CHAPTER XXXIII _This chapter contains the sequel of the prophecy respecting_ _Sennacherib. The prophet addresses himself to the Assyrian_ _monarch_, 1-4. _The mercy and power of God acknowledged by the Jews_, 5, 6. _Distress and despair of the Jews at the approach of_ _Sennacherib_, 7-9. _Gra... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 33:2. _BE THOU THEIR ARM EVERY MORNING_ - "Be thou our strength every morning"] For זרעם _zeroam, their arm_, the _Syriac, Chaldee_, and _Vulgate_ read זרענו _zeroenu, our arm_, in the first person of the pronoun, not the third: the edition of Felix Pratensis has זרעתינו _zerootheynu_ i... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 33:3. _AT THE NOISE OF THE TUMULT _- "From thy terrible voice"] For המון _hamon_, "multitude," the _Septuagint_ and _Syriac_ read _amica_, "terrible," whom I follow.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 33:6. _HIS TREASURE _- "Thy treasure."] Ὁ θησαυρος σου, _Sym_. He had in his copy אצרך _otsarcha_, "thy treasure," not אצרו _otsaro_, "his treasure.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 33:7. _THEIR VALIANT ONES SHALL CRY WITHOUT_ - "The mighty men raise a grievous cry"] _Three_ MSS. read אראלים _erelim_, that is, _lions of God_, or _strong lions_. So they called valiant men heroes; which appellation the Arabians and Persians still use. See _Bochart_. Hieroz. Part I. l... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 33:9. _BASHAN AND CARMEL SHAKE OFF THEIR FRUITS _- "Bashan and Carmel are stripped of their beauty."] Φανερα εσται, _made_ _manifest. Sept_. They read ונערה _veneerah_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 33:11. _YOUR BREATH _- "And my spirit"] "For רוחכם _ruchechem,_ _your spirit_, read רוחי כמו _ruchi kemo_." _Secker_. Which reading is confirmed by the _Chaldee_, where מימרי _meywri_, "my word," answers to רוחי _ruchi_, "my spirit.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 33:14. _THE SINNERS IN ZION ARE AFRAID_] Zion has been generally considered as a type of the Church of God. Now all the members of God's Church should be holy, and given to good works; sinners in _Zion_, therefore, are portentous beings! but, alas! where are they not? The _Targum_ on th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 33:15. _THAT STOPPETH HIS EARS FROM HEARING OF BLOOD _- "Who stoppeth his ears to the proposal of bloodshed"] A MS. reads בדמים _bedamim_, "in blood.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 33:18. _WHERE IS THE SCRIBE?_] The person appointed by the king of Assyria to estimate their number and property in reference to their being heavily taxed. _WHERE IS THE RECEIVER?_] Or he who was to have collected this tribute. _WHERE_ IS _HE THAT COUNTED THE TOWERS?_] That is, the co... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 33:20. _LOOK UPON ZION_ - "Thou shalt see Zion"] For חזה _chazeh_, "see," read תחזה _techezeh_, "thou shalt see," with the _Chaldee_. - _Houbigant_. At the end of this verse we find in the Masoretic Bibles this note, חצי הספר _chatsi hassepher_, "the middle of the book;" that is the mid... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 33:21. _THE GLORIOUS LORD _- "The glorious name of JEHOVAH"] I take שם _shem_ for a noun, with the _Septuagint_ and _Syriac_. See Psalms 20:1; Proverbs 18:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 33:23. _THY TACKLINGS ARE LOOSED_] Here the Assyrians are represented under the figure of a ship wrecked by a violent storm; and the people on the beach, young, old, feeble, and diseased, gathering the spoil without any to hinder them. _Kimchi_, who understands the whole of this chapter... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 33:24. _AND THE INHABITANT SHALL NOT SAY_] This verse is somewhat obscure. The meaning of it seems to be, that the army of Sennacherib shall by the stroke of God be reduced to so shattered and so weak a condition, that the Jews shall fall upon the remains of them, and plunder them witho... [ Continue Reading ]