srael from the
relation to Asshur and the whole world's power represented by Asshur--a
relation into which it had been led by Damascus--and takes a view of
the punishment which it receives by its sins, by its having become
worldly, and of the Divine mercy which sends deliverance and salvation.

The threatening goes as far as chap. xvii 11. The rod of chastisement
is, in the first instance, in the hand of Asshur; but he, as has been
already mentioned, represents the world's power in general. With this,
the promise connects itself. The oppressors of the people of God are
annihilated, chap. xvii. 12-14. All the nations of the earth,
especially Ethiopia, which was, no less than Israel, threatened by
Asshur (comp. chap. xxxvii. 9), and to which Egypt at that time
occupied the position of a subordinate ally, perceive with astonishment
the catastrophe by which God brings about the destruction of His
enemies, chap. xviii. 1-3. Or, to state it more exactly: Messengers
who, from the scene of the great deeds of the Lord, hasten in ships,
first, over the Mediterranean, then, in boats up the Nile, bring the
intelligence of the catastrophe which has taken place to Cush, the land
of the rustling of the wings--thus named from the rustling of the wings
of the royal eagle of the world's power, which, being in birth equal to
Asshur, has there its seat, vers. 1 and 2; comp. chap. viii. 8. All the
inhabitants of the earth shall look with astonishment at the
catastrophe which is taking place, ver. 3, where the Prophet who, in
vers. 1 and 2, had described the catastrophe as having already taken
place, steps back to the stand-point of reality. In vers. 4-6, we have
the graphic description of the catastrophe. At the close, we have, in
ver. 7, the words which impart to the prophecy importance for our
purpose.

"_In that time shall be brought, as a present unto the Lord of hosts,
the people far stretched and shorn, and from the people terrible since
it_ (has been) _and onward, and from the people of law-law and
trampling down, whose land streams divide, to the place of the name of
the Lord of hosts, the Mount Zion._"

[Pg 139]

The expression, "shall be brought as a present," (the word [Hebrew: wi]
occurs, besides in this passage, only in Ps. lxviii. 30; lxxvi. 12)
points back to the fundamental passage in Ps. lxviii. 30, where David
says, "Because of thy temple over Jerusalem shall kings bring presents
unto thee." As outwardly, so spiritual