Mount Zion or the church of God, and the promise of the foregoing context must of course be continued here. Moab and Edom were the two hereditary and inveterate enemies of Israel, their hatred being rendered more annoying and conspicuous by their affinity and neighbouring situation. Hence they are repeatedly mentioned, separately or together, as the represen tatives of obstinate and malignant enemies in general. As the name British, in our own revolutionary war, became equivalent to hostile, without losing its specific sense, so might the Prophets threaten Moab with God's vengeance, without meaning to exclude from the denunciation other like-minded enemies. This wide interpretation, both of Moab and Edom, is confirmed by the fact that one of them is often mentioned where both would seem to be equally included. The figure in the last clause is strongly expressive both of degradation and destruction. Moab is likened not only to straw, but to straw left to rot for the dunghill. The idea of subjection and ruin is expressed by the figure of treading down or trampling under foot. The Hebrew word is commonly translated thresh; but as the oriental threshing was performed for the most part by the feet of cattle, this sense and that of treading down are really coincident. Under him may either mean under Jehovah or under himself, that is, in his own place, in the country of Moab, or wherever he is found.

11. And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of it, as the swimmer spreadeth forth his hands to swim; and he shall humble his pride, together with the spoils (or devices) of his hands. From this ignominious doom Moab shall try in vain to save himself; his pride shall be humbled, and his struggles only serve to precipitate his ruin. Having compared the fall of Moab to the treading down of straw in a filthy pool, the Prophet carries out his figure here, but with a change so slight and at the same time so natural as almost to escape observation, while it greatly adds to the life of the description. The down-trodden straw now

becomes a living person, and struggles in the filthy pool to save himself from drowning, but in vain.

12. And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls he hath cast down, humbled, brought to the ground, to the very dust (or even to the dust). The specific fulfilment of this prophecy cannot be distinctly traced in history. It was certainly verified, however, in the downfall of the Moabitish nation, whenever it took place.

CHAPTER XXVI.

THIS chapter contains a song of praise and thanksgiving to be sung by Israel after his deliverance, vs. 1-19. To this is added a postscript, intimating that the time for such rejoicing was not yet at hand, vs. 20, 21.

The song opens with an acknowledgment of God's protection and an exhortation to confide therein, vs. 1-4. This is founded on the exhibition of his righteousness and power in the destruction of his foes and the oppressors of his people, vs. 5-11. The church abjures the service of all other sovereigns, and vows perpetual devotion to him by whom it has been delivered and restored, vs. 12–15. Her utter incapacity to save herself is then contrasted with God's power to restore his people to new life, with a joyful anticipation of which the song concludes, vs. 16-19. The additional sentences contain a beautiful and tender intimation of the trials, which must be endured before these glorious events take place, with a solemn assurance that Jehovah is about to visit both his people and their enemies with chastisement, vs. 20, 21.

1. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah:

We have a strong city; salvation will he place (as) walls and breastwork. The condition and feelings of the people after their return from exile are expressed by putting an ideal song into their mouths. Though the first clause does not necessarily mean that this should actually be sung, but merely that it might be sung, that it would be appropriate to the times and to the feelings of the people, it is not at all improbable that it was actually used for this purpose, which could more readily be done as it is written in the form and manner of the Psalms, to which it exhibits many points of resemblance. The day meant is the day of deliverance which had just been promised.

2. Open ye the gates, and let the righteous nation enter, keeping truth (or faith). The supposition of responsive choirs gives a needless complexity to the structure of the passage. The speakers are the same as in the first verse, and the words are addressed to those who kept the doors.

3. The mind stayed (on thee) thou wilt preserve in peace (in) peace (i. e. in perfect peace), because in thee (it is) confident (literally confided). This is a general truth deduced from the experience of those who are supposed to be the speakers. The elliptical construction in the English Bible (him whose mind is stayed on thee) is not very natural.

4. Trust ye in Jehovah forever (literally, even to eternity), for in Jah Jehovah is a rock of ages (or an everlasting rock). To the general truth stated in v. 3, a general exhortation is now added, not addressed by one chorus to another, but by the same ideal speakers to all who hear them or are willing to receive the admonition. This is one of the few places in which the name Jehovah is retained by the common English Version. On the origin and usage of the name Jah, see above, ch. 12: 2. The occurrence of the combination here confirms its genuine

ness there. The figurative name rock, as applied to God, includes the two ideas of a hiding place and a foundation, or the one complex idea of a permanent asylum.

5. For he hath brought down the inhabitants of the high place, the exalted city; he will lay it low, he will lay it low, to the very ground; he will bring it to the very dust. He has proved himself able to protect his people, and consequently worthy to be. trusted by them, in his signal overthrow of that great power by which they were oppressed. The alternation of the tenses here is somewhat remarkable. The English Version treats them all as presents, which is often allowable where the forms are intermingled. But in this case, a reason can be given for the use of the two tenses, even if strictly understood. The Prophet looks at the events from two distinct points of observation, his own and that of the ideal speakers. With respect to the latter, the fall of Babylon was past; with respect to the former it was still future. He might therefore naturally say, even in the same sentence, he has brought it low and he shall bring it to the dust.

6. The foot shall trample on it, the feet of the afflicted, the steps of the weak. The ruins of the fallen city shall be trodden underfoot, not only by its conquerors, but by those whom it oppressed. Steps is here a poetical equivalent to feet.

7. The way for the righteous is straight (or level); thou most upright wilt level (or rectify) the path of the righteous. A man's way is a common scriptural figure for his course of life. A straight or level way is a prosperous life. It is here declared that the course of the righteous is a prosperous one, because God makes it so. The primary idea of the word here translated level, is to render even; it is therefore applied both to balances and paths; but the two applications are not to be

confounded; paths may be made even, but they cannot be weighed.

8. Also in the way of thy judgments, oh Jehovah, we have waited for thee; to thy name and thy remembrance (was our) soul's desire. For this manifestation of thy righteousness and goodness we have long been waiting in the way of thy judgments, i. e. to see thee come forth as a judge, for the vindication of thy people and the destruction of their enemies. Name and remembrance or memorial denote the manifestation of God's attributes in his works.

9. (With) my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea (with) my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments (come) to the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. The desire here expressed is not a general desire for the knowledge and favour of God, but a special desire that he would manifest his righteousness by appearing as a judge. This explanation is required by the connection with what goes. before and with what follows in this very verse. The night is mentioned for the purpose of expressing the idea, that he feels this wish at all times, by night and by day. The question whether these are the words of the Prophet, or of each of the people, or of a choir or chorus representing them, proceeds upon the supposition of an artificial structure and a strict adherence to rhetorical propriety, which have no real existence in the writings of the Prophet. The sentiments, which it was his purpose and his duty to express, are sometimes uttered in his own person, sometimes in that of another, and these different forms of speech are interchanged, without regard to the figments of an artificial rhetoric. By judgments, here as in the foregoing context, we can only understand judicial providences. The doctrine of the verse is, that a view of God's severity is necessary to convince men of his justice.