to Lhe o.ncionts ('fo.eit., 'Ann.,' vi. 28; Suet., contrast to Isa. xlix. 9). The sword of the • Oma.,' 81; Plin.,' Hist. No.t.,' x.19), of bircls Lord shall devonr; rather, the Lr,rd hath a go.thering 1·ouncl o.ncl o.ttacking II strange- sword which dev_oureth. It is the Leavcnly looking bircl o.ppearing in thoir midst. The sword (Isa. xxx1v. 5), the symbol of Di vino prophet might have simply soid "o. bird:" vengeance (see below on eh. xlvi. 5). •why does he say "a bird of prey ('ayit)"? Ver. 13.-A description in proverbial Ian. Probably beoo.use he ho.a just described the guage of the absence of "peace" (literally, ..hostile attitude of Isra.el towarcls Jehovah soundness, i.e. prosperity, security), from under the figure of o. lion. Somo particular, which "all flesh" in Judah at this time shall i:o.re kind of ¥ulture seems to be intended. suffer. The troulilo of sowing has been in Sennacherib apparently uses o. cognate word vain, for they h11ve reaped thorns (so we must ('it) for the vulture (' Taylor Cylinder,' iii. render grammatically, and not shall reap, 68). Bochart and Gesonius, following the and in the next clause shall not profit ought Septuagint, think "hyena," and not "bird to be have not profited). And they shall be of prey," is the right rendering in the first ashamed of your revenues; rather, be ashamed clause; but Gesenius does not offer o.ny other then of your produce; but it is more natuml passage for the meaning bestia rapax. Come to emend tho pronominal suffix, and render, ye, assemble all the beasts of the :field. There and are ashamed of their procl.1ce (the is o. parallel passage in Isa. lvi. 9, where, as Authorized Version seems to have very here. the" beasts of the field" (i.e. the wild nearly taken this easy step). It is, of beasts of the open country) are the heathen course, tho produce of husbanclry which ii powers .employed as God's instruments for referred to. chastising Israel (comp. also Ezek. xxxiv. 5, Ver. 14.-Ilere occurs a transition. The wher.e the same figure occurs). "The prophet prophet comes forward with II denunciation adopts the strongest way of expressing that in the name of Jehovah. All mine evil Israel, uttel'ly bereft of his natural defenders, neighours ; the hostile peoples mentioned lies at the mercy of the great heathen em- in 2 Kings xxiv. "My neighbours," because pire" (note on Isa. lvi. 9). Come to devour; Jehovah "dwelleth in Zion." Fluck them rathe1·, bring them to devour. out of their land; viz. by deportation into a Ve:r.10.-.Anotheraimplerandmorenatuml foreign land. Judah and the neighbouring im 1:1ge,. oxp1:essing the same idea, as those in no.tions shall she.re the sumo fote. 'l'his is ver. 9, •'.rh~. favourite way of representing indjco.ted by the uso of the s11me verb '· tu J ehovah's relation to his people is that of a pluck out" in the next clause with roforenco vine-proprietor to his vin.eyarcl (see on c~. to Jµdo.h (comp. I Kings xiv. 15, Hebrew). ii. 21 ). llow WOJlld, ll vineyo.rd be .ruined if In the case of J ud1:1h, however, to be" plucker! a b1:1nd of shepherds were to drive their flocks out" is a mercy o.s well o.s a. juclgment, con- omong the tender vine-shoots I The many sidering who they a.re "out of" whose pe.stors (or,shepherds) ore clearly Nebucho.d- "midst" the Jews a.re "plucked." nezzar ond his 'generals (comp. eh. vi. 8). Ver. 15.-I will return, and hnve com- My pleasant portion. J ehovo.h is the "por- passion. '.rhe rendering is too Hebmistic; tion" of his ·people: his people and its lo.nd the sense is simply, 1 will again hava co-m- are the "pol'tion" of Jehovo.h (see on eh. x. passion. The prophets offer no parti1:1l or 16). The epithet " ple11sant" expresses the " no.tion1:1listio" view; of the mercy of Gou eµiotion of the surprised spe1:1ker. (comp. on eh. xlviii. 47). Ver. 11.-Le.yeth it to heart; rather, laid Ver. 16.-Isrl.\el h1:1s been converted o.n<l it to Jieart. Inconsideratenrss is reprotedly restored, 1:1nd if the other nu tions follow his spoken of o.s an o.ggrav1:1tion of the moral exo.mple o.ncl swear by my name, i.e. 1:1dopt sickness of Ismel (Isa. xiii. 25; lvii. 1, 11). the religion of Jehovah (comp. Isa. xix. 18), Ver.12.-Upona.ll high plaoes through the they shall be rewo.rdcd by boing sufl'ercd to wilderness; rather, upon all bare heights in dwell safely in Isrnel's mi,lst. Observe the the wilderness (see on eh. iii. 2). Hardly with contrast with ver. H. lloforo, Israel hnd 11 rel'ercnce to their pollution by idolatry; the dwelt nmiclst them to bis own detriment; men Lion of " tho wilderness" (or pasturc- now they shall dwell a.midst Iamel to their country) suggests that it is merely o. feo.turo profit. in the impovcrisliment of tho country (a.
HOMlLE'l'ICS. Vers. 1, 2.-Thepl'osperity of the wicked. I. 'l'1IE DIFFICULTY. The prosperity of the wicked was a difficulty of peculiar force to tho Jews, since it seemed to contradict an item of their peculiar faith-the doctrine of temporal rewards and punishments. The difficulty is less to us Christians; but it is idlo to deny its existence. It is three- fold. 1. The :mccess of wickedness. The treacherous plans of the wicked often succcr1l. THE nook OF THE PROPI{E'l' JE!tttMtAII. [dr. rit. i-17.