Chapter it be not fulfill'd in the minuteft Circumftances, Every XXXIV. Beaft I have mention'd fhall be there, with his Female to

propagate their Species in the Country, which for a great while fhall have no other Inhabitants. For my mouth it hath commanded; that is, I the Lord who made all Things, and whom therefore all Things must obey, will give Order to thofe Beafts to flock thither, and my Spirit it fhall gather them. I forbear troubling the Reader (fays Sanctis) with an Explication of the Names of thefe Birds and Beafts, Quia res est omnino incerta, neque aliquid exploratum habent aut conftitutum Interpretes tam Noftri quam Hebræorum Magiftri.

Ver. 17. And he hath tast the lot for them, his hand hath divided it unto them by line: they shall poffefs it for ever, from generation to generation fhall they dwell therein.] The Verbs in the beginning of the Verfe fhould be render'd futurely, as they are in the other part of it. The Prophet alludes to the divifion of Canaan among the ChilFof. 18. 8. dren of Ifrael by Lot, with the fame Exactnefs fhall the Land of Idumea be parcell'd-into equal Divifions to be poffefs'd by the feveral Animals here mention'd, each of which was to have its proper District.

(a) Thomas, Hugo.

The ARGUMENT of Chapter XXXV.

The Jews understand this Chapter of their future Refloration,
and amuse themselves with the imaginary Conveniencies their
Meffiah will prepare to make their Return to their Country
pleafant and commodious; and Mr. Whifton still keeps them
company, the the words of the Prophet are so far from being
yet unfulfilled, that many Years ago they have receiv'd a
double Completion The words are general, and may be un-
derstood of the happy Condition they enjoy'd after the over-
throw of the Allyrian Army, or after their deliverance
out of Captivity to the latter of which, with (a) some
Commentators, I should be inclin'd to refer them, were it
Γ
not for the first word, Jefhafhum, letabuntur in eis which
plainly proves, in my opinion, these two things; First, That
the Prophet, in the latter part of the former Chapter, fore-

tells

tells the deftruction of Idumea, not Judea, as Forerius thinks, because this could be no occafion of foy to the Wildernefs and folitary Place, by which the Prophet certainly means Judea; and, Secondly, That this Chapter cannot be understood of their deftruction by Nebuchadnezzar, because if he invaded their Land, and conquer'd them before he attack'd the Jews, there could be little reafon for them to rejoyce at it, fince their turn was next, and the fame Misfor tune in a short time was to fall upon them by the very fame Forces: If Nebuchadnezzar laid waste Idumea, after the deftruction of Jerufalem, what would it fignify to them who were Captives, and could expect no advantage by the Sufferings of the Idumeans? For thefe Reafons, I fuppofe, the Prophet is to be understood of the flourishing Condition of the Jews, after the overthrow of Sennacherib's Army, and fome fignal Defeat of the Idumeans, their antient inveterate Enemies, by the Arms of Hezekiah, or fome other Prince about the fame time, whereof we have no footfreeps in HiStory: For I cannot think that the Prophet had any Thoughts at the writing of this, of the Calling of the Gentiles, or The Golden Age of the Gofpel, which (a) Interpreters (a) Hieron." would never have dream'd of, had they confulted only the Cyril, "Prophet's words for his meaning.

:.

Verfe 1. T

CHAP. XXXV.

HE wilderness, and the folitary place fhall be glad for them: and the defert fhall rejoyce, and bloffom as the role.] This Chapter is plainly connected with the former by Fefhafhum, latabuntur in eis, which our Tranflators render fomething obfcurely, They shall rejoyce for them. He was foretelling the overthrow of the Affyrian Army, and the defolations of the Land of Idumea; thefe are things which the Wildernefs and folitary Place were to rejoice at, to thefe the Suffix Mem must be referr'd. Judea, which was like a Wilderness and folitary Place before, fhall rejoyce at thefe Judgments pour'd on their Enemies; the defart shall rejoyce, and bloffam as a rofe By which the Prophet means that after the deftruction of two such Enemies as the Affyrians and Idumeans were to them, they hould enjoy an uninterrupted courfe of Happiness, and

.be

Forerius.

Chapter
XXXV.

Chapter be reftor'd to the fame flourishing Condition which they were in before the Affyrian Invafion.

XXXV.

Ver. 2. It shall bloffom abundantly, and rejoyce even with joy and finging, the glory of Lebanon fhall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon: they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.] Jerufalem hall be like a pleafant Garden adorn'd with Odorous Bloffoms, and beautiful Flowers, her Inhabitants fhall be full of joy and exultation, upon the Account of their unexpected deliverance, her Land shall no more lie uncultivated, nor the Fruit thereof be deftroy'd by barbarous Enemies, but their Hills flourish like Lebanon, and their Plains like fertile Carmel, her Inhabitants fall fee the Glory of the Lord, difplay'd confpicuously in the aftonishing flaughter of their Enemies, and the excellency of our God, how far his Power excells all the Gods of the Nations.

Ver. 35 4. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be Strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence, he will come and fave you.] He calls to the Prophets and other good Men among them, to raise up the Spirits of their Brethren dejected and opprefs'd with heavinefs; and diffipate those Fears which the greatnefs of their danger had rais'd in their Minds; by affuring them that God would certainly come to their Affiftance, and revenge them on their Enemies. Job app but

b. Vers. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.] When God fhall take vengeance on the Affyrians, and fave the City, the Incredulous Jews who would not believe me, shall be convinc'd of my Veracity and fee their Entor, and the meaneft of the People, thofe ofddullefe apprehenfions, feel by Senfible Experience the great kindness of the Lord.

Ver. 6,7. Then fhall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb fing: for in the wilderness fhall waters break guts, and streams in the defert. And the p parched ground fhall become a pool, and the thirsty land prings of water in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, fall

be

be grafs with reeds and rushes.] The old Men fhall leap for Chapter Joy, and the very Infants break forth into Thanksgiv- XXXV. ing: For they fhall fee their Condition chang'd on a fudden for the better; their Country which was a mere Defart, fhall become as firtile as a well-water'd Meadow; and abound with every thing neceffary or convenient for Human Life: Dry places are generally Barren, therefore the Prophet, to fet forth the great fertility which should fucceed the Affyrian Devastation, defcribes Judea as abounding in every Corner with Streams of Water: The neceflary confequence of which is fertility, or plenty of every thing which the Earth produ

ces.

Ver. 8, 9. And an high-way fhall be there, and a way, and it fhall be called the way of holiness, the unclean fhall not pass over it, but it shall be for those the wayfaring-men, though fools fhall not err therein, No lion fhall be there, nor any ravenous beast fhall go up thereon, it shall not be found there: but the redeemed jhall walk there.] Having foretold the flourishing Condition to which their Country fhould be reftor'd, he adds another Advantage which would immediately follow upon the Destruction of the Affyrian Army, It should no longer be unfafe for them to Travel about their Country, for fear of falling into the Hands of fome Party or other of the Affyrians: There Shall be a highway and a way; fo there was before, but the Prophet means it fhould be restor'd again to its former ufe, be frequented by Natives which it had not been for fome time, and it shall be call'd the way of Holiness; which is the fame he expreffes with fome variety in the following Words, No unclean Perfon fhall pass over it. A way of Holiness, caccording to the Idiom of the Hebrew Language, is a way feparated or fet apart for fuch and fuch People to walk in it, Exclufive of all others, at least without their leave and confent. The meaning of the Prophet I take to be this, the Roads of Judea fhall for the future be safe to Travel in, no Strangers fhall moleft them as they go along; it shall be for thefe only, the Natives fhall go to and fro without fear of plundering Foreigners: And the Ways fhall be not only fafe, but direa without any turnings or windings, fo that the fim

LI

plest

Chapter pleft Creature among them fhall be in no danger of beXXXV. ing loft. And thus the Prophet explains himself, No Lion fhall be there, &c. which fhews he is to be underftood of the danger to which they were before expos'd, who ventur'd abroad out of a fortify'd Town.

Ver. 10. And the ranfomed of the Lord fhall return and come to Zion with fongs, and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and forrow, and fighing fhall flee away.] The Verb Padah fignifies properly to redeem or buy out, but is commonly us'd, fays Gataker, in a more general Notion, for refcuing or delivering out of Danger or Diftrefs, and the Prophet call'd those the ranfom'd of the Lord, who fled into other Countries upon the Approach of the Affyrian Army, giving credit to the Prophet's Predictions, and return'd to their own Country as foon as they heard of their Defeat. Or it may be understood of thofe who fled to Jerufalem for fhelter, and there remain'd during the Siege; which being over, they return'd to their own Poffeffions; and when every thing was fet in Order again in Jerufalem, return'd to the Temple to give Thanks to their Almighty Deliverer, with Songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; That is, with Hearts full of Joy and Gratitude: Thefe are the Expreffions, I fuppofe, which prevail with Mr. Whi fton to countenance the Jews in their groundless hopes of a future Reftoration. They never yet return'd to their Country with Everlasting joy; their Joy was interrupted by Antiochus and the Romans, and ever fince they have been in the wretched condition of Captives; there fore this Prophecy has not yet been fulfill'd, therefore their Meffiah will come and restore them to their own Country: Vain Hopes! Which have no other foundation but a strong Fancy and a misunderstood Expreflion', and must fall to the Ground as foon as we prove to them, that Nolam fignifies a Space of Time infinitely fhort of Eternity, which any one that understands the Language can easily do.

C

The