remind them of that hymn. And although the occasion on which it
was sung did not altogether correspond, it must be borne in mind, that
in this hymn (compare ver. 12 ff.) the passing through the Red Sea is
represented as a preparatory step, and as prefiguring the occupation of
Canaan--the latter being contained in it as in a germ. It is, moreover,
self-evident that the essential fundamental thought is [Pg 266] only
that of the cordial and deep gratitude of the redeemed,--that the form
only is borrowed from the previous manifestation of this thankfulness.
An image altogether similar, and arising from the same cause, is found
in Is. xii. also, where the reference to Moses' hymn of thanks is
manifested by employing the very words; and likewise in Is. xxvi.; and,
further, in Hab. iii. and Rev. xv. 3.--[Hebrew: imi] and [Hebrew: ivM]
are Nominatives, not Accusatives; which latter could not be made use of
here, because the discourse is not of an action extending through the
whole period, but of one happening at a particular point of that
period. The comparison is here also merely intimated, because the
_tertium comparationis_ is abundantly evident from what precedes: "As
the days of her youth," instead of, "As she once answered in the days
of her youth."

Ver. 18. "_And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, thou shalt call
Me, My husband, and shall call Me no more, My Baal._"

The full performance of her duties corresponds with the full admission
to her rights. The prophet expresses this thought, by announcing the
removal of the two forms in which the apostasy of the people from the
true God--the violation of the marriage-covenant which rested on
exclusiveness--was at that time manifested. One of these was the mixing
up of the religion of Jehovah with heathenism, according to which they
called the true God "Baal," and worshipped Him as Baal; the other was
still grosser--was pure idolatry. The abolition of the former (compare
above, p. 176 f.) is predicted in this verse; the abolition of the
latter, in the verse following. Both are in a similar way placed beside
each other in Zech. xiv. 9: "In that day shall there be one Lord,
and His name one;" where the first clause refers to the abolition
of polytheism, and the second to the abolition of the mixing of
religion--of the hidden apostasy--which, without venturing to forsake
the true God entirely and openly, endeavours to mix up and identify Him
with the world. To the fundame