ISAIAH CHAPTER 19 The confusion of Egypt; their intestine dissension; their idols deceive them; cruel lords over them; waters fail them; their trade dead; their princes and counsellors made foolish; their terror before the Lord, ISAIAH 19:1. The calling of Egypt to the church, ISAIAH 19:18. The cove... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL SET THE EGYPTIANS AGAINST THE EGYPTIANS; I will raise civil wars among them. KINGDOM AGAINST KINGDOM; for although all Egypt was now one kingdom, and under one king, yet not many years after this time it was divided into twelve several kingdoms, between whom there were many and cruel wars, as... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SPIRIT; either 1. Their courage. But of that he spake ISAIAH 19:1. Or, 2. Their understanding, as it is explained in the next clause; for the word _spirit_ is oft put for the reasonable soul, as ECCLESIASTES 3:21, ECCLESIASTES 12:7, and for the thoughts of the mind, as PROVERBS 29:11 EZE 13. 3... [ Continue Reading ]
A FIERCE KING; either, 1. The king of Assyria or Chaldea; or, 2. Those twelve petty kings, the singular number being put for the plural; or, 3. Psammetichus, who being at first one of those twelve kings, waged war with the rest, and subdued them, and conquered all the land of Egypt, and ruled it... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WATERS SHALL FAIL FROM THE SEA; which may be understood either, 1. Metaphorically, of the taking away of their dominion or commerce, &c.; or rather, 2. Properly, as may be gathered from the following words and verses. For as the river Nilus, when it had a full stream, and free course, did pour... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL TURN THE RIVERS FAR AWAY; which is to be taken impersonally, as such expressions are very frequently, for, _the rivers_ (those small rivulets by which the waters of Nilus were conveyed and distributed into several parts of the land) SHALL BE TURNED FAR AWAY, as they must needs be, when th... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PAPER REEDS; which by a needle, or other fit instrument, were divided into thin and broad leaves, which being dried and fitted, were used at that time for writing, as our paper is; and consequently was a very good commodity. SOWN BY THE BROOKS; and much more what was sown in more dry and unfruit... [ Continue Reading ]
Because they could catch few or no fish, by which trade they got their living; which also was a great plague to the people, whose common diet this was, because out of superstitious conceits they killed and eat but few living creatures, as appears both from sacred and profane writers.... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WORK IN FINE FLAX; that make fine linen, which was one of their best commodities; of which SEE POOLE ON "1 KINGS 10:28", SEE POOLE ON "PROVERBS 7:16", SEE POOLE ON "EZEKIEL 27:7".... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREOF, i.e. of Egypt, or of the Egyptians. They shall lose their ends and hopes; for the fishes in them shall die for want of water.... [ Continue Reading ]
ZOAN; the chief city, in which the king and court frequently resided. See PSALMS 78:12. BRUTISH; exceeding foolish, and destructive to themselves. HOW SAY YE UNTO PHARAOH? why do you put such false and foolish words into Pharaoh's mouth? I AM THE SON OF THE WISE; wisdom is hereditary and natural to... [ Continue Reading ]
THY WISE MEN; who pretended that either by their deep policy, or by their skill in astrology or magic, they could certainly foresee things to come.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOPH; another chief city, and one of the king's seats, so called also JEREMIAH 2:16, JEREMIAH 44:1; called also _Moph_ in the Hebrew text, HOSEA 9:6; and by other and later authors, _Memphis._ EVEN THEY THAT ARE THE STAY, Heb. _even the corner_, or the corner-stone, which is the chief support of the... [ Continue Reading ]
HATH MINGLED; or, _hath poured out_ or _given them to drink_ as appears from their drunkenness, expressed in the end of the verse; which also suits with the Scripture phrase whereby a _cup_ signifies God's judgments, as ISAIAH 51:17,21 22 JER 25:15. A PERVERSE SPIRIT, Heb. _a spirit of perversities... [ Continue Reading ]
All people, both high and low, shall be at their wits end not knowing what to do.... [ Continue Reading ]
LIKE UNTO WOMEN; feeble and fearful, as it follows. BECAUSE OF THE SHAKING OF THE HAND OF THE LORD OF HOSTS; because they shall perceive that they do not fight with men only, but with the Lord of hosts, who now lifts up his hand against them, as he did against their forefathers, EXO 14, the very rem... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAND OF JUDAH SHALL BE A TERROR UNTO EGYPT; either, 1. Because of Judah's calamities and desolations; for Judah was their bulwark against the Assyrians and Babylonians; and when this bulwark was removed, the Egyptians, their neighbours and confederates, had just cause to fear. Or, 2. Because of... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY; after that time, as this phrase is used, ISAIAH 4:2, ISAIAH 18:7, and oft elsewhere. In the times of the gospel, which are oft noted in the prophets by that very expression. FIVE CITIES; a considerable number of their chief cities, a certain number being put for an uncertain. SPEAK THE... [ Continue Reading ]
AN ALTAR for God's worship; not a Levitical, but a spiritual and evangelical altar, as appears from hence, because that was confined to one place, DEUTERONOMY 12:13,14. The _altar_ is put for the worship of God, as it is in many places both of the Old and New Testament. And nothing is more common in... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT, the altar or pillar last mentioned, SHALL BE FOR A SIGN AND FOR A WITNESS UNTO THE LORD, to testify that they own the Lord for their God. THEY SHALL CRY UNTO THE LORD BECAUSE OF THE OPPRESSORS; being sorely distressed, and finding the weakness of their idols, they shall turn unto the true Go... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL KNOW THE LORD; shall acknowledge, and love, and serve him; for words of knowledge in Scripture commonly include affection and practice, as hath been often observed. SHALL DO SACRIFICE AND OBLATION; shall worship God spiritually; which yet is signified by typical phrases, as it is ZECHARIAH 1:1... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL SMITE AND HEAL IT; God will afflict them by oppressors, ISAIAH 19:20, and otherwise; and by those afflictions he will convert and save them.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ASSYRIAN SHALL COME INTO EGYPT, AND THE EGYPTIAN INTO ASSYRIA; they who were implacable enemies one to another, and both to the church and people of God, shall now be reconciled and united together in the service of God, and love to his church. SHALL SERVE, to wit, the Lord, who is easily unders... [ Continue Reading ]
THE THIRD; the third party, to wit, in that sacred league, whereby all of them oblige themselves to God. WITH EGYPT AND WITH ASSYRIA: these people are named because they were the most obstinate and malicious enemies to God's church, and therefore in a special manner accursed by God; but they are her... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOM THE LORD OF HOSTS SHALL BLESS; whom, i.e. which people, to wit, Israel, Egypt, and Assyria, expressed both in the foregoing verse, and in the following clause of this verse; of whom he speaks as of one people, in the singular number, because they are all united into one body and church. Or, _Fo... [ Continue Reading ]