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"And it shall be in that day, faith the LOR: of hofts, I will break his yoke from off th neck, and thy bands will I burst afunder and strangers shall no more make (thee) ferv with it: But they fhall ferve the LORI their God, and David. their king, whom will raise up for them.' for them." In these verfes

the Prophet has informed us of two import First, that they will no mor

ant events.

refers

* That is, with the yoke; for the pronoun to the antecedent fubftantive affix by bis yoke: the yoke which the nations had laid upon Jacob; but by no means does it refer to Jacob himself. I must farther observe, that in this verse, as well as verfe roth. Jacob is addressed in the second person; as the Chaldee paraphrast Jonathan, and all the Jewish Commentators, have understood it; and as the authors of the present English version, have justly tranflated it: Though Dr. Blaney in the true fpirit, of the SCRIPCORRECTING MANIAE, which (as I have already mentioned, Vol. ft. page. 277. Note) has for fome few years back, fo violently affected the Authors of the New and Metrical tranflations of the prophetic writings; is determined

TURE

.ומוסרתיך and צוארך for ומוסרתיו and צוארו on reading

because, forfooth, "the coilated MSS, afford several inftances of this mistake of for 1." See his Note on the paffage, in his New tranflation. This is criticism with a vengeance and the writers of thofe manuscripts, muft have been equally well acquainted with the Sacred Language, as their Collators feem to be. But enough of this at prefent, as I mean to treat at large of the whole fcheme; as mentioned page. 26. Note.

fin

fin against their God, Second, that they will not any more rebel against the house of David; but will dutifully fubmit to the government of the Meffiah; the king whom God will raise up for them.

And; as the redemption was not to take place till after a long period of time; the Prophet obferves, verfe 10th. "Therefore, fear thou not, O my fervant Jacob, faith the LORD; and be thou not dismayed, O Ifrael; for, behold, I will fave thee from afar." This does not denote diftant countries, as the generality of Commentators have understood it; but properly denotes a remote period of time; as in chap. xxxi. ver. 3d. and as if the Prophet hereby informed them, that the redemption would not be to those that were carried captive; but to their pofterity: as he obferves prefently after, "And thy feed from the land of their captivity:" He farther informs us, that after they are redeemed: they shall no more be terrified with wars, or any other calamity, as in the latter member of the verfe. "And Jacob fhall return, and fhall be at reft; he shall also be wholly at eafe, and (there) fhall (be) none (to) make (him) afraid."

In verse 11th, The Prophet mentions t reafon, why none will make them afrai "For I (am) with thee, faith the LORD, fave thee; though I fhall make a full end all the nations, whither I have dispersed the yet will I not make a full end of thee, but will correct thee in measure; and will n altogether confume thee.”

The Prophet then proceeds to speak the great fufferings and miferable affliction of the nation, ver. 12th. &c. "For thu faith the LORD, Thy bruife (is) defperate thy wound (is) grievous. (There is) non that Judgeth thy cafe to be curable; (and therefore,) no healing medecines are applie to thee." This figurative description of the dreadful ftate of the nation, is truly pathetic, and withal carries with it the most manifef proof of the truth and verity of prophecy; as it has been so exactly fulfilled in every particular: indeed, their wound is fo defperate, that it is deemed incurable; so that no one even attempts a cure for them. They have been fo dreadfully perfecuted, maffacred, and deftroyed by thousands and tens of thousands ; and have continued fo many hundred years in captivity, that they almost despair of ever be

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ing redeemed nay, fo defperate is their cafe,
that their friends confider them as already
dead; and therefore, verfe 14th.
"All thy
friends have forgotten thee, they feek not after
thee." And I muft acknowledge, fays the
Prophet, that they have drawn a very just
conclufion of the state of thy cafe, according to
all human appearance; "For with the stroke
of an enemy have I fmitten thee; a fevere chaf-
tisement:" But this was, "Because thy ini-
quity (was) abundant, (and) thy fins were
numerous.' And therefore, "Why crieft
thou because of thy bruife, (and that) thy
suffering is without remedy? (Since it is)
because thy iniquity (was) abundant, (and)
thy fins were numerous, have I done these
things unto thee. Nevertheless, all they
that devour thee, fhall be devoured, and all
thine enemies, fhall all of them go into сар-
tivity; and they that spoil thee shall become
a spoil, and all them that plunder thee will
I give up to plunder. For I will restore
health unto thee, faith the LORD; although
they have called thee an Outcast; Zion,
fhe whom no one feeketh after," Although
the nations have confidered thee as irrecover-
ably loft; and that there was no help for

thee

thee from God: yet, will I by my partic lar providential care reftore thee; after thy friends have despaired of thy cure.

The Prophet having thus fpoken of t redemption of the nation, under the figu of the cure of a perfon, whofe recover was despaired of; he now proceeds to ex plain the figure, verfe 18th. &c. "Thu faith the LORD; Behold, I will reverse th captivity of Jacob's tents, and upon hi dwelling places will I have compaffion: an the city* shall be builded upon its heap, and the palace fhall be re-establifhed upon it (former) plan. And out of them shall g forth thanksgiving, and the voice of them that are joyous;" For they will return thanks to God, for their deliverance, and the redemption of their fouls. And, although they are greatly diminished during the captivity; fo that they remain but as two or three berries on the top of the uppermoft bough: yet, fhall they then increase exceedingly, as is faid, "And I will multiply them, and they shall not be diminished." And, as

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