whatever he refers, it is one of the most striking reproofs of vanity, and pride-especially the pride of female ornament, to be found any where. And although he had particular reference to the Jewish females, yet there is no impropriety in regarding it as applicable to all such ornaments wherever they may be found. They are as offensive in one age as another. They indicate the same state of the heart, and they must meet substantially the same rebuke from God. The body however delicately pampered and adorned, minst become the prey of corruption. "The worm shall feed sweetly on it, and the earth-worm shall be its covering." Com. Isa. xiv. 2, Job xxiv. 20. The single thought that the body must die-that it must lie and moulder in the grave-would check the love of gay adorning, and turn the mind to a far more important matter, the salvation of the soul which cannot die; "the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." I Pet. iii. 4. On this portion of Isaiah, (iii. 16-24,) the following work may be consulted. N. G. Schroederi comm. Philo. Crit. de vestitu mulierum Hebraeorum, 1745. 4to.

25. Thy men. This is an address to Jerusalem itself-by a change not uncommon in the writings of Isaiah. In the calamities coming on them, their strong men should be overcome, and fall in battle.

26. And her gates. This is a poetic representation denoting that there should be lamentation in her gates. Cities were surrounded with walls, and were entered through gates opening into the principal streets. Those gates became of course the places of chief confluence and of business; and the expression here means that in all the places of confluence, or amidst the assembled people there should be lamen. tation on account of the slain in battle and the loss of their mighty men in war. ¶ And she. Jerusalem. Jerusalem is often represented as a female distinguished for beauty. It is here represented as a fe

Emptied of her

To sit on the

male sitting in a posture of grief. Being desolate. inhabitants; laid waste. T Shall sit upon the ground. ground, or in the dust, was the usual posture of grief and mourningdenoting great depression and humiliation. Lam. ii. 10, iii. 28, Jer. xv. 17, Job iii. 13, Ezra ix. 3-5. It is a remarkable coincidence that in the medals which were made by the Romans to commemorate the captivity of Judea and Jerusalem, Judea is represented under the figure of a female sitting in a posture of grief under a palm tree, with this inscription :-Judea capta―Judea is taken-in the form which is exhibited in the annexed engraving.

The passage here however refers not to the captivity by the Romans, but to the first destruction by Nebuchadnezzar. It is a tender and most affecting image of desolation; and a representation which was fulfilled to an extent of sorrow and calamity which was never suffered by those who heard Isaiah.

CHAPTER IV.

[For an analysis of this chapter, see ch. ii.]

1 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear

our own apparel; only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

1 thy name be called, upon us. 2 or take thou away.

New Translation.

1. And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, "Our own bread we will eat;

"And our own raiment we will wear;

"Only let us be called by thy name,

1. In that day. The time of calamity refered to in the close of the previous chapter. This is a continuation of that prophecy, and there was no reason why these six verses should have been made a separate chapter. That it refers to the Messiah is apparent from what has been stated in the Notes on the commencement of the prophecy (ch. ii. 1—4), and from the expressions which occur in the chapter itself. See Notes on ver. 2, 5, 6. T Seven women. The number seven is used often to denote a large though indefinite number. Lev. xxvi. 28, Prov. xxiv. 16, Zech. iii. 9. It means, that so great should be the calamity; so many men should fall in battle; that many women would, contrary to their natural modesty, become suitors to a single man to obtain him as a husband and protector. ¶ Shall take hold. Shall apply to. The expression, "shall take hold," denotes the earnestness of their application. We will eat our own bread, &c. We do not ask this in order to be maintained. We will forego that which the law (Ex. xxi. 10) enjoins as the duty of the husband in case he has more than one wife.

us be regarded as thy wives.

Only let us be called by thy name. Let The wife then, as now, assumed the name of the husband. A remarkably similar expression occurs in

5

2 In that day shall the branch of the lent and comely for s them that are LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excel

b Jer, 23. 5, 6. Zec. 6. 12, 13. 4 beauty and glory.

escaped of Israel.

5 the escaping of Israel.

New Translation.

2. In that day shall the branch of JEHOVAH be for honor and glory, And the produce of the land be for excellency and ornament, For the escaped of Israel.

Lucan (B. ii. 342). Marcia there presents a similar request to Cato:

"Da tantum nomen inane

Connuba; liceat tumulo scripsisse, Catonis
Marcia."

6

"Indulge me only with the empty title of wife. Let there only be inscribed on my tomb, Marcia, wife of Cato.'" ¶ To take away my reproach. The reproach of being unmarried. Comp. Gen. xxx. 23,

1 Sam. i. 6.

2. In that day. The future time mentioned in the previous verse -the time of calamity, when they shall feel the need of a protector. ¶ The branch of the LORD. (z tzēmâhh Jehövăh.) The sprout of JEHOVAH. This expression, and this verse, have had a great varicty of interpretation. The LXX read it," in that day God shall shine in counsel with glory upon the earth, to exalt, and to glorify the remnant of Israel." The Chaldee renders it "In that day, the Messiah of the Lord shall be for joy and glory, and the doers of the law for praise and honor to those of Israel who are delivered." It is clear that the passage is designed to denote a state of prosperity-some signal blessing that is to succeed the calamity predicted in the previous verses. The only question is, to what has the prophet reference? The word « branch" (ņy tzěmâhh) is derived from the verb (ņ tzā. măhh) signifying to sprout, to spring up, spoken of plants. Hence the word branch means properly that which shoots up, or sprouts from the root of a tree, or from a decayed tree. Comp. Job xiv. 7, 8, 9. The Messiah is thus said to be "a root of Jesse." Rom. xv. 12. Isa. xi. 1, 10, Note; and "the root and offspring of David." Rev. xxii. 16, as being a descendant of Jesse; i. e. as if Jesse should fall like an aged tree, yet the root would sprout up and live. The word "branch" occurs several times in the Old Testament, and in most, if not all, with express reference to the Messiah. Jer. xxiii. 5, "Behold the days

come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a king shall reign," &c. Jer. xxxiii. 15, “In those days, and at that time, will I cause the branch of righteousness to grow up into David," &c. Zech. iii. 8, vi. 12. In all these places there can be no doubt that there is reference to him who was to be raised up as the successor of David; who was to spring up from him as a sprout does from a decayed and fallen tree, and who is therefore called a root, a branch of the royal stock. There is, besides, a peculiar beauty in the figure. The family of David, when the Messiah was to come, would be fallen into decay and almost extinct. Joseph the husband of Mary the mother of Jesus, though of the royal family of David (Math. i. 20, Luke ii. 4), was poor, and the family had lost all claims to the throne. In this state, as from the decayed root of a fallen tree, a sprout, or branch was to come forth with more than the magnificence of David, and succeed him on the throne. The name "branch" therefore came to be significant of the Messiah, and to be synonymous with "the son of David." It is so used doubtless in this place, as denoting that the coming of the Messiah would be a joy and honor in the days of calamity to the Jews. Interpreters have not been agreed however in the meaning of this passage. Some have supposed that it referred to Ezra or Nehemiah (Grotius), but "mystically to Christ and Christians." Others have understood it of the remnant that should return from the Babylonish captivity (Vogellius); others have supposed that it refers to the Jews who should be a reformed people after their cap. tivity, and who should spring up with a new spirit (Michaelis). Others have regarded it as a poetic description of the extraordinary fertility of the earth in future times; that after the calamities coming upon them, the earth would again yield her increase. The reasons for referring it to the Messiah are plain. (1) The word has this reference in other places, and the representation of the Messiah under the image of a branch or shoot, is, as we have seen, common in the Scriptures. See above. Thus also in ch. liii. 2, he is called also shōrěsh root, and pyōněk, a tender plant, a sucker, sprout, shoot, as of a decayed tree. Comp. Job viii. 16. xiv. 7, xv. 30, Ezek. xvii. 22. And in reference to the same idea, perhaps, it is said, Isa. liii. 8, that he was ? nghzăr, cut off—as a branch, or sucker, or shoot is cut off by the vine dresser or farmer from the root of a decayed tree. And thus in Rev. v. 5, he is called giga Aaẞid-the root of David. (2) It is the obvious and most natural signification. (3) This interpretation