_I will stand upon my watch_ The Hebrews often express one thing by a multiplicity of words, as here several expressions are used to signify the same thing, namely, _watching._ As the prophets were considered as watchmen, and as the watchmen were placed on high towers, and it was their duty to look... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord said, Write the vision_ Write down what I am going to say. Every divine communication, by whatever means made, is often spoken of in the prophetic writings under the title of a _vision._ When the prophets were commanded to _write_ any thing, it denoted the great importance of it, and that... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, his soul which is lifted up_ That does not humbly adore and acquiesce in the justice and wisdom of the divine dispensations, but contends against them, and provides for his safety in a way of his own devising. The Vulgate renders this clause, _Ecce qui incredulus est, non erit recta anima e... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yea also, because he_ Namely, the king of Babylon; _transgresseth by wine_ Hereby Belshazzar, his city and kingdom, fell a prey to Darius and Cyrus. _He is a proud man_ Insolent in his behaviour toward all, whether subjects, strangers, or conquered enemies; such pride shall have a fall. _Neither ke... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shall not these take up a parable against_ (or, _concerning_) _him, and a taunting proverb_ A _parable_, or _proverb_, signifies a metaphorical or figurative saying, out of the common way. _And say, Wo to him that increaseth_, &c. Wo to him that is still increasing his own dominions, by invading th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee?_ Is it not just, or what thou deservest, that others should suddenly rise against thee, and bite and tear thee? It is a metaphor taken from the hunting of wild beasts. _And awake that shall vex thee_ As thou hast been a vexation to others by thy... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wo to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house _ “Which Nebuchadnezzar strove to aggrandize, and which Cyrus cut off.” Newcome. The translation of the LXX. accords exactly with ours: but the Hebrew, בצע בצע רע, seems to be more exactly rendered by Dr. Wheeler, _“Wo unto him that procuret... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wo to him that buildeth a town with blood_ Wo to those mighty conquerors who have augmented Babylon by unjustly spoiling and ruining many other cities, and destroying their inhabitants. Here we see that God does not approve of those mighty conquerors who ravage the world, or carry their arms into d... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wo unto him that giveth his neighbour drink_ By the metaphorical expressions used in this verse is signified the perfidy of Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldeans, who gained advantage over other nations by cunning arts of policy, and taking them off their guard by pretences of friendship, and the like;... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the violence of Lebanon_ [that is, _the violence done to Lebanon_] _shall cover thee_ That is, says Grotius, thou shalt suffer the punishment of having destroyed the temple, which is here called Lebanon, because it was built, in a great measure, with the cedars of Lebanon. _And the spoil of bea... [ Continue Reading ]
_What profiteth the graven image_ The last sin that the prophet takes notice of, for which God would execute his judgments upon Babylon, is idolatry. Compare Jeremiah 50:2; and Jeremiah 51:44; Jeremiah 51:47. But what he says was not intended to be confined to Nebuchadnezzar and the idols of Babylon... [ Continue Reading ]
_But the Lord is in his holy temple_ But Jehovah, the true God, is not like one of these, but lives for ever in his holy temple, the heavens, from whence he beholds and governs all things, and is the fountain of being, life, power, and salvation to his people. _Let all the earth keep silence before... [ Continue Reading ]