ens their
darkness; but this self-created light consumes them.--To _gird_ stands
for, "to surround one's self with a girdle," "to put on a girdle." In
substance it is equivalent "to provide one's self with it."--The
[Greek: hapax legomenon] [Hebrew: ziqvt] cannot with certainty be
explained from the dialects. The connection and parallelism are in
favour of the signification "sparks," "flames," which is found as early
as in the Septuagint ( [Greek: phloga]), and Vulg. (_flammas_). In
Syriac [Hebrew: ziqa] has the signification "lightning." Those who
explain it by "fiery darts" are not at liberty to refer it to the
[Hebrew: zqiM] in Prov. xxvi. 18. The signification "flames" (not
"sparks," as _Stier_ holds), is, in that passage, quite suitable;
simple arrows could there not be mentioned after the fiery darts
without making the discourse feeble.--[Hebrew: lki] "walk ye," is
equivalent to: "ye shall walk," yet with an intimation of the fact that
this result, as we are immediately afterwards expressly told, proceeds
from the speaker: _sic volo, sic jubeo._ The words: "From mine hand is
this to you," are, by those who make the Prophet the subject of this
prediction, supposed to be spoken by Jehovah. But throughout the whole
section, the Lord is always only spoken of, and never appears as
speaking. The words are in harmony with the exalted dignity which,
elsewhere also, is attributed by the Prophet to the Servant of God who
plants the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, chap. li. 16;
whose mouth the Lord makes like a sharp sword, chap. xlix. 2; who is
the personal salvation, the Saviour for the whole earth, chap. xlix. 6;
and the embodied Covenant for the covenant-people, chaps. xlii. 6;
xlix. 8. The last passages, especially, are of no small importance. The
saving and judging activity go hand in hand, and cannot be separated.
We have here thus the Old Testament beginnings and preparation for the
doctrine of the New Testament, that the Father has given all judgment
to the Son, The Servant of God, in the highest sense, is Lord and judge
of the fellow servants.--The [Hebrew: l] in [Hebrew: lmecbh] serves for
designating the condition: so that you belong to pain, [Hebrew: wkb]
occurs in [Pg 257] chap. xliii. 17 of the Egyptians lying down; comp.
Ps. xli. 9: "He that _lieth_ shall rise up no more." In the
announcement that Israel's attempt to help themselves would turn out to
their destruction, the Song of Solomon, in ch