ἐγὼ ἔψυξα καὶ ἔπιον ὕδατα ἀλλότρια, καὶ ἐξερήμωσα τῷ ἴχνει τοῦ ποδός μου πάντας ποταμοὺς περιοχῆς.

Au. Ver.-24 I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged [or fenced] places.

With the sole of my feet.

II. pr. n. for Egypt, and apparently for Lower Egypt; thrice is the streams or canals of Egypt, branches of the Nile, Isaiah xix. 6; xxxvii. 25; 2 Kings xix. 24.

Under the name up there seems to lurk the Egyptian METOΥΡΟ kingdom, as in

the word porpo king. But the Hebrews doubtless ascribed to it a domestic origin, prob. as signifying a border, limit,

.i. q (, מָצַר .r)

the dual

Arab.

مصر

perh. as sing. of

double Egypt, q. v. Others,

Prof. Lee.-, masc. i. q. Dyp. Arab.

a name of Egypt, alluding, perhaps,

Ged., Booth.-In my progress. Bp. Patrick. And with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged e. g. Bochart in Phaleg. IV. 24, suppose places.] This is commonly thought to signify, Egypt to be so called, as being strong and that he had gone dry-shod with his whole fortified; see Diod. Sic. i. 31. army over great rivers, whose streams he turned another way; and so had taken the strongest fortresses, surrounded with deep waters and great ramparts. But Bochartus hath made a plainer paraphrase upon these by a sort of play upon words, to its conwords, which he thus translates: "I have fined and, hence, naturally fortified situdried up the rivers of Egypt." As much as to say, "I will enter as easily into Egypt, in which you confide, as if, when I come thither, all the rivers wherewith it is environed, should be dried up" (see his Hierozoicon par. ii. lib. v. cap. 15). For the Hebrew word masor (which we translate everywhere besieged places, or defences, or fortresses) should rather be taken for the singular of Mesoraim, which by contraction exsiccabo progrediendo Egypti flumina. is called Mitzraim, that is, Egypt. And if

ation. See the first paragraph in Abdolatiph's Egypt by White; Bochart's Phaleg. iv. 24; Diodor. Sic. i. 31. Phr. i, Isaiah xix. 6; xxxvii. 25; 2 Kings xix. 24; Mic. vii. 12.

Houb.-, et siccavi; mutile id scriptum, pro, quod lego in Codicibus tribus Orat.

Dathe.-24 Ego fodi et bibi aquas; jam

I by said before, "I have dried up all the rivers

Ver. 25.

הֲלֹא־שָׁמַעְתָּ לְמֵרָחוֹק אֹתָהּ עָשִׂיתִי this be allowed, the sense here then is, as I לְמִימֵי קֶדֶם וִיצַרְתִּיהָ עַתָּה הֲבִיאֹתִיהָ of Egypt :" which was the highest vaunt he וּתְהִי לַחְשׁוֹת בַּלִים נְעִים עָרִים could make of his power, and numerous

בְּצָרוֹת :

להשארת קרי

forces. Thus Isaiah xix. 6, "The brooks of defences shall be dried up," is interpreted by Kimchi, "The rivers of Egypt shall be emptied and dried up." And more plainly, Micah vii. 12, where from the fortress to the river" is so obscure, that it is not to be understood; but "from Egypt to Euphrates" is such clear sense, that one cannot but think it should be so translated; for those were the bounds of the land of Canaan. Gesen.-p. R. I. [to bind up, together].

1. straitness, distress.

2. siege.

or

3. mound, entrenchment of the besiegers, Hence

4. fortification, fortress. Often spy a fortified city.

ἔπλασα αὐτὴν, συνήγαγον αὐτήν· καὶ ἐγενήθη εἰς ἐπάρσεις ἀποικεσιῶν μαχίμων πόλεις oxvpás.

Au. Ver.-25 Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps [or, Hast thou not heard how I have made it long ago, and formed it of ancient times? should I now bring it to be laid waste, and fenced cities to be ruinous heaps ?].

Pool.-Hast thou not long since learned that there is a supreme God, by whose decree and providence all these wars and

Parkhurst.-3. In general it signifies to shoot, break, or burst, forth or out, emicare, erumpere.

1. To shoot forth, as a tree doth its flowers or flower-buds, to bud, bud forth, germinate.

calamities were sent and ordered, whose shouldst employ thy forces against them to Inere instrument thou art? Or, as it is do my work upon them, that thou shouldest in the margin of our Bibles, Hast thou be (to wit, a person raised up and fitted and not heard that (a particle oft understood) I strengthened for this very purpose) to lay have made (i.e., constituted, or purchased, waste fenced cities (and to turn them) into or adorned, for all these ways is this ruinous heaps. Hebrew verb used) it (either Jerusalem, or Bp. Horsley.-Ruinous heaps; rather, rather, the Jewish nation; the relative" sprouting heaps; that is, heaps of pronoun being put without the antecedent, rubbish sprouting with spontaneous vegewhich is to be gathered out of the context;) tation. See Parkhurst, . long ago, and formed it of ancient times? i. e., didst thou not hear what I did for this people many ages since, that I carried them out of Egypt in spite of Pharaoh and all his host; and through the Red Sea, and through the vast howling wilderness; and then brought them into this land by a strong 2 To shoot forth or spring, as ruined hand, by which I destroyed all their enemies, cities or buildings do with spontaneous vegeand planted them in their stead? By which tables. Occ. Jer. ii. 15; iv. 7; ix. 10, 12, thou mayest understand how dear this people or 9, 11; xlvi. 19; 2 Kings xix. 25; Isaiah are to me, and how easily I could destroy xxxvii. 26. So the learned Leigh in his thee before them, if I saw it fit; and that the places which thou hast taken, and the conquest which thou hast made here, are not to be imputed to thy valour or numbers, but unto my providence, who for wise and just reasons have given them up into thy hands, as it here follows. This 2. Arab. Laj and to seize by the may seem to be the truest sense, because locks, and conj. III. reciproc, to seize each that barbarous prince and people were much other by the hair. Hence in Hebrew to more likely to hear the tidings of what God strive, to quarrel; comp. Syr. and Chald. did for the Israelites in Egypt, and at the

Critica Sacra, "Germinavit, pullulavit, herbas et gramina produxit, Jer. iv. 7." Comp. Isaiah. xxvii. 10, 11; xxxii. 13; xxxiv. 13; Hos. ix. 6; x. 8; 1 Mac. iv. 38. Gesen. 1. pp. to fly, to flee.

Red Sea, and in Canaan, the fame of which,, i. q. Heb 2, also Arab. Ubi was spread in all those parts, than to hear of or be instructed in the doctrine of God's

particular providence in the government of several nations, and all their counsels and actions of state and war. For though the Assyrian was indeed the rod in God's hand, &c., Isaiah x. 5, yet he did not so understand it, nor was God in all his thoughts.

Now have I brought it to pass that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps: this translation seems better to agree both with the foregoing branch of this verse, and with the following verse, than the other interrogative translation in the margin; and the plain sense seems to be this Great things I have done for this people, which thou canst not be ignorant of; but now I have changed my course towards them, resolved to punish them severely for their sins; and therefore now I have brought

Conj. VI. id. See Hiph. and Niph.-Hence

3. to lay waste, to desolate a city, pp. to tear in pieces houses, to pull down. In Kal. intrans. or pass. to be laid waste, to be desolate; Jer. iv. 7, thy cities shall be laid waste. Sept. καθαιρεθήσονται.

HIPH. to strive, to contend; Num. xxvi. 9 onix when they strove with Jehovah. Hence to wage war; Psalm lx. 2,

when he warred upon בְּהַצוֹתוֹ אֶת־אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם

Mesopotamia.

NIPH. 1. to strive one with another, to quarrel. Deut. xxv. 11 N if men strive one with another. Ex. ii. 13; xxi. 22; Lev. xxiv. 10; 2 Sam. xiv. 6. 2. to be laid waste, desolate; Isaiah xxxvii. 26 DD desolate ruins. 2 Kings

it to pass, i. e., I have so disposed of things Are stripped, Jer. iv. 7. Arab. Láš, by my providence that thou shouldest be a

great and victorious prince, and that thou, detraxil vestem alteri.

VOL. II.

6 1

r.

termined it?

Ver. 29.

וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשְׁנִית סָחִישׁ וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁלִישִׁית Now have I brought it to pass, that

thou shouldest be

To reduce into heaps of ruin the

strongest cities. So Ged.

Houb.-25 Non-ne vero tu antea et olim καὶ τοῦτό σοι τὸ σημεῖον φάγε τοῦτον τὸν audisti, ut ego hæc, temporibus anteactis, ἐνιαυτὸν αὐτόματα, καὶ τῷ ἔτει τῷ δευτέρῳ τὰ cogitabam et destinabam ? Ergo hæc nunc ἀνατέλλοντα, καὶ ἔτει τρίτῳ σπορὰ καὶ ἀμητὸς ad eventum adduxi ut quasi colles devastati, καὶ φυτεία ἀμπελώνων, καὶ φάγεσθε τὸν urbes munitæ subverterentur. καρπὸν αὐτῶν.

,in vastationes, להשאות,Masora : ותהי להשות

Au. Ver.-29 And this shall be a sign ut loco parallello, Is. xxxvii. 26. Pertinet unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things , vel an, singulare femininum, ad as grow of themselves, and in the second affixum, quod antecedit; et fuit id in year that which springeth of the same; and vastationes. Tamen haud scio, an meliùs in the third year sow ye and reap, and m, ex m, similem esse, in hanc sen- plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof. tentiam fuitque, ut similes essent urbes munitæ acervorum ruinis; fortè etiam, et fuerunt urbes...in vastationes, &c.

:

Dathe.-25 Tune audivisti, me jam pridem hoc decrevisse, indeque a longo tempore præparasse? Jam vero ea adduco, nimirum ut tu urbes munitas in acervorum ruinas redigas.

Ver. 26.

Pool. A sign unto thee, to wit, of the certain accomplishment of the promises here made to thee; that Zion should triumph over this insulting enemy, ver. 21; that God would not only preserve the city from his present fury, ver. 34, but also that God would bless his people with a durable prosperity, and a happy increase, ver. 30, 31. And thus it is not only a sign of a short de

Au. Ver.-26 Therefore (1) their in- liverance, which would be past before this habitants were, &c.

sign was fulfilled, (though there are in

Ged. That their inhabitants should stances of such signs as followed the thing be, &c.

Ver. 27.

done, as Exod. iii. 12; Isaiah vii. 14,) but of a future mercy which was to continue long after that sign. And this sign was the more necessary, because otherwise Hezekiah

and his people had cause to fear that the הִתְרַבִּזְךָ אֵלָי:

27 καὶ τὴν καθέδραν σου καὶ τὴν ἔξοδόν σου ἔγνων, καὶ τὸν θυμόν σου ἐπ ̓ ἐμὲ 28 Διὰ τὸ,

κ.τ.λ.

Au. Ver.-37 But I know thy abode [or sitting], and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.

Pool. And thy rage against me, i. e., against my servant Hezekiah, and my people. But the words may well be rendered, and thy rage is with me, or before me, as the Syriac hath it; or, is manifest to me, as the Chaldee renders it. And so this branch of the verse answers to the former, I know, &c., and it is before me.

Gesen.-. Hithp. to rage, to rave, seq. against any one, Isaiah xxxvii. 28, 29; 2 Kings xix. 27, 28.

Assyrians would be greatly enraged for their shameful repulse, and the destruction of their army, and would quickly recruit their army, and return against them with far greater force and violence. But some affirm that Sennacherib, when he heard of Tirhakah's march against him, of which ver. 9, went with his army to meet him, and overthrew him, and the Egyptian who was joined with him, as was noted before; and prosecuted his victory by following them into Egypt and Ethiopia; in the conquest of which he spent two years, in which space the people did eat such things as grew of themselves; and in the third year returned to Jerusalem, intending to besiege it. It is true, it is said, and so the sign went before

the thing, (which may be objected against that to predict a subsequent event, is a the truth of this relation,) ver. 9, that when clear indication of the certainty of a prior he heard of Tirhakah, he sent messengers to event, on which it depends. Thus Exod. Hezekiah, pretending as if he would forth- iii. 12, worshipping God on Mount Horeb with come against him; but it is not said implied the deliverance of Israel from the that he did so, nor is it set down what he fiery furnace of Egypt. Hence the word did with Tirhakah, because the design of the not only signifies a prodigy-a miracle, sacred writer was only to write the history of the Jewish nation; not of others, but only with respect to them.

Prof. Lee.-ng, m. once, 2 Kings enemy. No answer to this difficulty is more xix. 29, but in Isaiah xxxvii. 30, D. pertinent, than what Rosenmüller has given. What is produced without sowing, spon

Ver. 30.

An hundred fourscore and five thousand. So the ancient versions and most modern commentators.

Boothroyd.-Rosenmüller, after Wepler,

Au. Ver.-30 And (1) the remnant, &c. understands to signify leaders or chiefs, Houb., Dathe, Ged., Booth. - For the remnant, &c.

Ver. 31.

תַּעֲשֶׂה־זאת : קִנְאַת יְהוָה:

צבאות קרי ולא כתיב

τοῦτο.

and renders, "a hundred and eighty-five chiefs," and if so many of the chiefs, of course a large number of the others, perished. This interpretation, they think, is supported by 2 Chron. xxii. 21. "And

ὁ ζῆλος κυρίου τῶν δυνάμεων ποιήσει Jehovah sent an angel, which cut of all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and Au. Ver.-31 The zeal of the LORD captains in the camp of the king of Assyria." of hosts shall do this. All the ancient versions render, "a hundred and eighty-five thousand."

Of hosts. So LXX, Syr., Chald., Vulg., Arab., with above fifty MSS., Houb., Ged., Booth.

Houb.-31 nom: Superstitiosè relinquunt vacuum locum Masoretæ, quod

Ver. 37.

בַחֶרֶב וְהֵמָּה נִמְלְטוּ אֶרֶץ אַרְרָט tamen circulo castigant. Nempe legebant

בניו קרי ולא כתיב

, יהוה צבאות in quibusdam Codicibus

Dominus exercituum, ut lego in duobus Codicibus Orat. neque addere audebant id verbum, quod non comparebat in Codicibus deterioribus, sed quod legebant omnes Veteres vide Polyglotta.

Ver. 32.

Au. Ver.—Cast a bank against it. See notes on 2 Sam. xx. 15, vol. ii., p. 634.

Ver. 35.

:

AT T

Ararat. And Esar-haddon his son reigned וַחֲמִשָּׁה אֶלֶף וגו'

Bp. Patrick.-37 Nisroch.] The LXX here calls this god Nesorach; and upon Isaiah, where this story is again told, Asarach. But what any of these names signify, Mr. Selden acknowledges he cannot tell. But Kircher adventures to say it was the image of a ship, representing the ark of Noah; the relics of which Josephus tells us, some reported, were, in his time, Pool. That night; either, 1. In the in the neighbouring mountains of Armenia. night following this message of the prophet And a later writer, Beyerus (in his additions to Hezekiah; or, 2. In that famous night to Selden, De Diis Syris), thinks it signifies when God destroyed the Assyrians, it was as much as the bird of Noah, that is, a dove done in this manner. For such expressions which was worshipped by the Assyrians: or, are oft used of an indefinite and uncertain time, as that day is frequently taken, as Isa. iv. 1; xxvi. 1; xxvii. 1, &c.

The angel of the Lord.

as others conjecture (for they can do no more), this word is derived from nes, which in Chaldee signifies a province, and rac, which signifies a king; that is Jupiter the

Ged., Booth.-An angel of the Lord king, and conservator of that province. [Heb., Booth., Jehovah].

Gesen.- Nisroch, pr. n. of an idol of