Many parts of this prophecy seem to have been borrowed from a similar prophecy of Isaiah concerning the same country, (Chap. xv. and xvi.). By comparing the parallel passages much light may be thrown upon them both,* though much obscurity will still remain, for want of our being sufficiently acquainted with the geography and history of that country. 2.† On the mention of the name of a place, the prophet often introduces a word of a similar sound, and sometimes of a similar meaning, which was considered as a beauty in composition; and it would at the same time help the memory in the recollection of it. This was the case with the word Heshbon, as the word which we render devised has several of the same letters. Madman also resembles a word which signifies speechless. 4. That is, those who remained after the great slaughter of their country men. 5. At Luhith the hilly part of the country began, and at Horonaim was the descent into the plain on the opposite side.§ Mine enemies. The Divine Being is the speaker here.|| 7. Chemosh was the principal deity of the Moabites. "It signifies the sun. 11. It is said to be an advantage to wine to remain long upon its lecs, preserving its strength and flavour. In order to clear it, they pour it into other vessels. Chardin says that this is frequently done in the East, especially as the large jars must be emptied into a number of small ones. 13. One of the calves that were worshipped by the ten tribes, was at Bethel.** 28. That is, in places where the enemy would not choose to come; a place of danger. 32. Perhaps the vines of Sibmah were cultivated from that place to the extremity of the country, as far as the Red Sea, Blayney, p. 415. "LXX. There is no healing for Moab, nor triumphing for Heshbon: they have devised evil against it.'" Wall, II. p. 157. Vulg. declare ye a cry to her little ones.' LXX declare ye it in Zoar.' Zoar signifies little; but LXX. take it for the name of a place. See ver. 34." Wall, II. p. 157. See Blayney, p. 416. § Blayney, p. 416. "LXX. For Aloth is full of weeping: he shall go up weeping by the way of Horonaim.'" See Wall, II. p. 157. || Blayney, p. 416. ¶ See Harmer, I. p. 392; (xxv. 6,) p. 141. Blayney, pp. 416, 417; Bishop Lowth's Isaiah, ** See 1 Kings xii. 28, 29; Hosea x. 5, 6. and not, as has been thought, that the wine was sent to distant countries.* 34. This is a very poetical representation of the cities of Moab, lamenting with one another on their desolate condition. 36. What they saved from one devastation would be destroyed in another. 40. The enemy shall come as an eagle,† hovering in the air, and ready to dart upon his prey. 44. (See the Note on Isaiah xxiv. 17, 18). 45, 46. These verses are taken from the prophecy of Balaam, (Numb. xxi. 28, 29,) but with some variation, whether by accident or design, is uncertain. They who fled might perhaps make a stand at Heshbon, and be defeated a second time. 47. What is meant by bringing again the captivity of Moab, is very uncertain. Other prophecies say that the country of the Moabites, as well as of the Edomites and Ammonites, shall be peopled by the Israelites after their restoration. Perhaps some of the ancient inhabitants, and known to be such, though now mixed with the Arabs, will settle with them; as people of many other nations are said to unite with them at that time, so that the country may become as populous and flourishing as ever it had been. XLIX. 1. Why hath Milcom taken possession of Gad?§ Milcom, or Moloch, was the God of the Ammonites. The downfal of the Ammonites was foretold by Ezekiel, (xxv. 2-7,) Amos, (i. 13—15,) and Zephaniah, (ii. 8—11). It was probably completed at the same time with the preceding, concerning Moab and the other neighbouring nations. When the kings of Assyria conquered the ten tribes, and carried them into captivity, it is probable that the Ammonites took possession of the country that had belonged to the Gadites, as being contiguous to them. In early times it had been theirs, but they had been dispossessed by the Amorites, who were extirpated in the time of Moses. 2. This was in some measure fulfilled "when Judas * See Blayney, pp. 420, 421; Bishop Lowth's Isaiah, (xvi. 9,) p. 104. +"An evident allusion to Deut. xxviii. 49. Compare Chap. xlix. 22." Blayney, p. 422. See Vol. XI. p. 251; Blayney, pp. 422, 423. ་ SMS. Blayney, p. 424. "LXX. Why then does Malchól inherit Gilead,' seems a true reading." Wall, II. p. 158. See Young, II. p. 50. See 1 Kings xi. 5. "LXX. Her altars shall be burnt with fire.'" Wall, II. p. 158. Maccabeus defeated the Ammonites, and took their towns ;" but it may refer to a time that is yet future, when the Israelites, returning from their great dispersion, will occupy that country as well as others in their neighbourhood.* 3. For Milcom shall go into captivity.† Grotius finds a place in this country, called Gaia, mentioned by Ptolemy.‡ 6. This must be interpreted in the same manner as the similar prediction concerning Moab. [Chap. xlviii. 47.] 7. "The destruction of Edom, or Idumea, is likewise foretold by Ezekiel, (xxv. 12—14; xxxv. 2—15,) Joel, (iii. 19,) Amos, (i. 11, 12,) and by Obadiah, [8]."§ It was accomplished at the same time with that concerning Moab and Ammon. 8. That is, retire into your caverns, in which persons pursued, often took refuge. When a tribe of Arabs are apprehensive of danger, they will very suddenly remove to a great distance in the desert, where it is not easy to overtake, or even to find them.|| 9. I prefer the common version. The gatherers of grapes, especially by night, would leave many; and thieves coming at the same time would not carry away every thing. But of what belonged to the Edomites nothing would be left. 12. That is, the Israelites were deserving of less punishment than the Edomites. Or the meaning may only be, that they were the more favoured nation, though alike descended from Abraham and Isaac. 16. Idumea was a very hilly country, and the principal towns were situated on rocks. In such places eagles had their nests;** but even this seemingly safe situation would not secure them from the pursuit of God. 19. When the river Jordan overflows its bounds, which it was apt to do very suddenly, the wild beasts that sheltered in the thickets adjoining to it would be dislodged, and roam about the country.++ The person commissioned by God to execute his judgments was Nebuchadnezzar. See 1 Macc. v. 6, 7; Blayney, p. 424. † MS. Blayney, p. 425. (P.) See LXX.; Wall, II. p. 158. See Harmer, I. pp. 102, 103; Blayney, p. 426. To "they shall not leave any gleanings." Blayney, p. 426. tt Maundrell, who visited the Jordan in 1697, says, After having descended the outermost bank, you go about a furlong upon a level strand, before you come to the immediate bank of the river. This second bank is so beset with bushes and trees, such as tamurisks, willows, oleanders, &c. that you can see no water till you 23. With a little alteration of the text, this will be restless as the sea, which makes a better sense. Isaiah had delivered a prophecy against Damascus, (Chap. xvii.) which had been fulfilled by Tiglath-pilesar taking it and carrying the inhabitants to Kir, (2 Kings xvi. 9). Amos [i. 3-5] had foretold the same event. But this city had recovered itself after the fall of the Assyrian empire, and it is here sentenced to as severe a fate from the Chaldeans; and this was probably fulfilled about the same time with that of the neighbouring nations. Hamath was once the capital of an independent kingdom, situated near the northern frontier of the land of Israel, whence we often read of the entrance of Hamath. By the Macedonians it was called Epiphania. Arphad, or Arvad, is thought to be the island of Aradus, in the Mediterranean.† 27. Benhadad "seems to have been a common name for the kings of Syria, as Pharaoh was for those of Egypt."‡ 28. Kedar was "one of the sons of Ishmael who settled in Arabia;"§ and among the sons of Joktan was Hazermaveth, (Gen. x. 26-30). They were all settled in Arabia, but in what part is not known. 29. All the property of these Arabs consisted in tents, furniture and cattle, which are moved from place to place, as is found convenient.|| 34. Elam was a powerful kingdom in very early times. It was part of Persia, called Elymais by the Greek writers.¶ 35. Isaiah speaks of the Edomites as excelling in archery, (Chap. xxii. 6, Elam bare the quiver). Heathen writers speak of them in the same light.** 38. This can only mean that Nebuchadnezzar, acting by commission from God, may be said to represent him; and his conquering Elam may be called his fixing his throne there.tt 39. Cyrus, after the conquest of Babylon, fixed his palace at Shushan, the capital of Elam; and for a long time it con have made your way through them. In this thicket anciently (and the same is reported of it at this day), several sorts of wild beasts were wont to harbour themselves; whose being washed out of the covert by the overflowings of the river, gave occasion to that allusion, Jer. xlix. 19, L. 44." Journey, Ed. 6, 1740, p. 82. See Alciphron, (Dial. vi.) II. pp. 23, 24. *Com. and Ess. II. 55. p. "LXX. They are amazed, they are enraged, they cannot be quiet.' Wall, II. p. 158. See Blayney, p. 430. + Blayney, p. 429. Gen. xxv. 18; Blayney, p. 430. ¶ Gen. xiv. 1, Blayney, p. 431. Ibid. || Ibid. p. 431. ** See Strabo (L. xvi. p. 744); Livy (L. xxxvi. C. xl.); Blayney, p. 432, ++ Blayney, p. 432. tinued to be the seat of a great empire. This cannot well be the same period that is referred to when future prosperity is promised to Moab; and yet the phrase in the Hebrew is the very same. That concerning Ammon is a little different. L. This prophecy concerning the fall of Babylon was delivered in the fourth year of the reign of Zedekiah, as appears from Chap. li. 59. It is intermixed with promises of favour to the Israelites, who were carried captive thither. 5. This certainly respects the final return of the Israelites. The everlasting covenant is sometimes called the new cove nant that God will make with them; when, as Ezekiel [xxxvi. 26] says, they will have a new heart given unto them, so that they will ever after be obedient to God, and have no more reverses of fortune, which has not yet taken place. 6. Idolatrous practices were chiefly committed on hills and high places, as they principally respected the heavenly bodies. 11. ↑ The ox, or heifer, while treading out the corn, was not to be muzzled, and therefore could eat and get fat. 12. It will be better rendered, Behold, she (shall be) the hindermost of the nations, Babylon was at that time the metropolis of the first of nations. 20. This undoubtedly refers to the final state of the Israelites, when their virtue, as well as their happiness, will be confirmed. 21. Babylon might be called the land of bitterness, § because it had proved so to the Jews; being the cause of much affliction to them. 36. [A sword upon the impostors, and they shall be infatuated.] Imposture means astrology, the object of which was the foretelling future events, for which the Chaldeans were famous. 38. This may allude to the diverting of the course of the river by Cyrus, when he took Babylon. 159. Blayney, pp. 443, 444. "The translators here put in the word saying, and the word that. But without them LXX. is, They shall come and fly to the Lord their God, for the everlasting covenant shall not be forgot.'' Wall, II. pp. 158, + "LXX. Because you skipped about, as young cattle; you gored them as bulls.'" Wall, II. p. 159. See Blayney, pp. 434, 435. ↑ Com. and Ess. II. p. 55. LXX. See Wall, II. p. 159. § Blayney, p. 436. "LXX. Upon her warriors, and they shall be enfeebled."" Wall, II. p. 159. ¶ See Isaiah xliv. 25; Blayney, p. 438. ** « A sword upon her waters." Ibid. |