PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

IN this chapter the prophet foretels the approaching direful calamities which were to be inflicted upon Judah and Jerufalem on account of their fins; fome of which are particularly mentioned.- He begins by informing them, that they fhould be deprived of the fupports of life, and good government; in consequence of which, they fhould fall into the utmost diforder and confufion, as the juft punishment of their iniquities, and impudence in finning against the Lord, verfe 1.-9.After which, comfortable af furance is given to the righteous, that, notwithstanding the extenfive threatened judgments, they should enjoy fafety, whilft the wicked fuffered deferved destruction, verse 10. and 11.To juftify the divine procedure, the predicted miferies are declared to arife, in a fpecial manner, from the oppreffion and covetoufnefs of their rulers, with whom Ifaiah warmly expoftulates in the name of God, verfe 12.-15.

The haughty daughters of Zion are then threatened with being ftript of all the coftly ornaments with which they were accustomed to adorn themselves, fo that their condition fhould be totally reverfed, verse 16.-24.- -The chapter concludes by declaring, that the terrible devaftation to be made by the fword was to be attended with mourning and lamentation, verfe 25. and 26. and verfe 1. of chap. iv.

CHAP. III.

'OR behold, the Lord, the LORD of hofts

FOR

doth take away from Jerufalem, and from Judah, the ftay and the ftaff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole ftay of water.

The

The omnifcient God, having predicted, by the prophet, the awful judgments he was about to execute upon the idolatrous, the proud, and the haughty, proceeds to foretel the certain and sudden destruction of the Jewish ftate. The word for, in the beginning of the verse, seems to connect this prediction with the foregoing one, to which it has an intimate relation. The fubject is introduced with great folemnity and majefty. Behold, the Lord, &c. Attentively confider the important, interefting matters I am now going to defcribe, which juftly merit your ferious regard. The Lord of hofts, whom you have highly provoked by your fins; who brought all things into existence, and continually upholds them in being, by the word of his power; who ruleth in heaven, and on earth, according to his pleafure; who gives law to the universe, and prefides over the nations, and who hath unquestionable right to punish proud tranfgreffors; this almighty Lord declares, he doth take away from Jerufalem and from Judah, from the inhabitants of the towns and country of Judea, the staff of bread, and stay of water. Though the profeffing people of God, they were become extremely corrupt and wicked, and therefore obnoxious to the most terrible calamities. The ftay and the ftaff may denote, any thing ufed as a mean of fupport, to prevent one from falling. The Jewish nation, at this time, may be confidered as reprefented by an old building, ready to fall into ruin, to prevent which many props had been added. These fupports on which it leaned, that were derived from the authority, the prudence, and fortitude of its leading men, God threatens to remove; in confequence of which, the ftate fhould as certainly become ruinous as a decayed building, when the props on which it refted are taken away. The kings of Judah being deprived of their majefty, their counfellors of wisdom, their foldiers of valour, their judges of prudence, their orators of eloquence, and their kingdom of profperity, the once flourishing people of Judea

Judea fhould be reduced to the most miserable condition.

The whole ftay of bread, and the whole stay of water. Of the various provifions used to fupport human life, bread and water are the moft fimple, and the moft neceffary: bread ftrengthens the heart, and water quenches the thirft; and both are useful for refreshment and nourishment. They are therefore very properly described in fcripture as a staff and a stay, because they are the means of sustaining life, even as a staff on which we lean fupports the body; and when reduced to a fcanty allowance of thefe neceffaries, men become weak, languid, and infirm. Now when God here declares, that he taketh away the whole ftay of bread and water, he threatens to fend upon the men of Judah the direful calamity of famine, whereby they were to be enfeebled and weakened; and, under this terrible judgment, howling with diftrefs, and pining with want, after having been brought into the greatest straits, in which men fhould eat the flesh of their own arm, and mothers their own children, they fhould languifh and die. How dreadful were the effects that attended this fore judgment, when this prediction was fulfilled! of which we read in the fourth chapter of the book of Lamentations, The tongue of the fucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirft: the young children afk bread, and no man breaketh it unto them. They that did feed delicately, are de folate in the streets; they that were brought up in fcarlet, embrace dunghills.' In confequence of which, it is faid, at the 9th verfe, They that be flain with the fword, are better than they that be flain with hunger for thefe pine away, ftricken through for want of the fruits of the field.'- How deplo rable would you justly reckon your condition, did your children come around you, crying for bread and water, whilst you had none to give them! How much more aggravated would be your mi

fery,

fery, were you under the direful neceflity of feeding upon them, as the only means of preferving life, as did the people in Judea, at the time this prophecy was accomplished! Thankful then ought we to be to that God, who, notwithflanding our ingratitude, and mifimprovement of his mercies, gives us rain from heaven, and fruitful feafons, fills our hearts with food and gladnefs, and affords us all things pertain, ing to life and godliness richly to enjoy.

2 The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient.

The almighty God here threatens to deprive Judah and Jerufalem of the supports of their state, and the pillars of their church; in confequence of which, they would fall into diforder, confusion, and every evil work. In a flourishing community there are mighty men, who are remarkable for their ftrength and valour, courage and intrepidity, who are employed to act as warriors against the common enemy. There are men of war, who are valiant, active, and brave in the field; who act as officers and foldiers in the army, which forms the defence of their country, and the protection of their fellow-citizens. There are judges, who study the laws of God and their country, its civil conftitution, and the rights of the people, whose business is to attend to the impartial diftribution of juftice. There are prophets, who are employed in declaring the mind of God to the people, inftructing them in the knowledge of his will, and teaching them ftatutes, ordinances, and laws; and likewise in pleading with God in behalf of the people, that he may protect, blefs, and enrich them. There are prudent men, who are remarkable for fagacity and penetration, for extenfive knowledge and found wifdom; who are juftly refpected on account of their good conduct, their difcretion, and the right management of their

affairs.

affairs. There are also ancient men, in the advanced ftages of life, who, from long experience, and careful obfervation, are well acquainted with men and things; who are capable of inftructing the young and the thoughtless, and giving them good advice. Thefe refpectable and ufeful characters the Lord of hofts was about to take away from among the men of Judah, with others defcribed in the following verfe:

3 The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counfellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.

The captain of fifty. Not only were their generals and commanders to be removed from among them, who conducted their armies, and had the management of their military affairs, but the righteous judgments of the Moft High were to be extended to thofe of lefs authority and influence. And the honourable man, who was exalted to distinguished rank, and high ftation; who claimed much refpect on account of his good qualifications, and his extenfive usefulness to fociety. And the counsellor, who fat at the helm of public affairs, giving direction in the critical moment of danger; who formed great defigns for the benefit of the ftate, and marked out the plans which were neceffary to be carried into execution. And the cunning artificer, the fkilful artift, and ingenious mechanic, who, by indefatigable induftry and application to bufinefs, contributed to the wealth and reputation of the nation. And the eloquent orator, who, by the power of perfuafion and fine addrefs, could influence the hearts and fentiments of a whole affembly, and give them as uniform a direction as the wind does the trees of the foreft. All these ufeful ornaments of fociety God threatens to take away from Judah and Jerufalem, by depriving them of the great abilities they poffeffed; by baffling the enterprifes in which they engaged; by fruftrating the defigns which they formed;