the Scriptures none is such but the truly good man) reveals his dispositions by his conduct. He devises noble (or generous) things, and in noble (or generous things) he perseveres (literally, on them he stands).

9. Here, as in many other cases, the Prophet reverts to the prospect of approaching danger, which was to arouse the careless Jews from their security. As in ch. 3: 16, he addresses himself to the women of Jerusalem, because to them an invasion would be peculiarly disastrous, and also perhaps because their luxurious habits contributed, more or less directly, to existing evils. Careless women, arise, hear my voice; confiding daughters, give ear unto my speech. Women and daughters are equivalent expressions. Careless and confiding (or secure) i. e. indifferent because not apprehensive of the coming danger.

10. Having called their attention in v. 9, he now proceeds. with the prediction which concerned them. In a year and more (literally, days above a year), ye shall tremble, ye confiding ones, for the vintage fails, the gathering shall not come. The English Version makes the time denoted to be that of the duration of the threatened evil.

11. He now speaks as if the event had already taken place, and calls upon them to express their sorrow and alarm by the usual signs of mourning. Tremble ye careless (women), quake ye confiding (ones), strip you and make you bare, and gird (sackcloth) on your loins.

12. Mourning for the breasts (or beating on the breasts as a sign of mourning), for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine. The same act is described in Nah. 2: 8, but by a different verb.

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13. Upon the land of my people thorn (and) thistle shall come up, for (they shall even come up) upon all (thy) houses of pleasure, oh joyous city! or, upon all houses of pleasure (in) the joyous city.

14. For the palace is forsaken, the crowd of the city (or the crowded city) left, hill and watch-tower (are) for caves (or dens) forever, a joy (or favourite resort) of wild asses, a pasture of flocks. The use of the word palace, and that in the singular number, clearly shows that the destruction of Jerusalem itself is here predicted. The Hebrew word in this verse originally meaning a hill is applied as a proper name (Ophel) to the southern extremity of Mount Moriah, overhanging the spot where the valleys of Jehoshaphat and Hinnom meet. "The

top of the ridge is flat, descending rapidly towards the south, sometimes by offsets of rock; the ground is tilled and planted with olive and other fruit-trees." (Robinson's Palestine, I. p. 394.)

15. The desolation having been described in v. 14 as of indefinite duration, this verse states more explicitly how long it is to last. Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field and the fruitful field is reckoned to the forest. The general meaning evidently is, until by a special divine influence a total revolution shall take place in the character, and as a necessary consequence in the condition, of the people. The attempt to restrict it to the return from exile, or the day of Pentecost, or some great effusion of the Spirit on the Jews still future, perverts the passage by making that its whole meaning which at most is but a part. For the meaning of the figures, see the exposition of ch. 29: 17. In this connection, they would seem to denote nothing more than total change, whereas in the other case the idea of an interchange appears to be made prominent.

16. And justice shall abide in the wilderness, and righteousness in the fruitful field shall dwell. This may either mean, that what is now a wilderness, and what is now a fruitful field, shall alike be the abode of righteousness i. e. of righteous men; or that both in the cultivation of the desert, and in the desolation of the field, the righteousness of God shall be displayed. In favour of the former is the use of the word dwell, which implies a permanent condition, rather than a transient or occasional manifestation. It also agrees better with the relation of this verse to that before it, as a part of the same sentence. If this be the meaning of the sixteenth verse, it seems to follow clearly, that the whole of the last clause of the fifteenth is a promise, since the same inhabitation of righteousness is here foretold in reference to the forest and the fruitful field. It is possible indeed that these may be put for the whole land, as being the two parts into which he had just before divided it.

17. As the foregoing verse describes the effect of the effusion of the Spirit to be universal righteousness, so this describes the natural and necessary consequence of righteousness itself. And the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness rest and assurance (or security) forever.

18. And my people shall abide in a home of peace, in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting-places. There is something tranquillizing in the very sound of this delightful promise, which as usual is limited to God's own people, implying either that all should have become such, or that those who had not should be still perturbed and restless.

19. And it shall hail in the downfall of the forest (i. e. so as to overthrow it), and the city shall be low in a low place (or humble with humiliation) i. e. utterly brought down. If this be read as a direct continuation of the promise in v. 18, it must

be explained as a description of the downfall of some hostile power, and accordingly it has been referred by most interpreters to Nineveh. Others, thinking it more natural to assume one subject here and in v. 13, regard this as another instance of prophetic recurrence from remoter promises to nearer threats; as if he had said, before these things can come to pass, the city must be brought low. This construction is entirely in keeping with the Prophet's manner, as exemplified already in this very chapter. (See the note on v. 9 above.) However natural and probable certain applications of the passage may appear, the only sense which can with certainty be put upon it, is that some existing power must be humbled, either as a means or as a consequence of the moral revolution which had been predicted.

20. Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth the foot of the ox and the ass. The allusion in this verse is supposed by some to be to pasturage, by others to tillage. There is still more diversity of judgment with respect to the application of the metaphor. Taking the whole connection into view, the meaning of this last verse seems to be, that as great revolutions are to be expected, arising wholly or in part from moral causes, they alone are safe, for the present and the future, who with patient assiduity perform what is required and provide, by the discharge of actual duty, for contingencies which can neither be escaped nor provided for in other manner.

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CHAPTER XXXIII.

THIS chapter contains a general threatening of retribution to the enemies of God's people, with particular reference to Sennacherib or the Assyrian power. The spoiler shall himself be spoiled in due time, through the divine interposition, and for the exaltation of Jehovah, vs. 1-6. The state of desolation and alarm is followed by sudden deliverance, vs. 7–13. The same vicissitudes are again described, but in another form, vs. 14-19. The peace and security of Zion are set forth under the figures of a stationary tent, and of a spot surrounded by broad rivers, yet impassable to hostile vessels, vs. 20-22. By a beautiful transition, the enemy is described as such a vessel, but dismantled and abandoned to its enemies, v. 23. The chapter closes with a general promise of deliverance from suffering, as a consequence of pardoned sin, v. 24.

1. Woe to thee spoiling and thou wast not spoiled, deceiving and they did not deceive thee! When thou shalt cease to spoil thou shalt be spoiled, and when thou art done deceiving they shall deceive thee. The two ideas meant to be expressed are those of violence and treachery, as the crying sins of arbitrary powers. In themselves the words are applicable to any oppressive and deceitful enemy, and may be naturally so explained at the beginning of the prophecy. This verse describes the enemy as acting without provocation, and also as having never yet experienced reverses.

2. Jehovah, favour us; for thee we wait; be their arm in the mornings, also our salvation in time of trouble. Isaiah here interposes his own feelings, and offers his own prayer that God