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3 And by great waters the seed of Silor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.

4 Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, 'I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins.

5 As " at the report concerning Egypt, "so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.

6 Pass ye over to Tarshish; ye inhabitants of the isle.

7 Is this your joyous city,

b I Chr. 13.5. Jer. 2:18.

i 32:20. Deut 11:10.

k 3. Ez. 27 33. 28:4,5. Joel 3:

5,6. Rev. 18:11-13.

1 Jer. 47:3.4. Ez. 26:3-6. Hos. 9:11-14. Rev. 18.23.

m 19.16. Ex. 15:14-16. Josh.

2:9-11.

howl,

whose an

n Ez. 26:15-21. 27:29-36. 28:

19. Rev. 18:17-19.

o 10,12. 21:15.

P 1.2. 16:7.

q 22:2.

r Josh. 19:29.

distinct cities, called old and new Tyre, the former a sea-port on the continent, the latter on an island at a small distance, and dependent upon the other. "Be silent, O ye inhabitants of the sea-coast." Bp. Lowth. The Zidonians built Tyre, which is therefore called "the daughter of Zidon;" (12) and it was replenished with all its riches by the trade, which it originally derived from the mother-city: but it soon acquired a high pre-eminence above it. -Nebuchadnezzar took old Tyre after a siege of thirteen years: but the inhabitants had previously removed their most valuable effects, either to new Tyre on the Island, or to places beyond sea. (Note, Ez. 29:17-20.) After a time new Tyre became a very flourishing city; but it was besieged and taken by Alexander the Great. (Notes, Ez. 27:26–36. Zech. 9:1-4.) V. 3. Sihor means the river Nile. (Marg. Ref. h.) It had this name from the blackness 'of its waters charged with the mud, which it brings down from Ethiopia, when it overflows. Et viridem Egyptum nigra fœcundat arena.' (The black sand fructifies verdant Egypt.) Bp. Lowth. (, to become black.) The Tyrians traded largely with the Egyptians for the corn, which their lands, watered by the Nile, yield ed in great abundance: and thus, the harvest of the river, springing from the seed sown when its great waters subsided, yielded an immense revenue to Tyre. That river also opened a communication to the Tyrians, with the interior parts of Egypt; and the rich commodities there purchased tended greatly to enrich that merchant-city.

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demonstrate the divine original of the sacred scriptures. (Notes, Ez. 26:14,21.)

V. 5. As the nations were alarmed at the desolations of Egypt, by the power of God, in the days of Moses; (Note, Ex. 15:14-16.) so the report of the ruin of Tyre would fill them with consternation. Or, ""As soon as the report of Tyre shall come to," or "be heard in, Egypt, they shall be in great pain for it," viz. 'because they exported their corn to Tyre and 'made a gainful trade of it. (3) And this sense 'the Septuagint follows.' Louth.

V. 6, 7. The Tyrians gloried in the great antiquity of their city: and indeed it seems to have been a fortified city in the time of Joshua. (Josh. 19:29. Note, 4.) Through its extraordinary wealth, it was replete with every thing conducive to festive indulgence; and the inhabitants were very jovial and luxurious. (Notes, 22:2,3,8--14.) But now they would leave home with howlings and anguish of spirit; and numbers of them would be forced to seek a habitation in distant countries, either as captives or refugees.-The Septuagint, instead of "Tarshish," read Carthage, which was a colony from Tyre.-"The prophet speaks of Tyre, as of a tender and delicate woman, 'not used to hardships, who yet should be forc'ed to travel on foot tedious journeys into foreign countries, being driven from her own 'habitation.' Lowth. Note, 47:1-3.)

V. 8, 9. The Tyrians boasted of being able to dispose of crowns and kingdoms as they pleased; and therefore the Lord had counselled to tarnish the pride of all human glory, by ruining that renowned and haughty city, whose "merchants were princes, whose traffickers were the honorable of the earth." (Notes, 2:10

18.) The question proposed, as if by some observer who was filled with amazement at the surprising change, and the answer of the prophet to the question, have a peculiar energy and animation: and the attentive reader seems almost to witness, what is thus brought immediately under his notice.

V. 4. "The Zidonians, when their city was 'taken by the king of Ascalon, betook them'selves to their ships, and landed, and built Tyre.' Justin, quoted by Bp. Lowth. (Note, Josh. 19:24-31.) Zidon therefore gloried in being the founder of Tyre, that "strength of the sea," and, as it were, sole proprietor of it: but she might now be ashamed; for her daughter complained that she was depopulated, and, instead of sending colonies to other cities, she had now no children brought forth, or growing V. 10. The inhabitants of Tyre, when the up, to replenish herself. New Tyre, indeed, city was likely to be closely pressed by the continued for many ages a flourishing city:|| Chaldeans, are counselled silently and speedbut from the time that Alexandria in Egyptily to leave the country, which had no longer was built, her trade began to decrease, and at length Tyre was utterly desolated: and there are, at this day, no remains of that renowned city, except a few huts for fishermen.-Let us not forget that these are standing miracles to

any strength or defence; as a river swiftly, yet almost imperceptibly, glides through a land.-Tyre might be called "the daughter of Tarshish;" because her grandeur was greatly the effect of her trade with that city; and be

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11 He stretched oui his hand over the || day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD years, according to the days of one king: || hath given a commandment against the after the end of seventy years shall Tyre merchant-city to destroy the strong-holds sing as an harlot. thereof.

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16 Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.

17 And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, "and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world, upon the face of the earth.

X

18 And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for #durable clothing.

१ Jer. 25:9-11,22. 27:3-7. 29:
10. Ez. 29:11.

r Dan. 7:14. 3:21. Rev. 17:10.
Heb. it shall be unto Tyre as
the song of an harlot. Ez. 27:
25. Hos. 2:15.

s Prov. 7:10-12. Jer. 30:14.
t Jer. 29:10. Zeph. 2:7. Acts

15:14.

Rev.

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9-14. 19:2.

y 60:6,7. 2 Chr. 2:7-9,11-16. Ps. 45:12. 72:10. Zech. 14:20,

21. Mark 3:8. Acts 21:3-3. z Matt. 6:19-21. Luke 12:1820.33. 16:9-13.

a Deut. 12:18,19. 26:12-14.
Prov. 3:9,10. 13:22. 28:8. Ec.
2:26. Mal. 3:10. Matt. 25:35
-40. Luke 9:3.
Rom. 15:25—27.
Phil. 4:17,13.
Heb. old

Acts 9:39.

Gal. 6:5,

test with the Romans is well known; and the others were greatly disquieted, and at length reduced by the same power.

cause of the close connexion which subsisted between the two cities, and the dependence of the Tyrians on Tarshish, after Tyre was taken. -"Pass through thy land like a flood to the V. 13. (Marg. Ref.) The Chaldeans, Chasdaughter of Tarshish." Old Version. The ex-dim, are supposed to have had their origin and pression may, however, relate to the ships of 'to have taken their name from Chesed, the son Tarshish, with which Tyre carried on her of Nachor, the brother of Abraham.' (Gen. commerce and acquired her greatness. (14. 22:22.) They were known by that name in Note, 1 Kings 10:22.)—'Work thine own land, the time of Moses; who calls Ur in Mesopofor indeed the ships come no more to thee tamia from whence Abraham came, to distin'from Carthage.' Sept. That is, 'employ thy-guish it from other places of the same name, 'self in agriculture, for trade is ruined.' Ur of the Chaldeans. And Jeremiah calls V. 11. Either Nebuchadnezzar, or Alexan- 'them an ancient nation. ... "This people was der the Great, may here be intended; or God 'not," that is, they were of no account, (Deut. himself, as employing them. Both of these 32:21.) they were not reckoned among the mighty conquerors, "stretched their hand over great and potent nations of the world till of the sea, and shook the kingdoms:" and each later times; they were a rude, uncivilized, barof them besieged and took Tyre. But they 'barous people, without laws, without settled bad their commission from God, to destroy the 'habitations; wandering in a wide desert counstrong holds of that merchant-city; or "of Ca- "try (ps,) and addicted to rapine, like the wild naan." (Marg.) Tyre was the principal strong-'Arabians. Such they are represented to have hold in the land of Canaan: the word, how-been in the time of Job; Job 1:17. and such ever, signifies a merchant. (Note, Zech. 14:20, they continued to be till Assur, some powerful 'king of Assyria, gathered them together, and

21. 12. Zidon seems to have been one of the settled them in Babylon and the neighboring

'country.' Bp. Lowth. The Assyrians, were at that time,' (when this prophecy was delivered,) 'the great monarchs of the East; the Chaldeans were their slaves and subjects: and 'therefore it is the more extraordinary that the rav-prophet should foresee the. conquest of the Chaldeans.' Bp. Newton. This obscure people were appointed by the Lord to destroy renowned and haughty Tyre, with all its strong towers, and magnificent palaces.

oldest cities in the world: (Marg. Ref.-Note, Gen. 49:13.) it is mentioned by Homer, but Tyre is not. Tyre was called "the daughter of Zidon," as built by the Zidonians. The 'prophet calls Tyre an oppressed virgin, because she was conquered, and as it were ished, by her enemies. Whereas those cities, which never came into a conqueror's hands, 'are styled virgins.' Louth. The Assyrians besieged Tyre, but could not take it: Nebuchadnezzar was its first conqueror; and the innabutants, no longer able to resist, passed over, in great numbers, to the countries bordering on the Mediterranean: but the colonies of Ivas, in Greece, Sicily, Spain, or Africa, -hau no rest. Carthage was a colony from Tyre, and her unsuccessful and ruinous con

V. 14. Notes, 1. Ez. 26:15-18. Kev. 18:9-20. V. 15-18. From the first year of Nebuchadnezzar, who in some respects was the founder of the Babylonian monarchy, to the ruin of that monarchy by Cyrus, were exactly seventy years. And for a term equal to the days of this one king, or kingdom, Tyre con

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tinued in obscurity and neglect. (Notes, Jer.
25:8-27. 27:2-11.) Yet Tyre was not ta-
ken by Nebuchadnezzar till nearly the middle
of that period. But learned men have also
shewn, that it was just seventy years, from the
taking of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar, to the
time, when Darius Hystaspis, by granting
some immunities to that city, made way for
the recovery of its trade and prosperity.—As
covetousness is idolatry, and idolatry is spirit-
ual whoredom; the arts of this commercial
city to re-establish her trade are represented
by those, which harlots in those days used to
draw the attention of their lovers.-For sev-
enty years Tyre had been as a neglected har-
lot: yet she again employed her former arts,
to regain her traffic; and was rendered pros-
perous by divine Providence. But, in conse-
quence, she corrupted all the kingdoms, with
her pride, avarice, and luxury.-In due time,
however, the Lord intended to plant the gos-
pel there: then numbers of the Tyrians, being
converted to Christ, would use that wealth,
which had been acquired by commerce, and
about which men generally commit wicked-
ness, to maintain the ministry of the gospel, to
feed the poor, and to spread the Christian re-
ligion: being able, through their affluence, to
rovide sufficiently for these expenses, which
poorer churches could scarcely defray: and
then the wealth of Tyre, which had been as
"the hire of a harlot," would become "holiness—22,
to the LORD." (Marg. Ref. y.-Note, Ps. 45:
12.) A church was founded early in Tyre,
which became a kind of mother-church to sev-
eral others, which were connected with it:
(Note, Acts 21:1-6.) so that Christianity was
established at Tyre for some ages, till the Sar-
acens took the city; and from that time it grad-
ually decayed, till it was at length almost en-
tirely desolated. (Notes, Ez. 26: 27: 28:)

boast of so great an antiquity. But Tyre is now laid waste, and there is no house, nor entering in: silence and solitude have erected their em pire, where this busy merchant-city stood; and her inhabitants are all either extinct, or removed to other lands! Yet when this prediction was delivered, probably, its wealthy inhabitants could not have believed it possible, that such a change should ensue.-This report || may well cause our wealthy, but ungodly citizens, (of whom there are not a few,) to be sorely pained and alarmed: her merchants were, and ours are, "princes, and the honorable of the earth." But they gloried and trusted in their prosperity, and abused it: and the Lord took his counsel against them on purpose "to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth:" that they, who had forgotten him, should feel his superiority and sovereignty; that the vanity of all earthly prosperity might be manifested; and to shew, how soon infaniy must overwhelm all those who do not seek "the honor which cometh from God."-He is able to raise up enemies against us also, from the most obscure nations, and to bring them from the remotest corners of the earth: and at his commandment some savage conqueror may arise to execute his righteous purposes: nor can any distant country give rest to those, of whom God has said, "there is no rest for them." (Notes, 48:20 v. 22. 57:20,21.)—The accomplishment of the prophecies, through successive ages to the present day, evinces, that every promise and threatening in the sacred volume, will surely take place on those nations, or individuals, to which they belong.-It cannot be calculated how much iniquity is committed by such as are greedy of gain: nor can the manifold artifices be developed, by which crafty traffickers supplant, over-reach, and cheat each other; and seduce the ignorant and unwary.-NumPRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. bers regard not what crimes they commit, or Every advantage, of whatever kind, may be- || tempt others to commit, or what miseries they come an occasion of mischief to us, through occasion; provided they do but get their hire, the depravity of our hearts and the tempta-which is often more infamous than that of the tions of Satan: and therefore commerce, vilest prostitute.--But, while men of this charwhich might be, and sometimes has been, sub-acter are treasuring up wrath, with their acservient to the noblest purposes, too commonly cumulating wealth, and corrupting whole kingproves a source of luxury, pride, ostentation, doms by such traffic, as tends to disseminate and impiety; and is connected with avarice, intemperance or murder; there are some even fraud, oppression, and cruelty.-As those cit-in our land, who conduct their commercial ies, which have successively tyrannised over concerns with far other views, and on very difthe nations of the earth, have successively ferent principles. By honorable gains they been made monuments of the divine ven- possess affluence; and they neither treasure it geance; so have those likewise which have up in avarice, nor spend it in profligacy or luxbeen the marts of nations. It behoves the in-ury: but consecrate it to the Lord, and emhabitants of the great commercial capital of Britain to be still for a short space, and to contemplate the fate of Tyre. Like that ancient centre of commerce, this city and nation are replenished by the trade of the whole earth; claim the sovereignty of the ocean; and receive revenues from distant seas and rivers, not less abundant, than the harvest of our fertile plains: and London is at least as "joyous a city," as ever Tyre was; though it does not VOL. IV.

11

ploy it to diffuse the knowledge of his truth to distant regions; to provide sufficient and suitable food and raiment for his indigent servants; and to relieve the wants of multitudes, of whom they know no more, than that they are human beings in distress. Now this is noble: and riches thus obtained and expended, are a privilege and a blessing. Thus should Christians conduct business, as the servants of God, and use riches, as his stewards. As vital godliness

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shall abound, such characters will become more numerous; and then commerce will be rendered a blessing, not only to the cities where it is conducted, but to the human species at large.

NOTES.

desolate; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, " and few men left.

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7 The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merry hearted do sigh 8 The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy o the harp ceaseth.

9 They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.

10 The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

i1 There is a crying for wine in the streets; "all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.

12 In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.

[Practical Observations.]

n Lev. 26:22. Deut. 4:27. 28:62. | 4,8. 52:7,13,14. Mic. 2:13.
Ez. 5:3. Matt. 7:14. Rom. 9:
27.

o 16:8,10. 32:9-13. Hos. 9:1.2.
Joel 1:10-12.

P 23:15,16. Jer. 7:34. 16:9. 25:
10. Ez. 26:13. Hos. 2:11. Rev.
18:22.

q 5:11,12. Ps. 69:12. Ec. 9:7.
Am. 6:5-7. 8:3.10. Zech 9:
15. Eph. 5:18,19.

r 12. 25:2. 27:10. 32:14. 34:13-
15. 2 Kings 25:4,9,10. Jer. 39:

12. Luke 19.43,44. 21:24.

s Gen. 11:9. marg. Jer. 95, 26. Matt. 23.34,35. Rev. 11:7, 8. 17:5,6. 18:2.

t Prov. 31:6. Hos. 7:14. Joel

1:5.

u 7-9. 8:22. 9:19. Jer. 48:33. Lam. 5:14,15. Am. 5:16—20. Matt. 22:11-13. Luke 16:25.

x 32:14. Jer. 9:11. Lam. 1:1,4. 29. 5:18. Mic. 1:9,12, Matt. 22.7.

itants might continue in it: and in the latter dispensation, instead of sending them to some specified place, for a limited term of years, as before, he scattered them abroad over the face of the earth, and their dispersion continues to the present day. The distinction between priests and people was soon lost, along with CHAP. XXIV. V. 1–12. Various opinions their genealogies; and all ranks and orders of have prevailed concerning the events predicted men were involved in indiscriminate ruin. in this chapter, which begins a new subject, Thus the land, being emptied and plundered, continued to the end of the twenty-seventh as it were "mourneth and fadeth away," and is chapter. Some think, that it is a general de- become at this day as barren, as it formerly nunciation of vengeance from God on sinful was fruitful.-By "the world," may be meant, nations, and on the whole earth: and, like many the whole of the Jewish economy; the Mosaic other prophecies, it is couched in such terms, dispensation and the civil establishment of Isas may apply to many similar events, and can rael as a nation, which waxed old, languished scarcely have its full accomplishment, except and expired, together with the destruction of in the consummation of all things. But it all the haughty despisers of their lowly Messeems more immediately to contain a series of siah. For the land had long been polluted by prophecy, relating to the nation of Israel, and the crimes; (Notes, Lev. 18:24–30. Num. 35:31 to the church, which is yet fulfilling, but not -34.) especially by the profaneness and byaccomplished. After having foretold the de- pocrisy of the people, who not only transgress'struction of the foreign nations, enemies of ed the laws of God, but “made them of none Judah, the prophet declares the judgments effect by their traditions:" they not only chang'impending on the people of God themselves, ed his ordinances, but they expressly brake the 'for their wickedness and apostacy; and the national covenant, which had endured for 'desolation that shall be brought on their whole ages, by rejecting the promised Messiah, in 'country.' Bp. Lowth.-The desolation of the and through whom it had been ratified: and kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians, and that thus they were deprived of all their covenantof Judah by the Chaldeans; and the ravages ed privileges. Then, the curse of God devourafterwards committed by Antiochus Epipha- ed and desolated the land: his wrath, like fire, nes, may be adverted to: but the destruction of burned up the inhabitants, till very few in comJerusalem by the Romans, and the dispersion parison were left of that devoted nation. Their of the Jews into all nations, with those events abused plenty and sensual mirth ceased; nay, connected with that awful dispensation, and the temple-music, and sacred psalmody, and resulting from it, seem principally intended; solemn feasts, were put an end to; or rather till at the close of the chapter, a transition ap- were turned into lamentations, howlings, and pears to be made to other important events. bitterness of soul. The city, having become a The same original word is rendered "the scene of confusion, by the intestine discords of earth" and "the land:" and generally means its inhabitants; and having experienced all the the land of Israel. When the Chaldeans, and horrors of famine and pestilence in the exafterwards the Romans, took Jerusalem; then treme, was broken down by the Romaus, and "the LORD emptied and wasted that land, and the Jews were excluded from all access to it. In turned it upside down," that none of its inhab-vain did they then cry out for some cordial to

13 ¶ When thus it shall be in the midst the treacherous dealers have dealt very of the land among the people, there shall treacherously. be as the shaking of an olive-tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done. 14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea.

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15 Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the *fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea. b

d

17 ¶ Fear, and the pit, and the snare are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. 18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.

16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to 19 The earth is utterly broken down, the righteous. But I said, My leanness, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is my leanness, woe unto me! the treacher-moved exceedingly. ous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, 20 The earth shall reel to and fro 51:5. 60:9. Gen. 10:4,5. Zeph. like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage: and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

y 1:9. 6:13. 10:20-22. 17:5,6.

Jer. 44:28. Ez. 6:8-11. 7:16.
9.4-6. 11:16-20. 14-22,23.
Matt. 24:22. Rom. 11:2-6.
Rev. 3.4. 11:2,3.

z 12:1-6. 25:1. 26:1. 27:2. 35:
2,10. 40:9. 42:10-12. 44:23.
51:11. 52:7-9. 54:1. Jer. 30:
19. 31:12. 33:11. Zeph. 2:14-
20. Zech 2:10.

a Job 35 9,10. Hab. 3:17,18. Zech. 13:8,9. Acts 16:25 1

Pet. 1:7. 4:12-14. Rev. 15:2 -4.

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2:11. Zech. 10:9-12. Mal. 1:

11.

c 26:15. 45:22-25. 52:10. 66:

19,20. Ps. 2:8. 22:27-31. 67:

7. 72:8-11. 98:3. 117: Mic.

5:4. Mark 13:27. Acts 13:47.
† Heb. wing.

d Ex. 15:11. Ps. 58:10,11. Rev.
15:3. 16:5-7. 19:1-6.

e 10:16. 17:4. Ps. 106:15.
Heb. Leanness to me. Or,
My secret to me.

f 21:2. 33:1. 48:8. Jer. 3:20. 5:
11. 12:1,6. Lam. 1:2. Hos. 5.
7. 6:7. Hab. 1:3.

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support them under their overwhelming dis-earth, were ascribing glory to the righteous tress: "all joy was darkened, and the mirth of Lord: the prophet, personating the Jewish nathe land was gone. The city was left desolate, tion, lamented his leanness; that is, the small the gate was sinitten with destruction." (Notes, number of believers found in Israel, the corruptMatt. 24:29-31. Mark 13:24-31. Luke 21:20 ed state of the church, and the miseries which 28.) had come upon the nation. The Jews continV. 13-15. The great distresses, brought ued to be most cruelly treated by their treach'upon Israel and Judah, drove the people erous and violent enemies: but, their own hy'away, and dispersed them all over the neigh-pocrisy, and enormous wickedness; their ava'boring countries. They fled to Egypt, to Asia rice and deceit; and their most virulent perse'Minor, to the islands, and the coasts of Greece. cutions of those who embraced the gospel, "They were to be found in great numbers in seem to be more especially the subject of the 'most of the principal cities of those countries. prophetical lamentation. As, however, the 'Alexandria was in a great measure peopled words rendered "the uttermost part of the 'by them. They had synagogues for their wor-earth," or "the wing of the earth," (marg.) 'ship, in many places; and were greatly instru'mental in propagating the knowledge of the 'true God among these heathen nations, and preparing them for the reception of Christianity. Bp. Lowth.-The word rendered "the sea," is sometimes translated, the west: because the Mediterrancan sea was the western border of Canaan. (Notes, 49:9-13. Hos. 11:8—11.)—The chief accomplishment of this prophecy, however, seems to have been after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. At that season, there was a small company, like the gleanings of the vine or the olive, which had embraced Christianity: (Note, 17:4-8.) and wherever they were dispersed among the nations, and in the isles of the sea, they lifted up their voice in songs of praise, whilst they beheld the majesty of God displayed in accomplishing these predictions, and mingled thanksgivings with their fervent prayers: nay, they excited one another to glorify God, in the fiery trial of persecution, and though banished to the remotest regions. (Marg. Ref. a, b.) The destruction of Jerusalem was exceedingly conducive to the establishment of the Christian church; and in this respect was the subject of joy and praise to the primitive Christians, especially to the Gentile churches.

V. 16. This verse seems to intimate the calling of the Gentiles, as the consequence of the rejection of the Jews. While the converts to Christianity, from the uttermost parts of the ||

are supposed to mean the extremities of the
land of Judah, it is by some interpreted in a
more restricted sense. The prophet speaks in
the person of the inhabitants of the land still
'remaining there; who should be pursued by
divine vengeance, and suffer repeated distress-
'es from the inroads and depredations of their
'powerful enemies. ... 6:13.' Bp. Lowth. Yet
there is little proof that the Jews, dispersed in
the land after the taking of Jerusaleni, in any
sense used songs giving "glory to the right-
eous." "From the uttermost part of the
'earth," means the same as "from the isles of
the sea," in the foregoing verses.' Lowth.

V. 17-20. In taking wild beasts, the hunters used to terrify them, that in their fright they might run into their pits, or be taken in their snares. Thus terror would drive the Jews into those very places, in which destruction was prepared for them, and e ery thing would concur in preventing their escape. (Note, Am. 5:18-20.) For the flood-gates of divine vengeance being opened from above, the foundations of the earth would shake, as if the end of the world were come.-'God's wrath and vengeance should be over and under them, so 'that they should not any more escape than at 'Noah's flood.' (Notes, Gen. 7:10—12,20—23. 19:24,25.) There were many great earthquakes about the time of the siege of Jerusaleni: and Christ predicted the destruction of that city in terms very similar, and which may also be in

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