the east to be such delicacies as to be emblematic of peace. And the land that thou abhorrest, &c. is rendered by the same learned translator," the land shall “become desolate" (or rather I think it should be, quitted, or, be left, *) "by whose "two kings thou art distressed." The meaning of the passage then, as connected with the beginning of the next chapter, which is a part of this prophecy and spoken at the same time, appears to me to be this. "O house of David, (for it was to the house of David that this sign was particularly addressed) God himself shall give you a sign, both of the ac

* XalaheiQ@noelai, LXX. Relinquetur, Tremell. et Jun. Derelinquetur, Vul.

+ But a very sound, and learned critic, Mr. Granville Sharpe considers this prophecy as referring to the dissolution of the Jewish governments. "It will appear upon "the whole that the land of Israel, including Judah "(being the land which Ahaz vexed) was forsaken of "both her kings, or regal governments, before the child "Immanuel could know to refuse the evil and choose the "good."

See "Remarks on several prophecies" by G. 1768.

Sharpe.

complishment

complishment of his former promises to David, and of present deliverance. As to the first of these, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Im manuel; that is, "God with us;" God dwelling with man, and in the form of man. And as to the second, ch. viii. ver. 1, &c. a child shall be born unto thee, (the prophet) whom thou shalt call Mahershalal-hash-baz, that is, " haste' to the "spoil, quick to the prey." He shall live in peace and plenty when he arrives at that time of life when he can discern good from evil; for before that time the two kings Rezin and Pekah, whose invasion now distresses you, shall quit your land, and be conquered by the king of Assyria. The great difficulty arises from the blending of these two signs, but this was very usual in prophecy, and in this, as well as in other instances, was probably better understood by those to whom it was addressed than it is by us. Part of the prophecy was applicable both to Christ and to Isaiah's son. Christ was born in profound peace, and in that sense

1

fed on butter and honey; and if the two kings, as applied to his times, may mean those of Israel and Judah, (as that emi nent christian interpreter Granville Sharp thinks they do) the monarchies of both those countries were certainly abolished before Christ was born, though the sceptre, e. the goverment, was not then departed from Judah.

If we consider the general expectation at this time prevalent among the Jews, that God would deliver them by the son of David, it will perhaps enable us to comprehend the prophet's meaning more easily. We are told in ch. vii. ver. 2, that the heart of Ahaz was moved, and the heart of his people as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. It may therefore be supposed that the king and his people, terrified at this formidable invasion, said to each other, 66 are these the promised "mercies of God; is it in this manner "that the horn of David is to flourish? lo,

our kingdom is about to be destroyed; "Jerusalem is besieged, and the Messiah, "the Redeemer, the seed of David comes

❝. not."

"not." The prophet then was sent with a double message to assure them for the present, that before his own child not then conceived, (ch. viii. ver. 3.) should know good from evil, or have knowledge to cry, my father and my mother, they should be delivered from their enemies; and that hereafter the promised divine Redeemer should certainly come and be born of a virgin. And to this future and distant promise, which would naturally make the deeper impression on their minds as they saw the nearer one actually fulfilled, it is thought that Micah alluded, (who had before quoted from Isaiah) when he says, ch. v. ver. 3, therefore will he give them up, that is, will deliver them into the hands of their enemies, until the time that the which travaileth hath brought forth.

Such appears to me the meaning of this remarkable prophecy; but whether it is rightly explained or not, still one thing is certain, that it actually does relate to Christ. For in speaking of his birth, St. Matthew applies it to him in his first chapter, by quoting it in the very words.

a

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words. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted, is God with us. And though. perhaps some of the references to the Old Testament which are made in the New, which are introduced with that it might be fulfilled, are merely accommodations, (or passages nearly similar, and applications of one part of scripture to another) and do not mean that the original prophecy foretold, or related to, such event; yet in the present instance that cannot be the case; for neither Maher-shalal-hash-baz, nor any other child but Jesus was ever

*It is not meant that he was to be called, or known by the appellation of Emmanuel! but that, word is used as descriptive of the dignity and divinity of his person, as the word Messiah, or Christ (the anointed) is of his royal, sacerdotal and prophetic office, in all which it was neces sary to be anointed. (See Godwyn's Moses and Aaron.") His personal name was Jesus, that is, Saviour, for he shall save his people from their sins. Matt. i.

21.

born