This extraordinary increase of numbers, which is to overflow all countries, strongly favours the spiritual view, for the actual number of the Hebrew nation is avowedly diminishing, and becoming less and less likely to perform the wonderful changes next intimated. The sea and the isles were common expressions for the Gentile nations, (Gen. x. 5,) while the land signifies always the Jews, from Palestine or the Holy Land—see note. Rivers denote in prophetic language, the people residing on their borders. (Isaiah viii. 7.) _The_ river, in particular, signifies the Euphrates and the Eastern nations bordering upon it. This will serve as a key to the meaning of the next verse, which announces the subversion of Paganism in these different countries. Thus, _afflicting the sea and smiting the waves_, denote its extinction in the West; _drying up the depths of the river_, signify its extinction in the East; _and bringing down the pride of Assyria_, and _the departing of the sceptre from Egypt_ bespeak its further abolition. _And he shall cause affliction to pass over the sea, and shall smite the waves of the sea: and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down; and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away._ Surely these expressions announce some greater changes than would result from the mere emigration from these countries of a race, poor, afflicted, and despised, as the Jews long have been. And small indeed is the likelihood that the literal subjugation of all these countries by that race, can be here intended. The following verse points out a far more probable and consistent solution of the problem, in the overthrow of their idolatry, and the turning of all these nations to the worship of the one true God. _And I will strengthen them in the Lord, and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the Lord._ NOTES TO CHAPTER IX. Verse 1. :יהוה עשה חזיזים ומטר גשם _So the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain._ The Hebrew here may be rendered (see Lowth and Parkhurst) _lightning_ instead of _bright clouds_, and the connexion with rain will then be much more obvious; especially with _heavy_ rain, as the Hebrew word literally signifies, which usually follow lightning. The construction will then be as proposed in the text. _So the Lord causing lightning, shall bring heavy rain, &c._ Verse 3. :על הרעים חרה אפי ועל העתודים אפקוד כי פקד יהוה _Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats, for the Lord, &c._