LVII. (1) THE RIGHTEOUS PERISHETH... — The words seem written as if in the anticipation or in the actual presence of Manasseh’s persecution of the true prophets. Even before that persecution burst out in its full violence, the “righteous” survivors of Hezekiah’s _régime_ may well have vexed their s... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL ENTER INTO PEACE... — Notice- able as presenting the brighter side of the dim thoughts of Israel as to the life behind the veil, and so far contrasted with Hezekiah’s shrinking fear. (Comp. Job 3:17.) For the righteous there was peace in death as in life. For the wicked there was peace in n... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SONS OF THE SORCERESS. — The words may be purely figurative, as meaning those who practise sorcery, but it is also possible that they may have reference to the female soothsayers, such as are described in Ezekiel 13:17. THE ADULTERER. — Here again the epithet may have had both a figurative and a... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAINST WHOM DO YE SPORT YOURSELVES? — The question, as in Isaiah 37:23, is one of indignant scorn, the implied answer being that the mockers were deriding the servants of Jehovah. (Comp. Wisdom 2), and, in so doing, mocking Jehovah himself. The “wide mouth,” and the “drawn-out tongue,” are the natu... [ Continue Reading ]
ENFLAMING YOURSELVES. — The best illustration of the phrase is found in the real or supposed derivation of “fanatic” as meaning one who is _circa fana calefactus. No_ word could better describe the orgiastic excitement of heathen rites. For “with idols read _among the terebinths,_ which were promine... [ Continue Reading ]
AMONG THE SMOOTH STONES... — The worship of stones was almost as widely diffused as that of trees and serpents. In Genesis 28:18 we have, at least, an analogous practice, which might easily become identical. Among the Phœnicians such stones were known as _Bœtulia_ (probably a Grecised form of Bethel... [ Continue Reading ]
SET THY BED... — Idolatry being as adultery, the “bed” follows naturally as representing the locality of the idol-worship. Comp. Ezekiel 16:31; Ezekiel 23:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAST THOU SET UP THY REMEMBRANCE... — The noun has been commonly referred to the _Mesusah,_ or memorial text, “Jehovah is our God; Jehovah is one,” which was to be written on the door-posts of each house (Deuteronomy 6:9; Deuteronomy 11:20); and the prophet is supposed to point to the fact that this... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU WENTEST TO THE KING... — The alteration of a single letter would give _to Molech;_ and this may be the meaning even of the text as it stands. Looking to the Manasseh-surroundings of the passage, however, it is more natural to refer the words to the king, the great king of Assyria, whose religio... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU ART WEARIED IN THE GREATNESS OF THY WAY... — Better, _with the length of thy journey — _i.e., with the long embassies to Assyria, and to Babylon, as for the time the residence of its kings. For “there is no hope,” read, _there is no result,_ or _profit._ Judah would not acknowledge that the neg... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OF WHOM HAST THOU BEEN AFRAID...? — The question implies that Judah had been led by the fear of man to forsake the fear of Jehovah, and this had led her to what was, in the fullest sense of the word, the false step of an alliance with Assyria, which was an acted lie. HAVE I NOT HELD MY PEACE...... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL DECLARE THY RIGHTEOUSNESS... — Accepting the Hebrew text, we must look on the word as used ironically, the righteousness which is no righteousness. Comp. Isaiah 64:6. A slight alteration, adopted by many critics, gives “_my_ righteousness.”... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THY COMPANIES... — The word is used contemptuously of the crowd of gods introduced by the confluent idolatry of Manasseh. (Comp. 2 Chronicles 33:3.) The prophet taunts the worshipper with their impotence, “Let them save thee, if they can,” but that taunt is followed by a declaration that true he... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHALL SAY... — Better, _And one said._ The prophet hears, as it were, a voice behind him, bringing an oracle from Heaven, which renews the cry of the herald in Isaiah 40:3. The verb, _cast up,_ points to the construction of the “highway” of a spiritual return, from which all impediments are remo... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THUS SAITH THE HIGH AND LOFTY... — The central truth for the comfort of God’s people is that the infinitely Great One cares even for the infinitely little. The truth of the greatness of lowliness manifested in the life of Christ was but the reflection of the permanent law of the Divine governmen... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL NOT CONTEND FOR EVER... — The words come as a message of comfort to the penitent who is still bearing the chastisement of his sins. The time during which God “contends” with him as an accuser and a judge has its limits. Were it not so. the souls which he had made would be utterly consumed, an... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE INIQUITY OF HIS COVETOUSNESS... — Literally, _of his gain._ This was the root-evil, out of which all others sprang (Jeremiah 6:13; Ezekiel 33:31; 1 Timothy 6:10), and for this, therefore, a sharp chastisement was needed that men might learn what their true wealth consisted in. The last claus... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE SEEN HIS WAYS... — The words have been interpreted: (1) of the evil ways described in the previous verse; (2) of the way of repentance into which Israel had been led by chastisement. (1) seems most in harmony with the context. The paths had been rough and thorny, but Jehovah presents Himself... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FRUIT OF THE LIPS... — The words point primarily to the praise and thanksgiving of the pardoned penitent (comp. Hosea 14:2; Hebrews 13:15), but include also all true utterances of the wise of heart (Proverbs 10:31). All these alike have their origin in the creative fiat of Jehovah, which proclai... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WICKED ARE LIKE THE TROUBLED SEA... — The promise of healing is, however, not unconditional. The acceptance of peace requires calmness; but for the wicked, whose thoughts are restlessly seething with evil ripening into act, this true peace is, in the nature of the case, impossible. We note the r... [ Continue Reading ]