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International Critical Commentary of The Holy Scriptures
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International Critical Commentary of The Holy Scriptures
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The
Rev.
D.D.
The
Rev.
D.D.
The
Rev.
ALFRED PLUMMER,
College,
M.A., D.D.
Durham
The International
Critical Commentary
On
New Testaments
EDITORS' PREFACE
THERE
are
written
now
by
British
many Commentaries,
homiletical
character.
process of translation.
But no corresponding
series
by
British
The way
has
Lightfoot,
and the
when
scholars
it
in
Commentary
is
practicable to
the
production
combine
of
its
van.
British
critical,
modern
and American
comprehensive
biblical scholarship,
The International
Messrs.
T.
&
Critical Commentarv
New
York, and
Messrs.
series
New
for the
New
Testament, in
Great Britain.
The Commentaries
will
and
will
will
be
free
critical
ecclesiastical
They
bias.
They
Each book
will
still
be
be preceded by an
will
it,
and
discuss-
The
remaining open.
details
Commentary.
Each
section
will,
be introduced
Technical details
as
and
in
as
series.
will
be
critical
Historical
a uniform
the
stitute
in
Hebrew.
dealt
be kept
rule,
The Volumes
will con-
Critical
The International
Commentary
GENESIS.
EXODUS. The
Kennedy, D.D.,
Rev. A. R. S.
University of Edinburgh.
LEVITICUS.
J. F.
MUMBERS.
The Rev. G.
Mansfield College, Oxford.
DEUTERONOMY.
fessor of
Rev.
Wadham
College, Oxford.
Professor of Hebrew,
{_JVow
The Rev.
S.
Hebrew, Oxford.
JOSHUA. The
of
Professor of Hebrew,
Ready.
Principal of the
University of Aberdeen.
JUDGES.
ogy,
Professor of Theol-
[Now
SAMUEL. The
Ready,
and History
Literature
and Professor
New York
Seminary,
CHRONICLES.
City.
New
York
Old Testament
L.
Curtis,
Rev. L.
D.D.,
Professor of
[Now
Haven, Conn.
W. Batten,
Ready,
New
City.
PSALMS.
The Rev.
brew. Oxford-
S.
Chaps. I-XXVII. The Rev. G. Buchanan Gray, D.D., ProHebrew, Mansfield College, Oxford.
\_N^(nu Heady.
ISAIAH.
Chaps.
The Rev.
XXVIII-LXVI.
A.
S.
Dean
JEREMIAH. The
The Rev. G. A. Cooke, M.A., Oriel Professor of the InterpreHoly Scripture, University of Oxford, and the Rev. Charles F.
BuRNEY, D.Litt., Fellow^ and Lecturer in Hebrew^, St. John's College,
EZEKIEL.
tation of
Oxford.
of
Prof.
ZECHARIAH TO JONAH.
Smith and
Prof. J. A.
ECCLESIASTES.
RUTH,
Bryn
Prof.
Mawr
[Now
Ready,
Bewer.
Prof.
Bewer, Union
{In Press,
George
of
Hebrew, Hart-
[Now
Ready.
College, Pa.
Rev.CHARLEsA.
MATTHEW.
Lecturer in
ST.
ment
C.
MARK.
[Now
Ready.
Rev. E. P.
Literature,
ST. LUKE.
The International
ST.
JOHN. The
Critical
Commentary
Henry Bernard,
D.D., Dean of
St.
ACTS. The
CORINTHIANS. The
Right Rev.
Lord Bishop
CORINTHIANS. The
II.
Tutor
in the University of
Rev.
Arch Robertson,
Dawson Walker,
D.D., LL.D.,
Master of
\No'w Ready,
late
D.D., Theological
Durham.
of
New
now
[Now
Ready.
THESSALONIANS. The
Biblical Theology,
of
[/ Press,
Rev.
JAMES. The
Testament Criticism
in
New
Harvard University.
PETER AND JUDE. The Rev. Charles Bigg, D.D., sometime Regius
Professor of Ecclesiastical History and Canon of Christ Church, Oxford.
\^N'ow Ready.
THE EPISTLES OF
ST.
in
JOHN. The
Wlii
':"*
'
o.
^.
'^."vA
S,
i-
\i ^\.
'iH
(A
The International
Critical
Commentary
COMMENTARY
ON
D.D, D.Litt.
XL-LXVI
BY
ARTHUR
PEAKE,
D.D.
S.
RYLANDS PROFESSOR OF BIBLICAL EXEGESIS
IN
IN
TWO VOLUMES
VOL.
NEV^ YORK
EGYPT
SYRIA AND ASSYEIA
Scale of English Miles
so
so
Modern names
100
(SO
200
350
Cdmborgh t
Londo.i
PREFACE.
Commentary on
Isaiah the
work of two
writers;
and at
undertook the preparation of the Commentary on chs. 1-39. For the present volume I am,
then, entirely responsible and, owing to the unequal size
of the two main parts of the Book of Isaiah, the conclusion of my work must be held over for the second
volume, which will also contain Dr. Peake's Commentary
on chs. 40-66, completing the work.
their request
cannot claim, as
could in writing
V
my
Preface to
PREFACE
VI
\Jc<-{AiiM<J
'
Ml
V^tXv.
J/
CXi^C**^
of the
Hebrew
PREFACE
is
Vli
printed
is
my
purpose here is not to compile a catalogue, or to repeat what will be found elsewhere (pp. xvi ff.) sufficient
has been said to show that recent works on Isaiah are
One other
lacking neither in quality nor in quantity.
have found
work in French may be referred to
I
Livi'e
dlsa'ie
valuable
not
only for its
Condamin's
(1905)
intrinsic merits, but because it is based on a different
theory of rhythm, and it frequently criticises the work
of writers with whom, in general, I am in greater agreement.
I have made no attempt to record opinions with anything approaching the fullness of reference that marks
Harper's Commentary on Amos and Hosea in this series.
Consideration of space alone forbade it two volumes for
a commentary on what, after all, is a short book may seem
ample, yet they are but little when compared with the
1600 double-columned folio pages of Vitringa, or even the
1600 smaller pages of Gesenius. But I have endeavoured
to discharge that part of my duty which consists in attention to the history of exegesis
if I have seldom or never
;
referred to
PREFACE
Vlll
interpretation
is
to be found in the
referred,
made
also
contributions to the
characteristic
interpretation of Isaiah.
The
this
is
Book of
Isaiah
is
by no
This cannot be
conveniently discussed in briefer commentaries but as a
contributor to the present series I have, as in duty bound,
devoted much attention to it. I might be more satisfied
with the result of my labours if I could feel that two or
three important fields of inquiry were really worked out.
As it is, I must at least indicate here what appear to
me certain general grounds for considering much of the
logical basis
is
interpretation tentative
I.
The
text
is
and uncertain.
it
has very
Ultimately in
many passages we shall always be driven back on conjecture but I am persuaded that the evidence of the Greek
version has not been as yet completely and accurately
;
partially
it
and
is
too striking
PREFACE
lations: at the
same time
IX
all
events
At
discuss
the
matter
more
fully
in
the
Introduction
( 44-57).
Old Testament
this
little
claim to consideration
have
PREFACE
X
writer than
Hebrew
the existing
I
mean
By
text.
conjectural
translation
modern guesses
meaning of words or phrases, and either lack support in usage and etymology altogether, or obtain the
semblance of such support only by means of improbable
at the
any translation at
no escape from guessing, and
some
cases, if
e.g.^
all is
p.
458
In
top).
attempted, there
is
it
is merely a question
take the form of conjectural
more
likely to conceal
more
have discussed
poem
(see,
e.g.^
i^'^'^
5^"^*).
The
words
in question
So many
features
But to one
detail
must
no
refer.
now
have
in general followed
PREFACE
Xi
it.
in that text is
of the proper
MSS
is
Hebrew
Unfortunately, owing to a misunderstanding, the accentuation of Swete's text has been allowed to stand in some of
the transliterations cited in this
Commentary;
it
was
in-
i.
p. xiii.
XU
PREFACE
No
full
justice
monument
is
a great
if all our
devoted to determining whether this or that
passage is " genuine," and dismissing it as not
genuine/'
if it is not the work of Isaiah.
In reference to works such
as the Rook of Isaiah, the term " genuine " is indeed
misleading.
None of these nameless writers may have
possessed the religious genius of Isaiah, but together they
represent the play of the earlier prophetic teaching on the
Jewish Church. In religion, as elsewhere, great personalities count first, and it is the privilege of a student of
the Book of Isaiah to come face to face with one, if not
two, such personalities
but the religious community is
the necessary outcome, or field of action, of the great
attention
is
''
religious
of the
ance,
Book of Isaiah has but half entered into his inheritif he communes with Isaiah and the great exilic
prophet,
but
fails
to
feel
the
life
of
that
post-exilic
community which not only preserved for themselves and for us the words of the earlier prophets, but
preserved them in books which were also made to breathe
religious
and temptation.
cannot bring this Preface to a close without acknowledging my gratitude to Dr. Driver for the help which
I have again received from his reading of my proofs, and
the numerous suggestions which he has made with regard
These have withheld me, at times at least, from
to them.
unsafe places, and they have enabled me to enrich my
Commentary; my only regret is that, without more
extensive alteration of the printed sheets than seemed
reasonable, I could not enrich it still more from the same
I
source.
G.
December 191 1.
BUCHANAN GRAY.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
XV
xxi
Introduction,
xxiii
1-3. Title
4.
5-7"
and Place
in the
Canon,
xxiii
XXV
The Book
8-40. Origin
xxix
xxxii
Isaiah,
(i)
External Evidence,
(2)
(3)
The
(4)
(5)
testimony of the
xxxii
Book of Isaiah
to
xxxix
xlv
itself,
liii
....
....
....
..
%/
44-57*
of his age,
Commentary,
,,
2.
literature,
and
Moab and
lix
social conditions
and Teacher,
Ivii
and of the
.......
Chronological Table,
MAPI.
Iv
To face
Ixviii
Ixxxi
xcvii
I
title-page
Commentary on
To face page 273
XUl
I.
Aq.
AV.
EV.
English Version.
MT
iii.,
De
Rossi,
Old Testament.
(5
Revised Version.
(ed.
thus:
fflt^
when
Graece^
i^ (Alexandrian, Vatican,
cum
1798, which
cited as
HP
Holmes, Oxon.
followed by a numeral.
of the traditional
word
Hebrew Text
divisions
Thcod.
see p. xxix n.
Vulgate.
(p. xxvi).
and
(|^)
after
see p. xxv.
*
text,
MSS
Bibles.
The consonants
Syinm.
For
etc.).
to Vet. Test.
and printed
*
made
readings
necessary, distinguished
The
codices
Variae Lectiones
OT.
RV.
of the
(p. xxvi).
XVI
2.
[See also the literature cited at the beginning of several sections of the
thus given are, within the section, often cited by
AJSL
ATAO
See Jeremias.
W. W. von Baudissin, Einleitung in die BUcher des
Alien 'Testaments, 1901.
A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament
based on the Lexicon and Thesaurus of GeseniuSy
by F. Brown, C. A. Briggs, and S. R. Driver,
ture,
Baud.
BDB
Oxford, 1906.
Box, G. E.
Breasted, J.
H.
(2)
and annotated).
Bredenkamp, C.
Che[yne], T. K.
J.
Pr=
CIS
COT
see
SBOT
below.
Le Livre
I
1886- 1887.
;
SBOT,
Cond[amin], A.
erlaiitert,
881
fF.
d^Isdie, 1905.
The Cuneiform Inscriptions and the OT. a. translation (London, 1885), by O. C. Whitehouse, of the
second edition of Die Keilinschrifteti und das alte
Testament (abbreviated KAT), by Eb. Schrader.
References are given to the pages of the 2nd
German edition which are marked in the margin
;
of the translation.
A
Dav[idson], A. B.
DB
Del[itzsch, Franz]
German work
KA T'^)
has
898- 1 902).
Biblical
Commentary on
the
Prophecies
of Isaiah
Del.
Di[llmann, A.]
Dr[iver, S. R.]
{l)
890
Hebrew
An
Introduction
to
the
Literature
of the
OT
Du[hm, B.]
EBi.
LOT),
of ed. 8 (Edin.
tion
and
which
1909),
also that of
is
7.
XVII
(ed. 2, 1902).
Eich[horn,
J.
Ew[ald, H.]
G. L.]
The Expositor.
Exp.
Ges[enius,
Ges-B.
(1)
W.]
und
Hebrdisches
das
ilber
Aramdisches
Testament .
Alte
Giesebrecht, Fried.
G Iv.
Gesenius'
by
Hebrew Grammar,
the
late
revised
edition^
eighth
E.
German
Kautzsch
and
enlarged
second
English
as edited
.
accordance with
in
edition
{igog),
the
by A.
twenty-
Cowley,
''
1910.
Gressmann, H.
israelitisch-jUdischen Eschatologie,
1905.
Hal[^vy, I.]
Le Livre
Semitigue: carried
Hackmann, H.
Hitz[ig, F.]
Biblia Hebraica
Revue
Houb[igant, C. F.]
down
1).
1893.
HPN
Gray, 1896.
Jeremias, A.
Hebrew Commentary on
Isaiah in
Buxtorf's Biblia
Rabbinica.
in
ATAO
Beaumont (191 1)
BNT-=- Babylonisches im Neuen Testament,
C. L.
(2)
/FA
JThS
1905.
Journal of Philology.
Journal of Theological Studies,
KAT
KB
See
COT.
1889 ff.).
collection
transliterated
scholars.
Kennett, R.
VOL.
I.
XVI 11
Ki[mhi,
David]
Hebrew Commentary on
Isaiah
Buxtorf's Biblia
in
Kahbinica.
(ti23o)
Kit[tel, R.]
(i)
(2) Biblia
Kon[ig, Ed.]
new
Hebraica, 1906.
Historisch- Kritisches
Koppe,
B.
J.
Kue[nen, A.]
D. R, LowtKs Jesaias
Anmerkungen, I779ff.
Historisch
mit
Onderzoek
critisch
Zusdtzen
Tweede
dttl^
und
De
Lag[arde, P. de]
(2)
Nomina
Levy,
J.
1878;
Uber die
abbreviated
See p. 397.
See Dr.
Isaiah : a
Lowth, R.
iibliche
Bildung der
BN.
NHB = Neuhebrdisches u.
Liebmann
LOT
i.,
Uebersicht
Chalddisches Worterbuch,
dissertation^
3,
Commentary).
Marti, K.
Meinhold,
NHB
J.
1 900.
1 898.
See Levy.
Numbers
NSE
NSI
tions, 1903.
Onom.
Oo.
Or[elli, C.
von]
Ottley, R. R.
PEFQuSt.
PRE
Rashi
by
translation
J. S.
Hebrew Commentary on
Biblia Rabbinica.
Isaiah
in
Buxtorf's
Rev. Bibl.
Rogers, R.
W.
Saad.
SBOT
XIX
Cheyne
Hebrew Text,
1898.)
JMetrische
Sievers, E.
Metrik,
Theil
Studien.
Studien
i.
Erster Theil
zur hebrdischen
Untersuchungen
Zweiter
:
Sdchsichen
undzwanzigster
Skinner,
The Book of
J.
Smith, G. A.
in the
Philologisch- Hisiorischen
der
Band
Abhandlungen
Classe
der
Kdnig.
Ein-
Wissenschaften^
(1901).
(i.-xxxix.),
Sta[de, B.]
Th. Tt\jd.^
TSK
Vitr[inga,
C]
Wade, G. W.
Whitehouse, O. C.
ZATIV
ZDMG
Zeitschrift
ZDPy
Bible),
i.,
1905.
des
deutschen
Wissense haft.
morgenldndischen
Gesell-
schaft.
Biblical
where
added
Hebrew enumeration of
from the English enumeration, the
commonly
in a parenthesis.
The
quoted.
single inverted
to indicate departures
al.=alii (others).
Cp.
= Compare.
Ct.= Contrast.
NH = New Hebrew
Mishnah,
etc.).
P. 69 (phil. n.
p.
Ill
(n.
and
minate, also
on
3^*)
phil. n.
also p.
on
6^^).
meaning
to depasture^
depasturing seems
to
ceived as yielding
some
profit
(cp.
v.^^**)
and
dressed,
in 5^
-,
destructively, to
")^j;3
and
applied to animals,
it
would naturally
to
depasture
for the
so fundamental to, or so
its
call
derivatives, that, as
destruction which they do, rather than the profit they receive, by
and hedges of 5^, but (unless the word lost much of its
force) lyn^ would not be a suitable substitute for DV^h in a
promise such as Budde would make of 6^^ (^qq ^^ there)
Setting aside the meanings to burn, to blaze {e.g. Ex 22^, Is
walls
XXll
jsi ^17
and so
Aramaic of
in the
prob
as
^E),
^^
Syr.
{i.e.
Smith,
]SD;^ ]i
and
i-UD,
5.V.
g^ n
To
..
my
have gleaned
cp.
would
glea?i
vineyard to the
3^*
Is
suit
grape
last
admirably
but since
Ye
would
it
as a
put away
rarely,
literally total
an
14^0
S)f)in
ass,
j^i
cp.
more
is
Other denominatives
y^y^ "IK'KD.
will
and
beast,
^,
e.g.,
Is
is
The
now published;
to be
>,
papyri
19^^),
from
for derivatives
Leipzig,
P. 382,
1.
8 of small print.
name, a hypocoristicon of
of
"in^yr^tJ^.
But on
with
In the
seals,
OT
^J3[c^] too,
(l)n^:3:J',
(l)n''332J^
some of which
some frequency
N33K^
VT^DtJ^,
occur stamped on
is
as
probably,
is
Kty of
if
in^ry,
and N^Dtr
probably also
jar
Hebrew
n''335J',
it
occurs
and perhaps
Gemmen,
pp.
Palestine,
ii9f.
40,
;
45 ;
Clermont-Ganneau,
i.
PEF
183
Qu.
St.,
(cp. p. 182),
ii.
1902, pp,
70.
INTRODUCTION.
1-3.
The Book
I.
and Place
Title
of Isaiah
in the Canon.
is
Hebrew
This
D^^inai, consist.
part,
and the
Former Prophets^
books, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings,
D''DtJ'6<i
D''N^33, the
The Twelve"
commonly called,
named
is
"Minor
(the
*'
constituting a
single volume).
in
Hebrew
On
hand, there
is
the other
St.
Petersburg,
H. E.
H.
St.
t
rolls:
as the codices at
Ryle, The
JLk4";
Baba Bathra,
1^5.
xxiii
INTRODUCTION
XXIV
dated
in
and commonly
respectively,
in
Germany
position of Isaiah
in
On
France.
or
many MSS,
other MSS,
the
in
this
a Paris
e.g.
MS
order
is
Germany
1286 and
dated
those written
hand, according to a
other
Baba Bathra^
after Ezekiel
is
MSS, except
other
the
also
found
in
or France.
In
Mus.
MS
Brit.
(1897), pp.
For
ff.
Hebrew Bible
and
prophets
separated
are
"
AT,
p.
458.
from the
some,
e.g.
"The
Twelve," the
(and consequently
In
of (& differ:
in
^), A, and V,
followed by Jeremiah
is
(together with
Ezekiel.
MSS
in Swete's edition of
K,
Isaiah stands
first
of the group.
Varieties of
Swete, Introd.
to the
OT in
Occasionally in references to
titles
are found,
such as Isaiah the prophet (Acts 8^^, Ho-atav tov 7rpo(f>rJTrjv ; cp.
v.28)j the book of the prophet Isaiah (Lk 4^''' fii^Xiov tov irpocfiyjTov
'
The
passage
is
f.
but the
(!5r^
the
full title
of
runs Hcram?
title
EV
XXV
MS
authority.
The form
that
4.
It
4.
is
this
book
that
all
is
of peculiar import-
is
in
ZATW,
is
used as a convenient
(n,
word
1, ').
divisions
It is
and
Hebrew
after the
text,
removal
some
Siloam
Inscription,
in all cases
it
is
early as
Mesha's
the
Inscription,
the
Nevertheless,
etc.).
(ed. i,
for there
pp. xxxvi-lxxxiv).
can
INTRODUCTION
xxvi
never be any certainty that they are due to the original author,
and
to the
meaning;
see,
e.g.j
i^^-^^.
variations *
The
or
Version,}:
Syriac
(2nd
translations
surviving
the
cent,
a.d.)
of
Greek
Symmachus, and
fragments
Aquila,
of
the
numerous or important
more frequently these
versions show a different interpretation from that which is
embodied in the vowels added by the Massoretes (6th-8th
Theodotion,
A.D.) to the
cent.
interesting
example,
where Aq.
3^^^
2C
cp., as
an
MT
points D^0,
But
in
spite
of this
common
many
mentary must be
left
to show.
This
is
clear
from internal
in the
Com-
Greek
numerous passages
writes, "
In Isaiah
I find
it
LXX
gives any
zum
;;
all
text
and again
and
Hebrew
superior
xxvii
Hebrew, or unable
in reading their
it,
(p. 50),
"the
(i.
49)
by
largely justified
illegibility
no
skilled
Hebrew
LXX
writer
Hebrew
There
is
much
we
here
we have
this
to observe:
misread
that
is
(i) the
copyists
of
the
original
text
also
at
times
all
some
sense,
dangerous,
others
make nonsense
that
We
are
im-
we follow f^ or whether
^,* and we have no more ground for refusing to con-
we
follow
*
'*
Mr.
Some
Heb.
also
Ottley,
indeed,
would meet
text has
by the
still
this
by a dogmatic consideration,
been guarded, not only by the watchful care of the Jews, but
Almighty " (ii. p. xvii). Yet even if
at all,
it is
difficult to see
why
the
INTRODUCTION
XXVlll
evidence of
the
sider
misread their
original,
evidence of J^
may
in
it
may be
on the
mere
as
is
wilfulness
if
sometimes the
make good
sense,
such
that
Hebrew
as
is
'3,
that, rightly
letters
translators of Judges,
nonsense
of their translation
case,
obvious misreading) of
possess
make nonsense
Hebrew
understood,
best evidence
actually
we can
existed
the
well
ev
if it
letters
The main
difficulty
tendency, which
is
at
in the use
times very
of
ffi.
is
occasioned by
its
conspicuous, to paraphrase.
is
all,
or not paraphrastic in
150
(2) where it differs from J^, and the Hebrew lying behind
obvious, it proves the existence of a reading differing from
f^ about 150
may more
more
B.C.
(3)
even when
it
is
c.
obviously paraphrastic
e.g.
it
8^ n.), or raise a
'
itself,
at present
and
till
this
exhaustively or in
either
present
Book
for
At
is
it
accurately determined.
cases
all
on very questionable
1^
than,
not as well
if
ally the
seem
some
to
to
least
at
a possible
as,
strengthen a reasonable
or
raise
Hebrew
the
text underlying
it
are those of
Liebmann
5~7*
5.
It is
entire
book
( 3),
titl e
^'Isa iah,"
attached to the
owed
Its
* Swete,
NAOQZr
Graece,
iii.
ZATW,
iorm to him.
OT in
;
(see p. 397
ZATJV xxy.
It is true that
Greek^ vol.
iii.,
to
group the
Ottley,
i.
8ff.
we now have
would be
For attempts
it
in accord-
MSS
The
Isaia h
Vet. Test.
A reference
127, will
to the notes
show what
is
on 2^25^^- 34^^'^^
any approach
ZATW,
in
191 1, pp. iiithe present writer's conception of adequate fullness, and
all
work.
it,
with
XXX
INTRODUCTION
that the
true, too,
referred to,
whatever
that
that the titles of the " latter prophets " implied authorship
first,
NT
was
it
customary,
as
( 1
early
this,
1 f.)
the
as
and everything
attribute anything
Be
later.
it
from the
however, as it
cent,
ist
book so
in the
a.d.,
to
entitled
to
Isaiah,
this
precarious to
infer
tradition,
from the
had
place
its
the
existence of a
the
in
Canon
conflicting
theo||^ or
and
Jeremiah
after
Ezekiel
( )
But ancient as the theory that Isaiah is the author of all that
book that bears his name may be, it is certainly very
erroneous.
The^ook is bad ly arranged to refer to but a single
is
in the
point,
the account
Am
the prophet's
of
we might expect
beginning, where
it
not at the
stands
call
(cp.
Jer
i,
Ezk
i,
Hos
i,
7^*^-),
but in ch.
6.
Book
of Isaiah,
was written
of
it
later
lies in
at the least
still.
may be
How
Isaiah
it
critical
survey of the
Book
and some
two centuries
large a part
difficult to
determine
Book must
* Cp.
is
discern that so
much
is
subsequent
Numbers^ p. xx,
e.g. imon as a title of Numbers
t Cp. Driver, LOT^ p. viif. Cheyne, Introd. p. xviii.
X Cp. G. B. Gray, The Comparative Study of Semitic Literature^
Contemporary Review y July 1907, pp. 84 ff.
:
in the
Book
as
compilation
incorrect
it is
the
of
and in
of much more recent
Just
of the
parts
also,
it
true,
is
quantity,
date.
the
Thus
6th century.
came
to
fall; c hs.
<r.
century
but this
is
less superficially
in the
less
generally admitted.
was still
by the Medes
w^se
b.c.,
55,
was
writte n long
grounds,
origin,
when
14^^*;
is
almost
On
similar
21^"^^
24-27. 34
f.
earlier
7.
least
B.C., {b)
work of an
editor
who brought
b.c.
or later, arra
(tr)
the
xxxn
INTRODUCTION
in
a single
compilation.
The
1^
fact
that the
Book
of Isaiah
is
or interpretation of the
Book.
may have
intruded
but,
is
conclusion.
We may now
origin of the
Book
of Isaiah
and
in the first
to
instance
to
an
Book.
8-19.
Origin
{\)
External Evidence.
Apart from the significance of the Greek version ( 20and the history of the Prophetic Canon ( 23-26), external
8.
22),
"^
evidence shows
and
Book
of Isaiah in
its
present form
ist
century a.d.
Book
of Isaiah,
ORIGIN
viz.
40-66
c hs.
whole or in
in
part,
XXXlll
in
e xtent o r possessing
^oo_B^^but
the
its
Book
or a
book possessing
The
Book
nature of the
quotation of
for at least
two centuries
after
But there
10.
is
is
not only the date of some particular passage, but of the book
in
the
Canon
compilation of the
Book
I.
New Testament
c
it
is
of which
of Isaiah
much
later
some
{e.g,
Romans)
XXXIV
INTRODUCTION
back to the middle of the
carries us
some
and
all
to
NT
may be
Book
the
to,
the
first
and the
no source.
specify
of Isaiah, as
the source
class consists of
Book
of Isaiah in the
third,
Only the
first
interest
here.
NT
The
with
passages from Isaiah (J^ or ffi) cited in the
passages in which
direct reference to that book, and the
1 1.
NT
Is l9
69f.
Ro 929.
Mt i3i4f., Jn i240f-, Ac 282f- cp. Mk
Mt 4i5f..
Ro 927f-.
Ro 1512,
Mt 158^-, Mk 7f-.
Mt 3^ Mk i^ Lk 3^-^ Jn i^\
Mt I2l8-2i.
Ro lo^^ Jn 1238.
Mt 817.
;
823 9I (9U.)
1
I022f.
iiio
29I3
403-5
42I-*
53^
53^
6iif-
Ac
Lk
651^-
Ro
53'^'
The
412,
Lk
S^o.
832f..
418^-.
io20f-.
are
IS714
81*
Mt
1 23.
933 (1
Ro
He
cited in
(
+ 2iSi*^)
8l7f.
25'
28iif.
2816
29io(
+ 610)
Co
Co
155*.
1421
Ro 933 loii,
Ro 118.
I Co ii.
2914
(406-8)
(I
28).
213.
i24f.).
XXXV
45
23
cited in
Ro
14I1.
Ac 1347.
2 Co 62.
496
j>
55
498
55
5)
5>
55
J5
55
55
55
Ro 224.
Ro 1015.
2 Co 6^'.
(Mk 1528), Lk
527( = Nah
ii5)
>
52I1
54^
55
35
Gal
54^'
55
55
Jn
55^
55
55
56^
}5
55
JJ
55
5920f.
64*
J5
55
5)
55
661^-
2237.
4^^.
645.
Ac if*.
Mt 2113= Mk
iii7
1946.
Ro Il26f-.
I Co 2^ (free).
Ac 749^-.
NT,
13.
= Lk
the following
may be
Is i^^
given here
referred to Isaiah in Asc. Is
is
191^'*
4428 45I
432
Philo
(first
Anf.
Jos.
Jos. Ant.
Mac
xi.
BJm\,
3^;
xiii.
I
We may
next
1 81*.
Moses {Quaest.
certain
43)."
Book of
The author
(4822-25)
* It
"a
Ecclesiasticus,
in his
lo^.
If-.
3^^.
is
whence
Is 19^^
Book
in the present
AnL
Book
:
x.
he speaks
see Ant.
xi.
i^
2^ dwapO* 6(ra
(cp. e.g.
48^^'^^
INTRODUCTION
XXXVl
22
23
And he added
24
By
life
to the king;
And
25
vv.^^^-,
^^9 ^59
48'^^-,
3it2n
1^ (^)
nx
T^%
t Of David,
^' 2^
X Vv.22C'
23
r6 apeffrov Kvpiip.
fflr
-^
(&.
P^or
22d
has
'Ej/ opdcrcL
(& is probably correct.
{most) praiseworthy of the prophets.
avTou, in his vision, probably corresponds to iJiinn in the original ; cp. 6paais
= pin in 40**, and also, e.g., in Is i\ Nah i^ ; but it might also =inN-i03 cp.
:
11^ 49^
that
especially
if
opdo-ews in 46^*^
%'Ev rats
cp.
it
ijfx^pais
is
avrov
a gloss from
,S
48''^'^
(Smend,
^Q-^1D,
01,-jLiD5
is
improbable, more
Peters).
because by his
hand:
46"*.
|l'Aj'e7r65icrei'
d.vfK6hiaf.v
Is 388.
"iDi;,
46'*
in
reference
to
is
Jos lo^^
here,
too,
probably
ORIGIN
We
t6.
ISAIAH
XXXVii
Ben
Book
i^ in
35.
Sirach's
chs. 36-39,
ing Isaiah
is
Book
of Isaiah
for
he selects
in praising
The
part of
chs. 1-35,
Is., viz.
v.^^^i, if
to the
The
17.
H.
exists
is
(i^)
greq^_^ha^;a^tgriticof tho-^Bo^^
that
it
which we
another group of prophecies, chs. 4 0-66, C.
;
as
as
it
will call
as
entire
The
now
1-35,
and
present book,
A 4- B + C.
is
Book
of Isaiah
it
This
is
Book
now ?
testimony of external
Ben
of Isaiah
It is entirely
must be estimated
a question of
t^:
= Ezr
)}
Ch
3622f-
i^-^.
INTRODUCTION
XXXVlll
The
last verses
And
2<^^
they
(viz.
him (Nebu-
Persia,
^i
mouth
days of
22
And
order to
in
desolation,
its
the
in
first
(nis^o!?) the
fulfil
kept sabbath to
it
fulfil
all
the
seventy years.
Thus
to
refers
yy22f.
Is 4428,
all
my
Thy
foundation
shall
"
Thus
Yahweh
saith
to
no part of a Book of
Du. seems
2
Ch
362'^'*
previously,
pretation
to
Isaiah.
first
and
{e.g.
is still
see
Book
of Isaiah.
v.-*^ is
far
according to
hut (i)
It
ORIGIN
xxxix
v.2^
than repeating a reference to the same ; note, ^^ and in the first year," etc.
(2) though niSaS, v.^^^ might be a mere synonym of nxVoV, v. 2^, it is at least as
;
probable that
said
order to complete
moved Cyrus
the
fulfilment
to give the
of Jeremiah's predictions,
Jews permission
to return
Yahweh had
(3) whether we admit the distinction in (2) or not, v.^^ is closely linked
with v.2^, and the prophecy to be fulfilled, referred to in v.^^, is most naturally
identified with the prophecy cited by Cyrus in his decree in v.^ ; only so is
if v.-^ was merely to repeat v.^^,
the entire form of vv.^** really explained
the writer would rather have said simply, In the first year of Cyrus, Yahweh
;
let
the double reference to the building of the house clearly indicates that this
is
nm
niVD*? in v.^^ is
a mis-
But inasmuch as other considerations tend to show that the Book of Isaiah was certainly not complete
much, if at all, before 180 B.C., and there is certainly no evidence to show
that chs. 40-66 were attributed to Isaiah much earlier than Sir 48^^"^^ [c. 180
B.C.), it is unnecessary to assume textual corruption, and very unwise to
prefer an unnatural to an obvious interpretation * of 2 Ch 36^.
placed variant of
'^* 'S3
niiT
(2)
The
testify to it
the
two
existence of
is
interesting to observe
ally, softens
down
the difficulty
how
and
is
significant that
he quite clearly
and naturally sees in 2 Ch 36^^ a fulfilment of Is 44^^ 45^ see Ant. xi. i^* ^,
especially 2, where he says " Now Cyrus knew this (raCra, viz. that Cyrus'
name had been foretold by the prophets,' etc. ) from reading the book of
his prophecies which Isaiah left behind him
for this (prophet) said secretly
(^i' cLTTO^p-nTi^) that God spoke thus to him
My will is, that Cyrus, whom I
have appointed king of many and great nations, send my people to their
own land, and build my Temple.* This Isaiah foretold 140 years before
the Temple was demolished.
Accordingly, when Cyrus read this ... an
earnest desire and ambition seized upon him to carry out (Trot^cac) what was
:
'
so written," etc.
'
INTRODUCTION
xl
Clnon
of
(a)
Book
to the
Jeremiah
extent
differs
and
The Greek
of Jeremiah.
Hebrew
arrangement
in
version of the
from
this
fact
is
it
text
Book
of
both
in
a reasonable
made
the form
and
firmly fixed,
it
is
On
Bibles.
present
Two or
40'^ 5 6^^),
number
of cases
ffir
J^.
There
is
no
difference of arrangement.
The most
the date
when
the
already reached
tion of
21.
some
An
its
or
present form
all
and
at a
that date to
slight + and -
of the
alternative conclusion
is,
of
ffir,
its
excep-
present extent.
indeed, /^^^/<^/^
Book of
Isaiah, smaller
Greek
natural
(ct.
Jeremiah).
But
if
and method,
under "Interpolations."
in
Thackeray, Grammar,
p.
294,
;:
ORIGIN
xH
Twelve
"
if
/cat
(9^'' (^^'
it
Ex
used seven
is
Jth 1$^^
JThS,
191
1,
pp. 286-293.
stated,
{c.
132
B.C.)
7rpo<f>r)T2ai)
and the
of the
rest
books
"
(3)
the
style
(at
and
an
earlier date,
{Grammar, 61
c.
130 B.C.
f.),
cp.
INTRODUCTION
xlii
tendency to give a free rather than a verbatim rendering," may ho. "marks
of a comparatively early date," though the analogy of the Aramaic Versions
would, so far as it had any value, point to the opposite conclusion ; the
Targum
earliest
free than
far less
is
the later
may be added,
it
Pentateuch
see Ges.
i.
56,
affinities
and
an equivalent in Pent,
Ezk.) of iho, to which H. Wiener draws attention in Bibliotheca Sacra, iQHj pp. 491 if.
In the Grammar^ Thackeray "conjectures"
and
Is. (also in
that Isaiah
all,
before
(fiTjdeis)
132
and
B.C.,
ovdeLs
we cannot do
unfortunately
we
if
so
and
The Greek
Wisdom,
of
t.e.
(fj.7]5ls)
see Thackeray,
more than
Grammar,
that proof
(c)
version, then,
than the
the version
is
first
is
than 132
known
Sir.
B.C.,
Book
More-
or (d) the
It is
pp. 58 ff.
not yet forthcoming
is
if
Is.,
cent. B.C.,
earlier,
2nd
occurrences in Isaiah of
The
its close.
(d)
Of
and
nor
(c)
Thackeray is right in
considering the version of large parts of 2-4 Kings to be not
earlier than the ist cent. B.C., then the 7rpo<f>r]TLaL of the Prologue
to Sir. were at all events not co-extensive with the books of the
as absolutely impossible
"prophetic
Failing
Canon"
and, indeed,
if
(cp. i).
it
will
be wise to
attained
its
ORIGIN
xliii
Canon
of Scripture at the
Canon
last
of three
which the
first
entire
Canon
falls at
when we have
justified in
and
was applied to
the earlier and smaller bodies of Scripture that had gained, or
were then gaining, form and recognition. As a matter of fact,
we have evidence that such a theory, even if it existed, was
ineffective
Ezra {Numbers^
Twelve
Law "
" the
p.
xxxi
B.C.,
that
received additions
ff.),
it
the
after
time of
the
Isaiah (J^) itself has in all probability received some very slight
additions even after the date of ffi, and harmless additions
to the text of the Samaritan Pentateuch
*
For a
made
summary statements
p. xxxviii f.)
to standard
{Numbers
INTRODUCTION
xliv
show a
com-
munity.
Thus
and
its
generations.
And
25.
prophetic
was
limited.
Is
it
24-27,
(32) 34-35 were first incorporated in the Book of Isaiah after the
middle, or even after the end, of the 2nd cent. B.C.? Daniel
same case:
to have included Daniel in the prophetic Canon would have been
to expand that Canon by the introduction of the work of a
prophet not yet recognised
whereas, if chs. 24-27 had indepenand, say. Is 24-27 are, indeed, not
quite
in
the
meant
that the
in
the
On
it
ORIGIN
and
origin of a section
may
ISAIAH
xlv
be judged unproven
rightly
if
it
27.
evidence which
of
lines
have
much
to find
in
the present
less to find
in
ffir
On
B ook may
common
B.C., fo r
perhaps towards
its
close than
be found
to
is
in the
beginning
its
B.C.,
and,
Book,
Whether
how much
any,
if
be determined
will
When we
Book
The
(3)
itself as
to
its
origin
made
already been
can
in 5.
Regard
may have
in keeping,
if
is
exercised
some
influence
and Jeremiah
(chs.
46-51),
carried
consistently
through
in
13-23 are
dealing with Judah
prophecies
sections,
in
chs.
Isaiah,
for
by a
interrupted
in
ch.
22
Book
the
(i)
(2)
Edom
is
less
foreign
section,
or
other foreign
is
the subject
of "
"
another
obvious
the
book
83-105
Am
see, e.g..
of "
i f.,
The Twelve
Cornill,
Che. Introd.
Nahum
"
Die Composition
xxii.
a compilation which in
des
Buches fesaia^ in
ZATW
INTRODUCTION
xlvi
arrangement
its
is
primarily governed
the
in
compilation
the
same
principle
Book
probably
is
of Isaiah of
6,
is
The
in
(chs.
the
1-5),
present
out of chronological
existing
compilation.
of
its
Ana
in
its
Book
still
titles
young.
strongly suggests
much
as he found^them,
author of the
title
title
title
and
all,
further
title
down
to ch.
ORIGIN
xlvii
who had
title
indicating
it
Mn
same exclamation
(s^'^*)
present
Book
them
in different
^P^
I.
/
and Jerusalem," ascribed in a title (2^) to^saian)
c.
13-23. "Oracles" which the title totKe first section (iS^)rh^^
s^_ _^--^^
probably mtends to attribute to Isaiah.
24-27.
d.
28-33
e.
34
f.
Anonymous Prophecy.
with
''"in.
7hot^
Of
and the
sections,
g.
has
it
these
its
analogy in Jer
^ 2,
INTRODUCTION
xlviii
only part
17) of what
now
appendix in
chs.
this historical
ence between chs. 1-39 and 40-66, that whereas much in chs.
1- 39 was written later than the age of Isa iah and as late as most,
iT
not
all,
we constantly
unmistakably of his
age
any prophecies of
no
is
return
his age.
if
not the
consisted in
latest,
Whether
this
due
Book
of Isaiah
1-39 was
understood to be an anonymous
prophecy (chs. 40-66), either simply to fill a blank space, or to
make the fourth prophetic collection approximate more nearly in
filled
size to
The Twelve,"
or whether chs.
whether by accident or
C hs. 40-66 appear to
/design, to be treated as a single work.
two
periods
{c.
j_/( contain work of at least
540 a rid c. 4jojB.c.)
^-^eparated from one anotner Dy nearly a century the matter will
be fully argued in its proper place in the Commentary. An
^
editor must have brought together the work of these two different
history
separate
before
they
came,
periods,
and
that
scarcely
probably, considerably
32.
It
after,
much
before,
an3
possibly,
fully.
From
the nature
even
be made
suffice to indicate so
much
them
of the
no attempt
it must
all
may have
The Book
anonymous
40-66 was
AND HISTORY OF THE BOOK OF
ORIGIN
Isaiah
ISAIAH
was
xlix
probably
from the
Isaiah
these chapters, 28-33 (32) contain much that is admittedly the work of Isaiah, wnefeas chs. 24-27. (33). 34. 35 contain nothing that can with any probability be defended as work
^^-35?^ Of
B.C.
proved, but
would be reasonable
interpolated into a
to believe that
Book
if
i.
were
2-12. 13-
because the
Again,
if
wished
interpolator
we
them
or, if
added
to a
pass
book
as
Isaiah^s.
somewhere in
the middle among the prophecies rather than appended to the
chs. 36-39,
it is
easy to see
which consisted of
means easy
to see
inserted
On
if
they were
chs.
to a book
2-12. 13-23. 28-32. 36-39, it is by no
they were interpolated where they now
i.
why
stand rather than at the close of the prophecies in chs. 40-66, for
they are certainly not very obviously connected with their present
From
seems some
probabiUty that, if interpolated at all, chs. 24-27 and 33-35 were
intej:pola^d before chs. 36-39 and 40-66 were united, i.e. before
B.c/^ and if this were so, it would follow that chs. 24-27
and~33-35 were written before 180 B.C. The case is rather
different with i9i7(i9)-25
jf ^^jg ^^gj-g written c. 160 B.C., it must
have been interpolated ; but it may equally well have been inter-
setting.
this
point
^80
VOL.
I.
of view,
then,
there
INTRODUCTION
after
it
in
Comm.
in the
Book
'
own
and
has the main body of its contents enclosed between poems
(2^'* 12) relating to thel^^alFuture, may well have formed
But if sopTike our present Book it had
a Book of Isaiah.
It may be noted that (i) the section is
itself had a history.
wider in its scope than *' Judah and Jerusalem " (2^), for see ^2-12.
This section,
its
in the
falls
title
middle of
it,
ch. 6
(3) chs.
c;
ORIGIN
ISAIAH
li
if
for
it
ch.
(9I-6)
viz. 22-4 42-6
II
a series of "oracles"
{a)
{b)
2i^-25).
(1917-25). 20. 2
The term
Kt^D,
28-32 1712-14
which appears
jg.
in the titles
nowhere
else in the
Book
Hab
as
it is
found
see
BookjaLX)racles,
i\
seems
likely,
the
ten
sections
entitled NJJ^D,
oracle,
if,
once
f.
19 (in whole or part), 23 ; but the Book
work belonging to the age of Isaiah ; see
It is possible, and indeed far from improbable, that the
ch. 17.
untitled sections were, most or all of them, added to the " Book
of Oracles " before that work was utilised by the editor of Isaiah
1-39 ; but some at least of the additions, e.g. c. 20, must have
been made after the " Book of Oracles " as a whole had been
2ii"^^,
possibly also 15
attributed to Isaiah.
Chs.
exilic,
This anonymous prophecy is certainly p osttoo (even though they be of independent origin),
24-27.
and
so,
now
incorporated with
it
see
more
fully
the
the recurrent
characteristic
is
all,
of
on
1-39,
e.g.,
we may
infer
that
it
marked these
INTRODUCTION
Ill
1-39.
In chs.
M.
see
here,
28-33
{c.
Die
Briickner,
Coinposition
Buches Jes.
des
cc.
1897).
Chs. 34 f.
35. This
more fully
t^ie Book ofUIsajah
of
the_^nal^.st^ge_ju__jJiteraj:yL__pm
is
Book_^id_not_a^^et_^xist{^^^
to
believe that it did notexist_any long time beford^i8 o bTc.
We can only go further, if we can determine the age of the
latest section of the Book for the Book, of course, in its final form
is
later
than
latest section.
its
sections which are clearly post-exilic, but of which the exact age
is
anything but
The
clear.
mentary must be
Com-
show,
to
left
book
to the
2nd
cent. B.C.,
But
of that century.
were
24-27
chs.
i'qT5J25
in the
brief
it
is
extremely
on
written as late as 16
notes
to believe
difficjilt
in the post-exilic
Even
B. C.,
t hat
pe riod, and
and inserted
first
instance
may
few
have
clause), etc.
The
Is 24-27
but the character of the age can be divined.
apocalyptic^ork, and forms part of the Book of Isaiah
is
;
an
no
enough some
The
ated, lived in a n
he
Book, as probably
utilised or incorpor-
it'
It
ORIGIN
been handed on
liii
to us.
(4) Prophetic
36.
write,
later
when
it is
/especially as
literary;
also
it
much
pen of the
all
it
rests
of the
of that which
is
Book
first
process to
we cannot
origin.
say with
not.
its literary
it
But much
is
may
literary
rest on
form from
certainly goes
back to the
and in
case we have to inquire what is the relation between the
literary stage and the spoken word.
Our information on
public or private utterances of the prophet Isaiah,
point
is
is
There
in writing.
on spoken prophecy or
first
Much
prophecy,
Later,
it
certainty whether
37.
ready writer."
it
is
suggestive
so also
this
first
this
is
the
38.
ifi)
(in
The
In b
(/3)
we
through th e
medium
medium
of
of
Isaiah's
INTRODUCTION
llV
The
first
thing to be remarked
is
that
44
ff.),
.^
delive r.
or
(/3)
in a different style
recited
after the
and
by
prophet
at greater length,
that
particularly the
all
299 f.,
have held
|J
xiiif.); but,
(pp.
{of the
and
certainly the
recalls the
Woes " in
six or seven brief
" Beatitudes " of the Gospels which we have received in two
grouping of
"
5^"^^
is
Isaiah, as in
artistic
length,
ORIGIN
ISAIAH
Iv
there
is
some reason
we cannot determine
was some years after
it
it
(see
on
and the
ch. 6),
work.
Amos (Am
7^^"^^),
Some
to literary form.
presumably cast in
though
ch. 18 again
literary
may
well
first
(cp.
Di. xxi),
previously spoken.
40.
40.
it
has several
times
pointed
out
that
is
origin
of the
Book of
Isaiah.
c.
740
Some
some memoirs
made him a prophet and thelvay
e.g.,
INTRODUCTION
Ivi
chs. i8.
28-31);
some
in
cases he was
made
it is
him
do
to
by
this
(30^).
moved
and
disciples
their suc-
7^^- ^.
some
Book
of Kings (2
life
later written
18-20).
foreign nations
sL_ i ntended to
much
results of this
activity
Possibly
existing
3rd cent.
brought together by an
editor
who
(i^"^^),
prefixed
B.C.
the
28-32) were
title
i^
and
to the
however, of
this
the
iS^^^^^
is
uncertain.
Some
additiohsTuch as
27-
34
f.
Book
ig'^'^-^^,
of Isaiah
may have
received
some
Ivii
Abo ut 150 B .C. the Book of Is aiah was translated into Gre ek.
z,^
^ After this date it is very doubtful whether the Book received any
additions extending
made
to the
Hebrew
such small
text
and include
these vowel
points
sense of the
text,
are
flagrantly
at
interpretation of
(see, e.g.^
on
63I-6).
41-43.
f/k
The
task of interpreting a
INTRODUCTION
Iviii
is
to
be regarded as
or later writers
is
his,
not
all
certain.
be regarded as
to
wide range
is
in the
that
is
as un-
degrees of
uncertainty.
The
42.
criteria
distinguishing
for
writers
the
work of
different
Social implications.
and ample
the main, th e work of I saiah
are clear
Exile
but
many
interpretation
question.
Style
(d)
and Language.
is
not Isaiah's
or (2),
It is
more
argument from style and language to prove that c hs^. 40-55 are
not the work of Isaiah ; for it is abundantly cle^^^rom criteria
of class (a) alone that these chapters were/mitten 150 yea rs
At the same time, style and
after the close of Isaiah's car eer.
language alone would suffice to show that 40-55 were not the
work of Isaiah, though they would not quite so closely define
the date of that work.
The
duction)^
(c)
who
at times
may
(^Intro-
Ideas.
judgment on the
Hebrew
ideas
the possibility
facts
particular
is
is
frequently
for
may
there difference of
judgment
earlier.
at the present
In
time
below,
89).
lix
may
classes
certainty
a high
yield
even
in others,
all
the criteria
combined
will
only give
another observer
it
will
(9^"^),
Kennett (pp. 4 f. ) states the problem well but his method of solution would
be sound only if our knowledge of all periods of Jewish history were full instead
of being with reference to some periods exceedingly meagre, and with reference to most, inadequate.
**It is necessary," he writes, *'to inquire with
reference to each section or fragment which literary criticism declares to be
homogeneous, at what period every one of its phrases would ha7>e a clear
meaning. ... If history repeats itself, it seldom does so to such an extent
that every word and phrase of a document written in one age will be equally
suitable to another
and for practical purpose it will usually be enough to
point out one period of history to which such a document really corresponds
Unfortunately for this method, there is a vast difference
in all its parts."
between suitability to a particular age and suitability to what is known of
the same age
a document may very well correspond, or not be inconsistent
with, what is known of two or three different periods of all of which next
to nothing is known ; and if the correspondence with only one such period
;
is
As
given.
a matter of
fact,
Book
is
necessarily
inconsistent with what is known of more periods than one (cp. e.g. the
introduction to 19^'^^) if our knowledge were increased, the range of ambigu:
Poetry in the
structure of
Hebrew
poetry
INTRODUCTION
Ix
was poetical in form."^ He also proved that in transfrom Hebrew poetry it is possible to reproduce not only
literature
lating
the sense, but also the form, in so far as this depends on parallel-
and
is
no
the
less poetical in
Psalms or Job.
Parallelism
only one?
is
Lowth
the question of
is it
the
Hebrew
in the
decided.
45. In the translations the division into lines has been deter-
De
it
is
Homer
or
Isaiah (1778).
t The Prophecies of Isaiah (1880, 1882
new
translation oj
ed. 5, 1889).
X Cp. Harper, Amos and Hosea (in this series), pp. clxiv-clxix, and W. H.
Cobb, A Criticism of Systevis of Hebrew Metre (1905), a useful survey of the
subject, with (pp. 191-202) an extensive bibliography.
>
POETICAL FORMS OF THE PROPHETIC LITERATURE
translation the lines of the original
Hebrew
so to distinguish the
lines
Hebrew
poetry
lines frequently
their neighbours
LOT
363)
phenomenon
constant
of
What Lowth
reality
absence of parallelism in
in
is
such as
Yet
But
or when, these
parallelism of sense.
ism" (Dr.
if,
(see, e.g.^ p.
not a
is
is
metrical lines
lines
neither
Ixi
have
Upon
Zion,
poem which
in a
fall
my
king
holy
hill.
tends to
my
set
poem
in
same
which parallelism
length.
is
absent
just cited,
't^'ip
the
jv^-^y
the same
"in
length
as
are related to
the periods
in
one another by
parallelism
D*"!:
If
wy\
r\t:h
sound reason
tion
yet
if
lines,
there would be
no
English transla-
pause
might be retained in English as a
and when, as is most frequently the case,
form of articulation
parallelism is sometimes present, sometimes (though generally
less frequently) absent, it is convenient to show the line-division
;
throughout.
may have
47.
So
been.
far
it
is
INTRODUCTION
Ixii
sense divisions in
Hebrew
Sing,
Heavenly Muse,
Of Oreb,
that,
first
how
my
that flowed
advent'rous song
and
Ps
more be
trusted in
its
2^,
Dnm^nyi
Seeing that
particular applications of
Is loi^d,
MT can
makkeph than
no
in
Ixiii
it
will
vf>j;a
D)3x -nom
pnnn
^dj;
MT
as 2
2.
21. 26.
27
in
the
14^-21;
nn>n na^x
n3DK3 nnp
njir^
man
no
Z<
'
DDK^c)n )vv
is
followed
by a
line of
balancing couplets
*
On
Kinah
is
account of
{elegy)
its
rhythm.
But
it
it
may be
said to be characteristic of
ZOZ
ZATW,
it.
On
this
i^^-
40^**
INTRODUCTION
Ixiv
commonly
varies
two couplets
32^^ contains
e.g.
2:2:
nntsn
and in addition
examples of 3 3
to
given
i^
mn
above,
7,2^^^' ^' ^^
may
serve as
Of
course, wherever a succession of couplets 2
2 occurs, it would
possible,
combining
be
by
two lines, to express the rhythm as
4 4. The real distinction, however, lies here that in some
periods of four accents there is a marked pause after the second
accent, and also the two parts of this period of four accents are
Couplets which in the
4 are
rarer.
parallel in
is
the couplet.
4 are
5^^ 92*
**
2:2:2
followed by 3
There
is
type of these
is
52.
3.
less variety in
2,
may be regarded
therefore, expect 2
as
already illustrated
3,
Obviously
50).
and we might,
abbreviations of 2
2 and 4
4
an abbreviated 3
and 4
(
:
3,
POETICAL FORMS OF THE PROPHETIC LITERATURE
Ixv
we
find rather 4
or 2
2.
is
five
are,
alternative 2
3:2;
3,
the obvious
does occur,
effect,
occurrence
its
second
the third
line,
enough
often
in
corresponding to
53.
So
far
is
parallel
couplets 3
3,
but
Hebrew
There
monostichs and
frequency,
poetry.
also occur,
tristichs;
a rhythmical complex in
itself:
has been
facts
so prevalent in
is
though with
tetrastichs,
happens
that
has nothing
it
it.
this
the monostich
less
too,
though
The
distich
not;
is
far
it
merely
most of which
lines,
will
and
tristich is
lines,
the existing
in
still.
Whether
It is
when
three lines
1 1 1 f.
so characteristic of
is
all
Hebrew
poetry that I
couplet,
4, 3
3, 4
terms dimeter, trimeter, tetrameter, pentameter, hexameter, for lines
VOL.
I.
2, 3
five,
and
2, etc.,
INTRODUCTION
Ixvi
of parallelism, be different in
allelism
is
made
in
this
accents divides into two unequal lines, of which the second and
shorter
is
and longer
as at the
first,
the beginning.
the
scheme being
or,
d. e
am
f.
and so
g.,
satiated with
less
forth
a. b. c. d.
complete correspondence,
;
cp., for
a. b. c,
example
rams and
burnt-offerings of
of fed
fat
beasts
And
in the
I delight not.
Must a poem
poem ?
in
How
combined into a
does a poem
and,
if
For example,
3:3;
must these
or tristichs,
accents?
Or
is it
Certainly in
exclusively of lines
consist
and kind,
our present
viz.
text
we
of three
3 to be interchanged
or even with couplets
3:2?
all
the separate
same poem.
Ixvii
But
(i)
is
probably
less
far
was probably
poems
dominant rhythm^
it
(4)
is
all
generally
possible
i.e.
poem
to
more
frequently
in question than
larities for
scepticism
is
unnaturally
not
provoked
Book?
by the
Such
far-reaching
changes that are often made in the text in obedience to hypothetical laws of metre.
On the other hand, there is too much
approximation even to metrical regularity to
plete scepticism.
The
justify
such com-
to
tell
their
own
tale
the attempt
to, if
is
and
Hebrew
there
to give
of,
the
text of the
who
INTRODUCTION
Ixviii
together they
abnormally long,
all
rhythm
that the
suggest
will
is
may seem
one or
that
3 distichs (as,
treating the 2
change
in the
e.g., in
2^'^)
distich as
2:2
may be
On
intrusive.
dominant rhythm,
as, say,
from 3
3 to 3
2 (see
They
the strophes.
are
marked
is
obvious,
by spaces.
as,
e.g.,
in
greater sense-pauses.
itself.
same length
of the
poems
to strophes
siderable cost;
of regular
length,
Commentary
prefixed to
ii^*^ 13.
5^~73-
and social
The
B.C.,
life
fell
twenty years before 750; and, since he was certainly living and
active in 701, he probably outlived the century, possibly even by
as
lay
a^a
distance of
POLI-WCAL
ana the
own
In Isaiah's early
Ixix
manhood
as a prophet, Hosea, a
was preaching to his own
people of judgment to come and about half-way through Isaiah's
active life his teaching was enforced by Micah.
Isaiah living
years of his
tirst
activity
two
740
of,
B.C.
as
late
or within a year or
in,
as/738Jon one
of
interpretation
nST^arily quite so
late
as
740
on another.
Ahaz became kin g
of
Judah not
mm
mentions
(Ja-u-ha-zi (mat) Ja-u-da-ai) along with other Syrian princes as
16', Is 7^"^^, he was
paying tribute to him in 734 B.C. ; and, according to 2
already king during the Syro-Ephraimitish war which preceded Tiglath-pileser's
campaign of 734. To Ahaz' predecessor, Jotham, the Book of Kings assigns
~4
JJzziah
to
since he
was
Now,
in the
(Az-ri-ia-a-u,
still
1.
da te.
Ann als
131
OT
in the
seemed
to
be
at least a
became necessary
On
It thus
Annals) or later.
narrow limits.
the basis of Rost's edition of the Annals (1893), which placed several
new
light,
1.
11.
INTRODUCTION
Ixx
Hamath
Assyria"
(11.
Az-ri-ia-u"
Now it
(1.
folly
in opposition to Assyria,
and
obscure
130-132); cp.
"19
districts
of
owing
.
to a muti.
which
in
added
to the territory of
side of
and strengthened
side of Az-ri-ia-u I
"who
is,
Hamath
ill).
countries, the
hem, king of Israel (and therefore of Samaria), in 738 B.C., and Menahem,
king of Samsimuruna in 701 B.C. (Sennacherib's inscription Taylor Cylinder,
ii. 47) ; (3) nothing in the OT, or in what is otherwise known of the history
of the period, would lead us to expect that Uzziah of Judah would be the
leader of an opposition to Assyria, and supported by the distant districts of
Hamath (only) ; (4) so late a date as 738 for the death of Uzziah, though not
:
impossible,
is,
Of Isaiah's
and 735 we have no
life
POLITICAL
extinction.
life
to
enforce and
emphasise
Ixxi
his
jgi^
36-39).
733-7 tt^ the
{c.
we can
liff^
nf
it by
no narratiye of this period,
except, perhaps, that which records the embassy from Merodachbaladan (ch. 39), and no prophecy that can with certainty be
there
far as
is
of the whole
falls
century
follow
And
yet within
th e
in /^2 2,)
of
Ihe
The
fact, if it
bamaria
the attempts ot
in
Isaiah
policy of Judah,
this particular
at best scarcely
and
if
Judah during
little
period
life.
Some
this
* Neither
a partial
scarcely less in
more than
these years
part in
it off, is
and took no
may
therefore belong to
OT
nor
the
any
But in an inscription of the
year 717, Sargon speaks of himself as rnu-sak-nis {mdtu) Ja-u-du sa asar-su
ru-u-ku, "subduer of the far-off land of Ja-u-di " (Nimrod Inscription, 1. 8
A'^ ii. 37). From this it has sometimes been inferred (cp. KAT^Sy) that
Judah took part in the Syrian revolt of 720, as it certainly did in the revolt
of 711.
It is, however, possible that Ja-u-di is here nK' and not m.T.
See
revolt of Judah from Assyria during this period.
above, 59.
INTRODUCTION
Ixxii
62. Ch. 20, a narrative referring to the year 711 B.C., relates
and
18)
we
are able
in a
if
Sennacherib
later ( 70),
really
on that occasion
also.
The
is
unknown
even
if
the tradition,
it
"
Beliar was wroth with Isaiah and he dwelt in the heart of Manasseh,
and he sawed him in sunder with a wooden saw," Ascension of Isaiah^ ^
;
Assyrian
Eponym
lists
{KB
i.
204-215) and
{KB ii. 273 ff.). New editions of the Inscriptions of the Assyrian kings just
mentioned are promised in the Vorderasialische Bibliothek, but none has
ii. contains a convenient collection of most of
Meantime
yet appeared.
KB
POLITICAL
Ixxiii
make
itself felt in
fore, a year
or
meWest by the year 742, and probably, theretwo before the death of Uzziah and the call
of Isaiah.
of Israel
of those
cities as far
his
south as Tyre,
army proceeded,
sent
far further
him
gifts.
On
Israel.
pp. 46-282 ; in the same work fuller references to editions and translations
of the inscriptions relating to each reign will also be found.
recent full
ii.
is,
(New York,
INTRODUCTION
Ixxiv
against the
and
combined Syrian
further south
forces at
and 846
The next
B.C.
and Jehu
perhaps
city,
cp. Is 7).
Shamsi-Adad (825-813
B.C.),
who
Nor could
his
successor
West
but Adad-Nirari
Shalmaneser;
Sidon, Tyre,
Edom, and
Philistia,
Arpad
in
n,
ni^ir^^^^
d^Hin'^
Damascus ii:(^73^nd
more northern towns of Hadrach and
list
of the
POLITICAL
Hamath
(cp.
13^1 n.)
One
the
in
Ixxv
unless
14^^),
is
it
rather to
comm and
had held
(i
Red
9'-^^),
lost.
well be drawing
not
merely to inJeFlrom
left
kings
(Am
and the Southern (Is 2^ 316^- ^9. i2f. i4. 22 aS^^-) kingdoms. But
though increase of wealth extended beyond the king, it was not
the lot of the weaker seems rather
widely or evenly distributed
aggravated.
Not
a little of the increased wealth
have
become
to
was probably du e to t rade (see below, p. 53); and not a little of
the wealth so acquired was expended in bringing unjust_pressure
to bear on the weak, in repeating the conduct of Ahab towards
Naboth which had so provoked Elijah ( i K 2 1) the nouveaux riches
bought up the patrimonies of their needier fellow-countrymen ;
by aggregation great estates arose (below, pp. 90 ff.), and cruel
evictions (Mic 2^) aroused the indignation of the humane.
In
the co'urts the weak could obtain no redress, for money again
;
But
if
increased wealth
time,
there
in
the
is
little
came
after
his
immediate
effect,
so far as
the
most
that that
INTRODUCTION
Ixxvi
who
is
identified
by many
these
districts
(10^ n.)
'
abolished (17^)
Ten
protracted siege
tribute to Assyria (2
17*), the
Cuthites,
successively.
7^),
while Babylonians,
POLITICAL
Ixxvil
'
ly^^-^i).
province and a mixed population (2
by. rn(^72o) Sargon quelled an important and extensive rising
in
Syria,
of Shalmaneser
11.
(p. Ixxiv)
of Gaza and
n.).
or that
it
to
commonly
and
at the
identification of
So
(nid,
17^
MT),
or rather
SSw^
with Sabako, though frequently made, was always more questionable and, indeed, indefensible. Before the accession of the Ethiopian dynasty lies a period
Delta was
at the time
INTRODUCTION
Ixxviii
order,
if
who
name
found
Egyptian,
in
DB,
Griffith, in
s.v.
'*
just as
Hebrew
{e.g.
LI.
Alt {Israel u. Aegypten^ pp. 44 ff.) conceives the situation somewhat differaccording to him, the pressure of Ethiopia on Egypt, which had already
:
ently
become severe in the time of the Ethiopian Pi'ankhi (from about 741 B.C.
according to Breasted's chronology, or earlier according to others), had brought
about a certain reaction against the gradual dissolution of the Egyptian kingdom
into a large
iv.
became the
that
But there are certainly here unsolved, or but partially solved, problems
and Winckler, and after him others, have sought quite another way out.
69.
As
i.
24
ff.,
argued that
the Assyrian
the
of Gaza, becomes an Arab sheikh, and Pir'u (cp. the Sabaean 3n3* y^^), king
Musur
whom
in 715, is
Pir'u ruled,
The theory
paign of Sennacherib in Palestine about 691 B.C. (see 70).
Musur and the Hebrew onsD may refer not only to Egypt,
but also to a district in North Arabia, has also been presented by others
various forms of the theory and various conclusions
studied in
Main
H. Winckler,
i.
KAT^
(1898),
1 71-173; Decline and Fall of the Kingdom of Judah (1908), xiii ff.,
The Two Religions of Israel ( 191 1 ), pp. 335, 345, 356-361 (see also
88
It is not
references in Index to Misrim in the three works last named).
without significance that Breasted in his History of Egypt is able to dispense
xi
f.
xli
f.
with the theory of the North Arabian Muri, and that Ed.
Meyer {Die
and
totally rejects
the theory
its
application to
the
times of
POLITICAL
Ixxix
existence of a
it is
of relatively
little
the
im-
portance whether between 720 and 701 B.C. the power that kept stirring up
the Palestinian states was Egypt, the history of which country immediately
prior to 712 is obscure, or Musur in North Arabia, of which, as an independent kingdom in Arabia sufficiently important to divide with Assyria the
interests of Palestinian states, nothing is known for certain, and which,
perhaps, has never enjoyed more than a speculative existence.
70.
at least
in/70^ Philistia
not of an ArabianTungdom of
in revolt.
in
Egypt,
this revolt,
of the Arabiaiis"),
Ixxx
INTRODUCTION
it
is
clear,
in
" Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia" (37^) ; Tirhakah was not king of Ethiopia in
On the other hand, it is doubtful
701, he was king in or soon after 694.
whether either Hezekiah or Isaiah, who are also associated with the narrative that refers to Tirhakah, were alive in 690 ; Isaiah would probably at that
time have been between 70 and 80 years of age.
Some further discussion of
these points will be found in the discussion of chs. 36
71.
f.
in the
Comm.
occasions,
it
may be
contrary to earlier views, the date of Tirhakah's accession can be fixed with
Apis died
at the
month of the 20th year of Psamtik since according to the same stele
the Apis was born in the 26th year of Tirhakah, Tirhakah's reign cannot have
exceeded 27 years.
Now Tirhakah was certainly still alive and king in
668-667, for Asshurbanipal, who became king of Assyria in 668, defeated
1
2th
at that
KB
is
694-693
it
calculations
26th dynasty in 525 B.C., obtain 663 as the date of Psamtik i.'s accession and
this gives 689-688 as the date of Tirhakah's accession.
Tirhakah's death
;
The
Sabako and
two kings of the Ethiopian dynasty, cannot be so closely
But from an inscription that mentions year
determined by the inscriptions.
it
appears
that
Shabataka's third year was near 700 B.C.
Shabataka,
of
3
and cp. 452 n. c). Manetho assigns to Sabako 8, to
(Breasted, iv. 887
Syncellus 12 years to each of these
Shabataka 14 years in all 22 years
years.
Thus
the
earliest
date, that rests on any evidence, for
in
all
kings
24
is
beginning
of
the
Ethiopian
dynasty
the
24 years before 694-693, i.e. 718B.C.
for
Sabako,
700 for Shabataka.
717 Breasted's dates are 712
reigned at least 6 years,
Sabako,
Bokchoris, who immediately preceded
exactly the period stated by Africanus (44 according to Syncellus).
years of accession of Tirhakah's immediate predecessors,
Shabataka, the
first
72.
The
Tiglath-pileser
and
iv.
lifetime of Isaiah
his successors
after
in
676,
in
671,
and
ISAIAH AS PROPHET
AND TEACHER
73.
due.
is
Briefly,
Ixxxi
political
little
of
first__lialf
West
the
districts
tribute
for example,
"Tdence which
release
it
JUdah from
Isaiah
retreat of
Sennache rib
tribute.
74.
lost in 732,
appears from
the
first
and
to
Teacher,
meaning and issue of the new spirit and policy ( 63) of Assyria,
and to have realised the fruitlessness of political combinations
he was certainly convinced ot the wrongness
against that power
Against all such combinaof Judah in taking any part in them.
tions, of which there was no lack, he consistently set himself.
No one who instigated these combinations, whether as at one
time it was Merodach-baladan (721-709 B.C., and also 702 b.c.)
of Babylon (cp. ch. 39), or as at others one of the kings of
the Ethiopian dynasty which established its authority over Egypt
about 712 B.C. ( 71), or, as it may have been earlier, one of the
Delta chieftains who divided authority in Egypt prior to 712, or,
as some think, the rulers of a region in Arabia called Muur
they were one and all heMess
( 69), counted against Assyria
and useless (cp. ch. 20).
The only, yet at the same time an overwhelming, counterweight to Assyria was not political, nor human it was the power
and purpose of Yahweh. Yahweh was using Assyria to achieve
H^" p s^purpose (10^) so long as ^^JsynaSmeH^ufthaTpairpose no
powers would avail against it as soon as Assyria overstepped its
commission, it, too, must go down before the /greater power of
Yahweh (lo^^^^). Not man, biiF~Gbd delefmines history that
is the key-note to Isaiah's political action and advice ; not by
clever alliances, but by watching for and quietly carrying out the
will of Yahweh is the true welfare of the state to be secured.
:
VOL.
I.
INTRODUCTION
Ixxxil
yielding
its
the
to
the will of
invitations,
Yahweh
Ephraim
but Judah too, it was (if we may trust the popular biographical
stories of the prophet in chs. 36-39) the will of Yahweh, as Isaiah
read it, that Jerusalem should not be taken by Sennacherib
it
is
ever abandoned his belief that the sin of Judah would lead
Yahweh
is
And
not only
not kept in
its
is
place,
it
is
a secondary
a secondary question
it
may,
is
if
of
how
ISAIAH AS PROPHET
God
AND TEACHER
Ixxxiii
of the
for
future",
77.
one passage
and
of
above
speaks to us in hi s
its
in which,
if
not also in
remain, even
if
As a matter of
the chapter.
will
be well to
to, this
record.
start from,
We
and teaching,
DB
On
2ff.,
complex theory
is criticised.
;;
INTRODUCTION
Ixxxiv
claim
is
good.
though a prophet and a pioneer in religious experience and the apprehension of religious truth, was none the
less, and indeed necessarily and naturally, the child of his people's
78. Isaiah,
to
and experience.
To
him, as
abode (8^^; cp. 8^n.) from the time that David, the
chosen of Yahweh, had encamped there (29^), and by Yahweh's
power, then and there manifested, had wrested it from the
But the hereditary belief of childhood
Jebusites (2 S 5^"^^ 6).'^
earthly
became
saw with
his
own
eyes
Yahweh
it
was
seated
a more exalted conception of God did not rob Isaiah of the great
intensity of the limited popular belief; God does not cease to be
* These passages are derived from a Jewish
in the time of Isaiah,
and familiar
to him.
AND TEACHER
ISAIAH AS PROPHET
He
near because
He*is
God
of
is
Ixxxv
all,
of a nation or an individual
He
nor, because
His glory
fills
the
commun-
still
therefore
and anthropopathic
lan-
guage which had its roots in those more limited religious beliefs,
in which the personal qualities of a god, and the devotion of his
worshippers to him, were accentuated by his relations or conflicts
with other and similar deities.
79.
But Isaiah
was
still
any of
very
a boy
is
( 58).
There
is
no
much
direct allusion,
Amos
but there
all
is
too
three
due
the
while he
it is
or Hosea,
is
true, in
and not
to either of
much resemblance
prophets for
it
to
in
be
that,
in a small country,
later.
It is
probable
enough that he was familiar with wnat Amos had taught and
Hosea was teaching before the crucial day in the year of Uzziah's
death ; but he first began to say with power the same things, or
to treat of similar themes, after that day on which he saw Yahweh,
and heard and obeyed His call to service (ch. 6). Even before his
call, as we may well believe, there had been added, in the mind
of Isaiah, to the old and limited conceptions which he had
received in childhood from his natural kinsmen or ordinary
acquaintance, some of the new and wider conceptions of spiritual
kinsmen such as Amos and Hosea ; and all these conceptions,
popular and prophetic alike, were fused by his own personal
experience, as recorded in ch. 6, into a vital unity, which became
Yahweh's message through him to his people.
80. The vision that showed Yahweh seated in Sion convinced Isaiah also that the whole earth was the sphere of
Yahweh's action (6^); the sin ot Israel (b^- '";, Yahweh's own
INTRODUCTION
Ixxxvi
peculiar people,
of
all
is
Yahweh's glory
that
man
majestic,
is
the weakness
on
relies
seen
in
unrivalled majesty
^51-5 26-19 2 1 If-).
heightened
the
against
relief
absolutely
(45^*
1^- 22)j
that there
that there
is
In
this virtual
monotheism, Isaiah was anticipated by Am os. Into a fuller discussion ot' its origm and nature it is not possible to enter here.
But two things may be said: (i) this apprehension of the
greatness and uniqueness of Yahweh, carrying with it the total
disregard of, if not absolute disbelief in, the gods of other
nations, was the accompaniment not of national aggrandisement,
but of national decline ; it was the very men who perceived beforehand the approaching doom of Israel and the destruction of its
existence as a nation who also believed and taught that Yahweh
so controlled the entire world that no room was left for any other
ISAIAH AS PROPHET
AND TEACHER
Ixxxvii
and corrupt
(6^"^^
cp. 83-87).
God
(2)
of Israel,
sinful
and
particular,
in
Isaiah's
and fame of
was
it
of a
common
common
to
Yahweh
the
Yahweh
god
of the
prophetic conception of
Babylon, as
is
no abstraction from
of Israel, and
Chemosh
conquering Assyrians.
Yahweh
speculations
it is
may be room
The new
prophetic conception of
the
Israel, so neither
is
which
as distinct
and
to question
the god of
And
different
appear to have
qualities
the
from
arisen
religion.
in
There
century
of the
there can be
far as
unseen
^^cp.
15"*;,
an^ the might of His quiet working utterly unsuspected (8^ n.),
by those whose ears were heavy and whose eyes closed, and
whose heart was without understanding (6^^^- 5^^^-) and dwelling
there He was working out His plan, which would prove to be to
the confusion and destruction of those who, regardless of it and
reckless of what was not seen, formed plans of their own (30^^- ^^),
associating themselves with and trusting in flesh and not spirit,
;
INTRODUCTION
Ixxxviil
Yahweh
decided.
is
in
to
in
the World, but also the consistent Purpose which works itself out
human
in
a person
Isaiah's
To
which Isaiah could not and would not have made himself.
Isaiah,
Yahweh
is
is
because
it is
and power
iniquity.
that
Cp.
to failure, because
in
to,
it
26f.
lo'^^. 23 j^24.
22I1.
he
doomed
fujfe<fre.
Isaiah
(2^"^^)
follows
in the
Amos
Amos
before
opposed
people expected on that day help from their national God, the
God
of Israel,
it
142
ff.).
AND TEACHER
ISAIAH AS PROPHET
Israel
He
will
and destroying,
secure this (5^^
83.
Ixxxix
if
:
need
controlling the
mankind a
work-
its
national
religion;
limitation,
and
popular,
so also, of course,
is
the
national
first
import {Numbers^ pp. 209-211); but just as Amos gave, or restored to, the " Day of Yahweh " a meaning which it had never
had, or
had
and
just as
Rosea
spiritual
god
of
"
Yahweh
is
is
god, or
holy;
if,
unethical, or non-ethical, so
is
if
the conception
:
" the
(5^^).
is
related to
Him)
exhausts
holy gods
* Cp.
Skinner,
e.g.
xlvi.
the
W.
INTRODUCTION
XC
to
Yahweh
or safe to Israel
Not
come having
prescription (291^)
is
AND TEACHER
ISAIAH AS PROPHET
XCl
Both these points are illustrated by the vision feeling his sin
and uncleanness, Isaiah immediately awakes to the danger of
the sight which he has seen, the Holy presence in which he
stands ; " then cried I, Woe is me for I am undone for I am a
:
man
...
of unclean lips
whom my
for
the king,
is
it
Yahweh
of Hosts,
sin,
him
he
at
is
free grace of
righteousness against
sin.
sin,
his
"
am
dwelling in the
sin,
It
lips."
the people
sin,
He
will,
Isaiah's
it,
admission of the
full
Israel
the people
who
Israel will
are to perish,
INTRODUCTION
XCII
Yahweh, be
forgiven,
How then
whole of
Israel,
would return to
their sin.
Judah,
iS^'^)i
is
^^d again
it is
expressed in what
is
commonly understood
kingdom
is
till
ye die,"
concerned, there
is
far as the
Northern
So
22^*.
On
the other
because
it
It
ISAIAH AS PROPHET
who had
predicted the
unmolested.
fall
on a
went,
fall
of Jerusalem and
yet
particular occasion
all
AND TEACHER
and under
xciii
been left
would not
particular circumstances
dogma
that
i^^
condition implicit in 7^
was not
by
fulfilled
some
at least
be established
not " believe " and
If ye believe, ye shall
Ahaz and
Yahweh
whom,
INTRODUCTION
XCIV
the
new
state in Sion
but there
is
Holy One
.^
more elaborate
is
ISAIAH AS PROPHET
other passages
AND TEACHER
inti-
This,
is
but
XCV
it
Many
In these cases
it
is
p.
Patriotic
In a word,
if
the
more elaborate
pictures
;;
INTRODUCTION
XCVl
1-39
are,
any
conceives
scarcely
(3)).
problem
the
correctly.
may
an allusion to a multiplicity of
nations receiving judgment before Jerusalem {e.g. 17^2-14. ^.p
pp. 307 f.) is not a conclusive proof that the passage which contains it is later than the 8th century ; but Gressmann is himself
one-sided, even if less dangerously so, when he claims that the only
it
um
ness' be maintained
erhalten
diirfen ")
Isaiah at least,
is
"
all
is this,
man
Book
of
may
the
may be
Isaiah's, or
it
may be
the work of
some
writer
reduced in number,
if
at
all,
by other
criteria.
*Cp. Th. L. W. van Ravensteyn, De Eenheid der eschatologischen Voorstellingen in het Boek Jesaja (Utrecht, 19 10), in which as against Gressmann it is
argued that the eschatology (as distinct from the prophetic elements) of all parts of
the Book of Isaiah belong to a single period, and that probably the 4th century.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLES
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INTRODUCTION
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COMMENTARY.
"Quae
si
longa
tibi
videbitur,
Certe
nos
cupiencibus,
difficultati,
studiosis
non
scribimus,
fastidiosis, et
et sanctam Scripturam
ad singula nauseantibus."
scire
Jerome.
A COMMENTARY ON THE
BOOK OF
I.
I.
A title
It served, in
phecies.
ISAIAH.
the
first
and age of
Isaiah's pro-
instance, perhaps, as a
title
of
was prefixed, not by Isaiah, but by a postIsaiah, in accordance with the prominence given
exilic editor.
by him to Jerusalem throughout his prophecies (i2iff. ^leff.
(43*.) io32ff. 2 2^^* 28^^^- 29^^- 30^^^-), speaks of Jerusalem a?td
Judah (3^-^ 5^ 2 2^^: occasionally elsewhere, 2 K 24^^, Ezr 2^);
in the title, as in 2^ and, e.g.^ 2 K iS^"^, 2 Ch 34^- ^ the order is
Judah and Jerusalem, A contemporary Jew would have had
no occasion to add to the list of kingT^tfie explanatory clause
kings of Judah (cp. Jer i^^-, Mic 2^) ; an editor looking back on
the mo narchy as a va nished inst itutjonjiiigtit^3KelLdo_so.
It is
doubtful, too, whether Isaiah would have applied the term
chs. I-I2 only.
It
prophetic activity
Isaiah's
this is
and the
title is
still
period of
Hezekiah
more of
directed
at
n.),
The
reign of
is
may be
least
chs.
against
one
(cp.
chs.
1-39;
foreign
prophecy
36-39)
chs.
nations;
Ephraim.
The vision] ptn signifies (i) a vision, then (2) the verbal
record of what is seen in vision, and also, perhaps, with a total
loss
of the
VOL.
I.
original
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
it
The word
vision.
third of these
Hezekiah
in
things to
Am
22i"-i^,
7-9, Jer
little
may be due
12^ 24** ^^
Nevertheless, since
actual
refer to
verb nsi,
the
Nu
of vision (cp.
i^i-^^).
the
such experiences
Amos,
titles
history
Dn
cp. e.g.
8^
and Ben
To
Sirach's (48^)
the authors of
the
titles
prophecies of Isaiah,
Consequently,
vision not
or
is
Yahweh
is
name who
is
the prophet
known
but
name 'Amos
mighty^
is
occurs
otherwise
in
unknown
Amaziah
fact
to be
without in the slightest justifying, a Rabbi nic theory that Isaiah 's
father
ntrod. 3.
MT
may
ffi
'A/xws)
'A/aws).
book
be right in pointing
i.tj/b';
book
(cp. 'Ho-afas,
n^ye'',
fflr),
see
and the
2-31
I.
name may,
common
{HPN
176
and the
75
f.)
Lidzbarski,
The
NSI.
liTp^n, XeX/c(e)tas
Ki'pios {Onoin.
ffiarripla
MT pointing,
is V'^"
rather than
ytf,
and also
of Prophetic Poems,
(i^
titles
2^):
and
section
first
ff.
like
ffir,
Collection
who can
*7Xye",
editor,
HPN
where the
original pronounciation
2-31.
I.
formation already
a^iicrei
may be
name means
+ in'
see Lag.
175
ff.,
f.
see
Introd.
it
Why
29.
it
is
from
the
cannot be determined
it
(Ro
9^9),
Jewish
life
(Di.).
it
did
book
NT.
must
ferent
single
sources.
poem
poems
reflects
may
or prophetic oration
poem
is still
Since there
this
Most
is
to
it
the section
not a
is
vv. 2i-26(28)
i-j^js
is
come
situation
in vv.^-^
no indication
chapter immediately
sections vv.2-20,
be,
clearly distinct
a different historical
judgment
is
However
or fragments.
a complete
the
also
it
is
from
falls
vv.^^^^
in vv.^^'^^
in process of fulfilment.
into at least
been interpolated,
three independent
21-26(28)^ 27(29)-3i.
contents,
vv. 18-20
w.^-iT"
if
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
4
Koppe
586
i.
n.
4-9. 10-17
2, 622).
# But whether
strict
distinguished as separate
w.^-i*^
difficulty
seriously raised
literary unity;
many
Some, however,
question.
"The
for
still
of maintaining the
felt
since
Koppe
maintain that
chapter
is
it
first
is
as little as
just
delivered
it is
and varied
nection both within vv.^"^^ and between these verses and vv.^"* and
^^'^^
is
not
If the
so far as they can be answereoTfallior consideration in connection with the several sections.
Here
it
must
suffice
simply to
and is earlier than ch. 6 ; and the wide divergence of judgment among other writers who have maintained the
unity of the chapter, the two main views being that it belongs to
reign of Uzziah
701
by Caspari
referred to
So
rhythm
Poetry ^
yy
21-28
I.
W. R.
(p. i
Smith).
For a
Many
ff.).
also
sections.
of
Eich.,
(Vitr.,
is
different
in this
mJBLit.y
1890, 82-86,
who
2-17.
The
sin
is
Within
Parallelism.
Cp. Introd. "On Poetic forms."
^"^^'*
balancing
:
a marked difference between vv.^-s- isc " and
Rhythm and
vv.*-" there
* Beit rage
I.
rhythm
to
is
dominant
be recognised in
named
in the first
vv.^- "
^^^-
2-17
more
rhythm
verses, echoing
(omitting ddtd)
^^^- ^^^'
{3
2) is clearly
(omitting ddd)
owing
^^b. isc-iea.
to textual
Of
corruption.
15a.
j^j^us
16c. 17^
lines
unless
'in
MT
accent: in
B'X'n(i)Dnty
MT), my -on
in
2:3
in
ffi^)
is
distichs 2
i.e. it
and
unless v.^'
vv.^**
Comm.)j
'^
* (2
2 in
Comm. ).
2.
be omitted
respectively
intrusive (see
v.'^*,
is
generally in
(^r)
(d)
some
prevails,
is
{(&), consists
*^
The marked
vv
10-16^
is
much by
verse
may be
rhythmically,
intrusive, but
it
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
IsraeFs unfilial cofiduct
2
Hear,
And
and
its
pimishmejit,
heaven,
give ear,
earth
Ah
sinful nation,
People whose
Brood
guilt is heavy,
Who
Are estranged
^
(?)
Wherefore
And
^
backward
From
is
sick,
No
soundness
is
in
him
And
still
up,
And
Like a booth
fire;
it
is
left
in a vineyard,
Had
Yahweh of Hosts
of us some that escaped,
not
Left
Like
,]
bleeding wounds,
2-17
I.
Not
10
ear
ye chiefs of
|
Sodom
God,
our
of
instruction
the
to
Sacrifice !
;;
people
of
Gomorrah
11
What good
to
me
is
saith
Yahweh.
I
am
rams
and
fat
of fed
beasts
12
your hand ?
Trample my courts
To
bring gifts
^^
shall
ye no more.
vain,
is
^*
me.
cannot (endur^;
to
I
my
soul hateth.
And when
ye
a burden
upon me,
weary of carrying.
I
hide mine
will
eyes
evil
of your doings
from you
do not listen.
^^ wash youselves pure
from before mine eyes.
|
But Justice,
^**
Cease to do evil,
1^ Learn to do well
Seek out the right,
Make
the violent
(?)
keep straight
(?)
Heaven and
earth are
summoned
to listen to
Yahweh's charge
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
The
(c)
leading ideas
misunderstanding
Yahweh
actually
of
vv.^-i''
what
of
demands
(a)
Yahweh
and
(3),
demands,
(c) and (d)
it is
(d)
are,
what
each
a question
which is really an explication of (a), would not immediately have followed (a) had all entered infn the s ame poem.
Thf^ Hi^|;f^ nf^fVip p<7pm, or at least of vv.^-s, i^^Toi B.c/J^see n. on
vJf where other less probable theories are cTted.^Nothing in
yy 2-17 is inconsistent with the date 701, for it is only by a very
improbable interpretation that v.^ can be made to imply a present
whether
7^
punishment,
(c),
On
vv.i^'i'^
or
at
life.
Exordium.
Since the
prophet
is
about to utter
I.
2d. e. 3.
2,
Yahweh charges
duct. Yahweh's
Israel with
unfilial conthat
is
in return
His fatherly (Hos ii^'*) care (cp. Am 3^) they have broken
loose from Him and become rebels against His authority.
for
EV
Children]
renders
rightly
thus,
D^Jl
as
in
phrase
the
though,
for
of
Where
Jer 20^2^
parallelism admits
and "daughters"
may be
Hos
(43^).
For
(it
i.e.
played
Israel,
9^2
i>na
in the
among
the nations, or
no
is
same
early period of
p. 2) falls
to the ground.
Isaiah's activity as
Conand
(Che. Introd.
Yahweh
revolt
from one's
training
ruler
{e.g.
isy lytJ^D,
Hos
12^^,
8^)
here
it is
i^),
/^
ffi (f5i/'W(ra),
Ki.,
U {exaltavi),
RVmarg.
AV,
RV
child's
reference to idolatry,
renounce
used of a
(text),
Ges., Cond.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
lO
rebellion against
Yahweh.
been an
unfilial child
of Yahweh, but
has shown himself less intelligent than the animals (cp. Jer S'^)
that form part of a household (Ex 20^'^).
Ox and ass find their
way
to their stables
it
2^^(^),
<*
them
none
of
lines
here.
omits the
last
line,
would probably, if
but the remainder
the
instead
Yahweh
later
of
of
idolatry,
often,
see, e,g.,
poem
ethical
suggests
offences
in
God;
Jg
is
by themselves they
not quite necessarily, imply idolatry (2C);
rhythmically suspicious.
2"^-
specifically to
lo^-^^,
had,
mind. To forsake
2820),
abandon
Dt 31^^ Jer
Isaiah
that
with writers
Him
i^^
2^^
for
5^;
another
and
if
3-6
I.
II
The
verb in the
to idolatry in
78^'^.
The
see Introduction.
5a. b. The question put to the persons
^- ^.
^^Why will the people invite fresh punishaddressed in
weh
Amos
Many modern
Judah
(4^"i2),
have suffered
Wherefore] the regular meaning of
appears
to
interpreters*
destroys
the
and, as
parallelism,
Cond.
urges,
justly
who
pro-
it
chastises
is
carried
on into
this,
necessarily implies
IS'^Din,
punishment, to
and mD,
\2T\.
defection^
which
line
is
road (Dt
2^^,
Yahweh
healed
Cp.
5c. d. 6.
v,5a.b (plural
of the entire
Him
to
be
cp.
H super quo.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
12
cp.
^^),
i.e. still
These wounds
bleeding.
have not been pressed out to purify them from purulent matter,
nor bound up with bandages, nor softened and the pain of them
assuaged by the pouring in of oil (cp. Jer. 8^2, Lk lo^*).
7.
8.
The
(w.^*-^*^)
figurative
is
Judah
followed
:
by
literal
cities
the
insecure as
slight
structures
homes
The
to return to
only
them
made
for
their
away from
their
at night.
known circumstances
" Hezekiah
fortified
of Judah,
who had
not
cities
in
their
6-8
I.
13
must have been such as to justify the terms in which Isaiah here speaks.
It has been questioned whether an army largely composed of Israelites would
be called "aliens" (D'lO- No siege of Jerusalem by Sargon, to which some
referred this description,* is recorded, and the hypothesis that there was
such a siege is now generally abandoned, f
Your
tilled
Gn
(HDIS, cp.
circle
(Nu
i^^ n.),
fields or cultivated
Aliens] the
in Jerusalem.
or
3^''),
5^^,
i.e.
to
country
the besieged
another
class^
Ezk
28'',
La
5^)
this
much
is
very probable.
It is far
more
aliens^
(13^^
Dt
29^2,
Am
4^^,
8.
city,
Am
"virgin Israel,"
Jerusalem^
i.
269).
5^.
Sion here
is
and
insecurity of
the HDD, cp. Job 27^^; and of the night-refuge {7\yh'0\ Is 24^0,
* Cp. Che. /*/, Introd. notes to
x. 5-xii. 6.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
14
"
shall
It
shake to and
For a picture
but
7lJ0, 2
D^"i^:i3
n^y,
17^)
fits
meaning alarm-post^ or
rendering of miVJ
(RV) and
city
SBOT),
(Che.
and
and
(see
this is
SBOT)
60!^
cp.
(nniTV,
city.
is
it
62^2)
^//^
can only
really
not
is,
would be the
express the meaning
well-guarded
city
poem seems
See also
Had
forsaken^
and yet
safest rendering,
Haupt
a questionable
is
a besieged, or forsaken,
if
Besieged^ too,
lines,
Kon.), and
it is
like
two preceding
to
phil. n.
(Gn
iq^s,
entire,
safe, that
the capital
is
inviolable
from
vv.^"^,
Some
above.
see
renders remnant
T^iK^,
present position.
that escaped^
its
On
is
one
31^,
who
Nu
survives
24^^.
moment,"
2620.
In
RV
to
the
v.^
inadequately
from
MT,
one
defeat^
though not
little^ i.e.
very few
in
cp.
word DyD3 being taken with the next clause almost had we
But this fails to do justice
become (cp. Gn 26^^; BDB 590^).
thought
of
Yahweh had not allowed
obvious
v.^,
for
if
to the
some to escape, Judah would have been clean wiped out, and,
therefore, not almost, but quite like Sodom.
2. 'TiDDm 'n'?ij] the simple (not consecutive) waw coupling two synonymous
Ki. rightly remarks, "Two words of like meaning are
terms (Dr. 131 f.).
used for the sake of emphasis, but the sense of both is one and the same " ;
he is wrong, however (see above), in the meaning which he gives to both
Dm] but they ; the emphasis implied by the
Dy '?D SyD 'DDDm oniN ^nSia 'd.
duf, instead of
and;
2-6
I.
Gn
42^,
and
G-K. 84a,
3. Dnx] sere for hateph seghol
trough
cp. Job
onx
Xh^
is
feeding
and
fatten,
:
G-K.
124/'.
VT
vb
(& 'laparjX 8i
V^ntJ'']
15
is
cp.
AND
I.
^.
39**.
(p. 201).
means
D2H,
to
feed up,
ovk ^voj
/jlc
by rendering
Obs.
pronoun
the ace.
left
to
pers.
2nd
dSc,
G-K.
D'yno] the
128;*:;
and
i.e.
(v.'^*).
py
Sta. 2023.
133]
yni
337<5),
descendants, of evil-doers,
i.e.
race, consisting
It is
(cp. S^S).
clause
2nd
= n3|,
in apposition or cstr.
but seed,
for n3|
something similar.
K'np
nx
three fellows.
its
.
(Gn
6^^),
or
suspicious.
also,
niHN in
50*^
whether
tj)
ma
is
suggested as the original reading by Marti for inx jdj, cp. Ps 40^^ 70^ and
Since the poem is for the most part composed of distichs,
references above.
:
one
(if
not
all)
v.
seems superfluous
the
balance to nin'-nx
fflr
my
than mnx
Vnij.
Haupt (SBOT,
p.
109) attempts
unnecessary.
tyxT Sd]
head (RVmarg.), as
if
art.
G-K.
127^.
Hence
were physically sick and covered with actual sores. '^n"?] probably V of the
product cp. 2 Ch 21^^. 6. DnD n j'n] ffi has no equivalent for cnD 13, but
it is a mistake when Marti says that CEr omits the whole clause
the oire. of
r implies that they read px ; and as without ddd n the sentence [there is no
wound, etc. ) is impossible in the context, we must suppose that fflr used a
text from which DnD 13 had accidentally dropped out.
The clause is not a gloss
from Ps 38^- ^
punctuates Dhp a strange nominal formation from Don,
on which see Kon. ii. 98 n. i. Better with Haupt, in SBOT{'p. no), Qhp,
ni]
there is nought of soundness.
by accentuating on the penult, perhaps
intended to connect the form with mi (see Del.).
Going back to the
MT
MT
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
l6
consonants alone
we may connect
treated
Kal
as pass.
it
then suppose mi
it
from mT
^< ;)
(cp.
G-K.
52^,
Olsh.
67w)
(p.
536)
we must
forms in Is 59'
However
fleece).
riDDT
itj'^n
and Jg 6^
39^^,
{pressing,
is
wringing out
b.
explained by
G-K.
satisfactorily
explained by calling
10-17.
Hear
the
begins,
above,
justice
p. 4f.).
that
is
to rescue them.
is
Mic
66-8,
Jer
74. 2if.^
ig ^oi.
I.
Sacrifice
the nations,
17
own
time
but cer-
religion
is
sacrifice
during the
first
was
religion
Hebrew
without
VOL.
I.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
Dt
Ezk
32^2^
1 6^*^*^-),
On
Sodom
if
Koran
to
is
so frequently
Ad and Thamud.
same
sins
as
poor
among
it
did a century
it
people of Gomorrah.
Dn
11^^ the
Mic
3^**,
Pr
Chiefs] the
cp.
Mic
(coupled with
word
6'^t (^
is
word pVp
31- ^ (in
is
chiefs
synonym of
parallelism with
K^^-i).
In Jg
of Sodom,
1 1^-
C^K"i),
it is
Jg
*^-
K'NI in
3^^
22^,
is corrupt.
Pr
In Hebrew
have retained less of the apparently original meaning decide
than has the Arabic Kadi. Chiefs of the people of Yahweh
ought to make it their aim to keep things right in the State
(Mic 3^); but, since Isaiah shares with Micah (3^) the view
in
25^^ pVp
to
prophet
Koran, Sura 7.
The instruction of our God] the word min in
passages such as these is very unsatisfactorily represented by law
(RV). Both in the sing, and the plural it is used in Ex.-Dt. and
elsewhere of laws properly so called ; but an earlier sense, which
was also retained even after the special sense of law had become
established, was instruction, teaching, direction, in the first instance
probably a communication of the will of the god cp. the Assyr.
tertu, if the term is derived from Babylon (KAT^, p. 606) j or,
perhaps, m\ to cast lots, Jos 18^, if the word is of Hebrew origin.
The word is also used of the teaching given to a child by a parent,
;
10-14
I.
19
of sacrifices? that
How
people.
to the
putting
is
La
cp.
this
Yahweh
sacrifices,
those
for
cp.
Am
if
it
is
(Am
4^),
but
5^^^-,
Jer
6^0,
i522f.,
Is
repeatedly
is
mistaken a proceeding,
sacrifices;
22^2)
Job
constant bringing
2^,
special sacrifices,
and
to
the
special parts
and the
14^^^*), which were not consumed by
blood (Lv 3^'', cp. 2 S
Fatlings]
the people, but reserved entirely as holy to Yahweh
except in 11^ the word N^ID is always used (Am 5^2, Ezk 39I8, 2 S
(Lv
3^^, cp. 2
2^^^- i4^2f.^
of
all sacrifices,
2^^^-
6^^, I
it
is
i^"^^- ^^)
in
some
cases
from the
them.
Hebrew
and
fflr,
tial
v.^^
Him ?
At any
rate,
He
Him no
pleasure.
man
ofi"erings
What
to
Then
(& (followed
in
the
asked
Yahweh
to bring sacrifices
are useless
is
the
an absolute abomination to
Him
the
Cp.
Am
521-25^
this unqualified
single slight
COMMENTARY ON
20
of
ISAIAH
p^5,
According
to
MT, Yahweh
repudiates not
S^TF
it
but though
much
That the
is
far
is
enhanced.
severity of such
that
for
it
text
was
of
phil. n.) to
of God is
" and they
(!&'s paraphrase of Ex
J^ there runs,
saw the God of Israel,"
*'and they saw the place where
soften
down
seen in
the
visibility
the
God
ings
Who
of Israel stood."
(v.^^)
certainly
not Yahweh.
Isaiah
criticises
viz. offer-
the law
and
religious
Trareti/, ffi's
rendering
( = DDi
offerings
cp.
Gn
made
4^'^
to the deity,
it
I.
cereal offering
which
12,
21
13
Sacrificial savours]
it
mDp,
later
Babylonian Flood story we read, " The gods smelt the savour,
the gods smelt the sweet savour; the gods gathered like flies
over the sacrificer"; cp. in Heb. Gn g^\ 1 S 26^^, and the sacri" (EV, sweet savour) which
ficial term " savour of gratification
held its own to the latest times. The prophets with their more
conception of
spiritual
of burnt flesh
(cp.
Am
is
5^1) .
Yahweh
new moon,
4^^,
20^^-,
Am
8^
^ Jer
God
lysiff.
is
observance
69.
The
in striking contrast
(both post-exilic).
The
calling
sacred days
is
is
Yahweh on the
summoning of such
particularly intolerable to
are the
of
\!C\\>'0
are
Neh
8^,
and
Nu
lo^,
is
entirely different.
}^ has the
this
He
fasting
preparation for the sacramental eating of the holy flesh " (W. R.
COMMENTARY ON
22
Sem} 413):
Smith, Rel.
ISAIAH
mind with
The precise
mvy,
cp.
Am
521, 2
Except
clear.
io20-2*.
in Jer 9^
(2) \x
is
^'^':t>
9^(2)
suggest, or a sacred
seaso?t, as
force of n"i^y
is
not
lo^o
or religious (cp.
mvv
ic^i^)
but whether
and perhaps
lo^^
it
is
would
Am
5^1,
The
set times
(Gn
year
i^*),
burden'] the
(hid),
upon
oppressive
men whom
to hear
ing
Mt
The
evil ways,
the
Yahweh ready
widow and
the orphans
see
of our
Lord
in
s^^^-
Pr 28^ 15^-
^9
I.
14-17
23
is
Hos
I* 4*,
Gn
Wash
16.
you,
figuratively for
word wash
ritual
is
make
what
used
cleanness
blood
yourselves pure]
ritually,
(guiltily)
shed
cp. 4*,
n3T
is
cp.
nghteous\ Ps 57^,
line.
The
Lv
e.g.
is
is
("intD
purity, righteousness
plV
it
410^'.
14*).
Here the
result
is
is
moral
Job
Mic
is
it
parallel with
Cease to do
evil,
"I3T,
especially in
Job
8^ 9^0.
16, 17.
learn to
SBOT,
p.
the
in
lo^.
cp. the
what
is
demanded
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
24
by
DQEi^D,
Yahweh
i,e.
Mic
as
it
Make
6^.
may
best be rendered
whence EV.
frequentative impf.
instances
where
ii.
God
DDT
(cp.
G-K.
breviloquence, cp.
'^
Dr.
MT assumes
I2$h.
33. 12.
'JS
Gn
see
nii<-j^]
72*.
Am
27**,
G-K.
5^^
51/ for
TDK*]
other
is
due
Point
'33
for
px read
In
^*,
(cp. r),
(!5r)
Ps 43^
24^^,
pp. 312
the punctuation
f.
The
see phil. n.
in expressing
versions agree
oppresso,
some
D1S
(with
^'
punctuate
(!R).
Kits'
nhjD
stand thus
vcw\
nmD
Vdin vh
rs3 nN3B'
N'nn
is'-oin
The
lines, it will
k? njsn ddt
moV
"hv
vnf
"
enclosed between f and in v.^^ d3td reduces the passage to "tolerably regular
^2**
^**).
Certainly
lines of four accents (the rhythm of vv.^-s but not of vv.^"'*
'di DD'synn {your^ not necessarily all, new moons), which might well be a gloss
intended to mitigate the absoluteness of nim B'nn and npD K^p, is (in spite
of the parallel in Ps 45"- ^, Job 42^ cited by Del. ) an awkward asyndeton ; but
the arguments in favour of the other omissions are far less substantial. Haupt
gains rhythmical regularity by omitting DDn^iDi DD^tynn and mis'? 'Sy vn (with
Though the rhythmical
Marti) and also nsn Don, m!ij;i jix Vdin k*?, "vamMv:.
irregularity
is
12.
rl^?i]
this, viz.
command
18^3 etc.
The
t\m
general assent.
clearly understood
9-17
I.
and
thus,
rightly,
by
/<?
hand of.
j//?a^ by the
In
Hebrew would
D3*"?:td
MT a permutative of
nj<n
Dm]
its
in
iS'Din vh'\
without
cstr.
23^.
riKi
certainly not
But according
map]
its
qD'
may
eypa
to (K DDT
its
command
*?
^3^,
preceding
the nV of emphatic
Tn
and, frequently,
48".
18^^
hath required
take as
Pr
itself,
11^) to
MT.
(f^,
is
MT
but according to
fflr ;
phrases
25
G-K.
;
but
107^7.
it
N'an] in MT
rather an
is
a sentence
is
Gn
inf.
inf. cstr.
cp. 7^*,
expressed in
P either by the full phrase n'DD map (Ex 25^ etc.) or by Tr\'c^ alone (Nu i6"''^-)By a natural extension of meaning vrtcip came to mean also, alike in Heb.
(see G. A. Cooke, NSI^ p. 126), the substance which
But etymologically "itDp ("inp) has a much wider meaning
note the sense of smoke in Heb. no'p (Gn 19^), Assyr. ^utru (i.e. nnp),
this smell.
firom that
18^),
.Jo
= Tnp),
meaning of .^,
aloe
smoke (of a
to
fire),
tliai,
felt
(cp.
Jn 7^),
et festivitates alias.
Ps lOl* (doubtful).
out; cp. Jer 44^.
afiaprlas v/jlQv
Kb; 'nxVj]
G-K.
6^,
cstr.
Sy=.able
n*?]
Job
42^.
koX
it
rj/Jiipav fiey6.\t)v
r renders paraphrastically
'jdb.
oiJ/c^ri
instead
is
i.vi\a<3)
rh.%
ttm might, of course, inea.n forgive, yet not naturally here after
^31n
14.
mo
by
irXTja-fMov^.^i^.
D^^sn?]
more
La
i",
Ps 143^
ijjm] cp.
G-K.
121^, h.
IDI
lain.
infin.
-MPK
to
obj.:
Piel, 4^*)
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
26
here,
is
make
keep
uncertain
but
it
is
straight.
all
The
&
(V) i/
<& pvaaaOc,
^5 Q>o]-^1o, Vg.
(^,
pen
oppresso.
fflr
abiKovfievov^
*?iBp
an active sense ; cp. pie'V, Jer 22^, pnp, Jer 6". The meaning must be inferred
from the association of YU\n with '?ij7D in Ps 71^ and the root may be a by-form
of DOn, to treat violently y rather than of {'on, to be sour, sharp,
18-20.
YahweNs
Invitation,
The sayings between the opening line (4 accents) and the closing formula
are distichs consisting of long lines containing 4 or 5 accents each and parallel
in
sense.
These
Perhaps
originally
each
some of those
vv.21-26 where the
distichs resemble
is
between
lines
unequal
line
contained
accents
(=3 + 2).
or 2)
and the
in length,
like wool.
1^
If
2<>
(?) shall
ye feed
it.
seems doubtful whether Isaiah would in immediate succession first represent the people as red-handed
It
certainly
I.
criminals
and then
(v.^^)
hypothetical
18-20
the redness
treat
withdrawing his
right in
is
trial
{PI) acquiescence
earlier
trial
in
let
in
v.-^^'*
"Come
The
sayings.
Ewald's
now and
as
Whether
Cheyne
trial
{Introd. 6)
of their sins
(v.^^).
Nor must we
the vb.
27
( **
and
vv.^^
^^* ^*
are unconnected
Yahweh speaks,
in v.^^
for
my mouth
hath spoken it" (Marti)), partly based on the interpretation (see below).
18.
various emotions,
as (i)
and suitable
etymologically justifiable
Niphal of
na"'
the
to
show how
is
at
once
The
context.
Gn
20^^
means
Job 23'' (followed by Dy) it means to argue with^
Here the Niphal must be reciprocal. In Job 23''
in
it
to be righted \ in
put
one^s case.
Mic
62^-
1 1^^-,
Job
9^3),
Job
Ps
that
518-21,
it
pr
is
is
or
may be
2425, Is 2921,
means here
let
Am
present
510,
see
Hab
112.
Yet
it is
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
28
the
Hiph. (as also the noun nriDin) is frequently used where any feuch
is definitely excluded or not necessarily present
Gn 21^5^
9Vf.
1512 1^25 2823, Ps 1416, job 517.
Ezk 326, Pr 312
The occur-
process
advise together^
in the
sense
Niph.
may mean
to
Neh
i25. 30^
and meant
suggests that
more than
reason together (EV). Or, derived from the Hiph
reprove^ find fault with {e.g. Ezk 32^, Job 62^), the
{e.g.
6^),
little
to
who
faults, to discuss
is
right
i^^
n.
-x-
Though
{JThS
xi.
433-35).
is
offers the
J.
offer
that Isaiah
ct.
"nowhere
22^^" (Du.).
so complacently
Unless nn^u (see n.
above) necessarily implies the figure of judgment, the first objection falls to
the ground, the second can be met by abandoning the unity of the chapter
Syn. 121.
;
:
0_JfO,'^W'Ll
I.
29
i8
doing which there are other good reasons) ; the third, if its cogency
were admitted, by questioning the Isaianic authorship of the verse.
Elsewhere in OT forgiveness is represented as ( i ) a removal of sin, the
cp. Mic 7^^ and the "scapegoat";
vbs. used being am, Ton, ,Tm.n, Tnyn
(for
233)
(3)
a disregarding of sin
cp.
jsn ha,
from sins or
(Ges-B. ; /TAT^, 601); cp. Ps 5i4-,
would certainly be unparalleled, if it refers to forgiveness. It has been argued
that it would also be unsuitable, representing the sins, not as vanishing, but
But the language
as changing their appearance
they remain as white sins.
It
is that of poetry not of science, and sins "covered over" also remain.
38";
Is
{4) a cleansing
has also been urged that the saying makes no allusion to Yahweh's action
in forgiveness, the sins of
may be
ductory formula
The
intro-
end
Yet the
sins.
We.
Proleg.
c.
11,
ed. 4, p.
Scarlet
word
(cp.
La
4^)
means
primarily
worm^ the
EBi^ Colours
and means
D'^ilJ^,
insect
the second
whence the
14,
Crimson^ Scarlet).
The
as in
Pr 3121
Sin
first
word
is
pi.
is
conceived of
as
125/).
(cp. sing.
(G-K.
cp.
Ps
51^.
Mecca
fell
white
men
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
30
after
to
the Hebrews.
(Dan
or
7^):
the Syro-Ephraimitish
cp. also 30^^-
Gn
15^-.
land:
4520-23.
is
or (2)
an abstract noun
or D^nnn
is
note following
n),
5^^^,
lit.
see Che.
There
in EBi.).
is
no
NH
18.
lonN'-DK]
4 MSS (cp. VV.)
note the rhythm, but note also
'Jts'D.
D'315'd]
122!?'
to the cstr.
assumed by
RV
(see no.
many
MSS
preceding.
4 above), an exact
dni
20.
possibly
'^?>^ aid]
parallel is afforded
AND 21-26
19
I.
21-26
I.
In
employed.
is
iii.
Hebrew
i.e.
constructions more
3322;.
iii.
An
(28).
as in other ktnoik,
this,
(see Introd.)
31
See, further, on
nail.
or less similar,
Elegy on Jerusalem.
La
elegies [e.g.
Parallelism
is
rhythm
Of the 12
(3:2), not as in vv.^^'* ^^"'^^j between the periods of 5 accents.
(2^*)
distichs
and
line
11
a
in
the
present
text,
distichs, or strictly
5 are
24c. d
25c. d .
26a. b^
23^. d
> ;
vv.^i*^nd another
unambiguously 3 : 2, viz.
.
^23e.
*) is
(makkeph
itD3t}"-N'?
we make
(cp. Introduction)
this also 3
2.
Another
distich
(26*'-
**)
is
2.
viz. 22a. b j^
23'
24a. b. 26a
Yy
2)
and
21c. d.
21-26
divide into
distichs (in
pS with
its future.
Vv.27*' contain
in
two
21
How
distichs of
(once) faithful
city,
of justice
full
23
2) is exactly similar
The
22
(3
but
now
murderers.
water.
Yahweh
Ah
I will
of Hosts
get
me
the
comfort from
Avenge myself on
25
And
will
turn
Mighty One of
my
Israel
my
adversaries,
foes.
my hand
against thee.
COMMENTARY ON
32
26
And I
And
;:
ISAIAH
judges as at the
first,
2''
2^
complete
poem
distinct
it
and follows
it
elegies
it:
HD'^N as
considerations just stated, exegesis (see below) favours the conclusion that
The
formed no
vv.2''f-
date of the
poem
rely for
is
uncertain.
referring
and Marti
to refer
it
it
The
to
on which
criteria
the
time before or
7,
is
crisis
Hackm.,
that
to prove that
and
that
v.i''
is
of ch.
it
is
not)
whether
other.
Isaiah or another
to
poem
after the
21-23
I.
33
faithless
Yahweh; they
rebellion against
go unpunished in return
pervert
justice,
letting thieves
Mic
3^^) they
and through
The faithful
when
city\
T\'''^\>
is
Nu
city (cp.
a choice
Ps
2i28,
to
to
place by night
is
(cp. lo^^),
his
first
clause of the
v.
(ffir
VOL.
I.
for
Haupt
22.
vv.22 23^^
dross, or
n.).
(D''~iniD l^"ilJ^),
23.
the
Thy
first
is
like
for
of several paronomasias,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
34
which occur
in Isaiah's writings
it
The word
D^"niD
means
stubborn, rebellious
Hos
4^^.
23b.
BDB
when
payment
(D'^^dS':^,
e,g,,
whole mass of
The judges not
f/ie
481^^ (hot).
but^^
offered,
after,
see,
to-
(v.^i),
not peace
Ps
(Dli^K',
34^^),
but
here only).
then, corresponding
judges as in the
home
and
literal
of righteousness
will
first
days of the
become again
to the
Yahweh
city,
will
the
as of yore the
(v.^^)
himself
{UT]'^\^
may
as,
not be original.
e.g.,
Ezk
5^^,
24b.
Jer 31^^)
Yahweh
by taking
(2r
cp.
e.g.
Am
thee']
so
i^.
Zee
13^,
away
23-26
I.
AND
23
2T,
35
the ancients to
and
or
this,
verse
is
Future.
"ID3,
as in the furnace^
important in
No
its
probably
is
25
f.
The
here
right.
who mould
who
its
life,
men
of char-
no longer, as at
Yahweh,
but will again
present (v.^^),
become faithful and righteous. The name, as in all such cases,
denotes the actual character of the city (cp. 62*, Ezk 48^^) it
acter; under their guidance the people will
will actually
be the
city
of
Amos
expected
and bad
perhaps
righteousness.
city
will
come
alike
forth
worthless dross.
ively (v.25^* )
21. ^nxSo]
as
The removal
will
of the bad
is
be cast away as
expressed figurat-
G-K. 90/. na
(v.^^).
p"?'
whole
Hos
4^^
On
Nah
the
i^^ is
wine.
{56^^,
Dt
21^,
In Arabic IjU; (probably a loan word) and some derivative nouns are
'?inD]
cut wine,
are cited
W^^i^
by Ges.
'<^'
^sj-ii
(after
NH
this there is
it
e.g.
[e.g.
l::^^^^ ^'su
Falernum": Martial l^^), and Marti compares the French couper du vin.
The versions, including EV, paraphrase mixed better, adulterated ior the
figure has in view wine adulterated in commerce rather than simply weakened
:
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
36
NH
'?niD,
(Nold., Che.),
it
rhythmically superfluous.
is
23.
Two
in
BDB
is
see Marti's
The remainder
24.
nn'B-Ki] either
'71.10:
lines (3
of the
:
Comm. where
v.
2 and 2
is
:
several
a distich 3:2.
2)
are original
It
;
he
divides
KadapSp.
but
the
roi/s
addition to
ffi
27, 28.
closed in
Kai
iird^o} tt]v
X"/"^ f^ov
Two
for
Grammar^
v.^s^-
is
*^
koI irvpuxru)
text
p. 230.
In thought
v.^^.
iirl ffk
that C&'s
see Thackeray,
Hebrew
TrctJ'ras
theme apparently
v.^^ is
come which
is
to affect all
alike (v.^s
converts
pronoun
Still
^^^)
who belong
ct. /ler
is
the difference
in v.^s
of her^ i.e.
without the
lot in Sion.
if
DDCJ'D
^ 9^, Am
5^^
6^2
of
for then
ing to deserts
it; to sinners,
Ps.
i^,
ffi)
I<i.,
Ges., Che.
al.
in
parallel.
23-28
I.
37
rather this
is
Sion,
i.e.
those in
her
who
sin, will
carry
alike (cp.
niQ
or animal
from death,
off
money-payment
{e.g.
Ex
10 1).
It
Du. does
is
18).
etc.,
13^^)
Gn
etc.
" Sion
is
to
be ransomed,
is
consequently at present
a slave or debtor.
the right or the
full right
28.
'iJl
'n'i]
perhaps rather
Che. {Infrod.
p.
7) urges
"Of
or
i*i5f 1,
na;?].
names, though three have points of contact with Isaiah (see 6^^ 7^ i^* ^), none
actually occur in the Book of Isaiah, except in prophecies which on many
grounds cannot be Isaiah's {a. v^^ '3B', 59^0 ; b. D^ytys, 46^ 5312 j c. n-NSin, 13^
33"; d. ni.T ^2\Vi 65^^ Add to this that mD (though found in Hos 71^ 1314)
does not occur elsewhere in true Isaiah, 29^^ 35^", not to add 51^^, being
late passages."
is
Not
labels
ct.
two
classes defined
^^' ^^
More
by
suspicious
their respective
2^*' 3^
^^ 6^'
^'
S^*"^*
Certainly
distinction
I.
Yy
vn'"'3
and
cp. 65 ^^''^,
Mai
313-21 {^^-/i!^).
29-31.
29f.
:
:
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
38
3
V.*^ resembles v.^.
in sense.
For
2^
ye
shall
'
rhythm
in
which
ye delighted,
And abashed
For ye
And
^^
With none
The
quench them.
have forsaken
Cp.
(v.^^),
because
Yahweh whom
they
will not,
whom
springs,
them.
to
Nothing
but see
phil. n.
have been written in the 5th cent, and addressed to apostate Jews
by a man like-minded with the author of 6512 66^^- (note ins
little
used by Isaiah).}
The
practices
condemned were
of great
and persisted later (Jer 22^ 172, Ezk 61^, Is 57*^* 653).
29. For ye shall be ashamed] i.e. fail to receive expected
nsn as here and Job 620),
help; see 20^^-, Jer 121^ 481^, Mic 3^"
antiquity
(||
Ps
252^'
371^.
Ye
is
Terebinths^ or,
see phil. n.
at times (cp.
Hos
trees.
Dv[^]{<
;
so
may
ffi^
in
and see EBi. and DBy s.v. but even more frequently the
word is used of any large umbrageous tree, such as palms, apparently, at Elim (Ex 152''), which a numen ?t? was popularly supposed
This wider meaning is intended here,
to inhabit or frequent.
The venerasignificantly paraphrases twi/ ciSwAoav avTu>v.
and
v.2^,
* Che.,
Du.
t Du., Che.
t Marti.
29-31
I-
39
of such
trees
doubtless
Many
trees in
thought to be inhabited by
still
spirits,
The
of the
waters
leaves wither
and a garden
no more.
well as v.^
vv.29f..
and
rhythmically,
in
luxurious flows
life
it
it
similar to w.^^^*
and
dissimilar to
It is
it
various
seen
is
stands,
phil.
n.).
which
i.e,
who become
nothing
such
standpoint
a meaning would
as
all his
quite accord
with
Isaiah's
cp. 9^^.
^ read
win a
The
2nd
tradition.
really
absence of the
art.
here
is
D^iiioq,
noticeable
it
ct.
presupposes npn.
nujnD.
nVaa]
d^V'xd]
agrees
the
with hVk
COMMENTARY ON
40
ISAIAH
not with
(masc.)
n'?y
For
of the Amorites).
'.'
jon,
MT
pw,
Ar. t^lj,
to
NH
is
inferred
II.-XII.
and Jerusalem.
The
title,
is
though
Amos saw
On
and Jerusalem.
underlying the
the conceptions
see
The
Judah and
i^
described as
fairly well
names and on
the
terminology,
(in vision
n.
Jerusalem (i^
since 9^-10*
and
608
n.),
is
this
primarily
Cheyne, Marti)
These chapters
fall
i^^-^i
very precarious.
is
i.
2-4,
5,
6-9^, 9^-1 o^
10^-12.
II. -IV.
The
into
which
these
actual.
chapters
fall
may be
Jerusalem the religious centre of the entire world
contents
2^**
sections
and
2^ Title (see
2^-'^'^
;
their
above)
The
3i-n- 4
I.
Day
now
of
Yahweh, which
wealthy,
self-sufficient,
and
Jerusalem
is
41
Judah
women
Denunciation of the
is
of Jerusalem
after a purifying
The
4.^-^
;
holiness
judgment.
the prominent,
2^'^^.
by Isaiah
between two poems of
eye only for glory to come, and either disregarded judgment
altogether (2^'% or looked upon it as, in large part at least,
accomplished (4^'^).
of warnings
II.
Title.
I.
^,
cp.
Am
i^
II.
Mic
in
2-4.
i^
both
"^n
i.e.
r\-'r\
See above.
"jN
r\'r\
-w^ and
ntyx
nm
cp.
Hos
l^,
Jl
l^.
With
hb'X occur.
Is.
poem
but found in
Mic
4*,
the following
2:2
and
v.^*, if
the
nON
is
in
v.^*^
Dn'mn"'jm
one.
I.
And
set
of the days
hills.
2.
3-
was
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
42
4*
[Mic
lift
up sword,
of) war,
it
is
2.
3.
To
1.
obtain, at
its
source,
instruction
in
the religion
of
Yahweh.
4. Yahweh, the arbiter of the Nations.
5. Under Yahweh's government (strophe 4) there will be
universal peace and unmolested enjoyment of the fruits of the
earth.
Du.*s division into three strophes of six lines
is
much
less probable.
That
the translation
is
book
poem by a comparison
consequently
we can
get to
it
occurs.
differently
answered.
In the earlier st^es of criticism the questions asked were "Was the poem
written by Isaiah and borrowed by Micah ? or written by Micah and borrowed
II.
2-4
43
It
different compilations.
is
poem
stands
it (if
come
n'ni
RV
mistranslates
n'ni,
but
it
shall
have secured the contrast by simply dropping rt'm and starting his quotation
If Micah added 4^"* to 3^"^^ the apologists for Jeremiah
with the next word.
were singularly audacious in their use of 3^^ (Jer 26^*). What follows the
poem in Isaiah has some sort of connection with it (see on v.), so also has
what follows in Micah yet in neither place is it the connection of originally
continuous passages. Both editors, wishing to include the poem in their collec;
tions,
had
to find
some place
for
it
given elude us just as do the reasons for the order in which Psalm follows
poem owes
its
place in Isaiah
is
to
uncertain
perhaps the
or to the
more
probable.
Judged by
position,
mistakably.
itself,
the
But
if
the arguments
was.
still
more
The
its
its
present
origin
un-
spirit of
as hinted in the
it
that
betray
the whole
commentary
particular ideas,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
44
of a passage that was written nearer to the time of chs. 40-55 and
Ezek. than of Isaiah.
Zee 8^^'^^, Jl 4^" be reminiscences and not anticipations of lines of
poem, a minimum date is fixed the poem in that case is earlier than
520 B.C. For the theory, still preferred by Box, that the poem is the work of
a prophet earlier than either Mic. or Is., see Koppe, Hitz,, Ew. Del., Di.
the similarities to Joel on which this theory partly rested now point, for what
If
the
they are worth, to a post-exilic origin, for the theory of the early origin of
The
authorship of Isaiah
11^'^ 32^"^*
^^'^"^
is
still
as products
218-224
1884, 292)
Propketen),
is
G..
) ;
accepted by
Hackmann
(i26ff.
),
Cheyne
I39f.
{/ntrod. 9-16),
Nowack
),
{Klehie
Christianity, 313)'
500
B.C.,
Strophe.
2a. b. C. d. First
uncertain
(see
phil.
n.).
The
In
the
it
text
end of
falls
is
in
some
details
"the
the days]
final
the phrase
is
applied,
Assyr.
t'na
{Introd.
ahrat umi)
11)
nor
connection with
Messianic
is
it
it
is
when used
necessarily so
expectations
so
soon
as
in
such
would naturally be
employed.
Yahweh^s
Yahiveh's mountain is the reading of
mountain] i.e. Mt. Sion.
and
Mic.
here
in
both
ffi
|^ in both places has the unique
cp. 7nou?itain of the
phrase mountain of Yahweh^s house
3^^.
The temple is directly mentioned in the next
House, Mic
obviously
suitable
Firmly set]
especially Ps 93^^line.
for
the
the
word
force
is
of
the
p33,
cp.
Jg
i626
and
has become
n.
Mt. Sion and the universal
2,
45
kingdom of which
be the
will
it
The
there (Ps
46*^).
as the authors of
the
phrase
D"'"inn t^wSia
e.g.
Ex
24^^, Is 42^1.
tJ^NT i?y
G-K.
essentiae, cp.
Jg lo^^, Ezk
adopts this
2']'^'^
19/, BDB
(^choicest)
{2)
88<^
and
for ^^'^
= chief
cp. e.g.
Du.
God
be estabHshed) on the chief of the mounBut this is not the most probable text see phil. n.
tains."
The effect of it is to predict the coming exaltation directly of
Whatever translation
the temple and only indirectly of Mt. Sion.
be correct, the entire meaning is hardly that mountain will be
piled on mountain and Mt. Sion on the top of all, though this
interpretation appears in Rabbinic literature: "The Holy One
will bring Sinai and Tabor and Carmel, and build the Sanctuary
on the top of them " {Fesi^ta R. Kahana, i^^b). On the other
hand, it is unlikely that it is merely metaphorical (Di.) ; but as
Messianic expectation looked forward to various transformations
of (our)
(shall
world (40^
41^^^",
should overtop
all
example,
is
3a.
streaming
b.
{^'ys\T^
able mountain
and
C.
Second Strophe.
All
to
will
The
3!^ Zee
come
and immov-
nations
820-22 1416-19^
Hag
2^^".
cp.
Ps
65!^-
e.g.
COMMENTARY ON
46
the
Temple and
the
ISAIAH
3d. e.
coming
religion
f.
to
Hebrew
46^ 75^^
76''
Isaiah
84^)
Jacob']
Micah
or
The
it
is
the
The
approves.
{e.g.
"
God of
Temple Mount?
Yahweh
prescribes
and
or Jewish religion.
The
standpoint
is
substantially that
Yahweh
to
to the nations
Teacher
Ps 87, Zee
here, Yahweh Himself
receive
it
(cp.
820-22):
come
to Sion
p. 47).
2-4
II.
e.
+ Mic
f.
4^*^
47
The
Strophe.
Fifth
poem
closed
life.
rhythm
the
Is.
is
better.
in Mic.
To make
is
this
clear both
given here,
texts
are
rhythmically
marked
m.T-ri'a nn
Is.
Mic.
n\T pD3
ni.T n'3
.my^jD Kin
in n\T
Nty:"!
nnnN3
o'D'n
||
r:''n^
nnnxi n\m
o'D'h
we have
is
the
independent to form a distich at all. This second objection applies also in some degree to the second distich in Mic. , unless we may
give to iTn' a force greater than that of the mere copulative or auxiliary
if it could mean here, as, of course, it often does elsewhere (<?.^. Gn i and BDB,
col. 226 bot.), come into existence^ the two distichs would be sufficiently inde-
seem
insufficiently
Was there a belief that there would be a new creation of the mountain
pendent.
by
ffi
r\''r\''
Am
5^), if this
vb. yielded a
meaning more suitable to the strophe instead of one that anticipates the next.
For some other features of ffir see following notes, and for a view in some
rv7\''
n'm] cp. 7^*: also 718.21^ ^^^ ggg
respects different see SBOT.
For n'ni (& reads n'.T '3, which Du. adopts. m.T nn nn] the
Dr. 121.
phrase occurs nowhere else ; it may be the result of a conflation of the
readings,
here
fflr
fflr
i.e.
nn
is
absent, while
the
two readings not yet conflate (cp. v.^). mynjD nk'Ji] Mic. mynjD Kin xb'JI ;
the length of the line in Mic, is more probably correct than in Is.
On the
other hand, Kin, if to be expressed, might rather be expected in the previous
clause,
fflc Is. koX ui/'w^T^o-erat vir^pdvw tQv ^ovvQv, fflr Mic. /cat fxerecDpLo-drja-eTai
inrepdvui tQv ^ovvQu except in these two passages virepdvia nowhere else renders
the simple d.
Did ^ '?i;D once stand here (cp. Mai i^, Gn 5') ? Possibly^
but the corruption of h '?j;d into D Kin is not easy.
vVk] Mic. xh^.
D'un-VD]
;
read D'u
D'lJ
cp. Mic.
makes
The same
(=D'ia).
Mic
'?3
4**'
4.
D^m
In Mic.
D'Dy
supporting |).
Rhythm strongly favours the originality of
text of Mic. may have been influenced by Zee W^.
D'm
Is.
D'oy
here
ffi
the
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
48
in part
(cp. v.^),
let
brief
come and
let
in part
us go (cp.
v.^) in
the light of
continues
(vv.^^-),
we
are
is
house ofJacob
Yahweh
i.e.
next described
do the same, following the path lighted u.-^ by the law (cp. Ps
Pr 6^^). The words are apparently prose, and certainly outside the rhythmic and strophic scheme of either the preceding
or the following poem
they are probably an editorial remark.
let
1
us
19^^^,
Is 2^"*) is
the
common
lyi
dViv'?
matter
irn'?N ni.T
coincidence
is
reduced to
is
uvi
i'?j
nin'
mxn
hdVji
5"x
id"?
and
(Is.)
poem, and in making a variation on the phrase used in the poem n"iN3 ^^n
mn', Is. and Mic. differ from one another (Is. nix, Mic. Dty).
If either passage is
2^
4^
of
other,
is
Mic
expansion
Is
(Che.),
an
or Is 2 an
dependent on the
4^
(Marti) ? If, as has been urged, the editor of Is.
abbreviation of Mic
abbreviated because there was merely so much space to fill up, why did he
add O house of facobl The closer approximation of the nn"?:! id*? of Is. as
compared with the "I'^J i3n:Ni of Mic. to the phraseology of the poem (n'?yji \:h
and '3 hdSji) might seem to favour the priority of Is. But the question is
hardly to be answered with confidence either way.
6-2 2.
II.
The
Day
of Yahweh.
time of
ffi
some
preserves
it is
more
difficult to
is
distichs of parallel
li.
lines; six, or
we makkeph nnn
if
5,
6-2 2
^dd in
49
v.''* all,
vv.'^*-
last line
-'
are of the
one 3
2 distich
Whether
in
+ 2,
rhythm
(a) vv.^^"^^,
3:3;
^^"^i,
{b) vv.^'^"'
or the like).
originally,
Obviously
v.^ is
long lines
lost
now appearing
in vv.^^-
I.
^^
And
When
^
he
'
''
'
I.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
50
(^) 1^
'
'
'
all
vanish]
2.
^
And
13
1*
1^
1^
and
'high,'
The
Yahweh
uplifted
is
lofty.
1^
But the
idols shall
subject of the
poem
will gloriously
and
Isaiah follows
Amos
is
sink low.
be abased:
exalted
one and
the
Day
all
of
a a
vanish.
Yahweh
(v.^^)^
when
terribly manifest
in depicting this
(Am
5^^),
as a
for this
world
to
common doom
is
Israel's
II.
6-22
$1
wealth
its
entirely
the "
Day "
of
Yahweh which
all
is
to manifest,
and consequently
Him
that
is
(vv.6-8)
but
Yahweh
all else
(w.^^-is).
House
as the probable
the "rush
kingdom point
if
poem some,
;
B.C.,
too, detect
in the composition,
and the
:
,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
52
influcMicc
vvJ^-io
in
Qf
tj^^
preceded
v.^
to the
Jacob]
suitable.
vv.^^-
^^' 21,
(9^)
as in the translation
if,
term might
Israel: either
Northern kingdom
but
8^*
more
the
is
refer exclusively
ing lines
more
The
last part
of v.^
is
certainly
For they are full from (or, fuller than) the East,
(or. For they are full from of old)
And of (or, and (they are)) soothsayers like the Philistines,
And
they
strike
(bargains)
with
(?)
the
children
of
foreigners.
r reads
And
the Philistines,
And many
The
be
filled
alien children
RV
first line in
Many
jectural emendation.
others since
the
first
and second
fines in
first
line in
^ the
land of Jacob
is full
II.
53
and the
sayers
is
means beyond
Ought we not
probable?
and more
phil. n.
obvious
another
the like
By
cussed in the
can be
fully in
a conjecture dis-
ZATW,
191
1,
pp. 112
ff.,
ch. 23,
Ezk
century
B.C.,
from
On
27.
EBL
Amos onwards
trade,
and
to the tempers
it.
The
old agri-
by trade
Mic
and the
2^-^' ^).
The
(Am
26 4I
84ff-,
Hos
12^,
is
obscure.
(Is 5^^-,
5^ or
depopulated
We
consulted oracles (2
62)
the
Hebrew
and West
text,
we may perhaps
best explain
alike
from East
The
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
54
8^0,
Lv
192^,
J^
people,
etc.
to appear,
in BDB, x.z/.).
hence dealers
He strikes
phenomena
in
On
following clauses.
verb, see phil. n.
in
more
AVmarg.). 7.
Whether the previous v. had led up to it or not, we have here
clearly enough a description and tacit condemnation of the
((&,
and
stores)
and
v>
\|), or perchance
the negative h^, perhaps, too, with a play on 7X, strong; so here,
* Cp. Incantatioy carmen,
J.
iiraoidi^,
R. R. Marett), pp. 94
t See BDB.
(ed.
ff.,
99
f.
illustrations in
and the
Classics
n. 7- J 5
his land is
full,
nothings.
The work of
above
is
corrupt; the
55
17^,
Hos
parallel
first
hands
his
13^.
9.
The
v.
clause seems
whence perhaps
last
5^^,
^i
which see
for
first
instance
phil. n.
on the
original
5*),
or
He
comes
in the
thunder-storm.
If from human enemies men run for safety to
the caves (i S 13^), how much more before this foe! cp. Hos
10^.
From before the terror of Yahweh, and from his glorious
of Assyrian
of
na-mur-rat kakki-ia
my lordship,
the panic of
(Shalmaneser, Monolith,
terror of the glory of
ii.
my
conquerors, pul-ha-at
iii.
2^
= KB
ii,
95).
Yahweh
His own unique
on His Day
exaltation
will lay
low every
may appear
the overwhelming
and
(v.^^)
irresistible
Lebanon (lo^* 148 etc.) and Bashan (33^ n.), laying low the great
and strong trees that cover them (v.^^) and the hills themselves
(v.i*), and then the creations of man's pride and confidence
on land, his citadels and walled cities (v.^^), and on sea, his
ships (v.i^).
The line of movement is from the N.E. (Lebanon
N., Bashan E.)
does the prophet think of the Assyrians as
Yah weh's warriors (cp. 10*)? 15 f. In these verses Isaiah may
have specially in mind, though not exclusively, the towers and
fortifications which Uzziah built and the new sea trade which
resulted from Uzziah's capture of Elath on the Red Sea (2 K
1422).
"Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem over the
corner gate, and over the valley gate, and over the angle (of the
wall), and fortified them," and Jotham " built much on the wall
of Ophel" (2 Ch 26^ 278; cp. G. A. Smith, Jerusalem, ii. 119 f.,
125).
15. Fortified'] miV3 means cut off, inaccessible, and so fortified, impregnable (cp. Jer 1^'^^)
cp. "thy high and fortified walls
:
make
to
fit
16. Ships of
The meaning
is
and
in
60^,
proper
name
Ezk
also
(60^), or
perhaps here, by
EBi. 4897
The
2725.
be Tartessus (23^
And
ancient world.
or, as
1*),
n. i);
see
still seems
remote corner of the
Spain
at the
... ^ the
mean desirable
against all
(mDnn
phrase
nVDC')
phil. n.)
or costly imagery^ but
does not suit the context, which requires that the phrase
this
"
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
56
to
13-15
None
of
the
v.^^.
Bui
18.
and
Job
also
92^),
19. Cp.
eart}i\
pxn
Ps
Yahweh
v.i^,
Yahweh
1022''
an excellent
alone will
here:
(P)7n as
abides.
and see
phil. n.
pyi', ut terreat
When
terram. Enter
ffi ; J^ cind they shall enter, which would mean that the idols will
enter into the caves.
20. An annotation in prose, or, at least, not
in the
house
in
The noun
RV
the
means
though
unintelligible
them away
MT
literally
(m2
isnij)
the idols
(cp.
Moles'] or rats.
AV,
a much-digging (animal).
abandon
acknowledgment,
without
how
explains
niD"iDn
rightly,
It
Men
and follow
talpes.Bats]
the
"The
caverns,
tombs,
ruins,
when
cats
also.
upon
and in
.
their bodies
like
and
manner the
no gods."
l6-22
II.
57
and
^^
(v. 20)
men
will cast
themselves
clefts
absent.
It
(21)^
it is
22.
than
later
(&,
still
may
find
later annota-
v. is
is
place confidence in
account
a
but
is
the reflection of
of
roll
himself
when he put
a breath] Cp.
God,
it
man
The
Gn
lives
of the v.
is
interesting
and explains
He
(v.^).
On
preferred.
If the text
it
If the
is
to
W.
be
R.
Smith in a letter to Che. {SBOT) would deserve attention; this is, that n
(lost by haplography after
should be prefixed to 'd, so as to give a
t\'\t\'')
So Che.
(following Studer
see
SBOT), Du.,
Marti, Cond.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
58
Mic
^pV]
fflr
Dipo]
mpDD
and then
(cp. V.'),
4^
'lo-paiJX. 1k'?o] C5
iveirK-fjcdr},
r ws rb
hn'td,
i*.
since (&
for D'Jjvi
Hebrew
UCS)
apxns (cp.
dir'
continues
after dpx^s>
Jer 2', 2
8^^,
vhD or rather
i.e.
17
DipD2 hn^d
iJ^nx
this is
probably nearer at least to the original text than "^ MT, which arose from
the accidental loss of fix in D'aayiJinN and the subsequent change of nxSo
into
ik'?d.
If (& read
DipDD,
the
even is
But
a corrupt dittograph of hn^dd.
but substantially the same sense :
Possibly DnpC3
is
their
of,
Dn33
That the clauses
measure corrupt is generally admitted ; the emendation most usually adopted,
since the time of Lowth, has been the insertion of DopD or 'Dop or D'DDp before
DnpD, or the substitution of one of these words for onpo ; but there are serious
objections to this widely accepted emendation: (i) in'?d with a personal
subject and a personal object is improbable ; (2) the emendation fails to
explain (R, and falls to the ground if ffi's text, which contains an object tor
in'?d, be correct ; (3) D'ruy'?33 D'Jjyi is left awkwardly limping, if a second
object of in'?o, and inelegant, though abstractly possible (Dr. 135 (6)), if it
n^'3"i.
ip'5B'
D'n65''?)3
be a new predicate
(4) D'nB'Vs3
if
two
ik^d
G~K.
52J.
Hitz. proposed
"J33
Job
42"
20^*
ffi
to
assume
this (with
dk)
La
its use.
D'fl3)
n'41 for
is
or DnD3
to strike
cp. ^Jli-j,
n"?', if
it
D'Jjyi]
Thevb.
''n'?'3.
(
the text
scarcely
is
means
patf', to suffice^
20^**),
is
in
(in anger,
citation
The
psty
use by
was natural
here=pDD (G-K.
Nu
24^*, or mockeiry.
Aramaic.
suppose that
hands
and the
^i
common
It is safer to
means
onDj
n!?'3i]
'33
is left isolated.
is
Dn33
ip'sr'
youngforeigners {JA.).
*3 is
lines,
correct,
D'3ij;i
it
contracting parties on the occasion of selling and buying in token of ratification thereof in
the markets. ^^
pBt5'(n) is
Unless
we adopt
Hitz.'s emendation
pB65'(n),
iSi
^-
/jjAitfj
and
concluding a bargain:
a contract.
id<i
we
cp. ypn,
/^<?5
cp.
also
^jik^,
(i)
is
the prep. 3
(2)
we
6-i8
II.
Dy.
7.
59
Nah
n^p pxi]
*?
2^.
8.
D''?'^n
N^Dni]
i:i"iN
very probably a parallel line has fallen out : Du. suggests vnn^ij;^
otherwise explain by G-K. 145 w.
iinnr'] read ninne", note
n)ip pNi.
9. Dnx nB^^i
on^ Kirn ^Ni r'N Vscn] ad? jo mankind is bowed down and man humbled',
the consequences of v.^, though actually appertaining to the future, are
described as though they had already ensued (Dr. Tenses^ ^ p. 94) and {therefore) do thou (Yahweh) not forgive them, a poetical way of expressing and
:
So with some
yy
9.
5^'
its
there the
corrupt
KCK.
believe that
to
b are
iia.
nearly
difficult
is
ingenuity, but
on*?
10.
first
Ktrn
The
hi<\
has
5^"*
D'naa
nj^stj-n
'3'i;i.
it is
original
is
v.^i)
since
and niSno as
Moreover, read 1K3 (ffi cp. v.^) for xn and "UDttrt for [Don : in v.^^
supply from here UDon before rnVno. At the end of the v. (JR read pyV iDip3
in v.".
pK
**
as in vv.^^*
Ps
cp.
145'-
":
J.
see Che.
SBOT. 11,
corrupt.
See on
editorial addition
here
G-K. 146^
is probably
Dvn] rhythmically redundant and probably an
but the refrain should be completed as in "' by restoring
v.*.
;
Vsr nmnj
'yj;]
Ninn
l3^n'
first
16.
mon
regularly
Hag
cp.
mcnn
possibly
But the
2').
as well
Ch
art.
as T\V2V
is
by a
36^**
is
slight
and
suspicious
The
corrupt.
ct. 'Sd
idea of
loftiness.
in
OT
Nu
(see
(EV
nocD
cp.
(?
in
Nu.
33**^
n.),
is
Meanings that
koI
iirl
Ges. Thes,
).
BDB,
case (see
s.v.)
comm.
to the first
two
above).
lines of
18.
nVDB' itself
last
line,
if
we omit
Kinn ova as
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
6o
Restore ixn
editorial.
D'7''?xn
after
(cp.
v.^ corresponding
was
sing.
ii.
ace.
G-K.
(cp.
20.
{ib. 6, 36).
753).
^^^(^
L>.
Vg'j;
x**.^-
scarcely
G-K.
this gives at
is
l/tj</*^
improbable.
ntyy,
radical (cp.
cp.
lxj.^r>-
73),
(Marti)
'?''?3
to v.^^.
and all
together^ one
^hn''
KaraKpvxpovaLv)
(&
Either
Ijl
<-^^'
its'];]
VT
\jSii^i
31'^),
or the vb.
Hebrew
"i"?.
nna
nan*?]
the
MSS
III.
I-15.
This section has been commonly regarded as a single conMore probably, as Du. has suggested, it consists
tinuous whole.
vv.^^*^^;
vv.^"^^^ (2)
its
The
are
first
parallels,
conclusion.
briefly
commencement
vv.^'^
the
and
(1)
of a
constitutes
v.^^
poem
v.^* is different
poems here
an obviously suitable
is
that
the rulers are to be removed, and that their removal will cause
the
the
fall
has
rulers
difference of
In
vv.^^"^*
rhythm and
structure.
a consistent rhythm
is
3)
and
in
in vv.^"^^
20-22
II.
yy
10. 11
are 6
appears only in
it
6.
1-15
III.
v.^^
61
and possibly also
v.*
(divide into
if ^*'* is
but
AND
new
v.^^
might go with
vv.^**"^''
division.
III.
Rhythm.
mostly 3
1
- 1 2.
Irregular, but in
^^*"
2, in
they are 6
6.
See more
shown
fully just
above.
The whole
The youth
Come, thou
And
7
He
I
in
And
Ye
shalt
is
respected.
a mantle (saying,)
be our ruler,
be under thine hand,
shall
will
For
man,
make
my
house there
no mantle;
father's
there
shall not
is
make me
is
no bread,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
62
Woe
Happy
^^
1^
Woe
is
'
fortunate
for they
the
to
unrighteous
he
is
unfortunate
is
for
the
The
by advice.
by the discharge of
civil
or military
come
no longer
respect, and, even if appealed to, men of standing and
substance will refuse to act as leaders. This imminent and certain collapse of the state (vv.^-'^) is Yahweh's judgment on His
people for evil ways and unblushing sins (vv.^^-).
to
an end, violence
will pervail,
will
command
As a matter
is
exhausted in
w. *"'', and
indeed
is
sufficiently
vv.^*^.
The
For all that is known the main theme of vv.^'^^ might have
been handled at many periods of Isaiah's life. The argument
drawn from vv.*- ^^ that these verses were written in anticipation,
or at the beginning, of the reign of Ahaz,
comm.)
less so
that
is
Isaiah
For] the
perhaps
^D links
s^'^^ to
2^^'
is
editorial,
and Judah]
whatsoever,
Zee 10*):
cp.
all
EV
by
its
some
S 14^^
similarity
1-3
III.
to
the original
(see
phil.
and
n.).
first,
Lv
Since there
is
26^6,
supports
\<s>
subsidiarily, in vJ),
what
interpreted of
to
bread
the
physical life;
famine, see
"Staff
is
it
63
most
(except, at
generally considered
is
vv.^^-
(v.^) is
important.
is
of persons
3920
suggests
that the
all "
first
or the
member
soldier
command
'')
16^^ 17^^, 2
man who
In
5^^).
scarcely
person
who obtained
by drawing
lots with
directly or tacitly
(cp. e.g.
The
well-marked.
Dt
Captain of
i8^o^*).
fifty'\
the term
diviner^
information by divination,
arrows (Ezk
2\^^'^'
condemned whenever
See
fuller
it
is
as, for
example,
the practice
is
OT
referred to in
may be intended
*So, or substantially
(21^.))-
Dpp denotes a
3,
COMMENTARY ON
64
military officers
or possibly
ISAIAH
|l^
men
" (see
office,
Job 22^
yi">T C'^N).
Mic
RVmarg.
19^^,
The
4^,
counsellor]
12^''.
3^*
Job
than
rather
6e^ ^'^
j/
'((
person
is
strange
above).
(see
the
v. is
Captain]
possibly not in
as
"IK^
in
And
v. 2.
original position
its
The kind of
conduct intended by D^hi^Vn is illustrated less by the only other
occurrence of the noun (66*) than by some uses of the vb.
(i'i'ynn), which means to treat some one (maliciously) y^r one^s own
capricious persons.
made
(Nu
22^^,
Ex
lo^,
6^,
mind
Jg
to look ridiculous, or
1925),
position,
them
" (Di.).
reason for
and
if
(Che. Introd. 18
f.)
would be
K 16^)
to the prospect
it
5.
Political
duty coupled in
Lv
Respect
God.
;
:
6-8
III.
65
when the
and leadership
state
will
is
obviously
no longer be
(saying),
the
first
translation
supported
is
no mantle (vJ).
by the reply in my father's house there is
Clansman] not brother in the limited English sense of the word,
for note his (not, their) father, and below (v.'^) my (not, our).
.
this
if
is
need
to
lower classes,
to
Hos
S^o.
by the state in
6^.
8.
The
7.
its
fall
binder up] of
(n^K^DD, v.^
On
ni'SJ'D,
or
v.^)
wounds
Yahweh
in
fall
of the state
is
their regard
This is
for faces, viz. in dispensing justice.
certainly the most obvious interpretation t it assumes that the
nominal phrase Dn^JS mDH follows the meaning of D^:d TDH in
lit.
2821.
On
class
Dt
1 1''
16^9,
Pr 2423
alone
is
here
condemned many
(or,
^X Marti.
% Di., AV, Ges., Del., Cond.
VOL. I.
COMMENTARY ON
66
ISAIAH
(2)
shameless as the
9c, 10, II.
tion
is
men of Sodom in
General moral
reflections.
and
loose
certainly rather
their sin.
may be
Du.
as
are
if
is right,
is
merely
here
Isaiah
"The connec-
later
and in the
and the
ll. The dealing
and
righteous
unrighteous
the
Law
of his hands'] Jg
is
12^*
Pr
9^^,
incompetent
rulers
boys
The
first
man
deals he
distich describes
and money-lenders
severe rulers
observer
respectively.
12.
pious
the
(cp.
or
(ffir),
to
the
caprice
of
and
v.*)
62^^
where
is
Dr. 135
t\'^'^
(3).
dri,
rendered
mi.TDi
place, in 9^^
t5oi> yd/).
dSis'ITd] in
TDD
'3,
.
cp.
r\yn\
also 13^
is
reversed
cp. i^
but
ct.
3^
to exhaust
li
j/^
all.
cp.
^*
j/^
^3]
jy^'P
i.e.
nothing at
omits
'?3
(cstr.
),
(& 'ylyavra Koi lax^oura, scarcely a real variant, but the last two words in (&
may be a
dittograph from
rab ^anla.
Che.
MT
(after
or a doublet.
3. D'B'Dn ib'] the versions
Haupt
which
[SBOT)
compares the Assyr.
with
Sta.) points dt'do the armed men; for QTon, see
v.^,
I-I2
III.
Ex
Jos
13^,
the
67
4^^ Jg 7", and cp. Ges-B.^* pp. 239*5, 240a, with references
i^*
there given.
ffi
nik'ji]
D':s>
J'i/n
instead of
{'yvi
(Gun.
in Sievers),
cannot safely be claimed (Marti) that r omits D'JS nib*:!, for cp. Tedavfxacr5^.
D'tynn DDm]
sapientem de architectis^
fiiuos 'irpo(r^Tr(p = 'Si NiK'3 in 2 (4)
it
and, but that the superlative would be out of place, f^ might certainly mean
the cunningest craftS7nan (G-K. 133^, h).
But the gen. is rather that of
improper annexion (G-K. I28;ir) and D's^nn pi. of an assumed sing. v>~\n^
meaning
handiwork
crafts^
4.
abstract pi.
D''?i'?yn]
EV),
(cp.
G-K. 85^
more probably,
or,
in
view of the
bJJi] generally
5.
BDB.
taken to be Niphal,
work
master
MSS
Ex
(cp.
is
3') or
KoX ffvinreffeiraiy
apparently read
'J???noi
+ 2nd
drive (to
to
not preferable.
quately
bJ3,
wrong
jnjn'l,
note
13^,
Si
m^ 10. 6.
Gn
either
rjD^]
5'
sing.
m.
as in
suff.
or
read
nij;,
conjecture
suspicious,
i.
158.
jay
neither variant
The
'3S.
though
3ie
10.
occurs in Phoenician
^^^"i
Mic
5^),
and
31J3
preferable
to
f^ or supports
Gratz's
it
'3
is
rather superfluous.
A-^ffufiev
(Wis
II. yT ytyn^
yn.
12.
'1n]
'?'?iyD]
ffi
renders
curiously or from
awkward whether
rather
"
'?'?iy
iD3," Ki.
but there
Htffih
is
frequently occurring
COMMENTARY ON
68
ISAIAH
For the
(Marti, Cond.).
Gn
124/^), referring to
G-K.
145/.
a single person.
Others take
d'B'J] ffi,
vb'j: as //
Aq. 01
see, e.g.^
(I'B'ja),
majestatis
dTrairoOi'Tes,
(G-K.
N3in no,
DT2
Sai'eicrraf,
MT,
DT3
/.(f.
(so
III. 13-15.
in sense.
A Judgment Scene.
of the four distichs the lines are parallel
is
18
Yahweh
1*
And
"And
is
is
ye,
the poor
in
is
your
houses
^ What mean
And
ye that ye crush
my
people,
The prophet
sees
Yahweh
of Ps 82.
13-IV.
III.
13.
His
6g
Hebrew
tribes
which Du.
judgment of
The
Israel.
(Du.)
if
people or
Ye
the vineyard
state,
is
true guardians should have done, so that the shoots of the vines
it
Dmyn]
where the
and
by animals (cp.
Ex 22^ ?). Depasture may be a specific development of the meaning exterminate (4* n. 6^^, Nu 24^2), or "lya, to depasture, may have been originally a
n'pn] G-K. 95/^.
distinct root; see, further, Addenda.
':i;n n'^TJ] plunder
14. Dni] cp. 'JKi,
5**
Ps
2*.
cp. "W^ in 5
taken
III.
The
parallel DDID
16-IV.
T3'
yjc,
The
I.
^'?B',
spoil taken
15. niKns
Doom
from
thine enemies^
Dt
20^^
dxj] (K omits.
lines in
in
3^''
4*
t,^'^'^-
^^
And
'^'^
The Lord
shall
smite
with
scab
the
scalps
of
the
daughters of Sion,
And
shame (?).
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
70
^*
In that day the Lord will turn away the finery of the anklets and the
and the moons, ^ the ear-rings and the bracelets and the veils,
the head-dresses and the armlets and the sashes and the perfume-boxes and
the charms, ^^ the signet-rings and the nose-rings, ^ the state-gowns and the
mantles and the shawls and the satchels (?), ^ the diaphanous garments and
^* And it shall come
the linen garments and the turbans and the large veils.
net-bands
(?)
^^
to pass,
Thy men
And
26 Its
4^
gates shall
And
by the sword,
shall fall
it
shall
be clean empty
on the ground.
sitting
We
The
will eat
ladies of Jerusalem,
about the
city,
casting
wanton
looks,
and
their
days walking
calling attention to
all
become
offensive,
will
receive coarse
clothing and
turn
bald
and be
in the city,
lying
clothing.
the seven
Possibly these alternatives did not originally appear in the same poem.
Rhythmical differences in 3^*-4^ have been pointed out above. There are
other features that throw doubt on the unity, or completeness, of the passage ;
in v.2^ there is a very sudden address to a city, presumably Sion ; in v.^^ the
III.
city is
loss of
men nor
pers.
I6-IV.
if vv.^*'*
really led
71
up
V.^
might be a development of v.^' though it is rhythmically different from vv.^"but if it is, the catalogue of vv.^'^ " completely conceals the close connection
between v.^^and v.^*" (Cheyne). In the catalogue, note the use of the article
It is also claimed that the
21 times, and ct. the anarthrous nouns in v.^*.
catalogue "displays an attention to trifles which is out of character with
Isaiah,
who
^),
and abstains from giving exhaustive catalogues (ct. Ezk 27)." On the other
hand, Gun. sees in the "jaw-breaking" (Zungenbrecherische) list (Sievers)
an expression of the prophet's anger (cp. Whitehouse). Du., Che., Marti,
Box attribute vv.^^*^ to "the inveterate editorial habit of supplementing,'
and treat vv.^^'* as a misplaced fragment of an elegy ; this leaves, as a single
poem
in denunciation of the
women,
3^^** ^^ 4^.
Possibly,
if
is
There
is
little
to
passage: in
this
onomatopoetic
cp.
tap
quickly,
c-ji has
and '^^<=^ ^
anklets,
women
of the
East,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
72
striking against
with their
be made
leprosy,
Muhammed's
Cp.
attention.
away
is
very doubtful.
Sta.
(cp. 47^),
18-23.
finery
been defended by
stripped
jingling noise
prohibition
scab"]
therefore
strike
and the
hair
such as accompanies
La
132^,
i^,
exposed
Some
above.
attract
feet,
the meaning of J^
n.
poem
difficult
catalogue
is
it is
carelessly
head-dresses
(v.^^),
grammatical forms
and 8; the
I
masc.
first
fem.
the 2 1 forms
fall
Two
W.
earlier scholars
Schroder, Cotntn.
The
the words.
18.
Anklets']
DDV
and
in
Pr 7^21
(text
NH
the word
means a
little
sun
(^a*j<y*Jj),
The moons]
a pendant worn round the neck. Cp. the next term.
amulets worn by animals (Jg S^i- 26|) as well as women. They
were pendants in the shape of the moon, in particular perhaps of
the new, or crescent (RV), moon ; the meaning was evident to
Ix-qvLo-KOL (cp.
F lunulae\
and
is
17-20
III.
which
tive
is
obvious
(G-K.
pntJ^
from
S6g)y
73
is
"intJ^
= ^^,
^Z/
/>^^
not only in Aramaic literature (see Levy, s.v. K"HT'D, t<")nD), but
also in early Aramaic and in South-Arabian inscriptions as
the
name
moon-God;
of the moon, or
"int:^
men-
is
the
in
tJ'DSJ^
god
the
];
>
*j K1"'{^, chains,
% is here
explicit, KH"*
Assyr. semiru
Zimmern
H'J^V'^tj
in
cp.
^'n''K^
= sewiru,
ZA
BDB
17, 242.
Jxj, a kind of
veil (Freytag).
meaning.
derive from
n/Sis;^.
It is
Veils]
(Ex
rrm^ (Nu
39^^,
Ezk
31^0 (n.), 2
jLic, a large
bracelet.
render step-chains,
i.e.
2^^^- 2s 4418!).
i^^^)
see
with
doubtful whether
and
^o)
else-
or of
to
march, and
(v.^^).
2^'^\
Nor
perfume.
probable
derive
6J^D:
see
is
BDB
661^, 109^.
Haupt (SBOT,
p.
82) would
'
Cooke,
NSI 188.
ff.,
ii.
by
See also
24, reproduced
(p. 489).
COMMENTARY ON
74
to
E, B. Tylor,
in
V.3.
p. 148.
rings] cp.
21.
Signet-rings] see,
Gn
^.^.
ISAIAH
24*^.
22.
q^
Est 3^2
e.g.^
Zee
State-gowns]
4142^
Nose-
apparently
3*:
formal occasions.
II
Ps 65^*
to clothe oneself
tJ^27,
{DB
4^j
Mantles] niDDi^D f
-i.
Ru
627^):
i.
with the
315^-.
^rt/^r/^^/y]
same meaning.
Shawls] or
Peiser,
is
1897* 341-
veils
ZATlVf
a mantle.
u_Jl*ai:,
apparently
ffi,
if this
Assyr.
an
gulenuj
article
of
garments.
i.e.
i^^y
Arab,
clothings
fine silk
8^ n.), that
tablets (cp.
Gn
246^ 38!*,
%W^' ^"^
T^V.
by
women
contrast
cp. "
is
rottenness (po),
my wounds
encircles
(f]p3,
ffi
some
artistic
dressed]
and
Ex
is
to
hammered,
if
Sackcloth] 20^
n.
Branding for
beauty]
With
reader (Du.),
1 25.
ntJ^i'sp
ntJ^pp,
(v.^'')
rope]] that
XtTo)!/ ix(TO'jr6p(f>vpo<s.
the clause,
Hair well
Ps 38^
The
16^*).
be interpreted, in the
rich dress]
i.e.
Ch
means of cure.
This
is
is
it
is
not the
energetically applied to
women and
that
^D cp. n^iD,
girls is
spared
they
will
be so
2I-IV.
III.
AND
16-24
III.
75
spared no more,
On
its
The
Jerusalem).
gates
(D^nns,
mourn
13^)
(1^53X1 i:t<,
The empty
IV.
Women
19^),
city is
La 2^^,
ask them
cp.
Job
Is 47^.
2^3^
I.
only they
may
Be
man's possession.
owner, or possessor
III. 16.
'3 \V'\
name
thy
cp. 63^^, 2
f 8 29I8
also
Nu
Dt
1228^
ii^o, i
28^,
i.e.
Am
1321 ai^^f.
pass as our
9I2.
more frequent ne'N }J?\ mioa] i.e. ni?B^ with preservation of the
nnpb'D] not, as in some MSS and the
radical (G-K. T^v)
K^ie, nvDf
Bomberg edition, 't^D, whence AVmarg. deceiving with their eyes, ng'^ is
0.V, Xe7. in Hebrew, but cp. Aram. npD, to look out, eye, especially with evil
use the
intent (so
D'3'y nisc
may be
the vb.
causative
look about, or
(G-K.
|
I28;r),
^^
ornVn
direct ace. ,
Piel is intensive
cp. also ]
squint-eyed.
In
making the
eyes
(lliD;JD,
U nutibus ocularum.
ipmoa may express the same sense (cp. Levy, Aram. Worterbuch, ii.
" Rabbi
or, as some think, it vataxis anointing their eyes with stibium.
p3'j;
571),
Jose of Caesarea explained, * they painted their eyes with Knp^D ; Resh
Lakish said, 'with red collyrium '" (Pesikta d. R. Kahana, 132a, b).
njD^n fiisiii yhn] G-K. 1135, w. cn^^a-i^] on- for }n- ; G-K. i35<7. moayn]
'
pathah for Sere cp. 13'^, and see G-K. 52?/. The vb. is a denominative of
03y V." n. 17. nEJtyi] b' for D G-K. 6k
cp. nnDD(D), a scab, Lv i3-8 1^^^.
7^" nins denotes the sockets in the lintel and threshold in
inn3] in i
:
the context,
is
was intended,
a corruption of jnnsim,
TSK,
rb
1894, p. 650.
(TXntJ^o-
clvtQv,
it is
nsr\n
(&&% may
have detected
this
see J.
Bachmann
in
earum, on the
explanation has
ZATW
vi. 336,
followed by twenty-one genitives
an extraordinary instance of a construction which, even in milder forms,
the language preferred to avoid; G-K. 128a: Kon. iii. 276.
24. nit'j/D]
xxvi. 130-133.
cstr.
case
is
it
(Du.).
mjno] perhaps
COMMENTARY ON
^6
ISAIAH
24,
25.
"i^ns "S"
the form
(=
'?
cp.
'i?),
""x,
G-K.
see
""^ ;
'V,
93/.
24<5,
26.
px*? nnpji]
ntf'n
with this
5^),
With
vi6i ffov
IV. 2-6.
In that day
the vegetation of
Yahweh
shall
be
a beauty
and a
And
for the
3
And
it
come
shall
And
Holy
be
When
Lord
the
called,
shall
life
in
Jerusalem.
washed
have
away
the
filth
daughters
And
shall
rinse
Israel.
Jerusalem
in
left
escaped of
to pass
shall they
glory,
away from
its
midst
the
of the
of Sion,
bloodstains of
Jerusalem,
With the
And
5
Then
spirit
of judgment,
will
Yahweh
create
site
of
*
And
over
its
assemblies'
Mount Sion
a cloud by day,
of
fire
flame by night
For over
And
all
glory
is
a canopy
and a booth,
will
be a shade
IV.
2-6
'jy
After Yahweh, by
(v.*)
which will allow few to escape (vv.^^- ^), has cleansed Jerusalem
from moral filth and bloodstains (v.*), a time will come when
the land of Israel will be clothed again with verdure and will
produce crops, which will make the Jewish survivors from the
judgment and
again
will
disaster
(v.^).
poem were
Even
if
this
probably illusory
Isaiah's,
it
see below.
Though
slight
amount of
parallelism,
The 'convocations'
Comm.
In language the most significant fact
word which
and Ges-B.
is
predominantly,
s.v.^
if
is
the use of
vc\i
{<&.
N3) in
v.^,
really
no good ground
hand, a
common
-?
COMMENTARY ON
7S
ISAIAH
Dr.
{LOT)
2.
n.
on
late,
v.*).
while
still
mentioned
is
Yahweh
HDV
phrases
will
as an alternative to the
(Ezk
16"^)
but
fertility,
more usual
it is
at least
man
(Marti)
for see
104I*.
Ps
HDV means
not branch (EV), but whatever grows or shoots forth from the
whether herbage (Gn 2^), or trees (Ex 10^) ; metaphorically it is used as a term for him who should re-establish
the Davidic monarchy (Jer 23^ 33^^, Zee 3^ 6^2^, and it has often *
ground,
in this passage
but
this is incon-
which indeed
Del. unsuccessfully labours to show also means the Messiah
Di. criticises this and some other mistaken interpretations at
length.
The fruit of the land] of Palestine (cp. Nu 13^^). The
land of promise was a fruitful land (Dt 8'''-^^, cp. 28^"!*), but from
if the people
the first promise was accompanied by warning
neglected Yahweh the fertility of the goodly land was to be
destroyed, or neutralised, by war, depopulation, continuous
drought, bad seasons see Lv 26, Dt 28, esp. vv.22-24. 33. ssff.^ ^nd
xhe people had neglected Yahweh the threats
cp. Mai 3'''^2.
had been carried out, harvests were yielding little, and what this
sistent with the parallel the fruit of the ground^
poem promises
is
and remain
minating judgment
(v.^)
the
(v.^), after
fertility
and
fertility
of the land
land
is
to
is
15^*;
E, Ki.,
they
Vitr., Del.,
Lag.
2-4
IV.
these words in
Heb.
79
such
for
Cm
sing, collect,
Ch
7^2,
34^^
for
it is
4^0,
a,
also
cp.
restrictive
is
(Di.), meaning that though there will be some who will accidentally (!) escape the judgment, only those who escape by the
The v. may be
pre-ordination of Yahweh will be called holy.
thus, nor by
is
not
overcome
awkwardness
the
awkward, but
rejecting this last line as a gloss (Sta.), for this does not restore
Those who
Yahweh (Am
evil
ment
(Am
(v.*),
5^*,
Mai
5*,
consist of those
as " the
known
whose names
in " the
book of
life
To
3^^).
(or
be written
book of Yahweh,"
the living)," etc.
whose names
OT
to
this
book
is
138 1^8
life
The
die.
3232f.
Ex
will
who
692^),
otherwise
who
3^^),
for life is to
those
Ps
life will
i^ter
En
Rev
47^
3^
2i27,
is
that of the
here
it
is
life
daughters of ^io7i\ fflr the sons and daughters of Sion this is not
a variant, but an amplified translation expressing the probably
:
population
daughters of
establish
is
So
to
the
women
an annotator's
:
the
lines
tentatively Marti.
omission
and
m33, the
insertion * to
;
word
the normal
of the
restores
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
80
Sion
parallelism
Then
^10. 12^
Jerusalem
22^^
Jerusalem, Ezk
2 22^-,
cp.
e.g.
Ezk
2
7^3 2 2^-*,
Ch 4^
NHB^
and
Rinsed
Ps 51^^
out] n^T
is
used
cups
21^^
in
Ezk
24^^*,
40^^,
later (Levy,
also.
are synonyms, as
cp.
Mt
3^^.
5*
Exodus, Ex
will come and
phil.
n.).
night
is
same
marked Yahweh's presence at the
Then will Yahweh create] ffi And he
Over the
phenomena
physical
1321^-.
that
{it shall) be
The
but
this is
holy
Yahweh*s
city,
quence the
accompaniments of the divine presence are
city
the
Temple
Sion.
(cp.
of
Ex
4o34-38^ i
Its assemblies]
Gn
1^^ n.
presence
S^^^^-),
For over
16^2 24I),
Yahweh" (Ezk
all glory
is
site
of Mount
a canopy] or
This strange
remark, which is not much illuminated by the quotation in Ecclus
40^, is probably an annotation: it may be corrupt; the opening
glory
is
a canopy.
v.^
8i
IV. 2-6, V.
Sion) be
// (viz.
and
at
cities
furnished
times
all
some
that
v. is
sort
Yahweh
(cp.
Jon
4^)
of shelter from
will
be the shelter
2.
Whether
fflr
to f^ (cp.
La
is
uncertain
perhaps
nD:i
was read
nn:i
4').
3. nox'
n'ni]
Gn
38^,
Nu
Am 7^
be sound,
V.^
taken by
and |^ and read ni.T H2^ this involves, as Du. perceives, the
nor ffi, of Vd before p3D
omission, which is supported by neither
for
18^^.
nJjilPD] some MSS read n'NnpD.
^y N3 in a friendly sense, cp. Ex
nxnpD ^yi] (& /cai irdvTa ra TrepiKVKXo) ai^r^s (claimed by Oort as = n'tyiJiD), B (?)
combine
CEr
01_i5r-K> ^ii,
nTti^tff
U el
ubi invocatus
r's Trdrra
est.
we suppose
'i
jifyi]
may
pao
'?3,
||
is
jtyy
'?3) ; Du.
improved if
perhaps a
is
= 130, Ex
40^*
^^)
probably the true reading, for which n'nn was substituted after
nDD was erroneously separated from what precedes.
From n\ni to the end of
v.^ is a well-balanced distich (4
though the balance
4) of parallel lines
moreover,
is
would be imperfect
is
if
is
fflr
preferable to
Yahweh will
for synonyms
be
:
is
obvious.
V.
I.
is
in
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
82
conclusion of
"
(3)
w.^^-si,
the misplaced
q'^^-io^
V. 17.
Special Discussions
1899, pp. 2-12
woes
P. Haupt,
la
AJSL
xix.
193-202.
The rhythm
of the
Haupt makes
omissions such as
in reducing the
to regularity
whole
by extensive
consisting of four lines, each line containing four accents equally divided by a
rhythm
change the light tripping effect of short lines (down to v.^'') gives
place to longer and weightier lines in the grave and solemn application of the
If the present text is substantially correct, the quality of the
caesura.
appears
to
The following
2 in vv.i*-
v.^^'-
3 in
2 in
2 in
3 in vv.^**
3
3
vv.i' ^
Let
it
A
A
2
me
5a.
(p)
(makkeph
(f^),
^' '*
*
(if tdi'^n^
my
sing of
.
as one accent),
loved one,
fertile
I pray,
vineyard belonged to
my
loved one
hill-top
be
(probably).
(if 'S-n\T
'Jx-ntrx-nx) ^' ^.
d^
song of
On a
And he
sc
<*.
in vv.^*
7c.
4a.
^a. b.
nirnTB'),
it
wildings?
in it?
yield of grapes
its
stones,
V.
6
83
And
I
^ I
make
will
And
And I
it
shall
it
will
and unhoed,
spring up with thorns and briars;
a waste, unpruned
command
That they
'^
1-7
no
rain
the clouds
upon
rain
it.
And he
In f^ the
^^2,
poem
is
articulated as follows
of the vineyard
introduction
v.^** ^,
^"^
the speech
In
ffi
vv.^^- ^ also
belong
The
Judah
is
its
all
Yahweh
owner,
With
it
for themselves
at
the fruit
left for
is
Jer
221
i2iof.^
Ps
So^ff-,
Mt
in
v.^ to
Possibly enough
this
poem was
is
mistaken.
by Isaiah
recited
(cp.
men
v.^^*
But the year in which the poem was either written or recited
cannot be even approximately determined
the thoughts
expressed in it may have occupied Isaiah's mind at almost any
period of his life.
Du. argues, inconclusively, that the parable
;
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
84
form indicates that the poem was written early, since later the
audience would have guessed from the start the burden of the
song: Hackm. (p. 123), that it was written late, when Isaiah,
known
being long
meaning
inferred
a prophet of
as
in order to gain
a hearing.
evil,
An
had
to conceal his
been
assumed
or proved,
of the
from anything
2-4
5^'^)
than
la. b. These lines are ambiguous, and the text not beyond
My
question.
is
Yahweh
yet
it is
may speak
of
God
as "
my
the
my
beloved (vineyard)
in
in v.^^
see below.
That
If v.^^
Yahweh was
is corrupt we
AV), or of
Israel and
(cp. ffiUSE,
T*!^ in v.^* is
is
in v.^^ is
very improbable.
* E.
G. Browne,
p. 490.
V.
less
and
objects,
that
in was
85
I,
not limited
we should have an
sexual
to
desire,
excellent introductory
couplet
me
Let
The song
Then
my
of
in the first
person
love for
it
my
vineyard.
it
seems
at first to
be
ia-2. The
which catches
site
of the vineyard
the sunshine
all
and cleared
an isolated
is
the soil
hill-top or hill,
is fertile.
The owner
power
to bear well,
in the
rocky,
5^3, ct.
it
On
3^*.
press
this well-chosen
hewn out
is
The
actual crop
it,
the vb. in
in
^.jj,
Dt
2.
32^^
He
OT) means
trees (VD"'?
a small
hill,
renders
The use
of
and
to
fenced
vines]
:
f^
X\p,
horn^
is
as Gabelhorn, Matterhorn
PTIVK^ IKV^),
see Levy,
as, for
NHB,
s.v.
literally,
on
nnn
remain there
vine
last n.
|D6J^, oil,
s,v, 8.
idiom, which
the rest,
with
me: see
by
paralleled
error for fo
anticipate
Sorek
apparently
the
The nomen
name
unitatis
ffliU,
of a specially
r\'p^'^
in
Gn
AV, he
Choicest
v.*.
choice
49^1!.
COMMENTARY ON
86
wine-press] the
Dp"*
is
ISAIAH
strictly
juice
Wildings]
renders
D''K^fc<n
(v.^f)
by labruscas^
i.e.
grapes
that
now
supposes that up
till
ask themselves,
will the
or turn
pasture,
it
into
Du.
owner get
perchance
or
try
the experiment of
it
form so
V. 1-7
87
wronged
see, e.g.^
Gn
Ps
27^*,
9^^.
The
house of Israef] either (i) this refers (whether exclusively or inclusively) to the northern kingdom, in which case the parable was
I.
read
and
without the
TT''?
suffix
(ry
'f]yairr]iJiip(p).
Gn 20^',
iDnD]
Ps
(&
(& apparently
3^.
*D"i3
Comm.
see
nn
m^ts']
fined sense.
D'tyN3
explained by
G-K.
ilT,d as virtually
G-K.
52/4.
Dr. 135
non] the
4.
Dr. 203.
mts'j;'?]
(3).
infin.
Abs.
is
MT the
if it
punctuated here
customary
!iJ?3.
7^*.
In
7^
MT
In Arabic
the
whence
here as end or destruction, and the whole phrase nn3 n'C as parallel to rhz
(10^), to
'l3i
derelict land.
more
is
G-K.
for
(cp.
pour
out, to
Is
6/6),
Lane,
37^
/^wrm^^ ^/
Cp.
Job
corruption, instead of
1._j2Q.Aj^, rapine,
If
W stands
incorrectly
the
shed (blood)
<S
specific.
is
.tdd
r\w)i
make an
the clauses
plunder,
if
it is
word should be
nsjB'O.
phrase -^Ia-;
U>-*A.ujkx
to
a^/J^-V ^^^^^
6^^^.
Cp.
n^SD,
Mishnah, nso of a
river
l^ J,
Kor.
^i^,
Haupt proposes
to read tDn^'D^nntJ-D,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
88
V. 8-24.
Collection of Denunciations,
or
yv.i4. 23 nn.)^
The
and
third, fourth,
fifth
each defines a
means
class that
and
is
they
distich respectively
its
fate
by
In the
first,
Ezk
Am
ah I it is unnecessary
Zeph
Hab 2,
to assume with Du. that a description of punishment so introduced must have fallen out of the text in sections 3, 4, 5.
5I8,
no
2^,
The
therefore follows
of
times,
different
at
same
interjection
cp. chs.
To
the
facilitate
translation
the
of
all
perception
the
of
differences
denunciations
is
of structure,
given together.
io2-4
21-23).
No
great
is
and probably in
'
^^c. d. 14.
8-24
V.
6
in ".
(?)
of the distich
in
^i*
^9
^*-
In
it
does.
;:
'in
ff.
I.
Ah
That join
Till there
...
'
no more room
is
in the
Therefore
" Surely
^^
field to field;
'
'
many houses
become a
shall
'
mine
in
ears
desolation,
And
2.
11
Ah
early
in
the
morning
in
pursuit
of
strong drink,
That
12
13
Whose
is
wont
to
knowledge,
dying of hunger,
are parched with thirst.
its
appetite,
1^
1^
And
the
in right-
eousness.
1^
'
'
the ruins.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
go
318
Ah
they
And
i
Who
(the
say,
draw
that
(on
guilt
punishment of
wagon-ropes
And
the
let
4.
20
Ah
call evil
they that
521
Ah they
And in
!
own
own
eyes,
sight intelligent
6.
22
23
Who
drinks,
And
2*
And hay
falls
despised
the
instruction
of
Yahweh
of
Hosts,
And contemned
One
of Israel.
in
religious
the
family
feeling
and
the
immediate appeal
to
the
human
V.
8-IO
gi
sentiment occasioned by evictions rather than a far-seeing perception of the effect which the new fashion might have on the
national economy, account for the
common
criticism of Isaiah
and Micah
these
Micah appears
men who
to feel
money gained
their own ruin.
perhaps, with
them
yeoman
the old
till
This
country.
is
class
whether
it
is
ex-
pressed by the two words which follow in J^, and which may be
translated and ye are made to dwell alone^ is doubtful
see phil. n.
:
9. Therefore
emends
in
my ears]
RV tacitly
is
certainly
lanp'
Dr. ii/f. mpo
a paraphrastic rendering of perhaps the
8.
dejn ny]
y'jD]
ti
and
3, cp.
follows.
Driver, Samuel, p.
text (Marti)
Ixviii.
*"nDs]
G-K. g^m.
music, and
Yahweh,
or, as
blinded by
we might
their
gaieties
to
the
work of
The
;:
COMMENTARY ON ISATAH
92
Gn
cp.
Hath gone
3^
For
13.
up
irrevocably fixed.
to a future
springs
Hos
4^
also
is
(cp.
and the
3^^),
fail
hunger] 1T^
""nOj
with hunger.
sing.
HUD
my
refers to
suf.
is
cp.
in their
i.e.
4^^.
Job
Its
Dying
with
or
Its
'i
"riD
(i3aj,
people
privation.
for pen,
The crowd
and most
jIDH
is
{t\'0'p)
S 6^^
of a multitude,
give the
throng (cp.
2 2^^-);
the multitude go
with
some
down
variation, of
into
it
cp.
Gn
37-'^^
15.
itself felt
repetition,
their being
2^^*^,
the previous v.
* Du.
v.^^ refers to
Nevertheless
many
is
mankind
much
in general.
less close
v.
than in
also
is
V.
II-I7
93
yet
it
V. is
And lambs
ruins
shall
feed
shall graze
and
(on)
but
impossible
(Si)
mean wanderers. The corruption of D^*1J (ffi), kids^ into D^"i)l (J^),
sojourners, may be not unconnected with an early allegorising
" and they that were
interpretation which may even underlie
spoiled shall feed like bulls, and lambs shall devour the wastes of
them that were led away," and appears clearly in 2C, " and the
righteous shall feed, as was said concerning them
they shall
multiply, and the righteous shall possess the substance of the
unrighteous." Jer. gives a Christian turn to the allegory, " Tunc
qui fuerunt de agnorum numero non haedorum pascentur in
ffir,
interesting
Finally,
examples of interpretation
MT
a prep.
; G-K. 93^^.
seems to embody a
jD,
163.
Dt Of^.
Dr.
cp.
late interpretation
C5^SU all imply 'rip.
and JIn 'no, Job ii^^ 22^^ Hitzig's suggestion to read
here niD after Dt 32^ (itself doubtful) has found considerable favour.
14.
ntysi] B'33, appetite, as 29, Pr 23^.
'3 v'\py\ to show oneself holy in or by means
of'. Nu 20^^ (P) and several times in Ezek. e.g. 2?P' ^.
17. mms] (& ws raOpot,
i.e. D^3^o.
{Juxta ordinem stium), Rashi, Ki., AV, give im the meaning
of manner {cip. e.g. Dt 15^)
feeble and improbable; modern scholars, since
'Dd]
With MT,
cp.
Kits'
'np
Ges., have
commonly assumed
*
that
"^2-1
and
i.e.
i'?3N' D'na
nj,
Ex
freely
is
on?,
lambs.
cp. D'n'D
(ni*?ii;)
D'nD (Du.)
is not quite
a more likely parallel to
(?),
is
D'^^n?.
i.e.
y&zaT^
D'^:??,
certain
(?)
very doubtful.
23^^ etc.)
clause, since
is
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
94
is
Ps 66^' t
;;6-v<, to
contain
marrow,
like.
three words,
i.e.
18, 19.
belief that
with
its
for "jK^D
The
Woe
to those
Yahweh
superfluous.
is
who
give themselves
will
up
to sin in the
Who
draw
guilt']
figure of v.^^
is
heightened
in ^^^
unbreakable.
mocking speech
initial
""in ;
20.
it is
Woe
cp.
Ps
lo^"^ 36^'*.
to those
who deny
28^^-
29!^^
ct.
on those who go fuddled into court (cp. 28''), but this is not
what is done here these persons acquit the guilty not because
they are too intoxicated to see who is guilty and who innocent,
but because they have taken a bribe from the guilty party ; cp.
It is forced, too, to assume that the line of thought
i23j Ex 23^.
Drinking is expensive, and bribes are necessary to pay the
is
Drunkenness has already been denounced, v.^^ ; some
bill.
The valiant in mixing strong
transpose v.^^ to follow v.^^.
drinks] Heady mixtures are also referred to in Ca 8^, Pr 23^0
and the spiced wines used by the modern Jews of Hebron and
Jerusalem are such mixtures. See Kennedy in EBi.^ Wine, 29.
The sin denounced is certainly not that of mingling water with
the innocent] not the wicked
The guilty
the wine (Del.).
:
the righteous
(RV); here
catch
fire
as in
Dt
25I yK^I
pnv
will
judgment
retain
and stubble
on those
fall
V.
8-24, 25-30
95
who have
will.
us in
its
original
form (Du.).
described figuratively
(c,
is
(a,
b).
despised^ etc.]
Cp.
i*.
to ^srD ; Sievers
18. Line a is longer than b ; Du. would supply a vb.
would omit nxan, thereby making v.^ a single line of 6 accents. 20. jnV]
^k'T and the following
note the
as in v.^.
23. D'pns] read ^'"\'^ with (&
infin.
t^N
pB''?
of
the
first,
13DD.
^33]
the
obj.
then the subj. a rare
24.
8'P
r\'yrh vi}on\ flaming hay (Kon. iii. 306c); or TX'irh is ace.
cstr., G-K. 115-^.
f/io^ (sinks down) into (or, as) flame (Marti).nsT] Dr. 117, 118.
||
V. 25-30,
yy
26a-c
*?
||
ff.
Some attribute
poem more probably they are fragments
and
80
also to that
or editorial additions.
is
may be a
distich
but
4:4:
Against him\
the people
ct.
their in c.
midst
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
96
judgment
prepare the
a
that
seems to be in part educed from the refrain itself and in part built up with
the help of frequently repeated details of theophanies and judgments
with
the quaking mountains, cp. 13*^'^^,
8^, Mic I*'*, Nah i^ etc., with corpses
partial
Am
abandoned
Others
p. 9.
{e.g.
16"*
25d-29. Conclusion of
a lost strophe, or of the
turned not
is still
26-29.
Ephraim
This
a
advancing
so Giesebrecht, Beitrdge^
25d.
14^,
Ps 85^
to destroy
describes
The
e.
His anger
His hand
Ex 9^^, 2 S 24^^.
cp.
etc.
Am
3^2)
it
is
depicted
will
refrain of
9 '^-10*.
strophe in
Hos
and
irresistibly
swiftly,
Zeph l"
p'^-IO*.
4^,
strophe
last
nation
is
last
12^ Jer
bacJz\ cp.
25-^,
'^^^'^
is
rescued
(ct.
Gressmann
(pp.
174
fif.),
indeed, has argued that the description does not strictly apply to
it
is
Egyptians, Babylonians,
this is
It is
Persians, Greeks, or
Romans;
but
That there
invasion.
Assyrians
is
is
to
rest
on prosaic
26a. b.
the earth.
Yahweh summons a
signal] cp.
n 10-12
afar.
In
Nu
2\^'^'
D3 signifies
1^ nations afar off, a reading which has arisen accidentally (see phil. n.), or is due to a scribe who wished to assimilate
so
ffi
;:
V. 2 5-29
97
which
later
ly^^f. 21^^-
3028 3^3^^
qj.
^g
conventional
eschatological
usage
is
The term
of the strophe.
in Jer 5^^ to
I*rom
Whistle for
it]
summon
7^^ n.
it;
5^^.
28c. d.
The
e.g.
22^^-
36^) sweeps
whirlwind.
dcXXoTroScs
"I came
VOL.
like
tTTTrot,
poetical rather,
storm," of the
Ven.
go."
217), or Fitzgerald's
29.
The form
of the
;
:
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
98
n.,
The
clear.
is
mighty waters,
is
(Am
Ps
74*)
works up as
its
climax
is
p. 24) its
pmOD
'laS
Jl 4*
nnnn
may be an
(Roorda,
(Tnfc<^),
al.
error for
mult. )
scriptio plena
(&.
r^J^a
(so Sievers)
\zxit\^
which
in
of
^^b^
(JX2'
Sp mno]
hastily as
and Arab.
Jj.
1^
mno
cp.
a fleet one.
28.
^p,
^]
f^
is
first
The Hebrew
word of
v.^'*
if nnj')
thus
through dittography of D, or
;
after the words had been
29,
W. R. Smith
attempts to deliver.
is
*1J
rather with
whom no one
prey (Israel),
read
poem
Proph.^
de-
is
naNt7
= ^p7tcDo't'
(al.
fir
after inN'i
but
opfiQaiv),
iHty''
= TrapiffT7jKav
J073^i
fflr
= ^/cj8a\er,
is
it
is
sufficiently established,
jnb"
is
not
supposed to mean
carries off into security^ i.e. the lion carries off the prey to a place where it
may eat undisturbed. But the sense of escape^ deliverance is so prominent in
the uses of the root that it is very doubtful whether the Hiphil expressed the
improbably a gloss on, or variant
ti''7S'i]
this is
very opposite.
30.
The
v.^^, is
here followed
the sea ;
rest,
imply the
doom
of Israel.
On
V. 26-30, VI.
this interpretation v.^
thought as
a
far as v.
it
sequel to
is
it
would [)robably be
Others* consider that
is
it
v. 2^* ^
vv.'^^'^'\
(2)
uttered,
this case
parallel to
not belonging to
parallel,
is
2^''-
99
is
whom
the growl
unrelieved gloom.
is
In
the original
v.^^.
Under
probable.
the circumstances
it
safest to question, or
is
accept very
MT
There
is
no reason
we
The
conveyed by
narrative
is
in
prose
the
Z^'^^
and, perhaps, in
show
poetical form,
is
not obvious
quality of
the words
may be
read as three lines (so in Kittel's text) of six accents each, but
repeated
vision.
The
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting on
a throne that was lofty and uplifted, and his skirts filling the
^
Temple.
wings
two
And
The whole
*
And
of
the foundations
them
^
man
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
100
said, "
of unclean
unclean
lips
Woe
for
full
me
is
the King,
it is
of Hosts,
of his glory.
for I
and am dwelling
lips,
is
that called,
And
(?)
Yahweh
is
earth
Then one
to
fill
with smoke.
am undone
in the
Yahweh
for I
am
midst of a people of
whom mine
me with a
of Hosts,
red-hot stone in his hand, which with tongs he had taken off the
altar,
''
and with
touched thy
he touched
it
lips
my
mouth, and
said,
Lo
this
has
And
saying,
Whom
And
And
I said,
Here am
send?
who will go for us?
shall I
send me.
Then he
said.
Go, and
Hearken
it
And
" And I
see with
its
its
heart understand,
said
Until they
How
lie
long,
over
its
its
eyes
ears,
waste
And
^2
13
houses without
human
beings
On
felling is
a stump.
lOI
VI.
call to service.
This
is
record oi
fact',
is
spiritual experience,
we may
first
time
of
other
example,
if
great
religious
who had
long
personalities
felt
of
Mohammed,
God
to him,
for
possible that, as
it
it
is
it
coloured by the
It
is 'generally
and certainly probable, that this account of his call was not
by Isaiah immediately after the event, but some years
later, when it was natural to define the year to which the record
refers.
It may be then that the terms of the divine commission
in vv.^^- reflect the discouraging effect on Isaiah of years of
held,
written
fruitless
COMMENTARY ON
I02
The
In
ISAIAH
Vision.
I.
the
Isaiah received his call before (cp. i^) or after Uzziah's death.
ruler's
later,
from the
i.e. from about 1500
1st of Nisan
B.C., the broken year before that ist of Nisan was known as
" the beginning of his reign " (E. Meyer, Gesch. d. Alterthums\
I.
If Hebrew usage followed contemporary
ii.
pp. 330 f.).
the years of a king
Assyrian usage,
Uzziah.
Isaiah's
call
7^),
the
is
yet
not so early as
740,
T>q\.). Uzziah] so (VIVV) i^ 7^
(rT'ty)
(2
3^2^
5^3. 30^
1
2 lis- 26);
and
Hos
Am
i^,
(inntj;) 2
the
Lord] There
Am
is
perhaps also
1421 15I.
and
Uzzah
ch
favours Uzziah.
Azariah
i^
the impression
Yahweh enthroned
Ex
14^,
OT
face (cp.
261^- 27*,
robes which
Ch
cp.
(last
/ saw
753
15^*^.
if
may have
(Jerome,
1532.34^ ^
Zee
i^.
of Jaudi
would be confirmed
but
Uzziah's death
occurred before
If that identifica-
33^^'^^),
fill
the Morashtite (i
they
his eyes
fall
the Temple.
on a conspicuously
22^^), sees
lofty
that
is
moment; he
Yahweh he
;
given of the
is
absorbed
sees nothing
On
thro?ie]
Yahweh
throne.
in kingly state,
His
Isaiah, like
His
Micah
enthroned
VI.
correct rendering of
W^hw
word
is
D"'^1C^
garment {tV^, Ex
downward
(cp. Jer
flows
it
1322-
28^3), especially
26^
down
Nah
the
floor.
translators
dSc
throne,
renders
Ms
glory (cp. Jn
which
103
for the
Yahweh
ing,
1-4
he
and
it is
i.e.
floor, unless,
indeed,
(i
"
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
104
He
his eyes.
Temple
of Jerusalem * which
sees in vision
no strange and
and
temple
is
This
is
in
to his
alarm
doom
it is
Holy One of
Israel
the
in
alarmed
(cp. 33^*)." t
Temple,
(Rashi); cp.
"non
coelum thronus
ipse
est et terra
the
'
ings
not
//,
viz.
the
Temple
(Jer.).
Each
28'*2ff.)^
2o26
{SBOT IT,^^),
Skinner, Whitehouse.
105
VI. 2
flight
move
they
seraphim
to
feet,
do Yahweh's bidding,
fflr
represents the
standing round
as
feeling
should,
equally colossal.
as to insist
It is
the vb.
is
certainly
successful.
Many
figure
in
later
Beings half
serpentine characteristics.
descriptions
(Ezk
i,
(||
vision there
still
on
into ecstasy.
v.* that the
We may
eye
infer, if
fell
who
repel
in v.^,
Yahweh
in
Isaiah's vision is
uncertain;
D'SntJ'
the phrase
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
I06
commonly thought of two, and allegorised the two seraphim were the Son
and the Holy Spirit attending the Father a view not unnaturally rejected
by Jerome as "impious."
The view that the two seraphim represented the
Old and New Testament found more favour. Jewish interpreters differed as
:
to the
3.
number
The
onox
(Ibn Ezra).
t:"
sung antiphonally
h^
(nt
HT).
29^-
2-
9,
Job
38'',
Rev
5^^- y^^^-.
Jlofy]
Day
of Yahweh," so
Hosea with
prostitution
briefly
it
which Hosea
the "
How unethical
of His worshippers.
may be most
it
when he speaks of
Originally
the religious
denounced was carried on by " holy "
(see, further,
In Isaiah's
is
it
Holy
the Holy
is
address
Yahweh
God
" Wretched
man
that I am."
(v.'^),
Isaiah
is
fitted
to
VI.
I07
3,
Isaiah
its sins.
no exponent,
is
like
is
demanded an
72^ 96^, of
who alone
Hebrew
i.e.
Gn
G-K.
4^^;
i26;; Kon.
iii.
Yahweh
inappropriately, to
at the sin
used
is
see, e.g.^
;
Jos
Others have given to
256.
is
the seraphim,*
phrase
cp.
6*' ^ etc.
*'
29I9; Di.).
ntnN1
I.
nam] Dr.
Tenses^
127/3.
establish a connection,
and
in v.^
22^
Jg
h hv^'O "loy
is
2.
'?yDD]
i"?
what
*?y
for "ryo).
Yahweh, but
14^^,
Dn
(as in r
I2^**,
Gn
noD"] this
describe
30
a).
one
3.
ION")
to the other',
to one of
(i
is liable to
cp.
two (Gn
22^",
Nipi] frequentatives
Ex
29^',
Is 44^).
14^.
Ex
14^*^,
In Ps 75^
*
So
(JR,
Dr. 120,
G-K.
\\2k.
n? "^x ni]
ni refers
the
definitely
ni
COMMENTARY ON
I08
indefinite one
Hebrew mind
the
another
ni
the second
cp.
was probably
Hebrew
vivid
and
ISAIAH
ni
Job
in
definite.
'^^^^,
but to the
Certainly
n?
'?k
is
ammatu.
meaning porch^
doorpost.
^'B&).
Gra. suggests
ni[3]DJ<,
supporters,
i.e.
pillars
which brings us back, so far as the meaning goes, very nearly to the
posts of the doors of AV, which rests on a philologically questionable Jewish
(2
18^^),
exegesis
cp. Rashi.
The
effect of
in vv.i"* described
Hos
An
10''.
(&'s KaTavivvyfULt.
6, 7
on account of his
vision which had intensified his consciousness of sin is, before it
vanishes, to assure him of the removal of his sin.
One of the
forth
which stood just in front of the porch of the Temple, and, taking
a glowing coal, or stone, continued his flight across
the court of the Temple to the place where Isaiah stood, perhaps
near
its
them with
lips
fire (cp.
Mai
32^-,
Lk
3^^)
it,
purging
Yahweh
(v.^).
his
T/iy iniquity
EV
and
the tense
is
109
4-9
VI.
taken aivay^
iD
with
pf.
be future
is
in
overtake, us (l3SV?Dl)
Nu
3223.
8.
The
Him
hears
asking
consulting the
who
passage
shall
is
be His messenger
is
and
consciousness
prophetic
K 22^^^-) and
The
it
(i
inspiration.
becomes a
compels him
the purposes of
5.
6.
Houtsma
-n'mj]
n324n]
^21.L9,
also
in
19^
cp.
7.
omitted.
from a
is
VJ'")]
MT
sympathy with
his
is
3^^-.
d^sj^t
Ar.
ly^
\i
rightly points
ni]
Am
ZATW,
(Ezk4o"),
&v6pa^.
Yahweh
iii.
as
45.
^f5;
Hiphil
l^ot
ns:n,
stone.
BDB.
see
pavement
(K rightly
8. Mh]
fflr,
is
cp, v.^.
The message
of the people
of
God
is
prophecy.
The doings
the voice of
God
of
will still
God
will still
8^* ^2
except in
9^*,
The phrase
call
is
915
28^^' 1*
29^3.
14^
T/iis people]
Judah only or
at his
to the
Against limiting
no
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
is
much
of Isaiah's earlier
The
commission.
fatal
objection
by Cheyne {Introd.
cannot well be an entirely
p. 28),
different body from the people of v.^, and that in v.^ the people
must at least include Judah. But if we must conclude that
"this people" includes Judah as well as Israel, or even, as surely
which
theory,
is
insufficiently
is
criticised
v.^ suggests,
refers particularly to
And how on
is
evidence of
eyes] as
And
The
least of all to
be found by
ffi,
i.e.
difficulty is
insensitive; cp.
Ps
retaining, against
v. ^2.
119'^^.
Dull
the heari\
Plaster over
its
it
to
be healed
by Yahweh (Hos
6^).
and be healed,"
MT.
it
now
22^*.
12.
inhabits be
Be
left
left full
And Yahweh
will
not Himself be
11^
9-13
VI.
people
He
Yahweh
will
is
The land
remain.
it.
become a
of Israel will
desola-
Yahweh's righteousness ; the very desolation of Yahweh's country will speak of His
righteous anger, which will not tolerate the sins of those whom
He had chosen to be peculiarly His own (cp. s^""^, Am 32). This
thought remains implicit in the entire suggestion of the vision
(cp. especially v.^), even if with Marti we were to consider v.^^f.
a post-exilic explanatory addition to v.^^ ; but his arguments are
but the whole earth
tion,
for
it
is
(v.^^) f^om
an already (v.")
and the use of Yahweh in words attributed
particularly at some little distance from the
to Yahweh
beginning of the speech, is hardly sufficient by itself to prove
that v.^2 was not the original continuation of v.^^
13. Even
that
desolated country
tenths
is
left
behind
in
9, yiDty
G-K.
144^?.
(cp.
V.13),
av'l]
nsii]
and
|^ is a poor repetition
attempts to create a difference by pointing
but note the different sense of Niphal in 17^^.
13. nn^m
G-K. 113^10.
lyot!']
what follows
form Niphal
lyaV] cstr. as in
first line
;
5^,
MT
is
different
here
to exterjninate
2 S 4^S Dt
l895> P' 12), adopts the latter meaning here
(and
? ffi)
Hebrew
MSS
COMMENTARY ON
112
VII. i-VIII.
8.
Incidents
and
Special Literature:
F.
War (735-734
Syro-Epraimitish
TSK,
ISAIAH
B.C.).
Giesebrecht,
Davidson,
and
Christ
"Immanuel"
the Gospels).
(in
f.
narratives
(a)
prose relating
in
Ahaz 7^'^^, his use of the name Maherand his use of his disciples and his children,
shalal-hash-baz,
816-18.
8^"*,
poems,
{p)
^h.\^.\\-\b.^
717-25
pj-Qge
(^)
notes
(S^-
")
In
8i"i8
both
the
prose
style
S^-^-
^^-^^
3rd person.
That Isaiah
36-39
biographical
is
or
(h) that
i^'^^t
person.
no longer obvious
Of these
and
and
and
second
is
favoured by a usage
v.^,
alternatives the
who added
8^, 71*- ^^
and
83^-.
Isaiah's
and 8^, 7^
memoirs must then
f. ;
cp. 7^
is
hostile
verse with
also in 2
some
i6^
is
related in vv.^"!^.
The
Ahaz with
ct.
(cp. chs.
the genealogical
Uzziah
in 6I.
i-VIII.
VII.
113
(2) Is
']"-
requires
some introduction
(3) the
argument
is
of
little
weight
v. in
16^
As to
The
may
additional clause
mx
logically
in Is.
Vy ns'i of Ki.
And it came
is
St
style of Is.
is
is
not
the
king of JudaH\
pass in the days of Ahaz
this rather vague time definition was correctly inferred by the
16^; the phraseeditor from what immediately precedes 2
to
ology
is
Ahaz."
EV
Reso7t\
Damascus
Rezin (see
he
is
n.).
first
At
year of
mentioned by Tiglath-pileser
who paid
phil.
said "
tribute to Tiglath-pileser in
intervened
Ezr
7^^,
I.
i.e.
in parts
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
114
Judah
spring of 734
we may
Jotham (2 K
to this period
we may suppose
In the early
15^^).
marched
when news
Canon,
in
year was,
this
as
we know from
Philistia.
on
same time
his
Eponym
the
(cp. 2
11^),
Reson might well traverse the distance (about 140 miles) from
Damascus to Jerusalem, and prepare to lay siege to the latter
city, before he received news that this year the Assyrian king
was marching from Nineveh on his own capital the military
route from Nineveh to Damascus would be about 550 miles (cp.
;
EBL
St
5167).
kVi
np)i
pjn rhv\
if ^3' is
correct, the
waw before
it
nps
is
wow
went up and was unable ; the instances in Heb. are at best few ; see G-K.
BDB 253a!. In this case Reson appears as the principal
1 54a footnote ;
More probably S'y should be read ^?; with 2 Ki., |^ and ffi^, and <&
person.
psn] "^ \ir\ was
here then nSy is sing, as preceding the subj. ; G-K. 146/".
nsn nDn'?D'?,
where inK hv is perhaps an erroneous specification of an original n''?y (Stade)
whether the omission of nij'i in Is. was editorial or transcriptional is uncertain.
The actual investment of a city is expressed by '?y ms, the more active
operations, such as assaults on the walls, carried on during the investment in
order to reduce the city, or as the immediate prelude to its capture (^^^), by
*?y Dn'?n (Dt 20^^ 2 K
\2>^, Jos 10*^), or 1 n'^n (i K 20^, Jg 9*^ 2 S
27.
2^ Is 20^) or simply onVn (2 S ii^*^").
The purpose of a hostile
J226.
approach to a city may, of course, be described either as "to besiege it," or
'*
to attack it " (n'Vy Dn'?n'?, Dt 20^<> and here, with the noun instead of the
onVn does not mean " to continue the fight " (Box), or
infin. n''?y nonVD"?).
**
was
this sense
by
BDB
success
0.
"to
is
Nu
vriK'nji.
" Immanuel."
2-16. Isaiah's interview with Ahaz.
a time when news has reached Jerusalem of the union
At
army
at
i-i6
VII.
that Syria
;:
115
to
do Judah
serious
Lack
(probably a Syrian).
would
Ahaz
surely, lead
to
Yahweh's
an outsider
Yahweh can
of trust in
Judah's undoing.
is
favour of
dynasty in
and
alone, but
In a further appeal,
he
sufftciency) that
Thereupon
likes
the
to choose, but he declines
announces that Yahweh nevertheless will (hereafter) give a sign
of His own choosing the nature and purpose of this sign has
been much discussed, and no general agreement has been
reached (see below); but Isaiah goes on to predict (v.^^) that
within two or three years Ephraim and Syria will be a land of
In vv.^^^*, which probably do not belong to the original
ruins.
offer.
Isaiah
account of
the
interview,
the
desolation
Judah also
of
is
predicted.
Isaiah's
and
it
is
vv.^"^^
doing
so.
Isaiah
West would
force
The
some few
2.
Syria
is
News comes
see
on
v.^.
and Ephraim
(v.^)
for
and menacing
It fell
The
attacking
(vv.^* ^)
are
now
taking practical
entire
Il6
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
The
would
involve loss of place and power for the entire house or entourage
(v.^2)
but
it
is
took at
this
Syria hath
Ch
settled
down upon
on dead bodies
also used
(2
spirit
upon
settle
(Gn
Ararat
8*),
of carrion
birds
of insects, such
(Ex
locusts
as
None
to
(2
(?y ni:) is
lighting
members of
other
28^, Kit.),
10^*),
settling
is
on a
to
require, the
friendly
and
out of the
command
is
vv.^^^*
the
iq^^* is
actual
is
it
merely
interview
in
is
directly recorded.
3.
aiCJ'^
name
name
IC^S, a
return," the
is
at
will
we
of purely sinister
of the son
substitute
meaning
whom
Isaiah
is
VII.
2,
117
The
Jerusalem contains
city of
springs, but
Jerusalem
is
is
Sitti
Maryam":
this
Ch
was
20^^,
32^^),
An
time of siege.
previously
this
perhaps
it
said to have
encamped
perceived.
be identified
Others f put
it
to the S.E.,
Fuller's
is
the natural
Romans
below the
The
valley."
is
army
also later
Field
may
indeed have lain there, " where alone water abounded " ; but was
the entire course of the Fuller's Field Road below the city ?
The
* G. A. '^xmih, ferusalemy
t Sta. Gcsch.
ii.
127.
i.
592
f.
i.
15 and ch.
v.
i.
105, 114!?.,
is
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
Il8
verb
Go
to say to
Ahaz
See
(v.^)
left,
of fire brands
now smouldering
harmless.
Isaiah
is
in
is
from
4.
Isaiah
agitation,
their
previous internecine
that
Ahaz
here
it is
needless
by a secure water
typified
faith in
Yahweh
He demands
(v.^).
of
essentially the
same years
later,
lie
The combination
previous clause.
to
be a
20^7 and,
below, " the son of Tabeel." 5, 6. The plan of the allies, which
has alarmed Ahaz, but appears to Isaiah certain of frustration
Tabeel.
name
If
ffi
(cp.
n^ypi,
if
r\^\>'^'^^
And let us
29'''.
break
Judah as a whole
it
can scarcely be
for
ATUntersuchungen, 74
KAT^
135.
first
VII.
4-8
119
clause of the
v.
the vb.
(i;p3,
cities,
see 2
Ch
For
32^,
Ch
32^),
/.<?.
7-9. Over against the fears of Ahaz and the plans of Syria
and Ephraim is now set the sentence of Yahweh. The evil plan
(ny"i, v.^) will not be carried out.
Reson is head of Damascus,
Damascus capital of Syria, Pekah head of Samaria, and Samaria
capital of Ephraim, and they will never be anything more ; not to
them belongs, or ever will belong, the headship of Judah. So
But its ultimate safety
far as they are concerned, Judah is safe.
and continuance rest on its relation to Yahweh. It is not really
threatened by the evil plans of its foes ; it is not rendered safe
because their plans are foiled. Safety will be secured by a
practical and personal belief in and understanding of Yahweh,
which will lead to a quiet confidence in His sufficiency (v.'* 30^^^-),
and to righteousness of life (cp. Gn 15^); but if ye believe not^ye
shall not be established', an early and correct interpretation of
this great saying is found in 2 Ch 20^0
the positive alternative,
understood,
left
is
expressed
here
to be
by Isaiah in 28^. Note
;
the paronomasia
the
is
earliest
Ephraim
it
be no
but
it
may be observed
further that
it
its
position
know
little
that long
he was dead Ephraim would be destroyed. The precise dating of a prediction, too, would be without analogy in Hebrew prophecy, round numbers occur, 16I* 20^ 2ii^, Jer 2^^^\ The writer
after
some event
Ephraim that
670-669 B.C. The Book
in the history of
b.c., i,e, in
COMMENTARY ON
I20
know nothing
of Kings appears to
hand, Ezr
42- 10
ISAIAH
kingdom of Ephraim
of any
On the other
722
17).
speaks of settlements of Babylonian peoples in
conquest by Sargon
after its
in
b.c. (2
number
it is
probable that
is
inhabitants of
G-K., 122^,
Ephraim by Esar-haddon
or Asshurbanipal.
Ex
65,
Houb. emended
i.
to
cp.
ff-
21^42",
Lag. to nnxj, a
ni'?J,
E innnN, 5
12^),
'ui pjtn]
renders
|.
v.
(JBr
Gn
(ruj/e^wj'i7(rej'(= nan,
4.
For
the next
TOV
ffi
w-iOA-
If
14^; niN(Niph.),
a,
this clause
This
an original text to be obtained by
and fflr is in part
mere retranslation. But possibly the difference between
due to a short original text having been expanded by glosses which did not
Perhaps the original
find quite the same place in f^ and the original of (&.
of vv.'*^ (from nna) and ^ consisted simply of nj;T yhy p'' 's-jy ; all beyond
5. '3 jV] rather characteristic of
this adds words, but nothing to the sense.
vlbs
is
'ApdLfJL
6ti,
nor
is
Isaiah
3^ n.
6.
Nu
n'?j;
district
Jos
m-T-a nSy:] 3
7\i)i''p:^']
Read
22^
in Jer 48^*,
Tapepefid (i
Hebrew,
it
(& T(opi7i\
15^),
the
was pronounced
cp.
MT
name is Aramaic
in the
"3
may be an
2^,
Jg
i^,
Ch
14^^
njiTV^
hn2t:>]
found in
a
if
Ex
i^^^
father.
first
v.^^,
better transition to
If the
name was
transliterated
by
is
472^
al.)
(Vx?^) in the
But
is
^i^nby
n'3iB, Tw/3ias.
159//.
see 2
name of Ben-hadad's
sere,
G-K.
Thes.
rM]}'>pi:i.
it
9. 'oj surely, as in
error for *3
see Nestle in
on
nny
this
ZA TW^
'3, etc.
and on
ffi
BDB
(IL^)
ff.
9^ of D'nn (pi.) in i S 2*, and of nnnn (? Piel) in Jer 51^*. The use of the
Kal in 30^^, often cited as parallel, is ambiguous. For the more usual sense
in
to be
dismayed^ cp. 8* n.
10
f.
and there
IO-I3
VII. 2-9,
to
Ahaz any
sign he
Sheol below,
to pass,
and
Heaven above or
Yahweh determines what shall come
may
it is
demand,
like to
proof that
in
that
121
His present
in
will that
unmolested.
Obviously we have no
full
We
And Yahweh
prophet, Isaiah
if
again
cp. 3^^.
spake\
His
II.
^ sign\
a sign
an event which
(nit?) is
is
the
*'
will
come
on a
true
is
Here Isaiah
two sons
will die
first offers
single
Ahaz a miraculous
the present
mterprets the
kmg s
unwillingness
to
refusal
accept
the
guidance
own
policy.
of
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
122
(v.^^)
mood
court in this
insists that
whether
shall have,
not
which will
prophet's prediction, and refer the
but
the
after
human
efforts of
the
recall
events
relief
of Yahweh.
will
Ask a
sign
from Yahweh
Yahweh's
He
experience his
Am
9^
deej>
power extends
in
to Sheol below,
and in
Ahaz
alike in Sheol
and
down
choose the
shall
purpose being
its
it will
rejected by Ahaz.
heaven,
now
correctness of the
moment
(Jhe.
IlBI.
There is, of
be a sign from
3^59).
Ask
it
(MT, EV),
weak
repetition of ask
last clauses
and Ahaz
of the
v.
replies
wrong:
certainly
is
in Sheol
involves a
it
parallelism in the
^s a servant of
(v.^^^^
down
instead of deep
Yahweh
after
Ahaz'
13.
and says
And he
said]
*'
my God "
Isaiah
sc.
Let
(v.^^).
12.
See
originally perhaps
n.
on
sign^
and I said
like
sistent disregard of
14-16.
[^ the use in
He
what
Immanuel.
Mt i^^ of v.^^,
really requires.
for
many
centuries
saw
in these verses
Jewi sh in terpreters
insisted that
is
by
Holy Ghost,
have throughout
and
in particular
on these points
(i)
Who
is
the mother
VII.
i3-i6
123
and who the son referred to in v.^*? (2) What is the sign given
by Yahweh Himself, and what does it signify ? Is it miraculous ?
Wherein precisely does it consist ? Does it signify (a) that Judah
will be delivered, or (d) that it will be destroyed, or (c) that it will
be first delivered and then destroyed? The ambiguities and
awkwardnesses of the passage are so numerous as to give little
hope of reaching an interpretation that will command general
assent; and under these circumstances even the dogmatic or
traditional
may
infer
doubtless
continue to
been
s^
Two
Religion s^
interpretation
is
Ahaz
what he was sent to tell him (v.^). Such a conclusion would be altogether natural, and the interpretation just
suggested might be regarded as certain, but for v.^^, in which
by
reiterating
Some
court.
v.^^ is
modern
v.^*
scholars
the
Ahaz and
it,
this
by
can be turned into a threat only by omitting
or by an illegitimate view of the construction.
as a threat
v.^^
Ahaz refused
(v.^^^ to
(v.^^)
that
he
might choose any sign he liked to be wrought at once ; therefore Yahweh Himself chooses the sign, and will see that it takes
place not at once, indeed, but in the near future.
It has been
repeatedly argued by Christian scholars from Justin Martyr downwards that the sign which Yahweh is Himself to choose and give
COMMENTARY ON
124
ISAIAH
has
come
may
lie
v.^^ n.),
The
true.
is
a miracle,
This being
event predicted.
4:
so,
we
shall
:
be
safest in
understanding
feeling
(ct.
and Ephraim
will
the child(ren)
sign
lies
not,
as
the
traditional
Christian
chain of events
birth
now
predicted,
and naming of a
child,
or
S^**
This interpretation
it
is
is
and
it is
i^* 513. 24
\^^^ \^
p7 often introduces a
always do so (cp. Jer 16^*),
There/ore]
^qq^
^iot
Again,
it
would
not have been surprising to find that Isaiah, driven by the king's
contumacy, substituted a threat (cp. i^^^-) for the promise which
he came to bring
still
the
v.
fact
125
VII. 14
refer
himself will
give
N}^
sign,
vv.'**^,
more than
and
call
is
J.
Sta., Marti.
is
on
it
was
with
child,
That
it
view are
Certainly the
Behold, a damsel
even damsels.
is
it
purpose at
matter.
son,
from the
mean a great
threatened invasion if Ahaz and
his court
Isaiah's
relief
clearly con-
among
advocates of this
earlier
W. R.
Smith, Budde,
D. Mich., Eich., Kuen., Du.,
It falls to the ground if, as is possible, though not
intended,
specified.
it
is
curious
that
she
is
not
more
precisely
own
wife,t or to
at the interview
and singled out by the prophet for his purpose ; % but for this
much might be said for identifying the da msel with Isaiah's w ife,
who is, however, called " the prOplietess^"' m 6^: knowing that she
was near child-birth, Isaiah would be thinking of a sign that he
could be certain of bringing about, except so far as the sex of
the child is concerned, and that is immaterial to the sign.
The
sign, moreover, would be of the same kind as the signs that he
(8^^cp. 8^^ 7^) and other prophets (Hos i) employed.
The
mode of reference would be better satisfied by a theory of
Rosenmiiller's which has been recently revived in a modified form
by Gressmann and others.
Gressmann postulates the existence
:
M. Brown
in
fBLit., 1890,
184.
t Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Grotius, Ges. Hitz.
% Isenbiehl.
%Eschatologie, pp. 276 f., cp. 270 ff., 284; cp. Burney (independently) in
TThSii. 580-584 ; Jeremias, ^r^6> 556f. ; Box.
1 1
iii.
COMMENTARY ON
126
in
the
at
ISAIAH
to
this
theory,
is
to
that
assert
(hypo-
this
thetically)
is
This
all
here start from an alleged but unreal necessity for satisfying two
conditions of which the text says nothing
it
is
assumed
that
merely of a
the
sign^
and
must be a
deliverer,
v.^^ is
be delivered by Immanuel.
will
as there
in
is
Hos
and,
is
whereas
text
Immanuel
will deliver
There
Judah
that
unknown
in Arabic,
to conceal^
which seems
to be lustful
no^y
means a
girl,
or
lack of
it
who were
it is
as a
matter of fact
certainly
(Gn
24^^,
Ex
women
2^),
or
Ps 682), virgins. On
Pr 30^^ where the marvels of procreation and
embryology (cp. Ps 139^^"^^ Ec ii^) seem to be alluded to, and
probably (Ca
also
used
in
i^ 6^,
it is
VII.
had proved
a
in
unfaithful
3E
NnovV
apparently corresponds to
340.
is
Palmyrene
in
inscription
bi-lingual
[]Tatpw[v]
in
e.g.,
127
14
and corresponding
virgin
to the difference
T\7\T\2
is
between
(Ex
22^^,
and
ni^inn
Lv
21^^),
\\^hv are
and
D"'i'in3,
virginity (Jg
1 1^^,
Dt
Ps
89*^,
Is
22^^).
on a woman's virginity
All this serves to
phraseology was employed; see Nu 31^^
show how the prophet would have expressed himself if he had
had to announce the miracle of birth without loss of virginity.
be
to
laid
Why the
term
r\'chv in
myj was
ceives
chosen,
to
be a
woman
con-
Is with child,
virgin.
deliverance
will
be
every
who wished
the child
to
is
:
to receive his
see Hastings,
Hos
n5<")p,
name
DB
iii.
at_ once.
an unusual
viz.
the
best
MT
alternative
way,
The
mouth.
one's
form of the
in the ordinary
480^ ; prophets
signs
naming by the
naturally
father
see
vocabitis
3E
is
ambiguous, but
^H render
by the passive
cp. the
pi.
of
ffic^
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
128
reference to those
present with the Jews, th at they will experience succe ss, deliverance; Ireedom t'rom danger and anxiety ; the meaning and result
of God's presence can be gathered from such sayings as " I fear
no evil, because thou art with me," Ps 23* ; "I will be with thee,
and bless thee," Gn 26^; "Yahweh of Hosts is with us" the
refrain in the confident lines of Ps 46 ; cp. also Jg 6^2f. 16 ^nd
Am 5I*, where the synonymous prep. (n&<) is used, " Seek ye good
that ye may live, and that Yahweh God of Hosts may
God
with Judah,
pre-exilic prophets,
is
including
name Immanuel
He
Isaiah.
suggests,
therefore,
faith,
but
and the
people.
It is
name by
the lot."
it is
But
and unsatisfactory
which Isaiah did expect immediate relief for Judah, and so far
at least such a beneficent presence of God as to justify the name.
If Porter's objection to the
common
interpretation of the
name
interpretation.
Gn
(God
hears), because
imply a reason.
to
what
is
to
God
V.^*, indeed,
opens with
because^ but
it
refers
name
what precedes
v.^*
and
infer that
VII. 15,
129
i6
be manifested in the
A
withdrawal just at that time of the Syro-Ephraimitish army.
considerable degree of awkwardness in the composition at this
point is not to be overlooked ; it may, like other features in the
at the
born
is
will
narrative,
memoirs.
v.^^,"*"
or v.^^f
On
the
other
would be difficult to
the subsequent addition of the two verses.
yet
it
Curds and honey shall he eat] " Victus ei affluet " is Grotius*
he rightly sees in these words a
terse and pertinent comment
promise ; J for milk and honey were highly estee med.^ Nevertheless, since J. D. Mich, most modern interpreters, including Koppe,
Ges., Ew., Del., Di., Che., Du., Marti, Skinner, Peake treat the
Curds (nsDn) are milk (3?n) that has
V. as a threat ; see below.
:
thickened
OT, including
the present,
on
also attested
is
it
by the part
it
plays
in
descriptions of
"
channels
KAT^
honey
526.
a threat
illustrations of the
honey
Since
nj^Dfl
we may
is
"milk and
indicate the abundance
fact that
See
VOL.
I.
1905, pp-
COMMENTARY ON
130
ISAIAH
Hebrews were to
was
for a settled
in the oft-recurring
phrase " a land flowing with milk and honey "
in a longer
description of the land of promise both forms of milk are
mentioned "curds of kine and new milk of sheep," Dt 32^2^"-,
of the land of promise
exchange
their
nomadic
life
Gn
cp.
18^:
and much
food as consisting
39^^).
to
Isaiah,
whether we
"
feel free or
meant
It
should be clear
of
be
will
all
become
butter
or as
if
and honey
we were to
they have
justify calling a painful career " a
And
not
a threat
v.^^
says
God
will
be with
birth,
tBudde.
I77~^95
VII.
and honey
" in
15,
i6
131
Dt
Sir 39^^,
^2'^^^'-.
that
rendering,
legitimate, but
stands or
is
time
the
see next n.
may know^
he
this translation
A^
The
grammatically
falls
The
point
is
illustrated
And
and
And she went and brought two vessels, in one a stone, in the other
and put them before Moses, that Pharaoh might know the nature of
And Moses chose the vessel in which was the stone, and
small children.
Pharaoh ceased from his wrath against Moses, when he saw that he knew not
to distinguish between them" {TEF Qu St., 1909, p. 37).
thee.
fruit,
Some *
much
"
later
{e.g.
10 or 20; Di.).
8*
life
of the child.
16.
Within
vv.i''^-
The
v.
name
the
name
I?nmaniiel; the
will
Ew., Di.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
132
territory,
after defeating
(2
1529)
may be
placed in(^73^
The
The term
child]
(iV^)
is
used of any age from infancy (Ex 2^, i S i^^) up to early manhood (Gn 34^^, Jer i^- '^). The land of Ephraim and Syria^
7vhose
kings,
tzvo kings
but see
phil. n.
the
first
and
cp.
G-K.
but wrongly.
3J in
and perhaps
with
ffi
its
beginning
interval,
"The
it
hence,
m.T.
lastly,
if
Nin]
G-K.
135a,
n'?i?o'?
c.
clauses eU ^ddos ^
MT
meant "
(Kon.
nxnpi
it
i.
els v\pos,
Sheol" and
to
p. 262).
m'?n m,n
14.
r\'ch^n
'Jnx]
7\^r\\
represents as already
asserts forcibly
two
It is unlikely that
nnpp,
nj/D^,
cp.
48/.
its
approach."
...
it
may
describe an occurrence in the present, Jg 9^*, I S 14*^" (Driver, 135 (3) and
In Gn 16^^ the first part, after the run refers to the present, the
Obs. i).
art. in
Hebrew
some
as in other languages,
mean "
the (well-
ii-i6
VII.
Syntax, 21
(e)
see, e.g..
may
Am
3^2 ^i9^
many members
133
In
j^ 20*^).
Am 3^-
the circumstances
T\]i'\r\ becomes
So here the future circumstances may similarly
affect more than one young woman: no'?;Tt may therefore mean "a young
woman " as yet unknown, but whom future circumstances may define, or since
the circumstances may similarly affect an indefinite number, "young women."
Which of these gratmnatical possibilities was intended must be determined
are such as
affect
equivalent to shepherds.
MT
(if
nN"ii5, it
stands for
variant
td'pd
<Ti
dind]
inyn "inh.
'w
':3D
yp
\v. ^oAj (,
inf.
nriK -irx]
G-K.
l3)
^^
113^.
(501
deux
les
nonNn
|-L5
rots
but
this
{les.
'^'\
The
^.
earliest interpretation is
to
be found in Mic
5-,
7^-*
probably (see
v.^)
House
far
more
of
be of
colourless than
and does not even remotely suggest that the mother must necessarily be
young or unmarried, still less that she must be virgin. Indeed, the use of
this colourless word is to be explained by G-K. 144*?, so that the sentence
means until his mother, whoever she may be, shall have borne him, i.e. until
rxr^'^,
he
is
born.
5'^,
nnn
l )
is
Ka\^<TLS
(BA,
cp.
Mt
1^
is (&.
rendered iv yaarpi
is
still
Here we
Xrjjx'^peTai,
future
(2)
(n),
if
or
Ka\^ffeT (Q*), or KaXicrovaiv (F, Mt i^^), the child is to receive its name from
Ahaz, and is therefore presumably to be the child of Ahaz the variants in Cr
may be due to a change of interpretation of this point (3) here as in
;
Gn
ij
make
irapd^vos
this
COMMENTARY ON
134
future
ISAIAH
But
first-born.
very far from certain that the translators held that the mother would
it is
be virgin
when
would be
entirely explained
saw
On
in the child to
and
if ffi,
r^'^n,
harmony with
in
still
It is
Is
7^"*
(&, exceedingly
as a sentence.
For a
interpretation of Is
fuller discussion
y'^'^-'^^,
The
first
clear
more correct
Symm., Theod. (2nd
substitution of the
the
versions of Aq.,
though most
),
for
unjustifiably,
upbraided
In greater detail
writings of
many
means
i^ dpdpwTTov
vea.vK.'i
we can watch
cent. a.d.
of course, and
3L,
the
first
conflict
in Justin
7]Dhi}
by
jA^oAo
U render virgo.
of interpretation
in the
and not
first-born (cp. c.
Justin
uses but a single argument against this, viz. that the birth of a first-born after
ordinary
human
intercourse
would be no sign
!)
710-16 g4 yii
^^^^ combined
is,
and what
Is.
elsewhere (53) implies to be, inexplicable to men in general, viz. that the
birth of Jesus the Messiah will take place without loss of virginity by His
mother Justin does not reject Trypho's statement that such an interpretation
:
as silly as the
Greek
VII.
i2-i6
135
the union of Zeus with the virgin Danae, but argues that the Greek fable
devilish imitation of the prophecy, which is a prediction of actual fact.
is
Very different from the rhetoric of Justin is the refutation of the Jewish
Following Eusebius [Dem. Ev. vii. i), he shows that
theory by Jerome.
Hezekiah was already born before the sign was given (2 K 16^ 18^, 2 Ch. 28^),
and by a philological argument defensible then, though so no longer, argues
that r^ch"^ meant " virgo absconditaet secreta, quae nunquam virorum patuerit
aspectibus." The child to be born so long afterwards will yet be able to save
immediately, for he is identical with Him who appeared to Abraham and
spoke to Moses ; and, a point already made by Irenaeus (iii. 21. 4), he will
be no phantasm, but will eat butyrum et mel in proof of his humanity. For
further patristic interpretations, see Iren. Haer. iii. 21^'^; Tert. Adv. Marc^
Eus. Dem.
iii.
13, iv. 10, Adv. Jud. 9; Origen, Contra Celsum, i. 34 f.
Ev. vii. I ; Cyril. Hier. Cat. xii. Basil. Comm. in Is. ; Cyril. Alex. In Is.
The patristic criticisms of the early Jewish theory, that the child to
be born was Hezekiah, had its effect when we come to mediaeval Jewish
scholars we find them identifying the nD*?!; either ( i ) with the wife of Isaiah
a view already mentioned as that of some Christians {quidam de nostris)
by Jer. ; so Rashi, Ibn Ezra ; or (2) with another wife of Ahaz, Ki.
Protestant scholars in the i6th cent, follow in the main the traditional
Catholic tradition, though Luther (cited by Del.) and Calvin, for example, are
willing to grant that TiD^]} need not necessarily mean, though here, as often,
;
it
woman
still
virgin.
'
for
est
propediem conceptura sit et filium paritura qui et nomen habiturus sit Immanuel in signum proxime ingruentis redemptionis vestrae." Later, Grotius
The Catholic J. L.
abandoned the traditional Christian interpretation.
Isenbiehl in 1778 published a monograph, Neuer versuch uber die Weissagung vom Immanuel, in which he argued at length that the prophecy related
to the time of Isaiah ; he also argued that the hd'^v was some woman present
Isenbiehl
at the interview, and that the article was used deiKTiKios.
suffered heavy pains and penalties for his temerity (see Ges. p. 309)
but
from this time onward an exclusive Messianic interpretation became increasingly less frequent, and an increasing number, especially of Protestant scholars
(see Che.'s article "Immanuel," in EBi.), denied that the prophet intended
to make any reference to the birth of Jesus.
But no sooner had Christian scholars begun in numbers to accept the
;
to
((Tf'
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
136
Perseus^ vol.
i, ;
expectation,
would bring
by the
fact that Is
Deliverer:
7i4-i<>
Immanuel
EBt.
theory, noted in
it is
forth
see/TASx. 580-584.
{I.e.),
as a personification (cp.
will deliver,
is silent
as to a
in v.^*
n'pinn,
ruler.
A prophecy,
unmistakably Judah.
to discover a connection, either
v.^^, is
beginning of
To
v.^''.
^'^^
and
wished to create a connection between
his
attempt.
him
of
failing
in
accuse
time
to
same
tenor of
^'^^
to fear,
is
as
interpreted above
is
is
may
at the
entire
himself or a glossator
either Isaiah
that
is
The
who
that a
of course
Or
fails
to
mark a
one stage to
safety for Judah
transition from
(cp.
v.'')
conditional, so that
yy
would have been intelligible if they had immediately
followed V.13 we could have understood Isaiah illustrating his
17-25
VII.
17-25
137
You have
but come to
He
ruin.
does not do
this,
contained in
vv.^^"^^
some
vv.^*"^^.
clearly
marked
transition
v.^^ is
the continuation of
v.^^.
Days
ffi'
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
138
Hos
and none
9',
Isaiah.
in
at all
Moreover,
Egypt was too weak
If which is in the end
in the land of Assyria
much
to cause
added
is
who
to
mistakenly
inferred that
predicting
B.C.,
0/ the streams of
are notes
712
<:.
here,
Yahweh
And
come
they will
And on
Will whistle\ cp.
word
Lib.
used in
is
iv. c. X.)
of the rocks.
clefts
all
5^^,
Zee
men
with
10^,
strict
the pastures.
all
as obj.
Bochart {Hieroz.
figure.
has collected a
the custom of
most pertinent,
if
it
is
iv.
comment on
passages,
is
customed
them out of
entice
them
Flies
Cyril's
in
from the
abounded
this v.
fields
and Ec
ii.
the
fly in
OT
are con-
10^
flies
fly
at
and so
it
suggests
number
(cp.
In the end of
locality.
Hom.
//.
the streams
The
see
bee]
Dt
I**,
East are a
s.v.
Bee).
//.
ii.
87
ff".
And
settle]
v.^
n.
The
figure
is
maintained
the
18-22
139
vir.
in,
is
also
clefts
of the rocks
and
(K caves
(cp.
Dt
7 2^).
clefts.
Ezk
29^^^'.
21, 22.
These
verses no doubt contained a further picture of the ruin and demistic
now stand
in J^ they
abundance there is to be an
seem
abundant yield of milk, and every one is to find good food {curds
to speak, in the main, of
and honey) to
most modern
eat.
escaped
eats curds
interpreters
without change
ad
nomadic
typical of
and honey
and honey
Others
nauseam.''^
fare,
and so
this,
make
this,
the expression
in the v.
man
(^riK^), i.e.
left
re-
for a
fcfnale
^
COMMENTARY ON
140
ISAIAH
done both
to the suggestions of privation and to those of abundance if it be
assumed that |^ has been (accidentally) amplified and that (& is
the better reading
a
it
man
read
Justice can be
owing
and honey
this is
an
to the
two or
from
richest vines
and
were trained
will, like
cp.
5^^- 32^2f.^
Through
a piasta,
is
men
24.
(7 n'TT', as 17^)
thorns
and briars.
which
house
there, or to gain
about twopence.
i.e.
will
will
deds.
T^]f
*^'^']
^V
^V
see
'3?7,
rarely used
of
27^^), is
sucli as
287^:
for the
*i3,
cp. e.g.
BDB
force of the
Ex
10^ 34^**.
sS^d.h^D
compound
prep.
nio]
cp.
BDB
;:
VII.
aSc
there renders by
(xtol^t}
and
this,
141
was a
15, 54,
IF h^xefrutetis.
prickly
2i
however,
name
^ysxj as the
cite
Hejaz.
uh^TM'l
"commendable
^L-L,
like
therefore,
hhr\i
AV
place ^ or perhaps
back on an etymologically
unsupported guess of Jewish scholars (Saad., Abul-Walid). 20. nT^B'n nyn?]
but though in Ps 52"* "lyn is masc, it is
assumes that nyn is cstr.
niJDn
Point, therefore, m^DBTi lyng
fem.
here.
shown by
below to be
more generally
pastures.
MT
cp.
goes
hushes
r r^J ^i^pv
ducta.
and
ixeixi(jd(j3jxivi^
''"V
naya] the
nnj
Tou TToraAtou).
TT^pai'
pi.
Euphrates
22.
(or ixe[xedv(xix4v<^
fflr
3J novacula con-
om.
124^),
riKDn Ssx']
'3
= m:'2^),
(ffi
from
If the omission
is
not accidental, but represents the original text (see above), the addition of
(N3n v. 25)
sing.
rarer
is
G-K.
144^.
25.
n't^i n'Diy
may
nD85'
7ap
^crrat
my
in v. 2^.
dird r^s
x^P^^^
i^^^
OLKavd-qt
corruption.
p.
ii.
jdoffKrj/xa)
nxT, which
132), see
Dt 2^^, Ps 55. It
Knn (AV). Nor is Kennedy's
332/
that
riNi'
wert
els
nDt?
to
go
is
subj. of
(nK"ii
is
is
altogether improbable
Isaiah's
before the
fall
autobiography (Introd.
of
Yahweh, records
Damascus (732
two
in
34,
different
ways and
the
"
;
{Exp.
Some time
command of
plunder hasteneth)
but he
further extract
38).
B.C.), Isaiah, at
it
is
names
speedy
his
new-
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
142
will
is
of Judah against
implicitly, asserted.
makes
on
his outlook
7^"^^
affairs
is
there explicitly,
is
here
known
It is
by appealing to
Assyria, gave the people of Judah reason, beyond or apart from
the prophet's word, to hope that Samaria and Damascus would
be spoiled. The inscription may have been engraved in 735 B.C.,
the child born and named in 734.
Maher-shalal-hash-haz
phrase
In
1^^-^^ 8^"*
(i) the
future:
Syria, 7^*
frequent
of Judah,
relief
7^^; (2)
the
desolation of
first
Ahaz
interview with
The
first (7^*').
(7^^)
defined in 8^
is
somewhat
Maher-shalal-hash-baz
7^*^-
and (2);
"'*,
may
would
till
some months
after Isaiah
may
never have
moreover, Isaiah
and,
On
Ephraim and
The
Ahaz,
before
(3).
much
of
desolated,
anticipated.
I.
jti^a
some ornament
is
or article
toilet,
tablets,
parchment, or papyrus
Symm.
(&.
rofxov
revxo's
HL ni?.
VIII.
143
I,
seems to
one who sees this conspicuous tablet may be able to read it cp.
Hab 2\ D*n (Ex 32* t ?) is, apparently, a synonym for ):i^ (Jer
K^3K is a poetical synonym
i7^ Job 19^*), and means a stylus
for ^^% so that on the analogy of tJ^^K nD^5, an ordinary cubit
(Dt 3^1), K'ISK Din should mean an ordinary stylus. ST (cp. Di.)
paraphrases write clearly ; but it would presumably be as easy to
write illegibly with an ordinary as with an extraordinary stylus.
;
the
with
"style," from
cp.
command
-,
every one
which
is
was
to use
familiar
a Jew.
is
Sta.
{ZATW,
which
legend
(Ezk
in
cp.
e.g.
Belonging
written.
form
37^^), or
seals
human and
f.)
what
is
is
it is
is
is
to Maher-shalal-h,ash-baz\ the
by Ezekiel on two
sticks
discovered at
el Mutesellim,
illustrat-
Cooke, North-Sem.
In
ffir,
continues the
V.2
command
f^
may be
(MT, EV)
the latter to
rendered,
in the
of v.^ and
me (Yahweh).
and I caused^
Yahweh.
Of the two
first
This
is
probably
or
witnesses,
etc.
cause trustworthy
Uriah
6^^-^^)
the priest
Vi2i^
Zechariah was
their testimony
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
144
if
his inscription in
he had
some
Yahweh
of
( i ) is
correct
131113, if
and
to read,
(2) that
his forecast
all
up
tablet
witnessed, so that
it
Isaiah put
Yet
v. 2.
is
it is
was
verified
mpXV
As
son.
a prophet, as n^^D
unlike
Amos
it
the tablet
for Isaiah's
inscribed with a
commonly means
name
(7^*),
vv.^^-,
would be
no one.
attaches to
is
title
that
wife of
Isaiah,
prophet.
nno]
is
ts'n
a part.
It
preferably, if |^ be retained,
r\'vvi.'^'\,
and I took-,
m^ym, of which
nnn.
G-K.
KtJ"]
5-10.
MT
Sta.
it is
ZATWy
1906, p. 136.
'3
is
D'nDK b"
The Extreme
Peril
Judah.
The
maintained unbroken,
is
4 in vv.^"^
JudaKs
^
Because
The
''
this
it
is
not
Peril,
is
causing to rise a
events,
all
3 in vv.*'^*.
overflowing flood,
VIII.
i-io
145
Judah's
^ And
Safety.
the land
Give ear
^^
all
God
is
shall
with us.
and,
omitted
in
Yy 6-8b
yy
6-8b
^rid
6-8b
Yy
if
^^-^^
g^j-e
the conclusion
is
Ahaz
(7^"-^^),
was
to
5.
Cp.
of the
Yahweh
therefore
invasion.
7^^.
closing
Jews, see
v.^*.
The
entire people,
king's court
here condemned.
(7^^) are
eastern
hill
VOL.
I.
of Jerusalem, that
10
is
the ancient
Mount
Sion, about
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
146
= Shiloah),
on
1090
direct line of
the
feet,
rh^n
lies
the
n3")3 of
Neh
3^^
The
if
i.
90).
From
down
valley.
the site of Yahweh's temple and the royal palace ; and they were
the " living " waters of Jerusalem, as contrasted with the waters
stored in cisterns (cp. 7^
n.).
Isaiah
is
obviously speaking in
allusion to
idea,t
some
lost
which
is
rejoicing with
them
(7^^-V
Ibn Ezra.
Gressmann,
X
t F- C. Burkitt,
p. 68.
mfThS xii.
294.
6-8
VIII.
147
And have melted with fear because of Reson etc. But (i) the
emendation is not free from serious objection (2) the immediate
transition which takes place, if the words be omitted, from the
figure of Shiloah with its gentle flow to the Euphrates in
^
desolating flood,
is
very effective
and
and
the son
grounds
this is
trickling ?) of t3K7
will
is
t^'IC'D
a synonym {oozing,
v.'^^
7*
Yahweh
i.e.
/udah]
nothing
is
the neck] of
dangerous depth.
and
and dependent on
jj?'
on account of
Ges. similarly, except that he takes nx as the nota
cstr.
or 9^.
But nx
G-K. 130a
iyibz? is
cites
no
before the prep, nx and only one before nx, the sign of the
very doubtful
cp. v.").
Kon.
(iii.
p. 115 n. 3) suggests
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
148
may be
that cityDi
DHD
but
inf.
it is
exegetically
Du., Marti, and others goes back to a suggestion of Hitzig's, that b'IK'D is a
miswritten form of the like sounding didd, ^0 7nelt away (in fear ; not used by
it becomes
was substituted by a
scribe for 'JSD after the hypothetical dido (inf. abs.) had become ti'itS'D is improbable, inasmuch as 'JSD tyir could not have seemed so strange as to demand
alteration.
Du. further omits '3 at the beginning of the v. in order that jy
may govern DiDD. CBr apparently paraphrased the present text of |^, dXXd
Is.,
^oijKcffdat.
before
ix^iv
pV
hi!
by reading
further
'Fa(r<TCt}v
is
for
'j3D
nx
that dn
quite unusual
is
(& om.
and so restore a
(see above),
vnnj ^3
emend
necessary to
qatJ'] pf.
i/fiQv.
pVl] Waw
Dn^^y] omit
7.
probably dittographic.
it is
in
vmj
h^
'?y
a description of the
fut. to
give
The
the
Arabic
Hebrew
Jj^.:^^
D''BJX
army
(Ges.)
cp.
2iX\d.
possibly
Others
if ^^'
goes with
^"^^
protection; cp.
Lk
13^*
In
if
that
Ru
is
2^2^
Judah
91*,
Mt
23^''
is
that
the entire land of Judah will dwell in safety under the protecting
VIII.
by
(cited
Rashi,
8-IO
149
The
interpreters.
Immaniiel\ so 5ESU,
last-mentioned inter-
born
if
this
passage
is
continuous with
8^'*
and,
the passage be
if
The argument
Marti: "If the
might
is
well stated by
Judah
But
and Ephraimites do not
his horizon
9.
line
'
reading of J^
an uproar,
IV"),
RV
see phil. n.
Be dismayed]
nnn in Heb.
AV,
or
make
||
COMMENTARY ON
ISO
ISAIAH
but
see
phil.
n.
Cp. n^-\
10.
"^
8.
this could
is
Explanations that
9. V^] The form cannot be satisfactorily explained.
have been offered are that it is the impr. of (l) yi;^, and means be wicked \
or (2) of yjn, the Aramaic equivalent of J'sn, and means breaks or more doubtfully still, be broken ; or (3) of x;n, whence comes nynn, war-cry ^ and means
;a>^<?
an uproar ; but
it is
is
used elsewhere
or (4)
of nyn (whence yi), and means associate yourselves (RV 2nd marg. ) ; but this
would require a reflexive conjugation. iviNni] the i is probably dittographic :
{bis)
^TraicoiJo-are.
miswriting of
u'mm
inn.
the
way
him not
The
plural
yy^\ but
is
used throughout
to Isaiah
and
for the
2nd
what the people at large fear, for danger does not lie where
the people fear it, but in Yahweh, whom they have ceased to fear
He will destroy " many " of the two houses of Israel
(cp. 31^'^)
fear
and of Jerusalem,
Him.
but, so
it
is
who
fear
8^, i.e.
commonly assumed
Samaria in 722
(v.^^).
Vv.^^b.
v.*^ falls
saying,
8-15
VIII.
151
12
13
1*
fear,
strike
against,
And
^^
trap
When
11.
pressure, of the
nptn,
the
3H The
Ezk
with strength^ or
lit.
1^1
also to the
down
(cp. ?
Nu
trance or ecstasy (2
hand of Yahweh
(i^y
nn"'n), 8^
(i?j;
as
recipient,
3^^).
accompanying
inspiration, see
Ezk
i^ 3^2
sat alone
have
for
thou hast
me
filled
37
hand
with indignation."
That the communication which follows must be of an extraordinary and special nature (Du.), is a precarious inference.
That he might warn me not to go'\ 1^ may also be read ^Jip^l
(cp.
Dt
Isaiah, like
7*),
(i5i''-2i),
Jeremiah
Yahweh
(v.^^),
are Isaiah
and
power to destroy
Luke
V.i2^
12*^'.
of terms
(vv.^*^-),
and
^^a
v.^^^
but at present
Not the
vv.^^a
^^^
(twice)
It is
isa
"IJ^^P,
^^ ^^^
^j^g
words
* Seeker,
Lowth, Lag.,
Sta.
(in
i**
a conspiracy^ but in
left
{ZATIV,
Ges-B.).
gj-jn
1906, p. 137).
v.^^a^*
there
it
or
are
COMMENTARY ON
152
ISAIAH
difficulties in
are ambiguous.
So
Even
in |^.
far as
^^^
and
(iK"i1D), viz.
may be human
whom, if vv.^^'^^
^^^*
the
beings, their
are a direct
continuation of
in
Gn
7-^-8^^, it is
Dt ii^^ In
and his disciples
9^,
Isaiah
natural to think
cp. the
use of XIID
by
On
7*,
itself,
would
in
view of v.^^
noun
in
Gn
If the text of
31*2.
v.^^a
^g sound,
render
v.^^a^
Call
720t
(||
"God
of
Abraham")
calls
that
'^^\>
warning
is
"ic^'fc^
i?D7,
(10^).
make your
him
unique Hiphil
conspirator.
in
substituting
1l"'l5^pn
for
IC'npn, ye shall
"Those who
sanctify him,"
he adds, "by
13-14
VIII.
fearing
The
Yahweh
in the right
way
153
make Yahweh
it
their ally."
doubtful
it
The combination
of Isaiah's work
no
part
was
of Syria and Ephraim was a fact ;
to quibble over the use of terms, whether to call this combination
a conspiracy or something else ; he differed from the people not
as to the fact, nor as to the name by which it should be called,
also fails effectually to parry Di.'s criticisms.
it
it
to
them
it
was dangerous,
in
judgment
Isaiah's
it
and
Isaiah
enemy
the
the
(cp.
suspicions
had made
that
fell
upon
he further suggests
doubt whether Isaiah's principles were sound. This interpretation also is unconvincing and fails more than the other to
account for the antithetical line, v.^^. The narrower context of
yy 12-15 strongly favours the emendation tJ'np in v.^^a suggested by
to
ItJ'npn (v.^^)
holy
if vv.^^"^^
a corruption of
65^p1D7,
which was
itself
to create
erroneously substituted
from the following distich for the term which stood in the original
The two Houses of Israel'] the Northern and Southern
text.
kingdoms.
stitution for
resumed
p.
38)
is
"men
in v.^^^.
is
a generalising sub-
till
trap
MT accents,
H, RV.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
154
for
a clap-board (cp.
bird down,
Whether
be caught.
itself to
ffi),
(cp.
EBi.
/^.),
Am
3^ J^
1561), or
which
K^pID
but see
^^p'^^
(if
But
C^^pID seems to
have the meaning, whether original or derived, of lure (cp. e.g. i S
1 821, ps io636) ; so, too, both here and in Jer 502^
(J^) the vb. t^p^
expresses what precedes the act of capture ("13?), presumably the
act of alluring or enticing, though in Pr 6^, it is true, tJ'p^ seems
more
to be
Be
inx.
not
is
59
waw
of
ff. )
om.
npina]
some
MSS
IDp,
Ex
npino.
and
22*^- 1^,
-jnon]
TD',
Ec
in
La
9^2
^ff\\\[^
ii^^
Not
pf.
cstr. to
Piel of no',
express
and he
form with
broken limbs, as
brokeri\ of
synonymous with
exactly
in certain passages
clear.
It
waw
may be
conv. of
niD.
was the
which produces "^
nrp had taken place earlier than (&.
DDxniD]
2nd sing.
13. m^aii] (& om.
suf. D3i:ni;D] Hiph. part. ; but with a different sense from the Hiphil in v.^^
and 29^^ hence Gra., Du. suggest D3ni;D, a noun parallel to ddntd. 14. "iiv]
(&^ om.
atyv] some MSS and the VV '3tJ'V
note * following.
15. D3] among
them cp. Ex. 14^, Lv 26^. Others give 3 its instrumental sense by means
of them y i.e. the rocks just mentioned.
inc.
12.
ntJ'p]
ffir,
both times,
a-KXrjpdu, i.e.
two
nvp.
If Jfnp
letters
The Epilogue
Memoir.^^
{I will)
up the testimony {and) seal the teaching in (?) my disciples.
^'^
And I will wait for Yahweh ivho hideth his face from the
House ofJacobs and I will look for him. ^^ Behold^ I and the
children whom Yahweh hath given to me are for signs and
portents in Israel from Yahweh of Hosts who dwelleth in
16-18.
to Isaiah's
tie
Mount
ion.
v.^^,
lay
before him
(?
that for
his people
for
;
no
Yahweh
and during
i6-i8
VIII. II-I5,
155
is
that led
him
to
name
A Remnant
he
made
disciples.
etc.
view.
may be
or they
imperative,
tie
up.
V.^''
If the
^^%
in
and this
the words on the
Isaiah's disciples
directly attach to
To
the sealing
the
OT;
see
/>.
of documents
29^^ Jer
there
32io^*,
are
21^,
several
Dn
12*.
speedily destroyed
hash-baz in
8^^-
his insistence
Yahweh.
on the need
In my
disciples]
for quiet
name
Maher-shalal-
more
is
particularly
the preposition
(2),
read differently by
is
difficult,
l^i.,
p. 35),
Che. {SBOT),
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
15^
could not read (cp. 29")? (2) with* i.e. having my disciples present ; cp. Di., *' in the presence of and witnessed by " ; but this
also
and
pointless
is
meaning of 3 ;
strains the
means of
(3) by
interpretation gives
question (cp.
Di.)
is
whether
law figurative
and
in
(of place)
tying
and
sealing of the
this
and
make
to
17.
them
of
"Ye
God "
written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living
3^).
the
sufficiently
it
force
makes the
it
on
Isaiah
teaching in the
common
its
(2
Co
Yahweh, though
to hide hisface^
i.e.
themselves to destruction.
18.
and
In any case he
know.
here.
Yahweh.
is
in
name
last clause
As
16.
r\'^y\ at
ipel.
iD^D
&
d(X(pa\eig,.
Tdre <pavpol
That the
mm
is
^ffovrai,
ol
clear
is
how
not ancient
cp.
Dinn
The
inf.
cstr.
between
dvdpojiroi iv
(G-K.
Dr. in
Dinn as p^n
Neither
present orthography
is
probably
vowel of the
inf.
BDB
Cp.
strong vb. in |^
For ns as the
89^.
and
abs. from
45a).
^ nor
mm
very doubtful.
is
lie
has
fflr
inf. cstr.
6).
inf.
abs. instead
Nu
Ru
19-23
i6-i8,
VIII.
157
G-K.
lip,
23^^;
Vk',
Jer
7^'*
The
together
'y
normal (Dr.
'n'Dm, v.", is
so the n'n^
by having
string tied
ms
is
round
its
be
inf.
up
ox purse (Gn
abs.
cp. especially
is to tie
42^^)
which
is
closed
mouth.
Three Fragments,
VIII. 19-23.
{a)
a warning against
And
of a piece.
all
this is still
Note
do
to
explanation in
The
contain
v.^^,
nothing in
throughout the
last
provision-
vv.^^^-,
nor does
clause of v.20
and
in v.^^ through
it
vv.^^'-
vv.^^^*
corruption.
Under
and probably
the circumstances
it
example, that
vv.^^^*
are
When
resumptive of a plural in
is
indef.
(G-K. 144/);
it is
improbable that
this
belongs
vv.^^-^^.
to 8^2-16
The
not
you]
is
it
jf jt
njn, behold,
Utito
would
of v.^^ does
^[^
\^
COMMENTARY ON
158
The
who is
How
ISAIAH
may be the
may be Isaiah.
persons addressed
speaking,
and
this
is
n.).
The
chief views that have been taken have been these : (i) When they
say unto yoUy " Consult the ghosts and the familiar spirits that chirp
and
partially paralleled
able in that
by Ps
8*^;
{b)
is
question-
it
to
it
as beginning with
the ghosts
and
v.^*,
When
and
that mutter.
Should not a people consult its gods ? on behalf of the living (should
^o j^ay,
but to the law and to the
they not consult) the dead 1 "
testimony
scriptures,
or,
prophetic teaching.
").
In
brief.
Do
word (viz.
" to the
according
On
etc.,
murmur]
for the
spirits, cp.
29* n.
to chirp (P|VDV),
murmur
VIII.
of regarding this
v., it
20
159
19,
see
on
v.i^.
but too
penitently exclaim.
late,
Men
i.e.
To
the
Law and
will at last
Am
Introd. p. 42).
is
which
protasis of
v. 21 is
clause
occur in
in v.^^.
If
v. 20
is
and
probably the
To
first part.
of Isaiah's teaching.
vv.^*^^,
in itself,
to the
v.^^
v.20 is
satisfactorily
v.
is
tinuation of
S^^^-
improbable
v.^o is
fact that
Law and
the
the apodosis
the Testimony^
the terms
late,
and mivri.
a synonym of Torah in
Scriptures,
vnv vr\W Vk
njrKi^n]
and
Not improbably
fragment
It is
is
the
D^'nn nya]
modern
translators,
words were not originally connected is the mere statement of the devices
which have been resorted to in order to construe them, (i) l^ has been
explained as a sing, distributing the pi. in noK', in support of which 2^ 5^^
(themselves probably corrupt) have been cited (Kon. 348//).
Du. reads idn'.
Grammatically the most straightforward course is to make nan the antecedent
of S^ (ffir, Ruben) ; but exegetically this is improbable. (2) The relation of the
COMMENTARY ON
l60
ISAIAH
two parts of the sentence has been variously, but always unsatisfactorily,
{a) If they speak not thus, {surely) he shall have no dawning', cp.
RV. But (BDB 84a) there is a complete absence of evidence that ncK was
explained,
i)
(b)
if
Kon.
when he
e.g.
but
con-
; and this sense is incompatible with the tenor of the passage, for if
a unity, the writer regards calamity as a certainty. (<r) Surely they will
speak thus ivho (really he who) have no dawning \ but n3T and not the subj. of
dition that
it is
with
its
neighbourhood to
is
1*?,
nt^x.
ik'N
It is,
and
"TON' x'?-DX
iJi
V.21* is
the
clause of
last
first
which
nor would
v. 20
it
Am 48 S^^^-),
angry at his
distressed and famishing
and his God, from whom he can gain
no help whether he looks up or down there is no ray of light
to be seen he is surrounded by impenetrable gloom.
In the following translation, to heaven (v.^i^*) and beneath
22a)
are taken from ^. The distich is then 3 3, which appears
(v.
to have been the rhythm of the poem.
cp.
iS^^-,
21
And
And he
shall pass
through
it
And he will
22 And he
And behold
heaven above,
look to the earth beneath
distress
to
'
'
and darkness.
Thick impenetrable
(?)
gloom.
VIII.
i6i
21-23
And curse his king] Finding no help from king and God,
626ff'-),
and
from whom he might have expected it (cp. 2 K
smarting under his grievances, the man grows reckless and
21.
unnamed
object cursed
is
repeated,
it
and assumes a
of
transition
V.23.
23
82if.
both
(9^).
or 9^-^
is
are, this
note
is
this
note;
if
The terms
he
way
those in the previous clause, for they include the country East of
VOL.
I.
II
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
l62
= Gilead,
15^^).
Mac
d\\o<l>v\(t}v, I
5^5
OT
elsewhere in
K 9" I Ch
The term means circuit, but
2o7 2iS2, I
nWjn
66it) or
the
(2
1529),
undefined.
is
is
2i32=i Ch
i2,
Mac
ii^s): in
less
see, further,
Mac
in I
northern
at
is
Koirtt).
.13
TB'pj
<^)
1529
appears
it
subsequently included
and
mixed population
reflects the
more or
n3jn]
fflr
koX
obviously corrupt,
antecedent to
fragment.
Jos 1223
periods
all
The
Galilee.
s.v.
it
less
characteristic of this
territory.
21. ayni
which
EBi,^
5^^ (cp.
which was
3jn,
To
6^1,
n3
nSyo'?]
mJD nSsNi
overbalance, or
f^
may be due
(&
els
ij^ei
to
if 'd nSfJNi
aKXrjp^ \ifi6^ =
dvco.
22.
pN
D33
n3j?i
7N1] CEr
i )
ms
nini
(2)
yijtf
nii'p
rbv oipavbv
rtp^}i ]"ij;d]
i/xSis
i<f)
is
np^i qiyo is
too
n'?SNi
(2)
detached from
mJD
is
ms
a corruption of
some
line
first
with which
it
is
Am
5^
*iS.
Possibly
r\p\i
qiyo
is
we may
restore
npi^jDi
.nxno
rx-n
nSfjxi
njm
.iDB'n
Mic
nDB'n]
{%
pi. Is 50^** t.
not
MT), Gn
15^2 (je?),
a root
is
ns'j;
and nsiyn
(2) masc.
to be
f\W,
dark^
is
well secured
275a), while,
]iyD
meaning darkness
fj;
i63
21-23
VIII.
if
against
MT
we
treat
it
nijiyn.
The term is perhaps due to
m:D n'?SNi] The rendering and into darkness
an early corruption (see above).
he is driven, or banished (cp. Jer 23^^), is the only one that continues or
completes the thought of the distich ; but rhm, for hSejx *?}< is exceedingly harsh
(this might be partially met by pointing n^EN with he locative), the suppression
of the
new and
different subj.
The
alternative rendering,
is
man is
and
is
somewhat of a
reverse
if
the sentence
is
but
it is
a strong antithesis.
As
part of the
same
distich, too,
attempt
is
it
this
corruption, to
distress
is
gloom
land)
{to the
way
indicated
the
in
At
text.
word
who
is
is
used metaphorically
said
in distress
to be
to
but again the change of words (from n'?2N to ^yiD, from ^yiD to
is
a gloss
Sp'i]
are antithetical
is
is
p:<iD)
in
no
Du.'s
that that
is
251/. T3Dn
all-important
for
?
least
is
render glorious
^2)
onwards as masc.
literally, to
common
make
was treated by
cp. Kon. iii.
:
light 2iXi6.tomake
in 2
absence of the n in the next sentence it is hardly likely that .i^"in is ace. of
he brought honour towards
he brought shame towards the land
direction
.
the
way
(time).
(Du., Marti).
(G-K.
11 8?},
and
in the latter
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
64
The poem
The
'
**
**.
of death,
And
The
the
his burden.
in the
day of Midian.
For
5
fuel of the
fire.
1-6
IX.
i6s
Wonderful Counsellor,
Mighty God,
Great
is
the dominion,
To
and to support
In justice and righteousness
From henceforth and for ever,
establish
The
now
Light
darkness
(v. 2).
(v.^),
For
(i)
it
jealousy of
(v.**)
of Hosts will
do
this.
and they
rejoice
Yahweh has
war
Yahweh
it
before
Yahweh
(2)
He
has also
made an end
of
dominion, and
he
is
marked out
He
receives, v.^
as exceptional
will rule
justly
its
furthest
is,
poem
is,
in part historical
arise,
how much
if
is
this
were actually
prophetic,
so,
how much
Has
the
Has some
birth
throne of David
COMMENTARY ON
66
ISAIAH
view
It is
all its
now
is
generally
more probable
direct statements
and
that the
the
poem
light
Hezekiah
but
abandoned.
rightly
prophetic throughout in
is
people have not yet actually rejoiced, the child has not yet
actually been born ; all these things are past, not in reality, but
only in the hopeful vision of the poet.
The circumstances under
which the poem was written can only, but may probably, be
detected in the implicit statements from these we may infer two
things
(i) the people were at the time in " darkness," i,e. distress
and (2) under a foreign yoke. On one interpretation of v.^, if
not also from v.^, it would also follow that (3) the throne of
David was at the time vacant ; another interpretation would still
admit, but no longer require, such a situation (see note on v.^).
If all we can infer are the two circumstances first mentioned,
the historical situation presupposed is obviously one that
;
and paid
of Assyria
later,
when
tribute
but
felt
the pressure
it
The
is
Language.
Cp.
On
indecisive.
Cheyne, Introd.
44
p.
poem
Hackmann,
148.
p.
This
from V^p) are in v.* 10^ 14^, passages commonly, though not unanimously,
on the other, ny, perpetuity and mn^s, both frequent
attributed to Isaiah
later, occur in no passage certainly as early as the 8th cent, (see phil. notes).
For the rest, the
It is the idea rather than the word r\^i'^ that is significant.
language is such that it might equally well, so far as we know, have been
employed in the 8th century or much later, though jiNO, if loaned from
Aramaic rather than Assyrian (cp. v.'* n.), would more easily be explained
by a date later than the 8th century.
2. It is urged that no echo of the passage is found in Jer., Ezek., Is 40-66.
This is correct, but inconclusive.
It is, of course, at once explained if the
;
2nd
cent.
B.C. (Kennett),
why
does
it
but unless
also find
we
place
no echo
it
in
as late as
still
later
that
which
is
characteristic of Ezekiel
and of subsequent
may
IX. 1-6
6;
on
v.^).
and 6 ff. )
prophetie, pp. 3
remain
(i) the
when he
with
it,
made use of
also
*'
is
(2)
we
lack
and counsellors
to the judges
it.
itself
the case
At
this is unsafe.
king as in
the
to
whom
Isaiah looks
i^**.
The
stress is laid
the nations to Israel. Certainly, too, the ideal falls below that of the "servant
Yahweh " ; but at the same time this ideal of the kingdom established in
of
is
anything but
ignoble.
differ as
sufiice to refer to
it
belongs.
It
must
fits
6-8
Isaiah then
is 812.
sections
is (20). 2if.^
Disaster
on
8I6-18. 20^
Hope
S^'-
91^-,
Fulfilment.
rests
details,
The
Gesch.
army.
Isaianic authorship
i.
596,
ii.
209 f.,
ZATW
vi.
161
questioned by Stade,
by H. Hackmann, Die
Cheyne, Introd. pp. 44 f. ;
then
ff.
first
*-
COMMENTARY ON
68
Marti,
Comm.
Volz,
y 77/5*
Kennett,
vii.
Die
it
ISAIAH
(1906), 321-342.
Hack, suggest a
R. H.
post-exilic
from Israel" (i Mac 13*^), and Simon held a rejoicing "because a great
enemy was destroyed out of Israel " (i Mac 13"). In addition to the general
objection to assuming a Maccabaean origin for any parts of the Book of Isaiah
(see Introd. 26 f. ), this theory rests on several very questionable assumptions
:
8^
(i) that
(9*) is part of
implies a warrior
the
poem
is
name given
to the prince
On
the whole,
may be
if
it
towards the close of the Exile, when the people had long been
shadow of death
Babylon.
literature
of the
Exile
Ezekiel's,
of
Holy Community
the
Kingdom
with
its
unlimited empire.
169
IX. i"3
'^'wh ^:k^!^v
'
>
.'h lis
Ps
nin^),
107I0. 14 ^-^dk
bnai
pnr Dn^nnoiDi niDi>:fi itrnD Di^^:^''
shadow of deatH\ or, of gloom (see phil. n.)
.
the
niDiJvi icj'n
"^y).
;
."3^^'')
The land of
the phrase pi<
i.e.
Sheol
this
meaning
in
Egypt as
in darkness
came
they
2 (3).
on a very
slight conjectural
emendation
which
is
obviously unsuitable
see phil. n.
J^ reads
the Kre
(RV)
is
probably an early
and without
The
two figures which enforce the greatness of the joy both recur
see Ps 4^ 126^ (joy in harvest), Ps 119^^2 (joy over spoil).
It
no more follows that the poet expected the new era to open
after a victorious battle, than that he expected it to begin at
the end of harvest.
3 (4). The great joy is on account of the
end of
vv.i^*
Israel's servitude.
The
change
is
pi. in
;
the
i^^*
Israel
is
";
COMMENTARY ON
I/O
some yoke:
synonymous
ISAIAH
lo^^
142^
wooden pegs
PEF Qu.
Nah
i.e.
i^^)
113, reproduced
1891, p.
St.,
in
means
EBi.
the
MT
78.
and
but (i) this would anticipate the driver of the next distich, and
of blows.
beating (cp.
e.g.
Why
Midian?
(Jg
7^),
Is
it
illustrated the
it
is
read
now
is
instead.
this
translation in particular
word means
in
is
uncertain;
|'1^5Dt
been claimed
particular the heavy military boot ; and
foot-gear.
It has
all full
not battle
is
of thick and
vi.
i.
8) of the
Roman
soldiers
17^
IX. 4
may have
specific sense
N3''D is
prefers
used,
Peshitta
in 3E
10* 1522.
|^;D
This gives
29^
an actual earthquake,
attributed
or,
tJ'j;"!
cp. also
to war-chariots (Jer 47 3,
Nah
it
32).
is
The poet
then
however,
Assyrians
that
foumal
Is
sandals.
75^3,
jecture npNJp
*
in
52^
Isaiah
Stained
calls
the
foot-gear
of
the
seems
to
note.
ib.
xi.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
1/2
much
say too
in his
blood
Amasa
(2
is
20^2^,
fitly
blood
enough
that they
who
is
**
weltered "
fate of soldiers*
own
" {9?}r\'o)
(6).
by an alien ruler
and who
(v. 3),
to extend his
is (v.^)
This child
The
(v.^)
dominion
Hezekiah according to
is
The
(cp. jK).
seems to be (shortly)
he has been recognised as
prince, after
has
begun.
C/ii/d
son] placed
ly
first
their
in
kingdom
respective
is
to older children.
To
us] the
shoulder]
is
this fact
prince (Marti)? or
is
mean here
signifi-
cance?
in v.^t
may
name
fall
should be
first
taken singly
first
some Jewish
less
probable views
names among God and the child, e.g. " God who is marvellous
in counsel, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, gave him the name
Prince of Peace (Rashi,
insisted
that
the whole
Ki.
eight
cp.
^)
child's
IX. 5
173
(like
even more
in the
in
Some
of the
OT, and on
this
names
men
singly,
and
unparalleled
term, such, for example, as noripD lua, mighty in battle (Ps 24^).
At
all
events "lUa
is
manifested in other
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
174
like the
will
Dt
15^^, I
king, see,
is
27^2^
e.g.,
Ps
Job
4o28.
2i5-'';
in
D^y
^ni?^, 40^^).
but
it
is
exilic
it
g^igo 5^^
16"^
The phrase
or post-exilic;
it
earlier, if the
1-4
IX. 6,
The
in i^^
175
Yahweh would
remain unique
Der Gedanke
Cp. Kiichler,
still
so far as
AT,
ZATW^
in
8th cent., the earliest occurrences of mD^:^ elsewhere are Jer 2 13'^ : it occurs
The
besides four times in Psalms (23^ 44^0 \o*]^^- 1^) and ten times in Job.
traditional
Assyr. saldmu^
22^^
Hiph.
13^*^,
222''
= Ps
Ps
variants in
Symm. with
emendation
a.
loo^.
jii^,
Kal as Job
nj3]
Am
e.g.
&
Job 13^^;
the K'^tib.
Olii,
the parallelism
now commonly
iS for
n*?,
agree with
\\rh
is
fflr
K^re reads
b thus show
conjecture,
i8^^t
the root
ff.);
rh'ir^,
accepted,
in
2.
same
U,
K:re,
In favour of the
nnCBTi as
is
MT.
cp. the
the
18
5^"
x"?
183
1897, pp.
is
nnotfn
{ZATW,
rightly
due to
d show
c.
W.
The
'h'T, incty.
For a defence of the K^re, see Del. ; but he fails to justify the
1848.
emphatic position given by it to i^ ; in the passages he cites (45^^ Lv 7'^*^,
is either really emphatic (so pre-eminently in
I S 2^, Job 29^^, Ps 7^^ 139")
Camb.
"i"?
Lv
or textually questionable.
7''"^),
Assyr.
(xtt.
for
Xey.
^1^^ '^oot
see above.
D= Assyr.
in
3.
was
in
i'?3D] for
use at
If Isaianic, the
i^3D
G-K.
periods.
all
word
\\t\'o
is
93^.
nnnn]
For the
78
n.
= Sari'Mkin
\io
= saknu.
For the vowel change pxD = i<^;, Haupt in SBOT compares m\r\ = tertu^
\H^ = senu.
For rynn |nd pxD, (& has aToXrjv iincrvpr)y/j,4vr]v doXcp, probably
following much the same text as p?, but perhaps reading ytfT for sfV.
The
line
and
the difficulty of finding a translation in all respects
length of the
beyond criticism create some suspicion of |^, but we are in no position to
emend. nn'ni] the waw introducing the direct pred. is uncommon, but not
unparalleled (Dr. 123a)
so also is the agreement with the immediately
preceding part (n'?Diy) of the compound subj. (G-K. 1461? Kon. 349/^), cp.
Jer
The combination
7^^.
and the
2*-'^),
the text
which
11^ (C).
is
is
n^DNO]
the
word
is
may
nsntf]
p. 208.
no
echoes
This meaning
indication of date
it
is
is
also possible in
true
it
Gn
occurs again
COMMENTARY ON
176
ISAIAH
v.'*,
is
5.
v.^ imperiuniy
ing the
^ NnniK,
^ 01
/aw, which
tD' (cp.
and Arabic
Syr.
word with
meaning
both
in
1.{)\ci^,
jAXq^ISD
in
i3^l^.
principatus, in
is
Symm., Theod. ^
MT n-j^p presupposes a
TraiSek).
v.''
is
no evidence.
Point
rather
.TjipD
or nityp, from
punctuation of
MT
DB
is
(see,
7^^ 8^).
e.g.,
who
gives
definite
cstr.
the
is
names
life
I'yr
K^s]
commonly explained on
onx
h''n'2y
fool of a
man
(c^.
or (2) Niphal
see
Dt
25^'',
the analogy of
G-K.
128/; Kon.
mx
iii.
Dn
Nli?.!
10^, cp.
this
Gn
idiom
35^*.
337c) as
late
relatively
dittograph,
^ at the end of
for
it
and beginning of
tj
dpxTl airroO
final
letters.
dpxovras
a conflate
aSc
HSiD
'S
(Cheyne
in
SHOT).
The
parallelism
(cp.
11*,
Mai
2*,
26-29
IX. 7-x. 4, V.
Ps 45' 67")
2
is
worth considering.
mwajf]
19*1
IX.
The
mtron
for
^77
(8)-X.
five strophes
The
V. 26-29.
4,
Doom
of Ephraim.
in the original
The
poem each
third strophe
still
do the second and the fourth but the genuineness of two, or four, lines of
The first
the second, and the whole of the fourth, has been suspected.
strophe now contains 13 lines, but there are strong grounds for suspecting
;
The
fifth
(5^'^) rests
The remaining
monostich
is 5^'**
it
is
strophe
fifth
is
at present
We
may
The
Of
the 35
(omit 'nx),
distich
distichs,
lo^a-
perhaps also
v^jSji),
one
poem
(read
lo'**-
distichs.
balanced.
^i6a. b
strophes,
19 are clearly
D^'jy
(yip-'fl^^V)
3:3;
and
so,
^'
<*
There
is
at least
4:4, f^ 5:4),
9^*
gloss in
and
9^**
probably 3
is
may
also
:
3,
4.
originally
Note.
The
translation
poem
is
see below.
I.
9^
And
all
Jacob,
(it),
.]
hewn stone we
will
rebuild
I.
12
we
will
replace them."
;:
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
178
1^
^^
'
And
Philistines
In spite of
But
and the
'
all this
hand
his
on the West,
mouth.
full
is
stretched out
still.
2.
And
mouth
every
But
is
speaking impiety.
all
this his
his
hand
stretched out
In spite of
is
still.
31^
like
And (then)
And they
it
fire
briars,
column of smoke.
Together
In spite of
But
(will)
all this
his
'
hand
is
stretched out
still.
4-
tqI
trouble.
lO-X.
IX.
2
26-29
V.
179
And
8
4,
may make
that they
What then
a prey of orphans.
will
And
from
afar
the prisoners,
(?)
In spite of
But
all this
hand
his
stretched out
is
still.
5-
5^6
Then
he
will
And
a signal for a
raise
nation
'
afar
off.
it
It
And
all its
Its horses'
Its
2^ Its
roaring
And
And it
And
it
is
like that of
will
lioness.
carry
it
off,
believing that
526-29 originally
commencement
formed the
marks
consequence, immedi-
poem
final
refrain
so in
Am
consequently 10*
is
it
poem which
it
is
is
to
for
not adapted to
46-^2^
is
first
burden of
(3) the
descend on Ephraim
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
l80
fourth) strophes,
length of the
the whole
of
and
first
poem
whom none
in
to what, as
it
original
the
escapes
(4)
thought to 9''-io*
526-29
3) of
9^-10*
is
jg
^\^q
not in
same
as that of
deals
gloss.
Di., Du.,
Hackmann, Che.
poem.
The arguments
3-24; Hackmann, 54
ff.
Cheyne, Introd.
24 f., 46 f.
Two
different views
entire
poem
is
is
for the
(9^-20),
prophetic,
fall
most part an
predicting
on Israel;* according
historical
is still
to
of
to the other,
calamity which
succession
more complete
come.f
f.,
LOT), Du.,
(p. 171).
t Ew., Giesebrecht, Di., Kue., Che. {Introd.)^ Kon. (369^, 368>^), Sta.
1895, P- ^3^Qy Skinner, F. Wilke {Jesaja und Assur, p. 25).
{ZATlVf
;
;
26-29
IX. 7-X. 4, V.
181
It is generally
The consonantal
waw
9'*
an impf. or a
The
pf. is
in
simple or consecutive.
g^*^'^^ are
^^, it^m ^^^ n-)i}2 1^, onyj
5 perfects (at^
in addition to na' in the thrice repeated refrain, 9 impf. with
tenses used in
waw
If
in
^^
1",
and
DHT
noB",
9I0-20
\^Q
Of
1.
and
narrative, the
most
i pf.
difficult
with
waw
(nyni
{a^K^'ii**,
imperfects
i^).
but
does not
to
lie
employ
it lies
in
for
it is
f.)
; and even
where we find
is
even
less
CO^rMENTARY ON ISAIAH
82
the
first
verse.
it
is difficult
it
The
first
makes but
verb of the
little
poem may
be
is
is
a mere
point
it
of past fact
pf.
the essential
to |^ at
the "
word " has yet to fall (^D31) into Israel, and then
disaster will happen and become apparent (q'^*'- ^).
After such an opening
we naturally expect to see not a panorama of the past, but of the future (cp.
the perfects in 14*"* after the opening in 14^)
and the first scene in the
least,
future as
it
its
is
given in
(^^' ^^ after
he
who
have not profited by calamities already past {^'^' ^). It is surely artificial in
the extreme to make the words, *' And Yahweh hath exalted his enemies over
him" (v.^"), explicative of "Bricks have fallen down" (in v.: so Kon.).
The impf. consec. is impressive and effective if it is the equivalent of a proph.
pf. (Dr. 82) ; for in this case it represents the coming calamity '* not merely
with the certainty of the prophetic pf. , but as flowing naturally out off being
an immediate consequence of" Israel's self-confident speech (^'), just as the
future humiliation of man is prophetically conceived as the certain and
immediate sequence to i\\t present custom of idolatry in 2^"*(n;^n .
. nnnsy^).
On this ground it is not advisable (with Du., Box) to turn the impf. consec.
In the parallel clause the
(33"^:i) into the impf. with simple waw (aag'^l).
simple impf. alternates, as often (Dr. 14), with the prophetic past.
If 10^"^ be an original part of the poem, which is doubtful, then, since the
.
tacit threat
after
view.
7-1 1. Ephraim's pride to be humbled by the PhilisThe opening lines announce that
tines and Syrians.
Yahweh has determined the doom of the Northern kingdom
this will now work itself out in such a way that the people
must recognise what is happening. The fifth hne of the poem
(now lost) appears to have given the reason for this decisive
judgment; or to have suggested the difference between the
judgment yet to come, the significance of which men will be
compelled to see, and the past calamities which they have lightIn vv.^^-^^*-^ the first stage of the
heartedly minimised (v. 9).
coming judgment is then described it will consist of devastating attacks by external foes, the Syrians and the Philistines
being definitely named.
7. The word of God once sent forth (Ps 10720 14716-18),
;:
IX. 7-iT
183
whether
its
in
turn
unmistakably explained
is
in
the
parallel
line
as
Hebrew
text
daring\
is
say in pride,"
etc., rests
on a
(tacitly)
emended
RV
"that
Greatly
text.
in greatness
lit.
of courage, cp. 2
abase pride
will
(2^^^*),
houses were
made
hewn
fell
stone
to
(Am
Sycomores were
highly-prized
the losses of
which the
the
poem
is
prophetic, those
and
(or perhaps
*Di.
COMMENTARY ON
84
it
ISAIAH
and
Syria
terms in
the special
so
vv.***
fairly certain,
and
explain
adversaries
ffis
be the Philistines
in v.^^ to
follow
the
general
a conjectural,
is
but
misleading gloss
(7^ n.),
this
a conjecture
^JV) or
meaning of
is
II.
If prophetic, the
this v.
is
clear
to
might be expected.
736
c.
case
this
before
delivered
In
allies,
i.e.
before
B.C.
Cp.
525.
7. 131]
correct
by
fflr
{ZATW,
*** T).
Am
hhi\
But even
and probably in
of the prevailing 3
suitable than Dyn-'?3
this
4^)
vocalising
1905, p. 140);
"^rji]
with
pf.
113 (i).
h^ii
ddvarov (cp.
(&
Sta.
later text of
9^^
MT n^^
waw
<)^^,
the
+ 3.
full unit
8.
1*73
is
adopted as
E5U
and the
pf.
Dr.
apparently here, as in
of six accents
U]}ri\
which
right (so
over-short,
v.'*'
n^^,
is
is
tdn'?
they shall
clause
is,
I4-''* ^^,
cp.
know
to
{//)
judge from
well
marked
structure of
the poem,
The
the
i2-i6
IX. 7-II,
185
remnant of six words I suspect that three words, in part parallel to mxaa
D3^ h'^i2^, have dropped out before nix33, and that IDK^ was added after this
Emendations have mostly proceeded from the supposition that two
loss.
words have been lost before mxja Bick. supplies i^Vnnn nrx, Che. (SBOI^
10. aJB^i] the
DSiy D'cpDn, Marti ion nc'K, Cond. and RV tacitly iidk nt^K.
idea of inaccessibility as well as that of height, seems frequently to be ex:
pressed by the root 3385' ; so the Piel may mean to render {inaccessibly) highy
and hence sectire see Ps 20^ 59^ 91^* oVs) and cp. the force of Kal, Dt 2^
But this would obviously give no suitable sense here ; for
see also Is 2^^.
It
the clause would mean that the enemies would be placed beyond attack.
is usual (see BDB) therefore to assume a unique nuance for ivo in the pre;
(11
it
C ^'pni
strong.
and
had
M, both
3JB'")
pdaa-eiv^
meaning
to
make
which stands
And
3JB'.
for
yet 2iv
and
33*,
and
i>\J/co6-/ia-Tat
in 2"* "),
The
cessibility or height.
vSy
The
p:n]
renders
roi)s
all
reading
of
them are
22V'>^
^ni*
nx
as well as in f^ ; for (3
iiraviffTafidvovs iwl 6po5 Seiuji' iw airdv of which the last four
ffi
words are certainly =v^y px in. Du. claims that (Sc read in full px ir^ ny,
and that this was an incorrect division of a stage in f^, ym mx, due to the
intrusion of psT which had been a gloss on ms (=ns, (J-K. gie).
It is not
certain that (& read (')n: ; but that psT should be rejected as a gloss is fairly
certain, and that we should read ms (Bredenkamp, al.) not improbable ;
the presence of psn disturbs the reference of the pronoun in the next line and
makes its own line overlong and the whole difficult of interpretation. The
omission of psT gives for the whole v. the same rhythm as in v.'', viz. 4 + 2.
IDDD"] and 'nsDDD, I9^t, are now generally regarded as forms with substitution
of
for
b of i^jy, whence
spur on.
6-q<rovTat.
Rather
"iSdk'i]
KaTffdlovTas
T^, a tkorn
less vividly
pf.
^'B
= c:h2i<n. ns
cp. Ar.
my, and
future
^3] cp.
i**
MT
CJ w,
in 19^
to pierce
nax
impf. with
hence IDDd,
to
waw
con v.
(&
roifs
n.
the description
historical.
Even
points
Di.,
is
to
the
who would
v.^),
or of revolution, as
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
86
fifty
(2
15^^).
In any case the strophe does not refer to any known event,
much
less to
described in
12.
smote theni\
i.e.
Yahweh
Hos
cp.
Hos
noi\
12b.
6^,
and
Cp.
Am
7^^,
Him
4^ etc.
that
ct.
Head and
31^.
is
tail^
palm-
branch and reed] the high and the low, or the leaders and the
rank-and-file.
"Some
cites
14.
" the
and
of v.^K
tail "
and the
(cp. 32^'),
This
sequence to
He
annotation,*
An
borrowed phraseology
of
may be
v., too,
a gloss
it
15.
neither
v.^^,
Young men]
v.^^.
16.
Am
Because he
4^^.
is
to
refers
is
variation
makes a good
^r\-Xir\\
and
art.
suffix),
by Lag.,
called in question
ace.
is
G-K.
Lag.
nB')'
= nDS',
31'':
of coming jndgment
is
ranged against
{ZDMG,
12*'
^s. 27,
is
3^2
dj;'?2D]
jnK]
possibly
an addition
is
tribe.
unrighteousness will
0^),
War
17-20. Civil
Ex
cp.
is
defended by No.
ii6/'.
MS)
one
still
17.
fire
forest.
(v.^'^),
will suffer
The meaning
of the vb.
altogether uncertain
like]
in
v.^^,
see phil.
is
left
And
{t.g.
is
l8b.
ambiguously expressed
n.
untranslated above,
f^
may
IX.
v.*,
12-20
i87
letter,
Ezk
if
description that
RV,
On
Israelites
interpreted, forms
no
cannibal-like
hostility
of
the
20
in
MT,
l8c
19a.
another.
n.
phil.
fire,
is
compared
to a
and
scarcely impossible,
years
fabesh
Gilead in Manasseh
yy
i6-20a
(as is
Isaiah
more
{KAT^
certainly
is
(2
However
263).
that
may
be, in
either
historically or prophetically
poem.
It
if
would be curious
war not even
mention
hand,
the
if it
Northern kingdom
will
be punished by
civil
discord,
is
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
l88
made
blunted by being
announcement
that the
discord
utilised for
and the
war,
original text
may have
civil
the
in
present text
it
The
kingdom.
makes
two
If the
next strophe
is
and conquer
Eel. 532
all
KB
cp.
of them; cited by
vi.
in
67.
M.
SBOT).
= "i^DNni.
n^Nnn,
if
about; cp. the similar nuances of isnnn in Gn 3^*, Job 37^^, Jg 7^^ \^V tc\m']
modal ace. (cp. G-K. 118^), or ace. of the product (G-K. ii7). mxa of
physical uplifting
is
mically suspicious.
(2)
pK
see
G-K.
is indef.,
14S0
rare
but see Ps
but the
||
dv^ defined
18.
niK3:]
Note
(3)
px
is
(& om.
fem.,
Dnj;3
in f^ rhythi]
yrj 6X17
masc.
yet
(4) nnyj is
89^.
p^ Dnyj] Doubtful.
to he late
(3)
^xc-t suffocating
whence onyj has been supposed to mean either (i) to be dark, or (2) to
up ; but see W. R. Smith in /Ph., 1885, p. 61. We are reduced to
guessing either the meaning of onyj or the word of which cnyj is a corruption.
conturbata est.
n^nn (v.l. rnnn), 5 LL] ( = V'ii, 24^^);
avyK^Kavrai,
heat'y
be burnt
(ffir
r\VT\i
{reels)
is
nnvi,
MT
I7-20, X. 1-4
IX.
is
possilile
from which
above),
lu means
lync] read
iyi
al.
yatJ'
fflt^
secondary
to cut, particularly (0
note
ffi
reading
vbs.
off.
lyni]
first
word
is
^"inp.
The Doom
X. 1-4.
is
v.'"* is
89
Du. obtains
Then
''K is
of unjust Judges.
This
strophe
in
categorically
is
The
subject of the
the judges
whom
first
three strophes
throughout referred to in
is
is
a particular class
litigants
and
be original, 526-80 would describe a catastrophe after the catastrophe, that the
opening 'in connects lo*'* with 5^"^, that 10^"^ forms no advance in the ascending
punishments, that the care for the widow expressed in 10* represents
series of
some
is
poem
On
length of the
it
may be
and
is
argument urged by
force, that
A further
9^^.
still
would be curious
for
an intrusive section
Even
other strophes.
intrusive, the
to
be of the exact
is probably
Ah's " in ^''^^
it is slightly longer than 5^^*^*, somewhat shorter than 5^^"^'^ ; but the question
and the address in 10^ differentiates this section no less from the "Ah's" of
5*"^ than from the other strophes of the poem.
See in addition to the
Isaianic,
and possibly
ff. ;
That
Judah,
section
it
Commentaries, Giesebrecht, 10
It
if
Hackmann,
many *
' *
54.
if it stood by itself, is
must refer to Judah, because it could not
refer to the Northern kingdom, holds only, if even then, provided
the reading " the poor of my people " in v.^ be retained.
Other
arguments prove no more than that the section, if it stood by
itself, might refer to Judah
thus it is true that the interjection
obvious
it
but that
;:
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
I90
^in is
common
while
it is
and
but
Judah,
it is
to this
5^'2* refers to
Ephraim
Judah
against
" (3^^^-
5'"^-
^3
ii7. 26j
kingdom
^u^
(cp. e.g.
j-[^g
same disorder
Am
Judah
to
though
case,
it
in 9^0
9^0
is
Finally, Di.
5^2^^
;
may mention,
it
forms no transition
is
now
Judah
Ephraim
to,
hitherto,
pre-
On
the other
hand,
if lo^-*
to 9^0
(as described)
We
Ephraim
may
so unequally
filled.
fourth of a
to
is
poem complete
this strophe, if
but that
if it is
and
formed the
it
One
is
all
probability to
Judah only
n.).
The persons
makers of laws (Di.) for new laws, whether good or bad, were
not an annual production as in modern states but the administrators
bribed, assigned
these,
being
Thus
X. 1-3
hurtful
to,
and
191
may be
weaker
The
parties.
force
hurt, or mischief,
illustrated
meant
is
it
not, of
down
uncommon
languages,
not
to write,
"Thou
e.g.
Dt
24^
v.^^^^
7^^
ggt
in
other
gs-io^
and
Job
me, and causest me to inherit the iniquities of my youth," where
the Kal (nn^n) seems to be used with the same technical, legal
sense as the Piel (D^3n3D) here.
A very
large
number of the
(see Johns,
In Jer 32**^
we have a
it
else in the
poem.
If
my
first
and perhaps
(i), least
unnatur-
as in 3^^
lo^*
;
:
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
192
the days
of
phrases
" that
day,"
or
when Yahweh
future day
and
" those
pi.
interchanging as in the
days,"
applied
The
to
the
great
tempestuous
one of the accompaniments of a theophany, or the
means whereby Yahweh executes judgment see 2^^^' 30^0, Nah i^.
Ps 5o3, Zee 9I*, Am i^*, Job 9^7 381 40^, i K 19I1. So here
the day of visitation of Yahweh is thought of as a desolating
storm already brewing in the distance, noisy with thunder and
hail
men would fain flee from it (cp. Ex 9^^^-) to some place of
refuge for themselves and their glory i.e. valuable possessions
(61^, Gn 31^ Ps 49^^); but Yahweh, the true refuge {e.g. 25*,
Ps 46^), is Himself the cause of this storm, and consequently for
the unjust judges here addressed there will be no refuge to flee to.
That cometh from afar\ cp. 5^^ 3027 " the conception of distance
had a peculiar fascination for the early prophets. For the
common Numina were gods near at hand Yahweh alone sees
and works in the distance ; cp. especially Jer 2323f', a passage
which clearly shows how the conception of a distant god formed
weather
appear.
will
stor7ti\
is
'
' :
Ps 138^
4.
The
God
"
(Du.)
must be wrong
cp. also
At a
Yahweh.
disloyal to
May
D'anoD
. .
1909,
p.
440.
he
finite vb.
G-K.
ii6;r),
nor
is
nn^ Vny a
^)
rel. sent.,
probably
but innD is
is
carrying on what was begun with the part. D'ppnn (Dr. 117
and
it is
is
X. 1-4
therefore undefined, as,
Ps
in
<r.^.,
56'*
92" (G^K.
'DVD^n' nxij
nxitf^i]
(7^* n.).
HNW]
noun rare
undefined
G-K.
storm (as Pr
parallel to N/nxt^
the original
is
it
G-K.
means
with an
114^.
^3.
af the time of
to point to the
see especially
iiT]
Piel (intenr\H
seem
\'^,
The
itS/).
G-K. g^M.-
sive)
193
which
is
meanings
meaning
jiNt^
and
(Is 22^).
'^"i'n
rely
{e.g, 14*^, l
20^^)
obviously inapplicable
Gn
21^,
Nu
Am 3**
*.
BDB
cp.
or
Gn
(c)
or (3)
Nu
43^,
here
meaning except
1 1*,
ye leave your glory ?) save that they bow down under the
under the slain, i.e. (iron.) their only refuge will be among
Grammatically this might do, if the verbs in
the corpses of a battle-field."
the exceptive sentence were in the same person as that in the principal ; as a
prisoners,
and
will
fall
pi. (laiyn)
is
followed in the
exceptive sentence by one vb. in the 3rd sing. pf. (yia) and one in the 3rd pi.
(i^fl').
nearest parallel.
I am
pxa
coffin
nDsr ijk
;
rhi
pn
jSnK "K,
have no goldy
meaning would be strange, and Hebrew has its own particle to express only,
viz. IK.
From this surely it will be seen that it is only by assuming an
unparalleled usage of
'n'?3
that
it
is
whole
V.
The
runs in ^ rov
is
rov
fiT]
points to
'11^3
with
ifiireffeiv
cp. the
simple veaelv as a rendering of yiD in 46^ 65^^, and with d7ra7W7T7 the use of
the vb. dirdyeiv in Gn 39^^ 40' 42^^ ; the noun d7ra7w7^ occurs only in I Es
8**
and
Sir 38^^
restoration of 'n^3^
i^'jo= Symmicta,
VOL.
I.
i.
13
;:
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
194
46^ Jer 50^ nyns being a part., the subj. *nS3 would
according to rule (Dr. 135 (4)) ; for "idn (of which tdk would be
merely a later scriptio plena), Osiris, cp., in Phoenician, e.g. TDB'nDN, "iDNnny
Osiris is shattered; cp.
precede
it
{CISi. 122
names.
Malta, 2nd cent. B.C.), and the same form in other Phoenician
X. 5-34.
The poems,
prevailing
fragments,
or poetical
rhythm 3
(:
3)
are
to this vv.^^"^^
{a)
may
also belong
prevailing
vv.^"'^*
^^^
is
probable
is
Two views that its heterogeneous elements have been welded into
a literary unity may be referred to. ( i ) Di. who extends this literary unity
down to 11^*, remarks, **The passage is, to be sure, a literary, but not
a rhetorical unity. . . , The double description of the punishment of Assyria
with the result therefrom ensuing for Israel (lo^^"^- ^^-^) does not leave the
impression of having been spoken at the same time; 11^^"^^ though cleverly
united by v. ^ with vv.^"^ is yet too dissimilar to vv.^'** to have been announced
in one and the same discourse with it, and 11^"^ again can scarcely have been
originally attached to lo^^'^, since there is no indication there of the setting
The entire passage seems
aside, or previous abdication, of the reigning king.
rather to be an artistic collection of the leading thoughts of Isaiah's speeches
between 732 and 716 (at latest 711), possibly made for the purpose of serving
This theory breaks down if the view
as a conclusion to chs. 7 ff (or iff.)."
vv.^""^
also
v.^^^*)
(see
on
be correct ; on the other hand, it
taken below of
would still be possible to hold (2) Marti's theory, according to which 10*'"** is
a skilful arrangement of fragments made by an editor so as to produce a small
picture depicting the pangs of the Last Days, and the assembling of the
world power of Antichrist before the Gates of Jerusalem, and of its destruction
occasion.
there.
X. 5-17.
arranged in distichs or
yy_5b.
6c. d. 8. 14b
v.^^ D.Tm'ny
is
tristichs.
In y^ca
two
'3
rhythm
^y^
accents.
^ay
The
(vv.^*
in
^3),
which
vv.*''^- ^^^'
is
is
doubtless an editorial
itself (cp.
:
^'^
see p. 89)
in
and by
X. 5-34
emendation, partly after
ffi,
in vv."' ^^*
195
but in v.**
it
is
6.
Vv.^"*^^ are
Ah!
Assyria the rod of
And
^
my
anger,
the staff of
my
indignation.
And
whom
am
wroth
com-
mand
To
And
him,
mire of
like
the
streets.
7
And
s
^3
is
in his heart,
"Are not my
Is not
Hamath
like
Is not
Samaria
like
Arpad?
Damascus?
By
I
rulers
* Is
so.
wrought,
discernment.
1*
1^
'
or chirped."
itself
against
him
that
itself
against
him
that draweth
heweth therewith?
Or
(Nay,
that
would
be)
like
the
rod
swinging
and
him
it
fro?
that
raiseth
Like the
staff raising
(him that
is)
not wood.
to
it,
COMMENTARY ON
196
^^
And under
glory
his
ISAIAH
will
kindled
he
halli
kindling
kindling of
^^
^''
And
it
shall
be
^^^
success to
its
+ 526-29)^ had
as
fire
fat,
to
land.
punish
His
arrogantly attributed
it was a mere
must be destroyed
discerning that
therefore
it
(cp. vv.i^^-).
The
717
allusions in v.^
Some
show
that this
poem was
written after
B.C.
think that
it
B.C.
others in 701.
Che.
{Introd. pp.
v.^
though he retains
v.^,
f.
Assyria
is
23^3f.j sffiih
9^^.
send
hi??i\
its
the tense
hand.
may be
6.
A profane
nation]
frequentative, a?n 1
wont
to
send him.
plundered
(cp.
8* of
X. 5-17
but by
its
own
cruel lust
197
consequently
it
exceeds
its
the emphasis
nation or
its
falls
but there
king.
The
of Assyria.
commission.
i^^-,
it, is
the boast
mentioned represent
kinship of
it
is
not
its
inhabitants.
chronological.
The
order
is
Carchemish,
clearly geographical;
mod. Jerabis
on
the
is
probability the
Some
of these places
by
The
Damascus
Eponym
list,
Arpad
in 740,
^Jamath in 720,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
198
I not^
as
I have
n.),
is clear.
its idols^
il. Shall
so do to /erusalem
for they
He
imply that
cities
is
V.^^
fallen
v.^^ reverts to
the standpoint of
in
when
to pass
come
the
this
vv.^^*^-
own
arrogance appears to
And
power.
it
shall
this
The
v. is
prose
of
its
origin
(pp.
177-179)
prophecy. Is
7*^-
^^ff-,
questionable
I will punish,
of audacity
is
Mic 4
see above on
Greatness of
8^^*.
heart^
He
i.e.
is
BDB
;
J^
the fruit
^26b).
King
ively,
The height of
his
X.
eyes']
i.e.
II-I9
the phrase
his pride:
"
199
is 2^\
13 f. Assyria
obtained
(v.^*),
to
its
and completely
Their stores
(v.^^).
is
conjecture,
for the
dust]
Ps
2*
is
Ps
56^^^).
cities,
ffir
29^^^,
n.
The enthroned]
Am
and perhaps
If the
i^*^.
down
for y^^^
peoples,"
all
itself
success to
its
against
Yahweh
vaunted
itself
hand
of guiding the
its
own power
(cp.
Jg
7^), or,
(v.^^*),
being in
that used
Yet
it.
this
was a
vain boast:
as a matter of fact,
places
it
after
16-19.
v.''.
The punishment
is
of Assyria.
Something
like
number
of scholars
writer,
For
lines
it
COMMENTARY ON
200
ISAIAH
by 31^ 17b (Are and flame) by 3080, that i^c d ^ ^17 ^^ (, one
day) 9!^, and that v.^^^- (wood and garden land) comes from 321^,.
and "the child" in v.i^ from ii^ If all this is really borrowed
material, the passage is doubtless the work of a late supplementer.
In that case the conclusion of the poem in vv.^- ^- i^. is
has been lost: it is not to be sought with Che. in 14^^'^'^.
Even if the verses belong to the same poem, they may not
be the immediate continuation of y.^^O-^); the suffixes in v.i^
suggest a more recent direct mention of Assyria.
The
coming destruction is expressed by means of two figures the
one of fatal disease attacking a healthy body, the other of a
destructive fire, consuming everything before it save for a few
trees that escape.
At present the clauses referring to illness,
18b. c^
y
stand in the middle of the description of the forest fire
it is reasonable to suppose they are misplaced.
16. Assyria, like Israel in i^, is compared to a human body
at present it is in lusty health, faf and flourishing.
But into this
body Yahweh dispatches leantiess that it may waste the man
away.
The figure is paralleled by 17*, the phraseology by
Ps 10615 (if the text there be correct). But in spite of this the idea
is independently expressed, and with freshness and vigour which
by no means suggest a mere imitator. His /at] D^JDK^D are the
17a
fat parts oi the body, cp. 17* (sing.), and, figuratively, Dn ii^*;
less probably his fat ones (RV), i.e, the warriors, cp. Ps 78^^
Fat to the Hebrews was a sign of health and strength
cp.
Jg
3^^*
ffi)
to the
incompetent
But
"like a burning
it
refers to the
X.
6- 1 9, 5-9
201
nobility, the
the
7*.
17.
up with
of TinD and
are to be burnt
of war.
fire
who
fresh figure
Yahweh
the
of Israel
(q.^.
And
it
shall be
.]
is
out of place
see above.
neither as
as
when a
complete
a child can
19.
make
list
man
may be
sick
of them, survive.
Possibly the
v.
comes
DT3
in reference to
divide 'oyT
"ntJ'N
ntoD,
Che.
see Che.
SBOT)
SBOT,
isa.
'3K
poem
tonty (v.^*)
{c)
{b)
the words
their presence
'd
(cp.
v.^^)?
MT
9. ijSd]
points
13^3,
in
Am
where the association with Hamath makes it fairly certain that the same
place is intended, n:^3 probably the name was 'a^'S
cp. C& XaXayy?;, Assyr.
Ep. list Kul-la-ni-i.
But
wrongly identifies this XaXayi/i; with the
XaXayv?; of On 10^" and adds the note, inferred from Gn 10^ ll^"*, o5 6 iripyo^
(fKodofirjdr]
the tower of Babel seems to have been a favourite thought with
6^,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
202
9*^
(&, cp.
Hackm., Giesebrecht)
nearer h'^Kn than
nStyn'D]
certainly
d.t'^'dsi,
Pr
7*,
view of
rai/ras, in
ffi's
is
fflr,
'S'Ddd
Ezk 15^ Ca
expressed, and in
133*?
or the interpretation
iS^^),
is
<J\o\j5^are (=l^'^'n) is
fflr's
paraphrase in
dWit
nhi<r\
5^ no.
13. nniKi
Is 41^4,
Job
different; in
is
n'DXi]
11^'
Ps 62^0)
a vb.
is
(K consistently
renders a// the vbs. of vv.***^* by futures, understanding that what Assyria
intends,
lies
The
Nyprii.
show
tenses
pf.
MT
Tnix.
is
inconsistent
T^1N1,
^'PX1,
but
the
scriptio plena and r are wrong. D.Tm'nyi] The K*re 'ninyi differentiates the
word here from 'inyi in Dt 32"*^. On the Aramaic colouring of the word,
It would be easy to restore onmnyi ; cp.
see Driver, Deut. pp. 374 f.
and see 14^ "nB'iB'] = "noity (cp. 42^^; see G-K. 6>&) ; 'H'Dib' is
read by some MSS.T3K3 nmxi] Knib T3n?, Krg T2?(i7i2 28^), <&. koX
Du., combining |^ and (B, conjecturally restores D'ny mmi
(Telffd) irdXeis.
if nsya is rightly conjectured, nsya nniNi was probably the
ns^l (or 13X3)
source of both nnxD mxi (|^^) and ony unxi (fflr). 14. ffi abbreviates lines a-d,
paraphrases e-f; b is short in ^.
15. ^'J'"J3] witA the like of a staffs
shaking: see BDB, s.v. 3, p. 454b; cp. Wright, Arabic Gram. ii. dTf'. or
perhaps 3 represents a whole sentence.
For instruments to boast themselves against the agent (^^*' '') is like claiming to be themselves actually
principesy
agents.
is
niao
the stranger
The
pi.
reference to
cp.
Yahweh
318.
^xyi'y^ r\zirhh'\
pnyi
T3n
without the
refers
back to
art.
v.**.
ct.
fnJi^,
VDnoTiK]
me'Dn
some
this
MSS
difference
read
'dtixi.
ffi
some
MSS
18.
^
clear:
more
{'y
K*?]
which
B'K^ 'tJ""niK
ana']
^iv
is
tf'N-x'?,
if
is
(OOI
\ji,y
<j)evy(i3v COS
y\ (OOTJO
<t)iy(j}v
n'.T
;
These guesses
Later,
u:>^
suggested to Rashi
may be
derived from
^'Q,
vbao's
see Che. in
SBOT,
The
text is corrupt.
An Appendix
explaining that
X. io-i8, 20-27
remain,
will
be
will
Two
set free
things are clear: (i) vv. 20-27 are connected with vv.^^-,
and
references back
v.^T"
203
to v.*:
conclusions.
Isaiah,
poems
no reason
is
w.20-27
are
conclusion of the
poem
more probably,
of Scripture,
ture texts
(b)
who
some
vv.^^^^;
or,
late student
and phrases
preserved fragmentarily in
poem
be destroyed.
20.
And
it
and
often.
1 1^1- ^^
Of the House
28^
n.And the
escaped] 4^ n.
no more
of old,
ofJacob] 2^ n.
smote Judah in 701 b.c. Du.'s epigram, " Ahaz leant for support
on Assyria (2 K 16), but was not smitten ; Hezekiah was smitten,
but did not lean for support on Assyria," is true, for it would be
too odd to describe Assyria as smiting Ahaz when, though at
a ruinous cost, they gave him the support for which he appealed
(Kon. Einleitung^ p. 305).
The writer is oblivious of the
chronology of Isaiah's age whether Du.'s detailed explanation
is correct is more doubtful (see Introd. 26 f.)
according to him,
:
the writer
is
day to the New Assyria (cp. Ezr 6^2, Ps 83^?), the Seleucid
Empire, which prevailed in his own ; under Alkimus and, later,
John Hyrcanus, the Jewish community, willingly or unwillingly,
rested on the Seleucids and were smitten by them
freedom
was expected by the pious as soon as Israel rested solely on
;
COMMENTARY ON
204
Yahweh.
Him
that smote
^i^,
Ch
ISAIAH
and
cp.
ii\
ct.
13^^
Israel] i*
^^f
9^2,
14^^
n.In
i6'^^*:
shall lean
differently
I S
21. The remnant shall return]
Mighty God] g^ n. The v. is a proof of what
has been asserted in v.^o, drawn not by Isaiah from his own
prophecies, but by a late student from Scripture.
Whether
to this student the Mighty God meant the Messiah as in 9*, or
God Himself, is not quite clear. 22. Here the writer seems to
reflect on two prophecies, one foretelling that the people of Israel
shall be as the sand of the sea (Hos 2^ (i^), cp. Gn 22^^^ 32^^), the
other that only a remnant of them will return.
In the 2nd cent.
B.C., and even a century or two earlier, the Jews, including the
millions living in Egypt and Mesopotamia, had become, what
they were not in Isaiah's day, very numerous but there were
122*.
U'nto the
among
them "
many
apostates,
still
Hasidim, the
band"
more
little
indifferentists
those
for
irrevocably determined a
little
(Du.).
in the
be universal in its scope ; it will give overflowing proof of Yahweh's righteousness (cp. i^t" 5 is) by working
the annihilation
deliverance of the elect, and accomplishing
already decisively determined
(28^^)^ of the wicked, whether
midst of the earth,
will
''^
^^
Israelite or
heathen
(cp. 59^^^-*2^).
of,
e.g..,
40^'*.
Because of Assyria]
And lifts
v.^ 30^1.
Am
4I
see
v.^o n.
When
i^f.
43I.
cp. 30^*.
up
X. 21-27
instead
The
(v.^^).
last
205
clause of v.^^
commonly supposed
is
to
picious.
?^, if the
(cp. 9^ n.), is
recovered
His burden
And
his
shall depart
yoke
shall cease
of the
v. (|DtJ>
^:DD
it
f^y)
have been
v.^s.
The
slightly
attempts to
corrupt
it is
the
last
ma
y\vf^
nxB'jn,
sense).
Lv
pin]
(in
ikb'] cp.
a different
copiae:
58^, 2.-25.
but perhaps
^J'"^]
'iSN
m.r]
(Qi
om. 24.
f]N
'nx] (5^
'd;?i
verba
see next n.
Dn^^an ^y
'fli<]
COMMENTARY ON
206
a few
MSS
!!
ISAIAH
mean a wearing
Vy
out^ destruction.
is
for n'Van
used to express
direction towards^
not
if it
1536?
^ omits.
(v.^).
d't
hv ihbdi
poor Hebrew.
HV Dn''?y but this introduces the suspicious i>l. suffix Marti, hv vSy.
Perhaps the corruption goes deeper. (& renders koI 6 dvfib^ airov ry odc^ ry
/caret daXaacrav.
27. S^ni] this is an early error for Snn% which is parallel to
The emendation is due to
niD* and completes the rhythm of the distich 4
4.
W, R. Smith {Journal of Philology^ xiii. 62 f. ). iptf 'JSD '^y] yields no sense
:
on
phil. n.
X. 27C-32.
The
p. 209.
Dramatic
Idyll.
more
prevailing
uncertain,
^'''^
At Michmas he depositeth
28
He
hath
'
Ramah
is
hath trembled,
Give a
baggage;
Geba
(In)
his
shrill cry,
fled.
.
daughter of Gallim!
Give heed, Laishah
,
Answer
*i
*2
her,
Anathoth
sought refuge.
To-day
He
will
The
hill
of Jerusalem.
Sion,
X. 26-32
The
207
who
is
in
Jerusalem
capital,
First,
it
is
Jerusalem.
The
descriptive
tenses,
object
of
vv.^^'^-^i
by
partly
to
is
imperatives
indicate,
by
partly
addressed
to
the
terrified towns,
the terror
inevitable yet
ominous
on Jerusalem
itself, v.^^^
Many have
of the
inference.
v.'^,
will fall
but at v.^
in that
case Isaiah's purpose in the whole would be to describe the invading army,
or,
literalism of vv.^*^^
If
the
cp.
Cheyne, Introd,
poem concludes
with
p. 56.
v.82,
and
threatens Jerusalem
it
is
therefore inconsistent
7); but
some
it
written by
him
later, in
expectation
assault
on Jerusalem
(3)
Against
(2), cp.
and note that w.^^-^i show feeling for the country as well as the
The number of plays on words, or paronomasias, has been exaggerated
i^ n.,
city.
;
the
208
COMMENTARY ON
name
27c-29b.
a yoke: see
conjecture
ISAIAH
He
The
phil.
Invader's March.
n., and above on v.^''^
for pe7ie
shemen
(J^).
Rimmon\
Wady
passage of the
difficult
1 iny by
Muhmas,
to
fall upon
es-Suwenit
not justified.
is
At Michmas^ mod.
an elevation of
1990 feet, distant about 2 miles, and separated by the deep Wady
es-Suwenit, from Geba* (2220 feet), which stands on the top of
7 J miles N. of Jerusalem.
To
29.
the
He\ so (&
Has
sentences in |^.
sing, in other
It lies at
\k\<^
of
passage^ or crossing
Jabbok (Gn
32^3)
("iDj;),
was a
this crossing in
of Michmas."
Dalman
in
ZDPV ikusm.
of mni;D, but
it is
it
13^3
is
called
passage (i3VD)
Wady
es-Suwenit
recall
to
Hebrew
is
but
RV,
actually described
is
a steep
{In)
Geba
Geba
is
Ravine
f.
The
wady
of the
but the
real ford;
viz.
Z>^
ii.
169.
209
X. 27-32
of the
slope
Geba*, which
valley to
The alarm
29C-31.
er-Ram, 35
of the country-side.
lies
Ramah'\
is
see
EBu
and
DB,
s.v.
GibeaLTQW
occasions.
is
scarcely el-'Isawiyyeh,
but cp.
between *Anata and Jerusalem) are not identified
25^*.
Answer
"Palti, the son of Laish, which was of Gallim," i S
her, 'Anathoth^ or, less probably, O poor one, 'Anathoth', in
:
a paronomasia
is
'anathoth.
is
the
that runs
32.
Assault on Jerusalem
is
imminent.
The
text
is
in
TTJ. jDB'
Phoenician inscriptions,
VOL.
I.
14
e.g.
no sense
CIS
i.
4^
see p. 206.
'?y=n'?y; cp. 33
= Cooke, NSI 6^
cp. ib.
33^
= nan
For
in
*J20
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
2IO
}DK',
W.
from
R. Smith {JPh,
the
North
Du.
xiii.
|b-i
'3i3D,
28.
so Gn 34^, i S 12^^^,
ii^i, i Ch 7^8) with retention of the old
(Neh
Jg
fem. n.
The position of n^y between Michmas and Bethel points to identification also with *y!i.
ffi e/s rrjv Trb\Lv 'A77at (of which koI ij^et els kyyai in v.^
may be a variant) should represent 'yn ny*t, which might be a text conflate of
two variants of n^y, Tp3' vd^t:}-?] many editions have i^ddd^, which is incorrect.
odd in Dt 32** is
It is very questionable whether s^ddd means store-place
probably an error for 033.
37^^
I'^p^n,
36^
to
deposit^ is followed by 3
In Jer
with h the vb. may mean to the town of Michmas he entrusts his baggage
ttTrd
18^7 (w./.
n'y
HPN
19^*,
Zee
2^*,
direction (cp.
Job 31^^
G-K.
118/")
nn]
qsi3^]
the Polel of
(cp.
"^y
in 11^"
ace. of
is
suspicious.
'!
na nn as i6\
occur
Sir I2^^
rv
in]
JVJ
phenomena render
ol
'1
ri]}2i.
in
it
(cp.
Di. )
It is unsafe,
AND
X. 28-34
X. 33, 34.
211
XI. i-8
The Fall of
the Forest,
v.*** is of two accents ; '^*' ^^* of four, but perhaps pwrr (cp. v. ^) in the
one and Snan (see phil. n.) in the other should be omitted. The original
rhythm was then 3 : 3 with the variant 3 : 2 in v.**'* *.
23
Behold
Yahwch
the Lord
of Hosts
iron,
by the woodman,
(cp.
2llff.).
The
vv.27-32
207),
p.
there destruction
^^11. (i4)ff.^
Zee
is
11^,
by
and
mean
33.
mxB]
n!inj;D3] this
I^^re
pi. subj.
q^''.
phil. n.
viz.
Ezk
With
J^
is
Dn
description of
31.
*
its
'
majestic (cedars)]
commonly understood
to
Yahweh.
^^)
cp.
nsyoa, with
be
and see
dy a Majestic one,
felling, cp.
by
Yahweh,
.
or Niph,, the
Vnna] these should
of an
fflr
Marti.
XI. 1-8.
ofjesse^
and the
Apart from the first three words of v.* which are a dittograph, |^ contains
It is argued in the n. on v.^ that one of these (v.^) is intrusive
and one (v.'*) misplaced the 22 lines that remain fall into eleven distichs.
An alternative theory retains v.^*' and inserts from 65^^ a line which there
accompanies v.'^ this would bring up the number of lines to 24.
23
lines.
;;
COMMENTARY ON
212
The
distichs (3
or 4
3,
ISAIAH
and marked by
Some
3.
The
equal lengths.
'^''.
(see phil. n.) divided into two, with the result that the suckling playing about
the serpent's hole shares a distich with the lion eating straw, while his true
mate, the weaned child, stands apart in a separate distich examining the
basilisk's eye.
^
And
there
shall
come
forth
a shoot from
the stump of
Jesse,
He
7*^
But he
of Yahweh,
will
Nor by
*
fruit;
will
'
With a
little
'
XI. 1-8
^*
And
the
213
shall
be 'companions to one
another/
lair;
The poem
trip
weaned
about
'
(?).
monarchy
in
the person of a king sprung from the family of Jesse, the father
of David,
who
will
be equipped by Yahweh^s
virtue of his
Thus equipped, he
vv.^**.
is
right,
and
the
will in
in virtue of
might achieve it, securing for the weak what is due to them,
and smiting down the powerful who do wrong. All that he does
In his
will be done in righteousness and faithfulness, w.^A
will
return
the beasts will no
days the conditions of Paradise
longer be at enmity with one another and with men, but all will
live together in peace and friendship, vv.^-^
The thought of the poet is concentrated on the future of the
his
it
which
The editor, whether Isaiah himself (Di. p. 104), or another {e.g. Marti),
who is responsible for the present arrangement of Isaiah chs. io'-i2, may
indeed have intended that this reign was to begin when the world-power has
been destroyed and the destruction of everything opposed to God within
and without
It is
(lo^^**)
ii^^* is
continuation of
lo^'^^^^
10^, indeed,
we omit "with
if
lo^^'*,
which
is
iron,"
but by
is
itself
than 11^
On
opening
is less
similar to 11^"
is
and
is still
is,
no good
of course,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
214
intended
io33f.
literally,
and
11^
rejuvenated
not metaphorically.
anything
is
between
down, the tree of Jesse is
("unverkennbar," Di.), and is
forest is smitten
but inevitable
Had
been the author also of the antithesis attributed to him by those who make
11^ the immediate continuation of lo**, it is probable that he would have
written ks' npn
J7
ynoi.
It follows that
with
ll^"^
must be judged by
itself
and not
in connection
lo''-".
presuppositions
historical
an
exilic
the case of
in
of
v.*,
The language
is
is
certainly
compatible with a post-exilic date, and the occurrence of the three words
yij,
Among
those
who
assign the
poem
to Isaiah,
much
difference of opinion
I,
King".
2.
The
I,
origin
life
to
This
is
expressed figuratively.
Jesse,
is
compared
to a root
stump of a tree that has been felled there may shoot forth new
growth (Job 14'^'^ cp. Is 6^^), so while the family of David sur-
XI.
215
The
poem
the
audience.
asserts
is
The
re-establish
become the
What
roots.
hope
that this
revival,
may
figure,
it
the monarchy,
I,
vives,
actually realised.
fall
the
be
will
of the tree,
is
fall
stump is an
and his
Thus this v. presupposes a period when no Davidic
existing fact familiar to the poet
The
necessary inference
is
that the
poem
tions
improbable idea
On
yT3, stocky
f.
sceptre
yw
in
is
ill.
shoot] nion,
Pr
view of
this,
commonly)
(above ground)
New Hebrew
this
usage
see Levy,
NHB,
s.v.
The stump
cp.
of Jesse]
it
the
is
no
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
2l6
14^^ (?) 60*^,
Dn
The word
11''^,
*IV3
and
comes
to
be
other part;
it
is
used in
NH
i^nn,
a rope of
NHB
Shall bear
ceptional
achievements
(Ex 31^
craftsman
146.19),
ordinary
(1
41^^), the
(cp.
1 6^^^-).
forget this,
the
as
(Nu
spirit
gives
the
exceptional
or
35^^)>
or the prophet
dreams (Gn
ii^s^-, Is 61^),
2-^^),
so
it
gives
kingliness
to
the king
in "spirit" (31^);
spirit
(32^^, Jl
will
be distinguished
on all men,
3^^* (2'^^^'))
and, in particular, the point with which alone the present passage
is
God and
Finally,
true
is
the spirit
217
XI. 2-5
righteous, v.^ cp. Jer 2^^^-
he
is
of
Jer 22^^.
itself in
passage a convenient
an
proof,
weak
cp.
of Yahweh the
specialised sense
interpretation
though
it
certainly
is
not
the
which are
"
before the throne of God (Rev i*) ; for the idea, see Schottgen
Horae Talmudicae ; for its origin, cp. Gunkel, Schopfung u, Chaos^
The opening words of 3 J^ are
pp. 294-302; KAT^ 624 f.
ultimate source of the idea, of "the seven
spirits
obviously the
the text
of variants
meaningless
the scent
result
phil.
literally translated
n.).
they read,
or,
makes anything like it (this sweet incense), to enjoy the scent of it^
shall be cut off from his people"; cp. Lv 26^1.
Since the
feasts and solemn assemblies of the Hebrews were thick with
the fumes of sacrificial victims, it was quite appropriate to say,
" I will not enjoy the scent of them (Am 5^1) ; but " the fear
"
of Yahweh," which is here made the object of the vb., was not
Another meaning that has frequently been tortured
a smell.
out of the words is this. He will scent out the fear of God^ recognise at once the God-fearing; but in this sense
nnn
takes
3-5.
The
government, which
Here
will
his
method of
endowments
there
is
certainly
able like
God
(i
16^), or
a prophet of
God
(i
g^^),
to probe
appearances or
49*,
lying
words, but
reading
men's hearts.
v.,
En
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
21 8
meaning
"He
feature
actual
in
life
(i^''-
23
so
io2),
humble-minded^
the
^^3y,
is
an error
for
natural that
is
""^jy
the
becomes a permanent
The
J^ here has
it
fteedy,
the poor] lo^.
meek\ but the parallel
the two forms were liable
.
DB
will
not as
now
use
of the
divine
itself
sin
mean
real parallel
and such is py
note also the connections in which py is
cp. Job
The rod of his mouth] i.e. by a
used in 2920, Ps 37^5^ Jer 1521.
mere word: see above. Cp. the two-edged sword proceeding
to
y^J^i,
1520 27^3
is
required,
from the mouth in Rev i^^. More remote parallels to the idea
of speech as a deadly, cutting instrument may be found in
The breath of his lips] this also means
Jer 18^, Ps 57^ (*\
the breath
.
speech; cp. Ps 33^ '*the word of the Lord .
The wicked] the Hebrew term is sing., but, of
of his mouth."
Nevertheless it is interpreted indicourse, generic in meaning.
vidually of Antichrist by ST, "He will kill the wicked Armillos,"
.
and by Paul
in 2
Th
2^.
5.
The
custom of girding up
whatever he
the clothes before undertaking any active work
undertakes is undertaken in righteousness and faithfulness cp.
plV and ni^DK of man, Hab 2*, i S 2623, and of Yahweh as
It corresponds closely to the justice and rightKing, Ps 96^3^
acter closes with a figure derived from the
eousness of
6-8.
9^.
The
Nature
will
be
XI. 4-6
219
the golden age of the past
this
rather ineptly
is
was not a feature of the golden age, but part of the curse that fell
on the serpent. For security from the present hurtful habits of
Ezk
expressed,
Virgil's
use of
Lv 26^
342^'^^ cp.
it
(Eel
iv.
60)
1 f., v.
is
less genially
wide-spread;
famous, and
many
other
will
a corruption
on the same
of,
a verb
pastures.
young
ffi^
Probably
v.^*'
apart from
the domestic
^) in
first
line
mention-
which introduces
the little child fearlessly driving young lions as well as calves, was
supplied by some annotator, probably from a parallel poem.
If
their
in the second.
In this case
marked
v.^*^,
parallelism of terms in
poem
COMMENTARY ON
220
ISAIAH
perhaps
'^^^
see last
n.),
lion.
the females
will
now
animals,
hurt-
suggests
fact
implies delight.
occurs in the
holes in
To
eye.
pi. in 42^2,
infer
the snake
is
from the
precarious.
last
Asp
The
hole] "in
in i
14^^ of
socket of the
viper]
it is
The
dwelling]
required by the
miXD,
parallel,
but
it
is
see
whether
very questionable
f^,
lighthole
unfortunately,
i.e.
if this
the
serpent's
shining,
glistening
eye;
make
rests
would
still
it
on a conjectural emendation
RV
put
for
mn
is
a con-
XI. 1-8
nn,
I.
three words
ijsj] all
viy,
"are
221
found in the later [OT]
first
litera-
ture" (Hack mann, p. 149); this is correct and not altogether insignificant,
lan was in use in the Aramaic dialect of N. Syria before the age of Isaiah
nanSn
cp.
NS/ 61'
ntin
and
45' ^)y or
mn
it is
n'3
Nu
17"
W)
in
Gn
NntJin
30^'^
renders
1.
tsHB',
= Cooke,
sceptre (Ps
it is
In Syriac
(^..^CLKi
in Assyr.
(Hadad),
Zinjerli Inscriptions
\tm,
'*"2D,
wands, and in
means
its
tree,
nttn
to
Aramaic
influence, for
Aramaic.
to occur in
2.
/^y^yJ
= ^2i3=
m.T
nxn"i nyn]
(cp.
.^aJ
2753).
ffi
3.
later
The
original text
is
at
nuT
m.T nxTn innni] a corrupt dittograph of mn' naV) nyn nn, not (Beer)
mr
The
V.^^
hand.
5.
evidence of
mm
by eiaipeia
.
Note
24^^).
in v.*
v.**
ffi
may be
in favour of
(Sc
Ezk
13 n'jni (cp.
v.^,
two
different
words
niiN
mr
the addition of a
|^ (cp. 16' n.).
is
are frequently used for both njn, nm (and derivatives) ; here, where both
words occur together, elXrifM^voSf which nowhere else renders either word, is
adopted in order to preserve the difference. 6. Nnoi] read lyv : the strongest
^iavri
evidence
rai
fflr
is
given above.
also inserts
Kal ravpos
=?
between Kal
ixo^x^P'-ov
among
them.
and koI
Vjyi)
f^).
D3
^offKTjdi^a-ov-
\4cjv the
jna]
ffi
words
^^et airrovs,
8.
rnn
n**]
pf.
tense,
and
this
remains suspicious in spite of Driver, 147; (3) the length of the line; {c)
apart from the possibility of its being found in the proper name 'nn% nn, the
root
is
unknown
frequent,
in
and means
Hebrew
meaning
The second
in
to lead^ direct
yet no trace
to stretch out
of these objections
is
to
pOl)
it
is
be found in either of
commonly
attributed to
it
in
is
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
222
XI. 9-16.
This passage
is
onnsD
to the
),
to the
Holy Land.
Che. treats vv.^*^^- ^*, Box '^^^' 1^, Marti ^-", as prose.
In vv.^2-i4 ^j^g
dominant rhythm in 3 3 ; this is probably not continued in v.^^, though the
V. has almost certainly suffered some textual corruption, leaving the exact
Marti treats vv.^^-ie g^g g^ poem of
nature of the rhythm an open question.
below.
two
distichs
v.
if this
were
right, the
poem
con-
^^
No harm
my
And
will
it
be
1^
And
Him
And
hand
'raise' his
come
shall
it
be glorious.
Lord
shall again
remains over, from Assyria and from Egypt and from Pathros and
from Cush and from 'Elam and from Shin*ar and from Hamath
isles
of the sea.
12
15
Nor
1*
And
off;
be jealous of Judah,
Judah vex Ephraim.
shall not
shall
they shall
Together
shall they
XI.
15
And Yahweh
will
9-i6
dry up
223
the
tongue of
the
sea
of
Egypt,
conspicuous in
so
vv.^*^,
is
not continued in
vv.^"^^.
In
yy
12-14
the tenor
to (vv.isf.)
order, but they deal with related subjects, viz. the future glory of
Sion,
and
its
attractiveness, as the
home
vv.^^- ; the restoration of the Jews at present disthe world, w.^^^* ^^^' ; the freedom of the future
throughout
persed
community from attack and internal dissensions (v.^^), and its
the Gentiles,
success in establishing
It is
its
authority over
its
neighbours,
is
v.^*.
the work
9 = 6525i> + Hab
accounted for by the context, and both the subject of the vbs.
and the meaning of psn are ambiguous. This closer cohesion
of the two parts of the v. with their respective contexts in 652^
and Hab 2^* is good reason for holding that their original homes
are there,
and
viz. that
there will be
the
no more
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
224
harm and
e.g.^
II in
vv.^-^,
If,
now,
v.^ is
the original
Hackm.
is
rhythmically
distinguished,
ch.
its
critically
maintained, that
v.^
the land.
All
my
the entire
earth (Hab.).
10.
Jewish community
The
will
XI. lo,
the
225
II
the
i.e.
v.^),
in
also 49^2,
as a signal, or
root no
an extraordinary combination of figures
might
at
suggest
once
a person,
doubt, as a technical term,
but
cp. ** my servant the Shoot," Zee 3^
the Messianic king
banner,
is
it
banner
(ct.
v. ^2).
the writer
is
citing
Him shall
religious instruction
(cp.
2^),
from him.
And
his resting-place
Dt
e.g.
12^,
of His
8^^)
first
part of the
the Cross
v.
people
The Lord
now scattered
will re-possess
over the
it
is
not due
572.
known
The
world.
style
is
is
loose,
and
all
means
is
that
Exodus, Yahweh
acquired (Ex 15^^, cp. Ps 74^) a whole people; He is now going
to acquire what remains of His people by gathering the exiled
Jews from all quarters of the earth. From Assyria^ etc.] either
there will be
a second acquisition
at the
VOL.
I.
15
COMMENTARY ON
226
Ezr 6^2
n^
iq2Q
^cp,
ISAIAH
Empire
as
the
Judah improb-
able,
indicates
his
far
western
horizon.
W. Max
Miiller
(DB
and expressiveness.
the four corners
a signal (^^
The
Dispersion
will
be brought back/;^^w
n.), in
W. Max
Miiller, in
DB
iii. 693.
but not Di., Che., Marti.
XL 12-16
227
be renewed in
For the future unity of Israel and Judah, see
Ezk
37^^^-
Hos
3^
and Hos
-Jealousy
"unto David
2^ (i^^); cp.
outward
of Ephratm
king" in
their
hostilities,
cp.
of Judah]
the vexers
(21))^
e.g.
^^.
p^-
D^"1SX n^5:p
Ephraimite sentiment
Ephraim
those
will
who
will
The two
is
of trans-Jordanic Palestine;
cp.
handi
of:
i.e.
cp.
Exodus
Ex
2 2'- 10
(v.i^), in
(8-
Jer
lit.
hand
(v.i^^-).
life
The
Shall be
will
(v.i^),
The second
iqIO^-.
would
in reality
be the
vv.18-16 is
6^.
Jg
4928ff.,
ffi (
= nnnm,
50^)
hand] 10^2
jj.,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
228
perhaps
hand',
The
is
it
of the
last part
v.
also
inadequately explained
is
may
Why
seven streams?
easily
wade
over.
And would
is
it
be smitten into
will
SBOT),
al.).
to
wade?
anti-
The
i.e.
a shallow stream
it
wady,
pnj,
strong enough to
it
renders nm' nx
Houb., Cond.
Hebrew
Nu
is
2*
xn^m
*"n
more analogy
lo^^ (P)
dependent on
of daghesh in the
banished, exiled
MT
14, ]n|]
Obs.
the
unequal.
i,
MSS
G-K. 20m.
Hebrews
in 271^ 568,
it
inn
(cp.
XII.
source (Du.)
G-K.
nx, see
115^^.
Hab
2^*.
Dt 4^; Dr.
25^8 (P),
read
12.
The Niph.
Mic
'nnj] for
the omission
ma is also used of
Dt 30* (Neh i).
part, of
3I8),
(Zeph
Ex
iib'KD
:
ihv irx
there
is
clotidy^
pinn,
still
nothing like
it
in Isa.
to he
sung on
(ii"-
of the
New
{h) vv.*-^
each
the occasion
15).
it
Exodus
of which
make
Songs of Deliverance :
The
to
the
14^^)
intended
47^),
16.
means in
less that
ne'xa
D!fj;3
ly^).
is
Nu
14^,
cstr. is
inn
is
it
nin\ n'JtJ']
read
Ezk
cp.
n^D nn nynS,
w^ d'dd]
Hebrew
and governing n\
*)*ov
see
d'ddd
*"'
the ace.
n' ]}'\^h='"'
Arabic than
in
On
nyn, ii^.
ct.
by
ni;n
Ex
9.
not speci-
is
vv.^*"-,
XI.
9-i6
AND
229
XII.
14^*^) in
Holy God.
seems obvious that the chapter was written to occupy
its present position after a collection of prophecies that spoke of
Yahweh's anger with His people, but concluded with an account
Whether this collection of prophecies was
of the New Exodus.
It thus
no
earlier
ii^^-^^, is
entire contents
further proof
Rhythm. \\i
in
*"
all
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
230
3:3;
those in
And
vv.^'*
are 4
4,
Yahweh,
for
me,
*And*
thine
me.
2
God
Behold,
I trust
is
my
my strength and my
And he has become my
For
i
salvation,
'
And
salvation,
song
'
is
Yah,
salvation.
and ye
day
proudly
Thou
I.
in the following
who speaks
poem, as so often
in the Psalter,
/give
it
occurs in
Gn
29^^,
in the
is
first
here addressed.
word
Book of
^^
pers. sing.
in the
away
Isaiah
The
vb. t|3K
other occurrences of
verses).
And
it
is
and temper of
away (RVmarg.)
anger as the
improbable.
is
sole
God]
away]
this
Psalm and
late
it
n.)
best to assume a
let
without the
art.
absolutely of the
one
XII. 1-6
231
"the
God
stars of
is,
^K in 1-39,
d = Ex
2C.
viz.
152,
9^=
lo^^ (El
which
Gibbor) and
And
is
YaAwe/i] is inserted in
after Va/i (cp. 26*),
dread no/] i9^^n.
but it is absent from dSc and from Ex 15^, and it overloads the
line.
3.
The
unfailing fountain of
figure of
3610 877.
Yahweh
Yahweh's grace;
And ye]
4,
(&
v.i.4a. b. C = Ps 105I.
(not his name^ as here) is exalted,"
And thou
cf.
characteristic
and
15I
in
rm
to] this
word
("iDT)
He
Jg 5^
ri3;
on the
cf.
Ps 93I ^':h
niW
in
HK^y:
mw
very
only here
it
nii^i
mn^;
is
Ex
similarly
is
as here,
all,
synonymous with
p"i
in lo^^
cp.
What
is
meant
is
the entire
is
Yahweh ...
God,"
I.
'Joq^^i
is
ab';]
MT
"When I shall have returned to thy Law thy anger will turn away from
me and thou wilt have pity on me " but ffi (/cal dTr^orrpe^as rbv dvfidv aov
KoL ijX^rjads fie), ,S = ^B'J?! (Hiph. ; cp. Ps 78^^, Job 9'* ^). Read, 'iDO^Pl l^tt a??;!.
Marti prefers to read 385', assuming a dittography of in |^ ; but the coupling
;
'
reached in the
is far
last
5.
ns;-n;p]
K^tib,
Pual part.
K^re nyiiD,
COMMENTARY ON
232
The Pual
ISAIAH
Iloph. part.
part, elsewhere
^23. 28|j
^yiin
XIII.-XXIII.
||
falls
13^-1423;
The Oracle
The
Fall of
Moab, i5f.;
The Tumult of
of
of Oracles "
the
first
section (13^),
work came
33
to
may
be attributed to Isaiah
f.
The
site
of the
who
captives,
14^'^]
at present exact
possibly
arrogant tyrant
entire world,
13220.(1
(<:)
i^^^-^^
see
according to section
in subjection the
{b) this
king was a
of {a)
make
(<:).
i-xiv. 23
XIII.
Whoever
233
was written
is
at
some time
final
Nineveh
in
c.
606
B.C.,
but before the actual Fall of Babylon in 538 B.C. ; not later than
13I9-22 prophetically,
538, for the fate of Babylon is described in
not ex eventu
writer depicts.
date about, or a
little
before,
name
symbolic
who
141-4*).
reveals
but
(14*'^^)
it is
quarters (see
style, that it is
merely
author of \^-^^.
We may
post-exilic editor
and
i4*^'2i)
who wrote
14^*** to
tions into
1422^-,
present form to a
have added
its
(132-22
Babylon.
He,
too,
may
132-22.
For some two thousand years and more the singularly unfortunate guess
who thought that the entire oracle was a prophecy of Isaiah's
of some editor
The
was
utilised
and 14^'^-^^, the two poems being possibly, but not necessarily, the
work of the same author. The analysis has been accepted by Che., Marti,
also belong)
COMMENTARY ON
234
and others
but with
less readiness to
or that 1422^
may belong
there
is
so
much more
ISAIAH
judgment
in the
i.
a reason-
is
show that it is earlier and, indeed, the work of Isaiah ; see below, pp. 251 f.
That the section 13^-1422 cannot in its entirety be the work of Isaiah
follows so obviously from the historical situation presupposed in 13^'^, that
it
Di., Che.
Introd. 67
commentary of Or.
XIII.
I.
Uhland,
The
Title.
For such
For defences of
ff.
1 1-1^
oracle
22^ 23I,
of]
Nah
i.e.
i^
concerning Babylon]
XIII. 2-22.
or utterance^
KEJ^D, oracle^
3''
in
(n.) 42^.
i^ n., 2^.
cp.
See
in vv.^-22
2,
it
:
is
3
;
at
In vv.^'^
3.
and even these were probably 3 2, for in v.^^ makkeph '^p""^'"'''' (cp.
DriNsr) ; and in v.*^** s^ijk may be intrusive (see n. below).
Of some 25
only one (v.'^** '') is 3 2,
distichs in vv.*-22 most are clearly 3
in
3
though by makkephing n*? with the vb. in vv.^***** 22<i two further 3 2 distichs
could be obtained.
On the other hand, if the makkeph be omitted after '?yi,
even v.*^*' is 3 3, not 3 2.
By omitting a word from the second line of several distichs (viz. in
yy 9d. lid. 12b. i4dj^ ]-jy assuming the loss of two words after v.2i and also after
V.21*', by treating v.^^ as two distichs (" Langverse "), and by other hazardous
treatments of the text and improbable line divisions, Du. nearly succeeds in
reducing the whole of vv.2-22 ^^ what he, and after him Marti, Box, and
Whitehouse, claim that it was 42 distichs 3 2. Box is less consistent than
Du. in his reconstruction, but still boldly claims that the whole is in the
rhythm of the Hebrew dirge. But if the 5 successive distichs in vv.^'* and
3
3,
II
MT
**
vv.^''*'"^^
rhythm
in
Hebrew.
is
no
i.e.
rhythm.
distichs neither
3 : 2 nor 3:3; but at least some of these are due to textual corruption ; see
Note, further, that vv. '' ^^' ^ were 2
notes on vv.'* ^- * ^^- '*.
3 unless a
:
;;
'
XIII. 2-22
word
II
contains in
The
235
all
only 4 accents
^^* ^ is 2
v.''*^*
(see n.)
v.^"^*-
*'
strophic structure,
if
irregular.
"
On
* ^^' ^^' ^*
a bare
^^
hill raise
the signal,
Wave
My
my
anger
To
*
Howl
As
ruin
all
for the
Therefore
day of Yahweh
And
And
.
all
indignation,
the earth.
is
near,
off,
hands
will
hang
it
cometh.
slack,
every heart
will
of
man faint.
be dismayed
Behold
the
will
day of
be aflame.
Yahwch cometh,
from
it.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
236
^
For the
stars of
heaven and
Orions
its
The sun
And
^^
moon
it
rises,
its
light shine.
dark when
is
the
make
will
evil,
the
will
bring
low.
^2 I
make
will
And men
^2
And
'
will
tremble/
its
place,
And
^*
And it
And
in the
shall
come
to pass, as a
his anger.
hunted
gazelle,
They
1^
^^
^''
as a flock with
" Behold
am
up
Against them the Medes,
Who take no account of silver,
And in gold find no delight.
I
stirring
18
And Babylon
The
Shall be as
2-22
XIII.
2<^
The Arab
shall
Nor shepherds
22
But yelpers
(?)
time
And
make
shall
its
on Heaven and
and
advance, vv>^-,
whom
they march,
earth, vv.^^^^
in the
summoning of Yahweh's
describes the
assembling
their
Medes who
Babylon
the
is
thereof,
nearly come.
is
The poem
is
vv.2^',
237
It shall
It
21
;;
threatened
own
lands
it
v.^*^
Yahweh's
are to be
the
terror
the
effect
In
vv.^^-^^.
and
vv.^'^
warriors,
is
and
warriors,
The poem
city.
stated that
it
in v.^^ that
with a
closes
site
of
Babylon.
a
The poem
poem which
is itself,
substantially as
it
Jew
stands, or
it
rests
upon
on
v.i'^.
Two
of
suggest
the
that
original
those
(of
processes
marked
one of
substance,
its
to
textual
change
in
corruption.
the
from
modifications beyond
are
Firstly,
dominant
its
there
rhythm
ordinary
to
is
which
clearly-
formally
Secondly, whereas
concerned with actual
conditions, and possibilities closely related to them, in other
places there appears the vagueness of an eschatological poem
the opening verses might well refer to superhuman armies of
distinguishes vv.^*^
in
vv.i'^'i^
the
poem
is
vv.^'22 (see
quite
above).
clearly
COMMENTARY ON
238
ISAIAH
be punished.
to
is
we
(vv.^-s),
are not
a bare
in
HDC^J
t,
hilt\
cp.
to
it is
Babylon
to enter
anger.
With
but they
2-4.
(v.^^)
(v.^^)
do so make
D^^'DC',
signals to the
hills,
be conspicuous.
will
e.g.
The gates of
19^^)
Medes
executants of Yahweh's
as the
If
to the 3
2 dietichs
might suppose that an eschatological fragment has
the
"V ^'^T\
nobles^
47'').
is
men
applied to
of rank
to take refuge in
On
3.
Yahweh than
to trust in nobles,"
Ps 118^.
see phil. n.
/]
Yahweh.
Consecrated ones^
i.e.
soldiers;
see
next line.
Cp. "consecrate nations against her," Jer 51^^;
" consecrate war, rouse up the warriors," Jl 4 (3)^.
War was a
therefore
those
who
fought
institution,
and
were
consesacred
crated and subject to strict laws of purity and taboo
2210-15^ 2
11^^, also
Jer 6*
22^^,
Mic
ones]
4.
Ashkenaz
*
its
They were
original form,
v.^'
kingdoms
the
is
of
3^^;
.
Ararat,
cp.
nations]
"Call
Minni,
and
so understood by Eus.
et gigantes juxta
tatur, et
her
Dt
Zeph
Kriegsalterthiimer. My proudly exultant
The mountains] of Media. /kingdoms
2 2^ n.
see
rightly criticised
LXX
Translatores
"Apertum
est
intelligendi sunt et
quod
latebat
quod nequaquam
XIII. 2-6
((&) of
all
239
and
his viceroys,
all
the
2. W3'i] followed
Ex
which
is
one of the
words
lost
By
over long.
ace. as in
('3i<'?),
perhaps shifted
down
distichs
4.
niD^D)?
mm]
for |
rare
see
BDB
198^!.
niD^'po] to
parallelism.
5-8.
warriors.
5a.
and Jonathan,
V. is
4
is
rhythmically peculiar in
its
present setting
it
is
a distich
Possibly the
v.
(Cond. ).
As
devastation
from
the Almighty]
from
of the
the root
and Amos,
p.
45).
The
coiner
present
*VW
MT
COMMENTARY ON
240
explained as
"''llJ^,
my
lord?
ISAIAH
compared with the
or
(cp. ^J*iN),
Book
Frequent as an archaism
of Isaiah.
and Ezk
use.
See, further,
name,
Ges-B.
HPN
i^* 10^,
Gn
Nu
49^5,
Ps 68^5
Ruth
91^,
Job and
in
24*- ^^ are,
i^o*"-,
P,
it
presumably,
f'
Job
4^.
cp.
Ps 104^^
is
7!*^
21^2^
Zeph
the heart
Of man
Ezk
6^4,
perhaps a misplaced
neighbouring distichs, 3
according to Di. the subj.
mentioned
just
fragment of a
in v.^
2.
And
8.
is
very improbable
lost distich.
For the
a. d.
is
the
figure of birth-pangs,
never found in the prophecies of Isaiah, see 21^, Jl 2^, Jer 50*^
Their faces are aflame] in feverish excitement;
49^*, Ps 48^.
Nah
cp.
7.
2^1, Jl 2^.
The obvious
parallelism of nra-in
one mutilated
distich
and
on'
'?3
and
DD' 33^
'?d
(Du., Che.
and the
^3,
Box)
is
another, far
Darkness and universal commotion accompanying Yahweh's judgment of the world for its
wickedness. 9a. b. On the text, see phil. n. 10. Darkness
9-13.
Am
8^ Ezk
KAT^^
p.
30^8 32'^-,
393.
Jl 2^0 3* 4!^
i^^,
Jer
parallelism.
same
Zeph
Its Orions]
brilliancy "
(BDB).
/i?^-.
c. (d.).
strange,
name meaning
7-14
XIII.
so, the
241
and
is
probably correct
myth
of "
some
fool-
sky for
the
to
if
TAe world]
The
i?3n is
never, like
entire world
violence; in 14^"
it is
its
wickedness and
for
pN,
be punished for
to
is
is
to
and violence
The
be punished.
following
(^2
may
^^\
be as wide and universal as the world but they might also apply
cp. 14^ (Hab i** ^2) for the first;
specifically to the Babylonians
-,
and note
that
Ch
222*.
Job
29*,
is
30^^*-
Ophir
situation of
DB
13a. b. Cp.
Jl 2^^.
tremble] so
iif.)^
is
^yy
it
K 9^-8).
ffi
heavens tremble,
9.
less
f]i
jnm
3:2;
r\'\-y!i\
nor
is
nnx
text is correct,
a case of
waw
ni3N N3 mn dv
the cast of
is
it
concomitantiae
(7^ n.).
Possibly r read
may
and
T\'\1V'\
as
niDN (ace. of
(Si {6vfi(adi^crTat
cp.
37*^').
14-16. Flight
VOL.
I.
16
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
242
as
98-20,
15
Ezk
For the
34*) flock.
figure, cp. i
22^^^
Ezk
sword
(v.^5)
the
cannot subsequently
but
it
possibility that
Zee
l6b. Cp.
us
pieces (Marti);
in
the
f.
description
But the
142.
spoiling
of
w.
the
is
original.
houses stands
text
the
the
it,
Behold
17.
Jer 57^^
Babylon.
I am
"Yahweh hath
stirred
up the
for
is
it
to
is
spirit
J^
586 b.c. to (cp. Si^^)] his temple." The historical situation in both passages is the same; Babylon still occupies a
supreme position in the eyes of the world ; but the Medes are
threatening that supremacy.
This historical situation can be
it existed not earlier than 561 B.C., and it ceased
closely defined
with
the
capture of Babylon by Cyrus in 538 b.c. The
to exist
done
in
Medes (HD,
first
Assyr.
Madaii
in Persian inscriptions
mentioned by Shalmaneser
11.
Mdda)
Median
are
and
in
by
Increasing in
power through the 7th cent., the Medes, or Umman {i.e. hordes of)
Manda,* at the end of that century, in alliance with, but without
the active support
of,
and
Down
to
i.
106, 185
Umman-Manda
(stele of
ed. Messerschmidt).
XIII. 15-21
243
between the Babylonians and the Medes (or Manda) but these
ceased with his death in 561 B.C. From the mention of the Medes
;
some
infer
that the prophecy was written before 549, in which year Cyrus
Who
overthrew the Median empire of Astyages (Dr.
212).
LOT^
regard not
attack
corrupt
see phil. n.
synonymous
being "^xdfem.
or the
Medes
the subj.,
is
ffi To^ei'/fiara
i^
womh\
veaviaKwv
<TvvTpi\}yov<XLv.
The order
The vb.
Dnyj cannot be the subj., nor can the subj. be either indef.,
cp.
csst
the
fflr,
and
is
mriB'p
must be
in 2
Ps I37^t the
8^^,
subj.
The
of COT
i.e.
pi.
if
bowmen, or
The fruit of
is
personal.
out of the three words on the basis of Jer 50^^ ^ 120-24. y^^^^
3 : 2, and therefore not in the rhythm prevailing in vv.^"^^.
j^jg
djstichs are
The
As when God
n.
i''
20a. b =
Jer 50^9^
W^, a
beast
meaning uncertain
precise
is
Ostriches]
cp.
34^^ 4^20,
cp.
commonly used
lit.
^414,
Mic
i^.
below in
Job
30^9.
Jer 50^^.
^\
(Del.),
v.22
cough
but this
echo/
Satyrs] D^l^yK^
to
is
D''tV i^VK',
COMMENTARY ON
244
Lv
Ch
177,
ii^*^,
is
ISAIAH
improbable.
Here as in 34^^
we must think of
the wont of
after
form
EBi.
see
s.v.
Satyr.
22.
DB
DB
(Mic
i^),
19. riDsna]
<?;;/(?
if niy
exceptionally 2
3.
verbi {c^.
is
G-K.
45<?)
with nx
Vn'] =: Shn;
Ps
v.^*^^-
'^
is
root.
ivr\ vh'\
ffir
jion,
has
is
and give
14)
c.
is
it
(ICi.).
badly supported by
many
to
yelp
animals.
j4jwJ, which
is
daifidvia, in
Jer
50^''
(G-K.
IvddX/xaTa,
145^)
yet
it
is
dracones.
a reading
But read
133B'1 is
doubtful.
n^maDni?.
nny
The
i-4a.
22.
n^-\p]
njyi] sing.
Whether
ffir's
34^^,
XIV.
is
the meaning
it
palaces
20.
at present
3,
iii.
noises
Jer 50^^ by
in 34^*
cp.
72^, the
U,S
(Dozy).
620.
9^^ lo^^j.
cp. ii^n.
i.
made mournful
620)
i.
kojtoik-t]-
deserted
n.).
restoration of Israel.
Babylon must
(ch.
(14^) it is
13), and that immediately
Yahweh's gracious purpose to set free the Jews from their
present captivity, and to re-establish them in Canaan (vv.^^-)
restored to Canaan, the Jews will sing a paean (14*^- ^^) over the
These verses are probably an edifall of the king of Babylon.
torial link (see above, p. 233) ; even the distichs in vv.^^- hardly
formed the original conclusion of the poem in ch. 13, which is
sf-,
which are prose, are
rather to be found at 13^2 0^ '^^ ^) and vv.^*marked off from both the poem that precedes and that which
fall
Du.,
al.
distich
some audacity
4,
even
if
the last
in vv.^^* or
XIII. 20-XIV.
matter of fact two distichs (3
of 3 accents
two
1
v.^^-
is
245
3 or 3
according as
2,
Dn''B'j:a
and
^*'
a monostich
be read as one or
accents.
For Yahweh
House of Israel
ground of Yahweh for
the
2^
slaves
and
place,
and
possess
will
of Jacob.
slave-girls,
to their captors.
(former) task-masters.
And
it
shall
come
to pass in the
Will again
Zee
2^^.
Dt
7 6^-,
I.
i^^
and say
Ezk
2o5^-.
n''3n
is
Israel
and
I will settle
you upon
he
lived,
distinct
among whom
Such rights
naturally carried with them some accommodation
privileges.
and privileges
on the part of the ger to Jewish religious practices for example,
it was incumbent on the Jews to concede the privileges, and on
the ger to observe the laws, of the Sabbath (Ex 20^^ 23^2^
yet as
late as the Deuteronomic code the ger was no full member of
the holy nation he might eat unclean food (Dt 14^^).
In P
the term has become purely religious
persons not Israelite by
descent may by accepting the rite of circumcision become as full
members of the community as those born Jews, and subject to
the same rights and duties (see, e.g,^ Nu 15^^ n.).
P seems to
;
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
246
who becomes a
descent
it
is
word bore
to
some of
the Greek
some books
translators, for in
and
as in P,
it is
is
community
The
restored Jewish
possession
The
of the
will
restored
people,
as
slaves
and
slave-girls.
presented
elsewhere
nw
-Join himself]
mission.
29^*),
which
Yahweh;
unto Yahweh
and
shall
(^)
on the
sing, collective
term
corrupt.
2.
And
cp. the
or sub-
(Nu
iS^),
and
is
and
attachment
the Jews
conversion
is
{do^^-^'^)
Will become
see
2^^ (Kal),
Job
30'' (in
49^2.
Hos9^; "the
2^^.
^m;
(v.^ n.).
be turned
those
XIV. 2-21
and
phrase slaves
247
Gn
',
'*^-
to political dominion,
Ex
used as in
Captors
3.
3''
5^,
Job
to their captors']
The
exiled
Hiphil
is
3^^
below in
now addressed
is
from servitude
Dt s^\ Job
rather differently
is
5^2,
Jg
nation
RV
which
used
ct.
31^.
In Dt.
Giveth
vv.^*^.
{e.g.
IT'jn,
cp.
251^) the
Toit] cp.
The hard
service]
Dt 26^ Ex
taskmaster
"
i^*
was worked with thee^ the Pual (Dt 2i^t) is the passive
to work by means of, Lv 25*^, Ex i^*, Ezk 3427 etc.
4. Thou shall take up] on the lips, and so utter y cp. i K 8^^,
Taunt-song] so may 7^^ be
Jer 7^^, and the noun KK'D, 13^ n.
rendered here and in Hab 2^, Mic 2* ; on other meanings, see
wherewith
of '3 niy,
it
lit.
f.,
is
clearly
3:2;
vv.^*
^*
it
is
On
The
first
twenty-one distichs
v.^'^*''^^*
see notes.
(vv.'*^"^-^)
are
clearly
marked
off,
as
Ew.
COMMENTARY ON
248
ISAIAH
on
this point.
^^
it
On
12-15, where
Carmina
some
poem
Morgenlandesy
see especially
Budde
in
ZA TlVy
1882, pp.
loi
viii.
202
f.,
and Wiener
W. H. Cobb,
f. ;
vsxJBLit, xv. 18
Kunde
des
ff.
I.
^ How
staff of
the wicked,
in wrath,
at rest, is quiet.
is
The
a ringing cry;
at thee,
lain
2.
Sheol beneath
is
thrilled at thee.
Making
rise
up from
their thrones
They
shall all of
And
*'
made weak
made like."
Unto us
^^
them answer
say to thee,
art
as we,
And
(of)
worms
is
thy coverlet.
XIV. 4-21
^*
^3
of
dawn
God
of
may
the
air nations
Heaven,
art
249
my
throne,
(enthroned)
sit
the
in
Mount
of
Assembly,
In the recesses of the North
^* I
will
Yet to Sheol
To
^*
They
To
1''
shalt
And
18
overthrew
its
cities?"
glory.
the
thrill,
'
(?)
slain.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
2SO
5-
Thy people
Never more
The seed
21
shall
it
be named,
of evil-doers.
For the
That they
And
fill
which
at
his career
his
are
fall,
had
inspired,
effectively
contrasted.
relief
The second
and joy
strophe
all the kings of the earth, who are amazed that one
who had been so much greater and more powerful than they, is
now weak as one of themselves. In the third strophe the over-
greeted by
miscellaneous
first,
future
member
How
far
of his line
does
this
may
poem
How much of
how much by the
was determined
it
by certain
imagination of the
poet ?
in
v.i^,
Of
definite events,
battlefield
after
the
battle,
v.^^,
all
v.^,
of the shades
of which
betray a keen
XIV. 4-21
2$ I
allusion to the
!)
was adopted by
pp. 4iofF.,
satisfactory theory that the allusion
{ib.
my
father
by expiation
will
COMMENTARY ON
252
ISAIAH
may have
Numbers^ pp.
xiii
f. )
is,
in spite of
to 3722-29
^juj-
there
is
Is I4**'"2i
and
37^^'-^
The
Relief of the
World
Tyrant. How] so
v.^^
^2.
^^Ji). certainly
to fear,
'\Vi'?r\y::i
may
rather
mean
been
The
iii.
in 51^^.
5.
The
is
mean
originally
,
may be
the
Broken has
9^
appositional (Kon.
wicked
staff, the
imperious
Ezk
19^*.
XIV. 4-1
proved wicked:
itself
But
lo^'^^
cp.
253
if
this
struction be correct, since the terms Q^)J^i (i3^0' D^^'^^ (49^ 52^)
are plural, the writer has not in view merely a single individual.
nSD
Which
6.
refers
KAT^,
Hebrew
p. 190.
is
Ps
^6^^^-
more
affecting
them
alone.
v.^^ 43^^,
u.
Geist, p.
Job
105.
14^2^
name] Del. suggested p/ace where they are made to pine away, from an
unknown 3m = an, or an. Very improbable. It is commonly
4.
otherwise
an abstract,
^Trto-TrouSacrriJs
ffi's
iinffirov8,
p. 199) conjectures
non-cessation
niayp
Am
BDB,
In
(P.
l*
cp. v.^
6. n^o]
p. 116^.
as in
rrrp
but
mn
to rule,
i?^9J
in the context.
strict rule,
does not
or
we may
NH
MT
Piel
meaning
instance of njn
9-1 1.
to
break in pieces, in
The
Mic
cp.
3'.
There
is
no secure
pre-exilic
This strophe
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
254
reported
him
so
common
lot
that
These kings of
e.g.
great that
earlier days,
the distinctions of
(cp.
life
were
in
322iff-,
Ezk
respectfully rise to
reflect at
a hunter
who
(5^*,
Hab
2*,
Pr
On
these
or
and
other ideas with regard to the dead which appear in this passage,
EBi. 1338
DB
668 f. ; F.
Schwally, Das Leben nach dem Tode ; A. Jeremias, Die Bab. Ass.
Vorstellungen vom Leben nach dem Tode
mit beriicksichtigung
Parallelen
Langdon,
Baby,
Eschatology^
in Essays
der
S.
;
to C. A. Briggs (191 1), pp. 141-161 ; and C.
presented
Griineisen, Der Ahnenkultus^ pp. 41-60 (with full references to
see, further,
ff. ;
Hastings,
i.
739
f.,
v.
AT
comparative material).
5^5, i
14^^; of
kingdoms,
23^1), is also
32^^^-,
weak
13'^),
or enfeebled (cp.
The term
v.^^),
continuations of
^^,
Job 26^, Pr 2^^ 9^^ 21^^, Ps 88^11, and in Phoenician: cp. e.g.
" Mayest thou have no seed among the living under the sun, nor
Tabnith
resting-place with the shades" (D^KSn DN nDK^D)
Inscr. c. 300 B.C. (Cooke, NSI^ p. 26).
Whether the term
used for the vanished giant race (e.g. Gn 15^^: cp. "the valley
of Rephaim," 17^) is identical in origin, as well as in form, is not
absolutely certain; but see, further, Schwally, in
ZATW^
1898,
XIV. 9-15
The
pp. 127-135.
255
used
and
specifically
human
figuratively of
in life
worms
coverlet of
60^5)
to this has
9. D'pn
Ti'iy]
pflf.
cp. ^T iD'pN
pff.
abs.
n'D3D]
MSS
many
ys']
IDDD
pf.
The Tyrant
12-15.
Gn
nm
coverings 23^^,
iiDSD,
nr^K
but
therefore Dprr
3rd masc.
8^'
as 4^ 23^
lived.
.
Read
feiti.
Pual
pomp (pw
the
amid which he
(5^^)
3rd
come
is
ace,
if
Tiy
G-K.
infin.
\2\a.
b.
also
P.
heaven of his
The Tyrant is half
hell.
12.
Ezk
The
uncertain.
myth, and
28^^'^^;
natural
affects the
still
rise
to the
may be
when
the seasons
it
such as Venus,t at
star,
other seasons
brilliance of
2828)
or
it
be connected with
begin to shine
Lk
sun" {EBu
iqIS).
Cp.
a)or<^o/oos
shine (13^^
Job
2 9^ 31^6 4110^
cp.
hhr\, to
(cp.
the Arabic
Son
<tn>icr<l>6poSi
name
Venus
for
i^^^
if
ellu, bright.
F Lucifer (cp.
jij,
the
bright
shining one.
It
(3^^ n.)
{Gesch, Isr,
crescent
ii.
necessary, for
nriK^ to
read
in^
24):
moon ( J)U)
the
if
we might suppose
ATAO
KAT^ 464,
565.
that
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
256
TiTn
is
Hewn down
in the
morning
king
described as cast
is
to the earth,
sky.
28^^*^^
Ezk
moon {KAT^
it
of
may be
all
is
seen
to the
565), which
Ex
17^^
MT (see
Dr. adloc.)-.
conceal an epithet like " Hammer
or the line
may have
depicted the
shining one lying powerless on the corpses (nV13 for D^IH*) of those
whom
The
he had led
tive;
he
is
is
Most High.
13
f.
moment
with, or represented as
renewing the presumptuous role of, the mythic hero (v. ^2). The
opening boast (v.^^- ^) might indeed be mere hyperbole (cp.
Job
20^),
the wicked
may
God
did not govern the earth (cp. Job 2 2i2flf.^^ y^^^ j^g
does not think of dethroning the Most High and taking over the
as though
administration of
by
"Ambitious aim
Against the throne and monarchy of God."
which here govern the poet, sat enthroned above the stars
of God in the highest point of Heaven, or, as the next line puts
it, in the Mountain where the gods assembled in the recesses of
The Mountain of Assembly] cp. "the Mountain of
the North,
28I6
for Assembly (nV^JO), cp. the Tent of Assembly
;
God," Ezk
(nj;i^ i>'"ifc?), which may originally have meant a tent for the
assembly of the gods, though to the Hebrews it came to bear
quite another meaning (Ex 33'^"^^, and may have had a connection with the Babylonian conception of the World-Mountain
piercing into heaven, where the gods assembled to determine
That I may
destinies {KAT^ 592, cp. p. 355 with references).
V] enthroned; cp. 10^^, Ps 61^, and frequently of Yahweh, e.g.
Ps 2* 9^ 29^^. The recesses'] lit. the two flanks (^")D1"*), but
idiomatically the most distant parts: see 37^*, i S 24*, Am 6^^,
The recesses of the Norths in Ezk 38^- ^^ 39^, has not the
Jer 522.
tions
Gunkel, Schdpfung,
p.
133
Che.
{SBOT),
XIV. I3-20
same sense
as
passage in Ps 48^
the
in
257
may be more
closely parallel
difficult
here, as the
ATAO^
2of. 14.
mouth of a
rare
Psalter, p. 84.
in use
Note
pre-exilic,
but a
Origin of the
see Che.
f.;
24I6, in
in
352
Nu
here, as in
\\h)3
was
KAT^
the Northern
the
is
it
ct.
10).
i.
15.
The
v.^^ (n.).
synonym
for Sheol
and
(cp. e.g. Ps 88^ Ezk 26^0 7^2^^-'^% conceived as resembling a
vast cistern, roomy below but with a narrow mouth or opening
is
6916-1K3).
(Ps
word
to
and h^ before
nn:,
which may be
Sy th\n\
With
right.
MT intends the
D'u
t^Vn,
cp.
Job
<&.
for
14^, Jl 4^.
The once
intense
out of heaven over men, Ps 33^*: with the last usage, cp.
nn:5fn.
Providence. l6c. d.
question occurs in
23^".
17c, 18. It
is
of
NH
astonished
any of the
words of these lines belonged to the speech that began in v.^*'.
From the resumption of the address to the king (cp. vv.^^f.^
16a. b^^
^g u^ay assume that the speech has ended before v. ^9,
and v.^^*** ^ which is antithetical to v.^^, should naturally also
VOL.
I.
17
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
2S8
fall
be
stantially correct,
V.^'^*'
word)
may
an explanatory apposition to his prisoners (Du.) ; this, as compared with the verse division of ?^, RV, has the merit of
maintaining the rhythm of the poem unbroken through vv.^^^*
while
stated
still
it
:
the antithesis of
leaves
vv.^^^*
and
^^*-
^ well
all
burial,
his house,
in
cannot
if
The
poet doubtless
means
common
mities
captives, according to
and therefore
^)
comes
v.^''*'
is
in a slightly
and
^) is
He
emended
v.^^^
is
seriously
corrupt.
still
remains.
I9-20a.
The
Not imTyrant's
trodden under
foot,
where
its
own mausoleum
it fell
(v.^^), lies
outcast,
XIV.
So much remains
clear
20
19,
we have
but
259
the disjecta
membra
rather
than the whole of the distichs in which the poet indicated the
contrast to
Art
v.^^.
thrown
malefactors,
tomb
down
(2
is
or,
13^^),
those of
like
to
stones
BDB
(2)
away from
(far)
thy tomb
see
It
b.
Like an abhorred
which
"i^D,
is
.]
rendered by B, Theod.,
to one another.
and
commonly
in that case
human
badness
meaning
e/cTpwjua,
Schwally
family expelled
tDn^
and
an epithet
is
that of the
Jer. alludes
{ZATJV, 189 1,
ill-suited
improbable.
is
shoot
his
seem
scion of a
see
(11^ n.).
Job
p.
{ib.
to
sanies
258) conjectured
1904, pp.
as a
^533,
rendering.
untimely birth
the slain
it is
is
the stones
of the Tit]
is
sound
here.
That go down
to
cede, as a plural
If ^:3K
i^N,
to the
COMMENTARY ON
260
stones
of, is
^J3^< is
ffir,
Sheol {y}^
a
n.),
'JIN,
mouth
whom ?
of
i.e.
Others
(v.^^).*
tomb or grave
(22^^;
Ges.), or
the
the casual
of
doubtful.
of the pit
to the stones
{i.e.
which
n.),
since
him with
stones which were rolled up to
a grave (Mt 28^; Hitz.).
20.
Pit"
Pit, the
down
of the
recesses
stone or rock
that go
fl^
grave into
ISAIAH
Du.
and prefix as a
by conjecture thy fathers
prefixes
^povffiv.
i6c.
nin] r
briefly,
nt.
vny]
The emphatic
tion,
position of the
n('')DK
object vtdx
in
wnb
B"K
nnfl
ah vroH
dSs
D'13
ni333 IDDtf
'dVo
But
in'aS
VH
is
1^ is effective.
where
in'33 vt<
it
stands in
nns x^ vtdkS
tihsn n'2
I
W33 VH
But the
first
1)222 133B'
d'?D
D'U "2^0
still
is
anti-
MT
the
commoner
and Aram,
jyo
are
it is
(Ezk 16). Oi)k ^<rTat Kadaphv oiirui ovd^ ai/ fa-g Kadapbs
something very different from rr{\2^2 onx nnn vh with '2 ,
;
p.
133
may
,
Che. {SBOT).
represent
nnn
x*?,
cp.
261
XIV. i6-2i
Gn 49*. Elaborate
as the mutilated fragment of five distichs, offer, are of necessity very un-
May
2ob-2i.
my land
my people
doubtless understanding
Ezk
by
great conquering
meaning
Or
or Babylon.
Assyria
of
kings
is
the
downfall of the state and people, that the people have exchanged
the role of the conqueror for the fate of the conquered
this
particular trait
might
Nabonidus, or the
fit
all,
last
Then
king of
Seed of
the face
slaughtered.
And
tyranny (Del.)
Ps
10^^
in
Hos
78H
of so that
force
not\
cp.
certain occurrences
chs.
and
its
D^'iy
'nopi in
4^^)
(Ilitz.), D'^ni;
v.'^'
cp.
'QL.
Among
(Ew.), ony
(Cobb).
emendations
nmn
(Di.), niVN,
::
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
262
Yahweh promises to wipe out the Babyand to make of Babylon a desolate city. This
22-23.
lonians,
is
DW
I will
f.
The
vv.'*^'^!
response to
v.2^.
^ of
porcupine] 34^^
n.
proud
must be swept away;
destruction] the
14IO, 2
i;"iT,
will sweep
city
it
23.
the
compared
besom of
to filth that
2ii3.
in
is
away with
implicitly
is
for
cp.
iTjiNtsxtii]
XIV. 24-27.
YahweJis plan
to destroy
For a
full
Assyria on the
Mountains of Palestine.
The opening words down to vh dk fall outside the rhythmical scheme, are
^, and may be editorial. The ten lines that follow fall into
absent from
sense.
25a.
Two, or
b is
2
if
25c.
mN^u be omitted
1^ 2
4, or,
And
25
That
And
as I have planned
even
break Assyria in
will
trample him on
my
my
This
is
And
the
this
pass,
land,
mountains.
remove.
plan that
is
hath
against
27
For Yahweh
And
his
of Hosts
hand
4:4;
3.
is
hath planned,
all
the nations
can turn
it
back
it
formula;
initial
and subject ;
yy
or fragment
is
it
24-27
it
approaching destruction
the
Some
is
vv.^"^^
^ith
263
by a
follows
fresh
fall
of Babylon,
of Assyria.
editorial
It
note
is
(v.^s).
'^^'^^
lo^"^-
of
St pers.
If the
fragment
is
and
(v.^^),
room
ZATW\\\.
Yahweh
16,
and Marti.
Am
As I have
thought']
Nu
Gn
42 6^ 8^,
e.g.
33^^;
22^^,
ntS'n
occurs also
in 10^, but
10'':
it
campaign of Sennacherib;
and ideas in v.^s and v.^^
not rhythmical.
my mountains
recalling Ezekiel
it
is
v.^^* is
and
v.^*^,
v.^^
is
it
Yahweh's plan
clear that
He
is
is
to destroy Assyria,
(cp. 63I-6)
and
in order that
it
may be
to take place in
hills
17
mangling
(cp.
Ezk
Yahweh
is
3816-
22f.
on the
conceived as a warrior
(1355^,
3921^.),
is
Lev
2ii9)
and
then trampling (Ps 44^ 60^*, Zee lo^) on the prostrate corpse
(cp. 14^^) of
i^ n.
lo^^ n.
Assyria]
if
Empire,
this
its
all
events before the close of the 7th cent., and anticipates the
elaboration of the idea in
Ezk 38
f.
If,
as in Ezr
622,
Assyria
is
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
264
62^-
op.
19^,
mode
a favourite
" is
of reference to
power,
i7
392-
25c.
d. Cp.
lo^^.
The
in
26.
Not only
Assyria,
speaking,
strictly
the
is
object
of
Yahweh's plan all the nations of the world also must assemble
on the mountains of Judah to feel there the destructive power
:
of
(3)^2ff.,
Some understand all the earth and
4
nations to be entirely synonymous with Assyria so Di.,
Yahweh
all the
who
cp. Jl
appeals to 10^* 8^
ly^^f.
and
297 ^o^^,
27*
also
Cp.
The hand
13^
Nu
Is 43^2,
23^^,
Dn482(35), job9i2.
24. kS-dk
yajj'j]
(B om.
mpn
25.
"Mtffh]
is
V.2*; in the parallel clause the inf. passes over into the impf.
iDDtf]
DDDt?
cp.
.T'?yD.
niD']
28-32.
The
is
introductory note,
another distich
v.^^, is
prose
w.^'*^ consist of 6
distichs, * ^
the opening words of v.^^ are not, but look like the
The
parallel in sense
intrusion of
into
K'nj
^^^^
which
3 or 4 accents.
is
On
a possible
below
28
Rejoice not,
this oracle
entire Philistia,
feed,
security
he
slay.
";
"That
Some
give
And
will
265
it
is
Sion,
the poor
nation
(v.^^), i.e.
(v.^^)^ ^ill
promises that
on
Philistia,
we may
" that
and
it
same
same
and
(2)
we may
that
(i) the
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
266
"
Some
hold that
it
is
an
editor's inference
inferred, so
it
is
There
is
note
the chronological
is
note
its
evidence, therefore,
Unfortunately, even
uncertain
within
certainly alive in
death
in
727,
i.e.
of a
i.e.
in
in
iS^^),
(36^),
as 720.
If
727 be the
Tiglath-pileser,
who
also died in
would be
and had treated Philistia with
campaign
the
lightly dismissed.
must not be
if
Philistia,
severity
It
particular
can be no
Shalmaneser,
inflicted, so far as is
is
known, no defeat on
Philistia
subject of prediction: in 727, Isaiah may have anticipated a renewal of Assyrian hostility against Philistia, which as
"asp"
is
till
XIV. 28-32
267
It is possible that
death of Ahaz
" rod " with Shalmaneser.
But
it
point.
many have
identified the
705.
Sargon's
i.e.
7),
1428-32
theory that
jg^ \\\^q
14^"^^
a post-exilic
poem
referring to
is
n.).
(2) is
^2, the only parts of the poem affected by the argument, might well
But ^**
subsequent
additions (see especially n. on ^^' '').
be
*>
28. Cp. 6^
Ex
for
29.
OT
(v.^',
15!^ Jl
4*,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
268
occurs in Assyr.,
FilistUy
Canon
for 734,
Dynasty
(c.
e.g.
and Pilesheth
945-745
b.c.)
ana
Pilista in the
{jnatti)
Eponym
cp. io20-24
staffthat smote thee\ cp. lo^ or the staffof thy sjtiiter {f^)
14^ (9^); in the latter case the broken stick corresponds directly
:
change of
figure
line.
and the
is
from
root, i.e.
rod came.
is
mischief will issue from the same quarter as the mischief that
past
if
is
if ?'^^
It is quite
unsafe to assume
a future increasing
peril
to
?)DiyD
The
(Gn
^^ refer
first is
49I7,
generic
Am
(Gn
3),
but
is
venomousness.
refer
5^9,
to specific types
but
;
:
XIV. 30, 31
269
probably also
ii*.
is
v.^^*-
is
no natural sequence
(v.^^*''
^)
natural sequence
sl
v.^^^
meadow or on my mountains
And
the speaker.
rendering rests
the subject
is
on the reading
the
same
ri"'Dn^
as in v.^^^. d
(fflrST)
for
Many
case
Yahweh
is
I will slay
two
prefer to obtain
parallel line
which
Philistia is to die is
" within
thy gates,"
i.e.
in
all
e.g.
cp.
thy
country as
it
Philistia
the next
line,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
270
that a
is
cp.
s^''.
32.
In contrast to Philistia
(vv. 29-31), Sion, the existing city (ct. 28^^ n.), is safe, for
none other
Yahweh's
people will find a secure retreat (cp. v.^^** with n.).
So much is
clear; but how this idea was introduced and connected with
what proceeds is not clear, for the opening words are a corrupt
fragment of an entire distich (see phil. n.).
It is possible that
v.^2 was not the original continuation of v.^^ ; but if it was, then
than
it
Ps 87^)
(cp. 54^^,
in Sion,
**
the
odd expression
the messengers
must imply
result of corruption,
of {the) nation,
not
if
itself
the
send envoys
to
answer.
addressed to messengers of
of Jerusalem
more
Assyria demanding the
be
doubtless
is
relevant
if
capitulation
error (cp.
lo^)
v.^^**
more
is
easily
(&,
MT n.i33,/^j/-
V.2*.
TTTWXoi
5t'
^-^cDAJ
avTOV.
:
(H?
inq:
^iBp'
Ti'D'i
722;,
'nom]
inj;iD]
aveXei
i.e.
the
dueXei; S
inlerire faciam
itJ'nK'] ffi
Kon.
word
249//^.
li^iD is
nna
D'"?!
is
A-lJLd"JO
On the
J1D3] inf.
and
for
interficiam.
rh <nripixa aov
iii.
ffi
r's equivalent
ny.io
abs. Niph.
G-K,
XIV. 28-32
AND
XV. XVI.
271
is
S
'U,
The
done
with f^ is to treat my' as a vb. with an indefinite subject (G-K. 144(f), wAai
this is obviously unsatisfactory.
:
% reads
then shall one answer (RV) ; cp.
n:j;;j,
what answer shall we give also improbable. Very unconvincing
An
calamity.
" word of
appendix,
16^2^-,
treats
the entire
oracle
as
The
writer.
if
oracle
It
is
the
interpretation of
many
In the
first
place,
it is
to
many textual
48.* Thus
variations
and much
differ-
i5i-2t>
J i-2c-7a
Tgj. ^gSTa.
^^.
56-11
16^2
Even
in
_ Tgj.
and
But
4g29.
is to be found there.
Was then the
compiler of the cento in Jer 48 familiar with Is 15. 16, or did
he and the editor of Is 15. 16 alike make use of an elegy over
Moab of which the whole or much of Is \^^-\(y* and 16^2 formed
no
part
there
is
The
* Cp. the translation and notes in Dr. Book offer, 280 ff.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
272
much
of
of
expressive,
the
= Is
the
person (15^^
first
element
is
16''),
throughout descriptive,
is
which
emotions
Jer 48^^
16^2^
i5''''*-i6^
when
it
naturally
is
On
161
(Is 15^
i6-^^: also
refers to
ffi)
conspicuous; note
n\ni,
used
or
an outlet
find
appears, of
it
But
i6^-*.
this differ-
15. 16
cannot be
in being prophetic,
Yahweh as the speaker (cp. e.g. Jer 48^If we are right in this conclusion, we have
and
Such
more
in introducing
ssy
to inquire whether
closely determined,
may belong
all
is
(i)
lines of
i57b-9a
when
48 made use of it. Even 16^, if iiDm be read for HMI, might
have formed part of the elegy; but the awkwardness which is
occasioned by the present position of this v. may be due to the
certainly corrupt state of 16^.
(2) Possibly enough some of the
We
number
less
mutilated,
refrain.
The
is
If,
would result ; and this is some confirmation of the conclusion that most at least of that section is really
foreign to the elegy.
(3) 16^ though also found in Jer. is unlike
the rest of the elegy (note the \'sX plural\ and may be a reflection
on it which, at an early period of the text, was incorporated in
the elegy.
To
safest
facilitate
where
all is
uncertain and
a continuous translation
in
oize
w
'8
^
**wiai^*'
3%%\
'OS
Wis
C'l
\.'
t
=l
>
_.,-k'-*|.AX-
f\:
aAOM
HAmJL TO THA*I
v"f.*n9mfnoO Hi ifi^Jaull^ oJ
:vx .VI s T s x.al no
'1
H J
be
-3
*->'^
OS
itMWfl->6
o+ee ii
^rto-i
o^ c t
3520'
SB'ao'
Long'
Last
35^0' of Greenwich
WiAK
31
36
Johnston
L*?
tdinburfh L London
XV. XVI.
the elegy
15^^-16^
given
is
The
first.
text
is
is
273
and of
(6) 7-1
16^2
An
1.
It is often said to
place.
jtg
Elegy on Moab.
jj^
is
it
difficult to
be kinah rhythm
speak with
but if so,
was 3
certainly,
see, e.g.^
I5^"'* *
On
3.
distich 15^^*
16"^
** ;
more
often the
The rhythm
with phil. n.
15^*- ^
I.
Because
in
(single)
night
*Ar
been
has
Moab
Because in a night
^KLir
spoiled,
undone;
is
Moab
is
undone.
*
*The
daughter
of Dibon
hath
ascended
high
the
places to weep;
[Upon
all
howl.
is
all
clipped,
loins sackcloth.]
On
his
'
roofs
and
in
his
squares (Moab),
and
*
all,
one
howls,
**
My
Moab.
2.
^ ^
5^
cry of destruction.
18
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
274
616
right are
his
pratings.
7
Therefore
'
howl
'
'
for
'
Moab,
'
3-
For
^
the tract of
The
lords of nations
its
down
^ Its tendrils
*^
Unto
wilderness.
^
Wherefore
tears,
(?)
1^
And
joy
is
fallen,
thy vineyards.*
And
in the vineyards
The wine
11
Wherefore
And my
The
my
is
given,
bowels for
inward parts
Moab sound
for Kir-heres
Moab,
and
then
[sound
depicts
Moab.
(sites to the S.
fell
like
a pipe].
and
its effect,
the
lamentation
The
disaster ap-
is left';
like a harp,
the destruction of
pears
'is
no ringing cry
before the
enemy
;;
XV. XVI.
275
The
tion
and desolation
some
at
least
all
uncertain
but
south,
text
i.e,
of
identifying the
Wady
Edom
is
if
15^^-16^
than
than the composition of Jer 48
but the dates of these are unfortunately also uncertain.
It
the Appendix
(i6^3^-),
belongs to an age
and
It is earlier
earlier
when
the territory of
Moab
stretched far
B.C.,
was Moabite
but there
before and
is
at
no
how long
after
the
show
how long
time of Ezekiel the Moabites
definite evidence
to
precisely
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
276
But we may infer with great probability that the district both south and north of Arnon was overrun by Arab
nomads, who so completely subjugated the ancient population
held
it.
own name
of Nabataeans, or Arabians, to
The
Ezek. in the early part of the 6th cent, foresees such an invasion
Mac
9^^^-
so, later,
i.
Moab
quest of
which
fell
is
still
more
difficult to
Appendix or epilogue
(i6^3f.)^
or of
judged to be an interpolation.
But it will be convenient to say what may be said at this point.
(1) We can hardly simplify the problem by attributing the
15^^-16^,
if
for the
"
Yahweh
XV. XVI.
277
j^g
present form
is
(see
15^^),
tion
indecisive;
is
they show
text,
little
anything decisively
or nothing necessarily
Isaianic;
for
the
fact
late,
nor again
some
that
of the
it
Isaiah
is
B.C. (Introd.
27),
it
age of Isaiah.
(3)
it
is
no
itself to
which
Che. Introd. 85 f., Di. p. 146, where, however, the list of expressions not
found in Isa. includes along with a few which, taken together, have some
weight, some which are textually doubtful.
points decisively
ticular age
away from
many,
Isaiah
does
The
style,
however
though
this
therefore,
1 6^"',
is
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
278
among others,
W.
R. Smith,
Du. ascribes the elegy to a very recent date the epilogue only fits a
when the hope was cherished of thoroughly destroying the Moabites
and the Nabataeans ; such a period is that of Alexander Jannaeus ( 104-78
B.C.).
The elegy itself should not be much earlier, and may refer to a
Nabataean incursion in the 2nd cent. B.C., the ruler in Sion (16^) being
:
period
B.C.).
Marti suggests that the elegy written in the 5th cent, (see above) may,
not long after it was written, have been turned into a prophecy by the
addition of
5^*^-1 6.
Ew. {Fropheten^y
elegy
(3)
i6^'**
to Isaiah.
to
reference
may be made
to
Barth, Beiirdge (1885), pp. 20-23, ^.nd the commentaries of Del. (Eng.
tr.
section
or
all
XV.
i-5a. First
However
i.
Cp. 17^*
"At
evening, lo
Ar {of Moab)]
terror, before
morning
Moab
it is
;
no more."
see
Nu
21^8,
where the only (other) occurrence of the name in the form *Ar
But the same place is intended by the
of Moab is found.
abbreviated form 'Ar, which on one view of the construction
the form used here, in
Moab
in
Nu
22^^, *Ir
Nu
Dt
and *Ar being
21^^^
is
and probably by 7r
indistinguishable,
if
the text
XV.
286),
S.
Ar
Ele'aleh.
section,
279
Dibon and
E. of
i.e.
I,
17
covers a district
Kir Moab']
is
city.
(16'^
n.),
there
is
na convincing
unknown
If
mentioned here
is
northward
it is
incorrect,
only,
is
quite
we
indicated in vv.^-*
line
might
in
Moab, which
from the
infer that
it
lay
Arnon and 13 E. of the Dead Sea. "Dhiban is usually described as lying on two hills ; but there are really three
.
Probably
but
all
three
hills
along
over the road and the shallow wady beside it to the slopes beyond,
on which are many scattered ruins." " At one period or another
the town must have been as large as any in
Moab
cp. the
ff.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
280
The remains
Nebo.
sacred character of
its
2C,
the
the
sackcloth (20^
n.).
preserved there
improbable
The
greater
particular,
in
all his^
Moab's, heads
viz.
In
(cp.
Jer 48^^).
4a.
is
pronoun (masc.)
Moab
rather awkwardly, to
b.
The
refers,
cry of
Moab] so
6(T<jiv<s
17
Nu
3227.
As
against
= '';^^n), ^;
MT
it
MT
This gives a
armed men
^Vpn, the
fate,
nor |^
is
cp. e.g.
is
quite correct
it.
Yet,
**
mainly to transcriptional
accidents,
of
it
distich
expressing
what as follows
4c.
Wherefore
^*
I.
Ah !
'd]
that
My
my
loins quiver,
more probably
01?
Moab.
interjectional (Marti),
28"
1;
28
XV. 1-5
(BDB
The
473^).
causal sentence
may
*3
being
repeated, as
is
node vastata
3 with the
est
infin.
commonly
Editions of H, indeed,
conticuit.
est
MuruSy Moab
after Moab,
comma
place the
but Jer.'s commentary on the v. implies the punctuation given here (see
Migne). Then, nona has a personal subject (cp. 6^), and'Ar occurs, as most
if
G-K. I2ia
aKiD
or the
name
of the city
is,
iii.
249a).
text is at fault.
unfortunately
is
jA
>
<^\
^Qla))
(cp.
in Jer 48^^
ace.
Read vvr\ with Jer 48*^ and (!!5 (^ttI irdo-iys ice^aX^s).
(commonly expressed by n^j), found only here and
Jer 48*^,
is
NHW^
present sense.
n'n3n"i3
arm
.Tnuj
4888
pQ2^;.^, a
monk ;
(Di.).
Moab
s.v. ynj.
r\'<ir\i\
w.^*
',
>J$n
COMMENTARY ON
282
Lam
3^. 4a.
i^
nVip
ISAIAH
pytni]
is
and better than in Jer 48^^ cp. also Jer 48* npyi ly'Deri. 3K1D ';j^n]
3K1D m!D,
expediti Moab\ but (J& ^ (5(r0i>s r^s Mcoa/3eiTi5os, and
so
Perhaps originally 3K1D was absent and 'i^^q was intended (see
similarly S.
nyr
above). 4, 5. pyr
iyn'] (K ^0^ .
7va)(rerai
/3o^
earlier
ululabunt
\\\
ululabit
pnD'
claifiabit\
J'nijra
,S
p'?'?'D.
If ly'T
] V
o/
was
U
Vo
;
originally
written
meaning
is
in
the text of
^ has suffered
v.^*'*
see above.
Moab
her fleeing
Together with the next two
the nobles of
(2)
is
Soar ^Eglath
ShelishiyyaK\
able
uncertain.
mean
is
and
to
is
XV.
4,
283
conquests
On
Moab.
in
the very
mean a heifer
been taken as an
of
unsubdued
cities,
or as
and strength
74).
i.
Moab;
5b.
C.
He
goeth up
Zuhith] Onom.
now
identification be accepted,
Luhith
to
Ar.
called
lay in
to that
(Musil,
es-Safiye
(ffi)
to
Moab
or as alluding to the
suspicious.
way
Ghor
the
in
in,
of hitherto
AovetOa.
is
between
If this
Southern Moab.f
The
cp. go down
Horotiaim
5-
34
1^
on, or
at
the
and
Dead
Sea,
maps
xxi.
495-497
(in
See,
e.g.,
many
ancient
sites).
i.
75).
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
284
its
application to water
may have
given their
text, is
in Jos
a precarious
unusual.
to a city
on account
19^^,
If the water
parallel.
is
name
is
which speaks of
the stopping up of the springs of the Moabites by their Israelite
adversaries.
6b-d. Absent from Jer. For the grass has dried
up] this cannot, of course, give the reason for the stopping up of
The lines are rather, if original, further
the waters of Nimrim.
only, or primarily, thought of here, cp. 2
3^5,
may reasonably
either translation is possible
ox of the poplars %
be identified with the Wady el-Ahsa which flows into the Southern
end of the Dead Sea from the S.E., forming the boundary
between Edom and Moab, as it still forms that between the
districts of el-Kerak and Petra (Numbers, p. 283).
Apart from
the assumption, the Wady cannot be identified; for on this
assumption also
the
rests
much
favoured,
but
questionable,
identification of the
Arabah
(Am
6^"*).
the pronouns
all
pi.
v.^
8a.
Tristram, Moah^ 56 f.
Buhl, Geog. 272.
ii. 354
t Buhl, Geog, 264 ; Abel in RB^ 1910, pp. 341 f.
X Cp. for the latter meaning the mod. Wady afif (Tristram, Moab, 35,
58).
a;
XV. 6-9
The
285
and
'Eglaim and
Be'er-Elim.
line
points of
Nu
in
Moab
Be'er-Elim
if so,
21^^,
Areopolis {Onom.
Dimon may be an
identified.
is
to gain an
Jerome, indeed, asserts that both
and Dibon were in use in his day.
names Dimon
blood',
MT intends this
nn'")|]
nn3, fieeing, occurs in 27^, Job 26^^ ; proof of the substantival use
fugitive) rests on this and one other doubtful instance 43^*.
,S renders
=.
strange.
(
CTLkjO;.^,
There
piyoS.
tZD
nn(')n3
a corruption of
4334
D:-inD,
and
see
is
Was
G-K.
"lysD, Jer
the old fem. ending
Forms with
So/".
(Versions),
nection).
acquire^ cp.
fflr
mn%
commonly supposed
Gn
to have the
same meaning as
12'':
r\''tffH
^D,
dir.
Xey. ,
is
T\vf])y
to
abundance'.
in*,
G-K.
155-^.
Dmp3i]
Jer 48^ reads 'nna (see last n.). It is precarious to invent the
meaning store for mps out of regard to this most questionable passage and
'mp5i.
9b-XVI.
exceedingly
entirely,
Further distress
5.
difficult
is to befall
Moab.This
to
be mainly, or
ff.
The
4:4;
rhythm
is,
is
Moab
see
too
COMMENTARY ON
286
make
c^uestionable, to
ISAIAH
it
in
detail.
9^
i6^
the ruler
...
And
to the
lion,
.
of the land,
(?)
Moab be
daughters of
Shall the
fords of
the
at
Arnon.
'
make
decision
noon,
Be
The
treader
down
throne
shall
the
*has
the land
^
And
be
through loving-
established
kindness,
And one
And
through
who
fidelity
judges.
is
right,
and
is
swift
in justice.
pb.
C.
The
ment
Such appears to
be the meaning of these lines and the general purport of what
I will
follows down to 16^; but the details are most uncertain.
or put^ or lay (cp.
sei\
in
further distress
^ by upon Dimon
should
mean,
mean
is
to
e.g.
Ex
(v.^* n.),
the clause
be
in store: cp.
21^2^
Nu
added
calamities on
really suggests
is
to
i6i^^-.
This
12^^).
is
the whole
Moab
calamity.
is
is
which
supposed to
niDD13
Dimon,
i.e.
that
the
followed
passage was
15^^-16*
to
follow
XV. 9-xvi.
*'
Dimon
"
15^*.
in
Diinon Arabs
but
cult to derive J^
it
Jeroboam
some
11.
intelligible,
may be merely
from
is
ffi
For
(K.
;
vv.^"^*.
pre-exilic
287
For
a guess
would be
the escaped'] 4^ n.
lion]
diffi-
Moab
has
king of Judah,
or the
regent
of
In so corrupt and
obscure a passage it would be easier to multiply guesses than to
The remnant of] the soil (MT) 5^ might also
justify them.
invader (Che.), or lions (cp. 2
ly^s, Jer.).
mean Admah
{f&i 'ASafirj),
and Gomorrah.
It
really treats of
Edom
as well as
Moab
(16^
n.).
which
is
by the nearer route north of the Dead Sea and across Jordan,
which must be supposed closed to them, but first south over the
COMMENTARY ON
288
rocky land of
Edom and
ISAIAH
and
inptJ^
hortatory.
and
as pf.
descriptive
r,
of
insects
The assumption
refugees have
fled
Edom
to
Du.
swarm
Moabite
that
is
the
2.
The
also, if
if
is
Moabites appear
v.
v.^
is
word
correct, the
is
Edom.
introduced by HMI
^'s text
f^ in
at
(see above)
is
clauses
predictive
But
correct
159^.0
jg2 ^re
awkwardly separated
Du. therefore places 1 6^ immediately
In flighi\ from the nest: cp. Pr 27^ Nestlings'] |p,
after 15^.
a nesty has here the transferred meaning brood that inhabited
Daughters of Moab] in Nu 25^ means the women of
the nest,
Moab ; but a limited reference to women seems out of place
:
here.
of Moab.
i.e.
e.g.
La
i^^^^
such phrases
(cp. ?
Ezk
i627):
or perhaps daughters of
Moab
4812(11).
Arnon
Moab.
cutting through
roughly bisected
Moab
cp.
Numbers,
Moab, but
against
the
p. 2 84.
(v.^),
devastator
decision] these
daughters of
at times
arrived in Jerusalem
to
canon formed
its lofty
The
birds
from
now
of their
peculiar phrases
f.
land.
Bring
may be due
counsel,
make
to corruption of
a curious opening for refugees, who want rather what they go on to ask for,
It is disputed whether the second clause means
protection.
(i) settle (quickly) whether we may remain in your country, or
(2) decide the rights and the wrongs of the case between us
and our enemies ; perhaps the original text expressed something
the text, see phil. n.
entirely different
is
3b. Be
to us a protection
against the hot anger of our foes, like deep shade at high noon-
289
XVI. 2-5
day.
3C.
Hide us
do not discover us
to them.
some of which
it
stands or
ghim
(i i^ n.) in
thy midst
the prep,
11^.
is 3,
5*
attempts,
is arbitrarily
emended,
in
present connection
its
was an address to ion (v.^) into an address to Moab. Standing by itself, the passage would suggest familiar features of the
Messianic age the land of Israel no more troubled by enemies
and war, 2920, ch. 33, Ps 8920-24(19-23), the throne of David re:
Ps
8925-
29f. 37f.)^
and occupied by a
The term
ii*^* etc.).
^te, king^
just
is
but the reference to the throne and the tent of David point
ruler,
from
which the term ^i^D is also absent. It is quite unnecessary, and
indeed incorrect, to see here the description of some vassal or
Edom
9^',
(Kn.) or
Moab
Through loving-kindness
through fidelity'] this translation, which refers the qualities named to God, is favoured by
Others refer
the analogy of Ps 89 cited above: cp. also Is 55^
(Di.).
by
his
humanity
(Kn.).
The
(cp. ii*-^,
Pr 16^* 20^8
who
king by
some
(Ges.),
while others again render differently in security (cp. 39^, Jer 14^^),
i.e, uninterruptedly (Di., Marti).
Of attempts to interpret the
be mentioned
be
VOL.
I.
19
that
may
For the
we (Moabites)
COINIMENTARY ON ISAIAH
290
to
House
of David
reading
(2) Di.,
^D 1]}
v.'***
niSDij]
nB'"?*}^
pK
I.
ws
kpirerb.
proposed
n locale
iJti^H.
ttjv 7^1/
may
atrkpfxo.
= px^
improbable that
it is
Hi
but |^
some
suspicious, for
(G-K.
gen.
Anton
I
S 2^),
all
in the genitive
332<>,
but
we
ct.
read S
With
2.
there
is
"inyo,
the certainly
no obvious reason
|^
is
W (cp.
mayo
followed by a
is
The
is
Ch
there.
ffir
sing, of n3,
noun
if
more or
the
(on
vv.^^*, cp.
The
is
little
of
koX dpw=*nsDKl.
a collective. Gratz
improbable, for note the
it
deserti-. this is
well be a corruption of
this insincerity,
cons.
more or
the
is
subjects of the
XVI.
i.e.
Moab
t/ie
Moab, and a
?/;?///
or,
is
to rh'ht>
iB'y
rx-i^j
For
{aKH-rju).
K^tib (E), the K^re (5U) has 'tJ'y . . . 'N'an 2nd fem. sing,
^'Va]
fflr does not support the reading iK*an.
as in the following clauses,
could be punctuated S'^s, entire^ complete cp. ffi hib. vavrd^. But the anti-
isyy
iK'an,
MT
^:i'3
on
h"}?
21"
n.
if
'in
'm")
fflr
this
was probably
J'D,
so too
a squeezer (cp.
consequently
J"D,
it is little
worth
squeezing or wringing^
XVI. I-I2
Pr
30'^),
emendation,
|^^ - ^A>
<S
graphy, for
collectively
is
if
H pulvis C
;
'\'vo
Lowth,
G-K.
al.
introduction of
For
253a.
^d.
t3)B'D
But
\^^d.
29-*^
n'nni
5.
sfm, cp.
is
.
its']
pi.
17
easy
avfifjnxio-
not parallel,
.
An
n.).
in
cp.
suspicious; for
in
Np^yD.
291
liie
jymi] for
for
it
is
is
n'?3,
unwise
the change
occasioned by the
\z=both
and^
BDB
i^'^.
the
ct.
first sing,
able, too,
whether
formed an
v.^
It is
Jer.
protection.
actual
refusal;
v.^),
very doubtful:
is
and
It is very question-
prediction (9^5^-16^):
ist pi.
re-appears in
v.^ Sion's
and
refusal
to
reply to the
grant them
(i)
given
is
it
in
the ist
pi.,
whereas
sing, in vv.^^* *
The
Moab.
community
the
is
is
Moab's emotion
7.
at
text,
v.
like
and
n.,
cp.
v.^^
an
AcaeO.
Raisin-cakes^
food
article of
see
AV)
is
Hos 3^
i.e.
than
Kerak
in
much
modern times
to recall that, as
fine
is
meal are
still
^ rots
If Kir-heres
is
cp.
The
^K'''^N.
its
& n.
vine culture,
'*
(Seetzen, Reisen^
it is
to the point to
415),
and
round
interesting
Christian
of the
disaster
fell
more
pi.
implies,
if
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
292
than to raisin-cakes.
8-10.
able variations.
Tracts^ cp.
Dt
32^3
Hab
3^^,
doubtful, 37^7, 2
Sibmah there
miles
W.N.W.
is
23*!.
echo of
should infer that the place lay
necessarily so close
Northern
in
Heshbon
to
Moab
as Jerome's
though not
Subama, or the
modern Sumia.
of the
lords
this
(28^),
Less probable
it.
is
i.e.
for
it
doubtful
is
whether the vb. would be suitable, the reason for specifying the
lords
is
of water.
a.
cp. plK^, 5^ n.
above
lines, translated
Other suggested
plants. 8c.
d-
These
the
{Onom.
tOf
it
of Ya*zer
site
lay
264^^^').
Dead
which
lies
stretched out^
i.e.
extended
some 4000
feet
below
it.
the
9.
the
till
weep
La
i^^) to
those of Ya'zer
\Eleale}i\ i5*n.
\e^\rek
Thy grapes
thy grape-gathering\Khek
summer fruits
(28*), instead
TiffteSy xxi.
oi^andbim^ grapes^
562
f.
XVI. 8-12
and
of
293
vmtage
b'strek,
Shouting hath
enemy
yourselves who
will
suggested by the
wrong.
10.
general sense
/ have
No
is
JYone
phil. n.
caused
is
Not you,
and over
will
may be
TiM
fallen']
but the
Jer 48^^
correct.
clear
the text
wine
for
use
the
is left\ lit. it
{it) to cease^
is
to cease (cp.
Yahweh
cp.
ffic)
||^,
but
5^,
is
and
vv.^
doubtful;
riDlJ^,
^^,
it
has
ceased,
here as in
The second
may be
my
compassion
the
first
person
is
II.
= Jer
certain
two
comparing the inward emotion
v.
My
cp. Jer.
i,e,
Ca
is
stirred:
cp.
d'^^^
murmur^ of the
i^\ Ps
426 (t^sj).
12. No attendance in the sanctuary, no prayer will
avail Moab.
The v. is absent from Jer, and introduces a
religious turn not found in the verses common to Is and Jer
not improbably it was added to the elegy over Moab by the
same hand that added 15^^-16*; note the common use of n\'Ti
here and in 16^.
In its present form the v. is unrhythmical. It
may be rendered, And it shall come to pass, when Moab shall have
appeared, when he shall have wearied himself on the high place and
Jer
4^^,
5*;
and of the
like,
shall (or, then he shall) enter into his sanctuary to pray, he shall
when he
due
15^,
to dittography;
where
Moab
is
in the
high places, which might doubtless be attributed to the carelessness of the interpolater, disappears.
of the heathen, cp. 4713,
6.
Xe7.
^ND
is
replaced by
nxa.
i826ff..
a dittograph of 3N0
in-i3j?i 131nji
jnj.
first
In Jer. the
two words
is
^tt.
not
:;
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
294
represented in (K
was misread
the last
'n")];^.
k*?!).
many
nS] treated by
compound noun,
as a
struct,
peated
*?'V""
pym nSn
Vy,
vh
and
(so
3nid'71
cp.
word
(5. 7.
ffi) is
nxiD Vy
'?'"?'
by means of
yiV\\i(.
1st pers.
predicative
is
S'V^' jd*?]
the re-
Sy
^,
2nd
CBr
3nid
imper.
pi.
In spite of onxD
see above.
),
S'h''
we
Moab
interpret
howls for {over) Aloab (Ges., Di.), or Moab howls to Moab, i.e. they howl
Nor is it altogether satisfactory to place the caesura
to one another (Marti).
entire
Moab he howls. "b^B'n'?] Jer 'B'JN "^NrrS here.
before 3N1d'?
for
325
rw'\n Tp] So 2
but v.", Jer 4831- 36 u^^n n^p. i3nn] Jer 48^1 nj.r
;
CBr
here
from
/LieXerTj(reis
= nann
nt^in) or I3n\
D''KD3
Job 30^!;
others conjecture
r\-i,r\}^\
the vb.
read
N33 = nD3,
(n dittographic
iJ-n
If the text is
ivrpair-qcrri.
19"
1^, utterly, as in
BDB,
see
s.v.
8-10.
Possibly jna'n
that the
2nd
niDitJ'
and
rh^^\ic\
pntJ'n
Most of the
;
but vv.^*
are glosses
note
sing. fem. suffixes in v.^ refer naturally to the sing, ^'oiv }S3
n'?y'?xi \\ivt\.
8.
^*
and
'?'?dk]
be abnormal in spite of Hab 3" and G-K. 145^ ; on the other hand, if 'n niD-i
be omitted (see last n.), the sing. masc. before the fem. |SJ would be normal
(G-K. 145^) cp. 2" 9^^ 14" etc. : yet ct. jSJ n^Sox, 24'. n^pnty] (!5 ras
:
d/x7rAoys aur^s
whence the
pits'
(5^)
vine receives
'
name.
its
(G-K. I^dd)
9. ivix]
an error
I),
G-K.
Jer
144/t.
48^
m'rr xS
may have
^rn iTn
read
133T.
"nne'n
T\'2vr\
it
The
capn
Is
}"
note that
dSc
x"?
D'3p'3
Kal 06
jxt]
it
is
y i;vT k^]
irar'^tTova-iv
is
probably
295
a corruption of
in
Lv
26**,
treated the
Jer 36^^
whole
T\in im>
v. as
k"?]
protasis,
cstr.
^^
cp.
G-K.
SBOT;
as 28^-
but this
is
I44<?.
12. Ew.
48^^ as an apodosis
improbable, since v. ^^
j^
nD2n] (Br pi. ; cp. niD2n, 15^?^ (not fflr). "^dv t<h^] he shall
absent from Jer.
meet with no success : for the absolute use of the vb., cp. Ps 21 ^2, Jer 5^' 20^^.
Prose Appendix
to the foregoing
Oracle of Moab, probably by a later hand (see above). In
three brief years all will be fulfilled Moab, as yet still honoured
and numerous, will become despised and almost exterminated.
13. The word which Yahweh spoke] this description suits the
13, 14.
(cp. 211^^)
Yahweh,
Jer and Is is
common
may refer
to
is
to a past falling
In time past] the phrase TKD
own mature life (2 S 15^*), or to a more
remote past (Ps 93^, Pr 822). j^ 448^ as here, it refers to old
not.
prophecies.
^ Xcyo)."lyiD
rm]
XVII.
The
mainly
I -I I.
text
if
faulty
is
little
lines.
^^*' ^
are clear
But the length of line varies in different distichs ; vv.****
instances of 3 3, which was probably the most frequent rhythm, and v.*"* ^
'
formula
consists of 8 lines
;
and an additional
the
first
contained
10
lines,
unless
we
reject
two as
intrusive.
Vv.'*' appear to
at the
end
of,
itself in
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
2g6
I.
1
Lo
Damascus
And
it
shall
'
city,
cities,'
away.
away]
from
Damascus
And
the remainder of
Aram
Yahweh
of Hosts.
2.
corn,
Or ^^as when an
^ And
^^
Two
olive-tree
is
struck,
3-
*Thy*
In that day
cities shall
become forsaken
(ruins),
it
shall
become
a desolation.
^
Because thou
And
forgattest the
didst not
God
of thy salvation.
And
^^
(And though) on the day thou plantest, thou make (it) grow,
And (though) on the morrow thou make thy seed
blossom
The
And
incurable pain
(?) in the
.
day of sickness
(?),
;:
XVII. i-ii
"^
And
his
eyes
man
297
look
shall
towards
Holy One
the
of
Israel
And
he
The
his fingers
strophe
is
In
itself.
vv.''^^-
is
universalised
mankind
will
after
the
many
and
Israelite
2
population as go
I.
13I n.
The
title
is
taken from
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
298
first
The
1-3.
adopted
Damascus.
of
fate
Her
emendations
the
Is about to be removed]
i.
(7^* n.),
is
On
2.
cp.
text,
two
cities of
name
the
near
Arnon
Rabbath-Ammon
(i62 n.
Nu
cp.
(i) the
is,
and
understood to
mean the country E. of Jordan both *Aro'ers are remote from
Damascus ; (3) Di. gives *Aro*er an appellative force, so that
feeble and improbable.
the phrase means the ruined cities
3. Fortress] perhaps Samaria * the capital, or, giving IVDD a
(i)
intended
cipates
\}i\<t
fortresses \ of the
v.^.
geographical
owing to
its
attack of the
On
Ephraim.
Damascus, while
at the
common
of
with the
with the following words, like the glory of the children of Israel
(cp. V.*), they form a transition to vv.*"^- ^"^^ which threaten
Ephraim
I.
pf.
nn'm
with
The
exclusively.
.
waw
noiD
conv.
[ib. 113).
is
Ty nrno
cp. 7^
nyny
however, for
Jer., Eichh.,
Ew.,
n'?SD('?)
nn\m,
[n]'yD.
For the
nn\"ii is
^yo nn'ni
by the
t^d]
through dittography of
read ny nniy.
(Du. moiD) to
11}
"iDiD
= nn'ni
ffi
rest,
not,
(&
is
(SBOT), Whitehouse.
Di., Du., Skinner, Marti.
f (^)> E)el.
:;
XVII. 1-6
299
and then nny as subj. of nr\nn with ny t\^]U, cp. oSiy n-iq, Jer
and see Kon. iii. 336^. The detection of nny is due to Lag. and Du.
n^^o] heref, but n^go, 23^^ 25^!.
3. If the poem showed any other trace of
the 3
2 rhythm, the text of |^ down to pt^DnD need awaken no suspicion ; the
remainder too, could, of course, be construed, mx ikc being casus pendens
before v.T (RVmarg.) rather than a clause coupled with pB-Dno (RV); but
however taken it would be rhythmically quite unlike the rest of the poem, and
The first and third lines seem to be correct
also lacking in parallelism.
each of the intervening clauses has probably lost a word after pcono perhaps
nayn, shall pass away^ or n^: (cp. 8^), has dropped out.
paraphrases
fflr
it is doubtful whether it read
throughout, and on the whole remarkably well
differently except ni2D3 for nuD and perhaps vnn for vn\
Du. proposes ^3x^
for m3DD ; but it is hazardous to claim ffi for this, for ov yap <xv ^eXriojv el is
probably a paraphrase of ti^dd, and Kal rrjs dd^rjs aiiTwp at the end of the v.
parallel line,
20"**,
a subsequent addition to
fflr.
The
Hos
Q^i-iS; ct.
become
lean
support of
Ps
127),
10^^).
Or possibly, with the precarious
we might render h's glory
will become
(cp.
lo^^,
71),
i.e.
Jacob
marks
Glory
is
not, as in 5^^
will
(f,.),
literal
for the
garb of a pauper.
nation in
v.^*,
will
man
for this
would
clear
compared with
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
300
which
consequently v.^ is no
and ID, therein^ or thereof, cannot
refer to the vale of Rephaim.
RV is thus doubly misleading,
gleaning
for
in English without any qualification suggests gleaning
of grain.
Further, in |^ the figure of the olives, which is the
real parallel to v.^*- ^, can refer directly to Jacob only if n*
meaning of him (i^n.), resumes the distant IpT of v.*; otherwise
it is a comparison within a comparison.
For Marti's emendation
adopted above, which avoids these improbabilities, see phil. n.
Reaps off the ears] in reaping, the stalks of corn were reaped near
the top, so that little more than the ears were cut off: see EBi.,
expressed by Dp^
is
proper continuation of
v.^*'
(so v.^^)
Two
6.
(or) th?'ee
four
Gn
4924,
5.
13I5.
Hos
must be read.
r\'C^
either
harvester, or n^p
n^'p'
'\vn\\
on the authority of
ffi.
niSSy] possibly, as NH
in
(see
Levy), this meant not only gleaning, but berries picked after the crop had been
gathered (cp.
AV)
may be
a gloss
its
omission
T^'"\^r\
'sj;d3
7, 8.
God
it is
Mankind
(G-K. I3i).
of Israel, the
Maker
of
men.
all
and turn
The
to the
insertion of
and ^'^^,
which are strictly limited in their outlook to Damascus and
as an alternative it
Ephraim, may be due to an interpolator
this passage, with its universal outlook,
between
vv.^*^
On
the
other hand,
(210.11.17^ cp.
perhaps
3022,
Hos
its
parallel
in
Is
and
(31I).
h^ (22^) nyt^
XVII. 5-1
8.
these
2^
301
parallel
31''
3719,
5^2^
Dt
An
428.
early annotator,
whose notes have crept into the text, destroying the rhythm
and spoiling the style, erroneously understood by the first term
the (multiplicity of) altars condemned by Dt, and by the second,
less erroneously but too specifically, the Asherim^ i.e. the wooden
which stood beside the old Canaanite altars, but which
were forbidden in the worship of Yahweh (cp. Ex 34^^^ Jg
pillars
Dt
6^5,
Ch
i62i),
afj(j
hammanim
fiiQ
Lv
(27^,
Ezk
26^^,
6*'^,
14* 34^-
ct.
'^t,
23),
waw
SBOT),
(BDB, 253a;).
and this altar
Eph.
p.
ii.
help
jDn] cp. in
,
to
280 (a.d.
be attributive
9-11.
(Haupt
(cp.
in
Palm.
Shamash
108).
rs^Dvh
Cooke,
is
the
waw
explicativum that
NSI^
nrhv^
nn
KJon, this
is
and
hamtnan
.
cp. Lidz.
may
Ephraim
hour of calamity
in the
cults.
9.
Thy
will get
cities
no
shall
be
its
pers. of
vv.'*"^
same
to the
2nd
pers. of
is
transition
Am
is
little
suspicious
to
mean,
top
2^^-.
like the
which they
(ffir
COMMENTARY ON
302
ISAIAH
they
may be
lOa. b.
To
parallels
may be found
ideas
in Deut.
Adonis-planta-
fate.
(vine-) cuttings
This
some
deity,
women
in these rites
2nd
accounts for
pers. fem.
The
point
art.
ii.
120, 121
"Adonis"
Che.
SBOT,
p.
146 (with
by
illustration).
xvii. 9-1
may be
pain^ Du.
12-14
1,
303
women used
the
<&.
oX iroXeis
<tov iyKa.Ta\eKiixuivai
poses
"liyo
hrw*
*jn 'JSD
Eua?oi dird
^^2^]3
ne'K
TDxni
possible, but
ty-inn]
= r\y\]j
Cond. pro-
yi]}.
nmiy3
ol 'A/xoppaioi
Kal ol
(& either
more probably did not read, laij; ncx, a phrase which may have
been inserted between the date of (& and the transposition and corruption
10. D':dp 'yt::] if this is a "double" pi.
of 'inni noxn into TDxm ti'nnn.
(G-K. 124^) of }oy: yc33, meaning plantations of Ndaman (cp. Gk. /c^iroi
'AScix/iSos), it is a unique instance of the genitive being a proper name,
fflr
paraphrases both D'joyj here and ni in the next line by 8.in,(TTov, probably
neglects, or
detecting in each
was
II.
'Js^jbti
should be Pilpel of
aity
or
jjb';
rsy,
and yw do not occur elsewhere in Heb., and JJ, to wander^ with which
(& connects it, yields no sense.
Ges., Di., RV, BDB connect the present
form with JiD (Ca 7^t common in Aramaic), to fence about', Ki., Ibn Ezra,
AV, Du. Marti give it the meaning to cause to grow^ cp. NJb, mb, to grow,
perhaps read ny, which is hardly right ; but see
grow great. nj] fflr (eis),
(AV, RVmarg.) nj, a heap (of water. Ex 15^, Jos 313. le, Ps 33?
Ges-B.
78^^t, is very improbable; nj, 3rd pf. of mi, to flee away (cp. 21^^ 22^), is
more probable ; but even this is doubtful. rhni nv3] the day of inheritance
(AVmarg.) would be the most obvious rendering, but in the context an
unsuitable meaning.
S, Ki., Ibn Ezra, and most modern commentators
render in the day of sickness, taking n^na, Niph. Part, of n^n, as elliptical
for rhni nDD (Jer 14"), or as itself substantival (cp. nsnna, 10^ n.).
3101
jab,
MT
perhaps rests
on a longer text than |^. |^ in v.^^*** ^ is doubtful ; see the preceding notes,
and note that the rhythm is questionable. Cp. Jer 30^^ 13ndd ef^2H.
bijx]
fflr
KoX
(is
XVII.
2-14.
T/ie roar
of the peoples
this
stilled.
The opening interjection 'in stands by itself (see p. 89) the first five
words of v.^* (omitted in the translation) are a dittograph (with one slight
variant) of the last five words of v.^^. q^i^^^ has accidentally shifted from
v.^^a is short in
v.i^no"*: in v.^^* makkeph nyny"?
|^, but m.T should be
^^**
short
concluding
line
and
is
a
unless S be original (see phil. n.)
added;
and UMia*? be read as two accents. The little poem consisted of 3 3 distichs,
two distichs making a strophe.
:
Ahl
^ The booming
of
many
peoples
As
boom
a a a
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
304
^^
But [Yahweh]
shall
rebuke him,
And
^*
At eventide lo terror,
Ere morning he shall be no more.
This (shall be) the lot of them that spoil us,
And the portion of them that plunder us.
The poem
author
itself to its
prophetic
the ancient
Jerusalem was
first
is
army
assume that
not stated,
mind.
in the poet's
unnamed; unquestionably
One who,
Yahweh is
in
predicts
this is to
be
is
The
intended.
third
pass,
yet
and plunder
spoliation
in
to
its
closing
distich
alludes
to
the
Thus
the
poem seems
to imply
last
The poem
of events as
is
will
of Yahweh, to be averted.
is
Sennacherib's
is
campaign against
f.
(cp.
Palestine,
especially 37^^^*) to
and
in
particular
this
poem,
like
it is,
Isaiah's activity
is
at
the time of
dangers in some
later age.
XVII. 12-14
Ps 46, to the
But
Jerusalem.
4^*,
305
fruitless assault
view so well
accounts for the transition from the plurality of nations in vJ^ |-q
the singular in vv.^'^'^*^, as the more commonly accepted explanait
iq5
g|-c^^ js
Assyria
many
this
itself; in v.^^^' ^
the plural
is
v.^^^-,
as in
distributive,
The arguments
clusive
the Isaianic
against
those in favour of
it
The question has been much discussed whether 17^^'^* is (a) an independent poem or (Lowth, Eich., Che,, Marti) fragment, or {b) the conckision
of I7^'^-^ (Del. al.), or {c) the introductory strophe of a poem completed
ch.
Du.,
Cond.).
end of a poem
Against
(cp.
5^^),
Jg
is
c.
as
the
is
fact
that
17^^
admitted by Ges.,
and that
with
18^,
its
an explanation of the pronoun they, 17^^ supplies it very ill. Far less
probable is the view that 1712-14 jg ^^ conclusion of 17^'^^; not only is the
strophic structure of the two pieces apparently different, but no satisfactory
connection can be established.
for
Babylon, and
Medes
against
Hi7n\ Assyria
singular, 526-29,
5",
Gn
49^3,
Gn
Ezk 27^ Ps
Dn
i' (P),
782'.
11^^,
'
G-K. 75 and
VOL.
I.
4'jm.
20
See also
31^,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
306
reading
13.
is
perhaps to be found
}iNB"
D'Dnh']
in (& Kal
omits
onrr
j^d^]
fjX'^io'fi-
both the
lyai]
indicate
ni.T
in place of D'ln
some
cp. (&
cos
XvoOv dx^P^ XiKfKvvTuVf and note mi = Xi/c^iSj', ^o^^ 41^* etc. Others omit on:^
altogether on the ground of metre (Kit., Box); but if ^m be taken with D3"i
pmoD, as it should
njm] cp. nam 'D'?n3,
more or
less
of n:m.
.Tni instead
larN] (&
use of
14. 3ij;
nj/'?
is
bot.).
MSS
13:'J<1
then cp.
last n.
One
"Book
the
of Oracles" on
foreign nations (see 19^), the rest probably from different sources
(Introd. 34).
XVIII.
Special Literature
H. Winckler, Das Land Kus u. Jes. 18 in
suchungen^ 146-156; Stade, de Isaiae vatic. Aethy 1873.
:
^ TUnter-
The
4).
v.^
v.^*'
**
which
is
2,
and
^'
which
is
**),
is
and
most
mostly 3:3,
^*- ^.
and 4 4 in vv.^<=In vv.^- ^ both rhythm and
parallelism have probably been disturbed by textual corruption ; v.^*
is
3:3; v.^*** look at present like isolated stichoi'y what intervenes between
^ and * is perhaps an expansion of a distich ; for suggestions with regard to
lb. 2c. g
ggg below.
In vv.^'^ two distichs form a strophe.
but
is
it
2 in
<^-
**
Ah
of wings,
(?)
And A
vessels of papyrus
of
Cush
the sea,
To
a people terrible
nation mighty
Whose
(?)
and down-treading,
(?).
(?),
see
hearken
And
And
They
harvest,
when
'
the blossom
is
over.
The branches
307
shall
the tendrils
shall
all
of the mountains.
An
obscure and
argued,
(yy
1. 2.
is
it
difficult
rather a
5. 6
ti^e last
(or, is
poem, obscure
too,
if,
them.
as Marti has
v.^*-
(v.^)
y^cg
which
contains
Yahweh
will
V.^,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
30S
addressed
recorded
in v.^ ?
2.
Who
v.2?
3.
Who,
in
unburied
4.
or what,
Who
figured
is
Cush
nevertheless
it
Cush
is
i.e.
with
''
from
Cush
itself.
thickets,
v.^*
as
exception of Winckler,"^
Kash,
lie
the land of
rivers of
by the
forth
insects,
most
that
writers identify
is
to say,
Cush
which the
we disregard
v.^^ as
Egypteti^
As
p.
83).
V.2g
is
the
now
poem
suit the
ATUniersuchungen, 146
Ephraimites equally
1712-14
(see p. 305).
if
ff.
who
well.
Another
but see
later,
KAT^
271 n.
I.
XVIII.
of the land apostrophised in
v.^,
309
has in
its
poem
it
that
vv.^^-
refers to
Ak/] simply exclamatory: cp. 55^, Zee 2^^^- (^^-^ Jer 47^;
Land of the whirring of iving5\ or land of
5^ 10^ 17^^.
I.
I*
ct.
winged locusts^ are the safest renderings of ^1^. " Merchants will
have brought home the usual travellers' tales of the wealth of
the distant country in insects, in order to maintain a high price
for the wares
rivals
away
" (Du.).
But on
to
or
this
envoys
the
(v. 2)
!
Zeph
*
or, in
U^hich
fitness
cp. "
unsound
3^^
Ew.
in Zeph. a
cp.
(Si,
^,
is
Ki.
the
comment of
the last
is,
"he
is
in place
describes the
h)ih^
COMMENTARY ON
3IO
ISAIAH
is
envoys
or
Elephantine at the
first
18
a country not of
Some way
and
is
rivers,
but of a
boras
made
it
a very
But
i.e.
difficult
to
thing
for
Josephus, Meroe
historical difficulties
would beset
such as attempted to
lay
beyond the
this interpretation
rivers.
it
was
to
difficulties of the
on this side of or along the side of for beyond', thus Jer. and
among modern commentators Hitz., see in the country intended
not Ethiopia, but Egypt.
interpreters, except
second
ii.
river
until
its
Even
if
* See Breasted, History of Egypt, pp. 136, 255, 325, and Ancient Records^
1020, 1025 ; W. Max Mliller in EBi^ s.v. Ethiopia,
XVIII. 2
the plural
mean not
could
^")n3
3^^
in
a strange
poem perhaps
now
of the
survives in the
And
if
envoys
vessels']
f^ and in
perhaps in
that were light and, therefore, swift, suitable for the Nile, but
cp. the synonymous expression r\1'^ nV3X,
and see EBi. 4478. The word \^'0l^ papyrus or rush (35'',
Job S^^t), does not necessarily point to Egypt, for see 35'',
Job
9^^
Ex
2^,
but
it
entirely
fits
it
is
The
nation, or people, to
clear
.d- e. f.
the
by
and unambiguous
but since a
lines
whom
we may assume
Probably line
d.
describes characteristic
f^, Jer.,
Rashi, Ki.,
AV, RV.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
312
and admired
ing might.
e. its
fame,
and f.
its
conquer-
ISi'DD, inferred'''
objection to colour.
and wide,
Terrible^ far
the
its
beginning
epithet
in
for
ox from
but
n.),
lands which
similar
RV
has conquered,
it
see phil. n.
is
viz.
not more
Down-treading'] down-trodden
AV, RVmarg.)
the epithets were not complimentary
would be
land
and render
Whose
see above.
probable.
(cp.
also possible,
if
seems
certain
to
:
be the suggestion
see phil. n.
fruitful
Ethiopia
is
divided by a single
is
un-
river, the
* (5,
(v.^)
XVIII.
3,
313
Yahweh
His might
to manifest
let all
men
to the nations
Possibly the
give heed.
when
v. is
whom
supplementer (Marti) to
logical
is
about
Jer
51^'^
Mountain- signat\
51^''.
for the
mountain
required
is
neither
see phil. n.
4.
assured
the connection.
In
real life
it
interview with
countrymen.
but the
poem
is
the
be quiet
and
The
viz.
to
look forth^
I will watch.
free
see
Ezk
16*2,
reference to
Ru
men
3I8,
in
The
vb.
2^ n.
many * have
supposed,
n.).
But neither the translation nor the
comparison is free from ambiguity, nnv readily
expresses both the ideas of glow and of dazzle; cp. "a glowing
point
of
e.g.
Ges., Del.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
314
wind," Jer
4^^,
Above the
(vb.).
lights is
Ca
BDB
BDB
La
5^0 (adj.),
8^^,
"Vii^
4^
'h'^
and see
or,
{(&)y for in
Neh
means when
adds
is
it
is
If the
light
temporal,
it
that
which seems
is
in sunshine^ a specification
{su?i-)light^
little
mid-day as the
clause
defined as that
is
parison from the night, as was the last from the day.
The word
The ^D
sky (60^).
Job
20^), or as
moving
is
not the
dew
proper, which
an invaluable
feature of the hot season from May, and especially from August,
The westerly winds bring much moisture from the
to October.
Mediterranean, and this condenses under the action of the cool
night air into something like a Scotch mist j see Che. in EBi.
which
1094
f.
is
Hebrews
29-151).
To
the
stillness,
Yahweh?
or
(i) Di.
the
watchfulness,
remarks
^just
as
or
in
dew by
the fostering
the
harvest
care
of
season,
for the ripening of the crops, continue constant over the country,
so will
undisturbed, though
still
ripening
the
plans
of the
Assyrians.
able figures for the unseen but all-seeing God, exalted far above
XVIII.
all
5,
315
that
but
is
powerful,
Him.
quiet, confiding in
this is
even so should
Ethiopia;
people of
distant
More than
be said to the
to
If ni31 should
5.
is
originally followed
VV.5- 6
Yahweh seems
if v.^ is
original,
the
follows
Yahweh
quietly watches
(v.'*)
crop
is
altogether satisfactory,
If,
of thought
tion be
line
v.*.
must be somewhat
as
determined
i,e.
(v.^)
Yahweh
all will
lie
1^24-27
3636f.^
In
17^^),
and
v.**
which
v.*,
is
other hand,
if
its
v.** is
526-29
is somewhat awkward
on the
became separated from 9^-10*, so i8^^-
as
the 103
difference of sense
(ct. Jer
usual meaning of
combined with
certainly 16^
fiilly
may have
Ripe7iing grapes]
on them year
in year out
cp.
Ezk
39^^^-.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
3l6
The
cp.
Israel
birds of heaven
cp.
thou
shalt
17*'^- ^^^
fall
Jer
to
7^3.
poem by a later
come the people described in v.^'^-s will
bring tribute to Yahweh in Sion cp. Ps 68^^ 72^0 76^2^ Zeph 3^0.
From apeople'\ so ^ cp. the next clause in ffi and 5^. Owing
to the obvious loss of D before the first ay, the text of 5^ makes
the tribute consist of the people themselves
The
Cp. RV.
place of the name of the Yahweh^ i.e. the place where Yahweh
causes His name to dwell, where He manifests Himself, where all
Dt 12^- ^^
acceptable offerings must be brought
7.
hand.
In the age to
There
a remarkable difference in
is
rendering of the
ffi's
that
v.''
characteristic of the
may be
(cp.
(Dt
28^"^
t),
Ges-B.
of a form
cstr.
S.V.).
Dt
Hence
found
is
sound
'7'?s
e.g., iron
Driver on
but
is
sing, of ^^3
in
it is
= ^J^ = '?^^,
so
(?) is
obvious
is
s.vv.).
yet
No
used.
particularly in redupli-
pS^iSs D'V^iSs, |J
air
no way venturesome
BDB,
locusts
Lane, and
G-K. 29^
(see
winged
the translation
their clanging
'?;<^
entire
Vv'pv,
"^^/^ in
15""^).
a striking
is
^-^Lo
S'?s
is
the
= JJc- = SVo,
name
'?y^^,
the
of a bird (see
a shadow, and so forth, are, of course, very well established ; but reduplicated forms from this root are rarer, though one such seems to be the
overshadowing object smaller than a nap
S^iSjf, which denotes some
S^ihs into Sx *?, which should mean
divides
indeed,
Di.,
iv.
195).
(Levy,
to cast
NH
many shadows
Ew. appeals
to J.iiil^,
shadow
ace.
which
instead
in
the
(cp.
G-K.
\2y)-,
D'D33
then
of a gen.
KamCis
interpreted j^^",
is
XVIII.
boats
AND
is
317
T,
an error
for
in
umhractda
j^r**-',
and derivative
rare
is
this
ffir's
had
Vi'?s
meaning
this
instead of
{SBOT,
Che.
conclusive.
'n
D'*? "inyo,
is
p^V
by usage
is justified
Dt
cp.
in-
D'iSJD
'"pD
30^^
The
often).
the
is
more
still
by reading
vessels
region beyond,
expressions that
winged
104) obtains
p.
it
very paraphrastic,
is
VjiSif.
sense beyond,
wT^pvyes leaves
irXoicov
and C, which
in
So
BDB,
see
s.v.
on
viz.
That
was formerly
this side,
to
BDB. tyi3
the Great
t\ especially
SBOT,
p.
Haupt's contention
'"'^ri^:']
River of Cush,
To
different in character.
(in
e.g.,
h]},
108
and
its
somewhat
see
means
is
all
13^^;
that this
f.),
character
express along,
Nu
The
different
capable of
explanations as
satisfactory
ordinary plurals.
Ex 7^^ must mean the Nile arms) means the Nile stream,
and undivided. That triple-peaked Hermon is not only called
Hermon, but once the Hermons (Ps 42''), is natural enough and no real
parallel to the single undivided stream of either the Euphrates or the Nile
(which in
single
preferable to |^.
unique rendering of
ffi's
Hoph.
2.
9'^^
Job
in
N]M3,
also
r also
by
''?3
fails to
'''?31
itr.
come from
but
^TrtcrroAds
O V- U
b )
may be
52^).
dilaceratum,
(G-K.
tsmo is uncertain
nN*?.!! Nin jD] }0 has been commonly treated here as a conj. =ik\xd, and the
whole phrase rendered /r^w where it is and onwards, i.e. far and near or
from where it was and onwards, i.e. from the beginning of its history.
;
Doubtful: but
cp.
if
ni.t
jD
= Nin
-iB'ND
for
= invnD,
Kin
cp.
niyo,
Gn
48^5
'D'd,
Nah
2^.
in
with
itself
r\vhr\,
(BDB
Not improbably
the text
is
corrupt, xin
means might
[nation
of, i.e.
cp.
Ar.
it^S
using, or subjected
to)
measuring
line
[upon) measuring
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
3l8
line
or [nation
of^ i.e.
superstitions (Vitr.
ip
with
ViV^
nip,
cp.
hope;
to
to cleave
Aram, ^i^-ii.
ii4 n.
NtyjD]
mountains,
is
D'ln
curious
onn (Hiph.
Inf.
Sb 3yD
njf
denotes time
D3]
Others
AV) have
(cp.
treated
It is
if it
means a
dhd] before
454<^)
an
infin.
but
is
it
as
it
fflr.
signal on the
Perhaps
x.
4.
is
connected
of nn)
(BDB
^n^2f2
and
i.e. rites
(& dviXiriaTov.
ct.
cp. XDJ,
Aq.
Del.).
62^'')
of
Nt5'3.
the
NH
XIX. 7%^
The
or 1^;
Ges.,
prose section,
a,
G-K.
head
(of a
man
or
121^.
Oracle of Egypt
poem
means
td.i, cp.
or poetical fragments,
vv.^^-^^.
The
represent
to
vv.^'^*
attempts of Lowth,
vv.^^"^^
as poetry, are
unsuccessful.
The poem
conceives
Yahweh
Egypt
as about to visit
in
'
The
monostich,
v.**'
3 tristichs, vv.^-
originally distichs
viz. v.2b
and
^-
^^
;
16 distichs.
were
glosses,
319
rhythm is 4
two accents
another very
vv.^''' ^^
in
In
ill.
moreover, in
v.^^*'
**
^^^'
Parallelism
of parallelism
**
shall
fight,
Every
man
City against
3
city,
will I
go
out,
confound
to
inquire
of
the
idols
and
the
mutterers.
Of
*
And
the ghosts
and of the
familiar spirits
hard
And
lord.
(?),
And
all
the sedge-grass
'
on the brink
*
And
of the Nile
shall shrivel
away
(?)/
that
is
It is driven
(?)
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
320
^-
And
'The (women)
comb' and
that
the
^^
And
those of her
who *do
textile
crushed,
All
11
(?)
shall
be vexed
in soul.
Pharaoh's wisest
12
1^
1^
1^
It
'
poem
is
a unity
many
In
vv.i'^
live
at
circumstances in view
to
some
he
is
central
XIX. T-I5
Many
made
it is
321
is
the
work of
Isaiah, interpreters
De
On
is
the
have identified
Is.
Vat.
Aeth.,
identified the
1.
Yahweh
for
VOL.
I.
i.
p.
n. i.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
322
p.
or
90),
the
similar
period of decentralisation
before
the
poem any
literary
place
it,
and Sennacherib
at
'
'
nomes
(p.
335); but
an Isaianic
is
XIX. 1-4
Very
significant
the use of
is
nn
in v.^
see n. there
and the
noticeable.
is
323
And come)
on
and
v.^^
would
is
i8^o^-(^^')
Dt
(cp.
is
make a
will
33^^)
weh's cloud-chariot
Egypt,
He
riding]
through heaven
riding
Ps
Yahweh
^26-29^^
will
descent,
swift
on a clou d-chdiXiot
cp.
elaborated
in
Ezk
i.
10.
n^sf-.
^///
is
even
and,
if
so,
whether
it
Omnipresence (Jer
17^^).
in v.^
2-4.
5^
is
i.e.
their
courage
Yahweh speaks:
in
I will spur
preferable.
with
By
reason of
the
first
person begins
2b.
Cp.
3^.
City against
are
(13'^),
inconsistent
the
melt
139),
may be doubted.
will
necessarily
is
Ps
23^*,
city
The form
accounted for
if it
<r.
fall
COMMENTARY ON
324
::
ISAIAH
pugnacious, in
Egyptians are
the
v.^,
now
pictured as witless
This distinction
unconscious.
" ruach
became
but
literature,
exilic
is
increasingly
man
is
document," nor
maintained
largely
in
obscured
in
any
pre-
later
pre-exilic
employed
practically
**
as
heart' to
point onwards
we
Is
26^)."
is
it
used
development
in parallelism
turn for counsel to their idols and to the spirits of the dead
will get
spirits, 8^^
1?^
or creaking
(8^^ 29*).
H. W. Robinson
in
who
4.
the Arabic
sound"; mutterers
is
Even
if
some
XIX. 2-5
325
in his
be mighty
The
'nDDDDi]
2.
"
(
Ps
63^2),
CIS
i.
3^
;*^rn
is
= Cooke,
KoX iireyepd-^a-ovTai.
tomb
"
May
who
(m:iD"')
them
with his
an error
tXj,
NSI.,
p. 30).
np33i] G-K.
for 'mDDi
(Ezk
Sydd.
vSnx] 13^2 4.
n.
shall
dam up water,
OT Gn
shut up the
mouth
or ears
the
Nile-streams will
dependent on them
will wither
run dry
away
that
and that
by
it
will
the
be distressed.
all
vegetation
classes of
all
Nile
or
the
The sequence
and
^'^ it
is
as
either
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
326
a. is
the Nile
7^0 n.
ct.
made from
6.
The
14^^*.
river] the
River-branches] the
artificial
so
main stream of
nnn:
conduits
is
used of
may be
is
from Egyptian
word
(^iotr^
Ges-B.
(see
streams of Egypt
Dn
If
ii<^
is
a loan-word
5,v.\
though
specially intended,
7^^ n.
it
may
at first
have meant
specifically
12^-
'^\
3^6
(RV)
distress of
destroys the 3
the flax-workers.
Much
flax
3 rhythm.
the
processes in
of
flax
combing of the
9.
The
Two
crop.
here particularly
ently
(i) the
stalks
the
but
it
is
into
class
material
J^ apparthat
and men
is
||
to
**
women
satisfactorily explained.
(l"iin)
is
emended
the
cannot be
work
the adjective
XIX. 5-IO
327
Possibly
doubtful.
workers begun in
v.^^
An
v.^.
MT
flax-
"makers of dams"
allusion to the
Niph.t;
Kal,
for the
meaning
^j
compare
\ ,
stinky
to
stink
OT, we may,
else in
it,
have
I'^T
see
G-K.
(i^aa^ cc
(3)
^%%
{c)
The prevalence
or whatever
vvVrtO
mouldy.
to be
of the 3
7. in* 's
all prefix
neither
used of water.
it
indeed,
'?j;
v.^*,
'?'?n,
f, 38^^,
(&.
seems
3 rhythm
Job 28''
to have
elsewhere
is
not with
^N' Sy
and
i,
i'?'?t
v.^^.
33^ t
I'^Qp, Is
i'?'?1,
>
cp.
which means
if
anything
bare places (not meadows')^ the dissimilarity of the neighbouring lines, all
mx' -Sy and mx' '3 Sy look like variants,
point to textual corruption,
'a is
difficult
the
illustration of fruitfulness,
For nny,
emends
^, apparently,
tentatively iix'
'3
v^"").
Vy inx h^
Marti (followed
B'^yi
for B'^y,
yiTD] is best rendered seed (cp. '?DNa from '?dn), if qnj is said
see Jl i" (?).
ijrNi qij] fir avejxfxpof yniO; otherwise sown place, laiid soivn is preferable.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
328
vv.^''* ^^.
corruption in
9.
go with
'^^
with
^va-ffov.
fem. sing.
plural
it is
of course,
5), not,
n^nriB']
there
versions are,
fflr
ol
1^
a iioinen agentisy
or,
more
'
is
we
r renders
i.
suff. to refer to
comparison with Ps
itself
is
if
treating the
"iin,
10.
mpnB'
comm. above
might restore
r^v
either
probably, an original
see
masc,
If 'hb'D is
).
probably masc.
1909, pp. 2,
it.
taking mp'nc
'Tin]
(Di.
nna'ij
is
PEF Qu St.,
ipya^oixevoi avrd
the
omits
irrigiia etus.
n'rib*,
which,
if
i^nhb', or,
since the
who drink
it.
irfe'
"vy']
if
the phrase
had anything
to
with
'5^33
i.
21,
ag&mu,
Hebrew
^^
vexed ;
The
30^''
Jb
r\ri':i^y,
i.
8,
or Aramaic
ii.
see Levy,
this
NHB
to loathe
^O,^^^,
iii.
is
y.
to be depressed.
Memphis
futility of
are
(v.^^),
they gave
advice and formed plans, which Yahweh frustrates (v.^), but they
never discerned Yahweh's plan (v.^^^, which is carried out.
Consequently deceived by Yahweh (v.^**), they delude themselves and their country (v.^^^-), and Egypt achieves nothing.
Heb. So'an and Gk. Tavts are both
II. Sdan\ RV Zoan.
transliterations of Egyptian S'nt (Coptic Dja(a)ne), the
nome
W. Max
of
Mliller in
Lower Egypt.*
EBi.,
s.v.
Zoan.
The
name
city
of
was
XIX. 9-12
3^9
but this
Egyptian
is
712-666).
and Tirhakah
(c.
Amon
temple of
Nitocris in
at So'an
654
in V. p. 58).
kings
Ethiopian dynasty
the
of
Ramses
Stelae of
B.C.
made
a considerable contribution to
xvii.
Its
i,
20);
it
speak of So*an as
still
only of Isaiah (30*) in the 8th, but also of Ezek (30^*) in the 6th
Other
cent.
OT
references are
parallel in sense
certain
see
to
phil.
v.^^%
Nu
7812-
43,
nb
lie. d.
n.
Ps
13^2 (n.),
The
poet
is
is
un-
dramatically asks
and
wisdom, they have the effrontery to remind their king that they
are, each one of them, by right of descent men of wisdom and
rank.
were
hereditary
among
Egyptians.
the
12.
"The
\^
g,
favourite
:
the fear of
Yahweh
is
the beginning of
fear
RV
Noph
(see
phil.
n.).
plans.
Cp.
all
47^^^*.
Memphis occupied
S.
site
of Cairo.
at
the
Till the
1 580-1 350 b.c.) Memphis was the most important city of Egypt
at that time it yielded first place to
Thebes, but maintained undisputed the claim to be the second
1
8th dynasty
{c.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
330
city of the
may be
the Egyptians
The
tribes of
There is no good ground for giving the word the sense of castes,
and then making the whole phrase mean the chief i.e. the priestly,
caste,
fall
Yahweh
14.
of Egypt
their
He
judgment.
is
them
Withiii
theni] so
that distorts
v.
ment warped, so that they see nothing right, lead the whole
nation to its doom.
J^ reads within her; if this is right the
possessed by the spirit of
suffix refers to Egypt as a whole
distortion, the people are led on by their leaders to their doom.
The spirit of distortion] cp. " the spirit of deep sleep," 29^^,
:
Yahweh
all
(i
2 2^3),
alike performing
lib.
is
ni^v
n-iy33
r[\]}
intrusive,
and
rr-]]}-^
an error
for
ny23?
The
usage of nsy,
n:iy
is
abnormal
as resumptive, but if
*
Based on
construction of |^, in
W. M.
Muller in EBi,
s.v.
Neph.
XIX. II-I7
33^
merely
prepare
to
no3, in
+ Vy,
1^
but see
BDB,
j.z/.
my,
nn pn'rn
n.
there
cp.
cp. iZT^,
Du. proposes
HDi here.
and s ee comm.
connect with
(JEr^
i.
Non.
v'^'"'^J'>t^*i-
For
D^yiy] see
r\i'^'pi,
is
ompn
(BDB, my,
ii.
cp. Dr.
on
S 20^), to err from the luay. ^rMff]}^:)] read n^b'yo note the pi. in (&K%,
and the 3rd fem. suffix in .Taatr, v.^3^ 15. DnKo"? .th' kV] for the use of n\n,
V may meaner, and denote the source
no work shall be performed
cp. 7*^.
by Egypt.
I
23. 24^
vv.i* 3
Nah
ct. v.i^
(fem.
(masc.
Shall be
pi.).
3^^
01 fiv
tremble] 1"in of
unUke
Israel
repeated in
in Is 2^^.
and
sing.), vv.^i^-
phil.
women,
(12^),
v.^'^ is
secure in
Yahweh's
like
women]
battle of Salamis
88).
And
help.
sing, as in
And
shall
be in dread]
Jews
(cp.
v.i''),
to
will
dread his residence also (Di., Marti).
whoever
mentions
it^ viz. the land of Judah, to him, i.e.
Moreover,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
332
17b.
The
cast of sentence
monotonously
with
v.^^*^.
see v.^2
vv.^-15,
the part,
ctTT.
normal (Dr.
is
Xe7.,
more
(&. <l)6^7)Tpov,
efifective
than
The
f]'i\
vhmh
cp.
SU.
cp. e.g.
(G-K. 80^) the root is JJn ; cp. nntrs lyij'i un', Ps 107^'
means (BDB) to reel (as from festival excess), such a derivative meaning
may well be late in any case the sense required for the noun here is only
paralleled within the OT by the sense of the vb. in the late Psalm passage.
nns' v'?x nnx I'sr ncK "^d] awkward, and really rather pointless however
construed.
For the translation above, cp. T3jn with ace. of the thing and
equivalent of n
if this
Vn of the pers. in
Egyptian)
every
mentions
it to
to
Gn
40^^
Less probable
ivhom one mentions it
him, he (Egypt)
is
is
is
in dread
(i.e.
if
18-25.
The
23-25
v.^^
^^^
or
or
The somewhat
tions.
off
suspicions.
show,
it is
by no means
day.,
gives
commentary
some ground
that follows
difficult to interpret
marked
for
must be
such
left
to
coherent.
Egypt and
The
style
though it is
might have
The
re-
in that
characteristic of Isaiah
vv.^^"^^
day.,
vv.^^-
^i- 23^
written.
determination
of date
rests
is
in
the
first
place on the
prophecy, or whether
it is
XIX.
in part history clothed as
i6,
17,
18-25
333
prophecy.
it
seems
after;
prophecy.
is
If the reference
already existing, no
is
to a particular altar
and massebah
to the
known
known fact which might explain the
is the Temple at Leontopolis erected about
facts explain the
reference
160 B.C.*
It is altogether
Yahweh
who had
means
as a
of bringing
The
specific
reference
to
Leontopolis,
or the
Temple
of
prophecy written
it
and
prophecy
reference (see
Dn
in
more
7.
Others
question
the
specific
fully below).
will
become converted
Hebrew
(so
and
in
proof of
COMMENTARY ON
334
ISAIAH
be Jewish colonies
in
Egypt-
Five
cities]
the
may
writer
mean
well
five
definite
cities,
number
cities or
times (Herod,
Hebrew.
are i S
ad
obviously not
(Gn
to
loc.
the point
and Konig
for instance,
in
DB
iii.
564* are
Benjamin's fivefold
Ch
15^^) to
Yahweh of
hosts
(ffi^
to the
^, Ps 81^)
name of Yahweh), the language (lit. lip cp. Gn ii^Hebrew;
Canaan
can
scarcely
mean
anything
yet why
but
of
^-
'^*
{i.e.
sharply distinguished.
name
of
some
city, insignificant in
the
XIX. i8
335
the
context and serving merely to identify the city intended
the
actual
disclose
name
of
one
of
to
the
is
not
purpose
writer's
:
some
one
city
3.
name must
the
Many
it,
dis-
ffi
Ct/y of righteousness.
t<)
it
= p'-\)in
"I*"];
(i^^),
contains a trans-
literation, certainly
{b)
CD5ai,
literate apes
(c)
of
Sun
the
renders
The
su?i
2nd
City
that
ST
tJ^DS^
is
(b)
and
lies
cities will
in favour
least to the
government,
name
and means
be the Egyptian Jerusalem. But
the
recalls
i^^,
is
it
is
is
ffi^,
(c)
(i.e.
If
of Righteousness
just or right
ffi^).
cent. a.d.
one of these
which
ist or
mTm
l-^XVch
temple) of the
of (a)
can be offered.
Thus
interpreted the
it
is
i.e.
name
legitimate
satisfies all
of favourable import,
is
it
The
reading onnn
destruction^
i.e.
doomed
to
as
correctly understood
it,
and Che.
(in /Y,
but not
city
later).
The
of
To
artificial
so Del., Orelli,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
33^
may
context
impossible in the
(5)
on two grounds
meaning
{a) the
is
*
xiii. 3) that v.^' and the neighbouring verses
were early understood to refer to the temple at Leontopolis, and that this
temple provoked the displeasure of the Palestinian Jews some Palestinian
scribe substituted for a reading agreeable to the context a reading that
obvious
it is
The
a few
MSS mnn
to consideration,
Ty,
a'^_y
if it
fife
reading of
The
theory (Du.,
hazardous
This
Heliopolis.
it
does not
satisfy
for a scribe
E2k 30^'), or at least cdbti n^y (cp. ? Jer 43^^ |^ not (S)?
however,
we suppose that onnn Ty means, indeed, city of the sun, but was
If,
not used here as a mere translation of the Egyptian name of the nome, what
4i45. 50 4520^
reading
NH
deliverance, so Ges.
^0 rescue.
But
Ostracine
but this on
form to Din suggested the choice of the rare word, we should naturally
expect a scribe, who was substituting a mere place name for a complimentary
epithet, to select the common term t^Dtr.
* In section i, Jos.
makes Onias
XIX. 19-22
337
of Din
Finally, lonn
literation of pisn.
would have had any compelling reason to substitute ^'^^'^^ nor a Palestinian to
If a word of neutral significance had stood here originally,
substitute oinn.
The textual facts are best,
it would have been likely to maintain its place.
if not completely, accounted for by assuming that the chronological order of
the readings
is ^'^'i-^^
An
19-22.
Yahweh
Dirrn,
Dnnn.
in
shippers there
altar
and
Him, hearing
their prayer
and
healing them.
Since
(v.i9)
it
is
come
to
know Yahweh
(v.^i),
Yahweh
the writer
this altar
over in
v.^i,
v.^^^*,
Yahweh
(v.2i)
Egypt there
all
arises the
:
to
Yahweh
before
altar.
19.
its
An
and a massebah
at
VOL.
I.
22
;;
'
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
338
make
what
meant
is
is,
just as
much a
'
sign
and a witness
'
'
Isaianic authorship;
the altar
is
cp.
i^^- ^^)."
It is safer to
;
conclude that
In this case the altar and massebah to which the writer refers
were remote from one another, one being in the centre, the other
and it is not necessary to assume
at the extremity of the country
;
that
the
altar or with
1622, cp.
1423, 2
We
still
exist
at
some
place,
is
to mark, or
May we
surmise
Even "commemorative monuments" were condemned by Abd elWahhab, the founder of the Wahhabis (Hogarth, Penetration of Arabia^ 73)
and similar extremes are familiar expressions of the reforming spirit. But
idealists, such as this writer was, need not share all the extreme views of
reformers of religious practice.
XIX.
19,
2o
339
at
if
might
it
still
find
altar.
The
the
On
would be rather
understood of the
occupied the
Leontopolis (cp.
altar at
of Tell-el-Yehudiyyeh
site
most readily
LeontopoHs
place has been
is
v.^^ n.).
this
This place
lies
applied
this
passage
strictly in the
making
according to
Onias,
temple.
their
to
which was
granted, to build a temple at Leontopolis, wrote to Ptolemy
and Cleopatra as follows " I pray you grant me leave to build a
temple to Almighty God, after the pattern of that in Jerusalem.
... on behalf both of myself and my wife and children, that those
Jews which dwell in Egypt may have a place whither they may
come and meet together in mutual harmony with one another, for
the prophet Isaiah prophesied, There shall be an altar in Egypt
Josephus (Ant.
xiii.
3^),
in
his
petition,
'
to the
Lord God.'"
We
he
An
and
The
20.
among Jewish
frontier, as Ezekiel
cities in
inscribed obeHsk,
on the
made
911^*
W. M.
is
in vv.^^'^o*.
Yahweh as
Ex 13^
which reminds Yahweh
Gn
it
claim to a distinctive
is
was
is
a sign, niS,
and
7^*,
cp
COMMENTARY ON
340
ISAIAH
the altar
there
that
He
is
cry to
so
when He
sees
Him
because of oppressors
(Jg
2^^),
He
will intervene^
lit.
thetn.
phil. n.),
He
events
continues
still
that
but
if so,
of the
More probably
altar.
the
transition to prediction
fice to
Yahweh
they
will participate
22.
(cp.^^), Egypt
which shows itself
in fatherly chastisement, and " leads to repentance " and healing.
Smiting and heali?ig\ cp. Hos 6^ As often as they return from
the evil ways to which, like Israel, Yahweh's first people, they
will be prone. He will let Himself be entreated of them ; they will
pray to be healed, and He will heal them.
Leontopolis
(in
will
?).
of Yahw^eh's
must precede
is
this,
The
The
v.^i^-
that of Assyria
which enters
what is
into many a prophetic picture of the ideal future
and Egypt
XIX.
1-25
341
and
Israel,
Yahweh's regard
universalism,
unlimited
Yahweh
as Israel
This
itself.
of racial
elimination
entire
this
they
pre-
catholic a thought to
Jews
home and
at
people which
is
my inheritance,
Israel;
as follows
people and
my
whom
my
is
my
in Egypt,
" Blessed
is
my
people
whom I
me
called
inheritance, Israel."
Assyria
is
first)
(ct.
(B:)
for
The
Assyria.
operate
and the
same phrase
passage of Assyria to
service in
is (ritual)
blessing in
hath
v.,
the
service to
Yahweh
cp.,
of Egypt,
v. 21.
24.
the
blessed,
r\^12,
of Assyria was in
in
Yahweh
itself
as Creator
had developed
My
inheritance] of
COMMENTARY ON
342
Israel as often
so 47^, where
meaning
people^ also
20.
is
ISAIAH
my
it
Israel.
3rd m. sing, as in
iii.
323^),
Gn
i.e.
the
17".
i^^ etc.
Less probable is the view that the following sentence 'm ipys' '3 is the
nyVi mNS] r eh atj/iieiop eis rbv alQva.
subj.
n'?B''i] M/ Ae may send
this
is the normal force of simple waw with the impf. (Dr. 62) ; and again,
the normal apodosis to a sentence beginning with '3 and an impf. begins
waw
with
consec.
and the
(2"ii
pf.
here)
the
waw
with
the
impf.
is
in
MT
Ex
nr"i3
10^^.
25.
(or because^
distributively,
XX.
itffH,
pN.
evXdyrjaev,
ijv
Retaining
MT,
Israel, or
to be
taken
captive by Assyria.
For three
by
" naked
"
Ashdod
Yahweh went about
command
of
that
this
{i.e.
half-clad)
far
from
Saigon's
capture of
inscriptions
Ashdod;
it
(see
below) enable us
b.c.
to
date
These
the
inscrip-
and
XIX. 20-25
Ashdod
falls
a year, or perhaps as
XX.
343
much
this case,
Egypt, though
it
is
may be
stronger, will
new government
in
bring
no
nevertheless
His expecta-
But
fulfilled
it
was a
full
is
it
it
is
but
it
is
Musur
for
who
had
Arabia.
ff.)
adopts an intermediate
Musur, to whom the Ashdodites and their Jewish and other allies appealed for help, was
an Arabian ruler, but the king of Meluhba who delivered up
Yamani to Assyria was Sabako the king of Ethiopia (and
position, holding that Pir'u, king of
Egypt).
It will
given
in
Sargon's
it is
* See, particularly, E.
(1906),
where the
identification
u.
Meluhha = Ethiopia,
ihre
is
Nachbarstdmme
re-argued at length
against Winckler.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
344
711
is
of the city
fall
The
ff. ).
year^'
Azuri,
The Ashdodites
in his place.
common
viz.
is
not stated, alliance with Pir'u, king of Musur (Pharaoh, king of Egypt, or
pis,
king of a
" Quick
on Ashdod. At
district in Arabia?).
as lightning" Sargon('s
the
first
news of
army)
approach
his
Yamani
fled
a-na
Yamani bound
i-te-e mcLt
to Assyria.
son of Amos,
i^
7}
13^)
is
referred to in the
3rd person.
seem
be
to
in
v. 2,
or
7).
The attempt
not successful.
I.
S^'^ f.
In
the year]
711
B.C.
as early
been two who ranked
or officers
for
tentum
EBi.
(19 10),
pp.
s.v.
is
the
name
in the
see Johns in
see above.
seem
officer,
to
have
Tarta?i
60-63.
of the
Came
to
Ashdod]
mod. Esdud,
XX.
"
:
I,
345
this
all
it]
means
fell
within
I conquered (it)
be merely a case of a king
besieged,
to
own
2.
narrative
The Hebrew
a single year.
At
Yahweh
that time
personal exploits.
Yahweh had
spake] or
spoken, are
Yahweh bade
capture of Ashdod,
date the oracle of
Isaiah go barefoot.
If
we
v. 2,
v.^,
By
prophet's sackcloth.
phrase,
Hag
i^- 3,
P and
to {irpos) Isaiah.
Yahweh spake by
see, e.g.,
the
the
instances in P, see
Hos
12^^, I
28^^'
Its
^'^).
occurrence here
is
extra-
and
dress
worn
''to untie
in
mourning, or as a token of
some
one's sackcloth"
passage
P^
to,
certainly
distress.
seems to
Zee
it
is
who
has
commonly
said to be a distinctive
is
and
require,
Consequently,
official
dress;
like,
cp.
i^
and
fflt's
fxr^XcDrr)
for
nnt
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
346
in
19^3-
1*,
i^-
i2f..
garment
so
iS''-^^, Is sS''.
The Hebrew words
no doubt commonly meant absolutely naked (Gn
^7. lof.^
IjuI;^ lii^e yr/xi'os, nudus^ they had
also the meaning of
half-clad ; even in this condition Isaiah would have exposed himself during these years to jeers and contempt (cp. 2 S 6i*-20).
It is only incidentally from the following oracle that we learn
the duration of Isaiah's conduct ; yet the last half of v.^ would
stand far more naturally in v.^ and it is not improbable that
Mic
i^
D"iy,
D"i^y
And he
did
so,
(8^^)
against
pose that at
first
he explained
it
second ora.le
is
and Cush
(v. 2) ?
sup-
making it perhaps
Ashdod and Judah if they
and
that the
first
point of the
no help
become the cap-
We may
differently,
trusted in Misraim
God
With
10*.
The
of the captives,
Assyrian
fig.
reliefs illustrate it
History of Egypt,
119.
5, 6.
to have
The
effect
on the
Philistines
and
And
is
they
XX. 1-6
shall he dismayed (8^ n.)
whom
(DDnD), to
and ashamed
because of
and
22^-^^)
as
whom
Misraim of
its
Cush
because of
and
made
347
their hope
source
of
they had
might on their
irresistible
the inhabitants
from the
stated
it
is
is
v.^
till
DD^D, Dmj^sn
in
suffixes
been abbreviated
at this point.
The inhabitants of the coast^ Sargon, not unnaturally, at a distance of 400 miles, groups together the inhabitants of Philistia,
Judah, Edom, and Moab as those that inhabit the coast but it is
strange for a resident in Jerusalem to use, if he does so, the
phrase so comprehensively: in 232-6 "the inhabitants of the
coast " are, naturally enough, the Phoenicians and in Zeph 2'
"the inhabitants of the region of the sea "are the Philistines.
Possibly we have again some awkwardness due to abbreviation.
How then shall we escape] the pron. is emphatic (cp. 2 K 10^)
it refers to that part of the inhabitants of the coast who had not
;
previously fled.
I. on"?'!
Tartan came
K3 naca]
may
on"?'!
and fought
(Dr.
V.2
in 711 B.C.,
came,
but
etc.,
it
and
would be rather
he fought
and
took,
pointless.
pB',
Est
4*,
Ps
Sta.
30^'^.
Diny]
BDB
and see
especially Schwally,
NB
ZA TIV,
f.),
narrative
(cp.
or Diy (Kon.
v.^)
rather than
in
the oracle,
nothing
The
;;
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
348
is
Walked (being
thus)
a sign for three years (Del.) (2) in the third year a sign, etc., i.e. a sign
of what is to happen three years hence probably intended by accentuation
;
of
MT. 4.
ni'?j
punctuation
m'?3,
G-K.
see
Job
95/.
in-i
G-K
24^, see
'gibqi
118^.
'S^bqi]
MT
treats the
word as
was intended.
XXI.
The
poems
id) vv.^^^^
{b^ vv.^^**
ic) vv.^2-15
**
century B.C.
Common
to
all
utterance
XXI.
i-io.
Special
Literature:
P.
Kleinert
ThSK,
in
1877,
pp.
174-179;
The
lines, or portions
translation, correspond to
*'?'Ds,
v.^**
*>
it
is
commonly
[A roaring ?] as of storms
As they sweep through the Negebl
It cometh from the wilderness.
From
XX. 4; XXI,
'
stern vision
349
me
Therefore
filled are
my
me
My mind
woman
as of a
in travail.
hear,
wandereth.
for
into trembling.
Rub
^
"Go
''
princes,
oil."
me
company on asses,
A riding company on camels.
Then let him attend attentively,
riding
With great
8
And he
" Upon
cried
attention."
a watch-tower,
Lord,
am
I standing
continu-
by day
ally
And upon my
guard-post
am
stationed
all
the
nights.
*
And, behold
riding
there,
company
coming,
of men,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
350
Horsemen
in pairs."
And
^
O my
What
all
is
said,
Babylon,
the images of
have heard
my
the
God
of
Israel,
I
The poem
seen
in
a vision, or a
manner
in
visions,
and
ing his
him, in
v."^^*
in v.^^, address-
his revelations to
of the
first
scene
can hardly be other than that of the fourth, viz. Babylon the
banquet of the second scene is a Babylonian banquet. The cry
in the second scene carries events in the city down to the time
after the advance of Elam and Media in the third scene, at a
the fourth scene depicts
distance from Babylon, has begun
the fall of Babylon before this attacking force of Elam and
Media.
Thus the capture of Babylon is still future to the writer, so
but we may
also probably is the advance of Elam and Media
infer that a political situation, which made such an advance probSuch a situation existed between 549
able, already existed.
B.C., when Cyrus had united under his sway Media as well as
Elam, and 538 B.C., when Babylon opened its gates without a
And to these
struggle to Cyrus' Median and Elamite army.
years we may refer the oracle.
It was not written after the
event; for Babylon avoided "falling" (in the sense probably
;
XXI. i-io
351
Babylon.
The
it
it is
true,
first
scene
is
quite
is
the
fills
it,
vv.^^*-,
But
this
if
fall
and her
immediate future affect not only Babylon, but also her captives.
The background of his vision is uncertain the foreground is
:
war.
A brief
acting against
theories
is
that
Elam
the vision
This also rules out the possibility that the oracle refers
Babylon in 689 (cp. Che. Introd. p. 124).
it.
to Sennacherib's siege of
I.
Title.
adds of
Oracle
{the) sea
{j'T^n.)
but this
is
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
352
poem
how
there
come
has
that
Zee
It
9^*).
district to the
is
Yahweh
(v.^^).
It is far less
stern
(riK'p,
is
'^
all
thv,
is
not
strictly
Elam]
is
XXI. 1-5
The combination
353
mode
the natural
is
of
Cyrus
EBu
MT / have
Yahweh
3661.
most obviously
introducing
as speaker,
is
be,
like
caused
the term
to cease]
two that
suddenly
the
to cease,
The
improbable.
obj. of the
the Babylonians, for then the phrase would express bringing joy
to
all
Babylon
(cp.
Hos
Jews or of
in
vv.^^-
see phil. n.
The
3, 4.
seer's
/ am
hear^
and
v.H
similarly in
My
4.
mind
to
(BDB
sees a vision
its fuller
(v.^).
to
fathom
" he here
visionary" (Du.).
(RV).
see
(28"^ n.),
not panteth
Job
21^,
Ezk
7I8,
Ps 556 f
cp. |1V^Dn^
Job (f.The
twilight]
5^1 n.
The second
rest,
on
this
scene.
This
particular to render
Dn
5,
Herod,
as a prophetic vision,
it
necessary to regard
i.
191
and not
it
but
it
is
sufficiently
as an historical,
resistance, to
at the
banquet.
than they
VOL.
set the
I.
23
The rendering
watch /
See
is
phil. n.
Bub
the shields
with
oit\
COMMENTARY ON
354
that they
may
not cut
into,
ISAIAH
make them
Third and fourth scenes. The
less
6-9.
them
shine.
Persian advance
is
communicated
been particularised.
made
is
to report
when he
of revelation between
watcher
Yahweh and
is
and orders
make ready
to
the seer
self,
whom
is
no intermediary
recognised.
The
The
in
I i24f-).
'*
i. 438 f.:
Such
appHcation
to the proceedings
temporary exit of the soul has a world-wide
He professes to send forth his spirit
of the sorcerer, priest, or seer himself.
^
on distant journeys, and probably often beheves his soul released for a time
from its bodily prison, as in the case of that remarkable dreamer and visionary
Jerome Cardan, who describes himself as having the faculty of passing out of
his senses as into ecstasy whenever he will, feeling when he goes into this
The
state a sort of separation near the heart, as if his soul was departing.
Khond priest authenticates his claim to office by remaining from one to
fourteen days in a languid and dreamy state, caused by one of his souls
The Turanian Shaman lies in
being away in the divine province.
lethargy while his soul departs to bring hidden wisdom from the land of
The Norse chief Ingimund shut up three Finns in a hut for
spirits.
three nights, that they might visit Iceland and inform him of the lie of the
country where he was to settle their bodies became rigid, they sent their
souls on the errand, and awakening after three days they gave a description
.
of the Vatnsdael."
6.
nsVDn IDVn
Hab.
same
told "
(v.^^).
7.
There
is
some
XXI. 6-9
in
355
but the scene
advancing
in
asses^
double
is
and
file,
mounted on
partly
camp
Darius's
horses, partly
(iv.
129).
point
is full,
cites
is
AV, RVmarg.
nothing
v.^ his
seeing nothing
more
v.
how
his
lips as
compared
Am 3^)
The comparison
we
(if
Equally unsatisfactory
is,
point
^ilfc<
rather
if
Then he
cried,
lion I
The
v.^
evening
moreover,
v.^
by 62^
God
(v.^^).
Marti omits
v.^^- ^
as a
reflection
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
356
just here
not obvious.
is
summarily
pa-c.
The
The sequence
related.
awkward;
rather
is
for
is
it
(v.^,
the vision comes and makes him break off his complaint.
350
p.
f.
The
10.
now
the seer
terms
pd.
either
See above,
e.
my
Marti) or mutilation.
(with
interpolation
assume
to
is
Yet
The
by Babylon.
in thrall
my
figurative singular
Hab
3^2^
trodden,"
is
it
ad
probable
wind
loc).
D'
I.
i.e,
see above.
Hab
in
i".
riv^
2.
50^",
= nx.
see
'nntr'n
G-K
above
possibly the
rhrhn
3.
to
(G-K
word
Dt
n'-DKrr
n3}j]
is
is
an
"^j;]
i/n^
fern, as 7^
42^^ Jer
and
7rp^<r/3eis
''b]l,
ol
not
Both are
difficult
see
Vsa
n'?n'?m,
Nah
'myj]
2^^
nixno
Ps 38^; Ar.
cp.
yDsro]
p is causal
G-K.
set the
idea
both im-
90^)
7^'* 9^,
113^
nis
(Du.), as in 48^,
55']
il2>n).
means
^t.2.
sighing
(MT) means
Che. cntyD
1222.
may imply
i/Mavrdv
plural)
n'^nS]
n's:^
n&>f
^'ly]
G-K
(4) the
meaning
is
Watch
laid (cp.
table-cloth
{in) the
see,
further,
nsjfon
noyn iV]
nsi'n,
carpet,
make
or,
i.e.
6.
as others think, a
"Jix "^^
idn n^
'd]
Nu
ii^-*
JE)
is
so
31^
not
"
xxr. I-I2
pp. 58-60)
is
LOT^
less discriminating,
ZATW
357
which, assuming a
might
be rendered,
construction harsh in itself
viii. 165 ff.
cp. Kautzsch in
Go^ stand on the watch-tower (Stade,
Either of these readings, if all the consequential changes of
V. 674 n.).
2nd or 1st for 3rd persons in vv.^'^ were also adopted, would remove the
But in
representation of a double consciousness in the prophet (see above).
'VV nxT] r
criticism of Buhl and Sta., see Du. and Che. Introd. p. 125.
a watchman (Buhl,
s\\\.
I57f.)
or nsjiDn noy
nD"?,
v.^,
ZATW
DB
I'St/s
d>'d,77etXoj'
-A A^ or
company.
8.
tc^'aI
n;
collective
22', but in 2
Cp.
Kin.
(cp.
(Ir)
avriis,
(
'"^'DS]
which
'?an
XXI.
The
'3,
cp.
5?**)
is
possibly
a riding
19^,
Ca
2^^-
see
{j^^
BDB,
11.
261.
p.
10,
13.
i^^^L).
Ct.
sj^k]
the
Sta. omits,
7"^
aydXixara airijs Kai rd. xei/)07ro/7;ra
a doublet of an early text which read t'^'DS
I2^'
n'n'?x, only.
An
distichs are 2
12
riders^
cp. Ar.
is
Mesha's inscription,
20^^,
Jg
Dt 7^
Jer 51^') or
II, 12.
11
meaning
(33"i,
t\:IT\-\
as in
is enclitic
appealing precariously to CR
n'ri'?K
an early
r\irfS\
would be
last n.
Cp.
jy'i
149.
t^
idnm
in reading
ambiguous answer
2 (cp. vv.^*^)
v.^^*
to
has
2,
v.^^* 3, accents.
Come
brief,
inquire, inquire,
back again."
how
far
gone
is
Some Edomites
through which they are now passing. The seer replies that a
change is coming, but whether with it any permanent relief is at
present obscure to him.
do
so, let
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
358
is
The
advance
is
a vision
filling
the
Apart from
its
probable connection
with
vv.^*^,
there
is
The
language suggests a relatively late date, say not earlier than the
The
exile.
of t5U and
in
Ob.
more
vbs.
bii\^
v.^; nns,
OT
Isaiah;
(2) as
NU
a synonym of
in
fc^nx
Aramaic equivalents
(G-K.
e.g. 7
Dt 33^;
75?'^),
occurs
times in DeuteroNn''1,
Dt
33^1,
is
time of
unquiet" occasioned by
Tiglath-Pileser, who exacted tribute of Kaus-malaka, king of
Edom; (2) Che. {Introd. 130 f.) dates the prophecy in 589 B.C.,
"increasing impatience
f.)
and
feverish
would be four
years after Edom united with Judah in rebelling against Babylon
(Jer 27^), and just before it "purchased by its malignant conduct
the undying hatred of the Jews."
II, The Hebrew title, The oracle of Diimah, presents an
unsolved riddle ; no important Edomite town of the name of
Dumah is known, and it is wholly improbable that an oracle
concerned with Edom as a whole would be named after some
Oracle of silence (hdH, Ps 94^'' i is^'^f) would
insignificant place.
be contrary to the analogy of the other titles, whether it be
explained as meaning ^/-^r/f? ^(the land that is to be reduced to)
silence^
say
into Syria;
much
Is
calli?ig\
urgently
this
Gn
33^*,
Dt
2*.
It is
and
From
insistently,
Se'ir'\
Edom
XXI. II-I5
the question, but as the reply
is
359
individuals.
na^D, one looking out (for a foe), but "IDEJ^, a guardian^ or nightpatrol; Ca 5^ Ps 127I 130^, Is 62^; cp. TnDt^^D, V.7, Hab 2^.
II. non] (& T^s 'ISou/itt^as, possibly
(cnx).
Kip]
n'?''?D
nc] the
p is
Ex
15I
part., is calling,
form, used here for variation, occurs also in 30^^ 15^ 16*,
MT
punctuates
I2'2 (Sam. n"?^*?), Pr 31^8 (Knib), La 2>^ (Ktib).
also. 12. vnx UB'] G-K. 120^. v^n] for r^x ; G-K. 76^.
XXI. 13-15.
war into
S-h in
Arabia.
26^''')
D^JiT
is
^3
mmK
The
a parallel to XD'n
is
doubtful,
in
pN
UB'',
and
to
be connected with
v.^*.
V."
caravans of Dedanites
night.
meet the
to
thirsty
brought
water
The
Tema
met the
fugitives
with bread.
15
fled,
And
stress of war.
But
if
if
caravans of Dedanites.
To meet
be
On
the
other hand,
is,
brought^ water,
etc.,
the fugitives of
v.^^,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
360
their usual
with merchandise, have found war, and have fled without being
able to provision themselves
have
turned aside from the caravan track and the regular stations on
Tema meet
As
If the piece
(if
Vnn
is
not imperative)
vision, rather
13.
v.^* also
Oracle
.]
the oracle
(cp. v.^)
v.^^
is
and
seen in
flight.
is
the meaning
then
vv.^"^^,
is
The
title is
the night
Mic
that
nor
"ly^
nj;"'^,
and
3^2
clear,
entirely absent
its
Syr.
IjAj, a
suitability to
e.g.
The
thicket).
Arabia
7^),
but
point of this
is
it
not
is
precarious to infer
stony ground.
where
in
OT my
is
coll.
in this case
the
my
Caravans^
punctuation. Job
OT
6^^^*.
here
cp.
=nniy
Gn
37^^ and,
Dedanites\
The
or
etc.).
in spite
of
references in
Tema
is
Dt
cp.
N.W.
the Hejaz, in
and was
Gn
Tema\
23^.
25^^,
Arabia,
361
Jer 252^.
for long
it
in
is
(smaller inscriptions,
Tiglath-
Rost;
27, ed.
i.
cp.
B.C.,
the influence on
it
CIS
113
ii.
KOn.
nriN
avvavTon-e
iD"=ip] (5:
^ry^p.. 15.
20^^
nDn'joni,
cp.
CIS
113
in
and see
Job 6^'*
HB'itoj]
'on
nnD] m3D
Jg
16
A note in prose added to the
nnaV.
see
ff.
68z.
its
f. ;
Hiph. of
14. vnn]
G-K.
indicate
to,
inani,
poem, and announcing the almost total destruction of the Arabs within a definitely
The future of the Arabs is darker here than in
fixed time.
yy 13-15 there Arabia is the place of flight from danger, here no
f.
last
escape
is
possible.
The language
is
language
is
is,
the
the
Perhaps, as in
cp. i6^*.
pi. (f^,
13^,
cp. v.^ n.
Within a
and
S.
of Palestine.
so also, e.g.,
Houb., Lowth,
at.
transpose
Gn
40^^
ntj-p]
Ct. win;
the pi.
\ffhv:i,
16K
would be expected
ntJ'p
XXII. 1-14.
The rhythm
Vv.^'^^
seem
to
is
neither clear
be mainly prose,
on
nor,
apparently,
vv.^^'^'*
the
same
throughout.
throughout,
we omit two
4
4:4;
words in v.^-*'''
In vv.^"^ the prevailing rhythm is of an echoing type 14:2 in v.^*
and '^' * (but see phil. n.) ; 4 3 in v.^ (but see phil. n.) ; the rest may be
as v.^^*'* ^ is still,
see n.
v.^''' ;
but
v.^**-
''
is
6 unless
*>
3:2.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
362
In
v.^,
probably also in
v.'',
and
^^^'
clearly again in
the rhythm
'^
is
balanced.
1
city,
Exultant town?
Thy
slain are
Nor dead
^
in battle;
Have
*
Therefore
Let
say,
*'
me weep
Be not
Elam took up
And
^
people."
my
Thy
the quiver, a a
its
And
full
of chariots,
^^
And
ye
'
looked
in that
day to the
weapons
in the
House
of the Forest,
^*
11^
And
to
Him
And
the Lord
To
Yahweh
weeping
and
that wrought
that planned
it
it.
long ago.
lamentation
and
;'*^
in that
baldness
day
and
girding on of sackcloth
And
old pool.
XXII. I-I4
^5
And
lo
3^3
may
we
to-morrow,
die."
^*
And Yahweh
of
mine
in
ears
"Surely
ye die!"
till
is
drown
their cares in
section
it
is
a unity, and,
if
present,
(v.^^^-).
how many
different elements
given in prose in
vv.^^"^^* certainly
the details
same poem?
rhythm (see above), and details of connection are
All that need be attempted here
discussed below in the notes.
is to indicate some general features which have been differently
ally parts
of the
tinction of
interpreted.
is
pronounced to be
condemned
it
on
is
same poem,
is
in v.^)
is
it
is
unlikely to have
the
v.^
the people
Moreover,
narrative.
present or past.
On
if it
belong to
Yahweh
(see
below
v.^).
COMMENTARY ON
364
ISAIAH
the
still
future, but to
him
to
at
defences of the
the material
Yy
of
12-14
city,
while
neglecting Yahweh.
and a similar estimate of its outcome instead of mournwhich Yahweh has called them, the people are given over
feasting, therefore their fate is irrevocably sealed
they must
v.^,
ing, to
to
die.
The
is
period to which
that of Sennacherib
what
is
described
is
assign vv.^*^,
^^'^^
or blockade, of Jerusalem.
the siege,
It is
doubtful whether
itself
briefly referred to
Among modern
writers, Di.,
Hackmann
may be
(pp. 92-97),
and
Cond., for example, maintain the unity of the entire passage, and Cond.
Du. treats vv.^"', ^"^^ (omitting ^^^^*) as two
regards even vv.^**""* as poetry.
different poems, the first written before Sennacherib's attack on Jerusalem,
Che. distinguishes vv.^'^ from ^^'* ; in ^"^* he
the second somewhat later,
regards
^
and
',
^"^-ii*
and
blockade.
as
'
interpolated,
and
Marti refers
^"^,
^^"^*
in
^'^^
same poem)
to
than Deutero-Isaiah, by some one who interpreted the day of panic (v.^) of
On Sayce's theory that the date of the
Sennacherib's attack on Jerusalem.
prophecy was 711, and the occasion a hypothetical siege of Jerusalem by
Accepting Du.'s analysis into two poems,
Sargon, see Dr. LOT^ 217 f.
vv.^"'^, *^^ Wi. {Altorientalische Forschungen, ii. 253-259) eliminates v.'* and
in v.* the
XXII. 1-5
ously understood the city referred
poem
sees an "Isaianic"
to, to
ZGS
be Jerusalem.
on the Babylonian city of Sippar in 694 B.C., and expressing the hope that
Elam, the great rival of Assyria, may succeed. The theory requires us to
read nc for yty in v.-"^, mx for mx in v.*', and to understand tw in v.'' as a
proper name. The theory itself is most improbable ; but it draws attention to
the real difficulty occasioned by the reference to Elam. Corn. [ZATW^ 1884,
pp. 96 f. ) doubts the Isaianic origin of the entire section on account of its
Stade {ib. p. 257), questioning rather
lo^**"32. 33
22 as at one time connected with 28-31, and 22^"" as a
prophecy delivered by Isaiah in the temple on the occasion of a feast.
incompatibility with
I.
Title.
Oracle (13^
The gay
1-5.
n.)
(v.^ n.),
city
similarly pleasing,
the
careless
merry-makers
and sings to
depicting what he foresees, the slaughter or
otherwise,
the people.
city of the
The
Thy
are
slain
v.^*)
not slain
cp.
La
4.
Chieftains\
3.
i^
n.
Between
v.^*
and
s*^
there
bound ; all that were found of thee ( all thy mighty o?ies) were
Without the bow has been supposed to mean
bound together.
after the bows had been thrown away, or before there had been
time to use the bows ; the rendering because of the bow is no
more satisfactory, and by the archers (RV) very questionable.
4. Some of the merry-makers try to cheer up the prophet, who
weeps (cp. 16^, La i^^) at this sad vision; he refuses to be
comforted for the destruction of his people. Destruction\ 13^ n.
The daughter of my people'] i.e. the entire population cp i^ n.
This phrase is not used again by Is but see, e.g., Jer 4^1 8^^.
hath Yahzveh of Hosts] the phrase is exactly
5. For a day
the
same
as in
2^2
^n.).
The "day
of
Yahweh
" is
always a
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
366
Hebrew
future event to
assume
writers
(i82 n.)
Zee
The day
such as
cp.
Nah
makes men in
2^^
cp.
Zee
1420,
riDiriD
battle turn
14-^^;
confusion ox perplexity
is
its
way (Ex
vision'] if
one of trfhujnah
is
nDHD
10**;
altogether unsafe to
is
it
their
and
um'busah unfbukah
is
the sentence
first
In
14^).
part of the
the valley of
v.
(MT, RV)
is
He
More probably
of the
surrounding
it,
name
of the
v.,
Hinnom.
Suggested explanations
it
planation
and a crying
to the
the
explained,
city, it is
The
mountain.
is
is
first
the
is
walls of defence
Vlt^ is
:
and the
hence Ges.
in the city
probable,
attacked
hills
this,
text.
though im-
According
Ew. yw^ Shoa' (Ezk 23^3), and also the preceding "ip, Kir (cp.
i^p, v.^), are proper names of elements in the besieging Assyrian
army see next v. But the position of the subj. Kir after the
to
"ip"ipD (Dr.
part.
subjects in
vb.
is left
v.^,
135
is
without an object
weak
In
toward
the mountain.
I.
N1SK]
cp.
19'^.
G-K.
1^3]
<)ie.
and
would be
Kir breaketh down, and Shoa is
moreover, the
i'?-no] 3^^ n.
in contrast to
(4)),
MT
last clause
^Vs (instead of
^Ifs,
14^) gives
an
;;
XXII. 1-6
cp.
5^
Nah
3<57
fern.
SBOT,
p.
For an
used.
is
197.
niNBTi] ace.
2.
cp.
3^
with nB-p;
for
{2)
1^x^03,
read
fflr
after
from
nn' (or
imn pmo
48^;
BDB
BDB
577^.
to nn'
ntJ'pD)
nn'
mj
5783
5*
Mj
ffl
and
(3)
mighty
also
rapaxv^
(&.
2^^)
words
m consequence
'"lOinD]
Am
28^,
(cp.
is
T^'^ip-^D
or,
well be correct
poor.
nn' is
may
this
T:iDX
would be preferable
ntypD]
ical
dwuiXeias
jd,
without
4.
':d]
'y
Jer
so 30^
variant.
ffir ;
is
.:
NH
easy to read
yoB'j,
resounds
or
Elam and
peoples,
engage
yit^i ;
is
not
would be
but this gives no
in
the
attack
in
Jerusalem.
sense
It
rhythm.
6, 7.
(lit.
The
6pTj.
On
vv.^^*
the
^' s,
see
ff.
The second
untranslated above,
is probably
both corrupt and intrusive, for it separates two lines which exactly
balance one another and correspond to one another, term for
6.
term.
line in J^
left
company^
2i''n.),
man^ horsemen
(n),
chariot{s) (or,
(or, horses).
a riding
Aram
mounted
(or,
rode
COMMENTARY ON
368
on) the horses
far
ISAIAH
improbable;
is
a gloss
21''
and
ct.
b.
slightly
(Marti);
(2)
a.
due
or
the
to
intrusion
of
on
13"i
D''6J^iDn
in
vJ;
in
nil
poem
as a celebration of
an
Babylonian
town
(Sippar).
Kir^ a
district
of this
name
is
16*^.
The
references in
Am
i^,
K 16
XXII. 6-1
369
this
is
entirely uncertain.
name
from
have
s.7j.
No
"i''p.
and EBt.
its cover\
The
made naked^
lit.
laid bare
also
cp.
valleys
Drew
3^".
filled with,
and the
city
treating
nt^'
(commonly taken
to
be
Inf.
and
full of chariots
and Shot
horses,
s.v.
7.
itself
DB
See, further,
D'tflSJ
Dnx
^y\'l\
sets
but see
dva^drai, dvOpcjiroL
368) renders
itself in array, identifying
phil. n.
i<f>
tTnrovs.
men
but riders,
p.
dva^drai
is
a legitimate
horsemen
is an
improbable group of words. Another improbable makeshift is Di.'s among
chariots, men, horsemen, an appositional phrase to dt;;, mx being prefixed to
'tyns to show that the latter does not here mean horses
The reading of a
;
(collect, sing.),
few MSS
prove the
D'tynsi (cp.
line.
RV)
D'B'^3]
is
p.
45
argues that
'3
always
of my
unusual
but
it is
of, all,
all
napharu.
inu' nst']
G-K.
it
113
means simply
n.
but
it
is
questionable whether ^tw needs strengthening any more than other vbs. in the
The view that t\v is a proper name and subj. of inr (see above)
would be more probable, if the clause immediately followed those of v.'
which also contain proper names, and if D'tynsm more certainly went with
riK' is not recognised by fflr^SC
line a.
perhaps it is a mere dittograph
then mytrn iriB' D'B'nsm is a line of three accents like those in v.^ and (neglecting
M'l, and retaining the makkeph of MT) '* 3DT ik'?d TpDynn^D.
Du. prefers
this gives a poor
to omit the art. from D'cnsm and to connect it with 3Dn
3 2 line down to D'cfns, and makes it necessary to suppose that the last half of
For the use of nty, cp. Ps 3' ; there it is followed by
the next line was lost.
Sy, here by the ace.
context.
I.
24
CX)MMENTARY ON ISAIAH
370
human
out in
itself
lib. 0^
attention
history.
striking difference of
either vv.^*
vv.^*^^*
attention to
{a) the
un-
{d)
The
and
distich,
^*
above), or possibly
32^"^).
*''
^*
doubtful
further question
is
this
v.^'*,
are
vv.^"-^-^
{b)
nor
vv.*"',
^^ is
the
the prosaic
two
or the
or from a different
Forest,
the wall,
House of the
the
v.^**
with concern)
occurs in
riN
is
v.^*.
distichs contained in
poem?
The
attention to
8a.
An
of the vb.
isolated line,
is
ambiguous
enemy
Yahweh
hardly the
of
:
in meaning.
v.'^
it is
The
subject
noun
(x/pD
to cover^ screen) is
The
woman,
is
sentence
may
"jDro
mean Judah,
curious that
therefore
in
La
3^^,
Jg
3^*, it is
The
XXII. 8-9
371
(2
David "
i.
9b. The statement
155 ff.).
lower
water
the
old, as in v.^^)
about
of
{f&.
pool comes between v.^* and v.^^ which deal with the walls, and
is separated from v.^^^ which refers to the making of another
reservoir; some misplacement of clauses is not improbable.
The lower pool (mentioned only here) may have lain at the
southern end of the Tyropoeon valley we read of an "upper pool"
in
7^
and
1 1
On
more
the
and
or less ancient
The
still
existing reservoirs,
A. Smith, Jerusalem,
i.
to here
in 2
Ch
is
many persons
more
city,
supply outside so as
"^Ip,
commonly used
not as
to deprive
of gathering
rarely, things
and
its
wall (n^in)
The
10.
by
to
render
filling
up
breaches which
will
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
372
to
count
14'^
Job
see
31'',
and
of Jerusalem
house-(holds)
available
the
for
mentioned
war.
discover
to
The
iia.
is
tank
on
number
the
or
but
v.^),
of
here
reservoir
it
men
so,
too, the
226
f.
its
overflow.
369
further, pp.
37^^
to
frame
n.,
and
pmD,
for
25^.
See,
f.
The unpardonable
12-14.
city, or, if
sin of Judah.
Regardless of
(^"i^^,
die,
but find therein reason, not for repentance, but merely for
revelry
and
hence, as Isaiah
Cp.
13.
We
Jl
2i2ff.
.
unpardonable
12.
The
is
for the
may compare,
in v.^^ the
mourning
for
the
minatory vision of
see
rites,
vv.^-s
(7).
Is i^'^^-nn., 32^^^-.
the
Egyptian rule of
you fare to the land that loves silence " or, again, the early
Babylonian wisdom cited by Barton on Ec 9^^- "Since the gods
created man, death they ordained for man, life in their hands
they hold, thou, O Gilgamesh, fill indeed thy belly, day and night
be thou joyful, daily ordain gladness, day and night rage and
make merry." The attitude is too obvious and natural for it to
be necessary to assume that Isaiah's contemporaries borrowed it
from their Egyptian allies, or that, like so much else, it had been
:
XXII. 8-14, 15-25
373
adopted still earlier from Babylon. St. Paul cites from these
words of Isaiah in i Co 15^2^ admitting the soundness of the
doctrine, "if the dead are not raised."
14. Cp. 1 S 3^*, and for
the
5^
Saith
Lord
Yahweh of Hosts\ the
words
Is
n.
opening
the
words are absent from ^, and, being very superfluous after the
opening clause of the v., are probably intrusive.
8.
1^.
mifT 1DD nx
ny\n
rra]
ffi-
Sj'i]
end of
I33ni]
so
agreement with
At present in |^ the vbs. of address are 2nd sing. fern,
they are 2nd pi.
i-37
2nd pi. masc. (addressed to
(of personified Judah or Jerusalem) in vv.
2nd sing, masc,
individuals distinguished among the preceding whole), v.^
It
is
improbable
that
all
these
variations
vv.^'^^.
occurred
v.*
2nd pi. masc,
V.* occasions no difficulty but a^m, isolated between
in the original text.
2nd fem. sing, in vv.^"' and 2nd pi. in ^'^*, is improbable. If the clause goes
The consistent use of 2nd sing. fem. in
with what follows, restore iDnni.
vv.^"^, and, except for taam, the consistent use of 2nd pi. in vv.*"^^, may be due
10. I2inm] G-K. 20m.
li. n'lS'j;]
to the two sections being from distinct poems.
fem. suffix to express the neuter zV, viz. what happens G-K. 122^ with foot12. Ninn Dvn] perhaps an addition as in v.^ possibly also iJn is added
note.
iriB'
mnty] both must be
these omissions would make the v. 4 4.
it is suggested that mnr is preferred to the normal
regarded as Inf. Abs.
form to gain an assonance with Bnty G-K. 75^.
all vbs. in
fflr
pi.
to the
v.^"; in v.^^ in
XXII. 15-25.
the promotion
of Eliakim.
out of the
Eliakim,"
V.^
of Isaiah,"
life
consists
and
E. Konig,
"Shebna and
?<^.,
parallelism.
ib.,
of two
(down
2)
and isolated
distichs,
3)
marked by
may be
intended
''^'
to i^pinx).
yy
15-24
15b
is
" poem,"
v.^^**).
said the
say),
is
^^*
Thus
COMMENTARY ON
374
1^
What
ISAIAH
here,
Thou
that
That
^"^
and there
(?),
master's house.
1*
And
I will thrust
my servant
clothe
tunic,
it
shall
come
"
thee
to pass in that
^i
will I
down
and
And
and he shall
be none to open. 23 ^^d I will drive him in as a (tent-) peg in
a firm place, and he shall be a glorious throne for his father's
house.
2*
And
Yahweh
all
the offscourings
25
(?), all
j^ that day,
is
the oracle
it,
shall
Am
7^^^-,
Jer 20^^-),
is
ad-
It predicts his
dressed to Shebna (36^), an official of high rank.
exile and death in a foreign land, vv.^^"^^, and the promotion to
his office of
it is
In
vv.2*^- it is
ignominiously
We
fall
down by
and come
to ruin.
the
Eliakim.
Were
all
fall
fall
of
XXII. 15-25
same time ?
Scarcely
for
it
is
375
"
been sought some by desperate exegesis distinguish the " peg
of v.2^ from the " peg " of v.^^, making v.^^ refer to the overthrow
of Shebna * others make vv.^^^- a warning to Eliakim by means
of a conditional prophecy f Eliakim will come to ruin, if he
practises nepotism ; such a warning addressed to Eliakim himself
might be fitting enough ; there is no probability that it would be
:
addressed to Shebna
vv.^^*"-
as a subse-
upon him.
This
last
explanation
is
the
least
difficult:
vv.^^f*
p.
193 on
Nu
name
16
in
Del. inclines to the view that Isaiah wrote down 22^^'^ at one sitting,
after the fate of both dignitaries had been revealed to him at two different times
in this
way
is
main-
but the form of the prophecy is then a fiction : it was never addressed
Very improbable. Cond. limits the extent of the appendix to
to Shebna.
v. 25, interpreting v.^ as a continuation of the description of Eliakim's glory.
tained
Also improbable.
15-18^
||
Himself speaks
ist and half
If vv.^^'^' could be regarded as an entirely independent
in the 3rd person.
but inasmuch as the
prophecy, this difference might well be significant
promise no less than the threat is addressed to Shebna, vv.^^'^* must from the
This being so, the change from
first have been intended to follow vv.^^"^^.
for was a supplethe 3rd to the ist pers. requires explanation in any case
that
Kamph.
t Kon.,
II
Orelli.
COMMENTARY ON
37^
Was
Has
also?
replaced
ni.r rtm
Du.
'uri in
v.^^ (cp.
in favour of vvj^'-''
the
7"^)
to
ISAIAH
make
the
first
'ui
n^rt'
-idn
vv.^^'^
na shifted back
in v.^^
(2)
ments
value
(i)
:
and
(2)
if v.^^ is
The
a mere resumption,
why
third
It is
v.^*^^*
tion that vv.^^"23 as a unity are greater than those that beset the
theory that
The
vv.^^"^^
were added to
vv.^^-^^.
36.
Unfortunately this
Eliakim, since
it
On
is
before 701
to those described
B.C.,
is
position (37^)
by Shebna. On the other hand, the secreShebna in 37^ might quite as well have been
a stage in his advance to the higher office held by him here, as
and it is certainly strange if
a stage in his falling fortunes
Isaiah had recently fulminated against Shebna in the terms of
vv.i''^-, that Hezekiah should have selected him as one of the
here occupied
(v.^^)
taryship held by
confidential messengers
on the
king's behalf.
who were
On
the whole
it
is
xxii. 15-18
There are enough unsolved problems
377
solutions
prove as
made
little
may
may be
Brief reference
15-18.
exile,
misplaced
15b.
and death
This looks
n.).
It is not
merely a late and incorrect mference
from 36^, that Shebna as a matter of fact never was governor
title
anonymous.
title is
and
that
Come^ go\
the
Gn
object
45^^,
Ezk
of this invective
3*
is
really
consequently we
appropriate
if
n.),
may convey
a suggestion of contempt
OT, but
the fern,
used of the maiden who was to be sought out for David and to
On the other
serve him by giving warmth to his aged body.
hand, in Phoenician the term was used of important officers or
is
in
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
378
of the king
Who
Temple
was
such persons
the position
of
influence (cp.
Gn
39* 44^- *)
**
(F),
is
is
meant.
Great
one of great
trust
and
if
see, further, i
4^ 16^ 18^, 2
lo^.
Little
given
is
common
graves of the
been the
(36^).
the
fitting
would have
23^),
It is the place,
tomb himself
unknown
What hast
inheritance. Whom
thou here\ what right have you to be doing what you are doing
here?
The land
None.
is
not yours by
it.
Since no
early sepulchral
inscription of
El-Hejra, B.C.
is
{CIS
ii.
made for himself and his children and his posterity, and
whomsoever shall produce in his hand a warrant from the
hand of *Aidu
and may D(ishara and Man^thu and ^f aishah
curse every one who shall sell this tomb, or buy it, or mortgage
Elkasi,
for
it,
or give
it
any one in
away, or
it
let
it,
or frame for
it
y;
XXII. i6-i8
inscription of Petra, ist cent. a.d.
**
No man
in writing
shall
be buried in
this
a contract to bury."
379
(C/S
ii.
150
= Cooke,
sepulchre save
It
is
p.
241)
preparing his own tomb in his lifetime Shebna was doing something outrd: this custom, so commonly practised later by the
Nabataeans at Hejra and Palmyra, was exceptional among the
Phoenicians, who were closer both in time and place to Isaiah
That thou hast hewn for thyself
(Lidzbarski, NSE^ p. 139 f.)here\ the emphasis falls on here^ and perhaps ^/*M_>'j^^: in making
a hewn tomb Shebna merely followed the usual practice (cp.
In the height"] by cutting out the
Benzinger, art. Tomb^ in EBu
tomb on an inaccessible face of rock, it was better secured against
violation (Benzinger,
ib.).
14I8.
17 f. Behold] not
therefore
v.^^
the
Dan
in
Jg
These are
18^^).
will hurl
thee^
thyself of mischief,
mighty
man
54^"''^
.
Yahweh
"
God
Why
will hurl^
boastest thou
will pull
thee
down
Of
the vb. h\^^^ the Pilpel occurs here only, but cp.
the Hiph. in Jer 22^^ "I will hurl thee and thy mother
for ever."
and there ye
shall die."
constitut-
ing,
make a
The
Du.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
380
defenceless,
v.^^.
It is
here
And
see phil. n.
glorious chariots,
sc.
them
to
suspicious.
is
thy
RV), oi shall
i.e.
ly^s, cp.
Ec
lo^), in itself,
and
still
irony,
if
chariots
v.^^
would the
a corruption
is
for
tomb
phil. n.
21.
Eliakim
now
My servant]
by Shebna.
(v.^^)
will
office,
only in P)
tunics
by
and
sashes,
and
a ceremonial investiture
articles of clothing.
Eliakim
Ex
28^-
with
3^^-,
these
Lv
S''*
but exercising
it,
was solemnised
cp.
PCJ'D,
Gn
45^)
well,
he
will
for
Pharaoh's interests.
22.
Eliakim
office
will also
we may again
XXII. 19-25
with which the palace was locked
3^1
SBOT
The
authority symbolised
is
and the
right
means of two
extensive,
Mt
cp.
to
Rev
16^^,
3'''.
23.
By
and
the lustre which his position will shed on his entire family, are
expressed.
figure of the
also a
K 4I0.
24
f.
ground.
The peg
The
cheap
being misused,
(v.23),
The meaning
articles are
its
of the figure
till,
to
the
in v.^^,
is
a peg
clear
all
sorts
falls
meaning
is
being altogether
Eliakim
is
if all
on
But
brought at
last to ruin.
will
peg of
To
V.2* refers to
come
so,
to ruin
is
in
an address
to
ism, he will
much
and
but
if
,;
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
382
of
its
much
too
detail
this to
there
is
f.).
meaning of HUD,
375
p.
390^)
iii.
The
rest of
the
of the peg.
D^'t^VSV, offsprings is
Job
Is 34^, 40-66,
doubtful
it
from actual
members
Ex
The
Ca
24^,
see 34^ n.
size, for
distinguished
the ignobler
neither bowls
nor pitchers
7^ t)
La
Least] not in
25.
is
(p^,
but
tj^jg,
in
15.
ffi ets
cp.
rwn'*
^^n]
Trpds.
4^.
of these words.
of
*?{<
Kon.
nin]
"jy
is
not
(ffi
om. "^y
^x]
i8^* ^^)
The
was a Syrian (or North Arabian Che. EBi. ). Hebrew hypocoristica also
end in k- cp. Kiy, 2 S 6^ ( = my, 286^); xnny, kij, nd^o see Lidzbarski,
Ephemeris^ ii. 7ff. see, further, Addenda. n'nn Svi\ r + /cai d-whv avri^.
16. nnp] 3rd pers. after a vocative
cp. 54^, and see G-K. i44/>.
17. rhvih^
:
NiajT
Siii'?^.
Rashi.
e.g.
thee^
here
is
So
less
EV, which
like n'?B'?B, is
idea
enveloped^ to
^U-^^
wrap
iUaji,
oneself
young
influenced
{to be
^'^'^i
/cat pl^pei
ae
inserts without
al.).
to take
any warrant
in |^
and
koX rhv
et t?nttet te)
toss thee,
has
ns:^,
others take
XXII. 15-25, XXIII.
The
wound.
vb.
fjJJf
is
head), to
meant
f]:Ji
first
16^,
wind round,
is
it
surroundthee.
(the turban)
put on
Lv
to
assumed,
383
away
fro77i thee
and etiemies
the turban,
shall
is
radical
NHWB
NH
is
references.
thou shall
TinD] KoX
nnty]
it
we ought
see, further,
ball',
BDB
462a with
is
d-q(Ti
meant
rb dpfia
= DB',
cp.
Gn
43^",
Jos 2^
BDB
1027/?.
nUDno
nod
crov
Possibly nuDiD is
an intermediate step to an original nap (see above).
(n)3DB'0
in
the
sense
of
tomb (cp. 57^,
an error for
dwelling placets),
32^^).
change
of
Ezk
Tnanni] the
pers. is precariously
19. lon-Ti
defended by reference to
Stilistik,
lo^^ (Di-)
on
>
further,
see,
248 ff.
on
3^*^
see n.
3*.
= 1^ ; iSH
confused ; and
may
which gives
(D)'y's:,
if it is
dung, Ezk
4^",
and _i*i
G-K.
I33>4,
_i<^ (Ges.),
j;3S,
XXIII. 7%dr
This consists of a poem,
vv.^^-^^,
If
'|?d]
Oracle of Tyre.
vv.^^^*,
on
he ruin of Phoenicia,
1-14.
The text is too uncertain to make a detailed analysis of the rhythm useful.
Some of the distichs are clearly 3 2. Parallelism is as frequently absent as
present.
The poem is divided into three nearly equal strophes, by some:
thing resembling an
initial refrain.
COMMENTARY ON
384
ISAIAli
1.
^
Howl
ye ships of Tarshish,
For
.
your fortress
'
Be astounded,
was revealed
it
to them.
Merchants of Sidon,
2*^
Who
(?)
'
'
'
"^
"
And
When
Nor reared
^
the
They
virgins."
rumour (comes)
will travail
for
'
to
Egypt,
Tyre.
2.
^
Ye
"
your
Is this
Who
hath planned
this,
(city),
To
of the world?
it.
(?),
All the
1^
^1
.,
ye ships
'
of Tarshish,
To
sea,
XXIII. I-I4
*2
And he
said,
Thou
no more
shalt
There, too,
Howl
1^
3^5
exult,
of Sidon
a a
rest.^^
ye ships of Tarshish,
For your
been spoiled.
fortress has
"fortress."
same
summoned
The first
distich, in
lament
to
which
Phoenician merchants.
and told that the humiliation of Tyre, the home of merchant princes and the city of
ancient seafaring fame, has been decreed by Yahweh.
The
third strophe asserts that Yahweh has also given the word for
the destruction of other Phoenician fortresses, and has rendered
Other
ruined homes.
poem
left
in its original
them uncertain or
obscure.
Opinions
of the poem.
(v.2 n.)
but
differ greatly as to
In
v.^^
v.^,
and even
in
v.'*,
vv.^^*
Sidon
fall
been
is
liable
and
and doubtthe earliest stages of the text of the OT, must have
to confusion.
Possibly, therefore, Tyre in v.^ (and ^)
vv.^-*
(IV, pv),
a miswritten Tyre;
in
which case the original subject of the poem may have been exclusively Sidon (Du.), or exclusively Tyre.
title
and appendix
may
is
title
particular siege.
VOL.
I.
25
any
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
386
Nor
is
it
any known
writer, or to
writers (so,
Some
theories of date
n^ HDJ,
may be
v.^^).
briefly referred to
i.
life-
time of Isaiah.
(a) Some, guided mainly by the supposed reference in v.^^
to a destructive attack of Assyria on Babylon, place the prophecy near one
of the years 709, 703, 696 B.C., in all of which Babylonia was ravaged by the
Assyrians.
On the last of these occasions Sennacherib says of Babylon,
" The city and houses from its foundation to the upper chambers I destroyed,
I dug up, in the fire I burnt" {RP ix. 28).
But any argument as to the
date of the poem based on v. ^* is very precarious (see on v.^^); moreover,
none of these years synchronises with any known disaster to Tyre, though
Sidon suffered in 701 from Sennacherib, who at that time dethroned Lull,
{b) A more adequate occasion for the poem is the long siege
to which Tyre was subjected by Shalmaneser (727-722 B.C.).
According
to Menander (in Jos. Ant. ix. 14^), the Assyrians ravaged the whole of
king of Sidon.
Phoenicia
years' siege.
the other cities submitted, but Tyre held out and endured a five
If this is the occasion of the
poem,
it
destruction of Tyre, but merely predicts a destruction of the city which did not
This view
he had adopted (a)
occur.
is
later
;;
XXIII. 1-5
find the occasion of
it
in the destruction of
3^7
Sidon by Artaxerxes Ochus
in
348 B.C.
la.
b. Cp. v.^*
EV
is due to textual
the two occurrences of the distich in J^
corruption see phil. n.
Ships of TarshisK\ 2^^ n. ; here ships
:
meant
for recent
Memnon,
in
i.
MT
EV connect
it
no house\ no entering
(^for it is spoiled^ so
that there
is
arrive^ not to
and
to
howl
The
(v.^).
coast"]
be
to
dumb
Merchants of
Sidon] merchants of the city of Sidon, or more widely Phoenician
16^1
merchants ; so Sidonians are Phoenicians in Dt 3^, Jg 3^, i
in Greek, too (//. vi. 290), and Assyrian ; and later in Phoenician
itself Tyre is called D^JIV DK, metropolis of the Sidonians
see EBi.
s,v, Sidon.
may be
see phil. n.
2C, 3. Very uncertain
^b
^^
rendered
7%^ merchants of Sidon,
the traversers of the sea
n.
did
MT
And on many
unrhythmical
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
388
RV
unsuitable:
The
mart
traaslates unjustifiably
obviously
is
(ct. v.^^)
of nations.
but
it
(19^
(Jos 19^^),
which
49^^,
Shihor.
s.v.
district
Gn
EBi.
Shihor with
identifies
n.),
Dif^culties of interpretation
make
and
in disorder,
is
it
it
Di.'s
improbable
sufficiently
Phoenicia (as in
be ashamed,
to
v.^), is
interpretation
i.e.
Sidon,
disappointed in her
of the
sea,
if
be ashamed Sidon,
(v.^*
cp.
i.e.
i.e.
for
is
By
this
:
following up a
become
2 line
childless,
and
Sidon
to be
is
the sea
if this
is
By
Be ashamed,
poetically regarded as
may be
which gods and men
to obtain a
^3
with
ffi
it
and read
Sidon, mother of
cities,
W. Max
Miiller,
for the
be correct, there
ashamed,
is
possible
D^n[y] D^5
XXIII. 1-9
For mother of
even
Still
cities^
this is uncertain.
a city robbed
forth']
cp.
of
3^9
population
its
352.
p.
is
cp. 54^ of
Sion
cp.
Whether a gloss
(Du.) or not, the v. is very awkwardly expressed and seems
2 line.
It is commonly
prosaic it is certainly not a normal 3
supposed to mean that the fall of Tyre will be ominous for
Egypt, who will be distressed when the news is received.
Brought up
also 49^^.
reared] i^ n.
I.
cp.
iS'"?'!!]
of the
V.
G-K.
5.
iigjy
is
cstr.
G-K.
Cp.
used.
is
ovk4tl
/cai
Che. unnecessarily substitutes pino, your haven (Ps 107^") for JDiyo.
I><"iyi
X13D] r perhaps read DX3
but the omission of a subject makes it difficult to
n"?::] it, viz. the overtreat this as original and explain by Dr. 167, 169.
;
G-K. \^b.
The
prosaic,
and
probably unrhythmical, character of the line raises the suspicion that the line
lo"? occurs in Is only in 30^, and then is
a gloss (Olsh., Di., Che.),
is
was misread by
2.
v^-\\
it
imperative
it
damamu
BDB)
or to
emend
"iDi:
parallel to 'n
the
'3ty',
The words
first.
more or
less corrupt
ffi is
not
improbably nearer the original text in virtue of the absence from it of iik',
possibly a gloss on "WXf, and \nm, probably a corrupt dittography of nnN[nn].
(S further differs from f^ in omitting
between
3)
if
iik'^d
{^WS
omit the
and would point nhNi3h instead of nnt<i3n. Neither of the two lines thus
obtained is 3 2 ; the first is 2 3 (an occasional variant on 3 2), and the
:
second 3
after
-Vi
nt5'K3,
3.
j)[
ffi
omits.
Gratz,
cp. 26'.
yocD] (&
2820 ^q19
4. '3]
Trepl Ti5pou.
.
BDB^
al.
read
yp':
awkward occurrence
then cp.
Neh
6''
of a
noun
If |^ is correct
p. 454(5),
the v.
is
and famous
capital,
Now
RV
flee
let
the
lamenting to Spain,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
390
come thence
7,
The
is
yet
no more
(v.^)
The
priests
2,
22),
of Tyre told
Herodotus (ii. 44) that "it was a period of 2300 years since their
people began to live at Tyre." The actual age of Tyre may
have been considerably less (cp. e.g. EBi. 3732), but the writer
here appeals
not
to
fact
but to fame.
So,
too,
the actual
Tyre.
phil. n.
The
v.
see
XXIII. 7-1
what has happened)
anarthrous voc.
ni>^y]
G-K.
1262;, n.
391
mp
'D^o] 372^.
to
r\T\'o^p]
you (Del.).
is commonly
given the sense oi origin (cp. 'Dip, Pr 8^^-) and taken with mp *D'D ; but the
V. gives two better echoing lines if it is taken with ni^2*, either as a form like
7\r\]}W
(G-K.
2 distichs, the
awkwardly undefined
rather
we
transpose
*3:f '?3
Vpn*?
(Che.)
px
*3Jf
first
9. If
So is also rather
we make
first
part of a
Let
home
(?)
the
is
ships
irremediable, for
it
come
has
removal
correctly,
be able
is
Symm.
to resist,
more
Phoenicia
all
is
ffi
closely than
undone ;
for
it
does now; see
Yahweh has decreed
phil.
or
v.^,
n.
all
ii,
inhabitants
the
also
and
12.
has
of Sidon
;
will furnish
named
subject
the
no
have
Yahweh
first
'^^^'
He
over to Cyprus
v.^^
or
Consequently the
v.^,
the destruction of
appears
but
so, freely
COMMENTARY ON
392
made
ISAIAH
the Kal
is
Idalion
CIS
(e.g.
CIS
(e.g.
i.
n. Canaan']
3); see Cooke, NSI, p. 116.
the usage, found in Phoenician (Cooke, NSI 350),
ot /Sao-tXiLs
and
^olvlk7]s.
ttJ?
OT
in the
Exult] cp.
poet.
rhythm favours
daughter (i^
this,
the reading of
is
as against
so,
no
^,
Virgin
sufficient reason
unknown nuance
who must
ffi,
otherwise
the
T\\^^V^T\
This being
of Sidon.
n.)
present,
i),
i.
11^), as well as of
the
Phoenician inscrip-
kings.
Gebal {CIS
i.
Phoenicia
gloss,
own
their
harsh
the
suffer
treatment
commonly
measured out to the poor and helpless ; cp. the use of pK^y in
According to the analogy of similar phrases,
52*, Dt 2829-33.
Pass over]
v.^
To
Cyprus, v.^
Kittini]
especially in
its
context,
is
13. This
v.
as
quite unintelligible
a whole,
it
is,
and
moreover,
two
meanings which are not there; (2) those which conjecturally
It would be easy
correct the text, or omit parts of it, as glosses.
to hazard fresh guesses of this type, but, as they would be as
classes
(i) those
text
paraphrastic,
was
it
different
is
v.i3
(& finds in
difficult
from
J^,
to say
^n alternative to
v.^2. tiow
and how
is
in
ffi,
^^b-is
far
it
merely
if thou goest to the Cypriotes, neither there shall there be rest for
XXIII. II-I3
and
393
the
rest,
some
intelligibility
Behold
the
this is
founded it, i.e. the land of Chaldaea, for the Chaldaeans, who
had hitherto been inhabitants of the desert (13^^ n.) ; they, the
Chaldaeans, set up his, viz. the Chaldaeans' watch-towers (32^* n.),
they have laid bare the foundations of its (Tyre's) palaces ; he,
(the Chaldaeans) hath
made
it
a ruin.
The
point of
all
this
is
be
Tyre
will
fact,
Ps
this
passage, that
it
is
rendered,
//,
viz.
tion of Paulus
mentioned by Ges.
Others
RV)
{e.g.
with rather
meaning
Assyria
V.
on the
i.e.
fall
of Tyre.
Phoenicians
(v.^^
v. falls
fall
of
poem
for
Chaldaeans
ID'',
and giving
It has
fc<7 the very questionable meaning is no more (RV).
been suggested that the words "ilkJ^N rrri
pyn^jit, this is the
people, it was not Assyria, are an annotation that has intruded
into the text, drawing attention to the fact that Chaldaea and
not Assyria destroyed Tyre cp. Cond., Che. {Introd. p. 140),
n^n
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
394
v.
the following
distich
He
the point of which
Cyprus, too,
a ruin
it
no
is
The
in ruins.
is
made
hath
rest for
on
rest of the v.
Cyprus, for
this theory is a
and
palaces
its
nxo
10. Jf'B'nn na
iK Kapxv^^vos
first line
end of
i^nx nny]
nv3x
tff''tff'\n
nrjN psnx
B'^B'nn
very doubtful.
-y
^12l;
but
T. (cp. v.i)
and the
;
nny
this, like
li.
Marti. mo] an
m.T]
is
was
p's
TDB''?] 38 n.
cp. 22^.
nrjN
'n
used.
^^)
*^a^[3] at
the
Weep^ ye ships of
? or for mp, if this
an error
n'aryD] the
200).
r\^v^rir\\
12.
nSinn] (5 om.
(G-K.
jiTs]
is
some
the
MSS
an obvious
people
id3,
^ + (raj3aw^.
px
a dittograph of
see Du.,
meant havenl
ipyd^ov
<&.
nsix
See on v.^
14.
of a distich.
v.^
"2
is
13.
D''=]'f3
Bredenkamp,
p^<] Kleinert,
d'^'^?
px
Gn
(cp.
14')
Ges-B.
is a gloss.
^V^ m] scarcely this people,
1042^
Ps
(BDB,
20o3) ; but this is the people,
in spite of
which certainly reads like the beginning of a gloss. Marti, following up Du.'s
(or D-n'^fS) els'? r\'W'ci' ntrx oyn ni
suggestion, restores the gloss as follows
but mio' nrx would be odd Hebrew, the meanings
rnjDnKi vny V3n3 Mypr\
settlement for miD' and seafarers for D'":; questionable, and the very rare
to rhtxh
that intervenes
notJ', if all
Ex
32^,
14^'*,
word
K^tib
Kre
vj^na,
pointed jnj or
Hithp. Jer
jng.
n\n x*?]
BDB,
according to
s.v. n^n,
iii.
i ;
In a late gloss
niy.
Ch
MT
but
is
iits'K
18^2 (^t.
accents this
means
no more would be
7\''r\
vh might mean
I
22^^).
vrn?]
miy]
51^. n^DO]
XXIII. 15-18.
Pol'el of
cp.
17^ n.
the benefit
of
the Jews.
This app endix was not necessarily, nor even probably, written
vv.^"^*
in vv.^^^*.
It
describe,
It is prose,
not poetry
XXIII. 10-15
for
395
v.^^
and Ezk,
25^^*^
f.
in
||
v.^*^
rendering, in a
literal
difference from
And
its
rhymed
will
it
16
come
to pass in that
whom
Sing
all
be
the end of
forget;
fire,
To be remembered
come
shall
it
will
And
its
prose setting
1^
26-28.
chs.
to pass at the
(yet).
end of 70
years,
Yahweh
Tyre, and she shall return to her hire, and play the
harlot with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the
will visit
^^
earth.
Yahweh
shall
And
it
belong
them
to
abundance and
that
sit
before
Yahweh
in
cp.
life,
v.^^.
Ps 90^0
Ch
3621.
2511^- 29^^,
Zee
i^^ ^5^
92^-, 2
none very
been said
full
food
ing, of the
Dn
for
ji^
satisfactory,
is
made
to the
fact
that
foundation
COMMENTARY ON
396
At
ISAIAH
the
The
OT.
appears elsewhere
lyre^
"113D,
Even
in figure
made
it
is
Yahweh;
Dt
gift
ct.
23^^.
18.
post-exilic literature
15. nnDB'j'i]
Dr. 159)
if nnsB'j
nnjK'Ji
is
it
were a
part,
should be read,
n of the fern.
17.
"is
pf.
with
waw
nSm (Dt
a form like
{e.g.
Dn
is
Unless
135 (4)).
preserving the original
(Dr.
cp.
it
32^^),
the
noun
pn;^ in
Pr
8^^
2^^*
it is
jon"-]
7^^
Hag
^-^i,
and
*j>aj:
ct.
v.^^
In Aramaic
and
its
is choice*
derivatives,
XXIII.
An
XXIV.-XXVII.
6-1
8,
XXIV.-XXVII.
397
and of Yahweh's
reign
and glory.
Special Literature
ZATW,
Moab
(15
f.),
extremum Tyri
tione passurus
(23)
sit,
in
et
consummanequaquam
indeed,
as to Jerusalem
in
'or
in
fates of definite
chs.
that
24-J7
aw^!s the
chs.
in
and
particular
the future
nations Jewish
or foreign,
We
ap ocaly pse.
,
The
*7yas follows
Yahweh
is
will
MounF^on
the
subjects of
"
COMMENTARY ON
398
ISAIAH
it,
M oaE^ A
Yahweh
(now)
set
will
sungin
on high,"
this
then have
dominion
third
to
The connection
is
loose, but
they contain (i) the promise that Israel's iniquity will be purged
by destroying (illegitimate)
and
altars,
hammanim
(27^),
'asherim and
mercy
(27^^^').
The
its
Maker
the Jews within the ideal limits of the land of promise will be
/M^
and that the Jews of the dispersion in Egypt and Assyria will
be summoned by a great trumpet and will come up to worship
Yahweh in Jerusalem.
More than once
in
these chapters
circumstances
and
we seem
to
come on
The
mistakable though
it is
not here, as
it
is
is,
of course, un-
in 24^3,
mentioned by
'
Xxiv.-xxvii.
name
399
on high"
" (24^^),
(26^, cp.
'*
the fortified
and "the city of the awe-inspiring" (252^-)? are they one and
the same? if so, what city is meant? and if they are different,
how many and what cities are intended? what people are
described as the "strong people" (25^)? It seems clear that
the writers had a definite city, or definite cities, and a definite
people in view, but unfortunately the descriptions are so vague
that they are satisfied by any of the many cities with which at
different times
and by
definite
and
and
Yahweh
way
and
them
significant
the Jews
of
forth.
to deliver
in
king of their own, but with the priesthood as the highest rank
2414-16^^
own land
of Palestine (the
period
and ideas
It
is
section
is
not a unity
p.
193
n.).
Not
less decisively
a very late part of that period. The ideas convinced Del., who
originally maintained the Isaianic authorship of chs. 24-27, that
it
was post-Jsaianic
consider these,
exilic or
is
(p.
419).
The
difficulty,
post exilic
work,
we
but to see
indeed,
when we
how any
part
of the
COMMENTARY ON
400
ISAIAH
earliest close
Dn
S^"*^),
Yahweh
(262-
'^^-
1^^ ct.
members (26^,
Smend, 199-202.
12^).
Finally, a third
xxiv.-xxvii.
apart from passages where the text
is
4O1
and these are
whose mind is
corrupt,
safely said,
it
may be open
to
is
Many
commentary or
the borrower.
follow,
striking
indicative
of date,
of
this
section,
not
necessarily
is
dis-
and,
in
272-5
borrow
in
Ew.)?
It is
s aturated
bulk from
^^f.^
But
as he certainly
now
lost
earlier
I.
26
see p. 399
to
do here
clear even
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
402
It
that
new and
glorious
songs to
insert,
272-6,
prophecy
The connection
The song
and
less obviously.
27'"*^^
may
and
27^2. 13 is
seem
at best
complete, the
who had
who
it
in the first
Modern analytical theories of 24-27 start with Du., though Ew. had
already observed the close connection of 24^ and 25^"^, and re-established it
outwardly by transposing
(a)
is
25**-^^
and
25^-'*.
prophecy, 24. 25^- 26^^-27^27'^^, but with the remark that the last section
full of difficulties, and that 27^^*' would attach best to 27* ; {d) songs or
Koppe had
analysis will
24^^
and
The improvement
in the later
26^-*.
xxiv.-xxvii.
It
remains to notice
briefly
some
403
held with regard to the particular histori cal circ umstances which
called forth this prophecy as a whole, or
None
any of
its
various parts.
city
Nineveh
{c.
607).
Rome
in Rev., not
mentioned by name.
him
He
saw in chs. 24-27 a work contemporary with chs. 13 f., 21. 40-66,
as Eichhorn and de Wette had done before him.
Ew., who held that the author of these chapters incorporated older
material (see above), and conjectured that it may have been the author of
ch. 12 who wrote and added to chs. 1-23 the present section of the book,
sought an occasion for this prophecy in Cambyses' preparations for his
Egyptian campaign (525 B.C.), which must have appeared peculiarly
therefore
the Elephantine
and
26^^"^^ to
Exile.
post-exilic period
may have been written as an encouragement when the calamity referred to in Neh i^ was impending. Go. places it
in the 5th cent., but before the governorship of Nehemiah, when Moab
Dr. suggests as
z.
possibility that
it
became Nabataean.
Many have
Onderzoek^,
ii.
99;
so,
e.g.y
Kue.
Kirkpatrick,
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
404
who
redactor,
is
among
responsible,
form
their present
is
due to a "late
"
The
foregoing
summary
may
serve
may be added
that
some
rather than
notth e
literal
Ba bylon
in conclusion
it
literal.
down
city
and
the
references to be typical
who
emphasise
to
B abylon
is
the
unnamed
city,
.y et
city,
city "
and Moab be
literally or typically
and
style,
period
An
There are
20, 21,
is
hazardous.
XXVII.
i,
12, 13.
Apocalyptic Poem.
^^*- 2^)
is
and
27^21.
rhythm 3
2,
though occasionally
rhythmical relation 4
but for
There
is
no
see
24^*^-
2(P,
frequent rhythm
is
3 (rarely 3
25? 262i-
:
3) ; this clearly appears
possihly also in 243*- *'((!S),
^,
nnunm may
405
**
<^
:
4 (or 4
24I (see phil. n.), 242- ^c 5a ^gee n.), 24^^ (neglecting rrm), 25^^'
"^
the rhythms 2
(2712b.
(242''-'*- 28. bj
a.nd
2:2:2 (24*^,
Rarer are
; and
c).
Behold,
Yahweh
is
making
it
bare;
And he
and disperse
inhabit-
its
ants.
2
And
He
of
whom
interest
is
taken
like
him
taketh
that
interest.
3
The
And
this
word.
And
the
earth
hath
become
polluted
under
its
in-
habitants.
statutes,
And
''
left.
COMMENTARY ON
406
^
^^
12
The
City of Chaos
it.
broken,
is
And
13
ISAIAH
For thus
shall
Among
As
in the city.
left
is
it
when
when the
the peoples as
at the gleaning
(?).
earth,
vintage
is
off.
complete.
1*
They
15
Therefore in the
In the
isles
glorify
Yahweh,
name
of Yahweh, the
God
of Israel.
From
loyal" A A
1^
IS
Are upon
And he that
thee,
flees
from
fall
into
the pit;
And he
that
cometh up from
the midst of
the
be caught
2<>
lattices ha.ve
shall
For
1^
pit,
in the gin.
And
it
The
And
shall
come
to pass in that
it,
day Yahweh
will
punish
And
they
be gathered,
shall
20,
XXVII.
21,
prisoners
as
407
gathered,
are
And
And after many days they shall be
And the moon shall be abashed.
And the sun shall be ashamed,
imprisoned in the prison;
28
For Yahweh
And
of Hosts will
and before
Jerusalem
in
punished.
his elders
shall
[25^-^
25^
And Yahweh
of Hosts
wiU make
fat
things
full
see p. 425.]
Of
song
mountain,
lees.
on the
of marrow, of wine
lees well-
refined
^
And he
The
AnJ~the~web
s
He
mountain
that
is
And,
the
And remove
For
wiirwipe a way
Lord Yahweh
(-12).
[26i"i^.
A song:
A song
:
my
And
Hide
from
all
the earth
'tis
[259
2620 Go,
tears JroTiLjJLiaces,
see p. 431
see p. 435
f.]
f.]
moment,
To
visit
is
coming
forth
inhabitants
of the
earth
upon them
With
Yahweh
his fierce
sea.
COMMENTARY ON
408
[272^-.
^2
And
will
it
Yahweh
will
come
ISAIAH
song: see
p. 453.]
River to the
And ye
Wady
shall
(?)
of the
of Egypt.
children of
Israel.
^^
And
(A
it
shall
come
blast) shall
to pass in that
XXIV.
points,
ment
1-3.
day
land of Assyria,
of Egypt shall come,
in Jerusalem.
A world-judgment
is
imminent
On two
now been
reached.
The
T\'iT{
linked
a preceding narrative,
in the past or
reference was to the past, the use of this cstr. instead of the
pf.
that the
first
he thinks of the
of the economic conditions, of the world
and
in
vv.'^'^^
in v.^
X Ges.
Judah."
So already
l^i.
Ges.
XXVII.
12,
own
and
409
v.^
see n. there.
is
intended,
is
25^-^.
Yahweh
is
is emptying the
its very appearance.
by means of plunderers, then by means of the
ph enomena that accompany the world-judgment" (Du.);
and transform
earth"]
inhabitants
its
Yahweh
"first
natur al
cp. VV.2-
The
^^^.
Nah
and
meaning
it is supposed
is most safely determined by these occurrences
empty
from
the
gurgling
noise made by
to derive its meaning to
2^ (an interpolation),
its
And making
in
Heb.
^j,
it bare"]
cp.
(cp.
to
make a gurgling
is
noise).
very rare
(Lane).
And
too strong.
Gn
11^.
All
2.
4^ the priest
to
is
Smend
sponding to
(p. 166),
however,
may have
a sense corre-
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
410
nos
I.
niyi npSiai]
and
my, Piel, in
would
n'3B,
n^JS pSai,
1^^,
io bend,
MSS
many
nt^a
riv:3.
cp.
'fl ;
nnn
3.
abs.
p5n, to gain
'73n,
'3.
" falls
like vv.^"^'
cp. v.^ n.
The world
4-13.
Chaos
(K
"2]
infin.
^^,
The
(Marti).
pf.
may
waw
be prophetic
in
pf.
may be
with
pf.
(Dr. 36), in which case v.^ may well describe recurrent action
in the present, or they may be simple futures interchanging with
at the
end of
ment
is
m vv.
4-12
for the
moment
4.
^a&<, fo
Hos
Jer 12*.
4^,
to
733,
is
derived
used of cessation of
(16^),
trees
languisK\
16^*.
height
(v.''
lit.
A
{i.e.
Jl
wither^
and
women
T/te highest
i^^).
slight
falling (e.g.
fertility in
very
occurs
{body\ corpse
77DX
is
5-^^ n.
here,
la?tguish',
but
if
the
of the height
(i
most frequently of
i^^ 28^ 34* 40^), and
XXIV.
"
4-13
1-3,
411
and a half
lines to earth
the second.
5.
The cause
of
by bloodshed;
cp.
2621.
The
all
its
this
is
inhabitants,
more
especially
inhabitants in shedding of
its
is found in
Ps io638, Jer 3^; cp. Dt 2ii-9, Gn 410^-, Job \9. But
the shedding of blood was one of the things forbidden not only
to the Jews, but to the whole of the descendants of Noah, by
the eternal covenant^ i.e. the covenant made after the Flood
between God and "all flesh which is upon the earth" (Gn
Nu
pi-17
3533,
Among
p).
below
may
Zee
Rev
in v.^o),
which
also have
9^,
had
men
at large
920^*.
pKH
cp. also
to the land of
Jews (cp.
(Smend, p. 165). The nations, as transgressors of statutes im
posed by God, are termed *' all the nations that forget God
in Ps 9^^.
a curse de6-9. Consequences of the corruption of men
vours the earth, men are reduced to a few in number, joy
departs.
such
6. A curse hath devoured the eart}i\ cp. Zee 5 3^bold personifications in describing the working of a curse came
easily to those who attributed objective existence to solemnly
uttered words (cp. Numbers^ p. 327 f.).
Faid penalty] suffered
punishment for their guilt
for this sense of Dt^'S, cp. e.g.
Ps 34^^^-, Jer 23.
The inhabitants
are scorched] Rev 16^
.
records that, as a result of the pouring out of the fourth vial
of God's wrath, "men were scorched with great heat." The
vb. is also used of " burning with fever " ; but where this sense
is intended, the parts affected are specified (Job 3o3; Niph.
COMMENTARY ON
412
Ps 102*).
The sudden
ment, which
^24
is
ISAIAH
hence some
unfortunately, this would
little
No more
curious;
n.).
grapes,
that the
v.
It is
not
is
God "
it is
sham gods,
in contrast to Jerusalem,
who
It
was natural
for
by no means natural to take it so in a description of a world-judgment] for in such a connection city iy%
Palestine, but
it is
XXIV. 7-13
413
51^, like
uncommon.
breaking down of the
a city
though
line,
is
it
city
of the destruction of
least,
is
perhaps, to the
open to the
assail-
26^0)
intrusion (cp.
"i3t^J
The
walls, ^^^
{tb. v.'^).
here at
It refers,
is
ants, and,
a cup
v. in
this
^^* (cp.
Jl i^)
the lamentation
in the streets of the city (v.^^) for the loss of wine (cp. 32^^^?
It is
by an
fallen
"liD will
alternative interpretation
every house
is
so blocked with
like, that
;
this
now
tich with 8^
sun of joy
on
become evening,
2"iy, to
text of
is
wrong!
is
The
see phil. n.
move
difificult,
13,
Kal
12.
Instead of gates,
ffi:
its
of this fine
j but the existence
unfortunately not quite certain ; the
houses
as another
v.^).
set
is
vb.
describe
how
is
speaks of
vv.
^'^'^,
yet
^"2,
we
for,
something
;:
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
414
4.
Kit.
In
*>
V.'***
is
and
so,
^'*.
y"^^^ ^^-
Gun. {Schopf.
read
it
pKn
oy onan VVdx
renders
61
5*
is
frequently so
assonance.
|^,
G^ om. 6. px
"nsn]
nnj Trrwxot
we might
'trNi in
used.
pi. vb.
correct.
is
u. ChaoSy p. 48),
IS*?"]
words of
may have
''^^^i<]
if
last line)
"'''9
i4$5-d),
n^3X
by the
v.^'^.
^ffovraty either
nsjn in
parallel to
if
i*?nn
(if
correct)
loss of
8.
mJ3
apparent
sfisfD n3K',
D'3n
B'ltJ'D
becomes a
tristich
distich.
so,
another
cirro
may be
if
second
an error (ii'n.) for another word (? ^ip (B (pojv/)). In this case perhaps v.^''
then
is misplaced, and once with v.^'' formed a distich ; vv.''* together
DM''?y] 22^ n.
consisted of three distichs, not as at present of two distichs.
;
9.
Tt^D]
10. inn
for
nnp
use of
the
matt'j] (Sc
3, cp.
-hp-rjixthd-n
30^^.
ffir
r|ax^v^'n<^av = ^tff2:
&
iraaa. vdXis,
(ZLif-D
wrongly.
Zl|oZ|,
minx
nxns pnmp, U, attrita est civitas vanitatis. ffir scarcely implies a different
text (cp. Liebmann) ; wao-a may be an interpretation, or, even more probably, due to the transposition of ^3 from the following clause where ffi
did not read
it.
posed {ZIVTA.
xviii.
201
'?y
as cited by Di.)
f.,
nany] (&
<& om. 12.
n3'
A-^u^lO,
% riD^W.
B'ltJ'n
n'?j]
nyts'
ns;
nae" (Lieb.).
13.
n^
'o] ffi
raOra
different text,
y'\^7\
anpa]
ffi
^v
= n3K',
had a
Trdi/ra.
iriiravTaL
6'jgy y).
perhaps n'3
t^ 7^.
(&
7\^^v
These
14-16. Praise, and a summons to Praise.
According to
verses are exceedingly obscure and uncertain.
the
present text,
speaking
we^ v.i^
different
note they
/, v.^^ (
(v.^*)
but they
sets
ffi^).
who
these
But
v.^^
seems
to
415
be seriously corrupt
really unintelligible,
is
it
their sayings.
it,
Any
it is
The
it.
Vv.^*-
^^
less serious.
in their
to sus-
pect either that the verses are out of place, or that something has
been
lost
between
continuation of
vv.^^
v.^^^
and
then non,
If,
however,
v.^^ is
the original
beginning of
they^ at the
must
cannot be determined by
v.^^
more important,
supposes,
in
v.'^^
it
of
instead
^JNI
insecure
linguistic
to express the
It
"^^5^.
is
is
pronoun
only necessary to
perceive the
v. (Di.,
and, what
and /in
"nnD
compare
v.^*
(2) if there
uncertain
is
basis
on which
the
theory
possible reference
is
to those
who
the striking,
v.^*
first
mankind ?
the olives
The
Yahweh by
the Jews
who
of
(v.^^) to
God
of Israel "
tone of the
v.
(v.^^)
as the true
no doubt rather
God
favours, at
is
in itself
by no means impossible;
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
41
and
v.i^, is
17^,
it
probably stood in
that
among
the writer's
Again,
it
its
present position
is
not improbable
i>1p,
with which the heathen that survive will welcome the accession
Yahweh
of
God
we who
(v.^^);
(MT)
from
Or, treating
Therefore, they
n3D
(^^^
^^^
:
by celebrating Yahweh
that Yahweh's praise
(v.^^) have fulfilled the promise
should be in the isles they will glorify Him, saying, We have
heard songs from remote Jerusalem to the effect that glory belongs
imperative
will
(42'^^-'^^)
Certainly
to the righteous.
of interpreting
details,
it
v.^*.
vv.^^^-
may be convenient
mankind must
the future,
future (as
it
v.^* to
of time assumed
is
most unnatural
if n^n''
v.^^
belongs to
of
change
v.^^ refer to
(ltJ'\ "m"),
nothing sug-
and
I^TIV
(if
is
the
prophetic
same
pf.; (3)
the
XXIV.
417
15
14,
who
patriot in
v.^^
v.^^
to
com
like their
v.^** is
as
v.^^^.
two
first
lines represent
a distich
3:3;
textual error
and dislocation
text of v.^*
sound,
They
is
shall
Of
lift
it
up
(see
phil.
n.).
consists of a distich 4
however, the
If,
:
the Majesty of
Yahweh
they have
cried
aloud from
the sea;
The
less neat.
is
they would be
The
the distich
is
majesty," Is 2^0
They have
From the sea] may mean from the west
cried aloud] i^nv, 12^ n.
(ii^*); then, on one interpretation, the Jews of the Asiatic
(|lKi
But the
to.
limitation of jubilation
15.
DnK3,
in the lights
it is
see above.
Yahiveh^
particularly suitable
there
is
I.
27
The word
that follows
means the
the West,
may
very
On
if
God of Israel]
this
term
for
God would be
VOL.
416.
of the sea
isles
p.
its
use
if
; but
Jews alone are the subject
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
4l8
cp.
e.^^.
21^^ 37^^
the sense of
P)jD,
41^'^.
16.
is
an error
It
for extre7nities
is
earth"] for
questioned
(fflr),
or being
one extremity be
meant, whether that extremity be the Eastern, Babylon (Di.)
or Persia (Kit.), or the Southern, Ethiopia (Du.),
But the
We\ the prophet in Palestine
question cannot be answered.
and his companions ? see above. The purport of the songs
(mDT, 2 S 23^, Ps 119^*, Job 35^0, Is 25^) seems to be given in
the words Beauty for the righteous ; cp., for the occurrences of
the word 'IIV, beauty^ which may illustrate this passage, 4^ 28^* *
is
equivalent to the
pi.
or, if
1319,
20^-
Ezk
i5j
Dn
iii^**^
No
unrighteous
Hab
i** ^^
2*), i.e.
Woe
to
the
v.
disloyal
(D^n?
to
'It^),
an antithesis,
who
those
instead
of
may be rendered
literally. And I said, I have leanness, I have leanness ; Woe is
me; plunderers have plundered (cp. 21^ n.) and plunder
plunderers have plundered', ^ reads, And they shall say, Woe
"all the nations."
to
them that
law (then
set
The
present text
follows
v.^'').
set
at nought the
It is noticeable that in
The
who
of J^
ffi^
the
first
interpretation of those
Marti
spoken
in vv.^*-^^).
No, he
says,
not
^nv,
but ^n
not victory
remarked
if
of the pronoun
renders
it
all
uncertain;
antithesis
XXIV. I4-20
4^9
meaning of "? ^t1 is most uncertain (see phil. n.) ; (4) the sickconseness, on this theory of interpretation, is not personal
quently the change from the ist pi. in v.^^* to ist sing, in ^^^ is
unexplained and most improbable (5) whereas in vv.^'^^ perfects
mingled with imperfects describe the past, here, on the hypothesis, a single pf. is used to describe the real future as against
that pictured by others.
;
3^ KardXeKpOevres
oi
eicppavO-^aoprai
Lieb.
cp.
14,
15.
the subj. in
hi;
fflr
d'd i^nif
DC
ni.T
"K3
D'n
n)n''
iiaD
^i"'
original
Ps 104
"i^ns'
or, again,
may be
ni.T
123
full
discussion.
15.
the At.
"i'?n!
and
DnN3]
may be
is
a misplaced parallel to
n33
(3) or ffi's
to mn" av.
]|
om.
be retained in
(Sc
if D'T ''X3
An
v.^^**.
alleged significance of
has been very precariously used to place on nnx the sense North
jy
see Gas.,
of course,
this,
correct,
materially valueless
(103)''^'^):
who
^) and
understand
D'sxa.
to
16.
''?
mean my
(cp.
mi]
fflr
secret
The
om.
is
in
Niph. 17^); in
is
']")
'IN]
oiaX
roh
dderovcriu (cp.
^),
i.e.
DnJ3*?
'IK,
17-20.
The completeness
of the
World-Judgment.
be to
fall
into another
cp.
Am
The
51^.
The germ
Moab.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
420
itself will
and crack and sway to and fro and fall to rise no more, like
one vast house which cracks, sways, and topples over when its
foundations are shaken by an earthquake.
Few will survive
jT^j,
18a.
b^^
17.
(vv.is*
2^ |-]^jg ^jjj happen strictly speaking, when the
earth falls to rise no more, human life should come to an end
but v.^^ and 25^ show that we are not to take the matter so
split
literally as that.
to destroy
(Gn
7II
Here
a destructive
Flood
is
82 (P)), or to fertilise (2
in
all
deep" (Gn
Mai
72,
3I0).
destroy
flesh
(Gn
7^^) will
9^^)
time
this
*'
will
be no need of an
ark to preserve the remnant, but they must hide themselves from
In figures
(i^^-
meant, however,
1^),
literally
downpour,
(2620),
the writer predicts that the earth will burst and quake (cp. 13^3,
Hag
In
2^^-).
the
height\
of heaven
D1*iD,
as
in
v. 21,
writers
Burney {/ThS
is
Book
a
of
and below,
472, no.
the
6.
Ecliptic (Babylonian
xi.
Anu\
i.e.
the
highest
point of the
How much
might be
implied by the downpour from heaven may be illustrated by
Sibyl. Books iii. 689 f., "And God will judge all
with overwhelming rain, and sulphur will come down from heaven, storm
and hail, much and violent." 20a. b. The swaying of the earth
the unsteady gait of
is depicted by means of two bold figures
a drunkard (cp. 29^, Ps 1072"), and the unsteadiness of a slight,
.
temporary shelter
bellion
(j?t^'D,
20d.
cp. 2
(cp. i^).
i^)
20C.
against
The cause of all this is man's reYahweh (cp. v.^ 2621), the King
of
all.
XXIV. i8-23
421
ground
He
of
all
allowed to appear.
is
things will in
and the
elements
cites as
and
f.,
iii.
all
souls of
all
The
blood.
of hostile
men
ground, because they have not recognised the law of the great
all
on the Temple."
THO
abnormal
but have
^ip]
and fix
Jer
48^
|D
'JS50. 19. In
for ytun
a.
read
J?T
for the
(as in b. c.
in
with
ma
ct. V.
19
(Poel,
21-23.
Ps
74^^^*) cp.
i, to split.
20.
vu]
of the height
and the
and on
Ag e
G lory
of
(v.^^).
The
writer
is
obviously
the best
parts
Some
this Scripture,
by
but
details
reflection
much
all
that
on
is
Scripture,
pre-
there expressed
is
"
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
422
human,
days
ing, "
is
it
21.
the
height^
the
height
as
height,
in
means heaven
v.^,
the equivalent of
is
the
and
and on
Host
of
hence host oj
term " host of heaven
this
the earthy
if
be not
ffi,
original.
is
to those
superhuman beings
o.pya.i, 8uva/x-cts,
iiova-iai
the
NT (Ro S^s,
Eph
Col
ii^,
Mt
2429,
Lk
Eph
2i26,
310 22,
Col
i^^.
le,
i^^).
come
Jude
1^).
This writer
is
alluding here
more
nations
(Dn
lo^^.
20f.^
gi^
lyiz^
Dt 338
(!&;
the
time"
(iS^*^-;
particularly to
Dt 4^^^
"gods"
of the
of Ps
En
and they
will
(v. 23).
22. Rebellious
angels
* *
march up
to,
foot, the
XXIV. 21-23
and
human
rebellious
beings alike
423
Yahweh
will
imprison in
For the
and En 10* "Bind Azazel hand
subterranean prison, cp. 2 P
and foot and place him in the darkness make an opening in
the desert
and place him therein, and place upon him
rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness "; and 10^2
(of the bastard offspring of angels and women) " bind them fast
under the hills of the earth." To limit, as Di. does, the
punishment mentioned in v. 22 to one half only of the subject of
V.21, viz. the kings of the earth, and to interpret the pit of such
a pit as Jeremiah was committed to (Jer 37^^), is altogether
unreasonable.
The fact that in v.^^*- ^ a part of the host of
heaven is specially mentioned after v.^^ jg ^o reason for
exempting the whole of the host of heaven from the subject of
shall be imprisoned in v.^^^ and so limiting the punishment of the
host of heaven to a loss of their brightness and of the human
If we had no other evidence of the
worship rendered to them.
belief in the imprisonment of superhuman beings, such as we
have, we should be bound to infer it from this passage.
The
general idea of such imprisonment is, however, differently
applied ; here it is punishment for intruding on Yahweh's
sovereign rights, in En. for the violation of the natural order
established by Yahweh.
And after many days they shall be
punished^ lit. visited. The vb. IpQ can be used of either a
gracious (23^^, Gn 21^, Jer 2722), or a punitive, visitation: the
context must decide ; as there is no indication in the context of
a change from punishment to favour, it must here mean to
punish.
The contrary cannot be argued from the fact that the
long detention before punishment is pointless; for, however
a great subterranean prison, the Pit (cp.
14^^ n.).
2*
Yahweh's reign
used
(cp.
Yahweh's
is
30^^), will
pale
So
well
glory.
on Mt. Sion.
in glory
En
10^2
The
yii2flF.^
2*.
known was
60^^^-,
and
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
424
y27. 14^^
om. Ninn DV3 n\ni, DnD3, and nDnK.T^y. 22. tox nijox] a verbal noun
and governing TDK in the ace. (cp. 11^ n.) ; but read 'V^\^7\ fjOK
but was np3
D'D' moi] fflr 5ta TToXXwp '^^veQiv ; Lieb. D'D' mi
cp. 33^.
applicable to the duration of punishment ? 23. TI3d] fflr do^aad-nfferai ; read
i2y.
Possibly also nn and mxas should be omitted with (B, and also
VtJ'iT'n
then an excellent balanced distich 3 : 3 remains, f^ could be
taken as a rather rough 4 4 distich.
21.
fflr
enforcing
i5DX
XXV.
The
which
1-5.
lines as
marked
in |^ is four, in
to be
CBr
three
and
'^^
which
is four.
Two
distichs 3
425
ZATW,
191
pp.
1,
Yahweh, thou
art
17-123.
my God,
name
in
perfect faithfulness.
The
The
is
speaker
is
is
now
but
will
and
and become His worshippers.
city of the
What
particular city
(see n. there)
is
moreover,
intended
it
is
will
is
do homage
to
Yahweh
Ex
superlative force;
cp.
3^
16^:
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
426
and may be a
again,
supposed
.since
proved
the
in
translation
long
liturgical
the
distich
translation,
it.
faithful
Ex
7^2
Ty and
|D"iK are
below.
It
is
SBOT)^
indefinitely (Che.
32^*
Palace]
and
presumptuous] (&
in
or, collectively,
34!^ 23I3
pi.,
roiv acrcySwv
= DHT
Am
(p)^
:
cities
cp.
Box).
(ffic3E,
i* 3I0 etc.
3^^ n.
D^"iT, alietts
J^
The
Him
Awe-inspiring] 13^^
Glorify
(2423
Ps
2 2^*.
of
Yahweh
+ nations;
thee]
26^^)
f^ (not i^)
n.,
nature
in
or,
as
here,
'xr)
(nin**
cp.
Ps 65^
().
displayed
(6^ n.)
history;
in
become
see phil. n.
fearers,
see
i.e.
24^^ 43^0,
worshippers,
4. Stronghold] a place in
which one seeks and finds refuge from weather or enemies cp.
The poor
the needy] the Jews at present
3o2n. and phil. n.
:
suffering
and oppressed
(cp. 26^^)
What
v.^,
in so far as
it
(^*- ^)
it is
it
e.g.,
lo^ n*.
a distich, or
down
at
all,
differs in
For
an amplified form
a shade from
* Go. prefers to
ly ''DV^
and
to point nnjp.
XXV. 1-5
of
God was
427
(v."*),
heat
is
elsewhere
it is
Job
(see 30^,
4^; cp.
Ps
18^), or the
God's breath
whom
it
affects
stock of Jesse which slays the wicked (11*), or the breath of the
MT
takes
MT
with
it
creating a
mn
v.^,
most bizarre
figure.
4,
Ps 7423
For ]^\W,
:
Job
40^2)
presumptuous
for the
is
al.
Du. we
a gloss, noise
((&),
At the end
of line
cloud,
I.
sippinx. niJy
inhzi]
heap.
|D privative
Read
n^y.
account of the
D.
or another gloss.
?iO?^,
to
rhyme with
a case of
v.,
9^).
:
2a.
"i"'VD]
24^'')
artificially
away from
SBOT),
explained as
(being) a city
Possibly owing to the eye of a scribe passing back after writing on? and before
writing rht!&> to the n^y before
word which
*?:*?,
COMMENTARY ON
428
ISAIAH
synonym to Vi and nVsD, though not the non-form (17' n.) "V^, or a vb.
meaning i^ou hast (or is) overthrown, or the like scarcely, however, Typ
;
D. Mich.
(J.
i^, to change).Z^ If
cp.
D'i3,
(&,
be
v.
consists of
therefore, a mistake
is,
D'li
For
4. liyD
The
must
191
pp.
cp. ii^n.
suffice to refer
1,
ZATWy
oy
Tj;
fuller criticism
nnp
1 1
and
far
At
if
It
ZA TW,
first.
from solved.
3y Ssd ann be
Dm
(1^)
and
3)
substituting on;
The second
yjDn
Dm
pttai
read by
to
njy
ffi,
n:rp
h)i
uh^n rnro
just
TOi 3y
Wa
snn y':3n
is
oh
ijiuids
nono was a
below
D'jsny
6-8.
ffi
It is possible that
*
n^p
Din was
all that
h'i
DiiD
either not
corresponds in CS
irapidojKas.
The continuation of
translated, p. 407.
As a feast formed part of the ceremonial
of the coronation or solemn recognition of a king (i S 11^^, i K
2423
i9flF.
25)^
Yahweh
gives a feast to
all
XXV. 3-8
429
n.),
/
'
come up
peoples
to Sion
22-^),
still
all their
(cp.
face,
is
it off,
sufferings (24^^-
destroy s
it
17-20^^ fQj.
;
Yahweh
revealed,
and mourning
for those
who have
died, have
stamed the
and
death
^j^gy
all
over
have in the days of anguish that are now past suffered the
reproach of the nations that knew not God ; this reproach Yahweh
now remove.
The ideas that struggle for expression in these few verses are
-y
\many an^^reat; and it needs some imagination to expand the
hinfs"lind recover all that filled the mind of the writer.
The
foregoing argument is in some of its details necessarily uncertain.
But there seems no reasonable room for doubt that we have here
will
one of the most catholic passages in the entire Old Testament, and
one ot tlie tenderest presentations of Yahweh. The writer has
certainly not thought himself so clear of national limitations as
to
and
it
is
Yahweh
to Israel,
y There
is
no
but
Hebrew thought
of Yahweh's relation
narrow
will
and though
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
430
The
"^
it
is
an honour,
it
will
life
an advance on the
is
New
in the
x\ge (65^0);
it
is
and
revealed;
for
this
reason Du.,
al.
an addition.
a feast for,
of those
i.e.
who
to give
a feast
attain to the
to^
see, e.g.,
New
Gn
19^ 2620.
is
be furnished by the
will
The
feast
En
60^*),
the
NT;
Mt
8",
Lk
1328 1415
2216^.,
6^^^
several passages of
Rev
199.
The
feast
will consist
strength
Symm.
If J^
is
of the
La
veil',
23-5 etc.),
j^s^
a curious expression after the vb. Wl (3^2
but a fairly close parallel occurs in Job 41^(1^^
line,
It
signify
XXV. 6-12
ovK ccrrat ert
cp.
Co 15^
431
The
vb.
which Yahweh
is
further, above.
J^or His
it is
Yahweh hath
spoken] 24^ n.
quence
for DnDtyj
y^ai
On
7,
T^fdd.
\y.
B.ir.
naiojn,
i)
yhp /SouX^
For
avrrj.
marrow.
^\hn
G-K.
21^").
*j2p
D'ljn
Death), but
{i.e.
And
course,
it
On
clear
and
from the
'ppTD
on
v.**.
last
D'ncD.
G-K.
*:3
(cp.
E) has -^
(& omits
ttiVn]
(i.e.
>
8.
way
of
njij"?
part. pass,
nion y^a]
V J |-^ X ^
^3 hv\
6 6dvaTos ^(rxi5(ras,
Di;73i,
is
d'JDb'
V)^hn,
intended,
is
in the v. Dnoty
in place of ^3
'; ;
clause of the v.
D'noD]
the nations)
(ffir
b?'?.!
(cp.
Kariinep
Gratz proposes
up for
ever', this,
of
XXV.
V. contains an
(see n.
on
9-12.
v.").
initial
In
the humiliation
w.^''-^^
very uncertain.
And
it
shall
Behold, this
our God,
COMMENTARY ON
432
^^
1^
As
And
^^
straw
he
is
trampled down
And
And
the fortifications
Brought low,
The opening
p.
formula,
and it
v.^
who have
long waited
The song
the two 3
be brought low
(v.^'^)
mountain,
place,
its
mentioned
this
in a dung-pit.
hands
26^),
ISAIAH
v.^,
but by those
last
ex-
vv.^^-,
for,
is,
and
perhaps, confined to
Di.
may be
right in
vv.^^^- ^^
regarding
:
BDB
(see
2^\b).
The absence
11^.
whether
of n^n
is
= f^^)
In
Israel.
of an
expressed
right in omitting ^^
as Hiph.,
this
God
(or,
mountain] Sion
obj.
leaves
it
doubtful
Mo ab
is
similar descriptions.
Edom
Why Moab
is
Moab by
is
"the
obscure, but
f.
XXV. 9-12
433
if the text of
may be trusted, is more than usually contemptuous, and the comparison of proud (i6^) Moab's end with
that of a
man drowned
in
(Gn
idiomatic use of nnn
own land
its
e.g.y 46'', I
this
14^, 2
As straw
S 2^^
is
In
19^^-^'^).
is
trodden
place]
its
uncommon
not
see,
fit] so Kre
And he]
II.
Moab
viz.
personified; cp. i^ n.
the point of
will
uncertain
may be rendered
And
the
V.
shall (or,
midst as
low
is
see phil. n.
(Neh.
J^
5^^),
swimming
with
literally.
is
not
very
he
(or,
The idea of
being trodden down is extra-
in
dung-pit while
ordinary: Kennett
68, n.
(p.
i)
suggests
that
"Moab
is
not
9.
i"?
irip
ni.T
ni
i^V'B'vi
i"?
irip
nt
ij'nVx
run] the
original text of
(!S
MS
to their absence
1*7
irip,
but retain
lay^t^n.
VOL.
I.
28
D.
The Versions
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
434
whether they read
= n22'\D
or
D'JiD.
or 3 cannot be determined.
"iD3
II.
VT
jyiDi] iynu
For njQno,
has &fid^ats
fflr
commonly used
is
else-
where of the gesture of prayer: see, e.g., i^*, Ps 143; and tliis sense it may
'>2"ip2] the
possibly have had here in the original text see following notes.
masc. sing,
suffix
fflr
omits
it.
cna'] (&
/cat
'D
airds
or ruDiD.
since this
The word is
makes no very
obvious or easy sentence in r, we may infer that ffi actually read K"ini instead
nins:'^ nnsri] (& iraireivwaev rov diroXeVai = nne''? (n)nB'n = |^i.
of tff'\S\
V.^**
''
TairLVb3d'r}<TTai,
= hzr^n]. imxj]
since
the
of
figure
swimming
very un-
is
is
it
fflr
which
In this case
ffii's
is
Note
(i) (J^os in
fflr
never renders
SJtS'D.
nwD;
and
Pent.,
is
once elsewhere in
in 2^^'
"
12*.
Is.
^'fljyn
(33^),
ntyn] dSc
and
is
XXVI.
Du. appears to have perceived
rhythmical structure of
vv.^'^*.
px^]
(ffir
2itt^=:{f\f/ovy
omits.
1-19.
The poem
and unusual
3)
I^' ^).
it is
In the translation the lines correspond to the sections of the periods of six
accents, and the arrangement will show whether these periods divide into
3
3 or 2
2.
The words
Comm. and
rhythm
in
some
"^
XXV.
*
strong city
II,
is
Its walls
Open
The
435
land of Judah
in the
make
and outworks.
the gates,
ours,
Salvation doth he
XXVI. I-I9
12,
song be sung
this
enter,
steadfast disposition
Yahweh
Trust ye in
The
The
He
The
it,
upright
is
even ^
And
^
it
The
The
^
on high;
city set
abaseth
He
*
for ever.
my
With
for
for
thy memorial
^ thy name,
hath
Yea, with
my
spirit
within
me do
seek
thee
earnestly.
When
The
^^
(?),
Learn righteousness.
[No] favour shall be shown (?) to the unrighteous
He hath not learnt righteousness
In the land of truth;
He
acteth wickedly
And
seeth not
The
majesty of Yahweh.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
43^
^^
hand
Yahweh thy
exalted
is
Yea, a
12
1^
...
adversaries.
(?)
But of thee
1^
only we will
(?)
owned us,
make mention,
(even)
of thy
Name.
And
1^
Thou
caused
all
their
memorial
to perish.
hast
nation,
Thou
thou
extended
greatly
all
the
borders of the
land.
^^
Yahweh in distress
We
'
^"^
we
sought
thee,
(?)
So were we
Because of thy presence,
We
18
'us.'
Yahweh
gave
birth, (lo
!)
wind.
We
could not
And
19
shall live,
Their
They
*
'
Shall
'
And
Thy dead
*
make
is
cry.
thy dew.
fall.
XXVI. I-I9
The
rubric,
v.^, fuller
Judah
day^
in that
is
sung
to be
time when
the
at
i.e.
437
in the land of
Yahweh
will
have
The
(2423),
song ; and
it is
Moreover, in
to the occasion.
in
present text) of
3rd pers.
vv.^'^,
v. 3,
v.^
but
is
strictly suitable
and
*'
it
the verse-connec-
critics
where some
after v.^
(e.g,
The poem,
transition.
structure
that
indeed,
to say, a
is
is
word or idea
verse
and suggests
a new thought
17^*
(Skinner).
An
"
together vv.^"^^
is
remarkable for
additional
is
its
common
concatenated
feature
^^'
''^-
that
binds
see above.
which the opening verses were written weakens as the poem proand the writer expresses his hopes and reflections during
the night (v.^) of sorrow through which he is passing rather than
the triumphant joy in Yahweh's deliverance and the overthrow of
*'
the city (now) set on high " (v.^) which he expects His people
to experience when night has given place to morning.
There are several corrupt or obscure passages in the poem,
ceeds,
and these
Comm.
as they arise
but the line of thought and the relation of ideas within the
seem
to be as follows
The Jews
refilled
such,
poem
exult in
Jerusalem
made
impregnable,
v.^;
they find
in
v. 2,
v.^,
and
set
on high,
vv.^^-,
and of
all
Yahweh's adversaries,
v.^^.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
438
happened
V.3,
vvJ%
or renewed judgments
(cp. v.^), to
But even
men who
in
Judah,
are contu-
Yahweh
to
vv.^^^-.
The Jews
yet
again
afflict
v.H
the Jews,
has
land
their
the
or to faith,
fact,
been
enlarged,
v.^^
on earth the ordinary earthly life, and join their fellows who
had not died in praising God in the land of the living, v.^^.
1-6. Jerusalem made impregnable; the city set on
high destroyed. l. The strong city that belongs to those
who in the land of Judah sing this song is, though unnamed,
unquestionably Jerusalem
cp.
^^sof..
2o^^,
(see
dedication
of
the
According to an
means
some such
rebuilt
walls
of
Jerusalem (Neh
12^'^''^^).
V.
that
XXVI. 1-6
439
Et ponetur in ea
Murus bonorum operum, et antemurale
murus
et
antemurale.
the form of an
keepers (cp. Ps
sit
munimento "
(Jer.).
2.
Under
is
have
will
;
ct. v.^),
and keep faith with Yahweh by observance of the law: cp. 33^*
2^8-10^ Ps 15. 24^*^
3. The steadfast disposition\ "|1DD (cp. Ps 112^)
means well-stayed (on God), steady^ undisturbed by fear, and
expresses very much what Isaiah expresses differently in 7* 30^^.
The noun "i^*" (cp. the vb. in 22^1 37^*^) commonly denotes in OT
the purpose formed by man (Gn 6^ 8^1, Dt 31^1, i Ch 28^ 29'^),
but here rather disposition a transition to the meaning in the
Rabbinic technical terms DIDH 1^^ and yin ^V^ the good and evil
impulse formed by God; and this Rabbinic usage may have
Unharmed\ cp. Job 5^^; or we
affected U, vetus error abiit.
might render in welfare cp. e.g. Gn 432^, and see 9^ n. RV
The repetition of the word in J^
in peace is less satisfactory.
would imply a superlative idea (G-K. i7,2>k)^ perfectly unharmed',
but it is not supported by (&, and is probably due to dittography.
YahweK\
in Yah (12^ n.), Yahweh
but see phil. n. RocJi\
17^^ n.
5) 6'
Yahweh has
of
(v.**)
the righteous
to
ntfv]
I.
as in 25^).13*7 TV
MT \h-\v
cp.
-I'y]
"I'V,
the city is
nxn
nri](J&^ om.
.
IS']
1 D'3DX]
niB"
nj;iB''
and
"rm nioin.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
440
ins'
p'l:^ ('U),
33 = i3
'5,
and
"^2 '3]
and the
"I'^ty
first
di'^b']
Ps
112'',
iii.
then
235^;
is
v.
would
probably
cp.
mB3] pass,
part., trusting',
4. D'oSiy mji mrr n'3 '3] ffi 6 ^e6s 6 /x^7as 6 a/ciwos ; n'3-3, prob 135 (6).
ably absent from ^'s text, may be a corruption of nin'3, a correct marginal
Rock.
of mn', Trust ye in
iTS '3
D"no 'aB"
n3V
nBTTO
ny njyj'
6. njoann]
7-1 1.
ments.
Waiting for Yahweh's discriminating judg7' ^^^ makes for the righteous a smooth way of Hfe
XXVI. 4-1
441
Reading
permutative of the path of thy judgments.
have we waited ; For
For the path
'\V'\\> we might render,
memorial^
etc.
this (like MT, RV)
but
thy
;
and
name
thy
for
Strange
RV.
in the
word
altogether.
9c. d.
e, 10.
The
of experience)
when
is
109^2.
omits
the
based on experience
the judgments of
God no
(yi\:h
longer remain
though the wicked do not do so, with the result that the
wicked are punished (Ps 918(17)), Something like this seems
ness,
be intended,
if
and refuse
to learn
y\.)
and follow
Yahweh
the way approved by Him,
to the
majesty of
land of uprightness.
If the last phrase
though they
means, as it probably does, the land of Judah, then the unrighteous
of v.i^ are not heathen (13^^ i4^^") but Jews, and the meaning is
live in the
wickedness, and
adopt
(v.^) will
will
see phil. n.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
442
receive favour
of
'i
In the
translation
above
vv.^*=-- ^^
^^
light
57^),
fire
30^^ 33^^)-
(cp.
Thy hand
is
Dt
the dropped hand
exalted] cp.
32^7
the
power in action as
is absence
24^^.
of power, or power held in check ; cp. 2 S 4^ 17^
Line d.
omitted from the translation above is corrupt ; instead of the
three words required by the metrical structure two only survive
in f^
^, f^Xos XYjixij/eTaL \aov aTratSevTov, may have had more j
makes no sense, whether connected with what
but see Lieb.
precedes (cp. RV) or with what follows.
It is altogether
improbable, apart from the violation done thereby to the regular
metrical structure of the poem, that DV nN3p, jealousy for the
upHfted hand
is
people^
is
and
appeals,
and
n5<3p, as
to
which Di.
first
Others take
people might
mean
really
all for
implies
two
ordained
RV
extraordinary construction.
conjectural emendations
ItJ'nS
Mic
7^^,
is
such an
and
joy
would read
Dj; nx:ip,
consume them.
Jealousy of the
or,
XXVI. 7-14
the Jews.
and was
7,
The
443
V.
whether explained
IK''
as a vocative addressed to
God, as
Du.,
al.
therefore reject
it.
the
misplaced parallel to pn: in line b. ; omit p'njs'?, which, coming up from line b.
For other examples of accidental
pn5S[jyD], drove out nc', and read ncj" mx.
repetitions of the same term to the exclusion of one of the synonymous terms
in parallel lines, see 24^ n. 11^ n.
8.
^2:]
'B'sj.
omits
before
9a.
b.
(S
was
to be preferred.
the end of
debs
f^
(&
"
but
double subject
vbs.
and
above
3rd
l^jx
account
on
nin'
n-iN] ffi
"I'tJSB'D
b.
at
**
this
<pQs
yap
is
10^*'
dpdpii^ei
'\'\ii
overload the
line,
it is
questionable to read
sing. fem.
"iinu'n
'2
f]K
"jinK'N]
n.
al. irip.
lost
suffix
i]
and
ntfXD '3]
didri
px*?,
a gloss.
""J.
be retained, cp. for the form of sentence 23^ 10. pns noV '?2 j;E>n jn']
this would be a very exceptional form of hypothetical sentence (Dr. 155
Either Vn was lost through haplography after Snn (Marti), or
cp. 1367).
"^ly mnDj] (& aX-^Oeiav ov
jn' is an error for hiw (or ^nn) : (& ir^iravTaL yap.
this may be nearer
1X7} irocqaei' apd-qrw 6 d(re/3i7S = V^t'p f]px:. niry(') 73 ninDJ
Possibly v.^*^
the original text than |^, r.^V, however, being a variant of nD^.
If "iB'KD
once read
ninD3
pxn
pis
With
^ij;d
II
cp.
j;n,
Ps
71*.
.t.t]
ytyn "^in'
nD'?"'?3
|
probably a dittograph of
nin*,
v.^^
ship (cp.
than that of
i^)
Yahweh
(cp.
63^^);
lords (19*),
i.e.
expresses directly.
the Jews, for
14.
Yahweh
No more
will
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
444
memory
all
of them,
would
that
all
and the
call
them
to mind, such as
dead men
shades (14^) that will never return to vex the earth (14^^
Jer 5i2^-
The
^^).
14^*)
mankind at large is concerned, there is no resurno ascent from the realm of the shades to a fuller or
higher life.
For the Jews he has a different expectation (v.^^)
that, so far as
rection,
resurrection
is
indicates not
is
"a consequence
The
15-19.
Yahweh
writer
52^
certain
is
Job 342^
(BDB
(prophetic
487^).
in
pf.
v.^^)
that
(v.'^^)
Yahweh
the perfects of
past, v.^^
vv.^^'^^ refer
to different periods
v.^^
vv.^^^-
recent
His alternative view, that the sentence may be interroHast thou increased the people as thou didst promise (Hos
gative
2iS Mic 2i2f., Is iii4 49i9ff. 54if., Jer 30I9, Ezk 36ioff is most
again.
improbable.
to the
we
is
nation (cp.
prefix
"17
ffir) ;
but this
as in 63^^ (Cond.),
is
Add
to
(Dr. 140); in
the hour of distress their wish would have been for deliverance
rather than enlargement.
above which
is
The
worth considering,
Yahweh has
is
it
refers
Du., Marti,
to the extension
this
fails
to
who
of Jewish territory by
do adequate
justice to v.^^^
xxvi. 15-18
445
by
pm
and
e.g., 6^2^
derivatives, see,
its
Ps
suggested
103^^.
sought',
but note
ist pi. in
of corruption in this
v.
^^f-
We
and
^^^,
and
probable
to
it
Ec
8^^,
lo^^
i.e.
this
voice).
and
cp. Is 3^^t),
The
and
oppression.
connection
may have
Hos
13^^,
Mic
4^*^)
in
"the birth-pangs of the Messiah." So were we] (Ir-tbeloved', on this (? Christian) addition see Lieb. i. 42-44.
n'tJ^on *hl^i
to the
v.^^), ffi
18.
When we
gave birth,
(lo I)
superfluous,
parallelism.
artificial
new-born
i.e,
'
c.
another sense
poetical
mortals
'
expression "
" (Del.),
On
generally
do not fall,
viz.
t Coccejus, Ges.,
is
COMMENTARY ON
44^
unusual.
meant
There
to be
born
no
is
yet
means an untimely
means
to be
born
evidence that
direct
f>Q3
is
it
ISAIAH
give birth to in
to
birth^
it
v.^^,
did
for the
noun
the
kii^;,
Kal
the
in
^D3
also
to fall^
(Wis
7 2) in Gcs.
IQ. (Ec'g tcxt Is shortcr by
by two words (see phil. n.) than J^ and one
of the lines a.-d. may be an addition (see note on the rhythm),
but the essential idea is expressed more than once.
The Jews
who have died will not share the common lot of man (v.^^), but
they will rise from their graves, not as spirits of the dead, but
bodily, and to resume with gladness life upon the earth, in the
new vast territory of the Jews (v.^^). This remarkable expression of what must have been already a well-defined and clear
TrtTTTO),
KaTaTTLTTTo)
and
one,
possibly
Yahweh,
will
Thou
all
its
how
whole poem.
it
be increased
(v.^^),
is
and
still
as a climax to the
addressed
Yahwehs
dead are those who died loyal to Him, or even were slain for
His sake (cp. Ps 4723(24)) " mortui tui, qui interfecti sunt propter
te " (Jer.).
Shall
live]
not
may
if
the impera-
were taken
optatively, the remainder of the verse shows that we have not
to deal with a hope in resurrection that is merely breaking
tives of J^ in line d. are correct
but even
if ^^^'
circle to
the
same idea
is
XXVI. 19
dust (cp. Job 2i26j Ps 22^^),
death
Job
Dn
(cp.
14^^),
which
12^),
is
ye that dwells
J^ Awake, and give
which makes the clause an address to the dead, interpolated
now
447
For
more
dew of
is
{\Z^\ faUing on
the
strictly night-mist
the graves of His dead, and, descending to the bodies that rest
there, will cause
there
is
them
to live again
in the case of
God's dead
when apparently
14"^"^^),
dead,
revived by water,
is
life
For the
of vegetation
and say to his grave. May the morning clouds water thee with
rain upon rain."
The definition of the dew that is to restore
life to the dead Jews is unfortunately obscure
f^ and CJr differ
or
HDlfc^
If
DnD^^^ (see phil. n.).
was correct we
J^ mit?,
should render literally for thy dew is the dew of {their) new flesh
as God revives the vegetable world by dew, so He will cause new
flesh to sprout (58^) and cover the skeletons (cp. Ezk 3 7 6) of the
Jews now lying in the grave, thus preparing them for re-birth
(cp. Ps 139^2-16)^
The meaning of J^ is obscure: mK in
43^1
K
is
term
2
a
for herbs, hence the rendering of EV here,
" the dew of herbs," which should mean that the dew that is to
fall on the dead will be as reviving in their case as the dew that
falls on herbs (Ki.)
very improbable.
Most modern commen;
ideas" (Ps
5614(13)^
restores to the
life
Job
of
see V.18 n,
^'g
text of
light.
is
i^c
puts
it,
not certain
leads
up
on
f)^Dn,
to
the
dew
that
birth to {the)
give birth
to,
Shades
are
in
v.^*
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
448
Dt
down
bring
(in
ruin).
12.
OT;
in 2
negative
4^^,
lann"?
IDB' I'DTJ
nsiy
niJCTi]
Ezk
D'jix
"inSii
48^ Ps
appoint
to
iJiSya]
56s) occurs
(ffi,
tn3B'
everywhere
(i)
here only in
see
nSn
else
(2) innn'?
object (cp.
Ps 22^^
24',
BDB. 13.
used with a
is
I'Dii, IDB'
TO 6vofid aov
ovo/idfo/xej',
IDC noij
in*?!?
(cp. Lieb.
'nk
but
),
Mhi^i
O Lord ;
acknowledge none beside thee,
make mention of thy name.
Be our owner,
We
We
We might adopt this, but that it gives us no antecedent for the 3rd pi. pronoun of v.^^ (DTDrm). This we could obtain, though in a rather bare way,
by reading D^jnx 13^;;?
Lords {i.e. other lords) have owned us, {but) none
beside thee do we acknowledge.
For rh'\^ = none beside, cp. i K 12^^, 2 K 24^!
pN'
'u*?
mnDJ
'i:^p
npm
nso' mn^ "^h nso'] (& v-pdades avrots /ca/cd,
h^
15.
K6pi, Tpdades kukcl tois ivdd^oLs ttjs yrjs.
To what extent fflr's text differed
from f^ is not clear it does not seem to have been in any respect superior.
On r and various unconvincing emendations that have been proposed, see
Lieb.
f^ probably preserves the sense, though if we may assume that tlie
rhythm was regular throughout the poem, "'uS nsD' m.T is an amplification
:
Cheyne,
idS
seeking God.
or
?li15?
plural in
vv.^^'-
commonly
inps] r
16.
li[3]ips
inoiD tynV
1'**.
en"?
eixv-qadrjv
Lieb.
for
])p:i]
ppii
^'l^ips.
is
id*?
also
(HP
14
i/xvrjadrj/xev) (rou
?1J?")5T
read
isV
so
ffir
and
ijijuvy
is
cp.
1st
the meaning
form
is
OT literature
see Dr.
6,
Obs.
n.
and G-K.
is
44/.
obtained,
The anomalous
if we point jip^
and assume that pp^ is a dw. \ey. having the same meaning as npi:^ (S^-)
and render constrai^it such as is enforced by a charm was thy
chastisement (Koppe, Di.).
Cr iv ^Xt^ei iiLKpa scarcely = |^, but it is
perhaps
\rh
jiap?
Cheyne, modifying a suggestion of Houb.,
ambiguous,
j'n'?D
ijpys
Lieb. (who discusses other less probable
(cp. 65")
proposes
npis.
keeps nearest to the eviLieb.'s emendation of
suggestions) ['n"?
and ffi combined Cheyne gives what appears to be a sense rather
dence of
more suitable to the context. 17. V'nn] absent from ffir it is rhythmically
superfluous, and is probably an addition made out of regard for 'S'hn below.
iViJ'-Vni] fflr dXXd
18. nn mS' idd] idd (^ickd, Gn 191^) is absent from ffir.
TreaovuTanravTes see Lieb.
19. nsy 'J3K' "i3Jm 'i^'pn ppip^ "nhn: yno vn-] (&^
t^n^,
or psiD (8-^),
^*'''" **
dvaffTTiaovrai {^ +yap)
Kol eiKppaudrja-oprai
isy
'33B>
i:ni
but
ffir
oi
oi iv rrj yrj
perhaps
clearly
this is
renders
= (or
one word
l^'p'i)
less
fjivtifielois
than
at
present
words
less,
449
rendered two
Cheyne has argued that the original text of
arguing that the overlined words are doublets, each rendering
;
but this is far from certain, for oi iv to2s fivrjfjLeiois is an admirable
rendering for nhii in a passage where its common equivalent ueKpoi has already
"lay 'JDB'
Nor
been used.
in
is
collectively as here.
^:p.] '2i'pn]
read
nVna
is
frequently used
208
(3).
The Jews
20-XXVII.
I.
(cp. 24^)
at
home,
during this
in their
moment
of wrath,
let
(cp.
Ex
yz^'^^-^
also
Job 14^^). At the same time, Yahweh will punish all that is
opposed to Him in heaven as of old He pierced the dragon,
:
the
personification
or
leader
of
Chaos,
before
creating
the
is rather a reason why an exabout to take place, from which the Jews
must keep out of the way. 21. From his place] heaven ; Mic i^.
plosion of wrath
is
VOL.
I.
29
v. 21
COMMENTARY ON
450
Inhabitants
2IC. d.
blood
Job
will
16^^,
24"^-.
Line
sing,
collective in
J^.
it
has drank
Yahweh
cry aloud to
Ezk
ISAIAH
d. is
to
in,
avenge
it
new thought
Gn
cp.
c.
it
4^^^-,
does
al.).
XXVII.
I.
Does
to
this v. refer to
Yahweh and
to
war
in
the reference
If
Israel ?
is
to
earthly
V.
refers to that
"war
in
New
KAT^
7I carries
(2421*^),
all
It
will
XXVI.
XXVII.
21,
451
athan.
Fundament-
ally,
the
between the gods of order and the power of disorder
Chaos-monster: there is, therefore, a certain element of truth
the two Leviathans
in the view that the three designations
and the dragon are a single being; but the Hebrew writer
clearly intends three distinct objects and, possibly, as Dr. Burney
has recently suggested,* the three conspicuous constellations
It is conceivable, as Zimmern remarks
of serpentine form.
{KAT^ 501 n. 2), that several constellations were at one and
the
prominent in
specially
6617,
p.
Zee
137,
En
It is
151).
qqI^- 34 9112^
Rev
cp. 34^
(Cheyne, Infrod.
its
Ps
Leviathan\
En
6o7-9-
24f.^
Marduk
conspicuous part
a mythic serpent
;
cp. Job 3^
and see EBi. 520 ff. The
Babylonian mythology in which the
4 Es
perhaps, well-tempered^
a stiffened neck.
74I* T0426,
or,
6*9-52,
Zimmern,
KAT^ pp.
in
origin
The
cAi%QMXQ^ perhaps
is
but
it is
scarcely
same
constellations,
means
of Leviathan
duplication
curious
it
443
f.
due
213.
here and in
the next
see also
ZATWiv.
the
Smend's
earlier identification
line
is
needed
with the
COMMENTARY ON
452
three
names
ISAIAH
and therefore used
(Gunkel,
with the constellation Serpens with which Ophiuchus, " the serpentgrasper,"
The conception
closely associated.
is
of
Yahweh
smit-
and probably
origin in
its
KAT^
503.
is
this is identified
The dragon
from ffi),
which is in the
symbol of Egypt.
But if, as is more probable, we have here to do with constellations, the sea is the celestial ocean, and the constellation is
Hydra^ which lies south of the Ecliptic in that part of the
Heavens which ranked with the Babylonians as the ocean
(Burney,
20.
form
I^H*
i.e.
p. 445).
K^tib
I'riV"!]
nS-n
sea^
if
sing,
The
'^xh% K^re.
(ffi-
r\\v
d6pav
latter
(rov),
as in 2
S 13", 2
K 4^^,
point rather
3^^.
j^
see Lieb.
correct.
With
7^s
'^n]
vVy
pN.TnB>'
is
doubtful
it
Am
}"iy
ipsV]
how
32- ^^
far
my]
ffir
iirdyeL
rrjv
is
XXVI.
XXVII.
The song
grouped
n^r in
2-6.
The
vv.^'^.
XXVII. 2-6
20,
YahweKs
in distichs.
453
delightful vineyard.
remarkable feature of
it
is
for the
the sustained
most part
rhyme
in
uncertain.
delightful vineyard
Sing ye to
Yahweh,
* I,
it
(?).
am
guarding
Constantly I water
Lest
its
Wrath
it;
leaves be missing,
Day and
*
it,
(?)
night I guard
have
none
it.
(?)
Or
else let
Jacob
Israel shall
And
refuge,
they shall
fill
fruit.
expressed
apparently
is
vineyard in
5^-'^
there,
Yahweh
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
454
very different
on v.^*- ^
nn. below, and see,
interpretation, see
the phil.
words
the
unless
for
further,
2.
something
corrupt,
are
25^),
.]
variant
Dt
only in
or sing ye of
may be
the text
or
am
stantly']
(ct.
suspected.
cp.
rendered,
may be
for wine.
rendered, sing ye to
it (cp.
The
Nu
watchman^
its
7^8,
Ezk
lest
26^^.
3c.
This line
may be
Nu 1
5y giving to py IpQ a shade of meaning not supported
by usage, we could obtain something more natural than either,
lest any hurt it (RV).
Very probably the text is corrupt.
4. Wrath] This is merely one way of interpreting f^ ; equally
possible renderings are wall (n^h ; e.g. 26^), or sun or heat
629)
2423,
(njsn,
Ps
19'').
None
of
them
Yahweh
(vv.*^^* ^- ^^'
/ have
no wall for
saw in v.^*
my
defence
Most modern
^ a
that
and
briars.
but
wrath
my
^^^',
a fence of thorns
vineyard
On
I had
(ct.
if
Ezk
the meaning
i7^^^-) i^
is,* I
am
seems very
XXVII. 2-6
455
assume an
to
interprets
b\
asyndeton
151^,
antithesis
Now
that
who
lit.
will give
accretion.
Thorns,
supply andy
improbable:
is
me.
briars]
may go deeper
text
The
5^
or omit briars as an
if
not,
is
NH
means
to step,
him seek my
protection.
(cp. i
of
is
As
refuge (30^),
i.e.
let
song of Yahweh's
the end of the poem openly identified
6.
at
my
i^^ 2^^)
in the other
who
with a slight
depicted as a gigantic vine, deeprooted, spreading over even vaster tracts than the vines of 16^,
Israel, Jacob,
now
Ps
80^1*"-
its
produce,
midst
its
Hos
are,
14^^-), filling
era]
is
it
paraphrases
/car'
is
= U'o +
avTTjs {-ov)
Remarks^
= nh
n'^V,
3'jf3
ni3j;.
f^,
is
mjij]
NynKn
it is
nONi or
S
niJS.
N'm
'?x-iB'n
"S 'n^jp.
3.
nin^]
ffl^
also
xdXts.
is
Ruben
light.
{^Critical
K pn:D
fflr
or
may
KntfJD.
^CJIoXl jCLQ^Io,
and
is
add
d-id3
uncertain
proposes
p. 16)
not,
N3i3
elsewhere masc,
if
p.
For
n^Vy, if it
J3
but
''?i^.
dSc
(& omits
supports
in
r^hv, collect,
nps;, be
read
ist
missing, cp.
e.g.
the pi.
(Neh
10^^, Jer
8^^f )
is
23^; Oo.
COMMENTARY ON
456
proposes
torn
p'\s\ be
MT
off.
ISAIAH
-ip?:
(Bredenkamp), nprx
'J3
(Gratz), Via:
}s
(Ruben),
npty
'JK
the
}3
in
or,
4, 5.
'*?
i'*<
Ruben proposes
'"iDnJ.
7b
jpix
nan.
TDtf]
<l)v\d(X(reiv KdXdfirjv iv
fflr
an original
"I'DB' is
noss',
be read
XXVII. 7-1 1.
a. b.
the conditions
of Israel.
**
''
He
her
Therefore on
this
expiated
And
this shall
be
all
the
fruit (?)
XXVII. 4-1
^1
The connection
what follows
is
loose,
still
connection
is
is
original part
a glorious future
it
the internal
see on vv.^*
2-6).
^-
i^^-.
Israel suffer
on Israel?
(v.^),
No,
his smiters
are annihilated.
which distinguish
of a piece
inflicted suffering
(lo^o)
all
from clear
:
and with
less
as
457
^0
is
this v.
ciples are
on that
Of
V.
v.
no
is
Israel has
adequately
favour
is
as
due to the
time of Yahweh's
Smend
dis-
explains: "finally,
uncertain
since
ST,
an ephah^ which
the third of
is
COMMENTARY ON
458
for mmsure\ so
::
ISAIAH
D,
m
is
noise
made by camel
or donkey-drivers to hurry
up
their beasts
it
inferred the
is
and
suffocating,
it
may
before
also
it
(Gn
destructive of vegetation
(Jer 18^^,
Job
by modern travellers
and cp. Dr. on Am 4^.
:
27^1).
It
see, e.g.^
27^6,
Ps
41^,
48^),
Hos
13^^);
and carry
all
be wiped
and
its
all
9.
illegitimate
meaning of the
because
out,
this
seems to be the
v.
Yahweh
is
more favourable
therefore
on
this condition^
i.e.
the
consequences
Gn
DKD
is
The
6''),
and on
reads in f^ thus
Cheyne once
this
and
(/V.)
combined
and mercy
and guilt according to the
Such excellent theology fortun-
in the
removal of
sin
New."
ately does not rest alone on so strange an expression of it as is
reads " and this shall be his blessing
given, if given at all, here
when I remove his sin." Altar-stones] altars^ 'asherim and ^amOld
XXVII. 8-1
mdnim (cp.
and
1 7* n.)
such
all
1,
7,
459
will
Yahweh,
the altars
are the altars other than the legitimate altar at Jerusalem, such
as the altars that survived from, or were restored after, Josiah's
reformation
or, if
late, altars
Mac
on which the
223-29).
come
of firewood
search
in
vivid
peculiar
trait
to
this
passage; the reason of this fate was that the inhabitants were
it
Samaria,
home
the
(Sir
50^^).
city\
cp.
For
252
Jerusalem,
is
of
the
i^^
An
it
is
altogether
Jerusalem jt others,
without understanding
is
people
difificulty
Is
intended
city is
is
others, that
26^.
La
What
maker.
its
some think
oppressing the Jews;*
uncertain
any
in
case.
10.
dwelling
alone,
desolate]
lit.
fortified
apart;
expelled,
of
i.e.
is
curious
and the
text
'^^^
Du. by emendation
doubtful.
as
it
might apply to Israel (cp. i^), or Samaria (Sir 502^); but since
heathen nations can be described as doomed to Sheol because
forgetful of God (Ps Q^^cie)^^ ^^y such nation might well be
described as failing to obtain mercy from God because without
Ps 74^^- 22).
It is, indeed, a characteristic of late Jewish thought that the
nations must get instructed in Yahweh's ways (22-4), that if they
fail to do so or to act upon their knowledge, they will perish
(60^2).
jfs Maker
its Framer] the
pronouns refer to
Israel, 43^ 442; but they might certainly refer, if the conunderstanding,
i.e.
text required
it,
(cp. 44^^,
to other
nations
for
t Marti.
all
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
460
Jin V3irt
7.
v3-)n
... or
ij-jh
MT,
pass. VJirr,
"1,13.1
HDD] probably
was
this
and
Mh
is in
originally
or
'i3iq
uann
8.
either
vi'nrs
mdi.
The
.inond3]
r\nhtv2
/xax6fMvoi Kal oveibi^wv ^^aTrocreXet auroi/s Lieb. argues that this rendered
nana .indxd3, or
'd3 nana.
ought not to be quoted as reading
;
.ijn'?B"
'Vb'^
.I33n', and it is, of course, not certain that it read precisely riNDNDa. For .indndd,
Cond. proposes -ixt:Nj:3 (cp. 14^). See, further, the full discussion in Kon. i.
655-658 and for sundry proposed emendations, Lieb. nan]
probably
intends the form to be 3rd pf. of nyr\, to muse^ meditate cp. ST.
This, of
course, is impossible,
njn, 3rd pf. of r\v\^ to separate^ remove (cp. Pr 25^*-t),
with the 3rd fern, suffix as in line a., may have been intended.
To explain
the form by reference to La i^ (Cheyne), or to the doubtful 2 S 20^^ (Du.),
as Hiph. of n:i' with the suffix, n:n, is less satisfactory.
9. nxia p^] (& dia
nil
TovTo, reading perhaps only one of the two words.
nxia] a curious
change of masc. and fem. '"\s]/rmt, suggests result; J. D. Mich, (cited by
Lieb.) proposed ^is, tke bullocks i.e. offerings, required /^r removing his
sin
though this is quite improbable, it shows a sense of the difficulty of J^
which modern attempts at explanation have failed to surmount satisfactorily
lOip' .
iDit^n] cstr. as 5^ n.
With Dip, to stand erect, cp. the
(see above).
use of the Hiphil = ^<7 <f;r^/, e.g. in Jos 4^.
u] Dn 5^ {Aramaic)^ ntj in
Am 2^ ^rziTty 1^. 10 f. On ffi, see Lieb.'s full discussion ; but he is wrong
in representing 'd as absent from ffi ; I'y '3 in the form iy'3 is represented by
ibairep dpv/j.bs in a clause at the end of v.^ which is incorrectly rejected by
Lieb. as a Greek gloss.
n'syo nV^i yir dij-i] Du. mzsyD nhv ypi rD&): (&
already read pT on.
11. nn'KD] I'xn, to kindle, as Mai i^**, Ps 18-*, and
perhaps 50^^.
nnncn ni'sp] if the text is correct, the 3rd fem. pi. is due to
MT
n'i'P
30^',
and
my
3] pi. here
to
n^rt
Ty
in
only
Jg
I45<:^)
40^**,
below nniK
of
v.i
together,
the heathen
Land
Gn
fem. sing.
I24<?.
12, 13.
tion
is
(?))
of Promise
(v.^^)^
or those
or been
The more
detailed
supposed
2620f.^
is
or, as
meaning and
v.^^.
significance
is
Marti puts
it,
the
of those passages and the conclusion of the Apocalypse
reproach of the Jews will cease (25^), those who reproached them
:
will
be punished
Jerusalem
{2'j'^^^')
(2620^-),
and
to the glory of
(2423),
XXVII. 9-13
4^1
the corn-ears of the
River
to
of Egypt or Yahweh will beat off {oliveberries)^ or beat out {grain) from the current (cp. ffi) of the River
to the Wady of Egypt both translations can be defended, neither
can be maintained with complete confidence. The vb. D^n
(28^'') means either to beat out grains of corn with a stick, Jg 6^^,
Ruth 2^^, or to beat an olive tree so as to bring off the berries,
Dt 24^0; the noun vhl^ means either an ear (not grain^ the
object of D3n in Jg 6^^) of corn, e.g. 17^, Gn 41^, or else a
{those of)
the
The
flow^ or current^ of water, Ps 69^- ^^ and, probably, Jg 1 2^.
unnecessarily
awkward
either
case
in
for
in
the
use of rhl^ is
:
see why,
River
if
to the
Wady^ he chose
Yahweh
if this
is
Yahweh
to say instead,
Wady *
;
from
the
it is
so
used nowhere else. Again, DpP, gleanings takes place before Dnn,
beatings of wheat (Ru 2^''') ; but berries would be picked up after
they had been beaten
seems
less if
the awkwardness
But
olive-beating.
in either
as thickly
Smend
community, now
Yahweh
Jewish
scattered between Egypt and the Euphrates,
knocked
explain
much
and
as Marti,
collected.
"Yahweh
the Jews are the good corn, the heathen the straw
;;
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
462
The
straw in
this
cp.
Zee
51-^.
beating
a sinister
is
Mt
24^1,
Co
15^2^
trumpets in Zee
9^^,
Th
Rev
4^^;
cp. also
the
7. 8.
and unfamiliar
lost]
see
use
of
Dnasn^
i.e.
different
So is 13K
used of sheep that have been allowed to stray off their owner's
land, and so become lost, and consequently exposed to peril
of perishing cp. Jer 50^ '* Lost sheep have my people become
in a strange
land.
their
shepherds
mountain
{^y)/' cp.
let
to
hill,
let
them go
outcast
"Woe
my sheep, and
(nn'nan)
scattered
astray
(DHnsp) and
them out
cast
down
scattered.
(D^irrnni)
... Ye have
Ezk 34*^* " The
and the
lost
my
sheep,
back (home)."
(vv.i- 3)
land
contrasts (vv.^*
^)
own
XXVII.
12,
4^3
13
father
2i
alien lands of
fall
back to that time means in particular the ten tribes who were
exiled in Isaiah's day to Assyria (Di.); but Assyria, as in Ezr
6^^, is
the Assyrian
on
11^^
Empire
a passage
The
resembles.
old
its
name
outcasts]
"rrnsn
and see
cp. ii^^
i6^^-; cp.
the terms
inx
^^^<'?]
is
cp.
nnx'? nnx,
not
cstr. (cp.
Ec
Gn
7^'^
48^^,
^^{<,
see
G-K.
ADDITIONAL NOTE
ON THE STYLE AND LANGUAGE OF
It has been claimed above (pp. 401
f.)
XXIV. -XXVII.
and language
the
These peculiarities and the affinities with later writers are the
more noticeable because they occur in the work of a writer who
was well versed in Scripture (p. 401), and who, apparently,
endeavoured to reproduce the
style of
prophecy.
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
464
New Hebrew
peculiar
the
little
than
Hebrew
And
It
The
44
ff.)
for
style is occasion-
of the text.
such as occur,
constructions,
it
to corruption
is
remarkably
parts of Daniel." f
is
Is
24-27
Sir.
It
nor, unless
meant secret^ and formed an original part of the text (but see
n. on 24^^), does it contain any Persian words, such as appear in
Ec, Cant., Est., Dan., Chr.,f and even, in spite of its generally
more classic style, in Sir. {e.g. p, secret). And, further, Is 24-27
may be said to be relatively free from such marked Aramaisms
if)
as occur in Jon., Pss 139, 144, Sir., as well as in the late post-
Index
i.
s.v.
Che. finds the style of chs. 24-27 artificial, and the chief
elements of its artificiality in " the singularity of many phrases
the sixteen paronomasias (cp. esp. 24^- 2- 4. 6. 16-19 256. 10
.
numerous rhymes
(24^-
^-
^^
25^-
^-
''
262*
13. 20. 21
LOT SOS-
t Cowley and Neubauer, The Original Hebrew of a portion of Ecclesiasticus {xxxix. ij-xlix. //), pp. xiiif. ; cp. Norbert Peters, Hebr. Text des
465
5),
by Che. do not
which he draws,
justify
that
viz.,
later
of the
Second
Isaiah."
And
later
much
" these
left
to
make good
the
the dissimilarities
Ben
having, like
Sirach, "
much
the law, and the prophets, and the other books of our fathers,"
was as successful as Ben Sirach in avoiding the uncouthness of
Chr., Dan., Est., and somewhat more successful in preserving the
classicism of his vocabulary, avoiding (probably) altogether the
* But most of these were probably not present in the original text ; see
The same is true of some of the parononotes above on 24^^ 25^ 26^- ^- ^^ 27^.
24'* ^^) ; yet the number of paronomasias remains strikingly
Moreover, the use made of paronomasia is different from Isaiah's use
of it (see p. 401), and more resembles that made of it by Ben Sirach (see a
collection of paronomasias in Sir. in Norbert Peters, Ecclus. p. 85*).
So
far, indeed, is the writer from resembling the earlier prophet in his use of
masias (see n.
large.
VOL.
I.
30
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
466
and making
\^ (for "iC*K),
use of Aramaisms."^
To
may be
it
well to state
i.
Particles
All that
the song
I.
is
in
is
is
confined to
in 26^"^^.
73,
Hebrew confined
(2)
it
is
it
p. 33),
often occurs
particularly fre-
quent with the vb. D^D (Pss 10^ 16^ 17^ 21^ 30'' 46^ 93^ 961 =
I Ch i630, Pr iqSO 12^, Job 41^5. ^t. DID with ^, Ps 15^ 112^
125I 623-7, Is 4020 4i7).
In OT it occurs 69 times (BDB),
1421
Is
^^20.
21. 23. 24
4024 (3
t.)
43I7 448f.
17 (3
t.).
(4
16 (4
t.).
21 (3
t.).
t.)
30.
96.
104
140
(2
t.).
119.
141.
147)
(3
t.).
Pr.
Job
iChi630( = Ps
* It
is
tion in transmission,
96IO)
making
Ben Sirach has
and that some of the
important, however, in
31
10
this
in
26^-
P]X,
^-
The
11.
of Is
istic
post-exilic literature
3.
ny
(26*)
very character-
is
see, e.g.^
Jg
240;
not confined to
is
Dt
52^,
OT
occurs
it
Nu
'hv.
4.
2/^^'
Job
^\ Is
74 2o5t.
(for bi^)
''7i<
Nu
^o- 28.
mainly,
also
33^-
p.
is
iy; yet in
So
467
Dt
322, 10
Pre-exilic Prophecy,
Is 30^
Other
Gn
pre-exilic Poetry,
Is
(?),
926^-,
2^ (? Is 16* 23I)
Hab
Dt 332
h's
I
35^(?)
4344^(?)i^482i53'(?)
Pss.
(2.
time
5 times
IDvi?)
89. 119)
22
time
Dt 32
Lam.
Pr
2320
Job
10 times
Cp. G-K. 91/: "the termination 1^410^ occurs with the noun (as with the vb.
clusively in later poets."
Of
like
)D
and
Che.
(26i7- 18)
and 1DD
and
T6)t
an,
unless
it is
an orthographic anomaly
striking
to
Hebrew
of the
OT
appears to be
COMMENTARY ON
468
jntrn: (2
18^),
On
word.
As
infrequent;
examples
ISAIAH
p.
cites
^5cn, Mandaitic
Nixnins").
it should, however, be
shows
the
peculiarly
\\Th\>V
Hebrew development
of the old Semitic ending -%n (retained in Arabic, Assyr., and
observed that
Aramaic).
ns^c^ (which
is,
NH
which
showed a particular fondness (Strack, Lehrbuch der Neuhebr.
Sprache, 39^:), yet which was not unknown in early Hebrew cp.
e.g. n*13, Ex 2 1^5.
The new Hebrew nouns of this form are
17^2) jg of a formation for
The
probably not
is
in-
significant
(26I8),
(2610), nyiC'^
Che.
versive "
(27II),
nirn
and
mis
and Dnx
(2613),
(2415).
149) claims that there is "neglect of Waw Conbut at most this neglect is very relative as compared
(p.
;
Waw
??
Waw
Conv.,
it
in Ec.
(Dr.
Conv., see
2^^^- ^^
26^^
see 241-
20. 22. 23
256.
8.
7.
Tenses, 133).
and
2621 27!-
10. 11
10. i^.
Moreover, the author of Is 24-27 does not discard the old construction of Waw Conversive in favour of the later construction
with the simple
Waw
which
24^^),
is
what
indicative
of date,
8.
9.
10.
11.
13.
14.
is
his
viz.,
ct.
15.
Hos
19
cp.
e.g.
2t:l' 2. 3
26^'
no such preference
1*' ^^-
'^'
l*^'
simple
for
Waw
'^^'
^^*-
Waw
as
would
Conversive can-
2 7^^.
see Cowley
Ben
and Neubauer,
p. xiii n.
iii.
use of
y''\>T{
pnv
(24^*^) in
reference
the
nnn
same
as attaches to
nnn
they
in Is
are
469
but their
under the religious ideas characcertainly
significant,
f.).
Smend and
Included in the list
Cheyne, are several words which are textually uncertain, or
(24^^), nsDN
which may be glosses; such are D''"i6< (24^^),
(25I), -iC'V (Hophal, 26I), }ipv (26I6), nilK (2619).
(2422), pK
of hapax legomena given by
nXDXD
(Pilpel
27^1).
?,
(see
n^SCJ^
under
ii.,
dregs), nriD
lees,
priD (25101),
n^
(denomina-
nn-i (25111).
With
used with h and the omission of the ace. (261^), cp. P)D^ with
and
the omission of the ace. in 2 Ch 9^ (ct. i K 10'^).
hv
p)D^
The
late date;
is
suggestive of
It is true
400
B.C.
A.
I.
26*
D^D^^y,
(D^D^y
nnn.
51^;
'y
Dn
'v
Is
is
D^Jiy ny-ir,
D'^D^'iy
45!';
ni3^,
Ps
mD!?^,
'v
776;
Ps
Dt
Gn
h^,
21^^;
it is
D^Jiy
exclu-
nyn^,
27^3.
813 1^^
2
nvicri,
Gn4926;
in
Cp.
"llVt).
Ch
62,
D^Di?^
^nnCJ^fj riDtt,
(&
is
cited,
iirl
KaivorrjTos
^ renders cVi
in
toijs
COMMENTARY ON
470
ISAIAH
aitoi/as.
61^ (DVoi^iy
and
9^4,
2^4
we
The
pi.
Inscription of
3
4.
"in,
71^
in Ps.
B.C.,
pD^Jj;
'^^"h
CIS
ii.
^10
e.g.^
the regular
is
197^ a Nabataean
D^V^.
On
i4f.
ny,
3.
i.
Dn
27^: also
and
Cp. also
also 65I8,
see above,
14^13^
equivalent of n^D.
2.
are exilic
ny ny, 26*
OT
i^t
find
|"'Di'y.
Ex
Ec
miSX)
any case
"]!3nX3
Ps 776-8
Dn
in
But
See 27^
5^ (Aramaic)t.
phil. n.
nmv, 24" also Jer 142 46^2, Ps 1441^1 ; vb. HIV, Is 42"!.
Note that in 2C HIV, xnVV render pvv, npy:; the earlier
:
Hebrew
Gn
e.g.^
27^^
5.
as
taken as
xi.
230
Hebrew
Hebrew
from
able) in
6.
The use
and
vyi,
OT,
n.,
DDI^nn, 241^1.
= f*vn
2r
")"1D,
tDIDD, 2r
27I
8.
in^lS
9.
D''3Dn,
whence
"isn, to
annul)^
Kal and
cites
Aram.
"ID"ID,
:^i<^
Also Sir 332 DDIDHDI nilD 315J' DDH^ vh
It is noticeable, too, that in
Kal of f^
xniD TDDiDriD na
riDD^Dnx
Dnx
DDi^nn ^\n
alsp
(several question-
Ges-B.
D1D3, 5r
HDD,
J^) appeared in
in Jer ii^^ is derived
in
cin
1V"I
for the
"lyODn?
?iT3t<
if
Aramaic W"!
Hithpo., 24^^t.
7.
of the
as early as Jer., if
the phil.
in
(yy"
f*V"i
this
trusted.
Inf.
f.).
if
Ps 74^*
60* f^
NV"ifc<;
^ DDIDfii^
see Ps 46^ J^
96^*^
""a
f^
px
bn
finn.
10426,
Job
3^ 402^1.
See above,
ii.
See 17^
n. (for references).
1;
V^n,
10.
Gn
also
i2 (P),
^^isf.
47
Ps
423,
Job
10740,
Sir 48^5.
Ct.
-mo
V^
rivative of
e.g.
(probably
Gn
1920.
post-exilic),
all
The
2 810. 13
C)T is -|>J?r, Is
perhaps (Ges-B.
in
colloquialism?); cp.,
^^4
^an early
201),
p.
zirti^
and
larly,
Hebrew
late
employed
also,
"ly^
and
its
derivatives.
The
variant
particular phrase
on
cp. "IDDD
"ij;t
used in 24^
SJ'IJK
is
the early
'EJ'iN,
(cp. <S, ]l
mainly
n3i<:,
Ex
\\
223 (p)^
\ O),
e.g.,
n.
14.8.11.
La
de-
also
21^
is
34^0.
use of
D"'''N
somewhat
Ezk 4
pi. is
different
t.
21"-
(9*
12)^
jis.
pr 292, Jl
But in
24-27 does not so much
word Is
approximate to Aramaic usage
respect of this
Gn
Dj;
LOT 239).
40-66 (Dr.
phil.
in
The
Est loif.
in Is
see
24'';
lV)n
also ii^i.
late
from that
13.
it
as
Sir.,
who
uses
2X2.
14.
D'^-ilJ'^D,
994,
Pr
29171.
i3 29 (?) 86 (23I6),
Cp.
p.
Ca
I* (710),
Dn
ii^, i
Ch
B.
The
ings, or with
"IV"",
yi"^ i^V
pntJ^n
in
p ns
"n"*
T\yi'^
^y
COMMENTARY ON
472
iy3i
(30)
1 11
mx
N"13
ISAIAH
Smend,
and presumably
D^"^^,
Sirach).
See, further,
Taylor, Sayings of the Jewish Fathers^ pp. 37 f., 148152, 159; Jewish Encyc. xii. 601 f. ; Porter, The
and
61
and Charles,
appoint (cp.
W^), 26^^.
See
natJ', to
3.
4.
(353,
(probably)
5.
ppT,
|n:,
Ex
21^2.
e.g.
Ex
give birth
to
to be
26i^t.
to,
Cp.
58^,
1 22
51:
J*^--
NHB and
^-prhw n^
29^ Ps
DIID, height, as a
C^^/^. Worterbuch,
synonym
is
for
Ps
in Is 33^^,
0110DI
(cv vil/rjXoU
J^;
elsewhere (chiefly
Mai
= 15
Ch
n. 21 n. (in
24^
3^; Pu.,
58^ Ps
148I,
is
TnnD:
3723
(itJ^ip
also
(p)^
Mic 6^
La i^s,
(=2 S
22^7
Note
252 (vono)
Ps 92^ 10^,
DnD).t
\(^^
Job
17^2^
= DIIDa
78 i8i7
foregoing;
jTrjr 'o
1922
93* loz^o
7 ii9
pi.
ij^v^i
heaven, 24^8
The
nni)>
probably different)
(d
the
untimely
<3;?
2^1.
and of the
ni5^D^51
3i2t.
7D3,
6.
n.
See n.
born\ 26^^! and Hiph.
i^''
Ps
Levy,
of the
2.
birth^
Test,
f.
Sir
or D^DIIDn).
161^
("iDKH
^Dno) and
i^N
24^
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