7. At that day shall a present be brought to JEHOVAH of hosts The people terrible from the first and hitherto, The nation extending its limits-the victorious people- To the place of the name of JEHOVAH of hosts, Mount Zion. they should furnish food for the fowls and the wild beasts for a long time. On the multitude of these carcases, these animals will find nourishment for a whole year; i. e. they will spend the summer and the winter with them. When this was fulfilled, it is, perhaps, not possible to tell, as we are so little acquainted with the circumstances of the people in relation to whom it was spoken. If it related, as I suppose, to the people of Nubia or Ethiopia forming an alliance with the Assyrians for the purpose of invading Judea, it was fulfilled probably when Sennacherib and his assembled hosts were destroyed. Whenever it was fulfilled, it is quite evident that the design of the prophecy was to give comfort to the Jews-alarmed and agitated as they were at the prospect of the preparations which were made, by the assurance that those plans would fail, and all the efforts of their enemies be foiled and disconcerted. 7. In that time. When their plans shall thus be disconcerted, and their armies be overthrown. Shall the present be brought, &c. The word present "sha denotes a gift, or that which is presented or given to any one, and is found only in the phrase to bring gifts, or presents. Ps. lxviii. 30, lxxvi. 11. It means here evidently an ac. knowledgment of subjection; a tribute; or an offering to JEHOVAH as the only true God; a gift for the service of his temple; and possibly it may mean that the people would be converted to him, and embrace the true religion. Of a people, &c. From a people. The description which follows is the same precisely as occurs in ver. 2. This description is repeated almost verbatim, as is frequently the case in Homer. Numerous repetitions of this kind will be recollected by the classic reader in the Iliad. To the place of the name, &c. The place where JEHOVAH is worshipped; i. e. Jerusalem. Comp. Notes ch. i. 8, 9. We have no means of knowing when or how this prophecy was fulfilled; or what present was brought. That the Jewish religion spread into Upper Egypt, and that the Christian religion was afterwards established there, there can be no doubt. The Jews were scattered into nearly every nation, and probably many of this people became proselytes, and went with them to Jerusalem to worship. See Acts ii. 10, viii. 27. CHAPTER XIX. ANALYSIS. THIS prophecy respecting Egypt extends only through this chapter. Its general scope and design is plain. It is intended to show the calamities that would come upon Egypt, and the effect which they would have in turning the people to God. The vision or scene is laid in Egypt; and the following things passed before the mind of the prophet in vision: (1) He sees JEHOVAH COMing in a cloud to Egypt. Ver. 1. (2.) The effect of this is to produce trouble and alarm among the idols of that nation. Ver. 2 (3.) A state of internal commotion and discord is described as existing in Egypt; a state of calamity so great that they would seek relief in vain from their idols and necromancers, Vs. 2, 3. (4.) The consequence of these dissensions and internal strifes would be, that they would be subdued by a foreign and cruel prince. Ver. 4. (5.) To these political calamities there would be added physical sufferings. Vs. 5-10. The Nile would be dried up, and all that grew on its banks would wither (vs. 5-7); those who had been accustomed to fish in the Nile would be thrown out of employment (ver. 8.); and those that were engaged in the manufacture of linen would as a consequence be also driven from employment, vs. 9, 10; (6.) all counsel and wisdom would fail from the nation, and the kings and priests be regarded as fools, vs. 11-16; (7.) the land of Judah would become à terror to them, ver. 17; (8.) this would be followed by the conversion of many of the Egyptians to the true religion, vs. 18-20; JEHOVAH Would become their protector and repair the breaches that had been made, and remove the evils which they had experienced, vs. 21, 22; and a strong alliance would be formed between the Egyptians, the Assyrians, and the Jews, which should secure the divine blessing and favor. Vs. 23-25. This is the outline of the prophecy. But it is needless to say that there has been a great variety of interpretations proposed. In regard to the time when it was delivered, we have no certain knowledge. Lowth supposes that it refers to times succeeding the destruction of the army of Sennacherib. After that event, he says, the affairs of Egypt were thrown into confusion; intestine broils succeeded; these were followed by a tyranny of twelve princes who divided the country between them, until the distracted affairs settled down under the dominion of Psammeticus, who held the sceptre for fifty-four years. Not long after this, the country was invaded and conquered by Nebuchadnezzar; and then by the Persians under Cambyses the son of Cyrus. Alexander the Great subsequently invaded and took the country, and made Alexandria the capital of his empire. Many Jews were invited thither by Alexander, and under the favor of the Ptolemies they flourished there; the true religion became prevalent in the land, and multitudes of the Egyptians, it is supposed, were converted to the Jewish faith. Bishop Newton (Diss. xii. on the prophecies) supposes, that there was a general reference here to the conquest by Nebuchadnezzar, and a particular reference to the conquest under Cambyses the son of Cyrus. He supposes that the anarchy described in ver. 2, refers to the civil wars which arose between Apries and Amasis in the time of Nebuchadnezzar's invasion, and the civil wars between Tachos, Nectanebus, and the Mendesian a little before the country was subdued by Ochus. The cruel king mentioned in ver. 4, into whose hands they were delivered, he supposes was Nebuchadnezzar; or more probably Cambyses and Ochus, one of whom put the yoke on the neck of the Egyptians, and the other riveted it there. The Egyptians say that Cambyses after he killed Apis, a god worshipped in Egypt, was stricken with madness; but his actions, says Prideaux, show that he was mad long before. Ochus was the most cruel of the kings of Persia. The final deliverance of the nation, and the conversion to the true God, and the alliance between Egypt, Assyria, and Israel (vs. 18-25), he supposes, refers to the deliverance that would be introduced by Alexander the Great, and the protection that would be shown to the Jews in Egypt under the Ptolemies. Vitringa, Gesenius, Grotius, Rosenmuller, and others suppose that the anarchy described in ver. 2, refers to the discord which arose in the time of the dwdexapxía, or the reign of the twelve kings until Psammetichus prevailed over the rest, and that he is intended by the "cruel lord," and "fierce king" described in ver. 4. In other respects their interpretation of the prophecy coincides, in the main, with that proposed by Bishop Newton. A slight glance at some of the leading events in the history of Egypt may enable us more clearly to determine the application of the different parts of the prophecy. Egypt, a well known country in Africa, is, for the most part, a great valley through which the Nile pours its waters from South to North, and is skirted on the east and west by ranges of mountains which approach or recede more or less from the river in different parts. Where the valley terminates towards the North, the Nile divides itself about 40 or 50 miles from the Mediterranean into several parts, enclosing the territory called the Delta-so called because the various streams flowing from the one river diverge as they flow towards the sea and thus form with the coast a triangle in the shape of the Greek letter A Delta. The southern limit of Egypt proper is Syene (Ezek. xxix. 10, xxx. 6), or Essuan, the border of Ethiopia. Here the Nile issues from the granite rocks of the cataracts and enters Egypt proper. This is N. lat. 24. Egypt was anciently divided into forty-two nomes or districts, which were Jule provinces or counties. It was also divided into Upper and Lower Egypt. Upper Egypt was called Thebais, from Thebes the capital, and extended south to the frontier of Ethiopia. Lower Egypt contained principally the Delta and the parts on the Mediterranean. The capital was Cairo. The most commou division, however, was into three parts, Lower, Middle, and Upper Egypt. In Lower Egypt, lying on the Mediterranean, were the cities of Pithon, Raamses, Heliopolis, &c. In this division also was the land of Goshen. In Middle Egypt was Moph, or Memphis, Hanes, &c. In Upper Egypt was No-Ammon, or Thebes, and Syene, the southern limit of Egypt. The early history of Egypt is obscure. It is agreed on all hands, however, that it was the early seat of civilization; and that this civilization was introduced from the South, and especial y from Meroe. The country in the earliest times was possessed by several kings or states which were at length united into one great kingdom. Not long after the death of Joseph it came into the possession of the Hyksos or Shepherd Kings, probably an Arabian Nomadic tribe. After they were driven out, the whole country came again under one sovereign, and enjoyed great prosperity. The first king of the 19th dynasty, as it is called by Manetho, was the celebrated Sesostris, about 1500 years B. C. His successors were all called by the general name of Pharaoh, i. e. kings. The first who is mentioned by his proper name is Shishak (1 Kings xiv. 25, 26), supposed to be the Sesonchosis of Manetho, who reigned about 970 years B. C. ́ ́About the same time Ethiopian kings reigned in Upper Egypt, of whom two are mentioned in the Bible, viz So Sevechus (2 Kingsxvii. 4.) about 722 B C.; and Tirhaka, contemporary with Hezekiah, 2 Kings xix. 9. After this the whole country was for a time under twelve kings, called the Dodekarchy (about 711 B. C.), who were at length all subdued by Psammeticus, to whom allusion is supposed to be made in ver. 4 of this chapter. This dynasty was overthrown by Nebuchadnezzar as announced by the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Jer. xliii. 10 -13, xlvi. 13, Ezek. xxix. 18, xxx. 10 &c. Egypt was afterwards conquered by Cambyses, and became a province of the Persian empire about 525 B. C. Thus it continued until it was conquered by Alexander the Great 350, B C., after whose death it formed, together with Syria, Palestine Lybia, &c., the kingdom of the Ptolemies. After the battle of Actium 30 B. C. it became a Roman province. In 640 it was conquered by the Arabs, and since that time it has passed from the hands of the Caliphs into the hands of the Turks and since 1517 it has been regarded as a province of the Turkish empire. This is an outline of the principal events of the Egyptian history. The events predicted in this chapter will be stated in their order in the comments on particular verses. The two leading points which will guide our interpretation will be that Psammiticus is intended in ver. 4, and that the effects of Alexander's conquest of Egypt are denoted from ver. 18 to the end of the chapter. Keeping these two points in view the interpretation of the chapter will be easy. 1 The burden of Egypt. Behold the | of Egypt shall be moved at his preLORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and sence, and the heart of Egypt shall shall come into Egypt; and the idols" melt in the midst of it. iJer. 46. Ezek. 29 and 30. 1 Ps. 18. 10. 104. 3. m Ex. 12. 12. Jer. 43. 12. New Translation. VISION XIV. CHAPTER XIX. Egypt. ORACLE CONCERNING EGYPT. 1. Lo! JEHOVAH rideth on a swift cloud, And cometh to Egypt! And the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, 1. The burden of Egypt. This is the title to the prophecy. For the meaning of the word burden, see Note ch. xiii. 1. The word Egypt in the original is Mitzraim; and it was so called after Mizraim the second son of Ham, and grandson of Noah. Sometimes it is called Mazor, 2 Kings xix. 24, Isa. xix. 6, xxxvii. 25, Mic. vii. 12, where, however, our English version has rendered the word by besieged place, or fortress. The ancient name of the country among the inhabitants themselves was Chimi, or Chami (x). The Egyptian word signified black, and the name was probably given from the black deposite made by the slime of the Nile. The present name of the country is Misr, from the ancient name Mizraim. The origin of the name Egypt is unknown. Egyptus is said by some to have been an 2 And I will set the Egyptians | every one against his neighbour; against the Egyptians: and they shall city against city, and kingdom against fight every one against his brother, and kingdom. 1 mingle. New Translation. 2. And I will excite Egyptians against Egyptians; And they shall fight every man against his brother, And every man against his neighbor; City against city, and kingdom against kingdom. LO JEHOVAH. ancient king of this country. Behold the LORD. This is a bold, and striking introduction. This is the first thing that appears to the prophet. JEHOVAH is seen advancing to Egypt for the purpose of confounding its idols; throwing it into confusion; and inflicting punishment. The leading idea which the prophet wishes probably to present is, that national calamities--anarchy, commotion, revolution, as well as physical sufferings-are under the government and direction of JEHOVAH. Rideth upon a swift cloud. JEHOVAH is often thus represented as riding on a cloud, especially when he comes for purposes of vengeance or punishment: And he rode upon a cherub and did fly, Yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. Ps. xviii. 10. Who maketh the clouds his chariot, Who walketh upon the wings of the wind. Ps. civ. 3. Matth. xxiv. 30. And the idols "I saw in the night visions, and behold one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven." Dan. vii. 13. So the Saviour is represented as coming to judgment in the clouds of heaven. Comp. the sublime description in Habak. iii. 3—10. of Egypt, &c. It is well known that Egypt was celebrated for its idolatry. They worshipped chiefly the heavenly bodies; but they worshipped also all kinds of animals, probably as living symbols of their gods. Shall be moved. That is, shall tremble, be agitated, alarmed; or shall be removed from their place. be overthrown. The word will bear either construction. Vitringa inclines to the latter. ¶ And the heart, &c. The strength; the courage; the vigor. We use the word heart in the same sense now, when we speak of a stout heart; a courageous heart, &c. ¶ Shall melt. The word here used denotes to dissolve; and is applied to the heart when its courage fails -probably from the sensation of weakness or fainting which is felt. |