Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 19:8
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
The fishers also shall mourn, &c.] Because there will be no fish to catch, the waters of the river being dried up, and so will have none to sell, and nothing to support themselves and families with; and this must also affect the people in general, fish being the common food they lived upon, (see <041105>Numbers 11:5), not only because of the great plenty there usually was, but because they killed and ate but very few living creatures, through a superstitious regard unto them; though Herodotus saysf374 the Egyptian priests might not taste of fishes, yet the common people might; for, according to that historianf375, when the river Nile flowed out of the lake of Moeris, a talent of silver every day was brought into the king’s treasury, arising from the profit of fish; and when it flowed in, twenty pounds; nay, he expressly saysf376, that some of them live upon fish only, gutted, and dried with the sun: and all they that cast angle, or hook, into the brooks shall lament; which describes one sort of fishermen, and way of catching fishes, with the angle and hook, as the following clause describes another sort: and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish; be dispirited and enfeebled for want of trade and subsistence, and with grief and horror.
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