72 lines
12 KiB
HTML
72 lines
12 KiB
HTML
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
|
|
<head>
|
|
<title>Blue Letter Bible: Text Commentaries</title>
|
|
<script src="../../../js/basepath.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
|
|
<script src="./js/nav.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
|
|
<script src="./js/MainHeader.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
|
|
<script type="text/javascript">
|
|
PriorBook = 'Song of Songs';
|
|
PriorBookURL = './Comm/jfb/Sgs/Sgs000.html';
|
|
PriorChapter = 'Isaiah 46';
|
|
PriorChapterURL = './Comm/jfb/Isa/Isa046.html';
|
|
NextBook = 'Jeremiah';
|
|
NextBookURL = './Comm/jfb/Jer/Jer000.html';
|
|
NextChapter = 'Isaiah 48';
|
|
NextChapterURL = './Comm/jfb/Isa/Isa048.html';
|
|
Title = 'The Book of the Prophet Isaiah';
|
|
SubTitle1 = 'Commentary by A. R. FAUSSET';
|
|
SubTitle2 = '';
|
|
SubTitle3 = 'CHAPTER 47';
|
|
SubTitle3Cased = 'Chapter 47';
|
|
Author = ' Jamieson, Fausset & Brown';
|
|
imageMasthead = 'jfb.gif';
|
|
authorCite = 'Robert Jamieson; A.R. Fausset; and David Brown';
|
|
</script>
|
|
<script src="./js/Comms/JFB.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
|
|
</head><body>
|
|
<p id="Chapter47" align="center">Commentary by A. R. FAUSSET<br >CHAPTER 47
|
|
<p id="Isa47_1"><a onclick="return mV('Isa',47,'1-15');">Isa 47:1-15</a>. THE DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON IS REPRESENTED UNDER THE IMAGE OF A ROYAL VIRGIN BROUGHT DOWN IN A MOMENT FROM HER MAGNIFICENT THRONE TO THE EXTREME OF DEGRADATION.
|
|
<p><b>1. in the dust</b>—(See on JFB for <a href="./Comm/jfb/Isa/Isa003.html#Isa3_26">Isa 3:26</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Job',2,13);">Job 2:13</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Lam',2,10);">Lam 2:10</a>).
|
|
<br><br><b>virgin</b>—that is, heretofore <i>uncaptured</i> [HERODOTUS, 1.191].
|
|
<br><br><b>daughter of Babylon</b>—Babylon and its inhabitants (see on JFB for <a href="./Comm/jfb/Isa/Isa001.html#Isa1_8">Isa 1:8</a>; JFB for <a href="./Comm/jfb/Isa/Isa037.html#Isa37_22">Isa 37:22</a>).
|
|
<br><br><b>no throne</b>—The seat of empire was transferred to Shushan. Alexander intended to have made Babylon his seat of empire, but Providence defeated his design. He soon died; and Seleucia, being built near, robbed it of its inhabitants, and even of its name, which was applied to Seleucia.
|
|
<br><br><b>delicate</b>—alluding to the effeminate debauchery and prostitution of all classes at banquets and religious rites [CURTIUS, 5.1; HERODOTUS, 1.199; BARUCH, 6.43].
|
|
<p id="Isa47_2"><b>2. millstones</b>—like the <i>querns</i> or hand-mills, found in this country, before the invention of water mills and windmills: a convex stone, made by the hand to turn in a concave stone, fitted to receive it, the corn being ground between them: the office of a female slave in the East; most degrading (<a onclick="return mV('Job',31,10);">Job 31:10</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Mat',24,41);">Mat 24:41</a>).
|
|
<br><br><b>uncover thy locks</b>—rather, "take off thy veil" [HORSLEY]: perhaps the removal of the <i>plaited hair</i> worn round the women's temples is included; it, too, is a <i>covering</i> (<a onclick="return mV('1Cr',11,15);">1Cr 11:15</a>); to remove it and the veil is the badge of the lowest female degradation; in the East the head is the seat of female modesty; the <i>face</i> of a woman is seldom, the whole <i>head</i> almost never, seen bare (see on JFB for <a href="./Comm/jfb/Isa/Isa022.html#Isa22_8">Isa 22:8</a>).
|
|
<br><br><b>make bare the leg</b>—rather "lift up (literally, 'uncover'; as in lifting up the train the leg is uncovered) thy <i>flowing train.</i>" In Mesopotamia, women of low rank, as occasion requires, wade across the rivers with stript legs, or else entirely put off their garments and swim across. "Exchange thy rich, loose, queenly robe, for the most abject condition, that of one going to and fro through rivers as a slave, to draw water," etc.
|
|
<br><br><b>uncover...thigh</b>—gather up the robe, so as to wade across.
|
|
<p id="Isa47_3"><b>3. not meet...as a man</b>—rather, "I will not meet a man," that is, suffer man to intercede with me—give man an audience [HORSLEY]. Or, "I will not <i>make peace with</i> any man," before all are destroyed. Literally, "strike a league with"; a phrase arising from the custom of <i>striking</i> hands together in making a compact [MAURER], (see on JFB for <a href="./Comm/jfb/Pro/Pro017.html#Pr17_18">Pr 17:18</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Pro',22,26);">Pro 22:26</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Pro',11,15);">11:15</a>, <i>Margin</i>). Or else from <i>striking</i> the victims sacrificed in making treaties.
|
|
<p id="Isa47_4"><b>4. As for</b>—rather supply, "<i>Thus saith</i> our Redeemer" [MAURER]. LOWTH supposes this verse to be the exclamation of a chorus breaking in with praises, "Our Redeemer! Jehovah of hosts," etc. (<a onclick="return mV('Jer',50,34);">Jer 50:34</a>).
|
|
<p id="Isa47_5"><b>5. Sit</b>—the posture of mourning (<a onclick="return mV('Ezr',9,4);">Ezr 9:4</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Job',2,13);">Job 2:13</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Lam',2,10);">Lam 2:10</a>).
|
|
<br><br><b>darkness</b>—mourning and misery (<a onclick="return mV('Lam',3,2);">Lam 3:2</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Mic',7,8);">Mic 7:8</a>).
|
|
<br><br><b>lady of kingdoms</b>—mistress of the world (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',13,19);">Isa 13:19</a>).
|
|
<p id="Isa47_6"><b>6.</b> reason for God's vengeance on Babylon: in executing God's will against His people, she had done so with wanton cruelty (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',10,5);">Isa 10:5</a>, etc. <a onclick="return mV('Jer',50,17);">Jer 50:17</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Jer',51,33);">51:33</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Zec',1,15);">Zec 1:15</a>).
|
|
<br><br><b>polluted my inheritance</b>— (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',43,28);">Isa 43:28</a>).
|
|
<br><br><b>the ancient</b>—Even old age was disregarded by the Chaldeans, who treated all alike with cruelty (<a onclick="return mV('Lam',4,16);">Lam 4:16</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Lam',4,16);">5:12</a>) [ROSENMULLER]. Or, "the ancient" means Israel, worn out with calamities in the latter period of its history (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',46,4);">Isa 46:4</a>), as its earlier stage of history is called its "youth" (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',54,6);">Isa 54:6</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Eze',16,60);">Eze 16:60</a>).
|
|
<p id="Isa47_7"><b>7. so that</b>—Through thy vain expectation of being a queen for ever, thou didst advance to such a pitch of insolence as not to believe "these things" (namely, as to thy overthrow, <a onclick="return mV('Isa',47,'1-5');">Isa 47:1-5</a>) possible.
|
|
<br><br><b>end of it</b>—namely, of thy insolence, implied in her words, "I shall be a lady for ever."
|
|
<p id="Isa47_8"><b>8. given to pleasures</b>—(See on JFB for <a href="./Comm/jfb/Isa/Isa047.html#Isa47_1">Isa 47:1</a>). In no city were there so many incentives to licentiousness.
|
|
<br><br><b>I am...none...beside me</b>— (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',47,10);">Isa 47:10</a>). Language of arrogance in man's mouth; fitting for God alone (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',45,6);">Isa 45:6</a>). See <a onclick="return mV('Isa',5,8);">Isa 5:8</a>, latter part.
|
|
<br><br><b>widow...loss of children</b>—A state, represented as a female, when it has fallen is called a <i>widow,</i> because its <i>king</i> is no more; and <i>childless,</i> because it has no inhabitants; they having been carried off as captives (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',23,4);">Isa 23:4</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Isa',54,1,4,5);">54:1, 4-5</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Rev',18,7,8);">Rev 18:7-8</a>).
|
|
<p id="Isa47_9"><b>9. in a moment</b>—It should not decay slowly, but be suddenly and unexpectedly destroyed; in a single night it was taken by Cyrus. The prophecy was again literally fulfilled when Babylon revolted against Darius; and, in order to hold out to the last, each man chose one <i>woman</i> of his family, and strangled the rest, to save provisions. Darius impaled three thousand of the revolters.
|
|
<br><br><b>in...perfection</b>—that is, "in full measure."
|
|
<br><br><b>for...for</b>—rather, "notwithstanding the ...notwithstanding"; "in spite of" [LOWTH]. So "for" (<a onclick="return mV('Num',14,11);">Num 14:11</a>). Babylon was famous for "expiations or sacrifices, and other incantations, whereby they tried to avert evil and obtain good" [DIODORUS SICULUS].
|
|
<p id="Isa47_10"><b>10. wickedness</b>—as in <a onclick="return mV('Isa',13,11);">Isa 13:11</a>, the <i>cruelty</i> with which Babylon treated its subject states.
|
|
<br><br><b>None seeth me</b>— (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',10,11);">Psa 10:11</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Psa',94,7);">94:7</a>). "There is none to exact punishment from me." Sinners are not safe, though seeming secret.
|
|
<br><br><b>Thy wisdom</b>—astrological and <i>political</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',19,11);">Isa 19:11</a>, etc., as to Egypt).
|
|
<br><br><b>perverted</b>—turns thee aside from the right and safe path.
|
|
<p id="Isa47_11"><b>11. from whence it riseth</b>—<i>Hebrew,</i> "the dawn thereof," that is, its first rising. Evil shall come on thee without the least previous intimation [ROSENMULLER]. But <i>dawn</i> is not applied to "evil," but to <i>prosperity</i> shining out after misery (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',21,12);">Isa 21:12</a>). Translate, "Thou shall not see any dawn" (of alleviation) [MAURER].
|
|
<br><br><b>put...off</b>—rather, as <i>Margin,</i> "remove by expiation"; it shall be never ending.
|
|
<br><br><b>not know</b>—unawares: which thou dost not apprehend. Proving the fallacy of thy divinations and astrology (<a onclick="return mV('Job',9,5);">Job 9:5</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Psa',35,8);">Psa 35:8</a>).
|
|
<p id="Isa47_12"><b>12. Stand</b>—forth: a scornful challenge to Babylon's magicians to show whether they can defend their city.
|
|
<br><br><b>laboured</b>—The devil's service is a laborious yet fruitless one (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',55,2);">Isa 55:2</a>).
|
|
<p id="Isa47_13"><b>13. wearied</b>—(compare <a onclick="return mV('Isa',57,10);">Isa 57:10</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Eze',24,12);">Eze 24:12</a>).
|
|
<br><br><b>astrologers</b>—literally, those who form <i>combinations</i> of the heavens; who watch conjunctions and oppositions of the stars. "Casters of the configurations of the sky" [HORSLEY]. GESENIUS explains it: the dividers of the heavens. In casting a nativity they observed four signs:—the <i>horoscope,</i> or sign which arose at the time one was born; the <i>mid-heaven; the sign opposite the horoscope</i> towards the west; and the <i>hypogee.</i>
|
|
<br><br><b>monthly prognosticators</b>—those who at each new moon profess to tell thereby what is about to happen. Join, not as <i>English Version,</i> "save ...<i>from those things,</i>" etc.; but, "They that at new moons make known from (by means of) <i>them</i> the things that shall come upon thee" [MAURER].
|
|
<p id="Isa47_14"><b>14.</b> (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',29,6);">Isa 29:6</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Isa',30,30);">30:30</a>).
|
|
<br><br><b>not...a coal</b>—Like stubble, they shall burn to a dead ash, without leaving a live coal or cinder (compare <a onclick="return mV('Isa',30,14);">Isa 30:14</a>), so utterly shall they be destroyed.
|
|
<p id="Isa47_15"><b>15. Thus,</b> etc.—Such shall be the fate of those astrologers who cost thee such an amount of trouble and money.
|
|
<br><br><b>thy merchants, from thy youth</b>—that is, with whom thou hast trafficked from thy earliest history, the foreigners sojourning in Babylon for the sake of commerce (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',13,14);">Isa 13:14</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Jer',51,6,9);">Jer 51:6, 9</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Nah',3,16,17);">Nah 3:16-17</a>) [BARNES]. Rather, the <i>astrologers,</i> with whom Babylon had so many dealings (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',47,'12-14');">Isa 47:12-14</a>) [HORSLEY].
|
|
<br><br><b>to his quarter</b>—literally, "straight before him" (<a onclick="return mV('Eze',1,9);">Eze 1:9, 12</a>). The foreigners, whether soothsayers or merchants, shall flee home out of Babylon (<a onclick="return mV('Jer',50,16);">Jer 50:16</a>).
|
|
</div></div><div class="return"><a href="#top">Return to Top</a></div>
|
|
<script src="./js/MainFooter.js" type="text/javascript"></script> |