they had sufficient evidence to authorize the introduction of the true reading. "make them to howl,” five "make their boast;" which is confirmed Ibid. —make their boast of it] For MSS. (two ancient) have .משתבחין by the Chaldee paraphrast, who renders it sense. 6. Therefore shall my people-] The word, occurring the second time in this verse, seems to be repeated by mistake. It has no force or emphasis as a repetition; it only embarrasses the construction and the It was not in the copies from which the LXX, Syr. and Vulg. were translated; it was not in the copy of the LXX from which the Arabic was translated; but in the Aldine and Complutensian editions dia TOUTO is repeated; probably so corrected, in order to make it conformable with the Hebrew text. Ibid. For I am he that promised] For N, the Bodley MS., and another, have ; for I am JEHOVAH that promised:" and another ancient MS. adds after . The addition of JEHOVAH seems to be right, in consequence of what was said in the preceding line, "My people shall know my name." 7. How beautiful-] The watchmen discover afar off, on the mountains, the messenger bringing the expected and much wished for news of the deliverance from the Babylonish captivity. They immediately spread the joyful tidings, ver. 8. and with a loud voice proclaim, that JEHOVAH is returning to Sion, to resume his residence on his holy mountain, which for some time he seemed to have deserted. This is the literal sense of the place. "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the joyful messenger," is an expression highly poetical; for, How welcome is his arrival! how agreeable are the tidings which he brings! Nahum, who is generally supposed to have lived after Isaiah, has manifestly taken from him this very pleasing image; but the imitation does not equal the beauty of the original : "Behold upon the mountains the feet of the joyful messenger, Of him that announceth peace: Celebrate, O Judah, thy festivals; perform thy vows: He is utterly cut off." Nah. i. 15. But it must at the same time be observed, that Isaiah's subject is infinitely more interesting, and more sublime, than that of Nahum : the latter denounces the destruction of the capital of the Assyrian empire, the most formidable enemy of Judah; the ideas of the former are in their full extent evangelical; and accordingly St. Paul has, with the utmost propriety, applied this passage to the preaching of the gospel. Rom. x. 15. The joyful tidings here to be proclaimed, "Thy God, O Sion, reigneth," are the same that John the Baptist, the messenger of Christ, and that Christ himself published, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." 8. All thy watchmen-] There is a difficulty in the construction of this place, which, I think, none of the ancient versions, or modern interpreters, have cleared up to satisfaction. Rendered word for word it stands thus: "The voice of thy watchmen: they lift up their voice." The sense of the first member, considered as elliptical, is variously supplied by various expositors; by none, as it seems to me, in any way that is easy and natural. I am persuaded there is a mistake in the present text, and that the true reading is 7,"all thy watchmen;" instead of p TOY. The mistake was easy from the similitude in sound of the two letters and p. And in one MS. the p is upon a rasure. This correction perfectly rectifies the sense and the construction. כד :So the Chaldee Ibid. when JEHOVAH returneth to Sion.] Myś mnɔɔw 1'n", "when he shall bring back his presence to Sion." God is considered as having deserted his people during the captivity; and at the restoration, as returning himself with them to Sion his former habitation. See Psal. Ix. 1. chap. xl. 9. and note. 9. —he hath redeemed Israel] For the word, which occurs the second time in this verse, MS. Bodley, and another, read. It is upon a rasure in a third; and left unpointed at first, as suspected, in a fourth. It was an easy mistake, by the transcriber's casting his eye on the line above; and the propriety of the correction, both in regard to sense and elegance, is evident. 11. Depart, depart ye; go ye out from thence] The prophet Jeremiah seems to have had his eye on this passage of Isaiah, and to have applied it to a subject directly opposite. It is here addressed by the prophet in the way of encouragement and exhortation to the Jews coming out of Babylon: Jeremiah has given it a different turn, and has thrown it out, as a reproach of the heathen upon the Jews, when they were driven from Jerusalem into captivity: " Depart; ye are polluted, depart; depart ye, forbear to touch: Yea, they are fled, they are removed: they shall dwell here no more." Lam. iv. 15. Of the metrical distribution of these lines, see the Prelim. Dissertation, p. lviii. note. 13. The subject of Isaiah's prophecy, from the fortieth chapter inclusive, has hitherto been, in general, the deliverance of the people of God. This includes in it three distinct parts; which, however, have a close connexion with one another: that is the deliverance of the Jews from the captivity of Babylon; the deliverance of the Gentiles from their miserable state of ignorance and idolatry ; and the deliverance of mankind from the captivity of sin and death. These three subjects are subordinate to one another; and the two latter are shadowed out under the image of the former. They are covered by it as by a veil; which however is transparent, and suffers them to appear through it. Cyrus is expressly named as the immediate agent of God in effecting the first deliverance. A greater person is spoken of as the agent, who is to effect the two latter deliverances; called the Servant, the Elect of God, in whom his soul delighteth; Israel in whom God will be glorified. Now these three subjects have a very near relation to one another; for, as the agent, who was to effect the two latter deliverances, that is, the Messiah, was to be born a Jew, with particular limitations of time, family, and other circumstances; the first deliverance was necessary in the order of providence, and according} to the determinate counsel of God, to the accomplishment of the two latter deliverances; and the second deliverance was necessary to the third, or rather, was involved in it, and made an essential part of it: this being the case, Isaiah has not treated the three subjects as quite distinct and sépa rate in a methodical and orderly manner, like a philosopher or a logician, but has taken them in their connective view; he has handled them as a prophet and a poet; he has allegorized the former, and under the image of it has shadowed out the two latter; he has thrown them all together, has mixed one with another, has passed from this to that with rapid transitions, and has painted the whole with the strongest and boldest imagery. The restoration of the Jews from captivity, the call of the Gentiles, the redemption by Messiah, have hitherto been handled interchangeably and alternately: Babylon has hitherto been kept pretty much in sight; at the same time that strong intimations of something much greater have frequently been thrown in. But here Babylon is at once dropped; and I think hardly ever comes in sight again; unless perhaps in chap. Iv. 12. and Ivii. 14. The prophet's views are almost wholly engrossed by the superior part of his subject. He introduces the Messiah as appearing at first in the lowest state of humiliation, which he had just touched upon before, (chap. 1. 5, 6.) and obviates the offence, which would be occasioned by it, by declaring the important and necessary cause of it, and foreshewing the glory which should follow it. This seems to me to be the nature and the true design of this part of Isaiah's prophcies; and this view of them seems to afford the best method of resolving difficulties, in which expositors are frequently engaged, being much divided between what is called the literal, and the mystical sense, not very properly; for the mystical or spiritual sense is very often the most literal sense of all. Abarbanel seems to have had an idea of this kind, as he is quoted by Vitringa on chap xlix. 1. who thus represents his sentiments: "Censet Abarbanel prophetam hic transitum facere a liberatione ex exilio Babylonico ad liberationem ex exilio Romano (for this he takes to be the secondary sense): et, quod hic animadversu dignum est, observat liberationem ex exilio Babylonico esse, signum et argumentum liberationis futuræ: atque adeo orationem prophetæ de duabus hisce liberationibus in superioribus concionibus sæpe inter se permisceri. Verba ejus: Et propterea verba, sive res, in prophetia superiore inter se permixtæ occurrunt; modo de liberatione Babylonica, modo de liberatione extrema accipiendæ, ut orationis necessitas exigit.' Nullum hic vitium, yisi quod redemptionem veram et spiritualem a Messia vero Jesu adductam non agnoscat." 14.—were astonished at him] For Thy read by: so Syr. Chald, and Vulg. in a MS.; and so likewise two ancient MSS. 15. —so shall he sprinkle many nations] I retain the common rendering,, though I am by no means satisfied with it.", frequent in the law, means only to sprinkle: but the water sprinkled is the accusative case; the thing, on which, has by or . avpasovrai, ò, makes the best apo dosis. would do. 1 is used ii. 2. Jer. xxxi. 12. li. 44. but is unlike. Kings shall shut, &c. is good; but seems to want a first part." SECKER. Munster translates it, "faciet loqui (de se);" and in his note thus explains it: "proprie significat spargere et stillas disseminare: hic vero capitur pro loqui, et verbum disseminare." This is pretty much as the Rabbins, Kimchi, and Salomo ben Melec, explain it, referring to the expression of " dropping the word." But the same objection lies to יזה (דבר) על גוים this as to the common rendering ; it ought to be Bishop Chandler, Defence, p. 148, says, "that to sprinkle, is used for to surprise and to astonish, as people are that have much water thrown upon them. And this sense is followed by the LXX." This is ingenious, but rather too refined. Dr. Durell conjectures, that the true reading may be , they shall regard, which comes near to the eavμatovraι of the LXX; who seem to give the best sense of any to the place. "I find in my papers the same conjecture, which Dr. Durell made from lavuaσovrat in LXX. And it may be added, that is used to express "looking on any thing with admiration;" Psal. xi. 7. and xvii. 15. and xxvii. 4. and Ixiii. 2. Cant. vi. 13. It is particularly applied to "looking on God," Exod. xxiv. 11. and Job xix. 26. Gisbert Cuper, in Observ. lib. ii. 1. though aliud agens, has some observations which shew how nearly spaw and lavμalo are allied, which (with the peculiar sense of the verb above noted) add to the probability of Oavpasovraι being the version of y' in the text: οἱ δε νυ λαοι Παντες ες αυτόν ὁρωσι. Hesiod. id est, cum veneratione quadam admirantur. Hinc opaw et lavpalo junxit Themistius Or. i. Ειτα παυσονται οι ανθρωποι προς σε μονον δρωντες, και σε μονον θαυμαζοντες. Theophrastus in Charact. cap. iii. Ενθυμη ώς αποβλεπουσιν εις σε οἱ ανθρωποι. Hence the rendering of this verse seems to be; "So many nations shall look on him with admiration; CHAP. LIII. Dr. JUBB. 2. He hath no form, nor any beauty-] Ovк εidoç avтy, ovde ağıμa, iva ειδωμεν αυτόν ουδε θεωρία, ένα επιθυμωμεν αυτον. Symmachus; the only one of the ancients that has translated it rightly. 3. —and acquainted with grief,—] For y, eight MSS., and one edition, have y"); LXX, Syr. and Vulg. read it ym. Ibid. -as one that hideth his face] For, four MSS. (two two MSS. have פנים For ומסתיר .one MS,וכמסתיר ancient) have 1; and so likewise LXX and Vulg. Mourners covered up the lower part of their faces, and their heads; 2 Sam. xv. 30. Ezek. xxiv. 17. and lepers were commanded by the law, Lev. xiii. 45. to cover their upper lip. From which circumstance it seems, that Vulg. Aquila, Symmachus, and the Jewish commentators, have taken the word, stricken, in the next verse, as meaning stricken with the leprosy, ev app ovтa. Sym. ɑọŋμɛvov, Aq. leprosum, Vulg. 4. Surely our infirmities-] Seven MSS. (two ancient), and three editions, have, in the plural number. Ibid. —He hath carried them] Fifteen MSS. (two ancient), and two editions, have the word before in the text; four other MSS. have it in the margin. This adds force to the sense, and elegance to the construction. 5. —by which our peace is effected] Twenty-one MSS. and six editions have the word fully and regularly expressed, 1; "pacificationum nostrarum." Ar. Montan. 6.- the iniquities of us all] For y, the ancient interpreters read ny, plural; and so Vulg. in MS. Blanchini. 8. And his manner of life who would declare?] My learned friend Dr. Kennicott has communicated to me the following passages from the Mishna, and the Gemara of Babylon, as leading to a satisfactory explication of this difficult place. It is said in the former, that, before any one was punished for a capital crime, proclamation was made before the pri עליו כל מי שיודע לו זכות יבא : soner by the public crier in these words “quicunque noverit aliquid de ejus innocentia, veniat et doceat de co." Tract. Sanhedrim. Surenhus. par. iv. p. 233. On which passage the Gemara of Babylon adds, that, "before the death of Jesus, this proclamation was made for forty days; but no defence could be found." On which words Lardner observes, “It is truly surprising to see such falsities, contrary to well known facts." Testimonies, vol. i. p.198. The report is certainly false: but this false report is founded on the supposition, that there was such a custom, and so far confirms the account above given from the Mishna. The Mishna was composed in the middle of the second century, according to Prideaux ; Lardner ascribes it to the year of Christ 180. Casaubon has a quotation from Maimonides, which farther confirms this account: Exercitat. in Baronii Annales, Art, lxxxvi. Ann. 34. Num 119. "Auctor est Maimonides in Perek xiii. ejus Libri ex opere Jad, solitum fieri, ut cum Reus, sententiam mortis passus a loco judicii exibat ducendus ad supplicium, præcederet ipsum, nov, præco; et hæc verba diceret: Ille exit occidendus morte illa, quia transgressus est transgressione illa, in loco illo, tempore illo, et sunt ejus rei testes ille et ille. Qui noverit aliquid ad ejus innocentiam probandam, veniat, et loquatur pro eo." Now it is plain from the history of the four Evangelists, that in the trial and condemnation of Jesus no such rule was observed (though, according to the account of the Mishna, it must have been in practice at that time); no proclamation was made for any person to bear witness to the innocence and character of Jesus; nor did any one voluntarily step forth to give his attestation to it. And our Saviour seems to refer to such a custom, and to claim the benefit of it, by his answer to the high priest, when he asked him of his disciples and of his doctrine: "I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.” John xviii. 20, 21. This therefore was one remarkable instance of hardship and injustice, among others, predicted by the prophet, which our Saviour underwent in his trial and sufferings. St. Paul likewise, in similar circumstances, standing before the judgment seat of Festus, acems to complain of the same unjust treatment; that no one was called, or would appear to vindicate his character. "My manner of life (ŋv Biwoiv pov, 7), from my youth, which was at the first among my own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews: which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify; that after the straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee." Acts xxvi. 4, 5. 17 signifies age, duration, the time, which one man or many together |