acts as if in that period; his mind is full of the contemplation; and he pours out, in describing it, the most elevated language and the sublimest thoughts. It was in contemplations such as these, I suppose, that he passed the close of his life; and in such visions of the glorious future, that he sought a refuge from the gloom and despondency which must have filled a pious mind during the early part of the reign of the impious and blood-thirsty Manasseh.

Isaiah was cotemporary with the prophets Jonah, Hosea, and Micah. They, however, performed a less important public part, and were not favoured with visions of the future glory of the church, like his. In a single chapter, however, the same language is used by Isaiah and by Micah. See Isa. ii. 2-4. Comp. Micah iv. 1-4. In which prophet the language is original, it is impossible now to determine.

The period of the world in which Isaiah lived was in some respects a forming period. We have seen that it was during his life that the kingdom of ASSYRIA, which had so long swayed a sceptre of entire dominion over the East, began to wane, and that its power was broken. The kingdom of BABYLON, which ultimately became so vast and mighty, and which destroyed Assyria itself, was established during his life on a basis that secured its future independence and grandeur. The kingdom of MACEDON, whose rise was followed by so great events under the emperor Alexander, was founded about the time when Isaiah began his prophetic life (B. C. 814), by Caranus. CARTHAGE had been founded about a half a century before (B. C. 869); and ROME was founded during his life, B. C. 753. SYRACUSE was buil tby Archias of Corinth, during his life, B. C. 769. It is of some importance in recollecting the events of ancient history to group them together, and some advantage may be derived to the student from connecting these events with the name and life of Isaiah.

The following tables, copied mainly from Jahn's Biblical Archaeology, will give a correct view of the principal chronological events in the time of Isaiah, and may be of use in the correct understanding of his prophecies.

§ 4. DIVISIONS OF ISAIAH.

Various modes of classifying the prophecies of Isaiah have been proposed in order to present them in the most lucid ana clear manner. Gesenius divides the whole into four parts, exclusive of the historical portion (ch. xxxvi.—xxxix.) ;—the first, comprising ch. i.-xii.; the second, ch. xiii.-xxiii. ; the third, ch. xxiv.-xxxv. ; and the fourth, ch. xl.-lxvi. Horne proposes the following division: Part I. ch. i.—v. ; II. ch. vii.-xii. ; III. ch. xiii.-xxiv.; IV. ch. xxiv.-xxxiii.; V. ch. xxxvi.-xxxix.; VI. ch. xl.-lxvi. See his Introduction, vol. ii. 157 seq. Vitringa divides the book into the following portions.

I. PPOPHETIC.

(1.) Five prophetic addresses directly to the Jews, including the Ephraimites, reprehending, denouncing, and accusing them, ch. i.-xii.

(2.) Eight addresses or prophetic discourses, in which the destiny of foreign nations is foretold, particularly the destiny of Babylon, Philistia, Moab, Syria, Assyria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Arabia and Tyre, ch. xiii.-xxiii.

(3.) Penal judgments against the Jews and their foes, with ample promises of the final preservation and future prosperity of the Jews, ch. xxiv.-xxxvi.

(4.) Four consolatory addresses, respecting the coming of the Messiah, and particularly describing the events which would be introductory to it; especially the liberation from the captivity at Babylon, ch. xl.-xlix.

(5.) A description of the coming and work of the Messiah-his person, his doctrines, his death, and the success of the gospel and its final triumph, cù. xlix.-lxvi.

II. HISTORIC. The events recorded in ch. xxxvi.-xxxix.

The natural and obvious division of Isaiah is into two parts, the first of which closes with the xxxixth chapter, and the latter of which comprises the remainder of the book (xl.-lxvi). In this division the latter portion is regarded as substantially a continuous prophecy, or an unbroken oracle or vision, relating to far distant events, and having little reference to existing things at the time when Isaiah lived, except the implied censures which are passed on the idolatry of the Jews in the time of Manasseh. The main drift and scope, however, is to portray events to come-the certain deliverance of the Jews from the bondage in Babylon, and the higher deliverance of the world under the Messiah, of which the former was the suggester and the emblem.

The former part (ch. i.—xxxix.) comprises a collection of independent prophecies and writings composed at various periods during the public ministry of the prophet, and designed to produce an immediate effect on the morals, the piety, the faith, and the welfare of the nation. The general drift is, that Jerusalem was secure; that the kingdom of God on earth could not be destroyed; that however much his people might be subjected to punishment for their sins, and how

ever long and grievous might be their calamities, and however migh. their foes, yet that the kingdom of God could not be overturned, and nis promises set at nought. Hence in all the predictions of judgment and calamity; in all the reproofs for crime, idolatry, and sin; there is usually found a saring clause-an assurance that the people of God would finally triumph, and be secure. And hence so large a portion of this division of the book is occupied with a prophetic statement of the entire and utter overthrow of the formidable states, nations, and cities with which they had been so often engaged in war, and which were so decidedly hostile to the Jews. The prophet, therefore, goes over in detail these cities and nations, and depicts successively the destruction of the Assyrians, of Babylon, Tyre, Moab, Damascus, Edom, &c., until he comes to the triumphant conclusion in ch. xxxv. that ALL the enemies of the people of God would be destroyed, and his kingdom be established on an imperishable basis under the Messiah. See Notes on ch. xxxv. This is the scope of this part of the prophecy; and this is the reason why there is such fearful denunciation of surrounding nations. In the course of the predictions, however there are frequent reproofs of the Jews for their sins, and solemn warnings and assurances of judgment against them; but there is the uniform assurance that they should be delivered, as a people, from all bondage and calamity, and be restored to ultimate freedom and prosperity.

This part of the book comprises the prophecies which were uttered during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. See § 3. For convenience it may be divided in the following manner:

FIRST. Independent prophecies, relating to Judah and Israel, ch. 1-xii. These are seven in number.

I. Reproof of national crimes, ch. i.
II. JUDAH, its sins, ch. ii. iii. iv.
III. JUDAH, a vineyard, ch. v.
IV. VISION OF JEHOVAH, ch. vi.

V. AHAZ; impending calamity; prediction of the birth and character of the Messiah, ch. vii. viii. ix. 1-7.

VI. SAMARIA, ch. ix. 8—21. x. 1—4.

VII. SENNACHERIB; deliverance from him; advent and work of the Messiah, x. 5-34. xi. xii.

SECOND. Independent prophecies, mainly relating to surrounding nations which had been regarded as hostile to the Jews, or which were their natural enemies, or which for their sins were to be cut off to make way for the introduction and permanent establishment of the kingdom of God, ch. xiii.-xxiii. These prophecies are fourteen in number, and relate to the following kingdoms and people.

VIII. BABYLON, ch. xiii. xiv. 1-27.

IX. PHILISTIA, ch. xiv. 28-32.

X. MOAB, ch. xv. xvi.

XI. DAMASCUS, ch. xvii. 1-11.

XII. SENNACHERIB, ch. xvii. 12-24.
XIII. NUBIA, or ETHIOPIA, ch. xviii.

XIV. EGYPT, ch. xix.

XVI. The destruction of BABYLON, c)

XV. EGYPT and ASSYRIA, ch. xx.

XVII. DUMAH or IDUMEA, ch. xxi. 11.
XVIII. ARABIA, ch. xxi. 13-17.

1. 1-10.

XIX. JERUSALEM, when about to be esieged by Sennacherib, ch. xxii. 1-14.

XX. The fall of SHEBNA, and the ] omotion of ELIAKIM, ch. xxii. 15-25.

XXI. TYRE, ch. xxiii.

THIRD. Independent prophecies, lating mainly to the times of Hezekiah, and to the prospect of the syrian invasion under Sennacherib; with a statement of the ultimate safety of the people of God, and the overthrow of all their enemies, ch. xxiv.-xxxv. These prophecies are eight in number, and relate to the following events.

XXII. Desolation of the land of JUDEA, its delivery and triumph, ch. xxiv.-xxvii.

XXIII. EPHRAIM to be destroyed, and JUDAH preserved, ch. xxviii.
XXIV. The siege and deliverance of Jerusalem, ch. xxix.
XXV. An alliance with Egypt condemned, ch. xxx.

XXVI. Denunciation on account of the contemplated alliance with Egypt, ch. xxxi.

XXVII. The virtuous and yet unsuccessful reign of Hezekiah, ch. xxxii.

XXVIII. The destruction of the ASSYRIAN ARMY, ch. xxxiii. XXIX. The destruction of EDOM, and of all the enemies of God, and the final triumph and security of the people, chs. xxxiv. xxxv.

FOURTH. The historical portion (chs. xxxvi.-xxxix.), relating to the destruction of Sennacherib, and the sickness and recovery of Hezekiah.

One great cause of the difficulty of understanding Isaiah arises from the manner in which the division into CHAPTERS has been made. This division is known to be of recent origin, and is of no authority whatever. It was first adopted by Cardinal Hugo in the 13th century, who wrote a celebrated commentary on the Scriptures. He divided the Latin Vulgate into chapters nearly the same as those which now exist in the English version. These chapters he divided into smaller sections by placing the letters A, B, C, &c., at equal distances from each other in the margin. The division into verses is of still later origin. It was made by Stephens on a journey from Lyons to Paris in 1551, and was first used in his edition of the New Testament. The Jews formerly divided the books of the Old Testament into greater and smaller sections.

It is obvious that these divisions are of no authority; and it is as obvious that they were most injudiciously made. A simple glance at Isaiah will show that prophecies have been divided in many instances which should have been retained in the same chapter; and that prophecies, and parts of prophecies, have been thrown into the same chapter which should have been kept distinct. It is not usually difficult to