THE JUDGMENT OF THE HEATHEN. EXALTATION OF JERUSALEM This chapter has the appearance of a late work. It has all the general characteristics of the style of literature known to students in the book of Enoch, and popular in the Jewish church about the beginning of the Christian era. The terrible puni... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL THE LORD GO FORTH] An apocalyptic vision, common to later Jewish literature. 4. An earthquake heralds the presence of the Lord, cleaving the Mount of Olives in two parts: cp. Isaiah 29:6; Ezekiel 38:19; Ezekiel 38:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
_TO_ THE VALLEY OF THE MOUNTAINS] RV 'by the valley of my mountains.' This text is obscure. Would they flee if God came to help them? AZAL] RV 'Azel,' has been identified with Bethezel (Micah 1:11), but this is doubtful. Others make the word an adverb, 'very near.' THE EARTHQUAKE] not mentioned in t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LIGHT SHALL NOT BE CLEAR, _NOR_ DARK] i.e. a murky day. Cp. the effect of modern volcanic eruptions. Others render, 'in that day there shall be neither heat nor cold nor frost.'... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE DAY] i.e. a unique day. AT EVENING TIME] When one would expect the deep darkness to settle down, it will grow clear. The calamities will have an end. 8. Now begin the blessings of the Messianic kingdom. LIVING WATERS] flowing perennially, an inestimable blessing in parched Eastern lands: cp. Is... [ Continue Reading ]
AS A PLAIN] RV' as the Arabah,' i.e. the great plain which stretched from the borders of Palestine to the Red Sea. GEBA] marked the limit of northern Judah (2 Kings 23:8). RIMMON] a city in the extreme S. on the borders of Edom. AND IT] RV 'and she,' i.e. Jerusalem. INHABITED] RV 'shall dwell.' The... [ Continue Reading ]
UTTER DESTRUCTION] RV 'curse,' or 'ban.' Jerusalem had hitherto seemed under a curse. Now all this would pass away. 12. The ban in most awful form would turn rather upon the nations who assail Jerusalem. Such hatred of the heathen is characteristic of Jewish apocalypse, and arose in great measure f... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT _HAVE_ NO _RAIN_] RV 'neither shall it be upon them.' Both phrases are unintelligible. They are due to an attempt to account for the word NOT, which is omitted in LXX. Omitting it the v. runs simply: 'and if the family of Egypt go not up and come not, on them shall be the plague,' etc. Egypt is... [ Continue Reading ]
BELLS] here only in OT. HOLINESS] RV 'HOLY.' POTS] This seems to refer to the ash-pans used for receiving the ashes off the altar: cp. Exodus 27:3; Exodus 38:3; 1 Kings 7:40; 1 Kings 7:45. These will be as holy as the bowls, probably the golden basins used to hold the sacred blood of the sacrifices... [ Continue Reading ]