The Chaldeans, Chasdim, are supposed to have had their origin, and to have taken their name, from Chesed, the son of Nachor, the brother of Abraham. They were known by that name in the time of Moses, who calls Ur in Mesopotamia, from whence Abraham came, to distinguish it from other places of the same name, Ur of the Chaldeans. And Jeremiah calls them an ancient nation. This is not inconsistent with what Isaiah here says of them: "This people was not, "that is, they were of no account, (see Deuteronomy xxxii. 21;) they were not reckoned among the great and potent nations of the world till of later times; they were a rude, uncivilized, barbarous people, without laws, without settled habitations; wandering in a wide desert country ( µyyx tsiyim) and addicted to rapine like the wild Arabians. Such they are represented to have been in the time of Job, chap. i. 17, and such they continued to be till Assur, some powerful king of Assyria, gathered them together, and settled them in Babylon in the neighbouring country. This probably was Ninus, whom I suppose to have lived in the time of the Judges. In this, with many eminent chronologers, I follow the authority of Herodotus, who says that the Assyrian monarchy lasted but five hundred and twenty years. Ninus got possession of Babylon from the Cuthean Arabians; the successors of Nimrod in that empire collected the Chaldeans, and settled a colony of them there to secure the possession of the city, which he and his successors greatly enlarged and ornamented. They had perhaps been useful to him in his wars, and might be likely to be farther useful in keeping under the old inhabitants of that city, and of the country belonging to it; according to the policy of the Assyrian kings, who generally brought new people into the conquered countries; see Isaiah xxxvi. 17; 2 Kings xvii. 6, 24. The testimony of Dicaearchus, a Greek historian contemporary with Alexander, (apud. Steph. de Urbibus, in voc. caldaiov,) in regard to the fact is remarkable, though he is mistaken in the name of the king he speaks of. He says that "a certain king of Assyria, the fourteenth in succession from Ninus, (as he might be, if Ninus is placed, as in the common chronology, eight hundred years higher than we have above set him,) named, as it is said, Chaldaeus, having gathered together and united all the people called Chaldeans, built the famous city, Babylon, upon the Euphrates." -L.

Is. 23:1-14 Tyre was the mart of the nations. She was noted for mirt and diversions; and this made her loth to consider the warnings God gave by his servants. Her merchants were princes, and lived lik princes. Tyre being destroyed and laid waste, the merchants shoul abandon her. Flee to shift for thine own safety; but those that ar uneasy in one place, will be so in another; for when God's judgment pursue sinners, they will overtake them. Whence shall all this troubl come? It is a destruction from the Almighty. God designed to convinc men of the vanity and uncertainty of all earthly glory. Let the ruin of Tyre warn all places and persons to take heed of pride; for he wh exalts himself shall be abased. God will do it, who has all power in his hand; but the Chaldeans shall be the instruments.

Is. 23:15-18 The desolations of Tyre were not to be for ever. The Lor will visit Tyre in mercy. But when set at liberty, she will use her ol arts of temptation. The love of worldly wealth is spiritual idolatry and covetousness is spiritual idolatry. This directs those that have wealth, to use it in the service of God. When we abide with God in ou worldly callings, when we do all in our power to further the gospel then our merchandise and hire are holiness to the Lord, if we look to his glory. Christians should carry on business as God's servants, an use riches as his stewards __________________________________________________________________

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