A very large quantity of the precious metals is found in the hands of the Israelites while yet in the desert. See Numbers vii. (comp. Genesis xiii. 2; xxiv. 22), the silver chargers mentioned in which place may find illustration in the preceding cu. Equally was the quantity very great which was used I in Solomon's temple (1 Chron. xxii. 14; xxix. 4). Among other Asiatic nations, e. g., the Persians, there anciently existed an extraordinary amount of silver and gold in utensils and ornaments, whence we are justified in the conclusion that the supply was great.

Instruments of various metals are mentioned in the Old Testament as made from iron-axes (Deut. xix. 5. 2 Kings vi. 5; in the original, iron'), saws (2 Sam. xii. 31), chisels (Deut. xxvii. 5), pans (Ezek. iv. 3), weapons (1 Sam. xvii. 7), bedsteads (Deut. iii. 11), and chariots (Josh. xvii. 16. Judg. i. 19); from copper or brass, utensils of all kinds (Lev. vi. 28. Numb. xvi. 39. 2 Chron. iv. 16. Ezra viii. 27), also armour and arms (1 Sam. xvii. 5, 16, 38. 2 Samuel xxi. 16), chains (Judg. xvi. 21), and mirrors (Exod. Xxxviii. 8). The larger objects were cast; also pillars which were employed for architectural decoration (1 Kings vii. 15, seq). In Solomon's time, the skill for this operation was obtained in Phoenicia (14); from gold and silver were made ornaments of va

and silver presented by Sethos to Amoun, at Karnak, as fruits of campaigns against the Canaanites. Comp. Joshua vi. 19. Images of false gods were made of silver (Is. ii. 20. Acts xvii. 29; comp. xix. 24), which were often overlaid with gold. Of lead were made weights and measures (Amos vii. 7. Zech. v. 7, 8). As workers in metals we find in the Bible the ironsmith (Isaiah xliv. 12), the brazier (1 Kings vii. 14), the gold and silversmith (Judg. xvii. 4. Mal. iii. 2), artificers who are traced back to Tubal-Cain as the original instructor in brass and iron (Gen. iv. 22). The fabricators of weapons and other utensils of iron and brass were commonly carried away by conquerors, for the purpose of disabling the conquered from rising against their oppressors (2 Kings xxiv. 14, 16. Jerem. xxiv. 1; xxix. 2; comp. 1 Sam. xiii. 19). As money, gold was used by weight in David's time (1 Chron. xxi. 25). The use of gold in weaving may be traced to the earliest times, but seems to be particularly characteristic of Oriental manners. It was, with woollen and linen thread of the finest colours, employed to enrich the ephod the girdle, and the breastplate of Aaron (Exodus xxviii. 5-8, 15; xxxix. 2-8). The ornamental silks of the Chinese are to the present day manufactured in the manner described by the sacred historian. Comp. Ps. xlv. 13. According to Josephus, the 'royal apparel' of Herod (Acts xii. 21) was a tunic all made of silver, and wonderful in its texture.'

ISAAC (H. laughter; A. M. 3285, A. C. 2263, V. 1896), the second of the three great forefathers of the Israelites born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age, in agreement with the divine promise (Gen. xv. 4; xvii. 17-19; xxi. 2-8) His birth occasioned the expulsion from the family of Ishmael, his half-brother, on which Isaac became the sole heir of his father's rights and property (xxi. 10, seq.; xxv. 5, seq.; comp. Gal. iv. 28, 30). In this position, and as the child of many hopes, Isaac was specially dear to Abraham, whose faith was in consequence sorely tried when he found himself called to offer his only son as a burnt-offering. The youth was spared, for a willing mind' was what the Divine Being required; and his trust in God and readiness to sacrifice his most valued possession, in obeying the will of Him by whom it had been given, were clearly attested by the preparations made by Isaac for the oblation (Genesis xxii. 2, seq. Heb. xi. 11, 17-19. Rom. viii. 32. James ii. 21).

In the fortieth year of his age, Isaac married his relative Rebekah, who, after twenty years of sterility, bore him the twins Esau and Jacob (xxv. 19-26). Isaac led a herdsman's life, which in those early days was often exposed to dearth of food. Hunger led him to Gerar, on the southwestern border or Canaan, where, fearing

that, according to the custom of Eastern despots, his wife, being beautiful, might be taken into the king's harem, he gave it out that she was his sister, and so afforded another proof that the best characters of the Bible were not intended to be considered faultless. In this case, as always, falsehood begot difficulties. The patriarch returned to Beersheba (Gen. xxvi.). When in old age he had become blind, he was misled, under his wife's direction, to confer on Jacob that paternal blessing which of right belonged to Esau, and which had the effect of a modern testamentary bequest. This mistake he bewailed and did his best to repair. The family peace was, however, broken up. Rebekah was punished in being deprived of the presence of her favourite child, who, after years of hardship and captivity, returned to bury his father at the advanced age of 180 years (xxv. xxvii. xxviii. xxxi. xxxv. 27; xlix. 31). The promises made of God to Abraham were confirmed to Isaac (xxvi. 1-5; xxii. 16).

While neither of the children of Abraham will bear a comparison with their father, who offers the beau ideal of the patriarchal character, Isaac is the least interesting, presenting few prominent characteristic features. He for the most part led a tranquil life, spent in pastoral pursuits, and in the enjoyment of that peace which the even tenor of his way guaranteed, on the sunny uplands and fruitful vales of Southern Palestine. The warmth of his paternal affections and the pastoral richness of his imagination appear in relief in the well-written narrative that describes the purloining from him of the birthright, and its immediate unhappy consequences. A fine, impressive, but painful picture is presented in the blind old, grey-haired man, dealing as he may with a treacherous wife, his high-spirited first-boru, Esau, and his supple and successful younger son, Jacob.

ISAIAH (H. help of Jehovah), the celebrated prophet, was the son of Amoz, considered by some identical with the prophet Amos. So little is known of the events of Isaiah's life, that his name is scarcely more than a representative of his writings, which, however, are so multifarious and sublime as to afford a good compensation for the loss of any mere outward repute. It is remarkable that a man whose influence must in his day have been very great, should have left of himself in the Hebrew annals only scattered and imperfect notices. Fully as much, however, is known of Isaiah as of Homer, with whom in other respects the Hebrew poet has been compared. According to the few prefatory words which introduce his writings in our Bibles, Isaiah exercised his prophetic office in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah (i. 1; vi. 18). From vi. 1 compared with vii. 1, it has been interred that he did not

begin his work till the year that king Uzziah died (A. M. 4796, A. C. 752, V. 758); and as he appears to have been alive in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah (xxxvi. 1), his public ministry lasted for about half a century. With a view, probably, to command attention and give effect to his teachings, he was, as would appear, accustomed to wear mean, unsightly, and uncomfortable clothing (xx. 2). Jerusalem seems to have been his ordinary place of abode. He was probably twice married. By his first wife he had a son (vii. 3), who was called Shear-jashub (the remainder will turn). His second wife (vii. 14), called also the prophetess' (viii. 3), bore him another son, to whom was given the symbolical name of Maher-shalal-hashJaz (hasten the booty! quick to the prey!), as indicative that before the child should be old enough to call his parents by their name, the enemies of Judah, namely Syria and Samaria, should be vanquished and plundered. Another name (Immanuel) was given to the child, but looks far beyond him to a greater child and greater deliverance (viii. 8, 10, 18).

Isaiah's religious instructions were addressed chiefly to Judah and Jerusalem, yet he turned his prophetic eye on neighbouring lands. Under Jotham, whose reign was in general prosperous, Isaiah had little other duty than to enforce moral princi. ples. The weakness and idolatry of Ahaz called forth greater exertions from the prophet, who manifests political wisdom and zeal. Chiefly, however, in the first half of Hezekiah's reign did he employ his now mature powers for the high religious, moral, and political ends which it was the aim of his life to promote. A diversely related tradition makes him to have suffered a death of violence under Manasseh (698-643).

Besides his religious and political writings, designated prophecies, Isaiah wrote a biography of Uzziah (2 Chron. xxvi. 22) and of Hezekiah (xxxii. 32; comp. Is. xxxvi.xxxix.). Psalms xlvi. and lxxvi. have been ascribed to him; comp. Is. xxxiii. Supposing Isaiah to have been only twenty years of age when he was called to the prophetic office, and that he wrote the life of Hezekiah, he could not have died before the 83rd year of his age.

Deservedly has Isaiah been held in high estimation. Jerome and Luther compare his style with the qualities of the eagle. Grotius considers him the Demosthenes of the Bible. The statement of Josephus, that Cyrus by reading his oracles was induced to set the Jews at liberty, shows the repute in which they stood. Eusebius terms Isaiah the great and wonderful prophet.' Jerome remarks, he is to be called an evangelist rather than a prophet. For so clearly has he discoursed of the great mysteries of Christ and the Church, that you think not that he

is predicting the future, but weaving a history of the past. He seems to me to have composed not a prophecy, but a gospel. Augustin also: Isaiah, among the misdeeds which he reproves, the just acts that he enjoins, and the future suffering of sinners that he foretels, has prophesied much more than others respecting Christ and the church, that is, of the king and of that state which he founded.'

In sacred Scripture also are testimonies to Isaiah's worth and authority. The historical books, which only seldom mention the prophets, speak of Isaiah (2 Kings xix. 2, 20; xx. 1. 2 Chronicles xxxii. 20). In the New Testament appeal is often made to his writings and testimony (Matt. i. 23; iii. 3. Luke iv. 17. John xii. 39, 41. Acts viii. 28. Rom. ix. 27; xv. 12).

The

ISAIAH, THE BOOK OF THE PRO PHET, may in regard to its contents be divided into two very dissimilar parts. first, containing i.-xxxix., is chiefly occupied with the present and the immediate future; most of its prophecies are directed against the kingdom of Judah or foreign nations. The former have reference partly to the political dangers which threatened that kingdom under Jotham and Ahaz, arising from the confederated Israelites and Syrians, and at a later period, specially under Hezekiah, from the Assyrians; partly to the growing moral laxity of the people and their governors, which precluded the hope of 'better things to come,' and held out only an increasing severity of divine punishment. Isaiah's main effort lay in this-on one side, to keep the monarch and his subjects from all steps contrary to the theocratical constitution, for instance, from alliances with foreign states (vii. 11–20; xxx. 2—7; xxxi. 1—5), and from undue reliance on martial resources and human help (ii. 6, seq.; ix. 8, seq.; xxii. 8, seq.), and to encourage them to place a calm reliance on the arm of Jehovah, who would not fail to succour his true worshippers (vii. 9; viii. 13, seq.); on the other side, to enforce with all earnestness the faithful service of Jehovah, and to oppose religious externality (i. 2, 17; xxix. 13, 14), avarice and love of splendour (v. 8-10; ix. 9; x. 2), oppression and fraud (i. 21—23; iii. 14, 15; v. 23; x. 1, 2), excess and idolatry (i. 2-4; ii. 6-8; iii. 16-26; v. 11, 22; xxx. 22; xxxi. 7). In the pursuit of his object, the prophet draws a very dark picture of the moral and religious condition of the people of Judah; showing by implica tion what need they had of a voice of stern and faithful warning, and how certain was their course downwards to national ruin.

Threatenings are uttered against foreign peoples, as the Babylonians (xiii. xiv. xxi. 1-10), the Assyrians (x. 5, seq.; xiv. 4—27), the Philistines (xiv. 28-32), the Moabites (xv. xvi.), the Syrians (xvii.), the Egyptians

xvii. 12, seq.; xviii. xix.), the Tyrians (xxiii.): who, though in part employed as instruments in God's hand for punishing his people, are themselves to be punished in consequence of their enmity to Judah, their arrogance, and their neglect of the true God. This part, moreover, contains reproofs of Israel (ix. 8-x. 4) and the treasurer Shebna (xxii. 15, seq.; comp. 2 Kings xviii. 18), and brief declarations respecting Dumah and Arabia (xxi. 11—17), with some historical particulars (vii. xx. xxxvi.—xxxix.).

The second part (xl.-lxvi.) forms an independent and well-ordered whole, in which is promised the return from the Babylonish captivity. Here, while describing in vivid colours and with a truly prophetic eye the happy condition of the ransomed and regenerated nation, the writer is led to mingle in his pictures traits which look beyond the restored nationality, and have from an early age been held to refer to the Messiah and his happy times. In relation to this portion of his vision' is it that Isaiah has been spoken of as the evangelical prophet.'

In the first part, a strict chronological arrangement is not throughout observed. The vision of consecration, which may well be supposed to have taken place at the outset, is not found till you come to the sixth chapter. The passages xiv. 28-32; xvii. 1—11, belong to the time of Ahaz, though preceded by others which relate to the reign of Hezekiah. The burden of Egypt' (xix.) has been reckoned one of the latest of Isaiah's prophecies, and is posterior to xxviii.xxxiii., which perhaps refer to earlier events than xxii. 1-14; whence we infer that the prophet wrote and published his prophecies separately, and that they were collected together by a later hand, when marks of time were less recognisable. Nor, indeed, are modern critics of one mind in regard to dates; for instance, the first chapter has been placed in the time of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.

The second part may be divided into three leading portions, each of nine chapters, which are separated by a concluding verse, namely, xlviii. 22; lvii. 21; lxvi. 24. This important part seems to have been pretty nearly all published, if not written, at the same time, which, speaking generally, may be considered as towards the latter part of Isaiah's life; when, retired from the press of public affairs, he had leisure and repose to reflect profoundly on the actual condition of the nation, and, inspired by the Spirit of prophecy, he clearly predicted the unavoidable enslavement of the corrupt people, and their deliverance through the gracious counsels of God. In this view the historical portion, xxxvi.-xxxix., which has reference to Isaiah's public exertions, stands in its right place, since what follows belongs to a later period.

Till recently, the prophecies of Isaiah were generally recognised as written by that sublime teacher. Within the last fifty years, however, this generally received opinion has been impugned. The question has been debated almost exclusively in Germany, where names of great repute are ranged on both sides. The assailants have denied the authenticity of more than one-half of the contents of the book. It is not, for the most part, pretended that these impugned portions are forgeries. They are genuine but later productions, which came into existence just before or during the exile, and being written by some one bearing the same name as the great prophet, or on insufficient grounds being after a time held to be his, were ascribed to Isaiah and added to the manuscript rolls which contained his authentic works. Hence arises a division of the book into the Proto-Isaian (the first or really Isaian) and the Deutero (the second), or Pseudo (falsely so called) Isaian prophecies. In what we have before designated the first part of Isaiah, the following portions have been declared unauthentic, namely, xiii. xiv.-23; xv. xvi. 112; xix. 16-25; xxi. 1-10; xxiii. xxiv.xxvii. xxxiv. xxxv. xxxvi.-xxxix. In the second part all, without exception, from xl. to lxvi., both inclusive, are pronounced to have had some other person than Isaiah for their author.

These attacks have had their origin in a disbelief of prophetic inspiration. Those who have made them have been open impugners, inany of them, of all prophecy. And this, at the outset, subjects to suspicion any opinion they may express. The question with them is pre-judged. They display, not the calm unbiassed spirit of true criticism, but the narrow and one-sided views of partizans. Their attempt to deprive Isaiah of the latter and sublimer half of his prophecy has been a failure. If these prophecies were written by an imitator of Isaiah, they are the most extraordinary instance of literary imitation on record. The disciple has, in this case, far excelled the master. But no doubt can be entertained on the part of any really unbiassed investigator that the whole book of Isaiah is justly attributed to the man whose name is placed at the head of it. It bears the stamp of Isaiah from beginning to end. It certifies itself as springing from the same mind, being the progression and development of the same class of ideas. The first half is the more prosaic, its burden being mainly historical or political; the second soars to an inexpressible pitch of sublimity the prophet grows into an apostle, and foreseeing the day of Christ, and the blessings of the gospel kingdom, hails their coming with a burst of melody and joy, which gave to the men then living a foretaste of the happiness which would prevail under the Righteous King. Under the pic. ture of a renovated world-casting off the