The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 454

or coflffllted (oomp. Ezek. xiv. 3; xx. 8, 81). loniane mnde their altars of either stone or 'l'he applioation of the text by St. Paul metal (' Ancient Momirohies,' vol. ii. pp. 3G, (Rom. x. 20) to the calling of the Gentiles 87; Herod., i. 183). The Hebrews in early will be felt by a.II believers in inspiration to times had altars of earth (Exod. xx. 24). Tb0 preclude the interpretation which supposes "altar of incense" in the tabernacle (Exod. Israel to ,be the subject of ver. 1 no lees xxx. 1-3) was of wood pl11ted with gold; than of vers. 2-7. I said, Behold me. Thie that of burnt offering, of wood plated with was the first step in the oonvereion of the bronze (Exod. xxvii. I, 2). Solomon's alto.re Gentiles. God called them by hie mes- were similar. Elijah on one ocoe.sion made sengers, the apostles and evangelists. A an altar of twelve rough stones (I Kings nation that was not oalled by thy Name (so xviii. 31). The Assyrians used polished Gesenius, Delitzsch, Kay, and others). stone, o.s did the Greeks and Romans. Bishop Lowth, Ewald, Diestel, and Mr. Ver. 4.-Whioh remain among the graves. Cheyne, following the Septuagint and other The rock tombs of Palestine seem to be anoien t versions, render, "a nation that has meant. Persons "remained among" these, not called upon thy Name." But this requires in spite of the ceremonio.l defilement thereby an a.Iteration of the vowel-points, which incurred, either with the object of raising seems unnecessary. the dead, and obtaining prophecies from Ver. 2.-I have spread out my hands. Not them, or of getting prophetic intimations exactly in prayer, but in expostulation m~de to them ind.reams(seeJerome's•Com- (comp. Prov. i. 24, "I have stretched out ment.,' ad loc,). And lodge in the monu- my hand," where the verb in the Hebrew ments ; or, in the crypts. "N'tsurim may is the se.me). All the de.y ; or, all day long, refer to the mysteries celebrated in naturo.l o.s in Rom. x. 21; i.e. continually, day after caves and artificie.l crypts" (Delitzsch). An day, for years-nay, for centuries. A rebel- account of eucb mysteries is given by Chwol- lioUB people (comp. eh. xxx. 1; and see also sohn in his ' Die Seabier und der Sso.bismus,' eh. i 4, 23; Hos. iv. 16; Jer. v. 23; vi. 28). vol. ii. pp. 332, et seq. Whioh eat swine's The "rebellious people" ('ani sorer) is un- flesh. Not in mere defiance of the Law, bnt doubtedly Israel. In a way that was not in sacrificial meals (eh. lxvi. 17) of which good; rather, in the way that is not good; swine's flesh formed a part. Swine were i.e. the" way of sinners" (Pa. i. I)-the "way so.cri.ficial animals in Egypt (Herod., ii. 47, that leadeth to destruction " (Matt. vii. 13i· 48), in Phcenicia (Lucian, • De Dea Syra,' Ver. 3.-That sacrificeth in gardens (comp. § 54), and with the Greeks and Romans. eh. i. 29; !vii. 5; lx:vi 17). The groves and They do not appear to have been employed " gardens" of Daphne, near Antioch, be- for the purpose either by the A.seyrians or came lamous in later times as the scene of the Babylonians. It was probably in Pales- idolatrous practices intimately bound up tine that the Jews had eaten '' swine's flesh," with the grossest and most shameless sen- at sacrifices to Ilaal or Aste.rte (Aehtoreth). sualism.. We have few details of the ancient In Liter times to do so was regarded as one Syrian rites; but there is reason to believe of the worst abominations ( I Mace. i. 41-64; that, wherever Aste.rte, the Dea Syra, was 2 Mace. vi. and vii.). Broth of abominable worshipped, whether at Daphne, or at Hiera- things. Either broth mado from swine's polis, or at Balbek, or at Aphek, or at flesh, or from the flesh of other unclean Damascus, or in Palestine, one and the Bll.llle animals, as the hare and rabbit (Lev. xi. cbaractcr of cult prevailed. The nature- 5, 6), or perhaps simply broth made from the goddess was viewed as best worshipped by flesh of any animals that had been offe1·ed rites into which sensualism entered as an to idols (Acts xv. 29). essential th-ment. Profligacy that cannot Ver. 5.-Stand by thyself; i.e. "keep aloof l,e described polluted the consecrated pre- -come not into contact with me; for mine cincts, which were rendered attractive by all is a higher holiness than thine, and I should that was Lea.ntiful and delightful, whether be polluted by thy near approach." Initia- in art or nature--by groves, gardens, statues, tion into lieathen mysteries was thougbt to fountains, shrines, temples, music, proces- confer on the initiated a holiness unattain- sions,shows--and which were in consequence able otherwise. Thus the heathenized.Jew frequented both day aud night by a multi- claimed to be holier than the true servants tude of votaries. And burnetb incense upon of Jehovah. These are a smoke . , . a fire e.lte.r1 of brick; literally, upon the bricks. It (comp. Ps. xviii. 8, "There went up a smoke is not clear that "altars" a.re intended. out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth More probably the incense was burnt upon devoured ; coals were kindled by it"). The the tiled or bricked roofs of houses, where heathenized Jews are fuel for the wrath of the Jewaof Jeremiah's time" burned incense God, wJiich kindles a fire wherein they burri unto all the host of heaven" (Jer. xix. 13; continually (comp. eh. lxvL 24). x.x.xii. l!9 ; Zeph. i 5). Brick altars are no- Ver. 6.-lt is written before zne. The mis- wLerc: mentioned. The AasyrillollB and Baby- conduct of hill people is "written" in God'■ C'l1. nv. 1-25.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. i71