he 432 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [orr. Lxn. 1-12,