admit of another interpretation. Almost every nation anciently had their fanctuaries, as well as their altars and gods, fo that Moab might also have a fanctuary. Having betaken themselves without fuccefs to the altar, and there in vain invoked their idols, they would enter into the principal fanctuary or temple, wherein was placed the image of their god Chemofh, and there pour out prayers to him for afiftance and deliverance. But they fhall not prevail. This expedient was not to be attended with any good effect, nor were they to obtain by it any valuable advantage. This was the laft fhift of the Moabites, when conflicting with various calamities; they cried to their god for that relief which they could not obtain. Thus did they experience the vanity of their foolish and abfurd fuperftition, and the utter infufficiency of their idols to deliver them from mifery.--In the temper and conduct of Moab, we fee a lively image of our own foolish temper and conduct. The Lord God, by his fervants, hath denounced the most awful threatenings against us, as the juft defert of our tranfgreffions, the execution of which fhall be followed with weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. That we may efcape thofe terrible judgments to which we have exposed ourfelves, he hath been graciously pleased to give us the most falutary advices, pointing out how we may avoid deferved calamities, and become his faithful fubjects, whose throne is established in mercy. By defpifing his good counfel, we fhall incur the dreadful effects of his difpleasure, from which human wifdom and power cannot poffibly extricate us. Let us then learn inftruction from the obftinacy and pride of Moab, and diligently beware that we harden not our hearts against his fear, nor reject his counfel against ourfelves. Hear inftruction, be wife, and refuse it

' not.'

13 This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning Moab fince that time.

The

The prophecy concludes with a folemn affurance of its divine authority, and certain accomplishment within a limited time. This which you have now heard, is the difcourfe which Ifaiah delivered concerning the defolation of Moab. This, faith he, is the word that the Lord hath spoken; the true fayings of God, and not of man, and therefore they fhall certainly be fulfilled in their feafon. God is not a man, that he should lie, nor the fon of man, that he should repent: hath he faid, and fhall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and fhall he not 'make it good. .Behold, I have received commandment to fpeak; and he hath spoken, and I cannot reverse it. He abideth faithful; he cannot deny himself: the united oppofition of earth and hell cannot frustrate his defigns, nor prevent him from executing his promises and threatenings. This much the Lord fpake concerning Moab long ago, or fince the time in which that people became the fubject of prophecy. Or the words may be rendered, This is that word which the Lord then fpake concerning Moab; namely, in the year King Ahaz died. According to this interpretation, the expreffion may ferve to ascertain the date of this prophecy, which hath the time of its accomplishment fixed in the following verfe.

14 But now the LORD hath spoken, faying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab fhall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant ball be very small and feeble.

At the time wherein God was pleased to reveal his mind to our prophet, he thus fpake, Within three years, as the years of an bireling, &c. The words may denote, that from the time of the delivery, until the

VOL. II.

Numb. xxiii. 19, 20.

fulfilment

fulfilment of the prophecy, was to be exactly three years; or, that from the period in which the accomplishment of the predictions commenced, until all the glory of Moab fhould be treated with contempt, was to be precisely three years.As the years of an hireling, who labours, during a fet time, for a ftipulated reward. As foon as the time agreed upon is expired, which is commonly reckoned with the greatest accuracy, and his engagements are performed, his wages are demanded. The years of an hireling are often troublesome and vexatious, through the toil, wearinefs, and forrow, which he is obliged to endure. By this fimilitude, therefore, is reprefented the affliction and diftrefs to which the Moabites were to be fubjected during this period, and the precife length of time which was to elapfe, from the delivery to the accomplishment of the prophecy, when-The glory of Moab fhall be contemned, with all that great multitude, &c. The glory and multitude of Moab, confifted in the strength and number of their cities, their inhabitants, and their foldiers, with all the riches and opulence whereof they boafted. All their ftrength and magnificence were foon to be confidered as infignificant, and despised by the armies which were to attack, invade, and conquer them.-And the remnant fhall be very small and feeble. The few who were to escape the general devaftation, deprived of their wealth, driven from their habitations, and enfeebled by fatigue and hardships, were to become weak and languid.This prophecy having been published, according to my fuppofition, at the fame time with the former, in the year king Ahaz died, when the Jews much needed the friendly offices of the Moabites, it must have been fulfilled in the third year of Hezekiah's reign, after the death of his father, when Salmanezer, king of Affyria, went on an expedition against the Ephraimites, affaulted the Moabites, and deftroyed their cities. Being fo closely connected with the speedy accomplishment which it received, it would

would afford a striking proof of the divine infpiration of our prophet to his cotemporaries, who attended to predictions, and their correfponding events. To us who enjoy the evidence for the truth of divine revelation, which, instead of being diminished through length of time, is daily increasing, every new accomplishment of prophecy gives a new atteftation to its facred authority, and ought to confirm our faith in what is therein declared.

PRELIMI

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

THE

HE fourth difcourfe contained in the fecond part of these prophecies, is recorded in this and the following chapter. In the chapter now before us, the prophet treats of the future fortunes of the Sy. rians, who were joined in alliance with Ephraim, for the purpose of invading Judah, and befieging Jerufalem. He fhews, that, ere long, Damafcus, which was the capital of Syria, fhould be totally destroyed, and the kingdom, of which it was the metropolis, fhould be abolished.That, at the fame time, the kingdom of Ephraim was, by a great defeat, to be deprived of its ftrength and beauty. To thefe predictions are fubjoined a noble defcription of the formidable invafion, and fudden overthrow of Sennacherib, king of Affyria, exactly correfponding with the event.By this prophecy, the Almighty hath clearly fhewn, that all those, however powerful they may be, who endea vour to vex and injure his people, fhall, in the end, be disappointed, and fuffer his righteous vengeance.The whole discourse may be diftributed into four parts. The first announces the fixed determination of the Moft High respecting Damafcus, ver. 1. 2, 3. The second declares the decree which he had formed concerning the Ephraimites, ver. 4.-11. The third unfolds his purpose as to the Affyrians, ver. 12, 13, 14. The last foretels the overthrow of the Affyrian army, chap. xviii. which is ordered to be published to the whole world.

CHAP. XVII.

THE burden of Damascus. Behold, Damafcus is taken away from being a city, and

it fhall be a ruinous heap.

Damafcus,