_The burden_, &c. A heavy judgment appointed of God to be borne: or, a prophecy of a calamitous kind. See the note on Isaiah 13:1. _The word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach_ Hadrach is not elsewhere mentioned as the name of a country; the context however shows it must have been some part of Syria... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Hamath also shall border there by_ Or, Hamath also shall be within its borders. That is, the borders of this prophecy. Hamath shall be involved in the calamities which this prophecy denounces. “I suppose,” says Newcome, “that Hamath on the river Orontes is meant.” It was the capital of one part... [ Continue Reading ]
_And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod_ Newcome reads, _strangers_, understanding by the expression, “a strange and spurious race; a despicable race; born of harlots.” But Blayney, who reads, _a stranger_, observes, that the Hebrew word, ממזר here used, does not imply an illegitimate offspring. In pro... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will encamp about my house_ About this temple, and my church, of which this temple is an emblem, that I may defend it from all its enemies. _Because of the army_ The Persian and Grecian army marching to and fro through Judea. The Hebrew is literally, _I will encamp about my house as a garrison_,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion_ To give still greater encouragement to God's people, the prophet, after uttering the foregoing promises, was carried on by the Divine Spirit, which influenced him, to announce a still more remarkable instance of God's special kindness to them, namely, the coming... [ Continue Reading ]
_And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim_ This plainly shows that the character given of the Messiah, that he should ride on an ass, was in opposition to the pride of their warlike kings, to set an example of humility, and to show that his kingdom was not of this world. To the same purpose speak... [ Continue Reading ]
_As for thee also_ O Jerusalem, or church of God; for the prophet, speaking in the name of God, must be supposed to direct his discourse to her, the pronoun and the affixes, in the Hebrew, being in the feminine gender; _by the blood of thy covenant_ By the blood of the Messiah, in which thy covenant... [ Continue Reading ]
_Turn you to the strong hold_ To Zion, to the church of God, the strong city, mentioned Isaiah 26:1, which has salvation for walls and bulwarks; to the name of the Lord, which is a strong tower, his mercy, truth, and grace: ye that are under any bondage or oppression, any trouble or distress, do not... [ Continue Reading ]
_When I have bent Judah for me_ “A strong and sublime manner of expressing that God would use Judah and Ephraim as his instruments of destruction.” Newcome. As if he had said, When I have made Judah my bow, and Ephraim my arrow, have used them as my instruments of war. _Judah_ and _Ephraim_ are equi... [ Continue Reading ]
_How great is his goodness_ Infinite goodness is the fountain of all the good done for his people. _And how great is his beauty_ How wonderful is the beauty of divine providence in Israel's deliverance and salvation. _Corn shall make the young men cheerful_ Plentiful harvests shall make the young me... [ Continue Reading ]