4 5 lamb also breaketh a dog's neck; he that offereth up a meal-offering doth it with swine's blood; he that offereth a memorial of frankincense also blesseth an idol. Yea, as they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations, so I will choose their calamities, and will bring their fears upon them, because when I called, none did answer; when I spake they did not hear. But they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not. Hear the word of Jehovah, ye that tremble at his word. Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, 'Let Jehovah be glorified.' But it will be seen in your joy, and they shall be 6 ashamed. There is a voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of Jehovah rendering 7 recompense to his enemies. Before she travailed, she A memorial of frankincense.] A memorial was that small portion of the offering which was burnt on the altar, while the larger part was given to the priests or otherwise used, as in Num. v. 18. 5 Ye that tremble at his word.] Ye that are obedient worshippers, as explained in verse 2, and as the expression is used in Ezra x. 3. Your brethren that hated you.] He is throughout addressing those whom their prouder brethren said were not Jews, and who had to worship in the court of the Gentiles. That cast you out for my name's sake.] It was for the sake, as they said, of the purity of their religion that the higher class separated themselves from the poor. See Ezra iv. 2; ix. 1; Neh. v. 1. It is seen in your joy.] The unexpected news which causes your joy will bring glory to Jehovah. This is probably the Maccabee revolt. 6 A voice of noise from the city.] The writer is living at a distance from Jerusalem, which city the revolt against Antiochus had already reached. Recompense to his enemies.] Jehovah's enemies in Jerusalem are being overthrown. brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child [the Maccabee]. Who hath heard such 8 a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall a land be made to travail with child in one day? or shall a nation be brought forth at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. Shall I 9 begin the birth, and not cause to be born? saith Jehovah. Shall I cause to be born, and also shut the womb? saith thy God. Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her; so that ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; so that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. 10 11 12 13 For thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Nations like a flowing stream. Then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne on her side, and be fondled upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. And when ye 14 see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb; and the hand of Jehovah shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation towards his enemies. For, behold, Jehovah will come with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind, to render back his anger with wrath, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will Jeho- 16 vah judge all flesh; and the slain of Jehovah shall be many. They that sanctify themselves, and purify them- 17 "Delivered of a man child.] An unexpected deliverer has arisen; the Maccabee leader, Judas or his father, B.C. 166. 13 Ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.] At the destruction of Jehovah's enemies. 16 The slain of Jehovah.] This relief will not be brought about without great slaughter. 17 That sanctify themselves and purify themselves.] These words are to be understood in the opposite sense, as Bless" is used for "Curse" in Job. i. 5. 66 15 18 19 selves in the gardens one behind the other in public, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall perish together; Jehovah hath said it. For I know their works and their thoughts; it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. And I will set a sign among them, and some of them that escape I will send to the nations, to Tarshish [or Tarsus], to Pul [or North Africa], and to Lud [or the Egyptian Arabs], that draw the bow, to Tubal [or the Tibareni], and to Javan [or the Ionians], to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and 20 they shall declare my glory among the Nations. And they shall bring all your brethren out of all nations for an offering to Jehovah upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith Jehovah, as the children of Israel bring a meal offering in a clean vessel 21 into the House of Jehovah. And I will also take some 22 of them for priests, for Levites, saith Jehovah. For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, Jehovah hath said it, so shall 23 your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from new moon to new moon, and from sabbath to sabbath, shall all flesh come to worship 24 before me, saith Jehovah. And they shall go forth, and look upon the dead bodies of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. 19 Some of them that escape.] There was a flight of many from the mad cruelties of Antiochus Epiphanes. To Pul.] Perhaps a district in North Africa, including Carthage. It is not elsewhere mentioned. 21 Some of them for priests.] In the distressed state of the country there had been less surplus wealth to support ministers of religion. to act as such, perhaps without descent. These new comers are regard to hereditary [XIX. 1 THE BURDEN OF EGYPT. Behold, Jehovah rideth upon a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt; and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. And I will arm the Egyptians 2 against the Egyptians; and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of it; and I will destroy its counsel. And they shall seek to the idols, and to the whisperers [or serpent-charmers], and to the speaking bottles [or ventriloquists], and to the wizards. And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord [Antiochus Epiphanes]; and a fierce king shall rule over them [B.c. 170]; the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, hath said it. 3 7 And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river 5 shall be wasted and dried up. And the rivers shall become putrid; and the streams of Lower Egypt shall be emptied and dried up; the reeds and flags shall wither. The meadows by the river [Nile], by the mouth of the river, and everything sown by the river, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more. fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast a hook into the river shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the face of the waters shall languish. Moreover they that work in combed flax, and they that weave No. 37. [Chap. xix.] The 8 ON EGYPT, WHEN CONQUERED BY ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES AND IN THE TIME OF THE MACCABEES. 2 Egyptians against Egyptians.] During the civil war between Ptolemy Philometor and his brother Ptolemy Euergetes II. Into the hand of a cruel lord.] Antiochus Epiphanes. 7 Meadows by the river.] The Nile, 18. • That work in combed flax.] Egypt was a flax-grow 10 white cloths, shall be confounded. And her pillars [or princes] shall be broken, all that work for hire shall be sad in soul. 11 13 Surely the princes of Zoan [or Tanis] are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish. How say ye to Pharaoh, 'I am the son of the 12 'wise, the son of ancient kings'? Where are now thy wise men? And let them tell thee now, and let them make known what Jehovah of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt. The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph [or Memphis] are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even the corner-turrets of its tribes. 14 Jehovah hath mingled a spirit of perverseness in the midst thereof; and they have caused Egypt to err in all its work, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit. 15 Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, palm-branch or bulrush, may do. 16 In that day shall Egypt be like women; and it shall be afraid and in fear because of the shaking of the hand of Jehovah of hosts, which he shaketh against it. And 17 the land of Judah shall be a terror to Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof to himself shall be afraid, because of the purpose of Jehovah of hosts which he hath purposed against it. ing country, and almost the only such in the world. Its linen manufacture was an important branch of trade. 10 Her pillars.] Her princes, as in Ps. xi. 3. 11 The princes of Zoan.] Zoan or Tanis was not then the capital of Egypt, but was one of the cities best known to the Jews. The counsellors of Pharaoh.] As the Coptic language was still in use, the Greek kings bore the old title. 13 The princes of Noph.] Memphis. From we have one contracted form in Hos. ix. 6, and ɔ here. 17 Judah shall be a terror to Egypt.] It was never after Solomon's reign until the time of the Maccabee independence that Judea had any importance in the eyes of Egypt. |