Chapter it be not fulfill'd in the minutest Circumstances, Every
XXXIV. Beast I have mention'd Mäll be there, with his Female to

propagate their Species in the Country, which for a great
while Thall 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 Or-
der to those Beasts to flock thither, and my spirit it all
gather them. I forbear troubling the Reader (says San&ti-
us) with an Explication of the Names of these Birds
and Beasts, Quia res est omnino incerta, neque aliquid exo
ploratum haberit aut conftitutum Interpretes tam Noftri quam
Hebræorint 'Magiftri. ..

Ver. 17 i And he hath cast the lot for them, at his hand hath divided it unto them by line : they shall possess it for ever, from generation to generation shall they dwell-therein.] The Verbs in the beginning of the Verse should be rentder'd futurely, as they are in the other part of it. The

Prophet alludes to the division of Canaan among the ChilFome 18. 8. dren of Israel by Lot, with the fame Exactness shall the

Land of Idumea be parcell'd-into equal Divisions to be posless'd by the several Animals here mention'd, each of which' was to have its proper Distrie.

så The ARGUMENT of Chapter XXXV.
The Jews understand this Chapter, of their future Restoration,

and amuse themselves with the inaginary Conveniencies their
MeNiah will prepare to make their Return to their Country

pleasant and commodious; and Mr. Whiston still keeps them - company, tho' the words of the Propher are fo far from being

yet fulfill do that many Years ago they have receiv'da double Completion. The mords are general, and may be 14derstood of the happy Condition they enjoyd after the over

throw of the Allyrian Army, or after their deliverance (a) Thomas, out of Captivity to the latter of whicha, with (a) some

Cammentators, I mauld be inclind to refer theme were, it is not for the først word, Jefhalhumalætabuntur in eis , mbicho . plainly provesy in my Opinion, these two things ; First, That the Prophetg in the latter part of the former Chapter, fore.

tells

tells the destruction of Idumea, not Judea, as Forerius
thinks, because this could be no occasion of foy to the Wil-
derness and folitary Place, by which the Prophet certainly
means Judea ; and, Secondly, That this Chapter cannot be
understood of their destruction by Nebuchadnezzar, because
if he invaded their Land, and conquer'd thern before he ato
tack'd the Jews, there could be little reason for them to re-
joyce at it, since their turn mas next, and the same Misfor-
tune in a sort time was to fall upon them by the very fame
Forces: If Nebuchadnezzar laid waste Idumea, after the
destruction of Jerusalem, what would it fignify to them who
were Captives, and could expe&t no advantage by the Suffer. '
ings of the Idumeans? For these. Reasons, I suppose, the Pro-
pbet is to be understood of the flourishing Condition of the
Jews, after the overthrow of Sennacherib's Army, and forne
Signal Defeat of the Idumeans, , their antient inveterate Ene-
mies, by the Arms of Hezekiah, or forne other Prince
about the same time, whereof we have no footsteeps in Hi-
story: For I cannot think that the Prophet had any Thoughts

at the writing of this, of the Calling of the Gentiles, or 1 The Golden Age of the Gospel, which (a). Interpreters (a) Hieron. * : mould never have dreami'd of, had they consulted only the Cyril, : Prophet's words for his meaning..

forerius.

Chapter CHA P. XXXV.

. XXXV... Verfe. T HE wilderness, and the folitary place fhall be

glad for them : and the desert shall rejoyce, and blossom as the role.] This Chapter is plainly connected with the former by Jefhafhum, letabuntur in ers, which our

Translators render something. obfcurely, They fall rejoyce
for them. He was foretelling the overthrow of the Afly-
rian Army, and the defolations of the Land of Idumea;
these are, things which the Wildernefs and folitary Place
were to rejoice at, to these the Suffix Mem must be re-
ferr'd. Judea, which was like a Wilderness and folitary Place
before, fall rejoyce at these Judgments pour'd on their Ene-
mies, the de fart prall rejoyce, and bloffam as a rolex By which
the Prophet means that after the destruction of two suchi
Enemies as the Allyrians and Idumeans were to them, they
fhould enjoy an uninterrupted course of Happinefs, and :

Chapter be restor’d to the same fourishing Condition which they XXXV. were in before the Assyrian Invasion. c.

Ver. 2. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoyce even with joy and singing, the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon: they hæll fee the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.] Jerusalem Áhall be like a pleasant Garden adorn'd with Odorous Blossoms, and beautiful Flowers, her Inhabitants shall be full of joy and exultation, upon the Account of their unexpected deliverance, her Land shall no' more lię uncultivated, nor the Fruit thereof be destroy'd by barbarous Ellemies, but their Hills fourth like Lebanon, and their Plains like fertile Carmel, her Inhabitants lhák Tee the Glory of the Lord, display'd conspicuously in the asto. nishing slaughter of their Enemies, and the excellency of our Gud, how far his Power excells all the Gods of the Nations is asi ..

Ver. 304. 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 save you.]

He calls to the Prophets and other good Men among odol them, to raise up the Spirits of their Brethren dejected . .,) and oppress’d with heaviness; and disipate those Fears

which the greatness of their danger had rais'd in their
Minds; by alluring them that God would certainly come
to their Alistance, and revenge them on their Ene-
mies: ....... ist seit faste 5.
-5.Ver. 5. Then the reyeroofrohe blind shall be opened, and the
ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.] When God hall take
vengeance on the Allyrians, and save the City, the In-
credulous Jews who would not believe me, shall be con-
vinc'd, of my Veracity and see their Extory and the
meanest of the People, those ofridiullest apprehensions,
feel by "Sensible Experience the great kindness of the
Lord. L i hinei
- Ver. 6,7. Then malt the lame man leap as an .bart, and
the tongue of the dumb fing for in the wilderness fhall 10a-
ters break guts, i and streams in the defert. And the pare
ched ground fall become a pool, and the thirsty landprings
of water: in the habitation of dragons, were each lay, Hall .

to be

Chapter plest Creature among them shall be in no danger of be-
XXXV. ing lost. And thus the Prophet: explains himself, Na

Lion shall be there, &c. which shews he is to be under-
stood 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 Mall return and
come to Zion with fongs, and everlasting joy upon their heads:
they mall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrom, and fighing
Mall flee away.] The Verb Padah signifies properly to re-
deem or buy out, but is commonly us'd, says Gataker, in a
more general Notion, for rescuing or delivering out of
Danger or Distress ; and the Prophet call'd those the ran-
Com’d of the Lord, who fled into other Countries upon
the Approach of the Alyrian Army, giving credit to the
Prophet's Predictions, and return'd to their own Coun-
try as soon as they heard of their Defeat. Or it may
be understood of those who fled to ferufalem for thel-
ter, and there remaind during the Siege ; which being
over, they return'd to their own Possessions; and when
every thing was set in Order again in Jerusalem, return'd
to the Temple to give Thanks to their Almighty Deli-
verer, with Songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; That
is, with Hearts full of joy and Gratitude: These are
the Expresions, I suppose, which prevail with Mr. Whin
Ston to countenance the Jews in their groundless hopes
of a future Restoration. 'They never yet return'd' to
their Country with Everlasting joy ; their joy was inter
rupted 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 foundati.
on but a strong Fancy and a misunderstood Exprellion,
and mult fall to the Ground as soon as we prove to them,
thác Nolam fignifies a space' of Time infinitely fhort of
Eternity, which any one that understands the Language
can easily do..
?i ii!. .

. ;